#bryce rhodes loves

[seph7]

J.T. Walsh is great at being a villain

Actor is ubiquitous as the bad guy in ''The Client,'' ''Nixon,'' ''A Few Good Men,'' and more

ByKate Meyers

Published on August 23, 1996

First, you recognize his face. Then you think: bad guy. If you’ve seen The Grifters, A Few Good Men, The Client, Outbreak, Nixon, or Executive Decision, then you’ve seen J.T. Walsh portraying, in his words, ”ethically challenged” individuals. Not that it bothers him. ”It’s better than doing the ‘he went thataway’ roles,” he says. His characters, which tend to be middle-aged buttoned-down authority figures, drip with what he calls ”a little juice.”

Hard-pressed to think of a nice guy he’s played, Walsh, 52, easily recalls the lowest — the porn producer having an affair with his daughter in 1991’s Defenseless. Represented on video this week by the thrillers Black Day Blue Night and Sacred Cargo and in September by the indie comedy The Low Life, Walsh says he has no problem accepting low-profile projects. ”My motto has always been, Do whatever comes next,” he laughs.

Born in San Francisco, Walsh was raised in Germany, where his father served in the military. After graduating from the University of Rhode Island, Walsh worked for a decade as, by turns, a teacher, salesman, journalist, restaurant manager, and social worker. But those became just day jobs when, at 31, the self-proclaimed hippie began acting in regional East Coast theaters. In 1974, Walsh hung out at the Theater at St. Clement’s in New York City, where he met an unknown playwright named David Mamet. Cast in the role of Bobby in American Buffalo, he made $100 for the six-week run. Ten years later, Mamet picked Walsh for the Broadway production of Glengarry Glen Ross, which was ”the pop” that got him into the movies. Walsh moved to L.A., where he’s been evil ever since.

Married briefly in his 20s, the unattached Walsh (”Who wants to go out with the bad guy?”) lives in the San Fernando Valley with his 22-year-old son, John. He’s currently playing — surprise — a morally ambiguous Navy colonel on NBC’s sci-fi drama Dark Skies. ”As an actor he conveys the attitude of the guy you call if you need a job done,” says Bryce Zabel, the show’s executive producer. ”You wouldn’t want to ask him how he got it done, but you’d call him.”

”Sure, I want bigger parts,” Walsh says. ”I call Sharon Stone and say: ‘Gimme a break. I just wanna make love to you.’ She doesn’t get back to me.”

[blackwendigo13]

Lord of the Skies - The Unofficial, Incomplete *Playlist*

Captain Kirk's Classical Playlist:

Warbly Jets - Alive

Florence + The Machine - Cosmic Love

Rizzle Kicks - When I Was A Youngster

Lily Allen - LDN

The Killers - The Man

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Heads Will Roll

Saint Motel - My Type

Imagine Dragons - I Bet My Life

Foo Fighters - Learn To Fly

Summer Kennedy - Feel The Power

Dr. McCoy's Medbay Tunes:

Dasha - Austin

Zach Bryan, Kacey Musgroves - I Remember Everything

Maddie & Tae - Girl In A Country Song

Noah Kahan, Post Malone - Dial Drunk

Marshmello, Kane Brown - Miles On It

Dolly Parton - 9 To 5

Kacey Musgroves - Blowin’ Smoke

First Officer Spock's Research Playlist:

Corinne Bailey Rae - Put Your Records On

RHODES, Birdy - Let It All Go

Amy Winehouse - Tears Dry On Their Own

Beck - Dreams

Green Day - Good Ridance

GABRIELLE - Dreams

Big Mountain - Baby, I Love Your Way

Khai Dreams - Sunkissed 

Tyserai Ritual Vibes:

IC3PEAK - смерти больше нет

Dorothy - Wicked Ones

WAR*HALL - Dead Man Walking

Bryce Fox - Horns

The Phantoms - Fight For My Survival

[storyofmychoices]

Beneath the Falling Leaves

[Bryce Lahela x Olivia Hadley Masterlist]

Pairing: Bryce Lahela x Olivia Hadley (F!OC)

Book: Open Heart

Word Count: >400

Rating/Warning: General (all the fluff)

Prompts: @choicesmonthlychallenge  : falltober ; @choicesficwriterscreations : an autumn walk

Synopsis: Bryce and Olivia take a walk in the Public Garden. [Art]

There is nothing quite like autumn in New England. The vibrant array of colors, the sharp, earthy scent filling the air, the abundance of apples and pumpkins just waiting to be picked, the warm, familiar comfort of a cozy sweater on a cool afternoon, the crisp breeze blowing across the pages of an old book, the bittersweet reminder of the beauty in endings and new beginnings—Autumn in New England was something special. It was a kind of magic, both old and new—one that had to be experienced to be understood. It was an enchantment Olivia knew well, but one Bryce was still discovering. 

The quiet of the Boston Public Garden offered a momentary escape from the bustling metropolis of the city just outside. The pair strolled hand in hand, bumping shoulders from time to time. The idyllic breeze wrapped them with its brisk, refreshing scent. Leaves fluttered, gliding down from the crimson, orange, and golden trees, and tumbled across their path. Every now and then, a dry leaf offered a satisfying crunch beneath their feet. 

His thumb caressed softly over the back of her hand for a moment before he lifted their joined hands to his lips, brushing a tender kiss across her knuckles. 

Olivia's face warmed at the adoration she found when she met his gaze. She tucked a loose strand of her fiery hair behind her ear. "What was that for?"

"Do I need a reason?" Bryce lowered their hands as he took a step forward. "In fact—" He pulled her into him, spinning her quickly against his chest. "—much better." He kissed her softly at first, but no longer able to resist, he lifted her into his arms. 

Her mouth slipped open further in surprise at his sudden affection, allowing Bryce to take the opportunity to deepen their embrace. 

Olivia forgot the warmth rising in her cheeks and the public setting they found themselves in. She wrapped her arms around his neck, meeting the heat of his lips over and over. 

Swirling splashes of color danced around them as they kissed beneath the falling leaves. The wonder of the season had taken hold of them both.

His kisses slowed as he gently lowered her to the ground. Bryce held her in his arms, letting the moment linger. "Have I told you lately how much I love you?"

"I think you just did." Olivia chewed her lower lip, a blissful look spreading wide across her face. "I love you, too." 

Bryce held out his hand to her. "Shall we?"

She laced her fingers with his, offering a gentle squeeze. "We shall!"

The two continued on, matching smiles on their faces as they gazed in wonder, enjoying the dazzling display of autumn painting the park around them.

Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed this pointless fluffy drabble. Bryce absolutely randomly pulls Olivia into his arms for kisses. How could he not? She is so pretty and smart and amazing! And Bryce is just Bryce! *dreamy eyes at the both of them*

A/N: Olivia is from Rhode Island so New England fall is always one of her favorites.

[thelonecalzone]

No one asked for it, but here's a chillin-by-a-waterfall soft vibes Pattison playlist based on that stupid ch22 tbscm waterfall scene 🤷

The Bi Books & Biting Playlist -

With Somebody - Public Library Commute

Burn the Witches - Husbands

Pools To Bathe In - The Japanese House

Saltwater for Strings - Geowulf, Pêter Aleksänder 

Back - Pool Cosby, Soren Bryce

Life Can Be Beautiful - Solace

Swim - St. South

Shallow Hot Springs - Boy Willows

I Should Probably Get Moving - Box Boys

Couch Party - Afternoon Bike Ride

Sleeping In - Kid City

Mess This Up - CHYLD, Tennyson

Besides You - Golden Vessel

Okay, Saint Laurent - October Tooth

Library Magic - The Head And The Heart

The Wind - Magic Hippies

TWYLM - Stradcopy

Strings Attached - Opia

Secret Garden (ft. Merival) - Soda Island, Izzard, Merival

Does Your Brain Ever Get This Loud - St. South

Don’t Think So Hard - On Planets

Pack a Day - Charlie Sztyk

Here With U - Appleby

Bugs - Lonesome Rhodes

Overwinter - Max Fry, Ali Fry

Buttons - Meija

Lover’s Ledge - Night Beds

Surface Tension - Genevieve Stokes

You - Tennyson

Red - Jaguar Sun

Blue Blue - iamamiwhoami, ionnalee

The Flood - Oliver Hazard

Colorado - Hailaker, Lowswimmer

In a Book (Back to Me) - Nick Leng

Just Because - Cape Francis

Next Year - Jaguar Sun

Wildflowers - Haiva Ru

Pink Honey - Houses

Melt - The Misters

Over Again - Holdwash, Baird

Woman - Baseball Game

Can’t Stop Cryin’ - Austin Manuel

I Love It When You Talk - Boy Willows

Universe - Teebs, daydream Masi

Missed Call - Flaws

Momentum - Blake Ruby

Caroline - Jadu Heart

Set it on Fire - Blood Cultures

Forever and More - Jaguar Sun

Still - Noah Kahan

[blueribbonbaby]

hey babe! which 5 songs would you use to describe fez and lexi's vibe/story? 💖🎶

I bet on losing dogs- mitski

Erode- tender

Forever's Not Enough-Soren Bryce

Your soul- Rhodes

Fire of love - Jesse jo stark 🎼

[alwaysmychoices]

What's your HC for Ethan's personal time, away from MC? Like, do you see him going out with friends? On his own? Does he ever do things that doesn't involve her?

Other than MC, Ethan’s one true love is his work, so it’s not surprising that a lot of his personal time involves independent research on medicine. Judging by the amount of hours he logs at Edenbrook, you’d never know he had a hobby, but Ethan actually a very enthusiastic hobbyist.

In his free times, he’s learning new recipes, auditing cooking classes, and making strong ties at the farmers market so he always gets the best produce. He’s very passionate about the opera, and as a prominent donor, he has a standing reservation to attend a show whenever he can. He’s also increasingly becoming a wine connoisseur (read: wine snob) and desperately wants to take a week to drink his way through Napa with MC at his side. Ethan hates all the pompous galas and fundraisers, but he’s a significant donor to several philanthropic efforts through town, including a STEM education program making such studies more accessible to first-generation students like him.

Now, no one would dare call Ethan a social butterfly, but he’s not a complete hermit. Admittedly, it might take some prodding from MC, but he sees friends (and he makes more of an effort to do so when he decides he wants more than just an empty office to greet him every night). Casually, he maintains friendships with his favorite butchers, chefs, grocers, old classmates, and fellow dog park patrons. On a slightly deeper level, he meets up with Tobias and Bryce, but Ethan’s discomfort with their unique brand of chaos keeps those outings pre-planned and contained. Then, there’s Ethan’s true inner circle — MC, Naveen, Harper, and Alan. He has a standing coffee date with Naveen that morphed into weekly dinners once he settled down with MC, and Harper is a frequent participant. Despite initial unease, Harper becomes a member of their found family and is as welcome as anyone else. She and Ethan often get lunch together or commiserate at fundraising events. Alan is also a frequent visitor, with him coming to Boston and Ethan going to Rhode Island. Though not as close to MC’s old roommates as she is, Ethan considers them friends and has a particular attachment to Sienna as they both share a protective instinct toward MC. Their shared culinary interest mean that Sienna is frequently invited to join Ethan on his newest experiment.

Having MC around encouraged Ethan to get out there, but honestly, I don’t think he was nearly as much of a hermit as he pretends to be.

[aj-writess-blog]

tag drop for bryce rhodes

[legendaryl0stpieces]

tag drop for bryce rhodes

[jamespotterthefirst]

Dirty Talk (Ethan x MC)

Book: Open Heart, beyond Pairing: Dr. Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (Dr. Lilac Allende) Word count: 600 Warning: Suggestive language Prompt: #98. “if we weren’t in public right now i’d have my head between your legs” and #86. “don’t be shy now, sit on my face.”

Premise: Their workout session takes a steamy turn.

A/N: Thank you anonymous, @drakewalkerfantasy​​  and @genevievemd​ for sending me these spice prompts! 

“You lose,” Lilac proclaims triumphantly, pinning him against the mat.

Ethan, breathless and exhausted, allows his head to hit the cushion. Her thighs squeeze him securely, making it impossible for him to free himself. Not that he'd want to. With Lilac on top of him, breathless, flushed from the exercise, and wearing a sports bra low enough to give him a splendid view… Well, he couldn't lament his defeat.

“It hardly feels like losing,” he tells her with the lopsided smirk she loves. “Anything that ends with you on top of me is a victory.”

“Are you flirting with me, Doctor Ramsey?”

“Definitely,” he returns without missing a beat. “Are you enjoying it, Doctor Allende?”

“I am. It feels like my prize.”

“This is your prize.”

With a confident air, he sits up far enough to kiss her. Lilac matches his passion ounce for ounce, her warm body settling further against his, her arms circling his neck. After a brief but fiery kiss, she smirks at him in a way that only makes him long for more.

“Did you know your Rhode Island accent comes out when you flirt?”

Ethan raises his eyebrows.

“That's impossible as I don't have one.”

Ethan steals another quick kiss.

“Unless you like it,” he adds.

His fiancée scrunches her nose with adorable exaggeration. “I'm not a fan. It's not very sexy.”

Steadily, he takes that as a challenge.

“What if I said filthy things in it?”

“Like what?”

“Like how goddamn sexy your ass looks in these tights.”

Ethan slaps her ass firmly, as though his point couldn't have been conveyed without the demonstration.

“Or how good you look on top of me.”

Lilac laughs—a breathless, sexy little song. Unabashedly, she glances down at the tops of breasts, rearranging the fabric to somehow make them look even better. Deeming it the only gentlemanly thing to do, he gives them his full attention.

“Enjoying the view, Ramsey?”

“Immensely.”

“Well, I'm still not convinced you can make that thing sound sexy.”

Ethan leans in to kiss  her neck, his lips kissing a trail up to her ear.

“If we weren’t in public right now I'd have my head between your legs.”

To his satisfaction, her legs quiver around his hips. Eyes dark and heavily lidded, she glances around the hospital gym, silently noting how alone they were.

“We're not exactly in—”

“With you on top.”

Ethan nibbles her earlobe.

“Riding my face.”

Lilac moans at that.

“You're such a tease, Ramsey.”

“I'm not teasing, ” he tells her quite seriously. Then, with a half smile, he leans back against the mat, piercing her with a challenging look. “Don't be shy now. Sit on my face.”

Lush, rosy lips part as she exhales, looking halfway convinced. Before Ethan could find out if she'd actually comply, a string of laughter echoes around the gym. Bryce Lahela saunters in, bare muscles glistening in the harsh lighting.

“Keep it PG, you two,” he admonishes, not looking the least bit surprised to find them like that. “Many people, myself included, workout on that mat.”

“Taking mirror selfies is not working out, Lahela,” Lilac returns, rolling her eyes.

Bryce laughs, putting his hands up in defeat. “I'm hitting the showers. Be good, kids.”

“I knew there was a reason I didn't like him,” Ethan declares after the surgeon is gone.

Lilac laughs, untangling herself from him.

“We'll just have to pick up where we left off after work.”

As they rise to their feet, Ethan smacks her as unabashedly, leaning in to murmur, “Looking forward to having you on top of me again, Allende.”

Note: This is 100000000% inspired by that Tik Tok I posted about RI accents, but more importantly, by Chris Evans talking in his Boston accent 

Lilac is a liar because that shit was hot

Thank you so much for reading! If you sent me a prompt, I am writing it I promise. I’m just slow and there some anxiety-inducing stuff I’m dealing with IRL. Thank you so much for being patient! 

[gwldcnz]

* 𝑴𝑨𝑺𝑻𝑬𝑹𝑳𝑰𝑺𝑻: boho / hippie names ( + meanings & origins ) !

under the cut you'll find a masterlist of +100 safe male names (some of them are good for be surnames or middle names) and they meanings / origins with groovy 60s & 70s vibe inspired by nature, animals and music.

aster: a daisy-like flower (greek origin) bud: symbolic of a budding future (american origin) miller: a silver-leaved perennial flower (irish or scottish origin) quince or quincy: a type of shrub in the rose family; means “apple like fruit” (latin origin) ren: lotus; is a symbol of self-growth and enlightenment (japanese origin) rhodes: where roses grow (greek origin) rosen: roses; a popular jewish first / surname (german origin) alder: an alder tree’s wood is used to make electric guitars (english origin) arlow or arlo: evergreen barberry tree (spanish origin) asher: blessed and happy (hebrew origin)  birch: a white slender tree that can bend to the ground without breaking (english origin)  calyx or calix: a husk or pod / the funnel-shaped part of a flower (greek / latin origin) cane or kane: a stalk of sugar (english origin) carver: wood carver (english origin) cedar: a tree known for its scented wood (latin origin) forrest: a land of trees and magnificent nature (english / scottish origin) hollis: of the holly tree known for its lovely red berries (english origin) huck: like the huckleberry fruit, the state fruit of idaho (english origin) linden or lyndon: a large deciduous tree with a sturdy trunk (english / german origin) perry: dweller near a pear tree (english origin) reed or reid: a tall grass; also means red-headed (english origin) ripley: strip of clearing in the woods (english origin) rowan: a reddish brown tree; also means “little redhead” (scottish / irish origin) sage: an herb with grayish-green leaves; also means wise (latin origin) silas: man of the forest (latin origin)  timber: growing trees (english origin) berg: mountain or cliff (german origin) brent: from a steep hill (english origin) bryce: means speckled (scottish origin) canyon: a deep person with layers (spanish origin) clay: as earthy as it gets; fine-grained earth (english origin) cliff: a steep rock face (english origin) coal or cole: a natural resource; a dark gray or black color (english origin) denver: green valley (english origin) everest: as in the world’s tallest mountain (english origin)  hutton: a ridge enclosure (english / scottish origin) jasper: a red, yellow, brown, or green gemstone; also means "bringer of treasure" (persian origin)  jet: a coal-like organic gemstone (english origin) knox: a round-topped hill (scottish origin) lander: means territory (german origin) lyle: topographic name for one who lives on an island (scottish / english / french origin) onyx: a black gemstone (greek origin) ridge: a long narrow hilltop; an elevated strip of land (english origin) sawyer: woodcutter; one who saws timber (english origin) stone: means "solid as a rock" (german origin) abner: father of light; creator of the sun and stars (hebrew origin) aden or aiden: means little fire; also means "attractive" (irish / hebrew origin) blaze: a fiercely burning fire (english origin)  brenton: fire or flame; also means "town of fire" (english origin) flint: a stone that makes a spark (english origin) sorin or soren: means "sun" (romanian origin) brooks: means "small streams"; one who dwells by a brook (english origin)  calder: means "rocky water" (english origin) callan: means "flowing water" (scandinavian / gaelic origin) dylan: son of the sea (welsh origin) hurley: means "sea tide" (gaelic origin) kai: means "sea" (hawaiian origin); ocean, restoration, or recovery (japanese origin) moses: delivered from the river (hebrew origin) nile: means "champion" (greek origin)  remy: oarsman; one who drives a boat forward (french / latin origin) rivers or river: flowing water; a large winding stream (latin origin) rivo: means "stream" (italian origin)  trent or trenton: gushing or flooding water (english origin) wade: at the river crossing; wading through the water (english origin) zale: power of the sea (greek origin) raiden: thunder and lightning (japanese origin) ari: means eagle (nordic origin) or lion (hebrew origin) buck: means "male deer" (english origin) colt: a young horse less than 4 years old (swedish origin)  corbin: means "crow" (latin origin) falcon: a bird symbolizing victory (english origin) finch: a cute and colorful small bird (english origin) hawk or hawke: one of the most intelligent birds (germanic / english origin) lynx: a wild cat with luminescent eyes (greek origin) lyon: means "lion" (french origin) phoenix: a mythical bird symbolizing immortality (greek origin) talon: the claw of a bird of prey (french origin) corwin: heart’s friend; also means "one who lives near a castle" (english origin)  darrell: means "beloved" (french origin) felix: happy and fortunate (latin origin)  fenmore: means "dear love" (english origin)  fritz: peaceful ruler (german origin) jayden or jaden: means "thankful" (hebrew origin) jonah: means "dove", a symbol of peace (hebrew origin)  leif: means "loved"; also means descendant (scandinavian origin) levi: joined in harmony (hebrew origin)  lev or liev: means "heart" (yiddish origin)  milo: peaceful and calm; also means "soldier" (latin / german origin)  pax or paxton: peace or peace town (latin origin) ziggy: victorious peace (german origin) arrow: means "shot by cupid" (english origin)  art / artie: noble one (latin origin) damon: to subdue; a symbol of friendship (greek origin) dax: means "leader" (french origin) echo: a reverberating sound (greek origin) rex: means "king" (latin origin)  rider or ryder: means "horseman" (english origin) sutter: means "shoemaker" (english origin)  tanner: leather tanner (english origin) zane: means "god is gracious" (english origin)

[sleepykittypaws]

2023 Theatrical Holiday Premieres

Updated: December 6, 2023 (NOTE: Will try to keep schedule mostly up-to-date for this last year, but no longer following production)

Switch (a.k.a. Seuwichi; holiday movie starring Oh Jung-se and Kim Mi-kyung; directed by Ma Dae-Yoon; Korean language remake of 2000′s The Family Man; A spoiled actor experiences a new life when he meets a mysterious taxi driver on Christmas Eve) - Jan. 4, South Korea

Plane (New Year’s-set action movie starring Gerard Butler, Mike Colter, Yonson An and Tony Goldwyn; directed by Jean-François Richet; A New Year’s Eve storm causes a plane to crash lang on an island occupied by dangerous criminals, forcing the pilot to work with a convict to protect his passengers) - Jan. 13 (Trailer)

One Fine Morning (a.k.a. Un Beau Matin; French-language, partially holiday-set movie starring Pascal Lea-Seydoux, Melvil Greggory, Nicole Poupaud and Garcia; written and directed by Mia Hansen-Love; A widow and single mom juggles caring for her family, including her father with dementia, and a new affair with an old friend of her late husband’s) - Jan. 27, limited (Trailer)

Stars Fell Again (holiday-set sequel to 2021′s Stars Fell on Alabama starring James Maslow, Ciara Hanna, Cecilia Kim and Johnnie Mack; co-written and directed by V.W. Scheich; A year after they reunited at a high school reunion, Bryce is ready to pop the question with a Christmas proposal, but family drama interferes with his plans; filmed in Atlanta) - Feb. 3, limited (Trailer)

The Young Santa Claus (avant garde holiday origin story written, directed and starring Sidin Mido Salkic; A young indigenous man comes out of the sea with no memory, freezing, and puts on a Santa suit for warmth, finding himself instantly transformed; filmed in Australia) - Feb. 15, Melbourne premiere

A Disturbance in the Force (documentary from filmmakers Jeremy Coon and Steve Kozak on how the infamous 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special came to be) - Mar. 11, SXSW  (Website)

Great Yarmouth: Provisional Figures (Portuguese language drama starring Beatriz Batarda, Kris Hitchen, Bob Elliott, Romeu Runa, Victor Lourenço, Nuno Lopes and Rita Cabaço; directed by Marco Martins; Set in 2019, the story of Portuguese migrants who descend on the UK to work in turkey production factories in the lead up to Christmas, along with a woman who used to be one of them, now married to a local hotelier) - Mar. 16, limited (Trailer)

The Naughty List (small budget, partially crowd funded, Australian holiday movie about a girl who holds Santa hostage until she gets a “nice list guarantee”) - Apr. 16, Australian Premiere (Instagram, Facebook)

Hellmark (Hallmark horror parody short starring Tanya Jade and Giles Panton; directed by Jessica Lauren Doucet; A traditional Christmas rom-com takes a turn) - Apr. 16, Crazy 8s Gala (Instagram)

To Catch a Killer (partially holiday-set thriller starring Shailene Woodley and Ben Mendelsohn; directed by Damián Szifron; co-written by Jonathan Wakeham and Szifron; A troubled Baltimore police detective tracks down a New Year’s Eve serial killer) - Apr. 21 (Trailer)

With Joyful Ring (holiday short film starring Matthew Rhodes and Elena Hollander; written and directed by Gary Karapetyan; A lonely and depressed widower makes an effort to reconnect with the world at Christmas) - April 22, Myrtle Beach International Film Festival (Trailer)

R.M.N. (Romanian-French movie directed by Cristian Mungiu; A man who has been working overseas returns to his small, Romanian village for Christmas, only to find his former friends and neighbors caught up in fear and prejudice, which comes to a head when new foreign workers come to town) - April 28, limited (Trailer)

L’immenmsita (partially holiday-set, Italian drama starring Penelope Cruz, Vincenzo Amaro and Luana Giuliani; co-written and directed by Emanuele Crialese; A mother and her children move to Rome in the 1970s; filmed in Italy, where it was released theatrically in 2022; first U.S. release) - May 12, limited (Trailer)

Jingle Hell (holiday horror short starring Keith Szarabajka, Shalini Bathina and Poonam Basu; directed by Sean Cruser; written by Tyler Beveridge; A married couple spending their holidays in a remote cabin must fight off a Christmas Eve killer) - June 8, Marina Del Ray Film Festival

Another Year Together (holiday movie starring Alexandra Turshen, Kiva Dawson, Marilyn Sokol and Robert S. Gregory; directed by Daniel Hendricks Simon; written by Patrick Davin and Hendricks Simon; Three multi-generational romances are tracked through the New York holiday season; filmed in New York City) - June 20, Manhattan Film Festival (Trailer, Instagram)

A Corpse for Christmas (small-budget holiday horror movie starring Kasper Meltedhair, Nicholas DeGideo and Josh Christensen; written and directed by Bruce Longo; Splatter holiday horror set and filmed in Philadelphia) - July 17, PhilaMOCA

Family Portrait (a.k.a. The Christmas Card; holiday drama starring Rachel Alig, Miriam Spumpkin and Katie Folger; directed and co-written by Lucy Kerr; As the pandemic looms, a Southern family struggles to take the perfect Christmas card photo that hides all the dysfunction and grief they’re actually experiencing; filmed in Hunt, Texas) - Aug. 4, Locarno Film Festival  (Website) 

Forgetting Christmas (holiday drama starring Melan Perez, Victoria Rowell, Dennis Jones, Donnie Brown Jr., Raisa D'Oyley and Honour Drew; written and directed by Cadell Cook; A young woman comes home for the holidays to deal with her father's early-onset Alzheimer's diagnosis) - Aug. 5, Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival (Website)

The Shepherd (holiday-set short starring John Travolta, Ben Radcliffe, Steven Mackintosh, Asan N'Jie and Scarlet Grace; based on the short story by Frederick Forsyth; adapted and directed by Iain Softley; A British pilot heading home from Germany for the holidays has all his instruments fail in deep fog and is miraculously saved by a mysterious plane that guides him home safely; filmed in Norfolk, UK) - Aug. 10, HollyShorts Film Festival (Trailer) 

Santastein (partially Kickstarter-funded holiday slasher movie based on a film school short, co-directed by Benjamin Edelman and Manuel Camilion; In a world without Christmas, a vengeful Santa takes his rage out on a group of unsuspecting teens; filmed in Miami) - Aug. 12, Popcorn Frights Film Festival (Instagram, Trailer)

Championship Christmas (faith-based holiday movie starring Erica Rowell Green, Dalton Delk and Joey Traywick; written and directed by Traywick; A woman reconnects with an old flame who is now a professional wrestler; filmed in Mississippi) - Aug. 26, Quitman, Mississippi premiere

Operation White Christmas (German-language action-comedy; starring Rauand Taleb, Tim Wilde, Tim Seyfi, Roland Düringer, Andreas Vitasek, Yvonne Yung Hee Bormann and Petra Morzé; written and directed by Flo Lackner; A video clerk finds himself drawn into high-stakes intrigue when he’s tasked with stopping a state visit on Christmas Eve to save his shop.) - Aug. 24, Austria (Teaser)

Werewolf Santa (UK-filmed horror movie starring Nicholas Vince, Mark Arnold and Joe Bob Briggs; written and directed by Arielle Anthony Hayles; Santa turns into a werewolf on Christmas Eve and a YouTuber catches it all on camera; filmed in Surrey, England) - Aug. 25, FrightFest London Film Festival (Website)

War is Over! (animated short film inspired by the song “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” from John Lennon and Yoko Ono, produced their son, Sean Ono Lennon) - Sep. 11, limited

You’re Not Me (a.k.a. Tú No Eres Yo; Spanish-language, holiday-set thriller starring Jorge Motos and Roser Tapias; directed and written by Moisés Romera and Marisa Crespo; A woman returns home for the holidays to find a stranger has taken her place) - Sep. 22, Fantastic Fest

The Sacrifice Game (holiday-set horror movie starring Mena Massoud, Olivia Scott Welch, Gus Kenworthy, Chloë Levine, Derek Johns, Laurent Pitre, Madison Baines and Georgia Acken; directed and co-written by Jenn Wexler with Sean Redlitz; Two students, alone at an all-girls boarding school over Christmas break, have to fight off uninvited guests to survive; filmed in Montreal) - Sep. 23, Fantastic Fest

Christmas for Three (holiday movie starring Naomi Matsuda, Ashley Brinkman, Kenney Myers and Paulie Calafiore; written and directed by Candy Cain; A single man suddenly tasked with caring for a child finds himself falling for the social worker trying to help them) - Oct. 28, Lake Placid International Film Festival

How to Ruin the Holidays (holiday comedy starring Colin Mochrie and Amber Nash; directed by Arlen Konopaki and written by Kevin Gillese; filmed in Atlanta) - Nov. 2, limited (Website)

Glisten and the Merry Mission (animated holiday movie from Build-A-Bear, starring Julia Michaels, Dionne Warwick, Chevy Chase, Trinity Jo-Li Bliss and Sisanie Villaclara; directed by Cory Morrison; written by Temple Matthews; A young elf and her mother must find an enchanted deer to save Christmas) - Nov. 3, Cinemark Exclusive (Trailer)

What Happens Later (rom-com starring Meg Ryan and David Duchovny; directed by Ryan; Exes snowed in at a small airport spend a magical night together) - Nov. 3 (Trailer)

The Christmas Classic (holiday movie starring Malin Ackerman, Amy Smart, Ryan Hansen, Will Blagrove, Wes Hager and Charlotte Taylor; written and directed by Shane Dax Taylor; A ski resort owner promises to sell if his ex can defeat her sister, the reigning champ, in an annual Christmas contest a series of outrageous, holiday-themed challenges; filmed in Ruidoso, New Mexico) - Nov. 3, limited (Trailer); also available PVOD

The Snow Queen and the Princess (Russian animated movie based on the Snow Queen fairy tale; released in Russian in February, new English-language dub coming to theaters and PVOD across Europe and the Middle East) - Nov. 9, international (Trailer)

The Holdovers (1970s-set holiday drama starring Paul Giamatti, Carrie Preston and Da’Vine Joy Randolph; directed by Alexander Payne and written by David Hemingson; A universally despised teacher without family of his own is forced to stay at his boarding school to supervise students who can’t go home for the holidays, including one particularly surly teen, with only the school’s longtime cook to help; filmed in New England) - Nov. 10 (Trailer)

It’s a Wonderful Knife (holiday horror-thriller starring Jane Widdop, Joel McHale, Justin Long, Sydney Scotia, Sean Depner, Aiden Howard, Erin Boyes and William B. Davis; directed by Tyler MacIntyre; written by Michael Kennedy; A final girl wishes she'd never been born, and lands in an alternate reality where she must once again battle the Christmas Eve killer; filmed in Vancouver) - Nov. 10 (Trailer)

Family Time (a.k.a. Mummola; holiday-set Finnish drama starring Ria Kataja, Elina Knihtilä, Leena Uotila, Tom Wentzel and Jarkko Pajunen; written and directed by by Tia Kouvo, based on his 2018 short; A dysfunctional family slowly implodes during a holiday visit) - Nov. 10, Finland (Trailer)

Manodrome (holiday-set drama starring Jesse Eisenberg and Adrian Brody; directed by John Trengrove; An uber driver with a pregnant girlfriend gets drawn into a cult-like male empowerment group) - Nov. 10, limited

Journey to Bethlehem (musical retelling of the Biblical Christmas story, starring Fiona Palomo, Milo Manheim, Antonio Banderas,  Stephanie Gil, Joel Smallbone, Lecrae, Rizwan Manji, Geno Seagers and Omid Djalili; directed by Adam Anders; written by Anders and Peter Barsocchini; original music by Adam and Nikki Anders, along with Peer Astrom; filmed in Spain) - Nov. 10 (Trailer)

Your Lucky Day (holiday-set thriller; starring Angus Cloud, Jason O'Mara and Spencer Garrett; written and directed by Dan Brown; When a winning lottery ticket is purchased at a down-and-out convenience store, a hostage situation breaks out as everyone grapples for the winnings) - Nov. 10 (Trailer)

There’s Something in the Barn (holiday horror movie starring Martin Starr, Amrita Acharia and Jeppe Beck Laursen; directed by Magnus Martens; written by Aleksander Kirkwood Brown; An American family inherits a remote cabin in the Norwegian mountains and heads there for the holidays only to find they’re not alone; filmed in Norway) - Nov. 10 (Trailer)

Vandits (holiday movie starring Enrico Colantoni, Robb Wells, Tony Nappo, Francesco Antonio, Jesse Camacho, Victoria Turko, and Jann Arden; directed by Stuart Stone; written by Rodness and Stone; A group of stoners decide to rob a senior center bingo hall on Christmas Eve; filmed in Winnipeg) - Nov. 10, limited (Trailer)

The Great Turkey Town Miracle (faith-based holiday movie starring and directed by Angus Benfield, along with J William and Cameron Arnett; Inspired by true events, a fired DJ must find 4,000 turkeys for needy families in just a month to hold onto his new job) - Nov. 10, limited (Trailer)

Christmas on Cobbler Street (a.k.a. Den Første Julen i Skomakergata; Norwegian family film starring Henki Kolstad and Kristoffer Olsen; directed by Mika Hovland; written by Maren Skolem; adapted from the classic 1979 TV Norweigan “TV advent calendar” Jul I Skomakergata; An orphan in 1945, post-war Norway takes refuge in a grumpy cobbler’s shop at the holidays) - Nov. 10, Norway (Trailer)

I’ll See You on Thanksgiving (holiday movie starring Aditya 'Adi' Maitra, Ramona Schwalbach and Ulises Ruiz; written and directed by Meshach Malley; College friends meet up after graduation for the holiday and quickly learn how much has changed; filmed in Ohio) - Nov. 11, Columbus, Ohio premiere (Website)

A Savage Christmas (holiday movie starring Rachel Griffiths, Helen Thomson, Darren Gilshenan, David Roberts, Gary Sweet, Ryan Morgan, Thea Raveneau, Max Jahufer and Rekha Ryan; co-written and directed by Madeleine Dyer; A trans woman returns home for the holidays for the first time with her boyfriend, expecting her transition to be the most shocking thing at Christmas dinner only to be upstaged by her dysfunctional family; filmed in Brisbane, Australia) - Nov. 16, Australia (Website)

Thanksgiving (holiday horror movie starring Milo Manheim, Jalen Thomas Brooks, Nell Verlaque, Addison Rae, Gina Gershon and Patrick Dempsey; directed by Eli Roth, written by Jeff Rendell; based on the mock trailer seen in Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez's 2007 movie Grindhouse, where a killer fashions a carving board out of his victims; filmed in Toronto) - Nov. 17 (Trailer)

So This is Christmas (Irish holiday documentary about people who struggle with the festive season; directed by Ken Wardrop; filmed in Ireland) - Nov. 17, Ireland (Website)

A Gettysburg Christmas (holiday movie starring Kelley Jackle, Tom Vera, Kate Vernon, Sean Ferris, Lee Majors and Bruce Boxleitner; directed by Bo Brinkman; A woman buys an apple orchard but finds herself lonely at the holidays and in need of a Christmas miracle to keep it all going; filmed in Pennsylvania) - Nov. 27, Majestic Theater, Gettysburg, Pa. (Instagram)

Christmess (Australian holiday comedy starring Steve Le Marquand, Susan Prior and Hannah Joy; directed by Heath Davis; An actor just out of rehab can only get hired as a store Santa during a dysfunctional Down Under summer Christmas; filmed in Campbelltown, Australia) - Nov. 30, Australia (Trailer)

Animal Crossing Christmas Festival: The Movie! (animated movie based on the video game series; A young boy moves to the village and tries to get his busy new friends to celebrate Toy Day with him.) - Dec. 1 (Teaser)

Silent Night (holiday-set, dialogue-free, action-thriller starring Joel Kinnaman, Kid Cudi, Catalina Sandino Moreno and Harold Torres; directed by John Woo; written by Robert Lynn; A father avenges the death of his son, killed by gang violence on Christmas Eve; filmed in Mexico) - Dec. 1 (Trailer)

Teddy’s Christmas (English-language version of the 2022 Norwegian animated-live action release Teddybjørnens Jul, starring Zachary Levi; directed by Andrea Eckerborn; A little girl wins a magical teddy at a holiday market and wants to keep him, but Teddy prefers a more glamorous life) - Dec. 1, limited (Trailer)

Holiday Twist (holiday movie starring Kelly Stables, Neal McDonough,  Sean Astin, Brian Thomas Smith, Alison Eastwood, Kelly Rutherford and Caylee Cowan; written and directed by Stephanie Garvin; A workaholic Grinch sees the err of her ways thanks to help from a mall Santa) - Dec. 1, limited (Website, Trailer)

How the Gringo Stole Christmas (holiday movie starring George Lopez, Emily Tosta, Mariana Treviño, Jack Kilmer and Alma Martinez; directed by Angel Gracia; written by Ezequiel Martinez Jr.; A father is shocked when his daughter comes home for the holidays with a new, white boyfriend in tow; filmed in Jackson, Miss.) - Dec. 1, limited (Trailer)

La Navidad en Sus Manos (a.k.a. Holiday in His Hands; Spanish-language holiday movie starring María Botto, Santiago Segura and Ernesto Sevilla; directed by Joaquín Mazón; written by Francisco Arnal and Daniel Monedero; An average man must save Christmas when Santa has a serious accident and needs counseling) - Dec. 1, Spain (Trailer)

Andre Rieu White Christmas (holiday concert special feature André Rieu and his Johann Strauss Orchestra, with interview and backstage footage hosted by Charlotte Hawkins) Dec. 2, limited (Website)

Noel Joyeux (a.k.a. Christmas Unplanned; French holiday movie starring Emmanuelle Devos, Franck Dubosc, Dominique Frot, Amel Charif, Axel Auriant and Amir Elkacem; written and directed by Clement Michel; A lonely couple decide to invite seniors from the local retirement home for Christmas; filmed in France) - Dec. 6, France

The Perfect Christmas (faith-based holiday movie starring Anthony Hackett, Cameron Arnett, Gigi Orsillo and Robert Amaya; co-directed by Hackett and Marc Thevenin Jr.; A father tries to pull off the perfect Christmas for his family, but ends up making a mess of their holiday; filmed in the Washington, D.C. area ) - Dec. 8, limited (Website)

Eileen (holiday-set drama starring Thomasin McKenzie, Anne Hathaway and Shea Whigham; directed by William Oldroyd; based on the book by Ottessa Moshfegh; A lonely prison employee becomes fascinated by a newcomer to the staff, but her obsession leads to tragedy; filmed in New Jersey) -  Dec. 8 (Trailer)

Love Actually (20th anniversary theatrical re-release of the classic 2003 movie starring Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, Liam Neeson and Bill Nighy; written and directed by Richard Curtis) - Dec. 8 (Trailer)

A Creature was Stirring (holiday-set horror movie starring Chrissy Metz, Annalise Basso, Scout Taylor-Compton and Connor Paolo; directed by Damien LeVeck; written by Shannon Wells; A nurse’s plan to keep her daughter sedated to protect her from a mysterious, malevolent affliction is thwarted by unexpected holiday houseguests with tragic consequences) - Dec. 8, limited (Trailer)

A Male (a.k.a. Un Varon; Columbian holiday-set movie directed by Fabian Hernandez; A young man leaves the safety of his youth shelter in order to spend Christmas day with his family, but must navigate his dangerous neighborhood to do so; filmed in Bogota; submitted for consideration in the Best International Feature category for the 96th Academy Awards) - Dec. 8, limited

A Christmas Story (40th anniversary theatrical re-release of the classic 1983 movie starring Peter Billingsley, Darren McGavin, Melinda Dillon and Ian Petrella about a boy who longs for a Red Ryder BB gun) - Dec. 10

A Small Town Christmas (holiday movie co-written, directed and starring Gin Blanton with Tahjjic Smith; A busy attorney with a thriving career finally returns home for the holidays after her grandmother falls ill ) - Dec. 11, Atlanta Premiere (Website)

Christmas with the Chosen: Holy Night  (new Christmas special edition of the faith-based story of the birth of Jesus, featuring a musical performance from Andrea Bocelli) - Dec. 12, Fathom Events

SuperKlaus (joint Spanish/Canadian, animated holiday movie/mini-series directed by Steven Majaury and Andrea Sebastián; A concussed Santa adopts the persona Superklaus but gets locked out of his workshop just before Christmas. Can two savvy kids and a loyal elf save Christmas?) - Dec. 15, Spain  (Website)

The Christmas Room (holiday movie starring Kelsey Delemar, Donnie Brown Jr., Kimia' Workman, Cassandra Grant, Jordan Nancarrow, Maya Jai Pinson, Chanel Collins, Kelsey Delemar, Mignon Pinson and Faheem Saadiq Abdus-Salaam; written and directed by Pinson; A woman home for the holidays is shocked by her grandfather’s slide into dementia and struggles to get him the help he needs; filmed in Prince George’s County, Maryland) -  Dec. 16, Maryland premiere (Instagram)

A Fireman for Christmas (holiday movie sequel to 2022′s Christmas at the Holly Hotel starring Kristen Ryda, Donnell J Clayton, Joe Kurak and Jesi Jensen; directed and co-written by Joel Paul Reisig; A woman falls in love with a firefighter at the holidays; filmed in Michigan) - Dec. 17, The Maple Theater, Michigan

A Christmas in New Hope (holiday movie starring Adrianne Palicki, Malcolm Goodwin, Katrina Bowden, David Anders, Ryan Cooper and Mia Armstrong directed by Julia Barnett; co-written by Barnett and Kathleen Estes; A single mom of a special needs child enters a home renovation contest focused on saving her home from foreclosure, but things get complicated when she falls for her musician neighbor; filmed in Waco, Texas) - Dec. 20, limited (Austin and surrounding areas)

An L.A. Christmas Story (holiday movie starring Jessica Moore, Derrick Zonca, Kaylee Frazier, Marla Lizbeth Perez, McKenzie Kelly and Eric Marq; written and directed by Michael Kallio; When her online video asking for a man who is “not an idiot” for Christmas goes viral, a lifestyle vlogger finds her life turned upside down; filmed in Hollywood, Ca.) - Dec. 20, L.A. premiere (Facebook) 

All of Us Strangers (partially holiday-set drama starring Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal; written and directed by Andrew Haigh; inspired by Taichi Yamada’s Strangers; A lonely man’s encounter with his equally isolated neighbor changes his dreary existence, mostly occupied by memories of past losses) - Dec. 22 (Trailer)

Migration (seasonal animated movie directed by Benjamin Renner; written by Mike White; A family of birds flies south for the winter and encounters dangers along the way) - Dec. 22 (Teaser)

Spy x Family Code: White (holiday-set Japanese anime movie directed by Takashi Katagiri from a screenplay by Ichirō Ōkouchi; based on the manga series; A cooking competition at the academy sets off a chain of events that threaten world peace) - Dec. 22 (Teaser)

Four Little Adults (a.k.a. Neljä Pientä Aikuista; holiday-set Finnish drama  starring Eero Milonoff, Alma Pöysti and Vilhelm Blomgren; from writer-director Selma Vilhunen; A middle-aged couple with a marriage in crisis attempt to integrate the husband’s mistress into their relationship) - Dec. 27, Finland

[writer-ish]

Hi Kat! Here are this week's questions for E x B!

Not Yet Wed Questions

Note: Great Scott! This week, we are going back in time to MC’s intern year. Think of Ethan’s relationship with them at this point and answer the following questions accordingly. It is entirely up to you when in year 1 this takes place (pre/post Miami, pre/post CH 15, etc). Feel free to answer with dialogue or pictures or both :) Have fun!

No worries. All of this is off the record and HR will never know!

The setting for this answers is:

For Both

When I first saw them, I thought__________

What is your coworker's most used swear word?

Quick: What color are their eyes?

Three people at work your coworker hates?

What is your coworker’s strangest or most endearing quirk?

If they had a crush on anyone at work, who would that be?

(Bonus round! Feel free to skip.)

Never have I Ever:

come into work hungover

had a fistfight

been kicked out of a bar

gotten a tattoo

broken someone’s heart

been in love

For MC (Ethan is not there)

Where do you see him in five years (both professionally and in his personal life?)

What do you find the most impressive about him?

Last thing he texted you?

If he asked you out on a date, what would you say?

For Ethan (MC is not there)

Where do you see her in five years (both professionally and in his personal life?)

What specifically do you find attractive about her?

Last thing she texted you?

If she asked you out on a date, how would you respond?

Thank you to @jamespotterthefirst for humouring me and sending me these questions. I hope that it will help with my OPH/writing rut! I'm so excited to answer them for Brooke x Ethan. 🥰

The setting is: post-Dolores/the Naveen reveal, but pre-Miami.

Let's get started!

INT. COFFEE SHOP - MID-AFTERNOON

Two doctors sit at a small table. One has her leg crossed, foot swinging lightly. Her face is open and slightly amused. The other has his hands clasped loosely between his open legs. He is blatantly less impressed than his colleague.

Ethan: This is ludicrous.

Brooke: [laughs lightly] Can't you just humour them?

Ethan: Last time I checked, we had a job that didn't involve answering foolish questions for some sophomore publication.

Brooke: They want to humanize the doctors in the hospital. Make us more… approachable. It's not a bad idea.

Ethan: [in a low grumble] I don't want to be approached or humanized.

Brooke [loud laugh] Shocker.

Are we all set to begin?

Brooke: [clears throat] Er, yes. Sorry.

Ethan: [glares]

For Both

When I first saw them, I thought ____________

Brooke and Ethan: [look at each other for a beat, then speak simultaneously]

Brooke: Well, I— Ethan: She, uh—

Ethan: [clears throat] You go first.

Brooke: [shoots him a look] Well. I, uh, was taken aback by your presence.

Ethan: What does that mean?

Brooke: Well, you know, you're very—you command a room, let's just say. And then you got awfully bossy, but it was good because I was panicking. And, uh—that's pretty much it. Your turn.

Ethan: I thought she was very young and inexperienced. And I was proven correct almost immediately.

Brooke: [elbows him] Can't you say something nice?

Ethan: You said commanding and bossy!

Brooke: It was a compliment!

Ethan: Fine. She was…surprisingly competent for an intern.

Brooke: [sarcastically waves a hand in front of her face] My goodness, I'm swooning.

What is your coworker's most used swear word?

Brooke and Ethan: "Fuck."

Brooke: It's not very professional, but—

Ethan: —it is necessary at times. Although I did hear another one from you the other day that I quite enjoyed. "Son of a whore", was it?

Brooke: [blushes] Whoops.

Ethan: You're lucky there weren't any patients around.

Brooke: [innocently] Patients don't swear?

Ethan: [withering look] I'll let you know when patients need to be held to the same professional standards as the doctors who treat them.

Brooke: Well, whatever. I was in the supply closet anyway and it was because I had gotten a cardboard papercut, which is notoriously the worst kind of papercut—[suddenly eyes him suspiciously] I didn't even know you were there.

Ethan: [coughs] I was, uh, walking past when I heard your inappropriate outburst and I stopped to ensure it wasn't a wayward psychiatric patient lost amongst the halls.

Brooke: [dryly] Hilarious.

Quick: What color are their eyes?

Brooke: Oh, blue. Blue-blue. Like, a very crystal clear blue.

Ethan: I think we get it. Brooke's eyes are hazel but they err on the side of green.

Brooke: "Err on the side of green"?

Ethan: Yes. Like when you wore that sweater the other day, they appeared more— [clears throat] I'm not going to sit here and explain the illusion of refractory light. Next question.

Three people at work your coworker hates?

Brooke: [dryly] Just thr—?

Ethan: [cuts her off] Yes, yes, we get the joke, I hate everyone. Brooke on the other hand, hates no one. I believe she should be more discerning.

Brooke: You would.

What is your coworker’s strangest or most endearing quirk?

Ethan: Endearing? I—

Brooke: Oh, oh—the tie thing!

Ethan: The… tie thing?

Brooke: You do this thing when you're trying to get your emotions under control. It's like a [presses thumb against her other fingers in a crab-claw gesture] grab all the way down and then a flat palm just to smooth it again. [mimics a smoothing gesture down the front of her shirt, keeping her face pinched and stoic]. The "double-tie-grab-and-smooth" is what I call it. As of two seconds ago.

Ethan: Fascinating. As for Brooke, I can think of two.

Brooke: Here we go.

Ethan: The first is to ensure she never borrows your pen, as it will be returned to you as though someone inserted it into a pencil sharpener. I don't know how she isn't covered in ink constantly, the way she gnaws on the ends so violently.

Brooke: First of all, it's not that bad. Secondly, [mumbles] I have had a pen or two explode on me.

Ethan: I am extremely unsurprised. And the second is the sheer number of cardigans left everywhere - around my office, the faculty room, patients' rooms, and so on. She leaves them like breadcrumbs in a children's fairytale.

Brooke: [laughing too hard to speak]

Ethan: Yes, very funny and professional.

Brooke: [still laughing] Could you at least…grab one…next time you see it? I'm running low!

Ethan: What a surprise.

If they had a crush on anyone at work, who would that be?

Ethan: [scoffs] A "crush"? The very concept of a 'crush' is extremely juvenile and I refuse to pander to such incongruous—

Brooke: Dr. Harper Emery

Ethan: [splutters] I beg your pardon?

Brooke: [smirks]

Ethan: Well, yours would be that scalpel jockey surfer boy that's always mooning over you.

Brooke: [turns to him, aghast] Bryce? I don't have a crush on him! And neither does he. On me, I mean.

Ethan: On you, indeed.

Brooke: What's that supposed to mean?

Ethan: Hmm? Oh, nothing. Simply that the way he pressed you to the floor in the observation room of Surgery B would say otherwise, that's all.

Brooke: [blushes deeply] You saw that?

Ethan: I see everything, Rookie.

[There is an extended, awkward silence.]

Never Have I Ever:

Ethan: What is this now?

Brooke: [hides a smile] It's a game. A drinking game. You really don't know it?

Ethan: If you're asking if I'm familiar with a college-level excuse to get sauced and forget about my classes for the next week, then no. I don't know it.

Brooke: [rolls her eyes] It's simple. They ask a question. If you've done it, you take a drink. If you haven't, you don't. And [lightly swings her take-out coffee cup in his face] I don't think you'll get drunk on herbal tea, so you'll be fine.

Okay, let's begin. Never have I ever…

...come into work hungover

Brooke and Ethan: [take a drink]

Brooke: Really?

Ethan: I wish I could affect the same level of surprise for you.

...had a fistfight

Brooke and Ethan: [take a drink]

Ethan: [raises an eyebrow at Brooke]

Brooke: [shrugs] Rowdy childhood.

Ethan: [nods] Same. [coughs] Perhaps… rowdy adolescence. And, uh, [another light cough] early adulthood, as well.

Brooke: Dr. Ramsey!

...been kicked out of a bar

Ethan: [takes a drink]

Brooke: Oh?

Ethan: That rowdy early adulthood I spoke of? Yeah.

Brooke: Ah.

...gotten a tattoo

Brooke: [avoids eye contact, takes a drink]

Ethan: [turns to her swiftly, looking shocked, then quickly composes himself] Let me guess - dolphin on your ankle?

Brooke: Shut up.

Ethan: Christ, am I right?

Brooke: No, but you might as well be.

Ethan: [laughs, which seems to surprise them both, then clears his throat] We all have regrets, Dr Spiers.

Brooke: [grimaces and slouches in her seat]

Ethan: [stares at her for a beat longer than necessary, before leaning back in his chair with a thoughtful expression]

...broken someone’s heart

Ethan and Brooke: [quickly look at each other; neither drinks]

Brooke: No? You?

Ethan: What's that supposed to mean?

Brooke: Just surprised all this [gestures vaguely at his face] didn't get the ladies all worked up in—where are you from?

Ethan: Rhode Island. And no, "all this" [gestures to his own face] took awhile to grow into itself, I assure you.

Brooke: [laughs] Oh, big same.

Ethan: [gives her a sidelong glance, a soft smile playing at his lips]

...been in love

Brooke: [takes a drink]

Ethan: Really?

Brooke: What, it's so hard to believe?

Ethan: Well, you said you'd never broken someone's heart.

Brooke: [smiles at him softly, a bit sadly] Never said my heart hadn't been broken, Dr Ramsey. Some people are the heartbreakers, some are the broken-hearted.

Ethan: [splutters] Preposterous.

Brooke: [looks surprised] What is?

Ethan: That you—I mean, that is—that someone— [he pauses, fidgeting with his tie before smoothing it down] It's his loss, Rookie. [clears his throat, looking away]

Brooke: [smiles, bemused yet pleased, a warmth in her eyes] Thank you, Dr Ramsey.

For Brooke (Ethan is not there)

Where do you see him in five years (both professionally and in his personal life?)

Oh, [scoffs out a laugh] wherever he wants to be. He's Ethan freaking Ramsey. He can do whatever he wants. What's the highest position in the hospital? Chief of Medicine? That. [Thinks for a moment] Well, no, actually. He probably wouldn't want to be admin. But whatever he could do that would still have him on the ground, helping people, at the highest level of expertise - that's where he'll be.

And, uh, personally?

Oh. Well. [fidgets, looks away]. I'm sure I don't know. Probably married to some supermodel who will put up with him never being home and always being reticent and grouchy. [Laughs humourlessly]

What do you find the most impressive about him?

Oh gosh. [Pauses] Probably how much he cares. I know you see him now and you think, god, what an asshole. And you're not wrong. But the truth is, he has to maintain this facade of a huge, unfeeling jerk, because the fact of the matter is he cares so deeply. [Her expression goes distant and soft]. Honestly, he cares so much I'm worried it will be his downfall one day.

Last thing he texted you?

[Laughs] He hates texting. But I think it was, "What time is this - redacted - thing again"?

If he asked you out on a date, what would you say?

Ah… [laughs uncomfortably] What, like, right now? The way we are? Or as two… random people in a bar?

Right now. The way you are.

[Blushes and continues to laugh awkwardly] Is he—you said he won't see these?

No, this part will be anonymous and the information gathered will be for statistical purposes, not anecdotal.

[Fake bravado affectation] Oh, well, if it's for statistics— [pauses] I would say yes. In a heartbeat. I would say yes. [Smiles, almost apologetically] I mean, have you seen him?

For Ethan (Brooke is not there)

Where do you see her in five years (both professionally and in his personal life?)

Wherever she wants to be. She's a highly motivated and intelligent individual. I give her a hard time, because I see great potential in her and feel as though, as her mentor, she should be pushed to achieve the pinnacle of success. Which is undoubtedly capable of.

And personal?

I don't presume to know what the future holds for my interns' personal lives. [A long pause] But I would hope… [clears throat, picks non-existent lint off his pants, continues gruffly] I would hope she remains happy and healthy, without anymore instances of [clears throat, again] heartbreak. Of any kind.

What specifically do you find attractive about her?

I'm sorry?

What do you find attractive—

No, I heard you, I just find this sort of question wildly inappropriate and I refuse to answer it.

Okay, so we'll just put down 'nothing'.

Hold on, don't—I didn't say nothing. Just say I didn't answer.

We need some sort of answer.

Oh, for Christ's sake—will she see this? Will anyone?

No, it's information that will be used for statistical—

Fine, alright, I don't care. She's obviously an incredibly attractive woman. Are you happy? [Pauses] I mean, specifically? I would say her eyes. Especially when she smiles and they crinkle up on the sides. Also, her laugh. She's not a woman who 'titters'. Brooke isn't afraid to—well, to simply live. She laughs loudly, loves boldly, defends strongly. [His expression grows thoughtful,] She said I was a presence in a room? When she walks into—anywhere, the entire room stands still. It's like the air has been sucked out of it. And within seconds, they're enthralled. Within minutes, they love her. That's Brooke. [Clears throat] Don't put any of that. Just write down "Her intelligence."

Last thing she texted you?

"Be nice." And then some moving picture image of a dog wagging its finger. [Rolls his eyes] I hate texting.

If she asked you out on a date, how would you respond?

[Sighs wearily]

Again, she won't know. It's for statistical—

[Waves hand dismissively before sighing once more] In an ideal world—[cuts himself off and tries again] Look. Any man would be lucky to have Dr. Brooke Spiers as his partner. [Pauses] And that includes me. [clears throat] But we don't live in an ideal world. And a relationship between her and I would not only be inappropriate, but it would also inhibit her potential to achieve the highest levels of success that she is capable of achieving. [Pauses] And I would never do that to her.

[Stands up abruptly] Are we done here? We're done. Rookie! [Leaves to meet Dr. Spiers, who is waiting for him outside.]

EXT. COFFEE SHOP - LATE AFTERNOON

OBSERVED FROM INSIDE THE COFFEE SHOP

The two doctors greet each other with a smile. NOTE: Dr Ramsey immediately appears calmer in the other doctor's presence.

He says something and Dr Spiers bumps him playfully with her shoulder. Dr Ramsey continues to speak, gesturing towards her ankle, and Dr Spiers throws her head back and laughs loudly.

Dr Ramsey watches her laugh with a small smile on his face, before allowing her shove him lightly in the direction that they are meant to take.

They walk side by side, chatting and smiling, until they disappear from view.

[choiceskatie]

Meet My MC: Dr Teddy Valentinos

Book: Open Heart

Full Name: Theodora Ava Valentinos

Nicknames: Bear (Sienna), Ted (Bryce), Rookie (Ethan), Darlin’ (her dad)

Technically it’s her real name and not a nickname, but the only two people to call her by Theodora as opposed to Teddy are Ethan and her Father, a lot of the time it’s when she’s in deep shit lol.

Face Claim: Emma Louise Connolly

Age; Birthday: 29; December 14th

Love Interest: Ethan Ramsey (main), Bryce Lahela (casual sex pre-Ramsey, few drunk kisses post-Amazon and pre-Ramsey reunion)

Hair: Long, wavy, golden blonde

Eyes: Green

Height: 5’2

Hometown: Providence, Rhode Island

Education:

BSc in Biology, University of St. Andrews

MPhil in Medical Science, University of Cambridge

M.D Harvard Medical School

Occupation: Leader of Diagnostics Team at Edenbrook Hospital

Family: Leonidas and Linda Valentinos (half-Scottish, half-Greek father and American mother), Athena Valentinos (older sister) and Alexander Valentinos (younger brother)

Background: Teddy’s parents met when her mom went to study abroad in Scotland for university before moving back to the states together to get married and start a family. When Teddy was 5, her Grandfather on her Father’s side passed away and her parents decided they’d move back to Scotland to be close to his mother.

Her parents still live in Scotland now even though Teddy moved back to the states for med school, where her mom is a high school Biology teacher. Her father is a key principle violinist in a world famous orchestra, often travelling globally which awards him the chance to make a detour to visit Teddy in Boston, meaning she gets to see him a lot more than her mom. She’s very close to both of her parents but is a true Daddy’s girl at heart.

Her younger brother is still at university in Scotland, and her sister lives in London with her husband.

Has a large Greek family on her dad’s side and spent every summer there growing up until med school, where she worked in one of the local restaurants to earn money and perfect her Greek.

Teases Ethan about the fact she spent the first five years of her life in Rhode Island but the only way they’d have met was if he got hired as her babysitter.

Personality traits: witty, passionate, energetic, zero filter, extremely argumentative, sarcastic, open-minded, quick-tempered, a little lazy, empathetic, friendly, genuine, crazy, wise yet extremely immature, stubborn, always has to have the last word lol. Enough traits?

Extremely shy until she gets to know you, then is embarrassingly open. As a classic Sag, she is painfully honest with her friends and family. If you don’t want the excruciating truth, do not go to Teddy for advice lmao.

Kind to a fault to strangers and those she loves until you cross her, when you’ll receive the worst roasting of your life lol. Holds a grudge.

Random facts: Classically trained singer. Plays piano, guitar and violin, the latter of which her father taught her from a young age. Both of her parents jobs always fascinated her, and she nearly went to school to study music, before fully deciding she wanted to become a doctor, incorporating her love of science.

Speaks fluent Greek and French, can also hold a conversation in German and Spanish.

Suffers with anxiety and PTSD after the attack on the senator. Has an especially dark sense of humour to cope with her trauma and has since turned into a major pessimist.

Book lover and movie geek. Has a secret Marvel tattoo that her scrubs cover and Ethan found when they were first properly acquainted lol.

Has multiple small and dainty tattoos, all with a deeper meaning behind them.

Musical fanatic - could perform the full Hamilton show by herself.

*****

Author’s Note: Meet Teddy! I never named my MC and gave her any real background bc I wrote my first Open Heart fic in less than an hour and just went with Casey Valentine bc it was the default and I think that name actually suits the oph MC hahaha. She’s just the exact same insane MC I’ve been writing with a new name. I wanted to give my girl a proper introduction since I have a new series coming and I’m not getting off the Ethan train anytime soon so here she is lol!

Shoutout to @jamespotterthefirst for the super helpful MC template and @lsvdw-blog for helping me with Teddy’s story!

Idk why I wrote so much for this 😂 it was fun creating a little word for her and I got carried away lol.

Tagging perma and OH just in case you’re interested but feel free to ignore this bc it’s pretty pointless lol.

@charlotteg234 @queenrileyrose @forallthatitsworth @ao719 @burnsoslow @mia143 @stateofgracious @mainstreetreader @emkay512 @jerzwriter @lsvdw-blog @chemist-ana @kat-tia801 @ohchoices @schnitzelbutterfingers @starrystarrytrouble

[path-of-my-childhood]

Aaron Dessner on How His Collaborative Chemistry With Taylor Swift Led to “Evermore”

By: Claire Shaffer for Rolling Stone Date: December 18th 2020

Taylor Swift and Aaron Dessner didn’t expect to make another record so soon after Folklore. As they were putting the final touches on Swift’s album this past summer, the two artists had been collaborating remotely on possible songs for Big Red Machine, Dessner’s music project with Justin Vernon of Bon Iver (who also dueted with Swift on the Folklore track “Exile”). Dessner recalls:

“I think I’d written around 30 of those instrumentals in total. So when I started sharing them with Taylor over the months that we were working on Folklore, she got really into it, and she wrote two songs to some of that music.”

One was “Closure,” an experimental electronic track in 5/4 time signature that was built over a staccato drum kit. The other song was “Dorothea,” a rollicking, Americana piano tune. The more Dessner listened to them, the more he realized that they were continuations of Folklore‘s characters and stories. But the real turning point came soon after Folklore‘s surprise release in late July, when Dessner wrote a musical sketch and named it “Westerly,” after the town in Rhode Island where Swift owns the house previously occupied by Rebekah Harkness.

“I didn’t really think she would write something to it — sometimes I’ll name songs after my friends’ hometowns or their babies, just because I write a lot of music and you have to call it something, and then I’ll send it to them. But, anyway, I sent it to her, and not long after she wrote ‘Willow’ to that song and sent it back.”

It was a moment not unlike when Swift first sent him the song “Cardigan” back in the spring, where both she and Dessner felt an instant creative spark — and then just kept writing. Before long, they were creating even more songs with Vernon, Jack Antonoff, Dessner’s brother Bryce, and “William Bowery” (the pseudonym of Swift’s boyfriend Joe Alwyn) for what would eventually lead to Folklore‘s wintry sister record, Evermore.

Even more spontaneous than the album that preceded it, Evermore features more eclectic production alongside Swift’s continued project of character-driven songwriting, and includes an even wider group of collaborators, like Haim and Dessner’s own band the National. Dessner spoke to Rolling Stone about the album’s experimentation, how it was recorded during the making of the doc The Long Pond Studio Sessions, and how he sees his collaboration with Swift continuing in the future.

When did you realize this was going to end up being another album?

It was after we’d written several songs, seven or eight or nine. Each one would happen, and we would both be in this sort of disbelief of this weird alchemy that we had unleashed. The ideas were coming fast and furiously and were just as compelling as anything on Folklore, and it felt like the most natural thing in the world. At some point, Taylor wrote “Evermore” with William Bowery, and then we sent it to Justin, who wrote the bridge, and all of a sudden, that’s when it started to become clear that there was a sister record. Historically, there are examples of this, of records which came in close succession that I love — certain Dylan records, Kid A and Amnesiac. I secretly fell in love with the idea that this was part of the same current, and that these were two manifestations that were interrelated. And with Taylor, I think it just became clear to her what was happening. It really picked up steam, and at some point, there were 17 songs — because there are two bonus tracks, which I love just as much.

Evermore definitely sounds more experimental than Folklore, and has more variety — you have these electronic songs that sound like Bon Iver or Big Red Machine, but you also have the closest thing Taylor has written to country songs in the last decade. Was there a conscious effort on her part to branch out more with this album?

Sonically, the ideas were coming from me more. But I remember when I wrote the piano track to “Tolerate It,” right before I sent it to her, I thought, This song is intense. It’s in 10/8, which is an odd time signature. And I did think for a second, “Maybe I shouldn’t send it to her, she won’t be into it.” But I sent it to her, and it conjured a scene in her mind, and she wrote this crushingly beautiful song to it and sent it back. I think I cried when I first heard it. But it just felt like the most natural thing, you know? There weren’t limitations to the process. And in these places where we were pushing into more experimental sounds or odd time signatures, that just felt like part of the work.

It was really impressive to me that she could tell these stories as easily in something like “Closure” as she could in a country song like “Cowboy Like Me.” Obviously, “Cowboy Like Me” is much more familiar, musically. But to me, she’s just as sharp and just as masterful in her craft in either of those situations. And also, just in terms of what we were interested in, there is a wintry nostalgia to a lot of the music that was intentional on my part. I was leaning into the idea that this was fall and winter, and she’s talked about that as well, that Folklore feels like spring and summer to her and Evermore is fall and winter. So that’s why you hear sleigh bells on “Ivy,” or why some of the imagery in the songs is wintery.

I can hear that in the guitar on “‘Tis the Damn Season,” too. It almost sounds like the National with that very icy guitar line.

I mean, that is literally like, me in my most natural state. [laughs] If you hand me a guitar, that’s what it sounds like when I start playing it. People associate that sound with the National, but that’s just because I finger-pick an electric guitar like that a lot — if you solo the guitar on “Mr. November,” it’s not unlike that.

That song, to me, has always felt nostalgic or like some sort of longing. And the song that Taylor wrote is so instantly relatable, you know, “There’s an ache in you put there by the ache in me.” I remember when she sang that to me in my kitchen — she had written it overnight during The Long Pond Studio Sessions, actually.

Did she record all her Evermore vocals at Long Pond while you were filming the Studio Sessions documentary?

Not all of them, but most of them. She stayed after we were done filming and then we recorded a lot. It was crazy because we were getting ready to make that film, but at the same time, these songs were accumulating. And so we thought, “Hmm, I guess we should just stay and work.”

On “Closure,” there are parts where Taylor’s vocals are filtered through the Messina, which is this vocal modifier that Justin Vernon uses a lot in his work with Bon Iver. How were you able to modify her vocals with it, if she was never in the same room as Justin?

I went to see Justin at one point — that’s the one trip I’ve made — and we worked together at his place on stuff. He plays the drums on “Cowboy Like Me” and “Closure,” and he plays guitar and banjo and sings on “Ivy,” and sings on “Marjorie” and “Evermore.” And then we processed Taylor’s vocals through his Messina chain together. He was really deeply involved in this record, even more so than the last record. He’s always been such a huge help to me, and not just by getting him to play stuff or sing stuff — I can also send him things and get his feedback. We’ve done a ton of work together, but we have different perspectives and different harmonic brains. He obviously has his own studio set up at home, but it was nice to be able to see him and work on this stuff.

“No Body, No Crime” is also really interesting, just because I don’t think I’ve ever heard you produce a song like that. How did this country murder ballad featuring Haim end up on the record?

Taylor wrote that one alone and sent me a voice memo of her playing guitar — she wrote it on this rubber-bridge guitar that I got for her. It’s the same kind I play on “Invisible String.” So she wrote “No Body, No Crime” and sent me a voice memo of it, and then I started building on that. It’s funny, because the music I’ve listened to the most in my life are things that are more like that — roots music, folk music, country music, old-school rock & roll, the Grateful Dead. It’s not really the sound of the National or other things I’ve done, but it feels like a warm blanket.

That song also had a lot of my friends on it — Josh Kaufman, who played harmonica on “Betty,” also plays harmonica on this one and some guitar. JT Bates plays the drums on that song — he’s an amazing jazz guitarist, but he also has an incredible feel [for rhythm] when it comes to a song like that. He also played the drums on “Dorothea.” And then Taylor had specific ideas from the beginning about references and how she wanted it to feel, and that she wanted the Haim sisters to sing on it. We had them record the song with Ariel Reichshaid, they sent that from L.A., and then we put it together when Taylor was here [at Long Pond]. They’re an incredible band, and it was another situation where we were like, “Well, this happened.” It felt like this weird little rock & roll history anecdote.

You also brought on the National to record “Coney Island.” What was that process like, where you’re recording a song with your band that’s for a different artist?

I had been working on a bunch of music with my brother [Bryce Dessner], some of which we were sending to Taylor also. At that stage, “Coney Island” was all the music except the drums. And as I was writing it, I don’t think I was ever thinking, “This sounds like the National or this sounds like Big Red Machine or this sounds like something totally different.” But Taylor and William Bowery wrote this incredible song, and we first recorded it with just her vocals. It has this really beautiful arc to the story, and I think it’s one of the strongest, lyrically and musically. But listening to the words, we all collectively realized that this does feel like the most related to the National — it almost feels like a story Matt [Berninger] might tell, or I could hear Bryan [Devendorf] playing the drum part.

So we started talking about how it would be cool to get the band, and I called Matt and he was excited for it. We got Bryan to play drums and we got Scott [Devendorf] to play bass and a pocket piano, and Bryce helped produce it. It’s weird, because it does really feel like Taylor, obviously, since she and William Bowery wrote all the words, but it also feels like a National song in a good way. I love how Matt and Taylor sound together. And it was nice because we haven’t played a show in a year, and I don’t know when we will again. You kind of lose track of each other, so in a way, it was nice to reconnect.

When working on Folklore, you had to keep most of your collaborators in the dark about who you were working with. What was the process like this time around, now that everyone knew it was Taylor? How did you keep it a secret?

It was hard. We had to be secretive because of how much people are consuming every shred of information they can find about her, and that’s been an oppressive reality she’s had to deal with. But the fact that no one in the public knew allowed for more freedom of enjoying the process. A lot of the same musicians that played on Folklore played on Evermore. Again, it was a situation where I didn’t tell them what it was, and they couldn’t hear her vocals, but I think a lot of them assumed, especially because of the level of secrecy. [laughs] But as funny as this is, I think everyone who’s been involved has been grateful for these records to play on this year and is proud of them. It kind of just doesn’t happen, to make two great records in such a short period of time. Everyone’s a little bit like, “How did this happen?” and nobody takes it for granted.

Taylor has mentioned that you recorded “Happiness” just a week before the album was released. Was that something you guys wrote, recorded, and produced all at the last minute, or was it something you’d been sitting on for a while before you finally cracked the code?

There were two songs like that. One is a bonus track called “Right Where You Left Me,” and the other one was “Happiness,” which she wrote literally days before we were supposed to master. That’s similar to what happened with Folklore, with “The 1” and “Hoax,” which she wrote days before. We mixed all the tracks here, and it’s a lot to mix 17 songs, it’s like a Herculean task. And it was funny, because I walked into the studio and Jon Low, our engineer here, was mixing and had been working the whole time toward this. And I came in and he’s in the middle of mixing and I was like, “There are two more songs.” And he looked at me like, “…We’re not gonna make it.” Because it does take a lot of time to work out how to finish them.

But she sang those remotely. And the music for “Happiness” is something that I had been working on since last year. I had sang a little bit on it, too — I thought it was a Big Red Machine song, but then she loved the instrumental and ended up writing to it. Same with the other one, “Right Where You Left Me” — it was something I had written right before I went to visit Justin, because I thought, “Maybe we’ll make something when we’re together there.” And Taylor had heard that and wrote this amazing song to it. That is a little bit how she works — she writes a lot of songs, and then at the very end she sometimes writes one or two more, and they often are important ones.

My favorite song on the album is “Marjorie,” and I feel like, for most artists, the instinct would be to present a song like that as a somber piano ballad. But “Marjorie” has this lively electronic beat that runs through it — it literally sounds alive. How did you come up with that?

It’s interesting, because with “Marjorie,” that’s a track that actually existed for a while, and you can hear elements of it behind the song “Peace.” This weird drone that you hear on “Peace,” if you pay attention to the bridge of “Marjorie,” you’ll hear a little bit of that in the distance. Some of what you hear is from my friend Jason Treuting playing percussion, playing these chord sticks, that he actually made for a piece that my brother wrote called “Music for Wooden Strings.” They’re playing these chord sticks, and you can hear those same chord sticks on the National song “Quiet Light.”

I collect a lot of rhythmic elements like that, and all kinds of other sounds, and I give them to my friend Ryan Olson, who’s a producer from Minnesota and has been developing this crazy software called Allovers Hi-Hat Generator. It can take sounds, any sounds, and split them into identifiable sound samples, and then regenerate them in randomized patterns that are weirdly very musical. There’s a lot of new Big Red Machine songs that use those elements. But I’ll go through it and find little parts that I like and loop them. That’s how I made the backing rhythm of “Marjorie.” Then I wrote a song to it, and Taylor wrote to that. In a weird way, it’s one of the most experimental songs on the album — it doesn’t sound that way, but when you pick apart the layers underneath it, it’s pretty interesting.

I do have to ask: How did you come to find out about William Bowery’s real identity as Joe Alwyn? Or did you know all along?

I guess I can say now that I’ve sort of known all along — I was just being careful. Although we never really explicitly talked about it. But I do think it’s been really special to see a number of songs on these albums that they wrote together. William plays the piano on “Evermore,” actually. We recorded that remotely. That was really important to me and to them, to do that, because he also wrote the piano part of “Exile,” but on the record, it’s me playing it because we couldn’t record him easily. But this time, we could. I just think it’s an important and special part of the story.

Do you have a personal favorite song or a moment that you’re proudest of?

“‘Tis the Damn Season” is a really special song to me for a number of reasons. When I wrote the music to it, which was a long time ago, I remember thinking that this is one of my favorite things I’ve ever made, even though it’s an incredibly simple musical sketch. But it has this arc to it, and there’s this simplicity in the minimalism of it and the kind of drum programming in there, and I always loved the tone of that guitar. When Taylor played the track and sang it to me in my kitchen, that was a highlight of this whole time. That track felt like something I have always loved and could have just stayed music, but instead, someone of her incredible storytelling ability and musical ability took it and made something much greater. And it’s something that we can all relate to. It was a really special moment, not unlike how it felt when she wrote “Peace,” but even more so.

Do you see this collaboration with Taylor continuing onward, to more albums or Big Red Machine projects?

It’s kind of the thing where I have so many musicians in my life that I’ve grown close to, and make things with, and are just part of my life. And I’ve rarely had this kind of chemistry with anyone in my life — to be able to write together, to make so many beautiful songs together in such a short period of time. Inevitably, I think we will continue to be in each other’s artistic and personal lives. I don’t know exactly what the next form that will take, but certainly, it will continue.

I do think this story, this era, has concluded, and I think in such a beautiful way with these sister records — it does kind of feel like there’s closure to that. But she’s definitely been very helpful and engaged with Big Red Machine, and just in general. She feels like another incredible musician that I’ve gotten to know and am lucky to have in my life. It’s this whole community that moves forward and takes risks and, hopefully, there will be other records that appear in the future.

[liaromancewriter]

Newly Weds (Not Quite Wednesday): Friends Edition

Work has been incredibly busy the last few weeks, so I'm super late with this. Thanks as always to @jamespotterthefirst for organizing this and putting together these amazing questions (with help from @takeharryandgo and @crazy-loca-blog).

Book: Open Heart Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (Cassie Valentine) Rating / Category: General. Fluff

Setting:

The festivities are winding down after Cassie and Ethan’s wedding at her grandparents’ estate in Newport, Rhode Island. The happy couple is spending the night in a guest house on the other side of the estate before departing for their honeymoon the next morning.

In typical Ethan and Cassie fashion, everything had come together fairly quickly. Since they only had four weeks to organize a wedding, it had been all hands in deck. Now everyone that’s staying at the estate is relaxing in the family parlor with champagne as well as water for those that need hydration.

Cast of Characters:

Sienna Trinh, Jackie Varma, Kyra Santana, Bryce Lahela, Elijah Greene, Aurora Emery with special appearances by Naveen Banerji, Cassie’s mom, Olivia Valentine, and her brother, Max Valentine.

How did you first find out about their relationship? Were you surprised?

Sienna: There was something between them from the first. I still remember after our first shift we all went to Donahue’s and Cassie made a beeline for Dr. Ramsey -- I mean, Ethan pretty much right away. They shared a couple of drinks and there was definitely light flirting going on as well.

Jackie: (shaking head) And that was after he’d ripped her a new one, twice in one day. She really was a glutton for punishment.

Bryce: They confirmed it in our second year of residency at Sunday Brunch, but yeah, you couldn’t be around them and not feel the sparks. Plus, how else could anyone say no to this? (He points to his handsome face and killer body)

Jackie: (snickers) Very easily, meathead.

How was the rumor mill at Edenbrook once they went public? Did you have to defend their honor?

Aurora: You mean after that spectacle in the lobby with the balloon and the flowers? I was at Mass Kenmore by then and even I heard about how whipped Dr. Ramsey was.

Kyra: I had the day off and I was so bummed to have missed it. I heard it was a Hallmark moment.

Naveen: To answer your question, the rumor mill was surprisingly muted, more’s the pity. They’re not exactly subtle and most people had guessed they were in some kind of a relationship by then.

Elijah: And everyone likes Cassie, so they were happy for her. But a few people did wonder if she could have done better. (Stammers when Sienna glares at him) I-I…I mean, Dr. Ramsey does have a reputation for being a bit…intimidating.

What was your first impression of Ethan? Did he fit into the friend group right away?

Sienna: The first time we met him he was our attending. He was on Cassie’s case about something, and I had never been more terrified. But I just knew I had to rescue her. In these last few years, I’ve gotten to know him really well and I can see exactly what Cassie saw him in.

Kyra: (smirks) A killer body and magnetic blue eyes.

The ladies all start fanning themselves.

Bryce: Of course, E and I are gym buddies and super close…

Jackie: (interrupting) Does he know that or are you living in la-la land?

Max: My first impression was colored through Cassie’s experiences, but I can’t say that I liked him based on the effect he had on her. He was the only one for her though, so I had to accept him. However, the first time we met I knew we’d be close – the man knows his scotch and he’s completely gone over my sister.

What’s the most adorable thing they do as a couple?

Olivia Valentine walks into the parlor where the gang is lounging.

Olivia: Holding hands. The first time Cassie brought him to Newport to meet the family, you couldn’t help but notice how one would reach for the other. It was adorable, romantic and just lovely to watch.

Naveen: I agree with Olivia. I’ve known Ethan the longest of anyone here. He’s never been like that before and it’s wonderful to see. I’m so glad he learnt not to follow in my footsteps where relationships were concerned.

Sienna: I think everything they do is adorable. (Getting wistful) I sometimes wish I could find what they have.

Olivia: Sienna, you know I love you like a daughter.

Sienna: Aww. (Gives Olivia a hug) I love you too, Mrs. V.

Olivia: Just say the word and I’ll introduce you to as many eligible men as you like.

Max: You should take her up on that, Si. If there’s one thing Olivia Valentine excels at is matchmaking.

Olivia: Hasn’t worked with you yet.

Max: (grins) That’s because I’m immune to your ways, mom. (Shares a conspiratorial wink with Bree.)

(Bree blushes and clears her throat.)

Which of their dates would you have liked to crash?

Jackie: None of them. They have surprisingly boring dates.

Sienna: Not boring, just private and incredibly romantic. (Turning towards Bree) Their dates tend to consist of making a special dinner at home together or one cooks for the other, slow dancing, mostly on the balcony or in the kitchen while cooking, and then… (stops realizing that Cassie’s mom and Naveen are listening)

Olivia: (fascinated tone) Don’t stop on my account.

Naveen: Or mine. Always knew Ethan was secretly a romantic. Clearly Cassie brings out the best in him.

Aurora: Although I wouldn’t mind crashing one of their opera dates. They always dress up so fancy and her Pictagram feed on those night actually makes opera look like fun.

Kyra: They have other types of dates too, like when they went to that food festival. They’re very low key though.

Did you ever witness a walk of shame (or anything else of the sort)?

Elijah and Sienna both glance at each other and burst out laughing.

Bryce: What’s so funny?

Sienna: (giggling) Nothing. Just, we saw Cassie trying to sneak Ethan out of our apartment the morning after the ethics hearing in her intern year.

Elijah: (tears are leaking out of his eyes with mirth)You should have seen their faces. It was hilarious. They’d clearly forgotten that she had roommates.

What was your reaction when you found out Cassie was moving out to move in with Ethan?

Jackie: I think the question should be turned around. Why hadn’t she moved in with him already?

Aurora: True. They’re obviously going to officially live together now, but Cassie was still living in the apartment until a week before the wedding even if she did spend most nights at his place.

Max: He wanted her to move in during her last year of residency. But Cassie told me that she liked living with you guys and Ethan understood. I think they reached a compromise.

Sienna: Yes, they did. Three or four nights if they could manage it, but especially the night when they didn’t have work the following day. (Gets teary) Just occurred to me that Cassie won’t be coming back to the apartment to live anymore.

Max hands her a handkerchief and she smiles at him gratefully.

Who won the prediction pool about when Ethan would pop the question?

The gang collectively turns to look at Olivia Valentine who is swiping through wedding pictures on her phone.

Kyra: Mrs. V definitely won that pool if one ever existed.

Naveen: I think Ethan surprised everyone, including himself.

Jackie: (smirks) Who knew Dr. Terminator could be defeated by a cheesy movie.

Sienna: He loves Cassie and would have proposed anyway.

Max: Yeah, but not quite like that. Ethan tends to want things just so.

Olivia: Don’t know why you were all surprised? I knew from the moment he visited Newport the first time that he’d propose to Cassie within two years. I’ve had the caterers on standby ever since.

Sienna: (surprised) Really? No wonder we were able to pull this off in four weeks. I thought we were both just really good planning.

Olivia: We are, my dear. But you can’t leave good caterers to luck. Besides, knowing my daughter the way I do, I knew she’d be impatient to get married as soon as he proposed. Also, not to be crass, but being wealthy does tend to speed things along.

Were you in the wedding party? What was your favorite part about the wedding?

Bryce: I tried to convince Ethan that I’d make an excellent best man, but he went with this one. (Points towards Max)

Max: (smirks) I might not be his gym buddy, B, but we share a love of expensive scotch that can’t be beat. Plus, I had an inside connection.

Naveen: It was an intimate wedding, close family and friends only. Very true to who Ethan and Cassie are, so there wasn’t a wedding party in the traditional sense.

Kyra: Sienna rocked it as wedding organizer and Maid of Honor though. (Raises her glass) To Sienna!

Everyone raises their glass.

All: To Sienna!

Jackie: My favorite part has to be this champagne.

Bryce: The dance floor was fun too. I don’t know who made that playlist, but they should get a medal.

Aurora: Thanks, Bryce. It was a lot of fun and Cassie gave me free reign.

Bryce looks at Aurora, clearly surprised.

Kyra: The cake. Sienna outdid herself there.

Olivia: Are you sure you want to stay in medicine, dear? I know people that would keep you very busy if you decided to switch to baking fulltime. You’d fly all over the world, first class, bake for royalty. Just say the word.

Max: (exasperated) Mom! Leave her alone. Sienna is an amazing doctor.

Naveen: Agreed. But it’s always nice to have options, right Dr. Trinh?

Sienna: Yes, Dr. Banerji. (Turns toward Olivia) I love being a doctor, Mrs. V. It’s in the blood as my grandfather was one too. I love to bake, but just for family and friends.

Olivia: Whatever makes you happy, my dear. Just know that you’re an amazing person and love will find you, very soon.

Jackie: On that note. Who wants more champagne?

Tags: @jamespotterthefirst @starryeyedrookie @genevievemd @forallthatitsworth @queencarb @ohchoices @casey-v @coffeeheartaddict​ @openheartfan @udishaman @danijimenezv @potionsprefect @quixoticdreamer16 @schnitzelbutterfingers @mainstreetreader @tsrookie @bex-la-get @chaoticchopshopheart @headoverheelsforramsey @thegreentwin @dorisz @silma-words @custaroonie @pixelnutrookie @adiehardfan @parisa-kh @takemyopenheart @dickgraysonsscrumptiousbooty @jerzwriter @choiceskatie @mia143 @mm2305 @a-crepusculo @barbean @beastlyinstrument @electroniccreatorwerewolf @rosebudde @lucy-268 @sarcastic01lily @blainehellyes @crazy-loca-blog @writer-ish

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[alwaysmychoices]

The Last Nights of Edenbrook

Synopsis: After the gala failed to safe Edenbrook, it’s all hands on deck at the hospital. Everyone’s working long hours, especially Ethan and Charlie. When Charlie stumbles into Ethan’s office late at night to finish her residency applications, it’s time for a difficult conversation - and a proper dedication to Ethan’s office...

Chapter 31 of the “with and without” series

Previous Series: “a weekend with dr. ramsey”

Pairing: Dr. Ethan Ramsey x MC (Charlotte “Charlie” Greene)

Words: 6.2k

Rating: Mature (sexual situations)

Also available on AO3 & Wattpad (link in Masterlist)

Edenbrook refused to go quietly.

Even when the end of the world had already come and all that was left was to watch it break into its final piece, Edenbrook asked for one final push – one more patient, one more late night, one more sacrifice.

And everyone was happy to give.

It was hard to say no to the institution that had given you your career. It was even harder to say goodbye to it.

Once it was clear that the fundraising efforts weren’t enough to save the hospital, the sacrifices were many and the days long.

The diagnostic team disbanded. Residents, attendings, and nurses alike worked far beyond their assigned shift. Everyone was so busy trying to maintain Edenbrook that it wasn’t very much like Edenbrook at all. The mission had become so paramount that it eclipsed everything else.

Charlie hadn’t taken a day off in two weeks, and she hadn’t had a full eight hours of sleep in three.

It was hard to say how these halls haunted her now.

Sure, there was the pain. But even worse, there was the joy. She didn’t just remember losing Danny, she also remembered their late-night conversations by a patient’s bedside on the nightshift. She remembered making and losing friends in that locker room. She remembered falling in love with Ethan here – and she remembered how it felt to lose him, too.

She felt the regrets and happiness in equal measure.

It was a terrifying and confusing time.

By day, Charlie and her coworkers dedicated themselves to what was left of Edenbrook. By night, Charlie and her friends searched for new residencies. They were blessed to end up in Boston together, but it was unlikely that they could all replicate that kind of magic. So, they sent applications all over the country. If they were lucky, they’d all end up on the same coast and could meet in the middle.

Last night, Sienna cleaned the apartment’s carpets to sublet it once they lost their source of income.

The night before, Bryce packed up his record collection.

And the week before, Jackie called her parents about moving back home while she waited for a new residency placement.

Their days together were numbered.

It was hard to go home.

It was hard not to be home every moment she could.

Every day took a little piece of Charlie’s heart.

So, she worked.

It was all she knew.

And even if it couldn’t cure her, it distracted her.

It was almost one a.m. when Charlie crept into Ethan’s office, laptop in hand. She’d just finished with her last patient for the night, and she’d promised herself not to leave the hospital until she’d worked on her residency applications. Even if it meant getting home even later than usual.

But what was one more sleepless night?

When she had so few nights left with this hospital, why not use every last second?

Charlie didn’t mind if she shattered.

She’d shattered before and put herself back together. She could do it again.

And she would if it meant preserving the mission and helping as many people as she could before the end.

If it meant distracting herself from the heartbreak….

Charlie settled into Ethan’s desk and did a cursory glance for something caffeinated. Since the hospital announced that they were shifting to direct patient care, Ethan had stockpiled energy drinks, coffees, and tea in his office. She was pretty sure that he hadn’t been home other than to shower in days. He’d even taken the precautionary measure of taking Jenner to his dad’s house in Rhode Island to ensure that Jenner was cared for and happy. Ethan reached his low point last week, though, when he ordered a blow-up mattress and started sleeping in his office. As much as Charlie missed him, she was happy to not see him passed out in his office tonight.

And she liked having a moment alone. They were so rare now.

What she didn’t give to the hospital, she gave to her friends and residency applications. She would have given more to Ethan if he wasn’t more focused on Edenbrook than anyone else. After a decade dedicated to the hospital, he refused to do any less.

Charlie found a spare granola bar in Ethan’s desk, and she opened the portal for her applications.

They were all good programs, sure. Excellent even. She’d be properly trained if she was accepted to any of them, but they were all so far. She mentally compared them to the lists made by her friends. Even with the overlap, at least one of them would end up far away.

And Charlie had no idea what Ethan intended to do.

He hadn’t said anything other than something in passing about spending time with his father and taking a vacation somewhere warm. Where he’d work, Charlie didn’t know. Where he’d go, she knew even less.

If they’d be together?

She didn’t know.

Wouldn’t it be ironic to survive months of secrecy and a near-death experience only to break up because they didn’t live in the same city?

Charlie finished her granola bar and opened another application just to distract her from such a horrible question.

She couldn’t have been there for more than half an hour when the office door suddenly and unexpectedly swung open, hitting the wall with a thud as the sleepy intruder stumbled into the office.

It was Ethan.

He was still sleeping here, apparently.

Even though it wasn’t her office, Charlie hadn’t expected to be disturbed until morning, and a string of curse words escaped her lips. Ethan was exhausted, so exhausted that he could have fallen asleep standing right there in the doorway, but he smiled at her surprise.

Over the last few weeks, he’d discovered that he liked when Charlie cursed – which was pretty convenient considering her language quickly grew expletive when she was stressed and exhausted.

“What are you doing here?” Charlie asked once she’d recovered from the shock.

“Last time I checked, this was my office,” Ethan smirked and closed the door behind him.

It may have been his office, but it sure didn’t look like it anymore. His careful organization devolved into chaos. Papers, books, and spare clothes lined every surface. The top drawer, which used to protect important journal articles and drafts of his own research, now contained floss, mouthwash, and a toothbrush. The trash can was full of takeout containers, empty energy drink cans, and dozens of sticky notes with varying tasks scribbled on them. Ethan had his apartment keys somewhere in here, but he hadn’t been home in so long that he didn’t know where they were.

While Charlie scowled at his sarcasm, Ethan triumphantly crossed the room to reach the main pile of clean clothes. He took care to put his white coat up on the coat hanger, but his dress shirt was discarded in a bag he’d take to the cleaners once he ran out of clothes to wear.

Charlie watched as Ethan casually and wordlessly stripped himself down. She eyed the long, lean expanse of his chest as he unbuttoned his dress shirt, and her eyes raked in every inch of bare skin. God, she hadn’t seen him naked in so long. They’d never gone this long without having sex since they’d gotten together, and now watching his back muscles stretch while he reached for a pair of sweatpants on the top shelf, Charlie practically felt lightheaded.

Leaning on her chin on her hand, Charlie shamelessly stared. She chewed on her lower lip as her eyes traveled down the curve of his back, all skin she desperately wanted to touch.

Was she too tired to have sex?

She hadn’t showered in at least two days, but judging by the looks of his office, he probably wouldn’t mind, right?

“What are you doing here anyway?” Ethan asked. With his back to his girlfriend, he was oblivious to her stares, and he pulled on a pair of sweatpants without any idea that he was disturbing her view. His only clue came when Charlie involuntarily grunted in disappointment.

Ethan turned around to face her, and Charlie didn’t have time to adjust herself.

He caught her gawking, unabashed and eyes so full of desire that they appeared dazed. Once she’d been caught, Charlie sat up straighter and averted her eyes in an attempt to recover from her embarrassment. Ethan grinned as he watched the red flush color her cheeks.

“Were you watching me?” Ethan turned fully to face her, his t-shirt still in his hand.

God, that wasn’t fair, was it?

She could drown under the weight of that body, and she’d die without regrets.

“No,” Charlie answered sharply. She kept her eyes on the laptop, determined not to give him the satisfaction of seeing her blush.

“No?” Ethan repeated as he dropped his t-shirt to the blow-up mattress and crossed the room to meet her. Charlie decidedly didn’t look, but she felt his presence loom behind her, his warmth radiating to her in their close proximity. He stood behind the desk, and he lowered himself down until his breath was hot against her ear.

“You’re allowed to look,” Ethan whispered, his lips a ghost along the curve of her ear.

Charlie shivered.

She smelled amazing.

Like cherries and vanilla.

And if he focused, he could just make out the coconut of her shampoo.

Ethan buried his face in the crook of her neck, losing himself in her wild mess of curls. He missed waking up to them fanning across the pillow beside him, beside her. Even as the chair separated them, Ethan wrapped his arms around Charlie and pressed a tender kiss to her neck.

How had he ever lived without her?

He didn’t know, and he didn’t want to know. It had only been a few weeks since he’d had her in his bed, and already, that was too much.

It had to be rectified immediately, he thought. Even if it meant spending another night on the blow-up mattress, he was sleeping next to her tonight.

Ethan breathed in a deep breath of her scent, and with a twinge of regret, he unburied himself from her and looked at her laptop screen.

He had no idea what he was looking at, so he squinted his eyes and leaned closer. A list of cities and hospital names, a handful of recognizable coworkers under a tab named “references,” and at least a dozen places to upload documents.

Ethan frowned.

“Are these…?” he trailed off, unable to say the words himself.

“My residency applications,” Charlie finished for him.

Ethan’s arms reflexively tightened around her.

They hadn’t talked about her residency applications at all.

They should have, of course.

Couples talked about those kinds of things. They made compromises and plans. They at least knew where the other was applying.

Before he knew it, Charlie would be snatched up by some amazing residency. She was a perfect candidate, after all. Even without her glowing recommendations, her record spoke for itself. Who would turn down the doctor who solved the unsolvable and saved the life of a famed diagnostician in her intern year?

And then what would Ethan do?

Where would he be once Edenbrook ceased to exist?

Could he be a doctor without the place that built him?

“Do you mind if I…?” Ethan asked, motioning to the computer. Without making him finish the thought, Charlie nodded her assent, and Ethan apprehensively scrolled.

Boston University.

Columbia Med.

Duke.

The University of North Carolina.

Stanford.

The names kept going, all farther and farther away from Boston.

Ethan swallowed hard and imagined waving her off as she flew off to all these places without him.

“San Diego? Really?” Ethan asked under his breath.

“You don’t like California?” Charlie asked timidly.

“I’d probably melt,” Ethan grunted.

Charlie held her breath.

Was he thinking of going with her?

Ethan kept scrolling, eyes narrow as he surveyed all the cities threatening to take the love of his life away from him.

Could he live in Raleigh, or would he expire by his first summer? Would he be happy in Chicago, or would he long for the coast every moment?

Could he stay in Boston when Charlie was no longer here?

“Any program you think is best?” Charlie prodded carefully.

She watched him with such anticipation, such hope, that she felt fragile in his hands.

Here, he thought.

With me.

Anywhere, just with me.

Ethan’s arms tightened around Charlie again, and he gently kissed her temple as he asked, “Where would you be happy?”

Charlie’s hand settled on Ethan’s, seeking the same reassurance from his touch that he sought from her.

“Boston would be nice,” she confessed, “But… if not Boston….” Charlie frowned, “There’s a train from New York. And it’s a short flight to D.C.”

I could see you on my off weekends, she wanted to add, and spend my holidays here.

But she had so little assurance that Ethan even wanted that.

Maybe he wanted to be a nomad again and drown his sorrows in a new locale like he had when they broke up.

Ethan kissed the crown of Charlie’s head, breathing in her scent like it could be for the last time. But it didn’t have to be.

After spending a decade in a city, deciding to move should be a momentous decision full of thought and careful consideration.

But Ethan’s offer was nothing like that.

It was impulsive. He didn’t really care about the details like selling his apartment, moving his belongings, or saying goodbye to his friends and favorite haunts. He just didn’t want to be without Charlie. So, in the end, the decision was easy.

“I like New York,” Ethan shared softly.

Charlie’s head whipped around to look at him. She’d been waiting so long to hear these words that she almost didn’t believe them at all.

“You do?” she repeated, hoping she understood him.

“I mean… no. It’s just an inferior Boston,” Ethan explained, “But I like you, and I like being with you.”

Charlie’s green eyes clouded with tears. Her heart was so full of warmth and her lungs so full of relief that it practically ached.

He wasn’t going to run away.

He wasn’t going to avoid it.

He wanted to be with her.

“What about the other cities? Are they even worse versions of Boston?” Charlie tested, wanting to keep her heart safe before she made another assumption.

“Some of them, yes, but… I’d go there, too.”

“You would?” Charlie echoed.

“Yes,” Ethan smiled softly, placing a hand on her cheek as he wiped away a stray tear, “I’ll go where you go, Charlie.”

Another tear slid down her cheek, and Ethan laughed as he wiped it away.

“We could get an apartment together,” he suggested, and then, the tears started to stream. As Charlie cried of relief and happiness (and a bit of exhaustion), Ethan smiled and kissed them away. He continued, “I could get a job there, too. And we could be together – just you, me, and Jenner.”

“And we wouldn’t have to hide?” Charlie didn’t expect the weight of that sentence to be so crushing. It had been sitting on her chest for months, and she was only now able to address it.

Could they come out of the shadows?

Could she love him without fear?

Could they just begin the happily ever after and stop fearing disaster?

Ethan’s chest tightened at the tone of her voice.

This meant something to her – much more than he thought it did.

What had he been keeping her from all this time?

“No, we wouldn’t have to hide,” Ethan kissed her nose.

He didn’t know that, really.

He wasn’t supposed to love her. She was his resident, and even with the freedom of a new place, he worried that their beginning would always haunt their future. Would she be punished for the simple crime of falling in love with him? Would all of her accomplishments be overlooked because he’d been by her side?

Maybe they’d always have to hide for Charlie to get what she deserved in her career.

But when Charlie looked at him like that, he couldn’t say no.

And maybe things could be different in a new place.

Charlie fell into his chest, overwhelmed by the idea of freedom.

It was so beautiful, so enticing that she was afraid to even engage with it. She’d get her hopes up. She’d taste something so delicious that nothing else would satisfy again. She’d be lost to it if she let herself go.

And Ethan, for all of his concern, smiled as he imagined moving in with Charlie.

Her books on their shared bookshelf. A closet properly filled with her clothes instead of a drawer haphazardly full of spare clothes. Their photos on the wall. Her in his bed every night.

“We could pick out paint colors together,” Ethan suggested, placing yet another kiss on Charlie’s head as he ran soothing circles on her back, “And I’d get a hobby so you could study for the boards without me bothering you.”

Charlie chuckled into Ethan’s chest, and he squeezed her tighter, smiling warmly when she looked up at him.

“A hobby?”

“I’m capable of it.”

“Reading medical journals is not a hobby, Ethan,” Charlie teased.

“Is that what you think of me?” Ethan asked, pushing a stray curl out of Charlie’s face and tucking it behind her ear, “That I’m just some old doctor obsessed with research?”

“Maybe,” Charlie smirked.

“Fine… I probably won’t get a hobby,” Ethan shrugged, unable to think of any hobby that didn’t sound horrible and tedious, “but I make great flashcards.”

“The test is just over a year away. You should probably get started if you’re going to finish in time.”

Ethan made a show of rolling his eyes, but he gave her an amused grin as he kissed her lips, “It’s late. You can finish this tomorrow.”

Charlie groaned. She was exhausted, of course. The last thing she wanted to do was finish an application, but she also dreaded walking to the subway through a Boston winter. Even if she didn’t get any sleep, at least it was warm in Ethan’s office. By the time Charlie got home, got warm, and fell asleep, it would nearly be time to come back here anyway.

“I don’t want to go home,” Charlie confessed.

“Then don’t.”

Charlie immediately knew what he meant.

She eyed the blow-up mattress on the floor suspiciously. Like the rest of Ethan’s office, it was disheveled at best. The crumbled top sheet sat in the middle of the bed, evidently abandoned after a restless night. There were two pillows, at least, but Charlie seriously doubted that either had been cleaned since he moved his stuff in.

And could she really stomach sleeping on Ethan’s floor at work?

Surely, she was capable of a better work-life balance than that.

But the bed was here, unlike her apartment miles away. And Ethan was here, too.

In the morning, she’d never admit that she slept on Ethan’s floor. If anyone asked, she got a power nap at a desk somewhere or claimed a coveted spot in the on-call room.

For tonight though? She was actually a little happy to do it.

“You’re doing this just so I won’t keep making fun of you, aren’t you?” Charlie accused warmly.

He wasn’t.

He was desperate to sleep next to her, at least for a night. He’d been restless without her and had almost texted her asking if he could come over three times this week.

Instead of telling her the truth, he shrugged playfully and held his hand out for her to join him. Charlie closed her laptop and accepted the invitation. Once close to the bed, Charlie slipped off her white coat and started to get on the bed when Ethan put his hand on her forearm to stop her.

“You can’t sleep in your scrubs.”

“I’ve slept in them before, and I ran out of extra clothes in my locker,” Charlie explained. Surely, it wouldn’t be the end of the world if she slept in the scrubs. Judging by the look of his office, Ethan’s insistence on cleanliness had diminished to some degree.

“Here,” Ethan plucked the extra t-shirt from his bed and offered it to her, “In the morning, we’ll find you some clean scrubs.”

It was a small gesture, but it meant everything to Charlie.

She smiled her thanks, and after safely putting her badge on Ethan’s desk, she pulled at the hem of her scrubs stop. Ethan swallowed as he watched her skin be slowly revealed. She looked so soft, so warm in front of him. After a few weeks of takeout and life limited to the hospital boundaries, her hips were just a touch plumper and her body just a bit softer. In the few moments it took for her to reveal her torso, Ethan imagined digging his fingers into her hips, leaving his thumbprints as bruises on her creamy, velvety skin.

He didn’t mean to take a step forward, but his body led him there anyway.

Charlie had just gotten her shirt off her body, revealing the swell of her breasts, the curve of her waist, and the gentle contours of her abdomen. Ethan’s hands ached to touch her, to feel the way her body melted into his like they were designed to be together.

Shirt in hand, Charlie stared up at Ethan, startled by his closeness. When he stood like this – towering over her and not curving his body to meet her – his height was more apparent. He stood before her like he was sculpted into a perfect model of a man. The strength of his muscles rippled beneath his tanned skin, the restraint visible as he refrained from touching her. And those eyes…

Piercing blue and boring right into her.

Charlie gulped.

She reached behind her back and intentionally failed to unclasp her bra.

They both knew she did it on purpose.

Neither cared.

Once she’d made a few failed attempts, Charlie asked, “Do you think you could help me?”

Ethan was too concentrated on her to speak, so he wordlessly nodded. Charlie turned around, pulling her hair out of the way, and braced for the relief of his touch.

He stared at the bra clasp for a moment, and unable to control himself, Ethan traced the curve of her spine with his thumb, earning a small gasp from Charlie.

She felt like an eternity had passed in anticipation when Ethan finally attacked the clasp. It easily fell to him and, with it, the bra. It landed on the bed without notice, and Ethan’s palms cupped the curve of her waist, sinking into her soft flesh.

He had no plan, no grand seduction.

He just wanted to touch her.

He just wanted his Charlie here.

By his side.

Against him…

Ethan’s hands ran up her waist, her sides, and her ribs. Finally, they cupped her breasts, and he felt Charlie sink back into him.

“My Charlie,” Ethan whispered into her hair, pressing a tender kiss at the nape of her neck. And then another on her shoulder blade. And another at her jaw.

And then, he fell into her neck, and Charlie moaned as he kissed her body. She tilted her head to give him more access, and she dug her fingers into his hair as his stubble scratched against her skin.

It was a delicate balance between revelry and possession, and it was unclear which side Ethan fell on.

She was soft against the firmness of his chest. Curves where he was angular. Gentleness against his rigidity. Absence where he towered. Strength where he was weak.

But it didn’t feel weak to touch her like this.

To retrace the curve of her waist, until he reached the waistband of her scrubs. To carefully untie the drawstring and hook his fingers in the waistband. To feel the cloth give way to him until it was just cotton slipping down her smooth thighs.

Until the only thing that separated him from touching her completely was a small piece of cloth covering her remaining skin.

“I hoped I’d get one last time in your office,” Charlie confessed quietly, a stark contrast to the desperate desire itching in her limps. She ached to touch and be touched. Her body arched into his in every way it could – into his hands, his chest, his mouth – until she was contorted in every way she could find release.

“Who says it’s the last?” Ethan whispered into her neck. The heat of his breath made her shiver.

“We have so little time….”

“But still enough,” Ethan finished for her.

His hand snaked down her stomach, slipping beneath the flimsy cotton of her underwear.

She was so warm.

So soft.

So wet.

Ethan shuddered when he touched her.

His fingers slipped between her folds, and he circled her nub slowly and deliberately. Charlie squirmed beneath him, breath ragged and cheeks flushed. She moved into his hand, wanting more – so much more. Ethan stilled her with his other hand, and he whispered, “Still, Charlie.”

“Or what?” Charlie challenged, fighting against his hold to squirm further into his hand.

“Or I stop,” Ethan threatened, nipping at her earlobe.

Instantly, Charlie stilled.

Ethan smiled, and kissing the edge of her clavicle, Ethan rewarded Charlie by curving two fingers inside of her, his palm now flat against her clit and providing friction as he moved.

Charlie fell back into him, and he held her up, eyeing her long legs as they became jelly under his touch.

“Do you like that?” he asked, though he already knew the answer.

Charlie nodded eagerly, so consumed with her aching and desire that she felt nothing else. Words were out of reach. Thoughts were elusive. Her skin turned pink, growing warmer by the minute.

“Can I trust you to stay still?” he asked.

Charlie knew he couldn’t.

The second he let her go, she’d lose all control and ache and arch into him just as she had before.

Still, she nodded yes.

Ethan pulled Charlie farther back into him, ensuring she could lean on him once he let her go. He released his hold on her waist and lifted his palm from her clit, driving his fingers deeper into her. Charlie called out in delight, and she fell further into him. He used his other hand to circle her clit, waiting until she gasped to know he’d hit just the right rhythm.

“Shhh,” Ethan kissed Charlie’s jaw, “You’re at work.”

“No one is here,” Charlie whined.

“Be quiet, or….” Ethan trailed off, lifting his hand and stopping the curving motions of his fingers.

“No,” Charlie whimpered, pushing herself into him so desperately and so eagerly that Ethan’s willpower was pushed to its limits.

He wanted to bend her over that desk and fill her until she remembered nothing but his name.

But patience.

Patience, he reminded himself.

His jaw tightened from the effort of his restraint, and again, he said, “Be quiet.”

Charlie nodded her affirmation, and she sighed in relief when his hands resumed. At that moment, she would have agreed to anything he said as long as he touched her again.

Ethan watched through hooded eyes as Charlie desperately fought for control of her body. Despite her best efforts, she squirmed just barely beneath him. Just enough that the friction of her backside against his lap made his vision hazy. And she bit back her whimpers, her moans, her pleasure.

He wanted to see her come undone.

No, he needed to see her come undone.

Ethan moved his hand faster, and he watched Charlie react. Her eyes squeezed closed, a desperate look of dedication to silence consuming her. Her flush went down her body now, spreading from her cheeks to her chest and abdomen. He felt her muscles tighten against him, begging him for more.

He arched a third finger inside of her.

“Fuck,” Charlie gasped, unable to keep it in.

He went faster.

Deeper.

Reached all her favorite spots.

Made her squirm.

Made her ache.

Made her desperate.

“Please,” Charlie managed.

She was on the precipice.

They both knew it.

They both felt it.

Who was Ethan to deny her when she begged?

So he gave more. And more. And more.

And then…

Charlie’s inhales were sharp, each laced with desire and need. She fell further into him, and her aching grew and grew and turned to heat. And she moaned his name under her breath as she tightened and tightened.

“Cum,” Ethan whispered gruffly in her ear, pressing his forearms into her hips until she was held firmly against him.

Charlie bit her tongue to not cry out.

The heat rose. The world blurred. It was so much of everything that nothing else could coexist.

Charlie reached her apex with a soft cry. In the glow of bliss, she lost her strength. Ethan caught her as her legs turned to jelly, and he safely tucked her in his arms and held her until life came back into focus.

“That’s my girl,” Ethan smiled, pressing a kiss to her shoulder.

My girl.

He had no business making that phrase sound so hot.

Charlie laughed, running her hand along his forearm in silent appreciation.

“Can you stand?” Ethan pressed, concerned about removing his arms before she was ready.

Charlie nodded that she could, and accordingly, Ethan began to untangle himself, removing his fingers from inside of her and un-snaking his arms from her waist. Charlie quietly stopped him, wrapping her hand around his wrist. Ethan watched with curiosity as she brought his hand closer to her, and his mouth went slack as she wrapped those plump, pink lips around his three fingers. She tasted herself on his skin, and she took every last bit.

If he wanted to taste her, he’d have to taste it on her tongue.

Ethan swallowed as she released his fingers. He stared dumbly as she peered back at him, green eyes hidden under thick dark lashes.

“Oh, did you want a taste?”

Ethan couldn’t stop staring at her mouth.

Those lips.

That taste.

“I did, actually,” Ethan challenged her.

Charlie turned around until their chests pressed against each other, but her gaze never dropped his.

“Well, I guess we can share then…”

Her fingers dug into his hair, pulling him down to her before he could think to say a word.

She tasted like coffee and cinnamon toothpaste and her.

It was intoxicating.

Ethan had to consume it.

He had to consume her.

His hands firmly grabbed her hips, and he pressed himself into her, aching for friction and slick warmth. Her underwear, which had miraculously survived their encounter thus far, didn’t stand a chance. They dropped to the floor without any concern. Charlie greedily explored his chest, his back, his waist. Then, just as she’d wanted to all night, she untied the drawstring of his sweatpants. With Ethan’s help, she disposed of his pants and boxers.

And finally, they were just skin on skin.

Ethan took a step, and Charlie stepped with him.

And then before either had moved away from the other, the back of Charlie’s thighs touched the edge of Ethan’s desk.

The kiss paused, just to let them both catch their breath. Ethan’s forehead rested against Charlie’s as he asked, “May I?” Ethan motioned to the desk.

“Yes please,” Charlie nodded eagerly, and Ethan grinned, kissing her with renewed passion and hunger. He pushed her farther back into the desk until she was pinned against the dark wood.

“I love you so much,” Ethan murmured against her lips, giving her just a moment to smile up at him before he spun her around.

Her ass arched into his body, and he shuttered.

Eyelids heavy, he whispered, “I’m going to shove you against this desk.”

Charlie felt his words deep in her core.

“You can stop me whenever you want,” he assured her.

Charlie nodded that she understood – that she always understood, that she trusted him with her body completely, and that she wanted this just as much as he did. So much for one nod.

But somehow, Ethan understood.

Ethan kissed the back of her neck gently – a kiss to remind her of how much he loved her, and she understood, too.

And then, with surprising swiftness and aggression, Ethan pushed her chest down to the desk.

The wood was so cold against her warm skin that she tensed, and Ethan paused in concern that he’d gone too far. But only seconds later, she relaxed into the wood, pressing herself even further into it and arching her spine to him.

Ethan smiled in quiet relief, and he admired the sight of her bent over for him.

He gripped the soft, plush curve of her ass, and he grinned as it turned pink beneath him.

Then a small swat.

Just to test her, really.

Charlie moaned softly, and he swore she shimmied back to him.

Another swat.

Harder, this time.

Enough to make her ass glow pink.

And another for good measure, just to make her moan again.

And finally, finally, he could possess her.

He could fill her.

He could have her.

Ethan entered her slowly, wanting to enjoy her slick warmth in every way.

She didn’t disappoint. She never did.

Ethan’s eyes fluttered shut as he slid into her, and he paused once he was fully inside, sighing into the connection. Charlie, likewise, breathed into the fullness with a delirious smile.

Then he moved.

Ethan was slow at first, still determined to savor the moment and savor her.

But the heat hadn’t simmered away. It was still there, lurking in their thoughts and bodies. It couldn’t be ignored forever.

The thrusts were harder. More possessive. More admiring.

And faster.

And then it all devolved.

The caution and control Ethan had exercised all night dissipated into nothing but carnal desire. He was fast and hard and unrestrained. Even with extreme exercises of self-control, they were loud. Their voices and grunts echoed in the small office, but neither cared if the noise slipped into the hall.

They wanted this. Only this.

Charlie flushed.

Ethan moaned.

She tightened, and he moved faster. She ached, and his movements were rougher and less careful. She whimpered his name, and he basked in her admiration. They were close.

“Cum, Ethan,” Charlie begged, her plea little more than a croak as she drowned in pleasure.

Ethan’s jaw went slack, and whatever self-control he still had disappeared from those two words.

He moved recklessly, desperately, as he became obsessed with making her feel exactly what he felt. He wanted her to fall with him.

Even if they’d wanted to fight for more, for longer, there was nothing they could do in the face of the warm title wave awaiting their apex.

More.

More.

More.

And…

Charlie fell first, Ethan’s name a muted cry on her lips.

Ethan came mere moments after, falling into her as he did.

“Fuck,” Ethan murmured, his words nearly lost to her skin.

Charlie smiled softly, still basking in the glow of their passion, “A compliment?”

Ethan chuckled and lazily kissed Charlie’s shoulder as he affirmed, “Definitely a compliment.”

Ethan was the first to move, though they both took their sweet time doing it. Charlie frowned when his body left hers, and as she stretched on the cool surface of his desk, she wondered how uncomfortable it would be to sleep in this position.

A few moments later, Ethan returned to clean them both up, and once he dressed, he pulled his spare t-shirt over Charlie’s head, taking care to pull her hair out from the neckline so she was comfortable. Charlie smiled up at him as he took care of her, amazed by how such small acts as these could make her feel so irrevocably in love with him.

They checked the lock – and admitted that they should have done that earlier in the night – and then settled on the air mattress.

“I miss your king-size bed,” Charlie mumbled as she squirmed to find a comfortable position.

“So do I,” Ethan sighed. He pressed a kiss to her cheek as he added, “Just a few more weeks.”

Charlie frowned.

Was that really all the time left at Edenbrook?

It was almost over.

After everything, would it really end by working themselves into exhaustion? Giving and giving until Edenbrook could no longer accept?

Ethan turned off the light, draped his arm around Charlie, and tried to fall asleep. Charlie tried, too, but with less success.

As she stared into the dark ceiling, she tried to imagine what life would look like once Edenbrook was gone.

An inferior Boston, a shared apartment, and flashcards.

A life without secrecy.

A heartbreak in leaving but a hopeful future lurking in the shattered remains. She’d be happy, she thought. They both would. Maybe even more than they would be if Edenbrook could keep them.

Just a few more weeks and she’d finally know how it ends.

The only thing more terrifying than trying to plan for the undetermined end was knowing that, no matter what she did, the ending was still coming.

I didn’t really didn’t think I’d have time to write this, but after finding some spare time (which I probably should have used for studying, I managed to make this and I hope you guys love it as much as I do!

(Tag list coming in a reblog)