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justinspoliticalcorner · 5 months

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Mike Hixenbaugh at NBC News:

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The audience of about 1,500 people waved small American flags and chanted “USA! USA! USA!” as television cameras began filming last Friday inside a Regent University ballroom. Many in the crowd wore red “Make America Great Again” hats. Some carried Bibles. They had paid $60 each to attend a live taping of “FlashPoint,” a national TV program that’s won loyal viewers with a unique blend of pro-Trump political commentary and prophetic messages about God’s divine plans for America.

Over the next three hours, the audience heard the same overarching message that “FlashPoint” broadcasts three times a week on the Victory Channel television network and various streaming platforms: The world has entered its final years. Jesus will soon return. But Christians are not meant to wait idly while evil runs rampant; they are called to occupy positions of power and influence in society. And in the short term, that means putting Donald Trump back in the White House. “I watch to get the truth,” said one “FlashPoint” attendee, who described a “supernatural” rush of clarity the first time she found the show while flipping channels two years ago. “This is the only news show where you hear what Jesus thinks,” said another attendee, a mother of three school-aged children who’d driven four hours from central North Carolina for the taping.

Launched in 2020 and hosted by pastor Gene Bailey, “FlashPoint” at times looks and sounds like other right-wing cable programs. But unlike Fox News hosts, the rotating panel of conservative pastors and commentators on “FlashPoint” pepper their political analysis with messages that they say come directly from God. Viewers hear regularly from Lance Wallnau, a self-described prophet known for popularizing the Seven Mountains Mandate, a philosophy increasingly embraced on the right that says Christians are called to claim positions of power atop seven key “mountains” of society, including government, education, business and media. “FlashPoint,” which presents itself as an alternative to mainstream news, embodies that strategy. In a January broadcast, pastor Hank Kunneman, another “FlashPoint” mainstay, said the Lord told him that 2024 would be a year of “divine reckoning” and “vengeance against the wicked.” In the months since, the show has portrayed the presidential election as a spiritual clash while depicting Trump as a flawed leader — like a modern King David — who’s been anointed by God to save the nation.

The show draws a monthly cable TV audience of roughly 11,000 households, according to Comscore data, while clips of the program reach hundreds of thousands more viewers online. With a rabid following, it has “become incredibly popular and even gravitational” on the Christian right, said Matthew Taylor, a senior scholar at the nonprofit Institute for Islamic, Christian, and Jewish Studies in Maryland. Trump is one of several prominent Republicans who have appeared as guests on “FlashPoint,” including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Charlie Kirk of Turning Point USA. The program fits into a growing evangelical movement that calls on followers to “think of themselves as soldiers in a cosmic conflict,” said Bradley Onishi, a former megachurch pastor and author of “Preparing for War,” which documents the history and rise of Christian nationalism in America. To “FlashPoint” loyalists, political debates are no longer just about who wins the next election, Onishi said; they are about the fate of eternity.

“When you explain it that way to folks,” he said, “you’re able to prime them, not only for action, but I think for extreme measures.” Trump has embraced elements of this framing, warning in speeches that the left wants “to tear down crosses” and promising that his return to office would restore Christian power. He also has promised to eliminate the Johnson Amendment, a rarely enforced federal law that prohibits nonprofit foundations and religious organizations — including the one that operates the Victory Channel — from endorsing political candidates. White evangelical Protestants remain among Trump’s most loyal voting blocs, with more than 80% planning or leaning toward voting for him in November, a recent Pew Research survey found. Hoping to push that number even higher, “FlashPoint” has called on pastors to start preaching a pro-Trump message on Sunday mornings.

Bailey, the “FlashPoint” host, did not respond to messages requesting an interview. Rick Green, a regular “FlashPoint” panelist, is the founder of Patriot Academy, a Texas nonprofit that teaches courses about what it calls the nation’s explicit Christian origins — an idea disputed by historians. He told NBC News that he believes many critics of the show’s mixing of religion and politics are ignorant “about the founding principles of America.” Others, Green said, harbor “hatred and intolerance of differing views.” “You get more truth from ‘FlashPoint’ than any news program in the nation,” Green said.

To rally the show’s most loyal fans, known as the FlashPoint Army, the Fort Worth, Texas-based Victory Channel, a Christian network run by the nonprofit Kenneth Copeland Ministries, has hosted tapings across the nation as part of its Rescue America Tour. The live programs, even more than the regular broadcasts, take on the feel of a Christian revival service.

NBC News reports on the Christian Nationalist propaganda program FlashPoint that airs on The Victory Channel, which is run by Kenneth Copeland Ministries and hosted by Gene Bailey.

A typical episode of FlashPoint features prophecy and news from a Christian Nationalist pro-Trump perspective.

See Also:

Raw Story: Trump presented as God's anointed leader by popular right-wing Christian TV program FlashPoint

#The Victory Channel #FlashPoint #FlashPoint Live!#Seven Mountains Dominionism #Christian Nationalism #Conservative Media Apparatus #Gene Bailey #Lance Wallnau #Hank Kunneman #Rick Green #Kenneth Copeland Ministries

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thewintersoldierdisaster · 9 months

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a/n: a little festive mat fic! written fairly quickly and minimally edited, but i wanted to get something out for the holiday! not too much more to say except i hope you guys all have a wonderful holiday and i’ll be quiet for the rest of the year, writing and stockpiling fics lol

word count: 4.8k

tw: a little innuendo, nothing crazy

summary: after spending the day hanging out with the team, you have some news for mat

“The snow was a nice touch,” you grin at Holly Horvat. A light dusting of snow is falling outside, the grass in the Horvats’ backyard already white.

Holly laughs, “oh, you know me. I have a connect to make sure even the weather is perfect for our events.” She pours M&Ms into a few small ramekins that are going to be placed around the kitchen island and dining room table where the kids will be decorating gingerbread houses.

The house is bustling with people and noise and you can’t help but love it. You miss having huge family gatherings, ever since your parents moved off Long Island and down south. The rest of your family is scattered to the winds, so it’s nice to be folded into the big team family get togethers. Joining a group of women who love any excuse to throw a party has been one of the biggest benefits from your relationship with Mat.

Half a dozen kids run past you - you spot the Bailey boys and Brock’s two oldest kids in the group as they blur by - holding jackets and their sneakers. “Mini sticks is getting moved outside,” Noah grins as he breezes past you, swiping a handful of M&Ms from the little bowl.

“Stay warm,” you tease, watching him follow the kids out the back door. A parade of adult men follow him - Wahlly, Casey, Josh, Brock, and finally Mat, who stops to give your waist a little squeeze.

“Kiss for luck?” He asks, puckering his lips at you in a dramatic duck face. You giggle and plant one on him, pulling back before he can slip his tongue past your lips.

Mat leans slightly against you, his face a little flushed already from the twenty minutes of mini sticks that’s been going on in the basement. “What do you need luck for?” You ask, carding your fingers through his hair.

“Jacky’s got a wicked wrister,” Mat grins, referring to Casey’s oldest, “and no idea how to aim. Do you know how many pucks to the head I’ve dodged?”

A snort of laughter makes Mat’s lips turn down in a frown. “Oh, I guess you just don’t care about my health,” he sighs dramatically, pulling away from your side. “It’s fine. I’ll take a slap shot to the head and then you’ll see how much you miss my charming personality.”

“Dramatics,” you murmur affectionately, hooking your fingers in his belt loops. “He’s five and you guys use a Nerf ball. I think you’ll live.”

“Maaaat!” Jack comes barreling through the room and crashes into your fiancé’s legs. “C’mon! Everybody’s outside.” The little boy looks adorable in his puffer coat, a little beanie pulled haphazardly over his blonde hair. He wrinkles his face up at Mat in an impatient frown and you can’t help but egg him on.

“Yeah, Mat,” you prod him in the side, looking innocent, “everyone’s outside already.”

He rolls his eyes at you, but grins down at Jack and swoops him into his arms, making Jack shriek with laughter. You prop your chin in the palm of your hand and watch Mat tickle Jack’s belly while he carries him outside. Jack’s little sneakered feet are kicking in the air, narrowly avoiding Mat’s head.

“He’s really good with the kids,” Kristy Cizikas comments, coming into the kitchen with baby Cole propped on her hip.

You scrunch up your face at Cole to make him laugh, “it’s because he’s a big kid himself, right Coley? Huh? Is Matty a big kid?” You giggle at your own baby talk and warmth blooms in your chest when you’re rewarded with a gummy baby smile. “Ooh, you make cute babies,” you tell Kristy.

She shakes her head affectionately, “I swear, they’re all Casey. It’s like my genes didn’t even try.”

“Hey, in like six months you and Mat can start catching up to the rest of us,” Sydney Martin teases, easily passing Alice to you when you reach out for the one-year-old. Alice immediately grabs a chunk of your hair and you wince, untangling chubby fingers from the strands.

You hum noncommittally as you work. “We’ll see what happens,” you shrug. “Might be nice to just be the two of us for a bit.”

“But don’t you want that all the time?” Syd laughs, gesturing to you now that Alice’s fingers are hooked in your mouth. You pretend to nibble on them, making her shriek with laughter. She finishes helping Holly set out the candy, knowing the rest of the kids will start wandering their way into the kitchen.

“One day, definitely,” you nod, settling Alice more securely on your lap, one arm looped around her stomach. The little girl slaps her palms happily on the countertop and you giggle, resting your chin on her head. “No rush though.”

As you settle at the table with the kids, the other guys trail in and out of the backyard, the noise of mini sticks floating inside.

You get to be in charge of Alice during decorating, sitting in between Syd with Winnie and Ashlee with Luca while the kids decorate their pre-made houses. You squirt a line of frosting onto the roof and Alice uses her little pincer grip to place M&Ms on the line. “Oh, good job,” you tell her in a bright, encouraging voice. She rewards you with a half melted piece of candy smushed against your cheek.

“Mommy,” Winnie’s little voice pipes up, “Ali’s makin’ a mess.”

“So are you, Win,” Sydney laughs, wiping up a smudge of frosting off of Winnie’s sweater. “Everyone is going to make a little bit of a mess and that’s okay.”

From your spot at the island, you can see right out the back door and you watch the mini sticks tournament that’s happening. Kids versus adults and honestly, it looks like the adults are having a rough go of it. Mat’s on the ground, a pile of children fighting him. Whally has Cal’s oldest on his shoulders and you honestly wonder how that ended up happening. Sticks have been discarded and the Nerf pucks are strewn around. You watch Casey pull Jack out of the pile on top of Mat, his little arms and legs kicking. From the ground, Mat jokingly sticks his tongue out at Jack and you shake your head. Of course he has beef with a five-year-old.

Bo and Gunnar join the fun outside and Mat slaps the little boy’s hand in a high-five. Your stomach swoops a little. It’s always such a turn-on when Mat interacts with kids, but it’s a little different now.

Alice pats your hand and grumbles a little. “Whoops, sorry, Al,” you squeeze more frosting onto the house for her to decorate.

“Distracted?” Ashlee asks, pulling Luca’s frosting covered hand away from his hair. She wipes his fingers off with a napkin and gives him a pretzel to stick onto his little house. She pops another pretzel into her own mouth.

You hum. “Just making sure he’s not being totally steamrolled by a pack of kids,” you laugh lightly. While Alice works on the roof of her house, you put a few Starburts in place to act as a little pathway going to the door.

In the backyard, Mat stands up, Mack and Wyatt Bailey hanging from each arm. He shakes them gently and you can see both boys’ heads fall back with wild laughter. Meg looks up from where she’s helping Blake with a pattern of Smarties on her roof. “Honestly, if he wasn’t busy with, you know, his actual job,” she laughs, “I’d hire him as a babysitter. The kids loved when he lived with us.”

The entire kitchen of women laugh when the back door slides open and Mat steps back inside, shaking melted snow from his short hair. He stops and looks up, scanning the room full of laughing women. “What?” He asks, eyebrows drawn together. “I interrupt something? Want me to leave so you ladies can keep talking about me?” He laughs brightly, flashing his teeth.

“You can stay,” you offer generously, tilting your head up as he passes for a kiss. Mat’s hand is freezing when it cups your jaw and you flinch a little. He mumbles a ‘sorry’ against your lips before kissing them. When he pulls away, to a soundtrack of ‘awww’s from the women and a joking ‘get a room’ from Sydney, you continue, “but you have to take orders from toddlers, if you do.”

“Like I’m not already doing that,” he laughs, swiping a thumb over your cheekbone and sucking it into his mouth. “Frosting,” he explains, smirking. Your cheeks flush.

Winnie stands up on her chair and leans into you, poking at your cheek with her fingers. “Red, I wanna be red!” She bounces a little and looks over at Mat who scrunches up his whole face at her and tickles her sides, making her shriek with laughter and flop back into Sydney’s arms.

Sydney laughs and tickles Winnie’s side, “girlfriend, you’re collecting boyfriends around here like they’re Pokémon cards.”

Satisfied by the chaos he caused, Mat backs into the hallway, explaining, “I was sent to get more jackets and gloves and sh-stuff,” he course-corrects before letting the curse slip. “It’s freezing out there.”

He’s gone, rummaging through the massive hall closet, before reappearing wearing his own coat and holding an armful of the other guys’ outerwear.

“Who’s winning?” Holly teases, while you all watch Mat struggle to pull a beanie on without dropping anything. He fails spectacularly and gives up when he realizes that everything’s slowly falling to the floor.

Mat scoffs. “The kids, obviously. They’re unhinged,” he grins widely and you can tell he’s having a blast. There’s a chorus of his name being shouted from outside and Mat scoops up the dropped outerwear before dashing off to rejoin the fun.

Sydney leans in and nudges your side gently. “He’s going to be a great dad,” she whispers, smiling knowingly.

You chew at the inside of your cheek and manage a barely convincing smile. “One day, definitely,” you reply, holding an Oreo for Alice to chew at.

She shoots you a little side eyed look and you studiously ignore her, focusing on telling Reese Cizikas how great her house looks. Things start to get messy - well, messier - after a while and the kids get antsy until they’re turned loose from the table to run off around the house. While you clean up the candy, the guys come back inside with the older kids and you can’t help but laugh at how the three youngest men, including your fiancé, have kids hanging off of them.

“If you kids let go of the guys,” Holly says warmly, “I’ll pass around some hot chocolate.”

It’s a mad scramble for the kids to abandon Mat, Noah, and Oliver - and they actually look mildly offended when the kids just toss their jackets back at them in their dash for hot chocolate. You take some of the gear from Mat and lean up on your toes to kiss his cheek, “don’t look so sad, you can have another play date with your friends soon.”

“Menace,” Mat grins, reaching around to pinch at your ass.

“I’ll text Kristy,” you giggle, continuing the joke, “Jack can come over and beat you at mini sticks again.”

“I’m gonna toss your phone into the ocean,” Mat deadpans.

You lower your voice and lean closer to him to whisper, “how will I send all those pictures you like?”

“You can keep the phone,” Mat replies immediately and you laugh, tugging at the open edges of his jacket. He pulls you close and you wrap one arm around his waist, his body warm even though his hands and face are cold. You bury your face in his chest and stifle a yawn. Mat’s hand is warming your back where he rubs it up and down your spine. “Still feeling gross after that bug?”

“Not gross,” you tilt your head to look up at him, still cuddled against his chest, “just tired. Haven’t been sleeping well.”

“We can head home, if you want,” Mat offers, but you shake your head again. You like it when the whole group is together and you want to keep enjoying the time with your friends.

You pull back slightly from Mat’s arms, his hands still resting on your back. “I just need a little bit of sugar and I’ll be good to go,” you smile at him. His eyes twinkle before he leans down and plants a smacking, dramatic kiss on your lips.

“Good to go?” He teases when he pulls back.

“Not that kind of sugar,” you giggle, delighted by him always.

“You guys are disgustingly cute,” Ashlee says, breaking into the Mat Barzal bubble that you’ve been enveloped in for the last few minutes. You startle a little and some of the other wives laugh.

“Oh god, she forgot we’re even here,” Sydney shakes her head, an exaggerated frown on her lips.

Meg smirks, “thank god we interrupted them before it went too far.”

Your cheeks are warm from the teasing and Mat just turns on the charm, grinning widely at his teammates’ wives. “It’s all part of the Barzal charm,” he wiggles his eyebrows.

“What charm?” Bo chirps, coming into the kitchen with Tulsa on his hip. “All you’re good at is league mandated iPad time.”

“Don’t forget all the time he spends sitting on his ass on the ice,” Noah grins wickedly.

“Tell us,” Casey asks you, “is it part of his charm when he messes up common sayings?”

You giggle, sucking your lips into your mouth when Mat glares down at you.

“You guys suck,” Mat flips them off, immediately apologizing when he realizes some of the kids are still in the room. “Sorry, Holly, Meg.”

They waive off his apologies, sending him into the den with a tray of snacks for the kids. They’re watching a movie, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer if the familiar music is to be believed, and you know half the dads are also in the den, napping on the couches. Mat disappears for a while too and you leave him to the movie, knowing he’s exhausted. You get to hang out with the girls for a few more hours, interspersed with hugs and drawings from Gunnar and Winnie, before the party starts to break up.

Everyone’s gone slowly and then all at once, and you and Mat are walking the three blocks towards your house. He bumps your hip with his as you walk, his fingers laced with yours. “You coming to the game tomorrow?” He asks, getting a sense of what the week ahead will look like.

“Mhm,” you hum, “I’m going to go with Syd, so I’m not sure if I’ll end up staying the whole game. So make sure you do all the good stuff in the first.”

Mat bumps your hip again and you laugh, the sound echoing in the cold air. “I save all my best stuff for you,” he retorts, unlocking the front door and letting you step inside before him. He winks at you, his entire face scrunching up in his terrible attempt.

You scoff at him and flip the switches to turn on the Christmas lights, bathing the whole house in the warm glow of multi-colored string lights. You sigh happily, loving the over the top decorations you’d insisted on and the way the entire house smells like pine and cinnamon from diffusers and candles left open but unlit. Mat crowds your space and kisses the back of your neck.

“Couch time?” He mumbles against your skin.

“Couch time,” you agree, muffling another yawn.

You race to the bedroom, changing out of your clothes as quick as possible to get into comfy sweats and sweatshirts. Mat tosses a pillow at your face to distract you, but you swat it out of the air, nearly getting your foot stuck in the leg of your sweats.

“You like when I’m a weighted blanket,” Mat says, voice muffled by the sweatshirt he’s pulling over his head. “Why are you racing me to be on top?”

You don’t waste time pulling on your sweatshirt in the room and instead dart back out to the hallway and skip down the stairs, flopping onto the couch in just your sweats, completely topless. Mat’s hot on your heels and grumbles when he sees you yanking the fabric over your head. Smugly, you reply, “I don’t wanna be squished today. I want to use you as a body pillow.”

He submits to his fate and flops down onto the couch, oversized enough that the two of you could lay side by side and be comfortable, and opens his arms for you to crawl onto his chest. The both of you love the soft pressure of the other person laying on top of them so you’ve had to come up with a contest over the course of your relationship - first person on the couch gets to be on top. More often than not, you end up sprawled over Mat since it’s an easy way to transition into couch sex.

Now, you’re so tired you definitely will be keeping all of your clothes on. But you hum happily when you settle on top of him, your knees tucked nicely against either side of his hips, straddling his lap. When you curl up against his chest, your lower back stretches pleasantly and you wiggle a little, wrapping your arms around his torso and tucking your head under his chin. Mat’s arms wrap around you, one hand covering the back of your head so his fingertips can stroke against the shell of your ear.

He pulls the decorative blanket off the back of the couch with his other hand and arranges it over your bodies, making sure his feet stick out on the end so he doesn’t overheat. “You good?” He asks, his jaw bumping against the top of your head when he speaks. You nod against him and close your eyes, settling into his warmth. Mat turns on the TV, flipping it to ESPN before letting his hand rest low on the curve of your back, fingers grazing the top of your ass.

Mat’s heart beats steadily under your cheek and his hand is warm where it rests on your head. Couch time is exactly what you needed today. Your eyelids flutter shut every so often and you must fall asleep for a little nap because the next thing you know, it’s darker outside and Mat is running his thumb over your cheekbone.

“Hey,” he whispers and you lift your head to look at him blearily, momentarily confused.

“Hi,” you mumble sleepily, brushing your nose against his chin. “What time’s it?”

“Just after 4:30,” he replies and now the TV’s playing a rerun of The Office. He chuckles at a joke and rubs his fingertips against your scalp in a little massage. “You’ve been out for like forty-five minutes and I would’ve let you sleep, but I’m starving.”

Your heart skips a beat and you’re fully awake now. “Oh, same,” you say casually, rolling off of Mat and tucking yourself against his side. “I actually would love a piece of that gingerbread house that I ordered.”

“Gingerbread house?” Mat raises an eyebrow. “When’d you get that?”

“It was delivered the other day,” you explain. “I wanted something cute for our first engaged Christmas.”

Mat sits up, taking you with him and you wiggle around so you’re sitting cross-legged on the couch, facing him. “I totally forgot to show it to you,” you shrug, proud of yourself for being so normal. “But why don’t you go take a look and bring me back a piece?”

“Yeah, okay,” Mat shrugs, scratching your scalp once before getting up. “Dessert before dinner usually means eating you out, but gingerbread is cool too.”

He says it so casually that you don’t really process what he says until he’s already in the kitchen. You bounce up on your knees to look at him over the back of the couch, yelping his name when it finally sinks in. He’s laughing as he pulls the new box down from where it’s been sitting on top of the fridge. “Took you long enough,” he laughs, popping the top of the white cardboard. “That nap really must’ve taken it out of you.”

You scowl at him but don’t reply, anxiously waiting to see his reaction to the gingerbread house. He pulls it out of the box and his lips quirk up in a little smile. “It’s cute,” he says, looking at the house, professionally decorated. “Way better than the ones the kids made today.”

A laugh works its way out of your mouth as he studies it, taking in the details. “Huh,” he mutters, more to himself than anything else, “three people. Must’ve read your order wrong, Squeaks.”

“Oh?” You breathe. “There were supposed to be me and you…” You trail off.

“Yeah, they’re here,” Mat reads the little names iced onto the gingerbread people. “There’s you and Mat and…” he falters, squinting at the third figure, bringing it closer to his face, “Baby B?”

He looks over at you, forehead creased and eyebrows drawn together over his nose. “Baby B?” He repeats the question and you smile carefully at him, hand sliding across the back of the couch so your fingertips rest on your stomach.

“Baby B,” you confirm shakily. Tears well at your lower lash line and you watch Mat for his reaction.

He blinks at you, eyes darting between your face, your stomach, and the gingerbread figure held in his hand. “Wait? Seriously?” He sounds dazed and you can’t blame him. You were freaked out when you took the test a week and a half ago. It’s been the hardest secret you’ve ever had to keep. “You’re…there’s a baby?” His eyes are wide and his jaw hangs open a little.

You nod. “It’s, um, been hanging out for like six-ish, seven weeks,” you whisper, flattening your hand over your stomach. Mat’s eyes track your movement and he exhales a shaky breath.

Mat breathes your name and crosses the room in a few large strides. He cups your cheeks in his hands and studies your face, wiping at the tears that drip from your eyes. “Hey, c’mon, why’re you crying?” He asks, panic edging his tone.

“I know it’s earlier than we planned,” you shrug, “I’m going to be insanely pregnant at the wedding. We won’t get to be, like, newlyweds at all and the honeymoon’s going to have to change or be cancelled altogether.” You ramble on, all of your stress releasing in run-on sentences. You already love the baby, but getting pregnant before the wedding definitely wasn’t the plan.

Mat chuckles a little and you realize it sounds a little watery, like he’s trying to hold back his own emotion. “We’ll figure it out,” he says gently, squatting down so he’s closer to your eye level. “I’m gonna be a dad?”

“Yeah,” you confirm again. “Are you freaking out? Because I’m freaking out.”

“I’m definitely freaking out,” Mat confirms on a hysterical little laugh. His fingers tremble a little against your cheeks. “But it’s a good thing, right? Like, we’re gonna make the coolest babies.”

You nod. “They’re going to have amazing hair,” you giggle wetly.

Mat leans forward to kiss you softly, tasting the tears on your lips. When he pulls back, he rests his forehead against yours, quietly breathing with you. “That, uh, wasn’t a stomach bug last week, was it?”

“No,” you shake your head against his. “I’ve had some pretty aggressive mid-morning sickness this past week.”

“How the hell did I miss that?” He asks and it’s mostly rhetorical because Mat is not the most observant of men on a good day, let alone during a week and a half period where they’re playing a game every other day.

You lean back and tap at your stomach with your fingers, “baby’s already pretty good about not inconveniencing you. It was bad after you’d already left for practice.”

“I kind of can’t believe our baby’s in there,” Mat says, looking down at your stomach. His hands fall to the back of the couch and his fingers twitch, like he wants to reach out and touch you, but he doesn’t.

“Me either,” you admit. “And I’ve had a week to get used to the idea.”

“Shit, Squeaks,” he shakes his head again, a little smile playing on his lips, “a baby. We’re gonna be in charge of a real baby.”

Your answering laugh is a little hysterical. You’re obviously not the first of your friends to have a baby, but it feels insane that you’re here, especially before the wedding. Your parents are going to be so annoyed. “Good thing we have friends who know what they’re doing,” you murmur, covering Mat’s hands with yours and lacing your fingers together. You look at your joined fingers and your heart lurches in your chest. Quietly, you ask him, “we’re going to be good at this, right?”

“Hell if I know,” Mat admits. You frown at him - that was less than reassuring, but at least he’s honest. He jolts a little, his eyebrows lifting into his hairline, and you cock your head at him in a silent question. “I realized,” he says, a little sheepishly, “that I never said I was happy about this, but I am. I’m excited, scared as shit, but excited.”

“Me too,” you let loose a relieved laugh. You hadn’t realized how much you needed to hear Mat say he was happy about the baby. It’s been a weight on your shoulders ever since that positive pink line appeared on the test. “Um, there is one thing you could do for me right now though.”

Mat perks up and nods, “yeah, whatever you need, babe. You’re going to be so sick of me and how attentive I’ll be.”

You have no doubt about that, but for now - “can you get me a piece of that gingerbread? I’ve been craving it since the stupid thing was delivered yesterday.”

Mat laughs and stands up to retrieve the cookie, much to your delight. It’s been taunting you for more than twenty-four hours now and you nibble at the gingerbread version of yourself happily. Mat flops down onto the couch next to you and you tuck yourself up against his side. His hand absently runs up and down your arm, his eyes focused in the direction of the TV, but not actually paying attention.

You’re quiet at his side, knowing he needs to process the news. You were lucky in that you were alone when you found out so you could freak out without Mat seeing just how scared you were. Now that it’s been a week of knowing and Mat’s reaction wasn’t a total meltdown, you can relax a little, even start to get excited about having a little summer baby. Mat will get to spend time with you and the baby since you’re due in late August, by your admittedly shaky math.

Subconsciously, Mat’s hand wanders down your side, splaying on your waist, fingers stretching to cover part of your stomach. He rubs his thumb against your ribs and a little huff of disbelief leaves his throat. “Too bad you’re not due before the wedding,” he says, looking down at you with a little smile, “she could’ve been in the wedding, like Gracie at Bearsy’s wedding.”

Your throat clogs with emotion, thinking of your baby being at the wedding, and you bury your face in Mat’s side so he can’t see how tears well up in your eyes again. “You can’t say cute shit like that to me right now,” you mumble, “my hormones are in overdrive.”

Mat pulls you onto his lap so you’re straddling his thighs. He kisses the corner of your mouth and you sigh, resting your arms on his shoulders. “Let me know when I can start saying cute shit,” his grin is shit-eating, “because I just realized that there’s a chance we could put the baby in the Cup this summer.”

“Gotta win it first,” you counter, teasing him. He rolls his eyes and lets his hands drift over your stomach, broad palms covering the expanse of the still flat area.

“Got a new motivation now,” Mat replies and even though he still looks stunned, you can see how excited he’s getting about the baby.

You look down at where his hands cover your stomach and it’s all too easy to picture his hands holding a newborn baby with his eyes and your nose, a little shock of Mat’s dark hair on its head.

You can’t wait.

#mat barzal #mat barzal x reader #mat barzal x you #mat barzal fic #mat barzal imagine #nhl fic

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mandarinmoons · 7 months

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Hi! I thought of a request I thought would be cute 🥰

Spencer and female reader have a toddler daughter who’s just learning to talk. She says mama for the first time while with Spencer and dada for the first time with reader and they’re both so excited that she said the others name but also trying to hide it so the other isn’t disappointed they missed it

(In my head they’re both in the bau but that probably doesn’t matter)

(Hope this makes sense!)

It is cute x

Ever since Bailey was born you decided to take some time off from the BAU so you could give your full attention to your sweet girl. Spencer was adamant about being the one to take care of her, but knowing you it would be a waste to put up a fight.

As the time passes Bailey keeps on growing and so do the smiles on yours and Spencer’s faces. Her looks were starting to come through and it was no doubt that she had inherited Spencer’s genes, her eyes were just as puppy dog-like as her dad’s and she also had small curly bits of hair at the sides of her face, it was the most precious thing.

Walking was already established, both you and Spencer told each other stories of how Bailey would run into each of yours arms whenever either of you would have some alone time with her. In fact, there were some other things both of you had experienced.

One morning when making breakfast you heard Bailey making her usual little sounds. You looked over at her and saw the sparkle in her little brown eyes and chuckled. You finished making her porridge and walked over to her.

“Okay baby… oh, wait, forgot your spoon,” as soon as you turned your back you heard Bailey speak again, except this time an actual word came out of her mouth.

“Dadda.”

Your eyes went big and you turned around quickly and looked at your daughter.

“What did you say?”

“Dadda!”

A tear pricked to your eyes and a wide grin spread across your face, your baby just said her first word.

“Oh my god Bailey! Do you miss your daddy?”

“Dadda! Dadda!

You giggled at Bailey’s cheering and ruffled her hair, “Don’t worry baby, daddy will be home soon enough.”

The day goes on and soon enough Spencer is home.

“Hey there daddy.”

Spencer chuckled and walked over to his girls, he gave you a kiss and took Bailey into his arms.

“You’re never going to believe what happened today.”

“Oh yeah? What happened?”

“Bailey said her first word!”

Spencer’s eyes went big and looked over at his daughter, “Really?”

“Mhm, and you know what the word was?”

“Hmm, what was it? Huh Bailey, what did you say?”

“Momma!”

Hearing the word that came out of the little girl’s mouth made your jaw drop, that was not the same word that you had heard earlier today.

“Wait what, Bailey you said “dadda” earlier.”

“She did?”

You nodded and chuckled, “I didn’t know she could say that.”

“Well uh… I did.”

“What?”

“Well, remember last week when you went out to the store, yeah Bailey said it as soon as you left.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?!”

“I wanted to, believe me! But we got caught up watching cartoons and I sort of uh, forgot.”

“And I thought you were one to never forget things.”

Spencer chuckled and sat down next to you with Bailey on his lap, “I’m sorry honey, but good thing is that we were her first words.”

“Yeah I guess, still I wish I would’ve been there to hear it.”

“And I wish I could’ve been here when she said “daddy” for the first time.”

“Dadda!”

Both you and Spencer looked at each other and laughed, “Well may not have been the first time, but it’s one of the first.”

Taglist: @radioactiveinvisible @whoisspence @sreidisms @lanascinnamongirls @luvkatryna @spencelle @iluvreid @khxna

If you want to be a part of my taglist go here!

You can find my masterlist here!

My requests are open so feel free to send one in! (SFW only)

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socialjusticeinamerica · 5 months

Text

🤦🏾🤦🏼🤦🏽

Excerpts:

“Launched in 2020 and hosted by pastor Gene Bailey, “FlashPoint” at times looks and sounds like other right-wing cable programs. But unlike Fox News hosts, the rotating panel of conservative pastors and commentators on “FlashPoint” pepper their political analysis with messages that they say come directly from God.”

“Viewers hear regularly from Lance Wallnau, a self-described prophet known for popularizing the Seven Mountains Mandate, a philosophy increasingly embraced on the right that says Christians are called to claim positions of power atop seven key “mountains” of society, including government, education, business and media. “FlashPoint,” which presents itself as an alternative to mainstream news, embodies that strategy.”

“In a January broadcast, pastor Hank Kunneman, another “FlashPoint” mainstay, said the Lord told him that 2024 would be a year of “divine reckoning” and “vengeance against the wicked.” In the months since, the show has portrayed the presidential election as a spiritual clash while depicting Trump as a flawed leader — like a modern King David — who’s been anointed by God to save the nation.”

“Trump has embraced elements of this framing, warning in speeches that the left wants “to tear down crosses” and promising that his return to office would restore Christian power. He also has promised to eliminate the Johnson Amendment, a rarely enforced federal law that prohibits nonprofit foundations and religious organizations — including the one that operates the Victory Channel — from endorsing political candidates.

“White evangelical Protestants remain among Trump’s most loyal voting blocs, with more than 80% planning or leaning toward voting for him in November, a recent Pew Research survey found. Hoping to push that number even higher, “FlashPoint” has called on pastors to start preaching a pro-Trump message on Sunday mornings.

Bailey, the “FlashPoint” host, did not respond to messages requesting an interview.

Rick Green, a regular “FlashPoint” panelist, is the founder of Patriot Academy, a Texas nonprofit that teaches courses about what it calls the nation’s explicit Christian origins — an idea disputed by historians. He told NBC News that he believes many critics of the show’s mixing of religion and politics are ignorant “about the founding principles of America.” Others, Green said, harbor “hatred and intolerance of differing views.”

“This seamless weaving of immersive religious expressions, apocalyptic preaching and right-wing political organizing worries some religion and extremism experts, including Onishi, who pointed to the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol as evidence of what can happen when people come to believe a candidate has been chosen by God. There’s long been a strain of American evangelicalism that portrays current events as signs of the coming apocalypse. But tying the fate of humanity to a particular candidate is “something new and novel in modern U.S. history,” Onishi said.”

#Christian nationalism #fake christians #evangelical charlatans #evangelical assholes #snake oil salesmen #Republican propaganda #scary shit #never trump #republican assholes #maga morons

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waywardxwords · 11 months

Text

The Fix - Part 7

Summary: Everyone has a past, but yours seemed to haunt you. You've tried to move forward with a normal life, but the day comes when that's not possible anymore. When Sheriff Beau Arlen enters your life, you're certain he is going to judge you just like everyone else in town does. But something about Beau is different.

Warnings: Fluff, some slight angst

Word Count: ~2.4k

Quick A/N: I truly can't remember how old Emily Arlen is...so I made her how old I felt like she needed to be in this story, lol.

The fire had roared to life by now, with you and Beau settled on two camping chairs positioned so close together, there was an overlap. There hadn’t been too many words spoken yet, but his hand held yours reassuringly in his lap as your eyes watched the flames and your bodies absorbed the warmth. The trailer door was left ajar, just in case Bailey woke up and called for you.

Your eyes wandered to his profile and you couldn’t help but stare. “Starin’ ain’t polite, darlin’,” he drawled with a tired smile. His head turned to look at you–his eyes almost lazy at this point.

“Sorry,” your cheeks reddened once you had been caught. “I just couldn’t help myself.”

His eyes wandered over you for a moment before he turned back towards the fire. “Ya know, they say that relationships that start under intense circumstances never last,” a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.

A laugh bubbled up your throat. “Keanu Reeves’s character said that in Speed,” you caught the reference instantly. Beau chuckled as he looked back to the fire. “And ‘relationship’, Sheriff? You trying to tell me something?” You couldn’t help but tease.

In the glow of the flame you saw red hues travel up Beau’s neck under his scruff and into his cheekbones. “Alright, alright,” he poked at your side. “What’s on your mind?” He addressed the staring.

There was a pause as you mused on the words you wanted to say. “It’s this weird feeling,” you started. “I feel like I know you after all we’ve been through, but I really know nothing about you at all.”

Beau’s gaze watched the flames in the fire pit. “What would you like to know?” His voice was soft, almost hesitant.

“Well, for starters…why Big Sky? Everything about you screams ‘Texas’, I’m curious what brought you to Montana,” you nibbled on your bottom lip as you watched his side profile thoughtfully. He took a breath but turned his face to look back at you.

“My, uh,” he stumbled over the words and you realized it was the first time you heard him stumble at all. “My ex-wife moved here with my daughter. She’d remarried, and I wanted to be close to my kid.”

“Tell me about her,” you murmured as the fire popped in the background.

A smile pulled at his lips. “Emily…she’s 18,” he shook his head like it was hard to believe. “She’s the greatest. She’s so smart, and she’s funny,” there was almost a twinkle in his eye you could see in the glow of the fire as he spoke. “I just wanted to be close to her again.”

“That’s great,” you spoke softly. “I’m sure she loves having you close.”

“Yeah, well, some shit went down a while back,” he sighed, not sure he was ready to elaborate just yet. “Her Mom moved back to Houston, and she decided to go with her for now.” His gaze dropped to his lap where he still held your hand. You gave it a little squeeze.

“I’m sorry,” you said genuinely. “You thinkin’ about heading back to Houston?”

“Nah,” he sighed but managed a small smile as he looked back at you. “I left Houston in the rear view for a few reasons…” his words trailed again, and you realized Beau may not be ready to share much more. “I’ve grown to really like it here. And we tend to meet in the middle on weekends, or she’ll come up here and spend some time. She was workin’ for a PI here in Big Sky before they left. She always says she might come back to keep that up.”

“Investigative work must be in the Arlen genes,” you smirked.

“I guess so,” he matched your smile as his eyes moved over your face. “We should get some sleep. We both need some rest.” You weren’t thrilled that Beau’s history and learning about him was already over, but at the same time—you had no idea how your eyelids were still open. Every part of your body was purely exhausted.

“Yeah,” you sighed and stood from the camping chair. Beau stood next to you and worked to extinguish the flame. “Thank you, again, for letting us crash here.”

“It’s no trouble, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way,” he smiled up at you as he took your hand back in his once more. His hands were much larger than yours, and you enjoyed the way they fit together—almost like a puzzle piece.

You followed him up the steps to the trailer’s door. Once inside, he locked the door behind him.

“Well…” your voice trailed off. “Good night.” You felt awkward all of a sudden, and not sure what to do, so retreating to the back room where Bailey slept felt like the best option.

“Wait,” he stopped you. Your heart skipped a beat as you turned back to him. “You don’t have anything to sleep in. Let me grab you some fresh clothes. If you wanna shower, you can.” As much as you knew you needed a shower, you didn’t want to leave Bailey alone to wake up in a strange place with a man she didn’t know.

“I’ll take you up on the clothes, but I think I’ll just shower when we go home tomorrow,” you tucked a strand of hair that had fallen back behind your ear. “Thank you, though.”

He nodded and went to the bedroom to the dresser to grab a shirt and plaid pajama pants. As he returned, you met him in the hall.

“Thanks,” you whispered with a smile and reached for the clothes. Your hands brushed once more and you couldn’t help but meet his gaze.

A moment passed before he leaned forward and pressed his lips to yours once more in a quick, but simple and sweet, kiss. “Listen, darlin’,” he whispered, so he wouldn’t wake Bailey. “I’m not sure what this is…” he paused as his eyes fell for a moment. “But I’m really glad you’re here.”

That was enough to shake the awkward feeling and replace it with warmth. “I’m really glad, too.”

He hesitated only for a second before he reached to tuck the same fallen strand back behind your ear once more. “Sweet dreams,” he murmured.

“Night, Beau,” you whispered back, as you walked by him and closed the bedroom door.

You slept the best you had in a very long time.

You weren’t sure what time it was, but when you awoke—you felt startled as you tried to remember where you were. But then, you remembered. Beau, the kiss (two, actually) and Bailey…

Your heart thudded in your chest. Bailey wasn’t in bed with you. The fear crept back into your throat. Had you dreamt it all? Was it all in your head?

You scrambled over the sheets and clutched at the pajama pants that nearly fell off of your hips as you moved. The sound of your feet landing on the floor echoed around you as you swung the bedroom door open.

Suddenly, you were met with a sizzling sound and the familiar smell of bacon. Tears pooled in your eyes as you scanned the living area ahead of you—and there she was. Bailey sat at the kitchen table laughing about something.

“Hi, mama!” She smiled at you and returned her attention to the plate of scrambled eggs in front of her. You peered around the corner, shock still rattled your heart in your chest.

“Mornin’,” Beau glanced back at you as he tended to the bacon in the frying pan. He did a double take over his shoulder as he saw the color fall from your face and the emotion in your eyes. “Hey, you alright?” He dropped the spatula and with two long strides, he was in front of you. “What happened? What’s wrong?”

“I-I woke up and…” your eyes moved to Bailey who watched you closely. You quickly swept under your eyes with your fingertips and planted a smile on your face.

“It’s alright, she’s alright, darlin’,” Beau said softly with a firm grip on your shoulders.

“Hey, bug,” you smiled at her. “I’m sorry, I just wasn’t sure where you were.” Your smile met Beau’s eyes and you moved past him to smooth out her hair.

“Sorry, mama. Sheriff Beau is making us breakfast!” She practically squealed with delight as she dug her fork back into her eggs.

“Oh he is, is he?” You smiled back at Beau who had returned to the stove top to flip the bacon. “What time is it?” You ran your hand over your hair and glanced around for a clock.

“Just about quarter to ten,” Beau answered with a nod to the microwave. The green glow said it was 9:42.

“Shit,” you muttered as you scrambled back to find your phone.

“Oooh, Mommy, you said a bad word!” Bailey called after you as you hurried down the hall.

“Sorry, bug,” you called over your shoulder. You missed the sound of Beau’s feet as he followed you.

“What’s wrong?” He asked, genuine concern laced in his tone.

“I should call the school…I mean, I’m sure they know she won’t be in today, but…” you pawed at the sheets to try to find your cell phone, but your movements were halted when you felt Beau’s hand gently graze your waist.

“It’s done, I called this morning,” he said softly. You slowed your movements and turned to look at him, your hand on your forehead as you tried to calm your brain. “Take a breath, darlin’,” his voice was gentle and it matched his eyes.

“I’m sorry, I’m just…” you tried to find the words. “So much has happened and I can’t believe it’s almost ten o’clock in the morning, I don’t remember the last time I slept that late. And you called the school?” The thoughts tumbled out of your mouth without restraint as you sat down on the edge of the bed. Beau smiled as he looked down at you.

“I hope that’s alright. I figured you’d want her close today. She went through a lot,” he said carefully. “Bailey ventured out here just a little while ago. She was hungry, so I decided to make breakfast. I knew you needed to rest, so I wanted to let you sleep. I hope I didn’t overstep.”

You reached for his hand and took it appreciatively in yours. “No, not at all. I’m just…I’m not used to this.”

Beau nodded and gave your hand a squeeze. “We’re figurin’ it out together, alright? I’m here for whatever you need.”

“Thanks, Beau,” you breathed with a smile. He moved his other hand to his pocket to fish out his cell phone, which you realized was vibrating.

“Just a sec,” he glanced at the caller ID before he put the phone to his ear. “Sheriff Arlen,” he answered with a firmer tone. You watched his face as his eyes widened. “Are you kidding me?” He emphasized the word. There was another pause before he quickly made eye contact with you, but just as quickly looked away. “But what about…” he trailed off again as he looked at you, then changed what he had been prepared to ask. “Don’t do anything ‘til I get there, can you at least just wait so we can have a conversation about this?” Your heart picked up speed as it thumped in your chest—something in your gut told you that this was about you; this was about Jackson.

He dropped your hand and took a few steps around the bedroom as he listened to the person on the other line. He kept a slow pace as he walked back and forth, his hand that had just held yours on his forehead.

“We gotta talk about this…you can’t make this kinda decision without thinking about the victims,” Beau’s voice was firm, but you sensed some pleading happening, which didn’t seem very like him. He paused again as he listened. “Alright, I gotta make some calls and then I’m headed to the station. I’ll be calling you back.”

As he hung up, panic had taken over—although panic had been a common theme over the last day, so it wasn’t too out of the ordinary. “What was that about?” You couldn’t help the question.

“Work,” Beau sighed as he typed on his cellphone with a sense of urgency.

“Work like, me work? Or other work?” Your teeth found the inside of your lip and nibbled as your heart continued to pound so hard you could hear it in your ears.

Beau was silent as he looked up at you. He stopped typing.

“Beau…” you started carefully, the familiar sensation of tears burning your eyes. “Is it something about Jackson? About me and Bailey?”

He closed his eyes and reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose. “They’re offerin’ him a deal,” he said softly as he awaited your response.

Your breath caught in your throat. “They’re what?”

“I know,” he sighed. “I texted Cassie. I’m gonna have her come out and sit here with you while I go try to figure this out.”

He walked towards the hall and into the kitchen area where Bailey was happily eating her breakfast, including the bacon Beau had just cooked. She had cartoons on the TV in his living room, and didn’t seem phased by your demeanor.

“Beau, they can’t…” you said carefully as your eyes moved over her. It felt like every ounce of fear you had endured had come back tenfold.

“Trust me, I know,” he emphasized with a sigh as he, too, looked over Bailey. “I’m going to try to figure it out. I just need you to stay put and stay calm.”

“Yeah, right, Beau. Like that’s even an option right now,” you were mad; angry, even. Bailey had barely been back for a day.

“I’m not askin’, I’m telling you,” he said firmly, his eyes locked on yours. Even in the midst of everything you had been through with Beau, this was the first time he had spoken so firmly to you.

You didn’t say anything in return. Beau reached for his cowboy hat and placed it on his head.

“I’ll call you when I can. Lock up, and wait for Cassie. She should be here in about fifteen minutes,” and with that, he pulled the door open and stepped outside. Adrenaline coursed through your veins, but you couldn’t do a damn thing about it. All you could do now was wait.

A/N: Eek! I couldn't help myself. The story continues! Lol. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I am still trying to get back on track but *hoping* to get another chapter posted on Saturday.

Thanks for reading, liking, commenting & sharing! I appreciate you <3

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#big sky fanfiction #big sky fan fiction #big sky fanfic #big sky fan fic #big sky ff #beau arlen fanfiction #beau arlen fan fiction #beau arlen fanfic #beau arlen fan fic #beau arlen ff #beau arlen x female reader #beau arlen x ofc #beau arlen x you #beau arlen x reader #beau arlen

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