#rookie Nathaniel

[eldaryadiary]

Eric: You’re driving, and all of a sudden, Castiel and Candy cross the street. Quick, what do you hit ?

Nath: Oh, definitely Castiel. I could never hurt Candy.

Eric: The brakes, Nathaniel. You hit the brakes.

[sammyjomcl]

I could not stay to get my Nath but I will try again. The queue to get in the shop is quite big!

[foxufortunes]

From: unknown number you’ve been invited to a monsters ball lucky you rabbit

Finally, the fic is out, A Monsters' Ball the pro-exy team MSBY Black Jackals (ft Andreil and some rabbits). Details like team line up and positions, alt jerseys, layers and some backstories beneath the cut.

So, our team line up and some details (and yes, I do have a colour coded spreadsheet to keep track of all this, which Neil and Sakusa constantly mess up by being the wrong year for their age bc they're babies, but ages are rough because no everyone has a declared birthday/age) with some art breaks between:

#4 Captain Meian Shuugo - 29, backliner, 5yrs MSBY, 5yrs college, from one of the country's best high school teams, 1 season as captain, trying really hard to be mature and not find everyone's antics funny, eternal rival to Hirugami Fukurou, captain of the champions, the Alders.

#20 V.Captain Hirugami Shouko - 26, backliner, 2yrs MSBY, 5yrs college, from another top high school, middle child of 2 pro-exy players (two of the earliest adopters before it got big, probably ppl who went to uni with Tetsuji and Kayleigh), younger sister of Alders captain Fukurou, joined the Jackals out of desire to say fuck you to her older brother.

#2 Amani Kanoka - 23, striker, rookie MSBY, 5yrs college, from a private all girls high school that became the best in the country, known as the Queens of Exy, very shy, has a lot of confidence issues, that she handles by being the best on court.

#5 Nathaniel Wesninski - 24, striker, MSBY rookie, 1yr Baltimore Wildcats, 4.5 yrs EAU Ravens, 0.5yrs PSU Foxes, joined the Foxes after only a year playing in a nowhere team but was quickly poached by the Ravens at Christmas that year and was a regular member the team the next year under his real name, very flighty, big fan of secrets, no idea how to handle the Jackals' chaos (they're like the Foxes but without the trauma).

#12 Bokuto Koutarou - 24, striker, 1yr MSBY, 5yrs college, one of the top 5 strikers in Japan in high school, another top high school team, ultimate himbo, might have committed tax fraud, has a word of the day calendar he's trying really hard to use properly, known for super sharp angle shots and for just bodying people and the ball.

#15 Sakusa Kiyoomi - 22, striker, rookie MSBY, 5yrs college, championship highschool team several yrs running, one of the top 3 strikers in Japan in high school, collegiate MVP, Team Japan 2016 squad, Team Japan U19 rep, grumpy baby, very into properly folded handkerchiefs, do not touch, preferably do not interact outside of court, speak to him via his adorable cousin or not at all unless saving him from bugs.

Halfway through the team stats, time for some art. The Away Colours! Maybe the racquets change to white too, idk I couldn't be bothered to recolour them though.

Ok, back to the second half of the team:

#3 Andrew Minyard - 25, goalkeeper, 2yrs MSBY, 3yrs USC Trojans, 2yrs PSU Foxes, best goalkeeper and rookie awards during his rookie season, didn't really tell anyone his plans after university just kind of vanished, only told a handful of people he'd signed for a team, Neil thought he was dead, he has a motorcycle now because city traffic is awful on his sports cars and the stadium is walking distance, sometimes plays defensive dealer.

#6 Inunaki Shion - 26, goalkeeper, 4yrs MSBY, 3yrs college (dropped out to go pro), middling high school only competed nationally once, the vodka aunt of the team, here to get people drunk, instigate drama with the monsters and then sit back and laugh, actually very soft on the youngsters, tolerates stupid nicknames like Inu-san and Wan-san (never get tired of that being translated Mr Dog and Mr Woof).

#9 Adriah Tomas - 27, backliner, 1yr MSBY, a transfer from European leagues, surprisingly fast for his size, just happy to be here, comes across as a bit of an airhead, but is usually right next to Inunaki instigating chaos and then pretending he doesn't understand the language enough to know what happened.

#10 Oliver Barnes - 30, backliner, 2yr MSBY, Team USA 2016/2012 Olympic squads, transfer from America, big friendly softie, dad of the team, actual dad of a 5yo girl, starting to consider retirement into coaching so is happy to spend the end of his elite career with these idiots.

#13 Miya Atsumu - 23, offensive dealer, 5yrs MSBY, Team Japan 2016 Olypmic squad, Team Japan U19 rep, from a top high school, considered the best dealer in Japan in high school, signed straight from high school, a particularly offensive dealer, easily doubles as striker, all rounder (all Jackals are all rounders but the dealers in particular), demanding and thoughtless jerk but not trying to be nasty, can come across as arrogant but is the first to accept his own mistakes.

#21 Hinata Shouyou - 22, defensive dealer, MSBY rookie, 2yrs playing street exy in Brazil, middling high school team on the rise, player backliner in high school despite wanting to be a striker, but learned to play all positions in Brazil, sometimes move position based on what team they're facing, general ray of sunshine, obsessed with exy, does meditation and yoga in the sunrise preferably on a beach.

Ok, team done, have some more art because yes, I did layer these team pics up slowly from the base dri-fit layers to the armour/padding to the jerseys.

The Jackals provide uniform everything from base layers to padding to anything like compression sleeves, knee/arm pads and everything else. Armour is provided by them to ensure it's up to regulation and team standards, the Jackals require some kind of shoulder padding (most of the team has detachable shoulder pads, while Bokuto and Sakusa who prefer more shoulder rotation and just more coverage respectively, where seperate bicep/shoulder pads). I've talked more about armour on older wip posts, but they're based on lacrosse chest pads. Brief version: strikers were shorter, around the vitals, backliners generally are longer on the sides to protect the ribs, goalies have more coverage because duh, and dealers wear whatever they like. Every single one has either hollow rigid or extra padded piece over the centre of the chest because, especially in younger players, a ball to the chest can stop your heart.

And there we go!

[otdiaftg]

The press comes by for interviews and footage. Neil remembers Allison's advice to be honest and attempts to answer as much as he can stomach. He avoids some of the more awful questions by reminding them there is still an ongoing investigation into his father's businesses. He doesn't expect them to back down, but they get the hint after a couple tries and move on to other things. Unsurprisingly they ask about the extent of his injuries. Neil confirms he'll be out of Friday's game but will be back on the court for semifinals. His unflagging confidence in the Foxes' ability to proceed earns him a grin here and a nod there and establishes that, Nathaniel or Neil or whoever, the Foxes' mouthy rookie is the same person he's always been.

Day: Wednesday, March 20th / 21st* Time: 4:00 PM EST

*Due to the Leap Year, I have opted to highlight the day rather than the date to keep the events in occurrence to the 2007 year. I will continue to mark both days accordingly.

[plaidcouches]

Chapter 1 of my newest AFTG fic, A Crime of Passion, is out now! Updates daily.

Summary:

Special Agent Andrew Minyard, a rookie FBI agent, has been assigned as an undercover agent on the extremely high-profile Wesninski/Moriyama case. Posing as a freshman at Palmetto State University, Andrew's job is to get close to Nathan Wesninski's only son, Nathaniel, as a way of learning more about the crime family and finding ways to expose them and bring the Yakuza to justice. But when Andrew arrives to campus and meets his mark for the first time, he's surprised by Neil's kind and sweet personality, forcing Andrew to consider that the son of the infamous Butcher is not who he expected. The more Andrew works to uncover the innerworkings of the Wesninski & Moriyama crime families, the more Andrew falls for Neil, and puts himself, and others, at risk of exposure.

[maspers]

Ranking the Miracucast by how they'd react to being chosen as the next holder of One For All

Marinette: She would scream and cry and do everything in her power to avoid becoming the next Symbol of Peace. She would then proceed to be one of the most beloved and powerful Heroes the world has ever seen. 9/10

Alya: Depends on when she gets the Quirk. Early Seasons Alya is all about fame and branding, and she'd be loved by the populace as a hero but make a decent amount of rookie mistakes. Late Seasons Alya would be way more competent as a One For All user, but she also knows how to keep things subtle. I can see her becoming an Underground Hero like Eraserhead. Either way, 7/10

Adrien: Yes. 10/10

Nino: He would be very confused as to why he's being chosen, but if his friends were in danger he'd do it. Would much prefer to focus on his music than hero work, and as such would be known for the former more than the latter. 3/10

Chloe: She would try so, so, so hard to be the ultimate superhero that everyone loves. Unfortunately we saw how that went down in canon. She has the potential to great things, but motives will always be a serious problem for her. 4/10

Sabrina: Getting One For All might be what it takes to get her out of her shell. She'd never reach the fame and reputation that All Might and Deku have, but she would treat her powers with utmost respect and very few people would have bad things to say about her as a hero. 7/10

Mylene: She would be very confused, and very scared, and honestly would probably reject the Quirk outright. If forced to take it she'd be great, but I just can't see her wanting to hold on to it. She prefers to change the world in other ways. 3/10

Ivan: Everyone would doubt him due to making assumptions, but he would surpass them all and come into his own as a beloved and respected hero, albeit one that's pretty intimidating. He wouldn't really focus on quirks other than the super strength, but hey, it worked for All Might! 8/10

Rose: Be afraid. Be very afraid. 6/10

Juleka: Guaranteed to be more of the Underground hero type. Possibly might go full vigilante. She would use the Quirks very differently than most would expect, so people won't make the connection to past One For All holders. She does not want to have a body count, but definitely has one. 6/10

Kim: Kim is a total doofus who would immediately gain a rep as a reckless hero who causes lots of collateral damage but makes up for it by just trying really hard. Deep down he will feel unworthy and self-conscious. Local Himbo has internal turmoil and Does Not Deserve It. 5/10

Max: Would reject the Quirk outright and only accept it in the most dire of circumstances. Max does not want a messy complicated Quirk like One For All. Max likes simple and efficient, stuff he can manipulate from the get go. One For All is not simple. Give it to someone else. 0/10

(side note: while Max does not want One For All, Markov absolutely does, and finding a way to give Markov One For All would make for an interesting challenge. But Max still isn't taking it.)

Alix: Would politely decline taking it. Because she's already received it (and passed it on after engaging in brief shenanigans with it) in the future, and knows it is not her battle to fight in the present. Alix/10

Nathaniel: Please let this poor boy have some sleep. He is very tired and very angry and accepted the Quirk on impulse and really doesn't want to do this. Eventually manages to figure out his niche being a artist/spraypaint hero (Alix helps), and may or may not accidentally trigger the downfall of a corrupt government. 7/10

Lila: She obtained it under false pretenses and we are all doomed. There's a slim chance she'll do some hero work for the sake of her image, but like. The cons will definitely outweigh the pros. This was a mistake. 1/10

Luka: Accepted One For All during a time of great need, and knew the moment he received it that it was something Important. He puts on a front of being chill, but treats his work as a Hero with the utmost of seriousness and will do what has to be done. Like his sister, he would actively strive to not have a body count, but definitely would have one. 9/10

Kagami: She's a superhero with a sword. Awesomeness is the default. She will have no idea what she is doing but like. She has a sword. Stuff is getting done. 7/10

Marc: Look, you know Worm? You know Legend? One For All Marc would be like Legend except less hunk and more bishonen. The fangirls and fanboys will rejoice. Marc does not want all the attention, but he has it anyway. 6/10

Ondine: Kim accepts his role as the ultimate trophy boyfriend. Ondine would be competent, but she would also create even more collateral damage. 5/10

Aurore (New!): If there's one thing she knows, it's branding. She may not be known as a particularly powerful hero, but her branding would be top notch. When people figure out she's the latest successor she will OWN it and turn it into more branding. 5/10

Felix: Was likely offered One For All by someone who thought he was Adrien, and accepted it under that pretense. Would do a good job as a hero (and would give Adrien the credit in the process) but would figure out how to use all the Quirks very quickly and have a gig as a vigilante going on under a different identity, using different quirks to keep people in the dark. Very sus, Felix. You can be better than this. 2/10

Zoe: Look the populace would pick up on the fact that she's blonde and associated with America and immediately assume she's related to All Might. That's just going to happen. All Might will basically have to end up adopting her, if he's still around. She does not like this, but makes it work. 6/10

[nateslehky]

Top 5 natecale moments

this was hard because really just their general state of ~existing~ is what does it for me but i tried my best!

the hug after the stanley cup win. the head cradle? the smoosh? the way they go back for a second hug? the everything? so tender so soft? i--the genuine SQUEAK i let out upon first watching it.

nate just constantly gushing about him?? like for actual years?? there are so many interviews i could link it's obscene. one of my faves that i'll also include here is last year when they were talking about the ea rankings and nate was told cale's and he just goes "that's trash" all serious. like YES it is trash tell them nathaniel

their stupid ass tnt interview recently where biz i think was chirping nate about his suits and cale was like "no haha nate actually told ME that he bought this suit just for the night" the way they giggle and touch each other and then they walked down the red carpet together actually made me insane. that's boyfriend behavior!!

nate defending cale yeah yeah yeah

cale scoring his first goal in his first game assisted by nate and then nate being impressed afterwards like this goddamn rookie comes in and is sometimes the best player on the ice, even better than nate, i just know that did it for him.

tbh it's less about individual moments with these two (though there are plenty) and more about the general ~narrative~ surrounding them. they both love the game so much and take it so seriously, but while nate is so fiery and emotional, cale is so calm and steady--basically the exact opposite and compliment. but also!! they are two of THE most talented players in the game. like cale is genuinely probably even better than nate and one of the only people nate can genuinely learn from and also vice versa for cale. and for someone like nate who lives and breathes hockey there is definitely something to be said about having another player that can genuinely push him to be better not just because he always WANTS to be better but because he HAS to with cale. they push each other to be the best versions of themselves both on and off the ice and idk i just think that's really sweet.

i could go ON and ON but they were my first hrpf love and remain my first hrpf love.

ask me top five anything!

[pokemon-blightblur]

Nathaniel Blake, The Hero of Ideals

Type : Electric / Dragon

Nature & Characteristic : Rash , good perseverance

Hometown : Aspertia City, Unova

Bio :

A rookie trainer from Aspertia City- his mother was a trainer and nurse back in the day, and told him stories of heroes when he was young. Witnessing Team Plasma's theft of his friend's Pokemon, he decided he wanted to become a hero himself. He's overly excitable and eager to start his journey, but means well and has a big heart. He is childhood friends with Hugh and Rosa. He lives with his mother at Aspertia City, as well as a few Pokemon from his mother's days as a trainer at Hoenn; a Delcatty, Manectric, and Grumpig.

Team : Emboar, Leavanny, Delcatty, Zoroark, Eelektross, Jellicent

Birthday & Horoscope : March 14 , Alomomola

Lucky Item : Casteliacone

[dweepgwooves]

So, I wrote this a while ago...

But now I have a tumblr so I thought why not post it here? I will post half of the first chapter, so you decide if you like it or not. Also the first chapter is long af.

Backs bruised and fingers broken on AO3

“Nathaniel” was all he heard through the phone. He’d never held one before, let alone use it and it was odd he thought, that all the days events would lead up to this.

Nathaniel was alone in the nest, or as alone as one could be, with the security guards all over the nest and the rookies sleeping away in their rooms, but he considered himself alone. There was no master tonight, no Jean, no Kevin and certainly no Riko. He had considered himself lucky to be left alone for once, but now he wasn’t sure he was liking it at all.

The team was out, Christmas banquet on its full glory. He could almost imagine it, with all the stories Jean had whispered to him in the middle of the night. Riko and Kevin sitting all proper and nice in the middle of the table, taking all the attention sitting in their plastic chairs and in their black suits on. Talking bullshit about exy as if it wasn’t the vain of Nathaniel’s existence, their little tattoos shinning from their faces, thinking they were above everything else.

The day had started bad and somehow ended even worse, but now he was on his splendour, lying in bed with no one nagging at him. His sore muscles relaxed from the warm shower he’d taken and comfortably lying in his pyjamas. It couldn’t get any better. So of course, something had to go wrong.

“Nathaniel” he heard again. He’d never used a phone before, so when the thing had started ringing from the air vent in the bathroom he’d been scared to death. Jean had gotten the phone from a girl in his class that was way too interested in him having one. Nathaniel had stashed it away in the vent because they had nowhere else to hide it, their room was a big no, Riko almost always trashed their place in his fits of rage and there was nowhere outside to put it, so that little hole had been it.

He didn’t understand why they needed one, in fact they had no one to call, they had no contacts except from the girl, who Jean never called. Also there was no reason for it, in fact it gave the master and Riko another excuse to beat the living hell out of them.

Now he knew.

“What?” Nathaniel answered after a while.

“Nathaniel” jean said in a whispery hush.

“What Jean, what?” Nathaniel said exalted, this whole thing had him on edge. This was all unexpected and he didn’t know how he was supposed to react. Had something happened? Was Jean hurt? Why was he calling? How was he even calling? From where did he get a phone and why was he allowed to use it?

“Get up” said Jean. Nathaniel stood up from the little hole he had made in the bed.

“I’m up, now what happened?”

“it’s Kevin” Jean whispered, he sounded grim and Nathaniel swallowed the lump in his throat, there were so many possibilities, out of all the things Kevin could have done, what was it that prompted the call.

“What did he do?” and a thought struck. He said something about us. Nathaniel inhaled a shaky breath. But what had they done wrong?

“he” there was a pregnant pause where neither of them dared to speak “Riko broke Kevin’s hand” and so the dam broke, and the world seemed to stop because there was nothing that could have prepared him for that. A shudder passed through him as his head raced in thought.

Kevin, the prodigy son of exy, Kevin that only lived for and because of exy, Kevin the striker, the best striker there was got his hand broken. And it shouldn’t have been as surprising as it was. He should have at least expected it. The events of today had been out of the ordinary, they had been, in retrospective, detrimental. Today’s game had been a battle and at the same time a court, deciding which side was on the right. There had just been so much talk going around lately, inside and outside the nest. Forums, sports magazines and networks saying, repeating, what if? But inside the nest there was no what if, Riko was the best, he was number one and that was final. Riko was king. But talk still seemed to go around. And so, the match had happened, and it had been the end for all. There shouldn’t have been a match, and Kevin, he shouldn’t have won. But he had and he had played amazingly, he had ran across the court like his life depended on it, he’d made impossible goals and lit the whole court red. After that Riko had just left and everyone seemed to forget about it, but the air still held that tense quietness.

There was no chit chat, there was no feedback, even the master had stayed quiet. And that had been a sentence of it all. To whom, at the moment seemed unclear, but now it was obvious who would have to take the fall for the other one to rise.

“Nathaniel, you need to get out of there” but he couldn’t hear him, his ears still ringing from the news. Maybe the shock had passed but the grief was still there. It may have been the fact that perhaps deep down he still cared about Kevin, despite his reluctant persona to show it. Maybe he just cared about Kevin, maybe he cared about his Kevin, not the one who beat him in the court, not the one that looked down on him as he got cut up and looked happy about it. His Kevin, the innocent child who loved exy, that would play with him in his free time, the one that cared about him back. Maybe he still cared about Kevin, even when he wouldn’t admit it, not even to himself, it may be that that got his guts turning and bile crawling up his throat. perhaps it was the prospect that if Kevin got his hand broken there was no limit now, Riko was truly and fully unhinged.

“You need to get out of there” Jean said, but there was no response “Nathaniel- Nat” at that his head snapped and he took a deep breath, he couldn’t let himself go on that route yet, he couldn’t grieve what wasn’t his. Nathaniel wasn’t one of Kevin’s fans, the one who would give anything for him. He was his own person; he couldn’t let himself be beat down because of Kevin.

“yes” he responded.

“you’ve got to get out of there” jean said in a stern tone.

“What? Why?” asked Nathaniel, why would he get out of the nest, how was that even possible. He couldn’t even dream of it. His head was still turning, slowly trying to catch up to Jean’s words.

“I’m helping Kevin get out. I’m giving him to the foxes”

“What, Palmetto? You’re sending him to Wymack?” Nathaniel asked.

“What else am I supposed to do? At least Wymack cares about him” they both knew the explanation should be left unsaid. They both knew about the situation, they had been there to live it.

The morning Kevin walked through their door holding a piece of paper and crying had been a life changer, at least for Kevin. though they never spoke of it, it was a constant reminder that Kevin had someone out there who could love him, he could possibly have a home, a place he belonged to. But dreams were dreams, not realities. Word never got out about that letter, and they all knew it was for the best. Riko not knowing about Kevin’s dad, believing that Kevin was an orphan much like himself aided their relationship in a fucked up sort of way. They were equals, at least in family, both without parents, alienated, only to fend for themselves. It was good for Kevin too, all up until he found that letter, he’d thought he had a brother, no matter how cruel he was, having someone to be by your side, to not be alone. Kevin feared loneliness, even when everyone surrounded him.

That letter became a secret, a lethal one.

“Nat you need to leave, Riko’s going home soon and he’s feral” but wasn’t he always? Walking down the dark hallways of the nest, chest out and head high, as if he owned everything, as if he owned them. Even if in a way he did. between his father selling him off and the hits with racquets, the yells, the vowing down.

Riko was a wild card no matter how you looked at it, he was a monster born and raised. When riko would sneak into the room he shared with Jean, making him hold Nathaniel down as he cried, cutting slowly into his skin, yelling at him for whatever stupid remark Nathaniel had made in court, making his regret it. Nathaniel would scream until he had no voice, begging him to just stop.  Only to receive “Call me king and I’ll stop Nathaniel, just say it”. But he wouldn’t, blood clogging his throat, choking as he tried to swallow, because as much as he owned them, his father’s pain and his mother’s snarky tone were engraved in him and no amount of cuts could take it out of his blood. So Nathaniel would smirk and spit in his face only for the pain to start all over again.

“Jean, he’s always like that” Nathaniel said in a low voice. He didn’t want to be heard even when he knew that everyone was sleeping or too far way from the room to hear.

“You don’t understand, Nat. he’s about to lose Kevin. he already broke somebody’s nose. He’d fighting the master now” but there was no way, was it? To get out of this place, escape, finally. Flee the nest that was built like a fortress, his own personalized piece of hell.

“fuck” he whispered, and there was silence, because finally he was getting it. The call, the timing, everything. He wasn’t there but he understood the situation all too well.

“Jean I can’t” he whispered; his voice shaky. He wanted to, God, he wanted to so bad. But the logistics were impossible. The front doors were guarded apart from the police roaming campus. there was the whole Moriyama deal dangling above his head. He was merchandise, an object, a thing. He and Jean were not people, they were profit. And if they left- there was no chance he could ever leave.

“Get out of there. Just run” and now that the seed was planted, there was no going back. All he had to do was run, just like his mom had said years ago, just like he and Jean had dreamed millions of times when they shared a bed, when they were kids. Whispering in each other’s ears, afraid the master would brake into their room and drag them to the court. All he needed to do was pass those doors and make a run for it. It was a stupid idea, it was all stupid in general, he’d gotten the bad end of Riko’s wrath before, but it’d always been for petty things. Now though it was about to get him killed. But he decided that if he was going to die, he’d rather it be out of his own volition than because of Riko’s temper tantrum.

“But Jean, what bout you?” Nathaniel worried his split lip, biting at it and making it bleed. He looked around their room and took out his duffle bag. His eyes were watery, because he knew Jean, he was as much of a self-sacrificing idiot as he was. And he already knew what he was about to say.

“It doesn’t matter, you just- you need to leave” Jean said back.

“Jean, no, I can’t leave you” he pleaded, he knew there was nothing he could do, but he ought to try.

“don’t worry about me, you know he can’t do that much to me. It won’t be that bad” his voice was hurried and there were people talking in the background, the sound of a door opening and the turning of an engine.

“I can’s leave without you, Jean please” he felt weak at the knees. What about Jean? He couldn’t leave without him; he had been there since forever almost. Jean was a part of him now, he couldn’t just leave him behind, not to fall into Riko’s arms.

 “Jean” but he wasn’t listening. He heard him talking to someone else from his side of the phone. Then he heard a stutter in his breath and-

“Nat, you better not be there when I get to the nest” and he hung up. Nathaniel was on the ground; he didn’t know when he fell but there was no getting him back up. He was basically leaving Jean to die. How was that possible. How had it come to this? 

Jean’s voice hung to the air for a while as Nathaniel gave himself a second to miss him.

Then he stood up. There was no point in wallowing, he had something to do. So, he turned around and put as much shit as he could in his duffle bag and left.

There was no one to see him leave. 

The world outside the nest was something Nathaniel thought he would never get to see again. Not like this, not with his body filled with wounds and all alone. When he and Jean dreamt of running away, their backs bruised from the hits the master had given them and their faces smudged with ink from the numbers Riko had written in marker, cuddled up in one bed, trying and failing not to cry, they envisioned something that, looking back now, was impossible.

At first, they used to dream of their parents coming back for them, even when for Nathaniel it was impossible. Maybe Jean’s mother, taking a plane to America with his sister, sneaking into the nest, taking him from the Moriyamas and leaving. Being free and loved. Far away from what tormented them.

For Nathaniel it was a little bit more farfetched, even in their imaginary thinking.

“Maybe” he voiced to Jean. His hand clutching the others shirt. “Maybe she’s alive. I mean, think about it Jean, she had a whole plan. Maybe she got away and is with my uncle. Trying to get me back. Safe.”

“Perhaps” Jean had said. His face grim. He knew. They both knew it would never happen. But sometimes, when the Master was in his office, and Riko and Kevin in their room, they let themselves be kids for a moment. Let their imagination run wild, to imagine a world where they were both safe, and with their mothers. A moment where they could cry and hug without getting yelled at, without having to perform.

“I never saw her body, I- Jean, why didn’t I see her body?”

When they grew up, those dreams where gradually left behind. Someone saving them then became a plan in asking for help.

“we’ll get a phone and call the police; they’d have to do something right?” Jean’s accent was still heavy, the accentuation in weird places making his words sound funny.

“Mhh” Nathaniel’s face was turned towards the pillow, his hair covering his eyes, Jean knew they were closed. 

“Nathaniel”

“Mhhh” he moved his face. He had a black eye, just like Jean and a split lip, but somehow it just made his face look younger in comparison to Jean’s, in which the bruise made him look older, his eyes darker than they truly were, his features sharper.

It was easy to forget their own ages sometimes. When they were supposed to act like rookies, better than them even. But their own faces reminded them, looking in the mirror after practices, curating their wounds, just how small they actually were. 

“we’ll just run” Jean said and squished his hand.

“Yes Jean. We’ll run” and squished back

Going up the stairs to the roof had been easy, he had gotten the idea from one of the ravens. One of them had said something about an emergency exit, and Nathaniel had overheard because of course he had, he was nothing short of interested in all things related to the nest and its nooks.

Nathaniel didn’t know he had filed up that information until he had stood before the threshold of the Nest’s front doors, the ones that lead upstairs and then outside and thought to himself “there’s no way in hell I’m scaping through that”. Then an idea had come to mind. The roof. And of course, the roof it had been. After that it was just going up the stairs and crawling down from the emergency exit ladder. Easy. Maybe too much so.  It had thrown him off. He had expected something, anything at that point to chase him, grab him from the back, taken him to the master, even when he knew the master wasn’t even in the nest, beat him black and blue. It was confusing to think he had been trapped there for eight years, craving the outside, the sunlight, the fresh air. When he could just as easily gone up there had escaped.

“How?” he voiced to himself. How was it that easy?

As he stood in the side of the stadium for the first time in what felt like months Nathaniel felt the wind on his face and saw the sky. The sky, dark and beautiful. No stars were out but it didn’t matter. For years he had been in the nest, with the black walls and furniture and clothes and everything, everywhere he looked it felt oppressive, as if a hand were personally constricting his chest all the time, but here the dark sky gave a sense of infiniteness. He could go anywhere and be anyone as long as he was under the sky and not the punishing hand of Tetsuji and Riko.

If he was under this sky, he was free

Nathaniel ran, past campus, past the dorms and into the main street. He hadn’t seen it in years. There he stood, hand out and waiting, internally hoping, praying to anything beyond him that a car would pass and take pity upon him. But the night was cold, and few cars were out.

Obviously. he thought to himself, what idiot is outside late at night days before Christmas?

But after a while a car pulled up to the side of the road. Two girls were on it, and he guessed they were students at Evermore, with the hoodies they were wearing and the stickers in the car.

“Where can we take you cutie?” the girl in the passenger side spoke.

“Where can you get me?” Nathaniel answered. The girl driving smirked.

“Well, we’re going to the airport, down the highway. Maybe we can drop you on the bus station?”

“Yes, that’d do” he said and got in. Inside the car was warm, and filled with bags and suitcases, also the floor of the car was covered in what seemed to be blankets and jackets. He left his duffle on the floor and tried not to step on anything.

“Excuse the mess, we´re just going out of state, so obviously we’re taking lots of stuff” the blonde commented with a giggle. “Where are you going?” the driver asked.

“Out of state too” he responded with a shrug. In the background some pop song was playing, and both girls were bopping their heads along to the beat.

“well, we’re going to Ohio, I have family there so we thought why not spend Christmas at home?” as the blonde rambled Nathaniel tried to put a story together, something to not make him look suspicious, but also something that satisfied their curiosity enough to make them not ask too many questions.

“I’m going to Florida” the blonde turned on his seat and looked at him, wide eyed. “yeah I know a bit far” he said with a chuckle. Willing his body to relax and act more natural.

“Do you have family there?” the driver asked. She looked through at him through the rear-view mirror, an eyebrow cocked up. Nathaniel leaned against the door.

“Yes, some family is taking me in” he responded with a frown.

“Taking you in? oh honey what happened?” Internally though he was grinning from ear to ear.

So, the poor me angle actually works, huh?

Though he felt a little bit bad for lying to them, they seemed like nice people, picking him up from the side of the road and asking questions about his life, his safety came first, and honestly he couldn’t go around yelling to people at the top of his lungs that the mafia was after him. If the Moriyamas were to track him down and somehow get to the girls, it was better if they didn’t know anything. With the lie he was not only helping himself but them too. He felt a little better with that knowledge.

“Not much really, got kicked out. The usual”

“Aww, well I hope you get there safely” she answered at the same time the driver said “we’re here”

Nathaniel sighed. Finally, he thought. He had been anxious to get out of the car since he had gotten in. It felt as if they were going 5 mph and he needed to get as far as he could from the nest as soon as humanly possible.

Also, there were millions of questions running in his head and he couldn’t seem to get a possible answer to one before another slip into his mind. Had the ravens arrived already? Had Riko and the master noticed he had left? How was jean? had he gotten beaten? Had they sent people after him? And if yes, who’s? Riko’s or from the main family?

But he couldn’t focus on them. At least not yet, he had to get his shit together and keep himself focused. Get on a bus and out of the state. That simple, or at least he let himself believe that.

If you make it more complicated than it needs to be, you’re helping no one Nathaniel.

“Thank you for the ride. I owe you” Nathaniel said as he got out of the car. They were in the parking lot, a few feet from the entrance to the place.

Outside was freezing compared to the warmth of the car, and the wind was strong, blowing hair into his face and mouth as he tried to speak.

“Hey, kid” He turned around and the girl in the driver seat had her hand stretched out to outside the car, trying to give something to him.

“What?” he inched closer, and she thrusted the item at him.

“Take care, okay?” he nodded as they closed the window and smiled at him.

He looked. It was money. 20 bucks to be exact.

Lucky me

[cobwebcorner]

thoughts on honeypot missions? perhaps starring leon?

Well anon that's not the kind of thing I usually think about, but I've been sitting here making all the kombucha girl faces about this for the past 5 minutes, so I'll humor you. Having seen what fandom tends to do with honeypot missions (something goes wrong and the operative either gets raped or rescued, which I'm big shrug about in both cases), I'm not really about it.

HOWEVER. I see the potential for this to be really, really funny, if played completely straight in universe as more than just a thin excuse for smut.

Let's focus on Leon and consider the kinds of enemies he deals with.

First: BOWs! I've touched on this before, but the majority of BOWs possess neither genitals nor sexual desire! Do not attempt to seduce the BOWs. It's not very effective. You'll do much better with an actual rocket in your pocket.

Second: Bioweapons dealers / bioterrorists! Not that different from regular criminals and terrorists, just more theatrical and often equipped with tragic backstories. Leon can usually charm people by existing in their vicinity for long enough, but when it comes to active seduction I'm afraid his canon attempts are bumbling at best. Still, he might pull this off if he's able to play up the boyish puppy-dog act from his rookie days.

Third: Evil mad scientists! Now here you might really have something. Resident Evil brand scientists have little resistance to charisma and tend to be so far up their own asses that they're oblivious to anyone opposing them. I can easily see Leon waltzing into some kind of secret conference, turning the charm on, and accidentally seducing no less than 5 scientists in under 10 minutes, 2 of whom are now having a bisexual crisis. This would work if--very important--he's able to contain his snark. It might be best if a 2nd agent is nearby to spritz him with water when no one's looking.

Now unfortunately, knowing Leon's luck, he's not going to get assigned to trap a Luis Serra type or an Albert Wesker type. No, he'd probably get stuck trying to seduce a crusty old James Marcus type, or a goddamn Nathaniel Bard. Do you really want to put him through that, anon? Isn't his life hard enough? They're going to talk his ears off for hours with gloating about how important they are and how badly they understand the mechanics of evolution. He's trying to lead them to a secondary location so he can knock them out and take their documents but they keep stopping to talk some more about the latest monster they made in a way that makes it blisteringly clear they desire it carnally, and Leon is in hell.

Anyway I think Leon would need some serious training from someone like Ada before trying a honeypot mission, because cute though he may be that boy could not seduce his way out of a paper bag.

[rookie-critic]

City of Angels (1998, dir. Brad Silberling) - review by Rookie-Critic

The third stop on my Nicolas Cage weekly movie nights was an odd choice. After two absolutely unhinged films like Con Air and Face/Off, why would my friends' next choice be a rom-com between Cage and Meg Ryan that happens to be a remake of a beloved 80s film by auteur Wim Wenders? The answer was simple: The song "Iris" by The Goo Goo Dolls was written for this movie, and that was intriguing enough to give it a slot, and honestly I'm the kind of person who wants to devour an actor's entire filmography, especially for an actor like Nicolas Cage, so I didn't mind at all. I didn't have super high expectations going into this one, I'd never even heard of it before and, looking at the reviews, they didn't seem too favorable. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how well written, well acted, and just generally well made this was.

Cage and Ryan both give absolutely stellar performances, with Cage actually managing to draw a tear out of me with a line delivered towards the end of the film. Special shout out should also go to Dennis Franz, who is unforgettable as Nathaniel Messinger in the film. While the story may seem a tad ridiculous on the surface; an angel wants to become mortal after falling in love with a human woman, the film does a very good job of bringing that frankly wacky premise down to Earth and making it believable within the rules the movie sets up for itself. I know I've already mentioned that Cage gives a stellar performance in this, but I don't think I've really sold it enough, so I'm going to keep talking about it. This isn't Cage unhinged, this is Cage subdued. It's such a straight-laced, non-bombastic performance that I'm not sure I've ever seen out of him before. Even taking Pig into account, which by all metrics is a more subdued performance from his average outing, still has aspects to it that are wacky, and only one scene in this entire film sees Cage approaching his normal levels of insanity, but even then it fits within the confines of the character. I know that a lot of the charm surrounding Nicolas Cage is his crazed, frantic acting, but when I see him in films like this, like Pig, it makes me a little sad, because I know that he's more than capable of giving a truly incredible performance. One that's memorable for how good his acting is as opposed to how bizarre and bonkers it is, which, again, has its own charm and appeal. I don't necessarily want Cage's reputation as a wildman actor to go away, I don't want his legacy to consider how genuinely talented he is, as well.

While I don't understand the Tomatometer's 57% for this film (inversely to how I don't quite understand Face/Off's 92%), there are aspects of it that don't work for me. For one, while the dialogue is amazing, Ryan and Cage have absolutely no chemistry. Cage is definitely not the rom-com scene partner that Tom Hanks is to Ryan, and it shows. It really is their chemistry because, as I stated earlier, their performances are both stellar, but I just got nothing in the romance department out of them. Another lackluster piece of this puzzle is that it does lean over into overly sappy territory more than once, for sure. A lot of the music cues, while the songs themselves are good, were almost too much. One in particular, when Sarah McLachlan's "Angel" plays during a pivotal romance scene, was actually too much. This very possibly could be because of that song's connection to the ASPCA commercials from the mid-2000s, and if that is that case I can't really hold that against the film, but the on-the-nose nature of the song's titular line and the style of music it is was more of a hindrance than a help, as was the case for the scene where "Iris" plays.

One last thing I'll say in the con category is with a specific scene in the film in which we are shown flashes of black-and-white clips that don't really seem pertinent as well as black-and-white versions of things that had happened earlier in the movie. From what I understand, the black-and-white aspect of this is in reference to original Wim Wenders film, Wings of Desire, in which it is a major plot point that angels can't see color, which is all well and good except for the fact that this had never been established in City of Angels up to that point, which makes it very jarring and confusing as to why that was been presented that way. It also still doesn't answer what those other, unrelated clips were. The closest thing I think for them to be are shots from Wings of Desire that were placed there as a way to homage the original film, but I have no idea if that's true or not, and it still wouldn't make sense as to how they relate to Seth in this film. Regardless, City of Angels was great. It's one of the better genuinely fantastic performances I've seen out of Cage, the writing was awesome despite its leads' lack of chemistry, and most importantly, I had a fun time watching this with friends. What more can you ask for?

Score: 8/10

Currently available for rent/purchase on digital (iTunes, Amazon, Vudu, etc.) and on DVD & Blu-ray through Warner Bros./Regency.

[eldaryadiary]

Nathaniel: I don't have anger issues. I was just having a bad day.

Eric: You threatened to decapitate a man over a parking space.

Nathaniel: A very bad day.

[cafffine]

milo!! how are you?? happy baseball season :) i have a question for you. who do you think is the most underrated player in the mlb?

if this seems weird or random i'm asking because i'm applying for an r&d job at an unnamed mlb team and they have some fun questions at the end of the app and i cannot come up with anything for this one :)

aaa omg thats so exciting I hope you get it!!

I’m very good! Excited and stressed out about the new season lol, the Cub’s outlook is …… yeah anyway. also what a great question! that’s hard, I have a few answers I guess

1) if there’s ever a kuckleball pitcher activated it would be him, but there’s none rn so 😔 knuckleballers are just too important to the culture and absurdity of baseball to let go extinct

2) Rowdy Tellez of the Brewers. Yes this is biased bc i’m a Cubs fan so I saw him all the time, but he was scary. He hit 35 home runs last year which put him in a 3-way tie for #6 in both the AL and NL combined. He needs to get his ops and slg up, but if he can really commit to being a power hitter, it’ll be the end of the NL central - which he has time to do bc he’s young and a very engaging player which we always need

3) Nathaniel Lowe of the Rangers (this is less biased answer lol). He has almost identical stats to everyone’s favorite rookie Julio Rodriguez, but because he’s not a cute, young rookie playing for Seattle I don’t really see anyone talking about him outside of Texas (not a dig at Julio. I love Julio and I also talk about him way more than Lowe 🙃). He’s good as hell and he’s doing it all on a shitty team in a tough division. Hope he can do it again this year and maybe get an all-star nod - WAIT. I forgot that he did actually win the AL silver slugger for first base, but still, the attention around him is nothing compared to Goldschmidt who won it in the NL

hope that helps! thank you for letting me talk about baseball ♥️💙

[remembertheskittles]

10 characters

tagged by @skatingthinandice, thanks babe 😘😘 i’m going to try and pick different ones than i did last time 💖

rules: name 10 of your favourite characters from 10 different fandoms, then tag 10 people to do the same

eddie diaz - 911

jack rackham - black sails

kate sharma - bridgerton

jaskier - the witcher

lucy chen - the rookie

charles blake - downton abbey

aethelflaed - the last kingdom

gina porter - hsmtmts

jaws - james bond

nathaniel croker - ripper street

tagging: anyone who wants to do it <3

[princess-of-the-corner]

So I went back to do more of the EAH x Miraculous.

This time focusing more on the events than the characters. And the event that drives me crazy/positively is the Heart Struck event.

Anyway, I was faced with the dilemma that I don't have anyone from miraculous in that position. So for the moment until I decide, it's Marc, and make everything happen because he doesn't know how to ask Nathaniel out (who takes the role of the frog prince)

This event is where some of the duds are uncovered, are accidents with some couples...

But he is not entirely to blame.

Marinette : So, do you like Nathaniel?

Marc: yes, I'm sorry, I know you are engaged and that and I didn't want to lie to you about that and-

Marinette: don't worry, we'll make you have a date

Marc : wait, 'shall we?'

Adrien: let's do this!!

With the three of them doing their thing, ends the confusion by leaving behind some of Marc's things, including his arrows. That they are found by Iván who takes them for the rookies' shooting practice. Chaos breaks out after that.

Oh that's gonna go to hell real fast

[dankusner]

With Courage, Police Honored Fallen Officer

From the dispatcher to the police chief, Dallas department’s quick and skilled response was admirable

As the Dallas Police Department lays to rest slain Officer Darron Burks, we should reflect on the response of the department and Chief Eddie García in the minutes, hours and days after the officer’s killing.

Through their grief, Dallas police performed their jobs admirably, from the top brass down to the rank and file.

Yes, that is required of them, but it’s nonetheless remarkable given the shocking brutality of Burks’ killing.

Their quick action and steady flow of information calmed the nerves of an anxious public and kept us safe from a dangerous gunman.

Burks, 46, a rookie cop and former math teacher, was shot around 10:04 p.m. on Aug. 29 as he sat in his squad car outside an Oak Cliff nonprofit.

Moments later, police dispatcher Owen Larsen received a transmission from the officer, “sounds that you never want to hear,” García told us in an interview.

A brief groan was heard on radio traffic.

“It would have been understandable had the dispatcher not recognized this or had taken the time to call someone,” García said. Instead, “he was able to recognize that our brother needed help.”

Larsen called for backup.

Squad cars raced to the scene. Minutes later, Senior Cpl. Jamie Farmer and Senior Cpl. Karissa David were injured after exchanging gunfire with the suspect.

The gunman then fled in his car and bolted up Interstate 35E to Lewisville.

A chase ensued, and at 10:38 p.m., Dallas police Officers Nathaniel Baker, David Lem, Corie Reed, Richard Pace, Vladimir Perez and Joel Portillo shot and killed the gunman after he exited his car with a long gun.

Miraculously, no other officers were injured, nor were any members of the public as the dramatic scene played out on a busy freeway.

“When I saw the footage, I couldn’t have been prouder of those officers,” García said.

The chief said he first learned of the tragedy about an hour after the initial shooting when he received a call from his command staff while in Miami for a friend’s wedding.

As he was being driven to the airport by a local police officer, the Miami Police Department held a moment of silence for Burks. “I’ll never forget that,” the chief said.

At around the same time in Dallas, officers escorted Burks’ mother, Cherie Jeffrey, into the emergency room at Methodist Dallas Medical Center, flanked by two rows of saluting officers. By 3:15 a.m. Public Information Officer Kristin Lowman was holding a news conference in the hospital parking lot.

As García waited for his flight to take off in Miami, he posted simply, “No words.” on X, with a black stripe crossing a police badge. Forensic teams scoured the crime scenes.

Over the next few days, García, Lowman and the rest of the department worked around the clock to disseminate information about the shooting while also consoling grieving families and visiting the injured officers.

A visibly sad but composed García held a news conference the day after the killing, naming the suspect and providing a detailed timeline of the tragedy.

By Monday, the chief had released dash cam footage of the suspect’s final encounter with police, while behind the scenes the department’s Wellness Unit began helping officers through their trauma.

Burks, who by all accounts was a kind and caring man, “epitomized what we would want in a police officer, what any chief in the country would want in a police officer,” García told us.

The Dallas Police Department honored one of its own in the way it acted in the immediate aftermath of Burks’ killing.

May officers keep that courage and compassion top of mind in the tough days ahead.

DALLAS

Public lines up to pay respects

Former students, fellow officers attend visitation for Darron Burks

Aretha Foxx and her daughter, Ariel “Re Re” Gibson, arrived early, shielding their eyes from the setting sun as they walked to Watermark Community Church on Friday evening to pay their respects to Dallas police Officer Darron Burks.

Foxx and Gibson were among hundreds of mourners who came to pay their respects to Burks, who was shot and killed last week in Oak Cliff.

“It’s been a very long week,” said Foxx, 56. She described the death as a “wake-up call” that had her pulling her family in close.

Services for Burks began Friday evening with the public visitation and will continue Saturday morning with another visitation and his funeral.

The memorial services Friday and Saturday will bookend a mournful week for Dallas PD and the city.

Friday evening, a string of squad cars and police motorcycles lined Park Central Drive near the entrance to Watermark.

A black hearse was parked out front.

A few officers and mourners trickled in and out, some stopping at a large wreath beside an easel with Burks’ photo near the church’s entrance.

Police officers from across Texas came to pay their respects.

The services also drew law enforcement agencies from New York, Massachusetts, Illinois, Louisiana and more to the church Friday evening.

Among the mourners was Gibson, a former student, and her mother, Foxx.

They said they got to know Burks well when he was a teacher at Texans Can Academies, a charter school that helps students recover credits to graduate.

He taught Gibson mathematics and, as a basketball coach, supported her as a captain of the cheerleading squad.

“I was a parent [at the school], but he treated me like a sister,” Foxx said

With Burks’ help, Gibson graduated in 2010.

John Mack said he didn’t know Burks personally but wished he’d had the chance after hearing stories about him from his Omega Psi Phi fraternity brothers, of which both Mack and Burks were members.

”You never get 100% ‘he’s awesome’ from people,” Mack said.

“But I got that, 100%, from every person I know, and I have a lot of sources.”

Mack said he was drawn to the church to pay his respects. With everything he has heard, Mack figured that’s what Burks would have done.

Gifted flower bouquets and wreaths — from family members, fraternity brothers and sorority sisters, neighboring police associations, the Dallas Mavericks and others — made a walkway to the church’s auditorium.

Inside, a line to see Burks wrapped around the room.

The soulful notes of Chicago Mass Choir, Tramaine Hawkins and Kelly Price filled the hall.

The line moved quickly, with some stops so law enforcement officers could salute Burks’ open, flag-draped casket.

Cheryl Thomas said her son attended Paul Quinn College and was a fraternity brother to Burks.

She came with her family to pay their respects. She said Burks looked peaceful in his casket despite “everything he’s been through.” ”Every picture in there they showed, he was praying,” Thomas said of the slideshows playing in the church.

At one point, as she spoke, she motioned upward.

“We know where he is now.”

As Burks’ family motioned to leave, officers stood to make a tunnel from the auditorium’s entrance to the outside.

They left the church parking lot, guided by a police escort.

Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday said Texas and United States flags can be lowered to half-staff Saturday in the city of Dallas.

The letter from the governor came after a request by Mayor Eric Johnson.

The funeral will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday.

The service will be live-streamed on Watermark’s website and the Dallas police Facebook page.

After the service, Burks will be interred during a private ceremony at Restland Funeral Home and Cemetery.

Burks, 46, was shot and killed the evening of Aug. 29 while sitting in his patrol vehicle near an Oak Cliff community center.

A vigil the next day drew hundreds of people.

Burks, a beloved former school teacher of 17 years, had pivoted to a career in law enforcement and had just completed his police training.

Former students and colleagues described him as a dedicated instructor and reliable friend.

Burks pledged Omega Psi Phi fraternity while attending Paul Quinn College.

It was there that Burks earned the nickname “Pure Dawg” for his reputation as a leader.

After shooting Burks, the suspect, identified as Corey Cobb-Bey, shot and injured two additional officers — Senior Cpl. Jamie Farmer and Senior Cpl. Karissa David — who responded to the scene.

Farmer was shot in the leg and has been released from the hospital. David, who was shot in the face, remained hospitalized Friday.

After the shooting, Cobb-Bey, 30, led police on a cross-city pursuit from Oak Cliff to Lewisville, where six Dallas officers fatally shot him after he stepped out of his sedan and raised a shotgun at officers, police said.

Earlier this week, Cobb-Bey’s father and an older brother expressed sympathies for the officers and their families. They said they were taken aback by Cobb-Bey’s actions. =