#by the way this whole cat arsonist thing is not what this song is about AT ALL

[shreksstepfather]

I Go Hungry - Mother Mother

[becaexists]

Songs I associate with SebAngelo/Peace-Message + Reasons

Problem/Regulate - Hozier BBC Lounge cover Problem as Angelo "Even though I can't forgive you, I really want to", "I know I shouldn't call back or let you come back, but it's you", "Every time you touch me […] I get a little bit breathless", Regulate as Sebastian "If you know like I know", "If you smoke like I smoke then you're high like everyday", both of them as "I've got one less problem without you"

Cause for Concern - Lovejoy "And you look dreadful when you jump to what you'll resort to" Angelo jumps to blocking people out, Sebastian consistently makes the same mistakes because it's what he knows, "You could suck the wind out of my breath, and you could kiss the teeth into my head, and still it's no cause for concern" They are both very passionate people, even if they hide it most of the time, but they are both very ambitious and dedicated, and I feel like that would translate into their make out sessions

I Wanna Boi - PWR BTTM It makes me think of what Angelo wants in a partner, someone who will just be there for him, who will hold him tightly when it's cold at night "I wanna boy to keep the bed warm when the whole house is freezing", but he wants Sebastian because, though they have some things in common, they are very different people "I wanna boy who isn't anything like me" "I wanna boy who thinks it's sexy when my lipstick bleeds" Imagine Angelo Volta, aka Dr. Sexy, in eyeliner and dark red lipstick and tell me it's not attractive

Bad Ideas - Tessa Violet "It takes everything I got not to text" After 1.13 when Angelo tells Sebastian to never call again, I feel like they both really want to contact each other again, but Angelo doesn't want to give in and Sebastian doesn't want to upset him anymore, "If you think you miss me, come on back and kiss me, I just gotta know what you and I would feel like" Again, they both said they wanted each other in 1.12, but they didn't get the chance

Arsonist's Lullaby - Hozier This is very much a Sebastian song, with lyrics such as "When I was a child, I heard voices […] I learned the voices died with me" and "When I was 16, my senses fooled me, thought gasoline was on my clothes", as Sebastian said the fire happened when he was a teenager, then it becomes more of a SebAngelo song with this "I thought it ended when I knew love's perfect ache, but my peace has always depended on all the ashes in my wake", as it seems every love Sebastian has, his job, his friends, Angelo, all crash and burn one way or another, all in the pursuit of what is right and knowing the truth

Gorgeous - Taylor Swift Right from the beginning the lyrics make sense for Sebastian directed at Angelo with "You should take it as a compliment that I got drunk and made fun of the way you talk" and "You're so cool, it makes me hate you so much (I hate you so much)" Then the next verse we can switch to Angelo with "you should think about the consequence of you touching my hand" as through a hand touch, Angelo finally felt something and his affections for him grew, and lyrics we can connect with Anglo continue for the rest of the song with "There's nothing I hate more than what I can't have" as he states in 1.12 that "No setback has ever kept him from what he wants", so we can assume that if there is something he physically Cannot have, you know, like love, especially reciprocated love for a certain person, he would hate it "Guess I'll just stumble on home to my cats, alone, unless you wanna come along" Literally just change cats to dogs and it's Angelo

Never Love an Anchor - The Crane Wives "Try as I might I could not bring myself to hold you" When they were together, they physically could not touch as Angelo was hurt and he didn't want to end up back in the hospital, then they didn't get another chance before Sebastian betrayed Angelo's trust "On some level I think I always understood that a ship could never really love an anchor, So I did the only thing that I could and severed the rope to set you sailing from my harbor" This is very much Angelo in the beginning of 1.13 when he calls Sebastian. He's forcing him to go, to leave him behind, to abandon what they were doing together, to continue on his mission, whatever it is, without being tied down to Angelo "I am selfish I am broken I am cruel: I am all the things the might have said to you" They both think they themselves are broken, but they recognise in each other that they are both hurting from something in the past and gravitate to one another because of it "Do you ever think of me and my two hands and wondered why they never soothed your fevers, […] why they never tied your shoes […] why they never held you gently […] why they never had the chance to lose you" They both wanted to care for each other, they both wanted to hold one another, they both wanted one another, but when Sebastian betrayed Angelo's trust by including their conversation from 1.12, Angelo pushed him away, removing their chance to have one another

Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) - Kate Bush "You don't wanna hurt me, but see how deep the bullet lies" Double meaning, Sebastian couldn't touch Angelo in 1.12 because he was shot and he didn't want to end up in hospital again, but also with the fact that Sebastian didn't have the intention of hurting him when he published their conversation "Tell me, we both matter, don't we?" Sebastian occasionally only thinks for himself, as he didn't eve think that Angelo might be effected by him publish a private conversation where he reveals a vulnerable part of himself "C'mon, angel, c'mon, c'mon, darling" Imagine Sebastian calling Angelo angel and Angelo calling him darling

Iris - The Goo Goo Dolls First lyric is "I'd give up forever to touch you", you cannot convince me that isn't the two of them "And all I can taste is this moment, and all I can breathe is your life, and sooner or later, it's over" Sebastian says he's used to feeling numb, but not with Angelo, and Angelo felt something physically for the first time in decades after a brief touch of their hands "I don't think that they'd understand […] I just want you to know who I am" Again, Angelo was vulnerable with Sebastian when he felt he couldn't show emotions with anyone other than his dogs

Baby Can I Hold You - Tracy Chapman This, in my mind, is the perfect song for where they are as of writing this, they both want an apology from one another, even if they won't admit it, and at the same time, they want to apologise themselves, to ask for forgiveness for how they acted. They both want to not feel numb anymore, they want to be close to each other, to touch, to hold, to have, and that's exactly what the chorus says, "Can I hold you tonight? Maybe if I told you the right words at the right time you'd be mine"

That's all I can fit in one post, tell me if anyone wants more of these, I have serious brainrot rn and want nothing more than to talk about these two idiots (/affectionate) + Sorry if any of my characterisations are ooc, this is mostly going off of the recent episodes bc that's what I listened to most recently

[tippenfunkaport]

Tippen's Fics Megapost

Here’s a list of every fic I’ve posted so far. On AO3 * FanFiction.net.

Tips are super appreciated! ko-fi.com/tippenfunkaport   

I will update this post whenever I post new fics so you can find the complete list all in one place.

Series

I’ve collected my one-shots in the order they happen in two main collections for easier reading.

SPOP Missing Scenes - Collection of missing scene fics (mostly Glimbow)

SPOP Canon Compliant Post-War Fics - Collection of all my fics that happen Post-Season 5

Key for main ships in each fic

😻 = Catra / Adora (Catradora)

💖 = Bow / Glimmer (Glimbow, Glow or *sigh* Blimmer)

🧜🏽‍♀️🔥 = Mermista / Sea Hawk (SeaMista or Merhawk)

🦂💐 = Perfuma / Scorpia (Scorfuma)

🥼 = Entrapta / Hordak (Entrapdak)

Key for fic status

📕 = Multi-chapter completed

📄 = One Shot

📖 = Multi-chapter work in progress

Ongoing

📖 Glowing Up: The Princess and The Pirate (Friendship / Fluff / Adventure) - 💖 The origin story for how Bow and Glimmer met!

📖 Prince Bow and Archer Glimmer (Romance / Adventure) - 💖 AU where Glimmer and Bow swap roles!

📖 Going There (Romance / Adventure) - 💖 Series of missing scene fics from Glimmer and Bow’s perspective of Season 5.

Ensemble or Platonic Fics

Fics that either feature multiple pairings (aka the whole gang together) or just friendships and family relationships.

📄 An Outside Perspective (Comedy/Fluff) - 😻 💖 🧜🏽‍♀️🔥 🦂💐 An average Etherian and his mentor travel to Bright Moon to attend Queen Glimmer’s ceremony honoring the regular people who acted heroically during the Horde War but why does the Queen’s boyfriend look so familiar? (Almost everyone is in this one!)

📕 The B-Team (A Catra and Bow Buddy Adventure) (action/adventure) - 😻 💖 Catra and Bow try to save their stubborn magic girlfriends from themselves and accidentally become friends along the way. (50/50 Glimbow and Catradora)

📄 Bow White and the Seven Princesses (A Bedtime Story, as told by Sea Hawk) (Comedy/Fluff) - 💖 😻 🧜🏽‍♀️🔥 Sea Hawk and Mermista are babysitting the children of Bright Moon and Sea Hawk tells them a special personalized version of the classic fairy tale featuring their parents in the starring roles.

📄 Pride and Princesses (Another Bedtime Story, as told by Sea Hawk) (comedy/fluff) - 😻 💖 🧜🏽‍♀️🔥 Uncle Sea Hawk is back! This time he’s reading the children of the Super Pal Trio a tale of epic ROMANCE and ADVENTURE, the classic love story between Adorabeth Boomnets and Fitzmeowmoew Catsy. (Yes, it’s a ridiculous SPOP version of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.)

📕 SPOP Palentines - A collection of 15 one-shots (mostly funny but a couple of serious ones) celebrating friendship, family and other more complicated dynamics! (Table of Contents here)

📄 Web of Lies (Family/Fluff/Romance) - 💖 Bow tires to tell his dads about what happened at Princess Prom without spilling all his secrets.

📄 Of Its Kind (Fluff/Family) -  😻 Baby Melog kittens!!

📄 OK With This (fluff) - 🥼🧜🏽‍♀️🔥A Mermista and Hordak friendship? More likely than you might think!

📄 Fraternize, Co-Captain or Assassinate(Fluff / Angst) - 😻💖 The Best Friend Squad plays sleepover games.

📄 Glimmer’s Crazy Day (fluff) - 💖 Glimmer writes in her journal about a really crazy day she had, the kind of wacky day you can only have by totally random chance… right?

📄 Kyle, Lonnie and Rogelio Plot to Steal a Freaky Demon Baby (Fluff/Friendship/Family) - The Horde Trio hanging out in the Crimson Waste and deciding to go back and get Imp.

📄 Good Trouble (Fluff) - 🧜🏽‍♀️🔥 Sea Hawk drops Double Trouble off after the events of Perils of Peekablue.

📄 Moonlight Ghost - 💖 Something nameless is haunting Bright Moon castle and interrupts the royal family at dinner.

📄 The Fire Prince (Action/Adventure/AU) - 🧜🏽‍♀️🔥 Beginning of my Beasts AU, Sea Hawk as arsonist Robin Hood

📄 Captain Mermista (fluff/comedy) - 💖 🧜🏽‍♀️🔥 Swap AU! Adora, Prince Bow and Archer Glimmer come to Seaworthy to hire a ship to take them the see Prince Sea Hawk in Salineas... but they're not sure what to make of Captain Mermista.

Romance / Shippy Fics

📕  Cans of Tuna and Redemption Arcs (Romance / Fluff) - 💖 😻 Pure fluff modern AU in which Catra is Glimmer’s literal pet cat and Adora is Bow’s golden retriever and they all meet cutely. (Technically complete though I sometimes add new chapters randomly)

📕 Save the Archer (Angst / Action / Romance) - 💖 😻 Save the Cat goes wrong. Glimmer gets left behind. Bow gets chipped.

📄 Getting Warmer (Romance/Angst with Happy Ending) - 💖 It’s only a few hours before they’ll be going to rescue Catra and a traumatized Glimmer is having nightmares of having to face Horde Prime again. When she wakes up screaming, the only person she wants to comfort her is still mad at her, their relationship damaged beyond repair. Or is it?

📄 Another World (Angst/Romance) - 💖 Post Princess Prom Horde Glimmer AU

📕  First Kisses We Didn’t Have(fluff/romance) - 💖 A collection of one shots where Bow and Glimmer might have gotten together if things in canon had happened just a little bit differently.

📕 A Merry SPOP Shipsmas! (Fluff / Romance) - 😻 🥼 💖 🧜🏽‍♀️🔥 🦂💐 Collection of one-shots inspired by famous holiday songs, one for each major canon ship!

📄 Just Like Always (Romance / Fluff) - 💖 😻 Adora and Catra think they’re helping Bow and Glimmer with an elaborate marriage proposal but their friends have pulled a bait and switch.

📄 “Yes, your majesty.”(Comedy/Fluff) - 💖 Bow accidentally refers to Glimmer as “your majesty” during a Princess Alliance meeting.  But, it’s fine, she should be able to make it through this meeting without getting completely distracted by sexy thoughts, right?

📄 Babysitting Arrows (Comedy/Fluff) - 💖 😻 Comic antics ensue when Catra thinks Glimmer might be pregnant and Adora’s Aunt instincts go into overdrive. 

📄 Time and Space (Romance/Smut) - 💖 When Bow and Glimmer have their first big fight as a married couple, Glimmer just wants to skip ahead to the part when she’s forgiven. But when an apology isn’t enough and Bow’s still mad at her, she uses magic to recreate a moment from their past with a sexy twist.

 📕 Glimbow Shorts (Romance / Fluff) - 💖 Various short fics I wrote for Glimbow Week. This is made up of…

Prompt: Memory: Bow tries to get Glimmer to remember the ridiculous names of all his siblings. (Post Canon)

Prompt: Injury: Bow patches Glimmer up after she gets injured on a mission. (Missing Scene)

Prompt: Touch: The Best Friend Squad is having a sleepover the night after their visit to Plumeria and Bow wakes up to discover he’s been unwittingly cuddling Glimmer in his sleep. (Missing Scene)

Prompt: Princess Prom / Jealousy: Glimmer wakes from a nightmare with a question for Bow. (Post Canon)

Prompt: Family: Glimmer talks to Micah while he enjoys a snack in the Bright Moon garden. (Post Canon)

Prompt: Swap: 🧜🏽‍♀️🔥 Glimbow and Seamista swap places for a scene from Princess Prom (AU)

Prompt: Wedding / Proposal:  Shortly after Angella’s disappearance, Bow and Adora discover that new Queen Glimmer’s been getting marriage proposals from would be suitors (Missing Scene)

📄 The Gift of a Lifetime - (Romance) 💖 It’s Bow’s Birthday, and the whole gang is getting together for a big party. Everyone keeps saying he doesn’t look a day over 30! Problem is… he’s turning 50.

📄 Shells (Angst/Friendship) - 💖 Bow trying not to have a breakdown about losing Glimmer to Horde Prime while cooking for Adora.

📄 Scars - (Angst / Romance) 💖 Bow is all healed from the Pulse bot but there are still a lot of open wounds between him and Glimmer.  

📄 Kowl Jr. (Fluff with a wee bit of Angst/Romance) - 💖 Bow and Glimmer are called to investigate reports of poachers in the Whispering Woods and find a creature long thought extinct.

📕 The Wrong Princess Prom (Romance / Drama) - 💖 Key moments from Princess Prom through Battle of Bright Moon from Bow’s perspective

📄 Parenting is an ADVENTURE! (Fluff, Romance)- 🧜🏽‍♀️🔥 Sea Hawk and Mermista being domestic with their kids!

📄 Booty Call(comedy / romance) -  💖 Glimmer indulges Bow’s pirate fantasy. Sexy but not explicit.

📄 Did Someone Say Seabowmista? (comedy) - 💖 🧜🏽‍♀️🔥 Joke fic I wrote for April Fool's Day where all may not be what it seems when Bow agrees to a threesome with Mermista and Sea Hawk.

Find my fics on AO3 * FanFiction.net. Only AO3 is linked from the titles to simplify my life.

[nitrateglow]

For the character meme: Jack Griffin, Jack Torrance, Harry Roat Jr, and Jonathan Brewster, please!

Favorite thing about them: His gleeful arrogance. Plus he’s got such style. If I was invisible, I would not think to put together such a stylish outfit.

Least favorite thing about them: I mean, he does want to kill people and take over the world. He could really put his talents to better use and be more like Violet Parr.

Favorite line: “HERE WE GO GATHERING NUTS AND HAAAY, NUTS AND HAAAAY, NUTS AND HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYY”

brOTP: Jack and science.

OTP: I think his relationship with Flora is actually really sweet. She’s the only person who can make him stop murdering and plotting for five minutes.

nOTP: None

Random headcanon: He got major frostbite when running around nude in the snow, only he’s too badass to complain about it.

Unpopular opinion: None!

Song I associate with them: “I’m the Invisible Man” by Scatman John because I am an unoriginal person sometimes

Favorite picture of them:

Iconic.

Favorite thing about them: Uh.... well.... he makes funny faces?

Okay, before he goes totally bonkers, I do think he wants to be a better father for Danny than he is. That scene in the bedroom where Danny asks “would you ever hurt me and mom,” I do think Jack was trying to go through the motions of being a good dad, but he just-- doesn’t feel it. And eventually, he stops trying.

Least favorite thing about them: Being horribly abusive to his wife and child. The way he treats Wendy even before homicide enters his brain is just so hard to watch.

Favorite line: “YOU’VE HAD YOUR WHOLE FUCKING LIFE TO THINK THINGS OVER!”

brOTP: Jack and Floyd.

OTP: NONE.

nOTP: Jack and Wendy. I feel so bad for that woman. I imagine she was desperate when she even started dating him.

Random headcanon: Jack married Wendy out of obligation when she ended up pregnant with Danny. I think Danny was an accident and that Jack probably dated Wendy because she was easy to seduce and she hung on his every word, which gave his ego such a boost. However, he didn’t want to marry her and when she ended up pregnant, she made him feel like they had to get married and that he had to set more writing time aside to be a better provider for their family, so this is why he resents her so openly.

Unpopular opinion: I do think Jack Nicholson goes maybe a bit too overboard even early on in the movie. But then again, his over the topness is so entertaining that I can’t complain too much. But then again, the fact that he’s already being a massive monster in the hotel the moment everyone else vacates does make sense. Now that he and his family are alone, he doesn’t feel the need to even pretend to be civil to Wendy.

Song I associate with them: Both “Midnight and the Stars and You” and on a slightly related note, “Walking in a Winter Wonderland.”

Favorite picture of them:

He makes the movement of eyebrows a high art, I tell ya...

Favorite thing about them: How his intelligence is his biggest asset. While the studio wanted to cast more physically intimidating people like George C. Scott or Rod Steiger, I love how Arkin’s Roat is just an average height/weight guy who is powerful because he’s quick on his feet and resourceful. Much like how the Joker would not last in a fistfight with Batman, Roat would totally get his ass kicked by Mike and Carlino (together or alone) if he weren’t the smartest guy in the room. I gotta appreciate that, being a Ravenclaw.

Least favorite thing about them: He’s a murderer/pusher/blackmailer/rapist/con-man/arsonist.

Favorite line: “They had comic book minds, so we did it their way, right until the end. And then, topsy-turvy-- me topsy and them turvy :D “

brOTP: Roat and whoever stocks the plastic gloves at Hammacher Schlemmer.

OTP: Roat and Lisa. I mean, it doesn’t turn out well since they’re both treacherous and greedy, but they certainly seem like they would have interesting dates, don’t they?

nOTP: Roat and anyone else. Like, I’m afraid if I pray for more Wait Until Dark fic to exist, fate will just give me extremely OOC, poorly written Roat/Susy or Roat/Mike fics with terrible summaries like “The end of the movie wasn’t the only time Roat penetrated Mike from behind nudge nudge wink wink.”

Random headcanon: He got Geraldine after getting into a fight with another thug when he was a teenager still a bit green when it came to the underworld. He killed the guy and collected Geraldine as a trophy to commemorate his first official kill.

Unpopular opinion: None. He is the perfect trash. Though a more meta unpopular opinion might be that I am morbidly fascinated with the fact that Quentin Tarantino played this character. It was a panned performance but I would love to see it just the same, especially what he did with the disguises.

Song I associate with them: “Theme for Three” from the film, pretty much anytime it plays. Even though it’s supposed to apply to all the con-men, I mainly associate the unstable melody and off-key pianos with Roat-- it really fits his f’ed up personality.

Favorite picture of them:

Because anytime he licks his lips, it just does things to me.

Favorite thing about them: He just totally owns how violent he is. Like, he gives no freudian excuse, no tragic event that twisted him. He’s just there and bad and badass and you better know not to mess with him. I also love how much he clearly loves his criminal work.

Least favorite thing about them: Well, going after Mortimer isn’t very nice. And the scene where he ties Mortimer up so he can torture him is actually a really terrifying scene in an otherwise hilarious, light movie.

Favorite line: “He wouldn't have died of pneumonia if I hadn't shot him! “

brOTP: Jonathan and Einstein. All his threats to Einstein aside, I love how odd a pair they make. You mentioned them listening to Christmas music on the radio while driving, and I just love that image-- Einstein peering through the dark, humming along, and Jonathan scowling and hating it, but he’s too tired to harp on Einstein about everything so they just drive on.

OTP: None in the movie, though I loved that one fic with a certain OC character...

nOTP: I’m sure somewhere, on someone’s hard-drive or in someone’s twisted mind, there is a fic shipping Jonathan with Mortimer. This person needs Jesus very badly.

Random headcanon: After his surgery, he just hates Boris Karloff since he so often gets compared to the guy. He refuses to look at any movie the man is in and often says he wishes he could kill him just from the frustration of comparison. Though when he was younger, he did enjoy The Black Cat, especially the flaying scene.

Unpopular opinion: None.

Song I associate with them: “Psycho Killer”

Favorite picture of them:

Look at them. Look how mischevious they look. Like they’re going to toilet paper roll a house and not gruesomely maim and murder Jonathan’s family members.

These were all such fun to write. Thanks!

[tessatechaitea]

The Invisibles #1

If I had to pretend to know anything about art, I'd say this cover represents how pop culture can kill. Or will blow your mind. Or feels dangerous but it's actually pretty safe because the pin is still in the grenade.

What the fuck do I know about art and why the fuck am I assuming this comic book is going to be about art anyway?! Just because Grant Morrison wrote it and I happen to think Grant Morrison has written some pretty smart comic books? Well, I'm pretty sure he's written some huge fucking turds too! It's just that I haven't read any of them that I remember. Apparently I've read a few issues of this but I don't really remember it. I don't like to tell people that I don't remember it when they talk about how great it was because that's admitting that 22 year old me wasn't a discerning critic of his entertainment. At least I also can't remember the truly garbage comic books I was reading in 1994 as well! So it's possible I read this and thought, "I'm so smart because I understand what's happening!" Now I'm terrified to read it because I'm absolutely certain I'll think, "What the hell is going on in this comic book? I'm such a stupid asshole!" Oh boy. This comic book is forty pages long. Get ready for a review that explicates the first fifteen pages thoroughly while also digressing twelve separate times before quickly summarizing the last twenty-five pages so I can go play some Apex.

I can't say for certain this is a shot at Ann Nocenti but, thankfully, I can say it's definitely not a shot at me!

This guy is Elfayed. He's retrieved a mummified scarab from the desert believing it might be a sign for the mysterious bald man with too many face piercings and the endeavor he's currently on. Which is a mystery because Grant Morrison isn't going to let the reader understand the comic book on the first page! Sheesh! The second page doesn't help explain things but it does place the word "synchronicity" burning in my brain like a buzzing, blinking neon sign.

Get it? Mummified beetle. Dead Beatles. Boy throwing a Molotov cocktail. Pop culture and violence. I think I intuitively understand this comic book so 70% of the rest of what I say will be dick jokes.

The kid throwing the explosive is one of three members of a gang called the Croxteth Posse. Every youth in Britain joins a gang no matter how stupid and lame they are. It just proves how hard they are even if they never throw one Molotov cocktail or ever even get their genitals touched. The gang members run off into the night, past some "King Mob" graffiti which will be important later, yelling, "We are the boys! We are the boys!" Is that a thing lame youth gangs in London did in the 80s and 90s? Because I remember Lister and his posse saying that shit about being the boys of the Dwarf when they thought they were acting hard on some adventure that probably involved Lister fucking a future version of himself. The Croxteth gang are from Liverpool because Croxteth is a suburb of Liverpool. It shows how imaginative these youths are. I bet there are at least fifty different Croxteth Posses bumbling about at night destroying things. The bald guys name is Gideon (and possibly King Mob. Unless the antagonist is King Mob. I should probably keep reading to find out) and he's both young and old at the same time. He's probably some kind of spirit of the zeitgeist or something, Grant Morrison's Jenny Sparks. He's looking for a new recruit for his own gang since something happened to John-A-Dreams. He might have just died of old age because Gideon's other acquaintance, Edith, is now 95 years old and sulking in her mortality. He wants her to contact somebody named Tom to let him know he thinks he found their new recruit. I think it's probably the anarchist kid because I know how stories work. I'm starting to think maybe The Invisibles are a bit like the Upright Citizens Brigade. Their only enemy is the status quo. Their only friend is chaos. Except there will be less skits with people wearing giant papier-mâché cat heads and more ultra-violence. The arsonist kid's name is McGowan and he's smarter than he acts, according to his teacher who gives him the old "you're not fulfilling your potential and your friends are just dragging you down" speech. But what kind of an anarchist would McGowan be if he gave a shit about what his teacher thinks of him? Oh, that's right! He'd be a good anarchist if he really gave a shit and a bad anarchist if he didn't give a shit but he let the teacher's words affect him anyway. That's how anarchy works, right? The problem with anarchy is that it needs a few rules to make it work well but you can't enforce any rules or else you're not living an anarchic lifestyle. Here's my definition of anarchy from Places & Predators, my roller playing game: a philosophy where anybody can do anything they want without worrying about some stupid guard putting an axe in their head. But they have to worry about everyone else putting an axe in their head all the time because there are no guards. I should probably read The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin instead of all these stupid Han Solo and Lando Calrissian adventure books.

Oh, well McGowan's mother withholds love and affection and blames him for all the ills in her life. I suppose I can now forgive him for torching the school library, right?

McGowan heads out to sit in the cold and watch John Lennon have a conversation with Stuart Sutcliffe. They joke about being dead and it's funny because they are dead. Stuart even says he wants to die young which is doubly funny because he does. Ha ha! McGowan doesn't laugh because maybe he doesn't find gallows humor funny. But some weird creature that speaks some German does laugh. He's all, "Ha ha! They're going to die young! Oh ho ho! Such jolly fun! Now join with me, you dumb kid." He also says some German stuff that I can't make sense of because I don't speak German and I don't want to ask the Non-Certified Spouse what it means. I could use Google but I'm being extra lazy right now. McGowan tells the weird German tourist to fuck off because he doesn't care about anything. But you know what kind of people actually care a lot about everything? The kind who need to tell everybody that they don't care about anything. Only people whose feelings are super hurt say stuff like that. And maybe serial killers. Later McGowan decides to prove he doesn't care by suggesting he and his friends blow up the school. Not because he cares how they think they know everything and they want him to be just like them and all adults lack affection and sincerity. No, he just wants to blow it up because he doesn't give a shit about nothing, man. The scene switches to the bald guy who might be King Mob on an LSD trip. It's nothing like taking LSD but I'll pretend it's all metaphor and analogy and spiritual nonsense. In his trip, he sees a gigantic head of John Lennon. Mostly because the whole trip was to summon this head. It's a double page spread of psychedelic images and nonsense mixed with Beatles lyrics and album titles. Strange that Morrison fails to translate an acid trip involving The Beatles when The Beatles themselves have a song that I think most feels like and describes an acid trip. No, it's not "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds"; it's "Strawberry Fields." If I had to state what my favorite Beatles song was right now, I'd say "Strawberry Fields" even though Magical Mystery Tour might be my least favorite (later) album (although now that I type it, I remember it contained "Penny Lane" and "The Fool on the Hill" and "All You Need is Love" and I guess I was wrong about Magical Mystery Tour being my least favorite album). I added the later because their early pop shit doesn't really resonate with me. I don't think I appreciate their music until after they've met Doctor Robert. Just listened to "Strawberry Fields" and now I'm crying. Fucking great song. While trying to burn down the school, McGowan is caught be his teacher. He gives his teacher a brutal beating and then answers a question he refused to answer in class, just to show he's both smart and violent.

McGowan's arrested and Hugh Laurie sentences him to hard juvenile labor.

I was speaking of acid earlier and I'd like to recommend the documentary on Netflix called Have a Good Trip, especially to people who have never done acid. It's enlightening. You might think that my favorite part was one of the crazier bits about hallucinations or one of the stories about how something odd always happens when on acid (it totally does) but I think my favorite bit is when the musician from Bikini Kill, Kathleen Hanna, tells the story about how acid made her realize that you didn't have to cross the street along the legs of the two triangles comprising the square intersection but can just cross along the hypotenuse. It's not that the idea is mind blowing or even close to an "A-ha!" shower thought; it's just that's the kind of mundane thought that seems like a fucking magic revelation when you're on acid. It's the epitome of the acid experience. LSD makes the mundane profound which is way more exciting than you might think. If you've never done acid, you might have fucked off to the comment section just now to point out that the universe is a wonderful and magical and profound place even without acid. And I fucking agree. But LSD makes everything profound. Every single thing you see or think combines with the fabric of the universe and it all becomes staring at the stars and wondering how it all fucking fits together. But you don't need space or infinity or philosophy; you just need LSD, a stapler, a bottle of water, and a Jack Kirby comic book from the early 70s. Dane McGowan is sentenced to ten weeks in a juvenile facility called Harmony House. It's where violent teenage boys aren't taught to stop being violent; it's where they're taught to use their violence to benefit the government! At least that's my guess. I like to pretend I know what's happening in the comic book as I write the review and then later I delete the wrong assumptions I made and replace them with lies to make me look like a Grandmaster Comic Book Reviewer! Actually, that last sentence was a lie. Normally if I get something wrong, I just write "Oops!" later and then tell readers to forget the terrible mistake I made.

This is the plot to every young adult dystopian book ever written: "Society says conformity is good. But one young spunky individual with weird hair won't submit and will save the world!"

Sometimes I feel the only people touched by stories about the individual refusing to be a sheep of the status quo are people who tend to be sheep of the status quo. To rely identify with the hero in one of these stories, the reader needs to have though of themselves as part of the status quo and felt the need to participate in some activity that would prove that they weren't. Instead of, you know, just being themselves and never actually giving their place in society a second thought. I find odd people who are inspired by a story that tells the reader to be themselves. How is that inspiring unless you never really knew that was an option? And how could you fucking not know it?! But then again, Heathers is one of my all-time favorite movies and I suppose that's got a similar message about being oneself. But it also has murder and some seriously great lines of dialogue and Christian Slater blowing himself to bits.

Oh, remember where I mentioned this comic book was basically screaming "synchronicity" at me and that I understood it on an instinctual level after page two? Grandmaster Comic Book Reader!

The leader of The Invisibles (man, I wish the comic book would just tell me that the bald guy with piercings is actually King Mob already) decides to infiltrate Harmony House to make sure their soon-to-be new recruit, McGowan, is doing okay. I'm sure he'll find he's fine because he's not buying into the whole "be a soldier of the status quo" bullshit being fed to the young boys at the institution. It's easy to be against a Headmaster who thinks arguments like "Liberals love freedom but do they want people to be so free that they can steal their VCRs." But will he be able to stand up against the techno-brainwashing and the influence of the mystical creature running things from behind the scenes?! Probably but only with help from the Upright Citizens Brigade. I mean The Invisibles.

It's surreal that this is the way we thought of controlling the populace in the 90s: turn them into content sheep without any anger or frustration. And yet the exact opposite of that is true: control them by making them angry and frustrated at as many lies and half-truths as you can.

The big twist reveal isn't that the boys' brains are cut up and messed with; it's that the boys genitals are removed as well. Yeesh! Now I'm angry and frustrated! I'm totally against this Harmony House bullshit. Is this actually happening red states?! Horrific! King Mob (yes, they finally reveal that's the bald guy's name) rescues Dane from Harmony House while shooting a bunch of people (including the Headmaster) and blowing the building to bits. It's a good thing we learned the real antagonist was some dick-eating creature called the King of Chains. Dane McGowan isn't ready to join The Invisibles which King Mob was ready for. He had a tarot reading earlier that said the kid was going to have to be put through the wringer first. So he leaves the kid in London and disappears, just so we all know why they're called The Invisibles. I guess Batman is a member? The Invisibles #1 Rating: B+. This issue was forty pages long and it felt like it used every page to move the story along. It's insane that that's one of the greatest compliments I can give a comic book. Way too many writers just fill their scripts with nonsense because they don't have a real plan for their story. I know everybody espouses the idea that a good comic book story should teach the reader something new about the character. But unless learning that Superman can punch something harder than he previously thought he could, or Batman is super resilient and can take a ton of punishment for five issues before rising to the occasion through pure force of will, most comic book writers really don't put a lot of thought into themes. Sure, sure. This sort of feels like the mystic super hero version of Catcher in the Rye which might be why I stopped purchasing it after six issues. Although it's just as likely that I stopped purchasing it at six issues because my infrequent visits to the comic book store made me miss Issue #7 and I just gave up on it. It's not bad and it's put together well and as a young 48 year old who thinks the man can go fuck himself, I'm totally into it's message about being a unique individual! Anarchy rules!

[adalhied-prime]

22 About Me Questions

Rules: Answer 22 questions & tag 22 people you would like to get to know better.

Tagged by Stealing from: @hi-pot-and-news

Nicknames: My most common one is Ro, which I use for my online persona, and is short for my real name. Others are more exaggerated variations of it (like “Ro-Ro-Ro-Your-Boat, which my second grade teacher sometimes called me). 

Zodiac Sign: Scorpio, Sagittarius moon, Pisces ascending

Height: 5′4″

Hogwarts House: Gryffindor

Sexuality: Bisexual

Last thing I Googled: How to calculate my moon and ascending signs

Favorite Musician(s)/Band(s): Poets of the Fall, Within Temptation, Jonathan Young, Caleb Hyles, Peter Hollens, Celtic Woman (the original members), 

Song Stuck In My Head: “Welcome to the Family” by Avenged Sevenfold

Following Now: Fandom blogs, some aesthetic blogs, some fashion blogs, a few personals I like. Mostly fandom though.

Followers: 73

Do I get asks: No not really. There was a bit where I was getting a bunch in a row, but that was a while back and not happening now. I’d love to get some though!

Amount of sleep I get: This wildly varies. On an average day, when I follow my desired sleep schedule (9 or 10 am, cause I work 3rd shift), I’ll get either 2 or 3 hour of sleep, or 7 or eight, with little in between, and usually I gotta take sleep drugs to get long sleep. But if I fall asleep at night, I’m near garunteed at least 5 or 6 hours. I’ve also had days where I’ll stay up for over 24 hours and crash hard. 

Lucky number: IDK, 6? or 2? I’ve never really paid attention to dates or times or whatever to see if there was a number when good things happen.

What I’m Wearing: Raspberry pink tank top under blue plaid shirt and no pants, cause I’m in bed (I was wearing blue jeans earlier though).

Dream Job: Probably Librarian/Author, cause I love book and writing and organizing. I don’t got money to go for a degree in library sciences though.

Favorite Food: I love oranges and clementines, chicken & pasta Alfredo, pepperoni pizza, snack cracker sandwiches (especially peanut butter ones), and McDonald’s hashbrowns and Sasuage McGriddles. 

Instruments: Lol I wish! I vaguely want to learn to play guitar or piano, but that’s not likely to happen soon. I do like singing though, even if my voice isn’t as good as it was when I did choir.

Languages: Just English, cause I am white bread (and I thought journalism would be a better class than German 1, but I sucked at it instead.)

Favorite Songs:

“Dance With The Dragon”, “Tresspasser”, and “Sky Sailing” by Dark Sarah

“False Kings”, “Dancing On Broken Glass” and “

“Believer” and “Natural” by Imagine Dragons

“Back To Life” by Hailee Steinfeld (for Bumblebee (2018))

“I Like It Loud” by Cash Cash

“Arsonist’s Lullaby”, “Moment’s Silence (Common Tongue)” and “Take Me To Church” by Hozier

“The Reckoning” by Within Temptation

“Rewrite the Stars” from The Greatest Showman (the whole album really)

“Friends on the Other Side (Disney Villains Mash-Up)” by Thomas Sanders

“Night Surgeon”, “Zydrate Anatomy” and “Let The Monster Rise” from REPO! The Genetic Opera

“Memory” from Cats

Random Fact: Yesterday, our kitten saw something on my wall and jump up twice trying to get it, hitting my light switch on the way down, and then bolted down the hall, all while I’m chilling in my bed. 

Aesthetic: Eh, country-punk-princess? Bi disaster? IDK I switch it up, some days I’m dark clothes and layers and stuff, others I’m plaid shirt over tank top, and others I’m all fancy. Most days it’s just a t-shirt I don’t mind potentially staining, jeans, a hoodie and sneakers for work.  

Tagging: @not-special-rlly, @crazyfanatic97, @galpalaven, @attentiondeficitstarscream, @cyraniadebergerac, @kuno-chan, @kcrra, @against-stars, @visenyastargaryen, @paintedfirelady, @rewritting-the-stars, @sadfishkid, @thenamelessdoll, @weyoun, @catsafari25 , @mommabearsdayoff and I don’t really know anyone else, so anyone who wants to do the meme, do it!

[ellie-bee242]

My Heart Bleeds For You-Part 8

WHO’S READY TO GET WRECKED?!

This chapter is..... Wow.

First and foremost a serious trigger warning okay?

THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS SCENES WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER BY WAY OF ASSAULT AND BLOOD

IF THESE TRIGGER YOU DO NOT READ THIS CHAPTER. MESSAGE ME AND I WILL TELL YOU WHAT PLOT-POINTS YOU MISSED WITHOUT THE GRAPHIC DETAILS.

Take your health seriously y’all, please.

Quick props to @were-cheetah-stiles for helping word some things and decide some stuff, thanks Cat, ily boo!

Tagged: @iknowisoundcrazy, @confidentrose (if you would like to be tagged for future chapters so you don’t miss out on them, feel free to send in an ask or message me about it!)

Chapter 7 - Chapter 8 - Chapter 9

Chapter 8: Arsonist’s Lullabye

Song rec: Dangerous Woman by Ariana Grande, Arsonist’s Lullabye by Hozier

Word count: 3,336

Warnings: Swearing, mentions of sex/sex acts, graphic descriptions violence (one sided fighting, stabbing), blood.

The two weeks leading up to the party went far too fast for (Y/N)’s taste but she had to admit that she was also glad this whole ordeal with her father was almost over as she looked in the mirror to pin on the drop chain ruby earrings that had come with her dress and shoes. She remembered wearing this pair for her seventeenth birthday, along with the small heart shaped ruby necklace that belonged to her late mother that her father had also included in the package.

After putting on her jewelry she leaned in close to the mirror and made sure her make up was still flawless. The deep matte red she’d painted onto her lips was a stain so it, at least, wouldn’t come off easy. Her cream eyeliner on the other hand may have smudged a little. She turned her face this way and that but luckily the sharp winged tips were still crisp and clean. And so was the edge of her smokey eye-shadow. She touched up her blush a little before leaving the bathroom and walking over to the giant box on the foot of her bed.

She reached into the massive gift box and pulled out a shoe box. She lifted the lid and snorted at the ridiculous heels. They looked like Dorthy’s ruby slippers. If Dorthy had been a stripper. The height alone--if they didn’t topple her--would put her eye to eye with Mitch, maybe even a little taller with their platform bottoms. And they were absolutely covered in red glitter and sparkles, with a cut out for her toes. 

Her father had also included nail polish for her to apply. Luckily she’d done her toes that morning too since she thought the color was so pretty.

The heels’ only saving grace: they didn’t have a strap which meant that (Y/N) could wear the silver station and sliding bead anklet that Mitch had bought her for their one month anniversary.

They hadn’t even discussed exchanging gifts, even though she’d bought him a personalized jersey of his favorite baseball team, it was just that they were on the same wavelength it seemed.

When he’d given her the anklet she’d put it on and then proceeded to thank him with a round of passionate sex. Now whenever she wore it he’d tell her how he’d remember just how much she liked it and he’d be turned on for at least an hour.

She wrapped the small chain around her ankle and secured the clasp before going over to the dress that hung on the back of her bathroom door. It fit with her theme of ruby red, and she slipped off the bath robe she’d been wearing in order to put it on.

She’d just gotten the small zipper at her side done up when her front door opened and closed. She’d given Mitch a key to her apartment the day after they’d had dinner with her father, and he’d given her a key to his place.

“(Y/N), you almost ready? We should be heading over soon.” Mitch called from her living room.

“Don’t worry, I’m done.” She promised as she opened her bedroom door. She was greeted by the sight of Mitch in a perfectly fitted tux when he turned around to look at her. She’d seen him in it a few days earlier when he’d tried it on to make sure it fit well, but she still hadn’t gotten used to how handsome he looked. It was intensified by the fact that his hair was pushed back off of his face and he’d trimmed up the scruff on his chin.

She felt herself flush when she looked at his amber eyes and found them slowly making their way up her body.

“That dress is......” He puffed out a breath, unable to put into words how truly phenomenal she looked. The straps of the gown were twisted loosely and spread out as they went down to cover her chest, giving her a neckline that plunged to just before her navel where the fabric came back together via a thick band of material that cut across her stomach, sectioning the top off from the skirt of the dress. The skirt was made with lots of loose fabric that draped flawlessly down her legs, giving her an ethereal, billowing, effect when she walked.

“You haven’t even seen the back yet.” She teased.

“Show it to me then.” He challenged, She grinned, gathered her skirts in her hand so she wouldn’t trip, and spun until she faced away from him, showing off the fact that the top tied around her neck and left her back completely bare down to her waist. Not even her hair was obstructing the view, as it was twisted up into a complex looking bun, with only small wispy curls spiraling down to frame her face. “Fuck me.” She heard him mutter.

“Maybe later, if I did it now we’d end up running late and my make up and hair would be ruined.” She teased, turning back around and grabbing her glittering red clutch purse from the couch as she passed. “Come on.” She called when he still hadn’t moved.

“Maybe we could say that you got sick.” He only half-joked. She smiled.

“There will be plenty of time to maul each other later. I’d like to get this over with so my father doesn’t bother us again.” She requested.

“Party pooper.” He muttered, making her laugh.

“If you suffer with me through tonight I’ll give you a blowjob in the car on the way home.” She promised. His eyes dropped to her lips before looking back up at her.

“What the fuck are we waiting for, let’s get going.” He said quickly as he grabbed the door for her. She laughed and stepped through, heading down the hall to the elevator. She paused when she didn’t hear any foot falls behind her and half turned to find Mitch just standing there staring after her.

“C’mon. The sooner we get there the sooner we can leave.” She smiled.

“Right.” He muttered, striding up to her quickly. “I’m gonna die, that dress is going to kill me all night.” He accused.

“If you die then you can’t fuck me.” She pointed out as she pressed the elevator call button.

“True. Fine, I’ll fight valiantly to stay alive.” He joked.

“My hero.” She laughed and stepped inside the empty lift. Mitch followed closely behind and pressed the button for the parking garage beneath the building. The doors closed and (Y/N) felt him staring at her as she leaned against the back railing. She was just about to ask what he wanted when he spoke up.

“Is your lipstick going to smudge?” He asked.

“It’s lip stain.” She corrected.

“Meaning?”

“Meaning, no it won’t smu-” He cut her off with a hard kiss as he pressed her up against the back wall of the small space. She moaned softly against his lips and wrapped her arms around his neck as his hands pressed into her back to keep her up against him.

DING

“Not our floor?” He guessed, going by the irritated frown on her face. She shook her head and pouted when he pulled back to stand beside her respectably.

A man appeared in the doorway of the elevator and froze when he took in (Y/N) standing before him.

“Are you getting on or not?” Mitch asked, irritated that he kept staring at his girlfriend. The guy stumbled onto the elevator and blindly pressed the button for the garage floor, making (Y/N) groan internally. Now she’d have to deal with being gawked at until they got into their car.

“That’s a beautiful necklace.” The guy complimented. She barely refrained from rolling her eyes, knowing his compliment had nothing to do with her jewelry and everything to do with it being conveniently placed at the start of her cleavage. She wished the chain had been shorter than twenty inches.

The elevator stopped again and an older couple got on, hitting the button for the ground floor. (Y/N) smiled politely at them before Mitch pulled her to him and kissed her tamely enough for the presence of others.

“Fancy date tonight?” The woman asked, breaking them apart.

“Something like that.” (Y/N) said after clearing her throat delicately. “My father is hosting a gala and asked me to attend. My boyfriend graciously agreed to be tortured along with me.” She smiled at him.

“Oh how cute. How long have you two been dating?” She asked.

“A little over a month.” Mitch answered.

“I would have thought longer.” She mused.

“Steph, leave those poor people alone.” The woman’s husband chuckled.

“Shut up, Ed, they don’t mind. Do you?” She asked.

“Not at all.” (Y/N) assured with a smile. “But this is your floor.” She said apologetically. She watched as they got off and then rode the last floor down. She noticed that ever since Mitch had kissed her, the guy from before had stopped staring.

“Have a nice night.” He muttered blandly after the doors opened and (Y/N) pulled Mitch out into the parking garage.

“How soon can we leave again?” Mitch whispered in her ear half way through the dinner after someone asked him what he did for the tenth time. They had arrived at Anthony’s giant house and had been ushered around back where tables were set up around a giant dance floor and stage that hosted a DJ, ready to play music once everyone finished their dinner.

(Y/N) smiled and squeezed his arm reassuringly.

“We have to make it through dinner and at least three dances. Sorry, we’re gonna be here a bit yet.” She whispered back. “Just remember, it’ll be worth it.” She teased.

“Why do you think I’m in such a hurry?” He shot back. She grinned at him before her attention was pulled back to the elderly woman across the table from her who kept rambling on about her cat.

Mitch watched (Y/N) navigate the conversation with ease, her hand reaching out and picking up her wine glass to bring to her lips for a delicate sip. She looked like she belonged in this kind of scene with the grace she displayed. Even the way she ate spoke of class and sophistication. And he wanted to laugh because this was nothing like her.

She wasn’t a prim and proper lady-like type. She was a girl who was fiercely competitive about bowling of all things, who could drop a man twice her size to his knees with two hits, and she ate a burger like it was the first and last thing she’d ever consume.

To see her cut off a small piece of chicken, lift it to her mouth and delicately pull the tongs along her lips as her teeth pulled the morsel off of them, it was like someone else had inhabited her body.

“Mitch, stop staring at me and eat.” She murmured, side eyeing him with amusement.

“I’m just not used to seeing you so...”

“Refined?”

“I was going to compare you to a pod-person but sure.” She covered her mouth with her napkin to hide her sudden laughter.

“Just eat.” She giggled. “The sooner you finish, the sooner we can go dance, and the sooner we can leave.” She listed.

“Okay, okay.” He agreed before turning back to his meal.

(Y/N) finished her meal first and the second she put her knife and fork down on her plate a waiter was there to clear the dishes away. She thanked him and then turned her head as a hand tapped her shoulder.

“Hello Peter.” She greeted un-enthusiastically, looking up at the thin dark haired man.

“Hello, (Y/N). I was wondering if you’d be kind enough to join me for a dance?” He asked.

“I’m not sure-”

“Oh please, just one? It’s been so long since I’ve seen you.” He urged. She sighed.

“Just one.” She said firmly and he grinned, offering a hand to help her stand up. Mitch watched them walk over to the dance space. A couple other couples had gotten up to start dancing and mingling and the DJ had begun playing some ballroom music.

Peter danced with (Y/N) and it was clear that he was trying to impress her but instead he kept making both of them stumble as he either tripped or stepped wrong. She constantly glanced over Mitch’s way, clearly hoping he’d save her and he chuckled before abandoning his unfinished meal to go rescue his girlfriend.

“Mind if I cut in?” He asked, placing a hand on Peter’s shoulder.

“I guess I can’t say no to the boyfriend, can I?” The other man grumbled. Mitch grinned and took (Y/N)’s hand to pull her into his arms as the song morphed into another. He placed his hand on the small of her back while hers went to his shoulder and he followed the steps of a simple waltz as he spun with her around the floor.

“You told me you couldn’t dance.” She reminded him.

“I couldn’t dance the way you wanted me to at the club, no. But I know a simple waltz.” He replied.

“Where’d you learn?” She wondered.

“Middle school. All middle school kids have to suffer through that damned dance circuit.” He grinned.

“If you got your skill from middle school we’d be stuck dancing in a box.” She sassed.

“Okay, so my parents may or may not have expanded my knowledge. They met at a ballroom dance class.” He shrugged.

“Aww, how cute.” She smiled.

“What about you?” He asked.

“Really? With my upbringing, you’re asking how I know how to ballroom dance?” She teased.

“Point taken.” He chuckled, letting go of her waist and twirling her under his arm. Her skirts flared out around her before catching on his pant-leg as they reconnected and continued moving around the floor.

“People are starting to stare at us.” (Y/N) noticed idly, glancing around at all the people who were simply shuffling back and forth as they watched the pair work the floor.

“Then let them stare. They’re envious.” He shrugged.

“Of me?” She snorted.

“Of me, simply because I’m the lucky bastard who gets to dance with you.” He smiled when she tossed her head back and laughed. “I was serious, you know.” He murmured.

“Oh please. It’s just because I’m wearing make up and a fancy dress. Half of these people wouldn’t give me a second glance if they saw me in my gym attire.” She snorted.

“I would.” He promised.

“You did.” She pointed out with a smile.

“And you’re gorgeous no matter what. Whether you’re covered in sweat from kicking ass in the gym, or if you’re wearing this knock out dress.” He stopped them at the edge of the floor as the song ended and they heard applause from a few people for their performance, making them both laugh. (Y/N) waved quickly in thanks before turning back to Mitch.

“Another dance?” She asked as a slower song began to play.

“Anything for you.” He agreed, pulling her close and swaying them softly to the rhythm. She rested her cheek against the lapel of his coat and closed her eyes as she moved with him.

“(Y/N)?” Mitch asked softly after a moment. She hummed, not wanting to move from her spot just yet. “I’ve been thinking...”

“About?” She prompted when he didn’t continue. He hesitated and she pulled back to look at him curiously.

“Do you want to move in with me?” He asked. Her mouth dropped open into a surprised little ‘o’. “It’s just... You said my apartment felt cozy, like home to you, and we’ve been spending more time together late-”

“Yes.” She agreed quickly, shutting him up. “I’d love that.” She beamed at him and he smiled back before kissing her quickly.

“We’ll get packing supplies tomorrow morning and start sorting everything out.” He suggested and she nodded eagerly, happy tears springing to her eyes. She quickly dabbed her fingers under her eyes with an embarrassed laugh.

“I’m going to go to the bathroom and make sure nothing smears.” She giggled, kissing him again quickly before walking off the floor and heading inside the house.

She was walking back out, nearly floating on cloud nine over the fact that she was going to be moving in with her boyfriend, when a woman in a gold dress stopped her in the hall.

“I saw you and your boyfriend dancing, you two are so perfect. Ah, I miss being young. Congratulations by the way, can I see it?” She asked.

“See what?” (Y/N) asked. The woman looked at her perplexed expression and put a hand to her mouth in embarrassment.

“Oh, oops, don’t mind me dear!” She laughed, trying to play off her slip.

“No, wait, what are you talking about?” She demanded. The older woman looked around and leaned in close.

“Well I saw you head inside, and then your boyfriend and your father came in too, a minute later. I assumed.... Well I thought he was asking permission to propose to you tonight.” She said, sounding abashed.

“My father took Mitch into the house?” (Y/N) demanded. She felt dread come over her as her mind replied what her father had threatened two weeks ago.

“If you don’t stop seeing him on your own I’ll be forced to protect you, like how I protected you when you were eighteen.”

She felt herself pale slightly at the thought.

“Do you know where they went?” She asked hurriedly.

“No dear, I’m sorry. Do you not love him?” The woman asked.

“No, I do love him, that’s the problem.” She said as she grabbed the skirt of her dress and started running down the hall. She started opening doors at random, looking for her father and, more importantly, Mitch.

She had to have checked a dozen rooms, and with each empty one her sense of dread grew and weighed her stomach down, sinking it slowly to her feet as she raced upstairs and began looking there.

She got to the top of the stairs and heard the sickening thud of a foot connecting with a body. She ran towards the sound and burst into an office.

Mitch was on the floor, coughing from the blow that Anthony had delivered to his ribs, when he heard (Y/N) scream his name.

“Anthony don’t!” She shouted when he pulled his fist back and brought it down against Mitch’s cheek. “Stop it!” She raced forward and grabbed at his shoulder but he shoved her off. She tripped over the hem of her dress and stumbled into the desk, sending things skittering off of it as she fell to the floor.

“It’s for your own good you stupid child!” He snarled, landing another kick to Mitch’s stomach. He grunted and rolled to his back, and (Y/N) desperately grabbed her father’s leg before he could stomp down on his chest.

“Please!” She begged. The back of his hand came down across her cheek and she fell back to the floor. “Daddy!” She screamed, but it did nothing. She searched around frantically for something to get him to stop his assault, and her fingers touched a cold bit of metal. She gripped the handle tightly in both quivering hands, adrenaline making her body shake, and scrambled to her feet.

“Leave him alone!” She shrieked, rushing forward and plunging the blade of the letter opener to the hilt in his chest. She jolted when she felt warmth seep across her fingers and saw the crimson stain of blood begin to spread out over his pristine white dress shirt.

Anthony tipped back and she released the handle of the letter opener, watching in horror as her father fell with a thud onto the plush carpeting. (Y/N) stumbled back a step, tripping over her gown and falling onto her butt, unable to take her eyes off of the unmoving form before her.

[lotrewrite]

LOT Chat Summaries (Sep-Oct)

Sorry this took so long! Find below the LOT Chat Summaries for the chats held on 16 September and 1 October. Includes the song recs and fanfic/fanart etc moments we’d like to see, as mentioned in the chats :-)

Episode 1

A gifset of Kendra flying, a flashback to a sepia-toned image, and then her saying “not another flashback

Gifset of Kendra saying she dumped Carter

One with Mick and Nate, with nate realising he’s travelling on his own

Something of Nate waving his pencil in Oliver’s face and complaining about his thesis

Run Boy Run by Woodkid

Don’t Let ‘Em Grind You Down by motörhead for Nate

Dust in the Wind by Kansas for Mick

Centuries by FOB just in general

Do it like a Dude for Queen Bee

Europa - Globus should be for WWII

40s music! There’s Torched Song from the L.A. Noire soundtrack and it’s so good for Mick

You Turn Me Right Round for the Lichtenstein anomaly Hello by Adele for Coldwave

Postmodern Jukebox

for the 40s in France music, there should definitely be Le Temps des Cerises

Legendary by Welshly Arms for the rewrite in general

Welshly Arms - Legendary for the whole season 

"Look What you made me do” theme for the Legion

 Our Corner of the Universe by KS Rhoads for Team Legends

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjiupe-odRQ Goldberg Variations

“Sexual Healing” for Queen Anne/Sara…

“House of Memories” by Panic at the Disco for 2 or 3

way to the future by kate herzig

Episode 2

Bambi

Bambi and Ray eating together

Ratigan riding bambi at one point

Bambi meeting Ratigan

Bambi in the remains of the other raptors

Ratigan standing on Bambis head, pointing one paw: ONWARDS, Waverider in the background, Ray and Mick screaming of screen “Come back you little shits!”, “Join the Legends of Tomorrow” text above, “Save the Timeline” underneath, think like an old style Soviet propaganda poster, Waverider in the background, Ratigan and Bambi up front, “Join the Legends of Tomorrow” text above, “Save the Timeline” underneath

Coldwave song idea- Whispers by Dave Baxter)

Angel with a shotgun (for song choices)

gregorian monks chanting modern songs?

Pull the monks from Monty Python

For Ray: “I’ve Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts”

Gregorian version of “Boulevard of Broken Dreams”

“I walk a lonely road” = Ray having a moment

We are the monks from the Galavant soundtrack

I’m a different kind of princess from the galavant soundtrack for Sara

Mick telling Jax to fly because he’s already had whiskey

Jax and Stein in the infirmary

More of Kendra’s incarnation’s story

Hotblooded for Mick

Fireball

arsonist’s lullaby

Sir Patrick Stewart played the Lionheart once

coldwave - fate don’t know you by desi valentine

a version of friar tuck as one of the monks 

Jurassic Park theme

Jon Bernthal’s character would be good for Peter

“Istanbul not Constantinople” by They Might Be Giants

“Jerusalem of Gold” by Ofra Haza

“Lanercost” by Steeleye Span

Episode 3

Ginnifer Goodwin as Nancy wake?

Melanie Lynskey for Nancy

Amaya and Sara’s conversations

The moment where Nate shouts “NANCY WAKE?!?”

le temps des cerises europa

fanart of that fight scene with everyone

Edith Piaf

Europa by Globus

“Le Temps des Cerises”

“La Vie En Rose” by Edith Piaf

In the Mood" by Glen Miller

la marsaillaise by edith piaf

The jukebox version of Seven Nation Army

Sentimental Journey by Doris Day for Amaya

Cover of paper planes done in a '40s style by jukebox

Hitler Has Only Got One Ball to the Colonel Bogey’s March

Nancy Wake’s song is Witness by Mindless Self Indulgence 

Episode 4

Watch Your Back by Sam Tinnesz for the second half with Eobard

Fanart of the moment Eo brings back Laurel

Sara and Laurel in the med bay

Pink Floyd’s Another Brick in the Wall, possibly some ominous cover version, for the villains’ evil wall related schemes

Sara and Eobard drinking together

Every Breath You Take by Chase Holfeder. He does great minor covers of songs in major keys

99 Luftballoons by Nena

Something with Stein giving Marty his talking to, in the middle of the crowds in Berlin

Kim Weston – You hit Me Where It Hurts

The Ramones – Never Should Have Opened That Door

It’s So Easy when you’re evil

Rotten to the Core Disney movie descendants

When You’re Evil" by Voltaire for the Legion

Episode 5

Faroese Valravn or German Faun’s music

Mick Rory with the viking horns

Lisa

Wagner

Gunlod singing at the battle

ride of the valkyries

Looking too Closely by Fink for the end

Faun’s Walpurgisnacht would fit

fanart (gifset if possible) of Jax and Gunlod, being all flirty

Valravn has a version of Drømte mig en drøm

Jakob Oftebro for King Sweyn

Never Forget by Greta Salome

the fires

Mick headbutting the viking with his horned helmet

Paprika Steen or Hella Joof for Adisla

everybody talking to Lisa about their memories of Len, like one of those pics, with the bonfire and everyone around it, in the centre of the page, and then everyone’s memories in a circle around it

Eivør Pálsdóttir for Gunlød

“For the Love of a Princess "James Horner https://youtu.be/fckH2P0KK14

Episode 6

Uh, all of it

fancasts for our robot gangster

brent spiner

THE VOICE OF K2-SO whatshisname

Alan Tudyk

James Spader

we should just have ALL the famous robot actors hanging out

C3PO too

R2D2 and BB8

something frank sinatra

mission impossible theme

Robot Parade

"Mr Roboto”

A mix of Mission Impossible and the LoT theme

There’s a french revolution documentary with a song called rise of robespierre that sounds very steampunk and mechanical

Mick in his fireman clothes

the song from anything goes where she’s singing about her gangsters

Lisa kneeing Ray in the balls? like, I love Ray

like, every moment of lisa

“Weird Science” for the Stein/Dr Metcalf argument by Oingo Bongo

The Last of the Real Ones by FOB

Episode 7

Cisco getting thumbs up from Felicity and Winn when Lisa winks at him as she’s walking off

X-files theme somewhere along the way

seven nation army the original version would be good there

“Space Girl” for all the girls

salute by little mix for the girls

“Science Fiction Double Feature”

Episode 8

it’s a kind of magic

Lupita Nyong'o for Queen Bee

Magic Man" by Heart

Angela Basset

Taraji P Henson

viola davis

jada pinkett smith

Constantine interacting with the Legends

Something with the legends standing outside Zatanna’s place, looking frustrated at her “I’m not here” sign

Episode 9

Mick and Georgie, anything and everything with them

Is Anybody There from 1776

One of those things that fly across your dash with Ray and his rocket boot

Battle of Yorktown

fanart of that first confrontation when they meet Rip for the first time

Fanart of Washington’s ridiculous height

Georgie and Mick towering over everyone

Sara realising she just knocked back Martha’s eggnog and is actually talking to George Washington

Joke suggestion for Rip: I knew you were trouble, Taylor Swift

For Georgie storyarc, the Too Late to Apologize cover

mama look sharp from 1776

for Mick and Len and the hallucination arc, “Drumming Song” Florence and the Machine

“White Rabbit” Jefferson Airplane for Ray’s shrinking arc

 "The Battle of New Orleans"

Episode 10

black sails intro

pirates OST

Ray’s costume trials need “Sharp dressed man”

There’s a lovely cover by Jo Dee Messina

“Yo Ho A Pirate’s Life for Me”

Wolves of the Sea by Pirates of the Sea, the Eurovision version

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag music

I’m a Modern Major General for Stein in disguise

Heroes by Måns Zelmerlöw for the legends at some point in some episode

Ray’s montage fanart

something from crouching tiger hidden dragon maybe

Ray dressing as blue beetle and everyone looking thoroughly unimpressed

Ray trying to be Cold, and Mick of taking back the cold gun

Mick and Ray arguing about pirates vs ninjas and Len in the back, very very frustrated

Fanart of what would happen if Len COULD change outfits at will, mick looks over and has to try not laughing if len could change outfits, Len shows up in a terrible pirate outfit, Mick spit-takes, Ray says “we have to re-shoot that”, Sara (from offscreen): “Where did you even GET that?”

Ming-Na Wen for Ching, Maggie Cheung, Michelle Yeoh, Fan Bingbing

Episode 11

Mick in shorts

“Down Under” by Men at Work, maybe for the sequence where Mick is being mistaken for an Aussie

fanart of that scene and also of everybody in their clothes

Everybody Wants To Rule the World by Tears for Fears

all the bad fashion

lost boys soundtrack

fanart of the intro scene of bby Mick and Len

people are strange by the doors; don’t cry little sister

Weird Al’s “Smells Like Nirvana” for the section that goes

we didn’t start the fire

Ngaire - Keisha Castle-Hughes

Episode 12

the alien theme

Sort of atmospheric background music

skittering noises

Space Girl

Ziggy Stardust

Lost in Space theme

Thus Spake Zarathusa

cold as ice for Len

AIDA from Agents of Shield in part inspired Grace, but she’s not the fancast

major tom 

sigourney weaver as the engineer

for fanfic, something about Mick as Chronos, or Rip and Miranda hearing the story of the Mosaic

The moment with the Captain is saving Mick

Len and Gideon

The ghost behind Sara, and of Medusa!Grace

scaredy cat Stein

Sara and Mick sharing the quiet moment next to the graves

From Space girl: “Travelled through the time warp in the Psycho Plan”

Len shouting at Mick not to go on the other ship

Episode 13

Some ironic/dark use of something from the Evita musical

Don’t cry for me, Argentina

Mercedes Sosa

Solo le pido a dios

Churros. Any pic set of this episode must include churros.

Saved the world by eurythimics

copa la vida by ricky martin, maybe for the sequence with the soccer reference

under my umbrella aka, “Bus Stop” by the Hollies

The Legion surrounded by umbrellas

when Mick and the others are in the bakery

Fanart of Len, Thawne and Dahrk replicating the Singing In The Rain poster

Episode 14

fanart of Amaya dancing while Jax looks on like a proud brother

Greensleeves

Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Henry

Pasttime in Good Company

Brian Blessed

Eric Bana 

Sean Astin

Mick sitting alone in the garden with his lighter while len looks at him sadly

the globe burning

Sara dancing with Henry, and amaya in the back like….oh shit

Burning Down The House

Talking Heads

Royals by Lorde

Sons of Serendip

Fanart of Sara and Amaya trying to get dressed

Natalie Dormer as Ann, Natalie Portman

prison themed music for the dungeon scene

Johnny Cash

lone blues harmonica 

Mood board for henry and anne (+sara)

Episode 15

New york new york

All the old Irish songs about New York

Streets of New York

Pogues and Flogging Molly 

Wolfe Tones

the legion in their “hq”

Queen Been in a barbershop chair

Amaya carrying Sara with spirit wings behind her.

Legion!Len being pissed at racists

Some dramatic baroque-layout style picture of the mob about to start, and the only points of colour in the pic are Sara, Amaya, and Darhk

Lily fanart

her and Rip working together to guide the team from the Waverider

Stein helping a tiny Lily make her first atom model

Episode 16

annoying game show background music

A montage set to the actual Legends of the Hidden Temple, or art with the Legends and Legion wearing those dorky outfits

Benny Hill theme song

The Chicken Dance song played in slow mo 

theme from Gremlins

Someone who does podcasts needs to do some lines from the announcers

Fanart of the renegades first appearance

Fan art of affronted Mick and Len

Those (song) in Minor Key posts, Maybe the Benny Hill theme in minor key for dramatic parts

Stephen Fry would probably be perfect for Ethelred

Some of the challenges in the labyrinth should come with really annoying early computer game sounds

Art of the game in the style of one of those old crappy text RPGs and at one point, there’s a sign off to the side that says “don’t go this way - you will be eaten by a grue”

The whole Legends in The Future, yelling at a computer

16 or 32-bit version of the characters

 in the year 2525 (song)

Episode 17

it's gotta be cassette quality 90's music

Green Day

Aqua barbie girl

drunk Legends

Spice Girls

lots of Madonna and Prince and Maria Carey

Jax and Jessica duke it out at the whack a mole

all the home alone sequences

Sound of Silence for the “Hello Darhk-ness my old friend” part

O!Len realising L!Len can see him

Jessica - Gina Rodriguez

“I put a spell on you” for the final sequence with Queen Bee

Any Jax/Jessica photoset would need their respective dolls

Episode 18

music rec: we will rock you. Nothing else will do for Sara’s gladiator appearance

the woman who played Lucilla in Gladiator for Fulvia

Centuries 

Marc Antony, the guy who played him in Rome did it

Is Anybody There from 1776 musical

Rome, Spartacus, The Gladiator soundtracks

Sara fighting Darhk

EVERYONE in ancient Rome outfits

Legionnaire!Len

Kendra and Fulvia, lounging on their seats

Legion!Len in his toga

Having scenes from this episode using dialogue from Life Of Brian.

Kendra in Rome getup

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life

Episode 19

Camelot from Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Len’s ice ramp

Old school superhero comic style fan art of the knights

Joan (song)

everyone dressed up for dinner

Mick and Mordred

Colin Farrell for Jason Blood

Merlin - Taika Waititi

Eva Green for Morgana

Sofia Boutella for Nimue

Ivana Baquero ystina

Faun's Tanz mit mir for the party scene

Doomworld 1 & 2

crossover fan art of a certain Victor von Doom being angry with the Legion

It’s the End of the World as We Know It

Eurythmics "Sweet dreams are made of this"

Walking on the Ground

for Batman, Batfleck, Jason O’Mara

B: TAS theme

Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny"

Nathan Fillion - Hal

Don’t Mess With Me by Temposhark

Ain't No Rest for the Wicked" by Cage the Elephant

Ted - Danny Pudi

Everyone decked out in their doomworld versions

The fight between Mick, L!Len, and then the lanterns show up

all by myself to be playing in the background at the very end when Mick is left alone

Land of Confusion by Genesis, or the Disturbia version

Uprising by Muse

Believer by Imagine Dragons

Last Episode

Fan art of Bambi leaping joyfully into Ray’s arms

A gif set of Mick and Len hugging

fanart, specifically, of Ray and Bambi skipping through a field of flowers towards each other as “So Happy Together” plays in the background

everyone hugging Len, then Len and Mick hugging

A sweet piece of Sara and Laurel talking through the inter-dimensional skype

O!Len holding the spear, with the team in the back yelling at him not to do it 

The sequence where the jump ship explodes in the middle of the time stream

we are the champions

Legendary

[vanessamcrgan]

all

ur lucky i love you

1: 6 of the songs you listen to most? currently the six songs i listen to the most are: bad liar by selena gomez, walls could talk by halsey, for elise by saint motel, all time low by jon bellion, daylight by matt and kim, do re mi by blackbear and the life of a troubadour by mansionz 

2: If you could meet anyone on this earth, who would it be? fuck probably grant gustin bc like i wanted to say chris colfer but i’ve met him twice

3: Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 23, give me line 17. i have no books near me apparently??4: What do you think about most? conspiracy theories about how celebrities are lizard people and how much i love chris colfer to this day5: What does your latest text message from someone else say? love you!!!6: Do you sleep with or without clothes on? with 7: What’s your strangest talent? i have no talents???8: Girls… (finish the sentence); Boys… (finish the sentence) girls rule, boys rule. 9: Ever had a poem or song written about you? i mean,,, probably?? idk10: When is the last time you played the air guitar? in the shower the other day lmao11: Do you have any strange phobias? i really hate anything scary, like it’s a huge phobia so it’s a bit strange12: Ever stuck a foreign object up your nose? yes but not on purpose13: What’s your religion? ?? idk14: If you are outside, what are you most likely doing? walking to my car or having a bonfire15: Do you prefer to be behind the camera or in front of it? depends on the day16: Simple but extremely complex. Favorite band? fuck um fuccckkk probably fall out boy.17: What was the last lie you told? how old i was lmao18: Do you believe in karma? yes19: What does your URL mean? it’s leamichele bc she’s a baaabe.20: What is your greatest weakness; your greatest strength? i’m super indecisive, and my greatest strength is how loyal i am?? 21: Who is your celebrity crush? GAL GADOT WHAT A BABE22: Have you ever gone skinny dipping? nah23: How do you vent your anger? complain to amantha probably24: Do you have a collection of anything? i have a collection of pop funkos25: Do you prefer talking on the phone or video chatting online? talking on the phone26: Are you happy with the person you’ve become? for the most part27: What’s a sound you hate; sound you love? i hate the sound of styrofoam, but i love the sound of slime.28: What’s your biggest “what if”? probably my biggest what if is that what if i actually came out my junior year like i had planned to29: Do you believe in ghosts? How about aliens? it depends for both of them,30: Stick your right arm out; what do you touch first? Do the same with your left arm. my diet coke, and i touched my laptop.31: Smell the air. What do you smell? this weird ass hotel room vent32: What’s the worst place you have ever been to? ummmmm. probably a haunted house.33: Choose: East Coast or West Coast? west 34: Most attractive singer of your opposite gender? fuck. um probably patrick stump???35: To you, what is the meaning of life? happiness36: Define Art. Art is whatever you percieve it to be.37: Do you believe in luck? yes38: What’s the weather like right now? it’s a bit windy.39: What time is it? 10:3040: Do you drive? If so, have you ever crashed? yes & yes, but into a huge ass buck.41: What was the last book you read? Sorry, Not Sorry by Naya Rivera42: Do you like the smell of gasoline? I don’t mind it43: Do you have any nicknames? Lex, Lexi-Lou, Lex Luthor idk44: What was the last film you saw? i think it was the edge of seventeen45: What’s the worst injury you’ve ever had? i’ve never really had any bad injury46: Have you ever caught a butterfly? yes47: Do you have any obsessions right now? miles heizer 48: What’s your sexual orientation? bisexual af49: Ever had a rumour spread about you? yes50: Do you believe in magic? yes51: Do you tend to hold grudges against people who have done you wrong? sometimes52: What is your astrological sign? pisces 53: Do you save money or spend it? save54: What’s the last thing you purchased? a souvenir shirt55: Love or lust? love56: In a relationship? no57: How many relationships have you had? 558: Can you touch your nose with your tongue? no59: Where were you yesterday? panama city beach, florida60: Is there anything pink within 10 feet of you? there is not61: Are you wearing socks right now? nope62: What’s your favourite animal? cats63: What is your secret weapon to get someone to like you? my humor i think64: Where is your best friend? she’s back home 65: Give me your top 5 favourite blogs on Tumblr. ok my top five are @sc-rp @hookedonwonder @babegroot @lisbugrph @keeksrps 66: What is your heritage? i just have an american heritage67: What were you doing last night at 12AM? packing up my stuff from our vacation house68: What do you think is Satan’s last name? crapbag69: Biggest turn ons? probably 2 nsfw70: Are you the kind of friend you would want to have as a friend? i’d like to think so71: You are walking down the street on your way to work. There is a dog drowning in the canal on the side of the street. Your boss has told you if you are late one more time you get fired. What do you do? saAVE THE DOG72: You are at the doctor’s office and she has just informed you that you have approximately one month to live. a) Do you tell anyone/everyone you are going to die? b) What do you do with your remaining days? c) Would you be afraid? yes, i live my fuckin life, and probably73: You can only have one of these things; trust or love. trust.74: What’s a song that always makes you happy when you hear it? every single night by computer games75: What are the last four digits in your cell phone number? 942676: In your opinion, what makes a great relationship? trust.77: How can I win your heart? serenade me 78: Can insanity bring on more creativity? yes79: What is the single best decision you have made in your life so far? staying home for college and not moving away80: What size shoes do you wear? 981: What would you want to be written on your tombstone? rip in peace82: What is your favourite word? fuck83: Give me the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word; heart. love??84: What is a saying you say a lot? fuck me up85: What’s the last song you listened to? arsonists lullaby bye hozier 86: Basic question; what’s your favourite colour/colours? favorite color is the color thats a blue/green ish 87: What is your current desktop picture? a basic mac desktop88: If you could press a button and make anyone in the world instantaneously explode, who would it be? no one??89: What would be a question you’d be afraid to tell the truth on? the shit i get up to asked by my parents90: Turn offs? people who are assholes.91: You accidentally eat some radioactive vegetables. They were good, and what’s even cooler is that they endow you with the super-power of your choice! What is that power? MIND READING92: where are your parents from? illinois93: You can erase any horrible experience from your past. What will it be? my brother passing (too real??)94: You have the opportunity to sleep with the music-celebrity of your choice. Who would it be? fuck um spencer smith95: You just got a free plane ticket to anywhere. You have to depart right now. Where are you gonna go? NEW YORK CITY96: Do you have any relatives in jail? no, but i have had some in jail.97: Have you ever thrown up in the car? yes98: Ever been on a plane? nope99: If the whole world were listening to you right now, what would you say hellOOOO world

[seriouslyhooked]

False Alarms (A CS AU) Part 1/?

Modern AU where Emma is a Boston police detective and Killian is firefighter. They both get called to a fire in progress but it ends up being a false alarm, however there can be no denying the sparks between them. Includes fluff and my usual attempts at humor as well as a touch of fake-dating and meddling friends. Inspired by the song ‘False Alarm’ by Motoma and Becky Hill. Rated M for future chapters.

Also on Fanfiction Here.

A/N: Hey all! So today has not been a great day for me and as such I figured it was as good a time as any to get started on a new story that can distract me with fluff. Since way back when in the sweet summertime I’ve had a few people ask me for stories with Killian as a firefighter and I think I’ve finally stumbled on the exact story I want to write with that element. I hope you’ll all enjoy and thanks for reading!

“Are you going to finish that?” Emma looked up from the slice of pizza that was inches from her mouth to her best friend and partner Ruby.

From anyone else a question like this would be unexpected, but Emma and Ruby went way back and Emma was hardly surprised by Ruby’s quirks anymore. They’d met years ago in the academy training to be good police, and since day one Ruby had made two things very clear. The first was that she would take no shit from anyone ever. Superior, peer, friendly neighborhood witness, or perp, it did not matter. Ruby Lucas would not stand to be disrespected. And the second thing was that she never wasted food and she was never too full to pass up a meal or try and scrounge from someone else.

“You mean the pizza I’m currently in the middle of eating? Yeah I was thinking about it.” Ruby sighed dramatically.

“Fine. I’ll go order another slice from Tiny, but you owe me.”

Emma laughed and shook her head at the statement. Obviously she owed Ruby nothing but it was still funny that Ruby would say so, and if her slightly delusional friend wanted to pretend that there was some injustice in Emma’s finishing her own pizza, she wouldn’t stand in her way. Besides, it should make a more interesting rest of their shift, which had been quiet so far and was over in a few more hours.

“Just be quick about it. We’re back on in ten,” Emma reminded and Ruby scoffed.

“Oh please. I’ve got this.”

Emma knew that Ruby did beyond the shadow of a doubt, but this was their thing. They bantered back and forth like this in downtime and then shifted into a different gear when the chips were actually down. It helped combat the stresses of their job and this system was what kept them working as well as they did as both friends and partners.

Ruby and Emma had been assigned together officially for two years now (ever since they both passed the detective’s exam), and they worked to be the best of the best in their precinct and beyond. They’re number of solved cases was higher than nearly everyone else, and their records were impressive for any member of the force, never mind two cops as young as the two of them. They put in more overtime than anyone, helped out in any case they could, but they both knew when to walk away and how to tell when their partner was getting in too deep. More than anything Emma and Ruby had each other’s backs and that was what made their partnership so successful.

Part of that drive to be better than the rest was because there weren’t that many other women amongst their peers, but most of it came down to personality. Both Emma and Ruby loved this city and they cared about the people who lived in it. That passion was what kept them going day in and day out, through good times and bad. It wasn’t about keeping spotless reputations and earning good marks from their superiors at the end of the day, but about doing the best that they could with the situations they were given.

But sometimes the situations were less than ideal, like right now when the shrill ringing of Emma’s phone designated for the precinct cut through the pizza shop. Before Emma could so much as answer, Ruby let out a groan from the counter. If they were getting a call on this phone, there was a good chance that their twenty-minute break was about to be cut short.

“This is Emma.” The sigh of relief that came through the phone indicated immediately that the person calling was their desk sergeant Leroy.

“Emma, glad I caught you. We’ve got a situation on the corner of Elm and Washington. I know you’re off, but Reynolds and Bryant-,”

“Have about as much charisma as a wet blanket and as much sense as two frat boys on Greek Week. Yeah I know. We’re on it.” Emma waved Ruby to the door and her friend immediately moved with her, but tossed out a little bit of sass for good measure.

“We are so not on it,” Ruby muttered from beside her and after rolling her eyes, Emma handed her partner the rest of her pizza. “Okay now we’re on it.”

“So what’s going on?” Emma asked Leroy and the man proceeded to fill them in.

Apparently two patrolmen in the area had stumbled upon a hysterical old woman claiming that someone was trying to burn her apartment complex down. They immediately dispatched for Fire Rescue when they saw smoke and station sixty-one was en route. The patrolmen were in pursuit of the offender at that moment, but since Emma and Ruby were off the clock, and their dispatch radio was in their car, they’d missed the call for backup blowing up their feed.

“Great – dealing with some crazy arsonist. That’s exactly how I pictured my Friday going.”

“Ruby!” Emma said, chastising her friend’s laid-back attitude about this. Arson was no joke, and worst of all it was almost impossible to prove unless you caught the person in the act. This was serious and underneath the sarcasm Ruby knew that.

“What? I’m just saying. It’s like the Universe knows we’ve got our first weekend off in months and wants the whole thing sabotaged by paperwork and a citywide manhunt.”

“Now you’re just jumping to conclusions,” Emma replied though she could relate to Ruby’s frustrations on some level.

“I’m imagining possible scenarios. Detective 101 – be prepared for anything.”

“That’s the boy scouts, Ruby.” Her friend considered Emma from across the car and looked doubtful.

“Eh I think that was us first. I’ll ask your Mom next time I see her.”

Emma ignored the comment, trying not to think about her mother as they pulled up to the scene, which despite Leroy’s claims seemed relatively calm. There were two fire trucks out here and a number of firefighters to go with them, but not a one of them was racing into the building at top speed, and the two patrolmen standing outside looked annoyed rather than scared of having let a perp get away.

“Oh this is going to be good,” Ruby said. She was practically giddy at what was coming, and Emma could sense just as Ruby could that this was about to be a huge waste of time.

“Detectives – we’re sorry you got called in on this. It’s a false alarm. An old lady saw smoke on her fire escape but it was just her drunk grandson trying to cook a burger.” Emma put her hands on her hips and shook her head, silently wondering why people thought that was a good idea ever, never mind in the middle of winter.

“Of course it is,” Ruby replied before whispering to Emma. “We’re getting lunch reimbursed for this, you know that right?” Emma smirked but pressed on, trying to be professional.

“Well false alarm or not, we got called in, we have to see for ourselves. Where’s the woman who filed the complaint?”

“She’s inside again, probably throttling her grandson. She’s scrappy that one, when she’s not shrieking at the top of her lungs that is.” Ruby barked out a laugh as the patrolmen gave Emma the rest of the details and signaled for Emma to take the lead.

“After you, partner.”

Emma moved past Ruby through the door and up the stairwell, aiming to get to apartment 3C as fast as she could. The sooner they squared this away, the sooner they could move onto something that mattered again and get to that lovely and long overdue free weekend. Yet as they ascended the stairwell, Emma realized that might not be entirely possible given the firefighters moving down the stairwell at the same time that immediately caught Ruby’s eyes.

“Well hello,” Ruby whispered under her breath low enough so only Emma heard.

“Detective Nolan.” The friendly greeting and gentlemanly tip of a firefighter hat came from Graham Huntsman, a man Emma had known for years. She rolled her eyes at his excessive display. They were friends after all, and she didn’t need the feigned gallantry from her friends.

“Lieutenant. Anything we should know about this on your end?”

“Scarlet made an ass of himself with the ladder. Other than that, just your standard Friday afternoon shenanigans.”

Emma smiled (knowing Will Scarlet well enough to believe Graham’s account) and then noticed Graham’s eyes as they flicked to Ruby. His interest was clear and immediately on display for all to see, Ruby included. Emma had to give him credit though; Graham held back way longer then most guys did and he wasn’t openly ogling her friend, just looking a little longingly at her. Emma decided to throw him a bone for remaining cool when so many others didn’t.

“You remember my partner, Ruby Lucas.”

“We’ve met, yeah.” Ruby tilted her head slightly and pretended to search his features. Emma could read through the ruse immediately, but to anyone else she would appear totally sincere.

“Have we? Huh, go figure. Anyway, Emma, we should go. Don’t want any loose ends on this one.” Ruby offered a polite smile to Graham and then warmer ones to the men beside him as she ushered Emma up the steps with little more than a brief goodbye. When they’d made it to the third floor Emma looked for answers.

“What was that about?” Ruby grinned and immediately looked like the cat that caught the canary and Emma’s suspicions that her best friend was up to something were confirmed.

“Payback. Last time we ‘met’ he didn’t ask for my number.” Emma’s jaw dropped, but she regained her composure fast.

“Ruby we were all working a case.”

“Right, and the second that case was over he should have asked you for those digits.” Emma laughed at the phrasing, knowing that even if it felt ridiculous to her (as someone who never let her professional and personal lives intersect) for Ruby this was totally normal thinking.

“Seriously?” Ruby smirked.

“Just wait. Ten bucks says you get a call by the end of the night and then I get a week’s worth of groveling before I finally let him take me out.”

Emma knew better than to bet against Ruby on something like this, so instead of doing so she knocked on the door to the apartment of the woman who’d thought there was a fire in the first place. There was yelling going on through the doorway but it was too muffled to make out the words. It faded as soon as Emma’s knuckles rapped at the hard wood and seconds later the door opened to reveal a very small old woman. When she made eye contact with Emma and then Ruby her bothered expression immediately looked contrite and apologetic and her voice went up an octave into sweet old-lady territory.

“You must be the detectives. I can’t begin to tell ya how sorry I am. My grandson doesn’t mean to be a nitwit, he just hasn’t got a single brain cell in that thick skull of his.” The kindness she’d extended to Emma and Ruby shifted back to frustration as she turned around and shook her fist in his direction.

“A lot of men have that problem, ma’am. We just have to ask a few questions and make sure everything’s all clear for paper work and such. You understand,” Ruby offered.

“Oh honey, I do. I used to work at the state house as a clerk and I’ve always said that if there’s a God, there will be no paperwork past the pearly gates.”

Emma appreciated that the woman was so amiable to their questions. Sometimes they got saddled with problematic witnesses, but this woman was charming in that typical Boston way. She was brash and she said what she was thinking, but Emma knew deep down she had a good heart and loved her grandson. It was, as expected, a pretty routine false alarm, but as Ruby took notes on the situation, Emma asked to check out the fire escape itself. When she got the all clear to do so she moved to the window and shimmied it open before slipping outside and walking into an unexpected wall.

“Easy there, love.”

Oh shit! That voice was enough to make Emma a little week in the knees, and between the accent and the rumble in his chest that she was still flush against Emma felt this energy and simultaneous comfort she’d never experienced. It was… intriguing, and something she had a hard time moving away from but after a second Emma stepped back and her eyes flicked up to the man who’d uttered those three simple words. When her gaze met his her heart skipped almost painfully.

There were very few moments when Emma felt thrown in the line of duty or in life at all. She prided herself on being strong and stable, unshakeable even in the most trying of times, but right now she was anything but. Her heart was pounding, her mouth had suddenly gone dry, and her mind was racing a mile a minute, talking about how no man had a right to look this good and in a fireman’s outfit to boot.

With dark hair and more than the shadow of a beard, he wasn’t rugged per se, but manly and strong. She felt this kind of magnetic presence being so close to him but it wasn’t threatening to anything except maybe her self-control. She’d met a lot of good looking guys in her life, hell she’d been surrounded by cops and firefighters since she was a little kid, but there was something so different about this guy, this stranger with arresting blue eyes that held hers captive for just a beat too long.

“Apologies, love. I wasn’t expecting you.” Emma blinked and regained her composure, trying her best not to do something stupid like blush as she did.

“You’re new.” The man smiled, with one corner of his mouth tipping up to one side and he shuffled his gear around to extend his hand in greeting.

“Killian Jones at your service.”

Emma glanced at his hand and wondered if this guy was for real. Then she remembered that he was probably too new to realize who she was and why this was a no go. Once he did connect the dots he’d pull back she was sure, but for now Emma had this need she couldn’t quite explain. She wanted to go along with this feeling, even though it went against her M.O. entirely. So she gave him her hand in return and felt a rush of warmth when they made contact. She was shocked and a little overwhelmed, but it was clear that her new acquaintance was right there with her. Killian had no poker face at all, and she watched his wave of shock and then something like hunger before eventually pulling back and trying to put some of her professional walls back up.

“You realize sergeants don’t usually do this part right? No matter how new you are there’s got to be some low man on the ladder to hand this off to.”

Killian (God even his freaking name was hot) grinned and ran a hand through his hair, which was so dark and just a little too long to be strictly appropriate for the firehouse. Emma balled her fingers into a fist to stifle the crazy and ridiculous itch she had to see how it felt under her fingertips.

“Their set up wasn’t up to code. I thought I’d help them out so in case there’s ever an actual emergency, they can get out safely.” Emma looked over to where Killian gestured and saw that there were some newer bolts in the ladder now. She wondered how he’d even had the materials on hand to do this kind deed but decided to deflect from her being impressed at his caring.

“Hero complex?” Emma asked and Killian looked confused.

“I’m sorry?”

“Some guys get one in your line of work. They think they can save everyone and that they’re the only ones who can. They take on too much alone and it messes with their heads.”

Emma didn’t think Killian was that kind of guy (not that she could provide a real reason why past him not looking like a raging narcissist) but she wanted to see how he would handle her in interrogation mode. Most people cowered when she did this, but he stayed calm and didn’t flinch in the slightest. It was an incredible turn on.

“Well those men are fools. Some people can’t be saved… and some people don’t need to be. They’ve got it handled themselves.” Emma couldn’t help but think that last part was meant for her, but before she could ask him about his reasons behind the charged statement, Ruby appeared in the window.

“Emma if you fell down the fire escape I swear -,”

Ruby stopped short when she saw that Emma wasn’t alone and after half a second of surprise she started sporting a familiar grin. Emma tried to harden herself to Killian before it was too late but it was useless; Ruby knew something was up and that guaranteed her being a huge pain in Emma’s ass for a good long time. She was never going to live this down (because for years she’d been stressing no warm, fuzzy feelings on a case no mater what), and now her only hope was to bail and fast before Ruby caused a scene, or worse, flirted on Emma’s behalf.

“I’m all set here. You good Ruby?” Her friend looked from Killian who she was ogling openly to Emma and saw her seriousness. Thankfully Ruby took pity on her and nodded.

“All clear here.”

Ruby threw her one last smirk and then ducked back inside but as Emma turned to go she felt Killian’s hand at her wrist. It wasn’t a harsh hold in any way, and her body reveled in that same spark that had been there before, but she felt a wave of trepidation. Looking at him again was going to be fantastic and terrifying all at once. Still Emma had to be strong and so she faced him head on with what she hoped was a firm gaze.

“Did you need something?” she asked and Killian smiled softly at her. Instantly she felt bad for the edge she’d just had in her voice.

“Just to say thank you.” Emma’s brow furrowed.

“For what?” He let go of her hand and stepped backwards, heading towards the ladder of the fire escape with entirely too much swagger for a mortal, ordinary man.

“Usually a false alarm would be tedious. Today has been anything but.”

Emma ducked her chin in a bit, breaking eye contact and feeling like a freaking teenager under the intensity of his blue gaze. The worst part was he was being totally honest. Killian had game, yes, but he wasn’t a liar and that made the thrill that went through Emma so much harder to regret. There were sirens going off in her head saying that he was trouble and a threat to the way she had always conducted herself on the force, but the attraction between them was somehow stronger and this weird sense of trust was already there between them, muting her internal warning bells enough for her to try and say goodbye.

“Right. Well, I guess I’ll see you around.” She offered casually and he dropped all the cockiness to look at her sincerely.

“I hope so, Emma.”

Before she could make more of a fool out of herself, Emma moved back inside and shut the window, pausing when she did to catch her breath and get herself together. She let herself linger on the feelings that had fluttered through her chest when he said her name like that, and she wished that they could stay because it felt so right. Killian felt so right, but for what Emma couldn’t say, and it definitely was not the time to be having an internal dialogue about hot guys in the workplace. When she turned back around and saw Ruby with a shit-eating grin on her face she jumped, another very unusual thing for Emma.

“Don’t start.” Emma warned as they moved out of the apartment and back through the stairwell.

“I didn’t say anything!” Ruby offered with her hands up.

“You were going to.” Ruby laughed at Emma’s assessment.

“I am going to. I’m just going to wait until we’re not surrounded by dreamy guys who made you blush.” Emma turned to her friend and pointed a finger her way.

“I did not blush!”

“Oh honey, you so totally did. But shh, or Sergeant Sexy is going to hear you.” They were back outside moving to their car and there, just as Ruby expected, was Killian standing by his truck with some of the other guys from the firehouse. Their eyes caught again and he offered her a friendly wave that Emma returned as Ruby chuckled beside her.

“Ooo girl, you’re in trouble,” she whispered and Emma heard the niggling voice in the back of her mind saying that yeah, she very well might be.

……………

Every firehouse Killian had ever belonged to had a local spot – a pub or a bar that the crew frequented after a long shift or in times of celebration. Boston’s sixty-first was no different, but there was something to be said for this hole in the wall they called their home away from home.

It might not be pretty or particularly nice, but the feel inside of JR’s Tavern was perfect in Killian’s mind. There was that necessary combination of mutual respect between his firehouse mates and the rest of the clientele, but there was also a line drawn. Killian could already see that on their worst days (days that were always coming down the pike in this line of work) they’d find some sort of peace here. It wasn’t filled with nosey busy bodies, but people trying to go about their business. This was a welcome relief for Killian, who’d struggled with that in past assignments.

This new position, however, was bound to be different than all his ones before. For one thing he was a sergeant now, and that in itself was an adjustment. New expectations, new procedures, they were all factors in his blending in with a new squad, but Killian was a quick study and more than anything he had the experience both back in London and in New York where he’d been the last few years.

Killian also prided himself on staying up to date on the science in his job, jumping at the chance for any extra training and for any extra classes he could enroll in. The hope for all of that extra work was that he might someday learn something that could keep all the men and women he worked with alive. Every day they all got home safe was a win, and every day that they helped the people they were sworn to serve was one too. That didn’t mean he thought himself a hero, just a man with a code trying to better people’s lives when and how he could.

Killian couldn’t help but smile as the memory of that detective this afternoon bluntly asking him if he had a hero complex ran through his mind. She was a force of nature, and all it took was one second in her company for Killian to feel more alive than he had in years. Not even the rush of being amongst the lick of flames in a five-alarm blaze compared to the sensation he’d had out there on the fire escape, but she – Emma – was anything but predictable. Like an inferno with no clear source, she’d keep him guessing and clawing for answers, he was certain.

For one thing she was all together too beautiful for his sanity. She’d tried to tone it down slightly (no doubt in the hopes of appearing more professional and competent) but anyone who would doubt that woman after meeting her was a fool. She wore her abilities on her sleeve and practically radiated capability. Nothing escaped her notice in the moments that they’d been out there together, and though there were tiny glimpses of something more vulnerable between them, and even a few wondrous moments of could-be flirting, Emma was largely the dominating force between the pair of them.

Killian meanwhile stood there perilously close to openly gaping at her. He’d largely avoided any sort of emotional attachments as of late, hating the effects that the demands of his job had in any relationship. He’d seen the tolls it took on the men and women that his fellow fighters loved and their families and Killian reasoned there was no one he’d ever want to put through that. Still as he looked in those curious and brilliant jade colored eye’s of Emma’s and noticed the fullness of her lips and the silkiness of the hair she’d tied back, he found thoughts he’d long ago discarded rushing to the surface. Thoughts about staking a claim and convincing Emma that he was more than an adrenaline junky with a need to put out fires. For her, honestly, Killian could be anything she damn well wanted.

“Oi, Killian!”

Killian glanced up to see his old friend Will Scarlet, another member of the sixty-first and the man who’d put him up for the job here to begin with. He was a British expat too who’d already assimilated to this city after a few years on the force. Will was also the self-proclaimed funny man on the squad but Killian knew that underneath that excess of humor was a fiercely loyal and determined man. Will had fallen into this field because of personal tragedy, but he didn’t let it define him. He worked hard to live each day like it was his last, doing his best at work and then living each moment outside of that with the fullness it deserved.

“Aye?”

“You gonna say something? We can’t drink until you do, mate.” Killian noticed that the others on the squad were looking at him expectantly with their beers in hand. All of them had been incredibly welcoming so far and he grinned and cleared his throat not wanting to let them down.

“Right. Well I guess I’ll say thank you all for the drink and I doubt it will be the last you all buy me.” Everyone laughed at the jest and Killian sobered some to continue on. “Honestly I appreciate the openness you all have and your quickness to accept someone new like myself. It’s an honor to be among you, and I plan to prove my worth to you all before long. You all have my word that I will do my best by this house and this city. To sixty-one.”

“To sixty-one!” They all chorused back and took their drinks before letting out a cheer.

It was only about half of the house right now, for the others were on shift, but Killian had already made a pact with the bartender that a tab would be started in his name and that every fighter who wasn’t here tonight would still get a drink on him as his new buddies beside him would be getting one. It was customary back home, and felt only right to Killian to bring that tradition over here.

“Rough luck that all you got to see this week was routine drills and a false alarm,” one of the younger fighters on the ladder named Gus said and Killian shook his head offering a small smile and his own thoughts.

“Depends how you look at it. Might have been a false alarm but we all came back home.”

Gus nodded thoughtfully, and Killian knew the headspace that younger firefighters often had. They were hungry for the action, mostly because they’d yet to have any of the real trauma to could go with it. He didn’t fault Gus, however, and Killian honestly hoped Gus never lost that mentality, and that the younger man never lost a person in this job to take away that drive to fight fires every day.

“I’ll take a false alarm every hour of every damn day if we get cops like that responding. That Detective Lucas is something, huh?”

Will whistled in appreciation and then got a punch in the arm from one of the few women in the firehouse who everyone lovingly called Tink. She was small by any standard, but she was tough as nails and a fighter through and through. Killian had instantly taken a liking to her, and her silently but forcefully reprimanding Will for the comments now only solidified that more. Will winced and rubbed his arm after she made contact as Graham growled out a reply that was unexpected.

“In your dreams, Scarlet.” Killian wasn’t used to any sort of dark emotion from Graham. The lieutenant was kind and mostly quiet if a bit more serious than most of the others. This felt hostile though, but Will laughed all the same.

“No Graham, in yours. What are you waiting for on that anyway? You should have locked her down months ago when you had the chance.” Graham stared at his phone and blatantly ignored Will’s jest so Killian took the opportunity to divert attention for Graham’s sake and to get the information he himself had been wanting all day without seeming too suspicious.

“And what of her partner?”

“Oh you mean Emma?”  Killian nodded, trying to give off an air of not really caring even though he was desperate for more information on her. “She’s a looker for sure with brass balls to match and a stubborn streak that knows no end, but she’s off-limits.”

Killian raised a brow at Will’s words but everyone around seemed to agree with him. This was strange to Killian and he felt a need to know why anyone thought that was the case, because the idea of not pursuing Emma weighed on him like a ton of bricks. Then the worst-case scenario flashed into his mind:

“Is she married?” It hurt to even consider that possibility, and there had definitely been no ring on the lady’s finger today when he checked, though Killian knew of some cops who took them off in the line of duty. Firefighters did the same thing, though Killian couldn’t help thinking he wouldn’t want to if he’d finally married a woman he truly loved.

“Ha! That’s rich. No, mate, Emma Nolan is definitely not married. I doubt the woman’s ever dated given her parents. They’re not exactly the most accessible, easy to impress people.”

“Her parents?” Killian asked, confused. Why would a grown woman’s parents play into this in the slightest? And why did that last name sound slightly familiar?

“Yeah her parents. Her Mum’s the police superintendent and her Dad’s the district chief.” Fuck!

“Our district chief?” Killian asked after choking a bit on his beer and Will nodded.

“The very same.”

Bloody hell! Well that was a bit of a problem wasn’t it? Though Killian couldn’t help thinking that it wasn’t enough to keep him from wanting her. With another woman he’d have taken the hit and walked away, but the idea of not seeing Emma again or feeling that same rush of warmth that came when he’d taken her hand today cut him to the core. He had never been the kind of man to cut and run when he felt strongly, and there was simply nothing that compared to meeting her today. He had to see her again.

“Before she was made detective people called her the princess. They said her parents were like some sort of Boston bureaucratic royalty and she was just their legacy getting preferential treatment.”

Graham offered the intel like it was nothing at all, but Killian’s fingers clenched around his glass, his anger rising. He hated the thought that Emma was judged for something she couldn’t help. Hell, he barely even knew the woman, but he knew in his heart she hadn’t deserved that kind of response from her peers. She was exceptional. Why couldn’t they see that?

“But something changed?” Killian asked, hoping for some resolution other than Emma’s being maligned unfairly.

“Yeah it did. Emma told every last asshole who said that shit where they could shove it, and then made detective at a younger age than any other person in her district. She’s kind of my hero,” Tink said jovially before waving the bartender over for another drink.

Killian grinned at that, knowing without doubt that Emma could handle herself. It bothered him that people had judged her, but it made him weirdly proud that she’d handled herself. Not that he had anything to do with it, but he liked knowing that Emma was strong enough to speak her mind and push back when other’s wanted to box her in. That wasn’t an easy feat for anyone, but it only proved to Killian what he already suspected – Emma Nolan was special.

“Well Tink, you can be sure to tell her all about it at that bloody gala we’ve all got next week. Remind me again why we’re going to that?” Graham snickered into his beer as Killian replied.

“Because it’s sixty-one’s turn to represent this year… and because there’s an open bar and decent food.” Will looked merrier already.

“Well I’ll drink to that!”

The crew laughed at the frivolity of Will’s wants and wishes, but the night passed pleasantly from there on out, and for Killian there was a new form of hope: because now he knew there was a moment coming when he’d see Emma again, and he had a few days yet to figure out exactly how to show her there was something between them worth exploring no matter what might stand in their way.

Post-Note: So there we have it. I want to thank my lovely readers who asked for this kind of story. It’s different then the other stuff I’m writing, which is always good for my muse. It will also likely be a little shorter than my typical stories, but I promise it will pack the usual smuffy goodness my others always aim for. Anyway let me know what you guys think and thank you all for reading!