#the story of rock 'n' roll comics

[greensparty]

Remembering Mojo Nixon 1957-2024

Funny cowpunk musician Mojo Nixon has died at 66. I first became aware of him in the late 80s with songs and videos like "Debbie Gibson is Pregnant with my Two-Headed Love Child" (which had Winona Ryder as Gibson in the video) and "Don Henley Must Die" (which Henley joined him onstage for once). He did a ton of MTV promos in the early 90s as well.

Rock 'n' Roll Comics did unauthorized bios of musicians in comic book form, but the issue they did on Mojo Nixon (his bio was featured in the ZZ Top issue) was the only one that was authorized and done in collaboration with Nixon. In 2005, he appeared in the documentary The Story of Rock 'n' Roll Comics and even contributed music to the doc.

He also was a DJ, a columnist, an activist, and he acted in quite a few movies. I didn't catch it at the 2022 IFFBoston, but the documentary The Mojo Manifesto: The Life and Times of Mojo Nixon played there.

The link above is the obit from Rolling Stone.

[pyra-colony-au]

.

[kaciebello]

Offspring garden

Masterlist Luke Castellan x Demetre! reader (fem) Summary: Luke and the reader are the unofficial parents of the camp, whether they like it or not. Warning: Non, no use of y/n author note: English is not my first language so I am sorry for any mistakes beforehand. Proofread by me and me only (Ｔ▽Ｔ ) Requested! word count: 1.2k

“LUKE CASTELLAN” A yell could be heard throughout the whole camp. The boy in question lifts his head from his sword to look for the source of the noise. Only to see a familiar girl with an angry scold on her face. He stands up when he sees her, dragging two familiar boys behind her. He just signs and makes his way to them.

“Hello, honey.” He says, hoping to de-escalate the situation. She just huffs and points a finger at him before turning to the two boys who were now looking at the floor in shame.

“Don't you even dare to sweet talk me, Luke?” To him this was comical. The Stroll brothers often did something they shouldn't, they however did not get caught that much. No, seeing them being scolded by a girl who’s just a few years older was funny. She resembled a mom giving a lecture to her children She turned to him again.

“Keep your siblings in check, because if I catch them again in my garden-”

“You're gonna what?” Luke says, coking his head to the side with a smile.  Her eyes narrow at him as she steps closer. The boys yelp out a little ‘ sorry, mom’ teasing tone in their voice, as everybody noticed some of the younger kids calling her that by accident during the campfire last night. She ignores them and takes our step to Luke. He secretly waves his arm at the boys and they scatter away as quietly as they can, although few giggles leave them anyway.

“Don't try me today Luke, we have so much to do and I don't have the time or the patience for this. And you, you are- Luke where have they gone?” She says her eyes flipping between him and the place where the boys were standing a minute ago. Luke just shrugs and smiles. The girl sighs placing her shaking her head.

“You can’t just let them go, I brought them here for a reason.” She says kicking a stone with her foot. Luke took her hands in his, wrapping them around his neck. Now that he had her undivided attention he rocked them back and forth.

“They're just kids.”

“Cheeky, that's what they are.” Luke just laughs. Leaning in, their noses brush on each other. Before Luke could continue, a pair of giggles were heard before the water fell on them from the top of the Hermes cabin. In shock, the pair steps away from each other and look up. There they were, the Stroll brothers, with two buckets of water having the time of their life.

“LUKE!” He's not sure he can get them out of this one.

—

Being the counselor of their cabin did give them an advantage. Granted, it was more work than the normal ‘training to be a hero ‘ thing. The older campers however did not mind, because it meant they got to call light out. Now the Demeter cabin went to sleep almost as soon as the sun set, not fans of the dark. The Hermise cabin, however, is quite the opposite. If they had to pick they would switch the whole camp to night one. 

However, it was not unusual to see the Demetre cabin counselor at the Hermes cabin after she called light out on her own. Not that Luke was having a problem with his cabin, no. Well kinda, it's always hard for the new kids, and he and his siblings are more mischief than anything else. The friendly face of the Demetre kids makes them calm down and fall asleep despite the noise.

He was leaning on the doorframe, his eyes glued to the girl reading kids' stories. He was supposed to keep an eye on his siblings. That was their deal. But he only started to pay attention to them when a shirt was thrown in his face. Taking it down and looking up to try and find a culprit, he finds Chris with a smirk on his face. Luke just rolls his eyes and throws it back. Making his was the girl who was tucking in the last camper. His hand lands on the small of her back as she straightens.

“ All done?” He whispers although it is useless when he hears his sibling laugh at full volume. The girl looks up at him and nods. Turning and making her way to the cabin door. Luke follows her very close by.

“Will you walk me back?” She asks, playing with his bracelets. 

“Why? Scared of the dark?” He cocks his head to the side. Only receiving a glare from the girl. Before she can answer one of the Hermes girls pipes in.

“You have the same conversation every night, You are boring as an old married couple with kids.” She says before letting her head hit the pillow. Both Luke and the girl look at her. The Demeter girl shakes it off before he does. Letting off his hand and clearing her throat.

“Alright, that is enghou, lights out!” She said, making sure everyone could hear her. Some kids listened right away and some hesitated before laying down too.

“But you not our-”

“I SAID LIGHTS OUT.” The light switch was flipped to the end she said. All that could be heard was the cabin door opening and closing, indicating that the two counsellors had left on their adventure.

—

They were both sitting on the floor. Her back was pressed to his chest as she sat between his legs. Watching Annabeth, Percy and Grover fool around the arena. Luke insisted they needed training, although he was not teaching them anything. The girl opted to read her book, as this is as quiet as it gets around the busy camp.

“What do you say we go on an adventure next summer,” Luke says catching her attention enough to listen but not enough to put away her book.

“Chiron is not letting us go on a quest Luke.” She says nonchalantly. Luke just shakes his head and his hand goes to play with the corner of the book.

“No, I meant like, go and have a trip, Europe maybe.” He finishes and the girl chuckles. Turning over a page before finishing her chapter. Make sure she places a bookmark before closing the book and putting it aside. She leans even further onto him before answering.

“ As if Mr. D is gonna let us leave. We basically run the camp for him.” She says and Luke laughs. His arm now resting across her chest, both watching the trio who were playing some kind of game. It looks like a twisted version of Marko Pollo as Annabeth kept going invisible to confuse Percy even more. Luke leans down and kisses the girl on the forehead. She looks up at him with a smile before reaching to pat his head and tug at the base of his curls.

In bliss they sat, soaking in the sun. A quiet day where they get to be teenagers. All, however, comes to an end when someone yells out ‘Mom’ and all heads turn to her. The girl can just groan before getting up and following the sound. Flowers blooming in her hair out of frustration. Luke does not stay that far behind

[verimuru]

20th Century Boy

A 12-page IWTV (2022 series) fancomic about the Vampire Armand, Daniel, Devil’s minion era, sex, drugs and rock n' roll.

Content mentions & warnings: drug use, light angst, mentions of sex & death.

Fancomic by verimuru and anonymous, 2024.

Some notes about the comic below:

This comic is based on my partner's brilliant fanfiction. They wished to remain anonymous, but the story idea was theirs. I am just a humble servant.

Neither of us speak English as our first language, so of course after finishing I see a hundred things to tweak in the dialogue... but decided to leave it the way it is, for now. So! If you, dear reader, find clunky sentences and weird mistakes and would possibly like to help us in the future, send me an ask. ;-)

My partner said that banging in an elevator while listening T.Rex on repeat is a plothole because they couldn't do that, but I disagree. They would find a way.

Idk where Louis is - probably left Dubai. Daniel got some of his memories back, not sure how yet. Lots of inspiration was taken from GrayGiantess' fics, but this work is not based on them (just an encouragement for everyone to read them).

I got into this ship, like, less than 100 hours ago. I got possessed by a demon, blinked, and suddenly I made a comic. I have seen the first season of the IWTV 2022 adaptation and everything else I know about the canon is hearsay, whispers in the forest and an Eldritch demon telling me its tales. Consider me as a little fledgling.

And finally, the songs in order by T.Rex are: Get it on, 20th Century Boy, Free Angel and Cosmic Dancer. Rest in piece, Marc Bolan, and thank you for everything.

I'll make an PDF for itch.io... later, now I need to sleep.

We would love a comment or an ask, so my box is open. Hope you enjoy. <3

UPDATE on 24th of March, 2024: I fixed Armand's skin tone on two pages (I had missed a couple spots).

[darknesseddiem]

hi babe !

i hope your doing okay !! can i request n°10 and n°13 with roommate Eddie Munson, some angst and fluff pleaaaase ??

love u

nono 🫶🏻

𝐑𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐥

"With the raven's wings retreating into the night, the cold air carries the faint whisper of your escape—a haunting reminder that, just this once, you’ve slipped through the shadows."

This blurb is part of the writing game created by me, join me and the raven in this maze of stories. 𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐚'𝐬 𝐇𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐐𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐥.

Ever since you moved in with Eddie, your life turned into a complete circus, and not the fun kind.

I mean, this guy made it his personal mission to torment and annoy you in every possible way. It was like he had a sixth sense for when you were in a good mood, because that’s exactly when he'd show up with his unbearable attitude and ruin your day.

You’d be chilling on the couch, finally finding your zen after a long day, and boom, Eddie’s at your side with some ridiculous comment or a loud snack, crunching like a rock concert in your ear. It's like he had an alarm set to interrupt any hint of peace you managed to scrape together. He was the king of passive-aggressive vibes, and his superpower was turning your bliss into chaos.

But it wasn't like you had much of a choice. You'd just moved out of your parents' house, and your wallet was emptier than a ghost town on a Tuesday night. Plus, you had a lease binding you to this disaster zone of an apartment, and breaking it wasn't exactly in the budget.

So, there you were, stuck with Eddie the Terrible, who seemed to think that personal space was an urban legend and that common decency was for other people. Every time he walked into the room, it was like a dark cloud rolled in, and you couldn't help but wonder what cosmic force had brought the two of you together. If only you'd had a crystal ball before signing that lease.

Everything seemed totally fine at first. When Steve and Robin introduced him to you, he seemed chill, fun, even charming in that "he's probably got a ton of friends" kind of way. If only you'd known what you were signing up for...

The first few days living together in the apartment were bliss. He helped you with the move, carried all the heavy boxes, and went out of his way to make sure you felt comfortable. He was quiet when you needed silence, even respected your sacred moments on the couch while you binge-watched Modern Family. But, you know what they say, when the deal seems too good, it's time to raise an eyebrow.

It didn't take long for Eddie's true colors to start leaking out. Those same colors were about as subtle as a clown at a funeral. The same guy who had been so considerate and quiet suddenly turned into a one-man circus, complete with loud music and a never-ending collection of weird hobbies that made you wish you could build a soundproof bubble around yourself.

Silent nights turned into your own personal heavy metal concert, and your sacred couch time was constantly disrupted by the RPG campaigns he insisted on hosting at the apartment. Oh, and let's not forget about the marathon sessions he spent in the bathroom, perfectly timed to when you were running late. It was like the old Eddie had vanished into thin air, replaced by a cheap knockoff who didn't understand the concept of a volume knob—or basic courtesy, for that matter.

Gone were the days of quiet evenings, replaced by head-banging riffs that could wake the dead. Trying to watch your favorite show? Forget it—there was always a horde of his geeky friends crowded around the kitchen table, rolling dice and arguing about some wizard’s spell-casting ability. You'd go to grab a drink and feel like you'd wandered into the middle of a convention.

And those bathroom stunts? A whole new level of infuriating. You'd be in a rush, scrambling to get ready, and he'd be in there for what felt like an eternity, probably reading one of his comic books or watching cat videos. The guy had a sixth sense for the exact moment when you'd need the bathroom, and he used it to make your mornings an absolute nightmare.

Which brings us to the present moment: you pounding on the bathroom door like there's no tomorrow, hopping up and down like a kangaroo, and shouting for the thousandth time. "Eddie, I swear to God, if you don't come out of that bathroom right now, I will pee on your bed!"

The only response you got was a noise that could only be described as someone eating in the most grotesque, inappropriate way. "Wait, are you... are you watching ASMR while I'm about to explode into a puddle of pee? Oh no, you did not. You are going to hear from me!"

The sound from inside got louder, and then he replied, "Sorry, I can't hear you. I'm busy watching this guy stuff a whole chicken leg into his mouth."

It took every ounce of restraint not to break down that door and give him a piece of your mind. Eddie's antics had hit a new low, and your patience was hanging by a thread. This was the pinnacle of absurdity, the kind of moment that made you question every decision that led you here. You'd been through a lot with Eddie, but this? This was a whole new level of "what the hell." It was like living with a YouTube compilation of the most obnoxious trends, all crammed into one bathroom-occupying nightmare.

You might need a whole new strategy—or, at this point, just a new apartment. Because if this was a glimpse into the future, you weren't sure you wanted to stick around to see what else Eddie had in store.

“Please, for the love of God, let me pee��” you said, almost on the verge of tears. This was getting exhausting. Eddie must've sensed the shift in your tone, because the annoying sounds suddenly stopped, and the door swung open to reveal a metalhead with frizzy hair, wearing Looney Tunes pajama pants.

He had this sheepish grin on his face, like he knew he'd pushed you to your limit but didn't quite realize how close you were to snapping. He stood there in all his ridiculous glory, holding his phone with a paused video of some guy eating what looked like a plate of ribs, totally unbothered. "Hey, no need to be so dramatic, it's all yours," he said, stepping aside as if he wasn't the cause of your impending bladder explosion.

You shot him a look that could've melted steel, then dashed into the bathroom, slamming the door behind you. As you finally got your much-needed relief, you could hear Eddie outside, humming some awful heavy metal tune to himself. It was like he had zero clue—or zero care—about how his antics drove you up the wall. He was just Eddie, living his best life, while you were left to deal with the chaos he left in his wake.

After the morning incident, you grabbed your coffee and headed straight to work, determined to shake off the chaos that was life with Eddie. But you could only escape for so long, because lunchtime rolled around, and you returned to the apartment, only to find a scene that looked like something straight out of a sitcom—think The Office, but even more ridiculous.

Eddie was in the kitchen, wearing an apron that said "Kiss the Cook," with his hair pulled back in a makeshift ponytail. The whole place smelled like something was burning, and he was frantically waving a dish towel at the smoke detector, trying to get it to shut up. It kept beeping, and every time it did, Eddie flinched like it was personally attacking him.

On the stove, there was a pan with some kind of unidentifiable charred mess, which he was desperately trying to scrape off with a spatula.

Your smile vanished the moment you noticed that the charred thing in the skillet was none other than the octopus you'd bought just the day before.

"What the hell?" You were furious, and it didn't help that Eddie was grinning like he was some kind of innocent angel.

He shrugged, clearly oblivious to the level of your outrage. "Oh, that was yours? My bad, I thought it was just... some random squid or something." He scratched the back of his head, as if he'd just made a minor mistake and not destroyed a perfectly good piece of seafood. The sight of him smiling like that only made your blood boil even more.

Your plans for a delicious lunch were now literally ashes, and Eddie was standing there like he'd just successfully solved a Rubik's Cube. You had to take a deep breath to keep from shouting. You'd put a lot of effort into picking out that octopus, and now it was just a blackened lump that even the trash bin would reject.

"How do you not know the difference between an octopus and a random squid? And who just grabs something from the fridge without asking?" you shot back, trying to keep your voice from escalating into full-blown rage.

Eddie looked around as if hoping to find an excuse or an escape route, but there was nowhere to run. He was cornered, and he knew it.

That was the last straw. Tears welled up in your eyes, and Eddie's expression shifted from cheerful to guilty in an instant. Before he could say anything, you turned and bolted out of the apartment, exhausted by the whole ordeal.

You couldn't stay there another minute. The anger and frustration had been building for weeks, and now it had boiled over. You needed space, air, and most importantly, a break from Eddie and his chaos. You didn't know where you were going, but you knew you couldn't be in that apartment for another second.

You walked for what felt like hours, letting the cool breeze and the distant sounds of the city calm you down. The world outside was peaceful compared to the constant drama of living with Eddie. As you strolled through the park and sat on a bench to collect your thoughts, you realized just how much the situation had been draining you.

You didn't go back home for the rest of the day. Instead, you found solace in the simple things—grabbing a coffee, listening to music. Anything to clear your mind and remind yourself that there was a whole world out there, far removed from Eddie's antics. You needed this time to figure out your next move, to decide if you could keep living with him or if it was time to break the lease and find a new place.

The one thing you knew for sure was that you couldn't keep going like this. Living with Eddie had become too much, and you'd had enough. It was time to put yourself first and find a way out of the madness.

As soon as you returned, he tried to talk.

"H—"

"Don't talk to me," you snapped, cutting him off mid-sentence. No room for discussion, no excuses. Just the sharp edge of your words.

Eddie looked taken aback, his eyes widening as if he'd just been hit by a surprise splash of cold water. You'd never spoken to him like that before, but you weren't in the mood to hear whatever half-baked apology or lame excuse he was about to offer. After everything that had happened, you just needed space and silence.

He hesitated for a moment, then nodded and backed off, his usual bravado deflating like a punctured balloon. You could feel him watching you as you walked past, but you didn't turn around. The time for talking was over, and you didn't owe him anything. You'd already had more than enough of his antics for one day.

You went to your room and closed the door, thankful for the barrier it provided. It wasn't much, but at least it gave you some distance from Eddie and his chaotic energy.

After some time reflecting, you decided it was time to talk about your decision. You went to the living room, where Eddie was watching one of his nerdy movies. He was glued to the screen, engrossed in whatever epic battle or spaceship chase was playing out.

"We need to talk," you said, standing by the couch with your arms crossed. Eddie turned his head, startled, but didn't say anything. He paused the movie, knowing this wasn't just a casual chat. "This isn't working," you continued. "I think it's better if I look for another place to live."

Eddie blinked a few times, processing your words. He shifted uncomfortably on the couch, scratching the back of his head. It was clear he hadn't expected this conversation. "You're leaving?" he finally asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

You nodded. "Yeah, it's just... too much. The constant noise, the bathroom thing, and then the whole octopus incident," you said, laying out the reasons. "It's not healthy, and I can't keep dealing with this."

Eddie looked genuinely regretful. "Hey, I'm sorry about all that. I didn't mean to—"

"It's not about apologies," you interrupted. "It's about needing space, needing peace. We just don't work as roommates, and that's okay. But I can't keep living like this."

He nodded like he understood your reasons, but what he said next was not at all what you expected.

"Ever wonder why I always bug you?" he asked, looking at you with an expression that was hard to read.

You frowned and shook your head, genuinely puzzled. "No, not really. I just figured you were... I don't know, Eddie."

He took a breath and then, almost sheepishly, replied, "It's because I want to get your attention."

Okay, what the hell? Your heart suddenly raced, and your mouth opened in a shocked gasp. Was he serious? All those antics, the noise, the drama—it was all because he wanted you to notice him? It sounded like something out of a high school rom-com, and it left you reeling.

"Wait, are you kidding?" you asked, trying to process what he was saying. Was this some sort of joke? But the look on his face told you he wasn't messing around. This was real, and he was genuinely trying to explain himself.

Eddie seemed to sense your disbelief, and he shrugged, looking a bit embarrassed. "I know, it's dumb, right? But I don't know how else to talk to you. You seem so... I don't know, together. And I'm... well, I'm me," he said, gesturing to himself like he was some kind of cosmic disaster.

This conversation had taken a turn you weren't expecting. You'd come here to tell him you were moving out, and now you were dealing with a confession that threw everything into a whole new light. What were you supposed to say to that? It was hard enough dealing with his shenanigans as a roommate; now he was confessing that there might be more to it.

He continued, "Ever since Steve and Robin introduced us, I’ve been interested in you. You’re so smart, beautiful, and funny that I found myself falling for you, little by little."

Oh my God, it felt like your heart was about to burst from the rollercoaster of emotions you'd experienced today.

"Was it a stupid way to get your attention? Yes. Was I a jerk? Absolutely," he said, rubbing his temples like he was trying to make sense of it himself. "But I got so lost in my own feelings that it was the only thing I could think of to make you notice me..."

This wasn't at all what you expected when you walked into the living room. You'd imagined a straightforward breakup with your roommate, but now here he was, confessing that he had a crush on you. And not just any crush—one that had apparently driven him to turn your life into an ongoing episode of Jackass.

It was a lot to take in, and you didn't even know where to start. Part of you was still annoyed at him for all the chaos he'd caused, but another part of you felt a twinge of sympathy. Maybe Eddie wasn’t just the relentless man-child you thought he was. Maybe he was just... confused and desperate for your attention.

"Eddie," you began, struggling to find the right words, "you can't go around making my life miserable just because you like me. That's not how this works." You shook your head, trying to ground yourself. "I'm glad you told me how you feel, but this isn't the way to handle things. It just makes everything more complicated."

Eddie looked genuinely regretful, as if he realized that his antics might have done more harm than good. "I know," he said, his shoulders slumping a bit. "I didn't think it through. I just... I don't know, I panicked."

The whole situation was like a scene from a cheesy romantic comedy, but it was happening in real life, and you weren't sure how to navigate it. You'd come to tell him you were moving out, and now you had to figure out how to deal with this unexpected confession without losing your sanity.

You sighed, feeling like you'd been caught in the world's most twisted emotional chess game. After a moment of gathering your thoughts, you confessed to him, "I can't say I don't feel anything for you either... From the first day, I liked you, but I'm just so mad about everything." It was time to set things straight. "We can try something more, if you promise to never pull those idiotic stunts again, or I swear I'll kill you." The two of you chuckled at the last part.

Eddie's eyes lit up, a smile spreading across his face like you'd just given him the best news in the world. He looked almost like a puppy that had been let back inside after getting caught in the rain. "I promise, no more of that stuff. I mean it. If I do anything dumb, you can smack me with a frying pan," he said, putting his hand over his heart in a mockingly solemn gesture.

You couldn't help but laugh at his exaggerated seriousness. It was hard to stay mad at him when he was being so goofy. "I'll hold you to that. I have a pretty big frying pan," you replied, raising an eyebrow.

Eddie chuckled, clearly relieved that you weren't storming out the door. "Deal. And for what it's worth, I'm sorry. I really am. I didn't mean to make things so hard for you. I just... I guess I went about it in the worst way possible." He rubbed the back of his neck, a little sheepish. "But I'll do better, I promise. If it means we can try something, then I'll be on my best behavior."

It felt like a weight had been lifted, and the tension in the room eased a bit. You knew there'd be a lot of work to do to make this living arrangement function without the constant drama, but at least now you had a new understanding between you. It wasn't exactly the romantic journey you'd pictured, but at least it wasn't a total train wreck.

"We'll see," you said, giving him a half-smile. "But one more thing, Eddie—if you ever lock me out of the bathroom again, I won't just threaten to pee on your bed. I'll do it." The laughter that followed was a sign that maybe, just maybe, things might work out after all.

“Okay, I’m starving,” you said, breaking the mood with a light touch. “Sushi?”

“Sushi?” He grinned and pitched his voice into a silly imitation, making you roll your eyes. “Eddie, I’m serious,” you said, trying to sound stern.

“Eddie, I’m serious,” he repeated with an even bigger grin.

“Stop mocking me,” you whined, narrowing your eyes at him.

“Stop mocking me,” he echoed in an exaggeratedly whiny voice.

“I’m getting the frying pan,” you threatened.

“Sushi sounds great to me,” he replied instantly, flashing you his best innocent smile, you rolled your eyes and went to order the food.

You wouldn’t lie—even his idiotic ways had managed to win your heart too, but you’d never admit that to him.

[pastel-peach-writes]

Hcs for dating Korra whistl being Kuvira’s sibling? (Gender neutral reader please)

HELL YEAH. LETS DO THIS!

"You Were Her Rock And She Was Yours." | Korra x Kuvira's Sibling!Reader

╰┈➤ PLOT: Headcanons of how you and Korra met, how Korra realized she has a crush on you, and how you and Korra operate in a romantic relationship. ╰┈➤ WARNINGS: Cursing, Mentions Of The Comics (No Spoilers Hopefully), Petnames (Baby/Babe), No Y/N, Slight Sister Issues, Not Proofread LOL

⍣ ೋ Enjoy!⍣ ೋ

THE BACKSTORY

– At first, Korra thought you were cool. You smelt nice and had a smile that made her weak in the knees, but she didn't think anything of it. She was still processing her feelings for Asami.

– You had some kickass moves, Korra practically begged you to train with her so she could learn from a master such as yourself.

– You admired Korra, but similar to her, you didn't think anything of your feelings. She was just a very good friend.

– You and Kuvira were close. You shared everything with her and she barely shared anything with you.

– That's how you guys operated though! Even when you were children.

– Naturally, Kuriva was the type of sibling that had "only child" syndrome without being an only child.

– You'd tell her a story, she didn't care. You showed her something you needed her opinion on, and she wondered why this concerned her.

– Others think she's rude and wonder how you don't get your feelings hurt, but that was just Kuvira. It did sting when she got engaged to Bataar Jr. and didn't tell you, but you decided to let the feeling fizzle away on its own.

– When Kuvira betrayed Zaofu and took over the Earth Kingdom, things went to shit.

– Korra didn't trust you anymore. None of the Krew did. They thought you would betray them just like her.

– Until Korra saved Kuvira and carefully watched her progress in prison, Korra decided to rekindle your relationship again.

– She apologized for putting you and your sister in the same box. If she had a sibling and someone put them in the same box constantly, Korra would lose her shit.

– After her apology, and you accepted it, the two of you started hanging out again like nothing's changed.

– But something did change though. Your feelings for each other.

THE REALIZATION + GETTING TOGETHER

– Realizing you had a crush on Korra was easy for you. After you guys didn't talk when the Kuvira situation was at its peak, you had a lot of time to reflect on your feelings.

– You were angry at Korra for icing you out not just because she was doing it based on your sister's actions, but because you wanted her approval. You wanted her to like you.

– Why? Because you liked her.

– It took you all but nine months to realize you liked Korra. Korra however? Took her nearly over a year and a half.

– Granted, she was with Asami for a good chunk of it, but after the two broke up due to long-distance, (Asami was asked to present her inventions and teach youth across the globe), Korra realized she had a teensy weensy crush on you.

– She spent a good amount of time trying to ignore her feelings, yet again because she thought you didn't feel the same.

– However, you were giving her the same cues Asami gave her when they were crushing on each other.

– That's when Korra knew she had to make a move on you.

– She flirted, complimented you, purposely lost when you two sparred and lent you her shoulder to cry on when you had hard days. If you didn't realize she was girlfriend material yet, that was on you.

– All her subtlety led to her asking you out on a dinner date. --

"Hey, you know," Korra grabbed your wrist. You two had just finished sparring and you were about to walk away when she grabbed you. "I was thinking we should hang out more."

You laughed. "We hang out plenty. You want a sleepover or something?"

Korra rolled her eyes with a smile. She let go of your wrist. "I don't mind a sleepover, but I mean something different. We should go out. On a date."

Her eyes scanned your face. She was looking for a sign of rejection or maybe disgust. She knew you were interested, but she had a small part of her that thought it was all in her head.

Meanwhile, you were freaking out. The girl you liked for almost two years now asked you out on a date. You were hot, sweaty, and smelt like a ripe turtle-duck, yet, she still thought you were attractive enough to be asked out on a date!

"Uhm, yeah!" You smiled at the Avatar. "I think that's a good idea."

A fond, smitten smile showed up on Korra's lips. Her gaze softened, her blue eyes lovingly staring into yours. "Yeah?" she asked. Her voice was light and breathy.

Your smile matched hers. "Yeah." --

THE RELATIONSHIP

– A romantic relationship with Korra was the exact same as having a platonic one with her. The only difference was kisses, cuddles, dates, and a shit ton of napping were now a part of the package deal.

– Korra showed her vulnerable side a lot more once you started dating. Before, she would hide it and you would have to encourage her it's okay, but now, she had no fear and often came to you with her troubles.

– You never complained. You were her rock and she was yours.

– Whenever the day came up to visit Kuvira in her cell, Korra was there to help you through it.

– It was difficult seeing your sister locked up for what she's done. She was skinnier, her hair was always messed up, and the bags in her eyes seemed to double each time you saw her.

– Seeing her made you an emotional wreck.

– You would cry hours before, sometimes during the visit, and often after the visit. Korra was with you the entire time. She also offered to come to Kuvira's cell with you but you'd always declined.

– When the time came for Kuvira's release after she helped Korra with Guan and was put under close watch in Republic City, you spent a lot more time with your sister than you did with Korra.

– Korra understood, though. You haven't seen your sister in a while and you wanted to get as much time back as possible.

– After you noticed how little time you spent with Korra after Kuvira's release, you decided to surprise Korra one night with a homemade candle-lit dinner, all her favorite movies, and a dessert the two of you shared back in Zaofu.

– It was a little overdue, especially after the work Korra did for the United Republic election, but better late than never! --

"Babe, I'm home!" Korra exclaimed as she walked into your shared home. The place was dark and the smell of slow-cooked meat and potatoes wafted up Korra's nose. She slipped her shoes off by the door. "Babe?"

It was quiet. Korra assumed you were sleeping, but it was barely eight o'clock at night and you wouldn't leave food out. Not fresh food at least.

Korra's eyes flicked to the middle of the living room.

You had lit a match.

"Babe, what are you--" Korra walked over to you.

You interrupted her with a 'sh'. You took your match and lit the candles in the center of the table.

Now being able to see, Korra's gaze dropped to the table in front of you. She noticed you pushed the couches closer to the walls so there was space for the table in its unusual spot in the living room. A beige tablecloth was laid overtop the old and dingy wooden table. Plates of food rested on top along with small loaves of bread and cups of water.

Korra's heart skipped a few beats. Jittery feelings exploded up to her spine and her ears gained warmth. This was how she felt when you kissed for the first time. She fell in love with you all over again.

"Did..." Korra ran her fingertips against the soft cloth on the table. "Did you do this for me?"

You nodded. You grabbed a candle from the centerpiece and walked toward her. "You've done a lot lately. Not only for me but for your people,"

"That's my job though. I'm your girlfriend and the Avatar."

"Perhaps," You stood in front of her. "but you deserve to have special nights or thank you's even if it is your job."

Korra grabbed the candle and put it back in the centerpiece. She grabbed your hands.

"I know it's been draining lately," you resumed. "physically with being the Avatar and emotionally with my sister stuff."

Korra opened her mouth to speak, but you kept going.

"And I also know I haven't been spending much time with you lately so," you guided Korra to her chair. You sit her down and drape a fabric napkin across her lap. "this is me making up for not being with you. I don't want you to think I don't want to hang out with you."

"Baby," Korra looked at the spread in front of her. "this is amazing, thank you, but I didn't feel that way. I understand family can be tricky so--"

"--so let me do this for you, please."

Korra's eyes found their place in yours. Your gaze was soft, your eyes glassy as if you were going to cry. Your skin looked perfect in the candlelight. Your cheeks looked so squishable and your lips definitely looked kissable. She nodded. She grabbed her cup of water and held it across the table for cheers.

You did the same.

"To our special night?" Korra prompted.

You nodded. "To our special night." --

WC: 1,555

(A/N): THIS WAS SO FUCKIN' CUTE. I MAY DO ANOTHER STRICTLY ON THE READER AND KORRA BEING CUTE PARTNERS EEEEEE also do we like the colors or nahhh? i might put them in more when it comes to headcanons

[silver-tangent]

“The Woke mob is ruining all of our fandoms!”

The fandoms:

X-men

Doctor Who

Star Wars

Superman

Spider-man

Deadpool

The Punisher

DC comics

Marvel Comics

Barbie

Rock n Roll

Pink Floyd

System of a Down

The Simpsons

Discworld

Grand Theft Auto

Anything written by Neil Gaiman

Norse Mythology

Thousands of stolen myths and fairy tales being reclaimed by their cultures

The “trap” anime trope evolving into a more healthy trans girl anime trope

Bruh, these stories were never yours to begin with… things aren’t “going woke,” you just can’t ignore it anymore…

[stellafeline]

Strain

(gif not mine)

Adult!Neteyam Sully x Omaticaya!Reader

content: established relationship, poor communication skills, fluff, kiss and make up, bad writing, characters aged up

warnings: slight angst, insinuation of smut- but no smut, otherwise nothing i think

word count: 4k

proofread, but barely proofread so sorry for any typos there may be.

a/n: this is my first ever fic posting on this blog. anything that i may write in the future won’t be based off of the canon story, just because my bby boy deserved to live. if it does have details from the comics/movies- it will be loosely based. James Cameron you will pay.

i haven’t written fanfiction since i was fourteen so i’m sorry if it’s shit. be gentle with me. feedback is oh so appreciated. love you❤️

————————————————————————

He kept his head and eyes low, unable to meet your gaze.

His head swirling with uncertainties, shame, and of course- anger with himself. This afternoons interaction with you still in the forefront on his mind, haunting him while he tried to go about his duties with helping the trainees.

He couldn’t get the look on your face out of his mind-

Your big honey colored eyes, wide and hurt looked at him while you twiddled your fingers.

A habit that he picked up on when you were upset or uncomfortable.

You couldn’t believe him. You had finally built up the courage to ask him if he could finally take a night to spend time with you. You wanted to show him a little spot you had found while gathering herbs for Mo’at.

It was perfect, located near where the original home tree used to be rooted.

A small pond with an island of grass near the middle, seemingly perfect rocks set up where you had already imagined him lounging on relaxing, while you finally got to pull out the handmade paints that Tuk had made you.

A couple weeks ago, she had noticed your peaked interest when Norm had brought you to the lab to show you how the new alarm system was set up.

You both frequented the lab together, bothering the scientists for books from earth. Tuk didn’t have much interest, but she was attached to your hip.

So alas, when you went to the lab- so did she.

While Tuk had him distracted- asking him what all the different buttons on the panel on the wall did, you took the chance to wander a couple feet away. You had noticed one of the scientists had left out some strange looking brushes, paper, a tray of multiple colors tabs, glass of water.

You walked over to the table, cautious fingers grazing the paper. You took note of the already painted image on the paper. It looked like a flower of some-sort, you assumed it was one that grew on earth.

You had been mesmerized by the simple painting, and ever since then- you’d been bugging Norm for information regarding different painting styles and art forms.

You had even convinced him to show you a strange moving picture on a tablet that gave you insight on how to wield the brush, flow with the paper, and to trust the process

Norm called it a “how to” video. How strange.

While you were a healer in the clan- your hobbies include making instruments, jewelry, and clothes for the people.

You had thought you could take up the human past time of putting the wet pigment on a piece of paper, creating art that could be passed down. Or even to just make something that was absolutely beautiful.

It had seemed easy enough.

The na’vis traditional way of story telling was through word of mouth and music. Your eyes had sparkled at the thought of sharing past experiences through this form, something different.

And Tuk saw everything. Her being the sweetheart she is, had taken the time (much to Norms displeasure since he was the one to help) and created a couple different paints to gift to you.

When she gave them to you this morning, you had cried like a baby. The gifted paint set wrapped in the cutest way with paper and brushes rolled into a bow of twine.

You hadn’t gotten the chance to show Neteyam yet since he didn’t seem to make it home for lunch in your shared hut, so that lead you to quickly scurry through the trees in search of him during training hours.

While walking to the training field, you let the sun embrace your face while you smiled to yourself. You felt so warm all over, enjoying the very air the great mother had blessed you with.

Neteyam seemed to have to spend more time with his father training lately. You only truly got to see him during the night, but the poor man was always so exhausted when he returned, quickly stuffing his mouth with food that you had prepared so that he would come home to a warm meal, and then promptly laying down to sleep, mentally preparing for the next day.

You always had understood, even when you felt love deprived. You understood why he had to do this and didn’t want to burden him more.

That obviously didn’t mean you didn’t steal him away for the day when he did have a free day. You definitely would and would take him deep into the forest to simply get a moment of peace with him.

Everything seemed to be going so well lately other than that slight detail.

While skipping over streams and following frequently taken trails, your mind drifted to thoughts of his laugh, the crinkle in his eyes when he smiled, how strong his hands were.

It was probably pathetic just how much you thought of your mate, but that didn’t matter as you currently felt a smile splitting your face once his broad back and long braids came into view.

You let out a cute war cry to make your presence known. You thought it would have made made him crack a smile at your more than normal antics.

He was speaking with a fellow warrior, ears perking up when he heard your call.

You didn’t mind intruding, you had done it before and your yawne had always seemed so happy to see you.

Which led you to confusion seeing the grimace on your mates face as he watched you walk up to him.

“Ma ‘Teyam” you purred, reaching out to graze his face. Brows pinching when he moved his head back to avoid your touch. “Why such the long face?”

Your face screwed up even more when he replied. Taking note that the other navi that he had been speaking to quickly walked away.

“What is it that you need right now?” his eyes snapped to the side, not bothering to look your way again.

The curt reply surprised you, never in the many moons you’ve know him and have been mated to him- has he ever been this cold with you, which lead to a pregnant pause before you could spit out a response to him.

“Hmm?” he tried again. His patience obviously already thin.

You felt your hands clasp together, trying to stand up straighter.

Being completely thrown off balance and usual confidence completely squished by your mates sudden coldness, you managed to squeak out an answer.

“O-oh I was just wondering if you’d like to come with me to a new spot I found that I think you’d find very relaxing after eclipse. We could bring a basket with some fruit and a lantern. I was thinking a date night? and Tuk made me some paints that I’d really like to sh-“

“I can’t, sorry narlor”, he cut you off, holding his hand up to signal that he wasn’t finished speaking. “I don’t have time for childish activities now or then. I must go to the meeting grounds tonight to speak with my father for the next raid. In fact you should be with grandmother right now for your own duties, not here.”

Your ears immediately pressed back towards your skull at hearing his tone, hurt filling your body. Tail going still.

It had taken a moment to fully process his words, but by the time you did, he had already pressed a chaste kiss to your head and walked away.

You stood there for a couple more moments, watching his large frame become smaller with distance.

You hadn’t realized that Neteyam had watched your face completely morph from giddy and happy, to like someone had spit in your face. He had to walk away before he changed his mind on the answer he had given you.

He wasn’t happy with how he responded to your question. He wanted nothing more than to take you up on the offer. He felt horrible with how short he was. You were his sunshine.

But he had duties to attend to, and you needed to understand that. Sometimes he couldn’t always the ‘Teyam you’re used to.

He was going to be the leader of the clan soon. The weight of all the responsibility was crashing down on his shoulders. It didn’t help that he had just gotten a heavy scolding from father for letting you distract him lately this morning, leaving him with a bad taste in his mouth.

Jake has been having him out on the field, in meetings, and leading hunts religiously. Taking any spare moment away from Neteyam. He was beyond exhausted and fed up.

Tears gathered in your eyes while you walked home, willing yourself to get it together since you still had duties to finish when you returned.

Just like Neteyam said, you bitterly thought.

The sick and injured were well, still sick and injured. It didn’t stop for your trampled on heart.

So moral of the stories?

All you wanted to do was simply lay with him while you finally got to play with your new paints while he got to wind down after putting in long hours of ensuring that the clan had capable warriors and hunters.

But here you are now, tending to his wounds silently cursing yourself for having shaky hands.

You hated how you currently felt. You felt like you potentially blew earlier infraction out of proportion. Feeling stupid at being so upset at Neteyam for being simply busy.

On the other hand, you wish you would’ve bitten his head off in-front of the trainees.

That would have served him right for giving you the cold shoulder, something he’s never done in the entirety of your union.

Since you had returned home from the training field, the short tempered tone and annoyed face of your dear beloved haunted your mind.

Had you truly caught him at a bad moment or was there something else?

Did he actually find spending time with you childish?

The longer you thought about it, the angrier you became.

How dare he? How dare he just brush you off like that? What could you have done for him to suddenly look at you like another chore?

You had been preparing fresh bowls of water for new rags to go in, loudly sighing every couple minutes while deep in thought.

You hadn’t even hear the familiar footsteps wander their way into the tent.

Neteyam hasn’t been able to look you in your eyes since he stepped into the tsahik’s tent, needing to tend to the large gash on the side of his arm. He had gotten it after flying too close to the cliffs near high camp in the hallelujah mountains.

He had needed to clear his head, or at least that’s what his father barked at him when he kept losing his sparring matches with fellow warriors during their training session this evening.

He was distracted, thinking about you of course.

Distracted when he was training and distracted when he was flying.

He couldn’t get the look you had out of his head. Your trembling lips, the way you shrunk into yourself, and worst of all- the hurt that flashed through your eyes. He hated it. He hated himself in that moment. He hated speaking to you like that. He knows he should clue you in to what all he’s had on his plate lately, but he’s never wanted to put his stress onto your own shoulders. But he had done something worse.

He has dimmed the shine of his sun with his foolish choice of words.

When he had gained control over his ikran and landed, the animal was already prepared to fly off as soon as it felt his body weight jump off the beast. Leaving him to walk the rest of the way home with a bloody arm.

While he walked back to base, the young worrier could not help but to sigh of himself.

Even the banshee was angry with him.

So here he is now, trying not to look at you while you caress his body gently, circling around him. Looking for any other scraps and cuts he could possibly have gotten.

Gentle fingertips running across his skin, leaving trails of sparks.

While you worked on his wounds, you couldn’t help but notice him lean into your touch. Testing the waters and seeking comfort. You allowed the small action, for now anyways.

While you couldn’t help but to heal him with loving touches, you’re still wary of being around him currently.

The pit in your stomach would not go away. No matter how much you tried squashing it down. You could not get his words out of your head.

He knew you were upset with him. Eywa knows you were probably even angrier with him after seeing him walk into the healing tent with a grimace on his face and blood running down his arm. Your face morphed from shock, worry, to irritation as you guided your mate to a table with healing supplies that you had been organizing moments prior to his arrival.

He took the chance to steal a quick glance, peaking up to look at your face.

Big mistake.

The look on your face only made the young warrior feel worse.

Your lips set in straight line, eyebrows slightly furrowed, and tail whipping while you worked. Your eyes slightly swollen, it looked like you had been crying.

Had you been crying throughout the day? He had seen you last hours ago.

His stomach twisted at the thought.

Quickly diverting his eyes, focusing his attention to the dirt on your feet.

Your ears twitched downward every time you found a little scrape or knick around his shoulders. You grabbed the healing salve- wiping it along his shoulders and arms, causing him to hiss in pain with every wipe of thick ointment onto his skin.

You took a look at the cut along his arm that ran from the top of his shoulder to the end of his elbow. It wouldn’t need stitches, but would be annoying to keep clean and to heal properly.

After cleaning the wound and wrapping it with long leaves to ensure that no dirt or unneeded moisture could interfere with the healing process.

Running your fingertips over the choker that adorned his neck, taking notes of the frayed pieces on the front and where it was tied together. Taking a mental note to take off the necklace when he fell asleep to repair it. You wouldn’t want him to lose the dear piece of jewelry during battle, training, or whatever misfortunate adventure Lo’ak drug him into that he would have to fix before their parents found out.

You knew how important the necklace was to Neteyam. It had been the first piece of jewelry that you had gifted him during the period that he courted you.

The craftsmen ship was subpar, you had been only a girl when you made him it. He never let you recreate it for him, saying the original meaning was too dear to him to have a remake.

A gruff clear of his throat dragged you out of your daze and you caught yourself still staring at him. You had been lost in thought.

Why were you even worried about the necklace right now? He’d probably find that childish as well.

Seeing his puppy dog demeanor, caused you to soften your gaze and relax your shoulders. You could tell he was chastising himself for being so careless with not only himself, but also the well-being of his ikran.

But still, you were pissed.

Eywa you were so mad at him.

But regardless, you decided that you would talk later about your earlier conversation. You knew it probably wasn’t the time to bring it up. You had to put your feelings to the side to deal with what was in-front of you.

“____”, he whispered, reaching how to grab your arm. Only missing it by a hair as you walked away from him.

“hmm?” you questioned, rinsing the bloody rag you had used to clean his wounds. You made a mental note to grab more salve and leaves to bring home, so that you could easily change the wrapping at home.

“Can you show me that spot you had spoken about when we’re finished?” he started, planning to make amends and to spoil you with affection to make up for his earlier foolishness. “I’d like to see it and see the paints Tuk had ma-“

“No” you cut him off. Feeling slightly bad that you had cut him off mid word like he had done to earlier that day.

“No?” his eyes widening, not used to you saying no to him.

“Precisely, no. I do not have time for childish activities. Neither do you, or so you said. You have to meet with your father tonight anyways, do you not?” You spat, letting your anger get the best of you. Your plan to not bring it up leaving you the second he asked.

His heart sank to his stomach. He hadn’t meant for you to take his words to heart.

You didn’t let him get another word in.

“I will see you at home.” Your eyes refusing to meet his, you didn’t want to give in on this. You knew if you looked into his eyes, you would grab his hand and lead the way.

Your feelings had been so hurt. Intentional or not.

Suddenly you felt a strong grip on your tail, pulling you into his firm chest. Large arms wrapping around your frame, caging you in.

You immediately started squirming in his hold, trying to get his arms to loosen up on their grip.

Sometimes your really hated how much larger he was than you.

The hold on you only tightened, his lips peppering kisses on your shoulder. His head nuzzling into the crook of your neck.

“Sevin, please.” he urged, hands wildly rubbing your body trying to get to melt into him.

Turning in his hold so that you would be facing him, his hands landing on the small of your back, pressing further into him.

With your ears pinned and eyes wide, you looked up at him. Waiting for him to speak further. Demanding your expression to remain firm, slightly failing when your lip quivered.

He didn’t, suddenly he was lost for words.

You waited and waited for him to say something. When nothing came, you took your exit. You let out a loud huff and broke away from his hold.

Gathering your satchel of personal belonging that you brought with you to the healing tent daily, picking up your shawl and wrapping it around your shoulders. He was your last patient of the day, you were set to go home now.

You left him in the tent without another glance, walking back to your shared tent. As soon as you stepped in, you let out a large sigh. If Neteyam did go with his father tonight, you most likely had a couple hours to reign yourself back in.

Deep down you knew that your mate didn’t need your attitude, you knew he had so much on his plate. He thought that he had been doing a good job keeping work and home separate, trying not to clue you in with how stressed he’s been.

But you knew him. He was your yawne. You had loved him since before you had even knew what love truly was.

You could tell everything was taking a toll on him. You thought about how his demeanor has changed while you took your braids out, they were in serious need to be redone.

Neteyam usually was the one to help you with your hair, but you had not bothered to ask him since that was the last thing he needed to worry about. So you’ll just wash your hair in the morning and leave it loose for the time being, it was your favorite way to wear your hair anyways.

Your poor baby. You were no longer mad, only feeling bad for snapping at him in the healing tent.

You thought about how the way his shoulders hunched, to the sore muscles that you spent hours rolling out, and the smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes lately.

You hadn’t seen him laugh in weeks. You missed it.

While deep in thought, you prepared a quick meal for him to have when he returned. Your stomach has been sour all day, so you decided that you’d just go to bed once the food had finished cooking.

You set out the meal on the table Neteyam had carved last spring, and walked to your shared mat. Bringing the blanket over your head, you allowed to let your bottled up emotions to spill over.

Curling your body up into a fetal position, wrapping your arms around your torso in a make shift self hug- you gently cried, willing yourself to sleep.

-

Neteyam padded into the hut, the meeting with his father went terribly. He didn’t listen to a word his father said. He was wracked with guilt, knowing your earlier tone was much deserved.

That of course led to Jake roaring at Neteyam, smacking the side of his head in attempts to get his attention. Jake realized quickly that it was a lost cause, his son too deep in thought to even begin to try to pry him out of his mind.

Jake knew he’d been running Neteyam hard, but he needed to be ready for when he was the olo’eyktan. He then decided that he would give his son a week of rest after this next raid was completed. Only needing to report for morning rounds.

After being dismissed, Neteyam headed straight to you.

He saw that the fire was dying and bowl of his favorite stew sat on the table. He didn’t initially see you, but after close inspection he spotted your small form curled up under the blanket sleeping, your hair poking out from the blanket.

His heart clenched at the sight, you usually always stayed awake and waiting for him to return.

He walked over to you and crouched down next to you, peeling the blanket away from your face. He took in your appearance.

Your hair was free from their braids, long raven strands flowing across the pillow. Your sweet face was tear stained and puffy, cheeks stained plum. Your pouty lips swollen from crying.

He mentally kicked himself, you had cried so much today. He wanted to wake you to fix everything.

Deciding against waking you due to you needing rest, he stood to his full height. Walking over to the table, he quickly ate his meal. Taking in his surroundings, he saw the paint set you had been talking about on the floor next to your satchel.

His heart clenched for the millionth time that day at the site. All you had wanted to do was show him your gift.

He vowed then that he would make things right in the morning.

Getting into bed, he tried to get comfortable but he couldn’t unless you were curled up into his body. Turning over to face you, his hand gently gripped your waist, pulling you to him.

He cursed himself and held his breath when you roused from your sleep. Big tired eyes slowly opening, blinking the sleep away as you took him in. You shyly smiled while snuggling in closer, nuzzling your cheek on his chest, placing a light kiss on his pectoral- quickly falling back to sleep.

He smiled at your cuteness, unsure if you were too sleepy to continue being mad. He chose to take this sign of good luck to give you a squeeze, somehow pulling you even closer. Signing to himself, falling into a deep sleep.

-

You slowly woke out of your sleep to the noises of the busy village and the snoring of your mate. Eyes blinking open, you turned your head to look at Neteyam.

He was sleeping so peacefully. One arm thrown over his face to block out the sun peeking through the tent flap the other firmly placed on your thigh- holding you in place. His chest rising and falling at a tranquil pace. The leaves wrapped around his arm needing a fresh set.

You scrunched your nose at his sleeping form, yesterdays concerns coming back to the forefront of your mind. You didn’t even hear him get home last night.

Tracing the freckles along his arm, battling with yourself whether or not you wants to stay in bed, basking in the warmth of the large man next to you or start to get ready for the day.

Deciding that you should probably get ready, you started to stretch. Raising your arms above your head, stomach hollowing as your back arched off the mat- legs trembling as you held your stretch out, letting out a loud yawn.

Sitting up from your laying position, you looked around your place. Neteyam must have gotten home much later than you anticipated, seeing as all of his ruck was hazardously thrown by the door. His bow and knife resting on the table.

You started to shift, preparing to stand up.

Suddenly you were yanked back down into a hard chest, barely able to breathe due to the hold he had on you. His tail wrapping around your thigh.

“Mhmm, where do you think your going, yawntu?” he purred into your neck, lips ghosting over the skin behind your ear.

“Good morning, ‘Teyam” you replied, trying to pry his hands off of your waist. You were determined to get ready and try out your paints.

Groaning at your squirminess, he flipped you so that your were face to face with him. Nose and lips centimeters away from touching. “We need to talk.” he grumbled, kissing the tip of your nose.

Your heart fluttered at the action, cheeks slowly growing a rosy color. You couldn’t help but to nuzzle your nose against his.

“About?” you questioned, deciding to play dumb. You wanted to see what his response would be.

“About how I spoke to you yesterday. I am so sorry yawne. I..” trying to get his thoughts together, “I should’ve never taken that tone with you and nothing you do is ever childish. I’ve just been so overwhelmed with training that I let it bubble over and took it out on you. Which is no excuse by the wa-“

You cut him off with a kiss, he was starting to ramble anyway.

Your lips danced with each other, lips lazily slotted together in morning bliss, his thumb softly caressing your cheek. Only pulling away when your lungs screamed for air, his lips chasing yours for more. Settling for soft pecks against your lips, he sighed.

“You know I was trying to tell you something important” He quirked an eyebrow. You only giggled, pushing your head in the crook of his neck, taking in his scent in large huffs.

“I know, but I had already forgiven you before you even got home last night. Neteyam, baby, when things are getting to the point of you almost exploding- please talk to me about it. I can’t take the cold shoulder, especially when I don’t know why i’m receiving it. I understand so much more than you know, I don’t want us to spend another day like yesterday again.” You whispered against his neck.

“I will, my sunshine, I will.” He promised, his hand tickling the base of your tail. “Now, I was not a man yesterday, but let me make it up to you and show you how much of a man I can be.” He gave you a coy smile, already starting to flip you so that you’d be straddling him.

“Don’t you have to meet with your father for training?” you questioned, hissing inwardly at yourself for even bring that up. You didn’t want to let him go, you wanted to be selfish.

“I, my sweet one, am a free man for exactly one week. Only exception is to meet for morning rounds, but i think my father will get over it for just one day” he grinned, fingers pressing into your hips.

You couldn’t help but laugh and smile down at him while nodding, tucking strands of hair behind your ear, eyes practically sparkling. You leaned down to connect your lips, leading to a heated kiss.

Muttering I love you’s as hands explored lower regions- hearts pounding with love and desire, grinning into each others mouths.

Maybe you would show him that spot later today.

-

Laying on your stomach, basking in the sunlight- you were happily painting something the humans called a fairy. You let the paint flow as you created a human like woman with ikran wings.

Neteyam sat on the rocks, lounging with his arms behind his head- eyes closed while your tail is wrapped around his ankle. His skin still wet from the swim in the pond he took earlier with you.

Humming to yourself as you colored in her wings, absolutely content with your life with your mate.

Everything felt like sunshine.

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please let me know what you think!

stellafeline<3

[averagewriter-inthedark]

The Rockstar, Her Husband, & Their Dagger Ducklings 🐥🎸 | TGM Imagine

Takes place after the events of TGM

TGM Masterlist

Read ‘It’s A Long Way To The Top’ first before this!

Characters & Pairings: Captain Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell x 80s Rockstar!reader (romantic), Bradley Bradshaw x reader (mother/son-type relationship), Dagger Squad (platonic) Hondo (platonic)

Content Warnings: fluff, profanity, mentions or past drug use & alcohol, 80s references, found family troupe | female!reader (she/her) | wc: 5.3k

Premise: everyone loves a found family story. The one tells the what it looks like when you put a married couple, in which the husband is the Navy’s most famous pilot and the wife is the most iconic front-woman in rock n roll history, with their sorta adopted adult children that are the Navy’s best of the best pilots. Join Maverick, his rockstar wife, and the dagger ducklings on just some of their rock and rollin’ adventures.

Requested 📨: yes/no

Note: As soon as I finished IALWTTT I immediately started thinning about doing a little mini blurb about Mav, his rockstar wife, and the dagger squad as they become a little family. Plus I thought of how they would be if they were at the Rock n Roll HOF induction 😉 hope y’all like this and let me know what you think! -Bee 🐝

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There is only one word that could describe best what it’s like when a 60 and 58 year old couple decide to unofficially adopt seven 30+ year olds as their surrogate children…..It’s madness.

Well it’s madness about 80% of the time just because they’re basically teenagers in adult bodies whenever they get together. For example, Mav and Y/n really got a taste of what it was like when the daggers were in the same room just the night after the concert when they invited them over for Saturday dinner. The barbecue was going, drinks were passed around, music was on full blast and things were calm…..until it was time to sit down at the table.

“That is not how I got my callsign, Seresin!” Nat chucked a celery stick at the blonde. The conversation of call signs came into play about thirty minutes into the meal with Jake taking it upon himself to tell the stories he personally witnessed or heard from others. He had just got done explaining that Phoenix got black out drunk in flight school, threw up all over the dorms but managed to clean it all up, and then woke up in time the next day for training.

“That’s what I heard, Trace,” he defends with hands raised, laughing as the others try not to receive the wrath of the firebird.

“And who was your source?”

Jake doesn’t hesitate to throw him under the bus, “Rooster.”

“Dude!” The pilot shouts, causing Y/n to do an expression of, ‘nooooo.’

Nat threw a celery at him, “What the hell, Bradshaw, that’s not what happened.” Rooster sends a glare to Jake, before facing Nat with a look of plea, “forgive me, Nat. But that’s what I remembered happening.” Her reaction is one that reads, ‘are you serious?’

“You were just as wasted as I was! How the hell did you manage to remember that?”

“So you did black out and showed up in time for training?” Fanboy asks with slight awe. There was no way in hell he’d be about to do that. If it were him, he’d likely still be in bed and get chewed out for missing.

“Look,” she sighs, “the event itself happened, yes,” she ignores the sounds of ‘damn, Phee,’ ‘I knew it was true,’ the glare they receive causes them to shut up. “But I already had Phoenix as my callsign. That isn’t what gave me it, but people were just like, ‘no wonder they say you rise from the ashes.’ So, you can forget about that being the origin cause it wasn’t.”

Murmurs sound and then Y/n politely asks, “How did you get the name then, hon?” This time Nat blushes and tells the truth, “I used to be obsessed with the X-Men comics as a kid. And well….Jean Grey was my favorite character so I dressed up as her Phoenix form almost every Halloween for five years. Word got around and the rest was history.”

The rest of the night was full of laughs, games, and conversation.

“I am open about the fact I did…dabble in the white powder during my late teens-early twenties,” Y/n nodded when the question about her past drug use arose. The information was public that she and other band members smoked weed early in their careers and experimented with harder substances. In an interview with the Rolling Stone magazine shortly after the band went on hiatus Y/n confirmed the last time she used drugs was in 1988.

“Unfortunately it was common in the 80s—especially in the industry, I mean the amount of people you met who did it was longer than Santa’s list. When you have young, vulnerable kids who are new to the scene and having to migrate the spotlight like we did things tend to happen,” she waves a hand to emphasize her point. “But I only did it in social settings. It was only a few times really and the last time I did a line I swear I saw God. When I tell you it was like witnessing the Big Bang in real time—I-I immediately cut it off after that. It was so bad—never again.”

At one point Jake asked, “tell us your top five favorite moments in your entire career.”

“Oh God,” she laughed, turning to Mav who had the same expression. “Only five? That’s gonna need time to think but……” she starts counting off with her fingers, “in no particular order: the Super Bowl, duh. The first ever MTV Video Music Awards—you just had to be there. Smoking a blunt with Snoop Dogg after the 2001 Grammys,” she paused when they all hollard with cheers. “Performing with Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr,” Bob made an audible sound like it was the coolest thing he’d ever heard. “And…..oh gosh there’s so many more—SNL, winning the Oscar, making out with Matt Dillion after The Outsiders premiere,” Mav rolled his eyes at that knowing she was teasing him. Of course he knew she’d been with Hollywood heartthrobs before they met, men and women alike. Mav wasn’t insecure or anything. They’d been together for so long he had nothing to be insecure for. It was just that he had met Matt Dillion in the 90s…..and could tell the actor still had lust for his woman.

Y/n couldn’t help but tease him knowing Pete was obviously jealous the night she introduced the two at a party they attended. It was just a friendly encounter with Y/n having her eyes for the pilot, disregarding the affectionate gaze from her former fling. “He won’t stop staring at you,” Pete pouted when he caught Matt’s eyes for a fourth time, once again checking his girlfriend out. Chuckling, Y/n made herself comfortable in Pete’s lap, pulling him closer so they barely had space as she went in to kiss him after saying, “Let him stare, baby. He had a chance and he missed it. Now he’s in the past and you’re my present and future.”

Yeah, Matt left the party shortly after that display.

Y/n kissed blushing Pete’s cheek and took a moment to think, “But I gotta include the first time we played at The Garden. I think that’s the moment when I really felt like I was a rockstar.”

The dogs were having a grand time with all the attention they were getting. Goose spent most of the time on Bradley’s lap, with Y/n scolding the man for feeding the pup some of the plain chicken wing meat. Plans were arranged for the upcoming months which included Mickey and Jake’s birthdays, Halloween and of course, Y/n’s HOF induction. The daggers were under the impression only Mav and possibly Rooster would get to go in person to the event, so they worked on meeting up to watch the live feed together.

Little did they know their resident rockstar was already conspiring.

Speaking of Halloween, the party was a night to remember when the holiday arrived. It had already been established that Mav and Y/n knew how to throw a party. Mickey and Jake’s birthday were just two examples in which the dagger squad, the band, and their close friends were thankful Y/n’s closest neighbors were quite the walk away. Halloween, however, was where the couple got to shine.

Not only were they best dressed as Jack Skeleton & Sally, with their dogs all dressed up as bats, but their entire home looked straight out The Nightmare Before Christmas. The front lawn was like a graveyard, with a giant inflatable pumpkin. Inside was spectacular with the sunken living room transformed into a dancefloor. One could expect the daggers were trying not to lose their mind with the amount of stars they met. Duran Duran was there, which was expected since the two bands had been friends since the 80s but also because of the induction in just a few short weeks.

Robert Downey Jr. was in attendance with his family—Fanboy pretty much shit his pants when he realized who Y/n was introducing him too. The Marvel junkie in him was going crazy. “Hey, buddy, nice to meet ya. Any friend of the Mitchell’s is a friend of mine,” Robert shook his hand, the pilot’s mouth a gape causing Y/n to chuckle and pat his back, “I think we broke the poor boy, Robert.”

Nat found herself having a drink with Carrie Ann Moss from the Matrix, who she was dressed as her iconic character. “Nice outfit,” the actress complimented with a genuine smile. Nat didn’t know how she managed to find the words to speak, but somehow said, “t-thank you. Wow um—it’s an honor.” Before she knew it the two women were talking with Carrie Ann telling her all the behind the scenes info of her most renowned sci-fi trilogy.

Fucking Serena and Venus Williams was there. Coyote just about had a heart attack and texted his mother right after meeting them saying, “You’ll never believe who I just met, ma.” He then proceeds to send the selfie they took to his family group chat. They were losing their minds just as he was.

Payback’s fan girl moment came when he ended up being challenged in a dance off with the one and only Janet Jackson. What made it better…he was dressed as Michael Jackson from his Thriller music video. It’s probably what had the singer challenge him when the song ‘Scream’ she did with brother came on. The costume Janet had involved a mask, so the man didn’t even know who he was dancing with until the song came to an end.

“Does he know that’s Janet?” Y/n came up to her husband, grinning at the sight. Mav shook his head, “I don’t think he does.” When the mask revealed the face hidden behind, Reuben forgot what the hell was even happening around him. “Holy shit,” was all he could say, grinning wide as she approached with a nod of respect, “You got moves, kid.”

Jake came up and slapped him on the back, “That was fucking awesome!” Payback was still in disbelief, exhaling with awe, “I just dance battled Janet Jackson…. while dressed as Micheal Jackson, to the song Scream by Micheal and Janet Jackson…I’ve won at life.”

Rooster, as usual, was the life of the party. A lot of the guests he already had the privilege of meeting years before. So one could imagine how stunned his friends were to see him nonchalantly shooting pool with fucking Dave Grohl from the Foo Fighters. “You’ve gotten better since the last time we played,” the guitarist chuckled when Rooster hit the winning shot.

“Ain’t no better place to become pro than in a Navy officer bar.”

“Guess you’ll have to teach me a thing or two now, kid.”

Beach days were reserved for dogfight football. Ever since that first time playing it the pilots couldn’t play it any other way. Hondo or Y/n would be ref and there would be times where the band would come out with their kids so they had more players.

“Ready….set…” Y/n blows the whistle and the balls are tossed to their respective quarterback. The speaker blasting music would muffle out due to the shouts and cheers, Y/n squealing when Mav would lift her over his shoulder whenever he scored. “Pete Mitchell put me down!” A slap to his jean clad ass would result in her being tossed in the water. “Hey! Oh you little—,” the pilot was yanked down, falling into the upcoming wave to the sound of his wife’s laughter.

Sometimes the dogs would join in on the fun at the private beach. It always ended with Rooster, Mav, and Coyote chasing after Goose and Ice, the mutts stealing the balls in the middle of the game. Sweet Bella was always on her best behavior, cuddling with the younger kids who opted out of playing. “Goose, get back here!” “Ice, now is not the time!”

Four days before the induction ceremony, Y/n gathers her ducklings to the home for their monthly barbecue. “Gather ‘round, ducklings,” she taps a spoon to her wine glass. “Gather ‘round.”

“The Queen has something to say,” Rooster adds when they take too long to circle the table, resulting in Y/n to lightly smack his shoulder in a motherly way. He feigns hurt, mumbling, “rude.”

The rockstar calls the attention back to her, “It has come to my attention that you all have made plans to watch the live feed of Saturday’s ceremony. Well, I have some news I’d like to share….” She gestures for Pete, who brings over a literal silver tray with eight black and red envelopes neatly lined up. Each envelope had the pilots callsign in silver sparkly lettering.

“Was this your idea?” she muses at the silver tray, Pete and Rooster grinning like children who were presenting an art project.

“We thought it was fitting.”

“You two,” she sighs though there is amusement in her tone. “When I call your name please retrieve your present. But don’t open it till I say so.”

“What did you do?” Nat accuses when she’s the first to receive the envelope. Lightweight in her hands, she examines it closely while the others get theirs, but does not open it like instructed. Hondo is the last to get his, taking his place back between Javy and Mickey.

“Consider this your holiday present from Mav and I,” Y/n leans into her husband when his arm goes around her. “We both split the costs—though I insisted it all be on me since It was my idea,” she looks at him with a knowing look.

He just kisses her temple, “You know I wouldn’t have let you when you already do so much, honey,” Pete looks at his pilots, “But we hope you all like it and accept the offer.”

“If this is what I think it is,” Jake starts to say, catching onto what the couple were implying. Y/n’s little indication of the ceremony is what really had him suspect. “Then I’m going to scream.”

Nat quickly catches on, gasping, “I swear to God, y’all better not have.”

“Better not have what?” Bob innocently looks at the couple, who were both grinning wide. Y/n couldn’t take it any longer and allowed them to open the envelopes. Sure enough Jake screamed, but it was more of a dramatic one. With him were Mickey, Javy, Payback and even Bob was shouting. Nat immediately embraced Y/n in a hug while Hondo did the same to Mav. Before long the entire group was in a big dogpile with the pups getting in on the hype.

“You guys are unbelievable!” Nat shouted amongst the chaos, double checking the papers to see they were in fact what they were. It was a ticket to the Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony taking place that Saturday at the Microsoft Theater “Wh-what!? How!?”

“I’ve had them ready since July,” Y/n told her, laughing at Nat’s jaw dropped expression.

“Thank you so so much!” Nat hugs her again after the guys express their words of gratitude, “I don’t think we can thank you enough—I mean you’ve already done so much for us. Now this!? Honestly I don’t know how we’ll make it up to you.”

“Don’t think about that,” Y/n assured, moving to the side when a play fight broke out between Mav, Rooster, and Jake with the dogs. “It makes me happy to do these things and that we get to share them together. You guys are our family now. Not just mine and Pete’s, but also the Romantics. And I would want nothing more than my whole family to be in attendance Saturday night.”

“It would be our honor,” Nat squeezes her hand, still in disbelief that she got to call the woman a friend and was privileged to experience things she never thought she could. When Saturday came Nat had to pinch herself. Sitting in the stands of Microsoft Theater with her best friends, dressed in a sparkly pantsuit and in absolute awe.

The squad was close to the stage but in the stands since the floor was where all the tables were. From their position, they could see Y/n and Pete with the Romantics and their managers. Front tables were basically reserved for the inductees. The year's inductee lineup was insane. Absolute icons: Duran Duran, Pat Benatar, Dolly Parton, Eurythmics, Lionel Richie, Eminem, Carly Simon, Judas Priest, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Harry Belafonte, Sylvia Robinson, Jimmy Lovine, Elizabeth Cotten, and Allen Grubman.

Those who had passed were to be honored by singers and the inductees present would perform. One by one the inductees were honored. Personal friends, fans, or colleagues gave speeches for the artist/group they were inducting. Dr. Dre inducted Eminem, Robert Downey Jr for Duran Duran. In between performances took place with the crowd on their feet and singing along to iconic songs that defined a generation.

Hearing Dolly Parton live was a moment they’d never forget. So many things could be crossed off their bucket list, including seeing Dolly Parton. Together they shouted the lyrics to ‘Sweet Dreams’ by Eurythmics at the top of their lungs, the guys rapping along with Eminem. Nat felt like a teenager again singing along to Pat Benatar’s ‘Love Is A Battlefield,’ & ‘Heartbreaker’. They rocked out to Judas Priest, Duran Duran, and Loionel Richie. Everyone was having a blast and then the moment they were all waiting for came.

To induct Y/n and The Romantics, the crowd screamed in joy when Ryan Reynolds approached the podium. At the table the band were in a heep of laughter already. It was fitting having the movie star induct them considering their songs were featured in the Deadpool movies and they made a cameo in Deadpool 2. Ryan was not only a big fan of the group but had become their friend.

“Hello, hello, greetings and salutations fellow rock n rollers,” he starts, the audience roaring around. Payback brought his thumbs up to whistle. “It’s an honor and privilege to be here tonight with you all, and it’s a mega blessing to be inducting this next group,” his attention lands on the Romantics, the cheers getting louder, “which is safe to say has been long overdue.”

“Damn right!” Rooster shouts, which actually catches Ryan’s attention, the movie star pointing in his direction with a curt nod.

“Now if you’re a child of the 70s like me and had your teenage years in the decade known for religious cults and a substance sharing the name with a popular soft drink,” he pauses at the laughter that rings out, coughing lightly before continuing, “then you should know who Y/n and The Romantics are.” Microsoft Theater rumbled with the reaction of the crowd. “If you don’t,” Ryan shrugs, “then you must be living under a fucking rock.”

The camera pans to the band, Y/n with a hand over her mouth covering the massive grin she had beneath. Her bandmates were just as joyous as they watched Ryan give his speech. “At just the ripe age of fourteen, these young cats hit the streets of Atlanta and sang tunes for all ears to hear. It was 1978. The Camp David Peace Accords was signed, the first IVF baby was born, NASA unveiled their first group of women astronauts, and Japanese explorer Naomi Uemura became the first to reach the North Pole. For a bunch of freshmen in high school, their lives changed when their rendition of ‘Cry Baby’ by Janis Joplin was heard by the right person passing by.” Ryan pauses once more to let the audience cheer, at the table Pete takes Y/n’s hand in his, giving it a loving squeeze.

“Though they released their first single on New Year’s Day of 1979, the new decade emerged with a new spice to rock music. It skyrocketed these kids to stardom with their unique sound and a frontwoman with a voice that sounded like an angel rebelled from God to become a rockstar,” Y/n smiled shyly when the camera panned to her, blowing a kiss before it went to her friends. “They were every rock n roll hater’s worst nightmare. With their leather and glitter, Y/n’s iconic split dye hair and swooning every person they met, the launch of MTV in 1981 made Y/n and The Romantics overnight sensations…. and the celebrity crushes of every young Hollywood heartthrob,” Ryan smirks, nodding with the hollars of the audience.

“The way people are when it comes to securing Taylor Swift and Beyoncé tickets, was the same for us trying to see The Romantics live back in the day. You can best believe seeing grown men and women cry when they were unable to get seats for the farewell tour. I think I even witnessed a fight break out in the ticket line.”

“Oh my God,” Y/n giggled, hiding her face in her hands. Glancing at her friends they had the same reaction: flustered.

“By 2002 The Romantics had sold over 150 million records worldwide and accumulated so many awards I can’t even list them all in this speech. I’ll just name a few: an Oscar for Best Original Song,” whistles and hollars sounded at his pause between each award, “twelve Grammy awards. Over a dozen in MTV Moonmen. Billboard’s Artist of the Year. The AMA Icon Award. Ranked number 15 on the Rolling Stone list of 100 Greatest Artists of All Time—cited as the greatest influence on rock music of the 20th century.”

Ryan adjusted his posture, “I can confidently say that when the news broke of their hiatus, hearts shattered across the planet—including mine,” he faked a voice crack, causing the audience to chuckle. “It felt like my parents were getting divorced—s-sorry,” he wiped away a fake tear, Y/n leaning over her chair in a heep of giggles. “It was an emotional time for me and fellow Romantics.”

“But though they were no longer releasing music their spotlight never dimmed. The members ventured out in other projects and started families. Fans might have recognized keyboardist Ronnie Jensen as Detective Josie Adams on Law & Order,” the camera panned to Ronnie, the woman throwing up a rock n roll gesture with her hand to the cheers. “If you look at the writing credits on some of the 2000s best hits for modern pop rock artists and groups, you may find the daughter of rock n roll's name at the top.” This time the camera went back to Y/n’s smiling face, the rockstar giving a nonchalant shrug.

“Oh and let’s not forget that if you watch any superhero or action movie you’ll hear ‘Thunderstruck’ on the soundtrack.” That had the crowd go wild. “And if you listen to ‘Highway to Hell’ while diving…nine times out of ten you will be pulled over for reckless speeding. Believe me, I would know.” Danny and Evan were capping their hands by how hard they were laughing, wiping away tears that brimmed in their eyes.

“Around this time two years ago we were at the height of a global pandemic. The world was shut down and there was little to hope for in those hard times. But one random day I found myself shitting my pants when the first thing I saw on twitter was The Romantics trending worldwide. I thought one of them had died honestly and was too scared to look as a panic attack arose until my lovely wife Blake slapped me and said, ‘they're getting the band back together you fool—stop crying and get it together.’ I then proceeded to faint for a different reason.” Ryan caught Y/n’s eye and he broke out into a laugh, forgetting what he was about to say next. “I-I fuck I’m sorry.” The audience laughed with him.

“T-their comeback album ‘In Rock We Trust,’ hit the the top of the Billboard hot 100 within minutes of release—going platinum in just a week. Their debut single, the title track, remained number one on iTunes for eight weeks straight and every radio station lost their minds. It’s no surprise they took home the Grammy once again for ‘Best Rock Album’ and ‘Record of The Year.’ And now 43 years after the release of their first single, they have finally earned their spot in the Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall of Fame.”

As the audience screamed the lights dimmed on the stage so the video montage could play for all eyes in the theater. Those viewing at home would get a full screen picture of the video while those in attendance all shot their eyes to the Jumbotron. Down below, stage crew motioned for The Romantics to get ready for their performance that would happen once the video was over. Y/n kissed Pete, the man telling her good luck as the band did the same to their loved ones before they all followed the stage crew to their positions.

The video montage consisted of clips starting from the Romantics first starting out at just 14 and 15 years of age all the way to present day. Watching them go from shy kids to rockstars selling out stadiums and racking up award after award. Some clips were of their music videos, others were celebrities gushing over the band, including Cameron Diaz and Ralph Macchio. “I love them so much,” a young Cindy Crawford said, blushing when she added, “I just wanna party with them and have a good time.”

“They are the band of our generation,” praised Molly Ringwald on the red carpet of the 1988 VMAs. “Seeing them perform tonight is gonna be the highlight of my life.”

Their songs played over the video showing a montage of the band's most iconic performances. One of which was the 1992 Billboard Music Awards where it was raining outside and they still performed. Y/n was completely soaked with her makeup smearing down her cheeks and hair in disarray, not to mention she was wearing a white tank top with no bra and leather pants. It made headlines with people and the media trying to degrade the rockstar. A clip with Diane Sawyer trying to humiliate Y/n played, showing the woman smirk as she shrugged and said, “why were your eyes there the whole time, Diane? Did I make you look at my chest? No, you and everyone else did that on your own.” The clip immediately cut to the Super Bowl Halftime show, regarded as one of the best performances of all time.

When the video ended, the spotlight shined back on Ryan and the cheers grew louder, “It is my honor to induct your Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2022 members, ladies and gentleman gave it up for Y/n and The Romantics!!” Evan’s opening riff sent the crowd wild, everyone on the floor to their feet and the daggers whistling against the noise. Strutting up to the front of the stage, Y/n brought the microphone up to her lips and sang her heart, “Hey yeeeeahhhh, are you ready?” She smiled and winked at Pete.

“We be a guitar band. We play across the land. Shootin’ out tonight, gonna keep you up alright.”

”You hear the guitar sound, playin’ nice and loud. Rock you to your knees, gonna make your destiny.”

“In rock we trust, it’s rock or bust,” she belts the chorus, the audience singing with her. It was their first single back as a band, one that dominated the radio for weeks on end. The theater echoed with the final line of the chorus, “In rock n roll we trust, it’s rock or bust!”

After the song ended they immediately went into the opening of ‘Highway to Hell,’ which had the entire theater in a frenzy. “Livin’ easy, lovin’ free. Season ticket on a one way ride. Askin’ nothin’, leave me be. Takin’ everythin’ in my stride.” Pink was head banging, so was LL Cool J. Duran Duran were dancing with Y/n pointing at them before going over to the side of the stage where her ducklings were going crazy. “Don’t need reason. Don’t need rhyme. Ain’t nothin’ that I’d rather do. Goin’ down, party time. My friends are gonna be there too,” she shook her shoulders with each pound of Danny’s drums.

“I’m on the highway to hell!” Everyone screamed/sang. “On the highway to hell,” Y/n shook her head side to side. “Highway to hell.” Rooster whistled on the last line, “I’m on the highway to hell.”

“Y/n, you’re an icon!” Jake shouted, cupping his mouth with his hands. She must’ve heard him cause she laughed into the second verse.

The rest of the ceremony the energy was off the charts. The Romantics shared the stage with Duran Duran, singing their 1988 collab which had jaws drop and in absolute hysteria. All the inductees gathered at the end of the ceremony, all now official members of the Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall of Fame. It was truly a sight to behold.

The holidays passed with more celebrations. Before long the band were releasing more songs and an album at the end of the summer. By 2024 they were back on tour and this time the daggers would attend shows without telling Y/n to surprise her. They had really become a family in just the two years they’d known each other.

“Oh this is a great song,” Jake practically moaned at the opening chord of Kenny Loggins’ Danger Zone. He and the daggers were on the floor of the Staples Center, Y/n had spotted them not too long into the show and forgot her own lyrics cause she was so excited, “My ducklings are here! Ooh this next song is dedicated to them.”

Pulling on some aviator sunglasses to go with her camo pants and combat boots, Y/n shrugged on her husband's bomber jacket, “Revvin’ up your engine. Listen to her howlin’ roar,” she pointed a finger and drifted from side to side, “Metal under tension. Beggin’ you to touch and go.”

“Highway to the Danger Zone. Ride into the Danger Zone.” She shimmied her shoulders, “C’mon let me hear you!”

“Headin’ into twilight. Spreadin’ out her wings tonight. She got you jumpin’ off the deck. And shovin’ into overdrive. Sing it!”

“Highway to the Danger Zone. I’ll take you right into the Danger Zone.”

At the end of the song Y/n took the jacket off and threw it back over the railing to Pete, the man catching it in his hands, “Thanks for letting me borrow that, baby.”

That night of the show was just a few days before Y/n’s 60th birthday. She couldn’t help but awe when Pete and the squad came out with the band's families, their managers and crew with a small cake and balloons to sing ‘Happy Birthday.’

“You guys,” she wiped a tear away after blowing out the candles. Kissing Pete on the lips, she welcomed his hug and heard him say into her ear over the noise, ��Happy birthday, baby. I love you so much—more than my P-51.” She threw her head back as she laughed, kissing him again before saying, “I find that hard to believe, Maverick,” she teased, kissing his cheek, “But thank you for this. You’re everything a woman could ask for.”

“Happy birthday, Y/n!” Rooster blows into the noise maker, placing a party hat on her head. The squad swarm around the couple, the confetti blasting into the crowd.

The moment felt like a full circle. Just two years prior Pete’s 60th birthday brought them all together. Now here they were celebrating her 60th, on stage with her friends, family, and fans. She really had it all.

But not to worry. There were sure going to be more memories and adventures of the rockstar, her husband, and their dagger ducklings.

………………..

TGM Tag list: @avaleineandafryingpan @caitsymichelle13 @poppyalice2001 @cutelittlepotatofry @luckyladycreator2 @americaarse @elenavampire21 @back-tooo-black @phoenixssugarbaby @gizmodear

[8iunie]

Måneskin meeting "BEASTARS" author, Paru Itagaki in Tokyo, Japan [X X] (posted on 29.09.2022)

Miracle is here: BEASTARS (author: Paru Itagaki; a series in Weekly Shonen Champion magazine), a popular comic series that has sold over 10 million copies around the world and received an anime adaptation, joins forces with Måneskin, a new-generation rock band that has made an international breakthrough from Italy! Commemorating the band’s first visit to Japan, Paru Itagaki created a special artwork where the characters from BEASTARS get together with the members of Måneskin.

The members of Måneskin are deeply interested in Japanese culture; especially singer Damiano David, who is known as an avid Japanese anime fan. He says that since the outbreak of the pandemic, there has been a time he was watching anime all year long. And one of his favorites was BEASTARS, a unique story of anthropomorphic animals unfolding complex suspense and human drama.

Måneskin met Itagaki for the first time backstage at the band’s first concert in Japan and checked out the rough sketch she brought, which was already in a high-quality finished form that amazed and surprised them. This footage shows their first yet friendly meeting.

Damiano of Måneskin tells his thoughts on this collaboration with BEASTARS:

“It’s such an honor to be a little part of the world of BEASTARS, one of my top favorites. The characters are animals, but they are even more humans than us and the worldview they create… the idea of coming up with this worldview is really amazing. When I watch it, I actually forget that they are animals; there are so many things relatable as humans. I think it’s one of the deepest in terms of meaning and structure in the anime I have seen; it’s really meaningful and emotional.”

“I am looking forward to the collaboration with Måneskin. As the author, I had a very precious experience of meeting the four members in person; they were very tall, kind, dazzling…they were stars. Although we are usually at difference places, Måneskin on stage and myself at the desk, I feel very much honored to be in the same room thanks to the collaboration. Thank you very much!”

[Måneskin: Profile]

Hailing from Rome, Italy, Måneskin (meaning “moonlight” in Danish), the Gen-Z four-piece band of Damiano David (vocal), Victoria De Angelis (bass), Thomas Raggi (guitar), and Ethan Torchio (drums), catapulted to global breakthrough after winning “Eurovision Song Contest 2021”, the biggest music competition in the continent.

The fusion of diverse elements such as rock ‘n’ roll, rap, reggae, and funk to name a few, the irresistible live performance that enthuses the world, and the intriguing and sensational messages the convey… Their momentum just does not seem to show a sign of slowing down. In times where no new rock icon is in sight, they are signaling the revival of rock music and continue to intensify its force on a global level, which is something to keep your eyes on!

[thenanbakacorner]

hiiii! Could I please request cell 13 that falls in love with a female inmate that gets thrown in for being a bank robber? Like she had a team before but they left her behind for the police to get her and left with the money they stole, but they get caught later and they cross paths? Sorry if its long, I just thought it'd be a good idea lmao

- 🦔anon

Sure thing! This was a fun one! Enjoy! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

I/N = Inmate’s Name

* * *

🔓🎲🍩💊Cell 13 in Love with F!Bank Robber!Inmate💊🍩🎲🔓

I/N happened to be moved into a cell just down the hall from the boys, so word was quick to spread about her presence

Jyugo ended up breaking him and the boys out of their cell to greet I/N from the door of her own cell

After talking for a bit seperated by the door, she allowed them to enter so they could talk face to face

The boys told I/N about themselves, and soon, I/N took her turn, telling them her story of how she was brought to Nanba

She had been arrested for robbing a bank after being left behind to be arrested by her co-robbers. The boys agreed that, yeah, that was rough and shitty for them to do

Nonetheless, I/N and the boys were fast friends and even after Hajime caught them in her cell and sent them back to their own, they all agreed to have more meetups in the future

Of course, while I/N only saw the boys as friends, the boys instead had major crushes on I/N. All four of them.

They often bickered about who would win her heart first, making bets and competition to see who’d be the lucky guy

Jyugo’s way of trying to court her was through compliments, telling her how nice she looked and how fun it was to be around her

Uno’s way of courting her was gifts, gifts, gifts. He’d spend most of his hard earned work money on I/N alone, buying anything she shows even the teeniest sort of interest in

Rock of course tried to woo her with food, inviting her to the mess hall to get specialized meals made for her courtesy of Shiro. That or he hoped she was into muscular guys-- he had that crossed off easy!

Nico tried to win her heart through just being there-- inviting her to watch anime, share his comic books with her, and just being the cutest, sweetest little cinnamon roll she could ever meet

None of them are quite sure who she’ll choose or when, but they’re willing to wait for her no matter how long it takes

One day, while in the recreation room, I/N ends up spotting three familiar faces challenging Uno to a game of cards and she realizes with a start exactly who they are

It’s her group that left her behind to get arrested!

She confronts them, angrily asking them why they just left her behind and ran off with the money. They were working together, comrades! And they just ditched her?!

Nico and Jyugo try to calm her down, putting their hands on her shoulders and nudging her away while Uno and Rock gave the group sour looks

Despite the sour meet up, I/N had to admit she was happy here at Nanba, and was glad to have such caring friends.. one (Or more!) of which she may consider a boyfriend in the future.

[maskedemerald]

WIP List (Tag Game!)

I was tagged ages ago by @the-down-upside-finch thank you so much! Sadly I was in deadline and life drama time so catching up on the tagged stuff now.

RULES: post the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Let people send you an ask with the title that most intrigues them, and then post a little snippet or tell them something about it! and then tag as many people as you have WIPs.

Warning: This is going to get long, like seriously I have too many even if I discount the Fan Fic ideas... which I am doing because some of them might get used for future challenges that need them not to be talked about.

Feel free to send me an ask about any of these!

Book Writing Stuff

A Curiosity Piqued Series

Medallion Heist

Message in a Bottle

Wards

Rivals

The Vanished Researcher

The Shadow Master

The Transfigured Corpse

Framed

The Traveler

The Queen of Stone

Lapis Feather (Previously Frost Amber)

Vigdis' Revenge

The Shadow Master Returns

The Bleeding Tree

Sentience

NecRomance

Doppelganger

A Brother's Return

Null Beast

Ruins of Crystal Spires

Loops

Ari vs Arnvaldr

A Focus of Time

Haunting Memories

Lost Brother

The Queen of Stone's Revenge

Uneasy Aliance

And that's just the A Curiosity Piqued WIPs!

Magic Act

Vampire Saga

Queen's Conmen

Apprenticeships in Sorcery

A Kind of Freedom

Biological Component

Blood Book

Caged Phoenix

Captain's Shoes

Curse of the Sands

Dragon Egg

Dreaming Weapon

Sands in the Hourglass

Frozen Dragon

Hatchling

In the Ashes of the Bookshop

Kayla Rising

Last Breath

Last Man on Earth

Odd

Prince Pendant

Prince's Secret

Rebirth

Should Have Been Born a Fish

Stolen Breath

Taking up the Chase

White Raven

Wish You were Here

Glaesier

Astral Projection thing

Book Boy

Wynn equivalent

Lethal Lyra

Anastriana

Garnet

Spark the Fires

Space Druid

Talisman Warlock

Forget me not

Game Writing Stuff

Light of the Oubliette

Willow

New Khronos

Fenrir

Aether Shards

Comics Writing Stuff

Better Luck

Searching Prince

Dragon Cursed

Bottle Pirates

Phantom Circus

Not Under the Mountain

Now for the Tags:

It would be crazy for me to try and tag 1 person for everything listed here, seriously that would be 67 just counting the book writing things! So I'm just going to tag all my current writers tag list and throw it open to anyone else. (Shout at me if you want to be added to the writers list for tag games, whatever you write be it original stuff or fan fiction!)

No pressure tagging @scribe-of-stories, @allie-and-the-words, @card-queen, @sm-writes-chaos, @the-real-lyra-vale, @squarebracket-trick, @jasperygrace, @pb-dot, @wmlittlemore-is-writing, @akiwitch, @aalinaaaaaa, @cat-esper, @chayscribbles, @thetwentiethdisaster, @i-rove-rock-n-roll, @ashwithapen, @vaultofqueenorion, @sparrow-orion-writes, @thetruearchmagos, @taveren-writing, @alnaperera, @amaiguri, @guessillcallitart, @stesierra, @sam-glade, @thebearthatreads, @dogmomwrites, @callahanscorner

I apologize if some of you were already tagged for this game while I was gone with IRL chaos throw a link at me and I'll take a look if you did!

[alienelvisobsession]

The Quentin Tarantino Connection

When he was a teenager in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Quentin Tarantino was by his own admission way into ‘50s rockabilly music. “I was like the second coming of Elvis Presley. I dyed my hair black. I wore it in a big ole pompadour”, he said in an interview. In his recent book Cinema Speculation, he writes about discussing cinema with his mom’s black friend Floyd, who was into blaxploitation. He loved hearing Floyd’s first-hand accounts of being a black Elvis fan back in the 1950s, also rebuking claims that the King of Rock ‘n Roll was racist. He even included “Elvis impersonator” in his early résumé and it must have paid out because he was cast as one in an episode of the sit-com The Golden Girls in 1988. Incidentally, Tarantino was born in Elvis’ home state of Tennessee, where his mother is from, and as a kid was even left there for a year, describing his family as “hillbilly alcoholics”.

Elvis often comes up in his movies. For example in a deleted scene of his now classic film Pulp Fiction (1994), Mia Wallace uses a hand-held video camera to interview Vincent Vega with either/or questions. She explains the game as follows: “There are only two kinds of people in the world, Beatles people and Elvis people”. Mia has no doubts about Vincent’s allegiance. With his swagger, callback to “Grease” and dance moves, John Travolta is an Elvis man through and through.

Of course, Mia and Vincent later go a to ‘50s themed diner called Jack Rabbit Slim’s, where they have the famous twist contest dancing to Chuck Berry’s “You Never Can Tell”. The waiters are all dressed like dead stars from the 1950s, such as Marilyn Monroe, James Dean and Buddy Holly. Even though, as Vincent would put it, the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll must have had the night off, in Mia’s words “an Elvis man should love it”. Tarantino said that the design for the diner, where the guests sit in booths made like ‘50s vintage cars and the dance floor looks like a tachometer, was partially inspired by the nightclub with race car motifs in one of Elvis’ movies, Speedway (1968).

Tarantino references Elvis here and there in his work. In the novelization of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood that he wrote, for example, Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio in the movie) is described by his agent Marvin (Al Pacino) as having spent all his career “running pocket combs through his pompadour”, which by 1969 not even Elvis has anymore.

His biggest Elvis homage came very early on in his career, though. As a matter of fact, to finance what would become his first movie, Reservoir Dogs (1992), Tarantino auctioned a script that he had written, True Romance. It was made into a movie by Tony Scott and it ultimately came out in 1993. True Romance begins with a casual conversation about pop culture in the style of Mr. Brown with his infamous “Like a Virgin” theory in Reservoir Dogs. Clarence (Christian Slater) is at a bar, chatting up a girl. Like Tarantino, Clarence prefers ‘50s Elvis and praises Jailhouse Rock (the movie not the song) where Elvis was everything that rockabilly was about: “Mean, surly, nasty, rude”. And then, obviously interested in picking up the girl, he continues: “Elvis looked good. I mean, I ain’t no fag, but Elvis was prettier than most women, you know. Most women. You know, I always said if I had to fuck a guy – you know, I mean, had to – if my life depended on it, I’d fuck Elvis”. Tarantino establishes the rules for his story right away: just like you have fantasies where you wish you were Elvis or as cool as Elvis, or you wish you could fuck him, this movie is a whole fantasy where you wish you were a hero who had a crazy adventure and passionate love story involving pimps, drugs and guns.

Clarence, an alter ego for the author, falls madly in love with Alabama (Patricia Arquette), a call girl. Clarence loves martial arts movies, comic books, hamburgers and Elvis, just like the film director. He also wears Elvis glasses and drives a purple Cadillac. Throughout the movie, Elvis pops up several times, in magazines, on T-shirts and on furniture or posters. The most striking appearance is obviously when Clarence sees Elvis (Val Kilmer) in the bathroom mirror, dressed in his gold lamé suit but anachronistically sporting his ‘70s big glasses. Elvis tells Clarence that he has to kill Alabama’s pimp, and there the adventure begins.

In Cinema Speculation, which sits halfway between film criticism and memoir, Tarantino goes back to Elvis several times. He writes that Elvis could have been the biggest movie star of the 1960s, if it weren’t for Colonel Parker’s greediness and for the weight of his own enormous success in the music business. He even mentions excitedly that Elvis was considered for the role of Sundance in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) opposite Warren Beatty, before the roles went to Paul Newman and Robert Redford.

Tarantino has always took a liking for B movies, so it doesn’t come as a surprise to learn that he’s not dismissive of Elvis movies as a whole and writes about a few of them in detail. He considers Flaming Star (1960), for instance, to be “a truly great fifties Western, and maybe the most brutally violent American western of its era.” According to him, the film director, Don Siegel, who would go on to direct Dirty Harry (1971), was a master when it came to film fistfights and chase sequences. This was because of his background in editing and his penchant for violence. Tarantino also praises Don Siegel’s unexpected use of shocking bouts of violence, of which there are several in Flaming Star. His protagonists, including Elvis’ Pacer, were often at odds with the society they lived in, which reflected the way Siegel felt around film executives and producers. “Pod people” is how he called them, in reference to his movie The Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) and in this category he included Elvis’ nefarious manager, Colonel Tom Parker.

Tarantino recognizes that Elvis movies weren’t real movies but “ElvIs movies”, but he’s a fan of Roustabout (1964) nevertheless. He describes it as: “a pretty entertaining little picture chock-full of cool elements, Elvis entering the movie on a motorcycle—dressed head to toe in black leather […], a strong Big Valley era Barbara Stanwyck as his colead, a one-line bit at the beginning by Raquel Welch, the best soundtrack of any of Elvis’ color films, including a rarity for the King on film—Elvis singing a cover of somebody else’s hit, the Coasters’ Little Egypt, and the only film where Elvis gets to demonstrate his Ed Parker-taught karate moves.” Because of course Tarantino loves martial arts movies, just like Elvis did. And blaxploitation, hamburgers, comic books and being over the top. They would have been great friends.

Read here my previous posts on Elvis connections. So far I’ve written about Jimi Hendrix, Andy Warhol/Bob Dylan, the Clash and Jim Morrison.

[mick3yz]

PROPAGANDA BABEYYYYY!!!

Vote for Griffin in the @original-character-championship !! (Please)

Facts abt him:

He is sillay

He is a demon (woaugh!!)

Likes: nature, bugs, drawing, rock n roll, metal, researching/taking notes on stuff he enjoys

He is just like me fr and I project way too much onto him

I love him so much he is like a son to me, if he gets far in the poll I will be so happy that i will make a fake award and display it like the parents who proudly display their 5 year old’s karate participation trophies on their mantle

I cant say a ton about his story without spoiling plot for my w.i.p comic ( @totaleclipse-official btw) but hes a runaway member of a royal family who is tasked with going to the overworld and preventing the world from being taken over via permanent loss of the sun

Also heres a shameless boost of my w.i.p comic

Ill post more art of Griffin+ a full character reference soon :D!! Also he has a playlist

[dweemeister]

El Dorado (1966)

Pulp science fiction writer Leigh Brackett was an anomaly in the genre. Not only was she a woman, but she also crossed over into Hollywood sporadically. Alongside her novellas and serialized stories, her film credits are enviable: The Big Sleep (1946; okay, this film’s story never made sense, but its romantic dialogue is legendary), Rio Bravo (1959), and, posthumously, The Empire Strikes Back (1980). To Brackett, she deemed her script to 1966’s El Dorado, a loose adaptation of Harry Brown’s novel The Stars in Their Courses, as “the best script [she] had done in [her] life.” High praise for oneself, especially as one could easily interpret El Dorado as a lighter, slightly more comic version of Rio Bravo. El Dorado was Brackett’s fourth of five collaborations with director Howard Hawks (1938’s Bringing Up Baby; the four other Brackett-Hawks collaborations include The Big Sleep, 1948’s Red River, Rio Bravo, and 1970’s Rio Lobo). Brackett’s inventiveness and spiky dialogue makes even the more clichéd elements of the story more entertaining than they should be. Other than Hawks and the ensemble cast, it is Brackett who is most responsible for the film’s success.

Somewhere in the American West, cowboy Cole Thornton (John Wayne) rides into the town of El Dorado for a job offer from local landowner Bart Jason (Ed Asner). His longtime friend, Sheriff J.P. Harrah (Robert Mitchum) meets with him, quickly deduces the reason for Cole’s presence in town, and effortlessly persuades his friend to turn down the job (the mutual respect for each other – between the characters and between Mitchum and Wayne – is apparent from the moment they meet). Jason’s job for to Thornton included coercing, gently or otherwise, the MacDonald family to abandon their land and water rights. The MacDonalds are an honest family, Harrah says, and they have been the target of regular harassment from Bart Jason and his men. Over the rest of the film, Harrah, Thornton, elderly deputy Bull Harris (Arthur Hunnicutt), a youthful gunslinger named Mississippi (James Caan), and Dr. Miller (Paul Fix) find themselves further embroiled in Jason’s repeated attempts to violently force the MacDonalds out.

El Dorado’s large supporting cast also includes saloon owner Maudie (Charlene Holt, whose character has a hankering for Thornton); R.G. Armstrong, Christopher George, Johnny Crawford, and Adam Roarke as the MacDonald boys; and Michele Carey as the hot-tempered Josephine “Joey” MacDonald (Carey and Holt play two of the final examples of the “Hawksian woman”).

Comparisons to Rio Bravo are all but inevitable to cinephiles and fans of American Westerns. Where Rio Bravo is more of a movie where friends revel in each other’s’ vibes, El Dorado is squarely a story of aging cowboys whose foibles – Harrah’s alcoholism to drown his self-pity, Thornton’s first act spinal injury and free-roaming ways – may spell the difference between local tragedy and justice. Despite what she might say, Brackett’s script to Rio Bravo (co-written by Jules Furthman) is far tighter than El Dorado’s, which employs a momentum-killing six-month time skip just as its dramatic interest begins to pique (editor John Woodcock does not provide any assistance here). It takes just a tad too much time for El Dorado, which uses the time skip to introduce Mississippi and sideline Harrah due to his heavy drinking, to regain the dramatic interest it established in the opening third of the movie.

Both casts of Rio Bravo and El Dorado have advantages over the other. Rio Bravo boasts Walter Brennan and Ward Bond in supporting roles (yet I’ve never been too fond of Dean Martin’s performance). El Dorado has Mitchum (whose dynamic with Wayne is fantastic), Caan (miles better than a Ricky Nelson sticking out like a rock 'n' roll kid from the 1950s), and not enough Asner. The two films, to me, are similar in quality, and I vacillate between which is “better” (but, on a rewatch, I think I might prefer El Dorado)*.

The interplay between John Wayne and Robert Mitchum lies at the heart of El Dorado. In 2024, it remains fashionable to lambaste Wayne for not being able to act and “playing himself” – an accusation that has been around for decades. With more lightly comedic material than usual (I would not consider El Dorado a comedy, but there are good-hearted ribbings and wry situational observances that prevent this from being a pure dramatic Western), Wayne revives some of the comic timing from The Quiet Man (1952) to decent effect here, especially around Mitchum and Caan. But most compellingly, Howard Hawks directs Wayne in a way that acknowledges and plays against his on-screen persona as the accomplished Western hero. Thornton’s spinal injury in the film’s opening act sees him reckon with his mortality – in jest and in seriousness. Wayne’s delivery and his physical acting is striking to longtime viewers such as yours truly, as it is one of the first films in which Wayne must come to terms with aging and his growing fallibility, as well as his reputation for outgunning and outthinking his opponents. The seeds of what would be Wayne’s late career signature performances in The Cowboys (1972) and The Shootist (1976) begin to show themselves here.

Mitchum, perpetually sleepy-eyed and always my first choice to play a slovenly protagonist good with a revolver, is wonderful here as a sheriff with the romantic maturity of a teenager who unaccustomed to rejection. The duality of Mitchum’s Sheriff Harrah here – the fastest gun for miles around determined to uphold the law and the inebriated slob who retains a sense of humor that makes self-pitying and self-deprecation indistinguishable – is difficult to pull off, but Mitchum does exactly that. Mitchum and Wayne’s historical on-screen personas are not polar opposites, but there is nevertheless little overlap between the two aside for their marksmanship. In their only screen appearance together (the two both co-starred on 1962’s The Longest Day, but their scenes were filmed separately), it seems the two have known each other for ages. The subtle glances, the knowing facial expressions, and gentlemanly warmth in conversation bely the fact that this is their first film together. But for El Dorado, their rapport benefits the film magnificently.

Like his good friend Ernest Hemingway, Howard Hawks admired masculine competence, professionalism, and self-reliance. El Dorado rambles a little bit about duty, honor, and loyalty, but all of this surrounds the central tenants of male friendship found here and in Rio Bravo. It is the development of that friendship and simultaneous professional excellence, rather than any plot details, that concerns Hawks – and this is the frame through which he wants viewers to see this film. By his own self admission, Hawks stated that he was, “much more interested in the story of a friendship between two men” than anything else in El Dorado (including fidelity to the original novel). The range war between Jason and the MacDonald family lacks as much exposition as some might expect. Hawks and Brackett refuse to fully explain how the dispute started, as well as what the conflict has wrought during the film’s time skip.

Those who are not as competent or professional – in this film’s case, James Caan’s character of Mississippi – are simply comic relief until they can prove otherwise. For those aware of Hawks’ aversion to Fred Zinnemann’s High Noon (1952) – in which Gary Cooper’s Sheriff Will Kane spends almost ninety minutes going around town asking for help when he learns a few recently-released convicts are coming to murder him (Hawks, to my consternation, considered this cowardly and a disgrace to the Western genre) – El Dorado is yet another reaction against it.

Unlike Hemingway, Hawks (who was by no means a feminist) rejects Hemingway’s reductionist portrayals of women as “Dark” (submissive lovers) or “Light” (castrating man-killers). The female protagonists in Hawks’ films, too, demonstrate tremendous ability. The saloon keeper, Maudie, is perhaps the most keenly observant individual in the entire picture, and can pick out the psychology of a person whether she has known them for ages (such as our leads) or if they have just stumbled in for a drink. She may be the smartest person in town. Her fellow Hawksian Woman is the wild-haired Joey MacDonald (her hair feels at times like an anachronism airlifted from the 1960s, rather than a likelihood of the Old West), quick on a gun and with a quicker temper. There is not nearly enough attention on either character as previous Hawksian Women (nevertheless, we need to recall what Hawks wanted to concentrate on most here, and that’s male friendship), but what there is still improves El Dorado’s watchability aside from our two leads.

A worthy score from composer Nelson Riddle (1960’s Ocean’s 11, 1962’s Lolita) dials back the main theme more than one might expect from a midcentury Western, but it is still effective music for this film. Riddle is best known as an arranger and orchestrator for the likes of Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, and Linda Ronstadt, not a composer. Nevertheless, arrangers and orchestrators can learn composition through osmosis if they have not already been trained in music composition. Riddle’s liberal use of harmonica perfectly captures the setting, although his use of electric guitar/bass and discernible lack of harmonic identity (especially in the strings) feels too much like television scoring from this era – Riddle was the principal composer for the 1960s Batman television series starring Adam West. Instead, the score highlights revolve around uses of the main title song and its variations.

And what about that title song? Sung by George Alexander and the Mellomen, with lyrics by John Gabriel (Dr. Seneca Beaulac on ABC’s soap opera Ryan’s Hope), “El Dorado” fits the film perfectly, and Alexander’s rich baritone musically exemplifies the masculine themes of El Dorado. Strings double underneath the vocals, with the occasional woodwind and brass section and peaking out from the melodic doubling (again, one wishes for more harmonic interest here aside from doubling the melody). A snippet of the song’s lyrics reference to Edgar Allan Poe’s poem “Eldorado”; the poem itself is recited by Mississippi. “El Dorado” is nothing but an earworm, and I just wish it (and its variations) made more appearances in the film itself.

Though Rio Bravo had elements of a changing of the guard, El Dorado cannot help but feel, by its conclusion, as a generational marker, a near-last hurrah – intentionally or otherwise. This is not, like The Wild Bunch (1969) or Unforgiven (1992), a eulogy of the Old American West. In 1966, El Dorado came at a time when the great figures of Old Hollywood and the height of the American Western’s popularity (Wayne and Mitchum) were no longer the dominant forces in American cinema. The film’s title song even opens with oil paintings from Western artist Olaf Weighorst, of evocatively overcast vistas of the West, as if in reflection.

El Dorado would be Leigh Brackett and Howard Hawks’ penultimate collaboration and penultimate Western, with Rio Lobo a few years away. Their professional partnership, so unlikely given Hawks’ status in Hollywood and Brackett’s supposedly disreputable day job as a pulp science fiction writer, is maybe one of the most underrated and undermentioned in Old Hollywood history – one that spanned the height of Golden Age Hollywood to its final years. For El Dorado, Brackett, despite a few structural missteps, once again shows her gifts for dialogue and a keen understanding of Hawks’ directorial intentions. Hawks arguably improves upon his depiction of male camaraderie from Rio Bravo, allowing our protagonists to intuit their aging (some might say obsolescence). This is a sterling Western, if slightly out of time.

My rating: 8.5/10

^ Based on my personal imdb rating. My interpretation of that ratings system can be found in the “Ratings system” page on my blog. Half-points are always rounded down.

* As of this write-up’s publication, I have not seen Rio Lobo (1970), which forms an unofficial trilogy of Westerns with Rio Bravo and El Dorado.

For more of my reviews tagged “My Movie Odyssey”, check out the tag of the same name on my blog.

[xxiamtiebrousxx]

Chapter Seven "Overtime" (My Fortress Home | TF2 x Reader)

A/n: *Slams down the non-existent physical copy of this book* BOOM! ENJOY! Also, I warn you! There will be a suicidal moment in this story near the end.

“We need to talk,” the Administrator said as she loomed over me. I gulped, my eyes never breaking contact with hers. It was pretty shocking I was meeting her for the first time. I didn’t know how to feel. Should I scream out in joy I was meeting her or feel nervous about this? The Administrator was pretty powerful. She had her own company and a lot of weapons. If she wanted to, she could have Pauling kill me right where I stood.  Speaking of Pauling, she ran off to the driveway and got into a small, purple car.

“What is it you need to talk about?” I asked. I rocked back and forth on my toes, keeping my hands behind me. The Administrator, or Helen as I should be calling her, took a long drag from her cigarette. She blew out the smoke directly in my face. I cleared my throat, fanning the smoke away from my face. That was very unnecessary. “So what is it?” I asked.

“You were never meant to be the tenth mercenary,” she replied, bending down to my level. Helen was a tall woman, especially with her heels. Maybe it was because I was slouching or she was just tall. The smell of tobacco lingered off her. I detected a scent of perfume. “Who are you and where did you come from?” Helen asked. “I have no record of you in my files. Are you a spy? Are you here to infiltrate us?” I hesitated before opening my mouth. If she knew I was lying, Helen would kill me right here and now. She wouldn’t hesitate. Even then, any word that left my mouth would be a lie. She never recruited me! I lied to the guys! I finally came up with my lie and opened my mouth.

“Um, I’m from Teufort and I’m no spy,” I lied. It really wasn’t lying. I wasn’t a spy at all.. “You definitely hired me, you just don’t remember because you were um, drunk.” I smiled from ear to ear, hoping to distract her. “I recall you gave me paperworks. I can guarantee I signed them.” Hopefully Helen wouldn’t notice the sweat rolling down my face. Helen’s eyes looked up and down, examining every bit of me. I held my breath, trying to keep calm. Did she believe it? Of course not, she was smarter than that.

“You’re lying,” she said. Helen harshly grabbed my hand and stormed down the steps, dragging me with her. “If you won’t speak, I will just have to get rid of you. Gray will never hear from you again.”

“Hey, let go!” I slammed one foot down and stood strong against her. My strength was nothing compared to the Administrator’s. She was stronger than me. Especially for an old woman over one hundred. Her sharp nails burrowed into my skin. “Where are you taking me?” She stayed silent. Helen stopped at the purple car. The car window rolled down, revealing Pauling.

“Ms. Pauling, please escort our friend here to the mines,” Helen said. “They have a very important meeting to attend.” She forced the back seat door open and shoved me in, slamming the door. Ms. Pauling started the engine and drove off. 

“Are you taking me to be killed?” I asked, sitting upright in the seat. “Is it the same mine where you buried the director?” Pauling slammed on the brakes. I lurched forward.

“How do you know about that?” she asked. I pushed myself off the front seat.

“I read the comics,” I said. “‘He’s a liability. Do the interview and get back here,’” I quoted. Pauling looked directly into my eyes. “The Administrator told you that over the phone when you guys did the interviews.” She pushed the gear into park.

“How much do you know?” she asked. 

“A lot,” I answered. I sighed. “Pauling, I’m not from this world. I’m from another dimension where this is a video game with comics, merchandise, and a really huge community.” Pauling grinned.

“You’re joking,” she laughed. “You are a really bad liar for a spy.”

“No, I’m serious!” I shouted. “You have to believe me! And please, don’t kill me!” Pauling shook her head.

“Sorry, I’m on my boss' orders.” I slammed my hand down on the gear shifter before Pauling could.

“No!” I sternly said. “You will not kill me, or else I will spill every little secret to your enemies. If you don’t want that, take me back to the base.” A revolver was pressed against my forehead. I sighed. “Fine,” I said, slumping back in my seat, “let it be that way. Kill me when we get there.” Ms. Pauling adjusted herself in the driver’s seat and began the drive again. That’s when it hit me. I wasn’t too out of range to respawn. One shot is all it took. I don’t care if my soul waited in the respawn. When the other mercs turn it on, I’ll come back. The revolver was on the dashboard. Pauling was focused on the board. Slowly, I rose up, reaching for the gun. Suicide was a horrible thing, but shooting myself was the only way I could be saved from this situation. A timer appeared above my head. It was similar to the game’s timer. It counted down from ten seconds. My health bar appeared, as well as my little character in the corner. Heck, I thought. I didn’t have much time. I snatched the gun off the dashboard. Pauling slammed on the brakes once again.

“What are you doing?!” she exclaimed, attempting to steal the weapon from me. We wrestled for the gun.

Eight

I was running out of time. I forced Pauling’s hand to turn towards me. Our hands were shaking. 

Seven

The barrel was facing me. Pauling gritted her teeth together. She was fighting to turn the barrel away from me.

Six 

I wrapped my other hand around the gun. Sweat dragged down my face. My heart pounded wildly against my chest as I placed my hand on the trigger.

Five

“Don’t do it!” Pauling yelled.

Four

I smiled. “Don’t worry, I’ll be back.”

Three 

Our fingers fought for dominance over the trigger. Pauling grew tired and let go. I kicked her back so she wouldn’t draw close.

Two

“See you later!” I exclaimed.

One

I pulled the trigger

OVERTIME.

I shot up with screams. I had done it, I had shot myself. My chest rose up and down rapidly. I ran my hands over my face. There was no blood, no hole, no wound. I was perfectly safe. I was safe in my own house.

But for how long?