#Fire Doors Melbourne

[david-watts]

I swear to god the weather is evil atm

[ln4smiamitrophy]

𝐒𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐘𝐎𝐔 —— part 1.

𐙚 summary; the one where logan sargeant’s sister returns to the public eye after a horrible break up, she meets a guy.

ʚɞ pairing; lando norris x sargeant!singer!reader

ᡣ𐭩 fc; madison beer

⭒ type; smau x irl

⟡ a/n; my very first series (aaahhh!!!) not sure how i feel about this but it’s been awhile since i’ve actually written properly so let’s pray i improve

enjoy lovelies xx

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The next day…

The sun shone through the thin curtains of your Melbourne hotel room, a steak of light shining directly onto your face. A soft groan falls from your lips as your sleep is disrupted by the ball of fire in the sky that seemed to be insistent on waking you up. The realisation that you’ve slept in hits you like a freight train, scrambling out of bed, almost tripping over your feet as you just manage to reach the bathroom.

You’re frantically scouring your hotel room, looking for your other shoe when the door knocks. Relief washes over you as you find the shoe after endless minutes looking. Hopping over to the door, pulling your shoes on, you open it to your older brother, Logan Sargeant. He finds himself amused at the sight of you hopping back into your room to sit down and put the shoe on properly but he shrugs it off, making his way inside.

“You woke up late again?” He questions you, no longer surprised at your antics as a soft chuckle passes his lips. Before he’s aware of it, a pillow is being thrown at him, falling to the floor by his feet.

“For a formula one driver, you really should have better reflex’s Lo,” You tease as your brother as you place your foot back down on the floor, reaching for your bag as you stand up. “Ladies first.” Logan rolls his eyes at you but goes first anyway, making his way into the hotel hallway.

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As the car pulled up at the track, a sense of fear washed over you. What if people don’t want me back? What if it was better off without me? You’re pulled out of your own head by the feeling of a hand on your shoulder. It’s Logan.

“You’re gonna be fine,” A soft smile graces his lips and that’s all you need for reassurance as the car pulls to a stop. Climbing out, you take a deep breath as your feet hit the floor. There’s no more hiding now.

You manage to match the walking rhythm of your brother, your feet falling into the familiar action of one foot in front of the other. The screams from fans as you enter is almost deafening. You hadn’t heard anyone scream your name in so long and suddenly you’re hearing so many scream it all at once. It’s almost a comfort; they’re happy to see me.

You walk with your brother and take a few pictures with some of the excited faces in the crowd though you leave the bulk of fan duty with Logan and his fellow drivers. It’s their day after all.

Walking through the paddock you realise just how much you missed the days you used to spend at race tracks. You’d spent your whole life around race tracks, watching Logan and cheering him on as he worked his way up. There was no one more proud of him than you were when he got signed by Williams. Though due to your rapidly growing career, you were lucky to make it to a race at all, though you never missed one. Always watching him from wherever you were in the world, whatever the time. The familiar hustle and bustle of the paddock brought a warm smile to your face, that only growing when you spot a certain driver in papaya.

“Oscar Jack Piastri,” Your voice in sync with your steps as you walk up behind him. Oscar spins around rather fast at the sound of his name, a large smile plastering on his face at the sight of you. His arms wrap around you, pulling you into a warm hug. You hug him back before pulling away, and taking a small step back, a smile on your face.

You’d missed him. Growing up with Logan on race tracks meant growing up with Oscar as well. From the moment the two boys met they were inseparable, you very quickly catching on. The three of you became your own little trio, always causing mischief at every turn. Your little trio never ended, no matter how busy any of you were and no matter how long you went without speaking to each other, you always made your way back to each other.

This moment is the first time you’ve seen Oscar in 6 months. You’d spoken over the phone, briefly, but it had been awhile since you’d seen his face up close. As Oscar spoke, it was almost reassuring to notice most things really hadn’t changed at all.

You, Logan and Oscar. The three musketeers. Finally back together.

The joyful moment between you two is abruptly ended at the sound of Oscar’s name being shouted in your direction, a thick British accent filling your ears. Following the sound, your eyes land on a second papaya-clad man. You make him out to be Oscar’s teammate as he got closer. Lando Norris. He comes to a stop at Oscar’s side.

“We’re needed apparently,” the man says to Oscar, not registering the presence of either you nor your brother yet. You’d heard of Lando Norris before, of course you had. Oscar had spoke of him and you’d seen him whenever you watched the race on tv but you’d never seen him in person before.

“Hello to you too Lando,” Oscar says with a soft chuckle escaping his lips. Lando shakes his head, his eyes falling on Logan though still not noticing me.

“Fraternising with the enemy I see,” Lando’s voice is a very soft one, playful. You can’t help the way the corners of your lips turn upwards as he continues teasing your brother. A small giggle leaves your mouth as the teasing persists and that’s when Lando notices you’re there for the first time.

Lando’s eyes fall on you when he hears a giggle come from beside Logan. His eyebrows that are slightly furrowed with confusion relax as his eyes meet yours. The kindness, the warmth in them is unmistakable, just looking into them feels like a warm hug. His eyes scan over the rest of your face, taking in all your features. You’re beautiful. You’re…familiar but somehow he can’t seem to figure it out.

“Y/n Sargeant,” You introduce yourself to Lando, offering up a handshake. Then it clicks where he’s seen you before, besides the obvious. Of course he’s seen you on social media, on the news, he’s heard you on the radio, you’re kind of hard to miss, after all. No but where he recognises you from, with that specific smile on your face is a picture Oscar showed him last year, the picture held a still of you, Oscar and Logan laughing at something, none of you can remember what exactly, when you were 17. That’s what Lando remembers you from.

“Lando Norris,” He accepts the handshake, his maybe holding onto yours for just a moment too long. As he walked away with Oscar, he wondered when the next he’d see you would be.

All you’d said was your name but it didn’t matter. He was intrigued, he wanted to know more. Know you.

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y/nsargeant

liked by logansargeant, landonorris and others

tagged ; logansargeant, oscarpiastri, f1, williamsracing

y/nsargeant ; name a better way to spend a sunday, i’ll wait…

comments….

user1 she’s back and better than ever ladies and gents

⤷ y/nsargeant you got that right

⤷ user1 OMG HI!! WTH!!

user2 the three musketeers!!!!!!

user3 the bond she shares with logan and oscar is so beautiful

⤷ user4 fr!! i want that with someone

oscarpiastri impossible task

oscarpiastri missed having you around

⤷ y/nsargeant missed you too osc

⤷ logansargeant be grateful you got a break from her

⤷ y/nsargeant do you want me to cut your brakes and slash your tyres?

user5 she’s officially back people!!!

⤷ user6 we need to throw a party to celebrate!!!

⤷ user5 fr!! we rlly do

user7 seeing her at the paddock makes me so happy

⤷ user8 real!! more sargeant sibling content incoming

user9 uhhh lando in the likes!?

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part 2 coming soon !!

[coco-loco-nut]

Hii!

Can I please ask for an angsty fic with Max, where the reader defends him from Jos after not finishing his race in Melbourne...idk if you remember when Max kept his helmet for four hours after a race because he was afraid of what Jos would have done to him after not winning...and the reader basically tells Jos to get lost even if she's like 5'4 and definitely not as intimidating as them both lol.

And then maybe after the win in Suzuka, they "reconcile" but she still reminds him to act right around her boyfriend, who's now a man and not a little boy he could pressure like he once did.

Sorry if it's too long!! Thanks for taking your time and reading my request!

Guard Dog

Pairing: Max x Reader

Summary: You are sick and tired of watching Max take Jos' shit

TW: verbal abuse

A/n: thank you soooo much for the rec, I love writing these out so much <3

requests open masterlist

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"Maxie... are you okay?" you wait patiently by the door to his driver's room, careful not to barge in like Jos would, as you have for the past year since you first witnessed Jos' beratement of his son. He is sitting on the couch with his helmet between his hands. The fire causing an unpleasant start to the race, and you are just glad you got here first.

"I'm okay," his voice cracks and you step into the room, closing the door behind you. "I know it wasn't my fault, but I can't help but feel like it was my fault," Max looks in your eyes, the fire brewing behind them. You were genuinely the sweetest girl he's ever met, and to get you mad took a lot. God help you if Jos shows up, you are tired of Max feeling bad even when he podiums.

"You're right, you didn't do anything wrong, the car failed you today," you stay calm, sitting beside him and cuddling into him. Max stays quiet, enjoying your warmth, and decompressing from the start. He can understand why the fans were so happy to see him lose, in fact, if he wasn't himself, he would join them. No, the fear of his father is what has him on edge. Rightfully so, because a few seconds later the door is slammed open again.

"Max, what the hell did you-" Jos starts and you launch yourself off the couch. Jos and Max were big guys, and you were average height for a woman, 5'6 or so, but you didn't seem like it in that moment.

"Shut the hell up and leave. You have nothing useful to say and you are going to shift blame to Max who had NO fault in the DNF," you snarl, setting yourself up as a barrier between the two, Jos still in the doorway and Max on the couch.

"Girl, I don't know who you think you are, but I am Max's father, and I can-," You cut Jos off before he can continue.

"No, you aren't his father. A father doesn't talk to his son like that, you are simply a man who shares the same last name as Max. A father is someone like Carlos Sainz Sr or Lawrence Stroll. No, you are a man- sorry a boy in a man's body- who can't cope with the fact that he doesn't race anymore and wants the man who shares the same last name with him to be impossibly perfect and win every single race, even when the car breaks down." You sneer at the man. "You need to leave, before I call security and make them remove you," you don't back down, instead you step closer. Max watches in both awe and fear.

"I-"

"Leave, Jos, now. Don't make me repeat myself," you say, practically slamming the door behind him. You turn around and look at Max, seemingly calm and normal. He looks at you bewildered.

"That was the sexiest thing ever. Thank you, Schatje, you didn't have to do that," Max hugs you, a large weight off of his shoulders.

"Of course I did, who else will be your guard dog?" You smile at him, squeezing him tighter. "Now, get changed and get back to the garage," you tell Max, stepping out to the room. You let out a deep breath, surprised with how you treated Jos and stood up for Max. A couple minutes later, Max rejoins you, quickly stopping inside hospitality for a snack.

The two of you avoid Jos, going extremely low contact, not that he was trying to. Jos would never admit it, but he was embarrassed at how you spoke to him, and his retreat allowed him to ignore it. Instead, you and Max enjoyed your time together in Japan. The both of you were aware Jos was there, but chose to ignore it. After Max won, Jos warily approached the two of you.

"I wanted to congratulate you on winning. You drove well," Jos says stiffly, silently calling for a truce. You let Max take the lead on the conversation.

"Thank you," he says, feeling like a little boy again, but accepting the temporary truce.

"It was good seeing you Jos, but we need to go," you interject, sensing the still tense atmosphere. The older man, still a little scared of you despite your sweet demeanor, lets you go, not quite willing to cross you again.

"Love you, Maxie"

"Love you too, Schatje,"

[wosoamazing]

Brunch w/ Steph & Beth

Part 2 - Fire on Fire Series

From Beth: Good Morning, I know this is late notice and you might be socialised out from last night and probably have things to unpack but we were wondering if you wanted to have brunch with us this morning. I think Steph might join us too if that is okay.

To Beth: Good Morning, that would be nice, could you maybe just come to mine again if that is okay. There are some tradies coming over this morning and so I have to be here from when they get here where I don't know when that will be. I'm up and ready now so any time would work, I could cook something for you all.

From Beth: Oh no, don't be silly, Steph will pick something up from one of the local bakeries on her way over to ours. And then we will come to yours. Any dietary requirements?

To Beth: No, all good and thank you. See you soon.

You looked at the plans your aunts had lying out on the tablet for the workers when they got here, they were turning the theatre room into a home gym/entertainment space, your Moster claiming they decided they needed to be healthier but you knew it way there way of trying to make their home more inviting for you now you were older and keeping you there.

From Beth: Hi again, Steph just arrived, Viv has gone out and so I was just wondering if I could bring Myle our puppy with us, but I understand if it's not okay just thought to ask.

To Beth: Um.. normally I would say yes but I don't exactly know if Myle could come over if the workers will be here. I'm so sorry.

From Beth: No problem at all, we are just about to head to yours now.

You were still going through the look book, viewing all the products your Aunts were putting in both rooms when the doorbell rang, you swiftly moved towards it. You were surprised when you saw Steph and Beth standing in front of the now open door, you thought it would be the builders, they had only just left Beth's house "How are you already here?" "We actually live two streets over so it isn't far at all," you gestured for the two Women to come in.

"Um, we can sit on the couch or the table, I'll just clean all this up," "knock, knock, knock," you heard a man say from the door, turning around to see the builders.

"Oh, um just one second sorry girls, I just need to show them some things," they both nodded saying something along the lines of don't worry, and you quickly showed the builders the theatre and the plans and look book. They had already been given an in depth brief from your Aunt's so it didn't take long.

"I'm so sorry, they are just here to do some work," "Oh no it's totally fine don't worry," The women said as they followed you into the living room.

"I do have a question though," Steph said as you were grabbing some plates, "mmm" "How did you manage to get a place like this?"

"Oh, this isn't mine, it's my Aunt's, they are away for like the next 2 months in Paris, my Aunt is from there." Steph nodded as Beth was looking around at some pictures.

"Is this you or..." She said as she looked at a photo from one of your school events, "yeah it's me, they are all of me," you replied.

"Wow, that's insane, I think there are more photos of you in their house than the amount of photos my parents have of my brother and I in our home. Did you see them a lot?" She asked, meaning no harm, you knew the question would come eventually, you just didn't think it would be so soon.

"Um, yeah, I guess you could put it that way, this is technically my childhood home. When I moved out of my parents home I moved into this home with my Aunts, but we were only here for around 6 months before we moved to Australia. So technically the home we have in Melbourne is my childhood home but as this was well I guess is, the main home all the photos and trophies and everything else got moved into this house,"

"Oh, why did you move out of your parents home? Sorry that sounded a bit insensitive, you don't have to answer," "Oh no, it's okay I don't mind, I-" you were interrupted by another person at the door, they handed you a massive bouquet of flowers and as you brought them into the house and set them on the coffee room table, both girls looked at them.

"Wow, secret admirer, Leah is going all out," Beth cheeked as you looked at the gift tag, letting out a knowing sigh as you read the names.

"Of course, giving me somewhere to stay and building me a gym with some entertainment stuff too isn't enough," you lean back on the couch, before looking over to Beth.

"Wait, what did you say that about Leah? Do you think she likes me?" You asked curiously.

"By the way she looked at you when you walked into the locker room, I would say she has a crush on you" she said quite seriously, you let out a small 'oh' and both of them looked at each other, before continuing on with the conversation, changing topics.

[societyfolklore]

White Wine In The Sun

Title: White Wine In The Sun (Prompt- let's go somewhere warm for the winter)   Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Female Reader Summary:  It’s been years since Bucky has truly celebrated Christmas, but this year, he finds himself reluctantly agreeing to spend the holidays with you at your childhood home—a sunny, warm retreat in Australia.

Word Count: 2k

Warnings:  Romance, Little Angsty and Fluff, Kissing A/N: Another entry for @the-slumberparty December daze challenge- Day 16) As an Australian Christmas is a different experience for us.. Also it’s 40+/104 degrees here today LOL taking inspo from White Wine In The Sun by Tim Minchin

The sound of jet engines roared in the background as Bucky adjusted his duffle bag over his shoulder, glancing down at the boarding pass in his hand. A flight to Melbourne, Australia, was far from how he imagined spending his Christmas. He looked over at you, the excitement on your face unmistakable as you juggled your carry-on and passport.

"You sure you want to drag me along for this?" he muttered, his tone low but tinged with humour.

You smiled at him, nudging his arm. "I'm not dragging you. You're coming willingly. Mostly."

He huffed, shaking his head but allowing you to guide him toward the gate. "Just remember, this was your idea," he said, though there was no bite to his words.

As you boarded the plane and found your seats, Bucky couldn't help but feel a sense of trepidation. He had never been one for big family gatherings, and the thought of spending Christmas with your family in a small country town made him a little anxious. But as he looked over at you, he saw the excitement in your eyes and knew he couldn't say no.

The flight was long, but eventually, you arrived in Melbourne and made your way to the rural property where you grew up. The drive long from the capital, though Bucky could practically watch you vibrate in the driver's seat next to him, the aircon already blasting in the car. You regaled him with stories of Christmases past in in the country. “Down here, Christmas is typically BBQ, white wine, beers and prawns.” You did wonder if Bucky would miss snow and roaring fires. He listened quietly, his lips quirking into small smiles when you told him about your dad’s chaotic attempts to make pavlova and your siblings’ insistence on Christmas karaoke when everyone got too drunk or had to much sugar.

“It’s… different,” Bucky said cautiously as he looked out car window, watching the paddocks of dry grass and gumtrees past by.

“You’ll love it,” you assured him, squeezing his hand. “It might not be snowy and cold, but it’s still magical. And I want you to experience it with me.” The house was a beautiful, some old farm house with a wrap-around veranda and large trees surrounding it. Dogs running around the gardens by the house as the car pulled up the long drive. As you stepped out of the car, Bucky followed getting hit in the face by the stifling heat that seemed to not affect you at all as he took in the sights and sounds of the property. You led him to the front door, Bucky looked uncomfortable in the heat already.  Your parents came bustling out to greet you, their enthusiasm immediately overwhelming Bucky, though he managed a polite smile as they pulled you into hugs.

“And this must be Bucky,” your mom said warmly, extending a hand. “We’ve heard so much about you.”

Bucky’s lips twitched into a faint smile. “Thank you for having me,” he said, his voice quiet but genuine.

Your dad clapped him on the back, nearly making him stumble. “Come on in! Bet you’re starving after that flight.” “Your fathers even put the aircon on.” “Oh it is a special occasion!” You chime trying not to laugh as you both got ushed inside into the cool. “Thought your poor boy might melt on us if I didn’t.” You hoped Bucky had been around you long enough to understand ‘Australian’ humour or this might be a long few days for him.

Thankfully  Bucky adjusted to the unorthodox holiday traditions your family embraced. He helped your dad man the BBQ as more family descended on the house, earning approving nods for his efficient handling of the steaks. Your sister arrival  with her small family resulted in your shrieking like someone had doused you in ice water, Bucky had barely enough time to register what was going on before you took off sprinting across the lawn almost taking her to the ground in a hug  while her husband carried their new infant daughter from the car. “ABBY!” Abby squealed in delight, squeezing you just as tightly as you embraced her, both of you laughing like kids again. “Oh my God, look at you! You’re glowing!” you exclaimed, pulling back to hold her at arm’s length. “And her! Let me see her!”

Her husband chuckled, carefully shifting the tiny bundle in his arms toward you. “Meet baby Lucy,” he said proudly.

Your heart melted instantly as you reached for the baby, cradling her with practiced ease. “Oh, Abby, she’s perfect,” you breathed, your eyes misting as you took in the soft, delicate features of your new niece. Lucy yawned, her tiny face scrunching up before settling into a peaceful expression, and you swore your heart grew three sizes.

“Bucky!” you called over your shoulder, your excitement brimming over. “Come ‘ere! You ‘ave to meet her!”

Bucky, who had just finished placing a perfectly grilled steak onto a serving tray for your dad, looked up from the BBQ. He hesitated for only a moment, his brows knitting together in a mix of curiosity and cautiousness, before making his way over.

“This is Bucky,” you introduced as he approached, your smile wide as you gestured to him with one hand while still holding Lucy in the other. “And Bucky, this is my sister Abby, her husband Jake, and the newest addition to the family—baby Lucy.”

Abby gave Bucky a once-over, her expression swiftly turning approving. “So ‘is is the famous Bucky,” she said, her voice teasing. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Bucky glanced at you, a faint blush creeping up his neck. “All good things, I hope.”

“Mostly,” Abby teased with a smirk before extending her hand. “Welcome to the chaos. If you survived the BBQ, you’re halfway there.”

Bucky shook her hand, his grin softening. “Thanks. And congrats, by the way. She’s beautiful.”

“Want to ‘old her?” Jake asked suddenly, catching everyone off guard. He stepped closer, offering the baby to Bucky.

“Oh, uh…” Bucky’s eyes widened slightly, and he instinctively stepped back. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”

“You’ll be fine mate,” Jake assured him with a friendly smile. “She’s lighter than a ‘ag of flour. ‘ust support her head, and you’re golden.”

“Go on,” you encouraged gently, your voice filled with warmth. “She wont bite—yet.”

Reluctantly, Bucky nodded, his expression a mix of uncertainty and determination. Jake carefully handed Lucy over, and Bucky held her with the same precision and care he might handle a priceless artifact. His metal hand rested firmly under her body, supporting her weight as his flesh hand cradled her head.

For a moment, everything seemed to pause. Lucy stirred slightly, her tiny fist waving in the air before she settled again, and Bucky let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding.

“She likes you,” Abby said softly, her teasing replaced with genuine warmth.

Bucky’s lips curved into a small, almost shy smile as he looked down at the baby in his arms. “She’s... so small,” he murmured, his voice full of wonder.

Your heart swelled at the sight. You hadn’t expected this, but seeing Bucky—calm, tender, and utterly captivated by your niece—was enough to make your chest ache with affection. You exchanged a quiet glance with Abby, her knowing smile mirroring your own.

“Well,” Jake said with a grin, “looks like Uncle Buck a natural.”

Bucky’s gaze flicked up, meeting yours with a hint of surprise at the title, but you just smiled softly, nodding in agreement. “Yeah,” you said. “He really is.”

Your younger cousins dragged him into a backyard cricket game, where he quickly became the star player despite his initial protests. Watching him laugh as the kids cheered his every move made your heart swell as you sat with your infant niece asleep on your shoulder.

As Christmas day turned into Christmas night and the endless buffet of festive eating turned into casual grazing under twinkling string lights, you found Bucky sitting on the back veranda staring out at the horizon where the sun dipped below the trees. You joined him, handing him a cold drink. You could see a mob of roos bouncing their way across the far paddock.

“It’s different, huh?” you asked, sitting beside him.

He nodded, his gaze distant. “Yeah. Different… but nice.” He glanced at you, a soft smile tugging at his lips. “Your family’s great.”

“They love you already,” you said, leaning your shoulder against his. “And I love seeing you like this—relaxed, happy.”

Bucky’s smile faded slightly, his brow furrowing. “It’s not something I’m used to,” he admitted. “Being around so much… joy. It’s good, though. I’m trying.”

You reached over, taking his hand in yours. “You’re doing great, Buck. And I’m proud of you.” Bucky glanced down at your hand in his, his thumb brushing over your knuckles as his expression softened. The quiet moment between you seemed to stretch, filled with the faint hum of cicadas and the distant laughter of your family inside the house.

“I didn’t think I’d fit in Doll,” he murmured, his voice low and almost hesitant. “I mean, this—your family, all this… normalcy. I wasn’t sure it was for me.”

You smiled, leaning into him just a little more. “You’re wrong, you know. You fit in just fine. Better than fine, actually. I think my dad’s ready to adopt you after that steak performance.”

A small laugh escaped him, a sound that was still rare enough to make your chest tighten with affection. “Yeah, your dad’s good people.”

“You’re good people,” you teased, nudging him lightly with your shoulder. “And, for the record, you’re doing a lot better than the time Uncle Rick burned half the backyard trying to light the BBQ.”

Bucky chuckled at that, the sound warming the cool night air. “Guess I’ve got that going for me.”

For a moment, the two of you simply sat there, watching the horizon as the last hints of sunlight disappeared and the stars began to blink into view. The quiet comfort between you felt like its own kind of holiday magic��simple, real, and grounding.

When he finally spoke again, his voice was quieter, more reflective. “Thanks for bringing me here. For… all of this.”

You turned to look at him, catching the vulnerability in his expression as he stared out at the stars. “You deserved it, Bucky,” you said softly. “You deserve every bit of this—every laugh, every hug, every moment of peace.”

His hand tightened slightly around yours, and when he turned his gaze to meet yours, there was something unspoken in his eyes—something raw and grateful. “You make it easier to believe that,” he said, barely above a whisper.

You smiled, leaning in to press a gentle kiss to his cheek. “Good. Because it’s true.”

The distant laughter of your family drifted out onto the porch, pulling both of you back to the present. Bucky glanced toward the house, his smile growing as he squeezed your hand. “So, when do I get my own honorary ugly Christmas shirt?”

You burst into laughter, shaking your head. “Oh, you’re in for it next year, Barnes. And it’s going to have tinsel.”

That night, after everyone else had gone to bed, you and Bucky found yourselves alone on the porch, the warm breeze carrying the scent countryside and flowers. The quiet intimacy of the moment wrapped around you both like a blanket.

Bucky reached out, brushing a strand of hair from your face. “You’ve given me something I didn’t think I’d ever have Doll,” he said quietly. “A home. A place I belong.”

Tears welled in your eyes as you leaned closer, pressing your forehead to his. “You are my home, Bucky. Always.” The kiss that followed was slow and tender, deepening as months of unspoken longing finally broke free. Bucky’s hands roamed your back, pulling you closer until you were both breathless. He scooped you into his arms, carrying you inside.

[bluewinnerangel]

FITF Tour exit songs

- NA LEG - Uncasville: Tina Turner - The Best

Gilford: The Smiths - This Charming Man

Laval: Petula Clark - Downtown

Toronto: Bryan Adams - Summer Of '69

Cuyahoga Falls: The Verve - Bitter Sweet Symphony

Sterling Heights: Shed Seven - Chasing Rainbows

Cincinnati: The Killers - All These Things That I've Done

Columbus: R.E.M. - The One I Love

Indianapolis: Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart

Maryland Heights (St. Louis): Chuck Berry - Johnny B. Goode

Kansas City: Van Morrison - Moondance

Milwaukee: Johnny Nash - I Can See Clearly Now

Chicago: Earth, Wind & Fire - September

Minneapolis: Sinéad O'Connor - Nothing Compares 2 U

Council Bluffs: Buzzcocks - Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)

Sioux Falls: Don McLean - American Pie

Seattle: The Smiths - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out

Vancouver: The Police - King Of Pain

Troutdale: Elvis Presley - Always On My Mind

Berkeley: INXS - Never Tear Us Apart

Los Angeles: 2Pac - California Love

Las Vegas: The Killers - Human

Phoenix: Spear Of Destiny - Liberator

Irving: The Doors - Hello, I Love You

Austin: Wheatus - Teenage Dirtbag

Houston The Woodlands: The Police - Walking On The Moon

St. Augustine: The Police - Every Breath You Take

Hollywood: Elton John - Your Song

Tampa: Pat Benatar - Hit Me With Your Best Shot

Atlanta: The Rolling Stones - You Can't Always Get What You Want

Nashville: Duran Duran - Hold Back The Rain

Charlotte: Lou Reed - Perfect Day

Raleigh: Van Morrison - Moondance

Columbia: Commodores - Easy

Boston 1: Boston - More Than A Feeling

Boston 2: Pixies - Here Comes Your Man

Philadelphia: Sinéad O'Connor - Nothing Compares 2 U

Asbury Park: Bruce Springsteen - Dancing In The Dark

New York: Queen - We Are The Champions (dj elf asked a fan to pick between this one and David Bowie - Heroes)

- EU & UK LEG - Hamburg: Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart

Copenhagen: Queen & David Bowie - Under Pressure

Oslo: Green Day - Wake Me Up When September Ends

Stockholm: The White Stripes - Seven Nation Army

Helsinki: Elvis Presley - Always On My Mind

Tallinn: Smash Mouth - All Star

Riga: AC/DC - Thunderstruck

Kaunas: Elvis Presley - Can't Help Falling in Love

Krakow: Iggy Pop - Lust For Life

Łódź: Ramones - Blitzkrieg Bop

Vienna: Oasis - Supersonic

Ljubljana: The Killers - Smile Like You Mean It

Budapest: Bloc Party - Helicopter

Bucharest: Foo Fighters - My Hero

Sofia: Rage Against The Machine - Bombtrack

Bilbao: Pixies - Where Is My Mind

Lisbon: White Lies - Farewell to the Fairground

Madrid: Editors - Munich

Barcelona: At the Drive-In - One Armed Scissor

Turin: Lenny Kravitz - Are You Gonna Go My Way

Bologna: Bloc Party - Helicopter

Luxembourg: Pixies - Where Is My Mind

Antwerp: Queens Of The Stone Age - My God Is The Sun

Paris: Biffy Clyro - Bubbles

Amsterdam: Blur - Song 2

Cologne: The Libertines - Can't Stand Me Now

Prague: Jet - Are You Gonna Be My Girl

Berlin: The Cure - Friday I'm in Love

Munich: Fatboy Slim - Praise You

Zurich: The Strokes - Last Nite

Dublin: Inhaler - These Are The Days

Sheffield: The Killers - Mr. Brightside

Manchester: The Smiths - This Charming Man

Glasgow: The Snuts - Gloria

Brighton: Ramones - I Wanna Be Sedated

Cardiff: T. Rex - 20th Century Boy

London: The Libertines - Can't Stand Me Now

Birmingham: Boyz II Men - End Of The Road

- ASIA & AUS LEG - Jakarta: Iggy Pop - Lust For Life

Melbourne: Jet - Are You Gonna Be My Girl

Brisbane: The Temper Trap - Fader

Sydney: Oasis - Rock 'N' Roll Star

- LATAM LEG - Panama: Hard-Fi - Living for the Weekend

San Juan: Pixies - Where Is My Mind

Rio de Janeiro: Nirvana - Heart-Shaped Box

Like last time the plan is to keep editing this post as tour goes on - 2022 LTWT here

Apple music playlist here

[eretzyisrael]

by Cassandra Morgan and Chip Le Grand

A witness who was inside the Melbourne synagogue firebombed before dawn on Friday has recounted fleeing the building to raise the alarm.

Yumi Friedman, founder of business Yumi’s dips, told this masthead he was inside Adass Israel synagogue in Ripponlea, in Melbourne’s inner south-east, with one other person at the time of the attack about 4.10am.

He heard a big bang and ran to his nearby shop, where a staff member called the police, he said.

When Friedman returned to the synagogue he found a small fire, which soon engulfed the building.

“I thought maybe I’ll be able to open the doors and go inside, but when I touched the door, I burnt my hand,” he said.

“Then I decided it [was] too dangerous. I went out.”

The arson squad is investigating the suspected firebombing at one of Australia’s busiest synagogues in the heart of Melbourne’s Jewish community.

Witnesses report seeing two suspects in dark clothing at the scene at the time of the attack.

Arson and explosives squad Detective Inspector Chris Murray said police “will do everything we can to bring these individuals before the courts”.

Murray also sought to reassure the Jewish community, by telling them police were “going to do our best to make sure that they can return, as they should, to their local synagogues, doing what is absolutely Australian – that is to be able to worship without fear”.

[notasfilosoficas]

“Quien controla los medios de comunicación, controla las mentes”

Jim Morrison

Fue un cantautor y poeta estadounidense, vocalista de la banda de rock The Doors, considerado como uno de los cantantes más icónicos e influyentes de la historia del rock, y catalogado dentro de los 100 mejores cantantes de todos los tiempos por la revista Rolling Stone.

Morrison nació en Melbourne Florida en 1943, de padres de origen irlandés, su padre al ser un almirante de la marina estadounidense viajaba constantemente radicando en muchas ciudades de los Estados Unidos. A los 14 años Jim había vivido en 7 lugares diferentes.

Durante su infancia y adolescencia tuvo muchos problemas de personalidad, que hicieron que fuera una persona muy insegura.

Su mayor obstáculo es que sufría de pánico escénico, situación que mitigaba con el empleo de alcohol y posiblemente drogas en el escenario.

Su actitud provocadora en escena, (perturbando el orden público) hizo que algunas ciudades de Estados Unidos prohibieran sus conciertos, siendo el primer artista de rock en ser arrestado en el escenario.

En 1967 junto con la banda The Doors, publicaron  su primer álbum en donde el sencillo “Light my Fire” se mantuvo por varias semanas en el top de popularidad de la revista Billboard.

En 1971 decidió abandonar la música y dedicarse a la poesía. Por problemas legales en Estados Unidos Jim Morrison decidió radicar en París, en donde murió en la bañera de su departamento, al parecer por una sobredosis de heroína a la edad de 27 años.

Fuente: Wikipedia

[gumnut-logic]

“It’s the last house at the end of the street, Virgil.”

“FAB, Thunderbird Five.” It was said without the usual spark. The grey of the destroyed landscape sucked everything from everything. A pall of smoke and haze, black remnants of lives, homes and the tragedy of the night before.

International Rescue had been called to a massive bushfire in the Yarra Ranges in Victoria, Australia. The CFA had had it under control the previous day, John keeping an eye on it anyway, but an unexpected change in wind direction in the evening had it jumping firebreaks and tearing through an unprotected valley and directly through a township.

With the vast tall forests of mountain ash, eucalypts full of volatile oil just waiting to burst into flame, combined with the hot and blustery northerly, not even IR could stop the firestorm from taking lives and property.

Thunderbird Two had her fire suppression equipment, but the massive plane was a speck against the wall of flame.

There were forces of nature that just couldn’t be stopped.

The Tracys dodged and nabbed trapped people. Thunderbird Two deployed a huge water cannon, sourcing water from the local reservoir, as the CFA water bombed around them, desperate to protect what lives they could. But nothing was stopping the fire.

It tore through the town leaving agony in its wake.

Dawn was grey and dismal, but it brought rain. The sky rumbled, threatening to spark more fires in the ranges, but the deluge came and dampened the remaining flame enough to once again get the front under control.

But it was too late for the town.

It was gone.

Virgil walked the length of the street, his exo-suit rubbing on aching shoulders. Burnt out cars and collapsed homes lined the road from one end to the other. The skeletons of black trees marched off into the distance behind it all.

Haze hovered above ash-clogged puddles in the pavement.

It wasn’t what Christmas morning was supposed to be.

The last house at the end of the street had fully collapsed in on itself. A burnt-out car sat in the driveway, its trunk lid and one of its doors open.

Virgil closed his eyes for a moment, knowing what that likely meant.

He steeled himself and walked past the remains he knew he was going to find in the car.

Nothing could be done.

Nothing.

He focussed on the whine of his suit as his boots stepped in wet ash and strode across the front yard to the remains of the house. He had to clear his throat to speak to John. “Tell me where, Thunderbird Five.”

“Possibly in the basement? The lifesign is below ground level.”

The house had been old, the wooden floorboards disintegrating in the heat. Virgil leapt through the remains of a wall, landing on rubble in what had likely been a wine cellar. The heat had been so intense, that glass bottles had become slag.

Glass crunched under his boots. “Right or left?”

“Eastern side, southern corner.”

There was a mass of rubble collapsed against the only standing wall of the building.

“This is International Rescue. Can anyone hear me?”

He turned up the pickups on his exterior mikes.

Nothing. It was probably a blip. How the hell could anything survive this holocaust?

His shoulders dropped.

But then...something? A whimper?

Maybe?

Virgil began digging.

It took him a good fifteen minutes of solid work to move enough burnt masonry to reach a hole in the wall at the very base of the structure. And in what appeared to be the bottom of a dumb waiter he found the lifesign.

The little puppy whimpered at him, trembling with fear.

Aw, hell.

“John, lifesign is a dog.”

“One moment, Thunderbird Two.” The puppy stared, the green, yellow and blue of Virgil’s suit reflected in its brown eyes. “There is no dog registered at that address. Deliver to the local authorities. You are needed to airlift some survivors to Melbourne. Report to Scott on the other side of town.”

“FAB, Thunderbird Five.”

Virgil slid his arms out from the suit and bent aching knees. “Hey, little one, do you want to come with me?”

The puppy shivered and looked him up and down, hesitating.

“I’m with International Rescue, we’re here to help.” He took a step closer. “It’s okay, I promise.”

Maybe it was something in his voice, his stance, or simply because the puppy had no choice, but as Virgil reached into the box it was sitting in, the puppy made no protest as he picked it up.

A quick examination for injury revealed her to be a girl. She shuddered up against Virgil’s chest. “Don’t worry, it’s all over, you’re safe.”

Sliding one arm back into his suit, he started making his way out of the ruined building, turning his back on the tiny hole that had somehow saved the little dog’s life.

-o-o-o-

Perhaps it was because she sat so quietly with him. Perhaps because it was Christmas Day. Most likely it was because Virgil had reached his limit of pain.

When he found the RSPCA tent, specially set up for lost pets, he gently handed over the little puppy. She let out a whimper and began crying.

No barking, just this godawful crying that tore at his heart.

“You will be fine here, little one.” The attendant was one of those kindly older ladies and she hugged the gangly bundle of fluff to her chest as Virgil turned to leave, Scott in his ear.

But the puppy let out such a scream of anguish, Virgil turned around without thinking. She was struggling in the volunteer’s arms and before either of them could react, she managed to wriggle free and dash over to him, her little body trembling on his left boot.

He reached down and gathered her into his arms. “You can’t come with me. I can’t-“ But she was rubbing her head up under his chin, little sounds in her throat.

And he couldn’t.

Just couldn’t.

His eyes met the eyes of the lady volunteer and she smiled. “We will keep her details if you would like to take her with you. If anyone contacts us, we can let you know.” And the volunteer was just as hopeful as the puppy in his arms. After all, there was no life at the RSPCA unless a home was found.

He looked down at her little brown eyes again.

No, he couldn’t.

Damnit, Scott was going to kill him.

Maybe for just a few days?

The excuse provided a simple solution, so he took it.

Without a word, he handed his IR contact details to the volunteer, and, puppy in hand, turned his back to the tent and strode towards the big green hulk parked in the distant haze.

“Well, little one, you have definitely made an interesting choice. Let me introduce you to my big green partner.”

-o-o-o-

It was well past Christmas lunch, or rather the lack of it, before IR was given the all clear to return to base. During the entire time, the little puppy sat beside Virgil’s pilot chair, apparently unfazed by the deep bass rumble of Thunderbird Two.

When he picked up both Gordon and Alan the dynamic changed just a little.

Gordon dragged himself onto the flight deck first, a groan in every step. “Christmas just gets more exciting every year.” It was true. Nine out of ten Christmas Days were side-swiped by a disaster, to the point that the Tracy Christmas tradition was a modular and movable celebration nowadays. No guarantees and no defined day. It happened around December twenty-fifth, there about, when they could, between call outs.

Suddenly the little puppy was in his lap.

“What is that?”

Virgil looked up. His brother was covered in soot and looked as tired as Virgil felt. “This is Bo.” And he had no idea where the name came from, it just seemed right and the moment clicked.

“Bo?”

“Yeah.” Newly christened Bo peered up at Gordon around Virgil’s arm. “She survived the fire.” A swallow. “Her family didn’t.”

“Oh.”

Alan, as always, had more energy than any of them, and showed it as he waltzed into the cabin. “So why aren’t we moving?”

Bo let off a sharp bark.

Everyone jumped.

“What the hell, Virgil?”

Bo was literally glaring at Alan.

“Hey, Bo, calm down, that’s just Alan. He’s annoying, but tolerable.” The little puppy looked up at him, her gorgeous brown eyes just melting him inside. He was so gone.

“Hey!” That from Alan.

“Scott’s going to kill you.” That from Gordon, who was approaching slowly.

“Yeah, I know.” It was a sigh.

Gordon crouched down beside Virgil’s chair. “Hey, little one, what gave you the idea to attach yourself to this big oaf?” Pulling off one of his gloves, the aquanaut reached out and offered the puppy his hand. She eyed him warily before tentatively sniffing at his fingers.

She sneezed.

Alan snorted.

Bo blinked and stared at Gordon for a moment. The aquanaut kept still and eventually she sniffed at him again, before nuzzling at his hand. He blatantly took that as permission and gently rubbed behind her ear. “You are a cute little thing, aren’t you.”

She licked his wrist.

“Oh, I can see why our heavy lifter fell for you. You’ve got it all in those brown eyes of yours, haven’t you.” Gordon shrugged. “Though I will admit they are the best colour for manipulation.”

“And he speaks from experience.” To Virgil’s surprise, Gordon actually jumped. “Did you forget I was here? Not absorbed by those brown eyes are we?” He couldn’t help but smile at his brother. At least one was as besotted as he had to admit he was.

Yes, Scott was definitely going to kill him.

“Shut up, Virgil.”

Bo backed off, once again hiding behind Virgil’s baldric.

“Hey, Gordon, watch the tone.”

“Sorry, Bo.”

“Are we actually going home at some point? I have a date with my bed.”

Gordon stood up, pulling out the co-pilot’s seat. “No rush, Allie, she’ll wait for you.”

“Augh.”

“Sit down, Alan, I’m just finishing pre-flight.” Tired and cranky could easily become nasty if not attended to.

Bo curled up, nestled against his harness, as Alan grumpily pulled out his seat.

“Virgil, where the hell are you?”

Speaking of tired and cranky... “Launching now, Thunderbird One.” As if prompted, he received clearance from Australian Air Control.

TB2 rumbled beneath as he activated VTOL, ash and dust swirling up around them. As soon as he had enough height, he engaged her rear thrusters and tore off over the Alps, across the coast and out into the Tasman.

“ETA fifteen minutes.” At least they weren’t too far from home.

Bo fell asleep in his lap.

-o-o-o-

Virgil was on the verge of joining Bo in slumber as Thunderbird Two spun slowly in her hanger, eventually coming to a final stop.

So tired.

Beside him, Alan poked Gordon awake. “Ugh, what? Oh.” You could almost hear his brain booting.

Virgil worked around Bo as he did his post-flight checks, his brothers, well, mostly Gordon, groaning as they got to their feet and waddled towards the hatch. “C’mon, Virg, Alan’s pining for his bed.”

“You two go ahead. I just need to finish post-flight.” He didn’t turn around, but he could feel Gordon’s eyes on him.

“Sure, whatever.” And he heard the hatch lower to the hangar floor.

His brothers gone, Virgil let himself relax back against his chair, his shoulders sagging. He let out a long breath. “So, Bo, how are we going to do this?”

The puppy woke as if on command and turned to stare up at him. Gently her tail began to wag.

Virgil let a tired smile cross his face.

Encouraged, Bo jumped up and put her two front paws on his chest, reaching up, trying to lick his face despite not quite being tall enough.

The smile became a grin.

“Okay, okay.” He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her up as he pushed his seat backwards and stood. Immediately he was bathed in puppy drool. He couldn’t help but laugh. He surfaced above her licking and cradled her in his arms. “We need to get you some food.” His stomach rumbled ominously. “We need to get me some food.”

And a shower. A shower definitely wouldn’t hurt.

If he could hold off the sleep.

If he didn’t call it a stagger, it wasn’t a stagger, but he had obviously been sitting in his seat for far too long ferrying all those survivors to Melbourne on repeated trips. It was his turn to groan as both his back and legs complained loudly at the sudden demands for movement.

Bo started chewing on his glove.

Somehow he made it back to his rooms without encountering anyone. Shutting the door, he let Bo loose on the floor and began stripping off his uniform, hitting the buttons on his preprogrammed shower cubicle. Moments later he walked under the spray and let it wash the day from his skin.

God, that felt good.

As his muscles relaxed under the heat, sleep became more and more attractive, and by the time he stumbled out of the water, all thoughts of food had vanished.

He took the three steps across his room from the ensuite and threw himself facedown on the bed, still partly wet, still naked.

He was asleep within moments.

-o-o-o-

He was being kissed.

Her lips were warm, her tongue wet, her whiskers soft against his stubble...

Uh?

She licked his eye.

Wha-?

Virgil, always slow to respond upon waking, opened said eye only to get an eyeful of slobber. A soft paw thwapped him on the cheek. Huh? he blinked attempting to clear his eyesight, a hand coming up to defend himself.

Fortunately, his brain came online and memory kicked in. “B-Bo?”

A tongue wrapped around his nose and left it wet.

Ugh.

He wiped his face with his hand, stretching backwards on his pillow, desperate to get out of reach.

The puppy landed on his chest, her paws kneading his chest hair, her little claws completing his wake-up process rather abruptly.

Oh god.

“Bo, down, honey, down.”

He was completely ignored.

Sitting up, he attempted to grab her in his arms, but missed. The little puppy landed on things that puppies had no right to land on. Or stomp on for that matter.

He winced.

“Ooh, okay, come here.” He lifted her off his lap, holding her close, her tail pummelling his belly. “I’m awake, okay.” Again he found himself pinned by her brown eyes. “Aww, c’mon with the cute, Bo, you’re going to melt my brain.”

“Assuming you have a brain to melt.” And Scott was standing in his doorway.

Virgil glared up at him. “Don’t you knock?”

“I did. Grandma sent me to tell you that Christmas dinner is ready.”

Virgil frowned at his brother over the top of Bo’s ears, ignoring the glare the blue eyes were directing at the puppy in his arms. “I thought we’d do Christmas tomorrow.”

“We don’t know what is going to happen tomorrow. Grandma thought it would be best to sneak it in tonight, since it is Christmas Day, after all.” Scott’s lips thinned. “Where did you get that from?”

“She’s a rescue.”

“Usually we leave our rescues on the continent we find them.”

“She had no one.”

“Unfortunately, that is nothing new.” And one of his hands had moved to his hip.

Virgil sighed. “Scott, it’s fine, it’s only for a few days.”

“I’m going to hold you to that.”

Virgil held back his retort. He knew to pick his fights and now was not the time. “Her name is Bo.”

Scott looked at him and then at Bo. “Hurry up, your dinner is getting cold.” The ghost of a smirk. “And don’t forget to wear clothes.”

“Funny, funny, ha, ha.” But his brother had left.

Virgil let his shoulders drop. “Sorry, Bo, I think you’ve got your work cut out for you.”

Bo just licked him some more.

It wasn’t until he went looking for his boots that he discovered the wonderful deposits Bo had left for him on the floor.

Ugh.

And apparently one of his favourite boots had served as a meal also.

He closed his eyes and sighed again.

Half dressed, he cleaned up the mess, and five minutes later he waltzed downstairs, Bo in his arms and barefoot. Time to face the inevitable music.

-o-o-o-

A Tracy Christmas used to be snow, roast turkey, stockings by the fire, the occasional Christmas carol and family.

Since starting International Rescue it had changed.

Firstly, they were in the tropics. The only fires available in those temperatures were ones that required firefighting equipment. Having grown up with snow, it was still extremely weird. But it had its advantages. For one you could go outside in the minimum of clothing, something Gordon took advantage of every day of the year. There were no snowball fights, but these were fast replaced with water fights. There was no ice skating, but there was water skiing if anyone could get up the energy to get the boat out. And surfing, let’s not forget Scott’s attempts at that. Virgil would admit that he didn’t mind a little surfboard action himself. He wouldn’t say he was very good at it, but at least Gordon had never had to save him like he had Scott.

There were still Christmas trees and tinsel and stockings that no-one ever considered wearing hung from the nearest mantelpiece-looking piece of furniture.

There was still turkey and roast potatoes and all the yummy food crucial for a good Christmas meal, but it was often cooked outside in barbecue ovens and seafood and cold food had been added to the menu. In fact, the traditional dinner had become more of a banquet by the pool.

As Virgil walked out onto the patio, he couldn’t help but smile at the Christmas tree that had obviously been hurriedly moved out here from the comms room. It sat a little lopsided and the star on top was having a few issues with gravity. That was new, as was the liberal tinsel and Christmas lights strung from palm tree to palm tree, across the pool and back several times.

“Fifty bucks says Gordon tries to water volleyball the tinsel at least once.”

Virgil smirked as he stepped up beside his next youngest brother. “Not touching that one. I value my money.”

John was dressed in shorts and a t-shirt and had a beer in his hand. Bo was immediately interested in this new person. She strained towards John, her nose literally twitching towards the hand holding the beer.

His brother must have caught the movement out of the corner of his eye and instinctively took a step away.

“Oh, sorry, John, this is Bo.” Bo was climbing over his arm, desperate to get closer to the astronaut. Virgil held her tight, worried she would fall.

“Uh, hello.” John turned towards them, frowning. “Since when do you own a dog?”

“Since this morning.”

“Does Scott know?” They both instinctively looked over at their eldest brother who was hovering over one of the barbecues energetically discussing something with Grandma - probably how not to burn the food.

“He does.”

“And you still have it?”

“Her.”

“Her.”

“Yes.”

“Good luck with that one.” John drank his beer.

“She had no one else.”

John arched an eyebrow at him and then frowned. “Oh, Virgil.” His shoulders slumped.

“I am an adult now, John. It won’t be like last time.”

“God, I hope not.”

Virgil stared at his brother, only to see the genuine concern in his green eyes. A sigh. “It won’t happen again.”

John reached out and gently touched his shoulder. “No, it won’t, because you will remember that you have four brothers who are all here for you, won’t you.” God, that green gaze was penetrating.

“It will be fine.”

Bo yipped at John, her tail beating Virgil’s chest.

The astronaut smiled and offered the little dog his hand. She sniffed and licked him almost immediately.

“I think you have been approved.”

John smiled and Virgil couldn’t help but do the same.

“Virgil!” And Grandma was arrowing in on his position.

“Incoming.” John was smirking.

“Hey, Grandma.”

But his grandmother only had eyes for Bo. “Who is this?”

Virgil smiled again. “This is Bo. Bo, this is Grandma.”

Bo whacked him with her tail and literally leapt from his arms into his grandmother’s.

“Woah.” Suddenly with arms full of wriggling puppy enthusiastically licking her face, his grandmother was laughing. “Oh dear, you are a cutie. Let me have a look at you.” And she held Bo out at arms length, her eyes critical. “A little hard to tell at her age, but my bet says she’s of boxer stock, around three months old. Such a beautiful brindle and that face.” Virgil couldn’t help but agree. Bo looked like she had dipped her face in a pot of ink, her brown eyes surrounded by gorgeous black coat that quickly bled to brindle down her back with a spot of white on her front. “Where did you find her?”

Virgil looked at his feet, remembered why they were bare, and looked back up at his grandmother. “This morning’s rescue. She lost everything.”

Grandma turned her attention back to Bo. “Oh, honey. You survived the fire?” Bo licked her nose. “Well, you are safe here.” Grandma curled her arms around the puppy and scratched her ears. “Has Virgil fed you anything yet?” She glanced at him and he shrugged. He got frowned at for his trouble. Grandma turned away, walking towards the barbecues with Bo in her arms. “Let’s get you something to eat.”

Virgil rolled his eyes.

“Well, that didn’t take long, did it?” John was still smirking at him.

A series of barks and a yelp from Grandma, and suddenly Bo was dashing amongst legs in his direction. “Woah.” He crouched down and caught her as she leapt for him. She wriggled and licked, her little body trembling under his hands. “Hey, hey, honey, it’s okay, you’re safe.” She snuggled up under his chin. He couldn’t help but return the hug.

Grandma approached, worry on her face. “I’m sorry, Virgil, I didn’t realise.”

“It’s okay.” He reached an arm around his grandmother, bringing her into the hug. “She’s just had a scary day.” He pulled both of them close.

Scott was glaring at him from a distance.

John smiled at them and drank his beer.

Bo started chewing on his collar.

-o-o-o-

As the evening progressed, Bo slowly let herself part from Virgil as each of the members of his family, bar Alan and Scott, came to say hello or fed her from the table. There was one interesting moment when the little puppy encountered Sherbert for the first time.

Bo yipped.

Sherbert yapped.

And as the entire party fell silent, the two dogs stared each other down.

Virgil was poised for a rescue and Penelope was not far behind him, but a moment later Bo licked Sherbert across the nose, Sherbert gently butted the little puppy with his head, and from that point onwards they were best of friends, Sherbert quite proudly showing his new friend around.

But never out of sight of Virgil.

Bo and Parker had a staring moment not long after, but Sherbert barrelled on in and head butted the driver, snapping him out of it. It wasn’t long before the little puppy had him rubbing her ears as well.

Kayo stood her distance, assessing Bo as much as the puppy was assessing her. A calm arched eyebrow slowly rose as Bo tilted her head up at the security specialist. She pressed her lips together and faced Virgil. “There will be training.”

Virgil blinked and his sister turned and stalked off. Bo eyed her the entire time, only finally distracted by a yelp from Alan as Gordon threw him in the pool.

The engineer was left wondering if he should be worried or not.

The meal was delicious, of course. Scott had managed to keep Grandma away from the barbecues and MAX had been on task for a good part of the day. There was the mandatory turkey, and this year a couple of large snapper had been baked to perfection, along with some crayfish, oysters, salads and roast vegetables. This was followed by pie, oh, so much pie, Christmas cookies, and Christmas pudding with custard and the option of ice cream.

Virgil, as usual, made sure he took advantage of all the options. Consequently, post-banquet found him sprawled on a pool lounger staring up at the stars amongst the tinsel overhead. Bo, who had also eaten probably more than she should have, was curled up between his feet.

The soft sounds of quiet carols and muted conversation wafting across the water lulled him gently to sleep.

-o-o-o-

Scott felt like Scrooge. He was tired, worried and even a little angry. He was not enjoying himself, no matter how hard he tried. Grandma had cornered him at least twice, her hand on his shoulder trying to soothe his ire.

The annoying thing was that he wasn’t even sure what he was angry about. The rescue hadn’t been the best, but they had done what they could and some lives had been saved that otherwise wouldn’t have. The team had performed well, no one had been injured, they were all back home safe and sound.

And there was food, family and Christmas. There wasn’t really much more he could ask for.

His eyes settled on Virgil, asleep on one of the loungers, oblivious to the tinsel being draped across his hair by Gordon behind him.

Scott sighed.

But then a little head bobbed up between his brother’s bare feet and Bo barked at Gordon quite firmly.

Virgil was obviously far too out of it to wake, but Gordon looked appropriately abashed at the challenge.

Scott found himself smiling.

Realised he was smiling, dumped the smile and frowned.

Gordon scampered off leaving a sleeping Virgil in a crown of silver tinsel.

The little dog leapt off the lounger and chased after the aquanaut.

Okay, he had to admit the dog was adorable. He could see what had captured his brother’s eye, and Scott certainly had no objection to adding to their family.

But Virgil...when Virgil loved, he loved with his whole heart, and last time he had lost a pet, it had been bad, so bad.

They had lost so much in their lives already, why volunteer to lose more?

He sighed. It was stupid to think that way, but part of him could remember that devastated teenager, the depression and the mess that followed. Virgil had been as broken as the rest of them when their mother died, but when his dog died two years later, his reaction had been so self-destructive he had needed counselling and a therapist. Scott didn’t know if the two incidents were related or if it was how his brother connected to pets, or whatever. He only knew he never wanted to see his brother go through that again.

Their father was missing, and here was Virgil with a pet once again.

Sure, he was an adult now, and had tackled so much loss since, but...

Another sigh.

A yip and he looked down to see said dog staring up at him with a mouth full of tinsel, tail wagging.

“Gordon!”

“Yesssss, masster?” His brother sidled up with a bow.

Scott rolled his eyes. “Did you want to face your brother having to tell him that his new puppy died choking on tinsel?”

“Oh, shit.”

“Exactly.”

The aquanaut scooped up the little dog and with gentle words extricated the tinsel from her mouth.

A moment later Gordon held her up to his cheek and Scott had the experience of two sets of brown eyes staring at him adoration.

“Oh, for the love of-“

“A puppy?” Gordon grinned at him. “She is a rather cute, isn’t she?”

“Leave it, Gordon.”

His brother frowned. “What’s chewing on your underwear?”

“Gordon-“

“Hey, it was a legit question, bro. You’re a grumpy ass on Christmas Day. Where’s the merry? We have food and there will be presents. And there is a puppy. You couldn’t ask for more cuteness.” Gordon held up Bo who attempted to lick Scott’s nose.

“Gordon-‘

“Nope, so not going down with you, bro. We’ve earned some happy. We’re all here, in one piece, it’s lovely weather. Cheer up, for goodness sake.” Despite himself, Gordon frowned. “Here have some puppy love.” And suddenly Scott found himself with his arms full of wriggling Bo. Gordon turned and walked off, eventually calling out to Alan, no doubt looking for mischief.

Bo tilted her head to one side and stared up at him.

Aw, hell, weaponised cuteness.

She jumped up and licked his nose.

Scott sighed.

Voice low. “You know, you better look after my brother. He’s a good man and he does a lot of good things.” A swallow. “He’s a little prone to heroics. Perhaps we can team up in that department and help keep his butt alive.”

Her tongue lolled out one side of her mouth and she grinned.

“Maybe try that on the Hood and solve all our problems.”

He gave in and drew her close to his chest, rubbing under her chin.

“I really hope we don’t regret this.”

-o-o-o-

“PRESENTS!”

Alan’s voice cut through his slumber and shook him awake. Wha-?

“Time to wake up, sleepy head.” Scott’s voice.

A sharp little bark.

Bo.

He flung his eyes open, and immediately squinted at the fairy lights floating in the light breeze far above. A blink and to his left a shadow formed into his eldest brother. His blue eyes were smiling as he sat on the next lounge over, holding Bo, scratching her gently. She was obviously enjoying it.

Virgil frowned. “I thought you were pissed at me.”

“I was.” His brother shrugged. “I got over it.” Bo was licking Scott’s fingers.

Wow, the ability to tame the savage big brother. The little girl must be heaven-sent.

There was a whir of wheels and MAX tore out onto the patio decked out in tinsel and lugging brightly coloured presents. MiniMAX darted in behind him carrying a smaller present which was deposited carefully on the table before he disappeared inside only to return with another.

“You okay?”

“Huh?” Virgil peered up at his brother before stretching the length of the lounger. Several joints cracked and the ache across his shoulders from the morning vaguely made its presence known. A yawn. “I’m fine. Just tired. This morning sucked.”

Tinsel slid down his face. He sighed and threw it off. Gordon was getting repetitive.

Scott dipped his head, attempting to hide a smile, and looked down at Bo. “True.” He scratched her under her chin one more time before offering her to him. “Here.”

Bo didn’t bother to wait for him to sit up, she bounded out of Scott’s arms and onto Virgil’s belly. “Oof.” She then danced up and down on it.

Scott grinned at him. “She’s not going to be little when she grows up.”

“Augh, she’s not little now.” He managed to capture her enough so he could sit up, but she struggled free excitedly and dashed from his arms, jumping on the lounger, just as MiniMAX buzzed over with a small present.

Bo barked at him and MiniMAX dodged to deposit the present in Virgil’s lap. He caught it, but with his hands now occupied, he wasn’t fast enough to grab Bo before she let off another bark, jumped excitedly and latched her teeth onto the little robot.

The result was immediate.

MiniMAX shrieked, several of his legs caught in the puppy’s mouth, and with a whir of rotor blades, took off madly across the patio.

With Bo hanging on.

“Bo!” Virgil dropped the present and made a grab for the pair, but missed.

Every eye turned to see what the commotion was about. Virgil stumbled over the lounger and kicked it out of the way. He was vaguely aware of Scott doing something similar. “Brains!”

MiniMAX was obviously panicking. The little robot darted about trying to shake off his assailant. Bo was whining in her throat.

Virgil dashed after them.

Despite the puppy’s weight, MiniMAX still managed a great deal of height, Brains’ ‘build ‘em tough’ policy obviously carrying through to his robots. Despite having the strength to carry the puppy, the off-balance mass hampered MiniMAX’s navigation and they were wobbling all over the place.

All Virgil could see was a tragedy in the making. The pool, the concrete, anything horribly solid. He ran beneath them, desperately attempting to reach the now whining puppy. Family members and furniture were dodged and shoved out of the way as he clambered after them.

A chair ended up in the pool. Gordon squawked and almost joined it. Virgil leapt off an empty lounge, made a grab for them, missed and ended up in the Christmas tree.

Fake pine needles jabbed him in the face as he went down in a pile of tinsel and Christmas baubles. He swore, his clothing caught, his hair caught, and his everything tangled in tinsel, but he made it to his feet just in time to see Bo let go.

“No!”

Oblivious to everything other than the puppy falling, Virgil finally got traction under his bare feet, took a running leap and grabbed Bo from the air. He instinctively wrapped himself around her, rolling in midair, tinsel and baubles flung in all directions.

As he plummeted into the pool.

The splash took his senses, muffling exclamations, and repeated shouts of his name. There was dark blue, and wet, and, for a moment, blessed silence.

Then logic reasserted itself and he kicked for the surface.

Sound, light and cool air on his skin. He blinked water out of his eyes as he lifted Bo up so she could breathe, his legs kicking to keep them afloat.

She whined at him as if to tell him off, sneezed, and began enthusiastically licking the saltwater off his face.

He couldn’t help but grin, and he knew he wasn’t the only one as laughter drifted across the water.

“You trashed the tree, Virg.”

“I don’t think he cares, Gordon.” He looked up to see Grandma smiling at him.

And no, he didn’t. As Scott poked him with a pole to help drag him to the edge and Bo decided his ear might do for her next meal, he suddenly felt joy. It could simply have been relief, but he was going to tack it up as Christmas joy and enjoy it while he could.

-o-o-o-

“Only you, Virgil.”

“It wasn’t intentional.”

“I have no doubt of that, it never is.”

“Aw, c’mon, Scott.”

“If it was intentional then I would have to accuse you of doing it deliberately just to get out of helping with the Christmas dishes.”

“We have a dishwasher.” Bo let off a bark as MiniMAX flew past dragging a bag full of recyclable cups, plates and cutlery, giving Virgil and his dog an extremely wide berth. “And there are hardly any dishes.”

“You are still getting out of clean up.”

“C’mon, Scott, you know me better than that. Ow!”

“Sit still. I’ve almost got all of it.”

Virgil leant back against the lounge, Bo curled up in his lap. “I’m not particularly happy about this either you know.”

“You’ll be fine.”

“I know that, Ow!”

“Well, if you would watch where you were going, you wouldn’t have collided with the Christmas tree. And what’s with the bare feet anyway?”

“Bo ate one of my boots.”

Scott snorted and pulled out yet another tiny piece of glass Christmas bauble from the bottom of Virgil’s left foot. “She hasn’t been here twenty-four hours yet and she has already caused havoc.”

“She’s a puppy.”

“I noticed.” Scott sighed, peering through his magnifying visor at his brother’s foot. “I think that’s all of it. Please don’t do that again. You’ll be limping for a week.”

“I’m not planning on it.”

As Scott wrapped his foot in gauze, he eyed the puppy on Virgil’s lap. “And you, young lady, I thought we had a deal.”

To Virgil’s surprise, Bo’s head bobbed up and she looked distinctly guilty.

Scott arched an eyebrow. “Hmm, don’t let it happen again.”

Bo yapped at him.

Virgil stared at both of them. “What?”

“None of your business, you just lay back and look after yourself.” And Scott was smirking.

Ooookaay.

He relaxed back against the lounge and stared up at the fairy lights above.

Bo stomped up the length of him and licked his eyeball.

He coughed up a laugh and grabbed an armful of wriggly puppy.

“I think that was a Merry Christmas, Virg.” Scott held his injured foot and grinned. “Merry Christmas.”

-o-o-o-

[evita-shelby]

What happens in Vegas

Chapter 2

@justrainandcoffee @zablife @thegreatdragonfruta

To sell the ruse that they have always been dating, Jack takes her home for Christmas. A trial by fire before they set off to Mexico before New Years because of course Katie and Colin are tying the knot on fucking New Year’s Eve.

God, his sister and her fiancé were so cheesy. Jack’s never gonna be like that when his time comes.

His sister likes her already, Eva was amazingly easy to like. Friendly and fun and good at lying.

Like saying that they had been dating since October, but not wanting to jinx it so they kept it a secret until her aunt found out two weeks ago. It was easy to lie when they have proof something did go on, that they have gone on ‘dates’ and have an easy time with public displays of affection.

Jack had no trouble in greeting his fake girlfriend with a peck in the mouth when they had coffee with Katie before class.

He had solicited Katie’s help with it, and Katherine had delivered. Chicks like Eva love antiquing and the perfect gift for her would be found there. And she’d been right, the old jewelry was definitively something Evie wore, and his gift was gonna knock her socks off.

Even better, it was found in the first shop his sister had taken him to because Jack has no patience for anything let alone shopping.

A locket with a black anatomically correct heart with flowers carved into it because he knows Eva loves that shit. The picture inside ---because Katie demanded a picture when he asked for her help--- even made them look like a couple. Him with his arm around her shoulders and kissing Eva as they won yet another round of craps at the casino they met.

“She doesn’t mention you on her Instagram.” Katie points out as she snoops on Eva’s social media to call their bluff. He’d taken his phone from her when the next item in the album ended up being a series of nudes taken during their crazy hook up in Vegas and now entertained herself with Eva’s Instagram.

“Wants privacy, her family is a big deal in Mexico. Like the Koch Family except left wing and as crazy as the Kardashians.” Jack knew enough about Eva to answer these questions with ease. Her family was obscenely rich, too much in the limelight and that always made her relationships go to hell.

Her last breakup had ended with paparazzi outing her as a lesbian despite being bisexual causing a whole shit show that ended with her leaving the country for good and meeting him in Vegas.

Their arrangement worked for her because no one knew who she was seeing, so they didn’t bother either of them, and Jack really enjoyed having a great excuse as to why he never became serious about the other women he fooled around with.

They were friends who partnered together often and enjoyed fucking each other without all the messiness of relationships while focusing on their studies.

“It’s why I like being with you, I get to be just Eva with you, dark_avenger69.” She had said leaning her head against his chest and teasing him over his short ---but unsurprisingly lucrative--- time as the American camboy with the realistic fake Australian Accent when he studied in Melbourne during undergrad.

Only she knew about it beyond Katie, the moment he returned to the states he had closed the account for good, went to Vegas to keep his mother from assuming he’d gone back to the gang that had him hiding out in Australia for two years and invested in stocks that Eva had recommended for him.

They were a match made in heaven, or so Katie had said.

Maybe this trip to Mexico could let them see where it goes. It wouldn’t be that different to make the jump from friends with benefits to real boyfriend and girlfriend.

“Was afraid you’d forgotten I can’t drive.” Eva jokes as he opened the door to his car for her. She is dressed to the nines like always, but this outfit was picked out to match his on purpose not accidentally like the other times they’ve ended up matching.

“I’d be a shitty boyfriend to forget that, doll.” He smiles and hopes his corny ass sister put the mistletoe on the doorway for the third year in a row.

His family is nice.

Her family is nice too, but Eva’s not ashamed to say they are a lot.

Her mother was spending it in New York after dropping her latest gigolo in wherever the fuck she was this time. Eva just didn’t feel like seeing her and pretending she’s fine despite the fact that she abandoned her when she was a kid because Isabel Riley was “just not cut out to be a mother”.

But Eva’s issues with her mother and her slight nerves at making a bad impression on Jack’s mother are forgotten when out of nowhere Jack dips her and kisses her like people do in movies. He could be thoughtful and romantic when he cared about his significant others, never seen more than Jack carrying his exes’ books or lying about the nature of his relationship with Eva.

She kisses back ---obviously--- and looked forward to more kissing outside of sex. If his mom hadn’t opened the door, Eva knows neither would’ve stopped.

“What? Just introducing my girlfriend to American Christmas traditions.” He jokes with his mother before introducing them like the good boyfriend he is pretending to be. “Mom, this is my girlfriend, Eva. Eva this is my mom, Rosemary.”

Eva’s first words to Jack’s mother are an apology for making out with her son at her doorstep, and yet it all went pretty well. Hell, the woman even got her a gift and a tres leches cakes from a local Mexican bakery.

Eva had not come empty handed, with good wine and gifts a bit too grand for the occasion that could make her come across as the out-of-touch rich girl she doesn’t want to be, but the whole thing was depending on them falling for their lies.

If they weren’t too busy with school and setting up their future businesses, they could give this a real and honest try. They like each other, they are sexually compatible, and Jack is not weird about her being bi and having dated women.

“So did you get your wonderful girlfriend anything?” she asks him once his family is out of earshot. It’s a small gathering, Rosemary’s mother and brother had only come for a short while and Jack’s paternal family still lived in Ireland, Katie and Colin had brought one of his siblings visiting from England and for now it’s just the two of them cuddling on a couch.

Jack was a different guy than he appeared, one look at him and you’d think he’s a stereotypical fratbro who doesn’t care about anyone but himself. She knew that already; it was just seeing more of that secret softy side was really making it difficult for her not to get the wrong idea about him. He probably doesn’t want her that way and Eva’s just imagining things because he’s putting several of her former lovers to shame tonight.

“It’s not a thong if that’s why you’re asking.” He pulls out a small gift wrapped in a black bow from his coat pocket.

Eva knows its jewelry and yet when she finds the heart carved locket with a hint of wear and opens it to find that picture of the two of them together in Vegas, she is so touched that her heart skips a beat and knows her gasp has been heard by everyone there.

“It’s beautiful.” She touches it feeling a great deal of emotion with a heady sense of déjà vu. She believed in magic, had a touch of it and yet this felt wonderfully different.

The locket even had their initials carved on the back.

Despite how often they have touched each other since they met, Jack putting the locket on her feels different. More intimate than any caress during sex, more heartfelt than anything they’ve had, and Eva would be lying if she claimed she didn’t want it to happen again.

“Katie helped me find it, first thing I saw, and I knew you’d like it. The previous owners were also called Jack and Eva weird enough.” He doesn’t believe in magic or soulmates, and yet he because he knows she does, Jack had bought it for her.

She kisses him again in thanks, a sweet kiss that doesn’t go very far, but shares that vibe of ‘different’ as everything that’s happened tonight so far.

Eva’s afraid to admit it, she might have fallen for Jack.

Fuck.

A/N:

The locket is from this story where Jack and Eva are soulmates in three universes

The Koch Family is the third richest family in the US and notorious for buying politicians, the level of wealth and power is just a reference to how the Rileys would be in the modern era. Just as the Kardashians are a reference as to how batshit insane they are without the restrictions of 1920s limitations.

Dark_Avenger69 is the name James Frecheville has in the Omeleto shortfilm on YouTube where he is the camboy the housewife is getting off too in Homebodies.

This may be too obvious, but James Frecheville is actually Australian lol

[eddhouib]

It’s official 🥳🥳🥳🥳 we’re clowning once more for Reptv🐍🧡🖤❤️‍🔥 🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡

Here are some notes to take, or you might wanna call it Easter-egg hatching 🥹🫶🏻

-THE COLORS, look at the colors people. This image is full of em and it means A LOT of stuff, you’re not gonna believe it. Lemmi break it down for ya:

-Black🖤: Reputation code

- Orange 🧡: Maybe signifying “Karma” the lost album and a color the mastermind used back in the days for Reputation

- Rose Royal 💗: it also kinda signifies Rep&Karma, also used by the mastermind to represent Reputation

-Green 💚: it’s giving snake🐍

Enough with the colors now, another take away you wanna notice here is the 🔥 exit sign on the Black door she’s tryna go through. And no, i assure you that the master mind is fully aware of what she’s doing, going into an Fire exit door, so buckle up:

*Back in Melbourne N2, she hit us with a mash up of Get away car/ august/ the other side of the door

** She described the RepTv Vault tracks using the word “Fire” in her Time magazine interview. Does that ring any bell 🔔🧐😛

Last, but not least, look at the “PLEASE KEEP THIS DOOR CLOSED” 👀👀👀. Well, when i first saw it i kinda thought it would mean that Reptv’s door might still remain closed. But what’s better than a clowning week😏🙂‍↔️

Ahhhhh Dr Taylor Alison Swift you driving us crazyyy 🫨😵‍💫🤯 but i’m here to clown 🤡

Credits: @ASwiftiestory on instagram and a bunch of other amazing content creators that Brought this theory to life

Happy clowning 🤡🐍🧡🖤

[athenasparrow]

No. 21 - Lock | Jily Microfic March

Big hugs to @jilymicrofics for this prompt and for creating @jilymicro-oops which is where this fic will end up when it's done.

Lots and lots of thanks to the brilliant @ghostofbambifanfiction for letting me borrow Algernon. He has become part of my headcannon after many days spent lost in Sarah's fics. You only get a little taste of him in this snippet, but he's going to be a star in the "proper" fic : )))

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

Read on AO3 | 864 words

“Shit shit shit” Lily cursed under her breath as she rifled through her purse.

Tesco receipt? Not helpful.

Dusk Lipstick? Nope.

Her fingers touched cool metal, only to resurface with a few coins that had fallen out of her wallet and decided to take up permanent residence at the bottom of her bag.

Well fuck.

Only five hours back in London and she’d managed to lose the keys to her new flat.

The irony is she could’ve had them here in the mailbox. But like a fool, she’d asked the real estate agent to post them.

Where the hell had they gone?

Lily exhaled, blowing a strand of sticky hair out of her face as she looked up. 

Too high of a climb. Locked out. Where to go?

“Alright?” a voice sounded behind her and she shrieked, dropping her bag as she whirled to face the the voice - and the accompanying man – who had somehow crept up behind her.

God was he fit.

“Hello,” she said, running a hand through her hair in an attempt to make it look less crazed. 

“Hi, sorry to startle you,” he returned, his eyes taking a slow sweep of her body before pausing on her suitcase. Lily felt as if he’d taken a match to her skin as the fire swept over her.

“I’m locked out,” she announced, both to answer his unasked question and to distract herself from his presence. With a sigh of defeat, she eyed her suitcase with distaste. “Apparently I’m just the kind of air-head who loses their fucking keys before they can even unlock their flat for the first time.”

“You’re the new tenant?” the man confirmed, coming up to grab her suitcase.

“That’s me. What are you doing?” she asked, automatically following him as he started dragging her suitcase.

“Well I can't help you unlock for you flat for the first time, but I can help you get in. You moving into 502?” he called over his shoulder, shooting her a lopsided grin

“How do you know that?” Lily demanded, exhaling as she stepped in to the warm building.

“I’m in 501, your neighbour,” James said pressing the round button of number five on the lift. “You can access your balcony from mine. Real estate agents usually leave something open to let the flat air.”

“Oh that's a great idea,” Lily exclaimed, exhaling in relief and letting her head fall back against the elevator “Thank you. And I’m Lily by the way.”

“James,” he said, sending a lopsided grin her way that made her stomach flip.

“So where have you just come from, Melbourne?” he asked eyeing her bag tag.

“Yeah, year abroad for work,” she said, letting the warmth of the indoor heating relax her body.

“That sounds fun,” he said pulling her suitcase out of the lift.

“Oh, you don’t have to–

“It’s fine, I got it. Really!” He added as she made to protest again. “You must be exhausted from your flight.”

Lily sent him a rueful smile as she followed him down the wide hallway. The walls were painted a soft white, illuminated by the warm ceiling lights that cast patterned shadows between the plants that evenly spread next to each residents door. The apartment doors were each painted a cheerful baby blue and the numbers stood elegantly in brushed brass. 

His flat was cozy, Lily decided. A lamp gave the room a welcoming light, allowing her to appreciate the details of the plush, thick rugs and the long linen drapes. The living room had a large overstuffed couch with a pair of timber armchairs that had a convenient knitted throw hanging over the back. Lily felt a pang of regret at the apartment that obviously included a women's touch. 

"Your place is beautiful," Lily voiced, keeping the latter part of her minds wandering to herself.

But turned out the universe wasn't going to be totally against her tonight, because James volunteered the precise information on her mind as he answered. "Mum insisted I don't live in a dark and dreary place with no soul that would immediately scare any girl who came home."

"Ha! Your mum sounds like a – ohhhh hello"

“You’re so beautiful,” she cooed, dropping to her knees at once as an orange cat came trotting up to her. He was a sight to behold - the cat, not his owner - with thick lustrous fur that shone from being brushed and was soft when Lily wove her fingers into it. His smushed face regarded her with an intensity that constituted his intelligence, his elegant whiskers extending long from his face.

“Careful, he…huh,” James said, eyeing them strangely.

“What?” Lily asked as she scooped up the orange ball of fluff and cuddled him close to her chest, bopping her nose against his as he began to purr.

[nickypoppieandel]

Day “something!” I am unsure exactly how long we’ve been away!

We had a quick changeover at the BEAUTIFUL Helsinki airport this morning after a 14 hour flight from Tokyo. BUT!!! after getting into the booze and some little snacks on our 5 hour stopover, we jumped into the plane, made our chairs into beds and SLEPT!! I actually slept for 7 hours, which is a first for years. Lucky for us, Poppie is pushed everywhere and we follow along like loyal subjects and go to the top of every queue like film stars! Because all the previous flights were late, we would have missed this last flight if it weren’t for Poppie!

Norwegians are the friendliest people. We took a taxi ride from the airport to our hotel, in an electric powered Mercedes van. Our rooms weren’t going to be ready until at least 3 pm so we set off on a walking tour of places the really nice girl at the front door suggested. We had a staggered start because after 300m, we had to turn back because Poppie was wheezing gasping for breath as she’s forgotten to puff her puffer! (she wanted me to say that). Anyway, we set out again, this time taking an Uber to a central spot from where we wondered past a group of very old houses (pics included) that were the only houses that survived the Oslo fire in the 1600s. We then found a food market full of fish shops, butchers (selling absolutely every every part of an animal), deli type shops and cafes. On our way back to,catch the tram, we walked through beautiful parks and trees and passed a RAGING river (movie included). Found our way to the tram thanks to several extremely helpful Norwegians AND … a young girl from Serbia, who played (???) Tai Kwon Do for Serbia at the 2012 Olympics in London (pic coming!!). Norwegians are taught English at school, so everyone is very happy to help. Also the fact that Norway is close to the top both in quality of life and happiness, might have something to do with that! Our little tram trip was uneventful… with me, being a Virgo, double checking the map on my lap to make sure we were going passed all the right stations!! Poppie and Nicky very relaxed as they were “sure” we were on the right team!! The river that runs through Oslo is called the Akerselva River and starts right up North and goes all the way to the Oslo Fjord. Look it up! pour rooms were still not ready when we returned to the hotel so Nicky did some more exploration to discover where the pool is ($50 for a single visit!! Did I also say Norway was the most expensive city in the world, together with Tokyo and has now “dropped” to 4th place, together with Melbourne??!!) and Poppie and I sat back and had a glass of bubbles and solved the problems of the world.

We are now in our rooms, getting ready to meet the others in the group and have dinner together. One of the reasons the hotels are so busy is there is some famous American country and western singer in town! We don’t know who.

[wosoamazing]

Team Bonding Night

Part 5 - Fire on Fire Series A/N: I do have up to chapter 14ish of this pre-planned however if anyone has anything they might want to see in it please let me know and I will try to include it in here somewhere, if I don't already have it included.

Tonight was team bonding night and you decided that you would start the year right and offer to hold the first team bonding of the year. Stina and Frida came over and helped you set up. It was decided there would be a few games of pool before a movie. As all the girls arrived there were plenty of comments about how fancy your place was and how your parents must be rich, they were all light hearted and really just jokes but unbeknownst to everyone they all hit a nerve, but you had prepared for this and so you just ignored it, knowing that the girls meant nothing.

You had just performed the break shot for the last game of the night when Leah came up behind you, wrapping her arms around your waist as she rested her chin on your shoulder. You were almost expecting a comment from someone or even at least a look from Beth, who kept teasing you about ‘your very close friendship with Leah’, at Leah’s actions however no one batted an eyelid. But it was most likely because Leah was known for her hugs and hugging people, so much so that it didn’t even surprise you when she did it.

“Hello,” you said as she turned her head so it rested on your shoulder, “as much as I appreciate this it’s almost my turn again,” you informed her, she just hummed before letting you go. 

The pool game was coming to an end, with Katie and Caitlin having two remaining balls to sink whilst you and Steph were now trying to sink the 8-ball, so Stina decided to start setting up for the movie, opening the door to the gym to get the bean bags.

“Holy Crap, how do you have so many trophies and medals?” Alessia let out, announcing the fact to the whole team, causing you to wish that you could just vanish right there and then, not even thinking about the fact everyone would see them, whilst you were getting ready, to be fair Alessia wasn’t over reacting, you had a large amount of Trophies. With at least one trophy for every football season, and at least two medals per season, plus an assortment of Track & Field and Cross Country trophies and medals, the collection grew pretty quickly.

“Where are they all from?” Kyra asked in awe, “Well school gave us them, if you scored the most goals, and then each season we got medals, and all the cross country and Track ones are school, and then obviously club football too,”

“You got medals and trophies for sport? Like regularly,” “Yeah, at awards nights, we got them for academic stuff too,”

“See that’s what happens when you go to a School like Melbourne Grammar, you’ve got to sit through the several hours long assemblies regularly.” Steph joked, it was something you always complained about to her.

“Isn’t Melbourne Grammar Expensive? Wait but is it true that your parents are also totally rich?” Katie asked, you just slightly nodded as you saw Leah’s eye widen from across the room at the mention of your parents, thankfully Beth diverted the conversation without anyone returning to the topic. 

______

You were sitting on the couch next to Leah as you all watched a movie. At some point Leah’s arm migrated to be around your back with her hand resting on your waist and you had dropped your head to rest on her shoulder.

“You must’ve had a good childhood,” Katie said as she looked around at the photos of you on the wall, you grinning in almost every single one, your Aunt’s by your side for a lot of them. However you hadn’t noticed she was looking at the photos and you thought that she was still on about the whole money thing, but not wanting to make a big deal you didn’t want to say much, so you settled with a simple “sure,” sounding a little annoyed.

“Oh did you never get a pony,” her joke sent you over the edge and so you snapped, you felt Leah’s hand grip onto your wrist as you stood up encouraging you not to do so, but you just ripped your arm from her grip.

“No Katie. I got a Pony. I’m just an embarrassment to the family according to my parents. I was told that football didn't matter, that the thing I was best at and loved was pointless and never going to happen as the family reputation needed to be upheld. I missed my first ever national camp, because I wasn't allowed to go, because it would’ve meant I would miss too much school, and CEOs, CFOs, doctors, professors or board members don’t take days off school. I have never made my parents proud, the more milestones I reach in my career, the more successful I am the more I become a failure to them. So yes, I did have money, and I thankfully had two very kind hearted women who made up for the fact I didn’t have parents, but my life wasn’t and will never be pure rainbows and sunshine,” you felt tears well up in your eyes as you suddenly realised you had just revealed a major part of your past to not just Katie but the whole team, you felt all eyes in the room on you, you couldn’t stay, you felt like the dam would break soon and you couldn’t embarrass yourself further in front of the team, so you got up, you left the room and headed towards the stairs, not knowing what else to do.

You slid down the wall of the spare bedroom upstairs as you dropped your head, holding it in your hands as you began to cry.

Stina had followed you and she quickly came to sit by your side, pulling you into her side.

“I can’t believe I did that, I just, jag bara. Jag tänkte inte och nu vet de alla. Tänk om-” (I just. I didn’t think and now they all know. What if-)

“Y/N/N andetag, ta några djupa andetag” (breath, take some deep breaths), Stina instructed you as she placed her hands on your shoulders, shifting to be kneeling in front of you.

A light knock was heard from the door and Beth and Steph popped their heads around the corner, “Oh sorry, we just thought you might want some water,” Stina nodded her head and they came in, placing the water on the floor next to you.

“Tack,” (thank you) you replied forgetting you weren’t talking to Stina anymore, “Sorry, thank you,” both women nodded and smiled before turning around to head out.

“Will Katie hate me now?” you ask no one specifically, causing the two women to turn around again.

“Y/N, no she won't, if anything I think she feels bad and is worried you won’t like her anymore.” Beth said and you nodded softly.

“Is everyone still downstairs?” You questioned, “No, Leah is letting them all out,” Steph told you nodded as you relaxed a little again, “I should probably go, Kyra will be waiting for me,” “yeah, Viv will be waiting for me,” “I think I’m taking Frida home, unless you want us to stay,” “No, its okay, I should go see if Leah is still here and apologise to her,” as you walked down the stairs you saw Leah standing in the middle of the living room fiddling with her wrist, you walked up to her.

“I’m sorry, did I hurt you?” You asked and she wrapped her arms around you, to give you a hug.

“No, it’s okay, you didn’t, but I’m sorry for not letting you speak up, I know she was only joking but it still wasn't right.” she said as she tried to pull back, “as much as I would love to stay and talk I think Lia is waiting for me in the car,” you let go of the hug as your mood slightly dropped “oh,” you said taking a step back, “come over for breakfast tomorrow?” “of course” she replied smiling and you returned the smile before she let herself out.

“So,” Steph said as she walked into the room, “That was,” Beth followed, dragging out as she couldn’t find the right word, “Palpable,” Stina said, assisting Beth.

“Please don’t I’ve already told you we’re just friends,”

“Okay,” they all replied with a raised eyebrow before hugging you and saying their goodbyes. 

_______

You were sitting at the kitchen island next to Leah as you ate breakfast when the doorbell rang.

“Oh, I’ll go get that, don’t you dare eat any more of my food,” you looked at her and she smirked, “Leah, don’t,” you instructed her again as you opened the door.

“Oh Katie, hi,” your words were enough for Leah to get up out of her chair and come over to where you were at the door.

“Erm, hi,” the Irish woman said, “I just wanted to apologise for last night, I erm, I shouldn’t hav-” “It’s okay Katie, you couldn’t have known and I’m sorry for snapping at you, I, well some stuff is going on with my family, more my parents currently, so it’s just something that is currently a sensitive topic, usually it doesn’t bug me,” you cut her off, “Erm, okay yeah, sorry,” she said still kind of awkwardly, “It’s okay,” you reminded her as you pulled her in for a hug, “you’re welcome to join us for breakfast if you want.”

Katie took you up on your offer and so you, Leah and her all had breakfast together before driving to training.

[astra-galaxie]

Poppy Douglas

Biographical information

Full Name: Poppy Douglas

Alias(es): Thron (stage name)

Gender: Female

Sexuality: Pansexual

Status: Alive

Age: 69 (season 3)

Birth: 1947

Race: Human

Nationality: Australian

Origin: Melbourne, Australia

Residence:

Melbourne, Australia

New York City, USA (formerly)

Past profession(s): Rockstar: Singer and guitarist

Family:

Digger Douglas (husband)

Lars Douglas (son)

Oberon Douglas (son)

Nathan Pandit (son-in-law)

Namgung Angela (ex-daughter-in-law) (incarcerated)

Avi Douglas (grandson)

April Douglas (granddaughter)

May Douglas (granddaughter)

June Douglas (granddaughter)

Affiliation(s): DC/AC (formerly)

Profile

Height: 5'5"

Age: 69 (season 3)

Weight: 150lbs

Eyes: green

Blood: B-

The mother of Lars and Oberon Douglas, Poppy is an ex-rockstar and current grandmother of four wonderful grandkids. She has a pixie-cut hairstyle for her pale dirty blonde hair, dark green eyes, and a pair of rusty pink-framed glasses. She wears a dark purple, long-sleeve turtleneck, a deep magenta vest, dark pants with a black belt, and magenta slip-on shoes. She also has red rose-shaped stud earrings and a silver chain necklace with a small gold lock.

Synopsis

Poppy grew up in Melbourne, Australia, where she met and married high school sweetheart Ryan "Digger " Douglas. While Digger was stationed overseas, Poppy and her band toured the country performing their songs in stadiums packed with fans. The band made a name for themselves, and Poppy shined with them in the spotlight.

In her mid-twenties, she decided to take a break from the band and start a family. She welcomed her first child into the world, and his first cry was music to her ears. When she eventually went back to performing, she'd search the crowd for Digger and Lars after getting on stage.

Years later, Poppy gave birth to her second child, whom she named Oberon after the character from her favourite Shakespearian play. After his birth, Poppy decided to step off the stage permanently and began teaching private music lessons. While she misses the bright lights and screaming fans, she will never regret the memories made with her family.

Poppy always hoped she would be a grandmother one day, so when Lars told her Angela was pregnant, Poppy was overcome with joy. While she never fully approved of her son's choice of a wife, Angela made her son happy, so she kept her comments to herself… Most of the time.

A couple of years after the triplets had been born, Poppy, Digger, and Lars got a call that sent them rushing from New York to Concordia. Oberon was near death's door after being trapped in a house fire. Poppy never wanted to see one of her children so badly hurt and prayed every day that she wouldn't have to bury her baby.

Her prayers were answered when the doctors declared Oberon stable enough to be taken out of his medical coma. Poppy cried when she saw him open his eyes for the first time and held on tightly when Oberon squeezed her hand. Once he was given clearance to fly, Poppy and Digger got everything ready to bring their son with them to New York.

The next time Poppy had to sit beside her son's hospital bed was after Lars found his brother had overdosed on pain medication. She never imagined that her son would try to kill himself, but once she found out why he had done it, she finally understood what he had been truly going through.

She cried for the son-in-law and grandson she never got to meet. Both sounded lovely, and she cursed whoever had robbed her son of his family, of his happiness. She was even more upset that Oberon's agency denied him the opportunity to say goodbye and bury his boys.

Poppy and Digger did everything they could to help Oberon, including moving back to Australia to be with him, and later Lars and Angela sent the triplets there to live with them while they travelled with the Bureau. She and Oberon reconnect through music, and Poppy was so happy when she saw the light returning to his eyes.

When Poppy had the chance to meet Lars's team, she never imagined that it would lead to her finding out that Oberon's husband and son had never died in the fire. And while she wished they could have met under better circumstances, Poppy welcomed the two into the family with open arms.

After everyone was safe, Poppy and her family witnessed Lars, and the Bureau set sail for SOMBRA island. While she will always worry about her children's safety, she knows her son is in good hands with his team - a team who has become a family.

Following SOMBRA's defeat, Poppy and Digger reunited with their family and friends in New York to celebrate the Bureau's victory. After being told what had happened following the team leaving Australia, Poppy couldn't believe what Angela had done to betray the Bureau and Lars. While she always thought there was something strange about Angela, Poppy felt she truly loved her son. But she cannot forgive Angela for siding with SOMBRA after everything the Bureau had uncovered. Nor can she forget about the danger Angela put the team in and how it was her fault Oberon had suffered so much. Poppy can only hope that Lars will find happiness again, even if he never remarries, and that Angela will never hurt him or any of Poppy's family again.

Story Information

First appeared: United in Ashes

Trivia

I chose the name Poppy because the flower symbolizes remembrance (in Canada and other countries) of people who died during times of war. And since I made her husband a veteran, it seemed fitting

The lock on her necklace is the lock she used to lock her guitar case with when she toured with her band

In case it wasn't obvious, her old band, DC/AC, is a parody of the real-life Australian band AC/DC

She taught her children how to read sheet music and play guitar. She is currently teaching her grandchildren how to read sheet music

Lars and Oberon get their love of puns, jokes, and pranks from Poppy

Disclaimer: Character design was created using Rinmarugames Mega Anime Avatar Creator! I have only made minor edits to the design! Background courtesy of CriminalArtist5

Links to my stories:

The Case of the Criminal (Ao3/Wattpad) Killer Bay (Ao3/Wattpad) Where in the World are the Killers? (Ao3/Wattpad)

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

"HOLD-UP AT AGINCOURT BANK," Toronto Globe. October 3, 1930. Page 13. ---- Photographs in connection with the hold-up staged at the Bank of Nova Scotia at Agincourt yesterday afternoon are shown above. No. 1 is Thomas Hawthorne of R.R. No. 1, Scarboro', who had entered the bank to cash a cheque, and who, along with No. 2, H. E. Jeffrey, the teller, and Miss Evelyn Mason, the ledgerkeeper. was forced into the vault, where the three were imprisoned. No. 3 is Sergeant Thomas Draycott of the Scarboro Police Force, who was carly on the scene and is following up the case. AGINCOURT BANDIT IDENTIFIED BY GIRL AS "SUNNY" LASS ==== Bank Manager Thinks Other Thug Resembles "Pat" Norton ---- PAIR GET $1,000 IN RAID ---- (Special Despatch to The Globe.) Agincourt, Oct. 2 - Alighting from a blue sedan which pulled up in front of the Bank of Nova Scotia at Agincourt 2.55 this afternoon, two men, armed with black automatic revolvers. Surprised the teller, H. E. Jeffrey, aged 19, and Miss Evelyn Mason, ledgerkeeper, aged 19, and locked them in the vault, along with Thomas Hawthorne of Searboro', a customer, who was in the bank at the time, and made their escape with: about 1,000 in cash. While one approached Jeffrey and ordered him to the vault, the other had made his way round into the manager's effice, and, discovering that it was unoccupied, hurriedly tackled Miss Mason and Hawthorne. The latter, when told to "stick them up," showed some hess- tation, and immediately he felt the nose of the revolver against his side. With the three out of the way, and the vault locked, the two bandits ransacked the teller's cage and grabbed all the loose bills that were available. As they left they took care to lock the bank door. Released by Manager. Entering the premises at 3.25, H. A. Ballard, the manager, who had been at the village post office, on finding what had taken place, quickly opened the vault door, and released Jeffrey, Haw- thorne, and Miss Mason, who related the affair to him in detail. The city police and Scarboro Police Department were immediately notified, and Chief Harry Smith, accompanied by Sergeant Thomas Draycott and Constable McLel land, were quickly on the scene, along with Detectives Hicks and Mellrath from Toronto. Manager Ballard told the police that on his way from the postoffice he had been stopped by the occupants of a car answering the description of that figuring in the hold-up, and was questioned as to the way to Toronto. The men, who said that they had come from North Bay, were directed to take the Lansing Road. Third Man In Car. According to a driver named Patte son employed by the Brandon Bread Company, who noticed the blue sedan outside the bank, a third man remained at the wheel, a description of whom, however, was not secured. Shown a number of photographs by the police. Ballard showed some hesitation in recognizing that of Pat Norton, wanted in connection with a bank robbery at Melbourne, as being one of the two men who stopped him, but saw resemblance, while Miss Mason positively identified the other as being Bunny Lass, also sought by the police. While Jeffrey and Miss Mason were brought down to detective headquarters at Toronto, Manager Ballard remained at Agincourt and for some hours was closeted with several officials from the head office of the bank at Toronto, discussing the affair.

On Job Only Ten Days. The teller had been at the branch for only ten days, and came there from Belmont. Miss Mason, the ledger- keeper, is the 19-year-old daughter of Henry Mason, a well-known Agincourt farmer. This is the second occasion on which the branch has been the scene of at hold-up. The first took place on May 20, 1919, when two men, later identfied as F. J. Putwain and Harold L Boyes, attempted to rob the teller.

The manager at that time was R. T. Laing. and he immediately opened fire on the thugs, and as the result of which Putwain and Boyes were both riddled with bullets. Putwain was captured and sentenced to serve two years for the affair, while Boyes died from the wounds he had received.

One of the two men who figured in today's hold-up is described as being about 25 years of age, about 5 feet 7 inches in height, with full face, clean shaven, of heavy build, and wearing a blue suit and brown felt hat, while his companion is said to be about the same age, not quite as tall, of heavy build, and wearing a blue suit and grey felt.