#int. / brooklyn speaking.

[itsparis-07]

welp here's the script i was hyping up, sooo i want you guys to treat this like first fic and I don't minds some tips and other comments and such...but anyways enjoy!

Brooklyn’s Kidz 

By: itsparis!!

INT. BEDROOM - AFTERNOON

MONIQUE, a short,brown skinned,and fairly chubby girl with short black and red dreads sits on her bed, waiting for something to happen. She looks at her phone.

As MILES, a tall,brown skinned, with twin braids, was drawing a portrait of his crush at his desk, he stops and dials her number.

Monique picked up her phone and pressed the answer button.

MONIQUE 

Hey Miles, I was hoping you’d call me earlier than this.

Miles

I know, it’s just that unc had me out there on patrol and well you know how that goes.

MONIQUE 

Right, so did you hear about the trip to Florida. It's for juniors this time.

MILES

Mhm… I’m going, don’t worry ma.

Monique smiles while playing with her dreads and kicks her feet back and forth. Miles adjusted himself on his bed against a pillow and sighs.

MILES

I'm guessing you’ve found someone to sit with?

MONIQUE

Nah, I wanna sit with you, that's why I didn’t ask anyone today.

MILES

Don’t play with me.

MONIQUE

I’m not,think about it Miles we’ll be in the middle and not in the back like last year.

MILES

Wait, why aren’t we sitting in the back again?

MONIQUE

Dude, what do you think happens in the back seats on a field trip with no teachers until we get to the hotel on a bus filled with juniors?

MILES

Oh. . . right, those kids go back there right?

Monique laughs, covering her face with her free hand and turns over to the left side of her bed and sighs to catch her breath.

MONIQUE

Bruh, sometimes I wonder how you got into visions with a brain like yours.

MILES

Maybe, it’s because I didn’t get in because of some program unlike some girl I know.

MONIQUE

Okay, and who helped you out in Spanish when your mom found out you almost got a C?

MILES

Aight, you got that one I’mma let it slide.

MONIQUE

(She sighs in pure bliss)

I love using that against you, speaking of your mom, how is she and your uncle?

MILES

They're okay, Ya know maybe we should bring some snacks and stuff for the bus ride.

MONIQUE

You mean like right now or tomorrow, because I was gonna go to theo’s after I called you.

MILES

Right now is fine, we can just walk there and you and I can just hang out in my room if you want.

MONIQUE

Yeah, I'm down.

She presses the red button to hand up, and puts her phone into her left pocket while getting off of her bed. She tied her high tops and walked out her room door. Miles does the same and walks out of his room letting his mom know where he’ll be until dinner.

FADE OUT :

INT.  SIDEWALK - EVENING

Monique stands outside of the store waiting for Miles, tapping her foot impatiently. She tucks her braids behind her ears. Miles crosses the street walking towards her. Monique looks up joyfully.

MONIQUE

Way to keep me waiting, And don’t use that “time is relevant” line because I will smack you.

MILES

Hey,You know that lines work, you laugh at it everytime.

MONIQUE

God, how are you from brooklyn and you're this corny?

MILES

 Just shut up and go in!

They walked in the store and looked at each other then looked around for snacks. They stopped at the drinks and both grabbed root beers.

MILES

So what else should we get, I mean food stamps can only get so much you know.

MONIQUE

Yeah I know, but some candy should do it or maybe some chips?

MILES

Hot cheetos!

MONIQUE

(She shivers)

EW, those things are practically made out of wax!

MILES

Huh?

MONIQUE

Remember in third grade, when you melted one on the playground and it actually happened?

MILES

Oh yeah, I forgot about that well whatever I’m still gonna eat em’.

MONIQUE

You're so disgusting.

Monique picks up a bag of sea salt chips, two cans of pringles, and a ginger ale, as Miles gets a bag of hot cheetos, some skittles,and some orange soda, as they both walk to the checkout counter Miles followed right behind her and paid for their stuff, they walked onto the sidewalk and continued walking forward down the sidewalk.

MILES

So, your place or mine?

MONIQUE

Yours,Anyways don’t you think it’s weird how we’re getting this high class trip to Miami, I mean like where did BVA get the money from to do these trips?

MILES

I mean it is a boarding school, so maybe like public funding or government funding?

MONIQUE

Yeah,sure. . .

MILES

So, who do you think is gonna be your roommate?

MONIQUE

I was hoping for you, but it’s obvious that we’re all going separated by gender and I don’t blame them.

MILES

What, You think some kids have the balls to sneak into each others rooms just to fu-

      (Monique covers his mouth mid sentence and lets go.)

MONIQUE

Stop and think for a minute, what happens when two idiot teenagers are alone with each other in the same room at night?

MILES

Okay but we’re young, it’s bound to happen plus with no teachers on the bus… yeah it’s not gonna go well.

MONIQUE

Ya think?!

Miles and Monique walked into a rooming house and shut the door behind them walking up to door 208. Miles opened the door greeting his mother RIO and closed the door behind him.

RIO

Miles, is that you?

MILES

Yeah, I’m back from the corner store with monique. 

RIO

Good, dinner should be done in a little bit. Monique, it's nice for you to come over again, how's your mother?

MONIQUE

She’s alright, I’m just over here to talk to Miles about the school’s trip to Florida. The school is giving the juniors a chance for a trip.

RIO

Right that trip, I’m just counting on you to keep my son in good shape and out of trouble.

MILES

Mami,I’m not a little kid any more I'm 16,Entonces no preocuparse por favor. 

RIO

Cortar el afuera mijo, don't tell me not to worry for your safety.

MILES

Ma,don't worry about me. I'll call you when me and monique get on the bus and when we get to the hotel,yo promesa.

Miles and Monique eat dinner as they finished they helped Rio washes dishes, afterwards They enter Miles’s room keeping the door creaked open sitting on his bed.

MILES

Aight, did we get everything for the trip tomorrow? 

MONIQUE

Yup, snack wise but everything else is up to us on what to pack like hygiene and clothes, but I mean this is our first trip till we’re seniors and the only time we won’t be wearing our uniforms.

MILES

True, so what time do you need to head home again?

MONIQUE

Before the streetlights,speaking of that rule, haven't you wondered why that was our curfew growing up?

MILES

I don't know, but I'm thinking about seeing all the pretty girls out there…

MONIQUE

Um, hello you have a girlfriend sitting dead in front of you!

MILES

Right, my bad mi vida.

FADE IN :

INT. IN THE FRONT OF THE SCHOOL - DAY

Miles, Monique, and other kids of the school stood outside waiting for the buses. Monique held Miles’s hand while on her other hand she was  biting her nails.

MILES

You're holding my hand a little tight there, you good?

MONIQUE

Yeah, it’s just what I’m feeling right now, I don’t know if I should be nervous or excited.

MILES

(spoke with a smile on his face)

You’ll be fine ma, you're sitting with me in the middle and I’ll just give you my earbuds.

MONIQUE

(sighs)

Thanks Miles, but I’m fine I just haven’t been on a trip in a minute ya know?

MILES

I get it, just take a deep breath and wait for the bus.

MONIQUE

(with a calm yet nervous tone)

Okay, I’ll try to calm down.

The school buses pulled up to the front of the academy. After every group got done with attendance from their teachers, each class walked on the buses and sat down in a seat with their baggage, Miles and Monique sat in a random three sitter in the middle row and sighed.

MILES

Well, this is it. I'm hoping we can go shopping or head to Universal or Disney world.

MONIQUE

And where’s the money to do all that Morales?

MILES

I have a job, it ain’t like I’m broke or something.

MONIQUE

(she says while laughing, she rolled her eyes and looked at him shaking her head.)

That doesn't mean you're rich either,look I have enough money for shopping but knowing visions they’d probably give a free trip to disney like they did with the seniors last year.

MILES

(He puts his earbuds in and starts a playlist called “MM ♥ ️ MJ” holding one out for her to take.)

 So, you wanna listen with me or do you wanna hear the yelling of screaming banshees?

MONIQUE (she takes the earbud and put its in her right ear and puts her head on his shoulder, she sighs as the bus starts to move looking out window. )

So you're not gonna call her yet, I mean your mom is still worried about you. 

MILES

Yeah I know, but… I’ll call her when we make it to the hotel or something.

MONIQUE

Alright, but can we please stop listening to post malone? like play some tyler or just anything else?

Miles rolled his eyes as he chuckled to her and put his hands on her waist. Monique smiled at him tuning out the rest of their class all at once and focusing on him.

FADE IN :

INT. A Gas station - EVENING  

A group of students were hanging around the gas station or going to the bathroom, miles and monique walked into the covenant store looking around.

MILES

So you gettin’ any snacks or drinks, because I got enough for a little something if you want.

MONIQUE

Maybe, but we still got the stuff we got from theo’s and that should hold us off for a bit.

MILES

Right, let’s go outside and wait till the bus is fueled up I guess.

They walked outside the store sitting on the curb, Monique pulled a blunt out her pocket lighting it and taking a small drag passing it to him.

MILES

Hey I wanted to ask, what did you see in me to like ask me out and stuff?

MONIQUE

Well, I mean you and me are like out of at least 15 other the only black kids there at visions,but besides all that I like that you're a geek and you're pretty,and your freckles are like stars in a way I don’t know but I'm bound to you.

MILES

Wow I mean, I like you too and that beauty mark of yours yeah I know about it you don’t even have to hide it,and if you’d let me can I take you out during the trip?

MONIQUE

(She scoffs at him, while taking a drag she passes it back to him.)

In your dreams Morales, but hey game recognize game don’t think I don’t know bout it.

MILES

 (He takes the last puff and steps on it, putting it out on the sidewalk and standing up with Monique.)

Yeah, whatever you say.

All the students got back on the bus and in their seats,as Miles and Monique went back to the middle row and sat down listening to their playlist getting lost in their own little world and the bus was back on the road again.

FADE OUT :

INT. HOTEL HALLWAY - NIGHT

Monique and Miles walked in the hallway until they stopped at a door with the numbers 103, and with a keycard she opened the door and let themselves in sitting on the bed.

MONIQUE

So, let’s fill out the plan sheet tonight then tomorrow we'll know what to do that day so we won’t be lost.

MILES

Do you ever not use a planner sheet? Monique, come on, at least try to have actual fun.

MONIQUE

But Miles I just wanna be sure. Also, did you call your mom yet because she called me and texted me “thanks for picking up and telling him when he gets back, we’re gonna have a talk.” 

MILES

(He sucked his teeth as he sat beside Monique on the bed.)

Wow, yeah that sounds about right… So do you wanna stay up or?

MONIQUE

Do you even have to ask?

They spent the whole time talking about anything yet nothing at the same time, again getting lost in their little world as the Florida rain fell from the sky hitting softly on the ground while the streetlight shining through the window.

Fade out :

Time lapse throughout the whole trip from different places from the mall, disney world, universal, and now it’s the last day after packing their things Miles and Monique joined the rest of their class along with teachers still doing attendance. The buses pulled up to the front of the hotel and all the students got on the bus and sat in the same seats that sat on the way there.

INT. IN FRONT OF BVA - AFTERNOON

After all the students got off the buses everyone’s parents came to pick up their kids, as miles and monique waited for miles’s uncle AARON to pull up and as if right on que he pulled up on the curb and the two got in the back.

AARON

So who’s this girl? I thought it was just you I was picking up.

MILES

Oh, this is my… partner Monique. She’s Ms.Jackson's daughter and they live on the same floor as me and mom.

AARON

And y'all haven’t?

MILES

 Just drive!

AARON

Alright alright, how was the trip? y'all had fun?

MONIQUE

Yeah, Florida was nice and didn't worry him and I didn’t get in much trouble.

AARON

Good, somebody has to keep a good eye on him if I’m not around and you seem to fit the role very well if his mom trusts you that much.

MONIQUE

Wow, so you are the problem child. I had a feeling about that.

MILES

(He playfully hit her shoulder while he laughed.)

Shut up, that was one time and one time only!

MONIQUE

Uh-huh, keep telling yourself that miles I mean whatever helps with the denial.

Fade in : 

INT. THE ROOMING HOUSE - EVENING

Aaron’s car pulled to the rooming house as Miles and Monique got out of the car they walked to the door, Miles pressed the buzzer letting his mom their back and Aaron's car pulled away and the two went inside and walked up the stairs and to their doors.

MILES

So, I’ll see you on monday?

MONIQUE

Dude, it’s not like I can skip school plus you're kinda the only reason I go anyways… Goodnight Miles.

MILES

Right, good night Moni.

She walked up to him giving a small kiss on his two toned lips, as they broke the kiss she smiled at him and walked inside her apartment, Miles doing the same.

[crossoverworldtree]

Ghostbusters

Who, When, and What: In the early 1980s, a group of paranormal investigators figured out how to contain can capture ghosts and started up a business doing just that.  And just in time to save New York from an Elder God.  Since then, they’ve had their ups, their downs, and their sideways.  Sometimes they shut down, other times they grow franchises in other cities.  Regardless, they are the one, the only – Ghostbusters.

Clout: Financial 2, Governmental 2, Supernatural 2 Locations: Medium (1), Multiple Locations (1), Physical Security 1, Supernatural Security 2 (5-4 from Financial, Supernatural Clout) Gear: Computers 2, Laboratories 2, Medical Facilities 1, Workshop 2, Occult Archives 5, Vehicles (Tricked Out Car) (2), Weapons (Proton Pack and Trap) (5) (13, 19-6 from Clout) Total Cost: 20

Kylie Griffen Date of Birth: 1980 Motivation: Protect people from the Paranormal Critter Type: Human Attributes: Str 1, Dex 3, Con 3, Int 4, Per 3, Will 4 Ability Scores: Muscle 8, Combat 14, Brains 14, Life Points: 26 Drama Points: 10 Special Abilities: Misfit, Attractiveness +1, Honorable (Serious), Obsession (Study of ghosts), Brainiac, +1 Occultism, Fear of Rejection, Love, Cruelty (Mild), Occult Library (Minimal), Busting +2 Name - Score - Damage - Notes Proton Pack - 16 - 12 (3xSL) - Fire, Grabs Ghosts (Str doubled to escape) Trap - 14 - None - Can hold up to 60LP of Specters Magic - 16 - Varies - By Spell A pale woman with a penchant for the paranormal, Kylie Griffen never really fit in and never wanted to. She had her first experience with the supernatural when she attempted to speak with her recently deceased grandmother. She does not talk about what she actually conjured, but it was not nice. She does not suffer fools, and when she is really annoyed, her Brooklyn accent sneaks through her calm veneer. For the record, Kylie loathes the Extreme moniker thrown on the licensed productions of the crews' adventures with the passion of a thousand suns.

Dr. Egon Spengler Date of Birth: 1944 Motivation: Study Ghosts Critter Type: Human Attributes: Str 2, Dex 2, Con 2, Int 7, Per 3, Will 3 Ability Scores: Muscle 10, Combat 14, Brains 16, Life Points: 26 Drama Points: 10 Special Abilities: +2 Occultism, +2 Science, Contacts (Governmental) 2, Brainiac, Impaired Vision (Glasses), Obsession (Study the Paranormal), Talentless, Crippled Foot (Cane), Occult Library (Important), Busting Ghosts +4 Name - Score - Damage - Notes Proton Pack - 18 - 15 (3xSL) - Fire, Brains score -1 per SL, or hold. Eldest Ghostbuster, he remains at the Firehouse while the younger members do the legwork. He remains on hand to work the technical and research ends of the business. He's gray-haired and with a cane, the time with the Ghostbusters is starting to show.

He passed away in 2014.

Eduardo Rivera Date of Birth: 1979 Motivation: Fame, Kylie Critter Type: Human Attributes: Str 2, Dex 3, Con 3, Int 2, Per 2, Will 3 Ability Scores: Muscle 10, Combat 13, Brains 10, Life Points: 36 Drama Points: 10 Special Abilities: Minority (Hispanic), Clown, Lazy (-1), Situational Awareness, Love (Tragic), Hard to Kill 2, Natural Toughness, Bad Luck 2, Delusions (Grandeur), phobia (his own death) Name - Score - Damage - Notes Proton Pack - 13 - 9 (3xSL) - Fire, Grabs Ghosts (Str doubled to escape) One of the new recruits of the second wave of Ghostbusters, whose arrogance is kept largely in check by Kylies biting remarks and Slimer's hugs. Eduardo joined largely due to his fear (and curiosity) about death. He also liked the ego boost the job gives. He maintains an on-again-off-again relationship with Kylie, which leaves him the butt of many jokes.

Garret Miller Date of Birth: 1979 Motivation: Excitement! Critter Type: Human Attributes: Str 3 Dex 2 Con 3 Int 3 Per 2 Will 4 Ability Scores: Muscle 12, Combat 14 Brains 12, Life Points: 49 Drama Points: 10 Special Abilities: Physical Disability (Crippled Legs), Reckless (-2), Athlete, Hard to Kill 5, Fear of Rejection, Phobia (Claustrophobic)

Name - Score - Damage - Notes Proton Pack - 14 - 9 (3xSL) - Fire, Grabs Ghosts (Str doubled to escape) The ex-extreme sports junkie hasn't lost his need for adrenaline rushes, even though one stunt cost him the use of his legs. Stubborn or stupid, he did not allow his disability to prevent him from many activities. The job as a Ghostbusters fills his adrenaline needs perfectly, and the added bonus of helping people out is not lost on him either.

Rolland Jackson Date of Birth: 1979 Motivation: Maintain the equipment. Critter Type: Human Attributes: Str 3, Dex 2, Con 3, Int 3, Per 2, Will 3 Ability Scores: Muscle 12, Combat 14, Brains 14, Life Points: 34 Drama Points: 10 Special Abilities: Misfit, Emotional Problems (Easily Flustered), +2 Mr. Fix It Name - Score - Damage - Notes Proton Pack - 14 - 9 (3xSL) - Fire, Grabs Ghosts (Str doubled to escape) Rolland is one of the few Ghostbusters currently on the team who appreciates and understands the science behind all of the equipment. Rolland cares for and updates most of the equipment with Egon.

Slimer Motivation: FOOD! Critter Type: Ghost Attributes: Str (3), Dex (4), Con (5), Int 2, Per 3, Will 4 Ability Scores: Muscle 12, Combat 12, Brains 14, Life Points: (42) Drama Points: 5 Special Abilities: Manifestation (Partial), Poltergeist, Slime trail Name - Score - Damage - Notes Telekinesis - 14 - Varies - Strength 2 attack, leaves slime The loyal ghost of the crew, no one really knows how Slimer became their mascot, but they don't seem to mind him much. Except when he eats their food or gives them hugs and kisses.

Janine Melnitz-Spengler Date of Birth: 1952 Motivation: Keep job in order Critter Type: Human Attributes: Str 1, Dex 2, Con 2, Int 3, Per 3, Will 2 Ability Scores: Muscle 8, Combat 9, Brains 12, Life Points: 21 Drama Points: 5 Special Abilities: Attractiveness +1, Love, Psychic Visions Name - Score - Damage - Notes Dodge - 9 - None - Defense Action Janine remains in the Ghostbuster's Employ, even after all this time, largely because of her longstanding attraction to Egon. They have begun to date and their relationship so far has been stable (though Egon is still extremely awkward about the subject, which she finds endearing).

[pckdrop]

[ EMBRACE ]: sender quickly wraps the receiver in a protective hug and turns so the sender’s back might take on the brunt of an on-coming attack. ( secret/brooklyn and jonathan )

working at arkham came with explicit and obvious risks, one that brooklyn remained privy to when it came to anything she did. luckily since she worked in the basement in bookkeeping, she rarely had to come in contact with any of the prisoners. but when the alarm went off alerting the staff of an escaped prisoner, she found herself on edge. she knew that she had to get to the designated ‘safe room’ for events like these, but something in her gut was telling her to stay put. despite this gut feeling, she slowly began her ascent to the safe room. that’s when she found herself suddenly cornered with the patient that the staff was most likely on the hunt for, the man holding a makeshift weapon in his hand. her breath caught in her throat as he charged her, a sudden pair of arms wrapping around her and finding herself pulled into a shielding embrace. a noise of surprise escaped her as she was pulled into the embrace, a look of apprehension in her eyes as she glanced up to scan over the other’s face in confusion. “dr. crane, are you okay?” had the weapon actually hurt him? had he been stabbed?

[blueberrybananasmoothie]

Man, I hope Brooklyn Nine-Nine gets a proper ending instead of being canceled.  Not because it’s a good show that deserves it, although, sure, that too.  I hope B99 gets a proper ending because (season 1-4 spoilers ahead) so far the season finales have been:

Jake goes undercover for the FBI.

Wuntch forces Holt to leave the 99.

Jake and Holt go into witness protection.

Jake and Rosa are found guilty of bank robbery.

I haven’t seen season 5 yet.  Anyways, all of these are cliffhangers.  It would’ve sucked if any of those had been the last episode.  I hope that Brooklyn Nine-Nine gets a proper ending, instead stopping after an episode like that.

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Omertà👄13

Warnings: noncon sexual acts (intercourse); tags to be added throughout series

This is dark!Bucky and dark! Loki and explicit. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.

Summary: Your father was a bookie and taught you everything you know about numbers. After his death, you were taken on as a bookkeeper for Loki Laufeyson, resident crime boss in Manhattan. But can you keep your place in the background when a man from Brooklyn threatens to drag you to the forefront?

Note: Alright, I cranked it out. Here ya go! 

Hope you enjoy it. Thank you. Love you guys!

As always, if you can, please leave some feedback, like and reblog <3

Steve got you back to the casino in one piece but you weren’t foolish enough to think it was because of your pathetic play with the pen. You suspected his behaviour hadn’t entirely been spontaneous. His boss surely had something to do with it though how, you couldn’t guess. 

You waited in the office on the second floor for the delivery of the carelessly selected furniture. After the scene against the desk, you were less than interested in your actual purpose in the store. Your selection had been impulsive and rushed.

You helped the men as they set up the large wooden desk and the purple suede chair you tacked onto the purchase. There was also a set of simple arm chairs that you placed opposite each other around the low table preserved from the casino’s skeleton and the jade paperweight better used as a bludgeon. 

You like the carved curlicues along the sides of the table and really didn’t mind the overall effect. It was much better than your former school-girlish set up in the antique shop. In fact, a third room had been cleared out to provide your own space though you noted that Bucky’s own separated you from Loki. A deliberate and heavy-handed move.

You locked your ledger in the second drawer as your irritated boss appeared and sneered at the mismatched set-up. You were thankful that he arrived alone. Though you suspected he did not feel the same. He crossed his arms as he refused to cross the threshold.

“It’s late,” He hissed.

You looked at him. He didn’t need to say anything else. His faced was drawn in a sharp scowl and his green eyes burned as they skittered around impatiently. You grabbed your bag and rounded the desk to meet him at the door.

“Thor?” You asked.

“Late. Still.” He turned and strode down the hallway, barely concerned about your presence as he did. “As always. I’m hardly surprised and yet I am entirely annoyed.”

You grumbled and followed him down the wide staircase to the foyer. The men continued their work, the hammering and drilling, as you passed. Outside, the air was cool and you could smell the water as its mist wafted over the boardwalk not far from the casino.

Silent, you dropped into the passenger seat of Loki’s car and he cleared his throat as he swung his long legs under the steering wheel. He shifted in the seat and shoved the keys in the ignition. His fingers tapped on the leather wheel before he turned the engine and roared away from the curb.

“Your little shopping spree,” He snarled. “How did that go?”

“It… went,” You sighed and leaned against the door. “I don’t dare ask about your own day.”

His knuckles whitened as he gripped the wheel even tighter and ignored a red light. He hissed as he kept his fiery gaze on the road ahead.

“That… imbecile…” He muttered. “And his damn one percent!”

You were quiet as you stared at the dashboard. You adjusted your bag in your lap and tangled your arm in the strap. You could smirk and say I told you so but that would do you no favour.

“I say one thing, he wants the other,” Loki continued. “As if I’m stupid enough not to realise it is all a joke to him. If I were to say the sky is blue, he’d declare it yellow. And--” Loki huffed and pulled a hand away from the wheel to smooth his hair. “You!”

Your eyes rounded in confusion as you peered over at him.

“I know he won’t leave you alone,” He growled. “He can’t leave my things alone. Like a child.”

You blinked and frowned. While his ire was mostly aimed at Bucky, you knew it would not be thrust upon him. You shook your head and turned back to the gaze out the windshield.

“And this business with the hotel rooms,” He carried on. “As if to keep us apart. To keep me from my toy.”

You hugged your bag tightly, growing irritated by his ranting. But his blatant disregard for you. The scabbed cut on your pelvis itched beneath your dress.

“Well, darling, he has only fed my appetite,” He smirked. “And I don’t care if the entire city should hear me sate it.”

“Christ,” You uttered as he pulled up to the front of the hotel. 

As he did, a man in a dark blue jacket approached and stood in wait at the curb. Loki shot you a warning look as you opened your door. He neared the valet and handed him his keys with a curt order not to manhandle it and his room number. 

You gave an apologetic smile to the employee and dug around in your bag. You fished out a fifty and offered it to him with a sorry before he could round the car.

You turned and found Loki with his arms crossed waiting by the hotel’s facade, the door held open by another man in a similar jacket. You hurried over, your heels loudly clicking across the walkway. He turned and preceded you as you struggled to keep up.

“I can pay my own way, darling,” He grumbled under his breath. “Speaking of.”

He held out his hand and you fished around for the black card. You slipped it into his palm as he swept over to the elevators and he quickly tucked it away. He hit the button and waited with his hand on his hip. He checked his phone and tutted under his breath.

“Fucking Thor,” He waved you forward as the doors slid open. “I swear.”

He got into the elevator with you and you watched his reflection in the doors as they closed. His eyes went to the ceiling as he roiled with anger and impatience. You didn’t see this turning out well. Your fears were confirmed as his gaze found your owned mirrored image and flared. His tongue poked out and the corner of his mouth curved.

He grabbed your elbow as the elevator dinged and he dragged you out with him. Your bag slipped down your other arm and you barely caught it before it hit the floor. You stumbled over your feet as he pulled out his room key and checked the number in the shiny folder. 

He slipped the card out with two fingers and stopped before the suite at the end of the hallway. He flicked it along the slot and the light flashed a pale purple as the lock sounded. He pushed inward and as good as flung you inside. You caught yourself on the small table beneath the regal mirror, a doorway just beside it which led to a darkened bathroom.

The door closed with a decisive click and Loki brushed past you. You set your bag down and watched him pace the large suite as he removed his jacket. A kitchenette, a luscious living space, a polished dining set, and an immense sliding glass door led to the high balcony. Another doorway at the other end of the suite led to what you assumed was the bedroom.

Loki tugged at his tie as he neared the sofa and pulled out his phone once more. One hand worked at untangling his tie as the other typed out something on the screen. He dumped both on the table behind him and turned back to the cushions.

“Come on,” He pointed to the couch. “I’m not in the mood to argue.”

You hesitated before you walked across the marble floor and onto the rich rug. You stopped at the end of the sofa and shook your head.

“Why--”

“No. No.” He grabbed your upper arm and pulled you towards him. “This entire day has been one big argument, I’ll not have another. Especially with you, darling.”

He spun you to face the couch and shoved you harshly. Your knees hit the edge and you fell awkwardly onto the cushion. He pushed you down so that your chest was against the back of the sofa as his other hand hiked up your dress. You wriggled and reached back to slap him away. He caught your wrist and twisted cruelly.

“Must we continue like this?” He snarled. “My patience with you runs thinner and thinner, darling, and I become more inclined to…” He squeezed your wrist and bent your arm further up your back until you whined. “Really make you suffer.”

You whimpered and he kept a hold of your wrist.

“Now do you prefer I break your arm then fuck you, or just the latter?” He added more pressure and you cried out.

“Ah, stop, stop!” You pleaded. “Fuck, Loki! Stop! Okay, okay!”

He released you harshly and your arm shook as you drew it away. You shakily touched your skirt and drew it over your thigh. He ripped it up entirely to your waist and pushed you against the couch so that your arms were bent between you and the upholstery. Your arm still throbbed as the blood rushed back to your hand.

“Good girl,” He smacked your ass sharply and his long fingers crept beneath the elastic of your panties and tugged them down just as roughly. 

He fumbled behind you and you heard the familiar metallic clink. You closed your eyes and hung your head. Maybe he would be quick. Ha, did it matter?

He stepped closer and you felt his smooth, swollen tip against your ass. He gripped your shoulder and bent you further. He guided himself down to your folds and rubbed along them. He growled and pushed into you without warning. You weren’t quite wet enough and it hurt. You bit into the heel of your hand as your other grasped the couch.

He rutted into you without pause. You grunted and gritted your teeth as you clung to the back of the sofa. He jerked your body with each thrust as his breaths grew heady. One hand kept hold of your shoulder as the other closed over your hip. His pelvis hit your ass with loud slaps and his groans sounded like bestial growls.

“Fuck,” He uttered as he sped up and dug his nails into your hip. “Come on, give me something.”

He slammed you back into him and you shuddered. You did your best to move your body in tandem with his. Your spine ached as he pounded into you harder and harder. You panted into the thick fabric of the sofa and clamped your lips shut as you held in the unbidden moans.

“Ah, shit. Darl--”

His voice died and he stopped suddenly, completely sheathed in you, as a knock came at the door. You lifted your head and he reluctantly slipped his hand from your shoulder. He pinched your ass as he pulled out of you. He took a breath and exhaled slowly.

“Fuck, must be our bags,” He stepped back and you carefully stood as he tucked his cock away and buckled his pants. 

He found his jacket slung over a chair and pulled it on in an attempt to hide his unspent arousal. You pulled your panties up and straightened your skirt as you turned to sit on the sofa. You clasped your hands over your lap as you watched him near the door. He cursed again as he peered through the peephole.

He grabbed the handle and shook his head as he slowly opened it. You were just as uneasy as him to find Thor on the other side. The older brother wasted no time as he grinned and entered with a casual ‘hey’. He pushed past Loki as he looked around, his eyes falling on you as you tried to keep your cool.

“This is quite the room,” Thor mused as he came close. He turned back as he reached the couch and looked to his brother. “Everything you need, eh?”

He flopped onto the couch next to you and stretched his arm behind you.

“All the amenities,” He winked and his arm fell down onto your shoulders.

Loki squinted and sighed. He took the chair where his jacket had formerly resided and shifted awkwardly on the seat.

“You’re late.” Loki declared.

“Well, shit, I had a lot to do before I could just leave behind your business,” Thor retorted as he played with the sleeve of your dress. “You know, Heimdall flew all the way from London, all night, so you know, unlike you, I do allow my workers some degree of humanity. He took a nap before we could get all sorted.”

“A nap?” Loki rolled his eyes.

“You ever let your sweet bookkeeper sleep?” Thor asked as his arm hugged you. “I can’t say I would but…” He glanced over at you. “She looks tired, doesn’t she?”

You wriggled and tried to draw away. He was strong and you suspected his brother would do little to aid your escape. You glared at Loki and his lips thinned.

“Oh… oh, did I interrupt something?” Thor chuckled. “Well, don’t mind me, it’ll be like I’m not even here.”

“You’re repulsive,” Loki snorted. “I am certain you might acquire your own board for the night.”

“Front desk says they’re all booked up for the night.” Thor clung to you as his other large hand rested on his thigh and he rubbed his trousers with his finger tips. “So looks like we’ll be rooming together, brother, hmm? Just like when we were boys.”

“Hopefully not,” Loki sneered. “You will take her room, then.”

“Ah, no, I could not inconvenience the girl. I see you’ve already done so.” Thor insisted. “Beside, we do have much to discuss, wouldn’t you agree?”

Loki leaned forward, his elbows on his knees as he steepled his fingers together and pressed his lips to them. His eyes bore into Thor and then flitted to you. He sat back and nodded.

“You’re right,” He said. “Darling, why don’t you go get settled in your rooms? I’ll send the porter with your bag when he arrives.”

You peeked over at Thor and slowly slid forward. You stood and his arm fell, his hand grazing your ass. You smoothed the front of your dress and cleared your throat.

“Alright.” Your legs felt unsteady as you swept to the entryway and scooped up your bag.

“It is business, brother,” Thor intoned. “Shouldn’t she stay?”

“We can go over numbers tomorrow,” Loki said. “And I would agree with you, she does look tired.” He looked over his shoulder and nodded. “Go on, darling. Enjoy your night. Alone.”

[popculturebuffet]

Amphibia Reviews: The Shut-In

More Halloween Havoc, whoop woop! The Plantars return just in time for Halloween! It’s Shut-In in Wartwood, their version of halloween, but less of a focus on getting candy and more on getting suplies to protect yourselve and barricade yourself in so the moon dosen’t turn you into a monster. I remain not suprised. To pass the time our heroes tell some true spooky stories and Polly tries to find one they weren’t around for.  Phone-Mo: Anne and humanized versions of Polly, Maddie, and Toady watch a cursed video and soon disappear by one. Nothing ominous about that! Dead End: A young Hop Pop serves as Chauffer for a mysterious man played by george takei and death seems to follow them at every stop. Oh myyyyyyyy.  Skin Deep: Sprig and Ivy go to fetch a lost ball and end up running into the skin stealing seamstress. Arson naturally insues..  It’s Terror Time again, with full recap and spoilers, under the cut. 

Whelp, no dancing around it this airing order is weird. And look airing shit in a weird way has been disney’s past time since the 90′s, Darkwing Duck’s airing order is a waking nightmare, and this very show had all of season 1 air within the span of a month and a week in order to get it on disney plus by launch, star vs had it’s last season burned off in three months, and Ducktales pre-covid flip flopped from airing week to week to just one for some reason and then no others for months. Consitency is not their strong suit is what i’m saying and it’s not new.  And yes I get these holiday special episodes are mecurial: their built specifically to slot in wherever without really upsetting continuity: The Casagrandes recently aired their first season 2 episode before even finishing season 1, so this isn’t just a disney thing, while speaking of disney things ducktales had it’s first proper halloweeen episode air the week before a spring break set episode, with a christmas episode set to air next month. What i’m saying is I get these things sometimes don’t air in production order, but it’s less excuable on Disney’s part here when it’d take airing exactly one episode for this not to be a tad jarring. Not enough that it spoils the episode nor does the episode effect the ongoing story or continuity in any way, so it’s not TERRIBLE but it smacks of lazy incompetence on Disney’s part and I wish they’d do better already. 

Okay that rant out of the way we can dive right in! It’s the annual Shut-In in Wartwood! Basically their verison of halloween but instead of a fun spooky holiday, it’s the annual tradition of getting various things from the neighbors to help stay indoors during the blue moon, which in wartwood turns whoever views into a monster. Because of course their halloween is a fight for suvival. Also theirs pumpkins everywhere with their versions of jack o lanterns being fear gourds which.. okay. Point is instead of candy the kids trick or treating has turned up rusty nails, a hatchet, a first aid kit and anne, winning the night, a flamethrower! On one hand it’s neat these exist in wartwood via fire breathing slugs. On the other I do worry about Anne accidently burning everyone and everything down so please take that from her. 

The Plantars then lock themselves in. To stave off bordeom, Shut-In tradition is to go around the fire and tell each other creepy true stories that happened to them. Polly tries going first but just has the Inn story from last season which they were all there for.. thought hat dosen’t make complete sense as they werent’ awake for all of it and shoudl’ve just let her tell her side of things. But eh it sets up polly’s plot so fair enough. Luckily anne has one. So we get our first tale of terror Terror Tales of the Park/Treehouse of Horror III Styles...

Phone-Mo 

Anne’s story is very clearly made up, though no one really calls her on it and it DOES add elemnts from the domino II story from last season so fair enough.  Rather than use her real friends, which is fair enough since she just sadly had to say goodbye to Marcy and probably isn’t handeling the guilt well and Sasha you know.. tried to stab her a few months back then tried sacrifcing herself for Anne’s own well being. Point is thnking about them is a loaaded issue right now so instead she dreams up human versions of Sprig, Polly, with a bucket on her foot for a shot which is a nice visual gag, as is how we meet them, along with Maddie and for some weird reason Toady. I mean I do get Ivy is in our third story, so fair enough, but they could’ve used.. anyone else. Wally would’ve made more sense honestly and he’s also an adult but he’s also you know Anne’s friend and not some town asshole she vaugley knows. It’s just weird. That said I do love the human designs for everyone and they clearly put a lot of work in knowing the fans would like them, with little touches like Polly having pink hair, sprig having his normal haircut he does under the hat but not covered up and toady’s phone having a little keychain of his amphibia version. Also while they all have diffrent names including Anne I won’t be using them on the grounds that I don’t wanna. 

Anne and the plantars are watching a funny internet video when Toady and Maddie offer to show them one that’s apparently cursed and makes whoever watched it disappear. Sprig talks Anne out of it and keeps her from watching anyway but Polly’s naturally all in. ON the way to class, once sprig is gone, anne ends up watching it and liking it anyway because she has no self control and freely admits it.  Naturally given this is a halloween episode, the others start disapearing, with Maddie coming to anne with support after Toady vanishes which again is just.. weird. It’s just weird to hear anyone car about wether toady lives or dies. It keeps throwing me off. Anne reasssures her but sure enough the second anne’s gone Maddie’s phone eats her alive. Still nice to see her again. Regular Maddie should get a hoodie. Also anne apparently eats the corners of her sandwitch so she dosen’t have to share. Clever girl.  Back at home where Anne continues to mock whoever it is told her she can’t write stories as she makes a gila monster and a flamingo make out, where are they I must hurt them, when Sprig calls panicked that polly is missing and admits i’ts a good thing they ddin’t watch the video.. yeah about that. Sprig is of course freaked, and soon the video pops on anne’s phone and soon the weird cat thing inside comes to life and then turns deadly.. also it turns out it eats the host then forces them to be int he background of the video, which was hinted at earlier with one guy having been in there for 35 years.. despite having a smartphone. Well this is anne’s story I don’t think she knows those didn’t exist once. 

Luckily Anne figures out how to beat it.. in the most hilarious way possible. by disliking it, since liking and commeting linked it to her, she weakens it before finishing it with a rude comment. It’s.. i’ts purespun comedy gold. This frees everyone else and they leave along with sprig.. but eggs are left behind. Dun dun dun.  Final Thoughts on Phone Mo:

First off .. I have no idea what FOMO means so the title left me as lost at first at the plantars... oh okay it’s fear of missing out.. should’ve remebered that from brooklyn nine nine and amy’s legendadrily bad case of it. Aw well a decent story, if the weakest of the three. It does have an incredibly funny conclusion, neat human designs, and an intresting setting given while school stories are common, usually we don’t get that here so it’s a nice break from the norm. But compared to the genuinely chilling with a funny and odd climax next two, it’s just okay. Not bad, but not quite as good.  Back in the present, Polly once again tries this time with children of the spore, once again being shot down though that being said hop pop’s line of “I was responsible for that one” was given a great delvery by charlie addler. Also Anne missed Wally’s birthday and he’s sad. oh Wally. Though i’m sure she’ll make it up to him.. at least he’s back home. So anyways speaking of HOp Pop, it’s his turn for a story...

Dead End:  And it’s a story from Hop Pop’s Youth! Given we’ve never SEEN hop pop beyond his present day and only heard the ocasional scrap, it’s REALLY nice to hear. It dosen’t tell us a ton more granted, but we at least see what he looked like, get to hear charlie adler use a slightly less aged voice for him and get to see him with a luxrious golden mane of johnny bravo hair, which is as hilaroius and glorious as it sounds. 

Back in those days Hop Pop was a coachman. He still had the farm, but given how tight things are now it’s not a stretch to assume he could always use some extra coppers to keep his family we never get to know about besides the grandkids fed. He also prides himself on honest work, not taking payment till the rides finished and the customer is satisfied which is INCREIDBLY risky, but I do kinda get it both for Hopidah’s sense of honor and because it seems clear he mostly does it in town by the fact all his stops this ep are within wartwood or close enough, so clearly it’s mostly people he knows personally.  This time though the rider is the well dressed, crimson red Mr. Littlepot, played by George Takei. Best known for Star Trek, being out and proud and since coming out after years and years in the closet, using his celebrity to help promote gay rights and other good stuff. He’s also known for saying ohhhh myyy and this clip from futurama. 

I got a lot of respect for the guy, He was even in archie comics once after Kevin Keller was introduced. So it’s nice to see him doing some voice work and he kills it here.. pun intended but more on that in a sec. Littlepot has some simple rule: keep driving no matter what hapepned where he was.. and given both places he ends up have someone dying, once by a horrifying looking snake, it’s clear somethings up. IT also nicely builds the tension as hop pop tries to steady himself, but is clearly cracking as he realizes his client might be murdering people he knows.. and he could be next. As Hopidiah KNOWS each person Littlepot visits and it nicely ratches up the tension. But turns out he’s not a killer.. he’s simplyd eath himself come to collect those already about to die. 

It’s a nice twist: The genuine trappings of the guy make you think h’es some form of the devil, the crimson skin, yellow eyes and cultured demanor.. it’s only as he goes you start to realize what the man actually is and even then he easily could still be frog satan. But no he’s just the frog reaper and defends himself to Hop Pop when confronted: He’s just doing his job, just like Hopidiah, getting people where they need to be. Unforutnately for Hop Pop his final stop is the farm.. though thankfully for him he hasnt come for Hopidiah.. just his hair. Yeah it’s a nice comedic twist on an otherwise chiling and well done story that what the devil came to take is his hair.. which he starts wearing hilariously. So Hop Pop lives but sobs, and Anne points out it was pretty fucked up. 

Final Thoughts for Dead End:  Not much to say. This one was dripping with atmosphere, Takei was utterly awesome and need to do more voice work, and the comedic ending twist was really damn funny. Top notch. 

Polly tries again, gets shut down again and is now really understandably frustrated at not having a story. Naturally given the other plantars have gone though, Sprig does. And he dosen’t have at itle at first until one cuts him off ....

Skin Deep:

Ivy’s Back! 

Yeah I was genuinely worried the return ep would break up either her and sprig or hop pop and silvia.. and while the second one remains a horrifying sword of damocles over my head, Sprig and Ivy are fine and Ivy gets a nice spotlight episode here. It was a pleasant surprise to get some fresh info since i’tll be months till we find out anything else.  So the young couple are playing bugball down at the old courts, when a couple of guys they were up to no good, started making trouble in the neghborhood. Sprig got in one little fight and Hop Pop got scared he said “your moving with your auntie and uncle to bell air”. He begged and pleaded day after day but Hop Pop packed his suit case and sent him on his way. He gave him a kiss and then he gave him a ticket Sprig put his walkman on and thought he might as well kick it. First class yo this ain’t bad, drinking orange juice out of a champagne glass. Is this what the people of bel air live like, yo, this might be alirght!   He whistled for a cab and when it came near the liscene plate said fresh and it had dice in the mirror, if anything he could say that this cab was rare but he thought man forget it yo holmes to bell air. He pulled up to the cab about 7 or 8 and yelled to the cabbie yo holmes smell ya later. He looked at his kingdom and he was finally there to sit on his throne as the fresh prince of bell air. 

So then Will walked into the mansion and wait.. wrong show.. so the young couple are playing bugball when they loose their ball, and it goes off into the creepy part of the woods. Ivy also looses her hat and is self concious about her hair. Looks fine to sprig but she’d rather not. Aww she’s insecure. But the two head off with Sprig getting more and more nervous, as Ivy details a legend about the area of the seamstress, a mysterious recluse who steals your skin! Naturally Sprig is nettled while Ivy says it’s fine and does what anyone would do upon finding out the ball went into a creepy abandoned shack in a world where it’s clear murderers are pretty common: kick down the door! It’s the perfect crime. 

Naturally Sprig gets more unernved, finding a set of needles and thread, which gets a great gag as Ivy points out that’s nto that uncommon.. but the giant pile of skin they find sure is!

Oh.. it gets worse me. Sprig finds the ball. and the Seamstress who has a horrifying patchwork of skins on her and wants to add theirs.. the kids are naturally spooked and prepare to flee but she wants their skin and grabs ivy! Thankfully she breaks free and Sprig busts some off.. OH GOD.. and it turns out she’s a glass frog! .. turns out theres a kind of frog that has translucent skin.

But yeah obvoiusly the show takes it a step further, and her skin is entirely see through. Poor girl. Ivy sympathizes shows off her hair.. then puts her hat over the Seamstress’ eyes and tells sprig now, and sprig starts a fire, and the two start to escape when he grabs Ivy’s leg!

Thankfully Ivy breaks free and the two leave her to die. Sprig compliments ivy’s hair, ivy gets him a smooch it’s all adorable and they defintely murdered someone who defintely murdered a lot of people. Horay!

Naturally the rest of the family is freaked out by this with Anne wanting to know if ivy being bitten means sh’es infected and Hop Pop wanting to know if one of her skins was his friend fred he hasn’t seen in a while. Sprig then spooks them by having ivy show up, complete with a burlap frog skin.. maybe. She could’ve been lying. We dunno. Ivy heads home to risk her life for a good gag, depsite the fact her boyfriend’s house is right there and her mom and grandmom clearly had to sign off on this shenanigan given the night. But this life risking prank naturally risks some life as Polly has ran off to look at the moon to get her own story. The rest of hte family runs after her only tfind it did.. ntohing. She’s apparently fine just fine and they assure her the fear they felt thinking she might become some kind of monster was scarier than any story and the rest of them head home with polly following.. after transofrming. Turns out the moon DOES make you into monsters but she’s fine with it. She’s got her legs now! Everyone screams understandably, Anne finally realizes this isn’t quite a holiday the end. 

Final Thoughts on Skin Game and the special as a whole: Easily my faviorite, partly for shipping reasons as I do like Ivy and Sprig together, and partly because it really let Ivy have a roll OTHER than sprig’s love intrest. Sure she still smooched his cheek and their clearly still together, but she got to be proactive, badass and hilariously impulsive and trollish. It was a nice change of pace and the story itslef was the best of the bunch to me becuase of that, though Dead End was really close.  Overall this was a nice treat, a good anthology with lots of fright and humor and a nice wraparound story arc with polly, as well as some nice call backs to previous episodes. An utterly excellent halloween special i’ll probably be revisiting every year and another slam dunk from disney this year. The airing snaufu really dosen’t hurt it any and in the future this one will likely be after Return to Wartwood on D+ anyway so no harm done. Great all around. If you liked this review follow me for more amphibia whenever it comes back, ducktales reviews every monday, and loud house reviews every saturday or sunday depending. And until next time stay safe, stay spooky and happy halloween!

[carmenlire]

Dead to Rights

Happy Birthday to the wonderful @bytheangell! I hope this incorporates the elements you were hoping for, including angst with a happy ending and something with enemies!

read on ao3

It wasn’t supposed to be like this.

No, Magnus thinks as he watches possibility turn to ash. He never thought that this was how their story would end.

In half a millennia, Magnus has both suffered and created terror the likes of which most will never know. He’s had a hand in razing cities, been lucky enough to rebuild a few others. Before Alec, he’d thought his heart carved from the most stubborn stone. Ennui became his constant companion and despite what he told the world, he’d been inching closer and closer to Camille’s mercenary philosophy on the life of an immortal.

It’s not until now, though, that he realizes with bone shattering certainty just how much the shadowhunter had changed things.

Magnus yells but over the roar of battle it makes little difference. From the corner of his eye, he sees the parabatai fall to the ground, his blonde hair matted with blood and his face pure, gut-wrenching pain.

Barely paying it any mind, Magnus rushes to Alec’s side.

He’s heedless with his magic and it scorches whoever-- whatever-- comes too close. The demons in his way are incinerated with negligent hands bathed in crimson. By the time he gets to the Head of the Institute, Magnus has managed to kill every last one of the enemy.

Bitter, all he can think is that he’d still been too late.

As he falls to his knees beside the eldest Lightwood, he can hardly remember all those perfectly valid, logical qualms that had kept them away from each other as first the bitterest of enemies, before their relationship had grown into the most steadfast of allies.

Never anything more, but it had been everything all the same.

Looking down, Magnus raises his hands and the shift to blue is gradual for all that it happens in a moment. Even as he starts pouring healing magic in to Alec, however, he knows it’s a waste.

Terror scalds his throat and it takes more effort than he’d ever admit to keep a reign on his emotions.

Still, his magic reacts to them all the same and the wave of blue is dense, impenetrable as Magnus tries to save Alec with everything he’s got.

“Magnus.”

His indrawn breath sounds like a gasp, like a sob around the edges, but Magnus doesn’t move his gaze from where he’s trying desperately to heal the appalling wound.

He gags when he sees Alexander’s torn, ravaged heart through broken ribs but his magic does not falter.

There’s a choking sound and then in his peripheral, Magnus becomes aware of a hand he’d know anywhere landing on one of his own. His magic doesn’t stop but it does dampen and he sags down onto his knees until he almost thinks he’ll fall right through the asphalt.

“Magnus.”

Magnus finally looks up and it’s only then that he realizes he’s crying when the body before him is blurry, soft at the edges as it only is when the loft’s morning light surrounds them.

He watches Alec’s lips move, though nothing comes out except the barest suggestion of air at first. It’s painful-- it feels like a vise is gripping his own throat as Magnus watches for his love’s last words-- and Magnus finds himself bending over, his spine a stark curve, until their lips are almost touching.

“Enough, Magnus.” Alec’s hand covers his.

While part of Magnus wants to blame the fact that Alec’s on death’s door for the way he doesn’t flinch as blue wraps around his hand, his wrist, most of him knows that even if Alec were perfectly sober and healthy, the blasted man would still have the same reaction.

Magnus grieves for that as much as for the rest of it.

“Oh, darling, look at you,” Magnus whispers and he closes his eyes as he feels Alec’s breath on his lips for the last time.

He shudders and Alec’s hand tightens around his and it’s all so goddamn unfair that Magnus wants to shout at the injustice of it all.

Behind his eyes, he relives dozens of memories and regret tastes like ash.

As though he can follow Magnus’s thoughts-- and Magnus wouldn’t even be surprised if it were true-- Alec murmurs, “Remember the first time we met?”

Magnus laughs and they both ignore its ragged edges. “How could I forget. You saved my life and then brought me into the Institute for questioning.”

Alec’s mouth quirks up into the faintest grin and when Magnus opens his eyes, he can almost believe it’s a normal evening and they’re bickering right before he portals them to dinner. He sees the threads of silver that have just barely started at Alec’s temples, the lines at his eyes that speak of the thousands of times Alec’s grinned at one of his puns, and his eyes.

Oh, his eyes, Magnus thinks. They still hold both heaven and hell in dueling shades of hazel.

“Yeah,” Alec says, bringing Magnus back. “And then you called me an opportunistic, self-aggrandizing bastard and opened a portal up right into my Institute’s command center.” He’s quiet for a moment and his voice is quiet when he next speaks, his words piercing Magnus to the core.

“I need to know, babe. If things were different-- if we weren’t in the shadow world, if it was a hundred years in the future, if either of us just cared a little bit less about our work-- do you think we would’ve made it?”

Magnus’s heart bleeds at the question and he looks down instinctively at those piercing eyes. His gaze lands on Alec’s wound and he swallows desperately against the bile that rises in his throat. Still, there’s not a doubt in his mind about the answer to Alec’s question.

Before he answers, though, he does something that he’s waited a lifetime for-- he’s thought on more than one occasion that he doesn’t remember a time when his every wish wasn’t centered just on this.

He closes that last crucial bit of distance between them and kisses Alec. His love tastes mostly like Magnus always figured he would-- he tastes like coming home. There’s a bitter thread of fear that runs through the kiss, though, and Magnus can’t forget for a second why he’s allowing them both this final goodbye.

So he pours everything he is and everything he’s held for Alec all these years into that goddamn kiss. He feels more than hears Alec’s moan and thinks that it’s only partly from pain. He doesn’t pull away, though, seems to instead sink into Magnus’s touch and so Magnus doesn’t pull away either.

Not until his lungs threaten to give out and he loses his anchor.

Distantly, he thinks that he’s already lost his anchor-- Alec, who’s held him steadfast for damn near thirty years. Even when they didn’t speak, even when they couldn’t, Alec’s remained the sun from which his own life revolved.

The prospect of losing that would bring Magnus to his knees if he wasn’t already there.

When the kiss breaks, they both breath harshly in the post-battle silence. No one nears them and Magnus doesn’t even want to think about the aftermath of that kiss.

So he doesn’t.

He focuses on Alec, instead, and they smile at each other. Their eyes say everything they can’t but their hearts know all the same.

“Of course, Alexander,” Magnus finally replies, voice hoarse. “In another world, I have every faith that we live happily ever after.”

The phrase should be trite, laughably inappropriate for the High Warlock of Brooklyn and the Head of the New York Institute. They should be sworn enemies and yet.

And yet.

Magnus doesn’t take it back and finds he’s loathe to when everything in Alec seems to relax at the confirmation.

Magnus takes his free hand-- the one not still held in Alec’s stubborn grip-- and sweeps a thumb over his cheek, following the path of a heavy five o’clock shadow that's as familiar as his own goatee.

It’s just a few moments before Alec no longer has the strength to keep his eyes open but Magnus’s hand doesn’t stop it’s gentle caress and Alec sighs as he turns his head imperceptibly closer to his touch.

Magnus leans down one last time-- only the second time, he thinks with bitter resignation-- and lays another kiss on Alec’s mouth, so soft that he could almost believe it was all a dream.

“Sleep well, my darling.” Magnus bites his tongue but finds that he doesn’t want to keep these last words to himself, not after all this time. His voice cracks on a whisper as he adds, “I love you.”

He watches Alec’s face light up, muted in its joy, as he replies on a breath, his chest rattling with the effort. “I love you too, Magnus.”

Magnus squeezes his hand a bare second later but gets no response back. His back bows over his love-- his enemy, his friend, his constant companion since that mission all those years ago-- and his grief is a blinding wave that threatens to bring the world to its knees.

--

Magnus wakes with a gasp. Morning light streams through the curtains of their bedroom and he almost breaks his neck as he searches the other side of the bed. His panic is mostly subdued when smells coffee, even as he sees the empty bed.

He takes a second to get his breathing mostly under control. Briefly, he wonders if that was what a heart attack felt like-- like his chest was caving in, everything centered on what felt like a heart breaking in all the ways that mattered.

Resting a hand over his heart, he closes his eyes and focuses on what’s real. He feels the coolness of his wedding band on his chest and the warmth of the sun.

Magnus gets out of bed and doesn’t even bother reaching for his robe before he’s striding to the kitchen.

He stops on the threshold and feels everything slide into place at the sight that greets him.

Alec looks over at that moment and quirks a brow. “You okay, babe? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Straightening from where he’d been leaning against the door jamb, Magnus uses those last few steps to get everything under control. His smile is soft as he slides one hand around his husband’s waist, the other going to the half-full coffee cup in Alec’s grasp.

Alec just shoots him a deadpan look. “I made you your own cup, you know.”

Laughing a little and feeling lighter for it, Magnus leans into Alec and places a lingering kiss to the pulse at his throat. “But yours is so much better, darling.”

He feels Alec huff but neither one says anything else for a little while. Magnus is busy cataloging all the ways this is real and the furthest thing from that fucking nightmare.

His thoughts shift as Alec tilts his head up with a finger under his chin. “Seriously, are you okay? You looked spooked when you came in here.”

Magnus shrugs, looks down at the coffee mug between them. “I woke from a nightmare.”

“That bad,” Alec jokes and Magnus raises his head with a level look.

Whatever he sees makes Alec sober up and Magnus shivers a little before he sets the cup down and wraps both arms around Alec, squeezing just a little, just enough to know that dream is not reality.

He doesn’t really want to get into the particulars, however, so he settles for resting his head against Alec’s heart and feeling the steady beat calm him down to his bones.

It’s quiet in their loft for long moments, until he loses track of time. Finally, Magnus rouses when Alec kisses the top of his head.

Pulling back a little, Magnus catalogs Alec. He knows his husband as well as he knows himself but it’s still a little shocking to see the laugh lines at his eyes and the hair that’s definitely more gray than it was a few years ago.

Alec’s still the most attractive person Magnus has ever met but it strikes him sometimes that they’re not in high school anymore, that they’ve been together twenty eight years next month.

Before he knows it, Magnus asks, “Do you believe in alternate dimensions?”

Instead of laughing it off, Alec takes a moment to think about the question. Finally, he hums a little, replies, “I think I do. I think it would be foolish to assume we’re the only ones out there, the only versions of ourselves. That would be a little arrogant, don’t you think?”

“I think I dreamt of another us.”

“That bad, huh?” Alec’s voice is steady, serious, as he takes his cue from Magnus.

Magnus shudders as his husband sweeps a hand over his back in long, soothing motions.

“They loved each other,” Magnus murmurs, sighing a little as he closes his eyes and gives into the comfort Alec loves to give. “But it wasn’t enough.”

“Sometimes that’s all you can do, babe. Even if it doesn’t work out.”

Magnus smiles a little, tightens his arms that are slung low around Alec’s middle. “We’re damned lucky, Alexander.”

He hears Alec chuckle and it’s familiar even if it still makes him breathless after all this time. “Relationships take effort, Magnus, and we’ve both worked hard to make it work.” There’s a beat before Alec begrudgingly admits, “We might have had a little luck, though.”

The dregs of the nightmare still cling to Magnus and he mourns all the lives where he doesn’t live happily ever after with Alec. He knows without a doubt that he wouldn’t give this up, though, for anything-- the two of them spending a quiet weekend away from their law firm with just each other for company.

It’s everything he could ever want and luckily, it’s everything he could ever hope for. Knowing what Alec looks like bathed in the gold of morning, not being able to sleep without those adorable little snores in his ears, coming home to the love of his life every single goddamn day-- those are facts of his life far more precious than all the gold and silver and diamonds in the world.

“I love you,” Magnus murmurs against Alec’s chest.

There’s not even a breath of pause before Alec replies and he hears the smile in his voice as he says, “I love you too, Magnus.”

[vertigoambrosia]

i was busy most of the day and then crashed cause i forgot to take my meds so i totally forgot that today is shotgun day!

also i was distracted because wxw is gonna do a show here on mania weekend!

jurn’s photo still looks like stank instead of whatever he meant to convey

wxw here wil be kinda weird though cause i think the state athletic commission requires barriers

hopefully the show is at la boom and not whatever wwn’s brooklyn venue will be (because gabe seems to pick th emost out of the way places fucking ever)

seriously the evolve/progress double header that got cancelled was going to be so far out that you had to take a 30 minute bus ride from the train

ugh andy

HAHAHA andy’s face when he realizes they have the footage

christian bischoff: mmm omg stop fucking lying

MY HEAD IS BIG AND MY BRAIN IS BIG

lmaooooooooooooooooooooooo i didn’t think he’d mention the t rex’s tiny arms

ummm no andy you didn’t really beat him the second time he kinda murdered you

awww christian

that was an...interesting choice of openign shot for this promo

it’s kinda weird that they’re having marius vs bobby on this show when this promo is all about him going for the title

omg stop talking about pee

..ok so this promo is just explaining the plot we saw last week

i very much like that lucky and fred are friends though

awww lucky bb don’t be mad with fred

i feel like that’s the first time we’ve seen lucky 0% weird in wxw

looking all fresh

definitely the firs ttime ive heard him speak english

finger connection: denied!

BLAAH: countered!

ok i love this match

i love that fred knows lucky’s little games

wow jeremy that was a really fucking awkward plug for the wXw App

i don’t want lucky to lose but fred needs a win

its super funny when dudes do a sit down powerbomb and then hug the butt during the pin

i’m happy for my child but like is fred going to win a match

connection: accepted!

oh yeah remember when we could have had a one on one title match adn then nope because i guess melanie is gonna be champ now?

not that i’m like, mad that she’s champ, but i was looking forward to kelly/jazzy

yeah kelly you fucked up

femme fatales is gonna own, even if wesna vs satomura should not be first round

where are pete and ivan

i already know what happened with bobby and marius where are my rise boyfriends

lmao i didn’t remember rico saying bobby almost married the shotgun title

OH

THEY’RE MEETING

THEY SPEAK

haaaay ilja

i don’t have anything pithy to sya i just love ilja so much

kinda weird music to put behind the promo though

tag team league music still owns though

still don’t understand why they put jay fk and monster consilting in the same group since weve seen them fight like 2000 times

lmao tarkan pretending like he and tarkan are friends

yes emil don’t let people forget! tarkan drugged pete! that’s super fucked up!

oh boy we’re gonna get a story from andy

andy isn’t the point that you dom’‘t show them the stones?

also i feel like it’d be more apt to say ilja just fucking dives in

shut the fuck up tarkan

gtfo with your tightass pants

‘my champion’? god tarkan could you make it any more obvious that marius is your sugar baby

i am pleased that a key part of marius’ emotional storyline is ‘it seems like, even though he’s evil allied with tarkan, marius still cares about what andy thinks of him’

i’m sleepy now and not entirely invested in this actual match but also i failed to kill a roach in my room so i don’t feel liek going to bed

ok damn that dragon screw int he ropes was nasty

marius’ trunks are sparkly

just a lil tho

in other news i vanquished the roach

fuck him up, lucky!

omg

is this bitch fucking leaving

THIS FUCKING BITCH

ARE MARIUS AND ANDY IN CAHOOTS AFTER ALL????

wtf where are pete and ivan tho

[fmdrorinarchive]

INT.  BROOKLYN THE BURGER JOINT, GANGNAM ● LATE PM. *  ♡  WRITTEN, WITH LOVE, FOR PARK DURI OF KNIGHT !

Honestly speaking, this restaurant is one of the first places she’s been in Korea that truly reminds her of home. The classic diner-style food, the atmosphere, and the “vibe,” in general, lend themselves to American culture fairly well. That, and well, she’s able to indulge in one of her favorite guilty pleasure meals: a giant cheeseburger, a side of french fries, and a milkshake to sweeten things up. Would BC Entertainment threaten to destroy her if they knew what she’s currently putting into her body? Absolutely—but she doesn’t really care much. Lately, when she looks in the mirror, she’s not incredibly pleased with how thin she’s become. Ever since she agreed to follow the eating plan provided by the company’s dietitian, she’s felt hungry and undernourished, but now that she’s at a/n ( underweight ) size that the executives approve of, Michelle figures that she can “cheat” a little bit here and there; mostly to keep her delicately curvaceous figure mostly intact. She realizes that the standards of beauty are hugely different in the East from what they are in the West, and given that she works in Asia, she’s contractually obligated to maintain her appearance to “fit the mold” there, so to speak—especially since she was street-cast based on her visual alone—but that doesn’t mean that she personally enjoys it.

What she fails to realize is that she’s not the only one put under a microscope and told to look flawless at all times, and by choosing to ignore her meal plans, she’s essentially raising a middle finger up to all the other idols who are in the same predicament. If they all have to suffer, then she should have to, too, right? She has some pretty strong opinions on that subject in general, but for tonight, she hopes to just disconnect from those troublesome thoughts and focus in on the man seated before her—one that she felt a magnetic pull towards upon first meeting him. It’s not as though she’s interested in him romantically—not at all—but there’s a sense of warmth she feels from Park Duri that’s comforting to her; one that she thinks she needs in order to be better adjusted to the ever-changing tides of being a public figure. As he’s had more experience than she has, and has mostly remained free of any “damage” to his career, she hopes picking his brain will lead to some peace of mind, especially since she’s about to make her début.

Reaching forward, she grabs onto one of her fries and eats it; smiling at him as she chews. “So, I don’t think I can thank you enough for agreeing to meet up with me tonight.” She hums, taking a moment to peek around at how shockingly vacant the late-night eatery is. “I guess I was just feeling a little lost in everything and I don’t know—you seemed like the perfect person to talk to about it. I hope it’s okay of me to pull you away from whatever plans you may have had...” It’s not like he owes her anything. Michelle just has a feeling that he’s a sweet guy, and that’s why he’s present tonight. “I would hate it if I was interrupting something or whatever...”

[your-dietician]

North America's four biggest pro sports leagues have had only 2 openly gay active players

New Post has been published on https://tattlepress.com/sports/north-americas-four-biggest-pro-sports-leagues-have-had-only-2-openly-gay-active-players/

North America's four biggest pro sports leagues have had only 2 openly gay active players

The laid-back nature of his announcement belies how exceedingly rare it was for Nassib to come out at all.

Those leagues have, combined, had nearly four centuries between them and tens of thousands of players. And of all the men who’ve ever swung a bat, smacked a puck, dodged a tackler or sunk a basket, only a handful have ever come out, typically after they’ve retired.

Nassib is a 6-foot-7 defender with quick feet who competes in one of the world’s most aggressive sports. He’s also an amateur financial literacy instructor who loves Taylor Swift. There’s no precedent for what he’s done — coming out while he’s still in the NFL — and he’s laying the path for players behind him to follow.

The swell of support so far for Nassib might just cause the professional sports world to examine its culture more closely, said Wade Davis, a retired player who trained with some NFL teams during preseasons before coming out in retirement.

“I think that we have to get to a space where athletes, where men in general and where parents, mentors, teachers … start to stretch and force and crack the idea of masculinity open,” Davis told CNN. “Sports leagues have an opportunity and a responsibility to continue to widen our definitions of manhood, knowing that the more that they create spaces for people to be more themselves, the better player they’ll actually be.”

Homophobic language is still part of youth sports culture

The reason why there aren’t more Carl Nassibs isn’t entirely the fault of professional sports — the problems begin on youth teams, said Erik Denison, a behavioral scientist and lead researcher on the Sport Inclusion Project at Monash University in Australia.

Homophobic language is still a regular feature of playing on a boys’ sports team in the US and abroad, Denison’s research shows — one of his studies found that more than half of the ice hockey and rugby players he interviewed said they’d used slurs. Regular exposure to slurs or stereotypes eventually reinforces among players that their success as an athlete is tied to an idea of masculinity that excludes gay men, he said.

Denison described what he calls a “cycle of exclusion” that begins when a boy hears coaches or older players use homophobic language and observes a “positive response” to that behavior — maybe they laugh at each other, or the coach doesn’t challenge them, he said.

That sends the message that homophobic language is harmless and OK to use — and cements the assumption that all members of the team are heterosexual.

Gay players on those teams may also use the language as a shield to hide their sexuality and conform with their team, Denison said. In many cases, though, gay players will just drop out of the sport. And when the language goes unchecked, the cycle continues — all the way up to professional leagues.

“To solve this problem, it needs to start with the coaches, in particular, challenging language and, most importantly, not using that language or behavior themselves,” Denison said. “We often find that male coaches continue to use homophobic language and teach conformity to this tough masculine athlete identity that doesn’t really exist,” he said.

Davis, who spent some preseasons with NFL teams like the Tennessee Titans and Seattle Seahawks until an injury forced him to retire, came out nine years after he left the game — largely because he didn’t want to alienate his teammates.

“It wasn’t the NFL, it wasn’t college, it wasn’t high school that caused me to hide my sexual orientation,” he told CNN. “It was what I learned as a young kid.”

As a child, before Davis understood what it meant to be LGBTQ, he was already absorbing the norms being set around him during practice — that “being gay in those walls was unsafe, that [he] would be in danger.”

In high school, he tried to “comport his boyishness” in such a way so that his teammates wouldn’t consider him effeminate. And by the time he was in an NFL locker room, he said he didn’t hear homophobic slurs being used, but sexist ones.

“What sports are, in a lot of ways, is an opportunity to display dominance,” he said. “So you have one individual who is trying to display dominance over another individual, which, at its core, is sexism and patriarchy over women. Insert someone who’s gay … and you definitely want to have dominion over this gay person, and you actually don’t want them in your space.”

Qualities in players necessary for success in football — dominance, aggression and, occasionally, violence — are often associated with homophobia and sexism, too. So whether or not a male athlete actually holds sexist or homophobic views, features of both are often baked into his sport.

But that’s been the dominant sports culture for decades. Things haven’t changed because the focus on masculinity isn’t seen as harmful if it earns teams some wins, Denison said.

“These problems are viewed as quite marginal problems, ones that don’t need to be addressed,” Denison said.

He’s hopeful that Nassib’s coming out will change that.

Athletes who’ve come out didn’t keep playing for long

The few professional male athletes who came out before Nassib can’t set much of an example for the NFL player to follow — their careers ended shortly after their announcements.

Collins came out at the tail end of his NBA career. He became the first openly gay player in an NBA game when he was signed to a 10-game contract with the Brooklyn Nets in February 2014. He played the rest of the season — about two months — and retired soon after.

Michael Sam, the SEC Defensive Player of the Year, came out in 2014 ahead of the NFL draft and kissed his boyfriend on national TV when the St. Louis Rams selected him in the seventh round. But he ultimately never played a game with them.

Almost 50 years earlier, there was Glenn Burke, a budding Los Angeles Dodgers star whose career was cut short by homophobia in the 1970s, argues Andrew Maraniss, an author and special projects coordinator with Vanderbilt University Athletics, in his book on Burke.

In “Singled Out,” Maraniss details the brief MLB career of Burke, a charismatic teammate who never hid his sexuality from his friends. When his coaches found out he was gay and offered him a sizable sum to marry a woman, he refused. The next season, Burke was traded to the Oakland A’s, where a coach called him a homophobic slur and said he would “contaminate” the team, Maraniss wrote.

“It was considered a very ‘straitlaced,’ quote unquote ‘all-American’ approach to the team,” Maraniss told CNN. “And Glenn just didn’t fit that.”

Burke was eventually sent down to the minors and retired in relative obscurity, coming out only years after his MLB career ended. But it wasn’t his lack of talent that sunk him, Maraniss said.

“He was a phenomenal athlete at the time when majority of straight sports fans in the country assumed that there’s no way there could even be a gay player in the game, let alone the most popular player on his team,” Maraniss said. “I think that Glenn, while he was in the closet and after he came out, was refuting stereotypes.”

After Burke came out privately to his teammates, — who, by Maraniss’ account, largely supported him — he was traded, sent down and forgotten. When Nassib came out, jerseys with his name on it became bestsellers, and his team and coach, Jon Gruden, backed him.

“The idea that it would be seen as ‘bad for business’ [to come out] is completely not the case,” Maraniss said. “That’s one of the lies that has been perpetuated — that this would be a PR hurdle for a team to overcome rather than an opportunity to engage with fans in a positive way, and to use the team’s platform to advance equality.”

Still, stories like Burke’s can be seen as cautionary tales by current professional athletes, said Billy Bean, the MLB’s vice president & special assistant to the commissioner, in an interview for Maraniss’ book. Bean, who came out after he retired in 1999, told the author that for some players, waiting to come out until after they left the game was akin to a shrewd business decision.

“The desire to be a part of something bigger than yourself, the uncertainty of how you would be accepted, and the short time with an incredibly high ceiling of opportunity to realize your dreams and take care of yourself weigh into the decision now more than ever,” he told Maraniss in his book.

In other words, for some players, it’s worth holding off on publicly coming out for a few more years if it means they’ll have a better shot at going pro. In a way, Bean said, sexuality is a “distraction” that pro athletes have learned to ignore.

Closeted athletes will closely watch what happens next

Whether more players feel comfortable coming out depends on what happens next with Nassib, Maraniss said. Will players on opposing teams ridicule him? Will his Raiders teammates defend him? Will coaches have the backbone to speak out against homophobia when they see it?

“Other athletes will be watching closely to see if they deem it worth it for themselves to come out, too,” Maraniss said. “There’s obviously strength in numbers, and we might see other players decide to do it now, like he has.”

Denison said that progress must start at the youth level by curbing the use of gay slurs by coaches and players and deemphasizing a narrow definition of masculinity.

Some professional leagues are doing their part already: Davis was a consultant on LGBTQ issues for the NFL for years, and said he had fruitful conversations with players interested in learning more (or unlearning what they’d known).

Davis said that the more comfortable players feel to be themselves — in the locker room, during a game and when interacting with fans — the stronger they’ll be in the sport they love, no matter their sexuality.

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[louiseeklund]

29 December 2019 Söndag

00:09 Wow. Jag har inte ens tänkt på det men HERREGUD vad jag har skrivit och arbetat i December. 04:09 Jag fullkomligt älskar Filip Johnsson. Han bakom Jelly Crystal. Jag vaknade nu mitt natten, med hans låt, Snake in The Grass, i huvudet och var därmed tvungen att lyssna på den. Hans röst är otrolig och musiken är så otroligt bra på alla sätt. 04:11 Juste. Alla människor som jag säger till att jag börjat sjunga, ger mig komplimanger för min röst. So to speak. ”Jag har hört dig sjunga”, den meningen är så sjuk. Senast sa Daniel det och han sa att han föredrar min röst framför de där bearbetade rösterna som gör att folk låter likadant. Komplimangerna börjar bita i mig. 04:19 Vill bo kvar i Stockholm för att hänga med alla dessa människor som jag inte känner. 04:26 Alla känner verkligen varandra här. Jag vet om vilka folk är, men upplever att jag inte känner någon. Kanske borde jag komma hit oftare och lära känna folk. 04:30 Jag kanske borde lägga på en akt om att vara hårdhudad. 04:33 Jag kanske ska sluta springa. 04:34 Fick höra ”Skillsmässobaren” för första gången i fredags, otrolig ändå. 04:35 Jag måste hitta ett alternativt boende för när jag är Stockholm. 04:36 Varför vill folk inte träffa mig? Vad har jag gjort för fel? 04:37 Imorgon. Idag. Jag måste träffa någon idag. Ska träffa Linnea och Andreas lite snabbt i City. Sedan igen på kvällen. Linnea ska nämligen till Japan i sex månader. 04:39 VARFÖR ÄR JAG SÅ JÄVLA ENSAM?! VARFÖR KAN JAG INGENTING. Daniel sa något bra om att i skolan ska man göra sådant som man annars inte gör, för att lära sig. Det var bra sagt. Han sa också åt mig att nyttja alla verkstäder, möjligheter så mycket som möjligt. Jag skall skärpa mig till våren. Det sociala ska nog få backa lite nu när jag kommer tillbaka. Jag måste bygga upp en plan. Olika deadlines. Jag måste för fan göra allt jag vill göra. Allt jag säger att jag skall göra. Vill inte att det ska vara massa snack. 04:42 Vill också vara med och pitcha något någon gång. Eller egentligen inte. Eller kanske. Men det jag menar är att jag vill hjälpa någon, typ Daniel, att komma på en pitch. En idé till en video. Sedan vill jag även hjälpa till bakom scen. Se hur det är. Kanske är det någonting att jobba med.Jag bill prova på yrkesroller som intresserar mig. Vara i sammanhang som inspirerar mig. Det kanske är det jag ska försöka göra i sommar. Assistera folk. Jag kan inte gömma mig mer. Jag kan inte gömma mig i en liten stad eller på landet. Jag är tjugofem, tjugosex då. Jag beter mig som om jag ska gå i pension och inte någon förtidspension. Jag måste leva mer. Jag måste sluta vara så jävla tråkig. När ska jag ta plats? När ska jag synas? När finns jag till? Jag försöker slita mig loss från allt som varit jag. När ska jag bara börja vara? När ska jag tillåta mig själv att vara mig i alla lägen. När ska jag sluta lägga värderingar i vad andra skulle tänkas tycka om mig. När skall jag sluta bry mig. Nu? Är nu ett bra läge? Nu som idag. Sker. En skiftning nu? Nu som i den 29e December 2019. Är det nu jag går in och går ut som mig själv? Är det nu jag stoltserar med den jag är? Är det nu jag blir självsäker? Låt mig säga ja. 04:54 Jag är Louise Eklund. 12:10 Sov till nu. Glömde bort att jag skulle träffa Linnea och Andreas. Så pinsamt!! 13:07 Känner för att gå på den där gudstjänsten med Erland och Jacob nu. Börjar om fyra timmar. Vilken kyrka? 14:35 Jag är så jävla taggad på nästa år och nästa år börjar om typ tre dagar? Jag är i chock! Daniel sa att han har en del vänner i New York, det verkar vara vanligt. Han sa att han kan matcha upp mig med dem om jag känner mig ensam, för ensam sa han att jag skulle känna mig. Alla är så upptagna i sitt. 15:14 Frågade Emon nu i nyc om han har tid att träffas. Egentligen undrar jag om han har en nyårsfest som jag kan crusha. Insåg idag att jag kommer sitta själv på någon jävla restaurang på självaste nyårsafton. Så himla speciellt. Det är väl en dag att inte vara ensam på. Tror dock att om jag sitter på ett nice ställe och sitter och käkar i typ baren och har en anteckningsbok och skissblock. Så är det lugnt. Det är USA för fan. Klart att jag kommer att hitta någon att prata med. Har ett ställe i tankarna som heter Velo, restaurang Velo eller något, som är en Jazz vegan restaurang. En timmas promenad från Sofias hem. 15:22 Han gör så otroligt bra, häftiga fotokollage. 22:31 Jag har haft en otrolig dag. Skiljdes åt från Linnea, Andreas och Greta nu. Linnea ska till Japan i sex månader. Greta till Uganda i två. Jag till New York i en vecka. 22:38 Martin såg mitt meddelande just då jag tänkte skriva till Jacko. 22:39 Han spelar spel. Jag frågade om jag kan joima. ”Kan jag joina?”. Det beror nog helt på sällskapet. Spelsällskapet. Han har sett men inget svar. Svar. INGET SVAR. 22:39 Jag drack champagne till middag. Flera glas med familjen. Sedan en espresso martini på Tjoget. En sur öl efter det och nu en fuluöl. Eller så full är den inte. Brooklyn lager. Men den är på tapp. Har jag tappat det? Vill verkligen inte hem än. Åker jag hem innebär det att den här dagen är över och då har jag bara en dag kvar i Stockholm och sedan är det ett nytt år och vips.. Livet är förändrat. 22:41 Jag tänker att det är viktigt vilka som hör av sig till mig. Denna helg. Jag borde värdesätta dem mer. Mer. MER. Malin. Martin. Daniel.  Och Jacko tillslut. 22:42 Folk är så jävla unga här, relaterat till Tjoget. Jag vill skriva en bok. Äsh. Martin har börjat skriva men har avbrutit sig. Jag skriver till Jacko. Han lär ändå inte svara. 22:43 Jag skrev till J. Jay. Hm Jag undrar om han har svarat? Emon. Låt mig kolla. 22:44 Han hart svarat. Vad har han skrivit? 22:45 ”Of course I remember”. Han har precis landat i London. 22:46 Oj, han är online nu. Svarade direkt. Sånt är så jobbigt. 22:47 Jag tar Martins icke besvarande som ett nej. Not tonight. 22:49 Samtalet dog ut snabbare än hans svar. 22:51 Så jävla irriterande att inte ha en mobil. Det går ju inte att nå folk. 22:52 ”Jag skulle hellre vara hemlös än att bo på Södermalm”, Var det precis någon som sa så? 22:53 Jag får väl ge folk en kvart att svara. 22:53 Eller juste fan. Baren stänger. 22:54 Skrev till Daniel. 22:55 Jag har en halv öl att häva i mig på fem minuter. Börjar redan sluddra med synen. Går till Tjoget och sätter mig vid den snygga bartendern om ingen svarar i tid. 22:56 De har öppet till ett. 22:56,5 Daniel är online. Svarar. Helt slut. Skrev han. Hade varit nice. Skrev han. Han var ute och dansade igår. Skrev han. 22:57 Fortfarande en halv öl och då har jag druckit. Jag dricker långsamt. Ölen. Jag har tre minuter på mig och han skriver. 22:58 Femtioåtta. Jag sätter mig på Tjoget och skrivar en roman. 22:59 Femtionio. Det känns som om ölen växer med tiden. Varför vill inte Martin se mig. Är han på dejt? Är han med sin familj? Det är sista söndagen på året. 23:01  ”Nu stänger vi här” säger servitrisen på Skånska. skånska. SKÅNSKA. 23:01 Mina värsta personer. Är personer som är mellan 18-20. Plus Tonåringar. Hela tonåren avskyr jag. 23:02 Folk som går till kluster. 23:02 Är jag en odräglig alkis? Eller kanske dräglig? Jag är fan en dräglig alkis. 23:03 De har stängt och jag har en tredjedel kvar av ölen. 23:03,5 Jag ska till tjoget. De stänger ett och jag har inget bättre för mig. Ska hem och skapa med Lovisa dock. Men de kan vänta. Jag vill skriva en bok och ta farväl av denna söndag som inte är advent. 23:05 Glasblåsning är så jävla häftigt. Har det inte gått mer än två  minuter. Jag hade gissat på tio. 23:07 Skrev till Martin. Hoppas du har kuuuuuuuul! Är jag full eller? Samt att jag tog det som ett nej. Jag är full. 23:08 Jag är så taggad på New York, Jag ser inget annat. Det kommer bli så bra!!! 23:08 Bartendern såg ut att inte ha en så bra dag. Jag måste gå och lätta upp den.. Hej då! Godnatt! Nye!

[architectnews]

Live panel discussion on architecture, nature and technology by Dezeen and Dassault Systèmes

Architect Arthur Mamou-Mani, Studio INI founder Nassia Inglessis and Exploration Architecture founder Michael Pawlyn will speak to Dezeen in a live panel discussion as part of our Design for Life collaboration with Dassault Systèmes. Watch live from 11:00am London time on Wednesday 27 January.

Dezeen's founder and editor-in-chief Marcus Fairs will moderate the live conversation, which is called Design in Process: Architecture, nature and technology.

He is joined by three participants in Dezeen and Dassault Systèmes' Design for Life video series, which highlights designers who are using technology and research to build a better world.

Mamou-Mani, Inglessis and Pawlyn will discuss how technology can enable architects to create buildings that bring their inhabitants closer to nature, as well as how experimental projects can drive change in the wider design industry, and how the new accessibility of powerful design software is impacting architecture and sustainability.

Architect Arthur Mamou-Mani, who is collaborating with Dassault Systèmes, will appear on the panel

French architect Mamou-Mani is the founder of his eponymous London-based architecture practice, known for experiments with alternative materials and methods of construction.

He has embarked on a sustainability-focused experimental collaboration with French design software brand Dassault Systèmes, which was explored in a video produced by Dezeen last year.

The project explores how architects can use recyclable materials and emergent technologies like 3D-printing to create architectural projects that contribute to a circular economy and minimise their impact on the environment.

In 2019, he designed and built a structure made from 700 3D-printed bioplastic bricks for fashion brand COS' annual installation for Milan design week.

He was also part of a panel on using post-plastic materials in architecture and design at the inaugural Dezeen Day and hosted a live virtual reality tour of his designs for the Burning Man Festival as part of Dezeen's Virtual Design Festival.

Studio INI founder Nassia Inglessis will discuss the interactive spaces she creates

Greek engineer and designer Inglessis is the founder of Studio INI, an experimental design studio based between London and Athens, and the winner of the Dezeen Awards 2020 public vote for designer of the year.

In Inglessis' instalment of the Design for Life video series, she explained the way in which she uses technology to create intricate architectural installations that respond to the bodies of visitors.

Urban Imprint, an installation designed by Studio INI that appeared in 2019 at A/D/O in Brooklyn, featured a canopy that opens up around visitors' heads in reaction to the weight of their footsteps.

Studio INI contributed an installation named Disobedience to the London Design Biennale in 2018, in which visitors were invited to walk along a platform flanked by flexible walls that bulge open around them as they pass through the structure.

Exploration Architecture founder Michael Pawlyn will also join the panel

London-based architect Pawlyn is the founder of biomimicry-focussed practice Exploration Architecture.

Pawlyn explained how biomimicry, the process of modelling a design based on processes found int he natural world, can allow architects to make a positive impact on the environment in an episode of the Design for Life video series.

Exploration Architecture is known for projects that demonstrate the potentials of biomimicry, including a seawater-cooled greenhouse modelled on a beetle that harvests its own fresh water in a desert, and a concept for an office building that mimics the structure of a spookfish's eye to help maximise natural light.

Pawlyn is also a key member of Architects Declare, a network of architectural practices committed to addressing the climate and biodiversity emergency.

Design for Life

Design For Life is a content collaboration between Dezeen and Dassault Systèmes featuring talks and videos highlighting designers who are using technology and research to build a better world.

The collaboration kicked off with a live talk with Mamou-Mani and Dassault Systèmes’ vice president of design experience Anne Asensio, in which the architect explained how he is collaborating with the brand to explore how 3D printing can be used to create sustainable structures using bioplastics.

So far, the video series has featured profiles of Austrian designer Julia Koerner and DS Automobiles design director Thierry Métroz well as Mamou Mani, Pawlyn and Inglessis.

In the coming weeks, we will also be publishing a video profiling New York design duo Birsel+Seck.

This talk was produced by Dezeen for Dassault Systèmes as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

The post Live panel discussion on architecture, nature and technology by Dezeen and Dassault Systèmes appeared first on Dezeen.

[catcasually]

Kick Out the Footlights Tonight.

We began shooting a video for the second single, ‘Morose Code’, the other night and only lack another short evening of shooting to get everything that we need for that. It is the artier response to the first video for ‘Asphalt’, which was just a performance-based video. The song itself started in my apartment on Meeker Avenue in Brooklyn and that demo ended up being this sorta’ muddy backing track that we built upon in the studio when we did the record. I am very proud of it as it is one of those detours that occur on the album in terms of whatever comprehensive sound could have possibly been achieved- cos I did/always do my best to fight that. (The world doesn’t need any more white dudes in glasses doing “psyche” music.) It has all grown frightfully unremarkable and boring. And so few, truly, great songs have been achieved int he process. 

Anyways, the song and video collectively have a peculiar concept, being a phone call from a prior “self” to a past love. I have always envisioned this past-self occupying a purgatory state for eternity...one ofour ,any “selves” sentenced to the past and their own respective purgatories...and that that place looks like an old, dim bar. At least MY many stoaway-selfs reside in such places; a place for thought, reflection, regrets- if you allow for such things. (I am reminded of a book by a neuroscientist that I once read: all stories about “God”, even though this scientist was- for lack of a better word- an atheist. One story was about the problem that God would have with which “you” would be in heaven: the teenager? Well, they are annoying and would just try to fuck each other the whole time. A small child? They need a lot of attention and help. Older people are nostalgic for their younger selves and not much fun. Etc. So, God decides that a person will be divided into many, many “selves”, spanning from their newborn “self”, all the way to the person they were when he or she took his/her final breath...and once a year they would have a reunion. I will research later and see if I can find this book as it has been many years.)

So the conversation within the song is a call from a past love, who is a past self. He or she is a mess; a lonely alcoholic. The opposite party only hears from him/her under the hypnosis of drunkeness and/or heartbreak. And, per usual, I feel a little icky when all of this is too obvious so I have blurred the line between who is speaking and when. As it goes with songs, you never hit the bullseye in your head so something else materializes as the finished product. I did actuslly hear it as something between Sparklehorse and Roger Waters- so I got that much right.

-——————————————————————-

Tonight has been chores associated with band and DJ obligations. The coffee began to wear off and I went down a Merle Haggard rabbit-hole which led to some smiles, tears, and thoughts on songwriting. I am always so caught up in the stress and obligations of work, jobs, and the satelliting items to promote all the shit, that I feel like I only have the head to create at a 30%-45% potential. That is upsetting. But it’s the way that it is.

I hope that changes some day.

[artificialqueens]

Just Strangers, Prologue (Sashea) -Panic

Summary: Shea Coulee is supposed to be a fashion designer, NOT an assistant campaign manager, but when she finds herself out of school with no job, she’s forced to take a position working for Trinity Taylor– just in time for the election, with a cute boss, a lot of events to go to, and a secretary that won’t stop calling everybody “sis,” Shea realizes that maybe, just maybe, she’s exactly where she’s supposed to be. Warnings: (past) abusive relationship), homophobia in future chapters.

A/N: Alright, here we go! I’m back at it again with a new chaptered fic, and I’m super duper excited! In this, Sasha is a campaign manager for Trinity Taylor, who’s running for New York governor, Shea ends up being her assistant, and madness ensues.

Hopefully, I’ll be able to get out an update every week, but I wouldn’t swear to it.

Also, I am writing Sasha’s perspective of “To Be Alive” but it’s being very difficult, so that could still be awhile.

*This is also published on ao3 under the name “itwilleatyourbabies"

Without further ado, Enjoy!

-Panic

“The world works in mysterious ways, Shea-baby.” Shea’s mom would whisper to her at night, right before she went to bed, snuggled away in her pink sheets, the sounds of Chicago echoing outside her bedroom as her mom placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. Even then,  Shea had never believed her,  she didn’t believe the world worked in a specific way, it just did, it just was. To Shea, the world didn’t exist for any single person, or idea, or event, the world just existed because it could.

But Shea still nodded along when her mother spoke. Wishing desperately that the world would just know what she needed, what she wanted, and would plop those things down right in front of her… fate. Sure, there were times when Shea thought that fate might be real. When she received her letter from the New School for Design in New York City, Shea’s heart felt like it was going to burst, her dream of designing clothes was inches away from her face and it felt right, it felt like this was where Shea was meant to be her whole life; it felt like… fate.

That is until it wasn’t anymore. It felt like fate until Shea was twenty-three and out of college, struggling to keep her Lower East Side apartment while she job hunted in the fashion industry. It felt like fate until she was buying value brand items at grocery stores and seldom touching her laundry because she couldn’t afford to do it. It felt like fate until the dream of New York City had turned into a nightmare.

She thought about going back to Chicago, spending more time at home, and planning her next move from there. Shea tried to convince herself that “her next move” was designing gowns until the right person picked her up, but she was quickly realizing that “her next move” was more along the lines of, what the fuck does one do with a fashion degree?

But Shea was fierce, Shea was strong, and Shea was not going to admit defeat to this magical city just because she hadn’t found her footing in fashion. So here she was, on a crowded subway at 8:30 am, on her way to Civic Center, to interview for an assistant campaign manager position for Trinity Taylor– a Democrat running for New York governor.

Although a job in politics was never Shea’s plan, she had considered herself quite an activist for many minority groups in her high school and college years, and after the election of The Orange Demon, in 2016, Shea concluded the politics were her only chance at making money from resistance. So she searched, she searched for any political job she could get her hands on, and for awhile, it seemed like nothing was there. Until she sat down and emailed Mrs. Taylor herself.

To Whom it may concern,

  My name is Shea Coulee, and I am a twenty-three-year-old female who is looking for a job in the political field. I recently graduated from college and was wondering if you had positions that were available. I have attached my Cover Letter below if you are interested.

Thank you for your time.

  Shea Coulee.

…

If she was honest, Shea didn’t expect anything from it.

…

Two days later, nothing

…

One week later, nothing.

…

“Even just an email saying ‘no’ would have been better” Shea muttered.

  …

  Almost two weeks had passed, and Shea was starting to give up when an email came in. She checked it, almost with her eyes closed.

  Ms. Coulee-

  Mrs. Taylor would love if we could schedule an interview with you. We’re desperate for the help and have a few paying positions available. How does this coming Monday at 9:00 am work?

  - Aja Storms, secretary to Mrs. Trinity Taylor

Shea was giddy! An interview had to be better than nothing, right?

  And so she was here, walking up to an oddly shaped building, sort of like an L, there’s a small picnic area out front, and the gate was propped open by a rock, pushing into the gate, Shea approached a locked door.  praying that she would be able to land any sort of job. Straightening her dress she rang the bell and admired her appearance in the glass. Her shiny black hair was slicked straight back, and she had gone with a simple pink, off the shoulder sweater dress that reached about mid thigh. She paired it with a chunky belt and strappy gold heels. At first, she considered it being “too much” but upon looking through her closet, she realized it was decked out for a fashion designer– not a politician, and this was the best she was able to do.

A nasal cough shook Shea out of her thoughts. She glanced around to find out where the sound was coming from before realizing that a cough had come from a small box placed slightly above the door bell.

“State your name and business.” The box spoke again.

“Shea Coulee. I’m here for an interview?” Her voice was shaking, why was she nervous? She would kill this interview, she knew that much for sure.

The box never replied Shea’s only response was the clicking of a door. Grabbing the door, Shea pulled and entered and was immediately faced with a desk.     The woman sitting at it was paying very little attention to Shea, which gave her a moment to check out her appearance. Her hair was a light lavender color and was curled in gentle waves around her face, it landed right on her shoulders and her pastel blue blazer that she wore, barely covering the gages that sat in her ears. Upon noticing Shea, she flipped her chair around to face her.

“You must be Shea, right?” She started. Shea noticed immediately that she had to be from Brooklyn, the accent gave it away, it was clear as day. Shea nodded.

“Alright sis, I’m Aja, we’ve emailed,  I’m just going to walk you to Mrs. Taylor’s assistant and she’ll go ahead interview you, kay?” Once again, Shea nodded.  Aja stood up, and Shea immediately noticed her impossibly high heels. Aja leads her into a large, exposed brick room filled to the brim with mismatched couches and chairs of yellow, gray, orange, and black.  A few tables cluttered with empty doughnut boxes and messy paperwork. The room was unnecessarily warm and filled with people, laptops propped on laps, somewhere laughing, some were chewing. And some were dead silent. Aja zig-zagged Shea through the maze of the chairs and papers. Finally taking her by a desk, where a small blonde woman was squealing over her ridiculous piles of paper, muttering to herself. “Why did we spend this much on shirts? Why in the fuck did we spend this much on shirts?” Turning into a separate hallway, Shea noticed four doors, two on the left, one door closed, the other propped slightly open. On the left, another door was closed, but a large window showed that the room inside was a conference room.  A final door was at the end of the hallway, a sparkling nameplate read “Trinity Taylor” right on the front. Aja lead Shea to the propped open door on the left, even though it was open, Aja still left a few short knocks before pushing her head in. “Hey, Pep? I have that girl you’re interviewing.” Aja whispered across the door.

“Bring her in.” replied a voice on the other side of the door. Aja moved aside so Shea could enter.

“Sorry Mrs. Taylor couldn’t interview you– she’s busy, but her assistant will know what she looking for, so… uh… break a leg, sis.” Shea nodded, pushing her way into the office.

It was light. A big window was opposite Shea and the multiple lamps around the desk and floor lightened up the room. On one side of the room, another door (this one, Shea noted, was closed and appeared to be locked) next to it was a shelf full of banker boxes, all tagged with things like “social media management- 2012, 2013,2014,2015” “Pride documents.” “Juneteenth documents.”  Right in front of the window was a desk chair and desk, situated so that the woman working was facing the door. Upon noticing Shea’s entrance, the woman stood to shake Shea’s hand. Her black hair fell in large curls to her shoulders, brushing against her clean white blazer. Shea grabbed her hand and was shocked by the large diamonds that decorated her fingers and wrist.

“Hello,” her voice was light, soft, almost… motherly? Shea thought to herself as she shook the woman’s hand, “I’m peppermint, the assistant to Mrs. Trinity Taylor, and you are…?” She sat down, and Shea did so as well, finding herself in a very uncomfortable plastic chair, white– like her surroundings.

“I’m Shea, uhm, Shea Coulee, and I’m, int-interested in a job here?” Shea cursed herself for sounding so uncertain. Peppermint laughed.

“No need to sound nervous, doll– I’ll be honest with you, we’re so desperate for help around here, this interview is almost entirely for formality sake, it’ll be fine.” Her words reassured Shea, whether it was her actual speech or her calming voice Shea didn’t know, probably some combination thereof, before she could speak, Peppermint continued, “If you don’t mind me asking, what’s your background in?”

“Fashion design. I just finished school this last May.” Peppermint smiled and clicked her pen a few times before writing Shea’s words down a notepad.

“Alright, Ms. Coulee, what started your interest in politics?” Shea held back rueful laughter.

“I was always interested in the social change aspect of politics throughout high school and college, but if I’m completely honest- I’m in desperate need of a job and this seemed like a good option.” Peppermint nodded.

“I don’t think many people choose to go into politics, politics really chooses the people who are going to to be in it.” If Shea was honestly, she had little to no clue what Peppermint meant, but she nodded along anyway, partially to be polite, and partially because she really needed this fucking job.

The interview continued like many do, Peppermint questioned her past work experience (she didn’t have much). Her five-year plan (she didn’t have one). How she would describe herself (strong, passionate, determined… she ignored the voice in her brain whispering “lonely” and “desperate”). Peppermint asked her weaknesses (sometimes she speaks without thinking, she’s quick to love or hate, she’s terrified of rats).  Her strengths (She’s resilient, brave, and loyal).

“Okay, okay, the last question,” Peppermint smiled, flashing rows of bright white teeth at Shea, “When can you start?”

Shea let out a breath that she didn’t know she had been holding.

“As soon as I can.” Peppermint nodded, and ripped a sticky note off of a pile, jotting down a couple of things.

“Alright, we’re in desperate need of an assistant campaign manager– ours does so much I’m constantly worried she’ll implode from stress, and I’m sure an assistant would really help her out.” Once again, Shea nodded, not entirely sure what a campaign manager did… or even what a campaign manager was.

“You can start tomorrow, you’ll spend your first week following her around, learning the ropes of what the job entails, and then you can get to work. The work day starts at around eight am, and ends at about five pm, in theory, it’s only Monday through Friday but we often spend weekends and nights doing events, parades, and things of that sort. Sound good?”

“Sounds like information overload.” Shea let out a nervous laugh and Peppermint joined her, her laughter booming across the office. She smiled, at Shea and took her hand.

“It’s not easy, but it’s rewarding. I have a feeling that you’re going to do great. And don’t worry, your boss is the best,” Peppermint walked to the door, and held it open so Shea could exit, “actually… do you want to go ahead a meet her before you go?” Shea nodded. She didn’t know what to expect, but to have even an inkling of an idea of the people around her would be nice.

  Peppermint scooted past Shea and walked into the hallway before motioning for Shea to join her. Together, they walked to the closed door next to Pepper’s. Peppermint raised her fist to the door to knock before stopping not even an inch from the dark wood of the surface.

  “Just a warning,” Peppermint whispered, lowering her hand, “She really is great, but it’s pride season and Juneteenth season and if I’m honest… she’s super stressed out right now so please, just be kind.”

  “Of course!” Shea whispered back, smiling at Peppermint, who seemed relieved at her words. Peppermint, like Aja, only knocked on the door a few times, and the opened it without a response.

  “Sasha?” Pepper spoke slow, like she was trying not to startle a young child, “We just hired your assistant, and I’m assuming you’d like to meet?” She heard another girl respond; and, the scuffling of papers, but from her place behind Peppermint, Shea couldn’t quite make out the words. Peppermint nodded and stepped slightly inside the office, leaving room for Shea to enter as well.

  This office was the exact opposite of Peppermint’s. The walls had been painted a pastel yellow color,  filled with art prints that Shea had never seen before, as well as large pieces of poster paper that were filled with names and dates. A calendar hung loosely on the wall next to the desk, at least eight different colors decorated the days with writing.  Succulents sat on a dust coated window sill, a small, but empty picture frame in the middle of it all. The right wall was entirely made up of bookcases, they held large, heavy looking textbooks, dark black bindings with multiple editions that looked straight-up terrifying. Binders sat on another shelf and Shea could make out the neat cursive tags that read “finances” “Juneteenth” “Pride” “Support Cards” “Support Info” “Possible Debate Topics” “Maps” “Supported Areas” “Data Entry.”

  In the middle of the room sat a large, L-shaped desk, the side that sat up against the wall was covered in neatly organized piles, binder clipped together, with similar tags as sat on the binders on the opposite wall. The shelves above had boxes of granola bars and nut packets, as well as a few coffee cups and water bottles. The desk that was facing Shea, however, was a little more hectic. A few roughly organized piles of paper sat scattered around, a half empty coffee cup sitting on top of one of them. A laptop sat on another pile, and a couple of gray T-shirts were folded next to a pile of cards that said “I Trust Trinity Taylor” on the back. At the center of all this madness, sat a woman at a desktop computer, typing frantically until she had heard Shea enter the room.

  She looked up from her work and stood up from her desk chair as she reached out the shake Shea’s outstretched hand.

  “Sasha Velour.” She introduced herself, she sounded out of breath.

  “Shea Coulee,” Shea responded taking in the sights of her new boss. She stood, probably just a few inches shorter than Shea. Her hair was a bright blonde color cut like a bob, and ended at her chin. She greeted Shea with large blue eyes, rimmed with thick, round, cherry red glasses,  as she motioned for her to sit in one of the chairs that faced the desk. As Sasha worked her way around to sit next to her, Shea was able to get a better look at her appearance, she wore a knee-length black pencil skirt and red pumps with a stark black turtleneck. She flashed a bright smile at Shea through her ruby red lips, and in the moment, Shea swore she could feel her heartbeat in her throat. Entranced by her soon to be boss’s lips,  she didn’t even notice as Peppermint quietly excuse herself from the room.

  “I know you probably just went through a crazy interrogation with Pepper, but I’ve got to ask– what inspired you to go into politics?” Her voice was deep, inviting, almost… comforting?

  “I’ve always been really interested in social change, I guess, and my planned career path wasn’t working out so here I am.” Sasha laughed and nodded.

  “Understandable. I came here to become an artist,” Sasha gestured vaguely to the art around the walls as she spoke, “but, making a career in the art world didn’t seem too likely after a while. Thank god I got my degree in political science.” Now it was Shea’s turn to laugh and nod.

  “Wish I had been that smart, my degree is in fashion design, I have no idea what to do with that.” Sasha gave her a sympathetic smile.

  “Well, working for Trinity is honestly amazing, and I’m super excited for your help! June is such a stressful month.”

  “Totally! If I’m honest, I have no idea what campaign managers do, but I’m excited to find out.” Shea chuckled.

  “There are days where I have no idea what campaign managers do, but mostly I work on data entry, making sure we know who’s donating, keeping track of volunteers, planning events, making sure Trinity knows when she goes to events and handling social media and press. Some parts are more fun the others.” Shea nodded, at a loss for any sort of words.

  “That’s… a lot.” She finally said. Sasha laughed as she stood up.

  “Yeah, well, it’s basically whatever needs to be done in order to be prepared,” She offered her hand to Shea, “but anyways, I’ll walk you out? It’ll be a busy day tomorrow.” Shea nodded gratefully and took Sasha’s outstretched hand.

  They made a little more small talk as they exited the building, only stopping so Sasha could say a few words to Aja.

  Sasha, Shea concluded, was definitely going to be an interesting boss. She wasn’t much older the Shea, only twenty-five, and up until recently, she had been living with her (now ex) fiance. Shea told her a few things about herself too, about how she was from Chicago but didn’t really want to move back home. Sasha understood that and told her how she was originally from Urbana. Once they had made it outside, Sasha shook Shea’s hand again and reminded her that work started around eight am, but if she was later, nobody would really be angry (“we all know the traffic fucking sucks, here.” She had told Shea with a laugh). As Shea departed, she knew one thing was for sure:

  She had no idea what the hell she had gotten herself into.

[soulcentralmedia]

Amiral Johnson: We speak to the international artist from France

AMIRAL QUIK FACTS Born in: Paris (France) Lives in: ( everywhere and nowhere lol ) California USA Profession:  International Artist (US rapper) Career Ambition: Aftermath  record (Dr DRE Label) Life ambition: Have some children and be married with Julia TERWALD Fav Food: Steak and fries ; milkshake and ice cream Q1. Describe your practice/profession with 5 words? I’m an international rapper though I have the French nationality. I work in and for the US Hip Hop industry with different Hip Hop teams and producers in U.S. Like  -HOODSTAR MUSIC GROUP (Los Angeles USA) -Dj King Assassin 1 Hood entertainment (Compton USA) -Dj Int Wigg –Fakulties/coke boyz south (Miami-USA) -TaylorMade (from Dujeous)(New-York USA) -Pure Husle Recordz (Douglas/Georgie/USA) -Dj Young Cee (Shaddy45 DJ Team and G-UNIT DJ’S Team) (Miami FL USA) -Mark WILSON (Future Big Star-Tamia MOTOWN) (Las Vegas USA) -Robert DIGGS (R2A) Wu Tang Clan (NYC-USA) Q2. Best and worst thing about your profession? -In most cases I run the world it’s very nice and cool , u can meet a lot of different people  in a lot of places. I went to Berlin (Germany) London and Manchester (UK) New-York-Bronx-Harlem-Los Angeles-Santa Monica-Lynwood-Venice Beach-Compton…(USA) and more. In fact I stayed in California for one total during of 4 months so that I can work with Dj King Assassin, the famous DJ and producer who worked with TUPAC SHAKUR, EAZY E, EMINEM, AKON and WYCLEEF JEAN, I makd one promotional hip hop show in Pomona at the CARNIVAL CLUB in California State, similarly there was some aftermath record artist like legendary Kokane and more to this Hip Hop show the famous “Father of Hip Hop” 20 GFUNK LA.A Radio Team, Loyd DA EVENT and more. In this respect you can find in the next October month one fat Hip Hop track produced by Dj King Assassin who’s call “Step by step” perform by myself JOHNSON AMR AKA THE SCORE my new artist name. I worked with Dj Young Cee from the “SHADDY 45 DJ’S” and “G-UNIT DJ’s” TEAM. Young Cee (Miami FL-USA) promoted my music on the famous “SHADDY 45 RADIO SHOW” and “G-UNIT RADIO SHOW” on XSIRIUS FM SATELITE the last winter. This is the reason u can find my tracks and blundz with Eminem on his own mixtape and signle available on spinrilla.com. NEVA AGAIN is a fat trap trck with me and Eminem against Donald TRUMP and the Brexit system in USA. Dj Int Wigg from Da Coke Boyz Dj’s coalition make the same work too, a real work and promotion for me on audiomack.com and coast2coastdjs.com too. With this job we have the free speech against the system. We can talk about this on different radios and Tv talk shows Mark I make this the last December month in Broadway (NYC-USA) for one Hip Hop Tv Channel. I would like to make announce now Mark, for all the youths who’s livin UK and USA “GO TO VOTE” against Theresa May and the Donald Trump Brexit and racist government we must stay together “BREXOUT” we don’t need the white supremacy and the K.K.K. I am a real artist Mark not a fake, never forget my new artist name “The SCORE” AKA JOHNSON AMR a real freedom fighter I have the free speech without full money lol. The worst thing Mark I am always on the road  in some places for different destinations even if I saw the best place in California like Santa Monica, Venice Beach, Manhattan beach… u know Mark I lived in Lynwood City on LongBeach Boulevard near Compton I meet a lot of peeps, different peeps I saw the real misery I saw my peeps the black peoples who suffering the D.Trump racist system I never saw this before. D.Trump kill my peep in L.A,NYC to Pittsburg. The white supremacy kill some black peeps, Mexicans, Jews. I saw and live with some gangs like L.A crips, MS13 in California and I always run after my love Julia Terwald. I lose a lot of things with this job like my freedom. Why I’m in jail now? For what? For my job Mark.

Q3. What is the biggest challenge you face professionally? My biggest challenge will be my next US challenge Mark. In fact I saw this with QC THA KID (Aaron Arnwine) from Compton and Long beach, he’s the Snoop Dog sound engineer and I would like to work with Dr DRE the Aftermath record boss in Qc found the solution. I mist make one feat with Mr RBX (The Snoop cousin) , so that RBX could introduce me to Dr DRE. This is my next challenge in 2020. I would like to work for Aftermath I would like to have one LP produced by Dr DRE. I work since 5 years for the westcoast and I have one musical project with Julia Terwald in Germany too “Soul&Classic” Q4. What or who inspires you in your career? In most cases nobody inspired myself In my career “I am who I am” this is the reason why in I am and I stay real and authentic. I am myself I am not a fake in my life, on stage and more. My name is “THE SCORE” nobody can test me. Q5. If you weren’t in your profession, what would you do? I would like to protect the nature and the animals because they are fantastic and better than than the human race. In Manhattan beach California whenever I went to the beach and I called the dolphins near the sea , 1 minute after the dolphins came I join them and I swim with them in the sea it was a real and wonderful experience supercool , I swim with sea elephant too. The manhattan beach people called my “shark”. I think if I weren’t in my profession I will be a “pacific panthers” in California. Really in this place the Hip Hop artist like Dr DRE –Eminem-Kendrick Lamar have a surname “The sea turtle”,Snoop is a dog. Nobody can test THA AMIRAL AKA THE SCORE except the dolphins and the sea elephant I am a pacific panthers

Q6. What Project have you released recently? I have my new project who s call "Illegalife" distributed by Cd Baby New York produced By Fakultie Production Based In Miami Drived bY Dj International Wigg From Da Coke Boys Coalition.You can find Cardie B On This Lp  Eminem Is on This Project Too Mark Wilson And B recognito From Brooklyn too.Available on Cd Baby.com I Tune store USA produced and composed by Dj Int Wigg from Da Coke Boyz Dj’s (FL-Miami-USA) and by Dj King Assassin (Compton-Cali-USA) from 1HOOD Entertainment. For the "Get On" single I had one meeting the last December month with Robert “Selassie” Jackson in Harlem New-York USA. I have one deal now with Megatron Music LLC/UniversalMusic Group Distribution USA for my marketing and distribution. I make some recording studio session last winter in Broadway NYC USA for this project too with ARTUGUA, I turned one Hip Hop Tv Show too in Broadway.  The "Get On" Johnson Amiral Single Is Avalaible O n Apple I Tune Usa Q7. What person, dead or alive, would you say has inspired you the most? On second thoughts I think Bob Marley is this person cause he was a real revolutionaries he was the best with Tupac Shakur. Black icons.

Q8. What are you listening to at the moment? I am so down with Eminem he’s real for me with Snoop Dog Aftermath and the LBC. Eminem in a real rebel he’s the best rapper in this fake world Rhythm And Politic (RAP) I hate six-nine a real fake, a police informer watch one french rapper "La Crim" from Def Jam Paris Recording France they work with x6nine the famous FBI informer its a real fake  def jam france is fake.  listen they don't know how can make one real beat they put some African musical beat and they say some bullshits on this  in France the hip hop is dead since long time . I’m so down with “soul circle” too and the BSM with Wacka Flocka. Q9. What is your favorite project you worked on regarding your work? The best? Humm I think my LP “Illegalife” available on Cd Baby my compilation “Handz up” with John Legend, Wacka Flocka, Sharon Jones, The loc, Das FX, Dujeous,Br and myself available on Bandcamp.com and my LP “Full Metal HipHop” produced by TaylorMade from Dujeous NYC USA available on CD BADAY USA (ITUNE STORE USA) 25 tracks.  And don't forget this the most important in this life its too be free !!! in France they put me in 13  jail between  in 2018 and 2019 for nothing. I never forget this on all of my life the french judge Mr Lenoir Xavier from Le Mans  a little racist town in France. Q10. Where can we see your work? You can see my work on: -Universal Music Group (USA) -Bandcamp: Johnson Amiral Youtube: Amiral Johnson Cd Baby: LP”Full Metal Hiphop” Johnson Amiral aka johnson Amr LP iLLEGALIFE Cd Baby.com Spinrilla.com Johnson Amiral Audiomack.com: Johnson Amiral Facebook: Johnson Amiral Twitter; Amiral Johnson Contraband HipHop USA You can listen my tracks on Shaddy Radio Show on XSIRIUS SATELITE G-UNIT Radio Show . IN SEPT You can watch Johnson Amiral on Hollyfield TV and Soul Central TV. You can find me on Nbc, Abc CBS FOXX TOO. don t forget we gonna fuck D Trump And Boris Johnson. When The black population in this world will be ready for put them out side of this earth! but look in France they are not organize the black community is a fake here in France they do some bullshit and more bullshit WAKE UP !!!!!! Thank you for your time and we look forward to hearing more from you.

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[habstragic]

i can't remember if i saw this on ur blog or not, but i rewatched the "bone/monty hall" scene in brooklyn 99 and i literally cannot stop thinking abt how much that scene is sid!!! like flower tells sid "you two just need to bone" and sid's eyes go dead and he goes "what'd you say?" all like what?? while sheary and jake visibly quake and whimper, and then tanger jumps in like "you need to bone" and sid fucking goes ballistic. god i literally can't stop thinking about it

SCENE

[INT. PPG PAINTS ARENA LOCKER ROOM, DAY.]

MARC-ANDRE FLEURY: c’mon, sid, the hockey thing isn’t the problem. being on different lines is keeping you and geno apart. you two just need to bone.

JAKE GUENTZEL: [whimpers]

SIDNEY CROSBY: [in a shocked voice] what did you say?

JAKE: [whispering] don’t say it again!

FLEURY: i said you two need to bone!

SID: hhhhhhhoW DARE YOU MARC-ANDRE, I AM YOUR TEAM CAPTAIN! BOOONE!!!

[JAKE flinches and hides his face in his hands]

SID: BOOOOOOOONNNEEEE!!!!

[JAKE and CONNOR clutch at each other in fear]

SID: what happens in my bedroom is NONE of your business! 

[CONNOR visibly starts praying]

SID: BOOONNEE!! 

SID: don’t EVER speak to me like that again!

[PAUSE]

KRIS LETANG: he’s not wrong, though

[CLOSE UP ON SIDNEY CROSBY’S MURDER EYES™, CUT TO BLACK]