middlingmay

[middlingmay]

I just, really love Hambone and Crank. I really do.

But no matter how hard Ham tried, he could only drift so far from Chucky before he was running him down and either dragging him back, or fighting his way into Ham’s orbit. Brothers, through and through. Crank had been by Ham’s side when he’d bitten off more than he could chew. Helped him finish jobs for people who’d finish him off he didn't see them through. He'd been Ham's diversion, his getaway driver, his alibi more than once. And Ham? He’d pulled Crank out of trouble he hadn't even known he’d gotten into. The DeMarcos weren’t the only outfit in town and Crank was a shark when it came to business. A lotta folks didn't like the kind of competition he rained down on them. Ham had slashed his fair share of tyres and followed more than one sorry son of a bitch into an alley, all unbeknownst to his beloved little brother.

[middlingmay]

@daysofxavierspast pointed us on discord towards a post on the 100th bomb group's official instagram and I know it's a serious post and document but I'm laughing.

It's written by gale, for gale, but signed by his best friend john egan. These are the vibes this gives

They really be out here like "if you want something bestie I'll sign it off for you 🫶"

[middlingmay]

Callum's LV campaign is sooo #hollywood au coded!

I know Gale is too shy but arghghgh can you imagine them in a brand campaign? Or Vogue photoshoot? Dayum.

oh oh oh how i’ve missed this au, thank you for this!!!! since i already headcanoned gale would feel to awkward posing i’ll let everyone decide for themselves if this is au of an au or did john manage to talk him into it after they did their private photoshoot 🤭

we’re trying another social media au today!! idk if it works in this format but i hope you enjoy <3

@_vogue_

EXCLUSIVE: ”He keeps me wanting to be better, as a human and as an actor” — Be the first two see new exclusive pictures of John Egan and husband Gale Cleven-Egan posing for this month’s #VOGUE cover shoot in brand new Louis Vuitton! ❤️‍🔥

Comments

@_hollyB34: sigh since vogue didn’t bother with alt texts i’ve got you covered (but we expect more from you @_vogue_ get your shit together)

photo 1: john leaning at a wall in white coat facing the camera, gale is on his right as if walking away but they’re holding hands

photo 2: picture taken from the side, gale leaning against the wall with right hand on the elbow of the left one and looking away from the camera, john has his right hand on the wall next to his head and he’s staring down at him kind of towering over him crowding him into the wall

photo 3: close up of their hands holding the same louis vuitton bag, john’s fingers looking much bigger than gale’s delicate hand, two of john’s fingers streches to cover gale’s

photo 4: standing side by side, john’s arm around gale’s shoulders and gale is holding that hand with one of his and the other is wrapped around john’s middle, they’re looking at each other.

photo 5: close-up of just their faces, gale is holding the back of his hand to his lips and covering laughing, john is staring at him with the worst case of heart eyes you’ve ever seen, he’s also smirking

photo 6: john staring at the camera, hands on gale’s waist, gale’s back is facing the camera and he’s leaned into john’s torso, cheek resting on his shoulder, arms wrapped around his middle. Keep reading…

@_clegan4ever: did i die. is this heaven.

@_rosiecheeks: if someone told me a year ago clegan would actually drop this kind of blessing upon us i would’ve laughed them out ALAS HERE WE ARE HOW ARE WE FEELING

@_egansgrl: why does that bag photo look POSESSIVE it’s literally just hands asdf like chill man ain’t no one taking him away from you

@_adamadam: it’s literally insane how the two most attractive people in the world found each other??? and actually seem like a good match???

@—keirak77: no offense to egan but damn his hubby should be a model fr

@_€urovizion: gale would literally tower over me HOW DOES HE LOOK SO TINY NEXT TO HIM john do be built like a brick house

@_cleganists: i want to cry the fact that they’re willing to share this with us despite of everything they’ve been through with the media over the years :((((

@_buckholic: THANK HEAVENS THANK YOU GOD FOR MAKING THESE TWO MEN

@_ourbaby82: john is serving so hard i’m amazed the camera didn’t just melt

@_CLEGANUPDATES: #clegan has been trending worldwide for 6 hours

@_marymecurtb: so much to unpack here but like the sexiest part of this is literally the way they look at each other. like how are you together for like a decade and still be this down bad for each other omg

@_misscleven: i wouldn’t mind being squished in the middle of this sandwitch

@_johnegans: oh damn that gale cleven-egan truly is the finest piece of ass i ever saw on a cover of a magazine that john egan is one lucky bastard

@_CLEGANUPDATES: ASDFHAFAHAJAVAJSK JOHN LMAO

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

”John?” ”Yes, dear?”

John doesn’t look up from his phone from where he’s half laying across their bed waiting for Gale to be ready. They’re seeing Sabrina for her LA show tonight, and Gale has helped him with the glitter on his face before disappearig back to the bathroom to get ready himself.

Gale’s tone is filled with suspicion but not accusing — yet. ”Do you happen to know why John Brady has called me 12 times?” John makes an exaggerated ”thinking face”, and he can practically feel Gale squint his eyes at him. ”…No idea. You’ve been friends with him longer, your guess is better than mine!” Gale looks at him for a moment more before talking again.

”Mm-hm. Somehow I get the feeling he’s calling not as my friend but as your publicist.”

John finally looks up and he can’t help but let his face fall into a smirk as he sees Gale assessing at him with his eyes. He gets up from the bed and walks up to his husband who’s still following him with his eyes. ”Who knows? Probably phoning to congratulate us on a beautiful photoshoot.”

He delights in the blush on Gale’s cheeks, visible even underneath the glitter hearts. He looks adorable, and delicious, and John can’t wait to see his current favorite popstar but he also can’t wait to get back home with his hubby and try whatever position she suggests during Juno with him.

”Oh yeah, that came out today…” Gale mutters and looks down, and while the blush truly is so cute, John knows they need to get going soon. He tilts Gale’s face back up by his chin and pecks on his lips gently.

”They love it. They love you.” He considers it for a moment, getting lost in Gale’s eyes, before smirking again dropping his hand to squeeze his ass. ”I think I even recall someone calling you the hottest piece of ass they’ve ever seen on the comments.”

Gale rolls his eyes. ”That’s not what I- Nevermind.” He sighs and pushes John away but his husband can tell the blush is a pleased one now. One day he will make him believe how beautiful he is and he won’t need these constant reminders (John’s gonna keep giving them anyway, of course).

”Should we get going then?” He asks casually, and Gale has just had time to nod when his phone starts ringing again. He checks the ID and frowns. ”It’s Brady again. I’ll get this and then we can go.”

Bucky responds with a seemingly careless uhm but grimances as he turns to face the other way. He’s just made it to the door when the scandalized yell of JOHN CLARENCE EGAN fills the air.

”I’ll wait at the car sweetheart!” he yelps back and starts running. He even makes it down two sets of staris before Gale manages to tackle him down.

[middlingmay]

for the fic asks:

10. Is there a character or ship you'd love to write for, but haven't yet?

I would actually love to write more focused pieces on specific characters in Mota, shippy and non-shippy.

TODCL has given me a really good chance to get to grips with some of the other characters better, like Kenny and Crank and Marge, and I'd love to write some non-Clegan or John and Gale focused fics.

Maybe a canon era fic about the ground crew one day? Or something on Jack and Crosby trying to keep everyone's shit together and the ship running behind the scenes of the 'glamour boys' Buck and Bucky? I like exploring Marge with other partners, too.

Thank you so much for the ask!

[middlingmay]

Ahhh, love the writer ask game! I would love to know:

1.6. What do you struggle with most when writing?

17. What is something you recently felt proud of in your writing?

28. What's the angstiest idea you've ever come up with?

Baaaabes <3 Thanks for the asks :)

I've answered 16 here. And number 17 here.

But for 28? The angstiest idea I've ever come up with, and not necessarily written? Oaft. Okay. I will never write this. I love Bucky too much. But I once had the idea for a fic where Gale and John strike up a romantic relationship through the war, and they use it to get each other through the dark moments. It's real and it's true - all the way up until Gale actually sees Marge again and he realises he can't let her go.

BUT, he and John had actually gone back to Caspar together, to tell her about them together. And John has to watch Gale break his heart right in front of him in Marge's kitchen. Worst part? Marge tells John to leave and never come back, or she'll have him arrested for being queer. And Gale just...lets her say it.

BUT - I couldn't do that to John, Marge, or myself so crisis averted.

[middlingmay]

3, 12 and 15 for the Author Ask Game? 😁

Asks from this list here.

Thanks for the ask, dear!

3. What are your top three most commonly used tags on AO3?

Top by a fair margin is Alternate Universe. I love them AUs. Pry them from my cold dead-but-alive-in-another-universe hands.

Second is swearing??? For some reason?? Why do I think people need to be warned about swearing so much? Revelation.

And third place is like a six-way tie so I'll leave those off.

12. What was the first fandom you wrote for?

Lord of the Rings! When I was 11, Jesus. Fanfiction.net. What a time to be alive.

15. Does anyone you know in real life know you write fanfiction?

A few friends I had when I was a teenager did. But none of my irl friends I have as an adult write or have an interest in writing so it doesn't really come up.

[middlingmay]

Bucky when Gale’s shirt comes off

[middlingmay]

Bucky when Gale’s shirt comes off

[middlingmay]

Fanfic/Author Ask Game

for TODCL

5. What’s something you learned while researching a fic?

11. What makes a fic 'successful' in your opinion?

16. What do you struggle with most when writing?

:)))))

Asks from this list here.

Thank you for the ask anon! :)

5. What’s something you learned while researching a fic?

Oh, loads! I learned about the development of automatic transmissions and classic cars from the '40s rarely went above three gears. I learned that because of the war, most cars during that time weren't manufactured with chrome, and if war had never broke out, we likely would have gotten 1950s culture in the 1940s.

On the other side, I also learned that people of colour tended towards GM-manufactured cars because they were reliable and had longer mileage, so it was rarer that they'd be stuck in a 'sundown town'. There were handbooks 'advising' them of where to stay, eat, stop for rest stops. Pretty grim stuff tbh...

11. What makes a fic 'successful' in your opinion?

Because you specifically asked about TODCL - probably that I'm actually writing it lol. That it's still stuck with me and it's the longest thing I've ever written. And I'm really happy with it. There's loads I would change if I rewrote it, but I'm having a great time writing it, and getting some really lovely feedback from people about it.

16. What do you struggle with most when writing?

Remembering everything and not retconning myself? It's ridiculous. Also probably characterisation and not having things come off flat. They're the things I stress about the most and what I pay most attention to during the editing process.

Thank you so much for the ask! These were so fun to think about!

[middlingmay]

What is something you recently felt proud of in your writing? 🩷

Asks from this list here.

Hello dovey! Thanks for the ask :)

I recently had someone tell me they didn't normally read AUs, but they gave TODCL a try and liked it. That made me feel pretty proud. People don't have a lot of time, and it's a really good feeling that someone spent a few hours of their spare time trying something they weren't sure they were going to like.

Tysm!

[middlingmay]

Fanfic/Author Ask Game

Write a scene from [insert fic] in another character’s POV

Which of your fics is your pride and joy?

What are your top three most commonly used tags on AO3?

What are some words or phrases you feel like you overuse?

What’s something you learned while researching a fic?

Would you ever accept requests or commissions?

Coffee or tea while you write?

What is your favorite line/section from [insert fic]?

How did you get into writing fanfiction?

Is there a character or ship you'd love to write for, but haven't yet?

What makes a fic 'successful' in your opinion?

What was the first fandom you wrote for?

Do you have an 'official' creative writing background such as a degree or previous experience publishing?

What makes you happiest? New fic comments, kudos, bookmarks, user subscribers, story subscribers, or Tumblr asks?

Does anyone you know in real life know you write fanfiction?

What do you struggle with most when writing?

What is something you recently felt proud of in your writing?

How many WIPs do you have and how many do you expect to finish?

How do you get over writer's block?

Share your favorite kiss scene from [insert fic]. If there's no kiss scene, share your favorite moment of intimacy (romantic or platonic)

What stops you from writing more in your free time?

Did you do anything special to celebrate finishing a fic?

What’s a story you’d love to write but haven’t even started yet?

Which scene/theme was the inspiration for [insert fic]?

Are there any moments in [insert fic] that feel "blurry" to you? Is this a stylistic choice, or would you go back and clarify the descriptions if you were given the chance?

Do you ever "prep" your fics with outlines or warmups before you start writing, or do you just dive right in?

Are any of your stories inspired by personal experience?

What's the angstiest idea you've ever come up with?

How many times do you usually revise your fic/chapter before posting?

Have you noticed your style change over time?

What fic meant the most to you to write?

A character you enjoy making suffer.

A character you want to protect.

What is your favorite fic to get comments/messages on?

Wild Card: Ask me something else!

[middlingmay]

I've entered a new stage of the self editing process: removing Scottish phrases that snuck their way in.

But you all seriously need a better word for cuddling. Because cooryin' in top notch and I miss using it.

[middlingmay]

"God, John. You-you can't look at me like that, I - Christ."

Gale tried to burrow into the musky, sweat-slicked hollow of John's neck. But John took him by the chin and forced him to look, to look down into John's face, and face what he was doing to him.

I think I've discovered why it's taking me so long to finish the next chapter of TODCL.

[middlingmay]

Stripper, Occasionally Hooker - chapter 4

Gale, however, was too distracted by the abandoned jacket to process any of Bucky’s words. That hideous thing grated on him more and more for what it seemed to represent. Bucky clearly loved it, felt comfortable—beautiful, even—wearing it. Yet, he’d treated Gale’s jacket with care, while his own had been flung casually onto the couch. The disparity gnawed at Gale, stirring unwelcome thoughts about Bucky’s priorities and his sense of self.

***

To see Bucky bathed in daylight, Gale must first decide if he's ready to endure a long night of revelations and difficult choices—many of them far from pleasant.

Chapter four of MOTA Lap Dancer AU is finally up—this time on purpose! Ready to see if Bucky’s bed has room for two? 😉

[middlingmay]

What if, what if, right -

John and Gale's parents were actually kind of great?

Like super supportive, really loving, doting, embarrassingly invested parents. And even though their sons are grown men (and if canon era are fighting in a war), they can and will find ways to embarrass them.

And they 100% notice their sons have crushes on each other. They write letters about it to each other and occasionally talk on the phone, reading snippets from their son's letters that mention the other one.

Cue Team Cleven and Team Egan trying to 'subtly' nudge their sons towards the point. And when the boys finally 'come out the dads high five and Mrs Egan is down five dollars.

[middlingmay]

reblog if you remember what it felt like to walk into blockbuster

[middlingmay]

I don't wanna @ anyone because I understand how fast things seem to move in today's landscape of streaming shows dropping entire seasons in one day, and networks pumping out new series constantly to try to attract more subscribers with no intent to actually maintain those shows over time but I just saw someone self-deprecatingly lament that they are still thinking about a show that ended almost a year ago, making fan art and playlists for it, and I want to be very clear:

you can still create fanworks when it comes to old media!! PLEASE do!! there are always going to be new fans who will appreciate it, and veteran fans who are dying for new content and new perspectives. also, less than a year is NOTHING. the original Star Trek series was on TV six decades ago and there are still people losing their minds over it, writing stories and reblogging gifsets daily, and that's only one example.

a fandom lasts as long as there are people who love a thing, even if it's only a handful of people. love what you love and write and draw and make gifs and playlists about it!