#jamie is a fellow coworker

[hiddenspriings]

Robin threw a little house warming party for her new friends in the town and they all had a blast!

Befriend boss ✓

[luveline]

coworker!james is fueling me rn thank u miss jade!! can i pretty please request a coworker!james drabble in which someone at work, a higher-up of some kind or someone visiting from another company being kind of cruel to reader, and jamie discovers that maybe there are several people who have just not been very kind to her, and she doesn’t really understand why he’s upset for her? please and thank u

—Why is James so upset? And how do you calm him down so quickly? fem, 1.2k

The horrible heat of the first week of British summer time finally breaks. It was an eventuality. Nothing good ever lasts for James —he must’ve been enjoying it too much. The sun is gone, the clouds are grey, and the office radiators pump a meek heat into the room.

The dreary skies outside depress him. “I miss the sun,” he sighs, putting the tips of his fingers together and bringing down his hands, base of his palms apart to stretch the sore inside of his wrists. They pang. 

“Sunny again next week,” Remus says reassuringly. “Just in time for your review!” 

“Please don’t remind me.” 

“I must remind you, Jamie.” Remus stands up, and he gives James a loving squeeze on the shoulder, voice close to his ear, “Because you need to pretend you like your job, at least for the next few days. Come and get some coffee with me.” 

James waves his hand. “In a second.” 

When James met Remus, Remus couldn’t take touch. Didn’t like it or want it, couldn’t accept so much as a compliment, but things change, and years of knowing one another makes squeezing and pinching easy work. Remus flicks him without cruelty and exits the nook, leaving James on his own. 

He glares at your empty seat, confused. When did you leave? 

Doesn’t matter. Coffee. James is in desperate need of coffee as Remus recommended to warm up. He exits out of his desktop and shucks his suit jacket back on, taking a hand to run through his knotted hair as he walks. Past the desk banks of the account managers and the reception bank to the hallway that runs into the break room and adjourning kitchen. The office is a weird maze but the worst part is having the big ‘conference’ room right next to the break room, so the people inside working can judge you for eating, and vice versa. 

The conference room door is propped open. 

James recognises you from behind, your hair and tight shoulders. He should recognise the stress, having caused so much of it. 

“It’s just not good enough.” 

“I know.”

“You coast by, doing half the work of your fellow accountants.” 

“I… I was sick for a week, I know it affected my turnover. But nothing went unfinished, sir.” 

“No, because your colleagues picked up your slack.” 

“Sir, I– I promise I work hard.” 

Your voice is so oddly unlike yourself, a tone James is unfamiliar with. He’s arrogant and agitating and has no business interrupting, but he knocks the conference door anyways. 

“Hi, Mr. Vida. How’s it going?” James asks.

“James, it’s fine. We’re just going through L/N’s review.” 

James pulls one of those boyish smirks that men often share when they should be grimacing instead. “I’m sorry to interrupt.” He hangs on like he has something else to say. 

“I think we’re about finished.” 

Mr. Vida is a predictable man. He ushers the woman away to make room for the man. His misogyny is unsubtle and unfortunate, your expression laced with hurt as you gather yourself and stand to leave. 

“Not looking forward to mine,” James says easily. You round the door, and he sends Mr. Vida a suck-up smile before he goes. He should stand up for you in a way that matters, but he’d felt it imperative to remove you from the situation, rather than escalate. 

He’s on your tail, coffee forgotten as you scurry back to the desks. “Hey,” he says, finding himself in a half-jog to keep up, “wait, wait, are you okay?” 

You slow. “I’m fine,” you say, so mildly perplexed that he doesn’t think for a moment you’re playing it cool. 

“He was getting a little heavy with you.” 

You frown in agreement, but otherwise move on, rolling your chair back with your foot to open your desk drawer. “I guess so. He’s like that.” 

“Is he? I’ve never had him that mad at me.” 

“He’s not that bad.” You pull a blister pack of painkillers from your drawer and pop three out in a row. “Have you met his boss? Oh, have you ever spoken to the manager of the account managers from the Brussels office? She sucks.” 

James doesn’t have the wherewithal to pretend he wasn’t following you. He stands with his hands vice-like on the back of his chair. “What did they say to you?” 

“Who, Mr. Vida’s boss? Or the Brussels manager?” 

“Both.” 

You sit and fish a bottle of water from your bag. “I actually filed a successful grievance again Mr. Vida’s boss, he kept calling me sweetheart. I know,” —you wince— “that’s a bit much, but it was really obvious he was looking down at me, so.” 

“And the Brussels manager?” 

“She emailed me thinking I was much more involved with the lab than I actually am. She kept calling me stupid.” You take one of your tablets and wash it down with a swig of water. “But,” you add, smiling at him, “I did manage to solve her problem.” 

“What do you mean, she called you stupid?” 

Your smile slips. “She called me a bunch of stuff. Professionally, you know, but she kept asking why my foresight was so sorely lacking. You know what they’re like.” 

He shakes his head. “I don’t, no. Nobody’s ever called me stupid. Or sweetheart.” 

You smile genially. “Perks of being a girl. Or stupid.” You laugh at yourself softly.

“You’re not stupid.” 

You sober at his solemn tone. “I know,” you say. “I’m just joking.” 

“Nobody should be talking to you like that.” 

“I know, James, but what am I supposed to do?” 

He doesn’t know. What can you do? Nothing. What can James do? What should he do? 

“I’m sorry,” he says softly. 

Your frown deepens. “It’s not your fault. It’s really fine.” 

“It’s not fine. It’s not, though, it’s–”

“James?” you say. 

“What?” 

You stand up. You stand close to him, looking into his face. “Don’t be upset,” you say, mirroring his softer tone, “it’s okay. It’s nothing I can’t handle.” 

“You shouldn’t have to deal with it at all.” 

“Well, luckily this time I had you to come and rescue me,” you say. “But it really is fine. I can look after myself, even if I shouldn’t have to. Okay?” 

Your hand finds his arm. You squeeze his wrist and his entire torso lights up, everything, his chest, the backs of his shoulders, like goosebumps but warmer and with a softer fuzz to it. Your eyes meet his, an encouraging smile playing on a pretty mouth. For the first time that day, he feels pleasantly warm, like he’s had that first hot sip of coffee. 

The pads of your fingers are so, so soft where you catch his bare skin. 

“Okay,” he says instinctively. He’d say the sky was red if you asked him to, in that moment. 

You rub the back of his thumb with yours before letting him go. You sit down and finish your drink, and it takes James a good two minutes at his own desk to remember he’s not the one who needed comforting. 

He opens his emails to write a formal complaint against Mr. Vida for poor work conduct. He doesn’t think twice about hitting send. 

[jfouler]

assignment conquered. now silly jamie wishlist/ideas/idk electric boogaloo

with kid muses its very fun if they know him through being buddies with mae. possible things of "are you being a bad influence on my child" yk skjndfds. or really anyone who knows him through mae like a teacher/babysitter?/whatev

fellow monster hunters/reluctant coworkers i love to see

teenagers for him to fuss over the wellbeing of

supernatural friends (past the whole 'jamie threatens you with a gun' part. jamie's best friendships always start with him pulling a gun on someone. then he can get bullied about it)

i'm gonna be real i would love more non-antagonistic relationships. genuine friendships n stuff. i love it don't get me wrong, jamie's naturally a hater, but i also like to write him having fun and chilling and crying

would love to write more mundane stuff too... quiet little domestic moments, especially in the aftermath of Horrors. the aftermath is the best part

EXESSSS i need to see love LOSE!!!! esp. from jamie's high school days

i think ships w jamie are so fun in general bc hes a romance disaster. tho the soap curse is i am always making the most unshippable bastards. i will never offer him first bc... have u seen him. </3

also this, always and forever:

[richincolor]

Book Review: True Love and Other Impossible Odds by Christina Li

Summary: College freshman Grace Tang never meant to rewrite the rules of love. She came to college to move on from a grief-stricken senior year and to start anew. So she follows a predictable routine: Attend class, study, go home and visit her dad every weekend. She doesn’t leave any room in her life for outliers or anomalies.

Then, Grace comes up with an algorithm for her statistics class to pair students with their perfect romantic partners. Though some people are skeptical, like Julia, Grace’s prickly coworker, Grace is confident that her program will take all the drama out of relationships. That’s why she keeps trying to make things work with her match, a guy named Jamie. But as the semester goes on and she grows closer to Julia, Grace starts to question who she’s really attracted to.

In award-winning author Christina Li’s YA debut, Grace will have to make a choice between the tidy equations she knows will protect her from heartbreak or the possibility that true love doesn’t follow any formula.

My Thoughts: Can love be predicted with logic and numbers? It's an interesting question that Grace and her fellow math classmates are wrestling with for their project. Science and math can do a lot of things for us so why not finding matches for people? It's a fun topic to explore or at least watch characters attempt to do so.

Grace learns a lot about herself as she and her math partners implement their program. Why some people click and others don't has them questioning their algorithm, but also themselves. The friends and other students that Grace is interacting with have opinions about the project, but the farther they get into it, the more questions arise. 

The story bounces back and forth between her college freshman year and the time when her mother was still alive and before a rift with Grace's best friend. She's grieving both losses and is only beginning to venture into new relationships both romantic and otherwise. She stumbles around a bit, but the book feels like a hug as she finds some connections, learns about herself, and begins to heal.

Seeing her muddle her way through new relationships was a little like watching a young horse start walking. It's a lovely coming of age story as Grace really delve into her feelings and discovers more about herself. She creates new bonds and takes a good look at how she has interacted with her father and her previous best friend. 

I loved the snowy ski excursions and it made me realize I haven't seen skiing in many young adult books. Grace and Julia have that common interest which really helps them get to know each other and it adds to the cozy feeling of the book. This book would be great with a cup of hot cocoa and a blanket.  

Recommendation: Get it soon especially if you enjoy seeing characters discover more about themselves and like a sweet bit of romance. 

Publisher: Quill Tree Books

Pages: 389

Review Copy: Final copy via publisher

Availability: On sale May 14, 2024

[rosietrace]

Elias Jones

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Second Oc for my Inheritance Games fanfiction, I wouldn't marry Me, either

Face Claim: TBA

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Full Name ; Elias Bouchard Jones

Nicknames : Eli (Veronica, Alisa), Prince Charming, Elias Darling, ‘Lias, Lie (Nash)

Age : 26 (January 18th, Aquarius ♒)

Occupation : Lawyer for McNamara, Ortega, and Jones || Employer in the Hawthorne Foundation

Height : 167 cm

Color Palette : Honey Yellow, Black, Varying shades of Brown

° • ° • ° • ° • °

PERSONALITY

Elias is... Well, he's like an older Jameson with a bit more of a Broadway flair to him. In a way, Elias was one of the many influences in Jameson's life that made him turn out the way he is.

Elias goes with the flow, unafraid of taking risks because, as a wise old man once told him, “You only live once”; and he happened to take that advice to heart.

Though he and Jameson share their similarities, Elias is less impulsive and reckless when it comes to making decisions with high risks— while he understands that he wants to live his life to the fullest, the little boy in his heart can't help but let paranoia overtake his decision-making every once in a while.

RELATIONSHIPS

Alisa Ortega — Close friends, and a fellow colleague! Elias met Alisa through Veronica, as well as the three's parents working together; while the trio aren't attached to the hip, they still care about each other a great deal.

Veronica McNamara(Oc) — Also close friends! During Elias' third year at Yale University, he met Veronica, who was a freshman at the time; thanks to their parents' partnership and them being coworkers at the same law firm, they've been closer than ever!

Nash Hawthorne — Mixed bag of feelings, the two of them. Nash trusts Elias well enough, but he can tell that Elias — in a similar vein to Nash's own brothers — had been influenced by his grandfather into being the way he is now. Elias has a hard time getting along with Nash due to, in Xander's words, his ‘unresolved grandaddy issues’; with it only amplifying tenfold when Nash and Alisa broke things off.

Jameson Hawthorne — Big influence in Jameson's life. They didn't interact much when Jameson was growing up, but the interactions they had sort of shaped Jamie into being who he is in the present day; in both good and bad ways. Mostly bad, on the part of Jameson's recklessness

Avery Kylie Grambs — Although he technically works for her, Elias doesn't interact much with Avery, which is a given as unlike Alisa, he isn't Avery's personal attorney.

TRIVIA

LIKES : 80s movies, thrifting, horseback riding, earrings, gossip

DISLIKES : Skye Hawthorne, Veronica and Alisa's caffeine addiction, overtime, movie remakes

HOBBIES : Movie marathoning, visiting clothing thrift shops, learning how to crochet, horseback riding

He, for some reason, does not like Skye Hawthorne and who can blame him /j /j

According to Veronica, Elias gives out the best hugs! (Xander confirmed her claims when Elias comforted him around the time Emily died, and his friendship with Rebecca and Thea seemed fell apart)

He jokingly flirts with Veronica and especially Alisa to garner a reaction from Mr. Ortega and Mr. McNamara 😭 (Nash too, but shhh)

He has the hospital on speed dial in case Veronica and/or Alisa collapse from being over caffeinated 💀💀 of the three, he's the only one with a seemingly normal sleep schedule and work ethic

Elias wanted Veronica to adopt a cat instead of a dog, but when she adopted her dog Heather, he adopted a cat out of spite (Alisa has no idea why they're like this)

He studied in Yale University and met Veronica during his third year! Elias majored in Computer and Information sciences, while minoring in interdisciplinary studies

⊱────────────────────⊰

[finchwrites]

Hi! I'm Finch! I'm a writer of fiction, primarily queer fantasy. I'll post things I've written here, but I also reblog a lot of tips, resources, and other people's work! I am more than open to tag games as long as you are open to me forgetting about them and posting them late, haha.

Here's a rundown of my main WIPs:

Project: The Rubicon, est. 2012

modern urban fantasy, supernatural, horror elements

Peter Alvarez leaves New York for the South in search of the best friend who he thought committed suicide years ago. What he finds instead is more than he bargained for: a landlord who befriends him in unexpected ways, a coworker who hates him on sight for no reason, a boss who gives him more chances than he deserves, and the ghost that brought them all together.

Peter Alvarez, 26, he/him, lost in life since his best friend died, dependent on everyone around him as he refuses to move on.

Carmen Oliveira, 24, she/her, a barista at the cafe Peter begins to work at, nice to everyone but him for reasons he doesn't understand.

Chase Greenwood, 27, he/him, owner of the small cafe they work at, willing to help but not to get too close.

Elliot Bingham, 27, he/him, high school friend of Chase and Peter's landlord, contains multitudes.

Noah Bryant, 19 now then and forever, a ghost

Project: The Stewniverse, est. 2019

high fantasy original setting

Stewie has a wonderful family, a stable lifestyle in the town he grew up in, and should have no complaints… and yet, he’s always been anxious and restless and could never understand why. After a close encounter with life-threatening danger, his mother, a retired adventurer, finally relents and passes on her sword to him. Stewie sets off to solve all the problems of the world that he possibly can with nothing more than his mother’s sword and his loyal horse, Ser Decadence. Along the way he finds companions he never expected, along with a mystery that only seems to get more twisted and complicated the more clues they find.

Steward Knight, 19, he/him, human, the anxious son of a retired adventurer who wants to fix the world in the hopes that it will fix him.

Kieran, 26, he/him, a mysterious half-elven man with an even more mysterious quest: to help fae wherever he finds them. He seems to resent this, but does it all the same. 

Rishi, 22, she/her, an elven student of magic at the most prestigious arcane college on the continent, unable (or unwilling?) to cast any spells. 

Evelyn, 20, he/they, Kieran’s half-elven younger brother who is set on killing Kieran for a crime he won’t specify and who claims he is prevented from doing this only by the fact that he cares about Stewie and Stewie cares about Kieran.

Ashe, around his mid to late 20s in mortal years, he/it, a kelpie who has attached himself to Kieran and Stewie for reasons unknown and has vowed to never leave their side.

Lottie, 23, she/her, a human bard, accomplished heartbreaker,  and lover of animals who grew up with Kieran and Evelyn and is constantly putting her own problems aside to mediate between the two conflicting brothers.

Selkies is a short story I wrote for a fiction class

The Pale Demon of Hollowbrook is a chapter excerpt from either NaNo 20 or NaNo 22.

Project: Lilywood, est. 2022

modern urban fantasy, supernatural, horror elements

a haunted house time travel mystery

Canary has never felt like she belongs anywhere, even in her hometown of Lilywood, the town that accepts all stragglers, outcasts, and loners. Her only friends are fellow burnouts Ryan Shuck and Jamie Yamashita. When construction on the historic manor at the heart of Lilywood goes awry, they are pulled into a supernatural mystery surrounding the house that spans across centuries, hoping that it will answer the burning question each of them have had their whole life: who am I?

Canary Spencer, 21, she/they, a deeply insecure young adult trying to figure out who she is and how to be comfortable with being true to herself while exploring a house haunted by time.

Ryan Shuck, 23, he/they, an avoidant young adult who feels trapped by his circumstances and is scared of things changing even as his previously normal and ordinary life begins to turn upside down around him.

Jamie Yamashita, 25, he/him, a loud and cocky young man who rushes headfirst into the mystery of Lilywood Manor with more confidence than is warranted for someone who has no experience with the supernatural.

Project: Forget Me Not, est. 2024

modern vampire fantasy, romance, horror elements

a human afraid of dying and a vampire who would rather die than live forever

chronic illness, dementia, death, grief, dysphoria

Dana Hardy, 26, he/him, a young adult who has been terrified of aging ever since he watched his grandfather succumb to dementia and death. He learned about the understudied progressive illness Vampirism and is obsessed with contracting it

Wade Cameron, 24, he/him, a young trans man who has recently been diagnosed with vampirism. He's horrified at the thought that his body will stay the same forever and he'll never change or die. He wants nothing more than to find a cure.

[lifeofsims3]

It's not the prettiest family tree in the world, but it is my first attempt at making one. I thought it might be a good idea for records sake to lay out the family that inspired me to start this blog. Carmin Gonzalo was the first sim I posted about here, but she wasn't the first in her family. A lot of drama and different branches of the family came before her. It's the longest running family I ever played.

A breakdown of the main family events

Family started with siblings Asper and Kareem in Isla Paradiso

Asper meets Salty while diving, they get married and have one daughter, Pearl

Pearl marries Gilberto and they have two children, Margo and Sam

Kareem marries Honey, and they have two children, Leanne and June

Kareem discovers Honey's affair and they get a divorce

The family moves to Sunlit Tides, where Asper's branch of the family stays in the main household, and Kareem's branch move out to become NPCs

Rang, Kareem's coworker, moves to Sunlit Tides with the family

Margo marries Ruben and they have twins, Amber and Jamie

Asper, Kareem, and Salty are now dead

While Margo is pregnant with their third child, Leon, Ruben starts an affair with a coworker

Ruben has a child with his coworker in secret, but when Leon starts school and meets his half sibling, Lisette, the game automatically makes Margo accuse Ruben of cheating

Ruben is kicked out and divorced

Leanne dies, and Margo marries her widower

Margo and Rang have a child, Frankie

Rang bites Margo so she becomes a vampire

Gilberto dies and Pearl remarries as an elder, to an alien that visited her one night

They have one daughter, Carmin

Pearl and her alien husband move out of the main home, but Carmin stays behind and is raised by Margo along with Frankie

Amber and Jamie leave home once they are young adults, and take Carmin with them

I decide I want to follow the alien route, so I leave all of the family behind and move Carmin to Lunar Lakes by herself

Carmin marries a fellow alien, and they genetically engineer a baby, Star

Star meets Shayne in university and they move to Bridgeport, leaving Carmin behind

Star and Shayne have two children, Liam and Violet

Liam meets Larissa in high school and they have a child while still teens, Marcus

Liam and Larissa run away and get married

[blueonwrestling]

Been rewatching a LOT of aew since well the insomnia bug hit… honestly Mox’s fragile mind fragile ego fragile body line could work for Thunder Rosa too. Bitch needs to retire if she’s fucked herself over that much already no one gives a shit about a bitch that steals big moments then dips because she was working with an injury and injures her fellow coworkers. She’s just a skinny nia jax with a worse personality

Forgot I got this anon, right mate listen with this thunder rosa stuff.

She has issues, clearly, she clearly has got the mindset of someone like the original sheik of her not wanting to look weak on TV and that is insanely stupid, but she's clearly been working with a back injury for ages now.

2022 Thunder Rosa is not the same as 2020 and 2021 Thunder Rosa and it is partly her fault for saying she isn't hurt and trying to work through it but this isn't a Thunder Rosa issue, it's a wrestler issue, a wrestler will go out there with their arm falling off if they could, also aswell I can't think of a single instance where Thunder Rosa has actually hurt her fellow wrestler on purpose, her injuring Jamie Hayter was careless but I dont think she actively did wreckless shit like Nia Jax.

I still like Thunder Rosa even if my like of her has gone down slightly, simmer doon.

[rocohen20]

Fic Rec: Teachers & Professors AU

kindergarten Teachers

Patrick Kane/Jonathan Toews

-A More Perfect Fall, by orphan_account, 26,074 words

Patrick is the teacher of Maddy Sharp and Bryan Toews, slowly he gets closer to the elusive single dad Jonathan Toews.

-The Reeducation of Misters Kane and Toews, by jezziejay, 15,955 words

Patrick is a step-father to one of the girls in Jonny’s class. Patrick is a pain in Jonny’s ass.

-we'll be playmates and lovers (and share our secret worlds), by peeks and tazer, 38,589 words

Patrick has a crush on his student’s dad, who also happens to be a hockey lagend. But he totally handle it, despite what his annoying friend and coworker- Patrick Sharp think.

Jamie Benn/Tyler Seguin

-Feel Good Hit Of The Summer, by jonnyhustle, 3,184 words

Jordie’s daughter is in Tyler’s class. 5+1 interections between the teacher and her uncle. This story is so cute and wholesome.

-Teaching from Home, by BlackHoleHockey (SunMonTue), 2,546 words

One of his teammates sends Jamie a funny video of a teacher. Somehow, it leads to Jamie starting a texting relationship with the admittedly hot teacher Mr. Seguin.

-Meet Up at the Space Bar, by calclutterfuck, 7,430 words

Tyler came back from work (as an assistant teacher) one day to find out that Patrick opened for him a dating site’s profile. Despite the profile being written like a 17 year old girl’s diary entry, he managed to start texting someone promising. 

*A Bonus Fic: All I Really Need To Know (I Learned In Kindergarten), by pikasafire, 2,259 words

A fun little fic about how a bunch of NHL players would be like as kids of the same kindergarten class.

Elementry School

Travis Konecny/Nolan Patrick

-Strange Torpedo, by connectknee, 31,270 words

Nolan Patrick slowly befriended his niece’s teacher. This story is so good and cute, I just love TK as a teacher. 

Middle School & High School Teachers

Jamie Benn/Tyler Seguin

-It was you all along, by Milionking, 2,040 words

Jamie’s been eyeing the new P.E teacher since the start of the year, but when Mr Seguin was hired as his assistant coach and the fellow chaperone for the upcoming dance his routine changed.

Of course the story is filled with an assemble of players as various school staff and students.

-starfish and coffee (you will love it, told ya so), by cinderlily, 3,082 words

When school start up again after Spring’s break Jamie hears all about the new cool substitute teacher. 

Patrick Kane/Jonathan Toews

-keep buying the stars, by medusacascade22, 11,640 words

[Available Podfic Version: [Podfic] keep buying the stars, by AshesandGhost, 01:01:49 hours]

On the first day of the school year Jonathan is meeting his student Patrick Kane, and he’s just mesmerisedn by him. The school year is going to be a long one.

Danny Briere/Claude Giroux

-The Things You Do (Should Be Illegal), by Lisgreomg, 3,426 words

Danny found himself in love with his 10 years younger student. I really loved Danny's character in the story.

-when it comes to relationships (i'm the dumbest one), by nebulia, 4,100 words

Claude was in love with his teacher/neighbor/babysitee since he was fourteen years old. Now that he turned 18, he is ready to do something about it.

College/ University Professors

Jeff Skinner/Eric Staal

-between the shadow and the soul, by mousselinegateau, 12,509 words

Jeff starts to woo Eric by writing his favourite literature pieces on post-it notes. Also, they play in the same amature hockey league.

This story is just fabulous.

Jamie Benn/Tyler Seguin

-In a tidal wave of mystery, you’ll still be standing next to me., by orphan_account, 951 words

A cute little story about the day of Professor Benn and his friends.

Tyler Seguin/Patrick Sharp

-all this learning here is by you, by nighimpossible, 46,057 words

Tyler is Patrick’s TA.

Danny Briere/Claude Giroux

-Third Time's A Charm, by neapeaikea, 3,537 words

Claude is Danny's TA, but he also may have slept with him a few times through the years.

GOOD READING EVERYONE!

[kcmedinas]

 (  jan luis castellanos, cis male, he/him, oc  ) oh snap! is that KC MEDINA? they work over at high volume where some of the other employees have labeled them as THE GREGARIOUS. that’s probably because they can be a bit ( fun loving ) but also pretty ( scatter brained ) they’re 26 and they’ve been living in woodstock for 18 YEARS, ON AND OFF.  it must be their shift because i totally hear BLONDIE blasting from the record store. ( aesthetics: almost always sporting a selection of colorful bandaids, looking for sunglasses when they’re on your head, doodles on any loose leaf paper, making friends in line at the store ) [ mace, 21, est, she/they ]   @volumeupdates

SEASON 1 RECAP   :

in plot drop 3 kc is at the store when the backroom is lit on fire,  he circles back in to make sure a fellow coworker gets out  &  ends up with third degree burns up his left side,  which he goes to the hospital for.  he spends a few days there before being allowed to return home.

kc’s best friend trip comes home after touring gone wrong  &  crashes on his couch until he finds an actual apartment.  there’s a little conflict about rent  &  whether trip should be there at all between trip, jamie (kc’s actual roommate) and blair (partial owner of the medina singh household couch) but kc’s happy to have him there.

the same day  &  borderline the same time as plot drop 6 is going on kc and marty make their way to the sheriffs station after a employee meeting regarding what to do now that jerry is officially missing, having decided they would go and tell the sheriff they’d been worried just in case it came up. the sheriff basically tells them he knows  &  to shoo  !

max and kc have a brief little situation that started with max having a crush on kc,  peaked at them kissing,  and dissolved just as quickly with max turning him down though there was a mutual liking there  !  kc’s not fussed about it or anything,  also timeline wise i think this spanned a couple things so just assume it was a thing at some point. you don’t need specifics.

high volume closes  &  kc gets a job at joann’s fabrics & craft store because he’s monumentally bored with all the sudden free time.  i think he probably keeps it even when high volume opens again,  just for sewing and fabric discounts.

trip moves off the couch  !  he’s all grown up  !  bye trip i love you trip 

runaway yesterday, a band consisting of nisa, ethan, josie  &  kc perform at battle of the bands.  it’s their first real gig and they don’t win, but they do get approached by john corrigan who may just open up some opportunities for them  !  who knows  !

ON TO THE BASICS  ,

full name   :   kendall chayanne medina

alias   /   nickname   :   goes by kc pretty exclusively.  people who’ve known him since they were young would probably remember a time he went by kendall,  but no one really knows his middle name.

gender   /   pronouns   :   cis man,   he/him

sexual   /   romantic orientation   :  bisexual & biromantic,   no preference

birthday   :  march 25th

zodiac   :  aries

height   :  6′2

born   :  puerto viejo,  costa rica

current location   :  woodstock,  Illinois

faceclaim   :   jan luis castellanos

notable features   :   has a few dumb,  tiny tattoos,  both ears pierced  &  a septum piercing he refuses to take out

STATS   ,

compassion   :   9/10

empathy   :   9/10

passion   :   6/10

creativity   :   10/10

teamwork   : 10/10

initiative   :   7/10

restraint   :   3/10

positives   :   loyal,  creative,  fun loving,  easygoing,  honest,  genuine 

negatives   :   irresponsible,  flaky,  scatter brained,  restless,  easily bored

BIO   ,

kendall was born from a one night stand that took place years into a marriage that everyone around them felt was as stable as could be.   the medinas had recently moved to costa rica from a small town in illinois to run an animal rescue center a short ten minute drive from the beach front,  founded on their own, a dream that came at a cost. the woman’s name was daniela and it was harmless the first times they spoke, but all it took was one late night and a few too many drinks for that to change.   even then, it was supposed to be a harmless one time thing. what adrien medina’s wife didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her and daniela hadn’t contacted him in the days afterwards. it didn’t come up at all until a month later, when daniela appeared at the very spot they’d first met and told him she was pregnant.

reasonably,   his wife was not happy.   deciding they would be the ones to raise the baby when he was born was not an easy process,   but it was the choice they ultimately came to. in a big way, he felt like something they were both obligated to,   not something they wanted but were now responsible for regardless.   they tried to make the marriage work for three years before the split that had been building from the beginning. kendall’s dad stayed in puerto viejo to keep the animal rescue center going, while his mom moved all the way back to her hometown of woodstock,  illinois where her parents still lived.

originally kendall spent in large part time with his dad,  but after a few years the animal rescue center was taking up more and more of his time and kendall was a quick moving, never stay still kid.   an arrangement was sorted between the two that kendall would spend the school year with his mom in illinois and summers back in costa rica starting when kendall was seven.  it worked, tentatively, for quite a while, but what kendall most served as to his mom would always be a reminder of past betrayal.

when kendall was thirteen he began going to summer camp for the summer instead of costa rica, through a decision that he had no part in.   summers were getting busier at his dad’s place and his mom still wanted her time off, so summer camp it was. this is where he garnered the nickname kc, given to him by a friend and never shaken. he got into a whole lot of trouble every summer without fail. it was mostly harmless stuff, but it was the only surefire way he knew to get his mom’s attention when he felt like he’d been handed off, who always inevitably found out about it. he did holidays and vacations in costa rica sometimes, but it wasn’t really the same, and it got increasingly hard to avoid the obvious truths of both his parents trying to skirt around having him.

during his high school years he spent less time at home,   more time wandering through woodstock.   these are the years he grew comfortable with high volume, already semi-familiar with it because the owner was a long time friend of both his parents from before they’d decided to leave for costa rica at all.  he could be seen all over the place depending on when you caught him, but high volume was the only place he really settled into. the people were nice, the music was good, and it really didn’t take long before jerry knew him better than either of his parents had in quite a while. he had camp during summers and ended up liking it so much he was a counselor from ages seventeen to twenty, but aside from those eight weeks of the year high volume became the place he went to when he didn’t want to go home.

he tried the college thing out at woodstock community college,  but academics were never really his thing. he was just so, so bored, and being uninspired isn’t a good look for an artist.  his mom had been wanting to move out of town for ages, tired of feeling stuck, and she told him she’d be leaving for chicago when he’d successfully completed one year at college.  true to word, she left the summer after his freshman year. he made an attempt to continue, but with the push to not let his mom down lessened by her absence he only lasted until the end of his second year before dropping out. it was two weeks after he’d officially called it quits that he interviewed for high volume, and the rest is history.

PERSONALITY   ,

in unofficial high school class superlatives kc was named biggest class clown a total of twelve times.   he has a very lighthearted demeanor and rarely takes anything seriously, sometimes to the point of frustration to those around him. he’s very rarely malicious but does tend to have a pigtail-pulling sense of humor,   liable to prod and poke and go a little too far before he realizes he probably should’ve stopped three steps ago.  it’s a trait softened by overt affection and loud laughter,   just as quick to pull you back in as he was to push you away.

it’s hard to predict what he’ll do,   but never hard to know what’s on his mind. he has an opinion about everything unless it matters, at which point he’d rather avoid thinking about it entirely, but he could probably form one on important things too. he just doesn’t want to.   he wants to live only the sunny and light and fun parts of life, and for the most part he’s been pulling it off for years now.   if you tapped into his brain all you would hear at any given moment is the crazy frog song.

he considers himself to be friends with almost everyone  !  when it comes to people less close to him he can be flaky, forgetting to appear when he should and then popping up when he wasn’t asked to. he knows how to be a solid presence, but it’s not an effort he feels like putting in for everyone he’s ever met. he gets bored easily and he almost never shuts up.  information sticks in his brain pretty easily about things he’s actually interested in;   he remembers coffee orders and peoples’ favorite movie, but he simply does not know how to solve a fraction.

all of which being said,  he is actually a pretty good person to have in your corner when he is putting in the effort.  he can be very attentive and patient,  and he’s always very warm.   genuine, and could probably afford to be literally even a little bit more shy than he ever is. he grew up around a lot of passive aggressiveness and a lot of anger as a whole, none of which was his fault but still got aimed his way sometimes in a he just happened to be in the middle sense. it’s the exact sort of way he doesn’t want to be and doesn’t want to give into, so there’s very little that he can’t except and work with as long as it’s honest and straightforward. he is an excellent communicator in relationships / dynamics with others, but it’s kind of an accident born out of transparency.

TL;DR ( fair ): 

his parents moved to costa rica shortly before he was born. dad cheated, he’s not biologically his moms but he ended up hanging with her most of his childhood. he’s pretty much lived in woodstock since he was seven, but for a while he spent part of summers in costa rica and then at a local camp. otherwise he’s been all woodstock all the time.

spent a lot of time in high volume prior to working there because him and his mom are weird n wonky and he didnt wanna be at home. got pretty close to jerry,  who was already a long time friend of his parents since before they moved. he’s worked at high volume for like ... 6 years,  since around the time he dropped out of college  !!

very sweet very chatty very very genuine. what you see is what you get,  at least on behalf of himself.  obviously he is pulling off some lies on behalf of jerry but tomato tomatah.  he just likes to have fun and make people laugh  !!  very attentive and surprisingly self sufficient. i cannot stress how little this man likes being alone.

re:  the store as a whole,   it’s very much been like a second home for a while and therefore the people within it are very important and close to his heart.   he’s not shy at all about the way he feels towards people and i think everyone matters to him a lot  !!  if u let him he will give everyone a smooch on the cheek upon his (probably late) entrance to the store !!

WANTED CONNECTIONS   :

fwb / hookups   —   the silly big heart does in fact leave room for stuff like this but he’s a pretty easy going guy?? so either consistent thing or an occasional whenever it happens it happens thing or it happened once? all chill. will make pancakes next morning if u stay over

romance???   —   i will also accept a crush thing it feels weird for him to exist without liking someone

ex(es)  —   he’s been here since he was really young and i will refer back to the silly big heart.  couldve been literally at any time,  he doesnt do long things as often not cause he doesnt want them they just dont often happen for him but !! details are v flexible!!  probably on good terms he is not a grudgey person!!

summer pals  —   the summer camp he went to was pretty local if anybody wants to say ur muse also went to summer camps here n there or was a counselor w him or smth

i still love friends!! he’s friendly!!

ANYTHING ELSE!! these were just some vibes but !!!

[anthonybialy]

An Easy Sale for Judson Cavalier

Judson Cavalier lived up to his family name. It just depends on which entry. He did so in the most positive of its numerous definitions. The dictionary listing in mind is certainly not the one in the sense of being haughty or dismissive, and there's no indication he was ever a cavalry officer. Rather, he deployed a carefree vibe with high spirits that actually reflected an astute recognition of what's important.

Those who possess the ability to stay relaxed are often able to complete tasks proficiently with confidence. Judson served as a fine example. Known to many as Judd, he was known to all as a person who brought ebullience wherever he went.

Originally from Huntington on Long Island's north shore, Judson enrolled at the University of New Hampshire to major in communications for his post-high school studies. The communications major also served as his fraternity house's chef, which created valuable credits even if they didn't apply toward a degree.

Grades are only part of the college experience. At one point, they were less by percentage than is typically preferred by professors. Judson took off the 1996 spring semester after maybe not making academics a top priority. He headed to Vail, Colorado for the chance to ski regularly during his study break and ended up finding a career. The paused student made good use of a personal schooling interregnum by discovering an innate ability for sales while peddling ski boots. He discovered purpose precisely by stepping away from where one might anticipate finding it.

The hiatus didn't become indefinite. Judson found his way back to his university for the purpose of at last addressing academic requirements following his extensive mountain excursion. Many others were glad for the comeback, as he graduated with the aura of a campus legend. Every account of interactions makes him sound like a regular part of college life. There's a sense that he seemed to know virtually everyone enrolled and contributed to making their time working toward degrees memorable.

Judson returned to the New York City area after finishing his return to school. A previous summer internship led to full-time work: he was hired after graduation by Thomas O'Neill, who was his next-door neighbor as a child.  The new boss served as one of the namesakes of Sandler O'Neill & Partners, an investment banking firm.

What seemed like a suitable career was on an upward trajectory. Judson was on the verge of being promoted from bond research to salesman, which seemed like a natural fit for someone relaxed and likable. He pursued a career from the spectacular location on the 104th floor of the World Trade Center's Tower 2.

People who've suffered loss end up cherishing normal visits that end up carrying significance after unimaginable unanticipated ensuing events. Judson saw his parents on September 8, 2001 before he headed off to do something fun after being called by roommate, coworker, and friend since childhood Joseph Anchundia. They were together until death. Josephe also lost his life three days later.

Judson is part of several awful and heartbreaking groups. He was one of 66 Sandler O'Neill & Partners workers murdered, among 17 people from Huntington, and one of four UNH alumni. The most anguishing way to track someone's biographical movements is by who was also killed by terrorists.

Judson was 26 when he died. He is commemorated with his name on panel S-52 of the National September 11 Memorial.  Judson's mother Linda also said that she and her husband Gerry buried a small box they received containing his remains in their backyard. The two physical locations commemorate someone kept alive in memories.

A person who brought joy to many during the time he was here remains remembered in numerous ways. His college fraternity maintains a page of photos featuring Judson where he looks animated in each. The physical Sigma Beta frat house features an item that honors the kind of person he was: his fraternity brother Jonathan “Nathan” Sloan notes it contains a full-sized pool table he bought and assembled in his off-campus house before donating it to his Greek faction, where it remains as a suitable tribute.

Those in his sphere remember the person behind the object. Fraternity brother Jamie Giunta shared fond memories on a memorial page of someone he described as personable, a common theme amongst remembrances presented by classmates, relatives, and coworkers.

Online guestbooks also offer a glimpse of someone dearly missed. College classmate Shannon (Dongegan) Doherty mentioned his contagious happiness.  And Brian Bjorkman remembered him as part of the freshman adventure, which includes not just events but particular fellow students with whom you're blessed to share a dorm floor.

Life can be measured by how many people are appreciative of the time they got to share.  Judson made a pleasant impression on those in his spheres by being true to himself. He's someone you wish you had gone to college with who seemed perfect for his pending promotion and found ideal opportunities by being himself.  An irrepressible spirit remains part of what Judson brought to the world.  He will always have found his way.

http://project2996.wordpress.com

[likeshipsonthesea]

Silence

A sequel to Pretty. Kind of necessary to read first.

Warnings for homophobia and f-slur.

*~*~*

Coming home from Samwell the summer after his freshman year, everything was backwards. It was cooler in Maine than it’d been in Massachusetts, and the freedom from the confines of classrooms suddenly felt more like loss. Dex stepped off the bus to an onslaught of sea-salted air and it tasted somehow like blood.

JJ picked him up at the bus stop and jostled Dex’s shoulder without saying anything. The drive back to the house was silent, too. Dex watched his town blur by. Familiarity was dulled with time, and the emotions in his chest belonged to a boy who’d grown away from anger, but it was difficult to disconnect the two when it was the only thing that felt normal, here.

Regardless, he fell into the routine of summers without much friction. Uncle Finn didn’t talk much on the boat, nor did any of the others, and so Dex worked and watched the waves and wondered without pause, skin turning pink, and then finally tan, and hair going golden with each passing day. Freckles appeared, some he recognized, others he didn’t. As the days wore on, the person in the mirror shifted until the boy from Samwell drifted away, quiet like he’d learned not to be.

Graduation meant that Luke returned to town later than the rest of the college students. On his second day back, he showed up at Dex’s house, and they fucked on a beach far enough away to be safe. The press of Luke’s fingers against Dex’s mouth left bruises, or at least they felt like they did, and in the afterwards, the smell of sweat mingling with that of a new car, Dex stared through the sunroof of Luke’s stupidly expensive Audi and tried to make sense of the constellations.

Nursey was always going on about the stars. Probably because he’d grown up in New York City. Things always felt more important when you’d gone so long without them. Dex’s fingers twitched for his phone, wondering if anyone would still be up, doing time-zone math in his head. Chowder, maybe.

The car ride back was silent. When Dex got out, Luke rolled down the window, and said, “See you around.” It was not a question. Dex went into his childhood bed and curled up beneath thin sheets he’d had since before he could remember. By the moonlight, he could see the scars on his knuckles, and he traced them with callused fingers. Some things never left.

On a day off from the boat, fishing restrictions and all, Dex worked a shift in his other uncle’s hardware store. He had his phone out, texting in the frog group chat and smiling without notice at pictures Chowder sent of a baking expedition gone awry.

“Will?”

Dex looked up from Chowder’s smile doused in flour to see Isabella standing in front of him. Half her head was shaved and she wore a pair of shortened overalls. She had a nose ring. She smiled, and it was the first thing Dex had felt since arriving home.

“I thought that was you,” she said, leaning into the counter. “Though with the size of your family, you can never be sure by red hair alone.”

Isabella explained that she was getting supplies for the set she was building. The town rec center was putting on Annie with the kids and Isabella had volunteered to direct. By the time Dex rung up her hammers, nails, and what-have-yous, she’d extracted a promise from him to help build the set.

At dinner that night Ma asked him how his day had gone. Dex told her about Annie and Isabella and the rec center. Ma’s eyebrows wrinkled, the same way Dex’s did, when he was confused. “Oh,” she said. “Isabella from high school?” Dex nodded.

Ma’s fork clattered unpleasantly against her plate and Dad explained with a sympathetic frown that they’d heard things about Isabella, while Dex had been at school. “Just be careful,” Dad said. “We don’t want you getting mixed up in anything.”

Dex nodded and didn’t ask what “things” they’d heard, on the probable chance they would apply to him, too. That weekend, he showed up at the rec center with his toolbox and some wood another uncle had hooked him up with and got to work building a fake orphanage.

For the first time since summer began Dex felt like he had back at Samwell. He’d helped out, there, with a few productions. A guy named Jamie with the kind of smirk that whispered hints of heartbreak had invited Dex to work on Pippin across a pillow. He’d been shirtless at the time and Dex had little incentive to say no.

The general part of it Dex told to Isabella, who took credit for getting Dex into theater as she imperfectly nailed a hammer into a 2-by-4. She then told him about the group she’d become involved in at school, that a fellow drama kid had introduced her to. “It’s nice,” she said, smiling long enough at Dex that he had to look away. “I can be myself.”

Weekends were spent at the rec center. Isabella talked at Dex and Dex infrequently responded as they worked on sets. Sometimes Isabella hummed tunes from the show, sometimes Dex joined in. Slowly, everything came together bit by bit.

On weekdays, Dex was on a boat, with Uncle Finn and his band of silent coworkers, or at the hardware store, where people Dex knew from church came in and asked after his parents, his brother, and his time at school, and Dex gave one-word answers, safe answers. Sometimes, after work, his parents would be home for family dinners, and sometimes Luke’s car would be parked down the road and Dex would spend the night on a familiar beach, staring up at the stars as Luke breathed into his neck. Sometimes, Dex would call someone from school, and listen to them talk about their summer, and beg off before he could be asked any questions in return.

A few weeks before opening night, Isabella asked if there was any way Dex could come in during the week to make sure things got finished in time. He rearranged his schedule and started coming in during late afternoons and nights, when the kids were rehearsing.

As he worked, children moved around him, singing and dancing and reciting lines. The little girl who played Molly came up to him one day and asked him what he was doing. He explained the basics of screwing in a screw and then she demanded to try it herself. She couldn’t reach it on her own, so Dex hoisted her up to let her try and it took her three times as long as it would’ve taken Dex and the gap-toothed smile she turned on him when he told her she’d done a good job made up for every lost second.

She introduced herself as Patricia, but said everyone called her Pat, and then was called back to rehearsal before Dex could reply. On the next five-minute break, Dex had a horde of little actors swarming him to try and help build the set, too. Five minutes turned to half an hour as Isabella allowed Dex to give an impromptu class on screwdrivers. That night, he regaled the group chat with his adventures and their reactions ranged from “aw”s to cry-laughing emojis, and Dex felt like he’d done something good.

Still, the only times he felt that way were at the rec center. Outside of that theater, his town felt small for the first time in his life. It had always been suffocating, but in the way that breathing air at high altitudes eventually became the norm. Dex’s spoiled lungs screamed, now, unfamiliar with the blood soaked air, and he began to live for the reprieves of the rec center similar to the way he’d lived for hockey during high school.

Except during high school he hadn’t thought about it. Hadn’t had anything to compare it to, really. Now, during the brief minutes as he washed dishes or drove to work or went on his morning runs, his mind drifted to existential questions he’d rather leave well enough alone. He’d try to focus on other things, like the rhythmic pounding of his feet on the ground, but soon the thoughts wound around the beat in avoidable lyrics.

It seemed that each day was farther and farther away from when the season would begin, when he would get to leave his hometown and go-- home. The person he’d learned to be-- learned to love-- there drifted, replaced with the quiet and the lies and the tanned, brittle smile. In high school, he hadn’t had anything to lose. Now he had everything, but it moved farther away with each passing day.

What would not stop approaching was opening night. The set for Annie was almost finished with a week to spare when Pat’s parents got stuck in traffic on the way home from work and couldn’t pick her up in time. Isabella had to run to make a date with a “friend” and so Dex waited with Pat while her older brother came.

“Do you like singing?” Pat asked, swinging her legs against the side of the stage.

Dex shrugged. “Sometimes.”

“I like singing,” Pat said, puffing her chest out. “And dancing, and soccer. What do you like to do?”

Dex leaned back against the row of chairs in the audience. “I like going to school,” he said, and Pat wrinkled her nose. “I play hockey,” he added, to appease her.

“My brother plays hockey.” Pat kicked at the side of the stage. “He’s stinky.”

“Am I stinky?” Pat shook her head. “So it’s probably just your brother that stinks. Not hockey players.”

Pat pursed her lips, thinking for a moment, and then nodded. “That makes sense.”

“What makes sense, pea-for-brains?” said a voice, drifting from the back of the theater. Pat’s nose wrinkled again and Dex turned. The familiarity of the voice had dulled with time but as Jules stepped from the shadows like a comic book villain Dex’s spine straightened all the same.

Jules faltered, a few rows away. Dex remembered what he’d looked like with a black eye. It had faded, from deep purple to a sickening yellow, and a part of Dex had felt guilty watching the process, remembering the bruises he’d hid from his parents for years.

After a beat, Jules smirked, and any guilt Dex felt drifted away. “Dex,” Jules said, stretching out the word. “Long time no see.”

A voice that sounded worryingly like Nursey muttered, How cliche can you get, in Dex’s head. He smothered the urge to smile and nodded. “Jules.”

“We don’t see each other for a year and I don’t even get a ‘hello’?” Jules clicked his tongue against his teeth. “Talk about poor manners.”

Jules stood a few feet away, skinnier than he’d been in high school. Less muscle mass, Dex thought. A lighter stuck out of his front pocket and his thumbs were tucked into his belt loops. His tongue flicked out at his bottom lip and, when Dex met his eyes, Jules’ gaze had drifted downwards.

Statistically, there had to be some number of queer people in their town. How many had turned out like him? Anger turned outwards, drenched in bad decisions and cigarette smoke, daring the world to crush them like it already hadn’t. How many were Luke? Pretending perfection, even after college, drowning in stolen moments that weren’t anything like the real thing, a smile with too many teeth to compensate for the dullness in their eyes. How many were Isabella? Free and sweet and happy, talked about over dinner tables like some kind of pollutant, known and persistent despite it.

Dex swayed into a theater seat. How many were like him?

“You’ve got the worst manners of anybody,” Pat said, standing with her arms crossed over her chest as she stepped up next to Dex. “Stop being a meanie to Dex.”

Jules huffed. “Turning against your own blood for some fag? Wow, kid.”

“Miss Bella says that’s a dirty word and you’re bad for saying it,” Pat said, her entire small face screwed up in a frown. “I’d side with Dex over you any day.” With that, she huffed (not unlike Jules had) and marched her way out of the theater. Dex expected Jules to go after her, make sure she didn’t get into trouble, but he didn’t move from his spot.

Dex stared after Pat. “She’s a good one,” he said, quiet. His eyes refocused, on Jules, staring. “Don’t ruin that.”

Jules’ tongue flicked out at his bottom lip again. He huffed. He didn’t say anything as he left the theater. Dex sat down and waited for a while. He didn’t really know why, but he had a vague urge to cry. He didn’t.

When he got home that night, Luke Rossi’s expensive Audi sat innocuously at the end of the block. Dex parked his truck in the driveway and walked down the street. He got into the passenger seat with vague ideas of things he wanted to say, and continued to come up with them as Luke drove them out of town. He thought, You deserve to live a true life, as Luke tugged open the buttons of Dex’s shirt. Are you really happy, doing this? Dex almost asked, clinging to Luke’s shoulders. I wish it could be different, he said, trapped between his teeth, as Luke covered his mouth to muffle noises no one would ever hear.

The next week, on opening night, Dex stepped in to work the lights and watched a bunch of elementary school kids sing and dance and act their hearts out. Parents in the audience stood for ovations and Dex almost looked for Jules’ face in the crowed. Both shows went off without a hitch-- except for one brief part when Daddy Warbucks couldn’t find his tie and started crying, because it was his dad’s and he’d been told to be very, very careful (it turned out Pat had it, for no reason anyone could discern)-- and on the second night, the little girl who’d played Annie walked up to Isabella with a bouquet of flowers and she cried as Annie handed it to her.

Dex, manning the spotlight that lit her up, nearly cried himself. He was smiling, though.

After the show, the kids forced him into a group picture, which Isabella sent to him without him asking, and Dex sent it to the group chat with no caption and watched the emojis explode.

In two weeks, he’d be back at Samwell, training for the upcoming season. He would get coffee at Annie’s with Chowder and listen to him sigh about Caitlin and complain about comp-sci. He would help Bitty with pies as Bitty imperfectly hummed Beyonce and gossiped about everyone from the little old ladies in his church back home to the captain of the Samwell soccer team. He would endure Ransom and Holster’s delightful weirdness and help Lardo build her strange sculptures and, maybe, spend some time with Nursey, muffling smiles at the shit that came out of his mouth.

There, he would know exactly who he was. He would be Dex, d-man and ginger and friend. It would be enough. It would be perfect.

For now, he was Will, carpenter and son and nephew.

Maybe next summer, he would learn to reconcile the two.

[writingformadderton]

I Want Love💜

Ship: Madderton

Word Count: 2857

Summary: Taron and Richard have both been in traumatic relationships and are still struggling to connect romantically to a person. But things seem to change when they meet on set and get to know each other better. Those changes are feared of both and they try to work it out together.

Additional tags: kissing, fluff, trauma, crying, comfort 

Taron comes out of his trailer and walks into the main building in the middle of set. Dexter Fletcher, the director, called an imprompt meeting about an hour ago. Taron walked in, phone in hand, and is greeted by Jamie with open arms. He smiles and asks how he’s feeling today, then takes a seat next to Bryce. She smiles and kisses his cheek, looking back at her phone.

Today is the day they get to meet Richard Madden. Fellow co-star to them all, and on-screen lover to Taron. So many people have told him over the years that he and Richard would get along easily, but they just never met before. He was genuinely curious as to the kind of person he was if he was supposedly a good match for a friendship.

The door opens and Dexter comes in. “Guys, meet your new co-star.” he says smiling and steps aside.

Richard comes in and smiles brightly. “Hey everyone. I’m Richard.” he speaks and waves.

Jamie and Bryce are the first to make their way towards him and shake his hand with bright smiles. Taron gets up afterwards and takes his hand, greeting him. He looks into his bright stunning blue eyes and quickly scans his body. His heart skips a beat. Styled brown hair with a noticeable grey streak in the front, full lips, strong jaw covered by a healthy beard, and incredibly handsome to the immediate eye. Taron’s palms begin to sweat once he lets Richard’s hand go. His eyes can’t tear away from the man. But he forces himself to look away, already feeling himself grow attach to his co-star in an unhealthy way. He can’t fall for him so easily. He won’t.

Richard begins to socialize with all his new coworkers. Rich is talking to Bryce, but his eyes are fixed on someone else. He stares at Taron, who leans against a table while talking to Jamie. The adorable blueish green eyes, the strong jaw decorated with barely there stubble, his bright smile and dimples that pop when he laughs, and his overall very handsome being. Richard feels himself get warm inside, his heart fluttering as he admires the Welsh man. But he switches his gaze back to Bryce, trying to avoid any further fixation to his co-star. It’s inappropriate to already have a crush on your on-screen partner that won’t be reciprocated, he tells himself. It’ll only hurt him when it’s all said and done.

Dexter grabs Richard and walks him over to Taron. “Taron, I think you two should get to know each other. It’ll be useful for the movie chemistry.” He says with a hopeful glint in his eyes.

Taron nods and smiles, his heart beating a little faster. “Sure.” He responds and the director walks away happily, Bryce and Jamie in tow for their scenes. They stand there for a few moments, a bit of an awkward silence between the two of them. There was also a small tension in the air, but not thick enough to acknowledge fully. “So you wanna grab something to eat and just talk?” He asks a little nervous.

“Sounds lovely.” Richard says with a smile and they head outside. They walk side by side throughout the city and search for a good place to eat. While walking, they just talk about whatever comes to mind. They seem to click and it all flows so easily. Both decide to try an Italian restaurant, but once they sit down, they barely focus on their meals. Taron unlocks the key to what makes Richard laugh and he does not stop the entire time at the restaurant. They eventually eat their semi-cold food and pay for their meals. 

For the next two weeks, the boys are inseparable and spill everything to each other. One day on set in Taron’s trailer, the two are drinking a bottle of wine and chilling on the sofa. The topic of relationships come up and there’s almost an immediate tension cloud covering the air. Both men were afraid of this topic, each having their own tragic past experiences they still work everyday to heal from. “So, are you in a relationship at the moment?” Richard asks and takes a sip of his wine, glancing at the Welsh. Taron flinches slightly at the question and shakes his head slowly. The memories slowly flash in his mind. Richard sees his mood change and frowns. “I’m sorry, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want. I didn’t mean to intrude.” He quickly apologizes.

Taron smiles weakly and looks into Richard’s worried eyes. Man, he could get lost in those eyes forever. He pulls his gaze away, instead focusing on the almost empty wine glass in his hand. “It’s okay. The last relationship I was in was just absolute shit.” He chuckles lightly and doesn’t dare look back into Richard’s eyes.

Richard puts a hand on Taron’s knee gently. “You wanna talk about it?” His voice softens, which gives Taron confidence to open up to him about the situation.

Taron shrugs a little and bites his lip. “It was wonderful in the beginning. I think we had the absolute best time. But then, we started fighting because he just wasn’t happy with me anymore. Always on about the things I did or said. And then it became physical...” Taron trails off and stares down at his thighs. His hand holding the wine glass is shaking and the flashbacks are haunting him. Suddenly, he feels Richard’s strong arms wrap around his body, the scent of his cologne warm and welcoming.

“I’m so sorry you had to go through that. You didn’t deserve it, at all. Sadly, I know exactly what you went through.” Richard sympathizes and admits softly. He rubs Taron’s back gently.

Taron takes note of his words and puts his glass down, returning the embrace. “You’ve dealt with something similar?” He asks, pain hinting in his voice for the Scottish man. He feels tears well up in his eyes not only for himself, but for his friend.

Richard sighs and nods. “He destroyed my trust in the people I loved.” He begins to explain and pulls away from Taron, gently stroking his knee. “It’s been 3 years, I’m still afraid to fall in love.” Richard speaks barely below a whisper and looks over at Taron, who has a tear falling from his eye. He wipes it away and Taron shivers under his touch. “Please don’t cry. I’m gonna be alright. We’re gonna be alright.” He cups the younger one’s face in his hands, trying to ease the pain.

They look deeply into each other’s eyes. Then it came. They realized they had fallen for each other, even though they tried to keep their walls up and avoid it. Taron looks down at Richard’s lips, just mere Inches away from his own. He slowly leans in and Richard closes the gap between them. There’s an immediate spark and they sink into the kiss, not wanting it to end. Taron leans in more and Richard lies down on the sofa, still cupping his face. In the moment, it all feels perfect. But, it doesn’t mask the horrid memories sadly.

Suddenly, Richard pulls away and turns his head to the side. His lips begin to tremble and a silent tear rolls down his face. Taron’s demeanor changes and he sits back, carefully watching him. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t-“ He starts to say.

Richard shakes his head and sits up. He takes Taron’s hand in his own and takes a deep breath. “I can’t do this. It’s not you, it’s just... something I need to cope with and lay to rest.” Richard whispers and wipes away his own tears. He lets Taron’s hand go and stands up. “I’m sorry Taron. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He avoids his gaze and leaves his trailer, leaving Taron in silence.

He sits there speechless and after a few moments, he starts crying. He presses his hand to his mouth, muffling his cries. Why did he have to be so stupid? Kissing Richard right after they shared their heartbreaks to each other, at their most vulnerable. Richard definitely won’t want him now. Their chances were ruined.

A knock on the door echoes through the trailer and Taron tries to quiet down. “Taron? Dex wanted to talk to us about the scene tomorrow.” Bryce’s voice rings in the air softly.

Taron takes a deep breath. “Tell him I’ll be there in 5 minutes.” His voice is shaky and higher than normal.

“You okay? You don’t sound good.” She asks concerned. Taron doesn’t answer, he is just staring down at his lap. “Open the door Taron.” She speaks softly.

Taron stands up and walks towards the door slowly. Bryce would understand his situation, she always did. He opens the door and lets her in, trying to hide his face. But it’s too late. “Oh no, what’s wrong hunny?” She asks, looking at the tear streaks and his red eyes.

“I just did something dumb.” He chokes out, feeling the tears stream down again. How could he truly be such an idiot?

Both sit down on the sofa and face each other. “Come here.” Bryce sighs and opens her arms. She takes her younger co-star in her arms and rubs his back. Taron lets go and starts sobbing again. “Shh, it’s gonna be alright. Just let it out.” She whispers in his ear and hugs him tight.

After a little while, Taron stops crying and is breathing evenly again. “I’m sorry Bryce. I just did the most idiotic thing I did in a while.” He mumbles just enough for her to hear.

She frowns. “Is it with Richard? He walked by me looking sad.

Taron nods and stares down at his hands. “We were talking about our previous relationships and turns out, he left a toxic relationship like I did.” He explains. “We talked about it and then we kissed, which was too much for him at the moment.” He looks at her sadly. “I think I’m falling in love with someone I shouldn’t.”

Bryce wraps her arm around her friend, hating that he’s in pain. She looks at him softly. “We can’t help who we fall in love with hunny. Give each other time. I think you two should talk about it when you’re both clear headed and calm.” She speaks gently and smiles a little, kissing his cheek. She stands up and pulls him into a hug, rubbing his back. Taron feels a little better in her embrace, letting out a small sigh. He whispers a thank you to her and she smiles, walking out of the trailer with him and to the building he met Rich just a couple weeks prior.

They arrive late to the meeting and all eyes are on them when they walk in. There’s an empty seat next to Richard and Bryce walks over, sitting in that seat. Taron decides to take an empty seat opposite of the sofa focuses solely on Dexter, who’s talking about tomorrow’s shoot. Richard’s eyes can’t help but fall on Taron. He immediately regretted leaving him alone in his trailer as soon as he walked out, and now hates himself for it. He wasn’t the only one upset, Taron was just as vulnerable in that moment. Bryce sitting next to Rich and giving him a small smile just confirmed how stupid he was and that she knew what went on. Taron’s eyes are nearly bloodshot and his pullover was wet on his arms. Did he leave him there crying? What kind of man does that to a friend, to a potential love?

The next day starts early for the entire crew, their first scene to shoot for the day being “I Want Love”. Taron and Richard were watching the shoot, at arm’s distance from each other. Bryce begins to sing her first line.

Don’t feel nothing, just old scars

Toughening up, around my heart 

I want love, on my own terms

After everything I have learned

Four sentences that seemed normal to  everyone else, but laid heavy on the hearts of the two co-stars. Richard takes Taron’s hand and looks at him. Taron looks over, surprised and a spark sending a small shiver down his spine. Richard nods towards the door and they both leave the room, no one noticing them slip away. As soon as they’re in a quiet corridor, Taron finds himself pushed against the wall with Richard’s lips on his. The kiss almost melting the two into one.

Richard pulls away and looks into Taron’s eyes. “I’m sorry about yesterday. I’m an idiot. I’m so fucking afraid of giving my heart away, but I realized you already have it.” He confesses with pain in his voice. He kisses him again and Taron grabs the back of his neck. “I don’t wanna hurt you T.” He mumbles out.

Taron stopped him softly and looked at him. “I’m just as unsure as you are Rich. I don’t wanna destroy you or our friendship. I’m very complicated and I’m so insecure. I really don’t wanna hurt you.” Taron spills out.

"Every time I look at you, I just wanna kiss you and give you the love you deserve.” Richard speaks and cups Taron’s face in his hands, kissing him. Much needed and fulfilling the sweet desire between the two of them. “I think I’m ready to try again and try my best for you.”

Taron’s eyes light up with joy. “Let’s give it a go then.” He says and kisses him again.

 A few days later, they find themselves in the Italian restaurant they where when everything started just weeks ago. Richard stops eating and takes Taron’s hand. “I think I love you.” He states with a shaky breath.

“I think I love you too.” Taron whispers back and smiles softly.

Richard bites his lip nervously, like every other time he has something on his mind. “I wanted to ask you something. You don’t have to say yes.” He speaks. Taron watches him carefully, still eating. “Do you wanna be my boyfriend? I know it’s only been a week and... it just feels so good being with you. And I-“ Richard rambles but is stopped by Taron leaning over the table and kissing him passionately. “Is-is that a yes?” He stutters out shocked.

Taron feels his heart flutter and his smile grows wide. He nods happily. “Yes!”

“Well lucky me!” Richard chuckles and kisses him again.

Back on set, they cuddle on the sofa. Richard feels safe in Taron’s arms. He’s proud of himself that he was brave enough to ask Taron to be his. And he felt he was going to cry like a baby once Taron said yes. It’s now very late and they have to be well rested to shoot the “Tiny Dancer” scene tomorrow night. Richard smiles to himself at the thought. How fitting, he would declare his feelings for Taron again, just not as himself. “You wanna sleep here tonight?” Taron asks and softly kisses him on the head.

Richard nods and cuddles deeper into Taron’s chest. “Can we stay like this forever please?” He mumbles into his chest and Taron chuckles.

Almost 2 years later, Taron rests his head on Richard’s shoulder as they listened to Dex making a speech. They are at the Rocketman premiere tonight and Taron just couldn’t stop crying every 5 minutes. Rocketman changed his life completely and he was so proud of himself as well as the entire crew. Rich squeezes his hand and gives him a kiss on the head. Tears are welling up in his eyes again and he sits up as he hears Dexter say how proud he is and also starts to get emotional. He looks at Richard, who’s listening to Dex as well. Taron can’t believe how lucky he is and sobs silently.

Richard looks at him and smiles softly. “Stop crying.” He says and wipes away his boyfriend’s tears.

“I can’t!” He chuckles back and bigger tear drops roll down his face. “I just can’t believe you’re mine.” He says with a wide smile. “I’m so overwhelmed with joy right now.” He presses his lips together and takes Richard’s hand in his own.

Richard tries to hold back his own tears. “You’re gonna make me cry!” He whispers and kisses him softly. He can taste the salty tears on his lips.

“Thanks for being in my life.” Taron whispers and kisses away a tear that escaped Richard’s eye and was making its way down his cheek.

“Thanks for letting me.” Richard says and presses his lips together. He tries to hide the fact that he’s now crying and pulls Taron into a hug. Dexter finishes his speech and everyone applauds. Bryce hands the two tissues with a smile, tear streaks also on her face. Taron grabs Richard’s hand again. “You’re the best thing that ever happened to me. I love you so much!” Richard chokes out with trembling lips as he kisses his boyfriend again. 

@taruhnegerton @lyah-malek @mochidoubleb @bradleyjsworld @dreamingwolfthings @cheshirechan @applesfallingfromblondehair

[romanticsuspense]

If I see one more person say that the show is forcing Bree and Roger on us 🙄🙄🙄 the show is months away and it's already started. Everytime there is something Bree and/or Roger related released there are always hateful or rude comments. I really don't understand people's need to hate on them all the time. If you don't like them don't talk about them. Is that really so hard? And don't get me even started on the people who can't wait for Roger to get hanged. That's really disgusting.

We are on the exact same page about this, anon!

Sorry for not answering this sooner.  I think I received this a week or two ago?  So, I’m not sure what Brog related promo was released to incite the hateful comments at the time.  But, I do know I’ve seen some fresh hate after this perfection was posted on the outlander_starz Instagram a couple of days ago:

I don’t see quite as much of the anti-brog sentiments as I used to.  I block anyone who posts anything nasty in the Outlander tag or on other people’s positive posts, so I don’t have to see their negativity anymore.  But, since the show has been added to Netflix, there are more anti-brog fans sprouting up every week it seems.  

I’ve given all of this a lot of thought and tried to rationalize it.  But, it’s really impossible to rationalize other people’s subjective feelings and opinions.  At one point, I really wanted to do a series of posts defending Roger.  But, ultimately decided not to because…the anti’s aren’t going to read it, and they’re definitely not going to change their minds, so what’s the point?  I could go on and on about the double standard by which Roger and Jamie’s characters are judged.  I could pull quotes from the books that showcase how decent of a man Roger is (a better man than Jamie, IMHO).  I could explain, in ridiculously long essays, how much I love Roger.  But, there are still going to be people out there who hate him.  And I can’t change that.  I don’t understand it.  I don’t like it.  But, I can’t change it.  

This fandom is just super weird and crazy and there are a lot of inexplicably angry people.  I’ve seen hate directed towards Bree, Frank, Roger, Matt Roberts, Caitriona Balfe, Richard Rankin, Sophie Skelton, David Berry…pretty much everyone but Jamie and Sam!  So, I am strangely comforted by the fact that it’s not just my favorite character getting dragged through the mud.  

I’m with you, anon, in that I just don’t understand the compulsion to make hateful comments all the time.  I think they’ve formed their own little Tumblr circle where they rile each other up, stew in their indignation, and assume that the rest of the fandom feels the same way they do.  They talk about the show in absolutes and extremes.  It’s Jamie and Claire always and forever, and if you like any of the other characters, or defend any of the other characters, you must hate Jamie and Claire.  Measured, critical analysis of characters is rare in that circle.  Also, I find it interesting how the hate evolves and changes.  It used to be “Sophie is a terrible actress and Bree is a seflish brat.”  Now it’s “Roger is a misogynistic pig and Bree deserves better.”  It’s almost like it’s cool to hate on certain characters or actors, like a fad.  Right now, there’s a lot of Brog hate, but they’ll circle back around to Frank-hate in a couple months, then it’ll be Cait-hate, before getting back to Brog-hate.  There’s always something to complain about.        

I share your disgust about fans who are already expressing glee at the prospect of Roger getting hanged.  I am truly baffled that there are people out there who think Roger deserved to be beaten nearly to death by Jamie, or that he deserves to be hung in Season 5.  The reason those story lines are so powerful is because he doesn’t deserve it.  As readers and watchers we are supposed to be horrified by Jamie’s actions, not applaud them.  We are supposed to be upset by Roger’s suffering, not happy about it.  I say “supposed to” not to dictate how anyone should feel about fiction, but because of the framing of the story in both the book and show.  It’s not framed as a “villain gets his comeuppance” story line, but that’s how many of the anti’s are interpreting it.  Roger is not a villain.    

As much as I’ve criticized the writing of Roger and Bree’s relationship in Season 4, I still don’t think the level of vitriol directed towards Roger and/or Bree is warranted.  The fan reactions have been way out of proportion to what was actually portrayed on screen.  It doesn’t make a lick of sense that fans are wishing and hoping for Roger to die.  Luckily, they can wish and hope for his death all they want, but Roger isn’t going anywhere. 

All this to say that I’m trying my best to not let the haters get to me.  But, even though I’ve taken measures to avoid seeing the negativity, it still surprises me and gets under my skin when I see those comments and posts.  I wish there weren’t trolls in this fandom, but unfortunately there are. The block button is your friend.  Find fellow bloggers who actually enjoy watching the show.  Try to ignore the “extreme” sections of the fandom.  One of my favorite advice bloggers, askamanager.com, will tell people who write in for advice about their coworkers doing crazy shit to re-frame it in their minds.  So, instead of becoming really frustrated by the bonkers things your co-workers say or do, you take a step back and look at the situation through a different lens—one in which you’re able to accept that you have limited control over the situation and almost be entertained by it.  I think this same advice can be applied to fandom.  I’m trying my best to be Gina Linetti 👇🏼

[critgemhero]

I just can't believe how so many people support Vic when absolutely no voice actor who has ever worked with him has supported or stood up for him. The majority of them are breaking contract and getting in hot water just to protest by not being in the same building as him. They all listened to the stories of the victims and believed them and have stood with them. No doubt or shock, they knew they were telling the truth and that he was a creep. If this was really all fake or a huge misconception to his character somehow, there would be voice actors who worked with him over the past 20 years defending him and his character right now. The one guy who did participated in intoxicated date rape once.

So yeah, these voice actors have known him for how long? And I mean KNOW him, not "fans" of him who think they somehow know this guy because he voices their favorite characters. Fans don't KNOW him. They obviously either tolerated and/or avoided Vic for a very long time for it to come to this, and clearly victims like Monica and Jamie are trustworthy coworkers for their fellow voice actors to believe their stories and stand with them.

My point is, how the actual fuck do Vic supporters think they know him better than his employers, co-workers, and ex-wife. The only reason you are defending this creep is because it makes you uncomfortable that you were a fan for so long, and that somebody who voiced Edward Elric was capable of being a creep. You choose your own safe space and comfort over believing women. Or ANY victim of sexual harassment for that matter. It's gross. Also, probably because you don't have a good enough definition of what creepy behavior is.

[sunflower-fieldy]

The Tale of Two Heralds

Hi all! My friend and I are currently writing a Dragon Age: Inquisition fanfiction on Archive of Our Own and I thought I’d mention it on here! 

Link: The Tale of Two Heralds by Vulpeculara, AdamantlyAdamant

Rating: Explicit

Summary: They were never meant to have the mark, and yet they both did. Together, the Lavellan sisters have to build the Inquisition and defeat that which stands in their way. Of course, it is never that simple when it is not only a Tevinter magister, but also differing opinions and complicated relationships. This story is a tale of two Heralds.

Note: This story WILL have Dragon Age: Inquisition and Dragon Age: II spoilers!!!!!

Sample below the cut. 

Repeat (Lora)

Ashilora Lavellan awoke with a gasp. Sitting up, she felt her heart rapidly thump in her chest.  Her brows furrowed as she wiped the sweat from her forehead and took in the still unfamiliar world around her.

She shook her head. Shit. It was not just a dream.

Sighing, she pushed back the wet strands of her hair and slid out of her bed, pulling off the sheets that clung to her legs. She slowly stood up. Tuning her senses to the dawning sun outside of her windows, she squinted her eyes at the dancing light.

“Another day…here.”

Another day in Haven.

Her face scrunched up as all of the recently acquired memories came rushing back in violent, engulfing waves. She allowed herself to sigh once more. With a final dissatisfying look at the mountainous outdoors, she slumped to her washroom with regret on starting a new day.

The past few weeks had been absolute hell as far as Lora was concerned. The tremendous weight of her responsibilities had shown in the new slant of her shoulders and the sudden appearance of dark rings under her eyes. She’d been called a lot of things and judged a lot of ways all because of the glowing light which now dazzled around her left hand.

The mark.

As fascinating as it was, it changed her entire world in more ways than she would’ve appreciated in only a matter of mere seconds.

Just a short time ago, she and her sister Jamie were only elves. But now they were the Heralds of Andraste, or so they had been dubbed by people over Thedas. She wasn’t sure whether or not she enjoyed such a label, but her common acts of solitude gave her enough seclusion away from anyone who ever made her consider it.

The previous days had included hours of decision-making and looking over options with enough scrutiny to give her ongoing headaches. If only she had the reasoning her sister did for fighting, then perhaps she would be more on the battlefield. Instead, she tended to view fighting as a last resort and unnecessary, and that decisions needed to be more…calculated. So, in a short time span that passed in a blurry haze within her mind, she spent the majority of her time at the war table with several new coworkers, dealing a hand in the fate of the reestablished Inquisition.

And today was to be a repeat of yesterday and the day before that: building the Inquisition’s strength.

Lora walked out of her temporary washroom, feeling refreshed and ready to tackle whatever the future was to throw at her today. She dressed herself in light armor, and left her hair to hang below her shoulders. Taking a step outside her doors, she braced herself for the chilly mountain air to collide against her face. She shivered in the breeze that brought tingles to her skin. She still wasn't used to such temperatures, and she was beginning to doubt that she ever would be.

She proceeded to walk to the side of her makeshift home and visited Falon, her pet halla, in his stable. He kicked in excitement upon seeing her and bowed his head.

“Greetings, Falon,” she said to him, “are you ready for another day?”

He jumped around his small area in response.

She smiled. “As am I.”

As the Inquisition was low on food supplies, she only partially filled his trough with leftover pickings from their army soldiers.

“Ir abelas,” she whispered as he already hungrily devoured his food. Guilt burned inside of her as she noted his already bony appearance.

When she’d finished tending to Falon, she took the quickest and least crowded route to where she would conduct her business for the day, and the entirety of the way she averted her eyes so as to avoid the stares she still was getting from those residing in Haven.

   Before the Storm (Jamie)

Jamie Lavellan sat on the high wall overlooking the soldiers who were slowly trickling out of their tents to begin another day of training. The sun was just peeking over the tree line in the distance. It had been several weeks since the Inquisition found Jamie and her sister who had barely escaped the Conclave with their lives thanks to Andraste. And now they were the Heralds of Andraste…

Jamie shook her head as she thought about this. Their lives had changed so dramatically in the past few weeks; it was hard to keep up. She knew it was even harder on her sister. Being part of the Inquisition meant dealing with people. All kinds of people. There were people like Solas, a fellow elf, who seemed to understand what the two sisters were going through, to people like Chancellor Roderick who would have rather seen the two elven sisters dead. Jamie could handle these types of people fairly well and tried to keep her sister, Lora, out of their way as much as possible.

The past few days standing around the War Table had taken its toll on Jamie almost as much as it had on Lora. While Lora was good at knowing what was best diplomatically, Jamie wanted to be out there fighting. Actually seeing the difference and not just talking about it. Those hours just standing around had made Jamie restless. Hence, why she was watching the soldiers wake up instead of sleeping like everyone else.

Fortunately for Jamie, today she was going to be leading small group to scout out the Storm Coast. There was a group out there called the Chargers lead by a qunari named the Iron Bull. Jamie figured it was worth going since they could use any allies they could get. Lora was hesitant to agree on this notion however. That wasn’t going to stop Jamie from going, but she promised her sister that she would be cautious.

Haven was now audibly gearing up for another day and the sound swords clanking together below Jamie refreshed her. However, it was because of all the noise, she did not hear footsteps approaching her.

“Sleep well?”

Jamie turned quickly to face the speaker. It was Varric who was smirking at her.

“You know, I think this is the only time I’ve been taller than you,” he commented, walking up to stand next to her.

“Don’t get used to it,” Jamie replied, leaning back on her hands.

The two looked out over the training soldiers for several silent moments. They watched as Cullen walked out onto the training grounds. Varric shifted slightly and looked at her.

“You never answered my question,” he said.

Jamie quirked an eyebrow at him.

“Did you sleep well?”

Jamie turned away from him again. “I didn’t sleep at all. These past few days have been rough, to say the least. I need to be out there, doing something! Not just sitting around planning.”

“Planning seems to be more of your sister’s thing anyway,” Varric pointed out thoughtfully. “Aren’t you headed out to the Storm Coast today with the Seeker, elf boy, and that Warden? What’s his name? Brownwall or something?”

Jamie smiled at Varric’s obvious attempts to lighten the mood. “Yes, I am going with Cassandra, Solas, and Blackwall to the Storm Coast today. Maker knows I need a change of scenery.”

“Maker?” Varric asked. “Aren’t you an elf?”

“As far as I’m concerned, it’s an expression,” Jamie explained. “Besides, I’m not sure if you’d recognize an elven god if it walked right up to you and stole Bianca.”

Varric looked appalled. “I’ve got nothing against you elves, but that’s taking it a bit too far!”

Before Jamie could respond, Cassandra’s voice broke in. “Herald, we are ready to travel to the Storm Coast when you are,” she said, as she, Blackwall, and Solas walked up to them. Varric’s eyes went wide when he saw Solas carrying what appeared to be Bianca.

“What are you doing with Bianca?!” he exclaimed. Solas looked impassive as he handed over Varric’s pride and joy.

“I found it propped up against the wall outside the tavern. I took it upon myself to return it to you,” Solas answered easily. Varric huffed his thanks and stomped away.

Jamie stood and turned to her companions. “We need to get to the Storm Coast as fast as possible. The sooner we get there, the sooner we get back. Mother Giselle thinks it best that we go to Val Royeaux to appeal to the Chantry.”

“Leliana wanted to speak to us before we go,” Cassandra said as they began walking towards the Haven Chantry.

Jamie rolled her shoulders. “She’d better make it quick."