#now i gotta go listen to highway tune

[satans-helper]

Under the Table

Pairing: Danny Wagner x (F) Reader

Word Count: ~3700

Warnings: public sex; fingering; dirty talking; 18+ ONLY 

I’ve had this idea in my head for soooo long, y’all. I hope you enjoy <3

---

Weddings were normally a lot of fun for you, at least in memory–a time to dress up, go somewhere new, kick back, drink, eat and dance without a care in the world–but in this sea of mostly strangers, you felt anxious and out of place. Everyone clearly knew everyone else, while you were a nameless, faceless entity that had showed up as a plus one. You hadn’t even properly prepared for the weather either but your bag in the hotel contained only one possible wedding outfit and, unfortunately, the chilly autumn evening didn’t do well with bare legs and no jacket. You were eternally grateful when the beautiful but cold outdoor ceremony ended and you got to get inside the actual venue. The winery was elegance on top of elegance, a bit of a surprise after mostly being accustomed to bars and breweries–it was full of generous round tables laid in amber and wine colored tablecloths, soft gold lights and even a disco ball in the center of the dance floor, everything shiny and dim at once, the subdued darkness that equated to ambiance giving you a surge of confidence. If you could situate yourself in the shadows, maybe you wouldn’t feel so out of place. 

Even Danny seemed a little at a loss though. He wasn’t particularly close with this uncle and those cousins and without the Kiszka posse there with you both, things seemed a little less secure somehow. The steady, comfortable chaos from the group dynamic was gone, something unfamiliar especially when alcohol and dancing was involved. But Danny had a plus one, not a plus three, and although Sam had accused him of choosing “the other woman” over him again, you were there. Hopefully to be some kind of anchor if Danny needed it. 

You followed him to a table in the far corner of the huge room, the wall of windows behind it at least giving some breathing room with the view of the vineyard outside and the deep blue sky above it. It hadn’t even been Danny’s choice where you’d be sitting–your name and his were on little placards in front of two chairs, and the rest of the table listed names to people you didn’t know and Danny only vaguely knew by name and not really by face, apparently. So, sliding through the crowd that was still caught in the open entrance, you sat down with your glasses of wine and waited to see who else would join the table of outcasts. 

“Who’s Macy?” you asked, plucking the name card next to you and showing it to Danny. You’d already slammed a glass of wine at the bar before you managed to bring the drinks to the table and, on an empty stomach, the alcohol was already warming you inside and out. 

Danny took the card and stared at it as if looking at it harder would jog some memory of the person that never existed in his world to begin with. “Uh–I don’t know. Maybe a friend? A third cousin? Probably a distant cousin.” 

It was Danny’s uncle who was getting married and not for the first time, but it was the first of his weddings Danny had attended as an adult. “Well, maybe we’re at the kid’s table,” you remarked, looking around for Danny’s parents who’d disappeared after the ceremony, clearly seated elsewhere. “Or one of the kid’s tables. Like, adults but not quite adults yet.” 

“We’re adults. You just chugged a whole glass of wine.” Danny elbowed your side. “I think someone’s coming.” 

Not just one someone, but two, evidently another couple, just older enough than you and Danny to validate your kid’s table theory. They approached, the man with a beer foaming in a clear glass and the woman with a glass of wine to match your own, and looked down at the name cards. Sheepishly, like they knew they were also being a little outcast, the woman slid into the chair three down from you and the man into the chair next to hers. 

Slowly but steadily, others joined and the table was full of unfamiliar faces. You made the wine last as you and everyone else did the introductions and chit chat, then watched the bride and groom make their rounds. You’d forgotten how much of a wedding involved simply sitting around and you were starting to get antsy, bouncing your leg under the table with your heel tapping against the shiny hardwood. 

Danny laid a gentle hand on your knee, momentarily stilling your bouncing. “Want another drink?” he asked as you downed the rest of your wine. You didn’t want to be left alone at the table, but you also didn’t want to be as sober as you still were, so you let him go, your eyes lingering on his backside as he made his way over to the bar. He looked so good–long, umber dark curls like a waterfall down his shoulders and the center of his back, the same strong back with the sturdy broad shoulders you loved so much, a sight to behold even just from behind and fully clothed. He didn’t even need any input on the outfit–the black pants hugged his thighs just right and the deep indigo shirt beneath the shimmering black jacket made him look like he was straight from another era, and one that suited him well. 

You were proud to show him off, maybe especially here. After sufficiently observing, you could safely say you and Danny were by far the hottest couple there. That thought made you smile cheekily to yourself, and you watched Danny at the bar as he ordered, then he turned and caught you staring; he winked, and you stuck your tongue out at him, making him laugh. 

With Danny turned again to grab the wine from the bartender, you looked over at the long tables at the sides, slowly being filled by caterers. You really just wanted to get more drinks, get up to dance and then go back to the hotel with Danny–you wondered how long you’d both end up staying anyway, especially if it took forever to get the food out to everyone. You could guess that you’d be one of the last tables to get called up to the troughs. 

“Three?” you asked, attention brought to your doting boyfriend again as he came back over with two wine glasses in his right hand and one in his left. He set two down in front of you, removed his jacket to drape over his chair and took his place next to you once more, shifting his chair close enough for your thighs to touch. 

“It’s an open bar,” Danny said with a satisfied smile, clinking his new glass against one of yours. “Figured we should take advantage. But I’m driving, so–”

“I appreciate you being the responsible one,” you said, giving him a clink back. “So I can get hammered at your uncle’s wedding. Third wedding.”

Danny laughed a little. “Third time’s the charm. Right?”

“Three glasses might be,” you said, taking a generous drink, eager to get even more of a buzz on. The booze was dancing delightfully through your skin, tingling through your thighs into your stomach and swirling lightly around the inside of your head–looking around again, the lights seemed more brilliant, shining over the sea of strange but expressive faces, everyone ranging from utter boredom to manic jubilation. But looking back at Danny was familiar and grounding; the subtle, shy smile on his lips like a perpetual presentation for everyone else, but the way it grew and his eyes twinkled with gold when he caught your glance was very much just for you. 

The food was taking ages to even make it to the tables in their silver buffet trays. You found yourself bouncing your leg again, still riding the bit of leftover anxiety and anticipation of the big event, as you watched the caterers work in silence. Danny’s hand found your knee again, a warm palm cupping the bone softly, not like he was trying to get you to stop but just like a reminder that he was there with you through all of it, the mundane and the brilliant and everything in between. You slowed your body’s movements and reached for that third glass of wine, letting the cool condensation roll through your fingertips as you brought it to your lips. 

You kept bouncing your leg tentatively as Danny’s hand slid up to the middle of your thigh, resting right where the hem of your dress ended. You could blame him in part for your own outfit choice–he’d said going without tights would be fine, that it wouldn’t be that cold and tights wouldn’t help you much anyway but now, with his hand on your like that, you were thinking he had just been a tease and you’d fallen for it. Like always. 

“So you two came all the way from–Knoxville?” Macy asked suddenly. You couldn’t blame her for trying to make more small talk with you and Danny–you two were clearly the only ones at the table who didn’t know anyone else sitting with you. 

“Nashville,” you corrected, and before you could continue speaking like a fully-functioning adult, Danny’s hand circled your thigh, his fingers brushing up underneath the hem of your dress, caressing the soft skin of your inner thigh. You gave as subtle of a sideways glance as you could, but he was drinking his wine, ignoring your questioning look. 

“That’s a long trip,” Macy said. Maybe she was only talking to you because her partner was talking very animatedly with the man next to him about–who only knew. You couldn’t even hear because Danny squeezed your thigh, breaking your focus again, and slid his hand up even higher until his fingers were nearly brushing over your underwear. 

“Yeah,” you replied finally, voice too high, the response too sharp. You did your best to ignore Danny, bumping him with your knee as a warning. “We flew, so it wasn’t bad.” Danny scooted away a bit and you thought your warning had been sufficient, but then he gripped your thigh and pulled it toward himself, spreading that one leg out beneath the table. You saw Macy curiously eye the sudden movement and watch as Danny moved himself forward a couple inches, leaving your visible upper bodies separated but your legs still pressed against each other, out of sight. 

“These chairs are sort of uncomfortable,” you supplied with an awkward, quiet laugh, hoping Macy would just go back to everyone else at the table. You fidgeted back and forth for a second in an effort to affirm that you really didn’t like the chairs, but Danny inched his hand up further over your thigh and you were caught in a mental image of grinding your ass back against his crotch. He WAS being a tease. 

Macy directed her attention to Danny. “And this is your uncle who’s getting married, right? I know we haven’t met before, but it makes sense with you living all the way in Tennessee.” 

“Yeah, my uncle. It was nice of him to invite us,” Danny told her, his words moving just as easily as his hand beneath the table. He had slid it right between your spread legs, slowly rubbing his fingers over you through your underwear, and you felt your face flush wildly. That you could at least blame on the wine. 

“We haven’t gotten the chance to spend much time together in a while,” Danny continued, completely not looking at you, but you were trying to look anywhere other than him anyway. “It’s really nice to be a part of this. And visit home again, you know?” 

Finally, fucking finally, Macy’s partner grabbed her attention and she was torn away from trying to make you and Danny feel less like outcasts. As soon as her focus was off you, Danny increased the pressure of his fingers, rubbing over you intently; you huffed and leaned back in the chair, nearly forgetting where you were for a moment, but then you realized that your panties were literally getting wet in a room full of other people. You looked at him, cheeks burning, sweat already dampening your hairline: “Are you serious right now?”

Danny looked at you like you were silly for even asking. He leaned in close, nose brushing against your ear, and replied quietly, “Are you seriously getting wet right now?” 

You could easily grab his wrist and make him stop, close your legs and make yourself all proper again. But you didn’t, because Danny was sexy as hell when he was bad and his fingers were so skilled in their purposefulness. You stayed where you were and reached for the glass of wine, finishing it as Danny hummed and dipped his middle finger right through the wet spot in your underwear. That made you jolt, jostling the wine in the glass, and you turned to look at him again–he looked perfectly composed if not way too smug, bringing his own glass to his lips again while he rubbed a little harder, massaging your clit through the cotton. 

“Danny,” you said slowly and quietly, another warning. Your fingers gripped the stem of the wine glass hard while he circled your clit diligently, making your spine arch a bit and huff out a deep breath. He replied only with a smile and leaned his free elbow down onto the table as he looked at you, as if what he was doing hidden beneath the tablecloth was the most normal thing in the world. 

You exhaled again and gave yourself a second to just close your eyes and feel it and god, did it feel good. You could feel yourself getting wetter with each stroke and circle, threatening to soak through your dress and onto the chair; your thighs were warm and hypersensitive even to Danny’s wrist brushing against your skin and you could block out the rest of the world as he touched you like that, a sweet relief that was so bad but so good. 

Danny said your name quietly while he leaned into you again, resting his chin on your shoulder. “You can tell me to stop.” 

“No,” you said quickly and a little too loud, because two others at the table turned to look at you briefly. You clammed up and turned to look at Danny. “No, I don’t think we need to check in for our flight until tomorrow.” 

Danny laughed against your neck. “Good save, Y/N.” 

You spread your legs wider, forcing Danny’s own thighs to shift on his chair, and reached down to grab his wrist. He pulled back and his lips parted in surprise but a mischievous gleam shone in his eyes, which just affirmed what you were already planning on doing–you kept your grip firm as you held his wrist there and began to, as discreetly as you could, grind back and forth over his hand. Your eyes fluttered closed but within two seconds you realized that for anyone who shot a look your way, they’d see you all flushed and flustered with your boyfriend’s hand stuck under the table–it wouldn’t take much sleuthing for someone to come up with a solid theory about what was going on under there. But with the wine loosening your inhibitions and instigating even more arousal than usual on top of Danny looking SO fine and being SO naughty, you decided you didn’t care enough to actually stop. Let the bride and groom have their whole day and night; you and Danny could have yours, the benefit of being mostly strangers to most of the guests. 

The sudden clamor of voices from across the room stole your attention–the first table was getting up to get their dinner. 

Danny slid his hand up and down, pressing the heel of his palm against your clit. “You better finish before it’s our turn,” he said after he resumed the position of his chin on your shoulder and his lips just barely grazing your neck. Your thighs twitched on the next slow slide upwards and his next words: “Do you think you can?”

You nodded, and it was cruel what he did next–he slid his fingers past the waistband of your panties. You traded your grip around his wrist for your own fingers digging into his thigh; thank god there was music, a tasteful selection of modern classical that was the perfect contradiction to your hedonism, because as much as you wanted to tell Danny to shut up, hearing him dirty talk was making you utterly soaked against his fingers. 

“Jesus Christ, you’re fucking wet,” he said, keeping his voice low and soft against your ear. You prayed it looked like a semi-normal conversation, some quiet gossip between the two of you and not what it actually was. He circled your clit and you dug your nails into his thigh harder as yours flexed against the seat of your chair. “You’re so bad, Y/N.” 

You let out a deep breath, centering your eyes straight ahead without really focusing on anything at all. “You’re the one who started this,” you told him, wishing you could kiss him, but it was not the time of the night for anyone to get away with a makeout session at the table. 

“I did start this. I need you to finish it though.” Danny teased two fingers through your center, just barely sliding them past your lips to tease the slick, sensitive skin inside. His voice lowered even more both in pitch and volume, just a dark whisper through your ear: “I want you to come all over my fingers.” 

Your hand on his thigh scrambled up to his shirt, fingers tugging at the fabric, as you watched the second table begin to navigate to the buffet. You weren’t even worried about not finishing in time–it was a given that you would–but you were worried about how the hell you were going to make it seem like you weren’t having a mindblowing orgasm in the middle of this wedding. 

“God, you really are gonna come,” Danny said with a soft laugh, as if he weren’t the one making you do it in the first place. You could feel your own warm slick wetting his fingers and your underwear even more, the wet sounds of him sliding his two fingers deeper drowned out by the violins and piano that sounded so much louder in your ears now. He cursed softly, then you felt the warmth of his skin and soft touch of his curls leave your shoulder–he reached for his glass of water as his fingers slowly moved back to your clit, circling and sliding around so easily as you continued to clutch at his shirt and started to bite your lip. Still looking ahead, you were able to imagine yanking Danny up and making a beeline for the bathrooms so he could bend you over the sink and actually rail you. 

The music swirled in your ears rapidly as Danny’s wet fingers against your clit amounted to complete overstimulation; your eyes shut tight and you bit your lip harder as the air that had been building in your lungs tried to escape, your breathing ragged as your thighs spread wider on the chair for a split second and then clamped shut around his wrist. In your frenzy, you pulled his hand away from you and reached for your own glass of water–the public indecency made the orgasm fast but hard, the rational part of yourself trying to find a way to compensate for the obscenity. Your thighs were still trembling and your heart was still pounding, and you swallowed the cold water quickly, every sensory experience still surrounding you bright and stimulating. 

No one had noticed. How the fuck had no one noticed? You placed one hand over your heart, still trying to calm down. Despite you looking forward throughout most of that, you’d failed to notice that half of your table buddies had gone. You looked around in confusion–had your table already been called?

“We scared 'em off,” Danny said, and you watched in disbelief as he brought his fingers to his lips and licked them clean. Your look of shock prompted him to laugh; he brought his hand down to your thigh and gave a gentle squeeze. “Relax. They just went to get more drinks.”

You slumped back in your chair. “I didn’t even notice. Holy shit, Danny.”

He leaned in and stole a quick kiss, like any other normal, polite boyfriend. “That was really hot, babe. Did you work up an appetite?”

You brought the water glass to your forehead and huffed. “For a variety of things, yes.”

Danny sidled in next to you again and wrapped his arm around your shoulders. “You were so sweet for me, Y/N. Thank you.”

You set the glass down and rested your head on his shoulder. “For coming or for being your date?” 

“You’re always my date but, yeah, both.” Danny turned and kissed your forehead. “It’s almost our turn. We could eat, dance, drink more–or we could just bail and go back to the hotel.” 

You lifted your head and turned your whole body in the chair to face him head-on. “We’re staying, Danny. I deserve some payback, and I think that’s gonna happen specifically when the DJ plays the song I requested.”

Danny smiled. “What song?”

Even if it was just you and Danny and not the rest of the boys, you were able to find a way to bring them all there even if only for a few minutes and, while that was happening, you were going to make it your mission to get Danny just as riled up as you had been. You patted his leg with a smirk: “You’ll see.”

---

Tagging: @mountainofthesunn​​​ @bigthighsandstupidguys​​​ @dreams-madeof-strawberrylemonade​​​ @kiszkawagnergvf​​​ @chestinfect-me​ @woman-ina-dream​​ ​​ @itsametaphorbriansblog​​​​ @karrotkate​​ @edgeofgreta​​ @silver--storms​​ @jimmypagesandbrianmayshair​​ @colorstreammind​​ @mintysammykiszka​​ @camomillacatalina​​ @mssives​​

[and-claudia]

Against All Odds (Joel Miller x reader) Prologue pt.3

Warnings: CT Violence

Word Count: 1359

General Warnings for later on: The main story will have an age gap between Joel and the reader (Reader will be 25 once we get to the main storyline), this will also be your warning that it will eventually be an x pregnant reader (if that's not your jam, I'm sorry) there is also going to be more graphic/trigger parts later on so please always to be sure to read the warnings BEFORE reading. This story will also be 18+ and TO BE ON THE TAGLIST YOU CAN NOT BE AN AGELESS BLOG (i do actually check that) also there first hand full of parts are all prologue so Joel won't actually be in it for a bit

This is the last part of the Prologue!!!!! So there will be a pretty big time jump in the next part.

Taglist Sign-Up

Yn was used to getting checked for infection. It was nothing new to her. She knew she wasn’t, but it always made her nervous watching her brothers and father get checked as well. She watched and held her breath as Scott got checked. Green. It turned green. 

“Breathe, kiddo. It’s okay.” He said, patting her back as they waited for Zeak and their dad to get checked as well. 

Once they were cleared they were led to some beat-up, old military vans to be transported. Yn tuned out the men barking orders around her. Scott helped her in and handed her her bag before climbing in behind her. 

“How long will this take?” She asked. 

“About 8 hours, give or take…” 

“That’s going to take forever.” She sighed. 

“You’ll be fine.” Scott reassured as their van pulled off. 

Yn and Zeak played a few rounds of ISpy, even getting Scott to play a few times before they got bored of that. She eventually got restless and decided it was time for a quick nap. So with her head resting on her brother she slowly slipped into a light sleep. 

When she woke up, the sun was setting. She looked all around trying to figure out where they were but most of the road signs along this highway had been overrun by the plants. Before she got the chance to ask though, she was cut off by the driver’s hand-held radio going off. 

“Hey, there’s a situation up here…” A voice on the other end said. 

“What’s going on? I got a van full of people I gotta drop off.” Their driver said, clearly annoyed. 

“Baltimore is gone…” 

Yn’s eyes went wide and she looked up at her brother. He knew this wasn’t good but wanted to find out more, so he held up a finger to his lips to tell her to stay quiet so he could listen. 

“What do you mean it’s gone? The QZ is in Baltimore… you can’t miss it. It didn’t just grow legs and walk away.” Their driver said. 

“Well, I see it. I also see hundreds of infected stumbling around it.” 

“Shit. Turn off your lights and drive out slowly. Don’t startle them, are they will swarm your van.” 

Yn’s chest felt tight as her heart began to race.

“Fuck. They’re coming! Turn around NOW!” 

The whole van fell silent as the screams of the people in the other van crackled through the speaker on the radio.

“We’re taking a detour.” Their driver said before making a sharp turn. 

He grabbed his radio, “Baltimore has fallen, I repeat, the Baltimore Quartine Zone has fallen. Change route to Boston. We should have enough fuel to get us to within 5 miles. Van 1 has been attacked.” 

Although she knew they were, Yn checked and made sure that both her brothers and Pa were all in the same van. 

“How long will it take to get to Boston?” Someone in the back of the van asked. 

“Another seven hours. So get comfy. We will drive through the night.” 

Since she had slept earlier, Yn wasn’t super tired. Instead, she passed the time thinking about what awaited her and her family in Baston. She figured she’d finish school while her brothers and Pa found work. What types of jobs did they have there? From what she knew every QZ did things a little differently. Who knows if she’d even go to school? As she’s gotten older she’s realized it was different now. 

Scott went to school when he was young with the plan of going to college. Now, colleges weren’t really a thing, so was there even a point? Maybe she could get a job… help provide for her family as well. 

She wasn’t sure how long she stayed up but eventually, she fell asleep. When she woke up this time it was to Scott nudging her awake. 

“Wake up kiddo. We gotta go.” He said. 

“Why?” 

“Just come on. Stay close.” He said, grabbing her bag from where it sat at her feet. 

He got out and then turned to help her. The man that had been driving turned to face them. Now he held a shotgun in his hand. 

“Stay close. We’re about two eight miles away from the outskirts of the QZ. Infected aren’t common here but they can be here. If you have anything you can use to defend yourself, I suggest you grab it now.” He said. 

Each of Yn’s brothers and their dad had their own gun. They were her dad’s from back in Texas that he grabbed when they fled the night of the outbreak. Yn didn’t have one, she was too young. She did however have the knife she used to cut down her brother after he had hung himself. Scott told her to keep that night and it’s never left her pocket since. She pulled it out and flipped the blade out, then she looked to Scott for his approval. 

He gave a small nod, “Be careful. Stay right beside me.” He instructed. 

They had made it about 6 miles. Two more to go. Nothing had happened and the closer they got, the least likely they were to run into something… right? 

Yn heard something and snapped her attention that way. In the trees, she swear she saw something. 

“What’s wrong?” Scott asked. 

“The trees.” She said, now standing still, watching for something to move. 

“Just keep walking.” Scott said. 

She turned back to the trail they were walking. She made it a few paces ahead before Scott was yelling at her to watch out. She turned her head just in time to see it as it took her to the ground. She held her hands out, keeping it from biting her. 

“Scott! Scott! Help! Help me! Please! Please help me!” She screamed, clearly struggling to keep it off of her. 

Scott reacted quickly, pulling out his pistol and shooting it in the head twice. As it went limp, Yn managed to push it off of her. She sat up and pushed herself back along to the ground until her back hit a stump. 

“Did she get bit?” The driver asked, coming over to them. 

“No, she didn’t. She’s okay.” Scott said, crouching down in front of her, “Are you okay?”

She shook her head as the tears fell from her eyes, making tracks in the dirt on her cheeks from where she had fallen. 

“Did it bite you? It’s okay, we’ll take care of it, make it all better if it did. We just need to know. Did it?” 

Again she shook her head. 

“Positive?” 

She nodded this time. 

“Good, come here.” Scott said opening his arms. 

Yn launched herself into his arms and cried into his shoulder. 

“Thank you.” She mumbled through her tears. 

Scott opted to just carry her the rest of the way, she was still clearly in shock. He handed his gun back to their father so he could hold her better. He carefully stepped over the infected person and continued on down the trail. 

When they made it into the QZ they were checked for infection once again. This time it was Scott who held his breath while he watched his little sister get checked. Green. Good. It was green. She was okay. 

They were given a small apartment to live in and were told they would have to start working within the next couple of days. Someone would come to show them where to go tomorrow morning. That night, after supper, Yn was laying down in bed. Scott was nearby, watching her, making sure she was okay. When she was attacked, it scared him. He couldn’t lose her. He kept her sane in this crazy world they lived in. He knew their dad held a lot of resentment toward her ever since Chris’s death. He knew their dad blamed her. But he didn’t, he never could. 

Ever since that night, he made a promise to himself that he would do everything in his power to protect his sister, and he’d be damned if he was going to break that promise. 

tags:

@sexyvixen7@joelmillerslays@elliaze@strawbaby@little-lovely-darling@swimmjacket@watercolorskyy@mserynlarsen@sebby-staan@beelanie@fan-g0rl @paige96 @pedropascalfanclub @ameliadraws @mavs101 @azerty29 @rileyferg @belliedellie @rhaenyrasgf @imcreepininyourheartbabe @nani-kenobi @lunas-sstuff @holb32 @reidsgubbler @katmae1997 @dizzywinterdaydream @mrswidowjohansson @abzidabzy @givemeth @morgaussy @summerchicken

@strawbab

(Remove straw baby)

[spiked-mall-goth]

ummmmm guys. i have had a day let me tell you. super long diary like entry lol

i had to get up early to go see my papa and help him move some furniture, and although i was running on a total of 2 1/2 hours of sleep i was excited. he lives out in the city and its about an hour and a half drive but the highway is completely surrounded by trees so that was a fun ride. listened to lots of music and talked about barbies with my dad. we counted 21 total yard sales on the trip.

got home and ate lunch after unloading some beds. my papa wanted some old twin beds out of his house so we took them home. i have a new mattress now!! which hopefully means far less daily back pain!!

after lunch we decided to go to a few of the yard sales we passed by. and let me tell you i got a HAUL. i got a pair of really nice pajama pants that have little skulls on them, then at the next one they had SO MUCH STUFF!!! like guys.. i got a sweater for 25 cents.. GUYS. i got a little black sweater, a flowy black summer top, a fucking black velvet CAPELET, and the most gorgeous black 80s prom dress; although sadly it does not zip and needs alterations but its WORTH IT!!! it has really big poof sleeves and a massive flower sash omg guys its AWSOME. at the same place i also got a little fake ivy for my kitchen :D it desperately needed a little life, a big ass puzzle to work on with my brothers, and they had MOUNDS of vhs tapes... for FREE. soooo uh yeah. may or may not have come home with like twenty new tapes. oh yeah did i metion that i only paid like a total of six dollars so far?? i made out like a Bandit. final yard sale and the woman was like 'uhhhh $1.25.'. so for a $1.25 i got a peanuts drinking glass (i think from mcdonalds..), the entirety of firefly on dvd, and a ceramic angel. normally i do not go for religious imagery in my decor, but. it was like 102F.. i hadnt slept since my two hour night.. i was severely dehydrated.. heat exhaustion was setting in a little bit.. and i dunno, she just called to me. she reminded me of laura palmer.

okay, so i get home and unload all my of goodies, then i start cleaning my room. i have to disassemble my old bed frame and clean under my bed and shit. i already have a pounding headache at this point but i have schedule to keep. beds gotta be moved b4 tmrrw. so i am FIGHTING trying to get the frame apart, i'm all sweaty and gross and i finally get it!! :D i feel some stuff falling over behind me and b4 i can even look up i get whacked right upside my head loony tunes style with a huge metal beam :( i start feeling kinda funny and i vaguely remember talking to my brother who told me to lie down. i pass out cold and hard on the couch for about an hour. vague memories of seeing something in the room with me. not really important i just think you should know.

wake up to my brothers shaking me to make sure i havent DIED. i lived! yayyy!! ate dinner, and then it was time. i have been looking at this online auction for over a week now and it was ending in a matter of minutes. i did when some some stuff! i got the directors cut of JTHM, revenge of the filler rabbit, and some other comic which i cannot remember rn.. but anyways it was 5 bucks! and then i bought a snoopy wallet for a few dollars. although i did miss out on a clear phone.. so sad. but overall i had a very good shopping day today idk why. everything just like fell into my lap at affordable prices... like wow..

after the auction i still had not moved my new bend in (ya know.. bonk on da head) so i fight forever to get it put together. but yippeee!!! its al here! and i was given a new blanket to put on it which is very soft :3

anyways now im here after showing and watching x files for a bit.

if you read all of that.... wow. ily <3. i normally dont like to just like info dump about my irl daily stuff, but today was just so like action packed it was kinda bonkers. anyways i have to go to bed bc i have more stuff going on tmrrw.... and i honestly might just cancel them.. i am TIRED.

[novafire-is-thinking]

Behind the Playlist - Transformers: Prime Edition (Part 7 of 22: Cliffjumper)

Link to the other posts in my Behind the Playlist series

✧ ✧ ✧

Cliffjumper’s playlist is one of two that I decided to organize in “story order”. Since so little of him was seen in TFP, I thought I’d be a good idea to do things that way. Enjoy the musical ride from first meeting to tragic end. Or don’t. Or maybe both.

Intended overarching themes and/or qualities: Carefree, Vibrant, Gone in a flash

My personal favorite(s) from this playlist: I Ain’t Worried, Amor, and The Wings That Carried Me Home

✧ ✧ ✧

Full song list and explanations under the cut:

Give Me Something Good by WAR*HALL

When we were first introduced to Cliffjumper, he came across as a bit of a thrill-seeker and an overall fun-loving guy. This is a good song that matches that aspect of his character.

Real Good Feeling by Oh The Larceny

Same idea as the first song.

I Ain’t Worried by OneRepublic

And again. Honestly, I went by overall vibes on Cliffjumper’s playlist more than the previous ones.

Now’s My Time by Valley Of Wolves

“There may be mountains or hills to climb / But It's now or never to win this fight / I gotta win this fight

Gonna face the music before I lose it / And I gotta do this while I'm alive / Gonna face the music It's time to prove it / I'm making history while I'm alive / Cuz now's my time / Now's my time”

Cliffjumper strikes me as the sort of bot who made any victory or adventure of his seem like a pivotal moment in history. So even though he didn’t exactly get the chance to make history in the way the rest of the team did, he probably had one heck of a time living his life as if he had been doing so all along.

Born Again by Wholm, Cageman, Michael Shynes

From Cliffjumper to Arcee: Let me in. I’m just as terrified of this crazy life of war as you are. I just happen to cope differently. It’s still better to go through it with a friend.

Amor by Ikson

The vibes.

Ruby by Jim Yosef, Alex Skrindo

Rubies are red. Cliffjumper was red. I think the song cover and the tune go well with him.

Life is a Highway by Rascal Flatts

It’s so Cliffjumper. At least, I think it is.

I’m Born To Run by American Authors

“I'm gonna live my life, like I'm gonna die young / Like it's never enough, like I'm born to run / I'm gonna spend my time, like tomorrow won't come / Do whatever I want, like I'm born to run”

Yeah, you go do that, Cliff. Your time will be up before you know it. In retrospect, at least you were brave enough to hold onto your fun-loving nature until the end.

Die For You by VALORANT, Grabbitz

“Time slows down when it can get no worse / I can feel it running out on me / I don't want these to be my last words / All forgotten 'cause that's all they'll be

Now there's only one thing I can do / Fight until the end like I promised to / Wishing there was something left to lose / This could be the day I die for you”

Yes, Cliff. Yes, it could be the day. Actually, it was. You did. And it was sad.

Cruel World by Tommee Profitt, Sam Tinnesz

The title says it all.

Casualty Of War by Brian Tyler

No words. Just sadness.

The Wings That Carried Me Home by Skyline Drive, Narrow Skies

Rest in peace, Cliffjumper. Optimus, the other bots of Team Prime, and a small group of humans you never got to meet made sure your sacrifice was not in vain.

✧ ✧ ✧

Notes:

This post series is in alphabetical order. Next up are Dreadwing and Jack Darby.

As I add more songs to the playlist, I’ll update this post.

[iantimony]

i once again am overwhelmed by stupid busywork. Get Me Out

listening: finished the counter/weight prequel eps! feels good to be listening to a friends at the table thing in-time with when they're released, lol. i fully laughed out loud at the heartfelt moment between aria and hymn being interrupted by austin's fucking ice machine. incredible. no notes. "people are gonna go insane about aria in this one" keith you are SO right.

music for the week was the spotify release radar! just gettin some new tunes. i'm thinking of making a playlist that's just the songs that i like from release radar and the at the end of the year i can have a New Of 2024 list, idk. i AM going to try and be more discerning about what things i post, though - it would be very easy to just drop a huge list of all the songs on there that i kinda liked with no commentary but i think it'll be more fun to do fewer songs and actually talk about them, y'know?

philadelphia (matt maltese): feels like a mug of tea. very soft. nostalgic for something i've never seen. travels (rob blivion): really does seem like it should be playing over some indie film montage of someone travelling through mists in the scottish highlands. harsh truths (lemoncello): another indie soundtrack song. i think there's a bass in the background? although in retrospect i think it's a cello. lemoncello. duh. anyways it's very good. burning down the house (paramore): this is SUCH a fun cover. what can't paramore do for real. oh no::he said what? (nothing but thieves): BOUNCY. toe tapper. i am driving down a neon highway at 10000mph. coming home song (sammy rae & the friends): back to wistful and nostalgic. feels a certain kind of way especially right now because i am in the process of finding a new apartment, entirely alone for the first time. jolene (maneskin & dolly parton): speaking of really fun covers, yes yes yes. everything i would have wanted from this.

honorable mention to love me not (emei). i do not like this song particularly. it is stuck in my head though.

reading: fallow.

watching: just like last week: with the boyf, the newest dungeon meshi, i loved the way they animated the mimic. then some kill la kill. we're up to episode 11 now, almost halfway! also went to a superbowl party sunday. basically what you'd expect. fun socializing though.

playing: only had the one dnd last weekend, the one i run! went well. definitely was kinda sleepy and not as focused as i'd like. sigh.

making: mostly fallow...i cut out some of the border pieces for my handsewing project in a nice matching solid blue during the superbowl but have not attached any of it yet. started idly crocheting a rectangular prism-shaped object to use as a mtg deck case.

drew a little birthday card for my grandma i guess? mostly watercolor pencil, some prisma marker for the background. can't be assed to rotate it the right way, sorry, lol

pottery-wise, i did not take pictures but i have some fun interesting stuff in the works! biiiiig pot for my mom (got a little busted. but i think it'll make it). mug. glazing a bowl using sgraffito to carve out some waves (my roommate accidentally dinged the rim and i'm incorporating that into the design). did not take any pictures last week but i'll get some tomorrow for the next tuesdaypost.

eating: my roommate made a truly enormous focaccia in a 9x13 glass baking dish to cut into super bowl party sandwiches. they were delicious and we are still eating them for lunch basically every day. she also made a marinated beef bulgogi-type object, served over rice with veg and a fried egg and some spaghetti squash...yumb.

misc: i can't even be like "i just have to make it through this week" because i know next week will look literally exactly like this one (homework due wednesdays for one class, fridays (plus ANOTHER assignment alternating wednesdays) for the other). really bad vibes. just gotta make it through this week this semester.

[artobotsrollout]

Transformers: Harbingers

The Pirate Scream AU

Before I talk about it you guys are the best thank you for indulging me and my AU from this post xjdjd. ❤️ ❤️ ❤️

@badlydrawntransformers @cosmic0de @warrioroffandoms @measlyfurball13 And a bonus thank you to those encouraging me in the tags as well ❤️

I plan to do art for it as well as accompanying written bits and maybe even an animatic but till then have some general info under the cut.

Also there is transformers: Prime spoilers below so open at your own risk.

TRANSFORMERS: HARBINGERS

So this AU comes from the same place many AUs heavily involving TfP Starscream come from: the unfulfilled potential in our boy Scream. Now deeper discussion of that is not gonna be in this post. It'd be a whole essay.

It also comes from just how salty I was that the Team's kindness never really benefitted them much and they kept getting slapped for it. And OP really wanted to win over a con and Starscream kept wanting a partner. ALSO ALSO Optimus was portrayed as keeping his emotions in check and then never really gets a message that it's okay to be emotional so... I'm doing that here.

And the Starscream Pirate AU was born...

Aka Transformers: Harbingers (maybe idk if it's catchy enough djjsw)

Why Harbingers? ''It's just a SHIP Starscream chills in for awhile in the show' ' I hear you say. WELL HANG ON!! I got two very good reasons!! .

First off: Starscream, with the help of some Cybertronians who he wins over one way or another (Ill get to that), help him essentially use the remains of the Harbinger to put together their own functional ship. It's smaller than the Nemesis and will take some pirate ship inspiration. While it is a hardy beast it's a bit jury rigged.

Second of all:

Imagine being a fictional character living in a ship with a name that basically means 'Foreshadowed bringer of change' and then going back to Megatron and his bullshit. I'm gonna grab this and run all the way with it. Highway to Hell just came on my Spotify so... That may be an omen.

---------

NOW LISTEN

I feel like Starscream and Optimus could really have had such an interesting dynamic but we never really got to see that in TfP and I feel cheated. Also both could have mutually benefitted a great deal.

So what do I do? I shove them together to be sorta begrudging Co-Captains. As a result there's a lot of shenanigans to be had!

How this happens OP has some run ins with cons and, through a way I'm still deciding, has the opportunity to extend a hand to Starscream. Starscream, being kindness starved, doesn't entirely know what to do about Optimus being nice to him one whole time with no sarcasm or ulterior motive and sorta starts trying to get his attention.

Starscream and his crew are a bit of their own team at this point. MEANING sort of new LOGOS!

I'm yoinking the crossed out Decepticon logo from the Dark Energon Starscream and Dark Energon Knockout toys cause I mean... It's right there and also kinda like a skull and crossbones. It fits too well guys.

Starscream essentially manages to win over the autobots enough so they can sorta make a mutually beneficial, if strained, alliance to aid their aligned goal: killing Megatron and revitalizing cyberton. This is aided by some slight changes to the plot of course. It's also a benefit, much to Ratchet's delight, since they finally get some cybertronian tech to work with.

And so they gotta work together to take Megatron out and there's much bonding moments esp later when the autobot base is destroyed. Starscream extends his hand to them and offers them a more permanent position onboard. (rubbing in how unfortunate their situation is and how this is such a big favour but he's paying Optimus back.)

And insert team dynamic stuff!! Like cons teaming up with Bots, Starscream and Optimus trying to stick with it leading their own teams but keep accidently backseat-leadering one another. I will write some other ex-con and bot dynamics cause there's a lot of chaos to be had.

Optimus doesn't open up to his crew for morale sake and masks his emotions well, and Starscream is... well Starscream is Starscream so he masks what he truly feels a lot and doesn't share a lot of personal stuff besides complaints with his team either. So there's a lot of tension.... That is until Starscream has had it at just how good a poker face Prime has.

Because he's absolutely paranoid got a harmless curiosity about Optimus's ulterior motives and wants potential dirty secrets he can use as blackmail to have power over the Prime, he essentially puts cybertronian booze (but kid friendly version of course fbejek) in Optimus's energon heavily expecting him to spill the beans when heavily drunk. What he doesn't expect is that Optimus is just... LIKE THAT to his core. He's smart but very sad and guilty. And maybe a bit weepy and exhausted cause this man has not shown an emotion for eons now. /s. Starscream doesn't know wtf to do but swayed by how earnest Optimus is he sorta softens up and does open up. Might have helped that he took a swig of the tainted energon to get on his level though. But it also helps that neither is the others subordinate so they don't need to maintain their image as badly with the Co-captain as they do their team.

The ex cons sorta accidently absorb some of the autobot's morals over time. The cons help the autobots have some fun. There's a lot of stuff learned both ways. Also the cons realize how cool humans can be and after a lot of argument and forced time spent with the kids, they want to protect earth too.

Starscream, helps Optimus open up a bit more and allow himself to be emotional. He also shows him how to be a little selfish. Optimus in turn helps him with self confidence and making friends. Both help each other with the shit Megatron put em both through and overall boost one another up. (This also does change the start of the war a bit but I'll get to that in another post.)

Miko tries to fight all of the cons at first but quickly changes her tune cause "BOOYAH PIRATE CONS!!"

Other bits about this AU:

Starscream will eventually get a slight design change. It'll be less scrappy and look more confident and put together. It'll be minor

Because they are on a flying ship but have less energon than the Nemesis, everyone gets equipped with mods for flight. There is a jetpack upgrade one can get or Knockout can straight up help change their alt mode surgically.

I'm working up a list of who gets what flight mod but... Ya'll should know that Wheeljack dares Knockout to make him into a flying car. Largely cause I just got the image of Wheeljack flying above vehicons and just turning into a car and dropping on them. That and driving up the side of the Nemesis and confusing the fuck out of Megatron. Out of all the characters you know that would be a Wheeljack thing.

Arcee and Knockout grieve together.

Knockout loves bugging the hell out of Ratchet. It's extra fun for him cause Ratchet often can't do shit about it since they both need the room and tools.

Knockout and Wheeljack become an insufferable duo with the nicknames they have for everyone.

Wheeljack won't leave Starscream alone and keeps coming up with worse and worse nicknames like he did with Ratchet.

Starscream and Ratchet become complaining buddies.

STARSCREAM'S SEEKER SQUAD REJOINS. Well some of them. Skywarp, Thundercracker and maybe other peeps.

Miko manages to befriend Skywarp and Bulkhead now has to watch both Miko AND Skywarp. Wheeljack refuses to help Bulkhead round them up.

Raf hits it off with Thundercracker.

Knockout: "FINALLY a team with fragging MANNERS!"

Instead of Beeftimus Prime from the forge, Optimus actually gets access to a third alt mode and.. Idk something else primely. So he actually gets wings.

Starscream and the other fliers are greatly amused because Optimus, as great as he is at his poker face most of the time, hasn't yet figured out how to not emote with the pair of wings he gets from the forge. Thundercracker is the one who eventually informs him while the rest of the crew are booing loudly in the background.

I actually do have designs of TFP Skywarp, Thundercracker, and Ironhide in the works.

Fowler and Starscream have insult battles. Oddly both grow a weird almost fondness for these verbal sparring sessions

They frequently raid the Nemesis

Miko keeps talking in a pirate voice. Smokescreen has joined her.

AND A LOT OF OTHER STUFF I'LL GET INTO WITH MORE DETAIL AND ART. I'll also talk more in depth about some of these things that isn't a ramble like this post is. xnwjskw.

Feel free to ask about anything you're curious about.

[fa7hom]

Eclipse 🌘

Silent sad cinematic NF x illenium type

An eclipse hit the moon

due to using its light

Blind to roam

Which brought a new mood

Harmonically tuned

Blind in a world

with such beautiful views

The opitomy of misuse

told em all you have to do

Is look in the mirror

Wipe off the dew

See with your eyes

cleary,

the truth became

burned and miscrewed

Lies will kill youth

Always Remind yourself

dreams are made vividly

Real with patience too

knowing what evil will try

beyond lurking the streets

swamps and in the sea

evening odds enough

invited along itself

Tryna take the wheel of the ride

Down the highway to hell

The devils like a brother

That put me up for sale

Gave the buyer a deal

so tired , unreal

broken sleep, it tells

Now the rooms been filled

By Witchy smells

Wondering if I’m under a curse

Kinda Hard to tell

When Some Days are better than worse

Maybe If it rains they’ll melt

Sometimes Its perfume

or a Prada purse

New

at the mall

In news or blogs

Don’t Believe everything they tell

see past the fog?

Ivory white

the fangs of a tiger

After claiming a life

Climbing higher

With every breath it sighs

Chest Tighter

There’s no need for a light

A fire always burns inside

keeping me on

warm and alive

Pray to the stars

Right or Wrong

That shoot the skies

communicating fine

Angelic songs

Peeking through the blinds

Spiritually Kind

Two Becoming fluently one

a relic from history

in our own language

its yours and mine

They wont understand

Love defies all mystery

Barriers broken by

letters and numbers

typically

Opposites alike

It’s nice to know

how now

You’re not buried alive

Loyally inside

True Love aint said

it’s been shown in my lines

Can only say those words

To anyone who takes me home

always Reminding me

why I’m alive born alone

searching

That’s not a place we can go

But a moment that’s set

in cement like stone

Stagnantly torn

Worse than weapons thrown

through flesh

Ripping apart the soul

Watching Growth

is a miracle art

If it’s own

Perfect unknown

Life is all hard

Perseverance knows

Gotta Stay Persistent

In times like ours it shows

Mud grew flowers

alone

Worlds away

with each other,

Together,

Couldnt bear it apart

Dependably hard

High and Low

Hearts beat

they stop

a rhythm of awe

Chasing what’s not

Practicing Perfect

Making it far

back from gone

run or walk

Wait till the game

gets hard

Here I warn

This earth it turns

Before it knocks

Breaks down some doors

ties it’s knots

Ready or not

On or off

Prepare for war

Cuts leave scars

Physically Mentally

worn

Perpetually

starts to stop

Some Invite to rob

Making it feel

Being Born to Bloom

Is only a

When really it’s not

Beautiful forever

see me

Soaked in Sadness

Moments go to stop

While in traffic,

watch

Pay attention

Cold or hot

Staying Warm

enough

only last so long

stuck in a pot

Id rather wither here

On real mountain rocks

Out at night

Stay there plastic

too boxed inside

a lawn with spikes

losing sauce

Fenced in

out of sight

Lost over-a legacy

the will to strive

we’re Free

Believe It

we thrive

Don’t you dare

Die there

tryna sleep

With a knife

Go ahead,

you’re right

don’t listen to I

Count those zs

at the very end of the line

Sheeps follow shepherds

Lions lead a whole pride

Dozing into Daylight

Darkside

Devouring

nightmares play fight

While bad dreams

have came alive

Tragically happening

Watch the weeds

Where Leeches retreat

Impossible

pleasing hunger

Outta reach

Holds no seats

Swapping sides

ain’t no G vibe

2 plus 3 5 times

Plus Multiple denials

Ight

Integrity left behind the peace sign

Right next to that 9 .45

Red eyes see green light

Race to finish what’s mine

This Rider for life

a quarter mile

ahead or behind

Plus every single second in time.

Fight

Hold back

Be quiet

Yell and scream louder

Aroun them stay silent.

May not be Superman

blessed and honest

Shadows follow

Once I Saw something demonic

Which defied all logic

I prayed to God with

power to start

the rotation of the planets

With the flick of a finger

Mange imagine

Pretend

Remember

Life was formed

Through strategy

created from static

Something so vividly magic

couldn’t just randomly happen

By accident

It does help me see the power of some faith and a wish.

Behind me

/ Fa7hom

[writeforfandoms]

Country Roads

I’m trying my hand at this. I kinda like how this turned out, actually. 

Pairing: Jack Daniels/Agent Whiskey x GN!reader

Warnings: Uh. None, for once. A little bit of swearing. Got a little hurt/comfort going on here. 

Tagging @autumnleaves1991-blog​

You were cruising down the road, no destination in mind, windows down blasting music. After the last few months, you deserved this freedom. You had the time off and money in your account, and no plans at all.

It was liberating, and just the thought made you grin into the wind.

You turned up the volume a little more when Country Roads started playing. It was odd, fitting almost – a plea for country roads to take you where you belonged. After the last months, year, after everything, you weren’t sure where exactly that was. Sure, you still had your apartment, you still had your job if you wanted it, if you returned to the city. But where did you belong? Now that was a question you couldn’t answer. Not anymore.

Your phone ringing interrupted your song, and you scowled. Alright, one point against whoever the hell was calling you. A quick glance at your phone showed it was Jack. You’d thought about blocking his number, but ultimately left it. You weren’t quite angry enough to block him. 

You were angry enough to go on a road trip without telling him, though.

“Jack,” you greeted, finally answering the phone just before it would have rolled over to voice mail. Knowing Jack, he would have just kept calling until you picked up.

“Darlin’,” he greeted, sounding tired and stressed. “Where are you?”

“Middle of nowhere,” you told him, quite honestly. You hadn’t seen another car in at least twenty minutes, hadn’t seen a turn off in longer than that. There was nothing but open land around you.

A sigh crackled over the line. “Take the next offramp you see,” Jack told you.

“Why?” you asked, instantly suspicious.

“We gotta talk, darlin’.” Jack still sounded tired, but there was a hint of that steel back in his voice.

“About what?” you challenged. You glanced at your speedometer to make sure your racing heart wasn’t influencing your driving overmuch. Still over the speed limit, but acceptably so. Still no cars in sight. No anything in sight, really.

There was another sigh across the line, and you could just picture Jack pushing his hat up to rub at his forehead, the bridge of his nose, maybe his eyes if he hadn’t slept in a while. “About this,” he finally answered. “Us. Listen, darlin’, I know I promised no more secrets, and I fucked up. I’m sorry. More than you know.”

You contemplated his words for a few long moments, let them percolate, poked at them in your head. He’d actually apologized. That was new.

“So, what? I pull off at the next offramp so I can park somewhere, we talk, and you’ll actually tell me everything? Is that what you’re saying, Jack?” You couldn’t help how his name came out – a little hurt, a little lost, a little bitter.

“Not quite,” Jack admitted. “I want you to get off that highway at the next offramp so I can see you when I’m talkin’ to you, darlin’.”

“What?” The word was almost punched out of you, breathless and low.

“I’m here,” Jack told you quietly. “Had Ginger look up where you’d gone, borrowed a plane to get out here ahead’a you.”

You went silent, jaw slack, staring out ahead of you. He’d done that… for you? No way. No goddamn way.

“Darlin’?” Jack asked after the silence stretched a little too long for him.

“Why?” you finally demanded, sounding choked. “Why now?”

“I’ve been an ass,” he admitted. It didn’t sound easy, but he clearly wasn’t forcing the words out, either. Something he’d rehearsed in his head, maybe. “And, darlin’, I’m so sorry it took this for me to know that. I’ll spend the rest of my days making it up to you, if you’ll let me.”

You swallowed hard at those words. That was… a lot. Brand new. This, coming from Jack? Smooth talking, ne’er do wrong Jack? This was an abrupt change of tune.

Then again, you had left without warning while he’d been gone. Maybe that had scared some sense into him.

“Okay,” you croaked. “Next offramp.”

You could hear the smile in Jack’s voice as he said, “You’ve got another fifteen or so miles, darlin’. I’ll stay on the line with you. Y’know. Just in case you get lost.”

You barked a laugh at that, shaking your head. But you didn’t hang up. As the sun shone overhead and Jack started regaling you with a tale of his youth (his descriptor, not yours), wind whipping past you still, you couldn’t help but smile. Country roads, indeed.

[schrijverr]

And finally see what it means to be living

Eliot’s life, from his teen years to the disillusionment of the military through the soulless wetwork all the way to his team, seen through his connection to the song Fast Carby Tracy Chapman.

On AO3.

Ships: none

Warnings: none, but tell me if I missed any

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

Eliot remembered being a teen, lying on the grass in the middle of the night, having snuck out with a radio with as excuse to his father that he was with a lady friend. That was if he even cared to ask, which was never the case, but just to be safe.

He remembered one night in particular, the one that made him come back out there with the radio each night, hoping they would play the song he wished to hear most as he lay under the galaxy, wishing he was far away, among the stars.

It had been a bright night with clear skies, a full moon and a million stars in the sky. He was lying on his blanket, some radio station played that he tuned out most of the time. Then the radio announcer had said: “Next up is Fast Carby Tracy Chapman, gotta warn y’all it’s one for the heart.” And somehow it had gotten his attention and he’d listened.

He’d listened, yet somehow he’d felt heard.

Right there on the radio had been someone, who was stuck in a town as well, with a shit father, who wanted nothing more than to live and get out.

While he had nobody but himself to get him out of there, the song gave him hope. He hadn’t heard the full lyrics, but enough to hit home. The radio announcer had been right when he’d said it was one for the heart.

You got a fast car And I got a plan to get us out of here I been working at the convenience store Managed to save just a little bit of money We won't have to drive too far Just 'cross the border and into the city You and I can both get jobs And finally see what it means to be living

He found himself humming the song, singing the second verse under his breath the next day, letting the feeling of the song build up in his chest and carry him through the day as plans of getting away swirled in his mind.

Even now he knew that his best out was either a sports scholarship or the military and he wasn’t a college man. He also knew that his father would never let him join, so he’d have to wait until he was eighteen before flying away.

While he might not have a fast car, he and a few of his buddies had boosted one often enough that he could find one when the time came, he just had to get there first. Just until he was eighteen, then he was out of there and far away, for now he would just work at the hardware store and save the money to get out of here.

Anxiously, he had waited until he could sneak out again after that night, tuning into the same radio station, hoping it would be played again.

They didn’t play the song the first night, nor the one after that, but the third night they did. He was sitting next to the radio, armed with a tape recorder that he smashed on the moment the announcer introduced the song.

Afterwards, he played the song so often on his Walkman that the tape wore down until he had to record it onto a new one.

The late nights under the stars, alone with his dreams, stayed. He still played the radio on the same station that had first played Fast Car, but he often found himself listening to the tape, repeating it until he had enough peace to rest.

His mind got stuck on the first part of the song after a while:

You got a fast car I want a ticket to anywhere Maybe we make a deal Maybe together we can get somewhere Any place is better Starting from zero got nothing to lose Maybe we'll make something But me myself I got nothing to prove

He repeated the words to himself, alone in his room or in the safety in his mind whenever the world got too much. Well, his dad got too much.

Then he would just grit his teeth and tell himself that he had nothing to prove and that any place would be better, he just had to go somewhere. Didn’t matter that he started at zero, just like her, he would live.

Just a year more then he’d be eighteen.

Eliot had never belonged in that small stuffy town, no matter how well he played his part. He was never that into football or the girls at the school. He went through the motions, but wasn’t built for settling down, for taking over the store and staying there forever.

For a while he thought that Aimee got that, that she got him and that they would achieve the dream together and get away from the town where everyone knew everyone and the only good thing were the horses.

She was also done with some of the people at school, though she went to church and she loved the horses and maybe he should have thought more about it when he mentioned leaving and she stayed quiet, but he wanted to get out so bad that he couldn't imagine anyone wanting to stay.

So, slowly he started to picture them, in a car – maybe even one he’d bought – driving on the highway, the town disappearing the rear view mirror as they went off to see what it meant to be living.

It was a dream that got crushed.

Aimee wanted him to stay, tried to talk of the horses and what they could built and he’d just listened dumbly and nodded.

Faintly he heard himself making her a promise about coming back then and giving her the ring he’d bought for her birthday, hoping to make it real in a church that was not run by the same Father he’d been forced to confess his sins to since he was a boy.

And he wondered how he had ended up there when he had always told her about his dream of being far away.

But then again, maybe he hadn’t told her. Maybe to her, he was complaining about the town just like she did, like everyone did. Maybe in her mind she had built a future like he had, just on a different set, cast in different rolls. Maybe neither had said enough.

He snuck out again that night and laid in the field, his field. He lay on the wet grass and stared at the constellations he knew so well, wondering why the endless sky suddenly seemed less a place of escape and just another facet of his stupid town where everyone but him seemed to want to stay.

His mind was just not comprehending how anyone couldn't see there was so much more than what was around them. That there was more than church on Sunday, the footballs games, the potlucks or the gossip that had been recycled a thousand times.

On the tape Tracy Chapman sang:

You got a fast car But is it fast enough so we can fly away We gotta make a decision We leave tonight or live and die this way

He’d heard the lyrics a million times, but that night it was those lyrics that hit him in the heart, more than it usually did.

Aimee was a fool. He had a fast car, he could get out, fly away, just a few more days and he’d be gone. If she didn’t want to come that was her decision and that was fine, but it didn’t have to be Eliot’s. He wouldn’t remain here.

He would not.

‘Weleave tonight or live and die this way’ that’s what Tracy sung and he’d already known on that night when he’d first heard the song that he would be driving off alone. He had tricked himself into thinking Aimee would come, but there had never been a we. Not for Eliot.

So on the night of his eighteenth birthday, he told his dad he was enlisting and fought with him, trying not to think of the lyrics ‘somebody’s got to take care of him,’ because even Tracy had seen she’d deserved better.

Still, even after he packed the last of his stuff, he swung by Aimee, asking her again, more urgent, more permanent, before promising he’d back for her. In case she needed him or if she’d changed her mind.

Then he was gone, off into the sunset. And as he tore down the highway, a tune blasted out of the radio.

I remember we were driving driving in your car The speed so fast I felt like I was drunk City lights lay out before us And your arm felt nice wrapped 'round my shoulder And I had a feeling that I belonged And I had a feeling I could be someone, be someone, be someone

And his foot on the gas peddle was intoxicating. He was going so fast that it was dangerous, but he didn’t care. He was riding to his future, to far off places and adventures. He was going to be someone.

That idea lasted approximately the ten weeks it took to train them, before shipping them out to an active war zone.

Though it had been chipped at relentlessly before already. Quite hard to be a someone in a cohesive unit. Not that it mattered to Eliot, he had a place to belong now, while his dream hadn’t matched Tracy’s, he was glad she had gotten him to this, with his brother’s in arms, even through all the horrors.

Yet, despite all she’d done for him, he forgot her and Fast Car.

There was not much room to listen to your own music and he was already a country hick, so he didn’t really need to amplify that more with a country music station.

He was fine fitting in the way he did. He wrote to Aimee, even if it was less and less, letters filled with empty promises made out of a sense of obligation to her and home. He didn’t speak to his father, nor his siblings. He stayed far away from everyone as his hands colored a dark red on foreign soil.

His bright and promising military career soon turned into a promotion to black ops where he didn’t exist to the government unless he came back.

The color of his hands didn’t change, it just got more pigmented as it dripped until wetwork was just a step to a better future. He had already killed so many people, getting paid almost nothing for a government that didn’t care. Why not do it for more money?

So, he had emptied his soul, filled it with money he didn’t truly need and more enemies around him, hoping it would be enough.

He had disappeared completely.

Eliot Spencer was no more, not really.

The man might still walk the earth, but anyone who met him didn’t live to tell the tale, so friendship was hard to come by. Maybe that’s why Moreau was such a welcome change in his life. There was a man, who might be powerful, but who would never have enough security against Eliot, smiling at him and offering him friendship – with money and a bit of violence thrown in – like Eliot was just another being he could own.

And by god did Eliot want to be owned. He once more longed to belong like he had done in the army, but he no longer was innocent enough for the army, which was an ironic sentiment that was true enough to hurt.

He had walked through pools of blood he had made, hoping no one would follow the bloody footsteps he left behind, but here there were others, who had walked through the same red sea as he had and who found each other under Moreau.

It was brutal work, soulless too. It was nothing more than destruction in exchange for power that was a fire with no ash left behind, just bare rock where nothing grew.

And Eliot was home.

Later, in a future he didn’t know he could have, when feeling returned to his limbs and he saw how his pools of blood had turned into seas had turned into floods and it was too late to turn back. Only then would he look back and hate himself, but not now.

Now Eliot was on top of the world. Sitting at the side of the most feared and most powerful of the underbelly of the underbelly, while remaining in an bright spotlight was the best place to be. He was untouchable and unfeeling.

He had always been weak for belonging, for seeing the world and making someone of himself and Moreau was the best salesman there was. He sold Eliot a unfulfilled dream with labor for Moreau as payment without the hitter every realizing.

So he went through the motions. He got more skills, he learned new things. He stopped enjoying life, though he would only later come to know that.

Eliot Spencer had disappeared under Moreau and not just from the records. He was no longer the boythat had driven out of a small town in Oklahoma to sign up for the army in the hope of being more than his neighbor.

Though, he supposed he had his dream. In a way. Here he was, more traveled than he could have ever hoped for with experiences so far from the norm that no one from his class could have ever matched his tales.

He had become what he had always dreamed to be, so why did he feel so hollow?

The answer came to him in the most horrific way he could imagine. He’d just pulled the trigger, he kept on doing it like he was supposed to but oh god- he’d done that. He killed them and he hadn’t even given them the time to beg, to spark humanity in his heart, because his heart had died long ago.

He needed to get out.

He needed to get far away from there.

From Moreau.

Why it had to be so extreme before he could finally see, he didn’t know. But it had. It had to get terrible, unforgivable. He had to see that the man he had been and wanted to be, was dead and that he was a devil with no chance at salvation.

As a hollow shell he’d ran. For a long time he had wondered if it was worth it to keep running, but slowly the people who chased him dwindled as less and less returned, until he knew he had been given a second chance. A chance to make it right.

It was Toby, who hammered in that lesson. The man might not have knownEliot’s complete tale, but he was familiar with the haunted look in his eyes, so he took Eliot under his wing and showed him how his hands were made for more than violence.

Eliot laid his guns down there and took up a knife, vowing to only fight where he could get hit in return, level the playing field. He’d never liked the power that came with a gun and now he wouldn't pick one up again to be tempted by that voice.

He wouldn't be that man anymore. He refused. He would stay in Toby’s kitchen for now, figure out a plan that would carry him forwards as a better person. Not good, just better.

So it came to be that, one night, when he was alone in the kitchen, slicing up some onions for the prep for the next day, while tune played on the radio.

At first he hadn’t even recognized it, but still he listenedclosely, now scoffing at some of the lyrics, until one of the last verses played.

You got a fast car And I got a job that pays all our bills You stay out drinking late at the bar See more of your friends than you do of your kids I'd always hoped for better Thought maybe together you and me would find it I got no plans I ain't going nowhere So take your fast car and keep on driving

How ironic, he thought. He had always been so focused on the start of the song, on the getting out and leaving everything behind that he had never fully listened to the ending. To the fact that Tracy never got the ending she’d wanted.

He’d been stupid to think he’d ever get a happy ending. He’d been far less deserving off it and fate was never kind. He always prided himself on knowing better, but he’d been more foolish than anyone in his class.

‘I’d always hoped for better.’

And by god, he had. He had wanted so much, dreamed so big and set goals so unobtainable that he would always have keep on climbing.

So maybe he had never been Tracy, maybe he’d been the dick that had promised her the world and then never delivered. He thought of Aimee and how he had never been a settler, but someone that kept on disappointing and leaving.

The far car had not always been a car in his life, but he had always been on the road, always had been going somewhere, or maybe he’d just been running away.

Maybe now he had stopped running? Though, if he hadn’t been running, he’d been hiding. Here in Toby’s kitchen he had made a little haven away from everyone that had hurt him and that he had hurt. And he didn’t deserve that. Not after what he did.

Eliot made a vow to himself that night, listening to Fast Carin the back of a restaurant, both reminiscent and nothing like when he had first heard it. He would leave there and face the world, never kill again, just survive and try to do better.

He could at least try to do better.

So, he said goodbye to Toby and went off into the world. Toby wouldn’t go anywhere, but Eliot had to. He would remember Toby, however, carry him with him whenever he ate a new dish or went on a grift as a cook. It was a good time, one of the best he’d had since the army, maybe even since Aimee.

Still, he didn’t look back, not to her or Toby. He had things to do, people to help, as well as himself a bit. All of his funds from working from Moreau had disappeared and he needed to survive if he wanted to repent.

Somehow that road led him to a prick named Nate Ford and a job to get the plans of a plane back. It led him to Hardison, a nerd he liked more than he wanted to admit, and Parker, who made him smile with her antics as well as give him heart problems. It led him to Sophie, who had so many masks that he could relate to her and feel safe in his nobody-ness.

It led him to a team, more than a team really. After a while it reminded him of the army with all his brothers, family was closer, but he had no reference for family, except them.

Even Aimee told him they were, because he’d come back to help her when she needed him and part of him felt lighter on that promise fulfilled. It felt like a start. Not a new start, because it would never be fair to everyone he’d hurt to erase those sins like that, but it felt like he had a bucket and soap and the color of his hands might fade to a light pink one day.

And Eliot worked.

He pushed himself into more grifting, learned a bit of hacking, scaled building hanging from a tiny rope and learned to think of more than just strategic exits and weaknesses in physique. He completed the jobs they were hired to do and he helped people.

What he had dreamed off when he had first joined the army, he found at Leverage. He found family, a home, a sense of duty and belonging. He was changing the world for the better.

It was amazing and more than he had ever hoped for himself, even on those nights alone with the radio, he couldn't have hoped it would end like this. He was someone. He practically had his own brewpub and a recent memory he could be proud off.

And he was proud as he reminisced alone in the kitchen of their office/apartment, where he was preparing some stuff for dinner for the next day. It was late and once this was done and in the fridge, he was done for today, but it would take a few more minutes.

Impulsively he put on the song on the speakers like Hardison had showed him. He hadn’t listen again since Toby, when he blamed himself and found himself on the other end of the song, but maybe now it would be different.

You got a fast car And we go cruising to entertain ourselves You still ain't got a job And I work in a market as a checkout girl I know things will get better You'll find work and I'll get promoted We'll move out of the shelter Buy a big house and live in the suburbs

Before he had never related to her dreams, just her drive to get away and make something of herself, but he could understand now. If he ever got too old for his job, then he wouldn't mind living the way he was now, with Hardison and Parker in the brewpub, making his own menu’s, serving people food.

He knew that for Tracy, she had to tell someone to leave, before she could make a move to get there. Still, he liked the verse now more than before. It spoke of a hope, of a view of the future and a certainty about the destination.

The lyrics he had scoffed at when he had just left Moreau, were dear to him now. ‘I know things will get better,’ it was stupid, but maybe- maybe Eliot could believe in that too now.

Without thinking, he put the song on repeat, before gathering the supplies for his marinade as he danced a bit around in the kitchen. It wasn’t as if there was anyone to catch him.

So, he remembered the stupid boy he had been, the heartless man who had forgotten and guy he was becoming now. Until the end of the song:

You got a fast car But is it fast enough so you can fly away You gotta make a decision You leave tonight or live and die this way

And it wasn’t the way the lyric was intended to land and Eliot’s life had went down a way different road than Tracy’s, but those lyrics where him.

He had a thousand ways to leave and had left a thousand more. He could fly away if he wanted, but it was in the fact that he had run that he had found strength. He was no longer a faceless soldier in the army or Moreau’s attack dog. He was Eliot Spencer and he was alive.

There had been a million moments when he could have made a different decision, but he hadn’t and even when it seemed he had been running away all his life, maybe he’d just been running towards this instead.

‘Leave tonight or live and die this way.’

Huh, he wouldn't mind dying for these people, he wouldn't mind living for these people. He was content to be and never leave. All those times he’d snuck out and dreamed, he had never dreamed here, but he was someone and he had found a place to belong.

So he made the decision and stayed. Till his dying day and all that.

~~

A/N:

I love Christian Kane’s cover of Fast Car so much and I played in on repeat while writing this. The original version of the song also still has a soft place in my heart though.

((the song is not in order and some parts are missing, but you know, you don’t always learn a song in the right order and other parts speak to you at different times))

[paversandplatters]

||𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙱𝚎𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚒𝚘𝚛 𝚘𝚏 𝚂𝚑𝚎𝚎𝚙|| (5/20)

Apocalypse! Au (TW! Minor gore and cussing)

Reader x multiple

Chapter 5: A Flock Found

They pack a wheel barrow to the brim with the newly acquired supplies they find not botheringing to leave behind much of anything, making sure to cop the twenty five gallon container of gasoline from the tool shed out back behind the building... Lord knows they'll need for the grand task ahead of them. By the time the light in the south western sky began to fade from a light gray to pink over the backwaters of the panhandle they're ready. They slip outside through the rectory's side door and creep single file along the edge of the property. Y/n takes the lead, periodically glancing over her shoulder for any sign of the herd that had crossed the highway or any sign of the group that occupied this space all too recently. She carries a glock with a full magazine just in case. The dusky air gets clammy and cool on the back of the stranger's neck as he follows them to the car. They climb in hurriedly, stowing their provisions in the rear cargo bay. Y/n kicks the engine on as the newcomer clambers into the passenger seat next to her- much to the dismay of the other two- unfolding an old dogeared map.

"They usually stick pretty close to the ocean." He says almost to himself, silently calculating the mileage between them and the gulf. "Probably should start down by Perry or Carwfordville." He senses movement ahead of them through the windshield and glances up in time to see a couple of jagged shadows emerging from the woods about a hundred yards away, drawn to the sound of their engine. Garbled growls can be heard over the drone of crickets. The trace smell of garbage on the breeze, the light and space of the outdoors is almost overwhelming to him. He feels like he's been asleep for a hundred years, locked away in that dank and dirty church- he starts to feel dizzy.

Y/n gooses the accelerator and the SUV lurches away. He sinks into his seat as they roar down the road, swerving to avoid the half dozen or so biters now skulking out of the woods blocking their path. They sideswipe one the creatures, ripping a chunk of its shoulder, splattering fresh gore across the glass of his side window.

"You get used to it." she states after he flinches in disgust. He just stares at the splatter, flecks of bone chips, and a long trail of black bile.

"I don't think anyone can get used to that ..." Nick mutters from the back seat.

Night falls and the darkness deepens behind the trees on either side of the road. Most of the streetlights in this part of the country have gone the same way as the internet or cable TV, so the road only gets darker and darker as they head south towards the steaming thickets and festering swamps of the coastal lowlands. The going is slow, most of the two lanes are crowded with rusted out wreckages ,the carcasses of cars and trucks so old now that the weeds and switchgrass have begun to grow up from their metal endoskeletons. The two young men in the rear breathe heavily, thickly, half asleep while Y/n drives and softly hums some forgotten tune. They had passed the jerky and water around a few minutes ago- their standard fare of supper- and now their bellies growl and their eyelids droop with exhaustion.

"You never gave your name..." His hushed voices rings out from the shotgun seat.

"Hadn't crossed my mind at the time, sorry about that... It's Y/n" She chuckles softly. "The one with the headband is Nick but goes by Sapnap, don't ask i don't know- the other one with the accent is George." he just simply hums in reply.

"What about you big guy? What do they call you?"

He takes a moment to regard the woman seated next to him; his head still trying to wrap itself around this complete stranger who's shown him nothing but kindness. On the one hand, she seems trustworthy enough, friendly, a good listener, courteous and capable of single handedly taking out an entire chapel full of reanimated corpses... On the other hand she seems like a walking time bomb. He'd seen her type before- they type that's too kind until something or someone breaks that trust. A hairline trigger. The sad fact is he doesn't have a large array of options. Staying in that hellhole of a church with those enslavers, listening to the groans of the dead, waiting for whatever those bastards would do next quickly loses its charm... Seeing the aftermath of her cleaning house with that knife had given him an odd charge- a cathartic release. He's also aware that he'd never be able to find the caravan on his own given the sorry state he's in. He really has no choice but to go along with her and her scruffy ass men and hope for the best.

"I don't have a name.. that is, one that I can remember.."

She desperately wants to pry, how could he not remember his own name? But the thousand yard stare and glassy gaze is enough to stop her from inquiring any further. "Well we've gotta call you something big guy." She's met with silence in response. "Alright, I guess Big Guy it is then." He offers only a meek hum in response. In an attempt to silence his own raging thoughts his eyes landed on the red bandanna tied to the rearview mirror for what was probably the hundredth time since he started on this way too long car ride.

"... What's that about?" He points to the red scarf.

"It belonged to a friend of mine a long while back, before Sapnap and George were a thing." Her hands tighten their hold on the wheel. "I was caught by 'traders' and he was stuck in the same hole as me... Couldn't have been any older than fourteen at the time. One night the compound was under attack, their front gate was breached- luckily we were kept at the very back end, so when the opportunity came we managed to escape our holding cell and I hoisted him over the wall. Told him to keep running, to not look back. He got away but I was caught again," She takes in a deep breath before resuming her story.

"I was quickly sold off to some asshole who had these two chained up for breaking into their stores... one thing led to another and we snuck out and snagged this ride... we've been moving around since." It was obvious by her tone there was a lot she was leaving out and probably for a good reason. Notably the two in the back seat were dead silent, so much so that it made the air feel heavy and dense enough to cut with a sharp enough knife. Suddenly he was wishing he hadn't bothered to ask in the first place

"That sign back there," He manages, desprate to break the heavy air "Said 'Cross city 12 miles" He glances up from the map in his lap, gazing out the side window at the stewing darkness of Dixie County Florida. "Got a feeling we're getting close."

The vast patchwork of wetlands passes in a blur on either side of them. The land oozing a low blanket of methane as gray as mold, clinging to the shadows of pine thickets and gullies like dirty lace. The air smells briny and rotten with dead fish. Every few minutes they pass the ruins of a small town or wreckage strewn trailer parks. No sign of survivors in these parts, though only the occasional silhouette of an upright corpse shambling by, it's eyes like twin yellow reflectors in the darkness.

"We can't just keep burning gas all night." Sapnap says from his place in the rear, his voice all cranked up with pain and panic "and we can't just go off of what you overheard those traders talking about- Much less go off of feelings.." Big guy just keeps a neural face.

"We're in the ballpark" He persists "Believe me they'll be hard to miss." Y/n grips the steering wheel, her jaw working overtime on a piece of gum, snapping and chewing complusively as she drives.

"How many vehicles do they have in this convoy?" George questions between wheezy breaths.

"No idea... but it's quite a few ."

"That's pretty general."

"They'll be easy to spot." He replies once more, gazing back out at the darkness. "Our best bet is to follow the coast, they like to keep close to the water.."

"Why's that?"

He shrugs. "According to those 'traders' they keep their eyes peeled for ships or any possible way they might get their asses the hell out of here. Most of the bigger boats around here have been destroyed by the hurricane that hit a couple years ago, so it's a long shot that they'll find anything..."

They're about to give up the search when they start to climb the gentle slope- at first so gradual it's almost unnoticeable - up the side of a vast malodorous landfill- the barren trash-strewn scrubland to their left reaches across miles of sandy berms, all the way down to the deserted ghostly boardwalks that wind their way along the beaches. The sky has begun to bruise pink with predawn light and Y/n has just started to say something when the Big Guy sees the first faint streaks of red dots in the distant haze.

"LOOK!" He points his large gnarled hand down at the far dunes of ashen white sand winding along the coast. The surface is so pocked and windswept it resembles the dark side of the moon.

"Where?" She cranes her neck, slowing the vehicle down to a crawl.

"I don't see anything."

"About Half a mile up there... Look at the tail lights!"

She takes a deep cleansing breath as she finally sees the caravan chugging along the coastal road in the predawn light, it looks like embers throwing up puffs of smoke in their wake.

"Holy shit, I see it." A big smile washes over her face, Glad she decided to follow through with this insane plan.

"What do you think of those boys?" The two young men in the rear lean forward, transfixed by the sight, each of them rapt and silent as they gaze at the convoy.

"What are you doing?! Blaster your horn at them," George stutters anxiously. "Don't let them get away !"

Y/n smiles to herself, in her former life she used to be fascinated by the wildlife shows, often catching them in the late night showings after work before she turning in for the night. She remembers one episode in particular, on the behavior of sheep vs the behavior of wolves. She remembers the flock mentality; the sheep moving almost as one, easily managed by a single sheepdog. She remembers the instinct of the Wolf, stealthy, patient as it and its pack creep up on the flock. She shoots a glance across the dark interior at the larger man sat next to her before turning her head to face the two sat behind them.

"I have a better idea."

Taglist

@the-wandering-pan-ace @hvrcruxes

[haravath0t]

A Christmas Wish - Day 1

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Filipino!Reader

Warnings: fluff, an immense word count, a talk with the mom??

Hello, everyone! Finally, we have Day 1 of A Christmas Wish! I’m so happy I found a way to extend the Christmas Spirit well into the year through this request! We are uncovering a huge tradition that means a lot to me and my family as Filipinos! Many of the Filipino community are Christian/Catholic, so this particular tradition will be based on the Christian Christmas tradition for the sake of the plot and its personal meaning! I hope this is something that can be understood between author to reader! I promise, the religious aspect of this particular tradition will not be as emphasized as other parts of the culture that I will introduce! Happy readings my lovelies, and to all my Filipino readers, pasensya kung mali ng English translation ko. Ang hirap naman talaga mg translate eh 😅😅😅 huhuuuu

(italics indicate flashbacks! english translations are provided and the pictures of the foods are attached in the bottom!) 

You opened your eyes excitedly, a big smile forming on your face as you remembered a particular memory from yesterday that really made you so happy: 

You, Steve, and your family had finished putting your luggage in the trunk of the van, squeezing themselves in either of the two vans. The driver was now hours in on the road, the chaos had died down as your cousins who decided to join yours and Steve’s van were asleep. The city was long gone, as the buildings had now become hills and green fields, passing by small little towns and provinces. The once crowded and traffic highways turned into a wide empty road. 

Contrary to your cousins who fell back asleep, you were wide awake, not only from the jet lag, but also from your excitement. You were sitting in the middle of the back row of the van, earphones plugged in your ears, listening to the familiar tracks of OPM (Original Pinoy Music) and 70s/80s hits that you were familiar with from your karaoke nights with your parents. Steve was seated on the window (something you recommended him to do), looking as the green grass and hills passed by. Steve couldn’t help but smile, this was something that was so new to him, but it was something you saw as a reminder that you were actually back with your family, back in your roots, back home. It was simple. That’s what he liked most. 

“What do you think so far? We’re still a bit far from the hotel and their house, but we’re about more than halfway home,” you ask softly. Steve’s eyes left the window as he instead looks at your lovely sparkling eyes. He couldn’t help the smile that forms on his face as he easily recognizes the excitement on your face. “I already love it, doll. I really do. I can’t wait to have you and your family show us around.” He says softly yet with sincerity. You smiled excitedly and took an earbud out of your ear, kissing his cheek before you put the earbud in his ear, making him laugh. “Y/N, doll, what are you doing?” He asks softly as his eyebrows furrow. You giggle as you scroll through your list of songs that you had downloaded on your phone. “Oh, I figured… well.. If you want, we can listen to this playlist? We can try napping?” You offer, the excited smile turning in a shy one, tints of pink being apparent on your cheeks. Steve’s smile only grew as he kissed your forehead. “Yeah, I’d love that, sugar. What’s the type of music in this one?” He asks softly, securing the earbud into his ear further. “It has some Filipino music and some 70s and 80s songs that my parents love… I listened to them all the time growing up,” you reply with a smile, choosing the song “I Think I’m Falling in Love” by The Boyfriends, smiling as the familiar opening notes are being played into yours and Steve’s ear. Steve’s eyebrows raise in surprise when the music plays but smiles as he lets the tune settle into his ears. Steve subconsciously wraps his arm protectively around your body, “C’mon honey, get comfy, yeah?” You did not think twice as you lean against him, resting your head against the crook of his neck, a big smile on your face reappearing as his familiar scent fills your nostrils. A deep chuckle is felt underneath your body. “Feelin’ better?” He asks softly, resting his cheek against your head. “Mhm, much better.” You sigh happily, closing your eyes as you feel his fingers comb your hair. You smile as you drift off to sleep, hearing the lyrics “I think I’m falling in love, something’s telling me so”.

“You do realize wherever you’re goin’ I’m goin’ right?” He asks with a smile, as he swallows a piece of pandesal. “This is so good by the way,” he adds before you speak up. “I know, but this thing takes place at 4 AM in the Cathedral, Steve! That’s early! “Okay, but we go to different time zones for missions, sweetheart. This is not new, we’ll be fine, you know me,” he responds, chuckling, “besides, we can sleep in after everything.” “Fair point,” you giggle, finishing your milk and throwing the plastic cup away. You kiss Steve’s head and hug him from behind. “Well… I can’t thank you enough, honey. You are doing so much already. Thank you. My family likes you already, I’m sure” A comforting hand rubs your forearm up and down before a soft pair of lips meets the back of your hand. “I’d be very happy if your family does. Their opinion of us matters to me too.” “How’d you even know about us going to mass today?” “Your Tita Joy mentioned it actually last night over dinner, asked if we both were going to Simbang...Simbang Gabi?” Your heart leapt at the sound of Steve saying something in Tagalog, a giggle erupting from your lips. “Goodness, Steve, you’re so adorable. Come on, we gotta get ready if we’re going to the Cathedral by jeepney.” You say, kissing his head before you get your clothes from your suitcase to head to the bathroom. 

“Yes, ma’am,” he chuckles, playfully saluting you before he follows suit. 

Steve was quite happy he tagged along with you, for the town was wonderfully decorated with parols (Christmas lanterns) and a nativity scene in front of the Cathedral. Not only that, he loved seeing you focused throughout the service, watching as you were alongside your family and practicing your tradition. It was truly something beautiful to see in his eyes. 

Now, you and your family and Steve were outside of the Cathedral alongside other churchgoers, the town now starting to busy itself as the dawn arrives. There were now many food stalls outside, serving coffee and tea as well as wonderful foods to pair with the Christmas season. These included, bibingka, puto (rice cakes), suman, pandesal, and so much more. “Teka lang, Nanay, kukuha ako lang pagkain para sa atin lahat,” (hold on, mom, I’m just going to get some food for all of us) you say to your mom, her nodding in response. “Oh sige, anak. Sama mo ng Tatay mo! May pera s’ya!” (Alright, take your father with you! He has money!) She responds as you disappear in the crowd to get your guys’ share of good food. Steve only smiles at the interaction, watching as you go ahead with your father to one of the food stalls. “She’s like a kid, isn’t she?” Your mom says to Steve causing him to jump a little and only nod in response. “Yes, ma’am.” She playfully groans and waves her hand to him dismissively. “Oh, please you’re gonna call me ma’am? No, Tita will do for now,” She chuckles, making Steve relax in relief, not realizing his body had been tense. “Oh, Okay Tita.” She smiles and gives Steve a thumbs up and a nod of approval, which makes Steve smile. “You know, Steve, this whole Simbang Gabi thing is something she always has done since she was a girl. She loved it very much.” Steve smiles at this, imagining a younger you holding your parents’ hands as you make your way in the church. “It makes sense why she was up earlier than me during the Christmas season. I always wake up for a morning jog. I normally hear or see her out and about back home.” Your mom only chuckles, watching you and your father order some bibingka first. 

“Did she tell you what her motivation was as a kid?” She asks, seeing Steve shake his head. “No, I haven’t.” “Ahh, well, there’s this funny folk belief here, you see. If you attend all 9 masses, then you can make a wish and your wish will come true if that’s what God wills it to be.” Your mother explains, smiling when Steve has an “aha” moment and nods in understanding. “I think that’s beautiful,” he says, hands fumbling within the pockets of his jeans, eyes making contact with yours. He smiles even more when you show your beautiful smile before you go back to ordering from the stalls. “You really love my daughter, don’t you Steven?” She asls, looking up at the taller man. “With all of my heart, Tita,” he responds firmly and surely, which eases your mom. 

“That’s good to hear. I love the certainty. She deserves that much you know. She’s been through a lot. And… I can see the way you two look at each other. It makes me happy,” She says, sighing in content. “We’re glad to be able to have you celebrate with us. Goodness, I cannot even thank you enough for letting us fly over with you two.” “It’s not a problem, Tita,” He starts. “Family is important to Y/N, and I hope you know that she talks about you guys constantly. I can’t blame her, you all are very kind and lovely to me. It’s been a wish for her to come here for the holidays.” “Her wish, huh?” Your mom smiles. “Yes, Tita.” “What about you? You’re joining us in these, so do you have a wish?” Your mother presses on, burning through Steve’s eyes with her eye contact. Steve however, was blushing for different reasons. “I do, Tita. It’s ambitious, so let’s see.” “Well don’t be shy, tell me!” Your mom squeals excitedly, motioning to Steve to whisper it into her ear. And so he does, your mom is smiling bigger and bigger and bigger as she hears. 

“Oh, susmaryosep! (Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!) That’s a nice wish, very ambitious, I like it! I’m sure it will come true. I’m sure.” Your mom exclaims clapping her hands together in pure excitement.  “You...you think so?” Steve asks shyly, seeking for reassurance. “It’s a tough one, Tita. I’m sure you’ve heard the expression “a man out of time” being used on me. It’s a very tough thing to do, you know, to adjust to current events and current society.” He comments, scratching the back of his head. “And you are doing good, Steve. You’re an honest hardworking guy. I promise. I think when the time is right, you’ll get what you wish for.” “Well let’s see, Tita, let’s see.”

FOODS MENTIONED BELOW!!!

Pandesal (bread rolls)

Puto (rice cakes) 

Bibingka

Suman

Permanent Taglist: @world-of-aus @world-of-aus-reads​ @whew-oh-em-gee​ @tomholland-96​ @lordyitsjordy​ @letstalkaboutsebbaby​ @thee-soom-soom​ @lookiamtrying​ @vesper852​ @hailhydra920​ @buckybarnesthehotshot​ @heyiamthatbitch​​ @rodrikstark​​ 

A Christmas Wish Taglist: @faithtrustandrobbiekay​

(If you would like to be included in a tag list let me know via ask! ❤️☺️)

[syncopxtc]

﹟  wedding planning

It's getting close. How can something so good, something he can't wait for, cause so much anxiety?

"Listen--" he says, very quietly all of a sudden, into his phone to the caterer. "I told ya the menu. I told ya the date n' time. I told ya weeks ago, n' now all of a sudden you're givin' me a set-up time of 11:30? What kinda operation are ya runnin'? It's goddamn highway robbery is what it is, I've got half a mind t' come down there n'--" He turns around at a noise, seeing Miki walk through the door, cheery after a busy day. Looking bright and calm. He sighs and smiles at her, waving with his free hand, then turns back around into the corner of the room to continue his lecture. "I'm not tellin' my wife-t'-be that we gotta delay the festivities because of yer lack a' plannin'. It's 10:30 or I'll come down there n' get the deposit back myself... Yes this is that Shinji Hirako. Duh. The captain, yeah." Miki walks by, and he quietly kisses the top of her head. "N' that Miki Fuyuno, yeah." Now we're getting somewhere. He eases a bit, his eyes following Miki through the house. He walks after her. "Oh? Singin' a different tune are we? That's what I thought." He grins and gives Miki a thumbs-up. "Good. Yeah. See ya then. Thanks." He hangs up, pressing his forefinger into the end call button with an air of finality and exhaustion. "From now on we plan nothin'. Flyin' by the seat of our pants for th' rest a' our lives."

Still, for this...he'd go through worse. He'd argue more. He'd stress more. It has to be perfect, even though it will already be perfect, because of what comes after. Her, and forever.

But he wants his fancy wedding and his fancy party and for shit to just go how it's supposed to.

[needs-to-stop-looking-at-valves]

Magnus Proposal 💍

OKAY LISTEN. @baebeyza SAID SHE WAS GONNA DO ART BASED ON WHAT IM ABOUT TO PUT OUT THERE, SO FUCKS SAKES HOPE THIS IS GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU GUYS.

Magnus couldn’t believe he was doing this. So many years of his life spent free roaming, fueled by vengeance, all put to a halt, just because he had feelings for someone. He never thought this would happen, and he contemplated if his feelings were genuine, but he wasn’t a dumb mech. The way he snapped to attention whenever he called his name, the way he dug himself as priority in his mind, even the fact that he felt that stupid, fuzzy warmth in his chest upon being called ‘Mag-chan’. He drove down the freeway on his way to the base, really thinking about this. Should he have even bought a ring? Was that too human? Not human enough? Would a classic conjux proposal be better? Was now even the right time to-

“Ultra Magnus.”

Ugh. His pain in the aft brother was on the comm link. He thought of ignoring it, before deciding to just bite the bullet.

“What do you want?”

“I have a mission for you. We need surveillance down by the docs, and-”

“Hate sea water. Pass.”

“Side Burn will be there.”

There was a moment of silence, before Ultra Magnus made a U turn, heading right for the docs.

“Fine. Only because I know he’s just gonna be a menace to any red car he sees.”

“uh huh. Thank you, brother.”

“God I’m gonna enjoy tearing out your spark one of these days.”

------------

“Mag-chan!”

Ultra Magnus skidded to a halt once he saw Side burn, sitting by a storage container, wave at him. He transformed, and walked up to him, before sitting right next to him.

“Side Burn. Good to see you. So, what’s the mission?”

“Optimus didn’t tell you?”

“I kinda tune him out, honestly. Just because you get along with your brothers, doesn't mean I have to.”

“You should try. Big guy cares about you. I mean we all do, but it’s bound to hit differently with him.”

Ultra Magnus just gave a nod in response. He tried not to bring his brother into the conversation. Side Burn placed his chin on his hand, staring out into the water.

“Anyhow, the mission is just keep an eye on the cargo containers. Been getting reports of some of them getting stolen, we think its the decepticons. It’s not exciting, but hey, glad you’re here.”

“Why ARE you on this kinda mission? Last I checked, you hated surveillance.”

“Oh I do. But Prime essentially made this my punishment. Might’ve...blocked traffic because I saw a sports car, and stuff just kinda happened.”

“Primus sakes, is that your ONLY type?”

“Well, I do like big, blue, and grumpy mechs too. But, think you kinda knew that already.”

Side Burn and Ultra Magnus weren’t official (yet), but they had been involved for quite some time. Two years. Long for some humans, but absolutely nothing in terms of Cybertronians. He couldn’t believe that THIS was enough time for him. He scoffed a bit as Side Burn gave him those optics. He knew the speedster in and out, and he wanted a kiss. Who was he to deny him? He was about to lean in for it, when his sensors suddenly gave him an alert. He stood to attention, before pulling out his cattling gun, and firing right into the water. Skybyte leapt out of water, alongside Slapper, both seeming frazzled by being caught. They transformed into robot mode.

“Thought you said they wouldn’t see us if we took an underwater route?”

“I THOUGHT that would work!”

“You think a lot of stuff works. Like your paint job.”

“WHAT WAS THAT?!”

Side Burn stood up, and pointed his weapon right alongside Ultra Magnus. Ultra Magnus cleared his intake, getting their attention.

“If you two are done floundering around, think it’s time we kick your afts.”

The Predacons looked at each other, then themselves. Then they both suddenly grabbed a cargo container, and bolted down the highway. Side Burn tucked his weapon away, looking at Ultra Magnus.

“They split up, you handle Shark bait, I’ll get toadsworth over there, meet back here for recon.”

“Got it.”

Ultra Magnus hated being told what to do. By anyone who WASN’T Side Burn. He transformed, and bolted down the streets. Finhead was causing quite the ruckus, and it was almost impossible to still hold the chase, as well as the traffic laws. You’d think that wasn’t important in all of these, but these humans did nothing to deserve any of their conflict. Skybyte turned a corner into a tunnel, and Ultra Magnus followed him. That was when he nearly had to laugh, realizing chum bucket here took him right to a dead end. They both transformed, and looked at each other, both in awe of the bullshit before them.

“I...think you should let me take this. If anything, I showed initiative.”

“You understand I’m just gonna kick your aft and take that crate from you, right?”

“ON THE GLORY OF MEGATRON, I SWEAR I’LL-OW!”

Ultra Magnus slapped him across his face, before taking the crate right from his hands. Skybyte tried to get a blast of his to hit, before Ultra Magnus grabbed his face, making him flail in panic. He was about to really go in on him for wasting time, before he suddenly got a comm call.

“Side Burn? You good?”

“Yeah,I caught frogger here, I just need help with the crate. It’s heavier than what I’m used to. You got captain ugly?”

“Yep. I’ll be on my way.”

Skybyte gave a nervous laugh upon seeing the other’s scowl.

“I’m...totally sharkfin soup at this point, aren’t I?”

------------------------

Ultra Magnus pulled up to the other side of the highway, a tied up (and still complaining) Skybyte in his trailer. He transformed upon seeing Side Burn, a crate next him, and him sitting on a beat up looking Slapper. Side Burn grinned as he saw him.

“Hey, you made it!”

“Course, you asked me to.”

Ultra Magnus hoisted both crates over his shoulders, and Side Burn grinned up at him as he pulled Slapper to their side. They would just be held back at base for questioning if anything. It was better than having them roaming the streets. Side Burn grinned as he poked his chest.

“You know, we work good together. We really should get stuck on more missions together.”

“We really should get married.”

It was abrupt, sudden, and not at ALL how he wanted this proposal. Side Burn blinked as he tried to take in what he had just said.

“...Say that again.”

Ultra Magnus should’ve made up some lie. Something so he can give him an actual, proper proposal. But, he couldn’t lie to him, couldn’t disobey him. It was just the rush of a catch, the way he was smiling at him, the way he said what he said- it just made him go on autopilot. So, he just rolled with it.

“I said, I think we should get married. I like you, you like me, and I’ve never met anyone like you. I enjoy taking care of you, and I like the ability to make you mine. I’m not gonna bitch and moan if I get a no, but I’ve...thought about this a lot. Look, I even bought this for you.”

He dropped one crate right onto Slapper (who cares about that guy anyway), before pulling a ring from his sub space. Side Burn was silent as Magnus kept going on.

“I know it’s an earth thing, but...I like it here. I like it here, with you, listening to you complain and watching you being stupid. In all honesty, I think I can go so far that I love you, Side Burn. I won’t obey any command that isn’t from you. And if your command is to not pull this again, then I’ll follow it. I’ll follow you, always.”

Side Burn blinked as he looked at the ring, then at Magnus. Magnus waited in silence for who knows how long, and it was an ache in his spark. He was about to pull away, before Side Burn grabbed onto the ringed hand. He nodded.

“I will.”

“You...serious?”

“Yes!! I like you a lot to! You’re a good friend, you’re kind when you gotta be, you’re strong, and I trust you. I...I would love to be your conjux.”

“Oh, how sweet-OW!”

Skybyte canned it after Ultra Magnus banged against his trailer with his pede. Side Burn grinned, before reaching up, and planting a kiss against his lips. It was a brief kiss, more in relief than anything, before Side Burn chuckled.

“You think you could try red paint? Like once?”

“...I can’t believe I gotta take care of you for the rest of my life.”

Ultra Magnus squished his face in his free hand, before chuckling.

“I’ll try it ONCE. But YOU gotta tell your brothers about us now.

“Fair.”

Ultra Magnus couldn’t believe he was marrying this idiot. It wasn’t like having the matrix. To him,

it was better.

[arcanadotcom]

𝕄𝕒𝕚𝕟 𝟞 𝕒𝕤 𝔻𝕣𝕚𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕤

⊱ ────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────── ⊰

(Hi everyone! I came up with these when me and my sister went out for a quick little drive after feeling sick of staying home 😘✌🏻 my driving skills got rusty. smh!)

(This is my first time writing so i’m sorry if they’re all over the place!)

⊱ ────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────── ⊰

☆ Asra

owns an old used car from the 90’s that makes you feel nostalgic

it kinda reeks of weed sometimes...

has random shit laying around the back including a blanket because he totally takes naps in the car between his classes

he’s a pretty slow driver (goes 23mph slower than the rest of traffic)

but as soon as he sees a yellow light he FLOORS IT

this lil shit never uses his blinkers...smh!

giggles when people cuss him out. he don’t give a fuck!

will always give you the aux cord because he vibes with whatever. any tunes you like, he likes too 🥰

often misses freeway exits because he’s too busy chatting with you (“wha..? oh haha...anyways!”)

he easily gets distracted with anything really, so you have to remind him to keep his eyes on the road all the time (it’s cute at first...but after a while it’s just annoying)

always offers to pick you up but never asks for gas money (pretends to forget but he just doesn’t care because it’s you and he care you <3)

overall he’s a cautious driver, he just has very erratic speed patterns and takes really shitty turns

★ Julian

has had the same old black car for about 8 years (hates that it’s a stick shift, but he got over it already)

he’s actually quite a responsible driver. doesn’t break transit rules

never got his license though, but it doesn’t really matter (u gotta do what u gotta do)

he never arrives on time, always late (super apologetic about it)

loses parking tickets and misplaces his keys all. the damn. time. so you usually end up carrying them instead

makes a HUGE fuss over your safety. please wear your seatbelt or else he will go bonkers

but at the same time will not hesitate to be your designated getaway driver (if you need to gtfo of somewhere, he will get you the fuck out of there)

he actually has to use glasses because his vision sucks and can’t read road signs. he looks so cute

his car doesn’t have an aux cord outlet, so he has a bunch of cassettes of different kinds of music ( 70’s rock, jazz, some obscure russian band, etc ) lying around. he can’t drive without music!

has a bit of road rage; if he’s with you he’ll mutter curses under his breath trying to keep composure

but when alone he will absolutely yell at people, but his way of doing it is somewhat.....endearing?

will occasionally bump into things, but has never caused any serious damage

has never been pulled over and only gets tickets due to expired parking meters in downtown (somehow manages to talk his way out of them all the time)

he’s had enough experience around the city so he talks to you about places no one really knows about

he will literally take you a random phone booth that is actually the entrance to a secret undergroung café that looks like a place where academics would hang out and conspire new literary movements

☆ Nadia

doesn’t drive, she has a chauffeur

but if she did, she would own one of those beautiful, modern, pearly off-white cars.

it’s perfectly clean, well kept and smells great

no food or drinks allowed inside. periodt

you’d probably be afraid of ruining the seat when you first get in. she assures you everything is okay

totally drives around wearing a pair of gloves, headscarf, and gorgeous sunglasses to protect herself from the sun. also because she’s so classy <3

she excels at everything in driving

flawless breaking and parking, but thinks that going around looking for a spot is a waste of time so she’d rather just pay extra for valet parking

her only flaw is that she gets super impatient with how long it takes for a red light to turn green

and she almost never stops for pedestrians

would usually call you to see if you’d like to go shopping with her or just accompany her for some errands (pls go with her she adores having you around 🥺)

doesn’t have a problem with giving you rides, but she’s always busy with a tight schedule, so rides from her are very rare

probably feels bad about it so she’ll send you an uber black instead

★ Muriel

hates going out because it means he has to drive ://

he just wants to get from point A to point B without any issues really

you’ll notice that his car always has a layer of dirt on it since he never really uses it (he doesn’t bother to give it a little wipe before hoping in)

would probably own a normal, practical car that gets the job done and doesn’t need much maintenance. nothing too fancy

.......but i really want to see him with a jeep so i’ll make him own a jeep ☺️

highkey anxious and hyperaware of his surrounding drivers

he looks too tense and grips the wheel hard....tell him to relax pls

if someone tries to pass him, he will absolutely give them a Look through the rear mirror

not one to listen to music (will sometimes turn on the radio but slams it off eventually because it’s annoying)

used to be terribly afraid of highways

mumbles and grumbles about how dangerous and stupid it is to carelessly swerve lanes just to go fast and look cool

☆ Portia

drives all the time so she’s definitely the most experienced on the road

owns a cute convertible beetle that she takes care of and loves very much ❤️ (has so many cute ass bumper stickers)

will not hesitate to change the tires on her own if needed

music is always loud and top is down most of the time

she’s got anything you might need in her glove box (hand cream? tissues? sanitizer? pocket knife? she has it yes ma’am)

when she’s by herself, laws simply do not exist

lowkey a threat to society. get her off

she goes so fucking fast like she zooms💨 down the road (mainly because she’s always on a hurry)

basically breaks whatever law she wants but once she spots a cop, citizen of the year

ohh but if you and/or anyone else is with her, it’s a whole different story

she drives carefully and slows down, would hate to put your safety at risk (same as julian)

road trips with her are THE BEST. going on drives with her always feel like a scene from a coming of age film 💕✨🧚‍♀️

★ Lucio

not necessarily an irresponsible driver, he’s just reckless and obnoxious

owns a restored, fancy vintage car that’s either red or white (his license plate is personalized, bedazzled and borderline opulent). genuinely proud of it

revs the engine just to piss people off

is always willing and able to be there for you if you need him

when he’s there to pick you up, he will absolutely make a scene for you to notice him. simply giving you a call is out of the equation!

the backseats are full of white hair...you know he brings his adored babies everywhere he goes

blasts music at an ASTRONOMICAL VOLUME and he just sits there like 🤪✌🏻🎶🕺🏼

but believe it or not, his music taste is actually really good....it slaps. so it’s okay

likes to drive fast (“oh you want to see some speed? i’ll show you some real speed”)

cannot stand traffic and slow drivers make him go batshit crazy

honks at everyone for everything but gets offended if they honk back >:(

you’ll still see him at the red light despite him doing 84 lane changes

tells you he LOVES the attention he gets because of the car, but then feels super self conscious if people stare too much or too long......although he will never admit it

this guy loves to gossip with you and likes to make fun of random pedestrians... you gotta admit he makes you snicker quite a bit. who am i kidding he’s funny as fuck of course you’re gonna laugh

doesn’t slow down for speed bumps, will blow quick kisses at the little fake cameras on top of the traffic lights, and has definitely scratched the lower sides of his car on curves more than once (*frantic wheel stirring* “not my fault not my fault!!”)

this man’s biggest struggle is parking. he cannot park for shit (secretly embarrassed about it)

it takes FOREVER for him to parallel park. might as well snooze while he’s at it

genuinely tries his best, going as far as to do the “arm behind the seat to look back” move (he wants to impress you dammit!!), but gets frustrated and gives up

so most of the time he ends up taking two spots despite trying so hard not to

gets tickets all the time (“now they’re ganging up against me! and for what?? what the fuck did i do!!”)

cannot comprehend street signs (“lucio you will get a $650 fine” “darling wdym?? it costs $650 to park here”)

going on a drive with him can be stressful and a bit crazy, but it’s always entertaining and you get the best stories to tell

[aestheticvoyage2022]

Day 100: Sunday April 10, 2022 - “Bisbee Buzz”

We spent the hundreth day of the year rambling south to Bisbee on the border where we drank our way through the fun mining artsy olde town.  The road in was really beautiful and I felt that hungerpang for the open road....  the places you see, the characters you meet, the stories you tell.  We got a taste of what I day dreamed about.

We visited two distinctly different breweries, a winery, a dive bar, a cakery, and antique shops.   William smiled his way through, especially when being free-rollin in the stroller, and flirting with a could-be nanny in a bar after his bedtime!  

Started with pints on the patio - the Old Bisbee Brewing doubled as a distillery and brewed their beers gluten free so even AC could enjoy that Mayan Stout!  We wandered our way down the main twisting drag, stopping in shops and art galleries that called the right tune, until we made our way (over staircases and all) to the far end for a souvenir shot with the Peace Wall - Welcome to Bisbee.  Its unique vibe is earned.  And we reflected on that over special cakes from a hip hiker-baker who even threw together a Cran Apple one gluten free for AC.!   No other place is the town’s uniqueness more on display than at the St Elmo’s Bar where 8 years ago I had a run in with a character named Frank, the night after kissing Audrie for the first time.   I always find it particularly exciting to sit in my own history, like I’ve sat into some kind of time portal.   We ordered G&Ts from the place next door, made chat with the local on the corner of the bar, soaked in all the trinkets and treasures on the walls while listening to a two piece band of hillbilly trumpet and outlaw country.  Couldn’t be better.  Gotta be one of the top ten bars in the US (on my personal list).  

We joined the rest of the family on the Copper Queen’s deck for some hot wings loaded up with hater-ade - so much so that the bar tender had to give AC a cup of milk! Joked with the tourists at the table next to us - Wm always being an easy conversation starter with his toothy smile, brights eyes and funny hair.  We can make friends anywhere with him in tow.  Washed the snack down with a trip to our second brewery of the day - Electric, on the site of the original and first craft brewery in Arizona.  Now thats a fun trophy to have - and so was their other trophy; the ESB on their board.   The bartender/owner and her son/brewer showed great hospitality - so much so that my 3 compadres all bought merch!! ? I gotta hand it to them though - the orange and blue motif was only out-cooled by The Band record playing for us (The Big Pink).   We got a group shot all together before we left and let them close down.     Our luck would get another wrinkle at the realization that we had forgotten to fill the growler!  (Damn, that ESB would’ve been great to have!). 

So we made our way back to where we had started and found a much more lively place for a Sunday night just north of the border.  Two cute girls immediately fawned over our baby boy, and I made friends with a gang of motorcycle enthusiasts including a Frenchman from Montreal who was on a trek to Panama and back - he crosses the border in the morning!  I was so enthused with contact with this level of LAGS.  Rub off on me mister!   Ramble on!   When just then Audrie shows up to proclaim that she has found Wm’s future Nanny.  Well thats an interesting way to do it!  And so the rest of the evening contemplating the idea of it, this wanna-be nanny who shares the same birthdate.   Fate be in the stars I guess..... if its happening anywhere, itd be in Bisbee.   Especially after a day of drinkin..   But it was a good Cheers to the road, from eye-shot of the southern border wall, these two will now start preparing to go North and for me to get out of the house and remember the ole  rambler in me.

Song: The Band - The Weight

Quote: “Mona Lisa must have had the highway blues; you can tell by the way she smiles.” ― Bob Dylan

[earlysunsetsoverambrose]

Carefree Highway (2/2)

Lester Sinclair x f!Reader

Warnings: Cursing

The two of you got into Lester’s truck and took off down the road, out of Ambrose. Neither of you spoke, but it wasn’t at all awkward. It felt safe – comforting, even. You leaned up against the door, gazing out of the window as the world passed by. The radio quietly hummed an old folksy tune you didn’t know, but somehow still felt nostalgic. The rumble of the road beneath the wheels and the gentle rattling of Lester’s dash décor almost began to sound like a lullaby.

You didn’t know how much time had passed before Lester pulled his truck into the empty parking lot of an abandoned truck stop. You observed your surroundings. The few neighboring buildings were as dark as the night encircling it. The only signs of life were the cars passing by on the highway nearby, the ramp to join it was right in front of you. Lester parked facing away from the highway and ushered you to get out with him. You silently took his lead, curious what he was getting up to. He pulled down the door to the bed of his truck and helped you up. He followed after and sat next to you, offering up a kind smile as he situated himself at your side. He turned to look where the highway cut through the horizon. You turned to follow his eyes, watching drivers pass right by without a second thought. Though it was incredibly peaceful, you wondered why Lester had chosen to bring you there.

“Lester, what are we doing here?” you asked quietly, worried you might be ruining some form of meditation for him. He turned toward you with that smile that warmed your heart, up to your cheeks.

“This is my favorite place in the wide world, Y/N!” He told you eagerly, “Never been a bad day I couldn’t make better by sittin’ right here a while.”

You turned back to gaze at the stretch of highway that Lester apparently loved so well. You were honored that he wanted to share this place with you, but you didn’t understand what made it so special.

“But I thought the interstate and highways like this were a part of Ambrose being abandoned. Doesn’t that make you angry?” you asked, genuinely wanting to understand.

“Ambrose was a nice town and I was sad seein’ it left like it was, but it wasn’t never like what my brothers say. ‘Sides, nothin’ lasts forever, right? No use holdin’ a grudge.” Lester said, “Now, Bo and Vinny, they could spend their whole lives angry at people for leavin’, but that’s just what people do. Can’t blame people for movin’ to greener pastures. Everyone wants better days, nothin’ wrong with that.”

“I guess I can understand that.” You said turning to face him once more.

“Since the two of them can’t stand lookin’ at this thing, I come here when I don’t wanna be found.” Lester told you, a content smile gracing his features, “I like it. I like watching the world go by. It’s nice knowin’ there’s people out there, livin’ their lives, ya know? Movin’ forward, and all.”

“Do you feel like you can’t move forward?” you asked quietly, scooting closer to him. Lester took a moment to think.

“I don’t wanna change nothin’, really. I like what I got and I’m good with where I’m from.” He started, “But I sure do wish Bo and Vincent would move on instead of back, sometimes. Ambrose is all they ever had and they came back soon as they could. I can’t help thinkin’ maybe they mighta traded somethin’ better for what they already knew they got. I dunno, maybe that makes me a rotten brother.”

“Don’t say that, Lester.” You pleaded. You placed your hand over his, giving it a light squeeze, “You’re a wonderful brother, you’d do anything to help the two of them, and you never ask for anything in return. You could be any place, living any number of lives, but you stuck by them and you’re still here.”

“Shoot, Y/N. You don’t gotta say that.” Lester said, rubbing his neck with his free hand and blushed as his eyes darted away from yours, bashfully.

“Yes, I do, how else would you know, how incredible you are?” you asked as you lifted his arm to wrap around you as you melted into his side. Lester stiffened at your proximity at first, but soon relaxed into your embrace, savoring your warmth against him. You both continued to watch as cars made their way past you. The sound of the air whipping over their hoods echoing louder as they neared and fading into the distance behind them. You spoke again, “I’m glad you’re here. You’re the absolute best part about this place, Les. There’s no way I could survive without you. Especially since I can’t hunt or kill to save myself. I’m really quite useless.”

Lester shifted in your grasp, a small grimace passing over his face at your words. He was elated you liked having him around so much, but you belittling yourself for failing to kill, deeply troubled him.

“Listen, I know Bo is mad that ya let that girl go and that he made ya feel real lousy ‘bout it,” Lester said, “But I’m glad ya didn’t kill her.”

“Even though it got you punched in the face?” you said half joking, half bitter at your failure.

“Yeah. A punch to the nose is nothin’ compared to how it feels knowin’ you was the reason somebody’s dead. Trust me, ya don’t want that.” Lester said trying to sound cheerful, but failing as his voice wavered over his words.

“Lester…why are you saying this?” you asked in a whisper, concern rising in your eyes at seeing the melancholy in his.

“Me, I got used to it. I just try not to think ‘bout it, cause if I do, I start to remember how much it don’t sit right.” Lester continued, his voice shaking, “So, I’m glad ya froze. Ya care – ya let the human in ya have a say. Not much of anythin’s felt human about Ambrose in a long time, and I don’t just mean Vinny’s wax figures.” Lester moved to swipe his sleeve across his face, trying to stop himself from crying in front of you, “I never knew anyone could be so nice or sweet or gentle, ‘specially with me, ‘til I met you. And I sure never seen anyone so damn pretty! When ya came into town, ya brought the biggest heart I ever known along with ya and you’re still holdin’ on to it after all this time. I think that’s a good thing. No matter what Bo says, just please don’t let him scare ya into bein’ heartless like me.”

“Lester,” you swiftly cupped his face in your hands, rubbing your thumbs along his cheeks to catch his tears as they fell, “Don’t think for a second that you lost your heart. You are the sweetest, kindest, most thoughtful person I know. When I stumbled into Ambrose, I had nothing and no one. I was terrified, but you reached out to me without hesitation. Bo scares me to this day and Vincent still won’t speak to me, but you managed to make your home my home. No one could take the good out of you. You’re so good, Lester. I honestly don’t know how you got to be this good.”

“I ain’t any good, Y/N.” he said as he placed his hands over yours, still resting on his face, “I’m just tryin’ to be for ya.”

“That’s more than enough.” you whispered with a tearful smile. Lester’s soulful eyes glanced back up to you at your words. Without a second thought, you drew his face close to yours and pressed your lips against his. You felt him gasp against your lips as you closed your eyes and deepened your kiss. His eyes soon fluttered shut, surrendering to you completely, moving his hands to pull you closer. You slowly pulled your lips away, your heart racing in time with his. You rubbed his cheek as he relaxed under your touch, “You’re everything I could ever need or want, Lester. You’re my home and I love you.”

Lester beamed at your words, his smile putting all the constellations in the sky above you to shame. He could hardly believe what he was hearing, but he was so happy he could cry all over again. He could ask why you love him. He could argue a million ways how he wasn’t nearly good enough. He could pretend he didn’t feel the same to spare you the imposition of his presence. But what a waste that would have been. Who was he to question your word? You never, ever lied to him before. You said you loved him and so he believed you wholeheartedly.

“I love ya too, Y/N.” Lester told you, pulling you into his arms, trapping you against his chest, “I love ya so much more than I ever loved anythin’. And I’m gonna spend every day tryin’ to do right by ya. I swear.”

“Can we stay here a little longer?” you asked, never wanting to leave this moment behind.

“Forever and then some, if ya like.” Lester said, brushing some hair from your face.

You stayed like that for a while, cradled in his arms. Eventually, you both shifted your gazes to look out on that stretch of highway. This was beginning to become your favorite place in the world too. You watched as each car sped by, headlights like shooting stars within your grasp. You wondered if someday, in the distant future, it might be you and Lester driving past new lovers in old ghost towns like this. Rolling down the highway with only one destination in mind: forward.