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my-fragment-of-peace · 2 years

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Things I've learned about F1 (as a new-ish fan) during the winter break, the sport and the participants of the sport: a draft I started the week after the last race of the season and have added to since.

(I was planning on posting this when the actual season started, but we're basically at winter testing now so it just felt appropriate to post. There's quite a bit, so it's all below the break).

A new Landogate occurring every winter break is not a running joke in the fandom, it is in fact, a fact. It just happens every year during the winter break. And most of the time, unfortunately for Lando, it's not even his fault or any of his own doing. People just start shit about this guy and won't let him live his life in peace.

Sebastian Vettel had bleach blonde hair and it was iconic. He's a handsome man, but the bleach blonde just was something else...like it elevated his look somehow I can't explain it.

There was a driver's strike at some point (still need to google it lmao) and while the drivers were all just chilling together apparently, their wives and girlfriends were literally partying it up and living their best damn lives, then they went and made a bunch of noise outside where Balestre (the fia president at the time) was sleeping. (I wish we'd have another drivers strike right now, feels necessary tbh)

The presenter of some sort of home improvement show has done more to ensure integrity in the sport than anyone actually working in the sport.

Charles Leclerc seemingly has a fairly calm fanbase. But when he posts photos, that's all anyone talks about for days like he could singlehandedly break the internet probably.

Renault/Alpine racing & Aston Martin racing refuse to let us have nice things. And by nice things, I mean handsome men to look at. (Update: They did, in fact, give us more handsome men)

Alex Albon is the karting champion and has basically won against everyone including Jenson Button.

Merc is actually everyone's favorite team even if they say otherwise. Like everyone understands how good they are as a team and how much success there is with their strategies and cars in general. Love to see it.

Cyril Abiteboul is going to be doing something for rbr (I don't quite understand it), and he will for sure be bringing critique (negative (for H*rner and M*rko at least, but positive for us lmao)) and drama (also negative (again, for H*rner and M*rko at least, but positive for us lmao)) along with him. He will assert his dominance and eventually take H*rner's spot, I just know it. See...why does dts feel the need to overdramatize the lives of drivers and create chaos? We have plenty if they focused on the right things and it'd hurt no one.

In a post-race interview in 2020 in Socchi, Lewis spoke about how the stewards were basically intentionally doing the most to prevent him from winning. Apparently, this was a controversial take at the time and no one believed him. Some things never change. I wonder if he'd been taken seriously back then if the bullshit that happened in the 2021 season would've happened? But anyway it's just become more and more obvious and it's horrible to think that not only has this been going on for years, but Lewis himself has been aware of it and has had to continue to fight even harder to keep his place in the sport. In the words of Toto Wolff, "fuckthemall."

Pierre Gasly is so deeply involved with bitcoin, that he went to a whole ass other continent to talk about it. I appreciate the hustle, but bitcoin/NFTs are apparently a bad thing so it's a bit questionable. I still don't get how any of this works or why, but I trust y'all when you say it has negative impacts on the environment and shit because I literally get none of it and I've read like 10 articles at this point but I'll never understand.

The Merc social media admin for insta is wild. They're regularly posting Toto Wolff thirst traps on main. They need to chill, but they know how to do their job tbh.

Lewis Hamilton also had a bleach blonde era. I have no idea what it is with bleach blonde hair dye and these drivers, but it seems most of them are either naturally platinum or have gone through a phase. You know what though? Good for them.

In my spare time, I've started watching Formula E and basically it's superior to F1 in nearly every way. The regs seem to be much closer so racing is more competitive, they have the coolest looking cars of any motorsport category, the commentators do a great job and I don't want to mute them while watching, and the overall aesthetic is just much more intriguing. LED halos. Futuristic light-up podiums. I'm a fan.

I have watched the 24 Hour Nascar event (not the full 24, but part of it). That alone combined with that video of Ryan Blaney singing Celine Dion has convinced me to be a Nascar and Indycar fan, so I guess I'm all in the motorsports fandom at this point. Similar to fe, they seem to have better overall regs. If f1 is the pinnacle of motorsport, why are they so far behind everyone else in terms of creating competitive regulations?

Cultural Appropriation is a full-time job for half of these dudes can someone please send them tell them google scholar is free, and there are even instagram accounts that will educate them for free? Like if you don't know if you should do something or not, it's best not to. It's just disappointing but not surprising at this point.

Sebastian Vettel is actually the ice man. He can walk around with ice on his beard, a beanie on his head, wearing shorts and a t-shirt. I don't understand and I could never, but he's something else. Just entirely next level. I'm thinking of that interview where Toto Wolff was talking about how all the drivers were traumatized as children, being left to drive out in the rain.

Mick Schumacher is probably one of the best drivers in the sport but that shitty Haas car is holding him back.

Lewis Hamilton can break the internet and he did tbh.

The fia has proven just how little they care for social issues. I mean we've known, but they've done away with "we race as one" and honestly, in the words of Toto Wolff, fuck them all. Like I understand the point of activism and doing something to improve things being more effective, and I get it (also let's face it, Domenicali and the rest of them are probably not actually doing shit to help any social issues). But we race as one has opened up conversations and gotten people to start educating themselves. Public gestures from athletes and other public figures are important because they can help to raise awareness and start important conversations. But yeah, the fia is actually horrible and I'm so tired of their bullshit it's just gotten progressively worse.

Masi got demoted or moved around or something. Yes, he will still be working for the fia, but with some new rules & regs as well as two new race directors and a new president, it does seem like (hopefully) there's an opportunity for more fairness in the sport. Only time will tell.

Pierre has turned his back on NFTs. Does this mean the trend is dying out? We could only be so lucky.

People are memeing about team lh's ability to end wars. They may be joking but honestly...it feels possible.

#f1 #formula 1 #motorsports #my posts

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justaredheadf1fan · 2 years

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2nd F1 weekend and the coming disaster

Masterlist

Well, same as last week, I've watched the FP1 session as well as the press before while working, since work this week hasn't given me anything good anyway, so there's that. Luckily, tomorrow I don't have to work, so I'll be able to watch FP3 and Quali without any other interference.

And I was actually pretty excited to write today about the race weekend in Jeddah, since it's the second time around racing there and it's been barely 3 months since last time our guys were there. But, to be completely honest, I don't find any of the nicer things seen today surrounding the free practices to be that important after this afternoon's news.

While watching FP1, I heard Verstappen at some point saying on the radio to his team that he was smelling smoke and asked if it was him or some other driver. Luckily, none of those were the case, but the reality was even worse. What he was smelling was the aftermath of the missile that had struk the Aramco facility not that far away from the circuit. Which is not only frightening but also concerning on so many levels.

I mean, it's no news that Saudi Arabia has been in conflict for so many years with Yemen and probably other countries that I actually don't know much about (the conflicts themselves, which countries, you name it, it's true I'm not well informed to comment further, nor it's the place to do so). It doesn't mean it's any less worrying, important, horrifying, and wrong. This is one of the worst case scenarios that could happen during an event such as this.

For what I've gathered so far, FP2 was delayed by around 15 minutes because drivers and team principals had been summoned to a meeting to discuss the situation. Apparently, they all agreed to keep the race weekend going as usual. For some reason (MANY reasons), I don't believe that for a second.

So, to get this straight (and maybe someone can tell me what the hell is going on in Domenicali's and other FIA goons' heads) because I can't see it, WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?!

First, when war broke out in Ucraine the FIA released a statement saying that they wouldn't race in places where there was an ongoing conflict (or in that case, in a country that caused a conflict in the first place), but now a missile strikes the Aramco site in the surroundings of the Jeddah Corniche circuit and it's business as usual? The show must go on even when there's a tremendous risk for a whole lot of people? Jesus Christ.

Are they really so disconnected from reality that the race weekend is going according to plan even though there's been an attack 7-10 miles away from the circuit? Yes, they definitely are. Best part (note the sarcasm, please) is that apparently all media sessions for tonight were cancelled, which is a joke in itself, honestly. That's how all pilots and team principals are good with continuing as if nothing had happened, right? Right.

It's not even up for discussion not only the safety of the drivers themselves, but also all mechanics, engineers and other team personnel onsite. Do we need to see something terrible (more terrible) happen so that F1 morons start thinking about something that's not money? This can go so very wrong in so many ways. If this circuit is hell on earth because of how dangerous it already is, with people worried about their own safety instead of their jobs (which would be understandable) how can this go? Drivers not fully concentrated, teams thinking not only about doing their jobs but also what might happen if today repeats itself... It's bad.

This should be cancelled, but in the words of the wise Sebastian Vettel and Sir Lewis Hamilton: CASH IS KING.

Peace out, let's see what happens tomorrow.

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deliciousdetectivestranger · 3 years

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Summary: When Clave-in-Exile and Downworld answer Seelie Court's request to meet, Ash Morgenstern is declared as King of Seelie but he is challenged by Kit Herondale who announces his legacy. As the boys duel for the crown, secrets start coming to light. But will all these secrets be welcomed?

Known Secrets are Revealed

The mundanes of New York could tell something unnatural was happening in the city. Everyone was keeping track of the thick tension which had settled the city as the fog surrounded England during the Industrial Revolution, anytime now it would happen.

What they didn’t know was that it had begun a long time ago. For weeks New York was being shrouded deeply by the Warlock, Nephilim, and Fae wards. A few hours ago, the parley of Seelie Court had arrived in Central Park with the Seelie Queen herself at the centre. They had been greeted by the Clave-in-Exile, Werewolves, Vampires, Warlocks, Unseelie Court, and Wild Hunt. Confusion had spread through the lower ranks of both sides at such a huge and varied receiving party. It wasn’t as if a war was in talks or were the Nephilim still ruminating over the parley conducted by Horace Dearborn and Oban of Unseelie Court had resulted in the majority of Nephilim leaving their beloved Idris to Cohort.

Even though Alec Lightwood-Bane was now the Consul his ability to put up with bullshit was still low. He had refused the talk, talk, talk, and do no work attitude of the Clave. This was a difficult beginning for them. He was not going to make it impossible by allowing his shadowhunters to whine, refusing to do what was expected, and just being unhelpful to spite others. With Diego Rocio Rosales as the Inquisitor, his load had lessened a lot.

When the Seelie Court had requested the parley Nephilim and the Downworlders had instantly gone on high alert. After all, it was Seelie Court that had aided Sebastian Morgenstern and his Endarkened and they had never apologised. These days the Shadow World trusted the Unseelie Court which had been kept hidden and the tales of its cruelty reaching young ears but had transformed greatly under the rule of Kieran Kingson. The Unseelie Court participating in the change with immense enthusiasm as they too had been exhausted from living their lives like that.

Of Course, the beautiful but treacherous Seelie Court had shown their cards one by one but to their eternal frustration their opponents were completely nonchalant about it, some even appeared bored, something which their dramatic souls just couldn’t bear. The knowledge that Seelie Court and the cohort were in cahoots was a surprise. Though for years now they had been aware that the CohortChort had been watching them, all thanks to the spying done by the ghost of Livia Blackthorn in March 2013. Though the only people who truly knew from where the information had come up were Livia, her twin brother Tiberius Blackthorn (then a centurion in training), Christopher Herondale (the Lost Herondale), and Magnus Bane (the High Warlock of Brooklyn). Magnus had declared that they couldn’t tell the truth as it will endanger Livvy along with Kit and Ty, who had tried and failed to do the necromancy, but one day in the future Livvy would get the credit she deserved while Kit and Ty would be punished for the punishment they had in store.

Janus and Ash Morgenstern were also not a shock. Janus when he had tried to spy on the AU version of himself and his friends had also kissed Clary Fairchild. She had later teased her fiancée of his odd behaviour earlier the evening but had received a negative. Suspicious the couple had discussed this with their friends and had wondered if someone was taking their obsession towards Clary and Jace towards a higher disgusting and concerning level ore this was an atrocious prank. But they were unable to draw out his motives until Maia Roberts had complained that one of her werewolves had been missing for days and they hadn’t been able to find her. Thanks to Magnus’ magic they had found her dead body and of a fae boy who had been identified to be of Unseelie Court. It had worried them greatly but not much as Alec who had recognised the couple from an outing with his family. When Emma Carstairs and Julian Blackthorn had visited the New York Institute as the last stop for their Travel Year, they had concluded that this Jace was Jace Herondale but from Thule. He had been Sebastian Morgenstern’s right hand, someone who after seeing and participating in the unending massacre of his world had lost his sanity and was a danger to them. And if Jace of Thule was here then Ash Morgenstern might be here as well.

What had shocked them was the betrayal of Lily Chen and her Vampires. After the Seelie Queen had removed the oblivion placed on her she had remembered her promise to Janus of Information in return for Raphael Santiago of Thule. Lily with a heavy heart and guilty conscience had aided the Seelie Court.

The Seelie Queen indicated towards her son and said, “By my blood, he is the heir to Seelie, by his father, Sebastian Morgenstern’s blood, he is a shadowhunter, by Lilith, the Mother of Warlocks’ Blood, he has been blessed by the Fallen Angels, and by the Unseelie King Arawn’s experiments, he holds many gifts. I am here to announce his rulership and to should anyone present know of any reason that Ash should not be the King, speak now, or forever hold your peace.”

“We should hire her to conduct our wedding ceremony,” Simon Lewis Lovelace muttered.

Isabelle Lightwood nodded her assent. “With fair folk arranging our wedding it will be bold, beautiful, and dangerous.”

“Not unlike both of you.” Cristina Mendoza Rosales pointed out. The couple shared a smile, ignoring the exasperated looks sent by their friends.

Drusilla Blackthorn hearing this exchange added her own two cents, “You guys should make themes for each program. The wedding ceremony will be of shadowhunter style of course but have the reception in Star Wars theme” Jace groaned. “And how about the rehearsal in the horror theme. You’ll start a new trend.”

“Why horror theme? To depict the horrors of marriage?” Thais Pedroso questioned her friend and received a stink eye for her sarcasm and lack of support to Dru’s schemes. Emma and Jace could sympathise with her for having parabatais who never appreciated their grand plans.

Alec ignoring the childish squabbling taking place behind him spoke out, “I gather that you want your son to be the King but what of Ash? What does he want?”

Silence fell in the park. No one had expected this. Ash Morgenstern was the son of Sebastian Morgenstern and Seelie Queen, grandson of Valentine Morgenstern, would of course be a discriminating, bloodthirsty, power-hungry character. But at Alec’s question, they all had to agree that they were being biased. Once upon a time, Downworld had stood against Nephilim and also to the different factions of Downworlders, Shadowhunters too had butchered them kept their remains as trophies in their houses, even today their Vampire alleys had turned out to be traitors so, no they couldn’t say that they knew anything about Ash Morgenstern.

Ash eyed Alec, a golden metal band hid his forehead, his face blank but his Fairchild green eyes were of a predator honed by the years of captivity in Unseelie Court, surviving in Thule from his own AU father and of the politics in Seelie Court where honeyed tongues had poison and beautiful faces hid grotesque personalities.

“I request you, Consul, to not try to create a rift in between my mother and me. If there had to be a rift it would have appeared years ago. I have heard a lot about you from the rumours and from Janus who had you as a parabatai but knows nothing about you. You are a stranger and why should I believe a stranger’s word over those who are dear to me?”

“Well, I’ll thank the angel that you’ve thoroughly understood the basic instructions given to children.” Kit Herondale said. “At least we won’t have a Snow-White situation on our hand.”

Titters could be heard as the tension slightly lowered.

“Watch it, boy!” Janus growled. “Your sanity ought to be questioned for making merry of such important occasion.”

The Seelie Queen frowned as she stared at Kit. She didn't see any kind of resemblance between him and Jace Herondale then why did he look so familiar?

Kit rolled his eyes. The blasé persona achieved after spending years at Shadow Market, the tumultuous times in which his Nephilim heritage had revealed and of course the Herondale he was made a striking combination, hiding a brilliantly sharp mind which could see through every single of actions of his enemies.

“You were born sometime before 2009. You should be in 3rd grade now not going on and declaring yourself as King. Have you even completed today’s homework? You are spoiling your son too much, your majesty. He will turn out like Draco Malfoy like this.”

Laughter was clear this time. Ash’s lip curled at the comment. Someone *cough*Simon*cough* even did an improvised ‘My mother will hear about this.’

“He is right.” Ty Blackthorn spoke up. “His age by Fair Folk standard and by ours presents an anomaly. You can’t expect us to see this as anything more than a farce.”

Kit beamed at him before recalling himself. Ty didn’t even spare him a glance.

Livvy who was floating in the middle of both of them fell to her knees and held her hands above her. Glancing at the sky she beseeched, “Grant me the serenity, Raziel . . . this is turning worse by the moment.”

At that, both boys glared at her.

“Ty, the question is not about age but maturity.” Ty’s boyfriend Anush Joshi said.

“Yeah. But we do need to come up with something for this. What if tomorrow Ash calls us to announce he is making his child the ruler? Fae do age rather strangely. Surely there must be something to do.” Mark Blackthorn crowed.

Hong Yeon Woo of Seoul Institute raised replied, “Due to the unique age calculating system used in my country, Koreans consider a year in the womb as counting towards their age, so every one is one year old at birth. Everyone gets one year added to their Korean age on New Year's Day. But internationally it’s bothersome.”

“In Romania, many old families consider their members one year older each time their birthdays come up.” Casimir Munteanu of Craiova Institute answered.

“See? We need to do something about this. Truly mundanes always have answers to any kind of situations.” Mark gleefully said. “And we shouldn’t hesitate to take their lead. We already have Nephilim currency with our Consul on it.”

Alec groaned. Those had been truly trying times.

“In case the nonsense is finished, Consul either swear your allegiance or we shall have to drench this park from Summer to Autumn,” Janus called out.

The threat didn’t go unheard. Clary and Julian felt sick at this horrible implication to their painting. Kit exchanged a look with Tessa and Jem. They both were concerned but Tessa gave Kit a determined nod and Jem squeezed his shoulder supportively. There was no doubt in them for him only love and trust.

Before Alec could say anything, Kit interrupted. “We won’t swear our allegiance.” His joking demeanour had vanished. “For I do have a reason why Ash shouldn’t be King.”

Everyone looked at him curiously. The Seelie Queen got a sinking feeling as she once again looked at Kit.

“To join their Courts together Seelie Queen and Unseelie King made a truce that the child born through their union would inherit both the Courts. They had a girl named Auraline, the First Heir. The king who wanted a son was displeased but still kept her away from the Queen who was incensed to be parted from her daughter. Then there was a prophecy that the First Heir upon reaching their full power all the Faerie would fall under shadow. The King was enraged and the Queen was terrified. The war between the Courts grew even more fierce as the people thought that the First Heir was cursed. Auraline who had never even asked for the powers or the prophecy scared for her life escaped to the mortal world which she found beautiful. The Unseelie King however did send Riders of Mannan after her. She visited the Shadow Market where Downworlders and Mundanes unaware of her birth never called her cursed. Decades later she fell in love with a magician at Shadow Market known as Roland the Astonishing. He too had a secret of his own. As they both confessed how they were wished dead for crimes, not of their own they decided to run away together. Auraline through her Faerie powers made sure that Roland lived longer than most mortals. They had a child together and then finally even Auraline’s powers couldn’t keep death away from Roland. When Roland died, Auraline chose to be with him.”

One could hear the leaves rustle from the breeze as the parley intently heard Kit. The Seelie Queen was expressionless but internally her heart ached at the injustice done to her daughter. Jace and Clary wondered why Kit knew First Heir’s story in such detail. Mother Hawthorn connected the dots and as she looked at Kit, all she could remember were the rumours of when he had been found in LA’s Shadow Market where he had been kept hidden and not long after had left with the couple who had visited her years ago. He hadn’t been seen since then. He too had been forced into hiding just like Auraline. She was just glad that the love between Kit and the couple was real. It was what Auraline had deserved and thankfully Kit had received.

Kit continued, “Auraline’s child had a child. And so it went. There is still a First Heir in the world.”

In unison, the parley gasped.

“Tobias Herondale and Eva Blackthorn’s child, Ephriam was secretly taken to safety by Catarina Loss before the unfair justice of Tobias’ crime was carried out by the Clave. The line from Ephriam is known as the Lost Herondale. His grandson was Roland Loss. For those who don’t get it, he was also known as Roland the Astonishing.”

Kit’s last comment undoubtedly made things clear to all. And panic started to replace the tension. ‘What now?’ was the biggest question in everyone’s mind.

“The First Heir Line and the Lost Herondale have intertwined ages ago. Hunted by the Riders of Mannan, unwanted by their people, shunned by the Courts and the Nephilim, they found their refuge in the Shadow Markets.”

Hypatia Vex, Juliette the Queen of Bueno Aires Shadow Market, Mother Hawthorn along with other Shadow Market denizens couldn’t help but smile.

“I am Christopher Jonathan Herondale. I am the Lost Herondale and the First Heir of Faerie.”

At once shouting began from both sides of the parley. Confusion, fury ran rampant. One thing was in agreement that they all had been blindsided.

Kit looked unconcerned though his hand was on his double-aged straight sword. Tessa and Jem shifted into a battle stance. Emma and Julian slowly inched towards Kit. Magnus, Catarina, and Ragnor added wards in front of Kit. Kieran made a motion and the Unseelie guards split in two one surrounding Kieran and the other unsurely moved towards Kit. Cristina and Mark though didn’t move from beside Kieran. Livvy hovered above Kit but not before shooting him a betrayed look, which her younger sister was sporting too. Helen and Aline standing beside moved to shield them.

Out of the corner of his eye Kit saw that Ty was unsurprised. “I have been wondering how you made the Riders’ horses disappear that day in the Brocelind Forest.” He answered at Kit’s questioning look. Livvy and Dru shifted their glares to him.

"You did hit one of the riders with your slingshot." Kit spoke as he remembered.

Alec, Jace, Clary, Isabelle, and Simon couldn’t decide which one of them was more shocked, especially considering Magnus was unsurprised. Jaime Rocio Rosales standing beside his brother couldn’t deny that Kit was really and truly intriguing. That day in the LA institute’s library he had given Eternidad to Cristina, Mark, and Kieran, he was curious about the boy who was distinctly not a Blackthorn yet he fit in them just like Kieran. It was later when he had visited Diego in New York, he had learned who that boy was.

A growl interrupted the noise. It was Janus. He barked to Kit, “Where is the proof? How do we know you aren’t lying?”

Jace cut in, “How do we know you and Ash aren’t some faerie illusions forcing us to do your bidding”.

As Janus glowered at him, all Jace could think was how close he had come to share this man’s fate. He grabbed Clary’s hand, his palms sweaty but she only smiled at him and squeezed his hand.

Ash’s voice brokered their attention. “Then Christopher, why don’t you and I duel for the crown?”

“Well Asher, I find it difficult to finish my daily chores, there is no way I am going to shoulder the burden of ruling a realm.”

Anush goggled at him, Jaime choked, Julian nodded prompting an amused smile from Emma, Livvy and Dru facepalmed, Ty, smiled a little, Jace was ready to make a smartass comment was silenced by Alec and Clary.

“We will duel Christopher. Duel to death for the crown.” Ash snarled. His eyes narrowed at Kit.

The parley wondered what would be the outcome. They couldn’t decide between Ash and Kit both scions of important Fae ancestry but shadowhunter blood ran through their veins as well. The Seelie Queen was trying to gather her wits. She was not fond of Nephilim and definitely not of Herondales but she couldn’t ignore how Kit bore such a strong resemblance to her Auraline. Absently she wondered if the magic they had done on Auraline had passed down to Kit as well.

Kit tilted his head and after thinking for a moment sighed and nodded. Panic and excitement ran through the parley. The Seelie Queen and the Downworlders and shadowhunters who knew Kit started speaking at once. Only Jem and Tessa were quiet. They squeezed his shoulder and then stared directly at Ash.

Both blonde boys moved towards each other effectively silencing the parley. They drew out their swords and circled each other. Finally, Kit stepped at him.

“He shouldn’t have made the first move.” Jace concernedly said.

Janus chuckled at Kit’s impatience and inexperience.

But as Ash moved to block it was clear that Kit had feinted throwing him off guard and moving closer to the Seelie prince. Kit’s blade was about to slice Ash’s side but using faerie speed Ash swiftly moved. Kit circled Ash so he was always at his back, the latter after few moments stopped turning.

“Christopher’s fighting style is unique,” Anush noted. Ty observed Kit and wondered if he was mixing Mundane, Shadowhunter, and Downworlder styles.

When Kit lunged at Ash who readily parried him and moved so he could end the distance in them and draw him in a space where he could control Kit. Ash started moving faster, his moves rougher, all his blows landing heavily on Kit.

It was clear to viewers that though Kit fought unusually he did lack Ash’s training and experience as well as his savagery not to mention stamina.

Bored and smiling a smile sported by his grandfather and parents Ash moved to land a fatal blow on a panting Kit but he sidestepped just like Ash had done earlier. Ash couldn’t stop himself in midmotion and Kit moved closer, when he hit Ash’s hand with his sword’s hilt. Ash winced and that time was enough for Kit to twist his hand, remove the blade from it. Reeling him in Kit sild Ash’s sword at the back of Seelie prince’s neck and then pointed his sword at his throat.

Once again silence reigned as Kit panted and Ash stared at him wide-eyed. They could hear Janus cursing, Emma and Jace whooping, and Simon cheering, “That’s our Aragorn.”

Kit raised an eyebrow at Ash who had no way to move without getting his head chopped off. But Ash was not just a shadowhunter he bore many more powers which Seelie Queen had advertised when she had introduced him. So, he raised his hands and blasted Kit with a huge fire of darkness.

Screams erupted as Kit slammed against a tree and fell on his stomach unmoving. Before anyone could move to help him, Janus barked orders and Seelie forces surrounded Ash and Kit, but they did look reluctant. While they didn’t like Kit for the First Heir prophecy, taking orders from Janus who didn't have a speck of Fae blood in him irked them.

Ash leisurely walked towards Kit and picked up both swords. As he reached Kit, he prodded Kit with his foot further infuriating Kit’s friends and allies. But Kit made no move to get up. Ash’s brow furrowed and taunted Kit, “What happened? Ran out of your tricks? This was a duel for the crown of Seelie, it was never going to be of just our swordsmanship prowess. Powers are also to be tested but you didn’t use them. Either you can’t use them or the shadowhunter blood ran true and the First Heir doesn’t have powers. Well, which one is it?”.

There was no answer. Ash got on his and hit Kit with his sword’s hilt on his shoulder. He turned towards Janus moved towards them. Just then Ash heard a moan and turned towards the sound. Hidden by the Seelie guards who had their backs to the boys, Ash leaned over Kit so no one in the parley could see when Kit’s blue eyes opened and he grabbed Ash’s wrist tightly, a smirk on his lips.

Everyone looked away when a blinding white flash lit Central Park. When they finally regained their sights, terror filled them as they realised that Ash and Kit had disappeared.

Hello everyone, I hope you'll enjoy this. Please don't hesitate to leave feedback and constructive criticism. If anyone wants to be added to the taglist or removed from it, inform me.

taglist: @immortal-enemies @khaleesiofalicante @radisv @dark-artifices-only @beclynn-herondale @herondaletessa @chibi-tsukiko @ask-the-shadow-world @allysbookshit @themimsyborogove @kit-and-ty-fic-recs @hardlymatters @ithurielkeepsgettingkidnapped @shadowhunting-hooligans @pjo-tsc-trc-otherthingstoo @the-blackdale @kitandtyarelife @merry-thieves

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hexalt · 4 years

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CW for discussion of suicide

- She's the crazy ex-girlfriend - What? No, I'm not. - She's the crazy ex-girlfriend - That's a sexist term! - She's the crazy ex-girlfriend - Can you guys stop singing for just a second? - She's so broken insiiiiiide! - The situation's a lot more nuanced than that!

There’s the essay! You get it now. JK.

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is the culmination of Rachel Bloom’s YouTube channel (and the song “Fuck Me, Ray Bradbury” in particular where she combined her lifelong obsession with musical theatre and sketch comedy and Aline Brosh McKenna stumbling onto Bloom’s channel one night while having an idea for a television show that subverted the tropes in scripts she’d been writing like The Devil Wears Prada and 27 Dresses.

The show begins with a flashback to teenage Rebecca Bunch (played by Bloom) at summer camp performing in South Pacific. She leaves summer camp gushing about the performance, holding hands with the guy she spent all summer with, Josh Chan. He says it was fun for the time, but it’s time to get back to real life. We flash forward to the present in New York, Rebecca’s world muted in greys and blues with clothing as conservative as her hair.

She’s become a top tier lawyer, a career that she doesn’t enjoy but was pushed into by her overprotective, controlling mother. She’s just found out she’s being promoted to junior partner, and that’s just objectively, on paper fantastic, right?! ...So why isn’t she happy? She goes out onto the streets in the midst of a panic attack, spilling her pills all over the ground, and suddenly sees an ad for butter asking, “When was the last time you were truly happy?” A literal arrow and beam of sunlight then point to none other than Josh Chan. She strikes up a conversation with him where he tells her he’s been trying to make it in New York but doesn’t like it, so he’s moving back to his hometown, West Covina, California, where everyone is just...happy.

The word echoes in her mind, and she absorbs it like a pill. She decides to break free of the hold others have had over her life and turns down the promotion of her mother’s dreams. I didn’t realize the show was a musical when I started it, and it’s at this point that Rebecca is breaking out into its first song, “West Covina”. It’s a parody of the extravagant, classic Broadway numbers filled with a children’s marching band whose funding gets cut, locals joining Rebecca in synchronized song and dance, and finishing with her being lifted into the sky while sitting on a giant pretzel. This was the moment I realized there was something special here.

With this introduction, the stage has been set for the premise of the show. Each season was planned with an overall theme. Season one is all about denial, season two is about being obsessed with love and losing yourself in it, season three is about the spiral and hitting rock bottom, and season four is about renewal and starting from scratch. You can see this from how the theme songs change every year, each being the musical thesis for that season.

We start the show with a bunch of cliché characters: the crazy ex-girlfriend; her quirky sidekick; the hot love interest; his bitchy girlfriend; and his sarcastic best friend who’s clearly a much better match for the heroine. The magic of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is that no one in West Covina is the sum of their tropes. As Rachel says herself, “People aren’t badly written, people are made of specificities.”

The show is revolutionary for the authenticity with which it explores various topics but for the sake of this piece, we’ll discuss mental health, gender, Jewish identity, and sexuality. All topics that Bloom has dug into in her previous works but none better than here.

Simply from the title, many may be put off, but this is a story that has always been about deconstructing stereotypes. Rather than being called The Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, where the story would be from an outsider’s perspective, this story is from that woman’s point of view because the point isn’t to demonize Rebecca, it’s to understand her. Even if you hate her for all the awful things she’s doing.

The musical numbers are shown to be in Rebecca’s imagination, and she tells us they’re how she processes the world, but as she starts healing in the final season, she isn’t the lead singer so often anymore and other characters get to have their own problems and starring roles. When she does have a song, it’s because she’s backsliding into her former patterns.

While a lot of media will have characters that seem to have some sort of vague disorder, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend goes a step further and actually diagnoses Rebecca with Borderline Personality Disorder, while giving her an earnest, soaring anthem. She’s excited and relieved to finally have words for what’s plagued her whole life.

When diagnosing Rebecca, the show’s team consulted with doctors and psychiatrists to give her a proper diagnosis that ended up resonating with many who share it. BPD is a demonized and misunderstood disorder, and I’ve heard that for many, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is the first honest and kind depiction they’ve seen of it in media. Where the taboo of mental illness often leads people to not get any help, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend says there is freedom and healing in identifying and sharing these parts of yourself with others.

Media often uses suicide for comedy or romanticizes it, but Crazy Ex-Girlfriend explored what’s going through someone’s mind to reach that bottomless pit. Its climactic episode is written by Jack Dolgen (Bloom’s long-time musical collaborator, co-songwriter and writer for the show) who’s dealt with suicidal ideation. Many misunderstood suicide as the person simply wanting to die for no reason, but Rebecca tells her best friend, “I didn’t even want to die. I just wanted the pain to stop. It’s like I was out of stories to tell myself that things would be okay.”

Bloom has never shied away from heavy topics. The show discusses in song the horrors of what women do to their bodies and self-esteem to conform to beauty standards, the contradiction of girl power songs that tell you to “Put Yourself First” but make sure you look good for men while doing it, and the importance of women bonding over how terrible straight men are are near and dear to her heart. This is a show that centers marginalized women, pokes fun at the misogyny they go through, and ultimately tells us the love story we thought was going to happen wasn’t between a woman and some guy but between her and her best friend.

I probably haven’t watched enough Jewish TV or film, but to me, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is the most unapologetic and relatable Jewish portrayal I’ve seen overall. From Rebecca’s relationship with her toxic, controlling mother (if anyone ever wants to know what my mother’s like, I send them “Where’s the Bathroom”) to Patti Lupone’s Rabbi Shari answering a Rebecca that doesn’t believe in God, “Always questioning! That is the true spirit of the Jewish people,” the Jewish voices behind the show are clear.

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend continues to challenge our perceptions when a middle-aged man with an ex-wife and daughter realizes he’s bisexual and comes out in a Huey Lewis saxophone reverie. The hyper-feminine mean girl breaks up with her boyfriend and realizes the reason she was so obsessed with getting him to commit to her is the same reason she’s so scared to have female friends. She was suffering under the weight of compulsory heterosexuality, but thanks to Rebecca, she eventually finds love and friendship with women.

This thread is woven throughout the show. Many of the characters tell Rebecca when she’s at her lowest of how their lives would’ve never changed for the better if it wasn’t for her. She was a tornado that blew through West Covina, but instead of leaving destruction in her wake, she blew apart their façades, forcing true introspection into what made them happy too.

Rebecca’s story is that of a woman who felt hopeless, who felt no love or happiness in her life, when that’s all she’s ever wanted. She tried desperately to fill that void through validation from her parents and random men, things romantic comedies had taught her matter most but came up empty. She tried on a multitude of identities through the musical numbers in her mind, seeing herself as the hero and villain of the story, and eventually realized she’s neither because life doesn’t make narrative sense.

It takes her a long time but eventually she sees that all the things she thought would solve her problems can’t actually bring her happiness. What does is the real family she finds in West Covina, the town she moved to on a whim, and finally having agency over herself to use her own voice and tell her story through music.

The first words spoken by Rebecca are, “When I sang my solo, I felt, like, a really palpable connection with the audience.” Her last words are, “This is a song I wrote.” This connection with the audience that brought her such joy is something she finally gets when she gets to perform her story not to us, the TV audience, but to her loved ones in West Covina. Rebecca (and Rachel) always felt like an outcast, West Covina (and creating the show) showed her how cathartic it is to find others who understand you.

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is the prologue to Rebecca’s life and the radical story of someone getting better. She didn’t need to change her entire being to find acceptance and happiness, she needed to embrace herself and accept love and help from others who truly cared for her. Community is what she always needed and community is what ultimately saved her.

P.S. If you have Spotify... I also process life through music, so I made some playlists related to the show because what better way to express my deep affection for it than through song?

CXG parodies, references, and is inspired by a lot of music from all kinds of genres, musicals, and musicians. Same goes for the videos themselves. I gathered all of them into one giant playlist along with the show’s songs.

A Rebecca Bunch mix that goes through her character arc from season 1 to 4.

I’m shamelessly a fan of Greg x Rebecca, so this is a mega mix of themselves and their relationship throughout the show.

I’m in a TV group where we wrote essays on our favorite shows of the 2010s, so here is mine on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, I realized I forgot to ever post it. Also wrote one for Schitt’s Creek.

#crazy ex girlfriend #crazyexedit #cxg #ceg #crazy ex gf #writing #mine #mental illness #bpd #mental health #spotify #music #playlist #essay #*

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theanticool · 3 years

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Bored so here’s my first thoughts on what are likely going to be the next immediate UFC title fights in 2021 by division. Just the ones we know are happening anyway.

Strawweight: Weili Zhang (C) vs Rose Namajunas - an interesting match up to say the least. Have seen a lot of doubt in Namajunas’ ability to pull this one out. I think people oversell her gas tank issues because Andrade sets one of the most absurd paces in all of MMA. The closest fighters to Rose that Zhang has faced are Danielle Taylor and Tecia Torres, both (really short) outside fighters who managed to land from distance. I do trust Zhang to win out over 5 rounds but if Rose catches her early off a lead kick attempt, it would not surprise me. Still taking Zhang by UD.

Women’s Flyweight: Valentina Shevchenko (C) vs Jessica Andrade - Honestly, the most interesting fight for Valentina. I don’t actually think Shev’s game is all that deeply layered, so much as it is well put together. Her striking leads to her takedowns and vice versa. Andrade’s ability to set a pace and pure physical strength make this one super interesting. Plus, we’ll see if Valentina can get underhooks on an opponent who is 4 inches shorter than her and fights in a squatted stance. Taking Shevchenko by UD in part because I don’t think Andrade can finish Shev, even if she hurts her (Nunes couldn’t) but boy that’d be something.

WBW - Nothing’s happening here.

Women’s Featherweight: Amanda Nunes (C) vs Megan Anderson - Nunes is going to probably take Anderson down and beat the crap out of her from top position. 2nd Round TKO finish for Nunes.

Men’s flyweight: Deiveson Figueiredo vs Brandon Moreno 2 - Figs won 4 rounds in that first match up and I don’t see a reason he can’t again. There are routes for Moreno to improve: better top control on his TD attempts, more body punching, circling before he hits the cage and eats a big shot, etc. but this is Figs’ fight to lose. I just think the physical advantage is too great for Figs.

Men’s BW: Petr Yan (C) vs Aljamain Sterling - Another interesting one. Yan’s loss to Magomedov wears heavily here (even though I thought he should have won). Sterling is not the willing striker Magomedov is, preferring to engage on his own terms and ceding over ground. That could be just what Yan needs to apply the pressure he needs to put Aljamain back on the cage where Yan does his best work. But Aljo is arguably the best wrestler and grappler at 135lbs. If he can chain himself onto a single leg and ends up taking Yan’s back, I can see him getting that submission win. In fact, I’m taking Aljo by 2nd round sub.

Men’s FW: Alexander Volkanovski (C) vs Brian Ortega - Ortega’s new game did a number on KZ but I’m not taking anyone to dissect Volk right now in MMA. Just to surgical. Not the most scientific explanation but KZ, as much as I love him, is not a very adaptable fighter. He’s a quick starter with a great counter to the jab. But he’s not going to change up if he doesn’t get his way. Volk can and I believe will if he gets into trouble early. Expecting a UD from the champ.

Lightweight: we got no sign what’s happening here right now but I want Charles Oliveira to win a title more than anyone else in MMA right now.

WW: Kamaru Usman (C) vs Gilbert Burns - I like Burns a lot. He’s got the most entertaining bits of welterweight built into his game. Big power puncher that’s super aggressive and has a fun wrestle/grappling game. All that said, I expect Usman to push Burns into the cage for like 3-4 rounds and then take him down and hold him there for a UD. Will be interesting if Burns can create the scramble and keep the fight on the feet though. I don’t think Usman likes being hit and if you can pressure him, you might be able to get him to panic.

MW: Nothing’s happening here for the foreseeable future.

LHW: Jan Blachowicz (C) vs Israel Adesanya - Working through my process here. Blachowicz is on a good run but it involved 1) a terrible fight against Jacare; 2) a win over Rockhold in his dumbest performance ever; 3) a win over an “active” rather than “good” striker in Corey Anderson; 4) a win over Dominick Reyes who I don’t think had ever had someone throw combination punches at him before. I can’t trust that to tell me Jan beats a guy who has fought and beaten some of the best kickboxers in the world at 185lbs and 205lbs. I think Izzy picks him apart with leg kicks and feints.

HW: Stipe Miocic (C) vs Francis Ngannou 2 - I don’t believe for one second that Ngannou has actually gotten better since their first fight. Aside from the Lewis staring contest, I think we’ve seen maybe 4 minutes of him since that fight and it was the typical other guy got scared and ending up getting KOed affair. That being said, Miocic has been knocked out and been in 2 other wars since then. His age and battle scars appear to be showing and he’s got eye problems. I don’t know if he’s got another 2018 performance in him. Plus he’s prepared for the same guy three times in a row for like 2 years. I’m thinking Ngannou finally connects clean in round 6 (1st round) and gets that title.

#ufc #mma #opinions

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cardest · 3 years

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San Francisco playlist

San Francisco - my favorite city in the world! The bands, the music, the songs are all here, in this playlist I created. I threw in a bit of Sac and went south by San Jose, Monterrey and up past Sausalito. Can we make it to 250 songs? Let me know what bands/songs I left out.

Have I left out a song or a band in this San Francisco playlist? Let me know! Cheers!

Play the songs here at this link: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-iHPcxymC1-HLG9q5rZLsqs8EYh6bhu- San Francisco

001 The Dillinger Escape Plan w/Mike Patton - When Good Dogs Do Bad Things 002 Night flight Orchestra - California Morning 003 Quincy Jones - Call Me Mister Tibbs OST (Main Title) 004 James Taylor Quartet - Dirty Harry theme song 005 Faith No More - Seperation anxiety 006 Streets of San Francisco TV show theme song 007 Santana - Evil Ways 008 High on Fire - Electric Messiah 009 Metallica - Disposable Heroes 010 Hammers Of Misfortune - Dead Revolution 011 Buddy Guy - Hello San Francisco 012 Faith No More - Jungle 013 Isaac Hayes - Shaft 014 Orange Peels - Back In San Francisco 015 Idris Ackamoor and the Pyramids - Message To My People 016 Thee Oh Sees - The Dream 017 Merle Haggard - Here In Frisco 018 Audrey Horne - California 019 Journey - Lights 020 Death Angel - Hatred United / United Hate 021 Mel Tor Me - Got The Date On The Golden Gate 022 Duke Ellington - Tourist Point Of View 023 Sons of Anarchy - This Life (Sons of Anarchy Theme Song) 024 Larry Graham's Central Station - Earthquake 025 LARD - I Wanna Be A Drug Sniffing Dog 026 Machine Head - California Bleeding 027 Neurosis - The Doorway 028 KING WOMAN - Utopia 029 Lalo Schifrin - Magnum Force OST Main Title 030 Forbidden - Adapt Or Die 031 DBUK - In San Francisco Bay 032 Jack Name - Werewolf Factory 033 John Carpenter - Theme from "The Fog" 034 Khiis - Saboor 035 Richie Havens - San Francisco Bay Blues 036 Metallica - Battery 037 Autopsy - charred remains 038 ExTREMITY_-_Crepuscular_Crescendo 039 The Otherside - Streetcar 040 Quincy Jones - Ironside (TV Theme) 041 Megadeth - Back in the Day 042 Sly and the Family Stone - Stand! 043 Faith No More - From Out of Nowhere 044 Willie Hutch-Vampin (The Mack OST 045 Orchid - Mouths Of Madness 046 Lalo Schifrin - Bullitt OST - On The Way To San Mateo 047 Vince Guaraldi - Woodstock's Dream 048 Fantomas - 4-11-05 049 Violation Wound - Fearmonger + State of Alarm 050 Primus - Those Damned Blue-Collar Tweekers 051 The Flower Pot Men - Let's Go to San Francisco (Part.1-2) 052 Bosse-de-Nage - Crux 053 Rod McKuen - The Beat Generation 054 Dionne Warwick - Do You Know The Way To San Jose 055 The Watchers - Sabbath Highway 056 Possessed - the eyes of horror 057 Scott McKenzie – San Francisco (Be Sure to wear flowers) 058 Tower Of Power - Oakland Stroke 059 Big Trouble In Little China OST - Pork chop express 060 Vio-lence - Calling In The Coroner 061 Black Oak Arkansas - The Big Ones Still Coming 062 Mr. Bungle - Love Is a Fist 063 VUUR - The Fire - San Francisco 064 Testament - The Haunting 065 Electronicat - Frisco Bay 066 Y&T - Mean Streak 067 Thee Oh Sees - Toe Cutter/Thumb Buster 068 Sweet - California Nights - Promo Clip (OFFICIAL) 069 Sadus - Swallowed In Black 070 Chuck Berry - San Francisco Dues 071 Sammy Hagar - Keep on rockin' 072 Fuzz - Sleigh Ride 073 Otis Redding - Sittin' on The Dock of the Bay 074 Pleasure Leftits - The Gate 075 BL'AST - Sometimes 076 Santana - Samba de Sausalito 077 Acephalix - Upon This Altar 078 Sun Ra - Lady With The Golden Stockings 079 Chris Isaak - San Francisco Days 080 Pointer Sisters - How Long (Betcha' Got A Chick On The Side) 081 High On Fire - Carcosa 082 Will Haven - When The Walls Close In 083 The Coup - Laugh/Love/Fuck 084 King Khan - Teeth Are Shite 085 Deafheaven - Irresistible 086 Glitter Wizard - Blood of the Serpent 087 Jefferson Airplane - It's No Secret 088 Cannonball Adderley - This Here 089 The Warlocks - Can't Come Down 090 Squirmy Sax Man - I Still Believe 091 Acid King - Coming Down from Outer Space 092 George Duke - Sausalito 093 The Lost Boys - Cry Little Sister (Theme From The Lost Boys OST) 094 Betty Davis - [They Say I'm Different] He Was a Big Freak 095 Fever Tree - San Francisco Girls 096 The Dillinger Escape Plan w/ Mike Patton - Pig Latin 097 Build Them to Break - Lucky Strike 098 Montrose - Rock Candy 099 PRIMUS - THE TOYS GO WINDING DOWN 100 Joe Satriani - Big Bad Moon 101 Sleater Kinney - Jumpers 102 GRUESOME - Dimensions Of Horror 103 Sly & the Family Stone - Everday People 104 Huey Lewis and the News - Back in Time 105 Hammers Of Misfortune - 2 17th Street 106 Jerry Fielding - Prologue _ Main Title (The Enforcer OST) 107 Metal Church - The Dark 108 Deftones - Ohms 109 John Lee Hooker - Frisco Blues 110 DRI - Go Die 111 16th & Valencia Roxy Music- Devendra Banhart, What We Will Be 112 MC Hammer - Too Legit to Quit 113 Dead Kennedys-Police Truck 114 Rancid - Adina 115 San Francisco's Shiver - Up My Sleeve 116 Bernard Herrmann - Vertigo OST - The Bay 117 Faith No More - Last Cup Of Sorrow 118 Blackburn & Snow - Stranger In a Strange Land 119 The Doobie Brothers - What A Fool Believes 120 The Grateful Dead - Sugar Magnolia 121 Cab Calloway - San Francisco Fan 122 The Charlatans - codine 123 Buck Owens - Want To Live In San Francisco 124 Sleep - Dragonaut 125 Death Angel - 5 Steps Of Freedom 126 Neil Young - Heart of Gold 127 Vastum - Reveries in Autophagia 128 Dead Kennedys - Moon Over Marin 129 EchoBrain - Colder World 130 Riz Ortolani - Lombard Street 131 Waylon Jennings - San Francisco Mabel Joy 132 Con Funk Shun - Confunkshunizeya 133 Chic - Hes the Greatest Dancer 134 Peace Creep - Radio Free Alcatraz 135 ABBA - Santa Rosa 136 Brian Wilson and Van Dyke Parks - San Fransisco 137 Together Band - California Curl California Girl 138 The Hellers - It's 74 In San Francisco 139 Pat Todd - No Place Like Home 140 Nancy Wilson - I'm Always Drunk In San Francisco (And I Don't Drink At All) 141 Anathema - San Francisco 142 Blue Cheer - Fool 143 Exhumed - Gravewalker 144 Darondo - Let My People Go 145 Exodus - Blood In Blood Out 146 Lalo Schifrin Dirty Harry OST - Scorpios Theme 147 Johnny Cash - Folsom Prison Blues 148 Wild Light - California on my mid 149 Herbie Hancock - Man-child - Hang Up Your Hang Ups 150 Fantomas - Spider Baby 151 The Lord Weird Slough Feg - Headhunter 152 The Animals - San Franciscan Nights 153 Twilight - Dance with Me 154 THE POINTER SISTERS - Yes We Can Can 155 Residents - Hello Skinny 156 CCR HEADCLEANER - Eat This Riff 157 LEON WARE - Thats Why I Came To California 158 Creedence Clearwater Revival - I Put A Spell On You 159 Comorant - The First Man 160 Bosse-de-Nage - The Trench 161 Hell Fire - Free Again 162 Riz Ortolani - Golden Gate Bridge 163 Fleetwood Mac - You Make Loving Fun 164 Uther Pendragon - San Francisco Earthquake 165 Melvins - Zodiac 166 La Luz - California Finally 167 The Wyatt Act - Push 168 Santana - Soul Sacrifice 169 Cheap Trick - On the Radio 170 Electric Wizard - Venus In Furs 171 Led Zeppelin - Misty Mountain Hop 172 Tommy Castro - Callin' San Francisco 173 Viscious Rumors - Digital Dictator 174 Ghoul-Off With Their Heads 175 Diesel - Sausalito Summernight (Single Version) 176 Sheila E - A Love Bizarre 177 Starship - Nothings Gonna Stop Us Now 178 Jeffry Osboune - I Really Don't Need No Light 179 Nazareth - Alcatraz 180 Freak of Nature - Rescue Me 181 Metallica - Crash Course In Brain Surgery 182 10000 Maniacs - Hey Jack Kerouac 183 Faith No More - Get Out 184 URSA - Wizard's Path 185 Jefferson Airplane - Aerie (Gang of Eagles) 186 Tower of Power - Just Enough and Too Much 187 Fred Hughes - san francisco is a lonely town 188 Mamaleek - Eating Unblessed Meat 189 Moby Grape - Naked If I Want To 190 Exodus - Metal Command 191 Pig Destroyer - Alcatraz Metaphors 192 the Donnas - You Make Me Hot 193 Hot Tuna - True Religion 194 Heathen - Opiate of the Masses 195 Fanny - Come and Hold Me 196 Sadus - Hands Of Fate 197 Negative Trend - Meathouse 198 Forbidden - Forbidden Evil 199 Spazz - Crush Kill Destroy 200 Testament - The Preacher 201 HEXX - Morbid Reality 202 Vio-Lence - Phobophobia 203 Dead Kennedys - One Way Ticket To Pluto 204 Tom Waits - Get Behind The Mule 205 CRETIN - It 206 RAMONES - Judy Is A Punk 207 Full House - Intro 208 Willie Alexander and the Boom Boom Band - Kerouac 209 Primus - Dirty Drowning Man 210 Wooden Shjips - Motorbike 211 The Tony Williams Lifetime Ego - Clap City 212 Middle of the Road - Sacramento (A Wonderful Town) 213 Green Day - At the Library 214 Slayer - Gemini 215 Tetema - Cutlass Eye 216 Defiance - Death Machine 217 Brisco County Jr theme 218 Doug McKechnie - Crazy Ray 219 Ulthar - Furnace Hibernation 220 Mr. Bungle - ANARCHY UP YOUR ANUS 221 Dirty Ghosts - Let It Pretend 222 They Might Be Giants - San Francisco (In Situ) 223 Metallica - The Shortest Straw 224 OM - Unitive Knowledge of the Godhead 225 Laaz Rockit - City's Gonna Burn 226 Autopsy - Skullptures 227 Mordred - Spectacle of Fear 228 Sly & the Family Stone - Luv N' Haight 229 Possessed - Seven Churches 230 Machine Head - The Rage to Overcome 231 Thelonius Monk - San Francisco Holiday 232 The Units - The Mission Is Bitchin 233 Del Tha Funkee Homosapien - Mistadobalina 234 Arnocorps - Dead lift 235 The Grateful Dead - The Golden Road 236 DRI - All for nothing 237 Jim Martin - Disco dust 238 Thee Oh Sees - I come from the mountain 239 Death Angel - Discontinued 240 Starship - We Built This City 241 Captured! by Robots - Endless Circle of Bullshit 242 Pins Of Light - My revenge 243 Sun Ra - We Travel the Spaceways 244 Faith No More - caffeine 245 David Lee Roth - Just like paradise 246 San Francisco Fog Horns by Golden Gate Bridge 247 Abscess - Tormented 248 Mortuous - Bitterness 249 Dead Kennedy's - California uber alles 250 Twitch Angry - San Francisco 666 Neurosis - Water Is Not Enough

So, hop on a cable car, grab ice cream at Swenson’s or bark back at the seals down by Pier 39. Catch a Bear’s game at Berkeley and do some squirmy sax moves in the Haight after you down some beers at the Toronado and play my San Fran playlist! Here are the songs in the link: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-iHPcxymC1-HLG9q5rZLsqs8EYh6bhu-

#san francisco #san francisco playlist #Bay Area Thrash #haightashbury #high on fire #jello biafra #sun ra #metallica #mike patton #exodus #captured! by robots #om #jack kerouac #oakland #neurosis

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dresupi · 4 years

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Prompt: Waterloo Ship: Darcy Lewis/Steve Rogers For: @iamartemisday

Other tags: Language

Rated T

Word Count: 1926

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Steve came into the office around 9:43 that morning. It wasn’t that Darcy was waiting for him, because she definitely wasn’t, but she could tell it was him because her receptionist made that noise he always made when confronted with the premier Beefcake of America.

“Guhhhhhhhhhow can I help you, sir?”, Charles slurred, still in the middle of a phone call with their spring water company, unless he’d hung up on them when Steve walked through the door.

Either option was entirely possible, Darcy knew from experience.

She heard the low rumble of Steve’s voice, but not what he said because his back was to her door.

“Just come on back, hon. Give poor Charles a break. He’s gonna need a minute to collect himself,” Darcy called, unable to stop her polite smile from spreading into a grin when Steve turned around and put all of his attention on her.

“Sorry, is my presence that much of a distraction?” he asked as he shut her door, taking a seat in one of the two chairs in front of her desk. They were normally reserved for clients, and while Steve was one of her clients, this felt distinctly like a social call.

She kind of hated how Steve always slid into situations looking like he belonged there. She supposed it was his military training, gave him a fallback of approved motions he could work through, be it a black-tie occasion or coming up to try and again ask out a woman who had turned him down four times.

And it wasn’t like Darcy wanted to turn him down either. Because if this had been any other situation, she’d have said yes in a nanosecond. Pre-emptively even.

But the truth of the matter was, she was in the precarious situation of being his PR agent. And all the rest of the Avengers too. And she was pretty sure there was a conflict of interest involved.

Not pretty sure.

Absolutely sure.

Because she’d looked through every book she had, searched online, even asked Maria Hill herself, and had come up with the same answer all around.

It’s a conflict of interest, you can’t pinch that booty, no matter how star-spangled it is. It’s America’s ass, not Darcy Lewis’s.

She took a seat in her desk chair and crossed her legs. She’d worn the four-inch pumps and the flowy skirt today, so it showed off a tasteful amount of thigh that made Steve gulp a little even though he kept his eyes (mostly) on hers and (maybe just a fraction of a second, he was enhanced, he could probably sneak a peek and not let on, right?) not on what her legs were doing.

Okay, so what if he looked? Darcy wasn’t about to go tattle on him.

She bounced her leg and cleared her throat, her polite smile settling back onto her face as she folded her hands across her knee. “What’s up, Steve? We don’t have an appointment as far as I know…” Reaching up to pull her glasses down over her eyes, she made a big show of looking at her phone and checking her schedule that she knew was clear. She didn’t have anything on the books until Clint came in after lunch.

“No, I just… wanted to come in. To talk. Maybe we could go to lunch? Talk some more?”

“This on the books?” Darcy asked, pushing her glasses back up on top of her head.

“No, doesn’t have to be…” Steve replied, smirking a little.

Pressing her lips together, she shook her head. “Steve, I told you before… it’s a conflict of--”

“Interest. I know already,” he finished for her. “But I was wondering, it’s the fact that you’re my PR Agent that makes the conflict, right?”

She nodded. “Pretty sure I told you that the last few times you asked me to one of your ‘not-strictly-on-the-books’ one-on-one events…”

“Dates, Darcy. Call a spade a spade. I asked you out.”

“Fine,” she continued. “The last time you asked me out, I told you it couldn’t happen.”

“That’s the only thing keeping you from saying yes?”

“I can’t answer that,” she said with a sniff, refusing to meet his gaze. If she met those eyes of his, he’d be able to see into her soul and know that she was without a doubt, over the moon for a certain Captain. She was halfway to quitting her job and giving in any way. America’s ass or no, she wanted to give it more than a little squeeze and maybe squeeze some other things as well.

But then, she’d remember everything she did to get this degree and start her own firm and she’d chill again. No star-spangled piece of ass was worth her job. No sir.

“I’m going to go out on a limb and jump for it, then,” he replied. “Because I talked to Director Fury and if I fire you as my agent, and hire my own outside agent, then we can talk a little more discreetly…”

Darcy’s eyes flew open. She made an indignant sound, not unlike a squawk. “You’re going to fire me?” She brought her hand up to her chest. “I’m offended, sir. I was chosen by Director Fury to be your--”

He shot her a look. One that clearly saw through her fake offense and honestly, she didn’t even believe herself.

First of all, Steve Rogers needed a PR agent like he needed a pair of boots for his hands. That is, PR to someone like him was completely superfluous to anything and everything he did. No one in the entire United States of America thought butter would melt in his mouth. He could do no wrong. He didn’t need Darcy to spin a story, because, by the nature of him, it was already whirling when she got there.

Secondly, he was a high profile client, which meant that Darcy often had to go to him first, when her talents would be better spent on someone without as much public image baked right in.

Like Wanda Maximoff, for instance. Or Clint, who kept falling off buildings and breaking things other than his ass or his leg. Just last week he’d fallen through an awning and decimated some little old married couple’s fruit stand at the Farmer’s Market. That was a real problem, but if Steve had shown up having sneezed in the Queen’s face on his last trip to the UK, then she’d have to handle that instead. He had priority. So, if he ‘fired’ her, removing himself from her docket, then that would kill two birds with one stone.

There was only one problem.

“How exactly are you going to do that?” she asked. “The Avengers are a package deal. If you fire me, then the others will have to drop me too. You know you guys are my biggest clients, right? I’m good at what I do, but if you guys drop me, that’s gonna really screw up my chances of landing any other big clients. Please tell me you’re not decimating my career because you want to eat spaghetti with me in Little Italy.”

“I’m not decimating your career because I want to feed you spaghetti in Little Italy,” he assured her.

Feed me spa-- oh Mylanta, be still my ovaries.

“Okay… so what’s the plan here, Chief? Because it kind of sounds like you don’t have one.”

“Geez, you’re impatient,” he laughed, drumming his fingers on the arms of his chair.

“Did you seriously just say ‘geez’ at me?” Darcy asked.

“Fuck, you’re impatient,” he deadpanned, arching an eyebrow. “May I continue?”

“Please.” She bounced her leg again, liking the way his eyes darted down to her shoe and back up again.

“Great. So I talked to Director Fury and he said that as a member of the Avengers, it’s all or nothing. It’d bode well for us to have the same PR Agent. And hiring someone else into your firm to handle my account wouldn’t work either.”

“No, it wouldn’t…” Darcy replied, nodding slowly. “I could have told you that, though.”

He shot her another look and continued. “But if I strike out on my own, I can hire whoever I want.”

“Wait…” Darcy uncrossed her legs. “Don’t tell me you--”

“Calm down, I’m not done. I didn’t do anything stupid.”

“So you didn’t quit the Avengers?”

“Oh yeah. I quit the Avengers.”

“STEVEN,” Darcy gasped. “Take it back right now. I’m not the Yoko here. I refuse to allow you to--”

“I resigned, left Sam in charge, and he hired me back on as a consultant-slash-mercenary.”

Darcy’s eyes bulged slightly. “STEVEN.”

He continued, undeterred. “Which means I come back for every case they need, fight with them if they need me, and make the same amount of money I always did. The only difference is, I can hire my own PR Agent, and I regret to tell you that I didn’t go with Lewis Etc.” He shrugged in an overly-exaggerated display of contrition. “So I guess this is good-bye.”

Darcy blinked a few times. “What now?”

“I’m no longer your client, Ms. Lewis. And while I enjoy the professional time we had together, it must, unfortunately, come to an end. I’ll have to ask you to shred my contract.”

“You want me to print out your contract and shred it, or just like… delete it from our files? Because everything is digital now, Gramps.”

“Just get rid of it,” he said with a smirk. “Get rid of it, and come have lunch with me this afternoon.”

Darcy wasted no time in deleting his file from her cloud and forwarding the concurrent information to Charles so he could pull up the necessary forms for Steve to sign.

“You’ll need to go see Charles for the exit forms,” she said softly, pointing towards the door. “And I can’t answer the other half of your command until you do that.”

When he got up to leave, Darcy let her eyes linger a bit on his retreating form, only letting out the breath she was holding when he left her office.

She heard Charles make that noise again, but soon enough, Steve was back, knocking on her door. “Lunch?”

“Get in here, you gigantic idiot,” she replied instead. “Lock that door behind you.”

“Was that a yes to lunch?” he asked, grinning while doing exactly as she’d asked.

“That was a hell yes to lunch and a get the fuck over here because I’ve got an hour before I can feasibly leave this office and absolutely no work to do.”

“Pretty sure I can help with that,” Steve said, crossing the floor a bit too slowly for Darcy’s liking.

“Help? You’re gonna need to do more than that.” She jumped up on her desk and reached for him, sliding her hand around the back of his neck and up into his hair. She closed her fingers around the freshly cut strands. They were so short that they slipped from her fingers, but he got the idea. He leaned down and wrapped one arm around her waist to hold her steady against him. He let her close what little distance there still was between them, but he definitely helped a little by hoisting her up onto her desk.

She squeaked a little when he did it, but it ended up giving her that push she needed to press her lips to his.

She’d lost a client this morning, but Darcy still felt like she was coming out on top.

#Shieldshock #Darcy x Steve #Steve x Darcy #Darcy Lewis #Steve Rogers #mamma mia prompt #iamartemisday

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eagesoldartblog · 5 years

Text

Hello, i am a day late for Whumptober but please enjoy another Au a friend and I made together once

Bleeding out

Lewis had no idea how long they been trapped there. Trapped in a single building lacking power and dwindling on the food it had stored away.

Two dozen people were present with him the day they were locked in- forced to stay in by an unbreakable barrier.

Who knows how many were left. Lewis sighs, rubbing his eye stiffly and glancing down to the two forms beside him.

Vivi, a woman seeking out knowledge on the paranormal happenings around tempo, an investigator. She had a sharp eye… the second weapons were introduced, she quickly took the reigns in teaching Lewis how to properly wield one.

Arthur… a young mechanic he probably wouldn’t have seen before if not for this situation. One of the firsts to be changed by the disease spread through the walls. Whatever it was, going feral as they dubbed it, it seemed to be infectious. That… didn’t matter too much to them.

Lewis hears a distant noise, and he looks to the door. Honing his ears to listen for the possibility of someone coming close. All the while he reaches for both Vivi and Arthur to wake them up.

The sound fades, and the race in Lewis’s heart finally slows.

Gunshots blast out, in a rapid stream that may have meant anything. Nothing safe, that was for sure.

Arthur jolts awake, sitting up urgently and rapidly taking in the room, seeing nothing but the three of them. Slowly, Vivi blinks awake.

“What happened? Is someone after us-“ His breath hitches, Lewis’s hand resting on his shoulder and massaging it gently.

“I’m not sure, but they sound close.”

“God dammit.” Vivi grumbles, pushing against the floor and standing, stretching a small bit before she glances over at him, “I’ll barricade the door. Lewis, can you look into the closet to see if there’s a ... broom-? Or something.”

He nods, pushing himself up quickly and making his way through the darkness to the closet.

His hand barely grazed the handle, before the sound of intense knocking raptures his ears. He spins around.

Vivi glares at the door in suspicion, refusing to get near it, not with the heavy torrent of fists banging against it.

Not saying anything, she shoots a look over her shoulder to the two, a quick warning to get up.

Without thinking, Lewis scoops Arthur up, remaining silent the entire time, mind for the smallest whisper; “Sorry, we can rest more soon.”

Arthur nods, the bags under his eyes proving that he didn’t believe Lewis for a second, and he stretches himself. Reaching into his pocket, Arthur brings out his pistol. No bullets ready.

“LET US IN!” A voice screams, a heavy blow done to the door- near the doorknob, “WE WONT BE FREE! NOT UNLESS WE-“ they cut themselves off, or- someone else does.

Several bullets are shot.

Vivi can’t help but cringe.

Then something else happens.

The door knob twists, someone is playing with it.

And then-

“They’re unscrewing the door knob..!” Arthur reports, able to recognize the sound, ”They’re gonna get in. We need to hide.”

Vivi backs cautiously from the door, ”I know. I know we just-“

The door explodes, wood chips flying everywhere. The blast ringing in their ears. The barrel of a gun- a shot gun- pokes through the enormous hole. The man holding it, with disheveled hair and noticeable scratches to his face spots Arthur, and his grimace intensifies.

“Oh there you are, you little bitch.” Arthur flinches, unsure and confused.

”Did I attack hi-“

“You sure did!” The man hollers, gun raised and in one fast flash of intense light, Arthur is sent back. A spray of blood painting the wall, chunks of his flesh hitting the floor.

Lewis’s heart drops, diving for him, and quickly figuring where he was shot.

His left shoulder. His arm now barely dangling from the remains of tearing muscle.

Face blank, Arthur’s legs shake and tremble, eyes barely floating from the empty space in the door - Where Vivi had thrown it open, grabbing at the man and wrestling him to the floor - to his own arm.

Lewis’s chest tightens, and he twists Arthurs head to face him instead, “Look at me, look at me, Arthur. This is going to hurt very much but I need you to hold on for me.”

Arthur is barely paying attention. The shock completely set in.

Lewis swivels his head back, eyes settling on the door frame and seeing nothing.

Where did Vivi go?!

Swallowing back his anxiety, Lewis forces himself back to Arthur, figuring Vivi is rushing to find where the guy went.

Sucking in his breath, Lewis gingerly - and urgently - squeezes his hands under Arthur and heaves him into his arms. Arthurs arm dangles loosely, and Lewis quickly attempts to grab it and place it over Arthurs chest- but when he grabs it, Arthur shrieks. Thrashing in his arms, struggling against him and nearly making Lewis drop him.

Arthur barely stifles a yell, and another rain of noise pierces their ears. Something so distinct yet foreign it made Lewis want to cower and collapse. Like glass shattering but in the form of a train racing past him, and it echos all over. Arthur whines, a stream of blood seeping into his clothes and dripping onto the floor.

Its not safe here right now.. we have to go!

Lewis races down the hall, holding Arthur close to his chest, tightly holding his shoulder toward them and praying the pressure would help in anyway.

Except, crumbles of concrete fell, the walls starting to splinter and crack, and in horror, Lewis watches it cave in on one side, threatening to continue until they were crushed. Unless, they turn back.

Lewis grits his teeth anxiously, looking from the caving walls to Arthur. And he spins on his heel, rushing back to the room they were in before, where he could hide Arthur from anyone else, and properly wrap his shoulder.

Lewis kicks the door open and slides in. Resting Arthur ok his back, Lewis locks the door (as futile as that was) and switches his attention to his shirt, ripping a long chunk of his shirt and falling to his knees.

“L-Lewis..! Lewis it hurts-“

“I know.. I know sweetheart.” Lewis whispers, trying to keep himself from looking directly at the pulsating wound.

“Here, I’m going to wrap it and..”

Arthur passed out, eyes wide and mouth hung open. And Lewis doesn’t know if he should be relieved or not. Pressing his palm against Arthur’s chest, he sighs in relief and got to work wrapped his arm to his side.

“We’ll get out of here soon, sweetheart. I promise..!” Lewis whispers, eyes blurring and stinging, Arthur doesn’t respond and sudden thoughts strikes him.

Arthur could die. He could die and Vivi is gone!

“Arthur- Arthur please stay with me.” He says softly, unsure of what he's saying. Feeling for his heartbeat, feeling it steadily fade.

“No..!” He gasps, the ache in his chest getting out of control, spiraling into despair, “please! Please don’t die.. I need y-“

Bright, piercing lights flood the room, blinding Lewis. He squints through his tears, the sudden intensity far too much for him to see through.

What is that-

“Hands up!” An unfamiliar voice shouts, and Lewis’s shoulders tense. He doesn’t respond immediately, but he slowly turns his head, making out a man in blue, surprisingly clean cut. Someone who hasn’t been here as long as they have.

“Hands, up.” The man- officer repeats, and Lewis swallows, rising to his feet and doing as he said, but keeping his eyes on Arthur.

“H-he…. sir- my friend is hurt.” Lewis starts, babbling, “He needs help- sir-!”

“That’s enough, sir.” The police officer says, lowering the gun a tad bit, eyes drifting to the floor where Arthur was, “What happened to him?”

“He got shot. I was trying to stop the bleeding but the walls started to fall-“

The police officer nods.

It happens too quickly. Someone comes in with a stretcher, Arthur is lifted up and pushed out on it.

Someone else comes in to talk to him, but Lewis doesn’t hear them. He’s escorted out.

What…. happened..

#whumptober2019 #fanfics #Time demon au #tw: blood #graphic descriptions of violence #guns #tw: gun violence

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birdlord · 4 years

Text

Everything I Watched in 2019

Movies

The number in parentheses is year of release, asterisks denote a re-watch, and titles in bold are my favourite watches of the year.

01 The Death of Stalin (17) does a neat trick of building goodwill for Steve Buscemi’s Krushchev, then brutally pays that off in the last few minutes.

02 Sorry to Bother You (18)

03 Support the Girls (18)

04 Paddington (14)*

05 Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (16)

06 Eighth Grade (18) probably the most terrifying movie I watched all year, if you didn’t watch it through your fingers, who even are you?

07 Morvern Callar (02) much less bleak than the book, but then, nearly anything would be

08 The Favourite (18) revolting and beautiful.

09 Columbus (17) a really lovely movie about architecture and parent-child relationships.

10 Bring it On (00)*

11 The Land of Steady Habits (18) feels wackier than your average Holofcener, but still a good watch.

12 Spotlight (15) i was really bowled over by this, and wasn’t expecting to be. Workmanlike filmmaking, but an extraordinary story, well-told.

13 The Killing of a Sacred Deer (17) Barry Keoghan is a blank, but somehow compelling screen presence. This one has an ending that made me bark with laughter.

14 Legends of the Fall (94)

15 Moneyball (11)* if you don’t feel like watching anything in particular, you can always watch Moneyball

16 If Beale St Could Talk (18) very beautiful, but I failed to connect with it on any other level.

17 For Keeps (88)

18 Abducted in Plain Sight (17)

19 Oscar Shorts (Animated) (18) the offerings were very sappy this year, but the winner was decent! Lots of Toronto content (weird).

20 Oscar Shorts (Live Action) (18) *unquestionably* the worst one of these won ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

21 Velvet Buzzsaw (19)

22 Vice (18) ugh

23 Friends with Money (06)

24 Can You Ever Forgive Me (18)

25 Bohemian Rhapsody (18) haha what. was. that.

26 Mars Attacks (96)*

27 Paddington 2 (18)

28 Buffy the Vampire Slayer (92)*

29 Shoplifters (18)

30 Blindspotting (18) jacked Ethan Embry in a supporting role?! Whither? Howso? Wherefore?

31 Witness (85)

32 Harry & the Hendersons (87)*

33 The Matrix (99)*

34 T2 Trainspotting (17)

35 Blockers (18)

36 The Slums of Beverly Hills (98)

37 Can’t Hardly Wait (98)*

38 Avengers: Infinity War (18)

39 Iron Man II (10)

40 Isle of Dogs (18)

41 Chinatown (74)*

42 To Live & Die in LA (85)

43 Age of Innocence (93) Daniel Day-Lewis manages to make Newland Archer compelling, where in the novel he’s...the worst?!

44 Shopgirl (05)*

45 The House (17) didn’t sustain all the way through, but then, that’s how mainstream comedies often go.

46 The Beguiled (17)

47 Badlands (73)*

48 Poetic Justice (93)

49 The Empire Strikes Back (80)*

50 Calibre (18)

51 The Kindergarten Teacher (18)

52 Hounds of Love (17) a nice little Aussie thriller, set in the 80s

53 Kicking & Screaming (95)*

54 Octopussy (83)*

55 Jaws (79)*

56 Lover Come Back (61)

57 Frenzy (72)

58 Always Be My Maybe (19)

59 Certain Women (16) took a while to get to this one, but it’s as great as they say it is.

60 Baby Driver (17) all flash, little substance.

61 Sneakers (92)

62 Roadhouse (87)*

63 Bull Durham (88)*

64 Ghostbusters (84)*

65 Booksmart (19) I think this will improve on multiple viewings, though I loved the soundtrack and the mix of characters.

66 Hereditary (18)

67 Rebecca (40) George Sanders as Rebecca’s cousin is BRILLIANT

68 Vertigo (58)*

69 The Dead Don’t Die (19)

70 Crawl (19)

71 Dazed & Confused (93)* If you don’t watch this once a summer, what is wrong with you?

72 Jackie Brown (97)

73 Talk Radio (88)

74 The Guilty (18)

75 Killing Heydrich (17)

76 Lady Bird (17)*

77 Billy Elliot (00)*

78 White House Down (13)* Channing Potatum saves the White House!

79 The Film Worker (17)

80 Whitney (18)

81 Mascot (16)

82 Apocalypse Now (79)* technically I’d only seen the Redux version from the early 2000s, so the regular cut is new to me.

83 Apollo 13 (95)*

84 Psycho 2 (83) the twist is very guessable, but there are a couple of nice-looking scenes.

85 Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (04)*

86 The Bodyguard (92)*

87 Murder Mystery (19)

88 Wildlife (18)

89 The Stepford Wives (75)*

90 Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (71)*

91 The Natural (84)

92 The Other Boleyn Girl (08)

93 Speed (94)*

94 Opera (87)

95 That’s my Boy (12) haha what?!

96 The Big Short (15)

97 Elizabeth the Golden Age (07)

98 The Glass Castle (17) when I read the book, I genuinely thought it was fiction, it’s so insane.

99 Dawn of the Dead (78)*

100 All About Eve (50) lady on lady violence is a special thing

101 La La Land (16)

102 Morning Glory (10) remember Rachel McAdams?

103 Casino (95)*

104 Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (06)

105 Pet Sematary (19)

106 Clue (85)*

107 Her Smell (18) amazing soundtrack and the songs were well-chosen. Heartbreaking musical moment in the final act.

108 Bobby Sands: 66 Days (16)

109 She’s Gotta Have it (86)

110 Good Morning (59)

111 Hustlers (19) I didn’t connect with this as much as the reviews led me to believe I might.

112 Nocturnal Animals (16)

113 Kill Bill Vol 1 (03) I’d only ever seen the second one before, being a non-Tarantino completionist.

114 Fried Green Tomatoes (91)* I watch this more than anticipated...

115 Steel Magnolias (89)

116 Notting Hill (99)*

117 A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (19) the tiny city models were inspired!

118 National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (89)*

119 Let It Snow (19)

120 Frozen (13)

121 The Irishman (19) most interesting as a sort of pastiche/reckoning on the part of Scorsese about his other gangster films. Really outmoded view of unions. Definitely could have been edited down if anyone were able to come to it without undue reverence, but I did love the bit about the fish.

122 Girls Trip (17) actual plot is beside the point.

123 About a Boy (02)* I always think of this as the “vomit and sweaters” movie, anyone else?

124 Animal House (78)*

DOCUMENTARY : FICTION - 4:120

THEATRE : HOME - 9:115

TV Series

01 Russian Doll - I think I would have enjoyed this more if it hadn’t been bingeable - would have made a nice week-by-week discussion sort of show. I loved to watch the changes between re-ups of our major characters, and I think the actual plotting would reward re-watches.

02 Catastrophe S4 - A satisfying ending to an excellent show, with very charismatic leads (and deeply weird supporting characters). Had to write around Carrie Fisher’s death, and I’m sure did a better job of it than Star Wars did.

03 Friends from College S2 - More of the same, which is what I was after. A show like cotton candy (but with more infidelity).

04 High Maintenance S3 - A lot more of this season took place outside of New York City, which was a great change of pace. And a great deal more information about The Guy and his own life; both difficulties and successes included.

05 Losers - This was a great little docuseries on Netflix that I didn’t hear a lot of people talking about - it’s about sports losses, but unusual sports ie curling, figure skating and the like. You’d think it would get repetitive, being as it’s always about recovering after loss, but it doesn’t! I wish they would make another season….

06 Shrill - a tight six episode dramedy about an alt-weekly journalist in the Pacific Northwest, based on Lindy West’s memoir of the same name. John Cameron Mitchell as her boss (based on Dan Savage) stands out of the ensemble cast, as does Annie’s roommate played by a British standup Lolly Adefope.

07 Broad City S5 - I haven’t always kept up with Broad City, but I came back to it for its final season, and thought it did a good job of setting its characters up for big changes in their lives.

08 I Think You Should Leave - It’s easy to assume that all sketch comedy is terrible and always will be, but then you see this, and throw your TV out the window (due to all the laffs)

09 Fleabag S2 - Everything you’ve heard is true, this season is goddamn hilarious and ridiculously sexy. A huge step up from the first season, which was already pretty fantastic and incisive.

10 Fosse/Verdon - Musicals are not particularly my bag, so I’m sure there was a lot that I missed in terms of references, but the lead performances ably carried me through all of the time jumps and various performances.

11 Stranger Things S3 - Say it after me: d-i-m-i-n-i-s-h-i-n-g r-e-t-u-r-n-s! Maya Hawke kills it, though.

12 Big Little Lies S2 - Unnecessary, and (if possible) even sillier than the first season.

13 Lorena - Part of the ongoing quest to rehabilitate the maligned women of the 1990s, this gave me tons of context that I had no idea about at the time, due to being a dumb kid.

14 Glow S3 - I felt like I was losing steam on this series this year, but episodes like the camping ep kept me coming back. A great ensemble, though some unusual character choices (like a certain kiss *cough*) took me out of it by times.

15 Lodge 49 S1-3 - I’d kept hearing about this show, so I finally sought it out. I can’t say it was amazingly compelling (I almost dropped it after the first season) but it’s definitely an oddball of a show, slipping from setpiece to setpiece with little regard for logic. For me, a background show.

16 Chernobyl - This show really gave me the Bad Feeling, humans were definitely A Mistake.

17 On Becoming a God in Central Florida - Kiki in a trashy mode, not as infinitely appealing as the version she pulled off in the second season of Fargo, but scrappy and industrious nonetheless.

18 Show Me a Hero - I’d put off watching this for years, it felt like it was going to be too dull (housing policy in Yonkers?) but it’s great, and larded up with Bruce Springsteen songs, obvs.

19 Great British Bake Off S9-S10 - I’d also held off on watching this for a long time, out of loyalty to Mel, Sue, and Mary Berry. But I needed some comfort viewing towards the end of the summer, and the new hosts and judge do an able job, although the show’s tropes are feeling a bit well-worn at this point.

20 Righteous Gemstones S1 - A rollicking ride for sure, with a great cast. Your mileage/patience with Danny McBride may vary, so keep that in mind, naturally.

21 This Way Up S1 - A small show starring the fabulous Aisling Bea, about mental health and families and some nice comic physical acting. Oh, and in case you were watching The Crown and crushing on Tobias Menzies’ version of Prince Phillip, he plays a hot dad love interest in this, which gives you all the Tobias you’re looking for, without the PP racisms.

22 The Crown S3 - This is the first season of the big cast switchover, and I thought it stuck reasonably well, once we were in it an episode or two. This season concentrated even less on Elizabeth herself, preferring her sister, husband, and (newly!) her children.

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caasiturner · 5 years

Text

Hurricanes and Jon.

Jon Bellion is an extremely talented artist. My favorite album of his is The Human Condition. Every single song is a straight banger, his beats stir up all kinds of emotion, and his lyrics speak to the depths of my soul. My favorite track is, however, Hand of God. Throughout the song he speaks of his stresses, ex-girlfriends, and the struggle of life. The line that really resonates with me is,

“ I might break

Angry at all the things, angry at all the things I can't change

When you're lost in the universe, lost in the universe

Don't lose faith

My mother says, "Your whole life's in the hand of God"

Nothing has changed, he is the same

"Your whole life's in the hand of God"

That’s hard for me to accept. I can’t see that hand. We sung about it a lot growing up, “He’s got the whole world in his hands, etc, etc. etc.” We talked in Sunday School about how there’s a God who’s got His eye “on the sparrow”. We are told there’s someone who knows our every need. But as an adult it’s really hard to believe.

As I’ve reiterated countless times before I tend to be a doubting Thomas in search of constant reassuarance. A person who needs tangibles, reasons, hard data and evidence. I need to figure everything out, most likely due to never knowing during my childhood. I need to be able to hang onto things, to fully understand. I don’t take things at face value, I research, I make hypothesis and test them, I deduce and find the answer.

But life has a sense of humor.

Every time I start to figure out things the slightest bit, I am humbled, reset, back handed if you will. This year I finally saved my first thousand dollars. Now maybe to you that’s insignificant. For me it was huge. I grew up under the poverty line, and through a lot of sweat and blood, I’ve been paying my own way since I was 17. To finally see four digits in my savings was an amazing feeling.

I struggle hanging onto relationships. I’ve been transparent about this multiple times. It’s been hard getting over my latest relationship mostly because she was nearly everything I thought I wanted. Some days it’s hard to believe there’s something better out there. Or that I am even meant to be with someone. But, after not speaking since summer I finally felt in a good place mentally and emotionally.

Then this week happened.

My clutch in my car is now shot. It’s gonna cost over five-hundred dollars to fix. Everything I worked for is gone in a single day. Just like that.

The girl I felt I had finally moved on from texted me, asking for help. My heart literally dropped and I wasn’t sure how to feel. Anger in the fact you hit me up because you need something. Confusion in why would you turn to me. Eagerness to assist and concern in because I still care for you as a person no matter the past.

I yelled at the sky. I’m frustrated. Angry even. Tired of fighting. Aching for this horrid year of 2018 to be over.

I feel like a ship trying to weather a storm. Every time I conquer one wave, yet another crashes down. I feel like I’ll never get my head above the water, as if God Himself finds a sadistic joy in personally holding me under. I strive and fight so hard, yet all ends the same. Empty. Meaningless. Hopeless even.

I just want to figure this all out. Know what I’m suppose to be doing. Know what I’m doing wrong. Know why everything is a constant struggle. Know why am I even here or what my purpose is.

People say I bless their life all the time. I’m so genuine or so kind or so this and blah blah blah. You don’t know me. You can’t even imagine half of what I’ve felt or gone through. Walk a mile in my shoes and you’d probably trip over the size of my feet. You don’t see my inside world, what I battle every day, or the stuff I see. You don’t see the tortured mind of an artist, the confusion of a twenty-two year old, the anxiety and worry of someone who’s living far above his years, the broadness of my back as I carry countless bags of baggage and multiple burdens (some self-inflicted and some who are by rights others to carry).

You don’t see the homesickness for someone I haven’t yet met. The tiredness of being called “baby” by people who don’t mean it (Shout out my guy Ed Sheeran). You don’t see how lost I am or how badly I want to be found. You don’t see how “I don't want to kill myself because others will get the job of cleaning up my blood from a gun shot, cutting the rope above my head or telling my parents I'm dead. I just want to disappear.”

How’s that lyric go Mansionz?

“...Nobody knows, nobody knows, no one (no one)

You'll never know, you'll never know me,

I wanna believe in religion

But nobody reminds me of God

I wanna believe in what I hear and what I read

But it mostly reminds me I'm lost

I wanna believe that when I fuck it's romantic

But no lovers remind me of love

And I need to believe in moderation

'Cause believers believe in too much

I learned to lie

I learned to lie when I was younger

Tell me somethin' true...”

Yeah. I feel that on a spiritual level.

But.

To live by feelings is to live falsely. Feelings lie. Feelings change. Feelings come and go. What holds us together?

Faith.

A “ Complete trust or confidence in someone or something.”

A “ Belief; the assent of the mind to the truth of what is declared by another, resting on his authority and veracity, without other evidence (Webster).

Faith in there being a greater plan. Faith in a better tomorrow. Resting my life and hopes and dreams, without other evidence, into “The Hands of God.” A higher being. Something larger than myself. without seeing the end result. That’s completely counter intuitive my nature.

Maybe Puddleglum from The Chronicles of Narnia states it best in C.S Lewis’s classic The Silver Chair. Our hero is hard pressed, and a witch is doing all she can to convince him to lose his faith in the great lion Aslan and his memories of life above ground. Just as he is about to give over to her power he states,

“ All you've been saying is quite right, I shouldn't wonder. I'm a chap who always liked to know the worst and then put the best face I can on it. So I won't deny any of what you said. But there's one more thing to be said, even so. Suppose we have only dreamed, or made up, all those things-trees and grass and sun and moon and stars and Aslan himself. Suppose we have. Then all I can say is that, in that case, the made-up things seem a good deal more important than the real ones. Suppose this black pit of a kingdom of yours is the only world. Well, it strikes me as a pretty poor one. And that's a funny thing, when you come to think of it. We're just babies making up a game, if you're right. But four babies playing a game can make a play-world which licks your real world hollow. That's why I'm going to stand by the play world. I'm on Aslan's side even if there isn't any Aslan to lead it. I'm going to live as like a Narnian as I can even if there isn't any Narnia. So, thanking you kindly for our supper, if these two gentlemen and the young lady are ready, we're leaving your court at once and setting out in the dark to spend our lives looking for Overland. Not that our lives will be very long, I should think; but that's a small loss if the world's as dull a place as you say.”

Do I have that faith? Faith to believe no matter what lies I tell myself it’s all for a reason? That there is something out? That this world I currently see is but a shadow, a vapor, a breath, a blip in an endless line of eternity? That there are no accidents, or meaninglessness?

Can I believe that?

I want to. I am tired of keeping my hands on the Wheel of this ship. I’m tired of trying to keep my ship afloat. I’m tired of trying to do everything from my own power. I’m tired of failing at attempting to run out this storm, keep my sails aloft, or row my own way.

So this is me.

I’m giving over for I have no one else to turn to.

Friends and family can’t help me. Money won’t save me. Running away is a temporary solution. So here is a public declaration. I surrender. I give up. Take this wheel. Beach this ship if you have to.

Just take my life and place it into your hands.

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okimargarvez · 6 years

Text

EVERY FAREWELL BRINGS WITH IT A NEW BEGINNING- Wheels up

Original title: Ogni addio porta con sé un nuovo inizio.

Prompt: 13x01, 13x05.

Warning: character’ death.

Genre: angst, family, romantic, drama, friendship.

Characters: Penelope Garcia, Luke Alvez, Emily Prentiss, Jennifer Jareau, Tara Lewis, Stephen Walker, Spencer Reid, David Rossi, Matt Simmons, Mark, Diana Reid, Will LaMontagne, other BAU family members.

Pairing: Garvez, Emily x Mark, JJ x Will, Spencer x Maeve, Matt x Kristy.

Note: 2 oneshot.

Legend: 💏😘🔦🐶⚰.

Song mentioned: none.

Note: I written this almost a year ago, before watching the 13th Season Premiere. There is a second part, dedicated on episode 13x05 (Lucky strikes). What I wanted to see. I’ve tried to write as it was a screenplay. Less descriptions and more dialogues.

Every Farewell Bring With It A New Beginning- Masterlist

GARVEZ STORIES

EVERY FAREWELL BRINGS WITH IT A NEW BEGINNING

Previously

A very loud noise, indeed, more than one. The bang of exploding tires, first the front ones and then the rear wheels. The screeching brakes of the asphalt.

A female voice: -Is everyone OK?-

-Yeah.- another woman, after a break of consultation. Sighs of relief filled the cockpits of both vehicles.

Then a sudden and blinding light. Another danger lurking. Not even time to scream. Again, a cacophony of sounds horrifying. The metal being bent by the impact. The glass that are shattered; some splinters sticking into the skin, causing superficial wounds and bleeding.

Wheels up

Start a new gig: moaning giving way to genuine complaints.

On its own, separate from others, was hear a broken voice. Far. -Guys, what's happened?-. She doesn't get an answer. She's afraid to try again. But again, the woman speaks through a mobile miraculously survived. -Are you okay? Please give me a sign!-. sob, pulled up the nose, another sob. -Emily? JJ? Rossi? Tara? Alvez? Walker?-. It seems almost a list, a roll-call for only absents. The order isn't really random.

Anything.

Then fingers quickly press the keys, outgoing call -911, what's your emergency? -. No time to let be governed by panic.

-I'm an FBI agent, my colleagues have been hit during a mission, I need at least three ambulances at the address which I'm forwarding to you, NOW! - despite good intentions she yells and screams a bit 'too much.

-We will immediately did. Can you tell me if it was involved a firearm or...?- she stops the operator rudely.

-No, no! I think that it was a car accident but... just before I heard the bang of the tires bursting. It wasn't bad luck, it was deliberate.- she act is found to do the part of the profiler, that she had never wanted to be.

The first thing she hear is a sharp pain in the chest, stretching the length of the chest. At the same time a kind of whining. Soon she realizes that she herself is producing that sound. The head is spinning, because they were overturned.

She opens her eyes and even that tiny gesture causes suffering. Next to her, at the wheel, there's Rossi, unconscious. All at once a groan, but not came from man. -Tara?- she feels her mouth dry, almost the impact had taken away all the saliva. The belts have become a prison. She tries not to panic and follow the procedures, learned too many years ago. She puts her hands on the roof, then with one can press the lock and release. She sighs of relief and gradually let go the grip with her feet. She finds herself sitting crooked. She looks again at Dave, who doesn't move.

Something, maybe her instinct tells her to stay alert. She peers in semi-darkness in search of her gun. She finds the weapon and holds it close to her. Turning back to Tara, still upside down, she makes a sign to remain silent. A thousandth after a blinding light illuminates the road and then the passenger compartment.

She cleans the lenses with the rag, but those salty stains will not go away. Then she off her glasses and she put them on the desk. She looks blinking dot on her screen; fixed, always in the same position. Help is coming. She must think this, or go mad.

-I'm at the airport now, hold on, baby girl. Wait. In a moment I'll be with you.- she nods, but he can't see her. But she can't talk at this time. And it is strange, for she usually begins to rave when they are in trouble.

They knew it was risky. They were talking about this just a moment before it happened the incident. Mr. Scratch is the worse unsub that they had met.

The call ends with a click. But she can't afford to do another cycle of crying. She has something to do.

Slender hands leaf through the pages covered with photos. Others, a bit older and wrinkled, cover the younger hand indicating a particular image. He portrays a man, a woman and a small child, in front of an institutional building.

-Here we had just returned from the science fair, which of course you won.- he smiles and it's funny, his mother remembers a piece of their lives that he, with an eidetic memory isn't able to remember, because it was really too small at the material time. He looks carefully one of the people, more than others.

Dad. I miss dad.

A simple thought for one with an IQ as him. But the woman's fingers shake his. She know it; she feels the same thing.

One annoying vibration forces him to open his eyes. It's his phone. The caller is Penelope. Instantly he understands that something bad happened. He stands up, moving away from the mother so she doesn't hear. Just when he presses the green button he was denied a chance to speak.

-Reid , the team had an accident... I sent the ambulances... no one answers... Derek is coming here... I...- he understands that she is in clear and justified drowsiness. He glances at the blonde woman sat on the couch.

-I'm coming.-

She sees a metallic shimmer. She counts mentally two seconds. She hears Tara's breath and her own, they seem loud as the roar of a plane. She rushes forward and fires five shots in quick succession. She is sure that it's not the help. The watch Rossi leads the wrist says that only within minutes have passed from the accident and not even Garcia isn't so rapid.

She turns to Tara. She's fighting with belts and finally succeeds in.

She gives a kick to the last bits of the window glass, remained precariously together. She tries the door handle of the door, but the latter is deformed, and then fails to open it. Without thinking too much, she comes out straight out of the window, accumulating other scratches.

A pool of blood is spreading under the body of a man dressed all in black.

Behind her she hears Dr. Lewis shouts -Rossi! Rossi, c'mon!-

Hearing gunshots she feared the worst. Looking out, the glow has enabled her to understand that the victim wasn't one of her team, because it wasn't on the cars but outside.

-Are you all right?- to they it went better. They weren't overturned, but flipped on its side. -Luke?- no movement, however slight. -Walker?- she asks then, but is not likely to get any kind of response.

The flashes light of ambulances.

The cries of the paramedics.

-There need to intubate! -

-B.P. is dropping!-

-We're losing him!-

Then they are transport on stretchers. People waiting sessions for less wounds serious watch helplessly that show.

-I'm fine, you have to help Walker, Rossi and Alvez!- the protests of one of the three women are settled with any simple gazes. -I said I'm fine, leave me!- she attracts everyone's attention.

-Madam, calm down. You had to be visited as the others. We are taking care of everyone.- the bed continues to wobble. A needle inserted gently into the skin.

Finally, peace and oblivion.

They hold hands as a few days before, when he was finally released from prison. That time he was in need of comfort and support. Today the roles have been reversed. Garcia is a strong person, despite all the tears that she annually weeps. He has never seen her like this. It had never happened something like that, a disaster that involved the safety of the whole team.

She doesn't know what to think, for those she has to pray. This time she can't believe that it happens a miracle and that's will right.

Something, a voice tells her that it's not.

Without even realizing it, she lost consciousness.

-It was a Scratch's trap. I should have thought. I have examined all possibilities.- the brunette shakes her head to self-inflicted reproaches of her boss. A bandage covers her forehead, concealing a deep cut right on her eyebrow arch. Various scratches are scattered all over the face. The hospital gown doesn't take off one gram of her authority.

-Emily, don't say that. At best, it was our mistake. We had to think about any kind of variable. It wasn't your fault.- she repeats, but the other woman ignores her. The brunette runs a hand over her face, feeling tangibly her wounds.

-It was impossible to predict one such thing.- Rossi gives her help, but it's useless.

She keeps looking in the direction of the last bed. Empty.

It was only a moment and no medical intervention was necessary. Never letting go they reach the room where the BAU members are hospitalized. Spencer runs from JJ.

-You already warned Will and the boys?- the blonde asks, without breaking away from the embrace, the computer technician nods.

-I... I called everyone I could. Morgan is coming too... – this doesn’t seem to surprise Prentiss. Not even Rossi, who giggles. When he arrives from the latter he realizes that it doesn’t add up. Someone is missing from the party. The smile goes off on her lips.

There is still another bed in the room. And there's nobody on it.

-Garcia...- she doesn’t remain there to hear an unpleasant story. Before disappearing, she glanced at Reid, who didn’t want to tell her what the doctor had told him while she was "absent".

The others look at her running away, sighing and exchanging eloquent looks.

She washed her face several times with cold water, but every time she raises her eyes on the mirror, she sees a redness on her skin that doesn’t want to leave. She can’t stop crying.

She seems to hear a male voice making her name. She ignores it. But this insists, tries again. Anything. She recognized who these nuances and accent belong to, but it is only her mind that makes fun of her.

Suddenly the hallucination becomes tactile. Soon after a strange noise, like wheels on the floor; a hand is resting on her back. Big, certainly belongs to a man. And hot. She can feel heat even through layers of fabric.

She turns slowly, and he releases his grip.

Sitting in a wheelchair there is special agent Luke Alvez.

-So, what we do?- the brunette went for a moment in the bathroom and when she came out wearing the gear brought by Garcia. Yes, she had thought of everything...

-We can’t do anything right now, Emily...- the paternal and condescending tone of the elder irritates her. She knows perfectly well that this is irrational sensations, but this changes things a little.

-Rossi is right. You have to rest, you are still under observation... – she chases the boy's words with her hand.

-You shouldn’t be here, rather. You should be with your mother. Good heavens, you're just back in freedom and just a few hours ago we freed Diana! What the hell are you doing in the hospital?- everyone has understood the reason for their boss's behavior; nobody takes it too much.

-We are a family, have you forgotten it? We have to stay united.- even the blonde has to add the dose. What no one says is especially at times like these.

Quick disordered flashbacks pass before their eyes.

The attack in New York. Hotch disappeared.

Garcia in the operating room. -The bullet entered the chest and rebounded into the abdomen. She lost a lot of blood. But we managed to repair the injuries. A centimeter higher and would have crossed her heart but could be discharged in a couple of days.-.

Spencer kidnapped by a bipolar fool. -Dad, don’t do it!... Shut up, son.-.

Savannah hit while she was pregnant. Outside a hospital.

The funeral of Emily. That of the chief of the section, Erin Strauss.

-The superhighway of information is closed.- Elle almost dead.

-We have a case... it concerns Gideon...-.

JJ kidnapped and tortured while she was pregnant. Mateo Cruz, chief of the section, half dead.

Hailey killed by the Reaper. And Jack save by miracle.

The anguish, then the relief. Sometimes only despair that fades too slowly. The pain that becomes a friend to cling to.

There have already been so many times, yet each one is always different. Probability doesn’t mean certainty, but possibility. Hope.

- We must think only of Stephen. We have to pray that everything is going good.-

-Luke?! Oh God! Oh God! You're... you're...- the man understands what she can’t say aloud. He shakes his head, without the shadow of a smile. Then he raises his leg to show her that it's nothing serious.

-It's just a dislocation. Really, Garcia. I'll just have to use crutches for a while.- now he tries to smile to reassure her. The comfort, however, lasts very little.

-Oh, then it's Walker!- for a moment he would like to protest, to say that as usual she would have preferred it was him, the one in danger of life, because he had no one who would mourn his death, while Stephen had a family, wife and sons. He was only the newbie and he would remain forever. But luckily, he manages to hold back and drive away a thought that is so selfish, yet sensible.

-Breath, Garcia!- he tries to take her by the shoulders, but from that position is too difficult. He sees that look she had during the Reid hearing. -It's in the operating room, right now.- thin consolation. That bad presentiment that has haunted her since Prentiss showed her the false message sent to Derek, is now stronger than ever.

-I have to... Oh my God! Monica and the children! They are already arrived? She will need help... - she feels herself missing again. The head turns like a crazy top. The legs are too heavy. She can’t speak anymore. Luke assists helplessly, fearing she may fall, but not knowing what to do. She leans against the wall and takes a breath. -You remember... what you told me?- she just stares him. -Now I want to cry and that someone can stand me while I do.- the tears are already peeping from the pupils and it is clear that she will not accept a no for an answer. Luke smiles sweetly. He doesn’t know how he managed to make such a confession that day. And certainly, she hadn’t taken him seriously. But now it is he who takes his responsibilities. Penelope lowers her height and hugs him. The masculine hands gently caress her back. He trembles, strives not to cry in turn.

A few sentences whisper in her ear, while a hand moves through her hair. -I'm sure you did everything you could, all the necessary calls.- her biggest enemy is herself, and it's always been so obvious. She will never be enough, up to her expectations. There will always be something that she could have done but was not able to. Something to think about. She and Prentiss are very similar. – Stop crying, stop. It's not your fault, Penelope.- and she notices once again how Luke is not Derek. The latter would have allowed her to let off steam until exhaustion. The Newbie no; he wants her next to him at the crime scene; he has the courage to tell her truth that she would prefer (it would be easier) to ignore. -It will not help Walker survive.-

-But why are they putting so much? To wedge a leg, it doesn’t take all this time …- the anxiety has spread throughout the room. Nobody tries to comfort others. Even Spencer gave up after receiving a glare for coming out with one of his quotes. -It says no news is good news.-.

Then the noise of wheels on the floor and the door that opens makes everyone jump. Enter Luke, in a wheelchair. But even more shocking is that to push it is Garcia. They see that she cried, but this doesn’t surprise anyone.

-Are there any news?- he immediately shoots that question, aware that otherwise he will not do it again. Both Emily and Rossi shake their heads. The wait continues. Silence seems almost unreal. Only JJ notices the hand of the former task force agent gently gripping the arm of their computer technician. For a second, she wonders if something has happened between those two and promises to ask her friend. When all this will be another bad memory.

But then the door swings open and this time a doctor enters, still wearing a bloody smock, headphones and a mask. Indecipherable expression. -Are you colleagues of Agent Walker?- so many nodding heads, hands clasping each other, in a gesture of prayer, intertwined fingers. -We have done everything possible, I'm sorry, the head injury was too extensive.- the rest of the doctor's words is confused in their minds.

He can’t really be dead.

We had just met him.

Monica, poor Monica.

It's my fault, my fault, mine. Mine.

After a few minutes the ambassador of misfortunes comes out and no one can even say anything. Penelope glances at the door, but before she can even think of escaping, the hold on her arm tightens and takes her back to her duty.

They are a family, for better or for worse.

The cry of the child lasts very little. Two pairs of arms are already ready to tighten and console him. A couple and a half. -You should not lift weights, have you forgotten what the doctor said?- the husband's sensible words don’t sound good before a mother who just wants to embrace her own fruit. -Honey, let me, I don’t make him fall!- a moment of resistance and then surrender.

She sits on the couch, abandoning herself to dead weight.

-Mummy, do you want me to help you put the jacket?- the blond child with glasses bigger than him make her smile.

-Sure, my love.-

-I know, I know if you could you have been here.- she walks across the room, making the same route.

-I know you, Em, you want to make everyone believe that you're well, being strong enough to overcome anything by yourself... but you're not alone, love, ok? There are me and there are your colleagues. Nobody expects you to be the next Iron Lady.- but she shakes her head.

-Mark, it was my fault, if Stephen died! I'm the chief of this unit... Hotch...- he stops her before she can say other nonsense.

-Don’t say something like "Hotch would not allow it". He is a human being, like you. Such development couldn’t be foreseen.- the man on the other end of the line sighs. He passes a hand on the head. -Listen to me, I'll be there tonight. Okay?- this time she nods, but he can’t see her anyway.

She end the call without adding anything. She sits down, takes off her shoes and massages her feet. She is no longer used to putting on her heels. She far prefers something more convenient and practical.

Trying not to be too brusquely he drives away the woman's hand.

-Mom, enough. So you're suffocating me.- he tries to loosen the tie a bit. He feels strangled. He is having a crisis. It didn’t happen to him for a while. He thought he was already free of stress for having spent six months in prison but reading at the speed of light or having a volcanic mind doesn’t save him from the human emotions of ordinary mortals. In that sphere he is vulnerable, just like everyone else.

One name seems to pass quickly in front of him. Maeve. He feels a caress on his arm. It could be a breath of wind, entered through the window that his mother left open. Before he can even take a step, the new nurse intuits what he is thinking and closes it. Yet that shiver doesn’t go away.

I'm with you, Spencer.

-You're very well dad, really.- a laugh.

The man doesn’t turn around, he continues to admire his reflection in the mirror. He sees all the wrinkles, some white hair despite the color. And yet... not bad. Overall, it could be put much worse.

The female hand rests on his shoulder and forces him to turn around. -I'm sorry to distract you from contemplation, but you'll be late for the ceremony...- he looks at his partner and daughter, their faces both anxious.

That dress he would have preferred to put on another occasion.

She isn’t convinced of her choice, but she doesn’t find anything better. She ponders the stupidity of the need to concentrate negative emotions on clothes that society considers suitable for the occasion.

-Tara?- the man says her name. His tone is delicate, he knows how much her sister is suffering, but she is the strong one, who doesn’t show her weaknesses. She spends her life listening to the thoughts and problems of others, while she doesn’t even consider hers. She turns to look at him. -It's time to go.- he offers her his arm and after a minute hesitation, she accepts.

He fastens his shoes and then look at the bed. The dog is looking at him curiously, bending his head following his movements. -What's up, girl? Don’t you like it?- he using the arms to bring the wheelchair next to the mattress. -No even I wanted to put clothes like that.- he sighs, for a moment losing in his memories.

The bell rings.

He gives Roxy a caress. -She is here.- he announces, the voice a bit trembling. He moves to the entrance and opens the door. A blonde woman, entirely dressed in black, with a hat of the same color on her head, is smiling to him sadly.

-Are you ready?- she asks him, staying on the threshold. The man nods. She turns around and turns back. -We see you later, Roxy.- she greets the dog and then helps him to get off those few steps, then to get on board the car. She puts in the driver's seat. It's a strange thing, it was usually the opposite, but lately, because of the fracture, she was often found in this situation.

-Penelope...- he puts a hand on hers, already on the steering wheel. The woman turns to look at him, tightening her lips. -Are you okay?- she shakes her head, deciding to be honest. -Me too.- he says, intertwining their fingers and giving her a hold. -We will get also through this.-

-Do you think so, Luke? I'm not so sure.- she starts, without breaking the contact. -We go ahead, because there isn’t much else that can be done... as to overcome it... no.- she shakes the head again and she is necessary not to cry, not to ruin the make-up.

Standing in front of that closed coffin, everyone tries to stand up as they can. JJ clings to Will, Rossi to his daughter, Tara and Emily remain close, Reid alone (or almost), with his hands in his pockets, Garcia behind the wheelchair of Luke, a hand on the man's shoulder, that of him on hers, without looking at each other.

In the front row a woman embraces two children, a boy and a girl, who can’t stop crying.

-The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.- a man dressed in ceremonial clothes pronounces in a solemn tone. A priest, a great friend of the Walker family. He baptized Ely and Maya, celebrating the marriage of Stephen and Monica. He didn’t think he would survive that boy who spent his afternoons helping him with the parish, instead of playing the park like everyone else.

The box is lowered, and the pit filled with earth.

It's over another day.

-We need to take that bastard!- the brunette slams a fist on the round table, making the other members of the team jump. That empty chair stands out terribly. -It's my fault, if Stephen is dead.- now her voice seems to come from beyond the grave.

-Emily, it's not true...- the blonde expert in communication tries to contradict her.

-Yes, that is. I'm not just talking about Scratch trap. I let him come here, I wanted him to be part of this group, and now Monica no longer has a husband, two boys no longer have a father... and we've lost a fantastic person. I want the head of the son of a bitch, and I want it before this month ends!- with the last cry, she gets out of the room. With strange glances, the others gradually get up and leave. Only the computer technician and the former agent of the task force remain.

-Do you need help, Newbie?- since the incident she changed attitude, indeed, she took care of him, making him a nurse, helping him in the kitchen, taking Roxy out... basically they attended a lot in the non-working hours and have discovered to appreciate each other's company. Luke has become used too easily in the presence of the woman and at this moment he realizes that when he gets better, everything will return as before and he doesn’t know if he's ready or if he wants it. On the contrary, he knows perfectly well that he doesn’t want to start spending his free time alone. Or without her, which is about the same thing.

-No...- he answers after what seems an eternity. He returns to her own papers. -Penelope...- he finds the courage to call her, the blonde raises her head to look at him, but then her cell phone starts to sing. The man shakes his head and sighs.

-Matt?- she asks surprised. -What?- she turns her back to him, she is distracted for a moment. When she looks around, Luke is gone.

-Welcome to the team, Simmons. I hope you'll help us capture Lewis.- the woman shakes her hand. The man with Asian features reciprocates the grasp and smiles.

-Thank you, Prentiss. I hope so too.-

It's all dark and already the thing appears quite suspicious. JJ gives a boost to the man, forcing him to enter. On her face a strange smile. As soon as he sets foot in the meeting room, the light is rekindled and the sight hits him. The others are also stunned, all except the blonde.

-Surprise!- shouts a voice that he knows well. On the round table there are several glasses already filled with a semi-transparent liquid and even a cake with the word Welcome in uppercase.

The former newcomer can’t hold back a grimace of annoyance. Garcia can’t but celebrate the entry of a person in the team; pity that she hadn’t reserved such a consideration to him. Indeed, all the opposite. He notices with horror that he is jealous of her. Every smile, every minimal gesture that the woman dedicates to Simmons, is unbearable.

He doesn’t even listen to the usual proclamations and so he is taken aback when a female hand is resting on his shoulder.

-Are we going, Luke?- he nods only, fearing what he might unwittingly say.

He opens the door trying to make as little noise as possible. It's night. He doesn’t want to wake his partner. He climbs the stairs moving like a thief or an assailant and the idea almost makes him laugh, risking ruining everything. Arrived at the last step he almost falls due to a toy; he bites his tongue not to say a dirty word.

He opens the door and contemplates his children sleeping for a few seconds, then moves into the bedroom and does the same with his wife. Then he undresses, wears his pajamas and finally slips under the covers.

Sigh of joy.

This is home.

-Are you sure everything's ok?- they're waiting for the elevator together. The ex-newcomer tries to keep his distance for what he is allowed by a wheelchair; he begins to strongly hate this machine. It makes him feel too vulnerable and made him discover what it feels like to have Penelope Garcia in their everyday life, knowing that it will end too soon and that it isn’t enough anyway. -Do you need help later, with Roxy?- the woman asks after waiting for the answer to the first question, in vain. She doesn’t understand his strange attitude of these last hours.

-No.- he finally answers, always closed. She looks up and pretends nothing. Silence, they only hear the buzz of the elevator that is coming. Finally, the doors open. They go up, he avoids her help and Penelope doesn’t know what to think. They remain silent for a few seconds, then she blurts out: -Listen, what's your problem? Say it immediately and let's get it over.- she puts her arms crossed and forces him to look at her.

-Nothing...- he begins in an unconvincing tone. -just that... when Prentiss came back you gave her a toast, Walker… you welcomed him with open arms- he had a hard time saying that name -and Simmons... you gave him a welcome party- she starts to guess where he wants to go, but she lets him end. -I'm the only one who didn’t have this honor.- he closes his eyes and shakes his head, just wanting that the doors open and can go down. In any case he can’t drive, so he will not easily get rid of the woman.

Penelope has a smug smile on her face. -Oh no, no, I can’t believe it!- she exclaims with exaggerated tone and theatrical way. -You are... jealous of the attention I gave to Matt?- it annoys him that she called him for his own name. -You are completely out of it, a little sounder- she warns him that they have reached the parking floor. He pushes the wheelchair outside and heads for his car. -But you know that he has four children?- she emphasizes the number.

He sighs, desperate. He should have found a way to restrain himself, but it's too late now. -Of course, I know, I'm the godfather of the twins.- he confesses. She is so surprised that she stops and stands in front of him to scrutinize his expression more carefully and catch him in the face of a lie. -It's a great friend of mine, we've known each other since the days of the academy...- she starts walking again and then helps him to settle in the passenger seat. He no longer opens his mouth halfway and the blonde decides to respect his colleague's silence. -I've known him for a long time.- he suddenly begins to speak, while they are still at an intersection. -So no, I'm not jealous of him.- she turns to look at him confused.

-But then…- he doesn’t give her the chance to reply and even the light turns green. She press the foot on the clutch, then on the accelerator.

Luke sighs, totally resigned. -I'm jealous of you.- he no longer has the courage to look at her and not even her. -Now, please, if you want me at least a shred of love, don’t say anything, leave me at home, slip away and... forget what I told you.- she nods, but knows she will not.

TAGS: @theshamelessmanatee @itsdawnashlie @talesoffairies @kiki-krakatoa @gcchic @arses21434 @jarmin @kathy5654 @martinab26 @thisonekid @thenibblets @perfectly-penelope @ambrosiaswhispers @reidskitty13 @jenf42 @gracieeelizabeth27 @silviajajaja @smalliemichelle99 @charchampagne14 @thinitta @skisun @myhollyhanna23 @thenorthernlytes @garvezz @mercedes-maldonado

#garvez #penelope garcia #luke alvez #criminal minds #cm #13x01 #wheels up #emily prentiss #jennifer jareau #tara lewis #spencer reid #david rossi #stephen walker #matt simmons

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marvelousbirthdays · 6 years

Text

Happy Birthday, bval-1!

July 20 - Darcy Lewis/Johnny Storm(Chris Evans). Can it be fluffy and smutty please for @bval-1

Written by @ozhawkauthor

“You intrigue me, you know.”

“Because I don’t hang on your every word?” Darcy didn’t even bother to take her eyes off her computer screen. “Must be novel.”

“A little bit that, yeah,” Johnny laughed, swivelling back and forth in the spare office chair next to her desk. She stuck out a foot to still him.

“Don’t distract me right now, please. This has to be right or we could strand the next person to use the bridge between dimensions.”

“Well… if we could make sure it was Reed…”

She had to chuckle at that, but she also kicked his chair a short distance away and concentrated on running through Jane’s program one more time, double-checking every step. Finally, she clicked on the button to confirm acceptance and turned to Johnny, who was waiting for her with surprising patience.

“We are not stranding your brother-in-law between dimensions. No matter how annoying he is. I wouldn’t even strand my brother-in-law there.”

“Your… oh, that’s right. You consider Jane your sister, so Thor’s your brother-in-law?”

“I was talking about Loki, actually.” Darcy gave him a reproving look. “Be nice. Thor’s a darling.”

“To you, maybe.”

“Just because he threatened to lightning-strike your balls if you broke my heart.” She smirked, remembering the horror-struck expression on Johnny’s face and the way he’d put his hands protectively over his junk. Johnny might be a superhero in his own right, but nobody wanted to get on the God of Thunder’s bad side.

Johnny winced at the memory, obviously still wary of Thor.

“So why do you say I intrigue you, anyway?” Standing up, she clambered onto his lap facing him, hooking her arms around his neck. “If it’s only partly because I make you do the chasing?”

Johnny took the time to steal a slow, lingering kiss before answering. “Because this place would come to a grinding halt without you, and I don’t think anyone realises it. You make sure your mad scientists are all fed and that they get an amount of sleep which serves to keep them functional.”

“I had a lot of practice with Jane,” Darcy attempted to disclaim.

“Wrangling one mad scientist is impressive enough. I know, believe me. Seeing my sister do it with Reed has impressed that on me. Taking on a whole facility full of them? That’s just… I don’t even have words for how impressive that is.”

“They’re not all mad scientists.” Once again Darcy attempted to downplay. “Helen Cho’s really very good about looking after herself. As long as you make sure she doesn’t have to actually leave the lab to get food, anyway.”

“Stop pretending you’re not awesome.” Johnny’s blue eyes crinkled up around the corners and he butted his nose against hers gently.

“Okay.” She laughed. “I’m awesome.”

“Problem is, I think I’m the only one who recognises it. Everyone else just takes you for granted.”

“They really don’t. Not considering my salary, anyway.”

“Okay, I take that back. I’m not the only one. Pepper recognises it too. I mean, she’d almost have to. It’s entirely due to you that she actually gets to see Tony on a regular basis, fed and not manic from sleep deprivation.”

Darcy smiled, surprised all over again by how astute Johnny was when he wasn’t pretending to be an idiot so others would underestimate him. After dating for three months, she really shouldn’t be, though.

“So, what are you going to do about it?” she queried, honestly curious.

“Well, I was thinking about throwing a ‘Darcy is totally awesome’ party,” Johnny teased, “but then I realised I’d rather appreciate you privately. So, I ordered us in a fantastic dinner and bought an excellent bottle of wine and three different flavours of Haagen-Dazs.”

“Annnd this is why I’m with you despite the hate mail from your fan club.”

“Stop it, I make sure that’s screened before you get your mail.”

“Doesn’t silence the Twitter trolls, sadly.” She smiled ruefully at him, then squeaked as he rose to his feet, carrying her easily with him despite her not being exactly a lightweight.

“Don’t worry about them. I sicced Vision on your mentions yesterday.” He grinned wickedly. “Now hold on tight, sweetheart.”

Smiling, Darcy hooked her legs around his waist and nestled her head against the crook of his neck. He showed no signs of strain as he carried her out of the lab and down the three flights of stairs to her apartment, where a delicious dinner was indeed keeping warm in the oven. Darcy inhaled the fantastic scents and suddenly realised she was absolutely starving.

“Now you sit right there, sweetheart,” Johnny deposited her carefully in a chair at the table, “and let me wait on you.”

“I could get used to this,” Darcy said as he poured her a glass of wine and served her dinner.

“Could and should.” Johnny stole a kiss before taking his own seat opposite her. “I’m resolved to take just as much care of you as you do everyone else. Now eat your dinner before it gets cold.”

She laughed to hear the words she spoke so often to her scientists used against her, and picked her fork up.

“I don’t know if I’ll have room for ice cream, if I eat all this!”

“Oh, that’s not for you. It’s for me to lick off you,” Johnny said wickedly. Darcy spluttered and almost choked, staring at him wide-eyed.

“Eat up quickly so we can get to the fun stuff,” Johnny urged, stealing yet another of Darcy’s scientist-wrangling phrases. She gave him a narrow-eyed look and set her fork down.

“You know what, I’m not going to be rushed over my dinner.”

“Well, we could save it for later?” Johnny said hopefully. Darcy scowled.

“Or not. How about I put on some nice relaxing music and you take your time eating?”

She smiled as he scrambled out of his seat, picking up her fork again. “I nearly said ‘good boy’ then,” she admitted between bites, “but that would give away the fact that I’m literally house-training you like a puppy who’s been used to pooping on the carpet.”

It was Johnny’s turn to almost choke on his food, but then he laughed. “Relationship-training, you mean?”

“You’re the one who admitted I’m the first girlfriend you’ve had in years you made it to a one-month anniversary with.”

He winced, but she was quite correct. He normally got itchy feet and a roving eye after just a few dates… or sometimes even on a first date. Darcy, though, was different. She’d fascinated him from their first meeting, in part because she flatly refused to fall at his feet. They’d known each other six months before she condescended to let him buy her a coffee, and another six weeks before he managed to get her on a date.

Maybe it was the taking it slowly and getting to know her before their relationship began which made all the difference, because Johnny Storm admitted to himself that for the first time in his life, he was head over heels in love. He couldn’t get Darcy out of his head, couldn’t get enough of being with her, in bed or out of it. Just sitting here gazing at her enjoy her dinner was enough for him, at least for now.

As soon as she finished eating, of course, he was out of his chair and scooping her up into his arms again, raining kisses on her laughing face as he carried her into the bedroom. At least she was as eager as he to get to the action, attacking his clothes as he stripped hers off, pulling him down atop her once they were both naked and kissing him hungrily.

“I fucking adore you,” Johnny said, interspersing the words with kisses down Darcy’s throat, heading for the full breasts he liked to worship on until she got too frustrated to let him continue.

“What’s brought this on?” Darcy asked on a gasp as his mouth closed over one nipple. He didn’t reply, too busy, and it took her slightly confuzzled mind a minute to add two and two to make four. “Wait… is this because that new guy flirted with me yesterday? Remy Something?”

Johnny stilled, and she knew she’d hit paydirt. Finally he lifted his head with a sigh. “LeBeau.”

“Only guy I’ve ever met who’s an even bigger flirt than you,” Darcy mused. “You didn’t seriously think I was going to fall for that Cajun charm, did you?”

He shrugged, looking a bit sheepish.

“You’re an idiot.” Reaching up, she fluffed his hair gently. “You’ve no need to be jealous, Johnny. You won over me already. I’m not looking to trade you in.”

“I’ve never been jealous before,” he admitted plaintively.

Darcy had to suppress the urge to say “Aww, bless.” He looked genuinely pathetic. Instead, she said “Welcome to Normal Human Feelings, Johnny.”

He wrinkled his nose and said “I don’t like it.”

She had to laugh. Her ladyparts, however, were feeling decidedly unsympathetic to his plight, and he needed his mind taking off his non-existent problem. So she put a hand on top of his head and said “Let’s keep you busy… and me satisfied. After all, if you keep me happy, I’m hardly likely to look elsewhere, now am I?”

He smiled as she pushed down. “Mission accepted!”

#TaserTorch #fuckyeahdarcylewis

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just-a-fun-loving-girl · 5 years

Text

The McCall Twin

Chapter 4:

"So you had serial killer slash sexy dreams with Allison; too much info, brother." I added a little common sense to the word brother. I mean seriously too much information. I never want to know about my brother's sex life, even if it's just a dream.

Scott rolled his eyes.

"What Sky really meant to say was- you killed her," Stiles told twin.

Scott shrugged. "I don't know. I just woke up. I was sweating like crazy and I couldn't breathe. I've never had a dream where I've woken up like that before."

"Really? I have," Stiles commented. "It usually ends a little differently."

I grinned, "Dreaming about me again, Stiles, pumpkin?"

Stiles snorted. "Hell yeah."

Scott scrunched up his nose and said, "Gross. One," He turned to Stiles slightly, "Never give me that much detail of you in bed again. And two," He turned so he was facing both of us, "Never joke around like that when I'm around. I don't need to imagine my baby sister and best friend doing things."

"Oh, like what you and Allison did in your dream last night?" I asked grinning as twin turned pink. "You know before you went all Animal Planet on her."

Scott groaned. "You will never let me live this down."

"You bet your ass I won't." I smirk smugly, slightly turning to him. "Also, you just told us about your dream."

"Let me take a guess here though," Stiles started, but Scott interrupted, "No, I already know. You think it has something to do with me going out with Allison tomorrow. Like I'm going to lose control and rip her throat out."

"Ain't that a pretty picture," I sang.

Scott gave me a look, but I just smiled innocently.

"No, of course not," Stiles disagreed then saw the looks Scott and I gave him. "Yeah, that's totally it. Hey come on, it's going to be fine, alright? Personally I think you're handling this pretty freaking amazingly and Sky would agree, right?" He turned to me.

"I think it just hasn't sunk in yet. He'll crack and try to kill the whole town soon." Then you know what that equals... a mad Derek. And we all know a mad Derek is an even sexier Derek.

Stiles whacked the back of my head and continued, "Don't listen to Skylar. We all know she's in need of mental help."

"Yeah, you're right there with me, Stilinski," I said sticking my tongue out at him.

"Regardless Scott, you are doing awesome. You know, it's not like there's a 'Lycanthropy for Beginners' class you can take."

"Nice. Did you make that up right now?"

"Yeah, good right?"

"Permission to borrow?"

"Denied."

"Butt-munch."

"Asshole."

"Still not saying touché."

"Still not granting permission."

"Well played, Stilinski well played."

Scott gave both of us a look before saying, "Not a class, but maybe a teacher?"

My Sexy senses are tingling!

Stiles had the same train of thought. "Who? Derek?" He exclaimed then slapped the back of Scott's head. "Did you forget the part where we got him tossed in jail?"

"Ah," I sang, "I was against it."

Stiles rolled his eyes. He seems to do that a lot, or maybe it's when I'm around...? Nah.

"Yeah, I know but chasing her, dragging her to the back of the bus. It felt so real."

"How real?" Stiles and I asked simultaneously.

"Like it actually happened."

I nodded contemplating what twin said when I felt something strike the back of my head. I spun to Stiles, fuming. "Why'd you do that?"

"Oh, you know why," He said giving me a pointed look. Sexy senses going off again.

Then as the boys on my sides opened the door, I felt my jaw drop. There, in the school parking lot, with cops all around it was a school bus practically mangled and bloody. The emergency exit was almost torn from the hinges. There was blood marks all over it along with inside the bus. This was the bus from twin's so-called dream.

"I think it did," said Stiles to Scott.

And I couldn't help but shout out, "This is like Final Destination and Nightmare on Elm Street shizznit!" I felt something smack the back of my head again.

...You know I think Stiles just likes to feel my luscious, soft hair.

"Scott, Stiles," I panted trying to jog after them. "Would you two slow your freakishly long legs down? Come on, I'm only 5'4! Stiles, you know I can't run!" Maybe if Derek was dangling in front of me. Naked. God, help me. "Well, not in these shoes!"

Stiles ignored me as he told Scott. "She's probably fine."

"She's not answering my texts," Scott said frantically.

"Did you ever think that maybe it's because she hates texting you?" I asked. "I mean you are very boring to text and I hate texting boring people."

"Not helping, Sky," Scott exclaimed still on his phone.

"Wait," Stiles said, "Is that why you never text me back?"

"Wha? No..." I chuckled nervously. "You know nothing!"

"Guys," shouted Scott. "Paranoid, emotional werewolf freaking out right now."

"Twin, you made a funny."

"Skylar!"

"Sorry," Not.

"You know it could just be a coincidence. A serious, amazing coincidence." Stiles said to Scott.

"Just help me find her, ok?" So we helped my worrywart of a twin.

We walked around for a while. Scott was practically running, Stiles was trying to keep pace, and I, not running, walked nonchalantly until you know Scott decided to take out a locker. No seriously. This possessed wolf punched the locker and it almost fell off. Wish I could do that to Derek's clothes...

"Scott," I called, but he didn't turn. I suddenly saw someone walking this way and I sighed. "Oh hey, Allison."

She caught sight of me and grinned, "Hey Skylar."

Scott, hearing me say her name, ran into her. Literally.

"Oh," cried Allison. "You scared the hell out of me."

"Better get used to it if you wanna date Jake the dog here," I muttered almost inaudible, but Scott heard. He glared at me and I winked. "Well! I'm off. You crazy kids don't be late." I started walking away to find Stiles. He would be the first form the police to know what happened with the buses from his dad's stuff. Just hopefully we don't get caught...again.

As I was walking, I heard the intercom go on.

Attention students, this is your principal. I know you're all wondering about the incident that occurred last night to one of our buses, but while the police work to determine what happened classes will," Please say no class, "proceed as scheduled." Damn. "Thank you." Screw you.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find Stiles and since the last bell already rang, I walked to class slowly. Why not ditch right? Well, I believe that ditching is wrong- Ha! Couldn't even think that with a straight face. No, it's just if my mom finds out, she'll kill me. Also, I value my grades too much. Hell, I don't even like getting a B.

Classes were a blur until Chemistry. As I got in the classroom, I sat next to Mark, my partner, and looked at Stiles, who was to my left. Everybody was already working and Mr. Harris wasn't paying any attention, so it was the perfect time to talk. I mean I'm ahead 2 weeks, so I don't really care.

"Hey, I looked for you all morning," I said to him.

"Come to confess your undying love?"

"I don't see Derek."

"Nice," He remarked. "What's up?"

"You're going to snoop in your dad's files about the bus, right?" I asked.

He nodded, "Duh."

"Count me in," I said.

"Oh sweetheart, you had no choice in the matter anyway."

"I am not saying touché."

"Damn you."

Mr. Harris quieted us down. As soon as he looked away, Stiles, Scott and I began talking about the bus possibilities.

"Maybe it was my blood on the door." Scott said to us.

I gasped quietly, "Twin, you're going emo on me."

He glared, but the smile on his lips threw him off.

"Could have been animal blood," said Stiles. "You know maybe you caught a rabbit or something."

"Oh no, Thumper," I whisper-shouted.

Scott's lips twitched slightly. "And did what?"

"Ate it," I had to bit my lip from laughing at Stiles.

"Raw?" Derek can eat me raw. Maybe Stiles is right... I do need mental help.

"No, you stopped to bake it in a little werewolf oven." I snorted silently. "I don't know. You're the one that can't remember anything."

"Mr. Stilinski, if that's your idea of a hushed whisper you might want to pull the headphones out every once in a while," Mr. Harris said loudly.

"Wha," Stiles started, but Mr. Harris stopped him, "I think you and both McCalls would benefit from a better distance, yes?"

"No," I said turning his and the class' attention to me, "I work awesome with Mark here." I nudged my partner.

"Ms. McCall, if you work so well there then how come you don't even know your partner's name." His name is Mark! "I think I'll relieve Zack of you. Move." Wow, I was way off.

"Sorry, Zack. You just look like a Mark," He smiles and nodded.

"Yeah, I'm sorry too. I'm losing the best partner I've ever had," I smile and held my fist which he bumped with his. "I'll still help. No worries."

Stiles, twin and I moved to three desks completely out each other's hearing ranges. I sat down next to some other dude. I think his name was Josh Thomas.

"Let me know if the separation anxiety gets to be a little too much," Mr. Harris said sarcastically.

I raised my hand.

"Ms. McCall, need help remembering Mr. Lewis' name?" Oh...I don't even wanna know his first name.

The class chuckled, but I continued, "I feel pain in my chest." From being away from Derek.

"Do you now?"

"Yes," I nodded. "It's the anxiety kicking in, sir."

Chuckles sounded across the room.

He rolled his eyes. Unprofessional! "Get to work, McCall."

I saluted him which, in turn caused him to roll his eyes again. I turned to the book and groaned. I hate Chemistry! Save me!

Then the heavens answered my calls as the chick -I was sure her name was Krista, but with my bad name memory or more like I don't give a shit, who knows- sitting next to Scott exclaimed, "Hey, I think they found something."

Chairs scraped the floor as the entire class, including me, ran to the window. I pushed my way near the glass because let's face it these people are giants compared to me and I couldn't see crap. I mean there is like one chick in this class who is shorter. Ha midget.

As I reached the window, I saw an ambulance parked there. But that wasn't the only thing- I saw some cops pushing a gurney, but that's not the thing that made my stomach drop. It was the person on it.

"That's not a rabbit," Scott whispered as I said at the same time, "That's not Thumper."

Suddenly, the guy laying on the gurney jumped up screaming. The class jumped and some girls cried out. I just did what I always do when I get scared; I instinctively grabbed Scott's hand tightly. He complied. Then we both began moving backwards when Stiles came up to us.

"This is good, this is good. He got up. He's not dead. Dead guys can't do that." I couldn't help the tiny chuckle that came out.

Scott squeezed my hand before saying, "Stiles, I did that."

Hell hath no fury like a werewolf scorned.

"I'll just take cheese fries and a blueberry muffin."

The lunch lady grabbed what I asked and then I paid and thanked her. After I paid for my food and began walking to where Stiles and Scott were sitting.

"Something happened last night, but I don't know what," I heard Scott say as I sat down.

"We'll figure it out, Scotty," I said grabbing a corndog.

"Wow, Skye, muffin?" Stiles asked.

"Leave me and my muffin alone," I said patting the beautiful creature.

Stiles rolled his eyes, "With pleasure." Then he turned to Scott. "What makes you so sure that Derek even has all the answers?"

Uh, because he is sexy.

"Because during the full moon he wasn't changed. He was in total control." Ooh, that sounds hot. He can control me all the time. "While I was running around in the middle of the night attacking some totally innocent guy." And ain't that just downer?

"You don't know that," Stiles and I said in unison.

"I don't not know that," Twin countered.

"That is some major grammar error."

"Really, Sky?"

"Just saying..."

Scott sighed, "I can't go out with Allison. I'll have to cancel." No twin!

"No, you're not cancelling. You just can't cancel your entire life," Stiles amended.

"Yeah listen to him. He's actually making sense for once in his life."

"I choose not to acknowledge that comment."

"You just did."

"...Damn it." He turned to twin. "We'll figure it out."

I smiled proudly before biting into my muffin. I wonder how Derek can help. Or if there's a cure. My thoughts were cut as a tray appeared in front of me. I looked up and saw the one thing that made me lose my appetite. Lydia. I'm kidding. I love Lydia.

"Figure what out," said the ginger haired girl.

Stiles looked completely shocked that 'the water to his Adderall' was sitting here with us. Ha, that's a good one! I can't tell Stiles though because he'll try to steal it. Hmm, then they'd both be stealers.

"Oh-uh-um," Stiles and twin muttered before twin got out, "Homework."

"Yeah right Skye?" Stiles nudged me. I looked up and nodded.

"Sky, you're funny," Stiles laughed nervously before turning to me, whispering, "Why is she sitting with us?"

Swallowing, I whispered, "No clue, but she's sitting here willingly. Get at that, Stilinski."

Stiles grinned at me then turned to Lydia, who was looking at us. "H-Hi."

"Smooth, Casanova," I whispered, chuckling.

Then all of a sudden people started sitting with us. Some chick sat next to Stiles and Danny sat next to me. I had no clue who the other people were. The only ones I knew were Lydia, Danny, and Allison and Jackson, who just joined us.

"Get up," Jackson told the guy sitting at the end of the table.

"How come you never ask Danny to get up?"

Danny piped in, "'Cause I never stare at his girlfriend's coin slot."

I sniggered and nudged Danny, "Good one." Then I caught the guy that was moving looking down my shirt. "Hey! Don't stare at my coin slot!"

Scott growled lowly at the dude and we all turned to him. Scott glared at the dude, but caught everyone staring at him. He cleared his throat and said, "I just got over being sick."

I stifled a laugh and winked at twin.

"So I hear that they're saying it's some type of animal that did it. Probably a cougar," Danny said biting into his apple.

Jackson said, "I heard mountain lion."

"I heard it was some hormonal teenager," I muttered.

Suddenly, Stiles yelped.

Everybody turned to him and he said, "Oh, um, stomach problems."

I snickered at him until I felt something jab at my shin. "Ow, bastard-bitch!"

Now it was my turn to get looks.

"What? I cut my finger." I said nursing my perfectly fine finger. All the while, I was glaring at Scott, who seemed entranced with his tray.

"Bastard-bitch?" Allison smiled at me.

I nodded, "Oh yeah. I have a very colorful vocabulary."

"Well, I like it," Lydia said looking at me.

"Thanks..."

Lydia waved at me and turned to Jackson. "Anyway, a cougar is a mountain lion. Isn't it?"

"Who cares?" Jackson, being the kindhearted guy, said, "The guy's probably some homeless tweaker who's going to die anyway."

"Well aren't you a sweetheart," I smiled falsely. He just glared at me. I smiled sweetly to my jackass of a best friend.

"Actually they just found out who it is. Check it out." Stiles showed us the video on his phone. "Skylar, stop touching the screen."

"Well, I can't see it! Move your Shrek fingers! Ow! There is no need for violence, Stilinski."

"Ow! If there's no need for violence then why did you hit me?"

"You misunderstood. I meant there's no need for violence towards me. Not to you."

"You're a retard."

"Takes one to know one."

"Children, children, please," Allison smiled.

The sheriff's department won't speculate on details of the incident, but confirmed the victim, Garrison Myers, did survive the attack. Myers was taken to the local hospital, where he remains in critical condition.

"I know this guy," Scott and I said after seeing the picture of the man.

"You do?" Allison asked.

Scott nodded, "Yeah, when Skylar and I used to take the bus -back when we lived with our dad- he was the driver." Oh yeah. He's such a sweetheart. He always gave me candy.

"Can we talk about something slightly more fun, please?" Lydia butted in. "Like...Oh, where are we going tomorrow night?" She turned to Allison.

Allison looked confused as was everybody at the table.

Lydia sighed at the incompetence. "You said you and Scott were hanging out tomorrow night, right?"

"Um," Allison said slowly. "We were thinking of what we were going to do." Why does everything sound so wrong to me?

"Well, I am not sitting at home again watching lacrosse videos," That's what she does on her free time? My time is better! Thinking of Sexy while eating pizza with triple chocolate mocha coffee frappe while watching Netflix ...Oh yeah. "So if the six of us are hanging out, we are doing something fun." Six?

Allison looked even more confused. "Six of us?"

Lydia sighed, frustrated. "Yes, six. You and Scott. Me and Jackson. Skylar and..." She trailed off as she looked at Stiles.

"S-Stiles," He stuttered. Aw, he's so whipped.

"Yes, Skylar and Stiles," She finished.

Wait did she just say Skylar and Stiles? "Me and Stiles? Huh? Wha?"

"Well, you two are dating, aren't you?" Lydia asked as she picked up her spoon.

"No!" Stiles and I practically shouted at her. Why does everyone think we are dating? Mom. Now Lydia. Who's next? Oh, I hope Derek doesn't hear about this. He needs to know I am waiting for him.

Lydia raised an eyebrow at us.

I decided to explain. "We're not dating. Never have, never will. I'm single. S-i-n-g-l-e. Besides, I'm busy tomorrow. Can't go out."

Stiles nodded frantically. "Yeah, I have to...help my dad. Yeah, that sounds good. I have to help my dad. No good for me."

Lydia just shrugged at us and turned to Jackson. As she looked away, I spun to face twin to see how he was handling this. I mean he thought it was an actual date. Just the two of them.

"Hanging out? Like the four of us?" Scott said. "Do you wanna hang out like us and them?"

"Yeah, I guess. Sounds fun." Allison nodded.

The look on twin's face was so horrible. Mine couldn't have been better. I threw my hands up in the air and Stiles rubbed his face exasperatedly.

"You know what else sounds fun? Stabbing myself in the face with this fork," Jackson held up his fork to his face before Lydia pulled it away.

"Can I do it?" I asked him.

Jackson just glared at me whilst Stiles snorted into his water.

Suddenly, Lydia gasped, "How about bowling?" She turned to Jackson quickly. "You love to bowl!"

"Yeah with actual competition." Let me get Sexy up in hurr! He'll whoop your ass! ...Derek has an awesome ass. Oh fuck.

"How do you know we're not actual competition?" Allison said playfully. "You can bowl, right?" She asked Scott. He couldn't bowl of his life depended on it.

"Sort of." I restrained the snort that almost came out.

"Is it 'sort of' or yes?" Jackson asked sitting forward.

"Yes," Scott said exasperatedly. "In fact, I'm a great bowler."

"No, you-," A hand covered my mouth. Stiles. I ripped his hand of my mouth and slightly twisted it and gripped his damn wrist. Hard.

His mouth opens and tries to get my grip to loosen. -----------------------

"You're a terrible bowler!" Stiles exclaimed to twin.

"I know! I'm such an idiot," Scott said.

I piped up, "Well let's not dwell on the obvious."

Scott glared at me.

"Come on twin, why would you say that? You suck hairy nuts at bowling."

"Gosh, your metaphors are oh-so warming," Stiles noted, sarcasm dripping from his mouth.

I just stuck my tongue out at him.

"God, it was like watching a car wreck," Yeah, a car wreck times 1,000,000,000. "First, it turned into a group date thing and then out of nowhere comes that phrase."

"'Hanging out'," Scott said just as bothered. You would think the phrase was a death sentence! I would love to hang out with Derek. Preferably naked.

"You don't hang out with hot girls. Ok, it's like death."

"Stiles, should I plan your funeral? I mean you hang out with me like all the time." I smiled innocently.

He rolled his eyes, but praised. "Nice. Anyways Scott, once it's hanging out, you might as well be her gay best friend. You and Danny can start hanging out."

Scott groaned. "How is this happening?"

"Well, it all started when My dearest best friend Lydia-," Scott cut me off, "I didn't mean literal, Sky."

"Ugh, I either killed a guy or I didn't."

"Wow, isn't that something you hear every day in a school hallway," I commented sarcastically.

"I don't think Danny likes me very much." Oh Stiles, you off-topic fool.

That reminds me. "Why does everyone assume Stiles and I are dating? I don't even like him, no offense."

"I asked Allison on a date and now we're hanging out."

"Am I not attractive to gay guys?"

"Do we do couple-ish things? Smacking the back of the head isn't romantic, is it?"

"I make first line and the team captain wants to destroy me. And now," Scott looked at his phone, "I'm going to be late for work." He began walking away. "Catch a ride with Stiles, Sky!" I should've took my car.

"Wait twin, you didn't answer me! Why does everyone think Stiles and I are together?" He ignored me as well as Stiles. "Wait Scott, you didn't- Am I attractive to gay guys? You didn't answer my question."

I sighed, "What an ass-munch."

"I usually try not to agree with you for the sake of my mentality, but oh how you are right."

"And I usually wouldn't dignify you with an answer about attractiveness, but you should really ask Danny. I may be a chick, but we have completely different minds when it comes to gay men."

"And I appreciate that. So," He held out the crook of his arm, "to the Jeep?"

I accepted his arm and shouted, "To the Jeep!" ------------------------

"Whoa, whoa, so twin you went to see Derek?" Without me...No fair!

After school, I ended up staying with Stiles and just kicking his ass in Black Ops until twin called. Turns out after work the slimy twin went to see Derek to ask him for help. It's not fair! I'm the one who told him to say yes to Derek and he finally agrees, but doesn't take me with. That's bullshit!

"Yeah, he told me to come here and go inside the bus. He said I would remember that way."

I don't what bothers me more. That fact that my brother could've hurt some man or that Scott saw Derek without me. Ah, who the hell am I kidding? We all know what bothers me the most and it ain't my old bus driver. Condolences to you Garrison.

Stiles parked the Jeep and we all jumped out. Mm, I'm getting deja-vu. Where have we done this before?

Stiles and I started walking towards the fence when Scott called out, "Wait just me. Someone needs to keep watch."

"Well, I've been told I'm a horrible look-out, so guess that means you, Stiles," I said patting his back. "Tough luck, homey."

"No, no, no, if anyone is going it's me. Not this mental patient."

"Oh, I think shumeone's still upset that he got his ass kicked at Black Ops earlier."

"Psh, I let you win."

"Is that what they're calling it nowadays?"

"Touché- crap! I said it before you did."

"Ha, how does it feel to lose two -gonna be three- times in a row in one day?"

"How does it feel...Oh, I'll get you back!"

"We shall see."

"Guys," Scott exclaimed. "You both are staying here."

"Ok, why is it starting to feel like you're Batman, I'm Robin, and Skylar's Batgirl?" If anything I'm Wolfgirl...or even Derekgirl. "I don't want to be Robin all the time! And I am positive Skylar does not want to be Batgirl."

"Hell no! You better recognize, twin!" Mm, Stiles and I seem to be agreeing more lately.

"Nobody is Batman, Robin, or Batgirl any of the time," Scott told us.

Stiles' shoulders fell. "Not even some of the time?"

"You lie!" I have the best lines ever.

"Just stay here," Scott said sternly.

"Oh my God," Stiles and I shouted before storming to the Jeep.

Stiles and I climbed into the car; both of us were fuming until I broke the silence, "That was a really cool exit."

"Definitely," Stiles agreed. "We were so Batman right there."

"Hell yeah, homey."

"Um Sky?"

"Yo?"

"You see those lights?"

I looked up and sure enough I saw flashing lights coming this way. "Time for us to be Batman again. Stiles love, honk it!"

I'm telling you- Best lines ever.

#teen wolf #Scott McCall #stiles stilinski #lydia martin #allison argent #Jackson Whittemore #Peter Hale #derek hale #klaus mikaelson #elijah mikaelson #the originals

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legrandepapillon · 6 years

Text

The Lunchroom Dilemma (thaurens)

Summary: John had found himself in a bit of a pickle. Prompt: ‘I wish you could block people in real life.’ ‘Restraining order?’ ‘No, murder.’ Author’s Notes: problematic Thaurens is the best Thaurens

“I wish you could block people in real life,” John Laurens complains, dumping his lunch tray at the usual table he and his friends sat at—doing so with a dramatic groan and slamming down of his backpack when he doesn’t get the desired response from the group. All five of his friends look up in curiosity at him—well, actually, four friends look up and one makes a grunt of acknowledgement. Of course, Alex is studying through lunch again.

“Restraining order?” Peggy suggests around a mouthful of hamburger, only swallowing her food to speak properly after she’s gently chastised by her sister. Hercules looks over to her now, a striking look of realization and surprise on his face—as if he’s suddenly just realized that restraining orders are, indeed, real-life blocks.

“No, murder,” Alexander deadpans, apparently paying attention now. John winces when he notes the deep bags under the young teenagers eyes, stops himself from asking if he’s slept at all recently. Angelica did enough of that for everyone. “John, you’re talking about your project with Jefferson, right?”

“Yes! Y’know, it’s so fuckin’ unfair. I’m being personally targeted and attacked. You know Morris only paired me with that asshole ‘cause I told him his views on women were outdated, sexist and oppressive.” John huffs again, taking a stab at the cold vegetable mix—though, last thing he felt like doing was eating. He of course, was talking about the final project he’d been assigned to in his US History class. Their history teacher had paired his students together to do a project on the different eras they’d covered throughout the years—as both a final exam, and a key grade needed to pass the class. Of course, Morris—ever the massivest douche in the school—had assigned him to work with Thomas Jefferson.

Pretentious ass, rich ass, privileged ass, cute ass Thomas Jefferson. John—and most of their friends circle, side for Lafayette—had disliked the kid ever since middle school. It was no secret that the pampered little rich boy thought he was above everyone else around him—looked down on the fact that he was sent to public school, to be around the middle class plebeians. With his father making a monopoly out of the agricultural equipment industry and his mother being some world-renowned classic artist, he felt as though he should be treated like American royalty. And he was. From the second he stood in front of the entire Kindergarten class and recited the entire French alphabet, he’d made sure teachers, administration and students alike tripped over themselves to kiss his spoiled rich ass.

He could do no wrong. He was so smart, and so rich, and so charming. Everyone stood up to talk to him… everyone loved him.

Including John. It wasn’t like he had intended to develop a crush on the other boy. He had been perfectly fine staying out of the ‘rich kid social circle’—in fact, he’d despised them so much. In middle school all they’d done was walk all over students like him—poor students, with single mothers that couldn’t buy them a fucking porsche. For all John was concerned, the pretentious snobs and trust fund babies could have their silver spoons and golden pacifiers—he was more than happy avoiding them and any of their ‘friends’. But ever since high school began, things had gotten significantly more difficult. Alex had begun to participate in school politics, Eliza had joined the school orchestra, Peggy did yearbook and Hercules was in sports—more specifically, football and basketball. All of these things were so inconveniently things that Thomas also did. It was almost impossible to avoid him these days. If he wasn’t on the morning announcement with the rest of the Student Council, he was busy running around taking pictures and quotes with Peggy, holding orchestra practice with Eliza or at basketball games with Hercules. It just so happened that John had been forced to hold some friendly conversation with the asshole in the process.

And he’d discovered that Thomas was funny… and charming, and cute, and actually kind of sweet when he wasn’t too busy upholding his reputation of being a rich snob. He liked him. He wasn’t so bad of a guy.

“John, you’re blushing, m’love,” Lafayette teases, reaching across the table to poke him in the cheek. John swats at their hand, but the attempt at malice is half-hearted at best. “Why are you complaining? I thought you liked him!”

“He does,” Eliza says, and she’s got a teasing grin on her face, too. He groans, this time louder and more pointedly. “he just says he doesn’t so he doesn’t hurt Alex’s feelings.”

“That’s not true!” Alex exclaims indignantly, though the exclamation is more of a bratty whine. “Who cares if John dates literal scum of the earth, shitstain on the bottom of my shoe, pretentious little perfect asshole Thomas Jefferson? Who cares? Not me! I don’t care, I don’t give a shit at all. If he wants to settle for losers, he can be my fucking guest.”

John gives a withering sigh, looks at his best friend sadly. Therein lies another problem with his ‘crush’ that he knew would get in the way of it ever becoming more than that. He and Alexander had been best friends since Elementary School—since Alex had purposefully skinned his knee when he saw John crying about his own injury—and they were practically inseparable. They’d grown up together doing everything, supporting each other through every hurdle. Every time Alex got stuck with a new foster family, John would be there with some new art to make his new house feel like home. When John’s father beat and left him and his Mom, Alex had ran all the way across town to comfort him. They’d even came out their eighth grade year together—Alex as bisexual, John as gay—by spray painting a pride flag on the side of the middle school.

The point was, the two were practically like brothers—even closer, if that was possible. And though he genuinely liked Thomas, he wouldn’t lose his Alexander over him.

“Alex, don’t be so rude, man,” Hercules says, spotting the anguish on his best friends face. Alex gives a grunt of annoyance—already back to studying. “Hey, John didn’t complain when you had that threesome with James Reynolds and Maria Lewis—and he fuckin’ hates James Reynolds.”

“Who doesn’t?” Peggy snorts. “I wish Maria would dump him. She’s so chill. And she’d be so hot with Hercules.”

“Jesus, Pegs, stop trying to set me up! I’m not lonely!”

“Are, too!”

As the table descends into chaos—at some point, John has to dodge a ketchup covered french fry—the young boy takes to staring across the cafeteria. Of course, sitting at the largest table in the room, Thomas was surrounded by his daily admirers. His best friends James and Aaron sat on either side of him, but he was paying neither of them any mind—too busy putting in overtime flirting with some senior chick that obviously buying into his schtick. John almost gives a pathetic groan of embarrassment when his first thought is possessive, and he actually does slam his head down onto the table.

Ever the comfort, Eliza puts her hand on his back and rubs soothing circles into it. “Hey, its okay, John! Angelica didn’t want me to date Alex, but we’ve been going strong for a year now! Things’ll work out.”

“Yeah, thanks Eliza. You always know what to say,” he mutters, giving her a smile—even if her words didn’t do much to cheer him up, he did appreciate the effort. Afterall, Eliza was just trying to help. Seemingly satisfied that she’d done good, she smiles and flashes him an optimistic thumbs up.

“Wait, Angelica, what?!” Alex exclaims in indignant shock, causing Peggy to lean over onto her sister in cacophonous laughter. “She seriously didn’t like me? Why, that lying bi—”

“Hold that thought, mon amie, I believe John’s chance is walking right our way!” Lafayette’s voice squeals excitedly, interrupting one of Alex’s potential rants. John looks up again in confusion to see what they’re talking about, and his stomach lurches down to his toes when he does. Just as his best friend had said, Thomas and his little duo of cronies are making their way across the cafeteria. The senior girl is nowhere in sight, but John’s relief at that is greatly short-lived.

“Oh boy,” Hercules sighs, leaning back in his chair. John knew what he was thinking, as the thought ran on loop through his mind as well. This won’t end good.

After sauntering up to their table with his ever-present air of self-importance, Thomas makes a point of pushing Lafayette and Hercules’ stuff to the floor in order to make room for his friends. Lafayette gives an indignant squeak at the sight of their Prada bag landing on the ketchup-french-fry from earlier, but John is more annoyed at the fact that Thomas was actually choosing to sit for conversation. What are you doing, Jefferson?

His friend, James, is significantly nicer than he is. He gives a quiet ‘hello’ to everyone as he perches nervously on the edge of the table. Of course, Aaron says nothing—choosing instead to act as though whatever on his phone is more important.

Typical. He hadn't talked to them since he'd broken up with Eliza in favor of the richer, more popular Theodosia Bartow a year and a half earlier. Though popular and rich, Eliza had hung with the wrong crowd and he’d decided that she would over no future advantage to him. There had been no complaints about his silence against the group, either—they didn't want to talk to him anyways.

“Hello, everybody. John,” Thomas greets jovially with a nod towards his project partner, as though his sworn enemy wasn’t furiously scribbling in his notebook beside John. Eliza gives a nervous glance between the two—there had been some near miss fights before, and she was trying desperately to keep Alex from acquiring another suspension—but otherwise, is very polite to Jefferson. The two of them, as well as Lafayette, make a sort of small talk—about classes, gossip, the upcoming summer and finals—before Alex finally slams his hand against the lunchroom table in frustration.

“What the fuck does your slimey ass want, Jefferson?” he snaps, at the same time the pencil in his grip does. His voice is loud, and filled with both annoyance and anger.

Much to Johns dismay, this draws the attention of nearby students—all of whom knew about the explosive rivalry the two had, all of whom had been anxiously waiting for that rivalry to come to an equally explosive head. His eyes dart around the cafeteria as various students pull out their phones to record the exchange. He either needed to get Alex out of here, or Thomas.

“Hun,” Eliza chastises quietly, thinking much quicker than he had. She moves from her spot across from Hamilton to crouch beside him—a small hand gripping his bicep in order to stop him from doing something stupid.

“No, Eliza, it’s fine. Hamilton, such a fragile temper you have—I expect more of a levelhead from you. I haven’t come over here to rub in your face how rapidly you’re falling behind in the StuCo polls… though, I wouldn’t be opposed to that topic,” he grins wider—that sexy, lopsided, cocky assholish grin that makes John’s heart flutter and his dick harden. Fuck my life. Luckily, his grin and attentions turns from Alex to John. Or, would that be unluckily? “I came to talk to my project partner. Hello, John, how are you?”

“Good, thanks for asking,” he says, trying to turn the smile that had begun to form into a scowl and keep his voice from sounding too pleasant. He couldn’t betray Alex like this. Even if he did kind of want to kiss that fucking grin off this assholes face. No, this guy had bullied his Alex for a couple of years now—he couldn’t take his side. Clearing his throat, he adds, “Can you fuck off now, Jeffs? ‘Cause if he tries to choke the shit outta you, I don’t know if I’ll be able to hold him back.”

“Why of course,” Thomas says—and much to Johns surprise, the boy reaches over to give him a handshake. Large, brown hands encompass his in a firm shake, and John distantly wonders what the hell kind of rich people lotion made hands that soft. “I suppose I’ll see you in class, then. Good day, everyone.”

With this, Thomas and his clique rise from their table to leave and Alex is free to go on another loud, angry rant about how Thomas Jefferson could’ve only possibly come from the nutsack of Hitler himself. Peggy and Hercules laugh good naturedly at his obscene objection to the kids existence, and Eliza tries her best to diffuse the ticking time bomb that was his impulsive anger.

It isn’t until the lunch bell rings, and Lafayette is giving him shooting, suggestive looks, that he realizes Thomas has slipped a square of paper with his number into his hand.

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