#Faith Landman

[amberlynnmurdock]

Blind Faith (Ch. 13)

Chapter Thirteen: The Devil Has Many Disguises

Pairing: Matt Murdock x Reader

Summary: You take up Zach's offer to have dinner at his apartment.

WARNINGS: attempted assault, getting drugged, losing consciousness, side effects of drugs

A/N: PLEASE READ WITH CAUTION! This was a tough chapter to write because I didn't want to write anything too crazy but also not anything not-crazy... this was always in the plan/outline. PLEASE be aware of what you drink when you go out! It's a crazy world. I know this subject can be sensitive. I KNOW. I took this seriously in school and something I always thought was I wish Daredevil was real so sick people could get the justice they deserve! With that said, I hope you like this update, because I can't wait for the next one!

Tags at the end!

Ao3 Link

2 Corinthians 11:14-15 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.

Office of Nelson & Murdock

Rain pattered softly against the windows of Nelson & Murdock. It was a quiet and calm day, completely opposite of what you felt inside. Inside, your heart was racing at the thought of your plans tonight, your mind felt like you were thinking a million different things at the same time, and in the pit of your stomach was an excitement you hadn’t felt since the beginning of summer. 

A week had gone by since the Bar dinner, and Zach was successful in his attempts to ask you out on a date—was it a date? Tonight, you were to go to his apartment just a little uptown to have dinner and discuss all things LSAT and law school. What really won you over was his genuineness, even over the phone. 

Gone was the slightly cocky, sure-of-himself lawyer you met at the dinner. Instead, Zach actually seemed shy and sweet on the phone. He blamed his attitude on the alcohol, which you’ll admit, you blamed yours on that as well. If you were comfortable enough to come to his apartment, he offered to have dinner there and show you his library of law school books and whatnot. 

“Excited for tonight?” Karen asked as she walked past your desk to drop off a few files for you to input into the system. She smiled and sat on the corner of your desk, pushing a strawberry blonde strand behind her ear. 

“I am,” you admitted, feeling your cheeks turn hot. You spoke in a low voice, so Matt or Foggy couldn’t hear. “I mean, a free fancy dinner and LSAT help? It really can’t get that much better for me right now.”

“I’m sure you’ll have a good time,” Karen said. “Text me, though, if you feel uncomfortable at all or if the date seems to be going wrong, or if he just grosses you out. I’ve had my fair share of dipping on dates early.”

You laughed, “Well, let’s hope it doesn’t go down like that.” 

Karen told you more about the files she dropped on your desk—most of them didn’t have to be put in until Monday, and instead you could use most of the day to read and learn them first. Foggy came out of his office, whooshing past you and Karen, and straight into Matt’s office.

Matt locked himself in his office all week, seemingly avoiding any small talk or conversations. He must’ve been busy with his cases—there were a lot more coming in this week—or so you thought. No, Matt’s mind was occupied with something else, something that’s been slowly eating at him since the Bar dinner last week. 

He sits in his office quietly, one earbud connected to his Orbit reader, the other trying not to eavesdrop on your conversation with Karen, but who was he kidding? He knows Zach has been reaching out to you the entire week, trying to invite you to his apartment for dinner… but something wasn’t right. Matt didn’t know what it was, but something didn’t feel right. 

So what did he do? What he does best—investigate that annoying, hard-to-ignore intuition. Earlier this week, he decided to pay a visit to Landman & Zack on his lunch break without telling anyone. Like clockwork, Zach’s been calling you right at 1:00 p.m. 

Matt was able to listen in from the third floor of Landman & Zack’s building, from the inside of a broom closet, all the way up to the 10th floor where Zach’s office was.

“Hello?” 

“Miss __,”

“Is this Zach?”

“It sure is,” he chuckled lightly over the phone. 

“How can I help you, Zach?” 

“Well, I—I haven’t stopped thinking of our meeting at the dinner last week. I was wondering if I could see you again.”

“You were, were you?”

“Yes,” Zach said, with a hint of impatience only Matt could hear. “I was.”

“Hmm.”

“I was serious about the LSAT help, but I was also thinking we could combine dinner with that, at my apartment uptown?”

“I’m not usually one to go to someone’s house on a first date.”

“None of that,” Zach shook his head. “I just want to help, that’s all. And treat you to dinner, of course.”

It wasn’t the way Matt could hear Zach tapping a pencil on his desk, or the way Matt knew the palms of his hands were sweaty that was off-putting, but it was the way Zach’s heart was beating when he spoke those last few lines to you—about wanting to help.

He was lying. 

And since that moment, Matt’s been contemplating what the right thing to do was. So, by locking himself in his office and avoiding your presence, he thought the answer would come to him—well, it was clear, but it was a matter of whether he should ignore it or not. He listens to you as you gush to Karen about your plans with Zach tonight. He doesn’t realize how tightly he’s clenching his jaw until Foggy walks into his office, seemingly picking up on what your plans are. 

“Hey man,” Foggy greets casually, “can we talk?” Matt leans forward on his desk as Foggy shuts his door. 

“What’s up?” Matt asks. 

“I didn’t want to ask to be weird, so I figured I’d come to you. Did—what happened at the Bar dinner last week? We sort of talked about it, but I don’t think I got the full scope,” Foggy explained, gesturing to you and Karen. 

Matt sighed and ran his hand over his cheek in annoyance. “We ran into an old colleague of ours,” Matt said with a forced smile, “Zachary Zack.”

“I gathered that, but—is—don’t tell me that asshole is coming onto her,” Foggy said. He runs his hand through his long blonde locks. “That guy got everything handed to him at that firm because of his father! And now, he thinks he can just cozy up to one of our employees and bribe her to leave us?”

“He’s not bribing her, Fog—he’s trying to win her over, see her—I don’t know,” Matt said exasperated. “You should’ve heard him at the party. He’s the same pompous asshole as he always was.”

“What, you mean like ask her out on a date?” Foggy asked with concern. “He asked her out, and that’s what she and Karen are talking about?” 

Matt nodded his head slowly. Hearing it said out loud caused Matt to feel an uncomfortable rush in his chest. He hands turned to fists as he took a deep breath. 

“He gave her his number at the party. I’m assuming she must’ve messaged him because he’s been calling her every day. Yesterday, he finally asked her to dinner at his apartment and to help her with the LSAT.” 

“Jesus…” Foggy sighed. “I mean, I don’t want to scare her or tell her what to do, but Zack was bad news back then. I wouldn’t want him to hurt her or take advantage—what’s his intention?”

“I don’t know,” Matt said cooly. “But I do know he lied to her about wanting to help.”

“Lied—how do you know?”

Matt sighed and took off his dark red glasses. 

“The other day, I took my lunch and decided to go to Landman & Zack, right before I knew he would call her. I…listened to their conversation and could hear Zach’s heartbeat. He was lying, Foggy,” Matt whispered. “I don’t like that.” 

“What should we do?” Foggy asked. 

“Not we,” Matt shook his head. “What am I going to do.” 

“God Matt,” Foggy shook his head, “you really think it could be that serious?” 

“I don’t know,” Matt answered. “Just to make sure she’s safe, I’ll follow her. That’s all. If he seems fine, then I’ll leave. Maybe his heartbeat was a product of nerves asking her.”

“Maybe,” Foggy said. “Well, be careful. And make sure she’s safe.”

Matt nodded as Foggy left the room. He sat there for a moment, thoughts swimming in his head—he thought of the last night you banished him from his life, as the man in the mask, as Daredevil, as your savior. He thought of the very first night he ever met you, the first night you shared on your rooftop. This wasn’t about his feelings for you anymore, or his heartache, or yours—it was about making sure you were safe. 

⠋⠁⠊⠞⠓

Entering the last case in the system, you nervously watched as the clock finally struck 5:00 p.m. Karen was gathering her bags and jacket and Foggy was almost halfway out the door. He stopped in Matt’s office for something and then wished you a good weekend, and to be safe. 

“You too, Fog,” you smiled. He looked at you with a soft expression before heading out. Karen walked by your desk to wish the same thing. 

“Let me know how it goes,” she said quietly. “Great job today, by the way.”

“Thank you,” you blushed. “Have a good weekend!” 

She said goodbye to Matt and shut the door quietly. You finished typing your last sentence before you began to pack your own things up. 

Zach said to come by his apartment anytime after work, so you weren’t going to put pressure on yourself to get ready in a rush. Though, you did want to get there at around eight o’clock. 

As you were about to head out, you noticed Matt was still sitting at his desk, hunched over a pile of papers, running his fingers over the braille. He was so concentrated, you weren’t sure if you should slip out or wish him a good weekend. He may have felt your presence, you weren’t sure, but he looked up behind his dark red glasses as you stood in the doorway. 

“Heading out?” Matt asked. 

“Yeah,” you nodded. “Just wanted to say goodbye and have a good weekend. Got any plans?” 

Matt chuckled a little as if to say, me, plans? 

“Not really,” Matt answered. “Think I’ll take this weekend to relax, maybe catch up on work.”

“You’re always working,” you smiled and spoke softly. “Why don’t you take a break and actually relax?” 

“I take a break, the cases pile up even more,” Matt said. “Do you have any plans?” 

“Not much going on. I am—I’m going to have dinner with that old colleague of yours, Zach?” You told Matt. “Took him up on his offer to help me with studying. He’s making dinner, too.”

“Hm,” Matt replied, “that’s good. A date?”

“I’m not sure,” you laughed nervously. Telling Matt these things treaded weird territory, but you felt comfortable enough to talk to him like this. You remembered that night outside of Josie’s when you confided in him about your savior. “What was he like? When you worked with him, I mean. How was he?”

Matt shifted in his seat. You wanted to say never mind, but then he started to speak. 

“He was… loud.”

“Don’t hold back now,” you smirked. 

“He was a little pretentious. I don’t know if you know, but his father is the elder Zack. I never worked that closely with him, but everyone knew who he was.”

“Hm,” you answered thoughtfully, “why did you and Foggy leave?”

“We didn’t agree with how they ran their firm,” Matt said. 

“Interesting,” you replied. “Well, I guess I’ll let you know if he’s still pretentious.”

“I’m sure not much has changed,” Matt laughed, “But I hope it goes well. I really, really do.”

With that, you smiled once more at Matt, before leaving him alone in his office. 

⠋⠁⠊⠞⠓ Uptown 8 PM 

Zach’s apartment was a little bit uptown, but not much. Just like you were stunned at the venue of the Bar dinner, your reaction to his apartment was no different. On the 12th floor, his apartment had a beautiful view of Manhattan, especially at night—the building lights twinkled as you looked out his giant living room windows. He had an open floor plan, so when you first walked in you basically saw almost all of his apartment. To the right was a kitchen with a white marble countertop, and to the left was a small dining room with the same countertop. In front was the large living room, and beautiful large windows. 

He was in his kitchen, keeping an eye on the linguine he was boiling. That and the shrimp in the pan smelled delicious. 

“Like the view?” He called from the kitchen. Separating you was his large living space, with a tan suede moon crescent-shaped couch. The ceiling had a diamond chandelier and a glass coffee table. You were happy you opted to wear a white silk shirt and matching skirt. For some reason, you had a feeling his apartment would be minimalistic and classy. 

“I do,” you answered, “but nothing I haven’t seen before.” 

He laughed as he stirred the pasta. “Guess the view of the city all depends on where you stand. Wait til I show you my library.” You looked at him—he wore a white button-down shirt and khakis. His blonde hair looked more warm in the lighting. 

“The library,” you repeated. “Where all your law books are?”

“And even more,” he smiled brightly—his chiseled smile caused goosebumps to form on your arms. “Do you want some chardonnay?” 

“Please,” you accepted his offer. He turned the stove on medium heat before grabbing a brand new bottle from his separate wine cellar. Bringing out two large wine glasses, you watched as he poured you the cold, golden liquid. 

“Say when,” he said, catching your eyes. Your heart leaped. 

“When,” you smiled. 

Zach raised his glass—you mirrored him as the wine glasses clinked. He held your gaze for a moment before you both took a sip of wine. It tasted sweet. You blushed and looked away. 

Suddenly, the pot on the stove overflowed. Zach immediately turned the stove down and took the lid off the pot, scratching the back of his head. 

“Sorry,” he said sheepishly, “I’m not much of a chef. Why don’t I show you the library now?” 

You laughed, sort of caught off guard by how he seemed unsure of himself. Taking another sip of wine, you nodded your head. 

He walked you down a narrow hallway in his apartment. At the end of the hall was a glass door, away from the view of the city. When Zach pressed a light switch on the wall, the room lit up a soft glow and your reaction was similar to the first time you saw the giant blue whale hanging in the middle of the Museum of Natural History. You were in awe.

“The rest of the collection is at my dad’s,” Zach laughed as he watched you gape in the room. Against each wall were bookshelves lined with the most beautiful leather-bound books. Between blank spaces were the scales of justice, or a mini statue of lady justice. At the front of the room was a long mahogany desk with two lamps on either side and a quill and ink bottle for style. You gravitated towards it, running your fingers over the smooth wood. 

“Where are the LSAT books? Could we take a look?”

“When dinner’s over and we have some more drinks in us,” Zach smiled. Part of your heart fell from disappointment, but it made sense to not rush into what you came here for. Plus, you were really hungry. And this wine was delicious. 

By the time you made it back to the kitchen, you finished your wine. You took a seat in a golden chair at the marble table and looked at this side of the room. There was a long mirror against the wall and some house plants in each corner. Zach wasn’t much for decorating, you could tell. 

With his back to you in the kitchen, Zach poured you another glass of chardonnay. He brought you your glass before he went back and prepared two plates of shrimp linguine. You drank from the wine glass and started to feel that familiar buzz wine gave you. 

“Dinner’s served,” Zach smiled as he sat in the seat next to you. It smelled delicious—you wasted no time twisting your fork in the pasta and taking your first bite with a small piece of shrimp. 

“This is amazing,” you breathed, “wow.” 

“Thank you,” Zach nodded, “it's a recipe from my grandmother. It goes perfectly with the chardonnay.”

“It really does,” you said, taking another sip of the wine. “I’m actually not much of a wine drinker, but I do enjoy it occasionally with dinner.”

“I love it,” Zach smiled. 

“So, I have a question,” you began. “What was it like working with my bosses?”

“Nelson and Murdock?” Zach questioned, “I didn’t work with them that closely. They weren’t even there that long. To be honest, they seemed a little too soft for this field.”

“Woah,” you said in defense, “these are my bosses you’re talking about—be careful, Zack,” you squinted your eyes playfully. Zach shrugged his shoulders, seemingly serious about what he was saying. 

“Being a lawyer isn’t all about justice. I learned that the hard way,” Zach said, “it’s more than just lady justice and good vs. evil. It’s a business. You’ll learn that in law school.”

You didn’t agree with what he said. The whole point of the justice system was to serve justice—it’s not all business and it’s not all money. 

“Maybe it’s business for Landman & Zack, but not for Nelson & Murdock,” you gently argued. 

“That’s why our building is on Fifth Ave and yours is off a corner in the Kitchen,” he said rather smugly. Not wanting to push the matter further—clearly, there was some weird tension between Zach and your bosses--you smiled and took another bite of linguine. 

After your next sip of wine, you placed the glass next to your plate, and there was something unsettling about the way the liquid splashed on the glass. You watched curiously as if in slow motion, as the cold wine splashed outside the wine glass and on the back of your hand. You felt an inclination to react, but you sat there, staring in confusion. 

“You okay?” You heard Zach’s voice, which strangely sounded muffled. Were you drunk already, after only one and a half glasses in? You knew wine could have this effect on you—your wine drunk was different from your tequila drunk—but why were you such a lightweight tonight? 

“Yeah,” you said or tried to say—your voice felt like it was a thousand miles away from you, and you were still staring at the glass and your hand covered in the sweet, sticky liquid. Did you even hear your voice? Were you going deaf? Where did this loud ringing sound come from? 

You watched as Zach dabbed your hand with a napkin. You flinched at his touch and tried to bring your hand close to you, but it felt like it weighed a ton. You couldn’t move it. It was like when your arm fell asleep from sleeping on it wrong—not even a pinch you could feel. Your eyes fell to your shrimp linguine, which suddenly was nauseating to look at, even smell. The linguine noodles looked like a bowl of just yellow, with a few orange dots that tried to be shrimp. You shut your eyes, blinked really hard, and opened them to feel even more dizzy. 

“Something’s not right,” you said weakly, so softly you weren’t even sure Zach heard you. Your tongue felt thick. Your heart started to pound, no, hammer in your chest—not a rapid beat from adrenaline, but an agonizingly slow and steady beat—you could hear it in your ears, your pulse, like a hammer was hitting your chest from the inside, telling you that something wasn’t right. An impending feeling of fear washed over you like an ice-cold wave, but at the same time, everything started to feel too hot. 

“Let’s lay you down,” Zach’s muffled voice said. You tried to get up from the seat but even that was too difficult. You could barely hold onto the armchairs. Zach expertly got up and pulled your seat out, lifting you from behind. You stood on your feet but nearly fell over the table. Your glass of wine spilled across the table, the glass shattering into pieces. “Let’s lay you down,” he says again.

“I don’t feel good,” you slurred. It was the strangest thing you’ve ever felt, a mix of terror and confusion. You were still wondering how you ended up so drunk, and why you suddenly felt a strong urge to go home. You could barely walk, let alone stand. Zach was practically dragging you to the long, suede couch. And you’re not sure if you tripped, but you flung onto the couch and landed on your side, feeling your whole body weigh you down like you were made of sand bags. Your heart was still hammering slowly in your chest, and you felt like you were sinking. Sinking into doom, into fear, into an abyss you couldn’t crawl out of. Sinking in a dream you couldn’t wake up from. 

The only way you could describe it was like being in the middle of a terrible, terrible nightmare—the worst you could think of—and just as things were about to get terrifying, just as whatever dream-maker had control over your dreams was going to commence the final act of doom, you think you will wake up to sweet relief and reality—except, the nightmare keeps going, and this is your reality. Tunnel vision now. You can barely see. 

“You said you wanted to lay down,” Zach appeared over your head now, his once-blue eyes now beady as he looked down at you. His fingers felt meaty as they forced you to look up at him. You furrowed your brows—I wanted to lay down? I asked?—you tried to wipe your hair out of your face but an unpleasant grip took your wrist and threw it above your head. You felt heavy, numb, powerless. 

“Shh,” Zach cooed in a sing-song voice, “it’s okay, you wanted this. Remember?” He’s leaning over you now, and you’re watching as he begins to unbutton your white shirt. 

You don’t remember. You don’t remember how you ended up on the couch, and his voice made you turn your face and push into the soft velvet cushion, away from him, an attempt to escape. An attempt to have any kind of control. To hide. 

And then suddenly, his body weight on top of you was gone, like an intense pressure on your chest immediately disappearing. 

You looked at the soft, suede, tan-colored couch. The sort of color that reminds you of old peeling wallpaper in a doctor’s office; uninviting, ugly, yellow and dry. Before, the color of this couch was ordinary—but with your cheek pressed against it and you lying on your side, you see the color for what it is. Boring, ugly, and something you absolutely hate to look at. And you want to hold onto anything familiar in your mind—a familiar feeling, a familiar image, but you can’t. You’re breathing heavily, and your eyes feel like they weigh a ton. You struggle to keep them open but now the room looks like it's spinning from the way you lie—like a washing machine. You see a figure in black moving around before black is simply all you see. 

Hell’s Kitchen 12 AM 

The first thing you wake up to is your uncontrollable shaking. It reminds you of a time when you were in middle school and you came down with the flu. You remembered being wrapped in a hoodie and sweatpants and socks, under thick blankets, and shivering like you were out in the cold. Your mom brought you chicken soup and your dad put on your favorite cartoon. There was a huge difference between then and now. You were shivering, but there wasn’t that familiar feeling of home. Only panic.

Your eyes shoot open and it takes you a moment to realize you’re not in a room you recognize—your eyes first land on dojo-type sliding doors, a soft glow coming behind them. You look around a little more, and there’s not much in the room except for a wooden armoire tucked in the corner and tiny windows in the front. Bright, neon lights shine through them before they disappear again. You shut your eyes once more. It’s then you realize you have an IV in your arm. A strange, tight pinch in the middle of your arm, on your most delicate skin. 

You shoot up in bed, shaking, and your head pounding. The bed you were in must be king-size, covered in dark silk sheets. Black or dark blue, you couldn’t tell. You’ve never slept in silk sheets before. At the edge of the bed are more folded blankets, and you immediately grab them, desperate for some more warmth. Throwing them over yourself, you immediately lay back down, cautious of the IV in your arm. Your teeth started to clatter. 

You’ve been wanting to avoid the only answer that brought you here. You didn’t even want to say his name, think of him, or that God-awful voice he used… 

Tears welled in your eyes—you can’t remember much other than that. You don’t remember how it happened, all you know now was you were in bed, with an IV in your arm. Tears streamed down your face, and the familiar hammering heartbeat started in your chest again. It wasn’t from terror, but sadness. You felt so incredibly sad, and you didn’t know why. Your whole body felt weak and cold. Your chest felt heavy. 

You jumped when you saw the dojo doors slide open slightly. Wiping your tears and holding your breath, you looked around nervously for a weapon to use against whoever stood behind the doors. 

You felt immense relief and confusion when you saw your savior step into the room—his room, you concluded. It had been months since you’d seen him, the lightness that filled your chest was telling you—that you missed him, so much. But what strange circumstances were you in now? 

“M-Mike?” God, even your voice was quivering and hard to mask. “What—you brought me here?” 

He was silent in his movements, his face half covered and in his usual black outfit. You were relieved it was him but confused all the same. Did he know where you were? How? Did he save you? 

Of course, he did. 

“Yes,” he said, slowly walking over to you. You flinched, for some reason, like second nature as he got closer. He stopped in his movements and held up his hands. “It’s me. I’m not going to hurt you.”

“I know,” you said in a shaky voice, pulling your knees to your chest. “I don’t know why I flinched.“

“It’s okay,” he said softly. “Can I sit next to you?”

“Yeah,” you answered weakly, more like a desperate plea. “Yes.” 

“Okay,” he nodded, and you scooted over a little to give him room. The bed dipped when he sat down. You stayed in your fetal position, shaking. You wanted to reach up and touch him, but you were all too weak. “How do you feel?” He asked, even though he knew the answer was obvious. 

“I can’t stop shaking like I have a fever,” you said. “My head is pounding. My throat is dry.”

“You do have a fever, but the IV is helping bring it down,” your savior explained softly. 

“Did you hook me up to it?”

He shook his head. “No. A friend did.” 

“Mike,” you whispered, “what happened to me?” Your voice cracked at your question, and your savior’s throat bobbed, like this was hard for him, too.

“Nothing happened to you,” he said softly. “I didn’t let him.” 

“Did he… I felt like everything was fine and then suddenly I couldn’t walk. Did he slip my drink something?” 

Your savior didn’t speak, he only nodded. “You’re experiencing the side effects now. It’ll be in your system for 12 hours, but the IV is flushing it out.”

“Oh my, God,” you cried, “oh my, God,” you cried into his silk pillow, feeling something tighten in your chest. You felt his warm hand on your shoulder, caressing your skin. You sobbed, hiccuping cries, and your savior stayed there, holding your arm. 

“__,” he said your name after your cries softened. “You’re with me.” 

You opened your eyes and wiped your tears, looking at your savior. Slowly drawing his hand away from you, he reached behind the back of his head and pulled his black mask loose. With his head down, he slowly drew it back and off his face, and you swore you couldn’t tell if you believed who you saw or if the drug's side effects were still in your system because you were looking at Matt Murdock right in his hazel-brown eyes.

_____

TAGS:

@starry-night-20 @sumsytee @queerqueenlynn @mattmurdocksstarlight @marvelcinematiquniverse @hailey-murdock (please let me know if I missed you!)

[sunnydaleherald]

The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Saturday, January 27th

WESLEY: Fascinating. A hart. CORDELIA: It's not a heart, it's a bambi. And we expect him to read this teeny tiny print? WESLEY: No not h-e-a-r-t, h-a-r-t. A male red deer or staggard. Often associated with rural mysticism. GUNN: Yeah, they all got animals on them. Probably just a bunch of demon bedtime stories.

~~Through the Looking Glass~~

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

Long Winter's Nap by Rabid_X (Xander/Oz, E)

Comfort + Cuddles = 2 Happy Vampires by Kandiii (Spike/Drusilla, G)

[Chaptered Fiction]

Shadow Over Hellmouth, Chapter 102 by Tuxedo_Mark (Buffy/Tara, E)

Forever My Willow Tree, Chapter 7 by Eagleblaze (Willow/Tara, E)

Tomes of the Apocalypse: Conquest, Chapter 24 by v_o_x (Xander/Spike, M)

Xander the Teenage Witch: Something Wicked, Chapter 8 by v_o_x (Xander/Larry, T)

Buffy The Princess Consort, Chapter 3 by MattanzaMFedora (Buffy/She-Ra, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power crossover, M)

For The Dark, Chapter 5 by CharcoalTeeth (Buffy/Faith, E)

They Know Exactly What We're Here For, Chapter 5 by MadeInGold (Angel/Riley/Spike, E)

Back undead and little again, Chapter 3 by AnkiKind (Angel & Spike, M)

Straight to the Heart, Chapter 3 by QuillBard (Buffy/Faith, M)

Blasphemy, Chapter 2 by wickedrum (Robin Wood, Buffy/Spike, T)

The End of Destiny, Chapter 3 by ConstantCommentTea (Angel/Cordelia, T)

angels of small death, Chapter 1 by ohdearsansa (Buffy/Spike/Drusilla, E)

The Undine and The Landman, Chapter 4 (complete!) by holetoledo (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

Afterburn, Chapter 8 by Melme1325 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

In Any Life, Chapter 3 by Spikelover4ever (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

Lie to Me, Chapter 1 by In Mortal (Buffy/Spike, Adult Only)

Rules of Engagement, Chapter 8 by all choseny (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

It's Easy Time, Until It's Not, Chapter 18 by hulettwyo (Buffy/Spike, G)

Love Lives Here, Chaper 14 by Passion4Spike (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

Coming Through, Chapter 7 by hulettwyo (Buffy/Spike, Adult Only)

[Images, Audio & Video]

Artwork: Angel and Wolfram & Hart doodles by bethabw (worksafe)

Fanvid: Giles and Buffy || Are You Bored Yet? by Lucy Whiskers

Fanvid: Buffy + Spike - Rodeo (lyrics not worksafe) by All Choseny

Fanvid: Angel&Wesley | Crawling Through The Window by 1SnoWhiteQueen1

Fanvid: Btvs Season Two Tribute by Faith Victoria

Artwork process video: BUFFY x LEIA - Buffy the Vampire Leia by Splintered Studios - The Art Of Stephen Quick (worksafe)

Video: Characters Who Kill God by Tale Foundry (Buffy part starts from around 11:05)

[Reviews & Recaps]

ReWatch: Buffy the Vampire Slayer - S7, the end by kimannebb

Video: Afterlife-Slayer Sunday by Jane Talks Buffy

Video: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 5 OVERTIME | TWASM by T Watches A Scary Movie

Podcast: Grave S6 E22 (Buffy and the Art of Story Podcast) by Lisa M. Lilly

[Recs]

Fic recs: Best Part by spuffyduds and Girls’ Night Out by magista recced by February Fangfest

[Fandom Discussions]

the reason faith didn’t come into btvs s7 earlier is because it would’ve made buffy summers way too gay by antlerslayer

Comics aside, what job do you guys genuinely think Buffy would go into? by corvidyus

Should Buffy have stayed in heaven? answered by medievalfantasist

“Pangs”: I’m always so conflicted about this episode by kat--writes

I think that Morticia and Gomez should adopt every Buffy character into the Addams family by musingsfromthelagoon

i HATE the part in Buffy when Buffy sees Giles in his wizard costume by musingsfromthelagoon

The Scoobies and lying to themselves by garfan

Restless by txtrigg

Willow question by Tsole96

Riley's Dorm by daydrunk_

Was the Buffy episode "Smashed" magic inspired by the recent hit comedy (at the time) Sabrina? by Tsole96

In seven seasons we had many hangouts and yet for me they never topped the library by Sink_Rude419

The computer class makes no sense by Tuxedo_Mark

Xander & Dawn (spoilers for comics) by Both-Artichoke5117

First time watch along with The Normies by __ButWhy__

Rewatching for the nth time... I have thoughts by Illustrious-Double33

Submit a link to be included in the newsletter!

Join the editor team :)

[conandaily2022]

Faith Landman biography: 13 things about Miss Universe Netherlands 2024

Faith Gennevieve Landman is a Dutch model and beauty queen from Zandvoort, North Holland, Netherlands. She represented the Netherlands in Miss Earth and will represent the country in Miss Universe.

[pagesfromthevoid]

You mentioned in Blind Faith that Matt and Tony had involuntarily met before, and now I’m curious 👀 Will we ever get to find out what happened there?

A Permanent Paycheck | m.m.

Matt Murdock and Foggy Nelson

A False God drabble

In which Nelson and Murdock involuntarily meet Tony Stark

Authors Note: This isn’t the drabble I thought I’d post today but alas. The urge to write it was strong. It’s not a nearly as exciting story as you might think lol. But I’ll be posting something a little more…spicy later 👀

Series Masterlist | Talk to Me!

2015 —Two Months Prior to the Incident in Sokkovia

“Where did you say we were going?” Matt asked as Foggy lead him into hotel in downtown.

“We got invited to a very important party being hosted by Stark Industries,” Foggy explained. “Three steps coming up.”

Matt followed his directions, walking through the door that opened before the two. Security stopped and asked for their invitations, of which Foggy fumbled to present. When satisfied, the guard let them in. It smelled like champagne and expensive whiskey, an ominous reminder of the night he’d met Elektra. But he knew she wouldn’t be here; she hadn’t come back since that night at Sweeney’s.

“Why would we get invited to a party hosted by Stark Industries?” Matt asked, brow raised as the two fully entered the party.

The sounds were a bit overwhelming, but it was mostly talking. At least there wasn’t loud music to really overload his senses.

“Who cares? We don’t have any clients yet. This could be huge.”

“He’ll need to find anyone but us,” Matt pointed out as they walked to the bar. Foggy ordered a beer, Matt his whiskey neat. “Stark has so much blood on his hands. We can’t represent him; that’s not why we started Nelson and Murdock.”

Foggy sighed, knowing full well that Matt was right. That’s not why he agreed to leave Landman and Zack’s; if he wanted to be high profile, he would have stayed there. But the idea that Stark Industries wanted them for something was still enticing. They could, at the very least, entertain the thought for the evening.

Matt clapped Foggy on the shoulder, sipping his whiskey. Foggy spent most of the evening describing what was going on. Every pretty woman that walked by, every high up CEO he recognized. Matt appreciated the idea behind it, but he was listening in on conversations. Trying to determine why exactly the two lawyers were really invited. He was so focused that he didn’t actually hear the man of the hour approach.

“There’s the men of the hour,” Tony Stark announced. The bartender immediately handed him a drink, without the billionaire even asking. “Franklin Nelson and Matthew Murdock, right? I figured since you’re the only blind man here…”

“Foggy, sir,” he quickly corrected, extending his hand. Tony took it with a charismatic grin.

“Just Matt,” the other explained as Tony shook using his other free hand. “Was there a reason you invited us, Mr. Stark?”

Tony pulled his hands away, reaching for his glass once more. “I have a reason for just about everything I do,” he pointed out as he took a sip of his drink. “You boys are promising, you know. Murdock, especially. Summa cum laude. You rattled Landman and Zack’s by leaving.”

Matt felt a bit uneasy, hearing how much the hero knew about them. But Foggy seemed enamored by it all; Matt just gave a polite smile. “I didn’t realize you kept tabs on us.”

“I keep tabs on anyone I think is going to do a lot of good,” Tony explained. “And you boys —you’re going to do wonders. And I wanted to offer you a permanent paycheck.”

Foggy elbowed Matt, who glanced over his shoulder. Foggy is who spoke up though. “Doing what? Representing Stark Industries?”

“Oh no,” Tony quickly corrected. He set his glass back down. “I’m not in charge of the company anymore. Miss Potts is. No, the opportunity I’m presenting you is to represent the Avengers.”

The lawyers both let out a surprised sound. Matt couldn’t exactly say no to this; the Avengers did what he was doing, after all. Just on a bigger scale. But representing the Avengers was the complete opposite of what Matt truly wanted to do. He wanted to help the little guy; not the superheroes.

“Mr. Stark, while that’s enticing, we’re not interested,” Matt obliged. But Foggy grabbed his arm, just a little too hard.

“Can you excuse us for a moment, Mr. Stark? I think we need to discuss this privately.”

Tony put his hands up and stepped back into the crowd. Foggy turned to Matt and hit his arm.

“Dude. We’d be representing the heroes! The good guys!”

“But they’re not who need our help, Foggy,” Matt reminded him, frowning deeply. “Captain America doesn’t need a lawyer; neither does Iron Man. You know who does?”

Foggy groaned, but nodded some. “The single mom whose slumlord is trying to wrongfully evict her.”

“Or the family’s who lose their homes when the heroes save the world.”

The two stared each other down as Stark returned with Pepper Potts, who introduced herself politely.

“Don’t let him pressure you into anything,” she warned with a playful smile.

Matt nodded as he glanced back at Foggy. The other lawyer shook her hand with a smile.

“He couldn’t if he tried,” Foggy offered with a smile. “We appreciate the offer, Mr. Stark. But I think we’re needed somewhere else.”

“Where else would you be doing the most good?”

It was Matt who spoke up, stepping in front of Foggy. “In the neighborhoods where the Avengers do the most damage,” he explained, giving the hero a very faked, polite smile. “The families there need us more.”

Tony was thrown off by his sudden brashness but waved it off, not letting it affect him. Pepper sipped her champagne, holding back a laugh. As if she knew that Tony wasn’t going to get what he wanted. Matt wondered if she had tried to talk him out of it. But Tony shrugged, taking a glass of champagne from the waiter that walked by.

“Can’t say I didn’t try, right? Good luck the pro bono shit,” Tony waved the two off and walked away, as if he wasn’t just trying to pay them to defend the Avengers.

———

Series Masterlist

———

Taglist (CLOSED): @thebisexual-disaster @chims-kookies @ferxaniti @heybabyshae @notalxx @gothicxbarbie @dark-night-sky-99 @blacxk-moony @celestialissues @pinkybee926 @bex-tk1 @jasontoddthezombie @killthebutt4fly @softieekayy @user897sblog @cbloodmarch @ammiddlechild @venusriver @unabashedlyswimmingtimemachine @yikes-buddy @buckyspetal @baconlover001 @flimsysquid @reh-llik @messagesinthesky @dreamypanda @happyfern2 @svft-cas @andiforgetaboutyoulongenoughh @deafeningnightcollection-things @milf-murdock

[ceterisparibus116]

What do you admire most about Matt Murdock?

I LOVE THIS ASK.

Everything.

Jk.

Selflessness

First and foremost, I love Matt because of his selflessness. He is more selfless by leaps and bounds than any other character in the show. He is so determined to help others that he has committed both his day job and his “night job” to seeking out and aiding people in need. He frames almost every decision not by the question of “How can I make it through the day?” or “What will make me happy/comfortable?” but by the question of, “What will help other people?” And he’s unapologetic about it. I can hardly express how much I love the moments when someone like Claire or Foggy or Karen will lecture him about what he does, and he maintains that as long as people need help, he will still be helping them.

Of course, he can take this too far, bypassing selflessness and becoming self-sacrificial. That’s not good, and ironically makes him less able to help others as he self-destructs. I also think that Matt can be self-absorbed despite being selfless: for example, I think his belief that everything that happens is somehow his fault is a distorted version of pride, and I think his extreme guilt and self-loathing are also signs that he is actually too focused on himself.

But overall, I think he is incredibly selfless, and this is the #1 reason why I have said I aspire to be Matt (or, really, Matt with therapy and a less tragic backstory).

Intelligence

I LOVE AN INTELLIGENT HERO. Sure, the show does some weird stuff with the law, but the overall message is that Matt is a character who values intelligence. He was a nerd as a kid, and he was still a nerd in law school, and after graduation he is still – guess what – a nerd. But (and this ties back to selflessness) he doesn’t use his intelligence for his own personal gain, and certainly never to take advantage for others. He couldn’t stomach working at Landman & Zach and when Foggy was making six figures working for Jeri Hogarth of all people (Foggy…my man…WHYYY), Matt was winning million-dollar cases and refusing any payment. (Not saying that it’s realistic for Matt to actually take only pro bono cases, but my point is that although Matt is more than able to use his intelligence to get rich, he instead insists on using his intelligence to help others in need.)

This is also admirable because so many people have problems that can’t be resolved by just beating someone up. When Elena was getting forced out of her apartment, Daredevil couldn’t stop that. When Frank Castle allowed himself to be arrested, Daredevil couldn’t do anything to protect him from the death penalty. When Aaron James was injured, Daredevil couldn’t get his parents any money or hold the company responsible for his injuries accountable. In real life, people have problems that are just so much more complicated than physical harm (although that is real too). I love that Matt uses his intelligence to tackle these problems.

Faith in God

I know the show played up Matt’s faith more than the comics did, but I appreciate it. For one thing, it’s just a good writing choice, since Matt might be a little disconcerting as a character if the show didn’t linger on his feelings regarding the violence he doles out, and Father Lantom is the most supportive character for him to talk to about it. I also appreciate it because it’s one of the few media sources that discusses religion with nuance.

For Matt specifically, I adore the fact that his faith is real to him. It’s not just something he participates in; it actually impacts how he lives and the choices he makes and how he sees himself. And yes, to some extent, this is negative: his grandmother telling him he has the devil inside clearly cut deep, and he struggles to understand the concept of forgiveness (which to be fair could be primarily the result of his personality, but could also be the result of an over-emphasis on the doctrines of sin and hell without discussing grace, love, and mercy). However, his faith also affects his view of himself in a very positive sense. It gives him a sense of purpose and a belief that life actually, you know…has meaning.

Similarly, I love how he wrestles with his faith. Too often, Christian-ish religious types tend to act like doubt and questions are sinful. I find that not only unbiblical, but straight up absurd. If you are told that God is loving, powerful, and aware of what’s going on in the world, there is no way you can proceed through life without serious questions unless: a) you are blissfully ignorant of the struggles in this world; or b) you simply don’t care about how your beliefs play out in the real world. It is absolutely impossible for Matt specifically to be ignorant of the struggles in this world, so the fact that he has questions and objections about how his faith actually works out in practice shows that his faith actually matters to him. Again, it shows that his faith is real. And apparently, it was real from a young age, since even as a kid he’s shown to be challenging his teachers and challenging Father Lantom and even questioning God. It’s honest. It’s real. I love it.

Faith in People

Related to the above point, but worthy of its own analysis: Matt’s faith in people is beautiful to me. Maybe it’s just that Luke “there’s still good in you” Skywalker was my childhood hero (maybe you can relate, @unstableskywalker?), maybe it’s the fact that my own faith teaches that no one is beyond the reach of grace, but I can’t say enough how much I love Matt’s stubborn insistence that everyone deserves a chance at redemption. And I love how the show explores this from different angles. It pops up in his refusal to kill, obviously, but you also see it portrayed in great detail in his interactions with Elektra. Obviously those interactions are colored by a lot of factors, but one of them is certainly his refusal to write her off as “evil.”

For this discussion, let’s assume that the act of killing really is evil. Let’s also assume that because Elektra apparently enjoys the act of killing, there is something broken about her. (In other words, she doesn’t just need to be taught not to do these bad acts; her very desires related to those acts need to change.) For most people, someone like Elektra is scary and irredeemable—unless maybe they have a very, very bad Tragic Backstory to justify it, or unless they take active steps to “get better.”

But Matt isn’t most people. Matt doesn’t need to know her Tragic Backstory to believe redemption is still available to her, and he doesn’t need her to prove anything to him. Yeah, he has moments of pushing her away (like after she kills the teenaged assassin), but overall, Matt’s relationship with Elektra is marked by his belief that she can find redemption not because of anything about her, but just because that’s what he believes. I love that so much.

(I do wish the show had touched on this more with Dex, actually; I think realistically, Matt—at least a Matt who’s in a healthier place than he was in Season 3—would be merciful towards Dex even as he tries to keep Dex from hurting people. Instead of writing Dex off as evil, Matt would see that Dex, too, is capable of redemption, and Matt’s awareness from the tapes of Dex’s continual desire to find guidance and be good would motivate Matt to help Dex, not unlike how he was determined to help Elektra.)

Kindness

I was trying to think of a word that captures the general idea of “I love the fact that Matt refuses to insulate himself from the people he’s trying to help” and couldn’t think of a better word than kindness. It’s possible to be selfless without being accessible, but Matt isn’t like that. Matt’s not secluded in the Avengers Tower. Every night, he’s out on the streets, helping people who actually come to know him. And as a lawyer, he’s deeply involved in the nitty gritty messes of his clients' lives. I wish Matt didn’t insulate himself so much from his friends, of course, but I love that he gets in among the crowds of people in need - even though that can be dangerous and stressful and just plain exhausting. Matt does it because he’s not just selfless, he’s kind.

Determination

He always gets back up, no matter what life throws at him. Do I wish he’d take some time to heal his injuries and sort out his mental health? For sure. But he’s not going to retreat or give up.

Similarly, he’s not going to take the easy path. He went to school for an extra three years at enormous personal expense to become a lawyer. (And again, he did it not to get rich, but to help people.) He refused to stay at Landman & Zach, which would have led to a more comfortable life by far. He learned an entire language just so he could help people who don’t know English. He kept training for years after Stick left not so he could show off his fancy moves, but so he could help people. (No, Foggy, it wasn’t about Matt wanting an excuse to hit something, it was about protecting a little girl being abused.) Matt is absolutely dedicated to making himself as effective as possible so he can help as many people as possible. Does he take it too far and sometimes consider himself nothing more than a soldier? Tragically, yes. But that determination is still so admirable.

Vulnerability 

Okay, obviously Matt struggles with this, he really does. But the moments when he chooses vulnerability are so impactful. I’m thinking particularly of Matt in Season 3 and his apology to Foggy and Karen. How many times have we seen a superhero apologize to their friends—and apologize well? Matt never once shifted the blame or attempted to justify himself. He simply took responsibility. There are other moments as well, although those usually ended sadly…but the very fact that those other moments ended sadly makes his choice to be vulnerable in his apology even more powerful.

There are so many other things I admire about Matt (including but not limited to his physique because…well…) but these get to the core of it, I think. Thank you so much for the lovely ask!

[paddylast]

My Final Predictions for Miss Earth 2017! #MissEarth2017

My Final Predictions for Miss Earth 2017! #MissEarth2017

This year’s Miss Earth heroines are probably in the top 3 of the strongest girls to ever compete in this pageant. It was so difficult to pinpoint up to this stage who’s actually the number one front runner in the bunch. Most of them are worthy to be proclaimed this year’s Miss Earth and her equally important elemental queens. But decisions has to be made and I’ve only come up with the 8 beauties…

[normanblogs]

normannorman.com’s Final Predictions for Miss Earth 2017

normannorman.com’s Final Predictions for Miss Earth 2017

The 84 Environmental Heroines of Miss Earth 2017

It has been a long and fulfilling month’s journey for the Environmental Heroines of Miss Earth 2017. As of the final headcount during the Press Presentation held last Monday, eighty-four (84) delegates remain in contention for this year’s crown. At the end of the Finals this coming Saturday, four of them will be wearing the elemental crowns and only…

[digitaldion]

Tune in to @rsg100104fm tonight at 19.00 (GMT +2h) for a discussion on Faith and Science with Prof Christina Landman, Dr Flip Loots and myself - yes, you will hear me speaking my very best #Afrikaans We will be discussing faith and science, science denialism, the Covid-19 pandemic, Christians and vaccines.. . You can listen live online here: https://www.rsg.co.za/rsg/programskedule/geloof-wat-grondvat/ @zarsg #RSG100104fm https://www.instagram.com/p/CO7y_Vwp5UA/?igshid=1jztl246971x6

[devilsdare-arc]

Has your character ever witnessed something that fundamentally changed them? If so, does anyone else know?

Character Development Questions: Hard Mode | accepting

(4. Has your character ever witnessed something that fundamentally changed them? If so, does anyone else know?)

multiple times, starting before his father’s murder, though that’s the event that the most people know about and can infer had a serious effect on matt’s worldview—as much as he doesn’t talk about the details, with people he’s close to he is at least honest about the basics of how his father died. the first thing that changed him (and sowed the seeds of what eventually lead to him becoming daredevil) was his sudden awareness of the sheer amount of crime and suffering in hell’s kitchen when his mutation began to manifest after he lost his sight. the fact that he could hear so many horrible things happening around him and was powerless to do anything to stop it never stopped weighing on him, but it was the worst when he didn’t have any coping mechanisms to shut it out.

jack’s death, following this so shortly, only added to this, along with shattering his faith in the one person who had been a constant in his life (when his trust in people as a whole was already shaken by how quick his school friends were to abandon him after the accident.) as much as he consciously understood death as a concept, he’d always thought of jack as invincible, that he’d get hurt and get knocked down but always be fine in the end—murdocks always get back up—and while it took until adulthood for matt to start to fully unpack exactly how he felt about him and about his death, if nothing else it was a massive, terrible wake-up call that nothing and no one was ever truly safe or permanent, and matt’s first experience with real, gut-wrenching guilt. he believes long past childhood that his pride and naivety killed jack—while, deep down, blaming jack for “abandoning” him and feeling all the more guilty for feeling that when he was convinced his death was his fault.

his “training” (read: horrible abuse, as much as he doesn’t fully accept the gravity of it) at stick’s hands (and stick’s subsequent abandonment) fed on all of this and compounded it, and his much greater control over his abilities meant coming to learn things about the darker parts of human nature that he hadn’t been able to clue in on before.

pursuing the law as a way to finally stop being helpless in the face of the suffering around him changed him for the better, as did meeting foggy and finally being able to have a good, real, trusting relationship with someone. meeting elektra… definitely changed him, but he’s never been certain for better or for worse. seeing how corrupt the “right” side of the law could be at landman & zack gave him a much stronger drive to fight for the victims of the system… and realizing how you could do everything right and still fail when he tried to get child protective services to help the little girl being abused by her father made him realize once and for all that sometimes the law just isn’t good enough.

and then fisk’s reign and much of what came after was basically a masterclass in how low humanity can sink, which is probably deserving a post in and of itself before this one turns into even more of a novel.

very few people know about most of this, foggy, father lantom and maggie knowing the most.

[thismademydaynl]

New Music: Janelle Monae, Sigala en Emil Landman

De singles van Janelle Monae, Sigala en Emil Landman staan voor je klaar! De nieuwe week is begonnen en dat betekend dat je weer uit kijkt naar het weekend. Maar hoe kom je dagen het beste door? Door naar nieuwe muziek te luisteren. En wel de singles die Janelle Monae, Sigala en Emil Landman afgelopen vrijdag uitbrachten. Tijd om je meer informatie te geven over de artiesten en natuurlijk de…

[bedlamfoundry]

W&W x Armin van Buuren - Ready To Rave (Official Music Video)

W&W x Armin van Buuren - Ready To Rave (Official Music Video) ▶ https://RVC003.lnk.to/ReadyToRaveYA In the wake of their other smashing collaborations, W&W and Armin van Buuren have linked up again for a monster tune bound to crack main stages in half. From the big, off-beat bass to the massive synth waves, this track is unbridled sonic madness in optima forma. Are you ‘Ready To Rave’? Connect with W&W: ▶https://www.instagram.com/wandwmusic ▶https://www.facebook.com/wandwofficial ▶https://www.twitter.com/wandwmusic Connect with Armin van Buuren: ▶https://www.instagram.com/arminvanbuuren ▶https://www.facebook.com/arminvanbuuren ▶https://www.twitter.com/arminvanbuuren ▶https://www.arminvanbuuren.com Connect with Armada Music ▶https://www.instagram.com/armadamusic ▶https://www.facebook.com/armadamusic ▶https://www.twitter.com/armada ▶https://www.soundcloud.com/armadamusic ▶https://www.armadamusic.com #ArmadaMusic #ArminvanBuuren #WandW Video directed and written by Jorrit Monné - UBERcut Production Company: UBERcut Executive Producers: Alex Rijkschroeff - The Anomaly Director of Photography: Tobias Smeets Script Editor: Jorrit Monné - UBERcut, Dimitri Jansen - Kraftstoff Storyboard: Dimitri Jansen - Kraftstoff Production ass.: Martijn Mantel 1st AD: Elwin van Aalst 1st AC: Alyssa van Veen, Rob van Dam 2nd AC: Boyd Bakema Gaffers: Leon Valero, Tobias Smeets Best Boy: Thomas Zeman SPFX: Arthur van Oest Editing: Jorrit Monné - UBERcut VFX: Madse Krivokutya, Dimitri Jansen- Kraftstoff Color Grading: Jorrit Monné - UBERcut, Tobias Smeets Art Direction: Daylene Kroon, Art Assistant: Desiree Brands, Joardy Tummers, Marta Lamas, Danja Putman Camera/Steadicam Operator: Max Franken - SteadiFox Styling: Jazzmin Nilsson Styling Armin van Buuren: Marieke van der Kleij Hair and Make up: Laura de Waard Special Make up: Timothy Radstaat Hair and Make up Armin van Buuren: Jacqueline Hoogendijk Art Direction: Daylene Kroon, Desiree Brands Special thanks to: Het Raam Digital Cinema, Maloney Amsterdam, Delfina di Prisco, Boris Lange, Dana Wikstedt, Fabio ‘Smitje’ Smits, Nathalie Mogbelzada, Justin Samgar, Sai Wang Lauw, Faith Landman, Westerpark Studio Film Equipment hire, Ricardo, Blast Galaxy - Arcade Club Amsterdam,Thuishaven, Nedcars, Bram Kahmann, GB Productions, Work of Jazzy Belle and Showpony Productions, Stefan Oliedam - Ekris BMW Nijkerk. #BeFree #BeBeautiful #BeYOU #BeLOVE #BedlamFoundry #IAmBedlam #EDM #W&WandArmin van Buuren - Ready To Rave (Official Music Video) #W&WandArmin van Buuren - Ready To Rave #W&W #ArminvanBuuren #ReadyToRave (Official Music Video) #ReadyToRave

[sunnydaleherald]

The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Sunday, May 13 - Monday, May 14

JONATHAN: Yeah, yeah, fine, just tell me. Are you sure with all of this stuff that we'll be able to watch Buffy without her noticing us? WARREN: Absolutely. I mean, she'll never even know- (see Andrew air-brushing the Death Star on the side of the van) W-what the hell is that? ANDREW: Death Star, dude! Wicked, huh? JONATHAN: Thermal exhaust port's *above* the main port, numb-nuts. ANDREW: For your information, I'm using the Empire's revised designs from Return of the Jedi. JONATHAN: That's a flawed design! WARREN: Guys! Okay, the thing is, since we're messing with the Slayer, who could pummel the three of us into a sludgy substance, it might be a good idea for us to (yelling) NOT draw attention to ourselves! ANDREW: I could paint over it if you want.

~~Life Serial~~

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

A Wizard Walks into a Magic Box (Anya, Giles, T) by Highlander_II

Tech Support (Jenny/Giles, G) by The_Eclectic_Bookworm

Mother’s Day (Joyce Summers, Buffy Summers, Faith Lehane, G, Yu-gi-oh xover) by KaibaSlaveGirl34

The Master of All (The Master, G, Doctor Who xover) by RandolphChurchill

The Poet and the Beast (Xander/Spike, G) by Buggycas

Just a Moment (Willow, T) by Fuguestate

Untitled (Giles, G) by jenny-calendar

[Chaptered Fiction]

Breath Of Life (or Conceiving the Scoobies) 1-2/2 COMPLETE (Ensemble, M) by alexus

Fred and Wesley: In the Good Place Ch. 1 (Wesley/Fred, unrated , The Good Place xover) by Fitzsimmons_Forever

Mothers Ch. 3 (Buffy/Faith, M) by Forgotten Conscience

What You Do Afterwards: Season Two Ch. 36 (AtS Ensemble, T) by myheadsgonenumb

Came Back Wrong, Chapter 11, Chapter 12 and Chapter 13 (Buffy/Spike, E) by holetoledo

Buffy Noir, Chapter 2 (Buffy/Spike, T) by zabjade

The Legend of...where the bloody hell are we?!, Chapter 1 and Chapter 2(Buffy/Spike, M) by Nyxella

Of You I Love Day and Night, Chapter 2 (Buffy/Spike, E) by AvocadoMillennial

Hindsight, Chapter 40 and http://sanshodelaine.tumblr.com/post/173899421182/wipChapter 41(Buffy/Spike, M) by Toften

Scattered Echoes, Chapter 17 (Buffy/Spike, M) by myrabeth

The Undine and The Landman, Chapter 3 (Buffy/Spike, E) by holetoledo

The Answer, Chapter 1 (Buffy/Spike, T) by myrabeth

Dreams to Dancing, Chapter 1 (Buffy/Spike, G) by handwithquill

[Images, Audio & Video]

Artwork: Spike Playlist by zeeotheraxe

Artwork: The Poet (WIP) by sanshodelaine

Screencaps: BUFFY: THE VAMPIRE SLAYER SEASON 4 EPISODE 13 SCREENCAPS by allcapsallpaper

Screencaps: BUFFY: THE VAMPIRE SLAYER SEASON 4 EPISODE 12 SCREENCAPS by allcapsallpaper

Screencaps: BUFFY: THE VAMPIRE SLAYER SEASON 4 EPISODE 11 SCREENCAPS by allcapsallpaper

Screencaps: BUFFY: THE VAMPIRE SLAYER SEASON 4 EPISODE 10 SCREENCAPS by allcapsallpaper

Artwork: Buffy’s Scar by kairosimperative

Artwork: Buffy Summers by Thomas Boatwright

Artwork: Buffy’s Scar by kairosimperative

Banner battle: badsister vs HowiMetdaslayer

[Reviews & Recaps]

PUBLICATION: MYTHTAKEN A Whedon Studies Blog Teacher’s Pet

[Community Announcements]

Call for Banners - Reminder at seasonal-spuffy

Challenge 599 - breakfast at femslash100

Saturday: Free-For-All by fic-promptly

[Fandom Discussions]

Can everyone just let it sink in by flaminganakin and xxromancegirlxx

On Spike and Seeing Red by thepassionofthenerd

What do you think about Buffy and Spike as a couple? by hedawolf

Buffy the Vampire Slayer fans… by dressbang

A hypothetical question for Giles and other LilBtVS Asks by lilbtvs

Is there any fic where Dawn appears right from the beginning? by elisabethdopplerr

Nerd Rant Inbound: Fan input welcome!!! by sunshine-ink

Some continued musings on Marti Noxon, attempted rapist by goingrampant

Willow and Oz by nothinggold13

Build your own love robot! by Amber Bunny Slippers

Smile Time: funny or creepy? by nightshade

How culpable are people for becoming vampires? by Grace

Incorporating Buffy into our wedding by astano

Angel And Faith Romantically Involved? by white avenger

[Articles, Interviews, and Other News]

PUBLICATION: Buffy Virgin is giving away one free ticket to Whedoncon, Saturday May 19th

[conandaily2022]

Miss Universe Netherlands 2024 results: Faith Landman crowned in Hilversum

Currently, the Netherlands has 13 Miss Universe placements including the coronation of Angela Visser in 1989. The country was represented in Miss Universe by the winner of Miss Holland from 1956 to 1990, Miss Universe Nederland from 1991 to 2005, Miss Universe Top Beauty Netherlands in 2008 and Miss Nederland from 2009 to 2023. beauty pageant: Miss Universe Netherlandsedition: date: June…

[tintucngoisaonet-blog]

10 ứng viên sáng giá nhất của Miss Earth 2017

Thứ bảy, 4/11/2017 12:09 GMT+7

Hoài Vũ   |  

Hà Thu của Việt Nam được đánh giá có khả năng lớn giành ngôi vị hoa hậu bên cạnh các người đẹp Philippines, Thái Lan, Puerto Rico...

Người đẹp nước chủ nhà Philippines, Karen Ibasco, luôn là thí sinh nổi bật trong suốt một tháng tham gia cuộc thi Miss Earth 2017. Cô đã đạt nhiều thành tích nhất trong số 84 thí sinh, gồm 3 huy chương vàng, 2 huy chương bạc. Karen còn sở hữu thân hình gợi cảm, phong cách trình diễn sân khấu rất chuyên nghiệp và đã thể hiện những hiểu biết sâu sắc về môi trường.

Người đẹp Việt Nam, Á hậu Hà Thu được nhiều chuyên trang sắc đẹp dự đoán lọt vào top cao nhất trong đêm chung kết diễn ra tối 4/11. Thành tích của Hà Thu qua các vòng thi phụ chỉ xếp sau thí sinh Philippines. Cô đã giành 3 huy chương vàng phần thi Trang phục dạo biển, Hoa hậu ảnh, Chiến binh trái đất, 2 huy chương đồng ở phần thi Tài năng và Trang phục dạ hội. Hà Thu còn ghi điểm với gương mặt sáng, đường cong nóng bỏng và khả năng giao tiếp tốt bằng tiếng Anh. Cô là đại diện Việt Nam đạt nhiều thành tích nhất từ trước đến nay tại đấu trường sắc đẹp này.

Mỹ nhân Thái Lan, Paweensuda Drouin, được Missosology đánh giá có khả năng cao nhất giành vương miện hoa hậu. Chuyên trang sắc đẹp nhận định Paweensuda là diễn giả giỏi nhất trong cuộc thi năm nay. Cô gây ấn tượng về tài ăn nói, học thức cao và vẻ đẹp hoàn hảo từ gương mặt tới vóc dáng. Người đẹp Thái Lan đã giành được 3 huy chương bạc qua các vòng thi phụ.

Người đẹp Puerto Rico, Karla Victoria Aponte bay đến Philippines dự thi sau khi đất nước cô vừa bị tàn phá bởi hai cơn bão lớn. Những nỗi trăn trở về thiên tai và môi trường được thể hiện trong video dự thi đã mang về cho Karla giải nhất phần thi Eco-Video Presentation. Cô cũng chiến thắng giải Trình diễn bikini và Trang phục dạ hội, cho thấy khả năng trình diễn sân khấu tuyệt vời. Sẽ không ngạc nhiên nếu Karla Victoria Aponte giành vương miện hoa hậu năm nay.

Ninoska Vasquez của Venezuela là đối thủ đáng gờm của các người đẹp khác bởi phong cách chuyên nghiệp được rèn giũa từ một quốc gia có bề dày kinh nghiệm đào tạo hoa hậu. Cô đã giành tổng cộng 5 huy chương trong các phần thi phụ (2 vàng, 2 bạc, 1 đồng).

Người đẹp Hà Lan, Faith Landman, được ví như nữ thần Athena với gương mặt quyến rũ. Tính cách thân thiện của cô cũng là một điểm cộng trong cuộc thi. Faith cũng đã rất nỗ lực thể hiện mình trong một tháng thi đấu vừa qua và giành 2 huy chương.

Lada Akimova là gương mặt ấn tượng đến từ Nga. Không chỉ sở hữu nhan sắc rạng ngời, Lada còn ghi điểm với thân hình gợi cảm. Cô giành được huy chương ở cả hai phần thi Trang phục bikini và Trang phục dạo biển.

Người đẹp Panama, Erika Parker, tạo dấu ấn với vẻ đẹp khác biệt. Cô đã có những màn trình diễn quyến rũ trên sân khấu qua các vòng thi và được dự đoán sẽ tỏa sáng trong đêm chung kết.

Karen Rojas là người đẹp bốc lửa đến từ Peru. Cô không phải là thí sinh có gương mặt đẹp nhất nhưng lại nổi bật vì sự năng động, chuyên nghiệp và thân hình nóng bỏng của cô gái Mỹ Latin. Karen Rojas cũng đã giành được nhiều thành tích với 4 huy chương.

Một trong 10 thí sinh sáng giá nhất không thể không kể đến người đẹp Mỹ, Andreia Gibau. Với thân hình săn chắc và khỏe khoắn, mỹ nhân xứ cờ hoa đều giành được thành tích cao trong các phần thi Trang phục dạo biển, Trang phục bikini. Nữ sinh tốt nghiệp ngành Quan hệ công chúng tại Đại học St John cũng được đánh giá cao vì sự thông minh, sắc sảo. Andreia Gibau mới 22 tuổi nhưng đã thành thạo 4 ngoại ngữ. Hoa hậu Trái đất Mỹ được kỳ vọng sẽ lọt top cao nhất trong đêm chung kết tối nay tại Manila, Philippines.

Tin liên quan

Nguồn: http://ift.tt/2hbr6Ha

[flxblog]

Miss Earth 2017 Top Picks

Miss Earth 2017 will be the 17th edition of the pageant, scheduled on November 4, 2017 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. Reigning Miss Earth Katherine Espin will crown her successor at the culmination of the pageant.

Here are the delegates who are most likely to make it:

Venezuela-Ninoska Vasquez, 25

Netherlands- Faith Landman, 20

Philippines- Karen Ibasco, 26

Thailand Paweensuda Drouin, 23

Panama- Erika Parker, 23

Colombia- Juliana Franco,24

Ecuador- Lessie Giller, 18

Puerto Rico- Karla Aponte, 19

Mexico- Karen Bustos, 19

Austria- Bianca Kronsteiner, 19

Indonesia- Michelle Alriani, 20

Vietnam- Le Thi Ha Thu, 25

Switzerland -Sara Laura Peyrel, 21

Peru- Karen Rojas, 24

USA - Andreia Gibau, 22

Czech Republic- Iva Uchytilova, 19

Australia- Nina Robertson, 20

Angola- Ermelinda De Matos, 23

[opmb]

The Evening Gown Competition of Miss Earth 2017 pageant was held at Versailles Palace Alabang last October 26.  Miss Venezuela Ninoska Vazquez won the gold, Miss Thailand Paweensuda Drouin  bagged the silver, Miss Panama Erika parker and Miss Netherlands Faith Landman tied for the bronze medal. Chairman and President of Versailles Mr. Allen Roxas handed out the prizes to the winners.

Versailles is a 75-hectare flood-free residential subdivision and commercial center that offers reasonably-priced Mediterranean-style houses and commercial lots.