#Electronic Fan Market

[what-pony-is-this]

Just found your account and I have a LOT of ponies, and I'm very curious about some of them! So I'm gonna be sending a few asks, no rush to answer, and no worries about order!

Next, he have Celestia. And she talks. Her wings glow. Her cutiemark is a button. She has accessories.

Her wings glow, flap and she speaks when you press the button. A few phrases: "Let's fly to the castle!" "Spectacular!" "My berets[?] Look so pretty!" "I love to may new freinds!" *Sparkle sound* "I'm a princess! Are you a princess too?" "I am princess Celestia!"

Thanks!

One of my favourite toys because it reminds me of my favourite 5 second video.

GUYS SHE'S HERE, IT'S FINALLY...

Giant Talking Princess Celestia (Pink)

Released IMMEDIATELY to stores in 2010 directly after the premiere of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic,

the electronic, light up, talking, brushable Princess Celestia....

...was pink (even tho white celestia was literally on the box!) and everyone was so confused.

So before Bronies curled the finger of the monkey's paw that was "can we have show accurate merch?" Hasbro's toy lines were determined basically out of house and with focus groups; children in those groups (or adults), decided the pink horse with the sparkly wings would be more appealing to children seeing the toy for the first time in stores. Not at all considering the adult fanbase (UNDERSTANDABLY) who would be going to Toys R Us looking for "show accurate fandom merch".

By 2012 an exclusive, marketed to older fans as "finally show accurate", Giant Talking Princess Celestia (WHITE) would be released to Toys R Us.

Hasbro would end up releasing a Princess Cadance version of this toy as well!!

Thank you for the submission!

[balketh]

Is...

Is Valve actually spooling up marketing for Half Life 3?...

There was (yet another) rumour(?) only a day or two ago, from a Valve 'insider', with discussion of playtesting for HL3 in 2025...

This guy ONLY ever logs onto his twitter to post... When a release is coming up. He did it for HL:Alyx. Everything else has been related to releases of Alyx or a podcast he was on around that time. In other words, it's the strongest ever indicator that something HL3 related is actually coming.

I'm not coming at it like that, so don't come at me with 'but Valve Sucks!' etc; I don't care. I'm not rooting for Valve.

It's just one of those modern myths, you know? Not just the game and its release, but its story as well. I want to know how both tales go.

I read Epistle 3. I thought that was it. Are we getting that? What about Alyx? Finally the Borealis? Tying Portal and Apeture into it all?

It holds just as much meaning, to me, as any myth, from any other time, or place. We just swapped paint and cave walls for electrons and silicon. I want to be here when myths are made real.

I want to see how the story ends.

Fuckin', even Skyblivion is nearing release... Y'know, one of the most well known 'this is too ambitious and will never be finished' fan projects for video games...

What a time to be alive.

[britt-kageryuu]

Donnie is mid stream one day playing a cozy game, because he wanted to have a more chill stream. Large mug of coffee he grew and brewed himself.

Shelldon: Hey D, someone wants to know what you're drinking!

Donnie: Well, it's just some coffee that I got, custom blended, from a small business. They also had some nice tea, or at least that's what my brother says.

Shelldon: They want to know where you got it from.

Donnie: (secretly self promote my side coffee/tea business, or...) well they haven't fully set up yet, they don't have enough stock to sell yet. They gave us some stuff for helping them move in.

Shelldon: Do they have a name at least?

Donnie: Shelldon, are people in chat actually interested in my coffee, or is someone bribing you to turn this into a not sponsored advertisement?

Shelldon: ... it's called The Caffeinated Turtle, D is drinking the 'Supernova Electron' blend!

Donnie: Shelldon!

Shelldon: B offered me some new graphics!!

Donnie: Shelldon, I'm the only one who can upgrade your system, and I just said there isn't enough stock to sell anything yet!! There isn't even a site or store to order from!!

Shelldon: Well M said they wanted to convert a train car into a café.

Donnie: Don't make promises we can't keep!!

The chat is spamming emotes, and questioning what's going on. Donnie puts Shelldon in time out, and attempts to calm down and continue the game.

Then a little jingle plays, and a poster graphic rolls down with a logo for The Caffeinated Turtle Coffee and Tea.

Donnie: Whoever is doing this, I will password lock all your devices for 2 months!!

Chat is still confused especially since emotes of the logo just unlocked.

Donnie screams, puts the stream in 'Break Mode' to track down who's messing with his stream.

The chat wonders if this is real, or the most elaborate sponsored marketing stunt ever.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Masterpost

Donnie has also on many occasions tried to not fully connect the stream to his Genius Built company, but has plans to 'get sponsored' by his company, but can't find a good excuse just yet.

The other brothers were 'gifted' an AI for their streams, if only to monitor them, and make sure they don't say too much. She/They're named River, they're based on a softshell, coloured teal, she looks similar to Shelldon, but doesn't 'float' she swims in the air or walks along the bottom of the screen, she tends to smack the chat box with a fan to symbolize someone getting banned.(yes this is my oc I wanted a way to integrate her in)

[zoesblogsposts]

o 625 words to know in your target language o

There is a really interesting blog called "Fluent Forever" that aids foreign language learners in tricks, tips and techniques to guide them to achieving fluency "quickly" and efficiently. One of the tricks is to learn these 625 vocab words in your target language, that way you have a basis to start delving into grammar with ease as you can understand a lot of vocab right off the bat. Plus this list of words are common across the world and will aid you in whatever language you are learning. Here is the list in thematic order

• Animal: dog, cat, fish, bird, cow, pig, mouse, horse, wing, animal

• Transportation: train, plane, car, truck, bicycle, bus, boat, ship, tire, gasoline, engine, (train) ticket, transportation

• Location: city, house, apartment, street/road, airport, train station, bridge hotel, restaurant, farm, court, school, office, room, town, university, club, bar, park, camp, store/shop, theater, library, hospital, church, market, country (USA,

France, etc.), building, ground, space (outer space), bank, location

• Clothing: hat, dress, suit, skirt, shirt, T-shirt, pants, shoes, pocket, coat, stain, clothing

• Color: red, green, blue (light/dark), yellow, brown, pink, orange, black, white, gray, color

• People: son, daughter, mother, father, parent (= mother/father), baby, man, woman, brother, sister, family, grandfather, grandmother, husband, wife, king, queen, president, neighbor, boy, girl, child (= boy/girl), adult (= man/woman), human (# animal), friend (Add a friend's name), victim, player, fan, crowd, person

• Job: Teacher, student, lawyer, doctor, patient, waiter, secretary, priest, police, army, soldier, artist, author, manager, reporter, actor, job

• Society: religion, heaven, hell, death, medicine, money, dollar, bill, marriage, wedding, team, race (ethnicity), sex (the act), sex (gender), murder, prison, technology, energy, war, peace, attack, election, magazine, newspaper, poison, gun, sport, race (sport), exercise, ball, game, price, contract, drug, sign, science, God

• Art. band, song, instrument (musical), music, movie, art

• Beverages: coffee, tea, wine, beer, juice, water, milk, beverage

• Food: egg, cheese, bread, soup, cake, chicken, pork, beef, apple, banana orange, lemon, corn, rice, oil, seed, knife, spoon, fork, plate, cup, breakfast, lunch, dinner, sugar, salt, bottle, food

• Home: table, chair, bed, dream, window, door, bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, pencil, pen, photograph, soap, book, page, key, paint, letter, note, wall, paper, floor, ceiling, roof, pool, lock, telephone, garden, yard, needle, bag, box, gift, card, ring, tool

• Electronics: clock, lamp, fan, cell phone, network, computer, program (computer), laptop, screen, camera, television, radio

• Body: head, neck, face, beard, hair, eye, mouth, lip, nose, tooth, ear, tear (drop), tongue, back, toe, finger, foot, hand, leg, arm, shoulder, heart, blood, brain, knee, sweat, disease, bone, voice, skin, body

• Nature: sea, ocean, river, mountain, rain, snow, tree, sun, moon, world, Earth, forest, sky, plant, wind, soil/earth, flower, valley, root, lake, star, grass, leaf, air, sand, beach, wave, fire, ice, island, hill, heat, nature

• Materials: glass, metal, plastic, wood, stone, diamond, clay, dust, gold, copper, silver, material

• Math/Measurements: meter, centimeter, kilogram, inch, foot, pound, half, circle, square, temperature, date, weight, edge, corner

• Misc Nouns: map, dot, consonant, vowel, light, sound, yes, no, piece, pain, injury, hole, image, pattern, noun, verb, adjective

• Directions: top, bottom, side, front, back, outside, inside, up, down, left, right, straight, north, south, east, west, direction

• Seasons: Summer, Spring, Winter, Fall, season

• Numbers: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 21, 22, 30, 31, 32, 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52, 60, 61, 62, 70, 71, 72, 80, 81, 82, 90, 91, 92, 100, 101, 102, 110, 111, 1000, 1001, 10000, 100000, million, billion, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, number

• Months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

• Days of the week: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday

• Time: year, month, week, day, hour, minute, second, morning, afternoon, evening, night, time

• Verbs: work, play, walk, run, drive, fly, swim, go, stop, follow, think, speak/say, eat, drink, kill, die, smile, laugh, cry, buy, pay, sell, shoot(a gun), learn, jump, smell, hear (a sound), listen (music), taste, touch, see (a bird), watch (TV), kiss, burn, melt, dig, explode, sit, stand, love, pass by, cut, fight, lie down, dance, sleep, wake up, sing, count, marry, pray, win, lose, mix/stir, bend, wash, cook, open, close, write, call, turn, build, teach, grow, draw, feed, catch, throw, clean, find, fall, push, pull, carry, break, wear, hang, shake, sign, beat, lift

• Adjectives: long, short (long), tall, short (vs tall), wide, narrow, big/large, small/little, slow, fast, hot, cold, warm, cool, new, old (new), young, old (young), weak, dead, alive, heavy, light (heavy), dark, light (dark), nuclear, famous

[felassan]

hi felassan, this news article mentions EA only bringing EA sports to gamescom, not dragon age. haven't seen anyone else write about it so I couldn't verify. https://wccftech.com/ea-and-paradox-arent-showing-dragon-age-the-veilguard-and-vampire-the-masquerade-bloodlines-2-at-gamescom/

coolbeegoesbsss asked: sorry for sending two asks about the same thing (no gamescom) but it's somewhat confirmed in the official discord by an EA employee. https://discord.com/channels/1234565251513585736/1245248476305035304/1266132999125204992

hello! ◕‿◕ tysm for stopping by to let me know about this and no worries at all!! [article link] I will update my calendar post about Gamescom.

here is the full article contents for those reading.

"EA and Paradox Aren’t Showing Dragon Age: The Veilguard and Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 at Gamescom Despite both being slated to launch this Fall, neither Dragon Age: The Veilguard nor Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 will be shown at Gamescom 2024 by EA and Paradox Interactive, the respective publishers. With less than a month left before the beginning of the big European convention, the exhibitors list has been finalized. Since Wccftech is attending with media accreditations, we are looking into which games will be shown there, and we can confirm that neither of two of the most anticipated games scheduled in the latter half of 2024 will appear. EA does actually have a presence at Gamescom 2024. However, we confirmed with the publisher's PR department that the only game shown there will be EA Sports FC 25, which means Dragon Age: The Veilguard is sorely missing. It feels like a weird repeat of what KONAMI is doing with the Silent Hill 2 remake, which is also skipping Gamescom 2024 for some reason despite only being a few weeks away from its October debut. It's enough to make one wonder if a delay is coming, although Electronic Arts has actually shared a lot of Dragon Age: The Veilguard info lately, which pointed to the Fall release window being respected. Another game in a similar situation is Paradox Interactive's Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2. The troubled sequel is still formally pinned for a Q4 2024 launch, but Paradox is skipping Gamescom altogether, Wccftech was able to confirm via the publisher's PR, meaning Bloodlines 2 will be nowhere to be seen at the Koelnmesse. A delay in this case would be less than surprising, as what's been shown so far isn't quite as polished as we would have liked to see. It is far from unlikely that the developers will require more time before launch. Even if both games missed their Fall 2024 launch windows, Western RPG fans would still have two high-profile games pretty much assured to debut this year: Warhorse's Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 and Obsidian's Avowed, both of which will be shown at Gamescom."

[source]

[Discord link] And here is what the EA CM said:

"I'm surprised so many people are surprised about Gamescom 😄 As an industry professional, I don't view that event as a marketing event at all and its completely normal for companies to not go (IMO)" [source: the official BioWare Discord]

[flanaganfilm]

Hey Mike! Can you talk about your experience going from Absentia to Oculus? That process after Absentia went on its festival run to pitching Oculus? Would love to learn about that time in your life & career!

I moved to Los Angeles in 2003, right after I graduated college. I went to Towson University in Maryland, was an EMF major (Electronic Media & Film) and had wanted nothing more than to make movies my whole life. We were a comfortable middle class military family (my dad was in the Coast Guard) and for most of my life, making movies for a living felt like an impossible dream.

When I moved to LA I took whatever work I could find. I shot and edited those local car commercials you see on TV at 2am, I was a logger and an AE for reality TV shows, and I eventually worked my way to editing.

I said I'd give myself 5 years to make it in Hollwood. By the time we shot Absentia, I'd been here for 7 years, and in that time I hadn't gotten any closer to my dream.

I've already written at length about how Absentia came along and what it was like to make that little movie, and I've recently blogged about how the Oculus premiere changed my life and birthed my career, so I won't rehash those - but I don't often talk about what went on in between.

I finished editing Absentia just before my oldest son was born in 2010, and went back to working full-time as a reality TV editor. In fact, in the months leading up to his birth, I was working double-time - I spent my days at a company called Film Garden working on a series for DIY Network, and my nights editing packages at Nash Entertainment for those true crime clip shows. Whatever it took to keep the lights on and provide as much support as I could for my son.

While this was happening, I'd submitted Absentia to a pile of film festivals. We didn't get into any of the majors - Sundance, SXSW, and Toronto all passed on the film. Our world premiere was at the Fargo Film Festival, where Tom Brandau, one of my former professors from Towson - and one of my mentors - was teaching.

(Our original festival poster, WAY better than the weird clip art that would come later)

The movie got into a fair amount of film festivals, and we traveled with it as much as we could. I have fond memories of the Phoenix Film Festival, San Luis Obispo (where I met Greg Kinnear at a party and very awkwardly asked for a picture - you can see how thrilled he is about it) and my personal favorite: the Fantastia Film Festival in Montreal.

(At one of the screenings, I believe the San Luis Obispo Film Festival)

While this was happening, the film was picked up for a tiny VOD and DVD release through Phase 4 Films.

They were a Canadian distribution company whose claim to fame was putting out Kevin Smith's Red State under a very unusual distribution model. They acquired the movie, which led to a company holiday part in Hollywood.

There, I briefly met Kevin Smith for the first time. We've met again since, and I've now had a chance to thank him for the kindness he showed me back then - I was just some starstruck kid at a party, but he was gracious and available and inspiring. I really admire the way Kevin deals with his fans, and I've tried to emulate it over the years.

So that was kind of it for Absentia. We went to a few festivals, went to a few parties, and posed for a few pictures with some people we admired. Phase 4 designed some truly godawful cover art, dropped the movie into video stores, and that was that.

($2.99 is a pretty good deal)

So Absentia had pretty much run its course. It had a passionate following of fans, but between the crappy art design and glut of low budget horror films on the market, its moment had already come and gone. I was back at work, editing a series for DIY Network called Extra Yardage, and yearning for another chance to make a movie.

Absentia might not have broken open the industry doors like I'd wanted it to, but one thing it did yield was a meeting with an entertainment attorney named Joel VanderKloot.

I had been represented a few times over the years by various managers (to be honest, they were actually Jeff Howard's managers, and they took me on because we had a co-written project together.) But those relationships hadn't gone anywhere, I'd never sold a script or booked a job, and when I suggested making Absentia they were not supportive ("You've already tried the indie thing, haven't you?") so by the time Absentia was made, I was completely unrepped.

Joel was a family friend of Jason Poh, who was one of our Absentia Kickstarter backers. He was a guy who'd just found the project online and donated a thousand bucks. He kept up with us, and loved the final movie. He told me he knew an entertainment lawyer and offered to arrange a lunch.

I left my editing job at Film Garden for a long lunch and met Joel in Santa Monica (this was a day-killing drive for me). Joel had seen the movie and really liked it. We had a good lunch, but wasn't immediately sure about taking me on - it's a lot of work to take on a new client, and there wasn't much heat on my movie. But there was something there that he liked, and he called later that day to say he would take me on as a client.

I was elated. I felt like I'd made my movie to the best of my ability, and that it had flashed in the pan and then died... no one had noticed outside of a few festival audiences and critics. But here was someone who worked in the industry and he saw something in the film that he believed in.

Joel started looking for managers while I clung to my day job. He passed the movie around and we had a few nibbles, which led to the first manager in my career who wanted to simply represent ME: Nicholas Bogner.

Bogner went about setting general meetings at production companies who specialized in horror films. There weren't a lot of takers, and not everyone was willing to watch an entire feature film in consideration of a general meeting. So it was hit or miss - I was a nobody, after all, and they get these kinds of incoming inquiries all the time.

But there were a few takers. And the very first meeting I had was with Anil Kurian at Intrepid Pictures.

Again, I took an extended lunch from my editing job and drove across town to Intrepid's offices in Santa Monica. I was beyond nervous when I sat in the waiting room. The young man working the front desk signed me in and offered me a water. And then, just before the meeting started, he leaned over and he said "I loved Absentia, by the way."

Anil was a really cool executive and we had a good general meeting. At the end of it, he introduced me to the heads of Intrepid: Marc Evans, and Trevor Macy.

We all ended up in the conference room, where posters for Intrepid's other movies - at that time, The Strangers and The Raven - were hanging. I vividly remember staring at them while I pitched all five of the ideas I had for movies.

One of them was a story about a little boy whose dreams manifested in real life, and another was a take on Stephen King's novel Gerald's Game. But at the time, none of these ideas worked. The meeting was over, and everyone was politely going about their day.

I felt a panic in me. It was my first real meeting, the door had been cracked open just an inch by Absentia, and I was about to walk away with nothing. Would my new manager want to keep me? Would my new lawyer think he was wasting his time?

I stopped in the doorway and turned back. "I've got one other thing," I said. "I made a short years ago about a haunted mirror, and I have a take for a feature."

They kind of laughed at the idea of a haunted mirror. "How do you make that scary?" Trevor asked. I said "Think of it like a portable Overlook Hotel," and the room got a little quieter.

"I'd like to see that short," Trevor said. I agreed to send it immediately.

I ran back to work, stayed a few hours late to make up the time I'd burned on my lunch hour, and went home to find a DVD copy of Oculus: The Man with the Plan.

I'd made that short in 2005. It was 20 mins long, and a lot of fun. Over the years whenever I'd get into meetings (all courtesy of Jeff Howard, who had sold scripts long before we started writing together), people would see it and ask about a feature. Every time, though, the conversation stalled because they wanted the film to be a found footage movie, or they'd balk at the idea of me directing a feature.

I sent the DVD to Intrepid and waited. About a week later, they called and asked me to come back in.

I took another long lunch (this would become quite a habit as the project advanced) and drove back down. We met again in the conference room, but this time the mood was a little different.

Trevor said "We're interested in this. How would you expand it? I know there are cameras in the room with the man and the mirror, which begs the question of found footage..."

My heart sank.

"... but we're thinking that's a mistake. It looks like all the fun is in playing with reality, and you can't do that with found footage. So how would you do it?"

And we were off.

I won't rehash the long journey between this meeting and the Oculus premiere at Toronto (scroll down to find another blog about that), but that was really the moment when things changed.

I drove back to work a little giddy. Intrepid optioned the short film, I called Jeff Howard to see if he'd still want to work on a feature with me, and we were commissioned to write the script.

It was my first Hollywood job. I was paid the bare minimum, but I was also able to join the WGA because of the deal. I still didn't quit my day job (and wouldn't for a long time, not until the movie was really shooting in Alabama the following year) but I was off to the races.

Once the script was done, Oculus would lead to my first agents (at APA, and they treated me very well) and my first "real" movie.

What's particularly neat about this time, looking back, is that I owe it all to Absentia. We'd made this tiny little movie to try to kick open the door of Hollywood and start a career. And despite the enormous pride I had in the finished film, it felt for a long time like it hadn't quite succeeded in that.

But quietly, subtly, the movie did exactly what I hoped it would. The festival screenings built up a small but confident word of mouth. The movie led directly to my attorney Joel (who still represents me to this day), which led directly to my first real representation, which led directly to Intrepid Pictures.

Trevor Macy is now my business partner and has produced every single thing I've ever made since. We run Intrepid Pictures together, and I see that same eagerness in the faces of young filmmakers who find their way to us for general meetings. I try to be as supportive and accessible to them as I possibly can, because I remember very well what it feels like to stand in their shoes.

And Trevor even ended up making those other pitches he'd rejected all those years ago - Before I Wake and Gerald's Game followed soon after Oculus was done.

Absentia did everything I could have wanted it to do, and much more. I'll always remember that period of time with great affection... but man, it was stressful. The uncertainty of those years still exists in me, I don't think it'll ever leave.

Someone told me, along the way, that there wouldn't be a moment when I realized I "made it." It would happen while I wasn't looking. That ended up being absolutely true.

[turneradora]

NEW 💯💯💯💯💯💯

Here below is the written transcription of the new press article, with a new Aidan's interview

From The Waitrose & Partners Weekend magazine, issue of today, October 3rd

Thanks to Emma Jones ! 🌹❤️😘

Note : I choose to repost, as the magazine did, this wonderful pic of Aidan (a zoomed version, with no improvement), taken last year, during the promotion of "Fifteen-Love".😍😍😍😍

"Aidan Turner looks back on Poldark-mania and tells Paul Kirkley why Disney’s racy all-star adaptation of Jilly Cooper’s Rivals is the most fun he’s had on a set

There was a time, not so long ago, when Aidan Turner thought his days of playing romantic leads might be behind him. Or at least, that’s what he’d started telling people. “I say these things… I mean, I say dierent things in every interview, but don’t believe any of it,” laughs the man who set millions of hearts aflutter as the dashing Captain Ross Poldark.

“You go through phases,” he reflects. “You play a character for a while, and if you’re lucky, that show might be a hit, and you might do it for a number of years, and then you just get a pain in the a*** with it for a while, don’t you? It’s the trajectory of every actor I know: you get bored with something, you move on, you try something else. For now, [a romantic lead] doesn’t seem like something that greatly interests me. But it’s dangerous to say I’ll never play those kinds of characters again. I never say never in this business.”

It would certainly be a stretch to call the 41-year-old Dubliner’s latest role – in Disney’s hotly anticipated, ludicrously star-studded TV adaptation of Jilly Cooper’s 80s bonkbuster Rivals – a romantic lead. But there’s a certain nobility to the character of Declan O’Hara, a crusading TV interviewer who’s forced to take a big money job hosting a talk show for a regional broadcaster in Cooper’s fictional county of Rutshire. “He’s a straight shooter,” says Aidan. “He’d consider himself quite a serious, hardline political journalist, and then he finds himself hosting a sort of fluy chat show, which he’s not happy with at all.”

Cooper’s racy Rutshire Chronicles have sold million s have sold millions of copies (ex-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak revealed himself to be an unlikely fan), and recently earned their creator a damehood. But if sex and scandal among the moneyed, polo-playing classes of the Cotswolds – not to mention the rivalry between 1980s ITV franchises – seems like a left-field choice of material for an eight-part series on Disney+, the result is an absolute riot.

“Yeah, it’s a riot – I’d agree with you there,” says Aidan “Jilly is a great writer – and very British. It���s going to be interesting to see how this lands to an overseas market. But her stories are very accessible – they’re fun, they’re witty. And obviously they’re sexy. I read the scripts before I read Jilly’s book, and you get such a good sense of who all these well-rounded characters are.”

Those characters are brought to life by a veritable Who’s Who of Brit acting talent, including David Tennant as Declan’s boss, the ruthless Lord Tony Baddingham, and Danny Dyer as Freddie Jones, a likeable self-made electronics millionaire. There are also juicy roles for Katherine Parkinson, Emily Atack, Rufus Jones, Claire Rushbrook, Lisa McGrillis and Victoria Smurfit, while Alex Hassell takes on the mantle of Rutshire’s most disreputable cad, Rupert Campbell Black.

With a cast like that, the backstage gossip must have been o the scale, suggests Weekend. “I don’t really follow industry gossip – you probably know more about that than I do,” says Aidan. But, as someone usually cast as a series lead (romantic or otherwise), he relished the fact there was no real pecking order on set. “It’s a great thing when you feel something is equally shared. It really does feel like an ensemble piece.” Hanging out in a series of lavish country houses – including Chavenage House in Gloucestershire, which had previously doubled as the Poldark family home – also started to infect the cast’s behaviour, he admits. “They smell different, they feel different under your feet – and as soon as you’re in them, you do tend to start walking a bit differently. Which I think can only help the actors.”

As something of a pool shark (he’s heading o to play after our interview), Aidan bonded with Danny Dyer and Alex Hassell over the green baize. David Tennant also helped organise him a 40th birthday party, while Dame Jilly threw one of her famously boozy soirées at her own country pile. “I forget what we were celebrating – it could have been her birthday,” says Aidan. “Or maybe just general good times.”

Little wonder he’s described it as the most fun job of his career. “I feel a little embarrassed about saying that, but it’s true. It just happens once in a while, where all the planets align and there’s a dozen or so people you get on really well with. We all share a similar workload, we’re all staying in Bristol, which is a fun city. We’re working on great material. Also, it’s such a funny show, and I haven’t really done a lot in that genre. I mean, now that I say it out loud, I don’t think I’ve ever done anything like this.”

As Declan, Aidan also rocks an impressive, Tom Selleck style 80s ’tache. A decade ago, such face furniture might have been a talking point, he says, but in the hipster area of east London he now calls home, no one batted an eyelid. “You do forget you have it, though. And then suddenly you’ll pass a shop window or something, and give yourself a fright.”

There are times in Rivals when the moustache is the only thing Declan is wearing. Because this is, let’s not be coy, a show with an awful lot of sex (or bonking, as Dame Jilly would no doubt call it): one that required the services of two on-set intimacy coordinators. For Aidan, who’s spent the best part of a decade trying to move the conversation on from that topless scything scene in Poldark, isn’t this a little awkward? Was there a part of him that thought: ‘Oh God, here we go again?’ “No, not at all,” he insists. “It’s all part of the job. There’s a different tone and cadence to almost all the sex scenes in our show,” he adds. “So having good intimacy coordinators is a real addition. They were great.”

At one point, Declan asks a guest on his chat show to comment on “those James Bond rumours” – which is something of a sly in-joke, as Aidan’s name was regularly in the frame as a potential 007 at the height of Poldark-mania. “I think that’s stopped now,” he smiles. “But if your name’s in the mix, it’s probably not going to be you – isn’t that what they say?”

Five years after hanging up his tricorn hat, how does Aidan look back on the whole Poldark circus (which at one point saw his hair get its own fan Twitter account)? “It was a really positive experience,” he says. “The more you work, the more you realise

not everything you do is going to be a huge hit. But Poldark was. It had mass appeal, and a big audience. I enjoyed doing it, I made some good friends, and I’m proud of the work.” He’d been in popular shows and films before, playing a vampire in the BBC’s cult classic Being Human and a dwarf in Peter Jackson’s Hobbit trilogy. But the BBC’s revival of Winston Graham’s Cornish saga made huge stars of Aidan and Eleanor Tomlinson, as Ross’s fiery wildcat bride, Demelza.

Did it take some adjusting to? “That’s a good question,” he ponders. “I remember being surprised by a lot of the attention. But by the time it came out, we were already working on the next series. So we just sort of rolled on with it. It’s a personal thing: some people might feel the need to make big adjustments to their life, but I really didn’t want it to change me. I didn’t want to be affected by how successful it was. Because if we all became aware of that, it might slip out of our hands. So my attitude was, ‘let’s keep cool heads, crack on and get the work done’.”

These days, if he’s approached in the street or on public transport, “people are lovely and sweet”, he says. “But it doesn’t happen often. It happens more when you’re on the telly, and as soon as the show is finished, it tends to go away a bit. I’m not at the level where it’s constant. I know some people who can’t get on the Tube, and I don’t ever want that.”

It probably helps that Aidan is nothing like the brooding, saturnine Poldark. Talking to Weekend over video from his sofa, he’s lively, animated – positively giggly, in fact. (And much more Irish, obviously.) He’s just returned from Canada, where his wife, American actor Caitlin Fitzgerald, is filming a TV show. The couple’s two-year-old son is also still in Canada, which may explain why he’s so perky, even though it’s 9am.

Becoming a dad has changed him “in the way it would change anybody”, he says. “It’s a momentous thing, but it’s incredible. We’re really happy.”

Growing up in the Dublin suburbs of Clondalkin and Walkinstown, the second son of an electrician father and accountant mother, Aidan got his first taste of performance as an elite dancer. “I represented Ireland in ballroom and Latin American dancing for about 10 years. It was very competitive. It wasn’t just a bit of fun. It was probably something I thought I was going to do professionally, but it’s really tough, and I wasn’t good enough.”

Even so, it probably rules him out of Strictly? “I think I rule myself out of Strictly,” he smiles. But not Bond? “I’m happy to pass on both of them,” he confirms.

On leaving school, he briefly worked for his father as an apprentice electrician, and considered becoming a snooker professional, until the day he spotted a notice for Dublin’s Gaiety School of Acting. After graduating from the school in 2004, he combined theatre work with a regular role in RTÉ soap The Clinic, before heading to London and landing his first leading screen role as Dante Gabriel Rossetti in the BBC’s Pre-Raphaelite drama Desperate Romantics.

Does it feel like 20 years since he started? “It’s a crazy thing,” he says. “Because this is a fickle business, so to still be working 20 years in… There are times when you think, ‘this is something I’m sure I’ll be doing forever’. But at the same time, you never know. There are ups and downs in every actor’s career. I know some who have big moments, then they disappear for a while and maybe do smaller projects, and then come back again. That’s just the nature of the business.”

The trick, he says, is to not to shoot for the moon every time. “You might want to do the bigger projects, with the bigger names, but the air is thinner up there, and you can’t always get those jobs. So you have to be patient. But to still be in the conversation 20 years later? Yeah, I’m proud of that.”

[mello-t-befan]

The video accompanying this project (turn the english subtitles ON ^^)

If, like me, you grew up watching the animated series of the 2000s, those broadcast on Disney Channel should be among your favorites. There was a bit of everything : spin-offs for the films of this experimental period of the studios, "Kim Possible" for the adventurers among us, "Buzz Lightyear of Star Command" for space-opera fans and urban fantasy fans were entitled to "American Dragon: Jake Long" !

In my new pitch, the world would be mostly like how it is in the original series. Except that not all dragons have the charge of a specific territory. This is the role of the Dragon Protectors, trained and formed to defend magical beings and humans from each other. And if a Potential is particularly worthy, then the Great Council of Dragons designates them as some place's Protector and entrusts them to a familiar spirit, in charge of assisting them in their task. Under the tutelage of his maternal grandfather, Jake Long learns to control his dragon powers in New-York City so that he can become its Protector in the future. And as in the original series, it will be a semi-follow up story in which Jake will become aware of the responsibilities of a Dragon Protector, learn more about the magical world and face the setbacks of the transition to adulthood.

Name : Jake Long Age : 13 Occupations : middle-schooler, dragon in training Territory : New-York City Power/Abilities : acrobatics, skateboarding, dancing, transformation, ochre-colored flames, sharp senses, improvisation, flying, fighting Likes : skating, rap, hanging out with his pals, winning, his family, magical beings Hates : studying, losing, bullies/show-offs, his loved ones being hurt, the Huntsclan, the Dark Dragon

To read how I would rewrite him, just check the pitch ^^

Name : Luong Lao Shi Age : 60s Occupations : electronics store owner, ex-Dragon Protector Territory : Hong Kong (formerly) Power/Abilities : transformation, white flames, sharp senses, flying, fighting, magical knowledge, tinkering Likes : his family, magical beings, reading, disco Hates : his loved ones being hurt, the Huntsclan, the Dark Dragon, insolence, scammers, bad drivers Name : Fu Dog Age : 600 (approx.) Occupations : ex-familiar, pet/therapy dog Dragon charge : Luong Lao Shi Power/Abilities : speech, bipedal walk, magical knowledge, alchemy, bargaining, spying Likes : his family, magical beings, betting, winning his bets, romance, enjoying life Hates : his loved ones being hurt, the Huntsclan, the Dark Dragon, losing his bets, having debts, getting scammed, talking about the past

In my new pitch, Lao Shi is the former Protector Dragon of Hong Kong and Fu Dog was his familiar spirit. Except that after being seriously injured in his duel against the Dark Dragon, Lao Shi had to stop everything and Fu Dog was deprived of most of his powers for not having properly protected Lao Shi. Years later, as Jake shows that he inherited the dragon powers from their family, Lao Shi decides to train him to become the New York Protector Dragon and be ready should the Dark Dragon ever return. But is he really doing it to protect Jake, or is he doing it for revenge... ?

Name : Trixie "Trix" Carter Age : 13 Occupations : middle-schooler, DJ in training Territory : New-York City Power/Abilities : acrobatics, skateboarding, dancing, music mixing, improvisation, marketing Likes : her family, skating, being DJ, rap, hanging out with her pals Hates : her loved ones being hurt, biology, bullies/show-offs, stereotypes Name : Arthur "Spud" Spudinski Age : 13 Occupations : middl-schooler, busboy Territory : New-York City Power/Abilities : acrobatics, skateboarding, dancing, computer science, research, improvisation Likes : his family, skating, eating, rap, hanging out with his pals Hates : his loved ones being hurt, proving his intelligence, bullies/show-offs

In my new pitch, Trixie would be the band’s main music fan and would be the amateur DJ at the school parties; so I gave her a headset. For Spud I want to take the "lazy and weird but brilliant" approach. Namely that he pretends to be an average student -AVERAGE, not stupid- to camouflage his intellect known only to Jake and Tracy. That doesn’t stop him from playing with the school machines to have fun anonymously. The both of them will be Jake’s best friends since elementary school and then his partners once informed of his magical identity. Moreover, they will guarantee a certain simplicity/normality in the regime sometimes too strict to which Lao Shi submits him.

Name : Rose Age : 14 Occupations : middle-schooler, Huntsmaster's ward and apprentice Territory : New-York City Power/Abilities : acrobatics, combat, improvisation, weapons handling, dancing, acting Likes : reading, acting, variety music, being with friends Hates : magical beings, dragons, suck-ups, broccoli

In my new pitch, I would like to focus a little more on her heel-face turn. Rose grew up in hatred and disgust of magical beings, who were always designated as natural errors by the Huntsclan. Especially Dragons who, with their power of transformation, are insults to Humanity -from the Hunters' point of view, I mean. She's therefore convinced to act in the interest of mankin by helping these genocidal poachers. And when she learns that the boy for whom she developed a little crush is actually one of those monsters she was taught to kill on sight, you can imagine that her vision of life and the rest collapses in a huge crash. Will Rose accept to change her vision of things, or will she sink into the darkness she's always known ?

[tamapalace]

Lucky Tamagotchi Fan Finds Tamagotchi On Wonder Garden at Walmart 3 Years Later

The Tamagotchi On Wonder Garden was originally released back in July of 2020, so imagine how strange it would be to fine one on the shelves of a national retailer. SmartRazzmataz explains the crazy story behind this incredible find.

The Tamagotchi On Wonder Garden in turquoise was spotted at Walmart in the out of season electronics section, the packaging was not in excellent shape, and the Tamagotchi On Wonder Garden was clearly not placed correctly, indicating that this was likely a return. In shock, SmartRazzmataz immediately grabbed it and proceed to checkout! Listed with a yellow sticker for $79.97!

Does this mean that Walmart accepted a recent turned of a Tamagotchi On Wonder Garden dating back to 2020? How wild is this! Great find, SmartRazzmataz, some of these are going for double that price on the secondhand market.

[manorpunk]

Are you writing a book? Or which story format are you aiming to publish your story with?

WELL WELL WELL FUNNY YOU SHOULD ASK

I’ve spent this year bouncing several different ideas in my head (Manorpunk: The Rock Opera?) but lately I've been focusing on an outline for a novel, mostly because once the central idea got in my head it wouldn’t leave, and the ideas around it and related to it have been cohering well and I like how it’s developing. Let’s start with the one-sentence pitch! 

Manorpunk: To Seize and Hold - In a balkanized future-America, a small-town gay kid (in the adult sense) catches the affections of an eccentric military commander and becomes a pawn of the vtuber-president’s political schemes.

The Kid is Liam Hessian - Having suffered the thousand cuts of growing up gay in a conservative small town, Liam has become withdrawn and disaffected, retreating into a rich inner life where he may or may not be haunted by an wealthy ancient Roman woman named Leona. Beneath his aloof and disaffected shell, he struggles to maintain a sense of compassion and justice in a world that seems so cruel and nonsensical.

The eccentric military commander is Jacob Martin Rider - after leading a ragtag army to victory during the Quebec War, Jacob retired to a life of luxury, larping as a vainglorious Victorian dandy and living in a mansion full of strapping young men dressed as maids. His relentless charm and confidence hides a cruel, selfish, and cunning side - the sort of person with a smile so bright it makes you forget that he’s killed people. He takes a liking to Liam and sweeps him out of his small town and into a life of delirious indulgence.

And the vtuber-president is, of course, Sunny Roosevelt - the president of Usonia, who has cultivated an image as something of a tutelary deity, a ‘nationsona’ if you will, a bubbly cloth mother in public and a bratty child-empress in private. She has access to all manner of methods for hijacking electronic devices, appearing on people’s screens at a whim. She contacts Liam in private and ‘asks’ him to keep an eye on Jacob for her, to make sure he isn’t doing anything too irresponsible, given his reputation and previous experience.

I like this trio, not just because they’re my OCs and therefore they are my evil stupid babies but also because (I hope) they are thematically rich - each of them are a different take on the theme of one’s public vs. private persona, and each has a sort of historical resonance - Liam has his ancient Roman ghost-buddy, Jacob has his 18th century dress and demeanor, and Sunny’s avatar is a piece of future tech which also hearkening back to an age of patron saints and town protector-spirits (and Sunny is naturally quite happy to be perceived by her fans as something like a demigod).

It also (again, I hope) gives the story a sturdy backbone to build off of. “Oh no, I like you but also I’m supposed to spy on you (and also I’m not sure if I actually like you)” gives the story some stakes to support all the pondering about the fall of American exceptionalism, the goofy Pynchonesque names, and the yaoi.

Right, I haven’t even mentioned Webersberg yet! That’s another big plot thread. Actually, that’s a handy way to transition into an overall plot summary. 

We open on Liam Hessian in his hometown of Webersberg, in the year 206X. 

Back during the Polycrisis - the period in the 2030s when the US federal government collapsed - Webersberg was a mall-fort run by a local gang of bandits, but now it’s an isolated little farming town (the joke here being that bandits are the larval stage of landowners). The initial exposition is justified by having Liam sit up too fast after getting too high, based on personal experience. Liam works at the local Denny’s managed by his father, Roy Hessian, where he waits tables for a handful of bit-characters who help flesh out the setting: local schoolteacher and wine mom Aubergine Poot, affable black-market goons Liquor & Gusto, and the Tractor Samurai, the fourth-best tractor salesman in Manistee, none of whom are deserving of bold text.

We are also introduced to Remington Weber, the boss of Webersberg - calling him a governor in any capacity would be giving him too much credit, he’s in charge by virtue of having a cadre of large adult sons and a monster truck with a gun rack; we also meet Liam’s friend and pseudo-intellectual stoner Solomon van Gekkenhuis.

But, as tends to happen to small towns in the beginning of stories, everything is about to change. All the internet-connected screens in Webersberg are suddenly hijacked to announce the inauguration of president Sunny Roosevelt, who’s here to put America back together again in the form of Usonia, an EU-esque union of independent states There’s a 25% off sale in her merch store to celebrate. The unanimous response to this news is “wait, there was an election?”

Yes, there was an election, but Webersberg was never officially incorporated into the Great Lakes Republic, despite selling their produce all over the state. (I once heard that fascism is ‘the frontier coming home,’ taking techniques of colonial governance and applying them to the imperial core, and I’ve been chewing on the idea ever since. Unrelated, but also there’s an annual fee for ‘citizenship subscriptions,’ and if you have a Platinum tier subscription or higher you get one free hit-and-run a year.) Thus begins a spree to finish centralizing and consolidating the territory within Usonia, which brings us to Bogdan Comprendo, governor of the Great Lakes Republic. Bogdan meets with Remington to discuss the options for town’s future, and the big catalyst ‘things are happening’ scene is their meeting in the Denny’s, which includes this exchange that I’m rather proud of:

“Are you at all familiar with how the construction sector operates, Mister Weber?” Bogdan said, precise and punctilious with a hiss of the s and a click of the t, “the construction sector employs millions of people across every economic stratum, from day laborers to architects to investment bankers, and consumes vast quantities of steel, timber, concrete, rubber, copper, glass, and aluminum. This hunger for raw material creates entire industries which exist just to fill its needs - scores of miners, loggers, refiners, manufacturers, purchasers, and distributors, each industry employing more and more millions of people. If construction were to stop, not only would those construction workers be out of a job, but the demand for all of those raw materials would plummet, causing the price of those materials to plummet as well, ruining the profit margins of those industries which depend on the construction sector's demand. Businesses would go bankrupt. Unemployment would skyrocket. The economy would collapse. There would be chaos and riots. Construction must continue… but there is only so much land to build on. Do you know the best way to ensure continued employment in the construction sector, Mister Weber?”

Bogdan folded his hands and rested them on the table. Remington leaned back and folded his arms and smiled, looking rather satisfied with himself, like a mouse who was so excited to find an unguarded piece of cheese that he hadn’t noticed the cage hovering right above his head.

“By getting my permission to build some shiny new development here, isn’t that right?” he said.

Bogdan flashed a thin, poison-tipped barb of a smile.

“No. The best way to ensure continued employment in the construction sector is to find some shithole, bomb it to the ground, and rebuild it from scratch. That is option A. We are here to discuss option B, Mister Weber.”

Needless to say the construction begins shortly afterwards, giving Liam a glimpse into the new amenities of 206X, first in the form of the NomBox: a vending machine which dispenses fully-cooked meals in conveniently edible box shapes, like a naan cube stuffed with butter chicken or a spaghetti cube stuffed with bolognese sauce. Also, it won’t dispense your food until you say “baby wants a treat.”

On a slightly less whimsical note, Webersberg also gets an Aivrcade cafe - it’s the future, so VR is finally good now, finally, and Liam immediately gets sucked into playing Eternal Frontier, the massively popular fantasy VR MMO. Liam has finally escaped into a comfortable but stagnant routine of working at Denny’s, playing Aivrcade, and sleeping, but Bogdan’s gunboat diplomacy has wounded Remington’s ego, and he won’t take it lying down.

+++++

Whew, that’s a lot, and Jacob Martin Rider hasn’t even shown up yet. Felt good to get this all out, I’ve been rotating these shapes in my head for months and now I get to see it all pay off. Stay tuned for act 2!

[aut2imagineart]

This is my second addition to my Hazbin Hotel x DanDaDan fan art. I wanted to create some antagonists that made soul pacts with sinners as well and who better than the Vees. I imagine these guys having stronger soul pacts than the protagonists due to personalities/desires more aligning hence appearing more like the sinners in demon mode. Here's a quick rundown of the villains.

Egon Cain: A powerful tech mogul with extensive connections including in the black market. Both calculating and physically imposing, he maintains an unsettling composure that masks his willingness to get his hands dirty. Having formed a soul pact with Vox, Egon gained electokinesis, Technopathy, hypnosis, and teleportation though electronics which he combines with his own physical strength and boxing skills. As a result of Vox's influence, some Egon's composure gives way to Vox's eccentricity.

Hecate: a computer-savvy prodigy, Hecate uses her hacking skills to steal highly sensitive data for the highest price with Egon being one of her top clients. Irritable and secretive, she has gone to great lengths to conceal her true identity, including going by her current fake name. She has formed a soul pact with Velvette which gives Hecate direct connection and control over anything digital, greatly bolstered by her hacking skills. Her powers also include hovering, omniscience through digital screens, manifest emojis and icons for combat, and possessing any technology with an internet connection. In her demon mode, Hecate becomes more vibrant and boisterous like Velette which conflicts with her desire to not draw attention to herself.

Madison: A close associate with Egon, Madison is a retired model who went on to be a famous fashion designer who appears dignified and gracious. This is however a front for her ventures in the criminal underground and her true personality is ruthless, skillfully manipulative, and sadistic, being more than willing to through others under the bus even if they admired her. Madison made a soul pact with Valentino which gives hers a moth-like anatomy (wings, extra limbs, etc), pheromone manipulation, and poison manipulation. She combines these powers with her weapons mastery, often favoring hand-held firearms and a bladed whip. Valentino often tries to take full control of Madison's body while they're in demon mode though she's usually able to keep him in check having plenty of experience dealing with men like him.

I lastly want to create some aliens to be more in line with DanDaDan. Within the Hellaverse, the closest thing to aliens appear to be Helleborns and natives to Heaven. However, given there's a Von Eldritch family and Azathoth's tears in Hellaverse cannon, there could easily be a split off faction of Eldritchian horrors that could serve as aliens. So along with Cthulhu, I'm open to suggestions as to which Lovecratian monsters I should draw for this final part.

Hazbin Hotel and DanDaDan belong to Vivziepo and Yukinobu Tatsu respectively.

As always, comments and critiques are welcome.

[20dollarlolita]

What do you think of people always recommending the Singer Heavy Duty to beginners to machine sewing?

I have a lot of opinions about this. Since before I started this blog, so pre-2014, I've been saying that buying a modern Singer machine will almost always prove to be some of the worst value for your money. In the intermediate time, I actually took a job working directly for SVP, who make and distribute the machines with the Singer name. I've also modified that opinion a little bit.

Buying a modern Singer machine will almost definitely be the worst value for your money.

I want to say something about availability, and just address that before I go into my harsh critique of the brand. Not everyone has access to dealerships or a wide variety of machines. If you're looking at not a wide selection, the Singer Heavy Duty line may very well be the best option out of what is available. There's also a lot of Heavy Duty machines at various price points, so it's an easy thing to recommend people look for. If you bought a Heavy Duty, you're not wrong in using it and loving it. But I don't recommend them for a good first machine.

So the company that makes these machines also makes two different premium lines, which we'll call German Machine and Swedish Machine, since that's where they used to be made. This company's name is the first letters of the brand, so you can figure it out. The notable thing about this is that they intend for Singer to be their budget line. They sort of want Singer to be available to every household. To shorten it up in the worst way, if a Singer was good enough, it'd be sold under a different name.

The thing that the Heavy Duty really has going for it is the metal internal frame. Generally, you want your machine to have a metal frame, because it holds the main components that make the machine go. Some inexpensive machines have no frame, and they can flex and break when they run over something pretty hard. Sometimes, machines flex and they never go back to where they originally were, making the machine dead in the water. However, there's a lot of options that have a metal frame and are longer lasting than a Heavy Duty.

I'm a big fan of the Baby Lock BeGenuine collection. It's got three entry level machines that are fully mechanical. Most of these machines have been on the market for a long time, just under different names. The Baby Lock Molly has become the Zeal, and before it was a Molly it was a different name. A lot of these machines are still working today. These machines don't have all the fancy features at the same price point, meaning a $300 Singer Heavy Duty will have more bells and whistles than a $300 BeGenuine, but they have a much longer life. Most people who buy these machines replace them because their skills grow and they want more, and not because the machine breaks on them.

However, if you already know that you'll want to upgrade in three or fewer years, I guess you could say there's something to be said for buying a machine that doesn't need to last that long. It'll force you to replace it. I know people who've had a Heavy Duty last a long time, but I've seen a ton replaced because they've died on people. My general rule on these machines is to check how long the "electronics and motors" warranty lasts, and assume that if the full warranty is only three months to a year, well, there's a reason why it's not a "5 years on electronics and motors" warranty.

[okay-j-hannah]

The Oak Tree

The Last of Us : Oneshot

Joel Miller x Reader

Word Count: 10120

Warnings: Spoilers for episode 3 😭 angry revenge, blood/violence with raiders, protective ‘who did this to you?’ Joel 🥰 18+ themes, smut, overstimulated, super sensitive, touch starved, unprotected pinv, and aftercare

I’m a massive fan of the video game and PEDRO has been on my mind for WEEKS {thanks TikTok edits} I’m obsessed with this man

Request: This just came from my own head 😊  

A/N: Over the years of making trades, there’s only been one girl that Joel can’t seem to get out of his head

{2007 – four years into the infection}

Just outside of Lincoln was a reservoir, brimmed with reflective water. It was surrounded by oak and hardwood, a line of color differing in shades of green, orange, and red. Joel looked at the leaves rippling against the stagnant water, thinking to himself that’s quite the view.

Tess, as per usual, was able to say those things out loud, “It’s beautiful.”

He didn’t need to reply.

“The neighborhood is just over there,” she continued, hands wound about her backpack straps, “Third house on the left, near the book café.”

Coffee – thought Joel – what he’d give for a black coffee right then.

“I bet she has coffee,” Tess said, speaking for him again. “She probably has that café up and running.”

It was too casual, too normal, to have a life outside of a QZ. The idea someone was living off the land after four years of a fungal apocalypse didn’t sound right. Something would have happened by now – raiders, a hoard of infected, accident with a gun.

“I still don’t like it,” Joel grumbled, following the colorful leaf strewn trail. People just didn’t survive out there on their own. It was unheard of. They always met a tragic end sooner or later.

“You don’t have to like it,” Tess bit back, “But we have a potential customer and I’m not going to pass up on that just because of a feeling you have.”

Joel gave a gruff sound in reply.

“If Frank says she’s okay then I trust her.”

If Frank said the sky was green and the grass was blue she would’ve believed him. They were thick as thieves.

“Maybe we’ll make a friend.”

“Maybe we should stop answering radio calls from Lincoln,” Joel said.

Tess scoffed, “But then we wouldn’t see Bill and Frank again.”

Joel didn’t say anything, holding back the words that he knew Tess could already guess. She spun around, pausing their walk with a stern look on her face.

“If you need to see this as a business meeting, fine – we’re out here trying to get the best trade. But I am going to meet a friend of a friend. And you will act cordial because as much as you can’t stand the thought of getting to know people past the stage of ‘get out of my fucking way,’ I want to.” She gave him a hard stare, “There’s nothing wrong with attempting something normal.”

Like inviting friends out to coffee.

Joel refrained a sigh, staring Tess down with a look of understanding. He only gave a curt nod in return.

When she was satisfied he wasn’t going to object further, she continued on the path. They passed the reservoir and were met with a crossroads, one direction leading towards a historic looking town.

It was small and safeguarded by mighty oak trees keeping watch. It looked like a quaint place people moved to in search of a quiet retirement. There were only a couple shops, a little food market, and half a dozen houses.

“There are more neighborhoods towards the west,” Tess remarked, “Bill and Frank live that way.”

Joel surveyed the area, used to the routine of searching for potential threats. Nearing the fence line, he put his palm against the heel of a gun.

In similar fashion to Bill and Frank’s, an electric fence encompassed the first three houses, the café, and an electronics store. He knew this girl accepted a lot of help from her neighbors, at least after Frank moved in. No doubt there were a number of complicated traps rigged everywhere outside the fence line.

“She knows we’re coming?”

Tess neared the fence gate, “Yeah, she said she’ll be on the lookout and… oh, there she is.”

Coming out of the first house was a woman, younger than him by some years but that wasn’t the first thing Joel noticed about her. He noticed the bright beaming smile on her face – open and welcoming.

“Hi there!” she called out, walking with quick steps, “Tess?”

“(Y/N)?” Tess asked in return.

“In the flesh,” the woman said, still smiling that wide smile, “It’s nice to put a face to the radio voice.”

Tess started smiling too, “I agree. Frank speaks very highly of you.”

“Oh he’s just a chatterbox,” (Y/N) laughed, pressing a few numbers into a keypad and unlocking the gate. “But I love him for it.” She opened the gate with a squeaky clang of the chain link fence.

“Thank you,” Tess said, gesturing behind her as she walked through, “This is my partner Joel.”

“Partner,” (Y/N) beamed, “Nice to meet you.”

Joel had to tear his eyes away from the grinning lower half of her face to meet her gaze. He could only nod.

“That’s how he says hi,” Tess sighed, “Not much of a people person.”

“I don’t blame him,” (Y/N) continued, “Not with how things are these days.”

Unfocused on her smile, Joel now scanned the rest of her. Her hair was clean, her clothes untorn, there was even a smell of flowers about her. She didn’t look like someone surviving an apocalypse. She looked like how the world used to be.

And it put a strange feeling in Joel’s gut.

“I’ll give you the tour,” (Y/N) said, “And then we can talk over dinner.”

“We’re not staying,” Joel said immediately.

Tess gave him a glare that said: don’t be rude. “We shouldn’t stay when it’ll be dark soon.”

“You’re welcome to spend the night,” (Y/N) said, eyes fixed on Joel’s hard gaze, more apprehensive than hurt at his unwillingness to spend any more time there than he had to. “I have a guest house prepared.”

“A guest house?” Tess couldn’t hold in her laugh, “How much do you rent for?”

(Y/N) was smiling again, “We can discuss the details over roast and potatoes.”

Joel’s stomach made the infuriating decision to growl just then.

“I’ll make the tour quick,” (Y/N) flickered amused eyes towards him.

He set his jaw, choosing to look anywhere but the two girls trying to contain their laughs.

“This is my lookout base,” (Y/N) gestured to the first house she just came out of. “It has a nice view of the surrounding area from each window. I’ll spend time up there looking for any incoming infected. It’s how I get my target practice.”

Joel peered into the open windows of the house and found a rifle fitted with a scope leaning against the sill.

They walked down the center street, (Y/N) talking along the way, “The second house is for guests and has a lot of my food storage and extra supplies hidden beneath the floors. This third house is my own.”

She gestured to the one with a large front porch and a flourishing front garden. Snug between the two houses was a roaming chicken coop and another pen right behind it.

“What’s behind the chickens?” Tess asked.

“Rabbits,” (Y/N) said, “I trade them for supplies at Bill’s.”

“Have they ever stayed at your guest house?”

“A few times,” (Y/N) smiled proudly, “Five star reviews.”

They continued towards the center of her little town. The ground was dug up all around the cobblestone street, housing planter boxes and freshly tilled earth.

“Here’s my garden,” she said, “Mostly root vegetables but I’ve been searching for some summer berries or vine plants. Tomatoes and peppers maybe.”

“We could help with that,” Tess mused, “We know where to find seeds.”

(Y/N) beamed again, “Right ahead is the café. I’ve got coffee beans coming out of my ears in that place. And I’ve been using it as my library too – the perfect place to take a load off.”

That feeling in Joel’s gut was persistent and it was making him uncomfortable now.

“And that is an electronics store,” (Y/N) pointed to the last building within her fenced in town. “It’s where I use my radio and keep stock of my power and water.”

Tess turned full circle, nodding her head like she was impressed, “And that over there?” She gestured towards the fence line where large heavy bricks were piled.

“Oh that’s my ongoing project to keep this place more secure,” (Y/N) sighed, “Along with the electric fence I figured I could add another layer of defense. A brick wall would keep people from being able to peer in.”

“That’s going to take a lot of supplies.”

She nodded, hands in her pockets, “I’ve been disassembling a brick house down the road – it got hit with a car. But I’m running low on cement mix.”

Tess chewed her lip in thought, “I think we could manage that.”

Joel kept his eyes on (Y/N), anywhere but her face. She talked like she hadn’t seen real shit yet. She smiled like life wasn’t hard. She looked clean and unnaturally content for the world they lived in.

The nagging, uncomfortable feeling was urgent. It pushed him to ask, “Are you here alone?”

She looked to him with that sudden air of apprehension, “Yes.”

He shook his head towards the ground, “That’s not smart.”

“I have Bill and Frank,” she said, that smile gone with the first word out of his mouth. “And I’m well prepared.”

“You’re one person sitting on a pot of gold,” Joel said lowly.

“I’ve lasted this long,” she said just as quietly.

It was making him mad, “Don’t be stupid.”

“Joel,” Tess said warningly, “We are guests here.”

“I’m just being honest,” he said, “I’ve seen too many good people get killed because of their good intentions. Pretty soon there will only be assholes and killers left.”

There was a pause where (Y/N) stared him down with an edge of fear. It made her look like a rabbit about to dart away and hide.

“And which are you,” she asked quietly, “An asshole or a killer?”

Joel met her gaze with a sizzle of electricity. He thought she was good – it put a fire in her chest, a want to prove herself capable of being good and a survivor. The defiant look on her face only made his uneasy feeling flare tenfold.

She wasn’t safe. She needed someone to protect her.

“We’re both assholes,” Tess stepped in, “That’s what makes us so great at negotiating trades.”

(Y/N) turned her body towards Tess, burned by Joel’s words, “I could use more assholes on my side.” She refused to look at Joel, “Maybe one will end up staying.”

Tess laughed, brushing over the tension that had settled between them, “Sounds like you’ve heard Frank tell their love story one too many times.”

“He says I just need to find my Bill,” she laughed along, walking them back towards her house, “I guess I just need to find an asshole.” She peered over her shoulder to give Joel a raised eyebrow.

He couldn’t stop the sigh that escaped him, still upset and burning with the desire to argue his point further. Maybe he was more upset with the fact that he’d fixated on her need for a protector.

He didn’t need another person to worry about, not when he already had Tess and Tommy. Adding to that list meant adding to the grief he’d endure if he failed to save them.

It was good she was apprehensive of him. It was good there was an edge of fear when she looked at him. He couldn’t get attached.

“That smells amazing,” Tess breathed, entering the house, “Where did you get a roast?”

“Bill,” (Y/N) said, going to the kitchen to check on the slow cooker, “He carved up a cow near a cattle range a few miles away. I traded some sheets, vegetables, and coffee beans for it.”

Joel leaned against the entryway. Better be worth it – he thought – trading supplies for one measly roast.

“I understand if you have to leave,” (Y/N) continued, “But my home is open to you. You’re welcome to stay for some food and rest.”

“You’ll accept us into your trades, then?” Tess asked. “I thought we made a pretty lousy first impression.”

(Y/N) smiled, “Better than you think.” She didn’t look towards Joel. “I know we just met…”

Joel made a gruff sound that seemed close to a laugh.

Still (Y/N) didn’t acknowledge him, “But I trust Bill’s judge of character. If he’s willing to work with you then I don’t see why I shouldn’t.”

“We’ll work up a supply list,” Tess nodded, “And in the meantime I say we set the table.”

“Tess…” Joel said warningly, “We should…”

“Get the plates,” Tess cut in, “I’m starving.”

~~~

{2007 – 3 months later}

The leaves were still crisp and golden along the road to (Y/N)’s town. It was later in the day, much later than Joel would’ve liked, but Tess knew there’d be an invitation to stay the night.

And as much as Joel hated to admit it, a hot shower and a clean bed sounded like heaven. His back was aching with the weight of their trade. Sweat dotted his temples and the falling light made him squint his eyes.

“Fuck, I hope she cooked,” Tess groaned, “That hike felt way longer with full packs.”

Joel wiped his brow, “I told you we should’ve started with seeds.”

“She needs the cement more,” Tess said, “And we’ll get more in return for the mix.”

The town was coming into their sights and Joel was surprised to see the progress made on the perimeter.

The brick wall was finished along one side and barbed wire extended between the electric fence and the wall. Bill had to have shared his high tinsel wire because the fence was reinforced and surrounded by new traps.

They could hear the electric hum of the fence as they neared the front gate. The keypad housed a buzzer to signal (Y/N) of incoming guests, which Tess pressed.

She gave Joel a look and suppressed a smile.

“What?” he asked.

She shrugged, “Still don’t like it?”

He squinted through the fence at the town within, “Don’t be surprised if she’s gone.”

“We talked to her two days ago,” Tess said, “And I think we would’ve seen evidence of raiders if they came through here.”

Joel still sighed his inner turmoil as (Y/N) came out from where the chicken coop was hidden. She smiled that beaming smile and waved at them with garden gloves in hand.

“Long time no see,” she said, “How was the trip?”

Both Tess and Joel hesitated at seeing her limp towards them, a bandage clearly wrapped around her lower leg.

“Long,” Tess finally replied, waiting for the gate to open, “What happened there?” She gestured towards (Y/N)’s leg, unwinding her hands from her backpack to have easy access to grabbing a weapon.

Joel was stiff, a few fingers grazing the gun secured in his pocket.

(Y/N) seemed unphased, waving them off, “I fell while collecting more bricks from the broken house. I got a bad scrape but nothing terrible.” She opened the gate and finally sensed the tension, “Why?”

Tess eyed Joel before muttering, “Show us.”

“Excuse me?” (Y/N) asked.

“We just want to be sure,” Tess said, “We don’t want to be locked in with a biter tonight.”

(Y/N) scoffed, raising her eyebrows, “Um… yeah, sure.” She knelt to one knee with a wince and rolled her pant leg. Blood had seeped through the bandage and made a terrible sound as she peeled it away from her wound.

It was still fresh and speckled with new blood from being torn open again, but it was obviously a scrape and not a bite.

“Satisfied?” she asked, grimacing at the wound, “I’m in need of a clean bandage.”

“Can you blame us?” Tess said, relaxing her shoulders, “We had to be sure.”

“I would think one infected was nothing for you two,” she jested, stumbling to her feet and meeting Joel’s eyes, “I promise it’s nothing.”

Joel didn’t apologize, still touching the handle of his gun.

“You must be tired,” she continued, “I can show you your rooms.” She limped towards the guest house, balling the used bandage in her hands.

Tess followed, Joel left to secure the gate. He grinded his teeth as he fought the sudden urge to lecture (Y/N) about being safe. He had hoped the strange protective feeling of months before would’ve faded. But seeing her again ignited that furious part of him.

“I’ve cleaned your sheets,” (Y/N) said, entering the house and turning for the kitchen, “And there’s extra clothes in the closets.”

“That’s generous of you,” Tess said, “You mind if I shower first?”

Joel shook his head and (Y/N) called out, “No, there should be plenty of hot water for you.”

Tess nodded to her partner and climbed the stairs. Joel listened to her steps, debating on what to do next. He slung the backpack off his shoulders and felt instant relief. A shiver went down his spine as the sweat of his back cooled against the air.

A thud sounded in the kitchen and (Y/N) muttered, “Shit.”

Instinct told Joel to run towards her voice, but he held himself back as he walked into the kitchen.

(Y/N) was leaning against the counter, a stepstool overturned next to her feet. The cabinet above her was open and full of what appeared to be first aid.

Joel put two and two together, choosing not to say anything as he walked all the way over to her. He reached out easily and searched for a bandage and maybe an antibiotic.

(Y/N) inched away, suddenly overwhelmed by his body nearly pressing into hers. “I slipped,” she said quietly.

He didn’t respond, rummaging the top shelf and finding a roll of cloth.

“There’s some medicine up there too,” she muttered, “Next to the hydrogen peroxide bottle.”

Joel found it, placing the supplies on the counter and closing the cabinet.

“Thank you,” she said, waiting for him to move before claiming the first aid. She limped to the dining table, bending over to examine her leg, “I’m making chicken for dinner,” she said, wondering why he was still there, “It should be done soon.”

He leaned against the wall and folded his arms, watching her rub ointment onto the scrape.

“Did you run into anything on your way here?”

He was quiet, standing there with a hard look on his face. His lips were pursed as he contemplated her words.

“You know,” she said, unraveling the roll of cloth, “I’m pretty sure a conversation involves two people talking.”

Joel refrained a sigh, only tilting his head slightly down in her direction. Why he didn’t just go to his room, he didn’t know. The frustration building inside of him was undeniable as he watched her attempt to use the bandage.

“You’re putting it on crooked.”

She lifted her head, “What?”

He grumbled and pushed himself off the wall. He went to kneel in front of her, taking the bandage from her hands and beginning to wrap it around her leg.

She stared at him wide eyed, her mind going blank as he handled her leg. He was surprisingly soft with her, holding her with gentle hands that she didn’t expect. His hair was a soft brown, curled at the edges with the last remnants of sweat. With him bowed before her, she could spy from above easily.

He was warm and toasted from the setting sun, hands still rough and dirty with his travels. He seemed to realize it too as he held her soap scrubbed skin. The flowery smell he found on her months before was overwhelming now. He identified the sweet smell on her skin.

“Thank you,” she said quietly.

The frustration licked his ribs. “Don’t thank me,” he said, “What you’re doing here is going to get you killed.”

She stiffened under his touch, that edge of fear creeping into her vision. “Joel…”

“No,” he said lowly, “What would’ve happened if you got hurt worse than this? There’s no one here to help you.”

“I have…”

“If you say Bill and Frank I swear to god I’ll break this chair.”

(Y/N) clamped her mouth shut, terrified of the sudden anger laced between his words.

“It’s a miracle you’ve lasted this long,” he muttered, “That luck is going to run out eventually.” He tied off the bandage, “And when it does, who will be here to bury you?”

She gulped, voice shaky when she asked, “Why are you so upset? Me being dead just means one less client on your list.”

Joel stood sharply, “It means one less decent person in this fucked up world.” His eyes bored into hers, “Don’t be an idiot.”

“Don’t tell me what to do,” she challenged, but her voice was still so small.

“Don’t you understand what’s out there?” Joel said, that anger fueling his tongue. “There are people that thrive in this end of the world shit. They won’t hesitate to burn this place down and skin you alive for all its worth.”

“So I’ll build up my defenses,” (Y/N) said louder than before, “I’ll set a wider perimeter.”

“They’ll work around it,” Joel ground out, “They’ll find a way when you least expect it.”

She stood from her chair, supported by her good leg, “Don’t underestimate what I can do. I’m not helpless out here.”

“But you are alone,” Joel growled, “Alone and cushioned with your electric fences and hot water and three meals a day. There are people that would kill for that!”

“Are you offering a solution?” she said with more vigor, “Or are you just going to keep telling me what a naïve imbecile I am?”

He fisted his hands, “I’m telling you to get out of here before you get seriously hurt.”

“Why do you care so much?” She breathed heavy, her fear ebbing into apprehension again.

Joel set his jaw, staring at her for a tense few seconds before storming out of the kitchen and up the stairs to his room, the sound of Tess still in the shower above.

He had to physically stop himself from slamming the door as he went for the bathroom. He turned the sink on roughly and splashed himself with cool water.

He was doing it again. He was already getting attached.

She wasn’t his problem – wasn’t his responsibility – she was just another trade route outside Boston. It was the mantra he said to himself throughout the rest of the night.

But not before taking a lukewarm shower to calm down.

In the morning he sat on the edge of the bed with a dull ache in his head. He had a strange dream about (Y/N). It was short lived but left him with a race in his chest. He prayed that it didn’t happen again.

Tess was trading the cement mix with a number of (Y/N)’s storage items downstairs, so Joel figured he’d sneak into the café to get some coffee.

He could smell the bitter roasted beans from outside the shop door and his nerves gave a leap of joy at the thought of straight hot caffeine. He entered the café with his nose in the air and his throat thirsting for a drink.

It was a terrible surprise to see that the fresh pot of coffee came along with (Y/N) behind the counter.

Her eyes met his for a fraction of a second, turning away quickly to put away a sack of beans. Joel stood awkwardly at the door, already preparing to extinguish whatever frustrating protective feelings developed.

“Good morning,” she whispered, pouring a cup of coffee.

Joel eyed the steam curling lazily into the air and he convinced himself it was the coffee that made him stay – not because he wanted to see her beaming smile again.

He gave a gruff reply as he walked over to the counter.

She gave him the cup, “Coffee, black.”

It was too good to resist. He sat down and slid the cup towards himself, “Thank you,” he muttered.

The first sip was the richest, god he hadn’t had coffee in so long. It warmed his stomach, easing the knots in his hunched shoulders.

It’s satisfying taste provoked him to add, ���How’s your leg?”

She froze against the counter, trailing her fingers along the edge, “It’s fine.”

He nodded to himself, “Good.”

She laughed under her breath, “Good,” she repeated, walking towards the other side of the shop. There she eased herself into an armchair, propping her leg on an ottoman.

Joel peered over his shoulder and saw with a raised brow, half a dozen bookshelves, each laden with more books than he cared to see in a lifetime.

He sipped his coffee again, eyeing her as she selected a book from a pile beside her. Of course she had a book collection.

“We’ll be heading out in about an hour.”

She nodded, now absorbed in her book, “See you later, asshole.”

He jerked his head around to catch her in the insult, but she was smiling softly behind her pages.

~~~

{2009 – 18 months later}

“You’re such a hypocrite!”

(Y/N) threw a coffee mug at him, successfully smashing it against the wall beside his head. He dodged the flying shards of ceramic, fuming at her accusation.

“Are you insane?”

“You have no right to lecture me about my safety when you came here alone. Isn’t that the one thing you can’t stand about me living here?”

“Tess is staying with Bill and Frank an extra day!” Joel explained, “She’ll be here tomorrow.”

(Y/N) scoffed, shoving against the café door and stomping down the center street. “Why can’t you just leave it be?”

Joel was hot on her heels, “Because I know what’s out there.”

“I’m sick of that excuse, Joel.” She rounded on him, standing in the middle of the garden, “It can’t be the only reason you’re stuck on this argument.” Her hands on her hips, she squared up to him, “I’ve proven myself for nearly two years.”

He clenched his jaw, a twitch in his cheek, “Don’t…”

She grimaced, so frustrated she was nearly disgusted by his retorts. “You make me so angry sometimes.”

In a rush of aggression, Joel grabbed her by the arms, on the verge of shaking some sense into her, “(Y/N),” he ground out. And it struck him then.

Close and hot and breathing each other’s heavy breaths. He wanted to kiss her. He wanted to claim her mouth with his own. The want seized him with such urgency he was temporarily struck dumb.

His hands clamped down on her arms, keeping her close to his mouth.

“Joel,” she said full of heat, “What are you doing?”

But she was eyeing his lips now, so near her own. All she had to do was lean in.

Joel was so conflicted he was fighting every instinct in his body. His lip was starting to curl because of it, turning into a snarl as he gripped (Y/N) close to him. This wasn’t supposed to happen.

He wasn’t supposed to get attached, wasn’t supposed to want her.

But god she was so infuriating, so tempting.

His snarl neared her mouth, on the verge of devouring her. But in a sheer act of will he managed to push away – stumble back – and take a deep breath that wasn’t full of her clean, flowery scent.

He was running hot now, growing stiff as he stood there. He couldn’t steady his breaths, hands on his hips as he stared her down.

She was flushed and breathless in a way that spoke of innocent confusion. Her eyes were wide, and a delicate hand was resting on her chest, as if she had to hold back the pounding of her heart.

Oh God.

Joel bit back a growl, “I saw raiders… (Y/N). On my way over here. They were a few miles back but it’s the closest we’ve seen them in years. They’re scouting.” He knew better than to take a step closer to her. “And they will find you here.”

“I’ll be fine.”

He ran a hand over his beard, cursing to himself, “Fucking… this isn’t a joke, (Y/N). You could be in some serious danger.”

“I’ll figure it out,” she said, full of emotion, “I always do.”

That flush was settling in her cheeks and her eyes became glassy with it.

“Don’t be stupid.”

She clenched her jaw, screwing her lips up in a scowl. “I think you should leave.”

“(Y/N)…”

“Go away, Joel!” she fumed, standing her ground, “We made our trade – you have no business staying here any longer.”

He cursed her, making for the exit like he didn’t know what else to do. Hot blood was beating in his ears and as much as he hated her choice to stay, he still wanted her. He still wanted to be near her regardless of how angry she made him.

She knew he could reach Bill and Franks before nightfall or else she never would have sent him away. And at their little compound he pushed past Tess and found refuge in his own room for the remainder of the night.

Frank was curious as ever. “What’s gotten into him?” he asked Tess, “Ran into some trouble?”

Tess sighed, holding her glass of wine, “I told him to go on ahead to (Y/N)’s.” She took a sip, “Maybe I thought they could use some alone time together.”

Frank raised his eyebrows, suppressing a smile, “Little miss matchmaker you are.”

“Obviously it didn’t work,” she said, “But I know there’s something there.”

“I believe it,” he laughed, “Every asshole needs their sunshine person.”

Tess shared the laugh, “And a sunshine person (Y/N) is.” She raised her glass, “Let’s hope she manages to put him in his place.”

Frank eyed where Joel had just stormed off to, “If she hasn’t already.”

They shared a drink and wished each other a good night, oblivious to the fact that Joel was tossing and turning in his sheets, livid with the idea that (Y/N) could control him even when she wasn’t there.

He was angry and restless and resented how his cock twitched with dreams of her – how he very nearly kissed her just hours before.

It haunted him until dawn when he awoke with the distinct wish for a coffee from the café. He rubbed hard at his face, groaning with the lack of control on his own thoughts. (Y/N) was there smiling at him in his minds eye. Her clean flowery scent filling his nose.

He willed the blood to keep from rushing downward.

Tess and Frank were at the kitchen table, enjoying some eggs and toast. There was a black coffee waiting for him, steaming with the heat. His eyes flickered to the counter to see a bag of coffee beans clearly from (Y/N)’s town.

Tess followed his eyes and smirked, “You slept in.”

“Or he’s just been staring at the ceiling all night,” Frank smiled, “Figured you needed a coffee either way.”

Joel glared at them, sitting down and eagerly drinking the bitter coffee. He licked his lips, “I want to get back to the QZ before dark. We should leave soon.”

Frank groaned, “I always miss you guys when you’re gone.”

“Why do you think I stayed so long this time,” Tess said, “But we’ve got other trades to make. And there’s always the chance the QZ finds us missing. I don’t think I want to head back knowing there’s a noose waiting for me.”

There was a thud as heavy footfalls came from outside. Frank was to his feet immediately, knowing who was making the sound.

Bill came through the door, his breath a little labored, “Joel…”

“What is it?” Frank questioned, meeting him at the door, “What happened?”

Joel rose to his feet, a spark of fear igniting in his chest. If Bill wanted to speak with him, it could only mean grave news.

“Outside,” Bill said, “There’s smoke coming in from the east. A lot of it. I tried to radio (Y/N), and I can’t get a signal. Her channel has never been turned off before.”

Tess moved her head from one man to the other, “Joel…” she began as if she was trying to soothe him before something reckless happened. “It doesn’t mean…”

But Joel was shoving his way outside to look towards the east, the sun still rising as the day began. In the distance was a large billowing cloud of smoke. It was wide and black, meaning something big was burning hot and still raging.

East meant (Y/N)’s town. It meant something terrible had happened. And his blood ran cold.

“Joel,” Tess said behind his back, her mouth falling open, “What could’ve…”

Joel ran back inside for his pack, Bill waiting for him with a polished handgun and a box of ammo. A silent wish of luck that only Bill could express. They shared a look of understanding – that this was a moment of dread that people prayed would never happen to someone they cared about.

Joel gave him a nod of thanks and set out with Tess only five minutes later. He was keeping a runners pace until Tess asked him to slow down.

“Let’s not exhaust ourselves before we know what the threat is.”

“It was those raiders,” Joel bit back, “I told you they were heading this way.”

Tess was thinking it too, “She has a fighting chance,” she said. “She’s well prepared.”

Joel fought against the fear planted in his chest, “I shouldn’t have left.”

Tess wasn’t sure how to respond to that. “We’ll deal with it when we get there.”

It was the quickest they had ever made the trip, using the black billowing smoke as their guide. It never wavered and it never died down, meaning the fire wasn’t done burning everything in its path.

It would attract people for miles around.

Reaching a clearing, the pair of them paused to survey the area. Tess, as ever, was saying what Joel thought.

“Oh my god.”

The lookout house was in flames. The open windows were licked with fire, sending plumes of smoke into the open air. It crackled with heat and broke through part of the roof, sending ash and smoldering wood to the ground.

Bodies were littered outside the fence line – raiders that were caught in traps, shot by a rifle, or electrocuted by the fence. Some were tangled with the barbed wire lining the walls, others were smoking from once being engulfed in flames.

And how many managed to get inside, Joel thought.

They ran for the gate, Tess putting in the code that (Y/N) gave them months before.

Joel held up his new handgun, aiming for anything that moved. His breath was steady against the erratic beating of his heart. That fear in his chest controlled only by the instinct of hunting down whoever remained of the raiding party.

They kept their heads down, guns out, and feet moving in quiet steps. They scouted the guest house, checking the storage beneath the floorboards – it was untouched. They moved on to the main house and though it was ransacked, there wasn’t anyone there.

They went towards the shops, slowing down when they spotted two more bodies outside the electronics store.

Tess gave Joel a nod, and he went to check the faces – both raiders – before spying inside the open doors of the store. He could hear the crackle of electricity, could see the vibrant sparks of an open wire. The white smoke told him the radio was probably destroyed.

The sudden swing of the café door had them spinning around with scary precision.

“Oh, fuck!” said the raider, fumbling for a gun strapped to his belt.

Joel made quick work of shooting the guy in the leg. The raider cried out, falling to his side and yelling for any other help.

Tess kept her gun out as Joel ran for the injured thief.

“Help! Help me!” the man cried, grabbing onto his thigh, blood leaking out and beginning to pool beneath him. He tried to scoot away, “No, no, man stop!”

Joel landed a punch to the raiders face. He ignored the shots fired by Tess as she took down another exiting the café.

“Where is she?” Joel muttered. He dropped his gun, using his free hands to grab the raider by the jacket, “Where is she?”

The man jerked, a trickle of blood falling from his mouth, “I don’t know what you’re talking about, man.”

Joel hit him again, “Don’t fuck with me, kid. I’m not in the mood.”

The raider looked terrified, “The girl… that lives here…”

Joel was holding him up in a sitting position, hands itching for his throat, “Where?”

“Couple of my buddies took her in the back.” He nodded towards the electronics store.

With a hard thrust of his hands, Joel slammed the man into the cobblestones of the street. Whether the impact knocked the man out or killed him, Joel didn’t care. He stood to enter the store, gun left forgotten on the ground.

“Joel!” Tess yelled, running after him.

He ignored her, barging into the store and tensing at the sound of whimpering coming from the back room.

He ran towards the sound, tearing open the door to see a sight that had the air knocked out of him.

(Y/N) sat curled in the corner of the room, hands outstretched towards the men above her, pleading them to stop. She was bruised and bloody – no longer smiling like life wasn’t hard, no longer clean with fresh flower soap.

She was terrified and hurt. A combination of things that had white noise filling Joel’s ears. He saw red as the remaining raiders turned towards him. The disgusting sound of their laughter ceased with the fire in Joel’s eyes.

Tess realized then that Joel didn’t need his gun. He didn’t need her for backup. He just went wild.

Raw instinct launched him towards the men, clobbering one and manhandling the other. He slammed one against the wall, hitting him until pain finally registered in his hand. The bloodied raider slumped to the ground, signaling to his partner to get the hell out of there.

But Joel had already turned and found the last assailant stumbling to his feet after being hit. He threw the man into the back room shelves, kicking him into the ground. He knelt over the raider and punished him with the fury that fueled Joel.

By the end Tess had a grimace on her face, a twist in her stomach that knew it would take Joel a while to come back from what he just did. She stood by (Y/N), shielding her until Joel was finished.

“(Y/N),” he rasped, ragged from the fight, “(Y/N)…” He met her on the floor, not daring to touch her yet.

Tess backed up, going outside to ensure they weren’t interrupted by any surprise raiders.

(Y/N) couldn’t control her breathing, silent tears running tracks through the ash and blood of her face. She kept her hands up, as if it were a measly last defense in saving her life.

Joel felt the fire extinguish in his head, pain blossoming across his knuckles as his hands began to shake. “(Y/N),” he tried again, “Hey, it’s going to be okay.”

She finally peeked above her hands at him, “Joel…” she said breathless.

A stab of pain went through his chest, “Yeah, baby,” he said. “I’m here.”

She was hesitant but as a fresh wave of tears came over her in gratitude, she started to lean into him. And Joel grabbed onto her instantly.

He wrapped her up with his arms and drew her close, “I’ve got you. You’re okay.”

“I thought…” she tried to say, “I thought I was dead.”

“No,” Joel cut her off, “I won’t let that happen.” He squeezed her tight to his chest, saying the things he needed to hear just as much as her. “You’re okay. You’re safe.” Because with him there beside her, she was safe. He could keep her that way.

“They used one of the oak trees,” she muttered, “They climbed and secured a rope across the fence and into the house. They waited until I was alone.”

Joel swallowed hard, putting a hand to the back of her head. “It’s over – they’re all gone.” He shielded her from the bloody mess behind them, “Let’s get you clean up. Tess and I… we’ll take care of everything.”

They managed to get (Y/N) into her house and while Tess volunteered to help with a shower and taking care of her injuries, Joel set out to correct his mistakes.

He gathered the raider bodies and burned them outside the fence line, the acrid smoke masked by the house fire. He found the stolen supplies and placed them back where they belonged. He reset the traps and reloaded the weapons. He even managed to dampen the spread of the house fire so it wouldn’t jump to the other buildings.

Late into the night, restless with the events of the day, (Y/N) asked Tess why Joel hadn’t visited her yet. He had been out all day and into the night.

Tess stayed by her side, resting in an armchair. “He’s trying to make things right,” she said, “He’s working out his frustration.”

“At me?”

“No,” Tess said warmly, “With himself. With those raiders. And… I’m not sure he can stand the sight of you hurt.”

(Y/N) laid in bed, contemplating her words. “He’s going to have to come in eventually.”

“He will,” Tess continued, “After he’s figured out how to apologize to you.”

“He doesn’t have…”

“Oh, yes he does,” Tess smiled, “He won’t rest until he feels like he deserves your forgiveness. And even then…” she shrugged her shoulders. “He’ll blame himself for you getting hurt.”

By morning (Y/N) was able to shuffle towards the window, curious at a thudding sound outside. She pulled blankets closer to her bruised body and peered apprehensively towards the still smoldering lookout house.

It was emitting nothing more than ashy white smoke, meaning the fire could no longer find anything more to burn. And behind the house, beyond the fence, was Joel.

With an axe in hand, he was chopping down the oak tree that helped the raiders get in.

~~~

{2012 – three years after the raid}

After many heated arguments and prolonged visits, the old routine came back.

Joel and Tess returned to their usual trade routes, checking on (Y/N) whenever possible. (Y/N) rebuilt her radio and kept more frequent contact with her friends. She managed to rebuild her defenses and even had Bill attempt to break in a couple times to ensure maximum security.

Her wounds healed but left scars.

She no longer beamed, but simply smiled. She no longer welcomed with open arms, but with a small wave.

Joel struggled to look at her during visits. He tried to distance himself from conversation but couldn’t deny how badly he wished her safety. He’d stand on pins and needles waiting for her to pick up the radio. He’d frantically search the town before finding her reading in the café.

He was head over heels now. Dependent on her being alive and well. And that terrified him.

He had a taste of the panic that consumed him when she was in danger. When he saw her hurt. When he thought of her dead. It made him weak in the knees.

Joel knew that if he let himself he would love her until their dying day. He’d deal with their bickering and name calling and teasing because at the end of the day, he’d kiss her and hold her close, and remember a time when it wasn’t so scary to love.

But that panic ate at him. Reminded him of a grief he couldn’t go through again.

It led him to distance himself during visits. At least he tried to. It didn’t stop him from thinking of her when he touched himself at night.

If he let himself… he could love her like she deserved.

He maneuvered around the trip wires guarding the paths to her town. He ducked under explosives and jumped over potholes.

It had been nearly seven months since he last saw her. They briefly spoke each week on the radio just to check in, but it wasn’t the same as seeing her in person.

He knew he shouldn’t be as excited as he was – knew he shouldn’t have gotten her an extra gift with his trade – knew he shouldn’t have gone out by himself while Tess handled other trades.

But he couldn’t help himself.

She was sitting on her front porch when he reached the gate.

Maybe it was the fact she never interacted with other men, but the sight of him put butterflies in her stomach. She hadn’t felt a man touch her in years and the back and forth between her and Joel was putting her frustratingly close to the edge.

“Hey, there,” she called, watching him saunter over. He had one of his blue button downs on, a worn jacket on top. The corners of his lips barely upturned at her voice.

“How have you been?” he asked gruffly, taking a seat beside her.

She shrugged, “Did you find what I need?”

Joel noted her vague change of subject, “Yeah, here.” He opened his pack to retrieve a few packets of seeds and medicine.

(Y/N) became transfixed with how his hands moved, large and strong, her eyes moving along the veins and tendons working on the back of his palm.

She was just following the line of muscle along his arm when he waved the goods in front of her face.

“You okay?” he asked, holding out the medicine bottles, “You don’t need these because you’re sick, right?”

She felt warmth bloom across her cheeks, “I’m fine.” She cleared her throat, “I haven’t seen you in a while is all.”  

Joel’s deep look of concern remained, “What’s the matter?”

She turned her gaze to her town, swallowing hard, “Nothing really.”

“(Y/N),” he said quietly. The baritone of his voice reverberated through her spine. His breath near her ear made her shiver. It was making him suddenly afraid. “What’s going on?”

Feeling him so close was sending goosebumps across her skin. God was she really that touch starved? He was overwhelming her without even touching her.

She stood up jerkily, “Nothing’s going on, as per usual.” She walked into her house, throwing the seed packets on the kitchen table and making for the stairs.

Joel got frantically to his feet, bewildered by her behavior. This wasn’t one of their usual arguments – something was wrong and if she kept evading his questions then he was going to get frustrated.

“Then why are you upset?” he followed her up the stairs and into her bedroom.

She went for the en suite bathroom, placing her new pills in the medicine cabinet. “I’m not.”

Joel felt that annoyance build in his gut, “You are.” He stood in the doorway, cornering her in the bathroom. “Why won’t you give me a reason?”

When she turned to see the way blocked by his broad frame, she gulped. He was bracing himself by putting both hands on the doorway and (Y/N) couldn’t help trailing her eyes along his build.

He was looking at her with a face full of concern, lined and rough with just a hint of frustration at her lack of answers.

It was hot. And (Y/N) hadn’t realized how low that heat had traveled since first seeing him walk through the gate. God she really was that touch starved. She was feeling breathless just looking at him.

Joel looked even more worried, “You sure you’re feeling alright?”

“Could you back up please?” her voice was small and nearly desperate, “Please?”

His eyebrows rose, lifting his hands in surrender and retreating for the bed, “I’m sorry. Didn’t mean to corner you.”

She shook her head, heat putting a flush across her chest, “You know I’ve never had a problem being alone.”

Joel looked at her, silent as he sensed a confession coming.

“I’ve always enjoyed the peace and the freedom,” she said quietly, “But there was something I didn’t expect after all these years.”

She took a step forward and Joel had the sudden urge to grab her and hold her.

“I didn’t expect to feel lonely,” she said, “But I am. I’m so lonely here by myself. And it’s driving me insane.” She took another step towards Joel.

He reacted instantly, reaching out to offer his hand. When he found hers, he pulled her closer to him, “I can help with that.”

If he let himself… he could love her fiercely. And with her looking at him with such wide, desperate eyes, he felt ready to snap his resolve in two.

He pulled her closer, having her stand between his legs, “Would you let me help you?” With his free hand he ran a few fingers up her arm and she gasped. A high breathy sound as a shiver ran through her body.

“Fuck,” Joel said, “How long has it been for you?”

She shook her head, already feeling dizzy, “Help me.”

His cock began to ache as blood flew to it. “Tell me,” he said, “Tell me what you want me to do.”

“Help me feel,” she whimpered, “Not feel so alone.”

He groaned deep in his chest, pulling her closer to him, “If I do, a lot of things are going to change.”

She was lightheaded with his hands pulling on her wrists, placing them on his cheeks, “God I hope so.” She held onto his face, tilting it up to where she could plant her lips against his.

He responded immediately, reaching for her waist, groaning against her lips.

It was overstimulating having him touch her, even the barest of touches on her waist had her trembling. His hand wandered up her back, exploring her body with slow, steady hands. It was making her gasp against his mouth, eyes screwed shut and lips wet with his.

“You’re so sensitive,” Joel murmured, “Don’t worry – I’ll go slow.”

He retook her lips, swallowing her unsteady breaths. He started to stand from the bed, keeping his mouth on hers. His hands went from her sides to her jaw, holding her face up to him.

As he stood, her neck began to crane to keep her lips to his, sucking in breaths whenever she could. With him at his full height, she was flush against his chest. It was evident he was beginning to strain against his pants as she felt the bulge press into her midsection.

It sent fast trickles of warmth down between her legs. “Joel,” she said breathlessly, “God, Joel… it’s so much.”

“It feels good?” he muttered, pulling away to kiss her cheek, “Too much for you?”

She shook her head, easily turning her head to give him access to her neck.

“Needy,” he grinned, kissing the soft skin of her neck, “So needy for me.”

She moaned, planting her hands on his shoulders to steady herself. His lips were hot and wet as he nipped and sucked the column of her throat. He teased a sensitive part above her collarbone, relishing in the gasp it produced.

He sucked until he knew she was branded with his lips. He ran his tongue across the new hurt, already planning for the next spot to bruise with his teeth.

But her legs were slowly becoming water, unable to support her as she gave way to the feeling of Joel taking care of her.

“I’ve got you,” he said into her neck, arms wrapped around her waist, “Let go, baby.”

She fell into him, and he easily laid her on the bed, eyeing her against the sheets as he wondered where to go next. He was drawn instantly to the wet patch growing on the fabric between her legs.

“Fuck, baby,” he growled deep in his throat. “You’re that wet for me, and we haven’t taken off a single piece of clothing yet.”

She responded with trying to take her shirt off, making Joel laugh.

“Don’t,” she said, “Please.”

The desperation in her voice was driving him mad. Joel took her fumbling hands and pinned them above her head with one of his own. “Let me do it.”

He bowed his head and started kissing a trail down her chest and across her shirt. She started to squirm as he kept pressing his lips down her clothed stomach and finally her clothed heat. His free hand crept up her shivering leg and began to tug at her pants.

Her wriggling made it easier as he pulled at one hip and then the other, dragging the pants away. His lips went to kiss each inch of newly exposed skin as her clothes were tugged down. He finally released his hold on her hands, eager to remove her shirt as well.

They made quick work of leaving her in nothing but her panties. Her breasts full and perked with arousal. Joel eyed her with a mouthwatering gaze. She was so desperate for his touch her back was arching off the bed in search of his hands.

“If I had known sooner,” he said, laying on her until his face was level with her chest, “I would’ve done this years ago.”

Needing something – anything – to grab onto, (Y/N) wove her fingers into his hair. He smelt of wood oil and coffee and leather, sending her into another spiral as his lips found purchase between her breasts.

He laid claim to the valley there with new bruises, trailing his tongue after his handywork. With his body pinning her down, he could feel every shiver as he kissed and nipped around her nipple. She pulled at his hair and drew a moan out of him.

“You’ve waited this long, baby,” he teased, “Just be patient.”

She cried out when his took her in his mouth, running his tongue around her nipple. His hand found her other breast, giving it the equal attention it deserved.

The sound of her sensitive cries had him rutting his clothed cock into her. He was starting to lose control of himself, years of pent up frustrated feelings getting the better of him.

“Hang on,” he said, pulling away to remove his shirt, “Nearly there. I want to help you feel good.”

“It’s so good,” she whimpered, “You’re so good to me, Joel.”

He grinned, claiming her mouth once more, “You’re trembling, sweetheart. You’ve been on the edge this whole time.”

She nodded frantically, a look of pain between her brows. She was pushing him by the shoulders – pushing him down to between her legs.

“Is it too much?” he questioned her pained expression.

“Please…” she cried to him, “I need you, Joel. I want you now.”

He knew she was already overstimulated, had been from the start. He would need to be careful about how far he pushed her before it wasn’t enjoyable anymore.

He conceded, “Okay, baby.” He ran a finger along the elastic of her underwear, “You ready for me?”

“Yes,” she pleaded, “Yes, please, god.”

Joel was painfully aware of how aching his cock was now, already spurting with precum. It was an effort not to jerk into his hand as he freed himself from his pants.

She could barely concentrate on the length of him, just inching her hips forward until he grabbed her hips in warning.

“I’ve got you,” he said, “Let me help.” He planted a kiss over her clothed heat before dragging her underwear down and off her ankles.

He groaned, pumping his cock a few times, “You’re so goddamn beautiful.” He ran his tip through her folds, covering himself in her slick, “And so wet.”

He lined up at her entrance before bracing himself above her, chest to chest and lips nearly touching. When he sunk into her an inch, they both moaned at the pressure. He wanted to see the look on her face as he pushed in another inch.

Her hands flew for his face, holding him as she adjusted to his size. Her mouth fell open in a silent gasp, looking at him with pinched brows. He growled at the expression, urging himself to keep going slow. She was already wriggling with how sensitive she was.

If he dared brush her clit, she might have just screamed.

“Tell me if it’s too much,” he watched the slight pain in her pinched brow. He wanted to know the instant it was from actual pain and not pleasure, “I’ll stop – just tell me.”

“No,” she pleaded, “Give it to me, please. God, Joel – fuck me.”

He rutted his hips by accident, bewitched by her words. It was going to be quick, he already knew. The pair of them desperate for love.

He started slow, rolling his hips into hers, keeping himself chest to chest with her. He wanted to be touching as much of her as he could. He wanted to hold her as she came. His lips found hers as his pace started to grow.

She was already tensing around him, every sensitive nerve in her body reaching a breaking point as her orgasm grew. She kissed him back, whimpering with every thrust of his hips.

“I’m…” she said breathlessly, “I’m so close, Joel.”

“I know, baby,” he said, rocking into her with more force, “I want you to. Give it to me.”

She ran her hands down his back, digging her nails in as her body began to seize. Joel wrapped his arms around her, holding her against the bed as she gripped the hair on the back of his head. She cried out from the overstimulation the orgasm was giving her, combined with Joel’s constant motion inside of her.

“I’ve got you,” he breathed against her neck, “You’re doing so good, baby.”

And as she trembled, still clenched tight around him, Joel felt himself start to tip over the edge.

“Fuck,” he ground out, “Fuck…” as he pulled himself out of her to spill between their bodies, hot and thick across their stomachs. They were breathing each other’s air again, pressed into each other in an embrace.

And when Joel realized she was still trembling after he calmed down, he pulled away. “Shit, baby – I’m sorry.”

She was weak with the pleasure, pained with the sensitivity, and dizzy from his body on hers. He pressed a lingering kiss to her hair and went for the bathroom, wiping his stomach clean of his cum before running a washcloth under the tap for (Y/N).

He returned quickly, sitting on the bed and carefully cleaning her skin. She squirmed when he reached between her legs and as an apology he kissed her thigh, “I’m sorry.”

She put a hand to his cheek, drawing his gaze, “I’m okay.” She smiled, “I’m better than okay.”

He looked relieved, dark brown eyes beaming with her smile. He quietly got up and retrieved some clean clothes, dressing himself and then taking his time in redressing her. Much more gentle then how he was taking them off.

It was cautious and intimate, Joel unsure of himself when it came to such acts of love. He didn’t want to overwhelm her any more than she already was.

“I knew if I let myself do this… I wouldn’t be able to turn back.” He crawled up the bed, refraining from touching her sensitive skin too much, “I’m in love with you, (Y/N). And that scares the hell out of me.”

“I know,” she said quietly, completely spent and exhausted from her shot nerves. “I love you too.”

You’d never know Joel was a hardened survivor by the way he smiled at her words. “What took us so long?”

“You’re always getting on my nerves,” she said sarcastically.

“And you’re always driving me insane,” he said in return, settling against the pillows. He looked at her now with a more innocent, inquisitive expression. “How do you feel?”

She turned her head to him, “Like I want to stay in this bed with you all day.”

He continued to smile, but his eyes were still warm, lovestruck. “I can help with that.” He got closer to her, slowly wrapping her up close to his chest. He pulled the blankets over them, asking softly, “Is this okay? You can tell me if it’s too much.”

“It’s just right,” she said, melting into his chest. “All I need is you.”

Joel kissed her hair, remembering how safe she felt in his arms. His own fears drowned out by the contented sigh escaping her.

And suddenly the world was quiet. And they were just two people that fell in love.

~~~

Masterlist

It’s written in my rules, but I’m going to write it here too. I don’t accept requested smut. I’m new to the writing and will only write it when I feel like it. Thank you.

Tag List:

@caswinchester2000 @aria253264 @bippity-boppity-boopa @kaqua @cameleonfrenzy @shyposttree

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[vaulttecinterns]

Just a friendly reminder, fellow Vault dwellers and Vault-Tec fans! You can ask any of us questions about our work, our lives and other topics! We’ll do our best to answer!

People you can ask questions to:

Branden Finnegan- Intern Researcher in the Vault Tec Agricultural Labs

Madeline Turner- Junior Designer of the Apparel Department

Leo Rojas- Intern Programmer in the Robotics and Electronics Department

Hank MacLean- Executive Assistant to Barb Howard

Ella Carlyle- Intern in the Psychological and Mental Sciences department-

Isabelle Ruiz- Junior Researcher in the Medical and Physical Fitness Department

Edward Holt - intern in the Geographical Survey department

Theo Dyers- intern in the Equipment and Financial Department

Ian Flint- Marketing and Art Advisor

Happy asking!