#Daniel Morrin

[therealpedrolee]

THE ARMORY HOUSE IMPROV TEAMS Friday, March 10, 2023 8:00 PM - 9:30 PM The Tank (Attic) 312 West 36th Street New York, NY 10018 Brand new time. Brand new space. Brand new price. Brand new teams. Still high-octane improv. Rambunctious, daring, hilarious, provoking, and fun. Trust us - You've never experienced a night of improvisation quite like this. COST: Pay what you can. Have your Venmo or cash ready. Drinks are available for purchase all night. GET THERE: Take the first elevator to the sixth floor. **FRIDAY'S TEAMS** CEREAL MASCOTS Sean Morrin Dan Hanf Florence Friebe Jenny Hill Aaron LaRoche Rocky Powell Levi Penley Allie Kroeper UNTITLED! Sonia Nam Jerry Burgos Claire Shiell Rowena Lair Robert Price Marcus Haugen Molly Rae Wilder Troxxell LEBARON Kalynn Chambers Daniel Spruill Jessica Coyle Brad Stuart Pedro Lee Lauren Arnett Carol Thompson Jon Dimakopoulos HAMLET FOR HORSES Miranda West Benjamin Jones Richard Templeton Kassi Dougherty Lily Blumkin Samantha Williams Tyler Salamone Drew Scheid https://www.instagram.com/p/CpiRBK_uOH0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[lookslikechill]

WIP Intro: Between His Fingers

➤ Title: Between His Fingers ➤ Genre: Historical Fiction, Murder Mystery, Romance ➤ Tense: Close Third Person  ➤ Status: First Draft/Planning ➤ Setting: Port Cassandra, Northern Coastal California, USA//late 1940′s ➤ Rating: 18+ for sexual content, violence, and just some heavy-ass content. ➤ Themes: personal struggle & growth, PTSD/mental illness, internalized homophobia, institutionalized homophobia, toxic masculinity, flawed/ineffective government/police, police accountability, familial relationships, gay male romance, secret relationship, murder mystery.   ➤ Featuring: secrets & mysteries - old city - underfunded police force - different kinds of romantic relationships - The Ocean & The Forest - car troubles - men being stupid - Angst(tm) - Passion - drunken nonsense - Everybody Smokes(except Miles) - And Swearing

➤ One Line: Two cops in late 40′s coastal California try to solve crimes while also being secretly super gay for each other.

➤ Summary:  

With state of his knee, damaged in the war and making it impossible for him to pursue anybody or anything on foot, Alistair James Sheep is lucky to be an officer with the Port Cassandra Police Department in the first place, never mind the anxious state of mind he keeps tucked under the rug.  He is unlucky to be divorced, a fairly uncommon status in the late 1940′s.  The matter of luck is a bit more complicated when it comes to the forbidden relationship he somehow managed to slip into with Miles Crawford, his very male crime-solving partner of almost two years.  

The modest city of Port Cassandra had not been the most squeaky-clean, crime-free place since Alistair had lived there, but a sudden spike of murders and arson cases has the city on its toes.  It wouldn’t be that much of a problem, if it wasn’t for the department’s outdated and old resources, lack of organization, and dismissive and ineffective Captain.  If that wasn’t enough, some of Miles and Alistair’s fellow officers seem to be more interested in causing more problems than solving them.  

➤ Characters:

Alistair Sheep(pov), 28, male(he/him); reserved & sharp-tongued, anxious & paranoid, mechanically inclined, introverted, detail-oriented, always the driver, great shot, bad at emotions and sharing.

5′10″, white man with a build on the narrower side of things, lean, very dark brown, wavy hair and a short, full beard, modest, blunt eyebrows, brown eyes, sharp/pronounced jawline, subtly bumpy nose with a slight curve to the left,  straight & alert posture/stance, tends to rest his weight to the left, resting asshole face.  

Alistair arrived home before the war ended, in 1944, due to the injuries that left him with a permanent limp and an inability to run effectively.  He doesn’t (refuses to) use a cane most of the time now, but most likely will have to give in as he gets older.  He and his then-wife and childhood friend, Emily, moved to Port Cassandra in very early ‘46 in a last-ditch effort to save their crumbling marriage, which obviously failed.  With the issue of his mobility, he joined Port Cassandra’s Police Department under the condition that he would always have another Officer, capable of running, with him when he was on duty outside of the Station.  

Miles Crawford, 24, male(he/him); gentle & compassionate, capable & confident, prone to singing, whistling and humming, a big picture man, the runner of the pair, can be too willing to forgive and lacks skepticism. 

5′8″, white man with a sturdy, thick build, bit of a belly, wide through the shoulders, short, curly brown hair, clean-shaven, wide-set dark brown eyes, slightly freckled, round face, thick, tapered eyebrows, small ears, nose small & rather rounded, standing stature usually squared but relaxed through the shoulders, expression open and relaxed on average, smiles often.  

Miles grew up in Port Cassandra, in one of the cabins in the woods by the beach on the outskirts of Port Cassandra.  He never knew his mother, and his father was neglectful, at best, physically abusive, at worst.  He left home at 15 and spent the rest of his childhood living with the PCPD’s second-in-command, Joseph Sawtelle, and his family.  He joined the city’s Police Department as soon as he was able, and Sawtelle acted as his mentor throughout the first few years of his service.  

➤ Links:

Port Cassandra Location Intro Valentine’s Day Special Playlist & Excerpt Excerpt - Startled FFF: The Move Character Aesthetic - Alistair Sheep Character Aesthetic - Tobias Rigby Character Aesthetic - Daniel Morrin Character Aesthetic - Alistair Sheep - by Farrradays Art & Playlist - Alistair Sheep - by cr0wfood Worst Tag Game Intro - Alistair Sheep Miles Crawford Character Intro Alistair Sheep Character Intro

Excerpt, Cont. Character List, and Taglist below the cut!

Content Warnings:  Sexual content, physical violence, gun & weapon violence, police violence (mostly cop on cop), unhealthy coping mechanisms re: abuse of cigarettes and alcohol, avoidance, repression.  Homophobic language & violence.  Abuse re: neglect, physical abuse, bad dads in general.  Also war imagery & mentions.  Murder, blood, and gore, of course. Fire, as well.  

➤ Excerpt:

Alistair rotated the wheel and pulled into the thin dirt driveway to the left of the shack of a house they had been called to.  The house  appeared to sink into the forest that surrounded it, the look of it was so raw, wooden, and narrow.  It looked like it belonged there, except for the glaring lights in the windows that cut through the twilight gloom.

It would almost be a peaceful sight, worthy of a postcard, if there weren't first responders hanging out on the front porch.  An ambulance in the driveway.  And now, the police cruiser he sat behind the wheel of.  In the passenger seat, Officer Crawford, Miles, was looking at him again.  Alistair straightened his back and cleared his throat.

"What?"

"Nothing.  You just, you know, you looked like you had something on your mind."

"I assure you nothing is ever on my mind," Alistair said without thinking, and scowled when Miles immediately looked amused.

"Sure.  Why don't we head in before they come looking to see whether we've died, too?"  He said, tilting his head in the direction of the house.

"That joke is in extremely poor taste, Officer Crawford," Alistair drawled as he cut the engine and popped the car door open.

➤ Cont. Character List:

Emily Castaldi, 28, female(she/her), Alistair’s ex-wife, and childhood friend, with whom he still maintains an awkward and erratic relationship. perceptive, clever/witty, independent, works as a housekeeper at one of Port Cassandra’s struggling hotels.

Arthur Pimento, old(60′s?), male(he/him), Captain of the Port Cassandra Police Department, he was a very successful, heroic officer as a young man and won’t admit those days are gone. proud, strict, close-minded, sophisticated, unwilling to admit he’s not as capable as he used to be, married with adult children.

Joseph Sawtelle, mid-40′s, male(he/him), PCPD’s second-in-command, doesn’t feel as if he has as much of a sway over the department as he should. tired, resigned/reluctant, quiet, bitter, married with two feisty teenage daughters, mentor and parental figure to Miles.

Gentry Sinclair, late 30′s, male(he/him), PCPD Officer, family man who just wants to be friends with everybody. bright/cheerful, asks a lot of questions, wants to know the people around him well, Ken doll attractive, married with three young children, he will show people pictures of his family and babble about them.

Daniel Morrin, early 30′s, male(he/him), PCPD Officer, cocky with an ego the size of Texas and not above bullying behavior to get things his way. selfish/self-absorbed, very big and knows it(loves it), takes up way too much space and gets way too close, kind of an asshole all around, picks on everybody(”jokes”), gets along best with Rigby and Sinclair. 

Tobias Rigby, late 20′s, male(he/him), PCPD Officer, served in the war and has never been seen with a woman he wasn’t related to.   extremely reserved/quiet, says very little, very blunt and straightforward when he does open his mouth, short/small but can definitely kick your ass, frowny & mysterious.

Conrad Fitzgerald, early to mid-30′s, male(he/him), PCPD Officer, served in the war but was a Prisoner of War for most of it. a bit erratic, brazen, talks a lot, boxes in his spare time, has been seen by Alistair entering and leaving underground gay bars yet to be raided, charismatic in a relaxed way, married without kids.

Rosemary Fitzgerald, mid 30′s, female(she/her), Conrad’s wife. like her husband, considered a bit odd, smiles too much and talks too fast, paints skulls, only seen wearing dark colors, stubborn, comes to the Station too much.  

➤ Taglist:  @livingdeadwriteblr -  @cawolters - @agnesfagen - @the-real-rg - @balletshoe-punk - @lie-hart - @phloxxiing - @teacupwriter - @newdivinities - @omgbrekkerkaz - @soul-write - @elisabethrosewrites - @cirianne - @ladywithalamp (ask to be added or removed!)

➤ Tagged: #Between His Fingers, #bhf, #bhf:wip

[nicovandenberg]

Leaving Hope (Short Film) Trailer from Rathaus on Vimeo.

RATHAUS FILMS presents LEAVING HOPE

released—MARCH 5th, 2019

starring LAINE RETTMER REBECCA STREET SEAN WEIL ANDY BEAN GEORGE KATT JUSTINE COTSONAS ROSALIE RANDOLPH LOWE ALEXA DE PUIVERT GILES COPP JEFF BROWN

music performed by MAKEUP+VANITY SET ELVY YOST+DANIEL KLUGER LORENZO GOEHR

production assistants CLARE RICHARDSON MELANIE GARROS DAN FITZPATRICK DANIEL KEMP

set decorators ABBY HARRI BECCA MORRIN ROBERT AUSTIN PAGE

colorist PIETRO BIRINDELLI sound design MAKEUP+VANITY SET post supervisor JOSIAH NEWBOLT swing JEFF BROWN key grip CHRIS MARINO gaffer GEOFF TAYLOR camera operator / steadicam STEW CANTRELL 1st assistant camera KEVIN STEEN costume design HILLARY WESTON hair+makeup JACKIE RISOTTO casting ALLISON TWARDZIAK sound mix CHRIS SCHNEIDER original score+sound design MAKEUP+VANITY SET production design PHILIPPA CULPEPPER cinematograhy SHABIER KIRCHNER editing NICK ELLSBERG+MATT SUNDIN co-producer MATTHEW SMAGLIK produced by ALEXANDRA BYER written+directed by CASPAR NEWBOLT

rathausfilms.com versionindustries.com

[socialsecuritylawyerlongisl-blog]

CHOOSING LAWYERS

Let me start by saying I have been proud to call myself a Workers’ Compensation lawyer for over thirty years. It may not be glamorous work, but I do truly feel that I help people in need. A colleague of mine recently remarked, if personal injury lawyers who get the “big hit” million-dollar settlements can be compared to star quarterbacks, we of the Claimants’ Compensation Bar are the offensive linemen. We do the tough work in the trenches at the Board every day. We make sure that injured workers get their fair share against companies that have lots of money to burn and try to deny those benefits.

A WC lawyer in New York will never ask you directly for a fee. WC lawyers work purely on a contingency basis. This means that, generally, they will only accept a case if they think that they can make significant amounts of money for the injured worker.

A Workers’ Comp lawyer’s main goal, then, is to “find the money” in every case, which is not so easy to do sometimes. How can a case be maximized to its full dollar potential while covering all needed treatment for the injured worker? After all, the more money we win for our clients, the more we make.

Daily, my law firm works extremely hard to obtain proper medical treatment (e.g., tests such as MRIs, surgery, physical therapy, etc.) for our clients. However, the Board does not allow us to charge directly for this work. (Treatment is not considered the same as money awards when we ask for a fee. Hence, most attorneys in New York will not accept a Workers’ Comp case if it involves only treatment and no potential money awards.)

For any attorney’s fee over $450, attorneys must submit a fee petition that details the overall work we did on the case and the time spent. It is then up to the judge to decide our fee, which is not calculated as a strict percentage but is a flexible amount based on how much work was done and the amount of money “moving” to our client.

The majority of New York Workers’ Comp attorneys that I deal with on a daily basis, both on the claimants’ side and the carriers’ side, are nice, smart, sensible people. Some are even funny as hell. Many are my friends. We are a small clique: we all know each other. Still, this does not prevent us from doing our jobs in a professional manner. Workers’ Comp attorneys who have practiced daily at the Board for a while have seen it all and done it all. We always have funny “war stories” to tell and zany characters to talk about.

If an “outside” attorney who does not know the inner workings of the WCB tries to handle a case there, that lawyer will be a fish out of water. I don’t care if he or she is a Harvard-educated, Wall Street partner who normally charges $800 per hour. That lawyer will be completely lost if he or she tries to handle a WC case. We even have a term for such a lawyer: a “tourist.”

When choosing a Workers’ Compensation lawyer, choose one who concentrates his or her practice on compensation—that is, one who goes to the Board every day. Also, choose a lawyer who will do the three things necessary to keep their clients happy:

2  Listen to you

3  Communicate with you

4  Fight for you

Clients automatically sense when a lawyer is not fighting for them. I have always enjoyed the “good fight,” and always will. “When choosing a Workers’ Compensation lawyer, choose one who concentrates his or her practice on compensation—that is, one who goes to the Board every day.” If you would like more information or are looking to retain legal advice or an attorney for your Workers’ Compensation case, contact my law office, the Law Office of Daniel M. Morrin, at (516) 307-8000 or by e-mail at dmorrin@mydisabilityatty.com.

You can also visit our website at www.mydisabilityatty.com to find more information about New York Workers’ Compensation as well as our other areas of practice.

This Post Was First Posted On Our Blogger 

[lookslikechill]

Between His Fingers: A TTWR Update

Total Words Written: 12,764 Words Written This Week: 0

I haven’t actually written at all in the last week, I’ve been so busy working andd working  and thinking about money ahhh!!  So today, no new writing to share, so instead I’m gonna share, bum bum bum, casting for Between His Fingers if it was a movie or a tv show, or something.  It’s below the cut!

Jack Falahee as Alistair Sheep

Michael Jones as Miles Crawford

Paget Brewster as Emily Castaldi

Kurt Fuller as Captain Pimento

Matt Ryan as Joseph Sawtelle

Michiel Huisman as Tobias Rigby

Oliver Jackson-Cohen as Gentry Sinclair

Armie Hammer as Daniel Morrin

Alex Pettyfer as Conrad Fitzgerald

Ophelia Lovibond as Rosemary Fitzgerald

[lookslikechill]

The Game of Sevens

Tagged by @inkspilledqueen!  Thanks!!

(Rules: go to your current WIP, find the seventh line in the seventh page and paste seven sentences below, then tag seven other writers to do the same)

From Between His Fingers- content warning for physical violence, blood, and smoking.

“-’ou broke my ‘uckin’ nose!” Morrin exclaimed as he steadied and tossed his head up, blood running down around his mouth and his eyes open and wild.  Meanwhile, Fitzgerald wasn’t giving him the time to bellyache about it.  He had slipped around and behind the other man while he was reeling from the blow.  He was presently wrapping his arms around Morrin’s neck.

Alistair blew out a cloud of smoke as Fitzgerald’s twiggy arms tightened around Morrin’s neck.  As the man’s face somehow grew redder, but not more red than the blood on his skin, Alistair offered a light to Sinclair’s loitering cigarette.

Tagging: @farrradays, @soul-write, @livingdeadwriteblr, @silver-wields-a-pen, @storyteller-kaelo, @requiemesque, @katerinarevel

[lookslikechill]

Scene: Fight Me!

A continuation of the drunken nonsense found HERE!

Content Warning for: physical violence, physical harm, swearing, police on police violence, under the influence behavior, mention of guns, and low-detail vomiting.

“You know damn well I never had a mother, you vile bastard!”  

“Like that makes you special,” Daniel Morrin scoffed into his pint glass, which was mostly empty.  “Neither did I, you fuckin’ idiot.”

And that was how it started.

Conrad Fitzgerald’s long face, already red from the alcohol, went even redder.  His shaggy, dirty blonde hair was pale against the flush of his skin.  He grabbed Morrin’s shirtfront in an angry fist and pulled the much taller, broader man toward him.  Nose to nose, eye to eye, Fitzgerald spat out, “We’ll see who’s an idiot after I’ve knocked those words outta your goddamn mouth.”

Morrin’s face split in a shit-eating grin.  “I’d like to see you try.”

Everybody around them groaned and the bartender slapped the counter between the two of them.  “Hey!  Take it outside, boys.  I wanna keep my paycheck.”  

Morrin downed the last of his drink and slammed his glass down hard enough to make dollar signs temporarily burn in the bartender’s eyes.  Alistair stood up from his seat on the other side of Miles from Fitzgerald, and the lot of them- him, Miles, Fitzgerald, Morrin, Sawtelle, and Sinclair- filed out of the bar.  Fitzgerald shoved Morrin out in front of him and half-stumbled, half-charged out into the night.  

This would almost certainly not fly if the Captain ever join them on their nights out, but as it was, Sawtelle didn’t quite have the gumption to keep fiery Fitzgerald and egotistical Morrin under wraps.  Each of them combative in their own right, and, under the influence of alcohol, likely to butt heads in a severe way.

As for Alistair, he had enough trouble on his hands without putting effort into stopping his stupid coworkers from beating the shit out of each other every time they had an argument and happened to be drunk at the same time.  Miles didn’t like it, he could tell, but he was much smaller than Morrin and Fitzgerald boxed on the weekends.  Sinclair had a sweet family man air about him most times, but now- now, with the booze running and the night air in his lungs, Alistair could see an excited gleam in the man’s eyes at the prospect of watching those two idiots fight it out in the bar parking lot.  

“GUNS,” Sawtelle hollered with a tired, “I can’t believe this is my life” undertone to his voice, and held out his worn hands before the two of them could properly square up.  Both men grumbled, messily fiddled with their holsters, and handed over their weapons.

Alistair stood back a good yard or so, and shifted his weight onto his good leg.  He lit a cigarette to keep him busy.  Miles sidled up besides him and crossed his arms over his chest, staring as Fitzgerald and Morrin squared up like they were his kids and he was personally responsible for this nonsense.  “Let it go,” he muttered through a mouthful of smoke.

Fitzgerald stood like a boxer, long legs bent, feet apart, fists up, leading with his left.  Morrin was loose through the shoulders and legs, head slightly cocked.  All six feet and seven inches, two hundred plus pounds of him taking up space in the night.  For a long second, all was still.  Sinclair stood with Sawtelle, across the way from Alistair and Miles.  Sawtelle had tucked their guns under his waistband, one on each side.  Alistair imagined Sinclair was holding his breath, waiting in anticipation for the action to begin.

Morrin made the first move, simply charging in and attempting to lift thinner, lighter, borderline skeletal Fitzgerald off his feet.

Fitzgerald ducked his arms, popped up to the right of him, and nailed him in the face with a solid left hook.  Morrin visibly swayed and stumbled to the side, hand going to his face while his nose became a fountain of blood.  Collective breaths were held, as for a hot, tense second it appeared as if the large man would be making peace with the ground shortly.

“-’ou broke my ‘uckin’ nose!” Morrin exclaimed as he steadied and tossed his head up, blood running down around his mouth and his eyes open and wild.  Meanwhile, Fitzgerald wasn’t giving him the time to bellyache about it.  He had slipped around and behind the other man while he was reeling from the blow.  He was presently wrapping his arms around Morrin’s neck.

Alistair blew out a cloud of smoke as Fitzgerald’s twiggy arms tightened around Morrin’s neck.  As the man’s face somehow grew redder, but not more red than the blood on his skin, Alistair offered a light to Sinclair’s offering cigarette.  Next to him, Miles winced visibly.  Sinclair having inched his way around the outskirts of the scene to join him and Miles, Sawtelle was the only one standing on the other side of the brawling pair, scuffing his shoes in the dirt and looking somewhat like a kicked puppy.  

Morrin gave as good as he got, jerking his head back into Fitzgerald’s face.  He used the resulting slack his grip to tear out of Fitzgerald’s arms.  He turned, nearly lost his balance, and descended on Fitzgerald.

Literally.

As a result of Morrin’s actions, he had stepped backward, into a slight dip in the ground, and fallen right over backward with a drunken yelp.  Morrin was no more graceful as he fell heavily onto his knees above skinnier, paler Fitzgerald.  They both looked foolish and flushed against the filthy dirt parking lot, at least to anybody who wasn’t taken up in the violence of it all.  

As above it as Alistair was currently acting to be, at least in his own mind, he was kind of hoping Fitzgerald got the upper hand again.  If he had to stand witness at all, the man he liked slightly more may as well win.

Morrin landed a punch on Fitzgerald, his fist huge in comparison to Fitzgerald’s head.  His hands were nearly white against the night-darkened navy of Morrin’s uniform, the fabric gripped tightly between fingers like claws.  

Fitzgerald jerked a leg far out to the side and grasped Morrin by the hair.  The combination of both made Morrin’s balance impossible to keep, at least with the alcohol in his blood and on his disgusting breath.  He toppled over into the dirt, sending plums up dust up around him.

Fitzgerald, now bleeding from a split lip and holding his face with one hand, rolled onto his knees with a groan of effort and pain.  He knee-shuffled over to Morrin, planted his knees on either side of Morrin’s knees, and drove his fist into the other man’s gut as if he was slamming a mug onto a table.  

Morrin made a noise somewhere between a guttural grunt and a breathless cry of pain.  He scrabbled to prop himself up on one elbow, turned his head, and yakked up his last three beers and a sizeable dinner.  He held up his other hand, as if that alone would stop further onslaught from his opponent.  

Above him, Conrad Fitzgerald straightened and watched on, deadeyed.  His hair was more roused than usual, his shirt was unbuttoned, and his cheek was beginning to bruise.  Panting, he spat out, “Done?”  And licked his lip.

A long moment later, after Daniel Morrin was finished redecorating that particular patch of dirt with a sprinkling of gravel, complete with a clearing of the throat and a spitting of vile mouth contents, he responded, “Done.”

With that, Fitzgerald unsteadily pushed his lanky self back to his feet.  With a gait somewhere between victorious swagger and drunken sway, he went back into the bar to finish his last drink.

[lookslikechill]

For the drabbles asks: "Fight me"

wooo!!!!  Here’s the first peek of that drunken nonsense promised in the Between His Fingers intro post haha. Enjoy!!  

Content warnings: physical violence, mention of guns, alcohol consumption, and swearing.  (also police violence, against each other)

“You know damn well I never had a mother, you vile bastard!”  

“Like that makes you special,” Daniel Morrin scoffed into his pint glass, which was mostly empty.  “Neither did I, you fuckin’ idiot.”

And that was how it started.

Conrad Fitzgerald’s long face, already red from the alcohol, went even redder.  His shaggy, dirty blonde hair was pale against the flush of his skin.  He grabbed Morrin’s shirtfront in an angry fist and pulled the much taller, broader man toward him.  Nose to nose, eye to eye, Fitzgerald spat out, “We’ll see who’s an idiot after I’ve knocked those words outta your goddamn mouth.”

Morrin’s face split in a shit-eating grin.  “I’d like to see you try.”

Everybody around them groaned and the bartender slapped the counter between the two of them.  “Hey!  Take it outside, boys.  I wanna keep my paycheck.”  

Morrin downed the last of his drink and slammed his glass down hard enough to make dollar signs temporarily burn in the bartender’s eyes.  Alistair stood up from his seat on the other side of Miles from Fitzgerald, and the lot of them- him, Miles, Fitzgerald, Morrin, Sawtelle, and Sinclair- filed out of the bar.  Fitzgerald shoved Morrin out in front of him and half-stumbled, half-charged out into the night.  

This would almost certainly not fly if the Captain ever join them on their nights out, but as it was, Sawtelle didn’t quite have the gumption to keep fiery Fitzgerald and egotistical Morrin under wraps.  Each of them combative in their own right, and, under the influence of alcohol, likely to butt heads in a severe way.

As for Alistair, he had enough trouble on his hands without putting effort into stopping his stupid coworkers from beating the shit out of each other every time they had an argument and happened to be drunk at the same time.  Miles didn’t like it, he could tell, but he was much smaller than Morrin and Fitzgerald boxed on the weekends.  Sinclair had a sweet family man air about him most times, but now- now, with the booze running and the night air in his lungs, Alistair could see an excited gleam in the man’s eyes at the prospect of watching those two idiots fight it out in the bar parking lot.  

“GUNS,” Sawtelle hollered with a tired, “I can’t believe this is my life” undertone to his voice, and held out his worn hands before the two of them could properly square up.  Both men grumbled, messily fiddled with their holsters, and handed over their weapons.

Alistair stood back a good yard or so, and shifted his weight onto his good leg.  He lit a cigarette to keep him busy.  Miles sidled up besides him and crossed his arms over his chest, staring as Fitzgerald and Morrin squared up like they were his kids and he was personally responsible for this nonsense.  “Let it go,” he muttered through a mouthful of smoke.

Fitzgerald stood like a boxer, long legs bent, feet apart, fists up, leading with his left.  Morrin was loose through the shoulders and legs, head slightly cocked.  All six feet and seven inches, two hundred plus pounds of him taking up space in the night.  For a long second, all was still.  Sinclair stood with Sawtelle, across the way from Alistair and Miles.  Sawtelle had tucked their guns under his waistband, one on each side.  Alistair imagined Sinclair was holding his breath, waiting in anticipation for the action to begin.

Morrin made the first move, simply charging in and attempting to lift thinner, lighter, borderline skeletal Fitzgerald off his feet.

Fitzgerald ducked his arms, popped up to the right of him, and nailed him in the face with a solid left hook.

[lookslikechill]

Last Line Tag

Tagged by @confunderewrites! Thanks for tagging me (so long ago hhbnieonig)

Morrin gave as good as he got, jerking his head back into Fitzgerald’s face.  He used the resulting slack his grip to tear out of Fitzgerald’s arms.  He turned, nearly lost his balance, and descended on Fitzgerald.

Literally.

As a result of Morrin’s actions, he had stepped backward, into a slight dip in the ground, and fallen right over backward with a drunken yelp.  Morrin was no more graceful as he fell heavily onto his knees above skinnier, paler Fitzgerald.  They both looked foolish and flushed against the filthy dirt parking lot, at least to anybody who wasn’t taken up in the violence of it all.  

Tagging: @livingdeadwriteblr @dahl-my-life

[lookslikechill]

The Cafe Test: A Characterization Exercise

Tagged by @writingonesdreams!! Thank you!

I was going to do this with DW’s big four (Clay, Alistair, Miles, and Quince) but then I decided it would be nice to work with some other characters on this!  So I stuck 23 of DW’s biggest players, including the main four boys, into a randomizer and went with the first four:

Adrian Risinger

Daniel Morrin

Blake Elmfield

Daphne Donovan

Did they get a cafe they liked? What kind of cafe do they like? What does that say about their character?

Adrian and Morrin both exist in the small coastal city of Port Cassandra in the 40′s, so their options are limited to upwards of three local options.  

Morrin: Would be comfortable in any of them.  As a Port Cassandra Police Officer he’ll receive respect (and probably a small discount) at any of them, which he enjoys.  After Sinclair and alongside Sawtelle, he probably makes public appearances in local places/businesses/etc off duty the most often.  

Adrian: Would go wherever the crowd is thinnest, less racket, and would not make a habit of going to any one cafe too frequently, to avoid being noticed.  

Blake and Daphne live in the much bigger city of Astervale, in the year 4146, so they have a much larger variety of options.

Blake:  Would choose a cafe with a lot of different food options along the lines of sandwiches, soup, etc, even bordering on a diner.  If the cafe were to become a favorite of hers, it would probably have a rotating menu or specials that change very often.  She’s a total foodie who likes to try new things.

1. Where do they sit? (Near the door because there’s an exit? Near the back to hide? Where it’s shadowy? Where they’ll be seen by a waiter? Lots of table space for writing/drawing/hands? Minimal space? Would they ever sit with others? What do these things say about their character?)

Adrian: Would sit where she is somewhat hidden, especially from anybody passing by outside or just walking in, and never with other people.  As a wizard living in Port Cassandra’s tiny magical underground, she doesn’t want to be noticed when she’s among the regular population, and she doesn’t want to be questioned.  She would need minimal space, keep to herself, and make little noise since she would only be visiting for a short time and only for a small snack. 

Morrin: He would sit as close to the entrance as possible, or by/at a window, if not both at the same time.  He likes to peoplewatch and will start conversations unprompted.  He absolutely will take up more space than necessary, often filling up an entire other chair next to or across from him with his various possessions- hat, coat, briefcase.  He’ll stretch and spread his legs about, rest an arm on the chair next to him (and probably not the one he’s already filled with his stuff).  He’s a big guy with a big ego, he has no problem filling up space.

Blake: She would pick a seat with the best view of the city/outdoors to make the most of her outing.  Outside of work, Blake typically spends most of her free time entertaining and feeding herself at home, so going to a cafe would be a special treat for herself.  

Daphne:  Daphne would prefer a cafe with lots of floor space, furniture very spread out, and lots of natural sunlight.  However, Daphne is a community gal who will rarely be caught inside a restaurant/cafe/bar without a couple coworkers OR her entire family, so she may end up wherever other people want to go.  She’d need extra space just to accommodate the people in her company.

2. What do they order? (Is it sweet? Is it focused on hydration only? Is it expensive? (Can they afford it if it is?) Is it milky and warm? Is it to wake them up? To comfort them like a hot cocoa? Does it bring back memories? Do they get a drink connected to other people in their lives?)

Adrian: She’d get a great big mug of hot chocolate, hot and sweet.

Morrin:  The largest cup of coffee available, darkest roast possible, milk, no sugar. 

Blake: She would order some sort of hot tea, probably not anything fruity, and she would add no milk and no sugar. 

Daphne: She would get a small iced coffee with cream, sugar, and some sort of fruit flavoring like mango or blueberry.  Just a small taste of something sweet.  A treat in moderation, a show of self restraint.

3. If they get a snack, what do they get? (See above for similar questions to ask. Another good one is: Are they allergic to anything? Are there health concerns? Do they have to worry about their digestion for any reason? Or is their stomach made of steel?)

Adrian:  She would get a small cookie of some sort.

Morrin: He would get a plain bagel with butter, or something equally simple and flavorless. 

Blake:  She would get a good spread of food, between 2-4 different things, depending on what the cafe had available, and then she’d sit back and take her time consuming it all.  

Daphne:  Would order something balanced for herself, vegetables and fruit and eggs, perhaps with some kind of bread item on the side.  

4. How do they pay? (Are they rich? Poor? Do they count their pennies or do they throw a whole bunch of gold on the table? Or are they rich and stingy, counting their pennies because that’s how they got rich in the first place? Do they run out without paying? Do they not give a shit about the law? Are they desperate for a feed and want to pay but just can’t?)

Adrian: Isn’t poor, but the currency she possesses is useless outside of the Underground.  She would trick the waitstaff into thinking she paid with Magic.  Later, it would wear off and they would realize she never paid, but by then the memory of what Adrian looked like would have somehow crumbled.

Morrin: In coin, bc it’s 1947.  Probably just leaves the money on the table and walks out.  

Blake & Daphne: Pay cash?  Tipping is probably old hat . . . (I need to give currency & payment practices in 4146 NY/USA more thouhght)

5. How do they interact with staff? (No eye contact? Lots of smiles? Friendly banter? Awkward conversation?)

Adrian:  Small, polite smiles, limited eye contact, almost too quiet when she speaks.  

Morrin: He’d be perfectly charming, all grins and jokes and boisterous laughter.  As long as no mistakes are made, he’s pleasant, and even adored by the staff.  

Blake: Lots of eye contact and chatter.  She’ll want to know what their personal favorites are, what’s been most popular, etc, etc. 

Daphne:  Polite and pleasant, but clearly not there to spend much time socializing with the staff.  

Tagging: @transboywrites @requiemesque @mouwwie @nkta-ink

[lookslikechill]

Character Aesthetic//Between His Fingers ☇ Daniel Morrin

Reaper Man by Mother Mother

Oh yeah I'm an ugly mess Not in the face, but in the head

Harder to Breathe by Maroon 5

How dare you say that my behavior is unacceptable So condescending unnecessarily critical I have the tendency of getting very physical So watch your step 'cause if I do you'll need a miracle

Bloody Nose by Hollywood Undead

I never felt so low But I love the way I look, yeah With this bloody nose Look how many hits it took ya

[lookslikechill]

Between His Fingers: Miles Crawford

Character Intro//Between His Fingers ☇ Officer Miles Jack Crawford

“Happens all the time,” Miles confirmed grimly as he refilled his cup.  “It’s really very unfortunate.”

➤ Name: Miles Jack Crawford, the one between the fingers, a good man, he can go for miles haha. ➤ Nicknames: N/A ➤ Gender/pronouns: Male (he/him). ➤ Age/birthdate: 24 years//January 16th 1923 ➤ Sexuality: Gay. ➤ Occupation: Police Officer with the Port Cassandra Police Department, partnered with Alistair Sheep. ➤ Prior Occupations: None. ➤ Residence: Port Cassandra, California. ➤ Home State: California.

➤  his habits include humming, singing, watching the people around him, and mother hen’ing his partner, friends, and other co-workers.  His hobbies are reading, mostly fantasy, and people-watching. He also keeps a journal. ➤  spends very little free time at home unless he has company.  Otherwise, he can be found at a local cafe, at a park, or on the beach, with a book or three to keep him entertained.  He’s a frequent flyer at the Port Cassandra Public Library. He can also be seen, sometimes, jogging on the light-traffic roads through the forest, near his home. He jogs at least once a day, but the times vary since his schedule is, of course, erratic. ➤  he is gentle, compassionate, and humble, while also being steadfast, hard-working, and highly emotionally intelligent.  He tends to be more of a big picture man, good at seeing how things may be connected. He is also skilled at deducing potential motivation and meaning from physical evidence.   ➤  though not as soft as his surface-level nature might lead some to believe, or assume, he still has a strong desire to see the good in people and can end up giving people too many second chances.  He isn’t slow, but his initial assessments of people can leave him open to being manipulated or blindsided. He does best on murder and the like, cases where there is somehow some distance between him and the perp, and the evidence, the impact, the wrongdoing, is front and center.   ➤ Miles is stealthy and deliberate in a way that plays more into his personal life, and his concealment of such, than it does into his work.  He can keep a secret and blend in, and has been doing so most of his life, though now he happens to be dangling the secret more directly under the noses of the people who know him best.  ➤  Miles is very friendly and willing to interact with other people.  He is easy to befriend, and is known all over the city as a friendly, pleasant fellow.  To some, he is viewed as too soft, both in worldview and in midsection, and as naive. ➤  do not be fooled by his sweet, innocent, youthful persona, Miles is not new to the world and he is the experienced one in the relationship between him and Alistair, at least where men are concerned.  Miles has been finding and discreetly interacting with Port Cassandra’s queer underbelly since he was in his early teens. Despite his father’s less than savory opinions, his interaction with the community and his late-teen time spent with the Sawtelle family is what has led to his general air of quiet confidence, and his low levels of shame, guilt and paranoia regarding his secret gayness.   ➤ he has had several boyfriends dating back to his early teens. ➤ grew up in Port Cassandra, knows the people and the area well.  Born, raised, went to school, all in Port Cassandra. He was away for a time to attend a police academy before joining the PCPD at 18.  ➤ resting expression is naturally relaxed and open. ➤ lives in one of many cabins in the woods bordering the beach in Port Cassandra, inherited from his father when he passed away.  ➤ owns a cream Hudson.

  ➤ Strengths: high emotional intelligence, compassionate, confident, steadfast, social, knows the city like the back of his hand, has connections inside the city, sometimes underestimated/viewed as naive.   ➤ Weaknesses: highly empathetic, can be prone to manipulation/be taken advantage of, underestimated/not always taken seriously, known by many, less aware of his own worth than you would think. ➤ Likes: reading, books, music, singing, writing, the ocean, the outdoors, cafes, the library, alistair, talking to people, being around people, taking care of people, animals (especially cats), being a police officer, Alistair, the many people he’s friends with, coffee, drinking (with company). ➤ Dislikes: being ignored, being treated like a kid, smoking, his father, cruelty, people who don’t care, admitting he doesn’t like somebody, being awake at odd hours, Alistair’s ex-wife (or maybe just the weird vibe they have together).

Family & co-worker relationships under the cut!

➤ Partner:

Alistair Sheep; his partner-in-crimesolving and in bed & secret romance.  He has a lot of affection for Alistair, while also thinking he’s smoking hot and feeling bucketloads of concern for the man.

➤ Family:

Beth; his mother, who he never knew.  She either died or left when he was young, his father has been evasive about the details and has delivered different stories on different occasions.  He doesn’t think about her much, since he remembers nearly nothing about her.

Joey Crawford; his late abusive, alcoholic father.  He spent his childhood and early teen years trying to please and impress his Dad, who had almost nothing but neglect, harsh words, and physical violence for him.  He moved out of the house, the cabin, the building he inherited from his father, at 15. Only his many years away and his ongoing changes to the place make it a tolerable place to live, though he spends as little time inside the cabin alone as possible.  

Joseph Sawtelle; a father-figure to him, as well as his mentor.  Miles met Joseph on a number of occasions when he responded to reports of his father’s abuse in the last year or so he lived at home, and ended up moving in with Joseph and his family when he was 15.  He looks up to Joseph, values him as a mentor, and views him as somewhat of a father figure. His admiration of Joseph is what led him to want to become a police officer in the first place.

Maria Sawtelle; Joseph’s wife, like a mother to him.  She treated him like one of her own children, and was more like a mother to him than anybody ever has been.  She also encouraged his interest in reading, writing, and singing, which he was shy about as a teenager due to his father’s cruelty.

Delores Sawtelle; Joseph’s eldest daughter, like a sister to him.  

Beatrice Sawtelle; Joseph’s  youngest daughter, like a sister to him.

➤ Port Cassandra Police Department

Captain Arthur Pimento; the Captain.  Miles dislikes him because he is brash and close-minded and tends to treat him like a child, but he won’t say anything about it outright.  

Joseph Sawtelle; PCPD’s second-in-command.  Miles admires and respects Joseph.  Joseph is a mentor and a father-figure to him, who has treated him kindly in the past.  It is mostly out of respect for Joseph’s wishes that he tolerates the Captain’s general behavior without bucking his authority.  

Gentry Sinclair; PCPD Officer.  Miles is friends with the equally friendly and hugely peppy Gentry.  He happily looks at pictures of his kids and listens to funny domestic family life stories Gentry has to share.

Tobias Rigby; PCPD Officer.  Miles likes Rigby okay, but finds him distant and cold.  

Daniel Morrin; PCPD Officer.  It is with Morrin that Miles comes the closes to outright admitting he dislikes anybody, but especially a fellow officer.  He sometimes wonders how is it Morrin was allowed to become one of them in the first place, but he supposed they don’t throw you out of the academy for having a foul personality, so long as you don’t commit any physical violence.

Conrad Fitzgerald; PCPD Officer.  Miles likes Fitzgerald and considers him somewhat of a friend.  There is always interesting conversation to be had with him, though Miles sometimes finds the topics a tad bit unpleasant.  But then again, they are police officers.

[lookslikechill]

Between His Fingers: Alistair Sheep

Character Intro//Between His Fingers ☇ Officer Alistair James Sheep

“Murder!” Alistair just barely didn’t yell. “Just talking about murder!”

➤ Name: Alistair James Sheep;  the Him in question, the spooked horse of men, our pov character, ba ba black sheep. ➤ Nicknames: Al. ➤ Gender/pronouns: Male (he/him). ➤ Age/birthdate: 28 years//February 9th 1919 ➤ Sexuality: Bisexual but unsure. ➤ Occupation: Police Officer with the Port Cassandra Police Department, partnered with Miles Crawford. ➤ Prior Occupations: Mechanic, Soldier in the Army during WW2 (reached the rank of Sergeant before being injured and sent home in ‘44). ➤ Residence: Port Cassandra, California. ➤ Home State: New York.

➤  habits include smoking like a chimney, drinking in social situations, being armed at all times, drinking more coffee than water, and being awake late at night/early in the morning. ➤ never fully dressed at home. ➤ his right knee was injured in the war, leaving his mobility permanently limited, meaning he is unable to pursue anybody effectively on foot.  As a result, he almost always drives, while Miles is the runner of the two.  He doesn’t (refuses to) use a cane now, but will almost certainly have to use one as he gets older. ➤ he is anxious and paranoid, always alert, tense, and frequently jumpy.  He stands straight and tense, drawn up, and can be observed scanning his surroundings often.   ➤ he is incredibly reserved and hard to befriend, full of sarcasm and equipped with great skepticism. ➤ he married a childhood friend and highschool sweetheart at the age of 18 and lived a content life with her up until he was drafted at 21.  Upon returning from service in ‘44, their marriage quickly began to fall apart as Alistair failed to fall back into civilian life.  They moved to Port Cassandra, California from New York as a last-ditch effort to save their marriage, which clearly didn’t work.  His divorce is sometimes the topic of teasing by his fellow officers.  ➤ raised Catholic but became distant from the religion throughout his wartime experience, and even more so after he “gave in” to his less than straight attractions. ➤ an outsider to the city and to some of his fellow officers, as well, since many of them grew up in Port Cassandra and not many of them are from away.  ➤ terrible case of resting asshole face. ➤ compassionate in his own way, despite being seemingly perpetually grumpy.   ➤ lives in a tiny, drab, old apartment. ➤ owns a forest-green Ford. 

  ➤ Strengths: detail-oriented, observant, great shot, effective driver, mechanically inclined. ➤ Weaknesses: reactive, jittery, paranoid, overly secretive/guarded, reclusive. ➤ Likes: the forest/ocean/beach, having a blanket up over his ears, coffee, whiskey, his cigarettes, gettin’ laid, Miles, sarcasm.  ➤ Dislikes: being watched, the cold, snow/rain, mud, loud noises, sleeping alone, being questioned, small talk, overly friendly people, socializing in general.

➤ Taglist:  @livingdeadwriteblr -  @cawolters - @agnesfagen -@requiemesque - @the-real-rg - @balletshoe-punk - @lie-hart - @phloxxiing - @teacupwriter - @newdivinities - @omgbrekkerkaz - @soul-write - @elisabethrosewrites (ask to be added or removed!)

Family & co-worker relationships under the cut!

➤ Partner: Miles Crawford; his partner-in-crimesolving for roughly two years, and his male lover of nearly a year.  Their relationship is by far the most positive, healthy relationship in Alistair’s life.

➤ Family:

Emily Castaldi; ex-wife, childhood friend, and highschool sweetheart.  They met when they were just kids, and practically grew up together, sharing a neighborhood and more than one school.  Emily’s homelife was rocky, and so was Alistair, so they were quick to marry after highschool.

Arlo Sheep; his late father, who was killed by pneumonia when he was 12.  Arlo was emotionally distant, overly strict, and the source of much of Alistair’s insecurity regarding not only his lack of hetrosexuality, but his masculinity as well.  Regardless, his death opened the door for the home environment that developed later, which Alistair would be eager to escape.

Hellen Sheep; Alistair’s mother, a sweet but timid woman, who Alistair sometimes misses and resents at the same time.

Thomas Sheep; or Tom, Alistair’s younger brother, younger by little more than a year and a half.  He was always a difficult child, but once Arlo was no longer in the picture he was ultimately a terror, bullying his mother, Alistair, and their younger sister, Nancy.  Harsh, controlling, judgmental, and always roaring about something, he was what would ultimately cause Alistair to draw away from the family unit.

Nancy Sheep; his younger sister, who he was close to before he married and moved out at 18.  Last he knew, Nancy was angry at him for abandoning her. 

➤ Port Cassandra Police Department

Captain Arthur Pimento; the Captain.  Alistair recognizes his authority and obeys him, but he finds him frustrating and tedious.

Joseph Sawtelle; PCPD’s second-in-command.  Alistair doesn’t feel any particular way about him.

Gentry Sinclair; PCPD Officer.  Alistair actively dislikes Sinclair, simply because he is too friendly, and always trying to know things about him.  

Tobias Rigby; PCPD Officer. Alistair likes him because he stays shut up most of the time, and usually has something useful to say when he does speak up.

Daniel Morrin; PCPD Officer.  Alistair dislikes Morrin.  He takes up too much space and seems to like getting in the way.  He’s also impatient, and loud.  

Conrad Fitzgerald; PCPD Officer.  Alistair doesn’t know how to feel about Fitzgerald, he’s a bit odd.  Reckless, in ways.