#you think you know when I'm drawing adam sad huh

[darcyfangirlsfrequently]

My reaction to episode 3 of season 2 of Criminal Minds Evolution

Spoilers under the cut

"Are you okay?" Emily does that man LOOK okay?????

A deepfake porn site??? that's the big secret???? is anyone else a little disappointed???

Also there's no way voit could have said all that in such little time???

Luke: a secret will fracture the team and voit knows that and told me on purpose Emily: don't play his game then. just keep it a secret. Me: .... Huh?

Is... is this going to be the Ultimate Jemily Moment???? Is there some weird fake Jemily porn on this site which is why Emily is SO adamant JJ never find out and worried Luke looked???? If that is the case, Jemily fans I am so sorry

them managing to give Penelope a cat-related opening quote is honestly HILARIOUS

Oh, THIS is where Emily's wack-o neighbor comes in. Ofc. He was a conspiracy theorist after all

Bailey mention 😭😭😭

Oh so "that was fire" is about literal fire 🤣🤣

"Can I drink lighter fluid instead?" Babygirl you are so dramatic i love you. but please keep this energy toward tyler PLEASE

and we're back on the jet!!!

Luke looks physically uncomfortable keeping this a secret from JJ

I find it hard to believe Emily didn't know JJ already knew considering how close they used to be

This jj/luke friendship is SO important to me

Luke is babysitting 🤣🤣🤣

Luke is so awkward around those girls 😂😂😂

Sydney has a point...

I think Luke just wanted to watch anything BUT anime 🤣🤣🤣 otherwise he'll get upset

Fellow Girl Dad Luke truthers how we doing with this scene?? him teaching them to play soccer???

Luke is so smiley!!!! Like @lklvz said to me, his Adam Rodriguez is slipping out. he's such a dad!!!

Brian Garrity what's up my guyyy

They changed Brian's ex-wife's name???? In "Saturday" it was Patricia and now it's Sheila

Me, the second i hear the camera click: ohhhhhhhhhh shit

I need this couple to survive. They're probably not going to but oh my god she's pregnant i need them to survive

Penelope giving herself a script for a difficult phone call is such a mood

Tyler what the FUCK, man

TYLER PUT THE SYRINGE DOWN

wtf was that scene???

aaaand he cloned his cell phone TYLER FUCKING STOP

tyler texting penelope nooo

SHE SAID "NO" HAHA YESSSS

Oh Holly.... when i saw her pulling at her sleeves i though that was what was happening. Oh my heart is breaking for this poor girl.

oh i am SOBBING

yay they saved the couple!!!!

Not Tara calling Rossi old 🤣🤣🤣

"Pilates, upper-body work, a little help from SWAT" these visuals are hilarious

Tara you are so pretty when you smile

Luke definitely didn't tell JJ everything. i can TELL by his face there is more he wants to say to her

Oh my GOD poor JJ

Tyler Green if you show up at Penelope's house while she is stress-baking I'm gonna scream

godDAMMIT

And adding to the list of Luke/Tyler similarities, this pose Tyler is making against the door is the same pose Luke made against the frame of the elevator when he and Penelope had their first on-screen interaction

Go OFF Penelope

NO. SHUT UP ABOUT THE BLACK QUEEN.

Tyler is obsessed with Penelope being the black queen. Luke just... wants her to be herself. I feel an essay coming on

Brian's about to get himself fucking shot

JJ sweetie NO don't look i PROMISE you don't want to see

shaking cam slowly drawing away from JJ's face as she sees what's on screen.... three cheers for our director! I love Adam episodes. Although this is the first one with no garvez which makes me sad

aaaand now Emily's under arrest. perfect.

Brian you FUCKER

we are 3/3 so far for Emily saying "fuck" in an episode 🤣

[bjfinn]

IMAGINARY FRIENDS

Another one for @sadfungus

Mrs Durham clapped her hands together and smiled brightly. "Okay, class," she said. "I want each of you to draw a picture of your family so I can get to know them -- can you all do that for me?"

"Yes, Mrs Durham," the twenty first-graders chorused.

"Wow, Lydia," Mrs Durham said, looking at the drawing the girl had made, "you have a big family! There's you, and your mommy and daddy ... but who are these other three people?"

"That's Barbara and Adam -- they live in the attic."

"The ... attic?"

Lydia nodded. "Uh-huh," she said. "And that's Beetlejuice," she continued, pointing to the green-haired figure standing next to herself in the drawing. "He's my best friend in the whole world!"

And where does, uh ... Beetlejuice live, dear?" Mrs Durham asked.

"In the attic, of course," came the reply. "He lives with Barbara and Adam."

"I see," the teacher said, nodding. She was beginning to get the picture. "Your parents rent the attic apartment to them."

"No," Lydia said. "Mommy and daddy don't know about them -- I'm the only one who can see them."

"You are? How come?"

"Because they're ghosts, silly!" Lydia replied, giggling.

*****

When Charles Deetz came to pick Lydia up from school, Mrs Durham said, "Lydia, dear, could you give us a moment? I want to talk to your daddy for a minute."

"Okay, Mrs Durham," Lydia said, and went over to pet the class mascot, a brown-and-white guinea pig named Mr Peebles.

"Is something wrong?" Charles asked, immediately concerned. "Did something happen?"

"Oh, no, nothing happened," the teacher replied. "And I'm sure nothing's wrong." She paused briefly, and then said, "Today I asked everyone to draw a picture of their family." She showed him Lydia's drawing. "Your daughter drew this."

"Who are these other people?" he asked.

"Lydia says that they're ghosts who live in your attic -- she has quite the imagination."

"Ghosts?"

"I'm particularly interested in this 'Betelgeuse' -- it's not a name I'd expect a six year old to know."

"Betelgeuse? Like the ... it's a star, isn't it?"

Mrs Durham nodded. "In the constellation Orion. Has Lydia shown any interest in stars, by chance?"

He shook his head. "To her, stars are pretty lights in the night sky -- things you wish on." Where would she have heard that name?

"I suppose she could've heard the name on television -- PBS, maybe?" Mrs Durham suggested. "At any rate, it's nothing to worry about -- it's perfectly normal for young children to have an imaginary friend or two. Or three, in this case. I just thought you should be aware."

"Thank you, Mrs Durham," Charles said, smiling. "Lydia!" he called. "It's time to go home now -- Mommy's waiting for us."

*****

"Lydia," Charles said gently, "your teacher showed me the drawing you made today."

"Mrs Durham said to draw a picture of my family."

"And it's a very good picture," Emily told her. "Can you tell us about Barbara and Adam? And, uh ... Betelgeuse?"

"I'm not supposed to," the little girl said. "They said that you can't see them, so you wouldn't believe me."

"Because they're ghosts?" Charles prompted.

Lydia nodded.

"And they live in our attic," Emily said.

"This used to be their house," Lydia told them. "Barbara and Adam wanted to have a baby, but they died. They were very sad, and Beetlejuice came and said that they could all live here together."

"He did?"

"Uh-huh. And then that's when we moved in, and they were happy because I was here so it was like they got to have a baby after all even though they're not my mommy and daddy. But they help look after me -- they play with me when you're busy, and they make sure I'm safe."

"And what does Betelgeuse do, honey?" Charles asked.

"He's my best friend," Lydia said. "He's funny. He sings songs and does magic tricks."

Charles and Emily smiled at each other.

"Well, that's very nice of them," Emily said. "They sound like lovely people. Do you think we can meet them?"

"I dunno," Lydia replied with a shrug. "How can you meet them if you can't see them?"

"Well," Charles suggested, "maybe Betelgeuse can use his magic to let us see them. Can you ask him if he can do that?"

Lydia shrugged again. "Okay," she said. "Can I go play now?"

"Of course, honey," Emily said, giving her a kiss on the forehead. "You run along -- and say hello to your friends for us."

*****

"You told them about us?" Adam said, a look of frightened concern on his face.

Lydia nodded. "Mommy and daddy want to meet you. They said that it's very nice of you to be my friends."

"Well, this is gonna be a fucking shitshow," Beetlejuice said. He rubbed his hands together gleefully. "I can't wait!"

"Language, BJ!" Barbara scolded.

"Sorry," the demon said, chastened.

"How can they meet us?" Adam asked. "They can't see us -- we're ghosts! "

"Daddy said maybe Beetlejuice can use his magic."

"Oh, he did, did he?" Beetlejuice scowled, his hair going red at the tips. "He wants to see my magic? I'll give him some magic!"

"BJ! " Barbara said. "That's enough! " She knelt down and gently put her hands on Lydia's shoulders. "What do you think, honey? Do you think it's a good idea for your parents to meet us?"

"I want us to all be a family together."

Adam pulled a handkerchief out of his back pocket and dabbed at his suddenly moist eyes. "That's so sweet," he said.

Beetlejuice scoffed. "Breathers can't be trusted," he said scornfully. "Once they find out we're real, they're gonna do everything they can to get rid of us. Trust me, A-dog, you don't wanna be on the receiving end of an exorcism."

"What's a ... a nexorscissors?" Lydia asked.

"It's bad news if you're a ghost, kid," Beetlejuice told her.

"I don't want anything bad to happen to you!" Lydia said, throwing her arms around the demon. "Or Barbara and Adam, either! You're ... you're my friends! " She began to sob, her tears watering the moss growing on Beetlejuice's clothes as he patted her back, trying to console her.

"It's okay, sweetie," Barbara said, hugging the girl gently.

"I'm sorry! I shouldn't have told mommy and daddy about you! Now they're gonna make you all go away with the nexorscissors, and it's all my fault! "

*****

Charles chuckled. "Lydia sure has one hell of an imagination," he said to his wife. "She must get it from you -- you're the creative one, not me."

Emily smiled. "I think it's cute - especially this one," she said, pointing to the figure labelled 'Beetljoos'. "Where did she come up with that name?"

Charles shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe Mrs Durham was right -- maybe it was on a PBS show. 'Nova', maybe." He poured himself a scotch -- Glenlivet -- and settled himself on the couch next to Emily. He raised his glass. "Here's to the boundless imagination of childhood!"

Emily raised her glass of white wine. "Here's to Betelgeuse," she replied.

*****

They're happy about this??? Beetlejuice said to himself. He'd been spying on Lydia's parents, hoping to get an idea of what they were planning, but he wasn't expecting this.

It was a bit of a relief, but at the same time it was kind of insulting -- how dare they not take him seriously! He had half a mind to reveal himself just to see them shit their pants! That'd teach them!

But in order for them to see him, someone would have to say his name three times uninterrupted. And he wasn't going to make Lydia do it. She was special to him -- he had a soft spot for the kid. Lydia had been able to see him right from the start -- that had seriously freaked him out at first, since no other breather had ever been able to do that, but after a while he'd actually started to like it, and he found himself caring about her.

He wondered what he should do.

*****

"As long as they think we're just her imaginary friends, everything will be okay," Barbara said when Beetlejuice told the Maitlands what he'd heard. "It's not unusual for children Lydia's age."

Adam nodded. "I had lots of imaginary friends when I was young."

"I bet you did," Beetlejuice quipped.

Adam opened his mouth to reply, but Barbara cut him off.

"We'll just have to be careful, that's all," she said. "We can't do anything that'll make them think that there's anything more to it than Lydia's imagination." She looked pointedly at Beetlejuice. "That means no spooky stuff."

"What about --" the demon began.

"No," Barbara told him.

"Maybe just a little --"

"Whatever you're thinking, the answer's no."

"Aw, come on, Babs," he wheedled. "I'm a demon! You can't expect me to go cold turkey! How 'bout the occasional --"

"No!" she insisted. "Nothing at all, BJ!"

Beetlejuice began to sulk. "Well, that's no fun."

"What happens when she gets older?" Adam asked. "Having imaginary friends is fine when you're six, but not when you're sixteen."

"Bet you know all about that, don't you, big boy?" Beetlejuice teased, grinning.

Once again, Adam started to protest, but then he decided not to bother.

"By then she'll be old enough to hide it," Barbara replied.

"Just like Adam has," said the demon, not letting up on his friend. Adam, again, started to defend himself, and Beetlejuice, grinning, held up both hands. "I'm just sayin', is all." He leaned forward. "How's about we kiss and make up?" He puckered his lips in invitation.

Adam flinched, and Barbara, despite herself, chuckled.

"I hate to say it," Adam pointed out, "but even if she could keep us a secret, it could have long-term effects on Lydia's mental health."

Beetlejuice had another witty remark ready, but Barbara spoke before he could. "We'll have plenty of time to figure it out before then," she said to her husband. "For now, she's just a little girl with a big imagination."

But it turned out that they didn't have as much time as they thought.

*****

For a few weeks, life in the Deetz home continued as expected -- Charles and Emily indulged Lydia's "imaginary friends", setting places for them at the table, admiring the portraits their daughter continued to draw, laughing when Lydia told them of the funny things the three ghosts said and did ... .

Every now and then, though, when the house was quiet, Emily thought she could hear voices -- low, indistinct -- seemingly coming from the attic. At first, she thought nothing of it, but gradually it became more and more unsettling. What if there was something more to it than Lydia's imagination? She'd heard stories of people living undetected for weeks, even years, in others' homes -- what if they were more than just urban legends? Could that kind of thing actually happen?

She said nothing about it to her husband. After all, it was probably just her own imagination -- there's no way three people could be living in the attic without her and Charles knowing! In the nearly four years that they'd lived in the house she'd been up there countless times, and had seen no evidence of squatters -- other than the occasional bird that got in, and a raccoon that had moved in and had a litter of pups last year (and they'd been successfully relocated to the countryside), nothing bigger than a spider lived up there.

And yet ... the feeling that something was going on remained.

*****

Beetlejuice was getting restless -- the demon wasn't used to sitting on his hands and not causing chaos.

"I need to do something -- anything! " he moaned. "I need to scare somebody! I need to hear them screaming in terror!" He looked at Barbara, giving her his "sad puppy" face. "Please let me scare them -- just a little? "

"No," Barbara replied. "We agreed. For Lydia."

"Fine! " Beetlejuice said angrily.

"Why don't you ... I don't know ... go wrestle a sandworm or something?" Adam smirked.

Beetlejuice sidled up to him. "I'd like to wrestle you," he said, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. "Whaddya say, Adam? You and me ... it could be fun."

He licked Adam's cheek with his tongue.

"Get away from me!" Adam yelped, shuddering and frantically wiping the demon's saliva from his face.

Suddenly Emily's voice called from the bottom of the stairs. "Hello? Is somebody up there?"

"Now look what you've done!" Barbara whispered angrily.

"He started it!" Beetlejuice said.

"Hello?" Emily called again. "I'm coming up, and there'd better not be anyone in the attic -- I'm armed!"

Beetlejuice popped out to check. "She's holding a vase," he told them when he returned.

"A vase? " Adam echoed. "What good would that do against an intruder?"

"It's a really big vase," Beetlejuice said.

Emily opened the door to the attic and stood at the threshold, gripping the vase tightly by the neck in both hands. "Is anybody in here?"

The three ghosts were silent. Invisible.

Emily cautiously entered. Looking around, she noticed that one of the small windows was open, the shutters knocking against the outside wall in the breeze. Breathing a sigh of relief, she stepped forward and closed the shutters, latching them from the inside.

She looked around a bit more, just in case a bird or some other small animal had gotten in, and then she left.

"Whew!" Barbara said. "That was close!"

"That was nothing!" Beetlejuice replied. "One time I was in the Big Apple, and there was this --"

The attic door flew open and Emily rushed in, brandishing the vase. She stopped, stunned, at the sight of three people standing there. "You're real! "

Beetlejuice made a quick flicking motion with his hands, and Emily was suddenly immobilised, a look of sheer terror on her face. "She can see us! Just like Lydia!"

"Lydia must've inherited the ... gift from her mother!" Barbara said.

"What is happening? " Emily asked, still paralysed. "Who are you people? What are you doing in my attic? What do you want with my daughter?"

Barbara went over to her and put a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay," she said soothingly. "We don't mean any harm. I'm Barbara Maitland, and this is my husband, Adam."

"Hi," Adam said, smiling and giving Emily a little wave.

"This used to be our house," Barbara explained. "Just like Lydia told you. We ... died shortly after we moved in. Then you and your family bought the place, and we found out that your daughter can see us. She's a sweet girl, and we'd never do anything to cause her harm. We've grown to love her as if she were our own."

"W-who's -- who's that? " Emily asked, looking fearfully at the third member of the trio. "Is that ... Betelgeuse?"

"Hi!" Beetlejuice said brightly. "You can call me BJ. Or Beej. It's a pleasure to meet you, Emily -- I feel like I already know you so well!" He stuck out his hand, but then remembered that he'd immobilised her. "Oh, sorry -- maybe later, huh?"

"Beej is ... a friend of ours," Adam said.

Beetlejuice brightened at that.

"Sort of," Adam clarified.

"I love you, too, sweetie," BJ replied, rapidly flicking his tongue.

"This... this isn't real," Emily said, shaking her head slowly. "This can't be happening -- I must be dreaming. Or ... or losing my mind."

Barbara took hold of Emily's shoulders. "You're not dreaming, and you're not losing your mind. The three of us are real. We're real, Emily. And we mean you and your family no harm."

"This ... this is real?" Emily couldn't believe it. "Ghosts are real? "

Barbara nodded.

"So ... what happens now?"

"Good question," Barbara said. She looked at Beetlejuice. "Well? You're the expert -- any idea where we go from here?"

He nodded. "I can think of one thing," he said, eyes glowing. "But you're not gonna like it."

"Think of something else."

"I was only joking!" he said, his eyes returning to normal. "You guys are way too easy!" He looked at Adam and licked his lips. "Especially you, handsome -- maybe later we can make out, whaddya say?"

"Focus, Beej!" Barbara told him.

"Okay, okay!" He put a hand to the side of his mouth and, in an exaggerated stage whisper, said to Adam, "You know where to find me, sweet cheeks." Then he turned to Barbara and Emily.

"Bye, Emily!" he said. He snapped his fingers, and she vanished.

Barbara rounded on him angrily. "What did you do? If you hurt her, I swear I'll --"

"Relax, Babs -- she's fine!" he told her. "I just sent her back downstairs. She won't remember a thing! Trust me, babe!"

Barbara narrowed her eyes at him. "Trust you? "

Beetlejuice looked stricken. "You wound me!"

"Better go check on her," Adam said. "Just to be sure."

"Good idea," Beetlejuice agreed. "That way, me and the candy man can have some alone time." He leered at Adam, sticking his tongue out lasciviously. "Daddy wants some sugar."

"Ewww," Adam replied.

Barbara popped downstairs.

She found Emily asleep on the couch, and as she watched, the woman woke up. Emily put a hand to her head and moaned softly. "What a weird dream," she mumbled to herself. "I think I should lay off the mimosas at brunch."

[unknowablecore]

“It was hard to remember what life at Aglionby had been like before Gansey. The distant memories seemed difficult, lonely, more populated with late nights where Adam sat on the steps of the double-wide, blinking tears out of his eyes and wondering why he bothered.”

The Raven Boys - Chapter 36

[popculturebuffet]

Quick Thoughts: Scott Adams Does It Again, More Removals, ReBoot and Halloween Schedule

Hello all you happy ghouls and goblins. It's almost spooky season so that means it's time for the most haunting thing of all.. an old man yelling at the world in a comic strip. Also my halloween schedule

Halloween Schedule:

I've decided to shift in how I reveal my review schedule. I used to keep it on the blog but the combination of how long it takes to edit when this has to change frequently (as I don't book most comission slots in advance), and the fact Tumblr has made it so hard to access that even Kev, my most loyal reader, barely uses it, i'm just going to put them out here every month. As always schedule slippage and what not may apply.

October: 10/2: Garfield's Halloween Monthly Muppets: Muppets Haunted Mansion The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals 10/9: Watchmen: Two Riders Approaching Army of Darkness: Ashes 2 Ashes The Owl House: Thanks to Them 10/16: More Than Meets The Eye #2 Paranorman Mission HIll: One Bang for Two Brothers 10/23: Evil Dead 2: Beyond Dead by Dawn Emma Patreon Scooby Doo Poll Winner!

As you can see this year's halloween is less focused but as a result is giving you more spooky goodness for your buck with an all time classic halloween special, the start of a look at the spooktacular hatchetfield series (moved up to concide with Starkid's ongoing campign to hopefully drum up some numbers for stretch goals), more Evil Dead as we take a look at two of Ash's comics, the LONG delayed fan voted on look at paranorman and another poll this time for SCOOBY DOOBY DOO! I watched every movie with my good friend @jess-the-vampire and now you fine folks get to pick from the ones my patreons and jess pick out for you. Poll will be forthcoming.

In non horror news, we have the begining of the end for Owl House, my annual look at mission hill for the keviversary, and more transformers and watchmen. Pretty spooky huh folks?

Scott Adams VS the Environment

So yeah for those who didn't know, and i'm sad to inform you, Scott Adams who created the comic strip Dilbert and highly influenced a medium I love, comic strips.. ended up becoming, or maybe always was and just got more obvious with it in the trump era right wing maga loving douchecanoe. I already disowned him and got rid of all my dilbert when previously the man tried to use a school shooting to promote his side hustle. It's very sad to me a strip I genuinely used to love is now dead to me because it's creator is such a dick.

That being said I can still get some laughs from his behaviors as this morning I read an article. Apparently in recent dilbert strips Scotty talked about ESG's, essentially a way to get corporations to stop being captain planet villians and start being captain planet. Understadanbly being rightwing talking points given shape, form and a popular comic strip, Scott Adams thinks this is stupid and ranted about it in his comic strip

Yeah not only is that as far as I can tell not how they work, and an unfunny shot at necessary diversity, but the second strip is just baffling. Apparently Scott introduced a black man who identifies as white, which is not only very much not a thing, but also clearly designed with the same good faith arguging as my dad saying he could marry his cat if gay marriage passed. It's dumb

But the article, which I highly recommend, shows it SOMEHOW gets dumber. Yest shooting himself in the foot on gay sterotyping, gender queer sterotyping, trans sterotyping and just plain being a decent human wasn't enough. No he also encourages employees to send their employers these strips. The article even mentions wanting to see that because it'd be geninely funnier than either of these

I have my own two cents: Since when has ANY boss ever listened to a dilbert strip. Scott himself pre going off a cliff while yelling MAGA!, menteioned in a collection how bosses would ask employees to take strips down. Big Corpos aren't going to listen to the right thing for GOOD reasons. WHy would they listen to their employees? "Oh wow the guy who draws dilbert is mad at us better get rid of these tax breaks for doing the bare minimum of basic human decency so we don't offend the mighty Scott Adams"

Scott Adams fall is just.. pathetic at this stage. It's shame he's sunk this low but boy is it fun to watch

HBO Max and Netflix remove shows

Whelp SOMEHOW HBO Max isn't done, as it's removing both Tigtone and Lazer Wulf. Both shows I hadn't seen and really wasn't intrested in, but both shows that don't deserve this. It appears nothing is safe. The only possibly GOOD news is that CN shows are popping up on hulu as of late, meaning we MIGHT see some of the abandoned shows pop up elsewhere and they MIGHT be pivoting from Tax Writeoff to just selling their ip's for parts, which isn't GREAT, but it's still better as it least it means Close Enough might land eleswhere along with everything else they threw away.

Netflix is also getting in on it, removing one their first originals and a show I forgot existed and will probably again, Hemlock Grove. Hopefully this isn't the same nonsense and this trend dosen't continue. I mean I wouldn't be sad if I couldn't watch Rake the forgotten Will Arnett comedy you didn't know existed about a guy who gives adivce to people, but it's still weird to just throw out content you've already invested in at best and terrible at worst. It's not AS bad as HBO Max because unlike HBO Max netflix might NEED the tax writeoff as it tries to rebalance books and makes incresingly sketchy decisions, but it's still not great and I HOPE other streamers don't pick up on this.

Reboot early thoughts

Finally because this coudln't get any weirder, my thoughts on the recent Hulu sitcom Reboot which aired it's first three episodes this week. Which is a WEIRD model, as you'd think two would be enough.

Reboot is a sitcom starring the wonderful Rachel Bloom of Crazy Ex Girlfriend, a show I haven't watched but do know for it's charming musical numbers. LIke this one!

... why HAVEN'T I watched this through.

Anyways reboot follows Hannah, an indie darling whose latest film has given her the clout to do whatever she wants, so she pitches to Hulu a reboot of the old sitcom step right up about a couple marrying and dealing with both their precious son and the boys father.

So naturally they get everyone else back on board: Reed Sterling, played to pretentious perfectoin by Kegan Micheal Key whose finally found his second wind after a few failed shows post his best friend and former comedy partner becoming one of the greatest horror directors ever, a theater trained actor who left the show in a huff and now returns assured that original series creator Gordon is coming nowhere near it and leaving his equally pretentious girlfriend in new york, Clay Barber, the formerly drugged out mess, now a burnt out barely functioning but entirely jolly and likeable wreck of a man played by Johnny Knoxville being amazingly deadpan, Bree Marie Jensen played by a beautifulyl unhinged judy greer clearly channeling Cheryl, a primia donna actress turned duchess and Reed's ex with the chemistry naturally still being there, and Zack, a goofy awkward former child star who spent the rest of his career in awful teen films for what i'm assuming is disney channel. Naturally he's played by former Disney Channel star Calumn Worthy, who was on the terrible disney sitcom austin and ally which I reviewed. In the review I mentioned this show and that Calumn would likely do better. And I was right he was capable.. and suprised tha the ended up stealing the whole goddman show from a buffet of far more seasoned comedy actors. Don't get me wrong, EVERYONE here is great from Reed's up his own ass smuggery, to Bree frequently mockign reed to Clay freaked out talking about his Zack's mom gave him an orange slice after sex and called him a good boy and telling Zack not to punch him in the nose as "my septum's hanging on by a thread'

It's Calum who steals the show as he talks about "How cool is it we're all adults who have had sex?" has to constantly remind people who is is and awkardly treis to bond with Clay after Clay sleeps with his mom twice. Worthy is game to not only make fun of his own history but be the charming awkward goofus this series needs. Zack tends to have the best lines.

Of course this being hollywood, Gordon naturally comes back and Hannah nearly quits, as does Sterling. He ends up relenting on it as they ALL need this: Sterling hasn't worked a paid gig in a year (and it was for a hemroid commerical), Bree needs the gig as her divorce was under "kettle law" thus meaning she barely got anything, Clay need sit becaues "bad stuff finds me" when he's not working, and Zack needs it because shockingly teen movies don't like actors who need hairplugs playing teens. Weird given Disney hired a 30 year old once to play a 16 year old. Maybe it was a policy change

So they beg Hannah to come back, allowing the cast to maintain some dignity while still getting the money. That's when we get the big twist of episode 1 and the one that realy makes the show: Gordon, played by the legendary Paul Reiser playing peek douchebag, is Hannah's dad from the marriage before the one he based Step Right Up on and is introducing a new child in the pilot as the long lost child of Reed's character/Gordon's Self Insert to retake the story.

So now we get botht he intresting story of a father trying to come to terms with the crap he did while still being a huge old school douche, his daughter trying not to throttle him, and the rest of the crew dealing with all their shit including an inexperinced reality star gordon hires fresh off fuck buddy mountain (which if it wans't a show before this certainly will be now) , Reed and Bree's sexual tension and as I mentioned Clay nailing Zack's mom who creepily attends al lher sons performances. The cast has great chemistry, the jokes are high and this is set to be one of the best comedis of the season. Go check it out. And thanks for reading.

[angellesword]

YOUR EYES TELL | JJK (14)

Summary: You live in a world where people see in black and white. The solution to finally see the colors? It's simple. You need to meet your soulmate and look at him in the eyes, but what if the person bound to you is already contented with the monochromatic world? What if...Jeongguk, your soulmate, is already in love with someone else?

Alternatively:

"A future without you is a world without color."

Genre: soulmate au, e2l, slow burn, angst, fluff, roommate au

Pairing: Artist!Jungkook x Lawyer!Reader

Word Count: 1.7k

Note: The lyrics of the song your eyes tell by BTS used in this chapter is NOT translated by me. It is composed/covered by  genuis english  translation and Jess A. Please consider listening to their music here. They’re a great singer! A line from Agust D’s 140503 at Dawn is also used in this update.

Warnings: blood, physical violence

***This is a super short chapter. JJK is just reflecting hehe

SERIES: CHAPTER 13 | FINAL CHAPTER

The blood in Jeongguk's lower lip was mocking him—telling him that once again, he fucked up.

Or at least this was what Park Jimin thought.

"So that's it, huh?" Your best friend rarely resort to violence—wait. This was wrong. Violence was never an option for Jimin, but he was making an exception tonight.

"You're just going to give up on her?" The older boy grabbed the collar of your soulmate's shirt.

Jimin was so mad he swore he could beat Jeongguk to a pulp.

How could Jeongguk be this dumb?

Jimin heard your conversation with your soulmate just a few breaths ago. He didn't plan to eavesdrop, it just happened.

Yoongi was the first one to know what happened to you. He was adamant to let you leave a while ago. He just had this weird feeling in his stomach that told him to check up on you.

His nightmare became a reality when he saw Jimin and Taehyung making out on the couch. You weren't with them and it only meant one thing: you left alone.

Yoongi was so mad at himself. He should have called you an uber or he should have driven you to wherever the hell you wanted to go.

This was partly his fault that's why he couldn't help but shudder in fear and regret when one of his staffs told him about what happened to you.

Police officers said you were under the influence of alcohol. Yoongi already knew this, but Taehyung and Jimin were still shocked.

They had no idea you left.

It actually took the three of them a long time to know what had happened to you. By the time they reached the hospital, they were already too late.

Jeongguk managed to make you cry over and over again.

What an asshole.

What kind of soulmate was Jeongguk? Were you really meant to be together? These questions were running inside your best friend's head. It had been answered when Jeongguk suddenly pushed Jimin away.

He wiped the blood in his bottom lip, smirking at his hyung.

"Who said I'm giving up on her?"

Jimin's jaw dropped. Jeongguk’s voice is full of confidence and determination.

"Y-You’re not?"

"No." Your soulmate said firmly. He couldn't. He wouldn't. Not when he was sure about what he felt for you, not when you needed him the most, and definitely not when you were giving up on him.

No. He should fight when you couldn't.

"Good," your best friend released a breath. He hated your soulmate for hurting you, but Jimin also knew that you loved Jeongguk—even if you told him otherwise.

This was the sad thing about the existence of soulmate that Jimin despised. The encouraging reminders like 'You should learn to love yourself,' and 'you don't need your soulmate to be happy,' would not apply.

It helped, yes. But your world was different. It would always feel like a part of you was missing when your soulmate didn’t love you back.

Humans were made to love and to feel loved. This reminded Jimin of the neon signage that's plastered on Genius Lab: I'm the island in this vast ocean, don't abandon me. This was Min Yoongi's idea. The bar owner always told him and everyone (really) that people were like island—they were able to provide—to extend their hands in this cold world.

They should never be abandoned because like any other things, they needed to be taken care of too.

"But what are you planning to do?" Jimin creased his forehead.

Jeongguk didn't even bat an eyelash when you told him to let you go. This was what annoyed Jimin. How could your soulmate be so silent about this? Why did he simply leave when you told him to go?

In Jeongguk's defense, he just didn't want to upset you any longer. He was aware that his presence was stressing you out. You should rest, especially because there's possibility that you might need to undergo an eye surgery.

Jeongguk's heart clenched once again. You were blind and you thought it was because he hated you.

It’s not true and he would change your mind.

"Seriously, Guk?" Taehyung shook his head, scowling. "This is your and my fiancé’s idea?"

"Don't get mad at Jimin-hyung. It's my idea." Jeongguk corrected his best friend. "Your soulmate is just helping me."

It had been days since the accident and you were aware that Jeongguk had been by your side all this time, not really by your side, per se, but he was around. He was patiently waiting outside of your room in this hospital, begging Jimin and your other loved ones to tell him what he could to help.

Today was the only time he left the hospital, as in the same day of your eye surgery.

Jeongguk swore he's not running away this time though. He was actually going to let you know that he would be staying with you. Forever.

"I can't let you do this, Jeon. I'm gonna lose my job if you fuck this one up!" Taehyung groaned.

"Hyung, please. This is really important!" Jeongguk was nervous. He was running out of time. Your surgery was in a few minutes and here he was, invading the studio where Taehyung worked as a DJ.

"This is going to be aired on national radio, Guk. As in the whole South Korea!"

"I know!" Jeongguk's eyes were blown wide. "This is exactly why I want to do this, hyung. I want everyone to know how I feel!"

If you couldn’t see, then maybe you could understand Jeongguk’s feelings by listening. He was willing to explore other senses just to make you believe.

"Fucking sappy!" In the end, Taehyung had no choice but to let his best friend proclaim his love for you.

Jeongguk smiled as he tapped the microphone, softly calling your name.

"It's Jeongguk. I know you don't want to hear from me, but I have something to say." Jeongguk grimaced. He seriously sucked when it came to expressing his emotions through words. "This will be quick, I promise. I just hope Jiminie-hyung is actually helping me out."

"Of course he is!" Taehyung shouted somewhere. Jimin wouldn't dare to ruin this for you. His task was simple anyway. He only needed to make sure that you were listening to the radio a few moments before your eye surgery.

You were nervous. Jimin wanted to help you calm down by making sure that you knew Jeongguk was not going to leave you alone in the cold.

"Anyway I know that I...well...I," your soulmate blushed. How should he describe himself? Was there a word that could emphasize his stupidity?

"I am an idiot." Jeongguk bit the inside of his cheek. This was the only adjective he could think of. "I am the idiot who hurt you and I know, I know...I don’t deserve your forgiveness because of how selfish I was—I mean, am. I still am."

He chuckled nervously. His heart was hammering.

"Call me selfish or whatever you want. I'm sure I deserve it anyway, but yeah...I'll be selfish again if this is the only way to let you know what I really feel about you."

Jeongguk cleared his throat as the beat of the music started to play.

"Why are my eyes filled with tears?” He sang.

This was a song composed by him. Of course he couldn't do this alone. Namjoon was the one who produced the beat of this song. He also helped his brother-in-law to write the lines. Ji-eun's father was a lyrical genius.

"Hey, stay by my side and laugh.” Jeongguk knew he was asking for too much. It was impossible to simply smile and stay with him—not after the hell he had put you through.

"A future without you is a world without color, filled with monochrome coldness." But this was the exact representation of what would happen if you weren't in his life.

Life would literally be black and white. Dull. Jeongguk knew how essential colors were in his life, yet if he was forced to choose between the hues and you, he would choose you in a heartbeat.

"Even the darkness we see is so beautiful. Please believe me."

Darkness was the absence of light. You were Jeongguk’s light. His life would be dark if you were not around.

He also knew you were going through the darkest time of your life, so he wanted this moment to still be beautiful.

He wanted you to believe that every hardship would pay off. You just had to believe.

"Looking only directly at you, so you don't go away"

Jeongguk wrote this line many months ago. It wasn't even meant to be lyrics to a song. These were simply the words he incorporated in his art.

Jeongguk was a soft person. He usually put cheesy captions in his paintings and drawings—the things he usually couldn’t verbalize.

"Whatever lies in the way of you and me. I'll just keep looking at the future of you and I."

It didn't matter that you lost hope. Jeongguk was sure he would make you believe in love again.

"Shadows of the past keep chasing me everywhere I go, and they try to keep ahold of me and till this day they follow me."

He would try to let go of his hurtful past. Those things didn't matter because he could always make good memories with you.

"Even though it seems to be the start of the end I'll call you and shout out your name."

He would be the hope in your relationship. This might be the end for you; however, Jeongguk was just starting.

Starting to accept the soulmate bond.

"I'll become your eyes to the world and for whatever we may face."

Starting to show you how much you meant to him.

He was willing to become your eyes if you didn't recover from this instantly. He would guide you until you could see again.

"One day all of this, this sadness that we share will bring us together."

The sadness would be over soon. You would see again;

Because Jeon Jeongguk was sure. He loved you and...

"Your eyes will tell."

[purplerose244]

Thoughts journal Ninjago season 13!!! 🤩🤩 (3/4)

I am enjoying the season A LOT. The reveal has been thrown already, everything seems to be leading towards something special about Rock Mom and I couldn't hope for something better!! I know Lou will be back so I guess a flashback?... I'M SO EXCITED 💕💕

Alright, let's start!!

DUNGEON PARTY!

Side note, we're past the season and no Nexo Knights reference. Me sad, but me not quitting like ninja!! 💪💪

Korgran of METALONIA?!?! WHERE KARLOF COMES FROM!!! Oh you just love to feed me with good throwbacks, now do you Ninjago crew 😍

Plundar the thief, yeah, the attire gives it away although it is nice. And Fungus... huh... well that explains the mushrooms on the hat I guess 😅

Yep, there we go, a party of adventurers, the DnD situation promised 👈👈 He said loot, I saw a 20 faced dice, nice nice

In these recent seasons adventurers just won't like to do adventures for one reason or another, first uncle Powers, now these guys? I mean Ninjago is in danger every freaking time and you risk your life at every step and there's a new formidable villain every like five seconds but... huh... what was my point again?

THE ANIME STYLE IS BACK 😂😂 Oh boy I can tell we're in for a train to crazy town

I'm thinking this dude looks a lot like He-Man... of course he does, the HECK, am I noticing this just now? 😑

I do agree with mister Korgran's father reluctance about talking like that (I saw too many anime characters like that 😂), but Karlof uses the third person too. Either it's common in Metalonia, or there's a general lack of education there 😅 (I LOVE METAL BOY I MISS HIM 🖤🖤)

Talking axe that doesn't talk, nice 😂

Okay... okay, I need a moment

This is too cute. I know her head is a bit too big but LOOK AT THEM 💛🤍💛🤍 Has Chompy never grown?... wait he did got big that one time... okay... okay, never mind

Well that's a pretty nice party, you got your barbarian, your magic user and your rogue. Kinda misses a healer but still... tomorrow I'm doing a DnD session with my friends and I wanna sound like I know stuff 😂

I just noticed that I haven't seen hidden trap doors like that since Chen, the ABC of villains right there my friends 👆

So the King didn't become evil just because of the skull, he actually wished to obtain it and use the dark power. I get that he wants to defend the city but he is basically remorceless about everything else, so he is guilty. Also DRAGON ABUSER 😡

Poor Vania, but she overcame her Skylor situation very quickly. Proud 💛

There we go with the encouragement, you go Rocky!! We have a crazy Skull dude to turn into dust!! 👿👿

Wait, a promise he made a long time ago? Rock mom?

DUNGEON CRAWL!

ROCK MOM!!! YAAAASSS!!! FINALLY SHE'S HERE!!! 🖤🖤🖤

Oh holy FSM, my heart 💔

MY HEART HURTS SO MUCH. Cole as a kid, Lou is back, Rock Mom IS SICK AND WILL DIE, all the drawings, the picture of them together 😭😭

I cannot, freaking, this kid doesn't want his mom to be sick and he's gotten into troubles at school and she wants him to fight and be strong and right and SHE HAS HIS SAME EYEBROWS 😢😢😢😢😢😢

This scene was really heartbreaking, such a genuine situation with a kid that wants her mom to be fine and proud of him 🖤

Just looked at her VA and it's Erin Matthews 🤩 So first I'm counting it as a Nexo Knights reference just because MACY AND ROBIN ❤🖤❤🖤 Second, wasn't "the mom" going to be voiced by Jillian? Is it... is it Maya? Is she coming back? MAYBE NEXT SEASON??? NYA SEASON?!?!? 🤯🤯

Oh, we're moving on? So... so there's still the stuff about Rock Mom's past to uncover, still unsure if she was the one of the blades for the two tribes

PLUNDAR WE DO NOT DISRESPECT COLE INTO THIS HOUSE VANIA MY GIRL YOU ARE SPEAKING FOR ME TOO 💪💪

The connection between Cole and his mom is the earth itself, I'm loving this concept so much. It's true that he never found himself this deep into his element before, the Caves of Despair were mines but never this deep. This really is rock bottom... HECK YEAH

Well Cole...

Welcome to the colored eyes because of elemental power ninja team!! 💚❤🧡 (without counting the forbidden scroll moments) I LOVE WHEN IT HAPPENS!!! I'M GETTING SO PROUD AND EMOTIONAL!!! I'M PROUDOTIONAL!!! 🤯

Aww, Cole saving his son sensei, very nice. They did save each other a lot 🤷‍♀️

This place reminds me a lot of the Fire Temple where Kai got himself into trouble in season 1 but then saved Lloyd, one of my favorite and most memorable episode of the show... I'M TOO NOSTALGIC RIGHT NOW LET'S MOVE ON

NEVER MIND COLE IS TAKING CHARGE LIKE OLD TIMES HE IS FINALLY THE LEADER AGAIN I'M GONNA CRY ROCKY I'M SO HAPPY YOU DESERVE THIS 🖤

Wu's spinjitzu!! Always nice to see it 😊 And yes Adam is a good boy, and for my arachnophobia is a little freaky saying it 😅

Ah, good Plundar, Cole needs all the appreciation of the world because HE IS SUCH A GOOD PERSON AND AMAZING WARRIOR AND I LOVE HIM AAAAAA

This is probably my favorite episode for now, got Rock Mom, got elemental powers, got a lot of Cole in all of his glory: the leader with a clear smart mind able to lead even strangers, with big heart for what's important 👏👏

I feel like this season is giving him glory, I'm curious about how it will end!!

GRIEF-BRINGER

Okay I know it's the name of the dragon... and it gets me a little antsy 😅

Back to the munce! Still doing as good as ever I see! 😅 And lol, you can't blame Nya for not being nice Jay! Although she is kinda best friends with Ronin who double crossed her multiple times... okay, I see your reasoning Bluebell

There we go, Nya making them listen. I honestly could have seen her just grabbing one of them and make them fly through the the room, still cool though 😎

Back to the geckles! Also doing as good as ever! 😅 These little purple guys are so dang cute, seeing my flame babe trying to lead is so PRECIOUS, and even more PRECIOUS is Zane giving him support... and a rock in the face 🤍🤍

Gotta say

I'm more and more fascinated by their culture 😂😂

Aww little Gleck, everything had started with him after all... wait... HER NAME IS LILLY?!?! ROCK MOM HAS A NAME!!! AND SHE IS GILLIE/MILLIE!!! I KNEW IT!!! 🤩🤩

I think I saw the name somewhere, didn't think it was actually her. I always headcanoned her as Gaia, but Lilly is a very sweet name too 💕

It is pretty nice that even though we as viewers didn't know what happened to Lilly, the ninja knew. It's obvious, they've known each other for so long, but still. It feels nice to see this 😊

Oh-oh, Skull dude is up to something... and he said the title 👈👈

Zane keeps being the sweetest thing ever created, le cute dude 🤍🤍 Never thought I'd see Tin Can and Hothead discussing about lies while two slugs race each other...

I don't know if it's the new animation but the armored suits look CRAZY GOOD, the metal and the details are awesome!! I approve the suits of this season 👍

Pff, they are talking down his sister, if he knew they would be literally toasted 🔥

HUG HUG BEAUTIFUL LEGO HUG!!! And she lifts him up, omg the Smith siblings are back and they are so CUTE 😍

Yep, only he can talk down his sister... and possibly be annihilated right after 😅

Oh, the dragon that almost destroyed the two tribes... OH THE DRAGON THAT ALMOST DESTROYED THE TWO TRIBES!!! 😱😱

NO GUYS DON'T LEAVE LLOYD AND ZANE BEHIND, THEY ARE THE MOST PRONE TO SACRIFICE THEMSELVES 😭😱😭😱😭😱

The cringe Kai, the cringe never leaves you alone you beautiful idiot ❤

I cannot believe the animators managed to make Lloyd's LEGO hair swoosh, I must applaude them 👏👏👏 Also POOR BABY ON THE GROUND GIVE HIM A VACATION FOR CRYING OUT LOUD

Well aren't things getting even more complicated 😅 Where is Cole? We need season superstar pronto!

MASTERS NEVER QUIT

Awww, major throwback to the show's most famous motto right in the title! NINJA NEVER QUIT!!! LET'S GO THEN!!! 🤩

The upply team! With the lava beast back... I could easily make comment about how it could be a representation of Cole's feelings since it's LAVA with EARTH and FIRE, and he is running from them... I'M JUST RAMBLING MOVING ON 🖤❤🖤❤

Cole misses the Caves of Despair maybe, he wants to have a round with the carts like in Possession 😂 Was that why he knew it was going to work eventually? That would be histerical, especially since back then they all almost fell into the lava 😅😅

The Heart of the Mountain? Secret temple of the masters of Earth? Possibly hidden in Shintaro? Spinjitzu Burst? Wu, let me ask you this... just in case... is there... perhaps...

IS THERE SOMETHING YOU SHOULD'VE TOLD US??? 😡😡

He is definitely and officially old, only reason why he keeps forgetting to warn people about stuff 😑 I mean, it's not major like with Morro or Aspheera, I guess it's an improvement?... kinda?

So you learn spinjitzu burst if you're surrounded by your element, that sounds pretty awesome! I wonder how it could be with all the others, this can open up kinda like a quest for the true potential but with different places and lots of OP powers and I'M INTO IT 🤩🤩🤩

Okay season, I get it

YOU WANNA MAKE ME CRY 😭😭 I love this aztec vibe, so cool and appropriate she looks STUN 🖤

I didn't expect this much introspection about Cole, I thought it was going to be kinda last minute like with Jay in Prime Empire. I'm so thankful it's not like that, freaking yes. YES. GO COLE BURST OUT!!

... okay, take your time sweetie, no rush. The other ninja are just going to be fried but eh, happens all the time 🤷‍♀️

VANIA MAH GIRL 💕 I understand Wu, I mean the guys kinda learned all they needed already back when they started to train Lloyd. Ever since then, they had been not master and students, but just family. And you always need family, no matter how far you go 🖤

Awwww, Wu! You got your own development too! 👍 So nice to hear "ninja never quit" again, can't be too sure but it's been a while 😍

Let's hope the guys are doing fine resisting while Team Cole arrives 😎😎

[bellakitse]

I'm sure you're being flooded with fic thoughts, so please feel free to ignore but I'd love to see something featuring Carlos's very expressive eyebrows and TK noticing/saying something about it! :D

A language only they speak

“It was these," he gestures with a tip of his chin, a silly grin on his face. “These hotter than they should be eyebrows of yours, they give away everything you’re thinking."

*TK and Carlos are learning to speak each other's language.

Carlos Reyes sits in the Strand household with the youngestStrand, and two of his fellow firefighters: Paul Strickland and Mateo Chavez.There are poker chips thrown in the middle of the table, peanuts in colorfulbowls, a cold beer at his side, and a truly shit set of cards in his hand. Pauland Mateo have already folded this round, leaving Carlos to challenge TK, whohas been on a hot streak all night.

He looks up from his sad pair of two’s to find TK staring athim with a smirk on his face that shows just how amused he is. Carlos is bothannoyed and aroused by it, wanting simultaneously to wipe it off TK’s face andlean over the table and kiss him until he’s breathless.

“Any time you’re ready officer,” TK starts, his amusementseeming to grow with each passing second. “We can’t wait all day just for youto lose again,” he continues like the brat he is, making Mateo snortinto his beer, while Paul shakes his head, a smile on his own face as he turnsto look at Carlos.

“Come on, man,” Paul urges him. “You can’t keep letting himwin.”

“I’m not letting him win anything,” he complains. He wisheshe was letting TK win, that wouldn’t be as much of a blow to his ego. The cute littlepunk has been wiping the floor with all of them, but mostly Carlos all night.

“Okay, enough stalling,” TK says with a lazy wave of hishand. “Pony up or fold, cowboy.”

Carlos narrows his eyes at him, trying to ignore the lick offire burning in his belly when TK’s tongue pokes at the corner of his mouth ashe continues to grin. Letting out a defeated sigh, he puts his cards on thetable, ignoring Paul and Mateo’s boos. Instead, he focuses on TK, unable tohelp the smile that covers his face at how happy TK looks as he pulls thewinning chips towards himself.

“How?” he questions, not understanding, there’s luck, andthen there’s this, he hasn’t been able to win a single hand against TKall night.

TK doesn’t answer him; he just throws his head back andlaughs, leaving Carlos breathless as he stares at him. He should try to besubtle, make the heart eyes less obvious, but Carlos can’t help it. TylerKennedy Strand is the most beautiful man he’s ever seen.

“Damn, man, you’re ruthless,” Paul shakes his head again.“Can’t even let your man win one?”

Carlos holds his breath at Paul’s words, even thougheveryone in TK’s crew knows about them.

They don’t exactly hide that they’re seeing each other, butCarlos can’t help but worry when one of their friends comments on them, afraidit will make the gun shy TK rabbit.

TK shrugs the comment off.

“All’s fair in love and poker,” he says easily, like theword love doesn’t send Carlos’ pathetically soft heart racing. He feels hisface go hot when Paul does his thing and catches on to the fact that he’s beenleft on uneven ground over such a throw-away line.

The man’s gaze is all-knowing, his smirk fond.

“Okay, well,” he starts, shooting Carlos anotherlook. “I’m tired of losing to this white boy, so I say Mateo and I head out,the night is young and so are we,” He continues as he stands.

Carlos avoids looking at TK, though he catches the quicklook he sends his way before he focuses on their friends. Mateo looks confusedabout leaving even as he stands, and if Carlos had any doubt that Paul isushering them out for his benefit, the quick whisper Paul shoots the young guyof ‘read the room probie,’ is enough to squash those doubts.

He has to admire the man’s efficiency. Within minutes he hashimself and Mateo in their jackets and out the door, declaring a rematch is duefor a later date as they go, leaving Carlos and TK still in their seats andwith a thick cloud of tension hanging between them.

TK clears his throat, drawing Carlos’ attention back, hisgreen eyes focused steadily on him. “Carlos…” he starts softly.

“I’ll help clean up,” he interrupts with something thatpasses for a smile on his face.

He grabs beer bottles and bowls of food, heading into TK’skitchen. He tries to think of a way to get rid of the sudden weirdness betweenthem, silently calling himself an idiot for even letting it develop.

TK didn’t mean anything by using the word love, he was justjoking.

It’s too soon to even think of the word, he’s not even sureif he can call TK his boyfriend yet. Sure, they’re not seeing anyone else buteach other, and they don’t just jump into bed anymore. They go on dates. Theyspend their days off, either just the two of them as Carlos shows TK all Austinhas to offer, or they hang out with the team.

It’s nice, more than nice.

Being with TK, having his attention is more than Carlos couldever want, and he’s trying very hard not to ask for more than what TK is readyto give him. It's just not that easy to stick with the plan of fun and casualwhen his heart beats to a unique rhythm just for TK alone.

He and TK move around the kitchen silently and efficientlyas they clean up. Once the beer bottles are placed in the recycling bin, andthere's nothing left to tidy up, Carlos turns to face TK, not surprised to findthe firefighter watching him. He's felt TK’s eyes on him as they cleaned thewhole time.

He gives him a small smile, grateful that TK returns it.

TK walks towards him, and when he offers his hand to Carlos,he takes it, letting TK lead him out of the kitchen back towards the livingroom's massive brown leather couch. He lets out a small chuckle that turns intoa sound of appreciation as TK drops on his lap, his knees on either side ofCarlos’s thighs.

"Hmm," he hums as TK's fingers tug the hairsat the base of his neck, tilting Carlos’ head back to give himself room as hestarts to press soft kisses against Carlos’ skin.

"This is nice," he murmurs as TK licks around hisAdam's apple, his hands jerk and squeeze TK's meaty thighs when TK bites down atthe base of his jaw.

"Just licking your wounds after losing so badly atpoker," TK teases as he pulls back to look at Carlos, his eyes are brightand his lips are slick and cherry red from the work he’s been doing on Carlos’neck.

Carlos laughs in an effort to hide the way his heart tripsall over itself at how blissed out TK already looks.

"You're so kind," he jokes, raising aneyebrow. "Are you going to tell me just how you beat me so many times? Noone is that good at poker."

TK chuckles as he lifts his hand from where it rests on theback of Carlos’ neck, and with a soft touch of his thumb, he traces Carlos'left eyebrow.

“It was these," he gestures with a tip of his chin, asilly grin on his face. “These hotter than they should be eyebrows ofyours, they give away everything you’re thinking. Every time you had a goodhand, every time you had a bad one, they gave you away.”

Carlos raises his eyebrows again, feeling warm all over asTK lets out another soft, delighted laugh. “I didn’t know they were soexpressive.”

TK shrugs, he takes his thumb off his eyebrow to pet down Carlos’cheeks, his blunt nails softly raking his two-day-old beard. It sends shiversthrough Carlos, and he tightens his hold on TK’s hips, pulling him flush againsthim. The action makes TK close his eyes, and when he speaks, he sounds a littlebreathless. “You just have to know how to read them.”

Carlos brings his hands to TK’s back, going under his shirt,his fingers tracing the knots of TK’s spine, feeling the way TK trembles underhis hand. “And you can read them, huh?” he questions, his voice low and roughwith want.

TK opens his eyes slowly; they’re a darker shade of greenthan usual as they hold a promise for the rest of the night, and Carlos feelshis body react to it, hardening as he anticipates the moment when he gets tosink into TK’s body.

“I spend a lot of time looking at you,” TK whispers back as helicks his lips. “I’ve gotten good at it.”

Carlos holds his breath, picking up what TK isn’t saying.

It’s slow coming, but he’s learning to understand ‘TKspeak’ and can hear what isn’t being said, and he thinks maybe, just maybethe word love isn’t too far away after all.

His face or his eyebrows must be speaking to TK again,because the younger man lets out a gasp and when Carlos meets his gaze, he findsbright green eyes staring back at him, a small but happy smile on his lips,before he can question it, TK closes the space between them.

The kiss he gives Carlos is achingly soft.

And if Carlos thinks ‘I love you.’

Then TK’s kisses feel like  ‘Me too.’