#‘damn Dalton he’s just a kid’

[lailuhhh]

Hi friendly reminder that this is what Mac looked like when he and Jack met

[xanderjkz]

Charlie Dalton- Misery Behind Walls

I finally figured out what makes Charlie's character such an interesting one (from my perspective)

There are alot of interpretations of his character but what the fandom can agree the most on is that this mf cares about his friends. Almost in a way that is above regular standard.

Okay sounds weird but why did I say it when it's never really shown? Well he often is in the moment when the other poet has a breakthrough in the movie. When evil Tom literally made Neil's day worse, he was the first to speak to him. But to base this little theory on a bigger proof I'd like you to remind the only scene where this big care is vocalised:

"Fiete you're going insane!" I'll be not be misinformed about my state of mind! Let's move on! He literally asks so many damn questions that Knox gets annoyed with it. And the tone Charlie uses in that scene isn't one to mock him or put Knox in question. He's just curious if Knox has thought this through. Because he cares!

But why? What is so damn interesting about this dude caring? What makes Charlie the way he is?

Charlie somewhat hides his care for his friends behind the nice wall of Humour. Humour is beautiful, it's Twistingly and contently a nice way of escapism. Humour is provoking a peal of laughter out of someone and that's what Charlie does. But over the years when you use this way of coping you start to twist in the wrong way. It's a wonder how anyone who uses this type of coping mechanism can even recognise themselves in the mirror. After a while, you hide your internal feelings behind a wall too. For yourself you become unrecognisable.

But why?

It's established in the first 10 minutes of the movie that Charlie is from a family of bankers who are fond of him continuing the legacy. And we know that he is from a wealthy family. And most wealthy kid trope in media follows the structure of pressure and unobtainable views. Wealthy people don't want to be touched by anything lower. So they have to obtain this image of untouchability. This is probably the way Charlie has been raised. Money is more important. And like most wealthy kids, they get neglected for that money.

Every kid wants love. And this is what Charlie probably chased. And still is. And love can be interpreted in lots of ways but as I see in myself, I always tried to get attention so they think of me. If they can't love me, then I should at least linger on their minds. So what's the quickest way to gain attention and potential Recognition?

(Here he more tries to loud than funny but the need for the same thing is still there)

He started to build his personality in a way that would later bring him to complete self-isolation. He doesn't give a fuck about money. And he most definitely doesn't want to go down the same way his father did. But something in him always wanted that recognition, so he didn't go against anything.

But then Keating happened

So we made clear that something inside him can't separate personality from coping, right? So what happens when a teacher comes around with the opinion to go against the system? Doubt? Anger? Or fascination?

Visionary

Charlie, if asked, def would've told you that life comes to him how it wants to be. As long as he makes his friends happy, then he is fine. Not happy but fine. So when Keating tries to bring new things into the mix, everybody began to rethink their story.

Todd got more comfortable

Neil pursued something he always wanted

Knox got the guts to ask a girl out

So what's up for Charlie? He becomes vulnerable with himself. As he lost his personality in humour so did the familiarity with himself. So every lesson he becomes more bold and Indulgent in poetry and the revolution.

But a journey to find oneself takes long. God a 16-year-old won't find it within 4 months. But for what it's worth he tries. Throughout the movie, these boys drift apart from tradition and self-destructive ideologies. The first time Charlie makes this change in his consciousness is this one:

(Love how he looks in the angle)

Doing poetry doesn't bring attention to himself, not in the way we established he needs. So why is he doing this now?

"You yap too much, we get it" well fuck you, I'm getting to the better part

The reason for his somewhat impulsive reaction is the way he saw himself in Keating. Keating is a poet, but Charlie at first doesn't care about that. What he does care about is the cheeky way Keating moves his lips. From the comments about Meeks and Pitts names to the way he openly makes a name for himself. He thinks of Keating as this older version of himself. And he doesn't know what to do with it.

(Again this is going on in his head without him actually verbalising it to himself. Everybody does that, just writing it down)

So now this boy is chasing something he thinks can bring him to the Keating kind of level. In this path, he slowly becomes more radical with his thoughts, in a way that is pushing things over the edge. But in a boiling kind of way.

First, we have him ripping out the page. Then, the playboy scene and then this one:

I'd like to believe that this was the first time that his inner self formed a sentence. In scenes before that one, he is fidgeting around, trying to really get into it. He liked what he heard. And while he is still clinging to this version poisoned on humour, he's getting out of it. BUT

This scene is where he lets himself go. And it's safe to assume that something must have happened between the pic before and now. What is it? Heck, I know. All I know is that he tested the water and realised it's alright. (Again he is a 16-year-old boy, every 16-year-old has doubts) so everytime we do see him in the cave, he's wearing the damn hat.

So what have we established:

He cares deeply for his friends

He hides his need for recognition behind jokes

He somehow lost himself in it

He sees himself in Keating

Then learns how to be his inner self again (partly)

And he's doing poetry! Or Poetrusic...

But why did I say partly? Well, this movie is called DEAD Poets Society. And who died at the end of the movie? Ofc His CHILDHOOD best friend Neil. (This is heavily implied but even if they aren't, Neil was the closest to Charlie). He was probably the first person to know about it and definitely jumped into impulsiveness. In a way where he takes over the responsibility. Let's be real if this was at the beginning of the story he would've been one to be non-functioning but after he got his punishment and faced his worst, he knew that there are things to not be self-centered about. It's obvious that Charlie told the others. I mean, these boys look so distributed that they definitely couldn't form any sentence to the others. So it is Charlie. It had to be.

But he does let his emotions out. Not vocalising them but he shows the others that he understands. Particularly in three scenes:

1.

2.

3.

( I literally wrote something AMAZING BUT FFS TUMBLR DELETED IT)

These scenes show him care and breaking. He let's his voice break while shoving snow into Todd's mouth. To clean Todd and to drown his thoughts aswell. He has to be there but God he breaks. Because he cared

He cared so damn much for Neil. And it was that stupid system that took him away. His inner self is caring, Poetic and confronting. But how?

With all his emotions that are directed at the system regarding Neil's death, he does his first rebellion. And that not singing. The singing is only a recognition of the fact that evil Tom isn't at fault. Being in the front row and not singing? Fucking provoking.

So what's next? Now that he has found his last finding piece? The confronting kind? Not the part hiding behind humour? (If you notice he hasn't cracked a joke since Neil offed. Ofc bc the times are dark but he could've said one after the funeral. But he didn't, he was just angry)

Well....

His last scene.

He knew what would happen once Cameron walked away. He knows his roommate too much. But the reason why he punched Cameron wasn't for the fact that they couldn't work it out on the remix but more for the fact that he saw Cameron as the system. As Cameron kept digging, Charlie thought that this was the way out. Every person who experienced grief knows it's all over the place and often not understandable. If I could explain it, I would say that he had the hope of starting the rebellion needed. But he couldn't.

He failed at confronting it to its most effective stage.

He managed to comfort his friends, he managed to change his mind. But sometimes confronting ends at the start.

But it was he who failed, not the mindset. It was the rest but most importantly todd who continued it...

It's sad to not hear anything after his expulsion but I think it would be even more heartbreaking. Charlie is a lot of things but the most important one is that he is a boy. Utterly experiencing things he shouldn't have. To think that he ended his time at Welton, disproving the thing he mostly cared for (which was attention to himself) just to find himself while so is...beautiful. He broke free and now has to be alone to find his future. This is both tragic and hope-fulfilling. Wherever he ended up, I hope Charlie learned to deal with Neil's death as well...

Or I'm delusional and he's just a 16-year-old boy without depth.

Again characters are always up for debate and everyone has their interpretation. I finally wrote down mine and think it's important to share. Do with it what you want but please remain polite. Except when you crack a joke

I want jokes 🔥

[davycoquette]

random dreamscape snippet

Collaborative writing character intro. Silas, the "cabbie," is a witch who can enter people's dreams. He works as a private investigator, and has been hired by Dalton's wife to confirm her suspicions.

Oh, Dally-Wally. What a mess you’ve made of things.

Dalton Waller was prone to false awakening dreams. He’d always been, ever since he was a kid growing up in Bumfuck, North Dakota. He’d go through the whole process: hear the rooster crow, rise from bed, brush his teeth, inhale some lukewarm oats, wait for his bus in the biting cold, hit the same pothole day in and day out, get to class, listen to the demonic snickering roll like a wave through homeroom: the classic Forgot to Wear Pants to School nightmare. He stopped falling for it, after a while. Learned to pinch himself, and eventually just to sit up; then he was awake in earnest.

It didn’t stop the dreams from happening. When he met the future Mrs. Waller in physics class in Oregon, he once dreamed he woke and sneaked into her dorm room. A few years later, he dreamed he rose from bed and immediately spoiled the proposal he’d planned for their California trip the following week.

But tonight, Dalton wasn’t dreaming about Ava Waller. He was dreaming about Sierra — oh, what was her last name, again? — and a taxi ride over to her place for an early morning romp. Part of him knew it was one of Those Dreams. They couldn’t do this — they had jobs; they’d met at work! She’d catered an event at his firm. Hit it off, exchanged social media under innocuous pretense. Exchanged likes, comments. Private messages. Life stories.

Since it was a dream, he didn’t mind swatting the usual nagging thoughts about his two kids out of his head.

Dalton had never actually hooked up with Sierra, but it did occupy his every waking (and sleeping, but we’ll get to that) thought. He spent his free time messaging her, grinning at his phone. All the while he became increasingly distant from Ava. Stayed later at work for the privacy it afforded. Told himself he was just working harder for his family. The usual song and dance; the emotional affair preceding a physical one.

He didn’t realize Ava was onto him. She didn’t know the details, of course, but she had her suspicions, and she’d be damned if she was going to let Dalton keep pulling the wool over her eyes.

Anyway, the taxi ride: Dalton felt vaguely lucid and wanted to fast-forward through it, but traffic seemed pretty congested in the dreamscape, this morning.

The cabbie fucked with the radio dials, changing from a station that apparently aired nothing but the nonsensical babbling of an infant to a laugh track.

“Can ya turn that down?” Dalton asked.

The cabbie grinned back at him. A Cheshire grin. Dalton found his driver's sleepy blue eyes ominous. He willed himself to wake up again, but the eyes pulled him back in, holding him as if underwater.

“Sorry, boss,” the driver replied, and turned down the laugh-track station. “Hey, it’s a right up here, yeah?”

Dalton squinted, then said, “No, not this next one. Field House, a couple blocks down.” He pulled a double take at the tall yellow grass passing by the windows. “…Where are we, again?”

“Where are we?” the black-haired cabbie echoed.

“Devil’s Lake.” Dalton furrowed his eyebrows. “North Dakota.”

“Is this where Sierra lives?”

“Sierra lives offa Field House. On Third.”

The cab-driver gave a little hyena chuckle, then pulled over onto a busted curb. Dalton hurried to let himself out, and looked over the roof of the taxi at the cabbie as he too climbed out of the car.

They were in a North Dakota field, alright, except Sierra’s semi-high-rise apartment building stood in the middle of it, and the sidewalks were in apocalyptic disrepair, and while familiar, nothing was right.

And his cab driver was wearing the kinda hat a ship captain might wear paired with a Hawaiian button-down.

“My fare,” the cabbie prompted.

Dalton passed him a handful of oxidized pennies, which the young man palmed into his mouth.

“Alright, champ.” The cabbie slapped him hard between his shoulders. “You have fun, now.” Something in his voice — his voice itself — it had the cadence of Dalton’s father, and the moment was almost precisely the same as one in which he was dropped off for a middle school baseball practice. Late March, unseasonably warm. He could feel the baseball mitt in his hand, but when he looked down, it was just his hand, and the cabbie wasn’t his father but a stranger with eyes he couldn’t stand to look into. They seared his retinas like he'd stared into the sun.

He turned and strode away toward Sierra’s apartment building, and the cab driver sat on the hood of the taxi, apparently to wait.

As Dalton put distance between them, the gravitational pull of his body dragged the edges of his dream until the cab and the driver sat at the fringes. Time and space grew tenuous here, and from his perch on the hood the driver felt content to wait on this precarious ledge with yellow prairie grass swaying on his right, a surreal swirl of cloud and celestial dust encroaching on his left.

I feel bad for tagging because this one is so weird and disjointed but @fortunatetragedy 👀 If you want fewer like this pls let me know!

[newcarwhodiss]

I Just See The Sunset (I am Afraid)

In which Logan is broken and Max Verstappen is there.

(not beta read,trash writing and probably only one part)

title from Sleep Patterns by Merchant Ships

warnings: self-harm,attempt at su!cide

Soft rays of the warm,summer sun slipped through the blinds into the stark white room. Logan doesn't remember how he got into this hospital room or why the hell a sleeping Max Verstappen,a damn world champion,was in a chair near the bed. It all came rushing back after that thought though.

The crash.

The painful crack in his knee.

The fire.

The words.

The pills and razor.

The aftermath.

He's pretty sure Max found him on his driver's room floor,bleeding from cuts on his thighs,holding a empty paracetamol bottle and a very clearly broken knee. It was clear what he did and yet Max still helped him. Logan didn't want to be helped and yet he still got it. He wondered who knew,if his family back in Florida knew...he wonder if Oscar knew. It didn't matter now,he was already in a hospital room and the whole world probably knew.

He didn't notice that Max had woken up and was now watching Logan stare up at the ceiling,recounting another failure in his life.

"You're awake?" Max's sleep-ridden voice fills Logan's ears. He slowly turn his head in the direction of Max and he nods,not trusting his voice enough to say something.

"You've been unconscious for a few days now,luckily after your crash,this week's race was postponed." Max reassured Logan,that he wasn't gone for long. That he was still alright,that he could be here for Logan,to support him but unfortunately all Logan gathered from his words is that he was the reason the rest of the drivers couldn't continue with the success.

"I'm sorry..." Logan's unused voice whispered to Max.

"What are you sorry for? There's nothing to be sorry for Logan." Max says,a tone that reminded Logan of his older brother,reassuring and comforting. Logan felt sorry for a lot of things but he didn't need to go into detail now

"You could've have raced this week,gotten another win but 'stead you're here." Sad tone tainted Logan's words. Max looked at him as of he had said the worst thing possible.

"Your life is more important than me wining another race,Logan." Max says firmly. Max was angry at Willams,at James Vowles for making this poor boy think he's worth less than he really is. He can't believe that Willams let Logan walk off with broken knee,not even caring enough to do a simple once over after his crash.

He almost broke down when he found Logan,body stiff on the floor of his driver's room. He had went to check on him because even though he and Logan didn't talk much,he was still worried about the boy. He had once seen Logan buy a razor,now looking back,he should've done something. At the time,he didn't think much of it,he thought Logan was buying a razor to shave but he should've looked more into the bandages over the younger's arms,slightly stained red.

Max hands Logan his phone. "I imagine there's notifications for you to look at or something."

Logan took his phone and opened it,he ignored the missed calls from his parents,the hundreds of messages from Oscar,Dalton and Alex. He opened his Instagram and decided to make a post. He went to his camera app and took a few pictures of what he saw around him,one of his teary face. He then noticed Max holding his hand and looked up at him,Max nodded understanding what Logan wanted to do. He took a quick pic from an angle that look like someone else took the photo and decided to post that along with three other photos,including the one of his face.

(pics from pinterest)

@logansargeant

lol or whatever the kids say

comments are turned off

Logan gave back is phone to Max and closed his eyes,he knew his post would cause some problems with PR probably but right not he wanted to sleep.

"Goodnight Max."

"It's still late afternoon but have a good sleep,Logan."

p.s. from writer : take care of yourselves guys,please,i promise that someone loves you even if they don't show it. <33

[flatbstanley]

Monday, 9:16 am -- Dalton Family Law, San Myshuno

Will: I don’t doubt for one minute that Justin was following you. But without proof that he was within 250 feet of you or otherwise violating the terms of the order, there’s not much you can do.

Taylor: So he’s just going to get away with it? Like he got away with posting that video? I know you keep saying that we can use this all in court—that it will help me then—but it doesn’t help me now.

Will: I understand. This is the hardest part in these cases. But the best you can do is to keep gathering evidence against him.

Will: And speaking of evidence…I have some news on that front you may not like. I know you were hoping to use Justin’s behavior towards the children as grounds for full custody. We’ve got plenty of evidence of his behavior towards you, but nothing that directly implicates him when it comes to the kids. Which means our only option would be to put your kids on the stand.

Will: I’ll be blunt with you: I think it’s a god-awful idea. I would move heaven and earth to keep my own boys from going through that kind of trauma. And Judge Turner doesn’t like kids on the stand either, so it may well end up working against you.

Taylor: …So there’s really nothing I can do.

Will: We’re building the strongest case we can. If Justin keeps running his mouth, he may well say something on that damn podcast that seals the deal.

Will: But in the meantime, I do have one suggestion that may help keep you and the kids safe.

Taylor: What’s that?

Will: How do you feel about dogs?

[peonierose]

Once (4/5)

**This story takes place before it was revealed that Addison would come back/is alive **

Book: The Nanny Affair & Open Heart Crossover / AU

Characters involved: Sam Dalton (M!MC), Ethan Ramsey (M!MC) and Robin Flores (M!MC)

Part IV of V / Miniseries

Words: 4,000+

Rating: Mature

TW: Cancer, character death, mental illness

Summary: It’s the day of Addis funeral. Thankfully Sam isn’t alone he has his friends and family to be there for him.

A/N: This is in honor of my friend Mira who died from ovarian cancer. May you rest in peace 💜

A/N part 2: @annieruok94 Thank you for proofreading 💚

Music Inspiration: You can check out some songs I posted for @moodmusicmonday Here’s a complete list for all the songs of all chapters 🥰

Part IV

The evening before Addie's funeral started with heavy rain, pelting mercilessly on the windows of our apartment in New York.

Then I correct myself. It's now my apartment, not ours, since Addie…is gone. I lean my head against the cold glass and just breathe out through my nose.

I can hear thunder rumbling in the distance as lightning illuminates the otherwise dark room with white and purple light.

I lift my head and look up.

With my hand in my pocket, I stared outside at the skyscrapers rising high in the air. City lights glow from down below.

I saw my reflection staring back at me in the glass of the window. Looking tired and forlorn. I feel like a piece of me died with Addie. We might’ve had our ups and downs but I love her. No matter what happened.

God, I miss her so damn much.

I look down at the glass of scotch I poured earlier. Losing count of how many drinks I’ve had tonight. Not giving two fucks if I’m hungover the next day. At least it’ll numb my pain for a little while.

I’m swirling the scotch in my hands that I poured myself a while ago. The ice cubes have already melted inside. Watering down the taste of the scotch.

I take a sip, as it smoothly runs down my throat burning its way down.

“Getting shit-faced. Is that how you’re spending your days now, Sam?“

I hear an angry voice. That voice belongs to my non-biological brother Robin. A pain-in-the-ass if you ask me.

Unbothered by his presence I take another sip and keep staring outside.

He comes to a stop next to me. I don’t even look at him. Just continue looking outside. Not seeing anything.

“Anybody home?“ He taunts me.

I glance at him out of the corner of my eye.

“What do you want?“ I ask not caring how I sound.

“Oh, so he speaks? That’s nice,“ he says sarcastically.

I roll my eyes at that. Robin has never been very subtle. I always admired that about him in a way. He’s passionate and doesn’t hold back when it comes to the people he loves.

“Again what do you want?“ I just want him gone and to be left alone. So that I can finish my drink in peace.

That’s when my drink is yanked out of my hand.

“The hell, Rob?“ I glare at him. My voice is dangerously low. But he either ignores that or doesn’t care. I’d say it’s a bit of both.

“What is wrong with you? Addi died and all you seem to care about is getting shit-faced?“ He almost shouts at me. His fists clenched at his sides, anger rolling off of him in waves.

“Do I look drunk to you? No? Then kindly fuck off.“

I’m holding out my hand for him to pass me my glass.

He just scoffs.

“You know what? No. I’m not just going to leave you here. So that you can wallow in misery,“ he pauses for a second, before continuing.

I raise my eyebrows at him. Not care why he’s here. I love him, but right now? I want to get drunk. Not having a heart-to-heart.

Robin continues unperturbed.

“As for why I’m here. Mom called me. Since you don’t know what a phone is these days and how it works. She asked me to check in on you. You ghosted everyone. Our parents are worried. So are Mickey and Mason. Remember? Your kids? Whose mom died?“ He punches the bridge of his nose and breathes out a deep sigh.

My breath hitches at the mention of my boys. But I don't want to talk to Robin, because once I start? I won’t be able to finish. Because I know I’ll break down and weep like a little baby.

So I school my features.

“Our parents? You mean my parents? We're not blood-related, Robin.“

I know that was a low blow. But I just want him gone. If there is no other way than hurting him so that he leaves? So be it.

He inhales sharply at my words. But then a look of understanding and softness enters his espresso-colored eyes.

“I know what you’re trying to do, Sam. You’re trying to hurt me with words so that I’ll leave. Nice try,“ he just looks at me.

“Who says I was lying?“ I raise an eyebrow and bite my inner cheek.

“Really? What would Addi say if she could see you now? Drinking? Being an ass? Pushing family away? That’s not you Sam!“ He sighs.

“I’m not in the mood for a fight.“

I say in response.

He shakes his head at me.

“Color me surprised. I thought for sure, that’s where you were going with your little insults. But what do I know? I’m your not-brother who still gives a damn about you. Even though you act like a complete asshole right now,“ he says.

“Just because I don’t react the way you want me to, doesn’t mean you can just come in here and belittle me. I love Addi. Not one minute goes by that I don’t miss her. The hardest part was to know she won’t make it. Do you know what that’s like?“

My voice is rising. And Robin sighs in turn.

“No, I don’t know. But don’t shut us out, Sam. We all love and care about you and the twins. Let us help. Let us carry some of the burden for you. You’re not alone,“ he places a gentle hand on my shoulder. I don’t instantly shake it off.

Seeming to consider his words carefully.

“Look, Sam. Nobody is trying to make this harder on you than it already is. We’re all just trying to process this and find a way to move on. I can’t imagine how hard this must be for you. Everything you’ve been going through since Addi was diagnosed with cancer. We all loved Addi. And now she’s…gone,“ he sighs at the last word.

I let my head fall overcome with suppressed emotions.

“I was trying to numb the pain. That’s why I was drinking. I was halfway there when you barged in.“

I chuckle but it sounds bitter and sad.

“You could’ve at least offered me a drink. No one should drink alone. Come on.“

Robin attempts a smile, that’s more of a half-smirk. But a small smile creeps into the corner of my mouth and stays there.

He pats my back and I look at my brother. Who is a friend whom I’ve been a dick to, just because I needed to lash out at someone.

Because I’m angry, sad, frustrated and just so fucking tired. As if all these months of pain are pouring out on me. Like heavy rain.

This little cloud of swirling emotions is spinning through me and I don’t know what to do. Maybe he’s right. Maybe I should let my family help and carry some of the burden.

I sigh again. So much for thinking that drinking was a good start.

Maybe a vacation or going someplace that doesn’t remind me of Addi would be better instead.

Just to relax and spend time with my boys who are grieving but don’t understand what the fuck is happening because they’re too young.

As Robin and I sit down he looks at me, as if he knows exactly what’s going on inside my head.

“Let’s get drunk,“ he waggled his eyebrows and moved into the living room to find the bottle of scotch I opened earlier. Or was it yesterday? I laugh silently. Not even knowing where yesterday went.

“Aren’t we a little too old for hangovers?“

“Speak for yourself, old man! I don’t have hangovers,“ he gets himself a glass from the cabinet and pours each of us a drink. I watch as the amber-colored liquid fills our glasses.

Clinking our glasses together. We both take a sip.

“This is some good stuff.“ Robin whistles.

I shrug.

“Did you really expect me to get drunk on some cheap liquor? Who do you take me for?“

“God you’re such a snob. But at least I know where to find the good stuff if I ever need a stiff drink,“ he smiles to himself.

We drink in silence. Consumed by our private thoughts.

Robin clears his throat. I look up. He wets his lips looking away. He’s nervous about something.

“Just say it.“

“I heard Addis' parents are coming to the funeral. You never really talk about them. Is there bad blood between you guys?“

He almost whispers the question, as if he’s afraid of how I would take the question.

I take another gulp before answering.

“Not bad blood in and of itself. We just never got along, that’s all.“

Not willing to say more. Robin doesn’t seem convinced.

“There’s got to be more to the story,“ he pushes.

I put my glass on the table immediately, missing its weight in my hands. I lean back in the chair.

“There’s not much to tell. Ever since Addie introduced us there’s been tension. Why? I don’t know. I‘d guess they thought I wasn’t good enough for their daughter.“

“What? You? Not good enough for their daughter? What gives?“ He asked.

“All I know is they come from old money and they probably had someone else in mind for Addie. But she went and married me. Which pissed them off. We never had a peaceful dinner together. One that didn’t end in an argument. They never visited us or gave a damn about Addie. And when Mickey and Mason were born…“

Thinking back to that day. Holding them both in my arms. Those tiny and fragile little humans. My heart is swelling with love.

I knew then and there that I would always love them. Never be their cause for doubt. Yes, I might be strict sometimes. But only because I love them and don’t want to lose them. Like I lost Addi. I take another sip from my drink.

Those boys? They are the most precious gift of all time.

Seeing their smiles every day and being excited about those god-awful experiments? Addie always encouraged them in that regard. I’m smiling to myself lost in thought.

I haven’t noticed the silence that was stretching for far too long.

When Robin’s voice brought me back.

“What’s that smile for?“ He points in my direction with his glass.

“I was thinking of the day when Mickey and Mason were born. And how happy I felt while I was holding them. Being scared of what to do, you know? Then they opened their eyes and just looked at me. It was love at first sight. Holding your child in your arms, it’s incomparable,“ smiling fondly at those memories.

“I’ll take your word for it brother,“ he sips from his drink while glancing down at his watch. He notices my stare.

“Hot date?“ I ask curiously.

He almost chokes on his sip.

“Yeah, right.“

I smirk.

“Don’t tell me you’re losing your touch?“

“No. I’m just busy.“ That is all he says.

I arch an eyebrow at that explanation.

“Right. Of course.“

He sighs loudly.

“Don’t be smug, okay?“

I hold up my hands, smiling.

“I’m just looking for something different. So far I haven’t found it,“ he looks into his glass as if it was holding all the answers.

He gets up from his seat and puts down the glass.

“I should be going. I am busy.“

It looks like he wants to say more. Opening and closing his mouth.

He continues in a soft voice. One I don’t hear often.

“Don’t push the people who care about you away. You don’t have to go through it alone. We’re all here for you. Whatever you need. Just don’t shut us out. Please. The twins can’t lose another person. Neither can we. We love you Sam,“ he smiles softly.

About to leave, when I get up and give him a tight hug.

He didn't expect it and stood still for a moment. Then he relaxes and returns the hug.

“Thank you.“ I whisper.

“I’m sorry about earlier…You are my brother, even if not by blood. Family don’t end with blood.“

He takes a step back and just stares at me.

“Are you quoting Bobby Singer from Supernatural?“ he asks, grinning at me.

I smack him on the arm.

“Don’t make me feel weird about this.“ I say.

He throws his head back and laughs out loud.

“Oh my god. Samuel Alexander Dalton. You watch Supernatural?“

I scoff embarrassed.

“So what? A lot of people do. There’s no shame in that. And why are you giving me shit for that? I know Addie got you hooked on it too,“ I flushed beet red.

“What are you talking about?“ He’s trying to deflect the question.

“What am I talking about? When you both had the flu and were sick for almost a week you sat down and watched seasons 1 through 11. Nobody was allowed to talk or say anything about Sam or Dean. Also, Addie told me that you made some friends online and discussed the episodes with others.“

His cheeks are flaming red and he’s trying to flee.

“Okay, I admit it. I love the show. It has great dialogue and Dean and Sam are hilarious. Happy?“

He throws up his hands in the air and asks impatiently.

“Very.“ I smile.

He rolls his eyes at that.

“Oh and Rob?“ I can’t help saying one last thing, as he’s waiting for the elevator to take him downstairs.

“Yeah?“ He turns around expectantly.

I laugh delightedly.

“SupernaturalFan_67? Does that name sound familiar to you?“ I ask jokingly.

“How…do…you…When…What?“ He stammers.

Tapping his foot impatiently on the marble floor as he’s waiting for the elevator.

He’s clicking the elevator button several times for good measure.

“You left your laptop open when you visited that one time, and Addi saw it and showed it to me. We just couldn’t resist.“

I bite my lip to not burst out laughing when I see the dirty look he gives me.

“That’s why those weird comments appeared. You two made those,“ he points an accusing finger at me.

He sighs.

”I thought I was being hacked. Damn, you’re such a dick, Sam,“ he says as he gets into the elevator.

I wink at him and he rolls his eyes but smiles.

He’s mumbling something under his breath which makes me laugh even harder.

Even after the doors close I’m still laughing.

When I sit down again to enjoy the rest of my remaining drink. I see an old record peeking out from the table.

When I lean forward to see which one it is. I see it’s one of Addie's favorites.

Linda Ronstadt - Long, Long time.

Ah. That woman? Such a gifted singer. We’ve always loved to dance to her songs. Whenever we had some alone time.

With some new vigor, I put the record on and the first tunes of the song play out.

»Love will abide«

»Take things in stride«

»Sounds like good advice«

»But there's no one at my side«

»And time washes clean love's wounds unseen«

»That's what someone told me«

»But I don't know what it means«

»'Cause I've done everything I know«

»To try and make you mine«

»And I think I'm gonna love you«

»For a long long time«

»Caught in my fears«

»Blinking back the tears«

»I can't say you hurt me«

»When you never let me near«

»And I never drew one response from you«

»All the while you fell all over girls you never knew«

»'Cause I've done everything I know«

»To try and make you mine«

»And I think it's gonna hurt me«

»For a long long time«

»Wait for the day you'll go away«

»Knowing that you warned me«

»Of the price, I'd have to pay«

»And life's full of flaws«

»Who knows the cause?«

»Living in the memory of a love that never was«

»'Cause I've done everything I know«

»To try and change your mind«

»And I think I'm gonna miss you«

»For a long long time«

Letting the music and lyrics wash over me. Healing some of the fissures that have opened up. Somehow I feel closer to her with every passing note.

Making me smile even though Addie’s no longer here. But her memory will always stay in my heart, and in the crinkle around my eyes.

Telling the story of how we shared a bond and a love for each other that can’t just be broken. The memories we made? They will never fade.

I fell asleep to the sounds of Linda’s song - Long, Long time.

The Next Day…

The funeral happened in a blur. I don’t even know how. It felt as if I was wading through water.

Not seeing anyone or noticing anything. The boys are with my parents. I asked them if they could watch them.

I don’t want them to be exposed to any gossip. There are some at any funeral.

At least at Addis's funeral I can try and control the narrative a little.

They’re going through enough, they don’t need to hear people talk shit about Addie.

I move through the crowd in the living room and smile politely as I make my way toward the table with drinks.

“I’m not a big fan of people either. I hate making small talk. It’s completely unnecessary. Either say what you have to say or shut up.“

A deep voice rumbles next to me, as I’m trying to pick my poison from the array of alcohol.

I turn around slightly, and my eyes widen in shock at seeing Dr. Ramsey standing next to me.

In an all-black tuxedo, a golden square pocket peaking out.

I gape like a fish with my mouth hanging open.

“Surprised to see me? Yeah me too.“

Ethan replies, already nursing a drink. Though when I look down it looks just like plain water.

I look up and raise a questioning eyebrow.

“Dr. Ramsey I haven’t expected to see you. Least of all at my wife’s funeral.“

I’m still staring at him like I’m seeing him for the first time.

He winces at that.

“Just call me Ethan.“

I exhale.

“Alright, Ethan. But then you should call me Sam. Mr. Dalton sounds…“

A corner of his mouth lifts into a smirk.

“Old?“

Now it’s my turn to wince.

“I wouldn’t go that far. Though I feel old today.“ My shoulders droop.

He pats my shoulder encouragingly.

“I know what you mean.“

I nod in thanks.

“Thank you for coming. We’re literal strangers, apart from seeing each other at the hospital that one time….I….mean you didn’t have to come out here. But I appreciate it nonetheless.“ I smile at him.

He nods in the direction of the library. Which is closed off to visitors. Family only.

“Of course. So should we escape the crowd? I think I was promised a drink. Shall we?“ He asked me.

I slowly nod in agreement and lead the way to my family's study.

Once inside I softly close the door. I don’t want anyone overhearing a private conversation. And then later gossiping about it. I’ve had enough of those already.

What is it with certain people who find joy in other people’s misery? I will never understand that.

“They’re worse than the interns.“ Ethan comments.

I look at him in confusion.

He smiles.

“You were mumbling about people gossiping,“ he says.

I close my eyes for a brief second and draw in a long breath. Letting my head fall on the leather couch and just letting the cold fabric cool down the fire in my blood.

“I guess I’m just wondering about how it can bring people joy to gossip. At a funeral, no less. We’re here to mourn Addi and say goodbye. Not to spread rumors and talk bad behind someone’s back, who can’t even defend herself anymore.“

Getting frustrated and angry, I’m trying to rain my emotions in, since I don’t want to explode. Then people would have something to talk about.

I shudder. I don’t even want to think about that. The reactions about my outburst would be awful. My parents would never shut up about it.

Ethan’s voice brings me back to the here and now.

“You know, people will always talk. No matter what you do. I work at a hospital, where gossip spreads like wildfire. Trust me. I’m still amazed I haven’t gone and thrown someone out the window.“

He grunts as he leans into another one of the leather armchairs. Unbuttoning the first few buttons of his shirt.

I laughed for the first time today, and I’ve got to admit it feels freeing. Not being judged for smiling or laughing, because it’s “inappropriate“. Fuck them.

Addi wouldn’t mind if I laughed today. She’d welcome it.

She’d say ”If someone laughed at some lame joke I made? Yeah, I’d call that a win. Funerals shouldn’t feel like a goodbye. They should feel like a celebration of the person who’s now in a better place.“

She’d be right. So screw them. How do they know how I feel? I grin.

I get up and turn to the glass cabinet in front of me. I get two glasses out and pour each of us a drink.

Ethan takes a sip while I watch his reaction.

“Not bad Dalton. Not bad,“ he takes another sip, this time a bigger one.

“Not bad? I’d hope this was better than not bad. But I’ll take it.“

We sit in silence. But it’s not uncomfortable. Quite the opposite. I lean my head back again and just close my eyes. My glass dangles from my fingers.

Ethan clears his throat slightly.

“So I take it from us drinking at…“

I hear the rustling of fabric, and then “…11 in the morning that we both needed a hit?“

I open my eyes and put my glass down.

“You can say that again. This whole day has been a nightmare.“

I rub my eyes.

“Care to elaborate?“ he asks.

“I don’t know where to start…“ I drift off.

He shrugs his shoulders.

“At the beginning would be good.“ I laugh despite myself.

“Yeah I guess so.“

I draw in a breath, readying myself.

“Addi was diagnosed with ovarian cancer a few months back. I still don’t understand how it could’ve gotten to stage 4 without us not noticing anything. It didn’t make any sense. That’s when the fighting started. She…just wasn’t taking care of herself. I tried cutting back at work. So that I could be there for her and the kids, but all it did was make her angrier. She said she doesn’t need a babysitter. She stopped listening to her doctors. She didn’t spend as much time with the kids anymore. I’m not trying to paint her as a bad mom or person. It’s just…“ I trail off.

“You were worried about her,“ he says matter of factly.

“Yeah. Of course, I was.“

I take another sip, the burning sensation a welcoming feeling.

“What about her parents? I didn’t see them.“ He inquires.

“They weren’t really on speaking terms. They barely visited. Mickey and Mason didn’t like spending much time with them. One time Mason said how they always looked down on them. I mean they’re little kids for god's sake.

He nods in understanding. He’s about to say something, when we both hear the door opening and Robin appears in the doorframe. Looking from me to Ethan he just sighs, shakes his head, closes the door, and takes a seat.

“So what are we drinking to today, Sam?“ He asks no one in particular. And then looks in Ethan's direction.

“You’re new,“ he eyes him suspiciously.

“Nice to meet you too. And I was new 36 years ago. Thank you.“ Ethan mutters sarcastically.

Robin looks at me.

“Where did you find him? Is he your new drinking buddy? I thought that was my job?“ He pouts a little. Which makes him look ridiculous.

“I didn’t find him. He’s a doctor at Edenbrook hospital in Boston,“ I reply to his question.

“You still haven’t answered my question,“ he replies.

Ethan and I share a look. He points between us.

“What’s that look for?“ He asks.

“Ethan was there the day Addi died,“ I explained slowly to Robin.

I can see a mix of emotions in Robin's eyes. With a heavy sigh, he plops himself onto the leather sofa. Crossing his legs.

“I guess that warrants an excuse for a drink, pour me one would you?“ Robin asks and I can’t resist teasing a little bit.

“What am I your servant?“ I say.

Robin laughs at me and says.

“You’d make a nice one,“ and holds his hand out for a drink, but I’ll humor him for today. I get up and get him a drink.

We all hang onto our own thoughts and drink late into the night in my family's study.

I’m glad I have my brother by my side and my new friend or as Robin called him “my drinking buddy“.

I smile as we keep talking and exchanging jabs at each other‘s expense. All in good fun of course.

Life doesn’t seem so bad when you have friends and you’ve won a new drinking buddy over.

The smile is still in place as we go home. I ask Robin and Ethan if they want to stay at my parent's place. There are enough rooms to go around.

They both agree and we all head upstairs to catch some sleep.

Because tomorrow is a fresh start into a better day, with my family by my side.

[horizon-verizon]

About Dalton Greyjoy [16 years old] and Some Atrocities/War Crimes in the Dance (F&B)

*EDITED POST* (4/9/24)

Green stans will wax poetic about how Rhaenyra and Daemon “showed their true colors” and became “Maegor” in just offering Dalton to do "whatever he wanted" by encouraging him to direct his ironborn chaos to their green enemy/their allies (which later came as Dalton choosing to rape/pillage Lannisport). And the blacks did encourage Dalton to do that...AND the greens thought of doing "more" by having him as one of their own council.

The greens were asked him to join and use his ships against Corlys’ and to become the master of ships to replace Tyland Lannister, who became the master of coin ("The Blacks and the Greens"):

This occurs before the black council, if that matters.

("The Blacks and the Greens"):

("The Red Dragon and the Gold"):

And:

If the ironborn are “nortoriously fickle”; ASoIaF fans know what ironborn are like; and the greens would know what these ironborn are like through their knowledge of them through books and stories even from Aegon I and Westeros before Aegon I; and thus they also all knew about Dalton Greyjoy the man himself and his reputation of collecting salt wives from warring and pillaging like they’re bullions -- then the greens also knew that the ironborn/Dalton would eventually, if not immediately, pillage any town/territory of the blacks if he had the will to (and he would have). Yet when Rhaenyra or Dameon decide to use Dalton’s/ironborn bloodlust and let him do what he would have done under the greens, she’s THE bad guy? Once again, the greens don’t mind that he would have done this; it’s useful to them, actually, to have him do this to any black-protected land/people. The greens are not “for the people”/commoners/nonnobles.

Just as the greens (Otto and Alicent and the small council for them) sought out Dalton to use him and win over the blacks, the blacks sought him for the same reasons. Both sides sought him out and seemed to accept that he would destroy/pillage towns and hurt the common folk or wealthy families. With this in mind, Daemon and Rhaenyra, I argue, saw the inevitable and saw how Dalton would have been used against him, and just knew that moves had to be made for protection+advantage vs later worse trouble/disadvantage. Not to rah-rah justify the blacks' actions her and just to make a point about the groups' strategies and countermoves as they were, if they hadn’t made a more interesting offer for Dalton, they would have been in the greens’ shoes. And the greens stans would have used this as proof of how dumb and inept Rhaenyra was, how unfit she is as a ruler. So really, she’s damned if she does, damned if she doesn’t in their eyes as all women who in some way majorly disrupt the patriarchal order are.

Daeron Targaryen--the same boy that many people of both sides, claim was a good person or the only good green--willfully let his men rape and pillage the town of Bitterbridge in thinking that Lady Caswell either killed his nephew Maelor, or allowed it. And he couldn’t/didn’t stop the sack and rape of Tumbleton. Even one of the extolled men (Jon Roxton) under him killed the lord of Tumbleton, and took the lord’s wife as his war prize/sex slave right in front of him and Daeron did nothing. Whether he was appalled or not. And in both of these sacks/pillages, young girls were raped. “Little girls”, the text explicitly says. 

Aemond explicitly kills all the male Strongs -- man and child -- in front of all the survivors in a show of power and suspecting Larys after Rhaenyra takes King’s Landing, while Daemon took Harrenhal with no such atrocities. 

Aemond also razed countless riverland towns and villages just to draw out Rhaenyra. Daemon did none of that.

BTW, this shows how a 16 year old could victimize people much older than him. To all those who want to be like “but Aemond was a kid”.

So was Lucerys, and Lucerys was way younger than Aemond, but Aemond killed him, performed genocide, took a war prize in the about-20-years-older Alys Rivers, razed several castles and villages, etc.

Stay mad, green stans.

[richeeduvie]

Have you seen the movie Charlie Countryman? It’s ass lowkey but Mads Mikkelsen looks the best in it. Acting on point and he’s like a mafia guy or whatever. Reminds me of Lalo aka your type

Okay, let me rant a little bit. Can believe Mads Mikkelsen is one of the only people to become celebrity crush?

Now wait, like- now...like-

The only other three people are Gillian Anderson, Mike Faist, and Antony Starr. Now you're probably thinking like...girl, you write mostly for Lalo and Roman and you don't have a crush on Kieran Culkin and Tony Dalton? And...yeah. By the time I got into BCS and Succession, idk, my brain wasn't too into feeling an attachment or attraction to people I didn't know in real life. Like don't get me wrong, I find them both to be very handsome, but compared to the way my ass was fixating on the celebs listed above, it's nothing like a celebrity crush. I don't even follow Tony on insta. And maybe it's because I follow Kieran Culkin's wife there so like my brain doesn't attach to him out of respect lol? Is this healthiness? Is this me healthily enjoy media?

No cause I'm writing fictional universes to enjoy myself and interact with others but who's gonna stop me. Tumblr tried and I'm free bitches!!

I think it's because with Mike Faist, I was in love with him when he was in Dear Evan Hansen-

Yes I was a DEH fan and I was like thirteen. And I'm so not crushing on him so hard that if I do watch challengers, it's for Zendaya, not for him. That's right, and I was watching the boys when it came out and I was...fourteen? Fifteen? I think you can tell I'm saying my early teen heart was just fixating on the lot of them. I knew Gillian Anderson from Hannibal, like finding out she was in X-files had me dead.

But let me tell you the CHOKEHOLD Mads Mikkelsen had on me. I watched Hannibal when I was way too young and it led to me watching Charlie Countryman and The Hunt way too young. And if you've watched The Hunt, you know kids are not supposed to watching that damn movie. He's the only celebrity that's made me watch things simply because he was in them. I, like, thought I was going to marry him even though he's like 80. I had a pinterest board of him...it was bad. I had different crushes for each of his characters, but I would've let Hannibal eat me.

But yeah, I have seen Charlie Countryman. I watched it twice in the span of three days and I loved it, not just cause of Mads but there was something about it. Haven't seen it in forever though.

I think it goes to show that personality is heavy for me cause I have had and will have plenty of fictional crushes, and it's like I know them cause I watch a piece of media surrounding their entire lives, but when I see the actor? Even if they look the exact same, idk that mother fucker...love you, Kieran, though...

Sorry for the ramble, I just don't think many of you know that Mads Mikkelsen is why I am the way that I am and probably why I'm writing today lol

[bloodfromthethorn]

What Do You Mean 'Oops'

Filling in a few of the prompts for @rosieblogstuff's June MacGyver Flashfic Writealong.

Also on Ao3

..

It happened, as all such things always seemed to, on a quiet day like any other.

Really, their morning had been fine. No hostiles, no unexpected booms. Fine. As days in the Sandbox went, Jack really couldn’t have asked for more. In hindsight, that was perhaps exactly why he should have known it would all go tits up on their very first call after lunch.

“Oh, shi- Uh. Oops.”

His heart seemed to stop in his chest. It was only when there was no immediate explosion of light and sound that he found the strength to flatly ask, “What do you mean, ‘oops?’”

“I don't like to swear around people I don't know well. Some people get offended.”

“Not even slightly what I was asking, Macgyver.”

It was likely the use of the kid's real name and not his biting tone that pushed his bomb nerd into cutting the crap, but he'd take it. Whatever worked. "I cut a wire I shouldn't have done," he admitted without further prompting. “It's fine, I think. Just going to have to work a bit quicker than I'd planned.”

God, it was like pulling fucking teeth. “How much quicker?”

“Uh, two minutes and counting.”

The spike of adrenaline that had started to ebb with the dude's apparent lack of concern redoubled with a vengeance. In the space of a single breath, Jack's heart rate hit the ceiling and kept going. “Two– For fuck's sake kid, get the hell out of there!”

As he spoke, he automatically started racing through the motions of tearing down his nest and stowing his weapon. His rifle was unwieldy at the best of times and they were going to need to move quickly. Already he was calculating how long it'd take him to hit ground level, plus time to meet the kid halfway, plus–

“It's fine,” Macgyver said again, entirely unconvincingly. “I've got this.”

“I don't give a damn how good you are,” Jack bit out, racing for the stairs, “Two minutes ain't enough time to disarm anything. Stow your equipment and git.”

“It's not a complex mechanism,” he shot back, because apparently they were still arguing about this and there just wasn't time. For the first time in what felt like years, real, genuine fright gripped at Jack's chest and chilled him to the bone. “I'm pretty sure this is the work of that cell that's been giving us trouble. We have orders to bring in as many devices as possible so we can try to track their suppliers.”

“Not if it means you getting blown to bits, you lunatic,” Jack snapped. He was wasting breath that would have been better spent running, but their time was already slipping away and Macgyver still wasn’t moving.

“Dalton, I’ve got this.” A brief, loaded pause. “Trust me.”

That, despite every nerve in his body screaming at him to move, to do something, brought Jack to a screeching halt. Something in the way the kid said it maybe, that vulnerable, already defeated voice, as if Macgyver was certain his request would go unheeded. Wildly, Jack suddenly found himself asking how many other Overwatches he’d previously asked to believe in him and how many times that hope had been shot down. Going off the audible resignation, it had been a lot.

Jack had never been one to trust blindly. It was one of the reasons he’d been so fucking good as an agent; his loyalty was absolute and immovable, but he’d only ever handed it over to people who had wholly earned the right. Now, he was being asked the same by a guy he’d only known for three weeks, a guy he didn’t even like. Macgyver was smart and he was cautious and he might just be the best bomb tech Uncle Sam had ever sent to this godforsaken desert and–

There wasn’t time.

Trust me.

There wasn’t time.

“Okay,” he heard his own voice say. Without conscious effort, his feet started him moving again. “I’m out the nest, I’ll come to you. On your six in ten.”

“What– No,” Macgyver said back sharply. Even when Jack was – apparently – agreeing with him, he still somehow felt the need to be an argumentative little shit. “Safe zone’s around thirty feet. Keep your distance.”

So overwhelmed with adrenaline and a little giddy at his heretofore undiscovered ability to just freely put his faith in a man he barely knew, Jack found himself snorting. “Thought you said you’d got it, no need to worry.”

“That doesn’t mean you should risk yourself too. If I do mess up, I don’t want to take anyone with me.”

Jack skidded into view of the kid just as he finished speaking, a bubble of relief fizzing in his gut when he got him back in his sights. Outside of everything else, he hadn’t even noticed the faint edge of panic that came from having his charge out of his eyeline when they were in the field. “Tough,” Jack said easily. Now that he’d committed to the decision to stick this out and let Macgyver do what he could, it felt almost freeing to turn his attention back to his usual Overwatch duties. “You’re my bomb nerd, that means if we go down, we go down together.”

“...Charming.” Despite the flat tone, Jack caught the way he briefly paused to glance back at him over his shoulder, and the way tension dropped out of him when he spied his cover holding back at the edge of the square and determinedly not marching forwards to bodily drag him away. A moment later, he followed it with an almost unbearably soft, “Thanks.”

“Anytime. Now how’s that bomb coming?”

“Almost there. Forty seconds.”

Jack trusted him. He really, genuinely did. He didn’t know how, or why, and he hadn’t even known that he did until about twenty seconds ago, but nonetheless it was there, burning bright in his breast. All the same, he spent the next thirty eight seconds with his heart beating out of his chest.

He didn’t speak, didn’t want to distract. He just did his job and watched Macgyver’s back. He probably wouldn’t have had time to do much of anything if some asshole did turn up to try to fill them full of holes, but it was the principle of the thing. At the very least, Jack would take anyone who tried down with them.

Just at the moment his courage was about to fail – and the structural integrity of his knees with it – the kid sat back on his heels with a suddenness that made Jack jump, and huffed a sharp sigh. “It’s done. It’s safe.”

With that, Macgyver flopped back to lie flat on the sand, arms splayed out at his sides. Jack could see the way his chest heaved all the way across the square.

“Fuck,” he said, loudly. A second later, he was laughing. A second after that, the kid joined in.

It felt unreal. The sudden absence of adrenaline was almost like being high the way it made Jack’s whole body feel light and loose with sheer relief. When he staggered over to stand at the kid’s side, he could see that same bright flash in his expression too. “Jesus Christ, Macgyver,” he said, breathless. “Never do that again.”

One blazing blue eye squinted open against the bright sunlight, glittering. For the first time, the grin he sent Jack’s way looked entirely genuine. “No promises,” he said, sticking out a hand to let Jack haul him back onto to his feet. “And for the record, it’s Mac.”

[authorangelita]

First Sentences Game

Tagged by @disappearinginq - thank you!!

Rules: share the first lines of ten of your most recent fanfics and tag ten people. If you have written less than ten, don’t be shy and share anyway.

Tagging: @impossiblepluto, @appalachianapologies, @bloodfromthethorn, @januarydivide, @rosieblogstuff, @lailuhhh, @erinsworld, @nativestarwrites, and anyone else who wants to play! I've been traveling today, so I'm behind on posts and hope I didn't double-tag anyone.

1. From: Foster Mac 2: Mac Moves In

Mac spent several days in an emergency foster home, and there were a lot of kids there, so Mac kept to himself.  He was polite with the adults and spent most of his time working through a Calculus textbook from the library or reading ahead in his homework. 

2. From: Out Is Through Part 2

The Phoenix jet had been upgraded at some point over the last five years.  The seats were incredibly comfortable, with a plush, soft brown leather that almost felt like a hug when you sat in it.  Plus, a few of them even reclined.  Jack had claimed a recliner toward the back of the plane and sat there [redacted because I'm not sure I'm keeping this tidbit] while he watched Mac and Riley. 

3. From: Mac Drugged Jack Saves Him

Jack was woken by his ringing phone.  He rolled over, grabbed his phone, and glanced at the alarm clock.  2:37 AM.  No one in the history of the world had ever gotten a good phone call in the middle of the night.

4. From: Febuwhump 2023 Panic

A scream startled Jack awake, and he was on his feet and moving before his brain registered what was happening. 

He dashed across the hallway and through Mac's open bedroom door to find his partner frantically fighting his way out of his twisted bedsheets.  Mac made panicked, distressed sounds as he tried to push the sheets away with his left arm in a cast. 

5. From: Mac kidnapped Texas

Janie Dalton was startled awake.  Her bedroom was dark, and the clock's bright blue numbers seared 3:13am into her retinas.  It was too damn early.  She had less than two hours before she had to get up to tend to the ranch, so why was she awake now?

6. From: Mac Throat Injury (for Bad Things Happen Bingo)

Jack found Mac in the last place he expected to find him: sitting quietly in an exam room in Phoenix Medical.

"Everything all right?" Jack asked as he moved to Mac's side and looked him up and down.  There was plenty of blood on his clothes, but Jack was pretty sure it had all come from Riley.  He himself also wore a fair amount of her blood. 

7. From: Mac Sole Survivor (for Bad Things Happen Bingo)

Mac's ears were ringing from the explosion that had sent him tumbling down the stairs he'd been taking two or three at a time to get out of the building.  There was so much dust in the air that he could barely see what was in front of his face, and it was clogging his nose and throat, causing him to cough painfully with aching ribs. 

8. From: maybe not today

~~! 2036 !~~

The sun was barely over the horizon when they started their horseback ride through the pastures and trails around the Dalton family ranch.  Jack had wisely suggested they start their ride early, because it was July 4th weekend, and it would be too hot during the day.  Even ten-year-old Jay agreed, but that might have been because it was one of his favorite ranch activities.  He'd been up and dressed and ready to saddle his black and white-spotted Appaloosa before half the adults had even had their first cup of coffee.

9. From: sleepy Mac debrief

This debrief was taking far too long in Jack's opinion.  He and Mac had landed just past midnight and immediately reported to Phoenix.  They'd filed their after action reports while in flight, so he wasn't sure why it was so important that they rehash everything right now when they were both running on very little, or no, sleep.

10. From: don't be dead

The explosion knocked Jack off his feet.  He scrambled back up quickly and ran for the burning building that Mac was still inside. 

"Jack!" Riley shouted, reaching for him but missing as he dodged around her and darted through an open doorway. 

[sithwitch13]

Ring of Honor Supercard of Honor 4/6/23

Had a nap and now I'm finally watching this

Nigel!

Lee Johnson looked so good vs Kyle Fletcher. I've always liked him and I'm glad he got to show his stuff here.

Are there any good primers on major Stardom storylines? I've been meaning to watch more than just a match or two every now and then and this weekend has pushed it to the front of my mind.

I am for sure and going back to find out more about Maria and Mina's history

I really love the Infantry getting a push.they've been solid this whole time and they're getting to show it off

Wardlow you gotta stop being a dick

Aww, my daughter Billie looks so cool

Queen Aminata is just so amazing. She's talented, strong, gorgeous, smart, everything.

CAPRICE SINGING THE QUEEN TO BE SONG FROM COMING TO AMERICA, I'M DEAD

Billie you tricksy kid

Damn, I forgot that was only a year ago that Dante's leg turned around backwarda

"You and butt stuff all the time."

I saw someone call this team Murder Monster Sauce

"Why are you following me???" Jay is basically a cornered ferret

SUZUKI CALLED AUSTIN AN ASS BOY

Austin looks like he tried to gold leaf himself

Yesss Dalton vs Johnny TV! This is the match I'm second most excited for (after Athena)

Dalton has acquired a flock!

the crowd chanting "YOU SICK BOY" at Stingray from Cobra Kai rules

How are Shida and Athena so beautiful and talented???

The Karlach cosplay 😍

Okay time for Eddie vs Mark Briscoe (also time for tears)

YAY MARK

Aww, everyone 💜

Mark and Eddie hug 💜💜💜

And now to Wrestlemania

[lailuhhh]

no pressure but I read your tags and "jack having to put a gun to mac's face" is SEARED in my mind and please tell us more about this

Bro bro okay :)

“The hell do ya mean yer gonna go with her? You’ve had some stupid ideas before, but this takes the cake right now.”

“After what she told me when she took me, something big is happening, and if I’m not completely on board with this idea and sell it, we’re not going to stand a chance.”

“Ya can’t do that.”

“There’s no other way, Jack.” Mac sighed. “I need to know if what she said was true, and figure out what I can about my mom.”

And then fast forward.

Knowing that Mac had been declared an international fugitive and terrorist was bad enough. Pulling— whatever he did in the Phoenix had to be done to sell the whole thing had been difficult to deal with.

Watching both him and Riley run from the Phoenix and straight for the enemy compound—

That might’ve been the last time he saw them. He might’ve let the two closest things he had to kids just run to their death, and there wasn’t anything he could do about it.

And through the magic of television

Jack had to watch as Desi held a gun leveled at Riley’s head. He knew what she would do; she was a solider, and a damn good one at that. She wouldn’t fire on emotions alone.

Russ though—

Jack didn’t like Russ; didn’t like how he dragged Mac back into the spy life after he finally got out. Jack didn’t like how the man always seemed like he was hiding something, or how he even heard of the Phoenix in the first place, and becoming a generous benefactor was bullshit.

Russ leveling a gun to Mac’s head was all he could take, because Jack didn’t know Russ. He didn’t know how he’d react in extreme situations of stress. So Jack did the one thing he absolutely never watched to do.

He shoved Russ out of the way, and leveled his own gun at Mac’s head.

“If anyone’s gonna shoot him it’s gonna be me.”

It was wrong in every way. The weight of a loaded gun in his hands was so much heavier in that moment than ever before. But he wouldn’t pull the trigger. He’d more likely pull it on himself than shoot Mac. But it was the only way to keep him safe in that situation.

AND THEN

Jack heaved a heavy breath when the whole situation came to light, when Mac finally told everyone his plan. He nearly doubled over as the tension that was there was cut in half. Desi’s gun had been lowered, and Jack had holstered his completely, but Russ still had his drawn, still towards Mac.

“Put that fuckin thing down, man. Ya heard him. All accordin to plan.”

“I’m sorry I don’t share your idea on the matter, Dalton. In case you didn’t know, he’s been labeled a fugitive. I’m not going to let him off the hook.”

A snort. “Then ya better point that thing at me cuz I knew all about this, and if you for one second think that yer gonna take me out, I can tell ya right now that yer wrong.”

[rubyroo-proper]

To these I add...

Usopp's Sogeking mask still having the long nose

The gag where Dalton tells the Strawhats+Vivi they can see Drum Mountain through that window... Only Luffy's snowman is blocking the view

Zoro being soft towards/protective of Chopper

Marguerite treating Luffy like he's a pesky kid brother she got roped into babysitting but damn if she's gonna let that kid drown...

Vivi wearing a wig in her Miss Wednesday persona (or anything to disguise her appearance how did it take them 2 years to figure her out??)

CINEMATIC PARALLELS BETWEEN LABOON AND LUFFY (foreshadowing Sabaody/Marineford arcs maybe)

Chopper panicking when someone gets hurt and forgetting he's a doctor/can't swim

Instead of coming down with "Love Sickness" Hancock is just really bad at hiding the fact she's got a thing for Luffy (and maybe annoyed about it)

The design team getting really creative with Skypiea culture (instead of "a lot like our society but a little different")

Usopp Voodoo!

Chopper showing affections with light headbutts

things i REALLY want to see adapted in opla (eventually)

sanji seeing a bug on jaya and screaming very high pitched

extremely homoerotic nami vs kalifa fight

the gag from whiskey peak where a nun pulls a gun on zoro

sanji getting kicked in the dick at enies lobby

ace, smoker and luffy's meeting in the restaurant, beat for beat, exactly the same

10 extended minutes of ace and sanji gay eye contact

bon clay using his devil fruit ability to force the actors for the strawhats to play their characters OOC

the straw hats doing a cheerleader pyramid for thriller bark's docking scene

nami, luffy and sanji getting their asses kicked by jamie lee curtis

impel down buggy with long hair and a ponytail

franky having multiple fully-coordinated flash mob sequences

sogeking having multiple full theme song sequences

background gag of zoro lifting increasingly improbably-sized weights

enel having absolutely zero facial acting until the Enel Face Moment at which point we learn he is capable of contorting his face in a VERY hilarious manner

makkenyu doing zoro's Cool Pose on little garden and his call of bravery on skypeia

sanji's appalling skypeia outfit

tiny luffy from gear 3 cooldown

thriller bark but it's filmed and directed like a low budget 70s exploitation film (with camera grain to match)

Gothic Single Father Mihawk

iñaki carrying law's Significantly Taller actor around dressrosa like a sack of potatoes

zou but every mink extra is played by fans in fursuits

omega flowey levels of terrifying mixed media for gear 5 that comes out of your tv and kills you in real life

feel free to add your own✌️

[funnywiccanwritingcorner]

Le Joyau le plus precieux - Candyfloss

WARNINGS!!!

Contains NSFW scenes and LGBTQ+ couples. Don’t like, don’t read. All the characters are over 18 years old.

Chapter VII

The season was now turning to more erratic temperatures and shorter and shorter days. It rained at least once a day, in the afternoon, and the Seine had risen about ten centimetres. With his umbrella slung over his arm, Jesse was strolling around the city serenely. For four days in a row he had been busy with the show, and had not been able to see Billy after the morning after the opening night, keeping in touch with messages and phone calls. Finally the performance period had ended, and that morning going to the candy shop had been his first thought.

He opened the door, ringing the bell; Billy from behind the counter immediately ran up to him to hug him: -Jesse!- -Hello, Billy... But!?- -What?- The actor was horrified: on the younger man's right cheekbone stood out a purplish bruise, quite recent. -They beat you up?!?- -Oh, this! A madwoman attacked me; I'll explain while I wrap these.- He was preparing packages of mixed jellies on the counter, and as he filled the boxes and closed them he said: -You know these women who are overprotective of their children?- -Yes. - -That's it, I was selling candy in the park as usual, and just because I took the liberty of giving a licorice wheel to a kid, this lady started yelling at me. When I tried to reason with her, she punched me. There was a policeman standing nearby, who dragged all three of us into the police station, and luckily Joe was on duty and took care of it.- -Thankfully.- -This is the second time I've had unfounded accusations. I begin to suspect that I have a bad face that doesn't inspire confidence!- -Oh, no, I can assure you that your face has nothing to do with it. Some people are unfortunately paranoid.- -According to paranoia, Joe seems to have gotten over it; he's not mad at me anymore.- -That's a win.- -I think he realised that I'm not a "monster".- He closed the last packet: -Hey, I have something for you.- -For me?- Billy grabbed him by the scarf and pulled him to himself, forcing the actor to rest his hands on the counter to keep his balance, and popped a peck on his mouth and then smiled cheerfully: -A little bit of sugar to start the day!- Jesse smiled tenderly: -I will treasure it.- -I've missed you these four days... Ah, now that I think about it: how did it go at the theatre? I know you guys had a blast!- -Yes, it was--

A sound of breaking glass interrupted the speech. The boy jerked, blanching, and Jesse turned sharply: the shop window was shattered, with a large hole in the middle of a web of cracks; on the ground was a fist-sized rock. -Who dared??- The dark-haired man rushed out the door, but despite the sparse presence of passers-by he saw no one suspicious. -Damn it!!!- Billy came out in turn, shocked: -Look at this!!! It's a good thing I hadn't exposed anything yet, or the glass would have gone into my candy bowls!!!- -This act of vandalism cannot go unpunished, I'm calling Joe!-

-Are you sure you didn't touch that stone?- detective Dalton asked. -Absolutely; I watch crime stories from time to time, and I know there may be prints on it...- mumbled Billy, arms folded. One gloved officer located the stone, while another took photos and notes. -Do you want to make a complaint?- -Oh, indeed! That's at least three hundred euros of damage; I really can't afford it now!- -Well. We'll do our checks; you in the meantime... pick up the pieces. I'll call you when we have something.- -Certainly.- Jesse put his hands on the boy's shoulders in a gesture of comfort, then turned to Joe: -I heard about the aggression. Could it be the same... lunatic who hit him?- -I don't know. These nutters are a thorn in my side, especially during demonstrations, you know, traditional family and all that... but vandalising a shop is something new. I wouldn't exclude it, though.- -I'll go get a broom...- Billy sighed a bit dejectedly, heading into the backroom. -Hey, Jesse.- In a low voice, Dalton motioned the other to come closer: -You stay with the boy. He seems pretty down to me.- -Obviously. This shop is his whole life. To see it reduced like this is a very hard blow.- -Yeah. It's sad to think there are still people capable of that nowadays. We'll go, and see what comes out of it.- The actor nodded and watched the officers leave, then went in search of Billy, intent on rummaging in a closet cursing at an unobtainable box for collecting glass.

-Do you need help?- -I was sure it was here!- Jesse moved the door: -It's back here.- -Ah...- The blond grabbed the object and went straight to sweeping the shards off the floor and the display shelf. -Billy... If you want, I can pay for your new glass window.- -Huh?- -You said yourself that you can't afford such an expense right now. I can call a glazier and get an estimate.- -You don't have to.- -But I want to.- He approached him, being careful where he stepped: -You've worked so hard to get this business up. I'm sorry they did such a bad thing to you; no one can dare to make you sad!- He realised he had said the last part of the sentence with a little too much emphasis, and blushed, tightening his lips. Billy looked at him with wide, slightly glazed eyes. The dark-haired man strutted, trying to appear confident: -Please. I would like to help put your shop into shape.- -Uh... All right, daddy, whatever you say...- He handed him the broom: -You can start by helping me clean up this mess.-

The glazier would not arrive until the following day, so Billy closed everything and taped a note on the shutter, "Closed for renovation". Jesse thought it would be a good idea to take him for a ride in an attempt to distract him at least a little, so he asked the boy what he wanted to do. -Remember we were supposed to go to the cinema?- -Yes, but it's too early.- -Then tonight. Um...- He pondered for a minute before exclaiming: -Hey!- But immediately lost his enthusiasm: -Oh, no, wait...- -What is it?- -I was planning to go to my favourite arcade, but it's closed today. And apart from the cinema, I can't think of anywhere else to hang out.- -What about your place?- -In the middle of another mess?- -We can clean up your flat together, too, if you'd like.- -You enjoy tidying up!- -Why not? You have to admit that it needs it, but you work so hard that you don't have time for houseworks.- -To be honest, it's laziness that makes things pile up, but other than that... yes, I lack time too.- -So take advantage of my help today.- -Don't you have theatre rehearsals or something?- -No. I'm all yours!- These last words also came out awkwardly in Jesse's ear, but Billy merely smiled: -Then it's all right!-

The actor's mobile phone rang a couple of times. When he checked, he saw that it was a call from call from his theatrical agent, Karl. -Ah, I have to take this...- -Go ahead, I'll finish blocking everything in the meantime!- Jesse took a few steps away and accepted the call: -Hello?- -JJ, my beloved client, how are you? It's been a long time!- -Yes, it's been months now.- He swallowed the mispronunciation of his name with a slight sigh. -Ready to get back from your holiday? I have a couple of killer contracts just for you!- -Actually, I'm a little busy.- -Doing what? Independent theatre comedies? I read the reviews, and you got some nice results, don't get me wrong, but you need to get back to the big leagues, you know? Six months is a long time!- -I intend to come back, but at the right time.- -Ah, one more thing. Your brother was evasive on the subject, but I did some digging and found out that you're in a new relationship.- -Did you call Frank?- He automatically turned to Billy. -Yeah. Look, I don't know if you're going through an early midlife crisis or what, but you better nip this in the bud. Jesse's blood froze in his veins. -What?- -I'm telling you this as a responsible agent; it's about maintaining your image. Come on, he looks like a kid with that face! Do you want the public to think you're a pervert? Your fans adore you, in spite of your "ambiguity", but you'll lose them if the story starts circulating that you're sleeping with someone so young!- -Karl, he's 20 years old...- -He doesn't look it, from what I see.- Trying not to lose his cool, Jesse in a hiss asked again: -How do you know what he looks like?- -One of your colleagues posted some pictures of your "little party after the premiere" on Instagram, and I noticed him there, in the background. I put two and two together. Take it from me, ditch the brat and get back to the big theatre; I've got some stuff in my hand that will take you on a national tour this time!- -Karl?- -Tell me.- -You're fired.- He suddenly ended the call and rejoined Billy, who was checking the last lock: -What a face! Everything okay?- -Yes. It was a work call.- -Bad news?- -Just someone who can't mind their own business, and claims to dictate after months of silence.- -... Jesse, be honest. You seem very angry.- -My agent. He talks nonsense and pokes his nose into my personal life. But I made things very clear.- -Private life?- He held his breath. -Oh, no, did I do something to get you into trouble?- -No. I'll tell you all about it later.- He offered him his arm like a knight: -Shall we go?-

-Where do I put these shirts?- -Have you checked them yet?- -They are clean and folded.- -Then they go in the back of the wardrobe.- It hadn't taken long, considering the size of the flat, to tidy up and throw the rubbish, but the clean T-shirts were indistinguishable from those that were dirty or put on for just one day, so much so that they were in such a jumble. A good half hour went by just for the sorting. -Now will you tell me what happened with your agent?- asked Billy at one point, placing himself cross-legged on the bed still to be made up, looking at Jesse kneeling near the wardrobe. -Ex-agent. I fired him.- -Why?- -You see, I've known him for four years, but other than getting me good contracts he's never been very respectful towards me; he has only ever thought about profits and has repeatedly offended my sexual orientation calling it “ambiguous”.- -Yeah, I don't think that's a very nice term to use.- -It doesn't take a degree to realise that the correct term is bisexual.- -You're bi-what?!? I thought that apart from a couple of women, you only like boys!- The actor looked at him puzzled: -Who told you that?- -Uh... Luke. But only because I needed some advice from an adult.- -Ah. Anyway, Karl, my ex-agent, went too far trying to meddle in my life before, trying to control me. This time he was more insensitive, disrespectful and unpleasant than usual.- -And... did I have something to do with it?- There was no point in lying, so Jesse inhaled deeply through his nose and wiped that toad off: -He claimed that dating someone who looked like a minor would ruin my image. But I told him to go to hell.- -Your... image?- -If I were a film or television actor I might also worry, but I am a modest shadow of the theatre who, however well known, cannot cause much scandal or attract gossip.- -But...- -No "buts". That miserly heart wanted me to leave you to go on a national tour. Even if he'd offered me some prestigious assignment, I wouldn't have said yes.- -Seriously?- -Not even if the Queen of England herself had invited me to perform.-

Big tears began to run down the boy's cheeks, and he tried to wipe them away with the the back of his arm: -Here, see what you're making me do!? I'm whining like a baby! And my bruise hurts...- -Do you need a handkerchief?- The blond stretched out his arms i his direction: -I need a hug!!- He puffed out his cheeks into that funny hamster expression, which Jesse could not resist; he drew close to him and let himself squeeze. Billy's face pressed against his abdomen, and he began to gently caress his head. With his voice muffled by the fabric, the boy mumbled: -I found another thing I like about you.- -What?- Looking from down at him, his cheeks flushed, the blond replied: -You make me feel important.- -Huh?- -I always had the impression that nobody gave a damn about me, since my parents died. But to hear you talk... Well... I didn't think anyone would consider me the way you do.- Standing wide-eyed in astonishment for a moment, processing what the other had just told him, Jesse changed his expression into a sweet smile; he leaned down to the height of the other's face and continued: -Of course you're important to me, Billy.- -... It's nice to hear you say that...- Jesse took his hands in a gentle gesture, not responding but giving him a small kiss on the back of one of them, making Billy chuckle.

Again the ringtone of Jesse's mobile phone managed to interrupt them. The actor became suddenly serious and checked: on the screen was the name of his agent. -Karl.- -What more does he want?- -An avalanche of insults and epithets, evidently.- He did not accept the call and put aside the device on the bed: -Let Frank deal with that vile snake. We are busy here.- Karl, meanwhile, seeing himself thus rejected, called Frank himself, and without giving him even the time to answer, he said: -Your crazy brother fired me!- -What did you expect? I warned you not to try to-- -But after four years I expected a little consideration!- -Keep your voice down and listen to me: leave him alone.- -But...- -He is not like your other clients whom you can easily manipulate. I repeat: leave him alone, or I swear I'll come down to your office and shove every single pencil in your pencil box down your throat. Clear?- Frank's icy calm disconcerted Karl: -Yes, of course.- He threw down the phone call, and the other exhaled: -What a pain in the ass...-

-What do you mean, "we sold out of tickets"??- exclaimed Billy to the girl at the cinema counter. -That's right. The printer is broken, and today's tickets are already sold out. I'm sorry- she concluded. -That's not possible!- The blond man stamped his foot on the floor, really annoyed: -Why is it that every time we want to go to the cinema there's something going on?- -Adversity is to be considered coincidence until it happens too often.- Quietly, Jesse led him out: -We'll try again.- -What now?- -May I propose to buy an ice cream?- Immediately the other's face lit up: -Yes!- Heading down the street that bordered the cinema, Billy took the actor by the hand with a somewhat hesitant movement, turning red. Jesse noticed this, and intertwined his fingers with those of the other, continuing to observe his surroundings with a smirk. Pleased, the boy looked at him smiling: -Hey, what were you saying about coincidences?- -That if something happens all too often, it should not be considered a coincidence.- -As in, "the universe is trying to tell me something"?- -Let's say yes.- -So the universe is telling us not to go to the cinema... -Shall we try an ice rink?- -They won't open for another month.- -I know, but it's an idea.- Reaching a nearby ice-cream place, the dark-haired man bought a coffee cup, while Billy chose the most curious flavour in the assortment, pomegranate, served in a large cone. -It's like eating grenadine!- -What is it?- -You don't know? I marvel at you! It is a pomegranate syrup that is used to make cocktails and grenadines; I'm crazy about it!- To underline the statement, he jumped on the ice cream, then stopped: -Oh, sorry, would you like a taste?- -No, thank you. Wait, though.- With the paper towel he had procured, he wiped the corner of his mouth, and the boy laughed: -I won't run away this time, I swear!- Jesse chuckled as well. The girl at the counter sighed: -Oh, how cute you are! An adorable couple!- The actor turned red, and (more) so did the blond. -How many times have I told you not to comment on the customers!- yelled a man who looks like the master, but she was ready to reply: -It's not my fault I'm a romantic, Francis!- The two continued to argue even after Billy and Jesse had walked away, embarrassed.

Then the boy murmured: -Are we a couple?- -Hm?- -I mean... I thought to be a couple we had to swear eternal love or whatever. . But that girl said we're a couple.- -Of course we are.- -Huh?!?- The calm tone of that statement was what surprised the young man most. -Going out together and sharing personal and even... intimate moments is the basis of any relationship. Of course, romance should not be overlooked.- He breathed in, as if caught by a sudden inspiration, and began to declaim: -Do you love me? I know well that thou wilt say "yes", and I will accept thy word; but if thou swear'st, thou mayst perjure thyself: to lovers' perjury, Jupiter sayeth laugh. Romeo and Juliet, act two, scene two.- -Wow... It's been a while since you said a quote...- -Making promises of love is only part of being a couple. Shared experiences and mutual support, in my opinion, are a more substantial percentage of it.- -Like when you offered to help me with the shop?- -Yes.- With a happy expression, Billy took him by the arm, almost knocking over the bowl of ice cream, and exclaimed: -Aw, so sweet, daddy!- Blushing, Jesse said nothing, too busy keeping his balance after the sudden tug.

Billy invited the actor to stay the night. Jesse was pleased, but he noticed something strange in the other's expression, like a kind of nervousness, or as if he wanted to tell him something but couldn't find the way. While the boy was looking for something for him to put on, he began to undress with his back to him, and he heard him grumble: -I can't find the shirt I gave you last time.- -I put it in the laundry today.- -Ah, that's it.- He turned around the instant Jesse was taking off his jumper, and stood paralysed to looking at him for a moment before blushing violently and exclaiming: -Man!!!- -What?- -Warn me before you undress!- -Oh. Maybe I don't care anymore; I have played many roles at least shirtless, in front of everyone's eyes. I didn't want to embarass you.- -... is it possible to act nude in the theatre?- -Sometimes, if it's in the script.- -Wow. One always learns something.- He couldn't take his eyes off the other's body, who noticed and sneered: -What's the matter?- -No, it's just that...- Billy swallowed and began to nag at the hem of his shirt: -I need to ask you something. It's more of a request than anything else.- -Yes?- -It's not that... Would you teach me... How to do it?- -What?- -The... Touching, that is. Like that, like you did that night.-

Jesse was astonished.

-You see, it's just... I didn't do anything last time, clumsy as I am. And you seemed a bit... I don't know; what I'm trying to say is that I'd like to be able to participate a bit more!- He was so purple that the freckles seemed to disappear from his face. -Haven't you ever tried?- -Well, puberty comes for everyone, but no; let's just say that unlike others I didn't consider it a priority... -sturbing myself...- The last word had been muttered, but Jesse understood perfectly well. -But I don't want to learn for me!- the young man quickly recovered, -I mean, not just for me. I want learn to... how do you say... satisfy you too!- -Me?- Nodding vigorously, he clasped tightly the now utterly wrinkled shirt in his hands: -When you were talking about intimate and personal moments, wasn't that what you were referring to?- -Yes, but...- Jumping on the bed, Billy didn't let him continue: -So, if we're a couple, don't I have to figure out what to do with you and for you?- He got down on his knees on the mattress and leaned towards Jesse propping his hands on his legs: -Am I wrong, daddy?-

The thing that was getting Jesse's heart rate up most of all was the total absence of malice in all that talk. Shyness, sure, but not malice. He had the impression that the boy had just asked him to teach him how to drive, or anything other than what actually had been said by a Billy who was staring at him wide-eyed, expectantly. -All right. But we have to proceed step by step; will you listen to me?- With a big grin, the blond exulted: -All right, daddy!- -Well, I'd say... that we can start by getting under the covers. Never mind wearing pajamas, in this case, but keep your underwear on.- -Ok!- Sitting down on the other side of the bed, Billy began to undress in turn. Jesse's mobile phone rang for an incoming message, and when he checked it was from Frank. It said, "I grilled Karl. You can look for a new agent now. Say hi to Billy, I know you're with him." It followed the emoticon of a wink. The dark-haired man smiled: he knew he could count on his brother for certain annoyances.

-Hey, Jesse!- Billy called to him from under the covers: -Put out the big light please! I turned on the one on the bedside table. Uh, floor actually.- -You didn't have to hide like that!- joked the actor, who complied with the request and then joining him by sitting on the mattress, legs slightly up. -What are you doing?- -Come and sit on my lap, so we can start.- Swallowing nervously, the blond shyly complied: -Is that alright?- -Perfect.- He took his face in his hands: -The easy part starts now, with a kiss...- The low tone in which he uttered this sentence sent a warm thrill through Billy, who stood when Jesse kissed him, a tender contact that went on for a while until he felt the tip of the other's tongue brushing his lips to enter. Indulging him, the blond in turn took his companion's face in his hands and let the kiss deepen, although he was quite uncertain what to do. He then let his hands slide onto Jesse's shoulders, leaving them resting there. The other interrupted the kiss, slowly, to continue the conversation: -Do you remember the kisses I gave you on your neck?- -Yes...- -Try giving them to me.- He tilted his head slightly to the right: -It's not difficult. It's as if you kiss me normally, only in a different spot.- -I have to... How?- -As you wish. I'll tell you a secret: the left side of the body is more sensitive, because it's the side of the heart, so it has more nerve endings. Don't be afraid to make a mistake.-

Following the suggestion and trying to remember what Jesse had done, Billy began giving him shy kisses in the area between his neck and shoulder. He could taste the other's skin, which encouraged him to also use his tongue a little. Despite such uncertainty, he felt the dark-haired man trembling and ran a hand through his hair, ruffling it: -Nice, you're doing well...- This prompted the boy to dare, and he gave a little bite on his companion's shoulder. Unfortunately it took too much strength, and Jesse let out an "ouch" with a little jerk, which was enough to alarm the boy: -I'm sorry, I didn't do it on purpose!- -It's nothing.- He took his chin between his thumb and forefinger: -It means I'll have a mark from you for a while. I appreciate the enthusiasm.- That velvet voice sent poor Billy, that shivering and turning as red as a tomato did not reply. -Let's continue. Where did I kiss you after the neck?- -You went further down.- -Come on, then.- Inhaling to try to recover at least a little, the blond objected: -But... what if I bite you one more time?- -Relax, there's an alternative. He placed his hands on either side of his torso. With the fingertips of his thumbs he began to tease the other's nipples with circular movements, who let out a little cry. Trembling at that stimulation, Billy tried to repeat the manoeuvre on the actor, always with some uncertainty; when he became familiar with these gestures, however, he managed to extract a sigh from Jesse, who arched his back slightly: -That's it, don't hesitate...- They exchanged another kiss, much more passionate than before, they both continued to caress each other like that; Billy moved his own pelvis closer to Jesse's almost automatically, feeling an increasingly cumbersome obstacle. His hands slipped a little everywhere because of the damp skin where they rested.

Propping his knees up on the mattress, the blond lifted himself up a little to overpower the actor, causing him to look upwards without breaking the kiss. Jesse grabbed him by the hips to keep him as close as possible, while the boy began to run his hands over his head and to the sides of his face, increasingly sure of what he was doing, his hair sticking up on his neck. To himself the dark-haired man was quite happy with that initiative. Billy interrupted the kiss to catch some air, but he did not move farther away from the face of the other: -J-Jesse...- -Yes?- -I think... I think I'm ready to continue...- -Very well.- He made him sit back on his own legs, leaving them slightly open so that the other man's would be too: -Then, again... Do as I do.- He slipped a hand into his boxers, beginning to caress what he found underneath them slowly. Stifling an exclamation, Billy replicated the other's gesture more slowly, then grimaced: -It's strange... To the touch...- Feeling himself being touched like that, Jesse also sighed deeply: -I know... But don't think about it... You'll see that it will be better later...- He resumed his caresses, and after a few seconds the other one too, who was panting conspicuously, and mumbled: -But I don't want it in... my mouth...- Giggling softly, Jesse replied: -It's not necessary...Don't worry...-

They both quickly found the same rhythm. They resumed the kiss where they had left off, but the shortness of breath due to panting made it difficult for them to stay in contact for long. -Is it normal... for it to be so slippery?- asked Billy at one point. -Yes... It means you're doing well...- He accelerated, cowardly, tearing an excited cry from the young man, who nevertheless succeeded in doing the same with his own hand, and the actor let out a low-sounding moan. The latter then, licking his lips, increased the rhythm; so did the blond. In a rough voice, Jesse said one last time: -Together, now, if you can...- He moved his pelvis as much as possible to comply with his companion, who responded in the same way without further hesitation. -Jesse...!- The first to yield was Billy, followed after a second by the other in a climax almost in unison. Leaning his head on the black-haired man's shoulder, Billy recovered his breath, slipping his hand out of the other's boxers. He felt his fingers sticky and wet, and he had the same feeling in his own underwear. He was fine, not only because he did not feel faint, but because there, in the other man's arms, he felt a strange and new mixture of emotions, so much so that he exhaled without thinking: -I love you...- Those two words reached Jesse's ear as sweet as honey but as strong as a cannonball, and for a moment his still over-excited heart missed a beat.

Not receiving an answer, Billy pulled himself together: -Hey, are you there?- The actor was looking at him with his dark eyes wide open, in an expression between surprise and almost uncontrollable emotion. -... Jesse?- The latter clasped the blond man to himself and kissed him tenderly, and then whispered again with that low tone: -Ah, my dear Billy... This love is mutual, you can believe me...- -D-Do you??- -Yes. And woe to anyone who dares come between us. The danger is more in your eyes than in twenty of their swords: if you look on me gently, I shall be strong against their hatred.- Billy exclaimed: -Romeo and Juliet! Act two, scene two!- Jesse was taken aback. -I did my homeworks while you were gone, see?- the boy chuckled with a huge grin, snuggling into the arms of the other, who began to caress his head and cheeks until they fell asleep.

Meanwhile, on the other side of town, Joe Dalton returned home looking like he had spent a hard day. He was greeted by the smile of Luke, who emerged from the kitchen, in his dressing gown and holding a blue mug in one hand: -Hey.- -Hey. I thought you were already in bed.- -Not with the thought of a crazy woman wandering around Paris. Did you find her?- -Yes. The arrest wasn't so easy: she broke the nose of one of my officers before we managed to neutralise her. So, in addition to assault and vandalism, she will be charged with resisting arrest and assault on a public official. She is now in a cell, awaiting her lawyer.- -Big mistake on her part not to wear gloves when she threw that rock.- -Yeah, the forensics guys did a great job. I'll call Billy and Jesse in the morning to tell them the good news.- -In the meantime...- Luke set the cup down on the first shelf he could find and walked over to his companion, then took him from under his arms and lifted him up from the ground: -... Let me reward you for your hard work, my dear.- He gave him the sweetest kiss, which was immediately returned. Joe then chuckled: -You know, I'm not so tired after all...- -I knew you were going to say that!- He take him up in his arms and head for the bedroom, forgetting all about the still half-full mug of green tea.

[thepinkcrayon]

Sneaky Peeky: CIA agent Mac, spec-ops Jack

I’ve got a fair amount of this one done up, so here’s a peek:

A heavy hand slapped down on Mac’s shoulder, making him lead with his fist as he turned around. It was caught in a strong hand, Mac suddenly looking at a soldier. In full tac gear. “What the fuck?” Mac hissed, whipping around to peek around the corner like he was before. He turned back the soldier just as quickly. “Who the fuck are you?”

“Exfil. Let’s go, kid.”

“Exfil? I didn’t call for exfil. I’m not done, I don’t have the intel. Who called you?”

“We were sent by Director MacGyver.”

“Director Mac- ugh, seriously? We?”

As if on cue, another soldier rounded the corner behind the first, gripping his gun. “Clear, Dalton. This him?”

“Well, turn back around. I’m not done. The Director can eat me,” Mac muttered, peeking around the corner again. He was slightly mouthing to himself every 5 seconds or so, keeping count. He pressed his back against the wall, looking at the two spec-ops. “Brace. Now.”

Both men were smart enough to listen, an explosion shaking the building a few seconds later. A breath later, Mac rounded the corner, taking off down the hall. He heard both men curse a few times before running feet behind him. 

A couple of turns down halls, and Mac was where he had set off the explosive, the thick steel door on the ground. He grinned to himself, dashing through the open door. He hopped over the desk, plugging a USB into the computer. The techs at base had rigged it for him, all he needed to do was plug it in and wait for a green light on the stick. 

Both mystery soldiers came through the door as he was waiting, clearing the room out of habit. The first one Mac met looked lethal. 

“Listen here, kid, do not pull a stupid fuckin’ stunt like that again. C’mon, now, let’s go,” he barked roughly, Mac rolling his eyes. 

“Listen, I’m not one of your subordinates. I’m a trained professional adult in an intelligence agency about to complete an op. So, take a damn breath, relax your shoulders and jaw, and wait a second.” Mac gave them both a pointed look. The second soldier turned to check the hallway outside, leading with his weapon. 

Mac watched the USB stick intently, feeling the intensity of the glare being leveled at him. As soon as the green light came on, Mac yanked it out and tucked it into his pocket. “Alright, exfil: do your thing.”

[cozydoe]

inspired by this iconic post by @inahallucination, i would like to present: the dead poets at build a bear workshop

the boys decided to take advantage of a day off from welton and go to the mall

todd and neil convince the boys to go to the bookstore

they end up scattered about

meeks and pitts end up in the science and technology section

cameron in the history section

neil and todd in the classics section comparing pretty editions of shakespeare plays

knox in the romance section (before he gets dragged out for being a weirdo)

charlie tells the other poets he’s not a nerd (affectionate) so he decides to roam around the mall and wait for the other poets

when todd and neil emerge from the bookstore, they notice charlie staring at the build a bear workshop across from them

“well if i didn’t know any better, i’d say mr. dalton has a childish side to him” neil says, nudging his friend jokingly to get his attention

“what can i say? i have a refined taste” he smirks and swings an arm around todd as he inspects the contents of his shopping bag with a nod of approval

once the rest of the poets are done at the bookstore, charlie informs them of the plan

by which i mean he shouts “gentlemen, let’s build some bears!”

(this totally scares the employee at the front of build a bear but the boys are so excited they hardly notice- except for todd who shyly says hello and apologizes as they walk in)

knox thinks about making a bear for chris and they all shout “NO!”

don’t worry, they buy him a pug plushie and dress it in pyjamas

cameron jokes that they’re not kids anymore but he ends up making a black bear plushie and dresses it in a tuxedo

meeks and pitts get a bunny and they dress it in a lab coat

charlie builds a brown bear and buys it several outfits because “god damn it, this is a serious responsibility”

(he names the bear nuwanda and takes it to every meeting)

todd is reluctant to build a bear at first until he sees a bear that reminds him of the colour of neil’s eyes

he dresses it in a flannel and pair of black pants

neil finds a blond-ish coloured bear and dresses it in a dark blue sweater and khakis

it’s not until weeks later that todd makes the connection and he’s not able to look at the bear on neil’s bed without blushing afterwards)

they attempt to record messages for their bears: the thoreau passage read aloud at each meeting, their version of welton’s four pillars

neil sheepishly asks todd if he can record a message for todd and todd agrees but “only if you let me record one for you too”

neil recites lines from midsummer nights dream: “so i, admiring of his qualities// things base and vile, holding no quantity. //love can transpose to form and dignity. //love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, // and therefore is winged cupid painted blind.”

todd, being ever the oblivious fool, thinks “aw how sweet!! neil must really enjoy running lines with me!!” when he hears the message for the first time

todd’s message to neil would be something along the lines of “hi neil!! just wanted to say you’re a great friend and i really l-like spending time with you. i hope you always chase after your dreams and we stay friends for a really long time. o-okay, bye.”

neil sobs the first time he hears the message

they all get in to ridiculous antics when it’s time to stuff the bears and make wishes

reciting poems, stomping their feet, squaredancing in the middle of the store, you name it

they all print out birth certificates for their bears and hang them up in the cave (and hold birthday parties for their stuffed animals every year afterwards)

once they’re done they all head out, carrying their new stuffed companions in boxes

they all agreed this was a fun day!!

also they probably take the plushies to keating’s class and he’s super confused but happy to have some new scholars in his class

anyways i’m gonna go build a bear now!! thanks for reading 🥰