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tilbageidanmark · 1 year ago

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Movies I watched this Week # 147 (Year 3/Week 43):

Loro ("Them"), my 7th decadent film by Paolo Sorrentino, the breakneck, modern-day Fellini. An epic, outrageous, over-the-top look into the outlandish life of charismatic billionaire king Silvio Berlusconi. MTV-style music video of power, sex, ultimate corruption and unlimited money. A sprawling saga of a modern day Citizen Kane, promiscuous, charming and greedy. As well as a young pimp who runs an escort service, and supplies him with a harem of girls.

I love noticing chronological symmetry in movies, for example, at the exact middle of the movie (starting at 1:11), there’s this central, electrifying scene of a telephone sales pitch, even better than DiCaprio selling 40,000 penny stock shares at 'The wolf of Wall Street'. Between serving as a prime minister and serving time, Tony Servillo's Berlusconi, the greatest salesman in Italy, is in a funk, and he needs to find his groove again. So late at night he opens a telephone book at random and calls some old lady from a listing, and in 6 minutes, he sells her an overpriced apartment that have not even been built yet. I wish I could find an isolated clip of that scene somewhere. Bellissimo!

And just today, I read about the real Berlusconi’s need to accumulate, his vast, 25,000 item art collection!

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"Fugayzi, fugazi. It's a whazy. It's a woozie. It's fairy dust..."

So - because of the scene above - I had to stop everything I do, and indulge, one more time with Scorsese's The wolf of Wall Street. A similarly decadent, excessive, cocaine-fueled roller coaster ride of money and addiction. With judge Fran Lebowitz, Spike Jonze as Dwayne, the broker above, and of course Palm Spring's Cristin Milioti as the first wife.

So far I’ve seen only about half of Scorsese’s 42 full features, so after ‘Flower moon’ I’m going to deep dive, and watch all the ones I’ve missed.

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Another film I’ve been re-watching over and over, Paweł Pawlikowski's heartbreaking romance Cold War. When I saw it the first time, I thought it was very complex (maybe I was stoned), but it's actually extremely simple, accessible and direct. Joanna Kulig's ethereal beauty and the powerful life force of her character 'Zula' are unforgettable. 10/10.

[Waiting for his next film, The island, with Joaquin Phoenix and Rooney Mara.]

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John le Carré X 3:

🍿 Errol Morris's most recent documentary, The Pigeon Tunnel, a lengthy conversation with the fascinating writer le Carré. Based on his auto-biography of the same name. It's mostly about deceit and betrayals, as well as his tortured relationship with his larger-than-life conman father, "Ronnie". Lots of elaborate re-enactments, staged and fanciful. My best friend Danny (RIP) used to be an avid le Carré reader and fan.

🍿 First watch: The masterful The spy who came in from the cold. The first classic film adaptation and based on his spectacularly successful debut novel. Double and triple crossing in the dark days of the cold War. It was supposed to be the Anti-James Bond, and established a prolific genre of 'Flawed Spies', "a bunch of seedy squalid bastards like me, little men, drunkards, queers, henpecked husbands, civil servants playing 'Cowboys and Indians' to brighten their rotten little lives." Magnificent Richard Burton play.

[I also have to dig in and do a Martin Ritt marathon one day!]

🍿 Tinker, tailor, soldier, spy (the 2011 film, not the Alec Guinness TV series): A slow, melancholic and perfectly atmospheric thriller, with an all-star cast (Including a cameo of le Carré himself! Photo Above). Gary Oldman's vacant gaze got me to want watching his complete filmography. Also, it's funny how many movies open or end with Charles Trenet's La Mer!

Superb! 9/10.

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2 horror films from British director Steve McQueen:

🍿 While waiting for his latest ‘Occupied City’, I caught his horrifying directorial debut Hunger from 2008. A re-telling of the 1981 Irish Hunger Strike, where 10 IRA volunteers starved themselves to death, as a protest against the British government. It is told from inside the prison cells. Very few films were able to transfer the horror and hopelessness of being abused by ruthless authorities like this one.

And in the middle of this gruesome narrative, there's an astounding scene, unbroken and shot with a static camera on Bobby Sands and a priest who came to see him, talking that lasts for 17 minutes. Simply amazing.

Best and most chilling film experience of the week.

Like Norm McDonald used to say (about Hitler): 'The more I learn about Margaret Thatcher, the more I don't care for her'.

🍿 Western Deep, a 2002 short, an near-abstract poem about the workers / slaves who work at the world's deepest gold mine in South Africa. Dark, jarring and claustrophobic. 1/10.

[Now that I've seen McQueen's 4 features, I have to move on to his 'Small Axe' television anthology.]

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My first 2 films by Romanian Cristian Mungiu:

🍿 His latest contemplative drama R.M.N. is set in a backwater multi-ethnic village in Transylvania, where long-simmering tensions erupt over questions of national identity, globalization, prejudices and xenophobia. It opens with pig slaughtering, and ends with an old man who hangs himself in the forest. It's harsh, and coarse, and repressive. But it's told in a sublime style. And in the middle of all the ugliness and misogyny, a woman practices her cello by playing Yumeji's haunting theme from 'In the mood for love'. 9/10.

🍿 So I finally also saw his highly-acclaimed 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days from 2007, considered as 'one of the greatest films of the 21 century'. But the depressing story of a desperate young woman who's trying to obtain an illegal abortion in the last dark days of communist Romania, was as pleasant as a visit to Nicolae Ceaușescu's dungeon: Dingy, stressfully-ugly and miserable.

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“…Joey, do you like movies about gladiators?…”

Airplane!, another re-watch of this classic evergreen - the No. 1 modern American comedy on most lists? With cameos by Ethel Merman, young Mike Ehrmantraut and James Howe, one of the most prolific character actors of all time, as a Japanese general committing Harakiri. Isn't it strange that the guy who played Ted Striker never had a career in Hollywood after that?

Maybe it's time for Edgar Wright to re-make 'Airplane 2024!'?

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5 more by female directors:

🍿 Elaine May's Mikey and Nicky, a dark dialogue-rich, two-person crime drama about old friendship and betrayal over one long night in Philadelphia. John Cassavetes is a small-time hood with a contract out on his life. And Peter Falk is his lifelong friend who may or may not be trying to help him escape his fate. A nuanced portrayal of fragile masculinity.

🍿 The royal hotel, my second film by Australian Kitty Green, and also starring Julia Garner, playing another powerless young woman suffering male abuse and exploitation (after 'The Assistant'). Two young backpackers take a job at an outback bar, in "the middle of nowhere". A scary, ominous thriller with escalating threats and an uncomfortable sense of mortal danger. Too unpleasant for me - 4/10.

🍿 Bus Girl is the first film directed by Jessica Henwick, who plays the 2nd girl in 'The Royal Hotel'. A cute little culinary fantasy, shot entirely on a cell phone. 6/10.

🍿 Aurora’s Sunrise, my second Armenian film (after ‘The colour of pomegranates’). An adult animated feature about the Albanian genocide, through the eyes of a real life young woman, who survived the hellish years, and escaped to America, where she became celebrated Hollywood star in 1919, when she played herself in 'Carnival of souls'.

Ethnic cleansing, mass murder, exterminations, cruelty and hatred ... Armenians, Jews, Palestinians, Uygurs, American Indians, Tutsis... It's always the same fucking thing!

(Via).

🍿 Affairs of the Art, a British-Canadian craziness by Joanna Quinn, nominated in 2021 for best animated short. Spectacular and surrealistic visuals about a 59-year-old lady, a zany artist at heart, and her fully-eclectic family. Very Roald Dahl. 9/10.

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On the fringe, a recent Spanish social drama with Penélope Cruz. Stressful and depressive story about folks that are being evicted from their homes. Focus on grey, marginalized and helpless people, ground up by bureaucracy, nickel and dimed by poverty, lack of time and resources is a tough watch. Especially when the story is not wrapped up with optimism or a happy end. 6/10.

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“I’m glad we had this conversation…”

Viking, an alternative, "indie" science fiction allegory, scientifically naive, and featuring low-low tech and drama. An odd, simulated Canadian proximation. In spite of mirroring some scenes from '2001' and 'The Shining', it's not close to either one. Meh. 2/10.

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"Kill the wabbit!"

Chuck Jones's What's Opera, Doc?, considered to be the greatest animated short film of all time. A 7 minutes riff on Wagner's Nibelung and Disney's Fantasia, and the first cartoon short to be selected for preservation for the National Film Registry. With Mel Blanc and Elmer Fudd.

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... No fellow could ignore / The little girl next door / She sure looked sweet in her first evening gown / Now there's a charge for what she used to give for free ...

"Today, I learned" that satirist & mathematician Tom Lehrer is still alive, at ninety five! He was extremely popular in the 60's and basically retired in 1972. Also, that [like Jonas Salk] he transferred all the songs he ever recorded to the public domain - "For the greater good!"

In 1967, he recorded his excellent Copenhagen concert for posterity. Delightful!

2 extras: I got it from Agnes (which is about the spread of VD), and Bergman's actor Lars Ekborg’s singing I Tom Lehrers vackra värld in Swedish.

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The Insurrectionist next door, my first documentary by Alexandra Pelosi, Nancy's daughter. She was trying to humanize about a dozen individuals who participate in the January 6 attack, by befriending them and their their families, and by allowing all of them to explain that they were "just at the wrong place at the wrong time". In the end, it was just sad to see the poor children who had to cry goodbye when their father went to jail.

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(My complete movie list is here)

#movies

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famousblueraincoatmp3 · 2 years ago

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favorite riverdale moments (real list NOT including “the highs and lows” thing)

1. beronica queerbait kiss 2. “oh its kevin” (certified ICONIC moment) 3. when the writers watched the movie the boy on acid and decided to make jason blossom into a campy creepy doll who was really just kind of sad 4. when toni and fangs got bisexually married in front of homophobic kevin 5. betty!clarice starling pararells complete with a bisexual awakening 6. archie and veronica broke up and he literally got out a little rucksack and then joined world war 1. he doesnt even know her favorite color 7. the guy who at serial killer convention got a replica of bettys dads knife on “eslay” 8. jingle jangle 9. gargoyle king setup and then its revealed it was just some guy. HEARTBREAKING. top 10 anime betrayals of all time </3 10. archie human sacrifice

#this deserves a display moment why did i leave this in my notesapp ♥#sam.txt

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treadmilltreats · 1 year ago

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The things I am grateful for

So I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Every year during dinner, we go around the table, and everyone must say what they are thankful for. And of course, I needed to speak about what I am grateful for in this blog.

If you follow me, you know I am grateful for many things, in fact, all things in my life. I am even grateful for the bad times as well because I have learned things from those times.

I hope you can all make your own gratitude list so you can see what you really have, how much you've been blessed, and that a moment to give thanks and not just on Thanksgiving.

1. The first thing on my list is God.

I am so grateful for him because without him, I wouldn't be here or wouldn't be sane. He is always at the top of every list for me.

2. My girls.

They are my life and my heart.

I am so proud of these two smart, kind, beautiful women. I am so glad and grateful to be their mom.

3. Our health.

We work at our health each and every day, but it could be another way, but before the grace of God...goes I. I know it is all him that gives us this gift.

4. My family and friends.

I am blessed to have many friends who are now my family. I never take a friendship for granted. I don't have a big family, so I am grateful for those who are still here.

5. I am grateful for all I have.

My home, my business, even when I had a broke ass car, which now God gave me a new one. I now am grateful for everything because I know there are people praying for all I have. So I never take any of it for granted.

6. My church.

I know God brought me there and this place, and these people saved my life, literally. I never knew a place like this, and I know that God speaks through my Bishop to me, about things I need to hear, when I need to hear them.

7. Heartbreak.

Yes, I am grateful for heartbreak because if I didn't know heartbreak, I would have stayed in certain situations. If I didn't know about heartbreak, I wouldn't have found a prince who taught me the lessons I needed to move on even if it wasn't with him. What I've learned from him is to expect men to do the right things, and I've learned self-worth and self-respect and that I deserve it all.

8. Betrayal.

Yes, this has taught me valuable lessons, like everyone doesn't have your heart. That even the ones you love can turn on you but to still have love and forgiveness for them...but from afar.

9. Pains in life.

Yes, I say it all the time. I am grateful for the pain in my life. It has made me who I am. It taught me valuable lessons, and it has made me appreciate the good times that much more!

10. Everything.

Yes, I am grateful for everything, the trees, the birds, a sunrise, the breeze at the beach. A child laughing, a couple holding hands, an elderly person's wisdom. All of these things that I experience each and every day I am grateful for.

So today, my friends always remember that this journey we are on is limited, and we must make the best of it while we are here. How do you want to spend your time here? What mark do you want to leave? That you were ungrateful, unforgiving, unkind, and that nothing you had made you happy? That you were negative, that you placed blame on everyone?

Or do you want to wake up every morning with a smile on your face, giving thanks. Being kind, forgiving, positive, and loving?

I know my choice and it's a choice I choose every day.

Like I say at the end of every blog, only you can be the change you want to see.

@TreadmillTreats

#self help #positive #love #mental health #self improvement #faith #god

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mrs-bartowski · 3 years ago

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My dudes. My guys. My pals.

I’m about 10 seconds away from going feral.

So, I’m the kind of unfortunate chump whose brain requires continuity. Meaning, when I started thirst watching Supergirl during its mid-season-2 hiatus and came across the realization that it had crossovers with all the other arrowverse shows, my brain tasked me with watching them all. I won’t put you through a recount of this arduous feat, but it does leave me with the certain advantage of having immediate and full-contextual access to any parallels between supercorp and canon CW DCEU couples.

Normally, this is a good thing, because it’s just another crumb to obsess over. But I just finished watching Legends 6x02 and...I. AM. FUMING.

I literally don’t even know where to start, but know that if you’ve made it this far you’re in for a long ride because my entire being is in Scream mode right now and I’m not sure I’ll be able to stop typing until it passes.

OKAY. So.

Meet Sara Lance (lol jk y’all thirsty gays know who she is I mean look at this flawless human)

Next, meet her ******* Ava Sharpe (who is literally the definition of white European beauty standards-based perfection because she’s a clone from the future)

And finally, meet Gary Green. He’s...well, he’s Gary.

Sara started out on Arrow and is now the captain of the Legends. Ava was the director of the Time Bureau and Gary was an agent, and now they are also members of the Legends. Sara has been there (and been the show’s effective lead) since season 1. Ava and Gary both came in at the beginning of season 3.

Gary is (as pictured) an absolute fool, but he is also kind of regarded as the one the Legends Must Protecc. The whole team is considered a family, and, while they are not necessarily labeled as best friends, Gary has been Ava’s longest and most loyal companion, and Sara has a way of adopting him because she’s the best equipped to keep him out of trouble.

So, why is all of this relevant to why I want to go feral? Because it sounds a bit familiar, yes? Member of the team that is somewhat a black sheep, doesn’t get included fully or all the time but often comes in with save-the day type shit (even though with Gary it’s more of a distraction than a save because he’s a mess of a man). Close friend to one of our two main heroes and, subsequently, that hero’s closest companion puts them at the top of their Protecc list. Has little faith in his relationships with the team so he is constantly going out of his way to help in whatever way he can to prove his usefulness. And so on and so forth.

Well, 6x01 marks exactly 3 years since Gary’s first appearance, and what did we find out in that episode? That Gary is an alien. And not just any alien - an alien who was sent (by the woman he was traded to) to get close to Sara because she has been labeled as one of the world’s most dangerous creatures. Not to mention, his species of alien feeds on humans (not him of course, he’s reformed, but nonetheless not a friendly species). And we find out all of this because he and his master abduct her.

Sara finds out in person while Ava and the rest of the Legends solve the mystery on their own. Now, I’ve drawn a lot of comparisons between Lena and Gary to make a point about the time frame and nature of their relationships, but let’s take a look at Sara, shall we? For starters, she’s been “dead” either literally or supposedly about...what, 15 times now? If you think that’s an exaggeration, here’s the link to her fan wiki which says she’s been presumed dead 10 times and actually dead 5. The sg writers tried to sell season 5 as “the fight for Lena’s soul” but Sara LITERALLY LOST HER SOUL when she got resurrected in the Lazarus pit. 90% of Sara’s character development has been based on her certainty that she is too close to death and evil and destruction (getting possessed by a demon, perhaps, had something to do with this?). She was an actual literal assassin and she has left civilization out of anger and pain to go back to that life once before.

She has always believed that she is too dangerous to have real love or relationships or friends. And now she has found and built and led this family through time and space and she’s done so with this goofball by her side that is endearingly attached to the love of her life. So, how does she react when she finds out Gary is an alien? Well, clearly, she goes down a dark path, right? She cries and screams and talks about betrayal because she’s had such a hard time with feeling like she only ever puts the people she loves in danger and now here she is finding out there’s been a human-eating alien in her family for three years that was tasked with observing her and keeping her in check because she is exactly that dangerous?

Yeah...try again. This is how Sara reacts:

youtube

And then there's another scene that apparently no one even bothered to put on YouTube where you can see the pain in Sara's eyes when she asks him “why me?” You can see how hurt she is that after 3 years she’s just finding out that their friendships is based on lies and that she has trouble keeping her faith in it. But in both of these instances where are the “crocodile tears?” Where are the fearful, shaky confessions from Gary about his fear of losing the only people who have ever really loved or cared about him and desperate justifications about how he just wanted to protect them and keep them in the dark so his master didn’t come after them? Where is the outrage from Sara about how everything Gary has reassured her about over the past three years when she was scared to let the damaged-soul assassin inside of her out was a lie and he doesn’t get to tell her who or what she is again? Where is the determination from Ava to make Gary pay for not only lying for three years but for ABDUCTING THE LOVE OF HER LIFE TO HAND OVER TO A FLESH-EATING ALIEN??????

Nowhere. Those things...they’re nowhere. There’s anger. There’s pain. There’s doubt and heartbreak and fury. There’s betrayal and helplessness and desperation. But there is no scene with Sara standing on a balcony and Gary looking up at her longingly because he wants to talk to her about the secret and he knows it will change everything between them. There is no scene with Sara and Ava lamenting over what this means for Gary and the team and the world because he’s no longer the person they knew. There are no romantically-scored scenes of them looking teary-eyed at the pictures they took together or reassurances that the others’ intentions are good and trustworthy now that the truth is out in the open. There is nothing to imply that the last several years of friendship are now entirely suspect (damaged, frayed, clouded, maybe, but definitely not voided) because Gary kept this secret to protect them. And Gary isn’t made to feel obscenely guilty or shameful because his intentions were good and he only did what he felt he had to. But most of all, the world doesn’t feel like it’s going to end.

And I’m not talking about we’re now scared Gary will take his master’s side or Sara will suddenly decide that she never wants an alien to fool her or hurt her again so she’s going to make sure he doesn’t have the choice. I’m just talking about the way they address each other. There are no sobbing tears or laments over the biggest mistakes of their lives - even though it’s quite possible Gary could see this as his. There are no screaming matches over betrayal and mistrust and years of doubt and confusion. There will be no episode dedicated to going back and seeing what could have happened - what kind of danger they could have avoided from the alien(s) controlling Gary - had he told them the truth sooner because that’s the only way to save him and the world. There will be no episode where he has to single-handedly save them multiple times as some example of redemption. There will be no adamant looks and declarations about how the team knows his intentions were good and they forgive him. There won’t be any of that. Because Sara is not in love with Gary. And Ava is not in love with Gary. And Gary is not in love with either Sara or Ava. They’re just close friends. Family. Loved ones who mean a lot to each other but whose betrayal and seeds of doubt don’t bring on emotions whose force and ferocity could be acceptable for finding out the apocalypse is nigh.

I have many, many more feelings about this but right now I’m going to go write things that will make me feel better and not things that make me want to gather every writer from every CW show in a line and run down the line smacking them all in the face while the Legends writers watch and cheer. But I’m fuming. THIS is what it looks like when a years-long, heavily weighted lie is revealed between close friends/family. So, in conclusion, Supercorp endgame or die.

#supercorp #supercorp endgame #cw supergirl #supergirl #the cw #the cw network #legends of tomorrow #avalance #gary green #ava sharpe #sara lance #kara danvers #lena luthor #legends of tomorrow spoilers #Youtube

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starrynite7114 · 4 years ago

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Misconstrued: Part 5

A/N: Hello my lovelies! Finally back with an update! I think this one will please some of you, I hope, but this won’t end after part 6, at this point, we might go all the way to 10. But I do have another story in the works, I’m really excited to share it with you all!

Also, thank you again for the response I’ve been getting for this story. I enjoy reading all of your comments!

Anon: I don't know if this is too specific but could you do something about Angel ruining a date and later admits it because he loves them and then they have some angry smut and late night fluff

Word Count: 6731

Warnings: Angst. Mild violence

Previous parts

Part 1 : Part 2 : Part 3 : Part 4

Masterlist

Tag List: @iambabyharry : @justahopelessssromantic : @carlaangel86 : @marvelmaree : @mrsamaroevans : @ifoundmyhappythought: @woahitslucyylu : @cind-in-real-life : @briannab1234 : @fairygardenss : @gemini0410 : @everyhowlmarksthedead : @losolvidad0s : @whyisgmora : @comasi-world : @xserenax-13 : @chibsytelford : @welovethesponge : @claytoncardenasbabymama : @jadert15 : @bigcreatorwombatdreamer : @trulysuccubus : @pananegra : @summertimesadnesswithadashofsass : @encounterthepast

Two weeks have passed since you and Angel broke up. You’ve avoided the clubhouse and your tio has not forced you to come, respecting your wishes. You avoided Carniceria Reyes, getting your meat from the grocery store instead. You went from work to home, occasionally stopping by the grocery store or some fast food place. You somehow never ran into Angel, which you were thankful for.

There were times where you would listen in, trying to see if he brought someone home, but you never heard anything. You heard EZ, Coco and Gilly very often, but never another woman, which you were thankful for.

You thought the heartbreak you experienced with Diego was something, but this? It was the worst.

Half the time, you just found yourself crying without any provocation. And other times, you would think you’re at the mend, but the tears came again. You always thought people were ridiculous for crying over their significant other they had for a whopping month, but here you were doing the same thing.

The length of time didn’t matter, it was about the connection.

And you definitely had that connection with Angel.

Diego was more present in your life, which was no surprise for you. At times, you welcomed his distraction, but more often than not, you wanted to be left alone. He just wouldn’t leave you alone. You’ve made it clear to him numerous times that you weren’t interested, that nothing was ever going to happen, but he didn’t seem to care. He resonated that he just wanted to be there for you, to make up for lost times.

But you realized that at times, friendships ended for a reason. The more you spent time with Diego, the more you realized that you two grew up to be two different people and you’re not exactly sure if you wanted to have anything to do with him. Besides the fact he used you, Diego was very self-centered and he didn’t care for the consequences of his actions as long as it favored him.

Laying on the couch, you had Netflix on to Avengers, you’re not sure which one, but you just needed some noise to silence your brain. It worked every once in a while.

But most of the time it didn’t.

Diego was sitting on your armchair, just watching you. It truly pained him to see you at your current state. He thought he was doing you a favor by pushing Angel out of your life. What he failed to realize was just how much Angel truly meant to you. Even after Regina had called you out, you were never like this. After a few days, you were able to face Diego, but you couldn’t even bring yourself to face Angel. Diego would try to bring you to the clubhouse, you would refuse and throw a fit, it surprised Diego. You were never so cold towards him, but now, no matter how hard he tried, you just didn’t give him much of anything. You were cordial, would laugh at some of his jokes, but otherwise, he felt as if you didn’t want him there.

It was new.

He wasn’t used to this. You always smiled whenever he came around. You always cracked jokes with him, your witty response was what drew him to you in high school.

“You okay babe?” Diego watched as you looked at him, giving him a small smile. He knew you were hoping that would appease him, but it didn’t.

“I’ll be fine, can you stop asking me every thirty minutes?” You knew he meant well and you didn’t say it in a snappy tone, but being asked every thirty minutes was excessive.

“Sorry, just want to make sure you’re okay.” Diego felt small then, he was so used to you hanging on to his every word, blushing when he would be sweet to you. But this side of you, he’s never experienced it. You were just not having it.

“And I get that, but you’ve been here with me, I’m fine.” And just like that, your mood turned on him.

“But I know you’re not.” Diego countered.

You really didn’t need this tonight. All you wanted to do was watch the Avengers, ogle over Chris Evans and Chris Hemsworth, occasionally Robert Downey Jr. The last thing you needed was Diego’s constant nagging. It surprised you how you felt towards Diego. You remembered vividly how much you adored Diego and always craved his company, but now, it seemed like you couldn't get rid of him. It was so opportunistic of Diego to pop up the day after Angel broke up with you, your favorite snacks and drinks with him. You thought it was sweet and a much needed distraction. But now, you just didn’t want the company. You wanted to wallow, cry it out, drink it out and eventually move on.

You’re not exactly sure what Diego wanted, but you had a feeling it was along the lines of coming back to Stockton with him. And quite honestly, for you, he could go fuck himself.

“Diego, can you just go? I just want to be alone.” You sighed, not really wanting the company.

“Please stop pushing me away. I know he broke your heart and all I want to do is be there for you.” Diego pleaded.

You scoffed. “Very convenient of you to be here for me as soon as Angel broke up with me.”

“Well I blackmailed him into doing it so yes, I knew it was going to happen.” Diego realized his mistake as the words escaped his mouth. You were never supposed to find out. Diego didn’t want you to know that he purposely sabotaged your relationship.

“I’m sorry, what did you just say?” You sat up then, anger coursing through your veins. The nerve of this asshole. How were you ever friends with him?

“Look, Angel is in bed with the rebels, if your tio found out, he would murder Angel, Coco and Gilly, he might include you too because of how close you are to them.” It was part of the reason that Diego threatened Angel. It was to protect you. He knew how terrible it would look. You would be tried by association. Diego saw the way your face changed when he mentioned how Bishop may involve you in the trio’s mistake. You didn’t seem fazed by the information he dropped on you. Then it dawned on him. “You knew.”

“How could you do this to me?” You accused Diego, the tears welling up in your eyes. “You broke my trust so long ago, but you just shattered it now.”

Diego grimaced, his whole world was falling apart. This was not how he expected things to go. “Y/N, please.” He moved to kneel in front of you, but you immediately stood up, as if the mere contact of his skin to yours would cause a burn.

“You sabotaged my relationship, for what? I told you I was done.” You wrapped your arms around yourself as Diego watched you helplessly. “I love him Diego, and you ruined our relationship. I never did that to you, no matter how much it hurt seeing you with another woman. If you were happy I could live with that and be happy for you.”

“But you weren’t happy!” He argued.

“How would you fucking know that?! You’ve been out of my life for four years, no text, no call, no contact, nothing. You can’t just march back into my life expecting things as they were. They’re not. Back then, you were the only thing I saw, the most important thing to me.” You began to sob. You hated that you cried when you became far too emotional. “You didn’t appreciate me then and you still don’t appreciate me now. You’re just mad because you’re no longer number one, you’re doing that same pattern again. When you could feel me slipping away, you come and tell me what you think I need to hear in order for me to come back to you.” You wiped the tears coming from your eyes, the overwhelming feeling of betrayal sinking it. “It’s not going to work this time. You don’t love me Diego, you love this idea of me you have, the person that would do anything for you, the person that hung on to you with every word. The person who looked at you like you held the sun and the moon, she’s not here anymore.” Your eyes connected with Diego. “You let me go four years ago and you can’t take that back. I just want my friend, not this guy who wants to rekindle something that's never going to come back. I need my friend."

It dawned on Diego just how badly he hurt you. The toxicity of how your relationship with him became for you. He realized too late just how much you meant to him, how much he couldn’t live without you. He wanted to tell you that he was miserable without you and how that scene between you, Regina and himself always replayed in his mind. He wished that he was braver to face the consequences of being in a relationship with you.

You were right.

Love wasn’t about being selfish, it was about loving the person you love anyway you could and at times, that meant loving them from afar.

Diego watched as you continued to cry, covering your mouth to silence your sobs. The way your shoulders were shaking, he knew you could hold it in for so long. He cut the distance between you two and enveloped you in his arms.

He fucked up.

He was man enough to admit that.

“I’m sorry, I’m so fucking sorry.” Diego kisses the top of your head holding you.

You wrapped your arms around him as you cried it all out. The frustration of this whole situation. You were angry at Diego, but you were also angry at Angel. He should have told you, you two were a team now, but you figured that’s not how Angel saw things. Maybe this was Angel’s way out and Diego just conveniently took advantage of it.

“Come home nena, let home heal you.”

You didn’t respond to him because running away doesn’t solve anything. You’ll figure out how to deal with it, you always did. Santo Padre became your home, regardless if Angel existed in Santo Padre or not.

“You’re not forgiven, I hope you know that.” You informed him as you pulled away.

“I know, but I’ll make it up to you.”

“How can you? You sabotaged my relationship.”

“I will, you just have to let me in, let me be your friend again.”

“I don’t think I can, not right now, the wound is too fresh. I can see why you did what you did, but like I told you, we’re done.” You weren’t ready to forgive Diego. His indiscretions were too much this time around. Though, you would think that the whole issue with Regina would have been a much greater sin towards you, but it wasn’t. This one was, the one person that made you actually feel love was taken away from you by the one person you wished loved you as you loved him years ago. It was kind of ironic, a twisted vicious circle.

Diego nodded his head. “I’m going back to Stockton next week.”

“I’m glad. You don’t belong in Santo Padre.”

“I don’t. You’re right.” Diego wanted to add that he didn’t belong anywhere unless you were there, but he knew that wouldn’t get him much. “For what it’s worth, I truly am sorry for what I put you through. It was selfish of me to blackmail him, but I was looking out for you.” He took a USB stick from his pocket, placing it on your coffee table. “It has the copies of the pictures I took of Angel and them. As a show of good faith.”

“Just go, please.” You walked over to your door and opened it, surprised to see Angel standing there, his arm up to knock on the door.

He saw the tears in your eyes and he frowned. He heard you yelling and he immediately came out of his apartment to check on you. It pained him, but he knew Diego was over much more often. At times, he was listening intently to see if you let Diego in, but he always just heard Netflix and he was never happier to hear Avengers play over and over again.

Diego and Angel made eye contact. The pure hatred they had for one another was evident and you felt the tension in the air.

“I’ll see you later nena.” Diego kept his hands in his pockets, walking past Angel.

Angel opened his mouth to speak, but you slammed the door shut. Sighing, he turned around and Diego was already halfway down the walkway.

“Hey,” Angel called out, jogging after him. “What the fuck did you do?”

“None of your fucking business Reyes.”

“Anything that has to do with her is my business.”

Diego scoffed. “She knows. She knows I blackmailed you and apparently, she knows about your shit with Adelita. Are you fucking with me? Did you just take the bait to get out of your relationship with her?”

Before Angel even knew what he was doing he punched Diego causing him to fall on the floor. Diego tackled Angel to the ground, getting on top of him as he attempted to punch Angel as well. Angel was able to block most of his attempts before he turned him around, landing shot after shot on his face. All the frustrations, the anger, the absolute hurt Diego has caused was being released by Angel.

“You motherfucker!” Angel roared as he continued his assault.

“Angel!” He heard EZ call out to him.

He heard footsteps behind him, but he didn’t turn around. He continued his assault and he felt as if Diego was letting him. He was no longer defending himself.

EZ pulled Angel off of Diego with Gilly’s help. Coco checked on Diego and was slightly disappointed he still had a pulse. His face was bloody and he was groaning due to the pain.

“Fuck Angel, what happened?” Coco questioned.

“She was yelling at him, he upset her.” Angel was breathing heavy, all the adrenaline coursing through his veins. “She fucking knew.”

“What?” Coco, Gilly and EZ asked in unison.

“Y/N, she knew about the rebels.”

Coco and Gilly shared a look, which was not missed by Angel.

“You’re fucking kidding me, how can you involve her? If Bish found out, he would wring her alive too.” Angel scolded. “This is a team fucking effort, how can you not tell me?”

“Angel, it wasn’t on purpose. She was talking to us about the cartel and how she wished we weren’t involved and it just happened. I’m sorry man.” Coco knew and Gilly fucked up, but they trusted you and shared that information with you in full confidence.

“How much does she know?”

“All of it.”

Angel couldn’t believe this. It was the reason Coco pushed him to be truthful, to let her know about Diego’s scheme because she already fucking knew. He broke up with her thinking it was for the best while he deals with Diego when he could have avoided this all together.

They heard the door open and saw you walking out of your apartment. You looked at all five men, Diego on the floor holding a handkerchief over his mouth. Walking away, you shook your head, done with the Mayans drama for the night.

“Y/N,” you heard Angel call out after you.

Thankfully your car was right by the entrance of the gate. Quickly you got in your car, turned it off and reversed. You waited for the gate to open, locking your doors so Angel couldn’t open it. As soon as the gate was open enough, you drove off, leaving Angel behind.

He made his choice.

He chose not to trust you and let Diego come in between you even though he promised he wouldn’t. You understood the reasoning behind his madness, but that didn’t mean you were okay with it.

Angel watched as you drove away. He made his way over his bike, but EZ stopped him.

“Just give her time.” EZ advised.

“No, I fucked up. I can’t let her slip away.” Angel ran over to his bike and immediately went after you. He caught up to you quite easily and he followed you all the way to Bishop’s home.

He cussed under his breath. He turned his motorcycle off, going over to the driver’s side where you remained.

“Baby, open up.” Angel knocked on your window.

You remained looking straight ahead, grabbing your phone, you thought of calling Bishop to come outside, but you didn’t want him to fight your battles for you. And regardless of what happened with Angel, you didn’t want him to get in trouble.

“Y/N, listen to me, I fuck up. This is what I do. I was given one option and I didn’t stop to think of any others.” Angel explained. “I wasn’t going to let it go on for long, I was going to get you back. Please, mi Dulce, you have to believe me.”

His words were registering, they just weren’t sinking in. It was always like this. You were the sacrificial lamb or the one that they couldn’t risk anything for since their standing with Bishop and Marcus would be tainted. At times you wished that they knew that it was two separate entities. For you it was. You would never actually tell your tio’s about their member’s indiscretions towards you. Someone getting hurt over what happened behind closed doors was not your forte. There were times that you wanted to tell Marcus about what happened with Diego, to tell them what Regina said to you, but you didn’t want to, especially after what Regina said.

‘What are you going to do now? Cry to your tio’s?’ Regina scoffed. ‘Only reason all these Mayans are nice to you is because of who you’re connected to, otherwise, you’re just some fucking tomboy that they all want to screw just to see what’s underneath all that baggy clothes. Don’t flatter yourself honey, there’s nothing to look at so you can stop hiding behind those clothes.’

Bishop watched from the window, debating if he should go out or not. It was hard for him as your uncle to really let you fight your own battles, but this thing with Angel, it had to be between you two. If he held back on killing Diego for using you, he can hold back on hurting Angel till you gave him some sign to do so.

“Is that Y/N?” Bishop heard Marcus questioned.

“Yeah primo, she’s in her car talking to Angel.”

“Angel, good kid, with a good head on his shoulders.” Marcus took a drag of his cigar.

“Acts on impulse though.”

“You mean like you?”

Marcus and Bishop both chuckled.

“Just like me.”

“Is he going to be a problem like Diegito?” Marcus and Bishop knew all about Diego’s moves. It was naive of you to think that it wouldn’t get back to them, but they pretended it didn’t. They knew how it would greatly upset you if something happened to Diego and quite frankly, they didn’t want to deal with your mother who would most likely tear them a new one.

“No, he won’t. Angel’s too smart for that and he actually loves her.”

After fifteen minutes of sitting in your car, with Angel now leaning against it smoking, you decided it was time to go outside. Angel would never leave you alone. You looked down at your phone, Angel saw it was Diego calling you. Pressing the button on the side of your phone, you ignored Diego’s call. Looking over at Angel, you gestured for him to move away from the door. Angel did and you stepped out of your car, holding your hand up when Angel made a step towards you.

“You have to believe me, I know how this looks, but I couldn’t let him jeopardize all the work me, Gilly and Coco did.” Angel explained. He noticed that you appear thinner than before, your clothes had always been big on you, but it just looked much bigger than usual. He knew that your break-up took a toll on you, but it did on him as well. It was difficult for him to be near you, yet, he couldn’t come see you. He would see glimpses of you whenever you would come to the scrapyard to pick up some parts for the shop or when you would help Coco out with his kid, but it was rare. At times, he would wait for you to come home if he didn’t see your car there and it hurt whenever you came home with Diego. “I love you, I didn’t want to do this, Diego followed us to Santo Madre and it just fell apart from there.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Angel froze then, he didn’t have a good explanation for that because he should have told you. It was what Coco advised him.

“Why didn’t you tell me you knew about the rebels?”

“So you’re saying this is my fault?”

“No, fuck!” Angel was frustrated, this wasn’t how he wanted this to go down. In his perfect world, after you found out that Diego blackmailed him, you would run into his arms and that was it, happily fucking ever after. But Angel realized this was his world and there was no such thing. “There’s no excuse, I should have told you, you’re my girl, I should have disclosed it with you.”

“It doesn’t matter now.”

“What?”

“It doesn’t matter now, you obviously didn’t trust me enough to tell me, which is fine. But I really wished that we didn’t start anything because at least I would still have you as my friend.” You crossed your arms over your chest, looking at the floor. You hated that it was difficult for you to make eye contact with someone when you were in a confrontation, but you were working on it. “For what it's worth, I’m glad I lost my virginity to you because it was with someone I cared about.” You smiled bitterly, trying your best to hold your head up high. “You hurt me worse than Diego did, because with him, at least I always misconstrued whatever the fuck our relationship was. With you, it was very clear that there was something there, I just misconstrued how much you trusted me.”

“Baby, please.” Angel pleaded, stepping closer to you, but you shook your head. “You know I love you, there’s no misconstruing anything, I fucking love you. All of this, I sacrificed this to assure my mission wouldn’t be done, but I would never leave you. You have no idea how difficult it was for me to end things with you.” Angel was going to wait till you woke up to break it off, but he wouldn’t have been able to do it. As soon as he saw the tears in your eyes, he would have retracted whatever statement he made and made it up to you the whole day. “Just give me another chance.”

“You said you would never let Diego come in between us, remember? We went to the beach, you told me that you would never let Diego come in between us.”

Angel remembered that and he regretted letting Diego come in between you.

“I can’t take back what I did. But if you would give me another chance, I can show you that I am worthy of you. Diego’s the asshole in this story, I did what I did to protect you.” Angel knew he was protecting his own ass, but in some ways, like Coco said, he would be no good to you if he was six feet under.

"Do you really think so little of me? That you couldn't trust me with the truth. This is bigger than just you, I'm just as much a part of this and I should have had a say. You don't get to make the decisions for everyone Angel, you don't get to decide what's best for me.”

Angel realized then that he should have just told her. This was bigger than him and she should have been part of this decision. If he was going to make her his partner, he should have spoken to her and made the decision together. Coco was right, she’s been a part of this life all of her life, if anyone would understand his madness, it would be her.

"I was just trying to protect you"

“Don't. We both know that's bullshit. You were protecting yourself.” You spat out. “So when were you going to tell me that Diego was blackmailing you?”

“As soon as I fucking buried him across the border.”

You nodded your head, chuckling at Angel’s words. “Yeah?” You took the USB stick that Diego had left on your table. Tossing it to Ange he caught it with ease. “Make sure you clean up after yourself next time.” You made your way over to Bishop’s place, unlocking the door quickly so Angel didn’t have a chance to catch up to you.

When you walked in, you saw him through the window. He looked up at you then, wanting to come after you, but Bishop appearing at the window caused him to halt his steps. He would wait for you at your apartment, he wasn’t done with you before and he definitely wasn’t done with you now.

“Everything okay mija?” Marcus questioned.

You looked over at your tio, nodding your head, giving him a small smile. “Yes, I’m fine.” You sat beside him, which in hindsight may not be a good idea since he was smoking. Standing up once more, you go to the kitchen to grab a glass of water. “I heard Diego is going back to Stockton.”

“Yeah, Creeper is back, we don’t have much use for him now.” Bishop sat by Marcos.

You sat at the other end of the table, placing your glass in front of you. “Good, glad he can go home.”

“You know he stayed for you.” Marcus pointed out.

“I do, but it was futile, I’m not really sure what he wanted with that.”

Marcus and Bishop looked at one another, shaking their heads.

“Maybe he wanted to apologize for letting that bitch disrespect you.”

Your eyes widened at Bishop’s words, unsure exactly of what to say. Looking over at them, they had stern looks on their faces and you felt foolish thinking they didn’t know.

“You knew.”

“Of course we did.” Bishop scoffed at her suggestion that he or Marcus would know nothing about what transpired between her and Diego. “Your mother called us, demanding that we beat the fucker alive for what he did to you.”

It would be your mother.

Amaya Losa was a force to be reckoned with. She knew her connections and used it wisely. It was rare that she called Marcus or Obispo for anything, so when she did, they did whatever she requested, except for hurting Diego. They knew it wouldn’t do anything but hurt you further. Bishop was able to talk his sister down and think rationally. He wanted to be Diego, strip him of his patch, but he refrained from doing anything knowing it would upset you.

“Why didn’t you?”

“Cause you wouldn’t have wanted us to hurt Diego, regardless of what he did to you.” Marcus knew his niece. He remembered how sweet you were growing up, always wanting to please your mother since your father died when you were still young. You saw Marcus as your father figure and it’s never changed since then. You never wanted to do anything to tarnish their names within the club, which was why you acted as appropriately as you could. When Regina called you out, you swallowed your pride and still showed your face at Stockton.

You felt emotional, tears welling up in your eyes. Your tio’s always protected you, even if you didn’t know it. Knowing that they knew about Diego and chose to remain silent, it surprised you.

“Why didn’t you tell me you knew about Diego?” You looked at them, wiping the tears that escaped your eyes.

“We never liked Diego for you, the fact you distanced yourself from him, knowing how much you meant to him, it was punishment enough. Diego was not the same after you left. He was just another member wearing the patch with no direction. Regina always tried to push him to become something more, but you know him, he hated being pushed or challenged.” Bishop explained. Leaving scars on his body would have definitely appeased their anger and your mother’s, but the way Bishop and Marcus saw it, leaving him emotionally crippled due to you walking away was much more jarring than any physical damage they would do to him. “Without you there, he didn’t have much of a purpose. He was a good rider, but never reliable with guns. He had a mean right hook, but again, Diego was just a good foot soldier. He would never actually move up the ranks. You gave Diego confidence because of your connection to us, but without you there, he was just another member with a patch.”

“I think you’re giving me far too much credit.”

“Maybe, but you didn’t see him when you left.” Marcus made a few visits to Stockton and whenever he did, Diego was quiet, not as talkative as when you were there. He didn’t have anyone to bounce off his energy with, to balance him out.

“Why’d you come here? You rarely come visit me.” Bishop teased his niece, trying to lighten up the mood.

“Diego was at my apartment, he was annoying me so I decided to come here.”

“Why didn’t you just call Angel?” Bishop knew that Angel had been gunning for Diego for quite some time. Ever since the day you slapped Angel, he noticed that Coco, Gilly and Angel watched Diego like a hawk. Every move he made, they knew about. It was slightly unnerving, but he didn’t question it. As long as they didn’t kill Diego, he was fine with whatever else they decided to do. He knew the three stooges weren’t that idiotic to kill a member. “He followed you all the way here.”

“Angel and I broke up.”

“You think Angel’s going to give up on you?” Bishop knew for a fact that Angel was not.

It was only a matter of time till you let Angel back in again.

If Bishop had to lock you two in a room till you made up, he fucking would.

==============

The next day, you stopped your car in front of the motorcycles, watching as Angel, Coco and Gilly made their way out of the clubhouse. Coco seemed upset, immediately lighting up a cigarette as he walked ahead of Angel and Gilly. You could see Angel and Coco becoming heated with one another as Gilly looked on, you then heard Riz, and knew that some shit just went down.

“You picked the perfect fucking time to come.” You murmured, shaking your head.

Just as Riz was walking away, you saw another car pull up and you knew that car anywhere. It was Regina’s car. Diego came out of the clubhouse then, his face immediately souring when his eyes landed on the car.

You debated whether or not to get out of the car, not wanting to deal with Regina after having your talking with both Diego and Angel last night. But at this point, fuck it. If you were able to face off against Diego and Angel, Regina was nothing.

Sliding out of your car, Regina’s eyes immediately went to you and realization hit her face quick. She always had a hunch that Diego was staying in SoCal for you, but he didn’t think Diego would go back to you. She sunk her claws in and she never thought he would break away. Being with a Mayan provided a status in Stockton and she needed to keep that. Association with the Mayans provided you protection and it was something she needed after all the shit she spoke to others.

“You fucking kidding me right now? You came to Santo Padre to look for her?” Regina’s shrill voice rang out through the yard, an audience immediately forming.

Angel noticed your arrival then.

“Don’t fucking start Regina, the fuck are you even doing here?” Diego attempted to move her away, but her eyes were rooted on you.

“Three fucking years you haunted our relationship and you weren’t even fucking there. You happy now? You got your precious Diegito?” Regina made her way over to you, shrugging off Diego. “You must think you’re hot shit because Diego ran after you? It was only after I dumped him baby, and now I’m back for him, so just like before, you’ll be thrown to the side.”

Angel wasn’t going to let this bitch talk to his girl like that. He moved to stand behind you, wrapping his arm around your middle. “Is there a problem here babe?”

You couldn’t help but feel safe with Angel’s arm around you. His mere presence gave you strength and you were thankful for that, even if you were still upset at him.

“No, just Diego’s trash looking for it’s dumpster.”

You heard the roar of laughter coming from behind you, which you guessed to be Coco and Gilly. Your Tio Bishop and Tio Taza were at the porch, chuckling as well, hearing your words to Regina. She stood there, speechless, looking at Diego who was laughing as well.

“Fuck you, you’re nothing but trash. You think you’re hot shit cause you have all these men around you, let’s see how tough you are when they aren’t around.”

“Name the time and place, bitch.”

Before Regina could reply, Diego dragged her off to the side, leaving you with Angel.

“Damn baby, I love your feisty side.” Angel kissed your cheek, his arm still wrapped around you. “Doesn’t it feel good to be back in my arms?”

“Fuck you, Angel.”

“Name the time and place baby.” He was teasing you and it was irritating you, yet you tried to fight off a smile.

Angel knew he was far from being on your good side, but the fact that you weren’t ignoring him anymore, he took it as a good sign.

He’ll win you over, he was confident he would.

==============

EZ stood beside you, watching Angel fight Riz. Boys will be boys and you laughed at how easy it was to handle conflict within the Mayans. Beat the fuck out of each other in the ring and it was a done deal.

“So, how are you and my brother?” EZ handed you your usual pineapple cider they keep in stock for you.

“Nothing there.” You shrugged, wincing as Riz got Angel in his back.

“Right,” EZ chuckled. “You know why he did what he did. Angel is impulsive and he was trying to do everything to protect you.”

“I’m sure he was and so was Diego.” You took a swig of the cider in your hand, watching as Angel got the better of Riz. As much as you were upset at Angel, you still had to admire how fucking good he looked. “Wished people would see that my tio’s and myself are two different entities.”

“Angel sees that, but he also knows that you two have not been two separate entities for a year now. If he’s doing something, you’re more than likely to be involved as well.” EZ explained. “Bishop is a smart man, and he knows you and Angel well. He won’t be able to separate you two when it comes to shit like this cause he knows Angel wouldn’t be able to hide it from you. Regardless of how Angel handled things, you know he loves you.” You heard the gunshot, signaling the end of the fight. “You weren’t the only one broken up about it, do you think I like sleeping on my brother’s fucking couch? Nope, but I did it to make sure that he didn’t drink himself to oblivion.”

You two watched as Angel hugged it out. Angel looked over at you, a smirk on his face as the blood dripped down his cheek, sweat making his chest glisten. You watched as the girls waited for him and Riz by the entrance of the ring, waiting to patch him and Riz up after their fight.

“Go patch up your man.” EZ playful elbow you on the side.

“Go patch up big brother, Ezekiel. Sure you’re used to it.” You teased him right back.

“Mi dulce, come help me clean up.” Angel stopped by the clubhouse entrance, pulling your attention away from EZ.

“Your brother is calling you.”

“Yeah, no, think that call was for you.” EZ walked away, leaving you with Angel.

“I can clean you up Angel.” One of the girls who followed him to the entrance offered.

“Go right ahead sweetie, don’t forget to kiss his boo boo’s too.” You winked at Angel, downing the rest of your drink and turning away from him. Looking at the time, it was nearing nine in the evening, good time to leave.

“You really gonna let some other woman clean me up?” You were started by Angel’s sudden presence, moving away from him.

“Can you not do that?” You placed a hand over your chest to calm your heart. Being around Angel usually caused your heart rate to rise, but pair that up with being scared, it made it worse.

“Come on, clean me up.” He took your hand, pulling you towards the clubhouse.

“Angel, that girl literally fucking offered.” You pointed out as he opened the door.

“Don’t give a fuck, I want you.” Angel led you to his room at the clubhouse, opening the door and closing it behind him. He sat down on his bed, his eyes on you. Crossing your arms over your chest, you were slightly nervous. Being alone with Angel was dangerous for you.

“Come on Angel, don’t do this.” You leaned against the door, thinking of a way to get yourself out of this one.

“Don’t do what? All I’m asking is for you to clean up my wounds, you did it before we got together, why can’t you do it now?”

“Angel, things are different and you know that.” You sighed, shaking your head. You opened the door and you heard him get up. “I’m just getting a wet cloth, sit down.” And you did as you told him, coming back with a wet cloth and stepping in between his legs. You cleaned the dried blood on his face, thankful that the cut on his nose was not gaping, meaning it didn’t need any stitches. “You should shower.” You instructed him.

“You gonna join me?”

“Angel, I told you, we’re not okay, far from it. Just give me time.” You cupped his face, he leaned against your palm, sighing.

“I’m sorry, Y/N, I really am.”

“I know,” you stepped away from him.

“I don’t want to lose you. No, I can’t lose you.” Angel hated how dependent he became towards you, but it was difficult not to be. The feeling you provided by your mere presence was never something he experienced. All he wanted was to be around you, to be with you.

You stepped back in between his legs and kissed him, his arms immediately wrapping around you, pushing you against him. Pulling back you rested your forehead against his, he kissed you again. You pulled away, putting more distance between you two.

“You won’t lose me. Just need time to figure some things out.”

“We can figure it out together baby.”

“No, this is just on me. Got to work on me before we can be really together.” You wrapped your arms around him, missing the hugs Angel would give you. “I love you, Angel.”

“I love you too.”

#angel reyes #angelreyes #angel reyes fanfiction #angel reyes fic #angel reyes fanfic #mayans mc imagine #mayans mc fic #mayans mc fanfic

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sailorbadger · 4 years ago

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Robin Hood episode ranking part 5 (10-1)

Finally, the top 10 of my Robin Hood episode ranking. The previous parts can be found here [link]. If you’ve enjoyed and/or hated my commentary or want to chime in with your own opinion, feel free to comment or send me an ask. So here it is, the top 10:

10. 3x4 – Sins of the Father

Watch 1x6 and then this one right after and tell me these aren’t the same episode. I fought so hard to get this episode to the top 10. At first I was shocked to find an episode in season 3 that I enjoyed this much, but here we are. This episode has the fun feeling of adventure that a lot of season 2 has. I didn’t remember much from this episode before my rewatch, and I was pleasantly surprised. Kate had a lot of potential at this point, and I don’t have much to complain about her besides her terrible braid. Tuck was a great therapist, and I enjoyed his scene with Edmund. The reason why I think this episode is a better version of 1x6 is because of the story of the guest characters. The biggest negative thing in this episode is the Much-Kate-Allan love triangle. But aside from that, I truly enjoyed this episode, and I don’t care what anyone thinks, this belongs in my top 10.

9. 2x7 – Show Me The Money

Marian finding out about her father’s death is one of the saddest things in the whole series. Allan and Robin’s fight is also amazing. Those two things are the highlights of this episode, and together with everything else in this episode they make this a great and fun adventure. Allan works so well as a bad guy, and it’s almost a shame he didn’t get to do this longer. I don’t have a lot to say about this episode other than that I really like it.

8. 1x4 – Parent Hood

In this episode we see for the first time someone dying for Robin. The episode is just very solid, and I originally had this on the number 5 spot on this list. The scene with Roy and his mother is heartbreaking. In this episode the Sheriff is finally becoming the unapologetic villain I love. I wish the fact that Gisborne had a bastard child he almost got killed had been brought up later on. Overall, this episode has always been one of my favorites, and it is the first one from season 1 I included in my rewatch.

7. 2x11 – Treasure of the Nation

I loved Prince John, so of course I’m going to love his mother. The queen is a delightful guest character, and she steals any scene she’s in. The real reason why this episode is this high on the list is Marian’s plotline. I love her and Allan’s interactions in this episode, and it’s great to get the Nightwatchman back after such a long time. It’s a shame that she had to give that role up, because as I said earlier, this is where a part of her character died. This episode also inspired us to have a conversation about how everyone would act like in an escape room, so it gets a few points for that.

6. 2x10 – Walkabout

I want to watch a play that is written, directed, and acted by the Sheriff. He is so wonderfully dramatic in this. Unlike in the season 3 finale, in this episode the idea of Nottingham being threatened is executed a lot better. I like how Allan tries to keep every option open for himself. The scene where Much finds out about Robin and Marian’s engagement is so sweet and touching. (In case you haven’t figured it out yet, I love Much and want happiness for him.) This episode also highlights well the differences between how each of the characters approach their cause. It’s obvious that John just wants to do good, but he is unable to view the larger picture. This episode has the right amount of tension, and with a little bit of tweaking, it could have been made into a two-part season finale.

5. 1x7 – Brothers in Arms

When we were watching this episode, my friend was so tired that after the episode finished, I had to answer the question “Wait, was one of them Allan’s brother?”. This episode is the first one where the heroes truly fail, and even though they manage to just save Marian, she still ends up engaged to Gisborne. The scene with Allan and Djaq (and Will, because even though he doesn’t speak, he’s there, and it says a lot about their dynamic) is sweet, and it adds a lot to her character. The necklace storyline is intense and keeps the story interesting until the very end. I had not expected this to end up being the best episode of season 1, but then again, there were many surprises when I was making this list.

4. 2x12 – A Good Day to Die

I love this episode. It’s rare to get an episode where the characters just sit down and talk about their feelings. Allan has his small crisis and ends up switching sides. It’s also great to once more see someone punch him in the face. I love the scene where the Sheriff is practicing his speech like any good villain. Will and Djaq are cute, even if their scene is very cheesy. I wish they had gotten together a few episodes earlier or stuck around for season 3, so that we could have seen more of them together and how it affects the rest of the gang. The highlight of this episode, however, is Much’s speech. The line “just because I love you doesn’t mean I can’t hate you too” is one of my favorite lines in the whole series. It’s a shame that Much gets sidelined in season 3. The characters have to face each other and themselves, and it makes this episode stand out.

3. 2x9 – Lardner’s Ring

I love this episode. It’s the best fun adventure episode this series has to offer. The Fool is a wonderful guest character. Where did he come from? What are his motives? It doesn’t matter, he’s here for comedy and chaos. He’s living my ideal life. Robin’s proposal is very in-character and sweet. There’s so much comedy in this episode, but it doesn’t overshadow the more serious scenes. This episode provided us with a great and frequently used “I hope you’re enjoying it, Allan. I couldn’t live with myself if I were you” WhatsApp-sticker (the line may not be completely accurate since I don’t remember how it goes in English). This episode has everything I could want from a Robin Hood -episode. The only reason why it is not on the first or second place is that there are two episodes that are even better.

2. 2x5 – Ducking and Diving

No placement in this list was as difficult to determine as deciding between the first and second place. After a very long conversation and going back and forth with it many times, this is the end result. Ducking and Diving is a perfect episode. Trying to find the spy is like a round of Among Us. Allan’s conversation with Djaq and final confrontation with Robin are amazing scenes. Robin’s plan of making it seem like the spy is Will confused me back when I first watched the episode, but looking at it now, it’s one of Robin’s better plans. Matilda is also one of the greatest guest characters this show has, I would watch a whole show about just her life. Everything in this episode ties together nicely, and the plot works both in the context of this episode and for the whole series.

1. 2x4 – Angel of Death

If I could only show one episode of this show to someone in order to convince them to watch the entire series, I would show them Angel of Death. And it is exactly what I did when we started this very chaotic viewing (and rewatch for me). This episode has everything. The plot is amazing, and the characters work well. Joseph is a good character. He reminds me of an academic who is really passionate about one thing in his field, only to find out someone has done research on his thesis topic and disproved his whole theory. I like that John is the one to come up with the cure for the poison. But really, Will is the character that shines in this episode. He didn’t get an episode for himself in season 1, so it’s good to see it happen here. He flips completely after seeing his father die, and even though Luke doesn’t get a lot of time in this episode, the relationship between the brothers is portrayed well. Allan’s betrayal also gets a body count, which sets up him having to be unmasked in the following episode. On top of all this, the sheriff is just plain evil, which is fun to watch. This episode is just perfect, and at this point I’ve seen it at least three times in the past few months, and I would still watch it again.

So there we go, the full ranking of all RH episodes. This rewatch was my favorite so far, because I got to watch the show with someone who had never seen it before. I’d like to thank anyone who read this 6000-word essay on a show that ended well over a decade ago. You didn’t need to, but you did anyway.

#robin hood bbc #bbc robin hood #rh episode ranking #this is a long one but I wanted top 10 in one post #I fought so hard to get number 10 into top 10 #idk what my next rh take will be #I kind of want to rant about s3 some more #anyway if someone's reading this send me your takes on my ranking #I'm starved for attention

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twicesix · 4 years ago

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in honor of d!smp one year, here are my top 10 fave characters (lore and enjoyability wise)

1. Wilbur. Do I even have to START with this one? He was genuinely such a good leader, always cared for his citizens (listen to eight by sleeping at last!) and his descent into his Villbur state was cause by betrayal and mental turmoil and hes so morally complex I absolutely adore him. Plus ghostbur has done nothing wrong ever and I stand by that!

2. Dream. MY MEOW MEOW (/hj) . I adore him, hes such a good villain and god I wanna know what fucked him up this badly. What led him to become this corrupted when he was just ... a tad power hungry at the start of the smp and genuinely cared for his friends? He's so complex and people just reduce him to 'grr evil man bad' but like . I can't summarize my thoughts on him in a post. Basically - I hope my meow meow escapes prison and wins <3 (Plus he's sexy)

3. Sam. He's quickly risen to my FAVES in such a short time like ??? He is the definition of morally gray, hes such a kind person and wants the best for the minors on the smp (Tommy, Ranboo...) but he's also the warden of the darkest prison and has let Quackity go in and TORTURE dream and hes tortured Ponk, his past lover and he is the definition of the ends justify the means and he regrets not being there for Tommy so much all this guilt is consuming him ANYWAY . I LOVE HE.

4/5. Tommy/Ranboo - They're tied in my fave list. Everyone on tumblr seems to love Ranboo so I don't think I need to explain, and Tommy's just such a good character for constantly trying to improve himself but still in the process of healing from trauma and I adore both of them so very much. They should both go to therapy.

6. Puffy - Now I will say I have not caught up to egg lore . BUT I adore Puffy for being consistently good in a server filled with evil? She wants to help, she wants to defeat the egg for her friends, shes valiant, she doesn't take shit, plus shes a hot pirate lady like what more could you ask for? I really really hope she doesn't ever pull a villain arc because god we so desperately need a character like hers.

7. Quackity - it's tough being both a quackity fan and dream fan but oh well. Mans got left behind by both of his lovers, abused in the past by Schlatt, and has so much mental turmoil that he has to resort to torture to try and bring his abusive ex back like ??? His character is also undergoing a whole Kakegurui arc, so that should also be really fun. I think his lore has so much potential.

8. Techno - I am NOT a techno apologist. I think people apologize for his actions too much, and he's actually a giant hypocrite for claiming anarchy was the solution to ending governmental tyranny but his way of establishing said anarchy was through mass war crimes HOWEVER I LIKE TO SEE PIG MAN FUCK SHIT UP. GO TECHNO GO !

9. Karl. The only reason hes not higher is bc I haven't seen him in a long time. Otherwise, I absolutely adore TFTSMP lore with the other side and whatnot even if I minimally understand it- it's so cool and I miss it. Plus, hes so nice and his loss of self is such a sad thing for the viewer to see. I hope he finds happiness </3

10. George. Now you may ask. What the fuck is mr. I never show up for lore doing here? WELL - LISTEN. Him standing in front of the prison? The whole Dream item frame symbolism? The start of the smp, where it was just him, Dream and Sapnap, versus now? He may now show up for lore but by god does he create the most heartbreaking one by purely accident.

Anyways. I love most characters on the SMP (keyword: most. ) And my faves list changes every day - Techno used to be number three like a couple weeks ago. But yeah!

#mcyt #dream smp #this is just for fun!!!

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thelonelybrilliance · 5 years ago

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Mythopoeia: the Essential List

It’s fun to be friends with one of your favorite living writers. Mythopoeia, who goes by @abadpoetwithdreams on here, is the first real friend I made on Ye Olde Internet...way back in 2013.

Chelsea’s built quite a body of work over the years, enough to pick a top 10 (a very-hard-to-choose top 10...all her stuff RULES).

So I did it. I pulled up her old ff.net page, and I picked ten fics. Then I realized...I had ten without even trying. And since then, she has written...literature...for both the greatest legendarium of all time (#JRRT), and also the greatest kdrama of all time (The Guest). With a few other things sprinkled in between! So I went with 11 because I was suffered from indecision.

Anyway, what with quarantine and all, I wanted to curate a few more rec-lists. They’ll be tagged “fic recs,” and will span fandoms and authors galore.

@mythopoeiastories / Mythopoeia at fanfiction.net & AO3

1. those gathered beneath - [The Silmarillion: Gold Rush]

When we first pitched our idea for a Gold Rush AU of the Silmarillion to each other, Irish Catholic culture made it into the mix SO FAST. And our dancer extraordinaire wrote a fic about the Line of Finwe that is set in and around a ceili. Yes, that’s right. Powerplays and family dynamics and craftsmanship and talent and vivid 1840s farm-life depictions--all in one three-chapter spectacle.

Oh, and the ending will crush you.

In the words of John Mulaney, “I think about [this fic] every g*ddamn day”

2. Lagan - [The Guest |손]

Of course it’s Chelsea’s fault that I’m into kdramas. There isn’t much of a question that The Guest, a supernatural exorcism drama about three lonely young people saving their shattered world, is the best of the best.

This fic tells the story of what happens next. If you watched the drama--which you should, although it’s scary as literal hell--please treat yourself thereafter to a work of literature that reads like poetry and a seaside legend blended together.

3. Confabulation - [Supernatural]

The last line of this perfect fic has stayed with me forever. It’s a deft handling of childhood trauma and stubborn resilience against the backdrop of fate...really the show’s energy at its finest.

4. dirgemaker - [The Silmarillion: Gold Rush]

This fic and the next are two more from our AU, which you SHOULD read, so I shan’t apologize for including them. Dirgemaker is set at a canonical moment when Maglor (the second of Feanor’s sons) makes the decision not to rescue Maedhros...indeed, not even to try. In the AU, it works rather differently, and I have only reread this fic when I have plenty of tissues on hand--only to find that it’s not the grief that gets me so much as the heartbreaking sense of betrayal that sullies every tender moment.

5. primum non nocere - [The Silmarillion: Gold Rush]

Another canonical Silmarillion moment gets special treatment, but I won’t spoil the details. Rather, I’ll say how it’s about Fingon, one of the best characters in all of Tolkien’s work--who has a valiant heart and little ambition or pride. Similarly, the story that, of Chelsea’s work, most surrounds him, is written in a way that emphasizes plain pains and soft feelings. There’s a lot of trouble and drama present in the plot, but the way it’s told makes you consider details like cramped rooms, dusty roads, and the disappointment following hopes that should never have existed.

6. Silver Bird - [Scarlet Heart Ryeo |달의 연인-보보경심 려 ]

The first kdrama I ever watched! Those who have followed me for some time might remember how I lost my mind binge-watching it in three-and-a-half days. The world has never been the same.

This fic does a lot of things. It makes me cry. It changes the nature of letter-writing, in my mind. And airplanes, well...

7. Doegred [The Silmarillion]

I read The Silmarillion years ago, and didn’t retain much of it. But I had to read everything Chelsea wrote, and Maedhros’ one-handedness always...interested me...(little did I know how much that would prove to be a future Defining Character Trait of mine). I have this fic to thank (and blame) for so many things. It haunted me before I knew what it was about, or why it mattered. I remembered lines even though I didn’t recognize the names. Chelsea writes moments in fic that seem suspended in a long, aching second, and as a reader, I always feel like I should stop breathing for the length of such sentences, just to honor them.

8. Slow Sunrise - [Lawless Lawyer |무법 변호사 ]

Another one I requested--and really, really, really you should appreciate how well someone writes romance who is often *shrug* about romance. She came, saw, and conquered at the task of spelling out a Lee Joon Gi-acted kiss.

Also, Lawless Lawyer is, in large part, a gem of a show. I owe it...much.

9. With Shield and Body - [The Hobbit]

A mix of book and movie canon, but written prior to BotFA, this fic imagines metal and mettle together, amid ruin and death. It may have been the first Chelsea fic I ever read? I think I was in college, and I remember very much how I tried (and failed) not to cry.

10. Bittersweet, or, A Study in Sugar - [Sherlock/Pushing Daisies] I confess I haven’t finished watching all of Pushing Daisies, which needs to change in quarantine, but damn if this fic doesn’t make me cry every time. The cadence of the last line is exquisite. SO many of my own writing tics come from studying her work. The art of the last line, for sure. And it goes without saying--shout-out to the baking descriptions. Shout-out to the John Watson characterization. An underrated classic.

And one for good luck

A Day in the Life of Dean Winchester - [Supernatural] She wrote this for ME (a recurring theme for which I’m quite grateful), and it’s a exquisitely subtle character study, full of the kind of details that stay with you for years because of how ordinary yet poignant they are. I still remember the description of the heat, the cucumber sandwiches, the loneliness.

#fic recs #mythopoeia #abadpoetwithdreams #we have no choice but to stan #friends #writer friends #favorite authors #fanfic #spn #supernatural #the hobbit #scarlet heart ryeo #the guest #the silmarillion #pushing daisies #sherlock #gold rush au #lawless lawyer #kdramas

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sweetgirl-haz · 5 years ago

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My Top 10 Kdramas

I was reading @overthinkingkdrama‘s list on her top 10 kdramas thus far and that got me thinking about mine. It’s been a while since I’ve evaluated my favourites and their ranking so thought it’d be interesting to check in. *frantically checks mydramalist completed list*

The problem is that after most dramas, I forget the characters and stories. There are many dramas that I have rated 10/10 right after having watched them many years ago but now I cannot remember what exactly I liked about them. There are some I remember because they’ve been rewatched multiple times. So do I include the ones that I’ve rewatched/are more recent that I remember or the ones from a couple of years ago which I remember enjoying but I’m not really sure why?

Let's start with notable mentions. These are rated 10/10 by me but I couldn’t fit all of them on the list so .....

Notable mention 1: Dear My Friends

Somewhere after the saeguk phase and before the crime thrillers phase, I was in a slice-of-life phase of kdrama watching. I picked this up during then. There aren't many stories that are focused on the lives of older people. They aren't that well represented in dramaland apart from the sweet/mean grandparents. This was such a heart-warming drama that made me laugh and cry. It was slow paced and probably boring for some but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved the friendships and the relationships between the characters. Their stories were so touching and heartbreaking at times. This drama was very realistic, calming and meaningful. I definitely want to give this a rewatch some time in the future.

Notable mention 2: Tree With Deep Roots

A couple of years ago I went through the saeguk phase. I think a particular mindset is needed to watch a saeguk (or 10). You know it's going to be heavy, with multiple characters and intrinsic details. There won't be many fast forwarding opportunities without missing key plot points. This probably explains why I haven't picked up a saeguk in recent years - I cannot commit to it. This show is far from the romance genre, it is a saeguk about Hangul. I remember it being an incredible story with brilliant characters and mix of fiction and history. And with 24 episodes, never once did it get boring. What a performance by Han Seok Kyu! Jang Hyuk and Shin Se Kyung did a wonderful job too, plus there a short performance by Song Joong Ki. Time for a rewatch?

Notable mention 3: The Princess’ Man

What I vividly remember is me crying whilst watching this drama. I shed too many tears. Too many. The story can be compared to Romeo and Juliet - two people who fall in love in spite of their family's bitter rivalry. I remember it being well written with a balance of romance, drama, action, suspense, friendship, betrayal, war, politics and revenge (the usual mix really). Probably the best work I have seen of Park Si Hoo and Moon Chae Won. They did brilliantly individually and also together. Great chemistry. I wish I remembered more. Writing this list will tempt me to rewatch all of these. Cannot recall specific songs from the OST but I think I have a few in my Spotify Korean OST list.

Notable mention 4: You Who Came From The Stars

I think I am the most upset about this not being in the top 10. The reason for it not being in the top 10 is because I did rewatch it a year or two ago and it wasn’t as enjoyable as the first time.

Shall we start right at the beginning, with the intro. I loved that intro and despite being a serial fast forwarder, I made sure to watch it at the beginning of every episode. This was the first show where I thought the female lead was relatable. Jun Ji Hyun was vulnerable, sweet, goofy, not the smartest in the room and she made Song Yi so real to me. I loved her more than Kim Soo Hyun in this show. I loved the internal/external monologues she would have with herself. As a couple, they had incredible chemistry and remain to be one of my favourite on-screen couples. The story was complete and flowed well. I liked the second male lead and the side characters too. 'My Destiny' by Lyn is still one of my most memorable and most listened to OST. I'm not sure why I didn't enjoy it the second time. Writing this is tempting me to rewatch this gem.

Notable mention 5: Her Private Life

I have to agree with Deok Mi: Kim Jae Wook is so annoyingly beautiful.

The female character was particularly relatable to me. I am a fan girl (not to the extent of the character) and a life outside where people don't really know the extent of my fangirlness. This has to be my favourite (truly) rom-com. There are so many things that I loved here, but what made the drama that enjoying were definitely our main leads Sung Deok Mi and Ryan Gold. Park Min Young and Kim Jae Wook's chemistry was so natural. I loved how mature their relationship was - they sorted out all misunderstandings quickly and acted like adults. There was no pointless drama. The leads tried to understand each other and also give the other space. Ryan Gold seems like the ultimate male lead, he has raised those standards even higher. Side note to appreciate Deok Mi's wardrobe. Those pant suits were gorgeous - I wish I could pull them off. I guess there was a lack of real obstacles and conflict. But I liked that for a change.

10. Queen In Hyun’s Man

The premise was interesting and story was executed really well. A truly romantic drama. The mix of old and modern world was done so well. Yoo In Na and Ji Hyun Woo are absolutely adorable together. Love this show.

9. Bridal Mask

GAKSITAL! I was raving about this drama to everyone who would listen to me. I think this drama is a masterpiece. The amazing storyline with complex characters, excellent actors, epic cliffhangers, and breathtaking music (that loud/epic tune still rings in my head). The storyline was engaging and each episode always left me wanting more. The story is unique and I love how it explores a different part of history. The friendship and conflict between the two male leads Kangto and Shunji is the heart of this show.

8. Rooftop Prince

Every time I think about this show, I'm reminded of the comedic and quirky scenes of the characters adjusting to the modern world (post time travel obviously). I like how the stories in the old and modern world are integrated. There is a shift from romantic, light hearted comedy to sad and melodramatic later in the show. The sad scenes were truly heartbreaking. Enjoyable watch, great acting, wonderful OSTs that I still listen to!

7. My Wife is Having an Affair This Week

Another slice of life drama. I loved how the show explored marriage, relationships, cheating and divorce. It was only 12 episodes so didn't drag at all. The characters are so complex and human and the story is so beautifully written. Song Ji Hyo and Lee Seon Gyun are amazing as the leads, portraying every emotion of a struggling couple from start to finish. You need to go in with an open mind to watch this show.

6. 49 Days

Everyone has that one show, which isn't brilliant but somehow touched your heart and you love it despite its flaws. This is mine. 49 Days has a unique story and I knew I was going to be crying as I come to love these characters. I did cry, lots. I cried each time I rewatched it. I cried because it was sad and it made me so frustrated that life was so unfair to these characters and they're not going to get the happy ending that they deserve... The writer stayed true to their vision. It wasn't all rainbows and balloons at the end with loopholes to give each character their happy ending. I think I love this show because it really pains me to watch these characters and their lives. I really came to love Jung Il Woo and Lee Yo Won. LOVE the OST.

5. Signal

What a story! And the execution of that story. Amazing from start to finish. I can still hear the sound of the walkie-talkies in my head. One of the best crime thrillers I have seen. Cases were well paced. The mystery would leave me at the edge of my seat every time. A couple of the cases were REAL cases, which was terrifying but brilliant. The music was mellow and fit the scenes so well. This show and the ones below were truly an experience. Loved the actors and the acting.

4. Father is Strange

Ah another phase of my - the family drama/soaps phase. After seeing a couple, I didn't go into this show with high expectations. It has the typical family drama elements: illegitimate son/birth secrets, sick family member, horrible in-laws, evil side character/bully. What made it stand out from the other shows was how the characters dealt with these issues. It wasn't the same as previous shows, the characters were more mature and real and dealt with these issues in a more progressive and refreshing way. The show also touched on issues including parenting, bullying, marriage, career vs pregnancy and societal pressure. I was so invested in everyone's stories and arcs. Lee Yoo Ri though. My favourite character, she made the show for me.

3. Reply 1988

This is such a nostalgic, true-to-life trip from start to finish. Reply 1988 exceeded my expectations, after Reply 1997 it was hard not to. What made it stand out from the previous Reply series was the focus on family and friendship instead of the romance. This meant we got to know EACH and every character and feel what they were feeling. The story isn’t fast paced with big ups and downs. It depicts the true day-to-day life, which made it feel even more real. I didn’t expect to cry as much as I did in this drama. And it wasn’t because someone was dying. They were the small acts, unsaid things that truly touched my heart. Junghwan’s and Jung bong’s terrace scene watching stars, Jung bong in the hospital, Bora leaving to go to the hostel, Dong ryong wanted to spend time with his mum, Sun woo’s wedding invitation to Taek’s dad, Bora and Bora’s Dads letters to each other, etc etc. I truly felt like a part of the Ssangmungdong community. Even though I didn’t enjoy the ending, this would be one of my favourite dramas ever. The length of the episodes and the ending has stopped me from rewatching it but every once in a while, I think about how beautiful this drama was.

Also, as an epilogue to the show, everybody should watch Youth Over Flowers: Africa.

2. Healer

Ji Chang Wook. That's it. Do we need to say anything else. Solid romance, great story, brilliant action scenes, gripping, wonderful OST, good acting and JI CHANG WOOK. Love this show. Ji Chang Wook. Watch it for him.

1. Age of Youth

This is such a precious show. I have rewatched it and am planning to watch it again for the nth time. This show really defines slice-of-life. I am sure everyone watching this drama could relate to one of the girls or even just a situation faced by the girls. I was able to relate to different situations and aspects of many of the girls personally and also have seen other friends/family facing similar situations. I was really glad that the plot focused on the girls the most and not the boys. It didn't take a detour. It was consistent. This show touched my heart in the way no other show probably will (for now atleast). The relationships were realistic. The casting was perfect - Age of Youth 2 was great but changing the actor changed the dynamic for me. The music was beautiful - I still loop 'Butterfly' by Sogyumo Acacia Band. I have no complaints or flaws for this show apart from it being too short.

Just realised I've left Forest of Secrets/Stranger out of this list. EURGH let's add that in somewhere.

If Be Melodramatic carries on the way it doing, it's going to be in my top 10.

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talkingismylifewrites · 5 years ago

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What are some Fleetwood Mac songs that you would recommend? I want to start listening to some of their stuff but I don’t know where to start lol

don’t worry, i gotchu. strap in, it’s long, sorry, i tried limiting it to just my top faves but that got uhhhh hard ahha:

1. landslide: this is just...this is just the greatest song ever written. it’s so poignant yet hopeful yet melancholic?? like i can still, to this day, remember the first time i heard it. it was at my friend sasha’s house, and i was six, and it was the cover by the dixie chicks?? and i heard it and i just laid on her bedroom floor and she had all these little gold painted stars on her ceiling and i felt like i was looking into the whole of space listening to it. then i heard the real version and it was even more magical. it’s a song i never skip, it’s just too beautiful.

fave lyric: “i’ve been afraid of changing cuz i’ve built my life around you/ well time makes you bolder, children get older/ i’m getting older too”

2. the chain: this fucking banger. this goddamned banger of a song!! it’s my favorite song ever, i could listen to it all day, every day. it’s a fucking powerhouse, and i’ve talked about it before, hell, i named my fic after it!! it was written for the album rumours which is infamous in that it was written while the whole band hated each other: stevie nicks and lindsey buckingham were breaking up, stevie had had an affair with mick fleetwood, john and christine mcvie were mid-divorce, and it was the shit show to end all shit shows. this is the one song that they all collaborated on together and it is fucking powerful. the whole song is about being betrayed and kinda accepting that things are ending as they are, and allowing yourself to be angry as shit over it. every single member shines on it: the rawness of the vocals from nicks and mcvie, buckingham’s guitar solo or fleetwood’s drums, to the dirty bass by mcvie. from start to finish it is, in my mind, a PERFECT song.

fave lyrics: if you don’t love me now you will never love me again/ i can still hear you sayin’ you would never break the chain

3. tusk: where do i even begin with tusk. easily one of the best drum beats? again, brilliant lyrics, stellar performance, and overall overwhelming. my dad used to play it in the car with all the windows down and we’d be driving down the highway with it blasting belting it out and it was just...amazing. i genuinely think?? that the chain and tusk compliment each other so fucking well. like the chain is about the aftermath of the break up, the initial betrayal and the heartbreak, the fucking aftermath of the destruction?? while tusk is the slow crawl of a breakdown. and like a breakup, it creeps up on you in intensity: it starts out soft and kinda suspicious? “why don’t you tell me what’s going on?” and the initially suspicions of a lover cheating, or hiding from you, and then explodes into this sick drum beat that builds and builds and builds while the horns blast and wow. it echoes in your chest, matching the intensity. it just slaps

fave lyrics: “don’t say that you love me/ just tell me that you want me”

3. silver springs: stevie nicks wrote this for rumours and apparently the decided not to include it due to ‘tensions’ in the band (lindsey buckingham cough cough). it’s so poignant?? and simple?? yet so complex?? and haunting?? that’s what i think sets stevie nicks apart from other songwriters is that her lyrics haunt you when they’re finished. like they stay with you and just loop and loop around in your mind. absolutely fucking fantastic. i cannot even imagine being lindsey buckingham and having to stand on stage and listen to the woman who i considered to be the love of my life stare into my soul while telling me that “you will never get away from the sound/ of the woman that loved you” like DAMN STEVIE!!!

fave lyrics: “time cast a spell on you but you won’t forget me/ i know i could have loved you but you would not let me”

4. rhiannon: where do i even begin with this one?? the guitar is just insane, almost as amazing as the bass, and stevie nicks just shines on vocals. she wrote the song about a welsh witch and she managed to solidify that aesthetic in the lyrics and the vocals. originally, fleetwood mac only wanted lindsey buckingham to join the band, and he had to demand that stevie nicks (girlfriend and musical partner) join. they relented, she got to join the band, and she wrote their two biggest hits off the next album; landslide and rhiannon. so suck on that.

fave lyrics: “dreams unwind/love’s a state of mind”

5. dreams: this song in itself is just an experience. it’s beautiful and haunting and so fucking melancholic and yet i listen to it no matter what my mood. apparently stevie nicks wrote it in ten minutes. TEN MINUTES. i love her. i will fully fucking admit i listen to it on the bus to work while i stare out the window to see the rain falling down outside. it is a magical experience, i firmly believe it changes you. it will cleanse you

fave lyrics: “thunder only happens when it’s raining/ players only love you when they’re playing/ say women, they will come and they will go/ when the rain washes you clean you’ll know”

6. little lies: christine mcvie and stevie nicks sound like sirens as they croon out the chorus. it’s so fucking good?? so fucking good. it’s catchy and it’ll stay in your head for forever after you listen to it once. like, damn.

fave lyrics: “no more broken hearts/we’re better off apart/ let’s give it a try/ tell me, tell me, tell me lies”

7. go your own way: if silver springs is stevie nicks calling lindsey buckingham out and cursing him to always be haunted by her, go your own way is lindsey buckingham offering her his heart on a silver platter with a little side of fuck you. he’s basically like fine you wanna break up?? then fuck you i tried my best and you still wanna go? i can’t make you want to stay if you don’t want to. but at the same time its kinda like a farewell to their relationship like i can’t make you stay if you don’t want to. the two of them end up screaming this at each other throughout their ‘82 tour? just eyes locked as they kinda let the other know ‘fuck you’. fantastic

fave lyric: “if i could, baby i’d give your my world/ how can i when you won’t take it from me?”

8. everywhere: what a perfect goddamned love song that just encapsulates the feeling of being in love and wanting to be near someone at all hours of the day. its so pure and simple yet so powerful because it’s just that fucking good. christine mcvie does NOT get as much recognition as she deserves. its so fucking good and lovely and sentimental

fave lyrics: “can you hear me calling out your name/you know i’m falling and i don’t know what to say”

9. songbird: this will be the song that i sing to my children when i put them to bed. enough said.

fave lyrics: “and the songbirds keep singing like they know the score/and i love you i love you i love you/like never before

10. gypsy: so there’s a radio station that plays on sirius xm and only in the summer called yacht rock radio. it’s 100% dad music or songs that you would listen to while sipping a margarita wearing a hawaiian shirt while cruising around the sound with your douche friends ironically wearing a captain’s hat and it is my FAVORITE station ever. this song plays at least ten times a day and now whenever i hear it i think of california sunshine rolling over the hills as i drive down the highway or watching the sunset in the horizon as we all sing along. it’s very nostalgic in the best possible way. it makes me feel both old and young.

fave lyrics: “back to the floor that i love/ to a room with some lace and paper flowers/ back to the gypsy that i was”

honorable mentions: beautiful child, you make loving fun, gold dust woman, don’t stop, secondhand news, never forget, sara, big love, the entire album of rumours (even thought i’ve basically listed them all here...oops), and stevie nicks entire 1981 album bella donna

let me know what you think!!

#fleetwood mac #rumours #tusk #stevie nicks #lindsey buckingham #christine mcvie #mick fleetwood #john mcvie #anonymous asks #also i dont have spotify otherwise id make you a playlist 😭#caro talks

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princess-of-france · 6 years ago

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Top 5 saddest Shakespeare moments?

You are a monster and I’m so broken by this. But also: catharsis.

(And I’m going to do a countdown because I’m a Dramatic Bitch.)

5. “I know thee not, old man. Fall to thy prayers.” (King Henry V, 2 Henry IV)

In a canon of plays that contain some of the most stomach-churningly visceral violence in all of English drama, this moment in 2H4 is devastating proof that words really are the cruelest weapon we humans are capable of wielding against each other. As far as I’m concerned, two characters die in this moment: Hal is Hal no longer and Falstaff is strapped onto the conveyer belt that will bring him to his offstage demise in H5. Absolutely brutal.

4. “Nobody; I myself. Farewell.” (Desdemona, Othello)

Honestly, this entire scene in Othello is like a crash course in Human Suffering, but I chose this specific moment because I don’t think there is anything more profoundly sad than the fact that Desdemona—the woman murdered for her unfaithfulness—refuses to indict her husband in her final ~10 seconds of life, even though her husband is literally the person who murdered her and this could be the only opportunity for the truth ever to come out. Desdemona’s loyalty to Othello, whom she chose with her eyes and heart wide open, is the only force in this play more powerful than Othello’s jealousy. He cannot strangle that love out of her. It is pure and nuclear and unstoppable. And heartbreaking.

3. “Thy lips are warm.” (Juliet, Romeo and Juliet)

Again, this whole scene is pretty much agony, but the sheer simplicity of this sentence guts me every single time I read or see it. Juliet—this firecracker of a girl whose love and passion blaze brighter than the stars that first threw her and Romeo together—kisses the mouth of her two-day husband and realizes from that kiss that Romeo must have killed himself only moments ago. She was too late to save the love of her life by just a few minutes. Tellingly, Juliet can’t even express the depth of her grief upon realizing this. There’s no poetry here, no eloquence; it’s nothing like Romeo’s gorgeous death speech, nothing like all of her speeches that have come before. All Juliet can do is tremble and choke out these four words that encapsulate her tragedy. The phenomenology of this moment onstage is inherently powerful for an audience—it’s part of what has made the ending of this play so iconic.

2. “Who will believe thee, Isabel?” (Angelo, Measure for Measure)

#MeToo. I don’t think Shakespeare meant this moment to be “tragic,” in the classical sense, but it’s been four hundred fucking years. It is a tragedy.

1. “I might have saved her.” (Lear, King Lear)

I mean, this whole play is basically a three-hour-long Sad Shakespearean Moment, and virtually any mutilation/dissolution/betrayal/death in the narrative could easily merit a #1 place on this list, but I would argue that there is nothing worse than Cordelia’s death. Nothing, that is, except the fact that the audience is then forced to watch literally every character left alive/onstage register her death in real time. And no one’s grief is worse than Lear’s, in large part because he flickers in and out of even believing that she is dead, like a badly wired institutional lightbulb. This particular line slays me more than any other because it marks the culmination of Lear’s full circle as a character. It’s the moment of supreme anagnorisis, the moment when Lear finally recognizes that this entire tragedy is one of his own making. He finally catches up, psychologically, to where the audience was five whole bloody acts ago and recognizes the awful truth that he consigned Cordelia to her death the moment he banished her from England, because it was always going to end this way. Goneril and Regan were always going to feed him to the dogs and Cordelia was always going to take that as her cue to march into battle for his sake and he was always going to lose everything from his crown to his marbles and the Fool was always going to disappear and Edmund was always going to play his last, spiteful ace and no, Lear, no, Cordelia is not still alive. She is dead. You might have saved her. You did not.

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rainbows-fanfics · 6 years ago

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My New Reason (Chapter 13)

Summary: Louis is falling for someone he really shouldn’t be, and the same is happening to Clementine. Lousentine/Clouis

Louis' P.O.V.

Babysitting duty was now my favorite pastime. What with Clementine so preoccupied with the rescue plan, plus the constant scavenging trips and walker watch-out, A.J. was sort of left alone. He lingered over Clem while she did practically anything. He was offered, many times now, to go and bond with Tenn or Willy while she was busy, but he refused to leave her side. I got the feeling that having a pair of eyes watching over you could be a little stress-inducing, so, naturally, I decided to take matters into my own hands.

"Why don't you spend the day with me, little buddy?"

A.J. must've perked up at the sound of my voice, because he turned on his heel in an instant. I was standing right behind him and Clementine, acting as if I just casually strolled in even though I had been eavesdropping for the past half-hour. All I got was many stressful sighs from Clem and the constant questioning from A.J.

"With you?" He repeated. I noticed his eyes darting back over to his maternal figure.

"Yeah, of course. It'll be fun. We're 'Team Fun', remember?" I motioned over to Clem. "One of our members here is busy, of course, so it'll just be you and me."

I could hear the relief in her voice as Clementine turned around. "That sounds like a great idea, A.J. Why don't you go with Louis while I look these over?"

"But don't you need my help?"

I waved it off. "The last thing the mighty-Clementine needs is help. Believe me, I've offered."

"I guess...if that's what you want, Clem."

"Believe me, kiddo, if I could spend the whole day with you, I would. But these plans really need a look-over, just in case I missed anything. It's important if we want to get the others back."

I watched as she leaned down and grabbed both sides of his shoulders, shaking him a little. He laughed, but frowned once he realized what she was asking him to do. I tried to give the most encouraging smile from behind, holding two thumbs up in hopes it would ease him down. He accepted reluctantly.

"Okay. Good luck, Clem."

"Thank you, goofball." She stopped to lay a kiss on his forehead. "Make sure Louis doesn't get you in trouble, okay?"

"-Hey! I'll have you know that I am a very responsible-"

"I will."

I felt a mix of heartbreak and betrayal as A.J. nodded, but that vanished when he looked at me and winked. I winked back with a grin. This kid was going to be a lot of fun today, wasn't he? I watched as Clementine finally let go of him and turned to me. I prepared myself for her usual 'watch-my-kid-carefully-and-if-anything-happens-to-him-i-will-kill-you' lecture, but instead, she leaned up and gave me a kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you. I'll pay you back later, alright? Try not to keep him past his bedtime. If he starts acting up, just come and get me."

"No need. My babysitting duties are free-of-charge. But, I do accept kisses."

She blushed slightly. "Okay, Prince Charming. Here's some for the road." She pecked my lips three times. "I'll give you the rest later."

Holy shit!

I was grinning madly as she pulled away and went back to the papers. I must've been standing there like the awestruck idiot I was, because I felt A.J. having to tug me out of the room. He was dragging me by the corner of my trench coat. I regained my composure and nudged it out of his hand.

"Ready for a day of fun, little man?"

"Yeah. But what are we going to do?"

By this point we were already heading outside. I held the door open for him and bit my lip in thought. I guess it would be irresponsible of me if I admitted to having no clue. I really should've mapped our day out if I was even going to offer watching him. I closed the door with a shrug.

"I think today will be your day. Anything you want, it'll happen. With limits, of course." I stopped and put my hands on my hips. "So, what do you want to do?"

He took the question seriously and thought about it. "Well...I'm kind of tired of drawing, no offense to Tenn. I've already made Clem a lot of drawings. So, I don't think I want to do that."

"Probably for the best. My drawing skills are as good as a rock. And by that, I mean a rock can draw better than I can."

"Rocks can't draw."

"I'm well aware."

"How about we go to the music room? There's lots of fun stuff there."

A good suggestion! I was secretly hoping we'd find our way there. I didn't even have to agree because A.J took off before I could. I chased after him and found he was holding the door open for me. I thanked him with finger guns and he returned them. I laughed as we turned the corner and headed into my most favorite room in the whole boarding school.

When we opened the doors, everything was in its glory. The tuned-out, aged piano, the worn-and-torn books, the portraits covered in the finest graffiti...the list could go on, really. A.J. walked past me and pointed promptly to my favorite instrument.

"Can you play that thing again?"

"I sure will! What do you want to hear?"

I seated myself at the piano. The tot followed suit, sitting right beside me. He looked at the keys and thought of what to request. I realized it was a difficult question, but he was taking a little while to answer it. I noticed his eyes kept glancing about the piano, fixated on something in particular.

"What's that?"

He pointed to the carving Clementine and I made. I couldn't help but smile at the memory. It was nice to still see it there. Not like a carving made in wood was going anywhere, that is - but that the memory was still holding in a place very dear to me. Just looking at it gave me warm goosebumps.

"It's a mark for a very special occasion," I informed.

"That's a...a C! And that's an L. And that's a small t."

"Not a t. That's a plus sign."

"Oh, wait, I get it. They're...initials. For names." He squinted his eyes. "Who's C and L?"

"Louis and Clementine."

His eyes went so wide that I thought they'd pop out of his sockets. He looked between me and the carving over and over again. I crossed my arms and stifled a laugh. I didn't know what was so groundbreaking about it. As far as I knew, or at least what I assumed, A.J. knew I was with Clem. I just haven't really...talked about it with him.

"Ohh, that makes sense, too. You carved the heart."

"No, that was her."

He looked at me apprehensively. "Are you sure?"

"Well, yeah. I was there."

"So, I guess that means she loves you...And you love her?"

"That's right."

"How much do you love her?" He pushed.

I was taken aback a little at the question, but replied with as much confidence as I could. "-Let's just say I love her more than this old thing. And I've been playing it for years."

I patted the top of the piano for effect. A.J. watched me with wide eyes. I noticed a layer of dust came off of it and brushed my palm on the side of my trench coat.

"That must be a lot." He gawked.

"Believe me, it is."

"I love her a lot, too. But...not the way you do." He shrugged. "I love her like...like the way I like you."

"The feeling is mutual." My fingertips were burning by the time I laid them on the cold ivories. "How's about a song?"

He didn't protest, so I started playing what first came to my mind. The melody was so natural to me that I was able to think while I played. I knew what A.J. was implying...he loved Clem like she was his mom, right? Which would mean he loved me like I was his...parental figure.

The smile I was wearing widened. I've never had this experience before. You get used to being around certain kids that you're familiar with their habits. But A.J. was an entire different package to unpack. He was different than Willy or Tenn, but I liked him just the same. Still...as much as I tried to be a good figure to kids(I mean, they're our future, right?), I still couldn't imagine being appreciated like...like a dad.

"Is that the song you wrote for Clem?"

I stopped playing in surprise. I was so caught up in my thoughts that I forgot what I was playing.

"She told you?" I asked.

"Well...it might've slipped. I don't think she meant to tell me."

I laughed. I wonder how that played out. I didn't mind A.J. knowing; I wouldn't have played the song in front of him if I did(even if I started to out of habit). I decided to play the rest of the song and ended it by holding the final note. I heard him scoot closer to my side by the time it was done.

"Can you write me one? Like you did for her?"

"Depends if you're patient, little man. It can take a lot of time to write one."

"Then I'll be pat....pa...pare-"

"Pa-tient." I repeated, the smile tugging at my lips.

"Pa...tient... He pronounced slowly, then grinned. "I'll be, um, that. Whatever it is..."

"It means you have to wait, without complaining. That's the important part."

"I can do that." His eyes crossed over me a few times. "And-and when you write it, you can name it something cool! Like, uh...Louis!"

"A good suggestion! And the best one, if you ask me...but I think I know something cooler..." I casually turned back to the piano and pretended to muse over some ideas. "How about A.J.? It's short, awesome, and cool. Just like you."

"You think I'm...cool?" The disbelief in his tone almost made me frown. I managed to keep my composure, as with my smile.

"No, little dude. You're NOT cool." His smile dropped. "-You're the coolEST."

His smile came back, but he looked clueless. "What's the difference?"

"It means you're cooler than me. Cooler than anybody, actually."

"Cooler than Clem?"

"I'd say yes, but I have a feeling she'd stab me in my sleep." I grit my teeth at that image. "Anyway, I'll have your song done soon, buddy. We got more important things to do right now."

"Like what?"

"Have you ever made a paper airplane?"

-------------------------------------

Our paper-airplane contest lasted a solid hour. Since there were plenty of books lying around(like the headmaster's diary, which I had a kick tearing apart), A.J. and I dove right in and made them with whatever we could find. Whether that was from the papers on the floor or ripping them out of useless books about trigonometry, they were still considerably impressive paper airplanes.

Turns out the kid didn't know how to make one, so I showed him a few methods. I used to make some back before the apocalypse. Marlon and I would throw them across the classroom while the teacher was lecturing and we'd blame it on whatever unfortunate kid was nearby. I can remember the shit-eating grins we had. They were a lot similar to what A.J. and I were wearing now.

We flew the ones we made to see whichever would go the farthest. A.J. had some, but I had the majority. It kept him busy regardless, and our session was stopped when Tennessee found us. He offered A.J. some time to draw. I must've put him in a good mood because he accepted. Not only that, but he insisted I'd join him and Tenn.

I proved to him that a rock could actually draw better than me. A few decent stick figures and lines that were supposed to represent a tree were thrown right away in the trash.

We sat around the campfire and I told him a few stories after that. I can't remember most of them, but I think I talked about my baseball days. A.J. shared some decent stories with me, too(where he enlightened me that Clem would sometimes sing him a lullaby to sleep. Such juicy information). And then we talked about Disco Broccoli, where I was more than happy to share my memories about the show.

It was in the middle of our conversation that I noticed it was night. I had to cut our chat short and stand up, trying to act happy despite that our day has officially come to an end. I felt even more attached to this kid now - if that was possible. The last thing I wanted was to end our day of fun. But Clem would kill me if I kept him up any further.

"We should pack it in, bud."

"What!?" He sounded disappointed. "But I wasn't finished with my story..."

"I think we should check on Clem. She's been working all day. And if there's any time left, you can tell me the rest of your story." I offered. "Let's make sure she's doing okay, first."

"Okay."

A.J. grabbed my hand coming inside the dorms. I clutched his as we walked down the hallway, mentally preparing myself for the long 'talk' I'd get if it was as late as I was assuming. I hoped for the best as I gently knocked on the door, only opening it when I heard her small voice grant us permission to come in.

I didn't wait to see her face as I casually leaned on the dresser. "Well, time sure slipped past Team Fun! We were having such a good time that the moon wanted to join us! Isn't that right, A.J.?"

Before the kid could respond, Clementine stepped in front of me. To my surprise, she wasn't upset. She actually looked relieved.

"Thanks for keeping him busy. I got some great progress on the plans." She gestured to the desk. "Everything should be good now."

"That's great! And don't worry about it." I assured her softly. "The kid's a lot of fun. I can totally do this again if you need it."

She went forward and pecked me a few more times on the lips. I wasn't prepared for the first three, but I kissed back for the last two. When she pulled away, I saw she had a smug smile on her lips. I practically melted when she placed her hand on her hip.

"You did keep him up to 10:30, though."

"Hey, you should be thanking me! I tired him out. See?"

I pointed behind her. The kid was already fast asleep on the mattress, in his usual fetal position without either of us by his side. Clem took off her hat to run her hands through her hair. She let out a long sigh.

"Just as well. I'm tired, too. I'm guessing you are?"

"A little. He's a talker once you get him going." I chuckled.

"He's just excited. He doesn't share much with anyone besides me. You should be flattered, Lou."

She was just feeding into my ego and she knew it. I noticed Clementine was getting situated in the bed. She looked at me and motioned forward. I took the cue to join her side and spoon her from behind, discarding my coat to the side so I can wrap my arms around her figure. I could feel A.J. in her grasp and smiled hearing him snore lightly.

"What did you two do today, anyway?" She yawned.

I recalled the moment he saw our initials on the piano, the time we spent on those paper airplanes, our drawings, and all the stories we shared together. I remembered every time he'd smile, and how tightly he'd hold my hand. The memories I made with A.J. today, especially - ones that would not be forgotten. I combed my fingers through her hair and rested my chin on top of her head, shrugging softly.

"Oh, you know, just babysitting stuff."

#my new reason #clouis #louisentine #twdg #the walking dead game #the walking dead game final season #clem x louis #clementine x louis #fanfiction #fan fiction #long #long post #a.j.#louistine

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kiwigreenflame · 6 years ago

Text

It’s been a while since the Top 10 religion and comics installments, and I’ve been meaning to post a number of other comics that didn’t make it into that list but are still worth mentioning in passing. No commentary on these apart from the official blurbs. As always, YMMV reading these.

Testament

Creators: Douglas Rushkoff & Liam Sharp Publisher: Vertigo (DC Comics) Date: 2006-2008

From the imagination of best-selling author Douglas Rushkoff, one of the most iconoclastic and acclaimed minds of our era, comes a graphic novel series that exposes the “real” Bible as it was actually written, and reveals how its mythic tales are repeated today. Grad student Jake Stern leads an underground band of renegades that uses any means necessary to combat the frightening threats to freedom that permeate the world. They employ technology, alchemy, media hacking and mysticism to fight a modern threat that has its roots in ancient stories destined to recur in the modern age.

Chosen (American Jesus)

Creators: Mark Millar & Peter Gross Publisher: Image Comics Date: 2009

From the writer of the Universal hit, Wanted, comes his next graphic novel on the way to becoming a feature film! American Jesus Volume 1: Chosen follows a twelve-year-old boy who suddenly discovers he’s returned as Jesus Christ. He can turn water into wine, make the crippled walk, and, perhaps, even raise the dead! How will he deal with the destiny to lead the world in a conflict thousands of years in the making?

The 99

Creators: Naif Al-Mutawa Publisher: Teshkeel Comics Date: 2007-2014

Young heroes gain superhuman abilities when they bond with 99 powerful gemstones. These Noor Stones were forged from the destruction of ancient Baghdad to preserve the wisdom of the ages, and were lost for centuries, but they are being found, one-by-one…

Vampirella Strikes

Creators: Tom Sniegoski & Johnny D. Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment Date: 2013

For years, the raven-haired heroine Vampirella has hunted the world’s supernatural threats, all the while fighting back her own bloodthirsty nature. After a night out in Boston leads to particularly brutal violence, she seeks comfort in her Brownstone home… but discovers the most unexpected surprise of all. Angels have been sent to her by God — and they come asking for help! Enter Janus, a former soldier in the legion of Heaven, who skirts the line between the damned and divine. Only a fallen angel can navigate Vampirella through the seedy, demon-run underworld, where she hopes to find the source of an addictive, body-altering drug derived from archangel blood. Will Vampirella’s mission redeem her… or will she uncover secrets so shocking that their discovery will damn her forever?

Loaded Bible: Jesus vs. Vampires

Creators: Tim Seeley, Nate Bellegarde & Mark Englert Publisher: Image Comics Date: 2006-2008

In the near future, nuclear Holy War has decimated North America and humanity’s last stronghold is the dome metropolis of New Vatican City. When vampires attack, the Church turns to a clone of Jesus Christ Himself to protect them! But all is not as it seems for the Test Tube Messiah, as he’s drawn into a web of betrayal, bloodshed, and seduction!

The Sisterhood

Creators: Christopher Golden, Tom Sniegoski, Wellinton Alves, & Andrew Dalhouse. Publisher: Archaia (BOOM! Studies imprint) Date: 2008

The Order of the Holy Sepulchre is an elite group of specially trained nuns, the world’s most powerful exorcists. But they don’t just get rid of the demons they exorcise…the Sisters draw the demons into themselves, using their own bodies as cages of flesh. If they die a natural death, the demons die with them, small pieces of the world’s evil gone forever. But if the Sisters should dies violently…the demons are released into the world again!

Now someone has sent assassins to kill the oldest of the sisters, releasing the captive demons out into the world. Eden Parish is assigned the task of discovering who is behind this massacre, and why. In her journey she will uncover dark secrets about the Order, and about their enemies. And the real reason behind all this murder.

Blankets

Creators: Craig Thompson Publisher: Top Shelf Productions Date: 2003

Blankets is the story of a young man coming of age and finding the confidence to express his creative voice. Craig Thompson’s poignant graphic memoir plays out against the backdrop of a Midwestern winterscape: finely-hewn linework draws together a portrait of small town life, a rigorously fundamentalist Christian childhood, and a lonely, emotionally mixed-up adolescence.

Under an engulfing blanket of snow, Craig and Raina fall in love at winter church camp, revealing to one another their struggles with faith and their dreams of escape. Over time though, their personal demons resurface and their relationship falls apart. It’s a universal story, and Thompson’s vibrant brushstrokes and unique page designs make the familiar heartbreaking all over again.

This groundbreaking graphic novel, winner of two Eisner and three Harvey Awards, is an eloquent portrait of adolescent yearning; first love (and first heartache); faith in crisis; and the process of moving beyond all of that. Beautifully rendered in pen and ink, Thompson has created a love story that lasts.

A Contract with God and other Tenement Stories

Creator: Will Eisner Date: 1978

This semi-autobiographical work captures with pen and ink the drama of the city and its all-too-human inhabitants. Set in the same Bronx neighborhood as later works Dropsie Avenue and A Life Force, the four stories that comprise the book – “A Contract With God”,”The Street Singer”, “The Super” and “Cookalein” – examine the world of immigrant life in New York City in the 1930s with a unique look at the emotion and character of its denizens.

Warrior Nun Areala

Creator: Ben Dunn Publisher: Antarctic Press Date: 1994-2002

Follows the exploits of Sister Shannon Masters who is part of a militant Catholic organisation, the Order of the Cruciform Sword, who protect Church and world from supernatural threats. Plays fast and loose with things Catholic the series still manages to portray characters with genuine faith, humility and the odd bit of theology.

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

Creator: Michael Mendheim; Mike Kennedy; Sean Jaffe; & Simon Bisley Publisher: Titan Comics Date: 2014

Raised by the ancient Order of Solomon, Adam Cahill is one of a rare handful of highly trained warriors bound by bloodline to guard the Seven Holy Seals that contain the End of Days.

But ageless forces have conspired towards a prophetic event foretold by numerous cultures and multiple religions… and when that cryptic date arrives, they strike against the order without mercy!

The Lone and Level Sands

Creator: A. David Lewis and mpMann Publisher: Archaia (Imprint of BOOM! Studios) Date: 2005

Pharaoh Ramses II hasn’t seen his long-lost cousin Moses in nearly forty years. Yet while pressed by the Hittites to the North and construction delays in the South, Ramses must make time for this ancient desert rascal, the long-ago mystery he represents, and the impossible demands of an alien deity. Drawing on the Bible, the Qur’an, and historical sources, writer A. David Lewis (Mortal Coils) and artist Marvin Perry Mann (Arcana Jayne) present a retelling of the Book of Exodus through the eyes of the man who is either its greatest leader or its worst villain: a man trying to rule wisely, love his family well, and deal justly in the face of a divine wrath.

Some New Kind of Slaughter, or Lost in the Flood (and How We Found Home Again)

Creator: mpMann & A. David Lewis Publisher: Archaia (Imprint of BOOM! Studios) Date: 2009

If there is one constant throughout most of Earth’s historical nations, cultures, and religions, it is the threat and the destruction of the Great Flood. In the wake of the recent Indian tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, and alarm over global warming, the award-winning creators of The Lone and Level Sands return to plumb the depths of the world’s great myths with this graphic novel exploring how this legendary fear may be more relevant now than ever before. Like Noah, sea-bound Ziusudra and other heroes across time must strive against the coming Floods and the baffling will of the gods.

Judas

Creator: Jeff Loveness & Jakub Rebelka Publisher: BOOM! Studios Date: 2009

Judas Iscariot journeys through life and death, grappling with his place in “The Greatest Story Ever Told,” and how much of his part was preordained. In a religion built on redemption and forgiveness, one man had to sacrifice himself for everyone…and it wasn’t Jesus.

Kismet: Man of Faith

Creator: A. David Lewis; Noel Tuazon; Rob Croonenborghs; Taylor Esposito; & Tyler Chin-Tanner Publisher: A Wave Blue World Date: 2018

Punching Nazis used to be more than a meme. In 1944, it was a vocation. And no one put his gloved fist in the faces of more fascists than the Man of Fate, the Algerian Operative, our man in Occupied France — Kismet.

Then, he disappeared. Gone without a trace…until now.

Back from beyond, Kismet finds a new world of gay rights, quantum physics, and computer technology along with the old evils of bigotry, greed, and ignorance at a crossroads. Twenty-first-century America needs more than a superhero. It needs an ally.

Religion and Comics – Wrap Up It's been a while since the Top 10 religion and comics installments, and I've been meaning to post a number of other comics that didn't make it into that list but are still worth mentioning in passing.

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