#short film: hazardous

[therogerclarkfanclub]

ROGER CLARK in:

HAZARDOUS (2022)

Written and Directed by Peter Filardi

Produced by Roger Clark and Alec Asten

Watch Hazardous on Roger's YouTube channel

( GIF Set: 7/7 )

[butchlifeguard]

small issue w nami is that i havent worn a skirt in 2 years and blue jeans in 3

[sexlapis]

[◉°] … NANAMI KENTO & Y/N BEING A COUPLE FOR 10 MINUTES STRAIGHT… 429k views

⁺ 🧃　 ♡ ₊﹒ ⌣

꩜: actor!nanami x actress!reader

⤷ a short compilation of y/n & nanami moments!

sfw, fluff, accidental kisses, ooc nanami kinda

. art credits to @/osusiudon on twitter

masterlists

*

౨ৎ first clip

“whereee is nanamiiii?” you whine, filming yourself as you walk around the set, trying to find your favourite cast member. you walk through a door. “nanamiii-oh there he is..”

you look surprised and then you tell the camera, “shhhh..nanami is asleep..”

you tiptoe towards where he lays passed out on a couch with his costume goggles right beside him. you turn the camera around to face nanami, his mouth agape as little snores passed through.

“awwww.. he looks so cute..”

you put the camera close to his face, making nanami look funny. “haha..i’m so keeping this-”

nanami snorts suddenly and shifts in a rapid movement, shocking you and making you drop your phone on his poor face.

“ahh!” you cry. fumbling ensues before you get your camera upright again, pointing it at a now awake, disappointed looking nanami, sitting up on the couch as he stares at you blankly. his hair is messy, tie askew and his eyes tired.

“sorry nanami…did i wake you??”

“…”

“…”

nanami sighs and rubs his eyes. “i don’t know _____. did you barge in here, record me and drop your phone on my face?”

“…oops?”

nanami stares at you some more and then you pat his head in apology.

“sorry, nanamin…”

he sighs again. “why are you like this…”

౨ৎ second clip

the paparazzi secretly filmed you and nanami exiting a store (which they had followed you both to). now of course, fans criticised said paparazzi, but after seeing the video themselves…they couldn’t be all that sad about it.

you and nanami walk out of the automatic doors, arms linked and nanami carries the shopping bag.

you’re eating your little treat, strolling with nanami to the sidewalk when he points to your shoes, noticing that your laces are undone.

he speaks and you just shrug, continuing to eat, uncaring of your unlaced shoes that are a hazard.

nanami has you hold the grocery bag temporarily and then kneels down and ties your laces securely, all the while you chew on your food and smile down at him.

he stands up and takes the bag from you to carry once more. you inaudibly talk before linking arms with him again and resting your head on his shoulder while you both walk away.

౨ৎ third clip

the director yells cut and you are immediately running towards nanami and throwing your arms around his shirtless waist, careful to avoid the very intricate, realistic body paint covering half of his body.

“nanami! please don’t dieeeee!” you cry, looking up at him, “who’s going to be my emotional support actor?”

nanami huffs and pats your back, “_____…i won’t disappear..i’ll still be on the set…”

“it’s not the same!” you grumble into his chest. “it’s like you died for real!”

“no it’s not. i’ll visit everyday until this series ends.”

“really?” you look up at him, eyes glossy, “you better not be lying. promise?”

“yes, i promise.” he sighs fondly.

“okay..”

still hugging him, you turn to look at the camera and blatantly check out his shredded torso and thick, strong arms. nanami just stands there, confused.

you rest your head on one of his pecs, looking at the camera and smiling. “i get to do this everyday, you know.”

nanami scoffs and shakes his head at you. you are unbelievable.

౨ৎ fourth clip

you and the a few members of the cast of jujutsu kaisen had agreed to play a game of “silent library”for charity and nanami had agreed to play too, which shocked both the cast and the fans considering nanami rarely participated in games like this.

nanami has struck luck so far but it runs out on the sixth round.

the cards are handed out and suspense rises when you all quickly flip them over.

you groan out loud before slapping a hand over your mouth when you see that you’ve received the death card.

looking around, you notice that nanami and gojo also share the same card, and you point at them confused, while the members who are safe sigh in relief and thank god.

nanami closes his eyes and gojo slumps in his chair dramatically, making a weak noise in his mouth. you snort. you’re quickly hushed.

the name of the game is presented, “suck and blow”, and poorly stifled chuckles ring around the room. you rub your eyes, already dreading what’s about to come.

gojo eyes you, making a come hither motion with his long finger and swear at him silently. nanami is silent and looks between the two of you blankly.

the aim of the game? all three players must pass plastic card between them with only their lips.

your head falls onto the table, gojo is grinning and nanami is, as always, sighing.

the three of you sit on stools, with yourself insisting on being in the middle.

“i could’ve sworn i’ve had a dream just like this…” gojo whispers and nanami is leaning all the way around to smack the back of his head. gojo gasps and utahime scolds at him to shut his mouth.

the plastic card is given to gojo and the timer begins. he sucks it to his lips, cheeks hollow and he looked very stupid. gojo grabs your head and presses the card to your lips, making it seem like you are both kissing. you grunt and begin smacking the side of his face. suppressed laughter can be heard around you as you forcefully pull away from gojo.

you purse your lips, holding the plastic card on them as best as you can and turning to face nanami. he leans in, ready to get this over with.

it happened so fast.

nanami’s face is close to yours as you move to transfer the plastic card to his lips..and then the card falls.

it falls and you’re kissing nanami for half a second.

you gasp and pull back, embarrassed and covering your face.

you hear a squeal, a loud gasp and shocked laughter as you drown in shame. nanami sits there, fiddling, not knowing what to do with his hands and his face is clearly pink.

gojo teases you both to no end and the timer is already up.

it’s safe to say you all lost that round.

౨ৎ fifth clip

nanami is forced to go on a talk show (as he claims his manager made him do it ).

his responses are perfect and polite - nanami clearly has some sort of media training or an upper class background of some sort. it’s like nothing could catch him off guard whatsoever.

nanami is talking and then, the host interrupts. “are you and _____ dating?”

the audience chuckles and nanami is caught off guard. “wh-what?” nanami breathes out, a blush rising from his neck to his cheeks. “what?”

“are you and _____ dating?”

“no…” nanami clears his throat, gulping, “no of course not…”

“what do you mean “of course not?” do you not like _____?”

“what? of course i like-” nanami cuts himself off with a deep sigh and the crowd laughs at his embarrassment and fluster. “_____…_____ is a lovely woman, she’s a respected colleague, a valued friend, she’s-”

“well since you like her so much, let’s bring her out!” the host flings his arm out in the direction of the entrance stairway, “give a warm welcome to _____!”

“?”

the crowd is screaming as you walk in, waving at them with a warm smile on your face and sit next to nanami.

nanami looks at you, face red. “i-”

“don’t let him stop you.” you say, referring to the host’s interruption and the cheers erupting from the sea of people. “keep talking about me!”

nanami sighs. “shit…”

౨ৎ sixth clip

you’re being interviewed on the red carpet by a boisterous, joyful middle aged lady who asks you many questions, one of them being, “fuck, marry, kill”.

“okay fuck, marry, kill with getou suguru, nanami kento and gojo sa-”

“easy,” you cut in, not even hearing the rest of the question, “fuck getou, marry nanami and kill gojo. easiest question i’ve had so far!”

on the other end of the carpet, nanami is being asked the same questions except with actresses, one of them being you.

“fuck marry kill - utahime iori, _____ or shoko ieiri?!”

“marry _____, fuck utahime and kill shoko. goodnight.” he abruptly walks away, not even waiting for the interviewer to respond and leaves them flabbergasted.

*

a/n: feel like i rambled a lot in this one..oh well. also i’m not accepting requests for actor!nanami right now🤗🩷

[clarionglass]

here we go :) part one of three, updates to be released weekly!

---

sam says 4 (game master cinematic universe, part 3)

Ruby was at her mum's for a family dinner she couldn't miss on pain of death, apparently, and the Doctor was many things, but a family dinner kind of guy wasn't one of them—particularly when Carla had already slapped him once in the short time he'd known her. He thought he'd broken his streak of bad luck with mums, but… well, seemingly not. So he was companionless for a few hours, and while he could wait for her to get back, maybe catch up on his reading—what was the point of waiting when you had a time machine? 

He ran his hands over the TARDIS console, marvelling at her clean lines and metallic flourishes, the way that even now she felt brand new but familiar, and paused. He’d just pop off for a quick adventure, nothing too dangerous, but—where to go?

He could scan for a distress call nearby, and pitch in to help. He could drop in on Donna and Shaun and Rose, beautiful Rose, and see how they were all doing. Or he could just hit the randomiser button, and jump in feet first wherever he ended up.

He remembered a conversation from a long time ago, when he wore a different face, and his gorgeous TARDIS wore a face too, for the first and only time.

“You didn't always take me where I wanted to go.”

“No, but I always took you where you needed to go.”

He grinned. Who could resist an offer like that? He pressed the button and whooped as the time rotor spun into action, ready to see where the universe would take him.

---

Apparently, he was needed pretty close to where he already was. Earth, 2024. Huh. Same planet, same time—within a few months of where he’d left Ruby, even. The main thing that had changed was the location: he was now in the good old US of A. California, to be more specific, and Los Angeles to be more specific still. And to really narrow it down, the Doctor discovered as he poked his head out of the TARDIS doors, he was in… a broom closet. Not bad, as a parking spot—a bit squeezy, but out of the way. And as he poked his head out of that door, he could finally see he was in the backstage corridors of a studio of some kind. Film or TV, if he was to hazard a guess, it was a different vibe from Abbey Road.

With a shrug, he decided to go exploring.

It couldn’t have been more than a minute before a young woman wearing the full-black outfit, headset, and permanently stressed expression of a production assistant came running up to him.

“Are you the fill-in Sam organised?” she asked breathlessly, and honestly, seeing the look on her face, the Doctor didn’t have the heart(s) to tell her no. And really, what was the Doctor, if not a professional fill-in? This, this was why he had a randomiser button on the control panel, because whatever he was about to get himself into was going to be fun.

“Sure!”

“Oh, thank god,” sighed the production assistant, relief dawning across her face. “When Ally tested positive this morning, I thought we were sunk for the record, because we called around and we couldn’t get a hold of anyone. But then Sam said he could get someone in, and, you know, here you are, and just in time, so—ah, yeah, if you could follow me this way?”

Smiling all the way, the Doctor followed his guide through to hair and makeup, looking around as they went. The studio seemed to belong to a company called Dropout, according to the branding scattered around, and things seemed, at least on the surface, to be… well. Fine. He couldn't tell why he'd been brought here yet, which meant that when he found the reason, it was going to be particularly tangled. He couldn't wait! 

And then he looked back at his guide, still engulfed in a miasma of anxiety, and realised he'd been too busy looking for clues to notice the person right in front of him. 

“Hey, it's cool, you've found me,” he started with a gentle smile. “You can relax. Hi, I'm the Doctor. What's your name?”

“Oh!” she said, startled. “The Doctor, yeah, of course. Um, hi, I'm Kaylin. Look, sorry, it's just that I've been so busy this morning, I'm so distracted… Shit, and I would've completely forgotten to get your details too. There's paperwork to fill in, but you can do that later. Um, just for now, though, can I get your pronouns?”

The Doctor thought for a moment. “He/him, for now.”

Kaylin nodded, making a note on her phone. “Okay, cool! And do you have any socials?”

“Not me, babes,” he replied. “I'm hardly sitting down long enough to be able to update, you know?”

“On a day like this, I know exactly what you mean,” she said. “That's okay, Lou didn't have socials either for the longest time. Right, so if you go through there, the team will get you sorted, and once you're done, someone will take you up to the greenroom. All good?”

“All great,” the Doctor replied. Kaylin flashed him a quick, relieved smile, then hurried off.

Hair and makeup was a fairly quick process, the sound mixer fitted him with a microphone, and before too long, Kaylin was back to take him upstairs. 

“This is the greenroom,” she said, pushing the door open. “The rest of the cast for the episode are already here—they’re great guys, and they’ve both been on the show a lot, so they’ll be able to help if you’ve got questions. And if you need anything else, just come find me or any of the other PAs, okay?”

The Doctor nodded, beamed at Kaylin, and walked in.

---

The greenroom was small but comfortable, and its occupants, two men around the same age as the Doctor appeared, looked up as he entered.

“Oh, you’re new,” the taller of the pair said, clearly giving him the once-over.

The other sighed with a mixture of fondness and exasperation, just as clearly used to his friend’s antics.

“Hey, I’m Brennan,” he said, levering himself up to standing from his perch on a chair arm, and holding out a hand. “That’s Grant.”

The Doctor took it warmly. “The Doctor. Just passing through, and happy to help.”

Grant’s eyebrows quirked. “Doctor… something?” he prompted.

“Or is it just ‘the Doctor’?” Brennan asked.

“Just ‘the Doctor’,” the Time Lord confirmed cheerfully. “You’ll get used to it, everyone does.”

Grant didn’t look convinced, but—

“Copy that,” Brennan shrugged, and settled back on the arm of the chair, returning his gaze to the door.

Grant, in turn, looked at the Doctor and rolled his eyes in a clear expression of ‘no, I don’t know why he’s like this, either’.

“Okay,” the Doctor said after a moment of watching the watching. “I wasn’t going to ask, but now I think I have to. What’s up with the door?”

Brennan huffed a laugh. “Well, the last time there was one of those up—” he pointed to the Out of Order sign stuck to the bathroom door, “—we got locked in here for the game.”

“He’s paranoid,” Grant interjected.

“Well, yeah, maybe,” Brennan retorted. “Or just cautious. Because Sam’s been acting weird lately, and we’re coming up to the last few records of the season, so he’s probably planning something way out of the box for the finale. And the original cast was you, me and Beardsley, so…”

He shrugged one shoulder meaningfully, and Grant nodded, conceding both the point and the potential for chaos.

“So if Sam comes in to give us the briefing, rather than waiting til we’re on set,” Brennan continued, “or there’s anything else weird going on, I’m gonna know about it right from the beginning.”

He turned to the Doctor. “The only reason I'm not quizzing you is because I know for a fact Beardsley was genuinely scheduled for this, so you can't be a plant by the production team. No offence.”

“None taken,” the Doctor smiled. “That sort of thing happen often, does it?”

Grant and Brennan exchanged a look. 

“More than you'd think,” Grant answered with a grimace. 

“Alright,” the Doctor said slowly, then brightened. “So what is it we're actually doing?”

Grant gave him a disbelieving glance. “You don't know—?”

“Very last minute fill-in,” the Doctor said breezily. “But don't worry, I'm a quick study.”

“Well, you're not that much worse off than the rest of us,” Brennan said encouragingly. “You know about Game Changer, obviously, if you know Sam, and we only find out the rules of the game once we get on set. Hopefully,” he added, with a dark look back at the Out of Order sign. 

The Doctor nodded. No, he didn't know Sam, and he didn't know Game Changer, but he could work out the situation from context clues. This was a game show. And with the Toymaker banished, and Satellite Five not coming into existence for another 198000 years, give or take, he found himself smiling. Maybe third time would be the charm. 

“Mmm, hopefully they aren't going to throw you in the deep end,” Grant said. “Because Brennan might seem lovely now, but as soon as we get out there, he's a whore for points. He'll stab you in the back and won't even blink.”

Brennan barked with laughter. “Yeah, and you wouldn't?”

“Excuse you, I'm always a goddamn delight,” Grant replied, the very picture of injured dignity. 

“Oh, absolutely!” agreed a new voice. The Doctor turned to the now-open door to see a bearded man in a pinstriped suit smiling broadly. “That's why we keep inviting you back!”

Grant bowed sarcastically. “Why, thank you, Sam. Good to know I'm appreciated by someone here.”

“Always,” Sam replied, gently but firmly ending that particular path of the conversation. He scanned the room, and his eyes lit up when they landed on the Doctor. 

“Ah, you must be the Doctor!” he said with obvious delight, walking over with his hand outstretched. “I'm Sam—thanks for filling in for us, you've made sure we're going to have a good show. Seriously, it's a pleasure to have you here.”

“Aw, cheers!” the Doctor smiled, shaking the offered hand. “Glad I could help out, I'm really looking forward to this!”

“Well, great!” Sam exclaimed, then took a step back, regarding all three players in turn. “Now, folks, I'm just letting you know that we're just about ready to start the record, so if you can start heading down, that'd be great.”

Grant and Brennan nodded—Brennan, the Doctor noticed, with relief. 

“See you down there,” Sam said, smiling. “Have a great show, and—”

His eyes caught on the Doctor's for a second, twinkling. 

“Good luck.”

---

Backstage, the Doctor, Brennan and Grant were marshalled into podium order and given a final briefing from the crew. And then, with a thumbs-up from Kaylin, that was it.

Showtime.

“Get ready for a Game Changer!” came Sam's voice from onstage. “Tonight’s guests: he can shoot off a monologue with laser accuracy; it’s Brennan Lee Mulligan!”

Brennan, his back to the camera as the curtains opened, spun on his heel and, with a stone-cold expression, pointed finger guns straight down the barrel, before letting the facade crack open. “Hi!” he exclaimed, and walked over to the leftmost podium.

“It’s his first appearance, but he’s already on fire; it’s the Doctor!”

The Doctor leant against the archway to the stage and flashed a broad smile towards the camera, then in a few skipping steps, had bounded over to the next free podium. What the hell, why not make an entrance?

“And even in the toughest of mazes, you’ll always be able to find him; it’s Grant O’Brien!”

Grant dipped his lanky frame into an approximation of a curtsey, spreading his arms wide, then sauntered over to the closest podium with a grin.

“And your host, me!” Sam announced, a ring of manic white showing around his irises as he beamed down the barrel of the camera. “I’ve been here the whole time!”

“This,” he continued, pushing his microphone shut and stowing it in his jacket pocket, “is Game Changer, the only game show where the game changes every show. I am your host, Sam Reich!” 

As he said his name, he looked at his hands, front and back, as if he was pleasantly surprised to be himself, then gestured towards the three podiums.

“I am joined today by these three lovely contestants! Now, you understand how the game works.”

“Of course not,” Grant started. “You know we don't.”

“We can't, Sam, that's the whole point of the theatre you've set up here,” Brennan said over him. 

“Not yet,” was all the Doctor said, anticipation starting to drum a tattoo of excitement against the inside of his ribcage. 

“That’s right!” Sam said brightly, shooting finger guns at the camera. “Our players have no idea what game it is they’re about to play. The only way to learn is by playing. The only way to win is by learning, and the only way to begin is by beginning! So without further ado, let’s begin by giving each of our players fifty points.”

The Doctor, biding his time, watched the reactions of his fellow contestants. Grant looked at the front of his podium, checking the point total, and nodding approvingly when he saw that yes, it was sitting at a round fifty. Brennan, on the other hand, was starting to frown.

“Players, Sam says: touch your nose,” Sam began, and Brennan sighed the sigh of someone who wasn’t happy to be proved right.

“Oh, no,” he groaned. “Oh, you son of a bitch. Wasn’t one this season enough?”

He touched his nose anyway, as did the others, and Sam smiled encouragingly. “Sam says: touch your ear.”

When they all did, Sam nodded. “Touch your other ear.”

Everybody held still, fingers on the ears they had originally touched.

Sam beamed. “Easy, players, right?”

“You say that now,” Brennan said darkly. “Which makes it worse, because all you're doing is setting us up for failure.”

Sam gasped, pretending offence. “Would I do that?”

“Yes,” Brennan and Grant replied in unison, which drew a grin from the Doctor and set Sam off chuckling.

“And I'm not having it,” Brennan continued, leaning his elbows against his podium and pointing at Sam with the hand not touching his ear. “You better watch yourself, because I know how this game works, and you're not going to get one over on me.”

“Strong words, Brennan!” Sam said, clearly delighted by this response. “Okay, then, let's start making things a bit more interesting!”

The game continued as per Sam Says usual, some rounds done as a group and some individual. Points were won, sure, but lost slightly more frequently, and even the Doctor found he was having to concentrate to avoid getting caught in the host's traps. 

It was fun. Genuinely, it was like playing a game with friends, and the Doctor felt himself leaning into it. There wasn't any sign of danger—maybe there wasn't a mystery to solve at all, and the TARDIS just decided he needed a total break. 

Well, probably not. But the way things were going, he was able to let himself hope. 

“Alright, players,” Sam said a good few rounds in, just as pleasantly as he would start any other question, and the screen behind him dinged as a new prompt popped up. “Survive the death beam.”

For a second, everything was frozen perfectly still. 

And then came the crash, the explosive noise of heavy machinery moving relentlessly through a drywall set.

The Doctor was already moving. “Everyone down!”

“Duck!” Brennan yelled at the same time.

The two of them hit the ground within milliseconds of each other, but Grant was still paralysed in the face of the giant, science-fiction type laser cannon that had just ploughed through the wall. 

It whined ominously, screaming its way to fever pitch. And then a sharp pain in Grant’s ankle made him stagger, pitching forwards onto the carpet behind the podiums as the Doctor rolled away to avoid getting pinned.

“Sorry, babes,” the Doctor whispered. “But it was either kick you to get you down, or—”

A hideous metallic screech ripped through the air, and all three of them could feel the crackle of ozone as a beam of energy swept across what had, moments ago, been neck height.

“…Or that,” the Doctor finished with a grimace.

“Jesus fucking Christ,” Grant breathed, suddenly very conscious of every inch of his 6’9 frame. “Thanks.”

“Well done, players!” Sam exclaimed delightedly from above them. “But… sorry, I didn’t say ‘Sam says’, so that’s a point off for everyone.”

“What the fuck!” Brennan snapped.

“Are you actually insane?” Grant demanded at the same time, his voice overlapping with Brennan’s.

In response, Sam just wheezed with laughter. “You can come back to your podiums,” he said, cheerfully ignoring them.

Nobody moved.

“Very good!” he acknowledged, and even without seeing his face, the grin was obvious in his voice. “Okay, Sam says: come back to your podiums.”

Although the words were innocuous, and his tone was just as light and breezy as usual, there was nevertheless an edge hiding just underneath the surface. And while the death beam loomed large in the minds of all three players, it was impossible to consider disobedience as an option.

Slowly, they stood, returning to their places. Now they had the time to look at it properly, the death beam was even more sinister, and Brennan and Grant both kept flicking nervous glances its way, ready to move if it looked like it was charging up again.

The Doctor, however, was focused purely on the man standing in front of them. Unbothered, Sam met his gaze like a challenge, a mischievous smile playing about his lips.

“Oh, you’ll love this one,” he said, and the screen changed. “Sam says, starting with Grant: say my name.”

Grant frowned in confusion, but answered quickly nonetheless. “Sam Reich?”

The man himself shrugged tolerantly, moving on. “Brennan?”

Brennan just stared at him coolly. “Do you take me for a fool?”

“Well caught, Brennan!” Sam said happily. “Sam says: say my name.”

“Sam,” Brennan replied, suspicion clear in his voice. “Samuel Dalton Reich.”

He nodded, still with a hint of indifference. “And lastly, Doctor.” His smile broadened. “Sam says: say my name.”

It was easy. Too easy. And as the Doctor looked into the eyes of the man calling himself Sam Reich, he felt his hearts stutter in recognition, because something had changed. He wasn’t hiding himself anymore, and while the face was different yet again, the Doctor would know the shape of that soul anywhere. It was impossible. It was inevitable.

“You can’t be,” he breathed. 

Sam smirked, leaning in across his podium. “Oh, but Doctor… I’ve been here the whole time,” he stage-whispered with a wink.

“He said you lost,” the Doctor said, shaking his head, looking wrong-footed for the first time that Brennan and Grant could recall. “You lost, and he trapped you.”

The other two watched, uncomprehending, but Sam just smiled, drumming his fingers against the podium with an audible beat, fast but distinct. Four taps, four taps, four taps. “I’m waiting.”

The Doctor took a slow, deep breath. Set his jaw. 

“Master.”

---

missed an installment of the game master cinematic universe?

original idea by @ace-whovian-neuroscientist: x

art by @northernfireart concept: x scissor sisters sketch: x sam and his doppelganger: x

writing by me (!) part one (escape the greenroom): x part two (deja vu): x part three (sam says 4): you are here!

[stayevildarling]

Hey! I am really enjoying reading all of the works you have been posting lately, you are such a great writer! I actually had a request if you happen to have the time? Maybe a fic with Delia, Mina, Billie, and reader where Delia uses magic on reader and accidentally hurts her in the process. Then maybe some angst between Mina and Delia because Mina is very overprotective and Billie tries to deescalate their argument? But also happy ending? 

Cordelia Goode x Wilhemina Venable x Billie Dean Howard x Reader- As the gods will

A/N: I completely forgot this in my drafts 😅 it's a bit of a short one but I didn't want to drag it on

word count: 3.3k

tw: mention of smoking, mention of blood (mild), angst, arguing, fluff at the end

taglist:

@lunaticwhittaker, @billiebeanhoward, @lanawinters-ily, @kenzbro, @minaslittleone, @httpfiftyshadesofgay, @whitelotus00, @ninaahs, @vintagepaulson, @isle-of-earle, @paulsonsratched, @stepintomyworld, @grilledcheeseandguavajelly, @lucyintheskywithxanax, @fanfics4world, @mymiraclewitch, @hazard-to-myself, @awritersometime, @ohrwurm26, @wastdstime

As Billie Dean returns home, she feels a buzz of excitement rush through her, finally at home after a long week of working, filming the last bits, mostly promotion for the upcoming season of her show. With the upcoming weekend, she had decided to treat her girlfriends to a little something, opting for a quick shopping spree after work, managing to pick just the right things for the three of you. And as the front door closes, she notices how oddly quiet it was, of course it being Friday meant most of the witches had left but she is surprised to find neither of you downstairs as she brushes past the kitchen and the living room.

,,What the hell have you done?'' Wilhemina's voice rings through the air, so loud that the medium could hear it from downstairs. Abandoning the shopping bags and kicking off her heels, she is quick to run up the stairs, with a sense of urgency, before finding a very unusually quiet and guilty Madison in front of Cordelia's office. ,,What is it?'' Billie asks nervously but quickly leaving the blonde behind, figuring she wasn't going to get any answers out of her.

What Billie Dean had missed was a very busy and uncomfortable Friday, some of the younger teenage witches testing Cordelia in a lot of ways, especially Madison on her nerves all day, teasing her and pushing her buttons. She had been that stressed and tense with her workload that she had even asked you to keep her company. Cordelia enjoyed nothing more than have you close but whenever things got a little hard and stressful she retreated to her office, dealing with it in silence, before calming herself down enough to join you three again and spend time with you. However, today she didn't feel like being alone and so she had asked if you minded sitting in her office as it was your day off and of course you didn't mind, happy to keep her company.

And despite there not being a whole lot you could do, other than regularly make her some tea, offer to make her some lunch a while ago or occasionally walking over and giving her shoulders some relief, as your hands gently massaged her, ridding her off the tension slowly. Nevertheless, your girlfriend appreciated it, appreciating to have her little sunshine close as you gave her the motivation to finish the few tasks she had left on her agenda for the day. A while ago you had made Cordelia and Wilhemina some lunch, taking it to Mina's office as she thanked you with a sweet gentle kiss, telling you she was almost finished for the day, before returning to the supreme's office, where she took a break with you, offering you to sit on her lap as she fed some of the lunch to you, her eyes sparkling with love and adoration, the tension almost gone.

When the door opened without knocking a while later, watching Madison enter so carelessly, you knew this would escalate things further. Cordelia and Madison had an odd connection, the younger witch often pushing the supremes buttons, but despite it all you could tell that your girlfriend cared about her wellbeing deeply and you also noticed how in times of trouble for the coven, Madison always stuck to Cordelia and the academy, despite only being loyal to herself usually. You swallowed hard, seeing how she walked inside with a cigarette hanging from her mouth, knowing Cordelia strictly forbid smoking inside after Fiona. And it surprised you when Cordelia didn't even look up from her laptop, simply continuing to type away and roll her eyes, quite aware who was interrupting the peace and quiet.

,,Alright I'm off to that party, so the four of you can have this place all to yourselves'' she muttered, almost nosily inspecting the supremes office, barely acknowledging your existence. ,,Give me a break Madison'' was all that Cordelia had said before waving her hand a little with the pure intention of making Madison shut up and leave her office. However, Madison knew better and so she quickly dodged the magic, and as the invisible force looked for the next life-form in the room, her magic had made you flying to the nearest wall behind you, causing for a loud thud to follow. And the thud was so loud that even Wilhemina had heard it, considering that same wall was connected to her office. And with furrowed eyebrows, she decided to investigate, wondering what the supreme and you were getting up to in there, her heels echoing through the academy ever so quietly.

And when she caught a glimpse of Madison, lingering by the door, a guilty expression on her face, she entered, watching as Cordelia typed away on her computer, thinking that all was well for a moment before noticing your frame on the floor and her eyebrows furrowed then before her voice rings through the air ,,What the hell have you done?''. Cordelia finally looks up, seeing Madison lingering by the doorway behind the redhead before her eyes travel to you in shock. She is quick on her feet, abandoning her work and kneeling beside you. ,,Oh my god'' Cordelia exclaims before taking your head into her hands as some blood pours from the back of your head, assuming that must have been from the impact. In panic and shock she meets Wilhemina's eyes, begging for her help and forgiveness at the same time.

,,Little one?'' Wilhemina tries gently but the pain is so severe that your eyes remain closed, despite aware of your surroundings and what had happened. With hands as quick as light, she hovers them over your head as you laid on the floor with your stomach, only your backside faced to them. And as Billie finally enters, watching the scene unfold in front of her, Cordelia already has the wound healed as the blood and any evidence of it completely vanishes. And finally you manage to open your eyes, composing yourself and trying to get up, still feeling a little shaky on the legs. However as you do, you notice a strange sensation, the inability to speak and looking at your girlfriends, you see the shock in their features. Cordelia's intention wasn't only to send Madison across the room but also to be quiet and so she had casted a spell which would assure just that.

However, as the magic travelled to you, Wilhemina and Billie watch in shock as their most precious thing is missing a very important feature, your mouth. ,,Cordelia what on earth?!'' Wilhemina's voice rings through the air again as crippling panic sets in on the supremes features as she begins pacing around the room after failing to rid you from the spell, her nerves playing up and causing her magic to get a little sloppy. Despite being the most powerful witch and supreme, this could happen, despite being rare. The blonde loved you three so much that the thought of seeing either of you hurt almost killed her, let alone when she was the reason for just that, despite that not in the slightest being her intention.

Unaware of what exactly is happening, panic equally kicks in as your eyes widen, pathetic sounds getting blocked in your throat as they had no way to leave you. As Billie walks closer, noticing your beginning panic, she tries to hold onto your hands, noticing how warm they are as your chest rises and falls quickly as you begin hyperventilating. ,,Cordelia fix this now'' Wilhemina demands, her voice raised, her overprotectiveness setting in as she couldn't stand to see you hurting. ,,I can't.. I've tried'' the supreme huffs as she continues pacing, trying to calm herself down in order to make this go away. Billie noticing the tension, leaves you for a moment, before walking over to Cordelia, placing her soft manicured hands on the supremes cheeks. ,,Calm down love'' she tries, ushering the supreme to follow her breathing. ,,That's it'' she praises before her eyes begin pleading with her.

,,What is this spell called darling?'' the medium tries gently, before Cordelia closes her eyes, slowly feeling calmer. ,,Perpetuum clausis'' she breathes out, still trying to focus to keep calm, not once looking at you as she couldn't stand the sight. ,,Okay honey, you can reverse it?'' Billie questions, very much hoping she could fix it considering she loved the things your pretty little mouth could do. ,,Yes'' Cordelia nods, closing her eyes before flicking her wrist. A painful mixture of an exhale, inhale and scream follows as it all returns to normal. Wilhemina moves even closer to you, taking your shaking hand into her own, her heart beating angrily against her chest. ,,Are you okay little one?'' she asks, ignoring the presence of the other two. Her main concern your wellbeing and safety right now. And all you can do is nod as your throat feels like it is on fire, your head still pounding in pain, still feeling as if you couldn't use your mouth for anything but breathing.

,,Sweetheart, I'm so so sorry'' Cordelia tries, finally walking over to you and trying to pull you into her arms. But she is stopped by Wilhemina who protectively hovers, placing herself in front of you and physically stopping the supreme. ,,Don't'' she hisses, her eyes and words filled with venom as Billie anxiously watches the scene unfold. ,,Don't touch her'' she carries on and you can't do or say anything as your body feels on fire. ,,Come on'' Wilhemina ushers, taking your hand and leading you out of the room, leaving behind a heartbroken and guilty Cordelia.

It doesn't take long before the tears stream from her beautiful features, Billie frowning seeing her girlfriend like this. ,,Sit down honey'' the medium tries, taking a seat on the sofa next to Cordelia and taking the supremes hands into her own. ,,What happened?'' the blonde asks confused, still not fully understanding what had happened and hoping the supreme would fill her in so she could fix this and help. It takes a while for Cordelia to find her composure again, but seeing Billie so compassionate, she eventually calms down. ,,I had no intention of hurting her'' she begins wanting to make sure that much is clear. ,,I know darling'' Billie coos as she tilts her head a little. ,,It was Madison..'' Cordelia sighs, remembering how the witch had tested her most of the day. ,,I wasn't even trying to use my magic on Madison, I just wanted her to shut up and leave us alone'' she explains trying to recall the events.

,,I guess when I tried to dismiss her with my hand it must have triggered my magic'' she carries on, the words now flowing freely without holding back. ,,And I'm assuming Madison dodged it and it hit..it..'' but she doesn't get to finish as tears return and Billie is quick to wipe them, understanding now what unfolded. ,,Come here'' the medium ushers and Cordelia hesitates, feeling stupid for being coddled after causing you pain, thinking about how you deserved this more as of right now and how she wanted to do nothing more than hold you like this. But she gives in as Billie pulls her forward and into her arms.

Meanwhile, Wilhemina had taken you to her office, ushering you to sit, the door banging shut in the process, as she takes in your features. You seem utterly calm given the circumstances but the redhead worried with how quiet you had been. ,,Are you okay?'' she asks, while walking away for a moment to fetch you some water. All you can do is nod, unable to talk as it still feels like the word are caught in your throat. But obviously she couldn't see your nodding and as she returns she simply looks at you, her eyebrows furrowing before asking again ,,Little one, are you okay?'' her voice now a little firmer as she hands you the water, worry washing over her. And when you nod again, she scans you a little further, and by the way she stares at the water you can tell she wants you to drink some and so pathetically you try with shaky hands but it all comes straight back up as you choke on it, your throat burning.

Wilhemina watches in shock and a sense of horror, not remotely understanding what was going on and how Cordelia's magic may have caused some serious harm and damage. ,,Can you talk?'' she tries again, trying to search your eyes. And all you can do is shake your head, scanning the room before standing up, finding a piece of paper and a pen on her desk. You look at her for permission and she nods before you write down ,,It hurts''. And as her eyes read over the words, she sighs heavily. ,,Okay little one, how about we get you some rest?'' she offers and you simply nod as she offers to take you to bed but you shake your head, your eyes wandering to her armchair and if you could speak, you would have told her how you didn't want to be alone, how you wanted to stay with her as everything was scary right now and the only safe thing was her. She nods despite not understanding and watches as you curl up in a ball on her purple armchair. All she can do is watch in sorrow before walking over, placing a blanket gently over your shaking body and when your eyes close, she opts to sit by her desk, near enough to be able to see you and keep an eye on you.

As the redhead silently sits and watches, her thoughts go back to what had happened, knowing deep down that Cordelia would and could never cause you any harm intentionally. She judges the way the supreme must have miscalculated her steps, Wilhemina perceptive and smart enough to figure out that it was aimed at Madison, that witch clever enough to dodge it. And a small part of her knows that it was probably due to how agitated Cordelia was today and how Madison must have provoked her and how the supreme probably didn't even want to use magic but it probably came natural, as she knows Cordelia wouldn't use that sort of magic, especially not when you are nearby. But she can't help and feel anger nevertheless, seeing you still shaking on her chair, only a small part of her able to understand how painful this must be. The redhead would die in a heartbeat if it meant protecting either of you three but there was always something about you, maybe the fact that you are younger than her and maybe she wanted to protect you from it all, often unsure whether being around the witches especially the younger witches was smart as they certainly got up to things that Wilhemina wouldn't approve of.

And while fighting her internal battle, a part of her wanting to forgive Cordelia and simply take care of you, the door knocks as Billie had suggested checking on you both and Cordelia hesitantly agreeing, knowing that there was going to be a raging storm as soon as Wilhemina's eyes would meet hers. But she needed to check on you, to see that you are okay, that this didn't traumatise you, that this didn't make you scared of her. Wilhemina simply watches as the door opens, Billie's head poking around it, frowning as she sees you curled up so comfortably. She enters after Wilhemina nods, giving her permission to do so but her eyes draw away from the door as soon as she sees her other blonde girlfriend walk in, her features filled with guilt and regret and cheeks stained with previous tears shed. ,,Is she okay?'' Billie asks a little nervously, kneeling in front of you.

,,No'' is all Wilhemina can say as she holds the note to the medium, who hastily takes it, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion as she looks at the supreme, who simply stands frozen a few steps away from them. ,,She can't speak still?'' Billie Dean asks and Wilhemina simply nods avoiding Cordelia's pleading eyes. ,,Cordelia, is that normal?'' the medium asks anxiously, placing her hand on your cheek and stroking it gently. The supreme doesn't hesitate before speaking ,,Unfortunately yes, it may take a while for the pain to go''. The admission is so painful that it brings tears to her eyes again, unable to believe she had caused you pain. Billie is quick to get lost in her own world a little, all she can sense as of right now, you and her as she gets lost looking at her adorable babydoll, watching over you protectively, making sure your breathing is normal.

Meanwhile, Cordelia kneels in front of Wilhemina, trying to get her to actually look at her but the redhead is having a hard time. ,,Mina darling, please let me explain'' she practically begs but the redhead is having a hard time as her stubbornness had reached it's peak point, her walls built up high, threatening to lose herself in a battle of protectiveness over you. ,,I didn't mean to hurt her Mina'' Cordelia tries again, her voice gentle as her hands rest on Wilhemina's knees, trying to ground them both. ,,Don't you think I know that?'' the redhead suddenly hisses as her emotions get ahold of her and something within her snaps. ,,How could you have been so careless around her, you should know better'' Wilhemina carries on, her statement causing for a sharp pain to burden Cordelia's heart.

,,I know, I know'' the supreme admits, tears welling up in her eyes, before she takes a deep breath. ,,I wasn't trying to use my magic, on either of them, I wouldn't have done that to Madison either, despite her having it coming'' she explains, more to herself than the redhead as she had given up hope of her girlfriend forgiving her anytime soon for this. But then something within Wilhemina softens up, maybe the confirmation that Cordelia's magic just took over, maybe the genuine forgiveness in her voice or maybe just the love Wilhemina has for this woman and you two. The thought crosses her mind how if the redhead was a witch, she would send people flying across rooms all the time, whether that being intentional or not. And so, Cordelia suddenly feels a gentle squeeze on her hand that still rests on her girlfriends knee. And as she looks up, she sees forgiveness in the redheads eyes through her teary vision and it causes her to choke on a sob. ,,I'm so sorry'' she repeats, the crashing weight of guilt slowly dropping from her shoulders.

,,De...Delia'' a very quiet broken whisper fills the room and three heads instantly snap in your direction as you had woken from the broken nap. ,,Sweetie'' Cordelia coos, instantly on her feet and walking over to you. Sleep had certainly helped as the pain from your head was mostly gone, your throat feeling less on fire and the ability to talk finally returning. ,,Are you okay? what hurts sweetie?'' the blonde asks, her voice tinged with concern and worry over you. ,,I'm okay Delia, promise'' you assure, some words still coming out broken but much better than before. ,,I'm so sorry sweetheart'' she cries now, but you are quick to sit up a little and wipe her tears.

Billie's eyes travel towards Wilhemina as they watch the scene unfold, both feeling relieved and a little at ease to have you talking again. And slowly the tension fades with each passing minute, the academy silent as you manage to shush Delia's quiet sobs and wipe her tears. ,,Well I'm certainly glad we fixed that, considering what that pretty mouth of yours can do honey'' Billie jokes, causing the four of you to giggle, even Wilhemina's low chuckle ringing through the air.

[therobotmonster]

The Fantastic Four Movie Problem: A Pulp Peg in a Hero-Shaped Hole.

There's been a lot of attempts to make Fantastic Four movies, and none of them have really worked.

(I made the best one biggest. Fight me.)

I know why.

It's because the Fantastic Four, while being in the superhero genre, are not superheroes. They are adventurers.

They have more in common with these guys:

Than these guys:

And it all comes down to story structure, particularly in the origin episode.

Superheroes are by nature reactive. They respond to threats, protect people, and generally act as a blend of rescue worker and (usually) nonlethal sheriff. They are the heightened-reality version of the helpers of Mr. Rogers' philosophy. Doomsday shows up, you stop Doomsday. If there's no crime, you're not doing anything that day.

But the Fantastic Four, and particularly Reed, are adventurers. They go and find their trouble. There might be vague rumblings of something strange or unusual seismic activity or whatever to initiate the adventure, but Reed isn't waiting for the phone to ring so he can punch a bank robber, he's making plans for an expedition to Monster Island or he's built a doorway to the Negative Zone for the express purpose of exploring another universe.

The Fantastic Four go looking for interesting things and find trouble when they get there. The main exception to this is Doctor Doom, and the rush to make him the main villain in the first film is a rush past a glorious feast to go straight to the dessert.

It's like starting Holmes off face to face with Moriarty from day one, and it puts the Fantastic Four in the same do-gooder box as the rest.

It chops out their most unique aspect, their proactive nature, that all their personalities hinge on: It informs Reed's obsessive need to know and how it warps his priorities. It feeds Johnny's thrill-seeking and recklessness. Ben's mutation is the cost of that drive taken to the point of hubris and informs the spirit of the whole team. And Sue, who is the most traditionally superheroic in her outlook, has the codependent role of keeping her loved ones safe despite their self-destructive adventurism.

It's a long standing fandom joke that Reed is an asshole.

It's not unwarranted, but the whole team is a dysfunctional but still caring family, each with similar flaws. A thing that the adaptations often lose because they wind up being overly bicker-y to make up for the more static, reactive superhero format, and blaming Reed for them being freaks is easy pathos.

If they were treated as the pulp adventurers they are in spirit, you'd have a lot more chances for them to bond as each leg of the journey into the Savage Land runs into natural hazards and lesser foes on the way to the climax fight.

In short: Pulp it up.

[moviehealthcommunity]

One of our greatest joys at Movie Health Community is when we get to share good news about a movie being safe for photosensitive audiences. With that in mind, we have a proposal based on what we’ve already been doing for almost 8 years: Publicly-posted photosensitivity advisories on every film. Not just the ones that have objectively dangerous strobe effects, but also a prominent notice when a movie is safe to watch.

Admin Brandon put such an advisory at the beginning of his first original short film, Leech, and it felt like an actively positive step to take, an assurance for the audience that nobody would have their photosensitive health issues triggered while watching. Shown here is a screenshot of that advisory.

Let’s take a moment to recognize the safe movies. So far in 2023, the safest movies for photosensitive audiences have been:

Cocaine Bear 80 for Brady Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret Book Club: The Next Chapter Air Champions Fool’s Paradise

Image ID: A screenshot of a pre-movie advisory shown at the beginning of Leech, in white text on a black background, which reads: This short film has no strobe light effects, and is safe for audiences with health issues related to photosensitivity. | Trigger warning: vomit. | Evaluated for potential health hazards by Movie Health Community

[submariini]

Thee Antwerp Gig Overview (by #5)

me and @jeevm arrived around 7:50am at the gig, numbers 4 and 5 bc belgians simply are not a queuing people. not much happened beside chaotic uno and trix doing a short interview with us seven? i think at that point i forget

the bus arrived a little before ten am, and we were allowed to sit inside at that point so we just all went outside again and just stood there for a whole ass three hours being clowns.

jaakko, jukka and jesse walked by a few times entirely undisturbed bc belgians also do not talk ever. (and dutch ppl ig). respectful times.

eventually, at around one, Häärijä got off the bus (mostly as a distraction for K going the other way). This man came by like proper we thought he was gonna just walk by, but he waved and then decided to ignore everyone and beeline straight into my direction for a hug? hello? unsure how he still knows what i look like (was not in the yellow tshirt yet bc cold and he hasnt seen me since simerock).

K and Jesse came by as well -- please note at this point there were like goddamn 40 people there. Nothing like the Munich papal visit scenes at any point.

K just the nicest. Didn't remember me from simerock (fair, it was a factory of photographs) and was like wtf rollo (as per ushe), complimented my boots bc he likes them (they are r+ but usually kids sizes) and i got to be "mean" abt the r+ ticket sale and the bus making it stressful. When he asked it I wanted him to sign anything, I didn't have anything and he just offered to sign my boots? Man did not expect the clown to clown communication that was happening bc he seemed very oh god for real when I agreed.

Someone gave him a necklace and instantly wanted to put it on. The person who gave it couldn't fasten it bc nails/shaking hands so I offered to try and then idk how it got fastened bc christ I shook as well. Not helpful: Mikke both filming that and the boot signing up close 😭

Told Jesse he told me at simerock that I should just join the tour bus and he went "yeah that sounds like something I would say." then scolded me for not having been in Berlin for that 😭

H wandered back and forth a bit, had another weird football chat (rip hazards career) where I was sitting on a little wall, back to the bus still at that point, and he just leaned into me turning around and just held my shoulders the entire time? When I got sweaty and took my hoodie off later he also suddenly grabbed my tshirt when it was riding up I am Feeling Fine.

Was wearing the yellow tshirt w the cross stitch and he made me turn to show Jesse??? And Jesse did the nicest "wait can I touch this?" bc I guess he thought it would be fragile???

People formed a nice selfie line and K just said he's santa claus 🎅

H vanished, then came back out of the bus, and we had a weird mime moment bc I wasnt sure if he was motioning at me to get to him away from the rest. He was and I got fucking free merch??? Like free, not yet available merch. Genuinely what the FUCK. Im making an extra post abt this most likely bc I cannot explain what the hell happened in that moment and the things around it.

When Mikke did the interview w the first queuer, H just stood behind the glass door into the venue and started miming at us. Like not even properly in character? Help.

Gig

Jesus Belgian audiences proving once again we just Are like that. Refusing to goddamn shut up. Every time. Man disallowed to banter by loud belgian screaming. He seemed so touched though jesus christ time to cry

Got roasted for basically slut dropping and shooting my Häärijä sign up in the air before Mic Mac. "yes that mean fucking häärijä" local man fed up w my antics.

Got roasted AGAIN straight after Mic Mac because I was the person he pointed at during the "this is your home now" bit. (promptly decided diving behind the barrier and Face In Hands was the best reply)

Mild bit before the 2nd Cha Cha Cha as I was the front row person he called out for not sitting down. Just yelled that I got bad knees and I'm not sure anyone caught his reply properly 😂

Overall 10/10 excellent gig what the HELL. The belly flop on the balloon, the whole banter before paidaton bc so much of the queue ppl I was with took their shirt off, the way we refused to kept chanting, him trying to eat the bubbles, him talking about Hs dick and the whole balls convo??

Post Gig

Had to pick up merch for a few people, so went with the hope of a third Häärijä hug. He eventually got a bit held up outside of merch by people (lit at the door into the merch room) and I got to just "Sorry it's me again" but he just instantly hug. We talked a little about the gig (did I like it, how I was doing) and like K feeling much better/doing better ft. some dumb crap.

Merch was in fact gotten after I just LOST my friends bc of H.

CANNOT wait for London. and Glasgow but thats with normal people. Like met so many fun people in the queue who are going to be at London jesus christ. Party time.

[therogerclarkfanclub]

Some Roger Clark wallpapers for your viewing pleasure

[howaboutcaptainwesker]

On Jake Muller's mother

Anyone else think way too hard about her and Wesker?

Before I begin this I would like to apologize for the way that I write despite English being my primary language 🔥

RE6 introduces Jake Muller, Albert Wesker's stupid son. I'm sure the thought "omg Wesker fucked" crossed everyone's minds when this plot point was first revealed

I personally had the thoughts "RE6 was dumb as hell and the whole thing with Wesker having a son probably wasn't thought out very well. This is a detail that doesn't matter." and "It was probably a quickie with a stranger - someone he sought out specifically to have sex with. Someone he didn't care about."

We don't have a lot of information on Jake's mom, except:

[These are from the RE6 files Jake's Family Situation / Written Report on Jake Muller]

She was born in Edonia

She was in her early 20's when she immigrated to the USA from Edonia and had the chance to meet Wesker

She returned to Edonia and gave birth to Jake without telling Wesker

She was mild-mannered and did her best to raise Jake

She loved Wesker

She died from an illness that she couldn't afford to treat

and

Wesker is described to have "abandoned" her and Jake

Just the fact that she was still in love with Wesker as Jake was growing up gives the impression that they had something a little more than a random quick fuck. Like, please read this letter to Jake from his mom.

"I love you, Jake. I'm so sorry to have to leave you like this. Please forgive me. And please, don't hate your father. I'm sure he loves you and is thinking about you, and I know you two will find each other someday. Stay strong."

RE6 takes place in 2013, and at that time Jake was 20 years old. If he was born in 1993, that means he was conceived in 1992-1993. According to Wesker's Report II, Wesker left the Arklay Laboratory in 1991 and transferred to Umbrella's intelligence division/information department.

(I refuse to believe that Wesker was in the army. I cannot find a reliable source for it beyond the '96 BIO HAZARD guide book published by Kodansha, a 1994 bio image from when he was still named Hustler, and this bio image that I cannot for the life of me find the source for.)

Wesker was absolutely not immune to attraction. Upon inspecting his desk 50x in a row in the original RE2, you can take an undeveloped roll of film from it that turns out to be a photo of Rebecca in an R.P.D. sports bra + shorts set.

(You could argue that he was simply keeping tabs/info on everyone while he was Captain because he was sooooo careful like that. But I'm not seeing an undeveloped film of Barry in a skimpy little outfit hidden deep within his desk, so... 🤨)

You know what? Sorry for pointing this out, but it's been weighing heavy on my mind. This is the only time I'm ever gonna get to talk about this. In 1998, Rebecca was 18, and Wesker was 38. Jake Muller's mom was described as being in her early 20's when she immigrated to the US. Wesker was 32-33 when he impregnated Ms. Muller. Every fiber of my being thinks he may have had a thing for sweet, young brunette women.

...Anyway, I'm sure Wesker was at least somewhat nice to Jake's mom, especially considering how much she loved him even years later. Wesker is an arrogant bastard, but he's shown time and time again that he's very capable of playing nice with others. (See: S.T.A.R.S. and Excella.)

I mean, every time he played nice it was because he had ulterior motives, but I don't think he had any reason to manipulate Jake's mom. If he wanted quick sex, he could've gone out and had it with anyone. He wasn't working at the Arklay Laboratory in the middle fuck-ass nowhere anymore. And he wasn't in S.T.A.R.S. yet, so he wasn't in the public eye. If he wanted to get his dick wet and be done with it, he could've done exactly that, but he stuck around Ms. Muller long enough for her to develop strong feelings.

As for the abandoning part... I'm just grasping for anything at this point, but I'm sure that after a while Wesker realized that this (relationship?) wasn't something he could, or wanted to keep up. Nothing was more important to Wesker than his plans. Everything he did was to further his own goals, and Ms. Muller didn't fit into them. Plus he never had issues cutting ties.

The fact that Jake's mom left without a single word about her pregnancy makes me think that he gave her a very good reason not to contact him. I mean, maybe he just up and disappeared one day, but the way that things are worded in the RE6 files gives the impression that Ms. Muller chose not to contact him, not that she couldn't.

Maybe he said something along the lines of "I can't see you anymore." As for a good reason, "I'm not someone you want to associate with; I'm not someone you're going to be able to see in the long run." And then for good measure, "Please do not try to reach me."

--- Stop reading here I accidentally wrote fanfic ---

I can't stop thinking about all the possible ways they could have met, and what Wesker saw in her, and what she saw in him in return.

This is cheesy and overdone, but maybe they met at a coffee shop Wesker frequented. Ms. Muller saw him regularly, and thought he was a little funny in the way he ordered the same thing every day and never seemed to take off those dark sunglasses.

Small glances and acknowledgements of his presence turned into greetings and smiles. Each of them became a part of the others' daily routine, until one day Ms. Muller decided to strike up a conversation.

Wesker, who is usually too caught up in his own ideas and goals to care about anyone but himself, finds that he doesn't particularly mind the woman's presence. Wesker finds it easy to speak to her - refreshing, even. These interactions are not an inconvenience.

Ms. Muller, in my head, would be the first one to suggest that they hang out beyond their little coffee shop encounters. I don't think the thought would have even occurred to Wesker - and he'd surprise himself by saying yes.

Wesker ends up taking nice, long walks with her. Talking with her but mostly just listening to her speak, because although he finds her to be foolish in her naivety and kindness, he also finds her charming for those exact traits. I don't think he'd tell her a damn thing about what he does or what his main interests are.

Maybe he even spends a bit of money on her. He doesn't splurge, of course - money, although he cares not for it, is a tool he could use at a later date. But that necklace she saw through the shop window, or a small lunch when they've both got the time... spending money on those things is harmless enough. Just this once.

I doubt Wesker would want anyone over at his place, even if it does lack many personal touches because all he uses it for is to shower and sleep. He hates the thought of anyone touching, or worse, looking through his things.

But he'd be fine going over to her place, and he ends up doing just that, saying 'yes' to her invitation and...

--- End fanfic ---

TL;DR Wesker caught feelings for a nice young woman from Edonia, engaged in some terrible missionary with her maybe once (maybe several times), and then probably cut things off because he remembered he's evil

[reality-detective]

Let's investigate the 4 chemicals in Palestine Ohio's train derailment and their so-called slow burn operation that our government said was safe.👇

1. VINYL CHLORIDE

A chemical warfare agent in WWII ☠️

Is vinyl chloride harmful to human health?

⚠️Exposure to vinyl chloride may increase a person's risk of developing cancer. Human and animal studies show higher rates of liver, lung and several other types of cancer. Being exposed to vinyl chloride can affect a person's liver, kidney, lung, spleen, nervous system and blood.

How much vinyl chloride cause cancer?

Studies of long-term exposure in animals showed that cancer of the liver and mammary gland may increase at very low levels of vinyl chloride in the air (50 ppm). Lab animals fed low levels of vinyl chloride each day (2 mg/kg/day) during their lifetime had an increased risk of getting liver cancer.

Is vinyl chloride a hazardous waste?

⚠️Vinyl Chloride is hazardous to the environment.

2. ETHYLENE GLYCOL

What is ethylene glycol used in?

DESCRIPTION: Ethylene glycol is a useful industrial compound found in many consumer products. Examples include antifreeze, hydraulic brake fluids, some stamp pad inks, ballpoint pens, solvents, paints, plastics, films, and cosmetics.

How is ethylene glycol harmful to humans?

An overdose of ethylene glycol can damage the brain, lungs, liver, and kidneys. The poisoning causes disturbances in the body's chemistry, including metabolic acidosis (increased acids in the bloodstream and tissues). The disturbances may be severe enough to cause profound shock, organ failure, and death.

How does ethylene glycol affect the brain?

Ethylene glycol (EG) is a toxic alcohol that causes central nervous system depression and multiple metabolic abnormalities including a high anion gap metabolic acidosis (HAGMA), elevated osmolal gap (OG), and acute kidney injury. Few case reports of EG intoxication report brain MRI findings.

Is ethylene glycol a carcinogen?

🚩EPA has not classified ethylene glycol for carcinogenicity. Chronic Effects (Noncancer): The only effects were noted in a study of individuals exposed to low levels of ethylene glycol by inhalation for about a month were throat and upper respiratory tract irritation.

Is ethylene glycol monobutyl ether harmful to humans?

The substance is irritating to the eyes, skin and respiratory tract. The substance may cause effects on the central nervous system, blood, kidneys and liver. A harmful contamination of the air will be reached rather slowly on evaporation of this substance at 20°C.

3. MONOBUTYL ETHER

What is the use of monobutyl ether?

It is used as a solvent in surface coatings in paints; as a coupling agent in metal and household cleaners; as an intermediate in chemical production; and is also found in brake fluids and in printing ink.

Is butyl ether toxic?

⚠️Acute Health Effects☠️

The following acute (short-term) health effects may occur immediately or shortly after exposure to Butyl Ether: * Contact can irritate the skin and eyes. * Repeated or prolonged skin contact may cause rash. Breathing Butyl Ether can irritate the nose and throat causing coughing and wheezing.

Is ether toxic to humans?

⚠️Breathing Diethyl Ether can cause drowsiness, excitement, dizziness, vomiting, irregular breathing, and increased saliva. High exposure can cause unconsciousness and even death.

Is ether a carcinogen?

► Bis(Chloromethyl) Ether is a CARCINOGEN in humans. There may be NO safe level of exposure to a carcinogen, so all contact should be reduced to the lowest possible level.

Combustible. Above 60°C explosive vapour/air mixtures may be formed. NO open flames. Above 60°C use a closed system and ventilation.

4. ETHYLHEXYL ACRYLATE

Is ethylhexyl acrylate toxic?

Like any reactive chemical, 2-Ethylhexyl acrylate can be hazardous if not handled properly. May be harmful if swallowed. Ingestion may cause gastrointestinal irritation or ulceration. Limited dermal contact or vapour concentrations attainable at room temperature are not hazardous on single short duration exposures.

Is Ethylhexyl acrylate copolymer safe?

Although the monomers may be toxic, the levels that would be found in cosmetic formulations are not considered to present a safety risk. Accordingly, these Acrylate Copolymers are considered safe for use in cosmetic formulations when formulated to avoid irritation.

Are acrylates safe?

The International Agency of Research on Cancer as well as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have classified acrylates as a possible human carcinogen. Exposure to acrylates has been linked to skin, eye, and throat reactions [1] as well as more serious health consequences such as: Cancer.

Is ethylhexyl harmful for skin?

Ethylhexylglycerin is not safe due to its performance as a contact allergen.

Is ethyl acrylate carcinogenic?

⚠️Cancer Hazard☠️

* Ethyl Acrylate may be a CARCINOGEN in humans since it has been shown to cause stomach cancer in animals.

🚩Spoiler Alert⚠️ It's NOT safe and in fact it is highly toxic☠️

This will affect millions of people and it may flow into the Mississippi river as well. 🤔

[harveyguilleniconodelamoda]

Let's Sail Away

Harvey has worn this adorable top from his recent IG story a few times this summer, including while filming a mysterious project in June, and while hanging out with his sister Amada and his WWDITS co-star Kayvan Novak during Florida Supercon in July.

I've wanted to make a post on it since he first wore it, but despite how distinctive it is, this lime green top with its colorful sailboat print has been so hard to find!

It turns out that's because it's from a small local boutique in Douglas, GA.

This top is a lightweight, short sleeved button-down with a collared neckline. The material is 97% cotton, 3% spandex, giving the material a light stretch. It comes in sizes up to Large, though there are no size charts to verify measurements, so use caution when shopping online! It retails for $42.95.

Harvey typically wears this top open over a black tank.

Lucy Lu's Boutique primarily sells small and local brand clothing and accessories marketed to women. There is an emphasis on lace, bright colors, bold prints, reimagined retro trends, and unusual silhouettes. I'm eyeing some of their bell bottom jeans at the moment (occupational hazard of running this blog tbh). In addition to their blog, they have an Instagram where they frequently post special drops and sales.

[sparkywrites25]

Holder of the Hearts

Summary: You and Levi enjoy your new life with your baby daughter.

Pairing: Levi Ackerman x Reader

Notes: This is for Rei's "Happy Birthday Levi" event.

Taglist: @ladycheesington @levi-supreme

"You have a big mouth, like your mother," Levi remarks as the baby yawns in his arms, reaching up with her fists, her entire face scrunching up.

"Oi, shut up," you play-grumble as you lower yourself onto the couch besides them, your husband and daughter. You place yours and Levi's teacups down on the table and shift backwards to make yourself more comfortable, tucking your legs beneath you as you lean into Levi's side. Smiling down at the baby, you reach to stroke her cheek.

"Where is the lie?" Levi retorts, his voice incredibly quiet and soft. Not something most people would be used to, outside of your family, but ever since he's been reading baby books, he's been trying to use a gentler tone when interacting with the baby. He was the same when she was just a growing bump, especially in the last two months. There must have been something in it, you think with a smile as your daughter's brown eyes open and fix on her father's face, her expression smoothing out at the sound of his soothing tone. You watch Levi as he lets her tiny fist hold his finger. He begins to swing his finger and the baby watches him in adoration. "You're usually the loudest one in an argument. You're even louder than Eren."

You huff in irritation. "That hurts," you fake pout. "Eren's loud like 80% of the time."

"Yeah but when you start, you're even louder."

"I grew up with six brothers, all shouting over each other. Sue me. I had to adapt," you mutter defensively, fighting back a smile.

"I'm quite aware of how loudly your brothers are." Levi remarked, his lips twitching. "Pretty sure poor Heidi didn't get a wink of sleep during their hospital visits," he added, rocking the baby a little. "Nor the other patients for that matter."

You giggle at the memory. Levi had thrown Damian out after he insisted on improvising a song for his new niece. Not only had he woken several other patients up but the song had included some distinctly non-child-friendly lyrics too.

"That's just how they are. They love her so much."

"They should come with a health warning," Levi murmured. "May be hazardous to your eardrums."

You chuckle again, resting your cheek on his shoulder, admiring the way Heidi continues to watch her daddy, eyelids lowering in growing sleepiness. "You've definitely got the knack," you murmur.

"It helps not having a mouth big enough to sink the Titanic."

"Don't get started on that film again." You plead quietly with some exasperation.

To his credit, he doesn't continue down that line of conversation although you suspect that it's because he wants to keep quiet for Heidi to drift off and not because he's sick of pointing out the inaccuracies and complain about various elements of the plot.

"Daddy's so rude to me," you coo to your little princess and you beam as her sleepy eyes flicker to you. "Don't listen to him. He's just jealous because his mouth is so small and adorable."

Levi turns his face to you in incredulity. "How is my mouth adorable?"

You giggle and reach up to rub your index finger over his narrow mouth and plump lips. "It's so petite," you tease, leaning in to kiss his mouth. His mouth moves gently against yours so you smile against him. "So cute." you add, and proceed to give him short kisses.

He grumbles a little but continues to return your kisses. Your noses rub together affectionately and you rub your cheek against his. You withdraw just enough to be able to look into his full face and then take in the baby again too.

Heidi has completely drifted off. Seeing her so content in Levi's arms swells your heart and you bring a hand up to your lips, lightly touching, enough to hold back your emotions just a little so they don't spill over. Affection surges through you for your little family. You understand why people say that family is everything now. Why some people say starting a family is like beginning a new life. This feels that way. Yours and Levi's story continues but Heidi's arrival has been the dawn of a new world.

"Hey," Levi whispers, "you okay?"

"Yeah," you promise as your voice breaks, "I just- I really love us being together like this, together with her."

He rubs his nose against yours and presses his mouth on your lips in a light, tender kiss. "So do I. This, right here," he said as he returned to gazing at Heidi, "is perfect."

Levi carefully adjusts Heidi so that she's secure in his left arm while his right arm surrounds your waist. You nestle onto his shoulder, brushing your lips against his neck while keeping your own focus on the baby, thinking how extraordinary it is that such a tiny little being could have such a strong hold over both your hearts.. Even without doing anything but snoozing away, it's as though your own heart is beating because of her. Like somehow she's tied to your own life, your own heart.

"We should probably sleep soon," Levi murmurs although his eyes show no signs of sleepiness nor does he make any move to get up. "while she sleeps."

"Soon," you agree, equally content, "but not yet. I just want to stay like this a little longer."

You smile as your husband lowers his lips to Heidi's wispy tufts of dark hair and kisses her head. "Her hair's so dark." he remarks quietly.

"It's gonna be like yours," you agree. "Guess she's gonna be a Daddy's girl too."

"At least that gives her a chance at having volume control," Levi comments and you swat his shoulder. "Although," he adds, "you're wrong about one thing, you know?"

"Oh?"

"She's already my girl," Levi declares in a whisper. "and she always will be."

[stayevildarling]

Hi. I saw you are running low on inspiration for some Delia, Mina, & Billie fics. I was shifting through and found some fun prompts that could be fun to use with them!

“Where are you? Tell me where you are.”

“You left me alone.”

“Don’t cry please.”

“Oh my gosh, you’re bleeding.”

“Don’t yell at me!”

“What did you do?”

No pressure whatsoever, inspiration comes naturally so it’s okay if you don’t have it currently. I have been loving the Marvel fics too but I do miss our girls Delia, Mina, and Billie! Thankkk youu. Take care!

Cordelia Goode x Billie Dean Howard x Wilhemina Venable x Reader - Basement Blues

A/N: Thank you very much for sending these prompts. I got a request that instantly reminded me of this and so I combined it🫶🏼.

initial request:

Hiii as per usual I’m watching a horror movie and I was wondering .. could you write a fiction where r decides to join Billie during the inspection of a presumed ‘haunted house’ and her coworkers, while Billie is checking upstairs, pull a prank on r deciding to leave her behind in the basement. Little did they know that a ghost lurked there, anything but kind, leaving r absolutely terrified. Maybe she hurt herself trying to push the door open. When Billie finds out what happened, she is both outraged and deeply sorry for r, who won’t speak but only cry and shake in fear. It could be a hurt comfort fic w multiple characters too, I was thinking Cordelia and Mina maybe? (You choose) When Billie comes back home with r, Mina and Delia will surely ask her questions, noticing r’s state. The three of them trying to pick up the pieces. Thanksss <<3

tw: mention of ghosts, mention of haunted house, mention of cursing, mention of smoking, mention of blood

word count: 6k

taglist:

@lunaticwhittaker , @billiebeanhoward , @lanawinters-ily , @kenzbro , @minaslittleone , @httpfiftyshadesofgay , @whitelotus00 , @ninaahs , @paulsonsratched , @vintagepaulson , @isle-of-earle , @grilledcheeseandguavajelly , @lucyintheskywithxanax , @fanfics4world , @mymiraclewitch , @hazard-to-myself , @awritersometime , @wastdtime , @p1pecleanerwitheyes , @queen2234 , @ihartnat , @lifebyinez , @ahsatanizgay , @stepintomyworld

The academy had been quiet today, the soft sound of rainfall shuddering against the windows overlooking the gardens and greenhouse of the coven, your home. As your partners go on about their usual days, Billie Dean filming her show- getting ready to film the last bits for her newest season, Cordelia working in the academy, guiding a group of witches in improving their magical abilities and Wilhemina equally at work, you find yourself feeling a little bored.

Now it certainly didn't happen often, as you had a career of your own, but unfortunately you are off from work for a week, which usually you would enjoy, if it meant their schedules lined up with your own. However, as it was a little short notice, neither of them could take any time off, leaving you almost like a lost puppy wandering the academy. Often you had wished you could also be a witch, get taught by Cordelia and spend your afternoons or days off working on spells, witchcraft and potions. But you couldn't and so the only thing you had been doing today was some reading, getting started on some dinner preparations and checking in on the supreme from time to time. Despite not being a student at the academy, you wanted to make yourself useful and so you had spent your morning in the greenhouse, tidying up the potion shelves, organising the various ingredients and labelling some jars. Afterwards, you watered the plants, ensuring they receive the proper care, despite the supreme caring and tending to them regularly but you knew she had been busy lately.

However, as the day goes on, you find yourself growing increasingly bored, sighing to yourself, you lean on the kitchen counter, overlooking the gardens and how it was by now pouring down with rain, the sky filled with dark clouds and making the aura almost a little gloomy. Your thoughts are interrupted when the sound of the front door opening and closing startles you a little, causing you to instantly turn around, your features beaming. A small smirk makes it's way onto your features, as you watch your girlfriend Billie Dean walk inside, abandoning her umbrella nearby before kicking off her heels. Almost with graze, she abandons her handbag and blazer in the hallway before sighing heavily at the rain and knowing she would need an extensive hair care routine tonight, as otherwise she would be overwhelmed with her hair going frizzy and wavy. You peek your head around the doorframe, watching her in quiet adoration and giggling a little at her antics.

,,Hi'' you beam a little, your genuine smile instantly lighting up the room as you didn't expect the medium to be home just yet. ,,Hi babydoll'' she greets you warmly, her features equally lighting up before opening her arms. ,,Come here'' she offers and you comply, letting her steady arms wrap around you as you nuzzle yourself further into her neck, taking in her scent of expensive Chanel perfume and vanilla. ,,How's my baby girl?'' she asks gently before you mutter out a quiet ,,I'm k Billie, how about you?''. As the two of you pull away, you follow her into the kitchen where she takes a seat, lighting a cigarette before filling you in about her day. ,,How was filming?'' you ask excitedly as you watch her light the cigarette with again such grace. ,,It was good darling, we have one more house to film at tomorrow and then we should be mostly done'' she announces, brushing her fingertips through her slightly soaked curls.

,,Where are you filming tomorrow then?'' you ask curiously before she fills you in a little further, the two of you getting lost a little in conversation and Billie filling you in on all the details about her day. She watches curiously as you listen intently to her every word and as she abandons her cigarette in a nearby ashtray, before turning the coffee machine on, she can't help but notice how spotless the place is, not just the kitchen but the academy as a whole. ,,What did you get up to today darling? other than cleaning?'' she chuckles, knowing you to be a bit of a neat freak. When your gaze averts hers, the blonde can tell that something was on your mind, in fact she had noticed it as soon as she greeted you as you normally aren't that clingy or cuddly straight away. Her features tense a little as she tilts her head to the side to get a look at you ,,What's the matter?'' she asks, her tone soft but a little stern at the same time. ,,Nothing Billie'' you assure, quickly smiling at her to make the statement more believable.

Her eyebrows furrow as she sits back down again, her gentle hand finding yours on the table and holding it in place. ,,What is it?'' she tries again, her eyes piercing right through you as you meet her brown ones. Sighing heavily you avert her gaze again before speaking ,,I've just been bored today, I have done everything that I could think of but I always feel a little useless when I'm not working or when I'm not around either of you'' you admit. The statement causes for her to frown a little before she begins thinking ,,You're off for the rest of the week right?'' she asks, causing you to nod at her question. ,,I'm sorry darling but I promise I'll take you somewhere nice this weekend hm?'' she tries, causing you to simply nod sadly, excited at her offer but knowing you would still have to wait a whole week for that to happen. Billie watches as an idea quite literally ripples through you, causing your eyebrows to shoot upwards, a smirk on your features ,,What's going on in that pretty little head of yours?'' she smirks before you fill her in ,,Can I pwease go to work with you tomorrow?'' you ask excitedly, your features beaming once again.

The medium scratches her head before beginning to play with her rings, thinking about it for a moment. You had often asked Billie as you are a big fan of her show and she had taken you for some promo bits a few times. Her crew loved you anyway as you always made yourself useful and got everyone coffee so she simply smiles at you before nodding. ,,Sure babydoll, I'd love to take you'' she reassures before you beam a little, kicking your feet up and down in excitement and she chuckles then at your adorableness, before pressing a kiss to the hand that she is still holding. Glancing at the time, you notice you should carry on finishing dinner preparations and so you do just that, walking back over the fridge and setting the ingredients down. You smile warmly as you feel Billie's arms wrap around you from behind, her chin resting on your shoulder ,,What are we having tonight babydoll?'' she whispers. ,,Tacos'' you announce before she presses a kiss to your cheek. ,,Oh, you truly are an angel'' she smiles before walking away, swaying her hips a little more than necessary. ,,I'll just be in the shower darling'' she announces before leaving you.

A while later, you finish setting the table and continue to prepare dinner, chopping some vegetables, overlooking the gardens once more, noticing how the atmosphere seemed a little lighter, even a rainbow in the distance somewhere before you see a presence lingering by the doorway from the corner of your eyes. ,,Hi Delia'' you greet her as she watches you in quiet adoration. ,,Hello sweetheart'' she smiles warmly before taking slow and gentle steps towards you ,,Guess what?'' you beam a little and doing some type of excited dance that she can't help but giggle at. ,,What darling?'' she asks, her heart fluttering at seeing you so happy. ,,I'm going to work with Billie tomorrow'' you announce proudly, almost a little smug. ,,You're what?'' she asks, acting as if she didn't hear you properly, her eyebrows raised ever so slightly. ,,I-am-going-to-work-with-Billie-tomorrow-'' you slow down the words in a joking manner causing her to smirk a little.

,,Oh yeah? who says that sweetheart?'' she asks, the concern already laced on her beautiful features. ,,Me'' Billie Dean announces as she walks in, towel wrapped around her head from just finishing in the shower. The medium presses a kiss to your cheek before stealing a vegetable from the chopping board and putting it in her mouth ,,And why is that?'' Cordelia asks, her eyebrows still raised as she tries to keep her worry hidden and at bay. ,,She told me she's bored and I would love to take her'' the medium shrugs before leaning agains the kitchen island. ,,I'm not sure that's a good idea'' Cordelia protests, remembering the dangers that Billie's career brought, often finding the medium shivering and shaking at night after an especially rough few episodes. ,,Why not? I'll look after her'' the medium announces, giving you a little wink before speaking again ,,Besides, you have been here all day'' she argues causing for Cordelia's eyebrows to raise again.

,,Yes teaching witches all day'' Cordelia argues back, you watching the scene unfold quietly, knowing it's still light and mostly a joke. ,,Come on Dee, it's not like she's going to work with Wilhemina'' Billie jokes, before walking away to light a cigarette. ,,Who's not going to work with me?'' the redheads voice rings through the quiet kitchen as she returned moments ago. You beam a little seeing your Mina, having missed her today ,,Darling Billie here has decided to take Y/N to work tomorrow'' Cordelia announces, her eyes pleading with the redhead hoping she was going to agree with the supreme and share her concern. Wilhemina watches Billie's devilish grin before retreating for a smoke, your puppy eyes as if asking for permission, despite not needing it and Cordelia's eyes piercing through the redhead. Wilhemina remains quiet, not necessarily liking the idea of you being near ghosts and spirits but trusting Billie and her white light spirit that she talks about daily enough to let you go, knowing you must have been bored and feeling bad that she didn't manage to take any time off to spend with you this week.

As you serve the food, Billie returns before Wilhemina's eyes pierce through the medium ,,You better look after her Howard'' she warns before the blonde chuckles ,,Always''. Cordelia watches, her eyes meeting Wilhemina's surprised that she agreed before reminding herself that you are an adult after all and can make your own decisions. The tense atmosphere is quickly replaced by a comfortable one as the four of you talk about your days over dinner, the three of them thanking and praising you for you cooking and you making fun of Billie for almost dropping the entire content of her tacos on the table while trying to take a bite. The remainder of the evening is spent in the comfortable embrace of each other, the almost all too familiar image of Wilhemina sitting in her armchair by the fireplace knitting, Billie and you snuggled in Cordelia's arms on the sofa while watching some of her show.

The next day begins with a gentle warmth filtering through the windows of the academy. As the first light of morning creeps in, Wilhemina's alarm clock ripples through the quiet air, causing her and Cordelia to stir from their slumber, arms and legs still entangled in each other and their comforting embraces. Slowly, Billie Dean stirs as well, before opening her eyes, catching a glimpse of Wilhemina already on her way to the bathroom, Cordelia's eyes meeting hers. ,,Where's Y/N'' Billie asks confused, her voice still sounding hoarse from sleep. Cordelia glances towards the bathroom door, finding Wilhemina disappear inside, at first assuming you had been in there before her eyebrows furrow. The two of them briefly make their way downstairs, only to find you already having set the table for your girlfriends for breakfast, Wilhemina's lunchbox for work already prepared as you go on about your task while dancing along to a song playing in the background, swaying your hips as your excitement gets ahold of you.

,,Sweetheart?'' the supreme tries softly, however you are so lost in your buzzing mood that you can't hear her. Billie chuckles before walking over to you, startling you. ,,Morning babydoll'' she greets you with a chuckle and gentle kiss as your cheeks are coated in a slight red shade, not expecting them downstairs yet. Cordelia watches in quiet adoration, leaning against the doorframe and she can't help the fluttering of her heart or the genuine smile spreading across her features, seeing you this happy and content. It hadn't always been like this, the last two years having been anything but kind to you and she had often worried if you would move past it, make it to the other side but seeing you this genuinely happy, causes her both relief and joy. The supreme is startled when she hears the sound of Wilhemina's cane softly approach from behind, causing her to snap out of her thoughts and join the three of you for breakfast.

,,Alright I'm off, have fun little one'' the redhead speaks softly as she collects her things including the lunchbox you had made for her. ,,Thanks Mina'' you smile at her before she turns to the medium ,,Look after her'' she warns again before leaving, her cane echoing through the academy as she makes her way towards the driveway. The remainder of the morning you cannot await your departure with Billie, she made sure to make it special for you, helping you with the perfect outfit and even some makeup as she offered to maybe give you a little scene in her show after all if it wasn't too dangerous. After saying goodbye to the supreme, who's worried glance follows you until you are both out the door, Billie drives you to her usual coffee spot, picking up her pre work coffee and getting you a little something as well. ,,Thanks Billie'' you beam, loving when she spoiled you like this.

The ride to the location takes about half an hour and the two of you simply enjoy each other's company, the sound of the music quietly in the background. Billie truly was stunning and you have a hard time not stealing glances at her or to stare too much as she takes you inside to her crew, the mini skirt complementing her body in the perfect way. ,,Good morning Miss Howard'' her crew greets her and you watch in awe seeing her crew again and all the film equipment already prepared. ,,Morning everyone'' she greets with her usual cheerfulness until her colleagues take a look at you. ,,We've got a guest today?'' her assistant remarks excitedly and Billie nods, before introducing you to two male crew members that you hadn't met before, being familiar with the rest.

While they look over the last few details of this house's history and the spirit meant to be residing here and haunting the people living here, you inspect the camera equipment a little further, staying in the background as you didn't want to bother Billie or anyone. ,,Alright, start upstairs and then make our way down?'' her assistant suggests and Billie nods before checking herself in the mirror one last time, doing some sort of expression that you can't help but silently chuckle at in adoration. ,,I want you to stay down here with the crew babydoll k? I'll get you once I know it's not too dangerous and then I'll see if I find a little scene for you alright?'' she asks, bopping your nose with her finger and you nod and smile before she presses a kiss to your lips.

The house becomes quiet as they ascend the stairs, the only noises to be heard Billie as she takes the camera through the house, talking about the history of this home, what the owners had been going through and what they had researched about the spirit. Some of her crew members remain downstairs and you watch the two guys as they mutter something to themselves. There is some artwork on the walls and you inspect them a little closer as you see old family photos and you wonder who the people may be as the family living here was young and these photos looked a couple of centuries old. ,,Hey, your Y/N right?'' one of them asks and as you are awful with names you decide to call them ,,the blonde one'' and the ,,the ginger one'' in your head. ,,Yes I am'' you announce friendly, not particularly liking the company of men but wanting to be nice nevertheless considering they work for Billie.

,,We left some equipment down there, do you think you could fetch it for us while we do this?'' the ginger one asks and you nod as he gestures towards the computers where you see Billie inspecting upstairs and so far not having any luck as she works her magic in contacting the spirit. ,,Sure'' you shrug friendly, usually helping out her crew whenever you joined the medium the couple of times you had been to her office. ,,It's just a small laptop'' the blonde one says and opens the door for you. The entire basement is dark and as one of them turns the light on, a wooden staircase is exposed and you make your way down. As soon as you reach the bottom of the stairs and look around, the door suddenly bangs shut and you quickly go upstairs, still thinking this was an innocent mistake. When you hear both of them giggling and notice they had locked the door, you simply roll your eyes before muttering ,,Not very funny''.

In the end you sit on the stairs for a while, realising you have no service or connection to contact Billie. The door was thick and you assumed if you screamed she may not hear you and you simply will embarrass yourself more. In the end, you walk back down the stairs, checking out some more frames on the walls and countless storage boxes. It's when the light suddenly begins flickering and turning off altogether that your breath hitches a little. In a desperate attempt, you use your torch from your phone, despite it only providing a small source of light in the big basement. At first you assumed it was those same idiots that had locked you in here to begin with but you quickly realise it was more serious than that when countless of the boxes begin tumbling down the shelves, no presence of anyone visible.

,,Hello?'' you call out but instantly scold yourself as you had always mentioned how stupid it was to call out said word whenever watching a horror movie. Carefully, you walk around some of the boxes, shining your torch in the direction the noises came from when you see a shadow. It causes you to shriek a little before backing away. Now, due to the darkness you aren't sure but you could swear you had seen that face on one of the photos from earlier, a man assuming in his twenties with dark hair, dressed in some clothes that match the century vibes from the pictures. His expression looked angry, making you feel scared and uneasy. In a desperate attempt to flee the situation you begin screaming and banging against the door but you can't hear anything other than the giggling idiots on the other end.

,,This is my house, you have no business here'' a dark voice suddenly calls out before a torch comes flying your way, hitting the door and causing the glass to split everywhere, including your direction. ,,Please I just want to get out of here'' you plead, your rational side not able to believe that you are actually talking to a ghost and at the same time admiring how Billie could do this on a daily basis as this terrified you in a way nothing had ever scared you. It's when you hear heavy footsteps at the bottom of the staircase that you begin banging against the door, screaming for Billie and eventually using all of your strength to try and open the lock, hitting your shoulder and pushing all your weight against it in the hopes of opening the door.

,,Where is Y/N?'' Billie's voice calls out as she makes it downstairs again, seeing her two crew members but no sign of you. They both shrug and Billie is confused before looking around the house. ,,Y/N?'' she calls out before she hears you crying out her name. ,,Where are you? Tell me where you are'' she calls out in a desperate attempt, hearing your distress. She suddenly hears banging from the basement door and stares at the two idiots before rushing over, the camera still following her. The medium unlocks the door instantly, finding you shivering and shaking with fear as you practically fall into her arms, the spirit near seconds from you and she is quick to grab you, spin you both around so she faces the spirit before chanting some latin words and making him disappear.

,,What the hell happened?'' she asks as she takes your cheeks into her hands, tears continuing to stain them. ,,You left me alone'' you choke on a sob, feeling the fear still rippling through your body as you had never experienced something like this before. ,,Don't cry please'' she whispers as she holds you protectively. ,,Why were you in there?'' she asks confused before you meet her eyes and your guilty eyes meet the two idiots standing in the corner, their expression suddenly very serious. ,,Turn this shit off'' Billie curses as she stares at the camera, leaving you for a moment. ,,Are you serious?'' she screams, not being able to hold her composure. ,,Locking someone in a basement of a haunted house, congratulations, you didn't only scare her for dear life, the spirit is also gone'' she screams in frustration, her whole camera crew and assistant silent as they had never seen the medium like this before.

,,Get out of here, you are both fired'' she curses before turning to her assistant. ,,We are done here, I'll see you in the office on monday'' she announces and the woman simply nods as Billie reaches for her handbag. As you follow her, her assistant gives you a compassionate and sorry look. Billie takes your hand, guiding you towards her car before opening the door for you. She closes it gently before getting into the drivers seat, banging the door in frustration before lighting a cigarette. The two of you remain there for a little bit until Billie finishes, without a word she begins driving, the music still playing quietly in the background.

,,I'm so sorry'' she eventually whispers and as you turn towards her, you notice a tear running down her cheek and you are quick to catch it with your thumb. ,,It's okay Billie, it's not your fault'' you assure but the medium knows you are wrong. She should have looked after you, stayed with you and looked after you better. This is exactly what your other two girlfriends had been implying and that makes her feel even worse. ,,It is'' she mutters quietly and Billie was so lost in her daze that she never noticed your state, how pale you are, that your whole body is still shaking, the pain on your shoulder unbearable and your hands covered in blood from the glass and trying to open the door frantically. ,,I promise Billie it's okay, we can just forget about it'' you encourage her but she remains silent, struggling with the guilt of what had happened.

By the time you both make it home, you both notice Wilhemina's car in the driveway, unaware how long this whole thing actually took and how long you had been gone. Billie looks at your face, still so lost in her feelings that she doesn't notice your physical state. ,,We don't have to mention it promise'' you encourage and she simply nods as the two of you walk inside the academy. Now, the shock had momentarily made you forget about the pain and the state your body is in and so it's no surprise as the two of you walk inside, when both Wilhemina and Cordelia's face drop seeing your state. Cordelia's eyebrows furrow as they both walk over to you, Billie following behind.

,,Oh my gosh, you're bleeding'' Cordelia shrieks, quickly taking your bloody hands into her own, the blood staining her and some pieces of glass still stuck in your hands. Wilhemina takes one look at your painful face, quickly noticing the signs of shock as your knees and hands are shaking. You remain silent before looking into Cordelia's eyes, trying your hardest to force a smile. ,,I'm fine I promise'' you reassure but they are having none of it. ,,I just fell that's all'' you try to lie, not wanting to have Billie getting the blame but again they can see right through you. ,,Sit down'' Cordelia orders as she takes you in the kitchen, Wilhemina and Billie following, as the medium leans against a counter, lighting a cigarette in frustration.

,,What the hell did you do?'' Wilhemina's yelling ripples through the air, causing you to shake in Cordelia's arms as she checks and begins treating your injuries with her magic. Billie pretends that the raising of her girlfriends voice doesn't affect her, simply shrugging as she takes another long drag. ,,Don't yell at me'' she warns, not in the mood for Wilhemina's usual antics and anger. ,,You need to tell me what happened Howard because when Y/N left this morning she was the happiest and now she is shaking, bleeding and it looks like she is going to pass out'' the redhead warns, controlling her voice after seeing Cordelia's warning expression.

,,It wasn't Billie's fault'' you somehow mutter out, fighting through the pain of your shoulder injury. All three heads snap towards you and you begin speaking again ,,Her coworkers played a dumb prank but Billie fired them as soon as she found out, it really wasn't Billie's fault'' you defend her and Billie's heart swells with pride, her eyes filling with tears as she knows she deserved every bit of this but appreciating nevertheless that you are trying to defend her. ,,What sort of prank sweetheart?'' Cordelia asks seriously before you glance at Billie and fill them in. ,,They asked me to get something from the basement and then locked me in there'' you admit and Wilhemina scoffs at hearing your statement.

,,But then where did this come from?'' Cordelia asks confused as she points out the cuts on your hand and the leftover glass she had pulled from it. ,,There was a spirit but Billie didn't know and got rid of it'' you admit And Wilhemina can't help but lose her temper again. ,,Really you left her alone? with a fucking spirit in the basement?'' Billie is in no state to deal with this and so all she does is collect her cigarettes before placing her hand on your shoulder in a comforting manner before walking past you. ,,I'm sorry babydoll'' she apologies again before disappearing outside, needing some air.

Wilhemina can't help but notice your flinching and pained expression when Billie had touched your shoulder and she tilts her head to the side a little before stepping closer to you. ,,Are you in pain little one?'' she asks and you shake your head but when your two girlfriends glance at each other, they know you are still trying to downplay the situation. ,,If you are in pain, you need to tell us sweetie'' Cordelia encourages and you hesitantly fill them in. ,,I tried to break the door open'' you admit and they both look at you seriously before Cordelia points towards your shoulder. You nod in confirmation and with gentle hands, she lifts your sleeve down, exposing your beaten and bruised shoulder. ,,God'' Wilhemina mutters, seeing the state you are in and feeling like she wants to kill those idiots that did this.

,,That spirit should be grateful it's dead because otherwise'' Wilhemina mutters and you can't help but break out in laughter, startling the two of them. ,,Sorry'' you mumble and Wilhemina smirks ever so slightly, Cordelia happy to at least see you smiling again. As she inspects your shoulder a little closer, she realises the extend of your injury and glances at Wilhemina who knows exactly what this means. ,,Sweetheart, your bone seems injured, I can fix it but magic like this can be tricky'' she explains and you listen intently to her words. ,,Can't you just fix it?'' you ask and she bites her lip before sighing. ,,I can but the way this magic works is the bone will heal itself, it's very quick I promise but can be very painful'' the supreme explains and you glance at Wilhemina who looks at you with so much concern.

While Cordelia prepares herself for the spell, Wilhemina passes you some water and encourages you to drink the whole thing. ,,Ready?'' the supreme asks and Wilhemina reaches her hand out to you which you take. ,,Ready'' you mumble, feeling a little nervous before her hand hovers over your shoulder before she begins chanting some latin words. At first the pain feels tingling, the initial pain even leaving before the excruciating pain ripples through your body. Your eyes begin swelling up and you can't help but let out the most painful scream, that causes both their hearts to ache. ,,Done'' Cordelia whispers, her own eyes filled with tears at knowing how much that must have hurt. ,,I'm so sorry sweetie'' she whispers as she cups your cheeks. Your eyes remain closed but as you open them again, you notice the absence of any pain, her magic working wonders as if none of this ever happened in the first place.

,,Better?'' Wilhemina asks, her expression almost unreadable and you nod before Billie comes rushing inside. ,,What happened?'' she asks, hearing your scream from outside and never having heard you like this before. ,,Cordelia fixed the bone that broke'' Wilhemina mutters without the slightest bit of emotion in her voice, Billie's eyes widening in realisation. ,,Sweetie are you okay? you look awfully pale'' Cordelia acknowledges as the colour quite literally drained from your face. ,,Yes.. I think I'm going to have a shower'' you say before standing up, not wanting to be anywhere around for the confrontation that was about to unfold between your girlfriends. They all watch as you walk away, their worried eyes following you and Cordelia can sense with her magic that a wave of dizziness was going to wash over you any moment. With quick steps she aids to your side as you hold onto the nearest wall. ,,It's okay, I'll help you darling'' she offers and she takes your hand, gently guiding you upstairs, knowing what this type of magic and the shock from before can have an impact on your body.

Cordelia‘s movements are gentle as she helps you upstairs, sitting you down on the bed before retrieving some clothes for you. She knows about your desire to shower after today but she also knows your body is in no condition to do so after the shock and her magic. She washes your face for you, gently dresses you in some pj‘s before tugging you into bed. As she watches you get comfortable, she feels conflicted, knowing you both needed her and the desire of not leaving you alone but she also knew her other two lovers needed her in order for the argument that was bound to happen not to escalate. „It really wasn‘t Billie‘s fault Delia“ you mumble, already feeling the tiredness from the day wash over you. „I know sweet girl“ she smiles before walking over and pressing a gentle kiss to your forehead.

„It‘s okay you can go“ you mumble, being able to tell how conflicted the blonde is feeling. And it almost brings tears to her eyes how well you know them, how kind and considerate you are. Now before the witch gets the chance to leave, the door opens and both of your heads snap in the direction, surprised when you see both of your girlfriends walking in together. You can tell by their expressions that Billie still feels guilty, that Wilhemina still feels angry but it‘s the way they walk in together, side by side, no distance between them that you and Cordelia can tell they had settled this among themselves. Billie remains silent, walking over to you as Cordelia checks in with Wilhemina, the redhead nodding as if to signal that all is well. „I‘m so sorry my sweet girl“ she apologizes again and knowing Billie you knew she would be sorry for a lifetime. „It‘s okay really Bills“ you encourage and she smiles contently before pressing a kiss to your cheeks.

„Now babydoll, me and Mina had a talk, considering the day you‘ve had, how about we order your favorite? you can have a little rest until it gets here and then we‘ll watch your favorite movie?“ your eyes sparkle at her statement and you glance at both Delia and Wilhemina who simply smile and encourage you to agree. „Yes please“ you beam, before sitting up excitedly, the tiredness suddenly gone. And so, the four of you find yourself in front of the TV a little while later, your favorite takeaway in your lap and your favorite movie playing in the background. You could tell there was maybe a conversation to come but by Wilhemina and Billie‘s causal bickering and joking you could tell everything was back to normal. After finishing your meal, Cordelia begins the dishes as Billie steals away for a smoke and you finally find yourself in the arms of your redhead lover.

„I‘m glad you‘re okay little one“ she whispers as her fingers trace patterns on your back. You smile as you nuzzle into her further, seeking her warmth and she wraps you closer, being able to tell. „Sooo“ you begin and by your tone of voice she can tell whatever you are about to say will make her smirk in that all too familiar way. „Does this mean I can come to work with you next?“ you smile cheekily and she simply raises an eyebrow before chuckling lowly. „Definitely not little one, if you think Howard‘s work is dangerous, you definitely don‘t want to meet my bosses“ and the two of you chuckle, Cordelia smiling from the kitchen having heard the interaction before melting into your girlfriend further.

[be-ready-when-i-say-go]

I see your neck post and I raise you:

Steve gets drunk one night, like, hammered, because he's missing Nancy and m! Reader (I'm so sorry for adding on to the male reader requests-) and Eddie are there with Robin. Reader has somewhat similar hair to Nancy so Steve is clinging to him so reader tells Robin to get his boyfriend Eddie.

Eddie is just 🧍 "bro what- no. Mine." Super possessive so he gets all bitey on the reader in front of Steve.

Maybe some smut? That's completely up to you.

Stay safe and take care of yourself! I hope you have a wonderful day or evening!

Request is referirng to this post--because NECK. And whoops this got so sad. I'm sorry! Let me know if this isn't what you had in mind.

Requests have resumed. You can submit yours here!

Currently writing for Eddie Munson. I write for a variety of reader inserts (male, female, gender neutral, readers of color too).

The more details you had to your request, the better it is for me. EX: “What about some fluff for Eddie after he’s had a long day?”

Feel free to look through my masterlist here!

Eddie Munson x Male Reader.

_________________________

You lift your head as the shrill of the phone echoes around you. Eddie gives your shoulder another tug--the TV holds a gorey red hue that paints the walls of the trailer. You laugh at Eddie's insistent hold. "What if it's the plant?" you question softly as the phone continues to ring.

It'd been a couple weeks since you and Eddie have been able to properly hang out. Your job had you working nights and you didn't get off until nearly 1 sometimes 2 in the morning. The timing always sort of fell apart for one reason or another. Until now. You had two days off--on a weekend no less-- and Eddie had asked you to spend the night.

It was easy to say yes to his request. Eddie had gone to Family Video to stock up on movies and you agreed to cover the snacks. So you understand why Eddie is pouting as he pushes up from the couch. He undoubtedly did not want anything to interrupt the evening, but at the mention that it could be about his uncle, Eddie pushes up and answers the phone.

You pause the film, watching Eddie nod into the receiver. "Yeah he's here with me. You okay, Buckley?"

You perk up at the mention of Robin. She and you were friends--forged by fire and Math class. Robin clocked you the second you walked into that algebra class. You took in the writing on her Chuck Taylors and knew too. It wasn't that it was obvious but it was more like signals. If you were looking for your people, even the smallest hint was something to cling to and also be terrified off.

But that year--your junior, her sophomore--the two of you became fast friends. Now, even though you've graduated, you still went by her job to chat. The two of you still made efforts to have standing lunch dates when you could.

You push up off the couch too, taking the short trip to Eddie's kitchen where the phone resides. You faintly catch the sound of Robin's voice slurring together. Eddie notices the furrow of your brow and brings a hand to rub it over your back. Maybe it's all fine. But your heart beat thrums in your neck.

She asks again for you and Eddie hands the phone over. "Rob?" you question.

She giggles into the receiver. "Hi, so, uh, I need help."

"Help? Where are you?" you ask.

"I-" a hiccup interrupts her speech. "Steve's place. He sssaid he wanted to talk. But he'ss totally trashed."

"From the sounds of it, so are you?"

"No, no, no,' Robin quickly corrects. "But his parents are going to be back in town tomorrow. My fingers aren't cooperating with me. Please," Robin begs into the phone. "I won't ever ask for another favor for as long as I live."

"Steve's parents are never home," you mutter to yourself.

"Please, please, please." Another hiccup cuts Robin off and you sigh as you agree to come to Steve's place. You'd only been out the front of his house. It's not that you and Steve were strangers to each other. In fact you'd hazard the terms acquaintances to describe each other. But still, the two of you had a sort of line. You were friends with Robin and Steve was friends with Eddie and you learned about each other via this connection, but hadn't delved into anything beyond that.

"Fine. But you owe me. Interrupting date night is like a total no-no.'

"I know. I'm ssorry. Tell Eddie I'll do whatever he wants to make it up. Well, not whatever I won't suck his--'

"Alright, alright," you huff to cut her off. "Sit still. We're on our way."

"Thank you! I love you! Oh my god," Robin gushes. At the same time, Eddie's voice rings throughout the trailer, "We?"

And just faintly before you hang up the phone you finally catch Steve's voice. "And another thing, Robs!'

It's definitely going to be a long night.

It takes you all of three minutes to convince Eddie to let you leave. He pouts for a while stating you can't leave when it's so dark out. But he knows it's Robin asking for you and he knows you won't take his no. So as you pull the sweatshirt back over your t-shirt and unearth your shoes from underneath Eddie's bed, you watch Eddie follow suit. He slips into his jacket, gets his shoes back on, and right as you grab your keys, he takes them from you.

'Well if you're going, so am I. I'm not getting left behind," he counters.

When you pull up to Steve's house, you're not sure what you're expecting. Perhaps, you're waiting for Steve to fall out of the door, shout at you for showing up at your door. Instead through, Robin greets you. Behind her you can hear sniffles. "It's not fair!" Steve huffs.

"I am a dumbass," Robin greets. "But here are my knights in shining---leather jackets?" She squints just a little, but then waves you all inside. She's not as gone as you initially thought. But the place is a little out of sorts.

There's cans littered throughout the house. A fine level of dust on the shelves. It doesn't even look like anyone lives there truly. "Is he okay?" you ask.

Robin shrugs. "A recurring theme. I just--can one person help me get the cans up and other help me get Steve to bed? He's a large man. Doesn't look it, but damn he's a gaggle of limbs."

Eddie volunteers to help get Steve up to his room. It makes the most sense. "Alright, big guy, let's get you all tucked in," Eddie teases.

"Who the fuck let you in, man?" Steve laughs. You only hear the taunts as you trail behind Robin into the kitchen. It's not too bad in here. There's bottles, a few glasses in the sink. You initially thought maybe the place had been overrun with mold. But it's relatively tame. Steve clearly does his bet to keep the house together. It's not perfect but you don't think anyone with a full time job to keep a house perfectly intact.

The trash bag whips in your ear and Robin hands it over to you. "Why-why don't you take a seat, Robin?" you offer directing her to a chair at the kitchen table.

"Didn't want him drinking alone,' she offers, resting her head on her forearms. She hadn't expected Steve to go on the tangent and binge that he had. She didn't want to catch up to him, but damn Steve and his charm when he'd make a joke about how slow Robin was going with her own intake. So she'd give him just a taste--flip him off as she took her sip. He grinned with an easy, Atta girl each time.

Now, the room did not feel as stable as it started out as and Steve was worse for wear. Though he didn't seem belligerent, she could see the sadness behind his eyes. It was a shitty time for Steve to fall down into this well of self-pity. He'd been bitching about how his parents were finally coming back into town weeks before the holidays in order to keep up appearances.

It started him on a spiral. Robin couldn't control it, not when she agreed to also have a drink or three with Steve. Not eating before hand was catching up. You fix Robin a glass of water and think maybe Steve should have one too. So you find another glass and go into the living room where Eddie is covered in a not sober Steve. Eddie's laughing as the slightly younger man has slung himself over Eddie's shoulders. But when Steve eyes fall onto yours, you watch something turn.

You don't know what it is as first, but you put the glass down on the table. "So you don't hate yourself in the morning," you laugh and then turn back into the kitchen.

"Is that?" Steve asks to Eddie. It would be a whisper if not for the fact that Steve wasn't truly in control of his volume. "No way," he finishes, interrupting his own thought.

You're not sure what he's referring to, so you chuckle just a little slightly unsure of circumstances. "In the flesh. You okay, Eds?"

Eddie nods, "Yeah, nothing I can't handle."

You turn back into the kitchen, setting out for real this time to clean up what's been left behind. Robin's soft snores hit your ears and you think maybe she was further gone than she let on. You'll let her sleep for the time being. Though you know her parents are definitely going to have a lot of questions when you drop her off.

You just get water into the sink when you catch Eddie's voice. "Steve, you're drunk. Don't--"

Something bumps hard--you hear the thump followed by the shriek of Eddie and the rattle of glass. You spin around and a slightly uncoordinated Steve is barreling through the kitchen to you. "I knew it. I knew you'd come," he's babbling.

"Steve?" you question, taking a small step back. "What are you?"

"I was trying to tell Robin," Steve sighs as he wraps you into a hug. "She didn't believe me. But I knew. You always come, Nance."

As your body freezes, your hands pinned between your and Steve's chest, you realize now what might've started this whole ordeal. "Steve, hate to break it to you," you start.

"No, no, you don't have to say anything. I know I'm a dunce. I know, but you always come." His body starts to tremble and you think maybe he's crying.

Eddie catches up, rounding the corner of the kitchen island. "Steve, buddy, I need you to step away from my boyfriend please," he starts gently.

"That's not funny," Steve starts. He unravels from you, but keeps an arm slung around your shoulders. You knew from the jokes the kids always made that you and Nancy shared a resemblance. It was a little unnerving seeing her for the first time. But being just as tall as Steve and Eddie definitely gave you a distinct edge over her.

"Steve, bud, I'm serious. It's-it's not Nancy. I know you miss her," Eddie reasons. He does offer an extended hand for Steve to take. "Why don't you and I-'

Steve's no longer paying attention, eyes zeroing in on you. "Sorry, Steve," you whisper. It takes him a moment and his eyes widen once it clicks.

"Oh-I'm-fuck, I'm sorry," he stumbles out, snatching his arm back like he'd put it near fire. Almost like popping a balloon, Steve deflates. He apologizes the entire time Eddie's walking with him up the stairs.

You knew of Steve and Nancy dating--much like everyone did. But you hadn't been privy to how much their relationship had impacted Steve this much. There's some part of you that's more worried if Steve's going to remember what he did rather than having been the one who has lived through it.

The kitchen is easy to clean thankfully. You know your dusting will be surface level, but as you go through the rooms downstairs, collecting whatever trash exist in those spaces, you give the tables and shelves a quick wipe. You're almost done with the living room when Eddie returns down stairs. The water that Steve spilled is starting to try and though you think you should maybe have more concern for the carpet, you know that deep down it's just water.

Eddie and you work in relative silence until you're tossing the trash bags into the bins at the back of the house. Right as the two of you are getting ready to head back into the house, his arms wrap around your waist. "I'm going to have to keep you away from jocks now," Eddie teases.

You snort. "Steve is clearly drunk."

"Yeah, and you're clearly a hot commodity," Eddie teases. You weren't sure how he'd react to Steve's mistake. But you know even behind the taunts, there could also be a lingering insecurity.

"Well good for you, I purposefully took myself off the market," you return.

"Hmm, who might be the lucky guy who snatched you up?"

"Not anyone I think you would know."

Eddle laughs, head dipping to press a kiss to your neck. He does have to fight the material of your sweatshirt to do it, but it doesn't seem to deter Eddie at all. The night carries your laughter. For the smallest of moments, it's just the two of you. You turn in his embrace, heart picking up as you watch the skin around Eddie's eyes crinkle with his smile.

"You're handsome, you know?" you whisper.

"I've been told a time or two," Eddie shrugs. You can spot the slight change of color in his cheeks.

"Thanks for coming with me to rescue, Robin."

"Of course." He says it with ease as though he wouldn't choose to do anything else if faced with the choice.

It's happening for you stop yourself, stretching to take Eddie's lips into a kiss. It starts slow, tasting the nicotine on his tongue from the smoke you're sure Eddie had before you came over. And behind it there's the hint of chocolate from the M&M's he stole from you too. Eddie smells of the earth--deeply as you press it into your nose. He holds your hips as the kisses increase intensity. There's a push and pull, sighs and smacks.

You pull back just a little and tilt his head back. It's going to make Eddie puddy. You know that. It's why you do it--kissing down his throat. The whimper falls almost immediately as your lips work over his skin. It's easy to do this, after a few months of exploring you know Eddie a bit better than you think he knows himself.

So you suck, pursing lips to pull at his skin and then release it with a pop. Eddie shivers that the flat of your tongue smoothing over the hickey you've no doubt left behind on his pale skin. He doesn't care though.

His grip tightens at your hips and he sighs. "Baby--once we drop Robin off, I'm going to get you back for this."

You laugh into his neck, dropping the act and instead cozying up into his hold. "I'm holding you to it."

-H

[immortalarizona]

Died With a Hammer in His Hand: Unpacking the Myth of John Henry 

“John Henry said to his captain:  ‘You are nothing but a common man,  Before that steam drill shall beat me down,  I’ll die with my hammer in my hand.’”  — “John Henry, the Steel Driving Man,” recounted by W. T. Blankenship 

John Henry is one of America’s most well-known mythic heroes, immortalized in song, statue, postage stamp, and multiple movies (including a 2000 Disney animated short film which I vividly remember watching in elementary school). But if you’re unfamiliar with the legend, here’s a brief summary. 

John Henry was a freed slave who found himself working for a railroad company in the years following the Civil War as a steel driver. His job was to drive a steel spike into rock so that dynamite could be placed in the resulting hole, thus opening up a tunnel through the Appalachians. 

John Henry was the best on his crew, and he took pride in his work—so when a white salesman brought in a steam-powered drill, claiming that it could drill better than any man, he decided to challenge that claim. Henry entered into a contest with the machine to see who could carve out the deepest hole in the mountain in a single day. 

His victory cost him his life. 

Henry’s wife—sometimes named Polly Ann, sometimes named Lucy, sometimes not named at all—went to visit him on his deathbed that evening. In many versions of the ballad, Henry’s last words are a request for a glass of water. In other versions, he asks his wife to be true to him when he’s dead, or to do her best to raise their son. Many accounts say that he’s buried by a railroad, where “Every locomotive come roarin’ by, / Says there lays that steel drivin’ man” (lyrics from Onah L. Spencer). 

Bronze statue of John Henry near Talcott, West Virginia, sculpted by Charles Cooper.

The general consensus among historians now seems to be that the ballad of John Henry is one such legend that has its roots in historical fact, although the particulars are long obscured by the centuries that have since passed. Henry was born into slavery in the 1840s or 50s, either in North Carolina or Virginia (some accounts of the ballad lend credence to the latter claim). As for how John Henry found himself working for the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway company, University of Georgia history professor Scott Reynolds Nelson posits in his book Steel Drivin’ Man that the man was sentenced to ten years in a Virginia prison for theft at only nineteen years of age, and that he was among many prisoners leased out by the state for labor. 

Did you know that the 13th Amendment makes an exception for slavery which is used “as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted”? (This practice continues to this day, and has become an industry worth tens of billions of dollars. Louisiana State Penitentiary, also known as Angola or simply “The Farm,” is a good place to begin if you’re wanting to look into chain gangs further.) John Henry the legend was a free worker who took on the backbreaking, often dangerous work of railroad labor under his own power and could demand any wage for his work, but John Henry the man may have lived and died in neoslavery. 

Speaking of Henry’s death, most retellings of the myth say that he died of sheer exhaustion. Some add in the detail that it was his heart that gave out because he worked himself too hard. However, alternate theories have been proposed for how the man died. Some historians say it was a stroke that killed him, while others posit silicosis. 

It’s this latter hypothesis which I find most intriguing. For those who aren’t familiar with it, the American Lung Association describes silicosis as “a lung disease caused by breathing in tiny bits of silica, a common mineral found in sand, quartz and many other types of rock.” It’s been an occupational hazard for construction workers since, well, the time of John Henry. What I find interesting are the implications for the narrative if the real Henry died of silicosis. In the folk ballad, Henry causes his own death by working himself too hard. On the other hand, the ones at fault if the man died of silicosis would be his employers—the ones responsible for the dangerous conditions he worked in. 

So why would John Henry’s cause of death change during the transition from fact to legend? 

The answer, as with many other fictionalized accounts of historical events, is that it simply makes for a more effective story. But not just that—a more effective message. So what might the ballad be trying to tell those who listen to it? 

First, let’s think about who this song was sung by and for. The ballad of John Henry is a work song, its rhythm meant to help railroad workers stay and strike in sync, in the same way a drumbeat helps soldiers march in step. It’s been sung by railroad workers, miners, construction workers, chain gangs, and country musicians. At its core, then, the ballad is a song of and for the American working class—specifically those people doing the same sort of backbreaking physical labor as John Henry himself. Many of these laborers would have been Black, and likely former slaves—especially when it came to Southern chain gangs. (See my above note about how American slavery was only mostly abolished, and then think about why the U.S. has one of the highest incarceration rates in the world. . . but I digress.) 

An oil painting of John Henry by Frederick Brown. 

We’ve established that John Henry is a hero for working-class Americans during the time of the Second Industrial Revolution. But what sort of hero is he? Is he like Achilles, a paragon of his country’s values and an example for the audience to aspire to? Or is he an Icarus, a cautionary tale sung so the audience won’t repeat his mistakes? 

The answer depends on who’s telling the story. 

Onah L. Spencer is the source for one version which emerged from a Black community in Cincinnati, Ohio. When he recounted the lyrics to Guy B. Johnson for the latter’s 1929 book John Henry: Tracking Down a Negro Legend, he also stated that the song was used to motivate workers: “. . . if there was a slacker in a gang of workers it would stimulate him with its heroic masculine appeal.” 

In cases such as Spencer’s crew, then, John Henry’s death is presented as glorious, and Henry is seen as admirable for working so hard that it kills him. Here, he’s a good example. Taken to the extreme, the Achillean Henry encourages fellow workers to follow in his footsteps—to keep pushing themselves harder and harder until they finally keel over. 

This message doesn’t benefit the workers passing it along; it benefits the employers profiting from their labor. This, I think, is where the story blurs the line between myth and propaganda. And while the ballad of John Henry certainly isn’t singlehandedly responsible for the American tendency to overwork ourselves, it does reflect our attitudes about work in a way that’s worth unpacking. To me, this reeks of the Puritan work ethic. The belief was that you had to be working as often as you could; if you didn’t, the devil would be able to influence you. The Puritans were one of America’s foundational cultural influences—of course those values would have influenced the ballad of John Henry. 

Henry is a hero because he worked himself to death. If we see him as a good example, what does this say about the effects that capitalism has had on American attitudes? About the internalized belief that our worth as humans only comes from what we can contribute to the economy? Why do we see death from exhaustion as a fitting end for a former slave? 

Then again, maybe we’re not supposed to. 

A lithograph of John Henry, from the series American Folk Heroes, by William Gropper. 

Remember how I noted earlier that many of the laborers who first sang Henry’s ballad would themselves have been former slaves? It’s important because there’s a long history of American slaves using work songs as a tool of resistance against their oppressors, and these Black laborers—these “freed” slaves—would have carried that tradition with them into the Second Industrial Revolution. 

The ballad of John Henry, then, might have been sung with the intent of helping other workers survive the brutal conditions on the railroads. Here, Henry becomes an Icarus—a warning of what happens if you push yourself too hard. One version of the ballad recorded by Edward Douglas of the Ohio State Penitentiary contains lyrics which suggest that not every Henry was meant to be emulated. 

“John Henry started on the right-hand side,  And the steam drill started on the left.  He said, ‘Before I’d let that steam drill beat me down,  I’d hammer my fool self to death,  Oh, I’d hammer my fool self to death.’” 

Don’t do what John Henry did, this version warns the audience. Be wiser than he was. Don’t push yourself quite so hard. Think of the people you’d be leaving behind if you’re not careful. 

Perhaps even the creation of this mythos was an act of defiance in and of itself. At this point, I think it bears mentioning that I myself am not Black and can only hypothesize based on what I’ve heard from people who are, but I see something radical in the act of raising up one of your own as your hero rather than venerating the people you’ve been told are superior to you. 

Remember, John Henry’s contest was versus a white man’s machine. It costs him everything, but he triumphs over the expectations of that steam drill salesman and proves his worth as a laborer and a person. John Cephas, a blues musician from Virginia who was interviewed by NPR for a report on John Henry back in 2002, had this to say of the myth: 

“It was a story that was close to being true. It’s like the underdog overcoming this powerful force. I mean even into today when you hear it (it) makes you take pride. I know especially for black people, and for people from other ethnic groups, that a lot of people are for the underdog.” 

Americans love underdog stories. Our own national origin myth is one! John Henry’s assertation of power and skill, the ballad’s declaration that Black people have the right to be proud of themselves too. . . no wonder this myth has resonated with so many people. No wonder it’s survived for a century and a half. 

In this light, then, John Henry once again becomes a hero for us, the audience, to emulate. In the fight against oppression, endurance like Henry’s becomes key. Justice is almost never won quickly. The odds stacked against us may seem impossible, but it’s worth trying anyways, even if we have to fight to our dying breaths. 

Artwork of John Henry as a defense worker by James Daugherty. 

John Henry has meant and been many things to a lot of people in the past two centuries. A representative of capitalist exploitation, a cautionary tale for workers, an inspiration to oppressed people in America, even a communist icon—but I’d like to take a moment to talk about what his story means to me. It’s not something I’ve seen discussed in my research, and I think it’s worth exploring. 

John Henry reflects fears of workers during the Second Industrial Revolution who saw how technology was evolving—how machines were being created that could do their jobs not just faster, but cheaper, because you don’t have to pay a machine like you would a person. They feared that they would be replaced, and that they would be left destitute while their former bosses grew richer and richer. And despite the centuries between us, this is a fear that I can understand. 

Often, I feel it myself. 

As an artist existing in online spaces during this new influx of AI-generated “art” and writing, I have witnessed many fears that we will be replaced by AI. Yes, there is a certain human quality to art that a generative learning model cannot replicate, but who’s to say that the much-vaunted free market will care? We can hope that art as a profession will survive, but we just don’t know. 

In John Henry’s struggle, I see my own. In the steam drill salesman, I see tech bros on the platform formerly known as Twitter showing off their latest batch of beautiful, hollow, AI-generated “art.” I see John Henry’s passion, his pride, his triumph. 

And I see hope. 

By his life and death, the mythic John Henry reassures me that human beings aren’t so easy to replace after all. He tells me that machines can be defeated. That one day, my vindication as an artist and writer will come, and the world will see our worth. 

The ballad of John Henry has endured like a mountain for a hundred and fifty years, and I hope it will survive for hundreds more—that John Henry’s hammer will continue to ring true throughout the ages. But in the midst of American mythos, it’s important not to lose sight of the historical facts behind it. Legends are interesting and inspirational and wonderful, but the real stories have something to tell us, too. 

Don’t forget to listen. 

Works Cited 

American Lung Association - Silicosis 

Ballad of America - This Old Hammer: About the Song 

Constitution of the United States - Thirteenth Amendment 

Encyclopedia Britannica - John Henry 

Flypaper by Soundfly - The Lasting Legacy of the Slave Trade on American Music 

Folk Renaissance - John Henry: Hero of American Folklore 

How Stuff Works - Was There a Real John Henry? 

ibiblio.org - John Henry: The Project 

National Park Service - The Superpower of Singing: Music and the Struggle Against Slavery 

NPR - Present at the Creation: John Henry 

NPR - Talk of the Nation: The Untold History of Post-Civil War ‘Neoslavery’ 

PBS - Mercy Street Revealed Blog - Singing in Slavery: Songs of Survival, Songs of Freedom 

Prof. Scott Reynolds Nelson - Steel Drivin’ Man: John Henry, the Untold Story of an American Legend 

World Population Review - Incarceration Rates by Country 2024