#I really need him and Santino to get along better during the day

[imwritesometimes]

I really, really, really need positive vibes for Felix rn y'all 😔 poor little dude is chewing himself real bad again and is just really going through it anxiety-wise. I really need the feliway diffusers I got to come fast and actually work & help him omg 🤞🤞🤞

[lilacmoon83]

Lightning in a Bottle

Also on Fanfiction.net and A03

Chapter 30: Crosswinds, Pt 2

Aurora felt the phone buzz in her sock, as she stood out on the deck outside the beach house. She looked around and then pulled it out, reading the text.

"Need to hear from you or the deal is off," she read. It was from her military contact and she looked around nervously. She didn't want to work for them...but if she didn't, then it was quite possible that she would go to jail and never see her son again. For the moment though, she ignored the text and shoved the phone back in her sock, before going back inside. More passengers had arrived by then...including David Nolan and his wife. It was curious. Margaret Nolan was the only non-passenger that seemed clued in on everything and showed up wherever David went. Aurora counted eighteen other passengers arriving, nineteen if one were to include Margaret Nolan, who wasn't on the plane. But she kept coming back to how odd that was. While it was reasonable that some other spouses might know a bit about what was going on with them, those on the plane seemed to keep their loved ones out of this or at arm's length. But David chose to bring her into everything and even hearing Margaret speak, if one didn't know, they might think she was on the plane too. She was as heavily immersed in all of it, as much as her husband and she debated on whether or not to reveal that to her blackmailer.

She knew they would find it interesting, but she liked them. They seemed so close and so in love in a way she had never seen before. She shook her head. Nothing could get in her way of getting her son back.

"Thank you all for coming…" Fiona said, greeting them.

"And why exactly are we here?" Captain Liam Jones asked.

"Yeah...and she's not a passenger, so what's she doing here?" Leroy Miner slurred.

"Are you drunk?" David asked.

"What's it to you, handsome? Why don't you answer my question," Leroy replied.

"She's here, because she's my wife and I want her here," David replied sternly.

"Yeah...so back off and I hope you didn't drive here," Emma said, giving him a warning. He glared at her, as he saw the badge on her hip.

"Relax…I took a cab here, blondie," he said, in a surly tone.

"Okay…I know tensions are high, but we brought you together today to assess our situation," Glinda said.

"Why us?" Bethany asked.

"As you know, the Nolans were integral in helping rescue these passengers from a military black site operation. They were experimented on and with the exception of a couple, most remain unresponsive," Glinda said.

"We also know that when the plane exploded, these ten passengers had the same urge to go to it that we did. They just weren't allowed to come to the hanger since they were in captivity," Regina added.

"We think it's important that we all share our experiences since we know that we are definitely their focal group," she said, as she looked at the Nolans.

"You weren't there...so why are you involved?" Liam asked suspiciously.

"It...it is a derivative of my research that they were using to experiment with the Callings. Against my knowledge," Glinda responded.

"So you say," Liam murmured to himself.

"Well...if we're talking about experiences, then let's talk about the believers. They were waiting outside the courthouse when I made bail, fawning and trying to follow me. It's creepy," Bethany complained.

"I agree...these believers are always standing around the street. Before the plane, I was an entrepreneur and then I came back to nothing. No one will take me seriously now in the business world. It seems these believers are the only ones that don't hate us," Baron Samdi said.

"Well...there's a reporter after you two. Anyone else have the press following them?" Emma asked.

"Oh no...that's just golden boy and his pretty little wifey here that wasn't even on the plane," Leroy replied.

"Excuse me? You think we like being followed around by reporters?" David asked.

"You certainly seem to be in the thick of all of this," Leroy replied.

"My husband is the reason the passengers that were held captive are alive!" Margaret exclaimed.

"She's right," Regina agreed.

"Squabbling is not going to get us anywhere. I want this house to be a sanctuary for all passengers. I have it available until spring. Hopefully, we can help the passengers that were experimented on by then, but I think it's important that we stick together, especially with all the attention on us," Glinda reasoned. Liam looked at David and gave him a head nod, motioning him outside, as they mostly dispersed. David took her hand and followed him out onto the deck.

"Captain…" David said. Liam briefly gave Margaret a look, wondering if he could really talk with her there, but then decided that her husband would tell her whatever he said anyway.

"I don't think we can trust this woman," he said. They exchanged a glance.

"I'll admit, we had our reservations at first, but she's helped us every step of the way," David replied. Margaret nodded.

"He's right...believe me, I thought the same as you at first. But she has helped. She was there with us at the rescue," she said.

"Her research is the reason those passengers are vegetables!" he pointed out.

"This whole thing could just be another extension of the experiment and we're all her lab rats," he added.

"I get your caginess, but I truly don't think she has malicious intent," David said, but Liam didn't look like he believed it.

"You don't understand...you don't have people blaming you for the flight," Liam said.

"The government is all over this and this stuff in the wrong hands…" he said, as he trailed off.

"What stuff?" David asked, but Liam sidestepped him again.

"We can't trust that woman and this whole thing was a waste of time," he hissed, as he stormed off for his car to leave. David and Margaret exchanged another glance, before turning to find Aurora Rose there.

"I...I'm sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop. But he seemed to be getting really agitated there," she mentioned. David let that slide for the moment and decided to ask her some questions.

"When you were held captive...did you ever hear them talk about someone called the Major?" he asked. She thought for a moment.

"I overheard a conversation that Jenkins was having on speakerphone with someone he called Major and he acted like he was afraid of her; like she was really powerful or something. She said that money was no object, because the Holy Grail was priceless," she said, with a shrug.

"I remember that, because it was a weird thing to say. I don't know what the Holy Grail is...but she wants it badly," she added. David's eyes widened and he looked at his wife.

"The Major is a woman...you're sure?" he asked. Aurora nodded and she was surprised when Margaret took her hands.

"Thank you so much...that's very helpful," she said.

"She's right...we really appreciate your help," David replied. Aurora smiled, a real smile, like she hadn't in a long time. She didn't remember the last time that someone had been kind to her or appreciated her. It felt nice. She watched them go and felt the phone buzz in her sock. She took it out and glared at it, before tossing it into the ocean.

~*~

Emma got to the station and dropped Paul's file onto her desk. She looked up and noticed that Killian was walking in the door, which was heralded by clapping. He looked a bit shy at the attention and she smiled, as she gave him a hug.

"Welcome back," she said.

"Thanks," he replied.

"I'm surprised to see you. You know you could have milked this for a few more sick days," she teased.

"I know...but I actually wanted to talk to you," he replied.

"Oh...we'll have to talk later. I'm trying to find a woman. She's the wife of a passenger that didn't show up at the hanger when we got back," she said.

"And before you ask...yes, the Captain signed off on the investigation," she added. He smiled.

"So fill me in," he requested. She hesitated though. She knew they needed to put some distance between them. He was married...and she couldn't have him. But...as usual when it came to him, she caved.

"Her name is Helen Santino. He was an attorney before the plane...and apparently a good one. We're talking serious money. When he disappeared, it looks like she lost everything. Last known address is some crappy apartment in Astoria," she replied.

"Social media?" he asked.

"Yeah...that's the weird part. There's nothing...she's about our age, so it's strange that she doesn't have anything," Emma replied.

"Maybe she wiped it," he suggested.

"You think?" Emma asked. He shrugged.

"If Clorinda Taylor's reaction to her sister Tisbe coming back is anything to go by...then we know some people didn't react well to the plane coming back," he replied. She nodded.

"Everything before that suggests they were happy...so why didn't she show up at the airport?" Emma wondered.

"Maybe there is someone else," he replied, as their eyes met.

"Uh yeah...anyway, I think I'll go check out her place in Astoria," Emma said.

"I'd love to tag along," Killian replied. She was about to protest, but he was really good at this kind of stuff, so she relented and allowed him to follow her to her car.

~*~

David drove them home and out of curiosity, they started listening to Aaron Glover's 828 gate podcast on the way

During the 5 1/2 years that the plane was missing, the flight path, weather patterns, and telemetry have been exhaustively studied. The NTSB took eighteen months and it's full of holes. But I'm not giving up. I'll find the truth.

As they arrived home, David shut it off and they looked at each other.

"Well...he's definitely better than creepy Sidney Glass," Margaret mentioned.

"Yeah...but I'm still not sure we should trust him," David replied.

"There's only about a minute left in this one. Let's finish it," she suggested, as he turned it back on.

"That's about all for this episode, but don't miss next week's installment when we discuss the mysterious Major involved in all this and her quest for the Holy Grail," he said. Their eyes widened and they looked at each other in shock.

"The Holy Grail…" Margaret said.

"Just like Aurora talked about," he replied.

"I guess we need to talk to him, after all," Margaret said, as they got out and headed into the house.

"Hey Dad...can we shoot some hoops?" Henry asked. David smiled and took the ball from him. They would call Mr. Glover later. It had been a long time since Henry felt well enough to play basketball.

"Sure buddy...that sounds great," David said. Margaret watched him go and saw Olive on the couch with her math book.

"How was your day, honey?" she asked.

"Pretty boring...how about you and Dad? Did you find Johanna?" Olive asked. Margaret sighed.

"We did and she was happy to see us at first, until she realized we were there to talk about my mother's death," Margaret said.

"What happened?" Olive asked.

"She told me to leave it alone, stay away from Cora Mills, and then she practically kicked us out of her house," Margaret replied.

"Well, that's majorly weird and suspicious," Olive said.

"It was...and I didn't get a chance to ask Regina to pull my mother's medical files," Margaret replied.

"Well, until you do...we could poke around the Internet for more information," Olive suggested.

"Okay...let's see what we can find. You drive, Internet wiz," Margaret said, as she sat beside her daughter and they began looking.

~*~

A few hours later.

After helping her Mom do some research, Olive left the house with her gear and arrived at the rock climbing studio.

Lance unpacked the gear back in the box of his truck, as Olive approached and he smiled when seeing her.

"Hey Olive," he greeted.

"Hi Lance...thanks for meeting me. I know this is still kind of weird," Olive replied.

"It's not...just so long as your parents know," he reminded her. She nodded.

"They do...and they're fine with me continuing to do rock climbing," she said.

"That's great...so how are they?" he asked. He said they, but Olive knew he meant her mother. She beamed.

"They're great...I mean Mom is her old self. With Dad back, it's like the light inside her turned back on and Dad is way more patient with me than I deserve," Olive said.

"Don't say that...you're not half as bad as you make yourself out to be," he replied.

"Maybe…I think he gets that I'm not a little girl anymore, but he also still treats me like I am...but in a good way that I didn't realize that I missed," Olive confessed. Lance smiled.

"That's wonderful...and that's what a father does, no matter how old you get," he replied. She nodded, as they went inside the rock climbing place. They were unaware, however, that Sidney Glass was across the street in his car, snapping photos of them…

~*~

While shooting some hoops with Henry, David waited to hear back from the podcaster about a meeting. He hadn't agreed to anything yet, but Aaron texted back and agreed to meet for coffee. Margaret told him to go ahead and then pick up dinner on the way home, while she spent some time with Henry. He agreed and kissed her quickly, promising not to be long. He parked and arrived at the coffee shop, looking around in hopes that no one was watching him. He was a bit higher profile lately than he was comfortable with.

"Hey...thanks for meeting me," Aaron said, as he handed him a coffee.

"Thanks…" David said, as they sat at a corner table outside.

"So...you listened, I assume?" Aaron asked.

"Margaret and I listened to a few episodes," he said.

"So, you're agreeing to be interviewed?" Aaron asked.

"Not yet…" David said.

"You have to understand that the passengers...we don't know who we can trust right now. We feel like we all have a target on our backs," he added.

"I get that," Aaron replied.

"But you might be able to earn my trust," David said.

"How?" Aaron asked.

"What do you know about the Holy Grail?" he asked. Aaron looked around.

"Where did you hear that term?" he asked.

"Not important…" David evaded. Aaron sighed.

"I have a source," he said vaguely.

"Can I talk to them?" David asked. Aaron shook his head.

"I can't reveal my source or the information will dry up," Aaron refuted.

"What can you tell me then?" David asked.

"Right after 828 returned, the Senate Intelligence Committee, House Appropriations started having secret meetings in which they earmarked millions to preserve the phantom shiner. It's a fish. Hasn't been seen since the 1940s. So why earmark funds?" Aaron asked.

"To pay for a Clandestine operation," David surmised. Aaron smiled.

"Very good, Professor," he teased.

"But all my source had was a fragment of a conversation he overheard. A senator said, 'It's the Holy Grail.' We have to be the first, or 828 blows up in our face," Aaron said.

"The Holy Grail? You think that's what the Major's looking for?" David asked.

"No, not literally. This isn't Arthurian legend. But it's something big," Aaron said.

"So...you ready to go on the record?" Aaron asked.

"Not quite," David replied.

"But you told me something...so I'll tell you something I know," he added, as Aaron listened with rapt attention.

"The Major is a woman," he revealed.

"You're sure?" Aaron asked. David nodded.

"And we know that it was a military black hawk that she came to Red Hook in, but we'd need someone in intel to trace it further," Aaron said. David thought back to Agent King and though he knew that he blamed him for Vance's death...he could tell that he truly cared about Vance. If he could somehow convince him that it might have been this Major that was responsible for his death, then he might agree to help them.

"If I could talk to Agent King...I might be able to convince him to help. But I need access to him. Do you think your source could make that happen?" David asked.

"It's worth a shot," Aaron replied.

"Good...make it happen and we can see about that interview," David agreed, as they shook hands and parted ways.

~*~

Emma and Killian arrived at the apartment building, which was the last known address for Helen Santino. Emma knocked and when they found no answer, they turned the doorknob, finding it unlocked. Thinking that might mean foul play, they drew their weapons and slowly walked in. They searched, but found no one.

"Clear…" Killian called.

"Clear…" Emma echoed, as they met in the kitchen. They found a carton of milk that had an expiration date that was well past. There was also stuff scattered everywhere, like someone left unexpectedly.

"I do not want to know what's in that carton," Killian joked. She snorted.

"She definitely left in a hurry," Emma said, as they looked through her things.

"She either left in a hurry or was taken," Killian said, as Emma found some documents and photos.

"Yeah...can you continue searching? I'm going to take these to Paul and see if it jogs his memory at all," she said.

"Sure," he agreed, though he was clearly disappointed that she was ditching him. Perhaps it was for the best. They couldn't be together anyway, but that didn't stop him from watching her go with longing...

[asdfghjkl1x1]

Ridiculous Thoughts | Grace

A twister...

That's how fast and convulsed the day could go for a young Grace whenever both her parents were at home. The fights were a fixed show to see.

Luckily, she had found a way to hold on and deal with it, hence why the corner of the kitchen was her favorite spot and the darkest of it. Grace would lift the small tile on the floor, take out a few of her things before sitting down on it, adjust her headphones and watch her parents fight and throw an occasional smile towards them without them noticing, as she imagined impossible things at the tune of Ridiculous Thoughts.  

My mother, the Evil Queen...

My father, King Richard, slayer of evil queens...

Grace observed her parents gestures and somehow they fit the descriptions. Her mother moved her hands elegantly while her face was enraged; her father boasted his voice like the roar of a lion, telling her that he shouldn't be told how to raise his princess properly, while his hands never left his hips and kept a straight stance, defending his territory. With an exercise of imagination, the young ginger could imagine the most beautiful navy blue dress and a silver crown on her mother's head that enhanced effortlessly her features and gestures, and a silver armor on her father as he wore a golden crown on top. She would hold a giggle at that. Such was the habit during these events. At least until she noticed it was 4pm.

The Welsh would stand up and walk carefully behind them, taking her CD player with her, along her usual two albums titled: To the faithful departed, and No Need To Argue. Keeping up with the imaginative exercise as they turned into wishes.

Leaving town and living a good life by myself...

Being able to visit Aunt Rachel...

Writing books...

Sailing the seas with William and discover new lands...

Marrying an Irish... A laugh came out of her lips. I find that hard to happen.

She would smile on her walk with the determination of spending a good time with Claudette, her friend, neighbor, and possibly the town's sweetheart, everyone had a good thing to say about her. Little did they know why she made so much effort on keeping it, since she wouldn't stop risking it with The Morgan Cousins, which was how commonly people in town referred to both Grace and William for being inseparable and... everywhere. While mostly cheery yet well-behaved, they were trouble when they combined with The Ferrara Brothers. Santino and Salvatore Ferrara, two Italian brothers who loved to make pranks and chase girls everywhere, even if half of the time said girls would end up asking Grace's number or address instead. Only exception was when Claudette was around and whose glare made her go from sweetheart to the scariest girl in town.

Claudette, in Grace's perspective, was not a sweetheart but the prettiest girl in town, she always looked forward to spend whatever available time with her whether at school or out of it. The ginger was the only one who really knew about her life home.

It was not too different from hers in the sense of verbal violence, but her extra features would always draw worry from Grace's face whenever they separated until next day. While the ginger's parents fought over who has authority over Grace, who was more competent for it, and the occasional and hurtful why did we have a child? she pretended to ignore. Claudette's mother and eldest sister actions would break in verbal fights that ended up becoming physical on Claudette's body, for the sake of releasing their frustrations. Luckily, the ginger would always find ways to be around key times to overhear the conversations and get the young blonde out in time, usually with the excuse of studying for exams.

While the studying did happen, and they kept their grades up for the sake of being granted permission to be together, other things happened as well...

"Is there anyone you like?" Claudette would ask shyly.

"You?" Grace answered innocently, the blonde punched her arm playfully. "What?"

"I meant romantically"

"Oh, that..." Grace sighed while lying on the grass and looking at the stars.

"No boys? Or... girls?"

The ginger groaned "Fine..." then turned towards Claudette "I might like, uhm... Santino". The blonde laughed loud "Don't laugh at me, I just think I like him"

"Wait, is that why you're doing such an effort to learn Italian?" Grace blushed and Claudette laughed again. "I thought you liked Gretchen or you were at least dating in secret". The ginger's skin getting redder made her gasp and sit "I can't believe it!"

"We didn't exactly date, I just accepted her invitations at the pub"

"You kissed?"

"Wha—? Yeah, sure, in front of Frau Heinrich. I mean, Clo, hello" Grace rolled her eyes. Frau Heinrich —a strict German woman in business, while kind with everyone in town— was the owner of the pub and always vigilant of every kid in town, whenever kids would get in trouble, she would inform their parents, therefore, all parents trusted her, and should have been a good reason for every kid to hate her if it wasn't that she would give them free and delicious desserts if they helped her with anything, or simply behaved and got good grades. Since her two daughters married and moved, leaving her with a not-so-friendly single son who would help her run the place, she missed the role of the spoiling grandmother, something that made her adopt every good child in town unofficially as their grandchildren.

"Well, there are good places to hide and kiss"

"We didn't kiss, and I doubt we ever do it, I think she's now interested in some boy, that guy with the guitar."

"Oh, Bob? I can't blame her. He's very handsome and sings pretty good. Most girls like him."

Grace scoffed "Sure, I would also have girls at my feet if I looked like a Ken doll with a guitar" Claudette laughed.

"Are you jealous of him?"

"What? No. I just don't see what they see in him"

"He is handsome, charming, and plays whatever song you like in a good voice?"

Grace sat as one of her eyebrows went up in Claudette's direction "When he plays The Queen of the Night from Die Zauberflöte in that guitar, we can talk." Then looked at the blonde girl's hair and squinted her eyes at her "I think I don't like blondes anymore" before getting up to leave.

"Oh, c'mon, what about me?" Claudette asked as she held the ginger's hand to stop her. "You said you like me" she gave Grace a cheesy smile.

"Dye your hair?" the blonde pulled her towards her to stop her leaving, making the ginger's head fall on her lap.

"Should I dye it red?"

"They might confuse you with a long lost sister of mine. I don't think I have enough time and patience to deal with your fanboys" Grace smirked "and I don't think you can pull it off" earning a light punch on her stomach from Claudette.

Once it got later during the night, Grace walked Claudette home. Always making an effort to heighten her hearing senses to know when was the right time to arrive. As much as taking her through the window would seem the safest, she always chose the door and spoke first to her mother and sister.

"Send my greetings to your mother, thank you for bringing Claudette home" a blonde lady as old as her own mother said from the table as she checked some papers, without even looking at her. Grace always wondered how was her mother's relationship with this cousin of hers. She tried not to think about it, because it would always end up with her frowning and imagining them telling hate stories about Claudette and herself. As much as the ginger didn't get along with her own mother, she still had a minimal hope for her to change for the better.

Once at the door, Grace and Claudette would look straight to each other's eyes, fear clearly written in them, and as in any other occasion, the blonde would grip on the ginger's shirt, tugging it in her hand, a breath breaking slowly, and as soon as she tried to open her mouth to say something, Grace would simply smile and say "I know."

[just-kit-ink]

All the rest of WFRR characters loll

*deep breath*

//Okay let's do this! I'm only doing characters that were created for the movie/those that had the most screentime.

Part 1/2

Lt. Santino

1: sexuality headcanon: We never really see/hear about a significant other in the film but I'm going to headcanon that he's bisexual but closeted.

2: otp: ? Maybe he has a lover we don't know about who also works at the police station.

3: brotp: Him and Eddie Valiant of course!

4: notp: Him with Jessica or Dolores

5: first headcanon that pops into my head: That he's been a friend of Eddie's since his brother was still alive and on the force. That he doesn't have as much of a prejudice towards toons as his detective buddy does.

6: favorite line from this character: "Marvin Acme...the rabbit CACKED him last night!"

7: one way in which I relate to this character: He has to look away when Doom dips the shoe.

8: thing that gives me second hand embarrassment about this character: That he treats Eddie's drinking problem as an inconvinience instead of an addiction.

9: cinnamon roll or problematic fave?: Complete cinnamon roll, just a very professional one.

Marvin Acme

1: sexuality headcanon: He likes the laaaaddiies

2: otp: Don't know? I always assumed he was already married and if not that at least has a string of messy affairs/seperations with both human and toon women.

3: brotp: I'll bet he was at least on speaking terms with RK Maroon before his death.

4: notp: Him and Jessica Rabbit of any sort, even fake for the cameras.

5: first headcanon that pops into my head: He's pulled the disappearing ink trick with wealthier and scarier people. Some found it amusing, others earned him a black eye.

6: favorite line from this character: "Oh it's a Panic!"

7: one way in which I relate to this character: I love cartoons and I laugh a lot.

8: thing that gives me second hand embarrassment about this character: The fact that he keeps on pestering Eddie with his gags even after Eddie has made it clear that he's not in the mood. Also the Patty-Cake pictures, where he's making all those sounds but you can't see what's happening!

9: cinnamon roll or problematic fave?: A little bit of both. On one hand, he loves what he does and clearly has a respect for Toons but he also did business with Maroon which eventually lead to his death at the hands of Judge Doom.

Dolores

1: sexuality headcanon: Heterosexual and in love/going steady with Eddie Valiant

2: otp: Dolores and Eddie

3: brotp: Also her and Eddie as well as her and Roger but I quite like the idea of her being good friends with Jessica.

4: notp: Her and any of her patrons.

5: first headcanon that pops into my head: That she and Eddie love Catalina so much because it was where they met. Eddie, Teddy and their father were doing a circus show there and needed a volunteer from the audience. He pulled a bouquet out of thin air and gave it to her and then pretended to saw her in half - it was so romantic!

6: favorite line from this character: Too many! She's such a sass mouth! "Dabbling in watercolours, Eddie?" "Is that a rabbit in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?" and "Is he always this funny or only on days when he's wanted for murder?"

7: one way in which I relate to this character: That she works hard and is tired all the time.

8: thing that gives me second hand embarrassment about this character: The scene where she sees Eddie and Jessica together and Eddie's trousers have fallen down while Jessie is talking to him and it looks...bad. Doesn't help tt he bumps his head on her chest as he goes to pull them up.

9: cinnamon roll or problematic fave?: Cinnamon roll that you don't want to mess with!

Baby Herman

1: sexuality headcanon: He loves human women...and is possibly a little bit gay for some male toons. (But the idea of that is weird to me, because he's literally a baby it's like shipping Stewie Griffen with someone.)

2: otp: Him and his human girlfriend that you see in the movie. I think she's just credited as "Ms Herman."

3: brotp: Baby Herman and Roger Rabbit. Before Roger started being late to rehearsals and messing up his cues, they were best friends.

4: notp: Probably him and Jessica, although he is very envious of Roger.

5: first headcanon that pops into my head: He plays both male and female baby roles. That everything in his home is baby-themed, right down to the giant cot and mobile. If he needs anything, he calls his mistress via a baby monitor.

6: favorite line from this character: "The whole thing stinks like yesterday's diapers!" and "What da hell was wrong with that take?!"

7: one way in which I relate to this character: Looks pure but is actually a foul-mouth.

8: thing that gives me second hand embarrassment about this character: When he throws a tantrum because he dropped his cigar after Eddie pushed his pram down the hall...and when he darts underneath a woman's skirt...and the fact that he claims to have a "50 year old lust and a 3 year old dinky..." Wtf.

9: cinnamon roll or problematic fave?: Both. He's a baby who chain smokes and can wrap anyone around his little finger by offering to pay them.

Benny the Cab

1: sexuality headcanon: Well he's a car, so I don't think gender's an issue. If you're wheels are shined and you got a nice set of headlights, he doesn't mind.

2: otp: I'd pair him with a nice flower-glass Corvette.

3: brotp: Benny and Roger. He is Roger's car after all.

4: notp: Him and any human character.

5: first headcanon that pops into my head: That he also often appears in Roger Rabbit shorts, as the vehicle for a quick getaway during a chase, or comedic car wash scene.

6: favorite line from this character: "Sister, Mary Francis, what the hell happened in here?" and "I can't believe they locked me up for driving on the sidewalk!"

7: one way in which I relate to this character: Likes helping, makes sarcastic quips.

8: thing that gives me second hand embarrassment about this character: That he drives straight through the Dip and burns his tires and has to waddle over to Roger when he finds him which is like the equivalent of burning your feet with acid to him. Also, when he tells Roger to be careful using a real gun because "this ain't no cartoon ya know!" ...As he, a car, drives away in his own car.

9: cinnamon roll or problematic fave?: Cinnamon roll unless you're a fan of the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Smartass Weasel

1: sexuality headcanon: I'm going to go with pansexual. He only cares if you have status and are not human (though that doesn't mean he hasn't had a fling with one or two.)

2: otp: No love interest in the film. Although I'm kind of a sucker for a tough guy character falling for a really sweet and innocent character.

3: brotp: Him and the rest of the Toon Patrol. He does care for them and he only hits them for laughing because he knows they are suscepitable to dying from it. Also, I feel like he would have gotten along better with Eddie Valiant had he not fallen in with Judge Doom because they're both bitter and hate the industry.

4: notp: I would say him and Doom. Or any of his boys.

5: first headcanon that pops into my head: That he was drawn to be wicked but not a villain. He has multiple other items aside from his suit that are bright pink because he likes to dress flashy...and that the only people exempt from potential target by his patrol are children.

6: favorite line from this character: Honestly, every line of his is terrific. "Step outta line and we'll leave you and your laundry out to dry!" "Say Boss, what do we do with the wallflower?" and "Want us to disresemble the place?"

7: one way in which I relate to this character: Small but feisty.

8: thing that gives me second hand embarrassment about this character: That all his team members get cute little toon ghosts when they die but he just...dissolves in Dip.

9: cinnamon roll or problematic fave?: Problematic fave definetly! But even though he's mean, sneaky and carries a lot of weapons, he's also funny, charming and I can't help but feel a bit sorry for him because he was just tryig to please his boss. Weasels certainly are assigned villain roles in cartoons and maybe he was just fed up with it so he decided to become a real one.

Greasy Weasel

1: sexuality headcanon: Heterosexual, biromantic...and he's an utter sex-pest.

2: otp: He needs someone who can reign him and his desires in so he can actually focus on whatever he's doing.

3: brotp: Him and the rest of the Toon Patrol, especially Smartass. He admires his boss' attitude.

4: notp: Him and Jessica. Their encounter in the film is cringe-worthy to watch.

5: first headcanon that pops into my head: That he has a gentler, romantic side deep down but doesn't want to show it because he has too much bravado.

6: favorite line from this character: "I'll handle this one..." followed closely by a LOT of uncensored Spanish curse words!

7: one way in which I relate to this character: We both get crushes easily.

8: thing that gives me second hand embarrassment about this character: When he reaches down Jessica's dress. He's so confident until her hidden bear-trap clamps onto his hand. He probably replayed the first three seconds beforehand over and over in his head though.

9: cinnamon roll or problematic fave?: Problematic fav for sure! Perverted, knife-wielding henchman who reaches into someone's bosom in a canon Disney movie. Yet, he's still weirdly adorable. If he were human, I might say different.

Wheezy Weasel

1: sexuality headcanon: I'm just going to say it...I headcanon him as gay and asexual.

2: otp: Don't really see him with anyone unless they're another smoker, (or are willing to put up with smoke.)

3: brotp: Definetly him and Stupid! Look at the way they drill through the wall together and laugh at our hero's predicaments towards the end if the film! They're great pals, having a good time!

4: notp: Him and Greasy.

5: first headcanon that pops into my head: He enjoys Camel cigarettes the best. And he's the best card player in the group.

6: favorite line from this character: It's so funny because he doesn't have many lines in the movie so I'm just going to say his dialogue from the Cartoon Spin ride at Disneyland "But Boss, Benny knows ToonTown, like the back of his tread!" and his laugh.

7: one way that I relate to this character: Chill most days until I see or hear something funny then I lose it.

8: thing that gives me second hand embarrassment about this character: The fact that he tries to grab onto his ghost to try and pull it back into his body before it leaves.

9: cinnamon roll or problematic fave?: Problematic fav. Carries a tommy gun and is not afraid to use it, knows that smoking won't do him any harm since he's a toon and is good at following orders even if they're immoral.

Psycho Weasel

1: sexuality headcanon: N/A Psycho is like the family dog. A feral one...that was rescued from the streets.

2: otp: None. Unless you like snuggling, just mind the teeth.

3: brotp: Psycho and Stupid as well as him and Wheezy. Wheezy is like a parent looking after him and Stupid is like his sibling.

4: notp: Basically him with any other character.

5: first headcanon that pops into my head: He doesn't really use his barber-shop razor for anything nefarious, but he likes how threatening he looks with it. Also, when you scratch behind his ear, his leg does the scritch thing where he kicks behind it.

6: favorite line from this character: "Time to kill the raaaabbbit...hee hee!"

7: one way in which I relate to this character: We're both a bit mad. He's just toonier. And we laugh like maniacs.

8: thing that gives me second hand embarrassment about this character: When Eddie Valiant just straight up kicks him across across the bar when he tries to attack him.

9: cinnamon roll or problematic fave?: I'm going to say he's a problematic cinnamon roll. He has no problem doing wicked things but he's too small and cute to really be considered awful. At one point Eddie snatches Marvin Acme's will out of his hands and he looks like a kicked puppy. He bad but he baby.

Stupid Weasel

1: sexuality headcanon: A hopeless romantic for anyone, but too dumb to realise when someone's flirting with him.

2: otp: I like the idea of him and an equally dim character so they can both be ignorant and happy together.

3: brotp: Stupid and Psycho. They're just the children of the patrol.

4: notp: Him with his boys or human characters.

5: first headcanon that pops into my head: He once got into a heated argument with another weasel who had broken into their hideout until Smartass informed him he was looking at a mirror.

6: favorite line from this character: Again, he gets hardly any lines. "Boss! Look at the little birdies!"

7: one way in which I relate to this character: I have my moments where common sense just leaves me.

8: thing that gives me second hand embarrassment about this character: Him falling backwards into a row of humans at the bar when he is pushed by Eddie. They just...goes right down, like bowling pins or dominos.

9: cinnamon roll or problematic fave?: Despite being in the Toon Patrol he's a total cinnamon roll. I don't even think he knows what he's doing half the time and that's really sweet.

[castroneves]

so i’m new to indycar but my brother just got us both tickets for pocono so what’s the tldr on the sport? who’s your favorites? also who’s the shitty drivers personality/beliefs wise to stay away from?

i know you said tl;dr but i literally can’t be brief in this context so i’m just gonna give you a short little profile of each driver (just the ones you’ll see racing at pocono) in order of the current championship standings (also i’ve realized i have a hard time explaining indycar to people who don’t already know formula one because i make a lot of comparisons so if you don’t watch formula one just ignore those parts i’m sorry):

1. josef newgarden: basically the personification of a golden retriever puppy. super high energy, gets along with everyone, and a super talented and FAIR driver (see: the newgarden move). he won the championship in 2017 and is currently leading this year’s championship by 16 points

2. alexander rossi: confirmed trump supporter, comes off as an arrogant asshole in interviews, but everyone loves him because of his talent. it’s so hard to hate him because he’s literally that good (here’s an example, and another example), i honestly think he could make max verstappen weep if they were on the same terms

3. simon pagenaud: quickly becoming my all time favorite driver (i love almost everyone on the grid but as i’ve now met simon twice i think he’s my top fave). he won the indy 500 this year and the championship in 2016. he’s very quirky and goofy, kind of like an older version of josef. team penske truly needs will power’s chilled out & relaxed persona to dilute the feral energy from josef & simon lmfao (here is a video that really captures his essence) 

4. scott dixon: the most successful driver on the current grid and one of the most successful in history. i don’t know much about him personally but he seems like a father figure to whoever his teammate is (felix this year) and he has a really cute family too

5. will power: the old, relaxed energy to mellow out team penske. he had a streak of success in the early 2010′s and kind of had a reputation as an arrogant asshole around that time but i think he’s gotten a lot better since then. he won the indy 500 for the first time last year, and the championship in 2014

6. ryan hunter-reay: nicknamed “captain america”, another dad figure on the grid, has a pretty decorated career. don’t know much else about him but he’s very highly respected on the grid, josef newgarden once said he is “just too polite” 

7. takuma sato: very sweet and level-headed, 42 years old and still going strong, has a really comforting presence on the grid. in races he’s generally in the midfield but is capable of surprises, like winning in alabama this year and very shockingly winning the 500 in 2017

8. graham rahal: son of indycar legend bobby rahal. he’s very honest, straightforward, WILL tell you the truth even if it hurts and i respect him for that. has a bit of a temper but always races fair and expects the best out of everyone. he also does a lot of fundraising and charity work for veterans which is coolio (i jokingly refer to him as my brother because his dad and my dad look VERY similar, it’s uncanny)

9. felix rosenqvist: rookie fresh off the boat from formula E. also don’t know much about him but he’s been very exciting to watch so far this year and just got his first podium this weekend at mid-ohio which was very well deserved (he did once say the n-word on instagram, many years ago, and he’s swedish so i don’t expect him to know the history, but... it happened)

10. james hinchcliffe: literally everyone’s fave, not one single person hates him. he’s the beaming ray of sunshine on the grid and gets along with everyone, very similar to josef. if josef is a golden retriever, james is a cuddly little labrador (here is a video of them together from a LONG time ago but nothing has changed)

11. sebastien bourdais: another old boy but a true legend. he won 4 consecutive championships in champ car (indycar’s predecessor... kind of... it’s a long story) and continues kicking ass today. he was in a really scary crash during qualifying at the indy 500 a few years ago and made an impressive comeback. 

12. spencer pigot: i honestly truly do not know anything about him, i didn’t even know he was a full time driver until right now, he just kinda fades into the background...

13. santino ferrucci: another confirmed trump supporter, was kicked out of formula 2 for deliberately making contact with his teammate, using his phone while driving his car, allegedly making racist remarks towards his teammate, etc. (you can read about it here). some people will say he’s had a really successful rookie season but honestly he just got lucky a few times and isn’t that good overall. he comes from money which explains a lot lmfao

14. colton herta: the BABY of the grid. he won his second ever indycar race at COTA this year, becoming the youngest race winner in indy history at 18 years old, one week before his 19th birthday. aside from his mega talent on track, he’s a respectable guy off track and is very mature for his age. if you watch F1 i’d compare him to a slightly more laid-back version of lando norris

15. marcus ericsson: if you’re coming from F1 then you already know him pretty well. he didn’t have much success in F1 but has found his niche in indycar, already scoring a podium in his rookie season. he’s chill and quiet but overall a nice young man

16. marco andretti: a third generation andretti, honestly has no real purpose on the grid aside from being the descendant of two racing icons (his grandfather is mario andretti, his dad is michael andretti), but uhhhh he’s been racing for about 15 years and only has two wins, so... take that as you will. you’ll almost always find him at the back of the grid these days

17. zach veach: by far the tiniest driver on the grid. i stood very close to him this weekend and he was shorter than me (i’m 5′1″) and i wouldn’t be surprised if he hasn’t broken 100 pounds. i don’t know much about him other than his very inspiring backstory (read here), and he has a strong religious background as well.

18. tony kanaan: a fucking FIXTURE on the indy grid. another old man but a legend. he has been racing in indycar for 17 years and did champ car for 5 years, so essentially he’s been at the top class of american single seaters for almost as long as i’ve been alive. he has one championship win (2004) and one indy 500 win (2013)

(skipped ed jones, not racing at pocono)

20. matheus leist: the first driver i ever met in person. he’s really nice and chill, but honestly not much to write home about on track. he’s solid and fairly consistent, but i wouldn’t bet money on him

(skipped jack harvey, max chilton, patricio o’ward: not racing at pocono) 

24. ed carpenter: nicknamed “the oval master” because... he’s really good on oval circuits. he races the ovals for his own team. that’s all i know tbh 

(skipped conor daly, sage karam, james davison, helio castroneves: not racing at pocono) 

29. charlie kimball: don’t know much about him other than that he’s diabetic, and there was a pretty interesting article about how he manages his blood sugar during races (read here). he also has a bit of reputation for being rude/dismissive to fans but i can’t confirm that, i’ve never met him

so that’s it for your grid. you can take that information however you want, they’re just my opinions, someone else might have the complete opposite. also i should add, i really don’t wanna scare you if this is your first race, but pocono is one of two races on the indy calendar that makes me so viscerally nervous i almost can’t watch it (the other is texas motor speedway). again, i don’t want to freak you out, but just so you’re prepared, you will probably see quite a bit of crashing during the race. the AMR/holmatro safety team is one of, if not THE best in all of motorsports, here’s a little (slightly dated) video you can watch about how they do what they do in the event of crashes (warning tho: there is graphic crash footage in that video). despite what some people may say (i’m looking at you, felipe massa), indycar is the hallmark of motorsport safety and most other series have followed them in terms of safety technology innovations over the last 20 years (e.g., indycar has been using safety cars since the 70s, mandated a pit speed limit in 1991, CART mandated HANS for all tracks in 2001, indycar has used safer barrier since 2002, etc.) so if you do see crashing, take a deep breath and remind yourself that they have the world’s best crew taking care of them instantly. if you have any other questions don’t hesitate to ask, & i know you’ll have tons of fun at the race hehe :^)

[thickasthievesrpg-hidden]

WELCOME TO THE HEIST, SAM!

YOU’VE BEEN ACCEPTED FOR THE ROLE OF TOMMASO CAPECCHI

A note from Admin Risa: This week has truly been the week of the Capecchis - and I’m glad of it! It’s such a joy to have the eldest Capecchi child among us again, and having seen all that you can do, I’m certain that you’ll bring Tommaso to great heights, Sam. Your request to change Tommaso’s faceclaim to Michiel Huisman has been granted, and I’m very excited to see another Capecchi join us! Congratulations on your acceptance! You’ve been to the museums, the banks, the isolated manors with their black dogs and gilded keys. You’ve stolen their necklaces, their jewels, the prized heirlooms in their vaults and their safes. They’ll watch out for you. Please visit the after acceptance page and submit your account within the next 24 hours – we’re excited to have you with us!

OOC

Name/Alias + Pronouns: Sam She/her

Age: 23

Timezone + Activity CET/GMT+1. You guys know how my activity is; I go back to university in April, too (after taking a break for two years rip me) so it might drop down to a 6-7 by then. Between lectures and on the weekends I’d def have more time though. I love TaT and rping with y'all so I’d never abandon you if I could help it <3

IC

Desired Role: Tommaso Ettore Capecchi

Analysis:

sexuality/romantic preference – Tommaso Capecchi falls, first and foremost, for people. If someone is able to catch and hold his attention, to make him muse and wonder, lost in his own head to his own wishing thoughts, he’ll be intrigued. While it was Juliet’s beauty and elegance that drew him to her, it was who she was as a person whom he fell in love with in the end. Aware of the ‘traditional’ relationships that are expected from him, Tommaso keeps quiet about possible attractions to the same sex.

birthdate – September 16th, 1983. A son of late summer, he is just as lovely. The warm chill on your skin once the sun started to disappear behind the treetops and still, the sun lingered in your bones.

birthplace/hometown – Palermo. Palermo, oh Palermo, his heart and soul clings to this city, intertwined with it, two entities lost in an eternal dance. Despite the painful memories of his mother leaving them, Palermo is the one city Tommaso will always return to. His one true home. When he left he needed to, and when he returned it was for the same reason. But he doesn’t see it as forced. Family is his duty, before anything else. When they call, he answers.

occupation – He could be the new face of the Capecchi name, could be the legacy his father dreamed him to be. He could be, and when once, that notion twisted his stomach in a way that made it hard to breathe, it is now an opportunity. A chance to shape his own future, that of his siblings and his family name…perhaps to something better.

criminal occupation – Partner-in-crime – a right hand man, the one with ideas, the head behind the strings his father pulled. Sometimes, Tommaso wonders if he’d understand the world around him better if he had killed Salvatore all those years back, but he knows that murder doesn’t have to define him in the way it does his father. He has nothing but respect for Lorenzo, the two are simply two sides of the simple coin. His father’s side just happened to be splattered in blood.

Eleanor – From all his siblings, Tommaso believes he remembers her best, had the most time to spend with her, and that is exactly what hurts most. Every day, he misses his mother, wishes her back, yearns for the safety of her embraces, wonders what it was that drove her away from them. What cruelty did she see? What horrors couldn’t Lorenzo hide from her? Should Tommaso ever marry Juliet, he knows he’d try to do it differently. Try being the word – he'd tried with Talia, and lost her.

Migraines – He gets them, from time to time, and they’re a dully pounding pain in the confines of his skull. Managable. Other times, he gets them and it feels like they’re splitting open his head and spine, the tiniest ray of light hurting his eyes in ways unimaginable. When the bad ones hit, Tommaso retreats in his room, blinds closed and in his bed, waiting it out, enduring.

Four Characteristics:

+ Caring:

Before he left, he was that kind of brother who’d gather all his siblings during a thunderstorm to hide away with them in a blanket fort, who’d read them bedtime stories if they asked him to, and who’d, sometimes, for his own entertainment, scare them in dark hallways. He remembers playing with Alessia in the backyard, braiding Violetta’s hair while she told him a made up story, or even accompanying Santino to kindergarten at occasion. To this day, his siblings are the most important thing in Tommaso’s life, but he is aware he needs to earn their trust again, knowing that the gaping chasm between them is his fault and his fault only.

+ Good-willed:

Perhaps something of Eleanor’s rubbed off on Tommaso after all, but unlike some of his siblings, he doesn’t have a mean streak in his body. Of course, if pressed, or if the situation calls for it, he can change into something unknown and snarling. But he prefers solving his problems in a civilized fashion and approaching people with a gentle smile on his face.

- Naïve:

Tommaso, despite knowing better, despite coming from a family that has trained him to know better, believes that there is something good in everyone. Sometimes he wonders if that makes him a fool, if he’s stupid for thinking that people are gentler, kinder, softer than the world makes them out to be. He wants to believe it. If Tommaso knew better, he would have seen just how much Ciro has changed his demeanor towards the eldest Capecchi child from the very start. It’s this naïveté that makes him hope he can get through his life without ever having to kill someone, even if he knows better…

- Cautious:

Caution isn’t inherently a bad thing. But sometimes, caution hinders you from acting in a situation that needs quick acting. Tommaso isn’t brash like his father – he likes to think before he dives in head first, not as hot-blooded as Lorenzo…not yet, anyways. It can make him seem cold when he’s talking to new people, too, especially when it’s someone like Charles Villiers.

Expansion:

Santino Capecchi: The relationship with his baby brother might be the only one Tommaso can actually fix. Things have been just…different, ever since he came back; entirely his fault, and he is aware of that. Ciro is not the boy he remembers, and there’s a distance between Alessia and him, too. Violetta’s plagued by her own demons, but Santino? He was just a boy when Tommaso left and he wonders if his brother even remembers him well. But he wants to try to at least be close to him again, to save something.

Lorenzo Capecchi: ‘Daddy issues’ would be the words to use here. Tommaso has nothing but respect for his old man, don’t get him wrong – and the trust Lorenzo puts in him is not misplaced. They share the scars of heartbreak but a part of Tommaso can’t forgive his father for thrusting that gun into his hand and ordering him to kill Salvatore. They, too, need to mend what Tommaso has broken down, and he’s willing to try.

Para Sample(s):

“You should probably ring the bell, you know. Or knock. Knocking’s also an option.”

The chuckle that draws out of Tommaso is dry, and yet, he squeezes Juliet’s hand in silent appreciation. Her hand is warm in his, always is, soft, gentle. It’s what tethers him to this realm, what makes him think clear; what grounds him, what gives him the courage to face what is to come. He’s the cowardly lion, then, on his old home’s doorsteps. Isn’t that why he had run in first place? Not enough heart, not enough confidence, to face what his life actually is. He sought for a new one in hopes to be reborn, and for a time, it seemed like it had actually worked. It seemed like he could rebuild himself, set himself together bone for bone. But the past never really stays in the past, does it?

So he’s back in Palermo, back where it all began, back where he started, this tiny boy with hopes and dreams and the beating pulse of life in his heart’s ventricles. When he was soft kindness, and cheeky grins, when he ran the streets with his best friend and later lover, uncaring of all the dark things that would eventually catch up to them both. When they did, Tommaso was hardly prepared for it. He should have, he knew what was coming, and yet, he’d let it wreck him in every possible way. To be consumed by a simple scratch was weakness, wasn’t it?

Juliets gives his shoulder a light nudge with her own, and Tommaso looks over to her. She’s beautiful – of course she is, radiant and brilliant, her eyes so familair by now that Tommaso finds comfort in them with just one glance, like now. He takes a deep breath through his nose, looks back at the door, then Juliet again. “They can be…much,” he tells her, his voice soft. “Especially my father.”

Juliet shrugs. She leans into him, and Tommaso feels his own gravitation shift, meeting her halfway. “I think I can handle.”

“So take everything they say with a grain of salt.”

“Okay.”

“They’re good people, you know.”

“Tommy.” The old nickname almost feels wrong leaving her lips, the cold whisper from a life past, but Tommaso’ll take it. He cracks a grin; lazy, not genuine, not with the image of Violetta half-dead in a hospital bed, not with thoughts assaulting him, making him wonder if he could have protected her from this if only he stayed. He lets go of Juliets and takes a step forward, rings the bell, an unpleasant chill settling in the pit of his stomach.

He waits. One heartbeat, two heartbeats, three.

The door opens.

Starter Example:

His skills had become rusty in the time he was gone, to say the least.

Or perhaps he had just aged badly. Wine that was rotten, that should have been beautiful to the taste and colour and yet, Tommaso believed that along the way, during the ten years he spent travelling the world and seeing more of life than he ever could have dreamed off, a drop of vinegar found its way into his bloodstream and ruined it all. He sat there, next to Lorenzo, head propped up in a hand: thumb against his jaw, index and middle finger pressed against his temple. It looked like he was simply resting, listening carefully, but if you looked closely, Tommaso was rubbing soothing cirlces into his temple. A feeble attempt to chase away the headache that’d began to pound dully about an hour ago. Heavy is the head that wears the crown.

They were under attack. They were on high alert. This, Tommaso understood. What he didn’t was why everyone thought this could be fixed by loudly yelling at each other about whose fault this exactly was (the name ‘Lohovary’ was dropped quite often).

“I think we need a different approach to this.” Finally, Tommaso spoke up, the hand on his face dropping to the table slowly. His palm pressed against the cool surface, appreciating the change of temperature against his heated skin. “We have to be smart about this or all we’ll accomplish is draw more attention towards us. We can’t put our family, and the Society, in even more jeopardy.”

Freestyle/Extra:

You can find a Tommaso mockblog (also the blog I’ll eventually use should I be accepted) here!

[artsynanotech]

All Good Things, Part 1: As if the World Wasn’t Ending

Fuck the Camarilla. Fuck the Giovanni. Fuck this entire goddamn city. I suppose this has been a long time coming judging by everything else that’s happened this past year. The Salubri, my blood hunt, Caroline’s sentence… It really shouldn’t surprise me that the Giovanni have declared war on DC’s Camarilla. No, I didn’t have anything to do with it.  At least not directly. I’m too low on the kindred totem pole for Ares to have gotten anything useful out of me. Apparently that was his job here; get cozy with the Camarilla and feed information back to his family. Joke’s on him , I guess.

We were supposed to meet tonight, for only the third time in the three months since Caroline’s trial. I booked the same crappy hotel we’d used for our past two meetings, out in Richmond. He never showed up. I waited for two damn hours before a pair of Giovanni goons came to off me. At least I assume they were Giovanni. Between the suits and the guns with silencers and the Chicago plates on their car… Ares’ branch of the family is originally from Chicago. It’s not hard to put two and two together.

I ran. They chased me to a grocery store not far from the hotel. Somehow I managed to lose them long enough to hide in a storage freezer. I texted Isaac and Michella to let them know I was in trouble. God, it was so cold in there… I waited for hours for the men chasing me to leave. I tried getting ahold of Ares but he wouldn’t respond. It was so cold and I was so scared…

I can’t believe he’d abandon me. He loves me. We’re blood bound to each other. He has to love me. Please let him still love me. Eventually there was gunfire. So much gunfire. More than two gun’s worth. Then there were screams, and the intoxicating scent of blood pouring through the vent. I’d used so much of my own blood trying to stay warm that it was all I could do not to burst through the freezer door and suck my pursuer’s vitae up off the floor. I forced myself to stay still. Alden was the one who eventually found me. He and Isaac had come to help. Though Alden finds me so repulsive he damn near killed me himself. He told me I was a stain on our bloodline, on the entire race of kindred. I cling too close to my humanity for his taste. He’s not wrong. I know I don’t belong in this world. And you know what? I actually didn’t mind the thought of him killing me. I’d tried so hard to evade final death at the hands of those Giovanni enforcers, but when it was staring me in the face through my Grandsire’s eyes? It seemed so easy. I wouldn’t have to worry about politics, or allegiances, or losing anymore loved ones. I told Alden as much. Sure, I wanted to live, but dying didn’t scare me either.

He gave me a choice instead, in the form of a small vial of pink liquid. He said it would turn me human again. I know I shouldn’t believe him. I mean really, how stupid does he think I am? But then, if it really is true… I took the vial just in case.

Alden didn’t stick around long, but Isaac was waiting for me outside. Michela and her gargoyle thing, William, showed up a few minutes later. They were so worried about me. Isaac wasn’t even mad that I’d been sneaking around to see Ares. He probably should be. He treats me so much better than I deserve. We headed straight to Elysium from there. The prince had called an emergency meeting. A large number of kindred – Michella included – were staked in the middle of the streets earlier that evening. Not all of them were rescued. Michella was lucky William was nearby to save her. All the survivors heard the same Italian phrase from their attackers: “Gloria alla famiglia.” Glory to the family.

So yeah.

The Prince declared open war on the Giovanni at Elysium. He said they were working with the Sabbat too, which was pretty much confirmed when the leading members of DC’s Giovanni crashed the meeting with the city’s former Archbishop – Santino of the Toreador antitribu – at their side. Ares, Hermes, their aunt, and a woman I can only assume is their sister. Athena. Family resemblance and theme naming? I don’t think my guess is too far off. She’s apparently the one in charge, and she issued an ultimatum to the gathered kindred: Join the Giovanni and the Sabbat in tearing down the Masquerade and ruling over the humans like gods, or be crushed. The Prince tried to set the Scourge on them, but surprise surprise, it looks like that guy’s on their payroll too. Or the archbishop’s, anyway. I think it’s safe to say this city is pretty much boned. And Ares, dammit… He couldn’t stand to look at me at all during the meeting. I know he saw me, because as soon as our eyes met he started staring at the floor and would not look up. I can’t believe this is what he wants. It can’t be. Was everything he told me really a lie? I don’t want to believe it. He’s supposed to love me! Athena… this has to be her fault! I think at this point in my life I can recognize abuse when I see it, and she has “possessive,” “jealous,” and “controlling” written all over her. She kissed him, that whore! She kissed Ares, tongue and all, in front of everyone at Elysium! And she was looked right at me when she did it. I lost it – I would have ripped that pretty head right off her shoulders if Isaac hadn’t stopped me. I didn’t even bother trying to resist that frenzy. I wasn’t so far gone that I couldn’t hear what she said to me, though. She laughed and said Ares had been hers all along.

“Where do you think he learned all those things he did to you?” she said.

That fucking whore. With her own brother…

Ares was completely submissive to her. She told him to talk to me and he did. She told him to tell me I was only a distraction, a pastime until it the Giovanni were ready to launch their coup, and he did. But he also said I should leave the city if I wanted to live, and that… it makes me wonder if he even knows I’d already been targeted. While I wasn’t even in DC. And I don’t think he really believes what he said either. His voice was cracking and shaking when he spoke. If he really thought nothing of me why would he look and sound so guilty? If he really believes in Athena’s plans then why was he cowing to her instead of standing proud beside her? More importantly, if I really didn’t matter then why did the Giovanni try to kill me? I don’t know jack about their plans! It’s not like I can run screaming to the Prince about all their secrets and weaknesses. The only thing I can think of is that Athena’s jealous. She wouldn’t have… flaunted… that disgusting attraction of hers if she didn’t think there was some merit to what Ares and I had with each other.

I need to get Ares away from her, just long enough for him to give me answers on his own. No Giovanni, no Camarilla… no politics or pageantry. Just Ares and Scott. I don’t know how I’ll do it now that there’s a war on, but I’m not accepting his betrayal otherwise. And if he did betray me?  His head is mine. ---------------------------

MEANWHILE!

While Scott was busy trying not to die, there was a bunch of stuff going on with Caroline! She was not actually imprisoned last session. She was recruited by the Prince to investigate the Giovanni’s plans. Apparently her sire had set her up for the murder she’d been accused of, and both Prince Maxwell and Sheriff Bethany knew about it. And Caroline isn’t alone. She’s working with Xavier, who’s death was a ruse set up so he could keep looking into their sire’s crimes, and Amelia, the former hound the coterie met back in the first session. Caroline seduced and tortured a Giovanni ghoul to learn that Maceth has been working against the Camarilla from day one, with the help of Charlotte, who he’d been controlling using her blood addiction. Caroline killed Joey. She, Xavier, and Amelia then when to interrogate Charlotte, who fessed up pretty quick for the promise of another blood fix. Amelia killed her after they were through. Scott still hasn’t found out about her death.

[vidaandthecity]

10 Things To Do with Your Toddler This Summer

Summer is here. You got your little one at home and you’re trying to figure out what to do and where to go all while keeping it family and budget friendly. My husband and I try to make the best out of our summer weekends by taking our 3-year-old out to experience all that un Verano en Nueva York has to offer. Heres ten things that every parent should look into if they want their little one to have the best summer ever without breaking their pockets.

1. Book a weekend getaway

Last summer our getaway of choice was Sesame Place, this summer we decided to check out the Great Wolf Lodge. It’s always great to take your little one away for the weekend to a new place to stay overnight in a hotel. Santino, is able to recognize the difference between staying at home versus this new place. Great Wolf Lodge is packed full of activities for the kids. They offer everything from an indoor water park, to an outdoor pool, water slides, activities for kids such as their Jammie Jamboree, Family Bingo and Trivia, story book time, and character appearances. It’s a great way to break up the summer and leave the city for a few. 

2. Catch a Movie.

On the most intolerable summer days when the sun is beaming down hard and the humidity makes it impossible to venture outdoors unless you’re submersed in a body of water, catching a movie with your little one is a great idea. I know what you’re thinking, is taking a 2 or 3-year-old to the movies a good idea? Yes, if you plan ahead of time and make smart decisions. First, choose a movie that you know your kid will enjoy and be interested in. My son saw his first movie at 2 years old. I’m not going to lie I was hesitant that he would not behave and lose interest quickly, but as soon as he saw Lego batman on the giant screen, and the other kids watching the movie with their families he loved it! Second, choose a smaller movie theater with cheaper tickets or a matinee viewing, so that if your child does throw a fit it’s not a big loss. Third, dress them warm and bring a little sweater for them, the AC can get too cold for your little ones. Finally snacks, snacks, and more snacks. The snacks keep their belly full and their focus on the movie. Opt to bring in your own healthy snacks like grapes or apple slices. This summer we took Santino to see the Minions movie and he absolutely loved it! 

3. Water sports and water slides.

Besides learning how to swim and chasing seagulls let your little ones enjoy water sports and playtime. One of things my son enjoyed most at Great Wolf Lodge was the water activities. The slides and sports were his favorites. This is a great way for the kids to tune the television sets off and get some much-needed exercise. So whether its water slides, water basketball or running through sprinklers, make sure your kids get enough time in the water and out of the AC. But again I can’t stress this enough, for your children’s safety Parental supervision is a must!

4. Get artsy and crafty

The summer is a great time to get your child into arts and crafts. Whether at home cutting and gluing construction paper or coloring in their coloring books. We took it a step further this year and ventured into the Crayola experience in Easton Pennsylvania. They have tons of activities for the kiddies. From making their own personalized crayons and markers. To different art stations where they get to experience playing with play dough, wax and other materials. They have stations for kids to create live 3D figures, animation and cartoons. Their stations are age appropriate and the kids really engage in these activities. Older kids can also enjoy learning about the history of the Crayola brand, viewing the largest crayon in the world, and manipulating electronics to create their own art masterpieces. Definitely a place to check out! 

5. Soak up the sun at your local beach and pools.

Summer wouldn’t be summer without a nice dip at your local pool or beach. We live close to the beach so my son loves going. He enjoys building sand castles, practicing writing his ABC’s in the sand, exploring the shells and beach creatures, and of course dipping his toes in the water. At his grandmother’s house, he gets to enjoy the pool. Pools are definitely the place to try to teach your kid to swim and help them lose the fear of swimming. Wherever you go whether beach or pool, remember to incorporate learning and safety first! 

6. Let them mingle with animals.

Whether its taking the kids to a zoo, aquarium or petting farm don't skip the animals. Kids love to interact with animals and its a great way for them to learn about nature and the world around them. The city is surrounded with great places to take your kids to see both domestic and exotic animals. We even found a great park loaded with ducks, swans, geese, and blue herons. We often visit and enjoy the bird watching.

7.Quality time with the Grandparents!

If there is one thing my son loves its spending with his mamawela, nana and pop pop. I know our schedules can get hectic and I know time flies when youre busy trying to make things happen, but kids yearn for family time. My fondest memories as a kid happened hanging with my grandfather. He was my everything and there was never a dull moment with him. So now that Im a mom I not only highly encourage that time spent between my son and his grandparents, but I cherish seeing the love and joy they share. Let them really enjoy the summer alongside their favorite people. There is no better feeling.

8. Quality time with friends.

As an only child I know my son craves playing with other kids. So we make it our business to have playdates and bring the cousins together as often as possible. What better time than to have your children catch up with their friends and cousins their age than during the summer months. So go to the park or visit the friends and family that have kids the same age, your children will have a blast.

9. Hit up a museum for some learning. 

Museums are not just for adults so definitely plan to visit a museum this summer with your little one. This summer we visited the Long Island Children's museum and it was wonderful. They had all kinds of activities for the children. Dress up play, building blocks, animal exhibits, puzzles, and science based learning. It was a wonderful experience and the best part is that even as an adult you can also learn and enjoy it right along with them.

 10. Soak up the view and make the memories count.

Finally and most importantly, summertime is all about making memories and slowing things down a bit before the hustle and bustle of work that autumn often brings as we prepare for the holidays. Its not about how many places you visit or how many things you get done. Its about enjoying this time with your loved ones, especially your little ones who won't be little forever. Its about catching light bugs, eating ice cream cones, watching the sun set, listening to the waves crashing, and enjoying the longer days and warmer nights. So have a seat, soak up the view, watch the sunset and enjoy the little moments because that is what life is all about! Hope you all are having a great summer. :)