#I mean not really since they both get fucked by Joey

[thepinkcalamity]

Some batim sketches, since I’m trying to be active on tumblr lmao

[myheadphonesareneverloudenough]

Thinking about how Matt Lang mentioned rerunning TGWDLM.

Obviously, there'd have to be changes. Not just in the casting, but in every aspect of the show just due to the nature of how Hatchetfield has expanded and how TGWDLM has aged.

Now that we know for sure that the events in TGWDLM happened because of Pokey, I think they'd design the show even more around the colour blue instead of green like in the original promotional material. This also gives Matt Dahan so much more to work with when it comes to underscoring, think of all the motifs he has to sneak into the scenes now.

Hidgens would have to be recasted, and while there's plenty of options, I think after Workin' Boys he has to be played by Jeff Blim. I don't know if anyone can ever top what Jeff did in WB. Of course, that would mean that Jeff's original TGWDLM characters would need to be recasted as well. Mr. Davidson has not been seen in HF since TGWDLM (save for the small BF cameo), so it wouldn't be hard to find someone new for that role. Sam Sweetly is more difficult because of his appearances in Nightmare Time and the pre-recorded NPMD cameo, but it's impossible to have Jeff play both Hidgens and Sam in the same scene so he would still most likely be recasted.

The only Jeff character that would need to stay the same is General John Macnamara, that's another permanently Jeff character, in my opinion. The show would require some rearranging so that the Macnamara and Hidgens scenes weren't back to back this way. Between TGWDLM and BF, Macnamara went through a lot of character development and Jeff really discovered who he was by the second show, so it would be super interesting to see him interacting with Paul again now that we've learned so much more about the guy.

Now that Hatchetfield has expanded so much, I think it would be really fun to bring in new characters that we've met since TGWDLM happened. They should include Curt Mega as Officer Bailey in Show Me Your Hands, since we know he canonically works alongside Sweetly. Bring in James Tolbert during the PEIP scene as Xander Lee. Even just the people on the streets in La Dee Dah Dah Day, imagine the amount of cameos that could come into play there. Kim Whalen dances in as Becky Barnes, Angela Giarratana is Grace Chasity, all these well-known characters that we never saw during TGWDLM before making small appearances as they were already infected by the hive mind.

Speaking of the La Dee Dah Dah Day number, it would be fucking awesome to get Joey Richter back in the Pete Spankoffski costume for the coffee shop scene to do the hot chocolate boy bit.

I also just think a new perspective on the show will change so much of the context. Like Emma discussing Jane, we now know Jane's family with Tom and Tim. We're now very familiar with Ted's little brother, a character we had no idea existed during TGWDLM (think about Ted's little freak out over Alice being dead at Hatchetfield High...). We had no idea that this apocalypse was brought on by one of the Lords in Black.

Anyways. I agree with Matt, they should definitely bring The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals back for another run of the show.

[darklydeliciousdesires]

La Dolce Vita - John Shelby/Cosima Changretta (OFC).

So, I decided to begin this new little series of mine, besties. It shan't be delivered in regular chapter form, but a series of one-shot parts that will tell the story of John and Cosima's marriage, beginning from their wedding day. I hope you enjoy it :)

Words - 3,682

Warnings - Each part will be adult only content, from swearing to eventual smut and violence. Minors DNI.

Part I - Inferno

The blood of a thousand men could stain a thousand streets, cold, hard warfare spinning out of control in a haze of spatter and gunpowder, yet sometimes all it took was the presence of a woman to end it all. 

And it had.  

It didn’t mean the woman in question had to like it, though. 

“No.” The word fell from his lips with mild irritation as he took in the sight before him. “You will not wear black.” 

Cosima didn’t even attempt to hide her distain. “Why not? This is a death, after all.” 

Luca couldn’t help but feel entertained by her words, even though she was rapidly whittling him down to his very last nerve. “You are so dramatic, la mia sorellina.” She always had been. “It’s about time you were somebody’s wife, and you will make a good wife, too. Every man betrothed to an Italian woman should recognise how damned lucky he is.”  

“And me?” Her cadence rose sharply, her voice bordering on shrill. “What about me, Luca?” 

9:23am and already, he wished he’d had the sense to bring some aspirin with him. “You will do as you are told, Sima. And wear white while you do it.”  

The silky drawl of her brother never rose beyond the smooth hush he spoke with, but his words packed the same punch as they would have had he yelled them. He was also the only person alive who she allowed to shorten her name. People had called her Cos in school, swiftly ending up with a slapped face for it. Her Italian fire had been lit pretty much since the day she’d been born. “I wish I’d brought mama with me now.” 

His lip curled, a soft rumble of a laugh echoing his throat, sucking on the matchstick he pulled from between his lips as he pointed it at her. “We both know why you didn’t.” 

“Yes,” she chirped, admiring her reflection in the mirror, “you’re paying.”  

Again, she prompted his smile. Few did, really, save Anna Maria, his wife, as well as his sons, Joey and Guiseppe. “I am, cara mia. Listen, if you want the black dress, I’ll buy it for you. You won’t be married in it, though. Imagine if mama was here, eh? She’d be, ah, much more vocal than I about it.” 

This was true. Audrey would have taken over rather than sitting quietly like Luca. “I’m beginning to think she’d fuss much less than you.” 

He rolled his eyes. “Try on the next dress, for the love of god.”  

Huffing and cussing in their native tongue, Cosima flounced back behind the privacy screen, getting herself out of the dress, the nearby assistant helping her into the white lace gown. Her face was a picture of utter contempt upon emerging, raising her middle finger when Luca quietly applauded her appearance. 

“Perfect.” 

“I fucking hate it,” she sneered, the assistant’s eyes bulging a little at her coarse language. 

“Cosima, you would hate even the most exquisite of gowns, crafted by the finest of designers,” he pointed out, standing and walking to her slowly. He reached beneath her chin, raising it up, placing a little kiss upon her forehead. “You look beautiful. La belladonna. It is done.”  

His word was final, and she knew this well. It did not mean she had to be quiet or graceful in her compliance, though. Being wed to a Shelby, after all they had done, the war that had seen the deaths of both her treasured brother and beloved papa, was not a fate she relished in.  

Negotiations in order to cease the bloodshed and forge ahead in a new bond, running Shelby gin into New York with the assistance of her family and their connections had been sealed by a proposed joining of their families through marriage. Her marriage, to John Shelby.  

How she had screamed and complained when Luca had informed her of this truce sealing union. Glasses and ornaments had been smashed in tempestuous fury, Cosima’s ire reaching the kind of decibels that had taken Luca and Audrey much effort and nips of gin to quieten, the youngest of the Changretta clan storming from her mother’s home, walking the streets, chain smoking in blind fury.  

The only silver lining? At least Luca had not decreed that she marry the man who had killed her father, not that she actually could. For his sins, Arthur Shelby breathed no longer. Neither did Grace Shelby, nor Esme Shelby, the late wife of the man soon to be her husband, the gypsy beauty getting in the way of a hit meant for John on Christmas Day and lamentably not surviving it.  

And Cosima thought her hand dealt was bad. For John, it was decidedly bleaker by far.  

His brother was gone, his wife was gone, his sister-in-law was gone, and his fate was now bound to a person belonging to a family whom he couldn’t stand with any ounce of tolerance. Tolerance was what he had to show, though, in order to keep relations smoothed over, before anybody else ended up dead.  

“It’s a fresh start for us all, John boy,” Tommy began, standing in front of his brother, straightening his tie. “I don’t expect you to be happy about it, but...” 

“Good, ‘cos I ain’t,” he cut in with, his jaw tightening, refusing to meet his brother’s eye. “Esme is barely fucking cold, and you’ve got me marrying some wop bitch. Trust me, Tom. I ain’t fucking happy in the slightest.”   

The elder Shelby truly had no comeback for that. He knew his actions were a slap in the face to John, to Arthur, to Esme and to the love of his life, but there was no other way around it. He didn’t plan on losing anybody else to a war that could be negotiated through. It had been tough to bargain, but peace had been restored finally, Tommy reasoning that scores had been settled upon both sides of the divide.  

They were more than even. In fact, they truly weren’t, two lives on the Changretta side, three on the Shelby, two innocent women coming into the crossfire and dying because of it. He was not prepared to lose more. If he could also turn a very tidy profit while not losing more, then so be it.  

Finally, he managed to catch the icy stare of his brother, Tommy squeezing his shoulders. “Give it time. At least you’re getting wed to an attractive woman. Could have matched you to a right scrag, but I didn’t.” 

She could have been the queen of fucking Sheba for all John cared. Her beauty or lack thereof was neither here nor there. She wasn’t Esme, and that was all there was to it. “Gotta habit of this, you have, marrying me off to some bird I ain’t ever clapped eyes on until I get to the altar, all for the sake of keeping the peace.”  

There hadn’t been an actual altar at his wedding to Esme, but this time there was no room for negotiation. The priest local to the district Cosima Changretta lived in had been given a hefty bung to marry them, regardless of the fact that John was a non-practising Catholic. Usually, Father David would have required he at least attend weekly mass for a few months prior to the wedding, but this wasn’t possible when the union had been set up to take place within the space of a week from its original incarnation. 

Through his disesteem, John wasn’t blind to see the benefits of joining the families in order to broker peace, though. He just wished there was some other way, one that didn’t involve him forsaking his late wife’s memory, or literally getting into bed with a member of the very family who had taken three members of his. 

With a red rose buttonhole pinned to his charcoal suit – those specific flowers at Cosima’s request – they headed out to the waiting car, ready to be ferried across Birmingham to the district of Bournville, to St Francis of Assisi. 

“Holy shit, the waft of that bloody chocolate," Polly spoke from the back of the car, the famous Cadbury factory emitting the heady scent of it’s delicious confectionary. “Making my mouth water, it is.” 

“Well, as long as the air smells like Dairy fucking Milk, all’s right as rain, ain’t it, Pol?” John muttered, watching the little black and white houses dotted along the main road pass them by. It was such a different landscape than the one he was used to, the village of Bournville so very picturesque and quaint.  

Polly tutted. “Oi, less of your fucking lip, our John. Don’t make today any harder than it has to be by being a surly shit about it.”  

“Yeah, but...”  

She cut his protests dead with her usual blunt retort. “We know, for the love of god! You’ve vented your spleen so hard at this, I’m surprised you have one left! This isn’t ideal, but it’ll bring us peace and let me rest my fucking head easy at night, not worrying when the next of my fucking nephew’s is going to end up riddled with bullet holes. Now, put your fucking face straight. We’re nearly there.”  

He could have begun his protests once more, vented at how it wasn’t right that he was being thrown into wedlock again just four months after his second wife had died, how at thirty years old, he shouldn’t have already had to attend the funerals of two Mrs. Shelby’s, but he knew it would serve him little good.  

Arriving at the church, they made their way inside, John surprised to be greeted kindly by Audrey Changretta, who was standing talking to the verger.  

“A lot of water has gone under the bridge, John. All I want going forward is for you to be a good man to my Cosima. Can you do that for me, love?” 

His heartstrings were yanked upon hard, knowing how much his actions had devastated her. She looked weary from it all, the sparkle in her eyes non-existent. He’d never wanted her to be hurt in all of this, the teacher he held so many fond memories of, the woman he had steadfastly refused to murder in cold blood. “I can. I promise I will.”  

She patted his cheek, smiling thinly. That smile didn’t quite reach her eyes, and for that he couldn’t blame her. “Thank you.” She exchanged nods with Polly and Tommy, the Shelby’s moving into the church, smiling to their family and friends as they passed the pews, the Changretta presence outnumbering them by about two to one.  

He and Tommy stood to the side of the altar, Polly taking a seat at the first pew between Finn and Ada, the latter giving the groom-to-be a bolstering smile. It had little of its desired effect, John feeling a cold swirl of discomfort growing chillier by the moment. “Forgive me, Esme. I fucking wish this weren’t happening just as much as I wish you were still here, love.”  

His deeply lamenting thoughts were banished by the sound of the organ keys pressed upon, the church filling with music as the congregation stood, Father David quickly shaking both his and Tommy’s hands before his focus shifted towards the doors, beaming as he watched Cosima escorted in by her brother. The bride looked exquisite in her white lace gown, her cascading veil shrouding her face, the dress very quintessentially Italian in fashion. 

John didn’t dare turn around and watch her walk to him, only aware of her arrival at his side from the strong plume of Chanel perfume entering his nose, finally turning to see Luca gently lift her veil, kissing her cheek and whispering a few words in Italian to her. He then moved to John, surprising him by offering his hand.  

“To famiglia, eh?” 

“Yeah,” he coughed, shaking it. The Italian’s grip was like Iron, his face unflinching. There was no true warmth there. “To family.”  

Luca moved to sit at his mother’s side, John finally letting his eyes fall to his left, taking her in for the first time. His throat tightened in an instant. He’d thought Esme to be the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen, the guilt of the fact that Cosima Changretta was the biggest knockout he’d ever witnessed hitting him hard.  

As for his soon to be wife, when her piercing blue eyes found his, the sensation of her heart skipping on three consecutive beats made her feel a little nauseous for a moment.  

He was gorgeous.  

Why did he have to be gorgeous? It would have made hating him so much easier if he’d been ugly.  

“At least I will have something nice to look at, while I’m throwing plates at his head.” She thought, turning to the priest and smiling as best she could, given the circumstances.  

The ceremony was a long, tedious affair, the bride wishing for a traditional mass that bored the balls off John. He did well to hide it, though. What he failed miserably at was looking in any way, shape or form happy when they were pronounced man and wife, offering her a chaste kiss to the cheek, a speedy peck of non-affection. Cosima was relieved he hadn’t leaned to her mouth. She wasn’t ready for that yet.  

Taking his arm, she walked back down the aisle as the newest member of the Shelby family, her eyes sad as she looked at her mother and brother. They smiled at her with loving pride, Cosima dropping her chin, lest they see the tears in her eyes as she walked alongside her new husband, a man she couldn’t stand. True, she knew nothing of John Shelby, other than what he’d had a hand in taking from her.  

With every step, she had to physically prevent herself from gathering the bridal lace swathing her slender curves and running, back to Acacia Road, back to the family home. This was where she desired to be, out in the flower filled back garden tending to her roses, taking cuttings of herbs ready to be brought into the kitchen and tutored by her darling mother in everything from Carbonara to baked Ziti. 

She longed for the scents of her mother’s pasta, to hear her father’s key in the door, his whistled tunes filling the homestead as she’d wipe her hands upon her apron and run to greet him. Her papa, the man she loved and respected the very most. Gone.  

“You erm, you look beautiful, Cosima.”  

His face did not match his compliment, Cosima looking up at her new husband, her face stony. “I know. Shame my dream wedding didn’t come with the dream groom, though.”  

John sniffed, his eyebrow tilting a fraction. “Ahh, you might still get it yet. We can get divorced and give it another go with other people. Who knows? I could nail it lucky the fourth time around.” 

Her eyes widened. “You’ve been married twice before?”  

“Ar.” 

“And what the blinking hell happened to them?” she demanded, wondering just what her brother had gotten her into, marrying her off to a man who was on his third wife. 

“They died, if you must know,” he frowned, reaching the end of the aisle, the door opening, a cascade of confetti hurled at them from the throng of guests exiting behind them. 

“Lucky them.” Her mutter was drowned out by the sound of happy cheers, or at least she thought it had been. Her new husband had heard it, though, wanting nothing more than to slap her in her rude mouth for her coldly delivered statement. 

“Great, got myself hitched to a stunner and she’s a right nasty little mare.” he spoke, certainly loud enough for her to hear, releasing the hold upon her arm and moving to receive congratulations from his family. Cosima narrowed her eyes at him in his wake, turning to smile brightly at her friends, her hands taken in theirs, cheeks kissed, her heart thrumming with waves of sadness. A right nasty little mare. That’s what he thought of her, Cosima’s indignance burning brightly for a while, not able to reflect upon the fact that what she’d said had indeed been very spiteful.  

At twenty-three, she truly should have known better. With two dead wives behind him and a bitterness that still lingered beneath the surface between the two families, she guessed he was likely as thrilled to be married to her as she was to him. An apology perhaps wouldn’t go amiss.  

Once they’d posed for a few photographs, the bride and groom were shown to the waiting Rolls Royce Silver Cloud, John holding the door open for her, following her in and staring stonily out of the window as they pulled away from the church.  

She felt awkward and ashamed of her words, moving her thumb back and forth over one of the large thorns the florist had neglected to remove from the bouquet of red roses. “John, I apologise for what I said, about your late wives being lucky. I only meant that... I don’t know what I meant, actually.” 

She was met by a cold, two worded statement. “Fuck off.”  

Deserved, to be fair. Predictably, Cosima let it spark at her kindling rather than rushing for water, though. “That’s impossible, now I’m your wife. Don’t bloody pout at me. I said something regrettable, but because of your family I don’t have Angel or my father any longer. You yourself are directly responsible for the former. If you hadn’t beaten him within an inch of his life, he wouldn’t have lay vulnerable in hospital, ripe for the plucking. And let’s not forget that scumbag of a brother of yours, who killed my papa.” 

He tutted, chewing his toothpick with hostility. “Don’t act like you’re the only one who lost somebody you loved. Fucking gone right over your head, ain’t it? Because of your family, I lost me wife, brother and sister-in-law. We’re in the same boat, Cosima.” 

“You started all of this. You could have just let Lizzie be happy with Angel, but no! You had to burn his restaurant to the fucking ground. What is it you dumb Shelby fucks say, hmm? By order of the Peaky Blinders, that’s it! Your way or the highway!” 

Bile began licking at his insides. “Your brother weren’t good enough for Lizzie. She’s a good woman, and he was a fucking duplicitous shit. Didn’t even have the balls to use his real name for half his dealings. At least we stand by who we fucking are.” 

Her rage escalated by the second, staring at him incredulously. “My brother had the sense to be clandestine, and you will not speak of him like you knew him! So, he partnered with your enemies, so fucking what? The way you Shelby’s conduct yourself, you make enemies left and fucking right! You took my family away from me for nothing. Nothing!” 

John eyed her viciously, his eyes losing any trace of warmth. “They fucking deserved it, and you, you spoiled little wop bitch? You deserve nothing less than every fucking ounce of my contempt. We’re married in name only, believe me. Ain’t no way I’m gonna be a good husband to you, no matter what I promised your mom.” 

“Fine by me!”  

The air virtually crackled with their mutual distain, Cosima shuffling as far as she could get away from him, muttering cusses in Italian. 

“I know what testa di cazzo means,” he spat. 

“Good!” she fumed, “I want you to know I think you’re a dickhead!” 

The reception was being held at a small hotel local to the church, Cosima storming out of the car and not looking back, fixing a huge, fake smile to her face as she was welcomed by the staff. Immediately, her eyes locked onto a waiter carrying a tray of champagne filled flutes, taking one and knocking it back. A second was reached for, John arriving at her side.  

“Whiskey please, mate. Fucking large one.” 

The waiter nodded. “At once, sir.”  

They stood together to welcome their guests, both repelled by one another’s presence, going through the motions of everything. Cake cutting, first dance, spending as much time as they could away from one another. It was while John was seeking the solace of quiet and fresh night air much later that evening, standing on the rear patio of the hotel smoking a cigar, that he found himself joined by the last person he expected. 

“Can I give you some advice, John?” 

Turning to Luca, he raised an eyebrow, the tall Italian continuing. “If you want a quiet life with my sister, you need to keep her in the lifestyle she’s become accustomed to. I love that girl to her bones, but she’s a fucking spoiled princess.” 

His eyes widened. “You can say that again.” 

Luca’s mouth twitched, removing the toothpick he’d been idly chewing on. “My father bent to her every whim, being his only daughter. She was daddy’s little girl. Roses, diamonds, furs, French perfume, she loves all of that. You treat her good and she’ll be sweet with you. And make sure she has a garden. That kid lives for horticulture.” 

Luckily, he was wealthy enough to provide such luxuries for his new bride, not that he wanted to. Not that she deserved even one of them. “Noted.”  

He nodded, turning to leave his new brother-in-law to it, pausing suddenly as he pointed the toothpick in his grasp at him. “Oh, and John? She’s got a thing for hurling plates. Learn to duck.” Laughing to himself, he carried on back into the hotel, while John felt a prickle of annoyance at his statement, or rather how much pleasure he’d derived from delivering the news that Cosima was nothing short of a bad-tempered handful.  

Standing out there alone, he did hope that one day he might see her as something different. Whether that day would come swiftly or not was anybody’s guess, though. 

[meraki-yao]

RWRB: The Awardist Podcast Interview Thoughts

Alright after listening to the podcast giddily while aggressively stomping on the cross-ramp machine to work out my extreme happiness and excitement to the point that I burnt through twice as many calories than usual and soaked through my shirt, I'm here with thoughts

Pippin @pippin-katz, who sent me a voice message at 3 am my time to tell me to brace myself and be prepared for what's happening and what I'm going to wake up it, did their own version of a summary+thoughts with timestamps here, go check that one out

So my list of thoughts is gonna be a little more all over the place

Immediately burst out laughing with the "mouthful" joke, even more so when the boys both caught it lmao

"I am not happy to see Taylor's face" and "I have a Post-it I'll stick it over your face now" that is peak bestie behaviour

Nick honey I love you but I... do not believe you don't look through online stuff lmao we literally caught you likely fan content and edits you posted two Henry edits and referenced another one

I love how unintentionally in sync they are??? For the first question they started talking at the same time, and for the second they both started nodding and stayed silent forgetting this was an audio interview

"mate, mate, mate, MATE" and the last one being said in sync oh my god this is so much fun

The whole comment on the signing wars: what Pippin said, we were literally calling Taylor "that little fucker" yesterday when he started taunting us with more BTS (EVERYONE KEEP VOTING PLEASE)

"What possessed you? What have you got against me?", the same energy as "Why do you dislike me?"

Taylor's explanation of signing on Nick's face and how it started made me laugh and scoff a little because I translated that fucking moment: the first time it happened, Taylor was in China, it was the firstprince PR photo not the GQ magazine, he was on a boat, and he was the one to ask for the photos to sign lmao

Again, need to see them sign stuff in the same time and space: FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!!! :D

"Take it Nick" Nick's little snicker in response

A little heavy and personal but I wish I could talk to them and tell them how much the book, the movie, the characters and the boys mean to me and how it kept me somewhat afloat last October when I was drowning every single day, and how this story made me want to change myself and break out of my status quo

I know I've been saying Taylor knows Casey's pronouns and he gets them wrong when he's nervous, and I stand by that, but God the sigh of relief I let out when he used they/them

"Right Nick?" is so oddly comforting?

Oh my fucking God the "Top to Bottom" joke was a low-hanging fruit but it made me laugh

Also even the order was right! "Top to Bottom", "Taylor and I" (jkjk lmao) 😜

I really fucking hope that the "that's what I'm known for now, doing intimacy work on screen" is an offhand joke and that people don't genuinely label Nick as that

"Why don't you speak for this, Taylor" again, unexplainably comforting

"Seeing my mate at all these awards shows" made me remember a Chinese phrase "頂峰相見·", literally "meeting again at the peak", meaning "I'll see you when we're both at our best"

Nick's burst of laughter at the "who's a better kisser" comment

Taylor I swear to God 🤣 he combined the "is nick a good kisser" and the "who has your heart joey or Nick" questions together and said "I don't know, I don't know how to answer that question, I have no idea" DUDE YOU LITERALLY ANSWERED THE GOOD KISSER QUESTION WITH "YOU KNOW WHAT HE IS A GOOD KISSER WE HAD TO PRACTICE A LOT PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT" WITH ZERO HESITATION (that answer, on that day, was first thing in the morning for me, and I lost my sanity for the next two hours)

I'm so fucking happy and Matthew comes from a theatre too, speaking as a theatre person and someone who has been dissecting this film since its release

I really think there's gotta be more improvised scenes? Or at the very least stuff like the morning after V&A that was a last-minute decision to add in and wasn't in the script, or maybe scenes where there wasn't specific lines written and they just reacted and spoke based on the scenario? Or even little moments, the shoulder kiss or something?

"Tay" OH MY HEART

Ok I can make an argument on both how Nick is like and not like Henry, but Taylor is so ACD that he basically fell out of the book? How does he not see that? (personally think Taylor's very similar to Alex with a bit of Marco?)

Oh my god the whole segment of the DNC/getting caught scene and Taylor's ass

"I will take this one" "yeah"

"I love working with her, we both love working with her" That's sweet- hang on Nick you just have this one scene with her

I have so many more questions about this scene: Was Nick actually in the closet for that one shot? How many takes did it take?

Taylor referencing a detail in Bottoms from like a 30-second scene in the movie!!! Yes!!! We love seeing friends being supportive of each other (suddenly want to hear Taylor's opinions on M&G lmfao)

"And I'm not even going to get into M&G"

The text question is kind of the only question that made me think "Why would you ask that?" because that was definitely more of a directing/editing thing

Nick really freaking loves the cake scene, he mentioned that as his favourite scene three times at this point, all times on audio, twice on video

Aw Taylor's story about Jack... 🥺

But somehow everyone knowing it lmao, and Taylor's fucking awful British accent

And at this point Nick starts swearing lmao

Awww Nick's compliment to Taylor

Tangent: what the fuck is a fuel museum?

Oh I just love hearing them finishing each other's sentences when one of them forgets the word

Lmao imagine just recovering from Covid and then needing to make out for two hours

"Next to a witchcraft shop" What the fuck lmao

Tangent again but I could write a sociology essay on what Taylor said about architecture and history

I swear to God, Nick's "go on Taylor" somehow being softer, you can fucking hear that that little shit is smirking

Taylor saying that he wants a second book from Casey and me immediately going "BOTH OF YOU QUIT YOUR FUCKING JOBS" (I have complicated feelings about the bonus chapter)

"What-if world" exactly!

Taylor pulling out the stats about the queer population: did he fucking calculate that on the spot or he just casually have that information in his head?

the little wrap-up by the hosts was so sweet but somehow talking about Taylor's ass again oh my god (his body hair being digitally edited, it was minx right?)

"it's so sweet and nice and we need more of this in our lives right now" YES WE DO, WE FUCKING DO

"he's gonna be second-guessing his booty" is not a sentence I thought I'd ever hear but here we are

Culture shock moment: the number to call the podcast/American phone numbers is 3-3-4 which caught me off guard for a second cuz here it's 4-4

And that's it for now! God, I need so much more of this, like, if this is what we get out of a half-an-hour podcast interview what would press and promo be like?

Now that we're back for awards I really freaking hope these new RWRB content will be coming back, maybe like once a week or something

WE'RE BACK WE'RE FUCKING BACK WE'RE FUCKING WINNING

EVERYONE GO VOTE GO VOTE GO VOTE

[billthedrake]

DAD'S HABIT

It had become a birthday tradition. Ever since my parents' divorce, Dad would treat me each year to a guys' night in the city. I was a hockey player, and my father the textbook hockey dad, and we were both big Rangers fans. So every year, Dad would drive me to New York, where we'd spend two nights and catch a home game.

I think Dad thought I'd outgrow it as I got closer to graduation, but I enjoyed the father-son bonding time as much as he did. My father is a brash, blue-collar kind of guy. Very heart on his sleeve, but also not good at talking about emotional stuff. The divorce made him even more closed off, but I knew he always looked forward to his custody weekends with me. Even at the pissiest, moodiest points of my teenage years, I got it.

I could tell Dad was surprised after I went off to college - on a hockey scholarship at a New England college - when I asked if we were still doing my birthday trip.

"You bet, buddy," he beamed with barely contained excitement in his voice. "Though I guess we'll need to wait till your season's over."

So that's what we did. A few days later he got back to me wondering if I'd want to catch an away series in Boston later that spring. That's how a new tradition got started, going to different cities each April.... Chicago, Montreal, and now that I'm 22 this year the trip is in DC.

The first night, Dad and I found a sports bar, where we watched a couple of games, but mostly caught up. About school, life, and just boring stuff. Dad seemed to be in a good mood, chattier than normal, and just happier with life. His contracting work was going well, and he promised that he'd take me out for a nice steak dinner the next night.

I asked him if he was dating any one, but he just cocked a grin and shook his head. "Nothing serious," he said with an uncharacteristic blush. "I mean, your old man gets out there for a little fun now and then, but I don't know if I'm ready to date."

"Dad!" I objected with a laugh. The man had given me the birds and bees talk and had checked in with me a couple of times. I'd admitted to him that I'd become sexually active, though I made up more experience with women than I really had. But we weren't the kind of family who talked much about sex.

"Goddamnit, Joey," he chuckled. "You're not a kid any more. I figure you know the score."

"Yeah, I guess," I said, pressing my leg against my father's next to the bar. "Guess you don't get used to the idea of your parents having a life."

"Could probably use a little more of one, to be honest," Dad chimed. God, he was really opening up this evening. "What about you, son? I thought you'd be going steady with someone by now."

"Nah," I hemmed and hawed, trying to hide my embarrassment. I'd gotten real good at bullshitting with my buddies and my teammates but for some reason had a harder time lying to Dad.

My father's hand clasped on my shoulder. "s' OK, I'm not gonna pester you like your mother does," he said. "I guess I wouldn't be a good Dad if I didn't want to know what's going on in your life."

Looking into his gruffly handsome face and his puppy dog brown eyes, I was THIS close to telling him. About the gay thing, about my doubts, about how I wanted to tell everyone but was too fucking scared. How I seemed to be putting my life off until after college.

Instead I gave a silent nod of acknowledgment and turned my head back up to the big TV screen behind the bar. Dad followed suit.

***

We were three beers in when Dad said the day was catching up with him. "It's early though, you should stay out," he urged. "Have some fun."

I almost said no, but it was barely 9 o'clock, and a part of me wanted to take advantage of some independent time. I told Dad I'd maybe stay out for a while longer.

"You got the spare room key, right?"

I told him I did. "I won't be out long," I said.

"I hope you are," he chuckled. "Seriously, enjoy yourself, Joey," he said as he got up from his bar stool. I try to not to perv on my old man but seeing him in his casual jeans and sweatshirt, it was hard not to admire his sturdy body. I mean, Dad's got a beer belly but otherwise is pretty damn solid. I felt his strength as he gave my shoulder one last squeeze before bidding me good night.

I gave it maybe five minutes after he left, then I downed my drink and found my way to the Metro to Dupont Circle. I'd only been to a gay bar twice before, and each time was nerve wracking as hell. But something about being in a different city made me feel anonymous. I felt giddy and excited as I walked the blocks to some bar I found on Google.

Maybe I picked the wrong place, or maybe it was too early, but the bar was dead. I may have been anonymous, but I stuck out in the place, the only dude under 40 in a place of older man. That would have been fine. I mean, I kind of get turned on by men in their late 30s, or 40s and 50s. But a couple of obnoxious guys made a beeline for me in turn, as soon as I got my beer. I tried to do the thanks but no thanks, thing but they wouldn't fucking let up. It brought out my whole anxiety about being in the place to begin with. I didn't even finish my beer, I just bolted out of there.

The whole way back to the hotel, I was frustrated and maybe a little mad at myself. I maybe should have tried another bar, but at this point I wasn't in the mood.

I tried to be quiet when I got back to the hotel room. There was the click of the key card, but other than that I slipped into the room silently, so I wouldn't wake Dad. It took me a second to realize that the light was on, and that Dad was hardly asleep. I was a few steps in the room, far enough to see half of the beds, when I realized what the fuck was happening.

"You like that cock, Daddy?" the voice was youthful and masculine, and it seemed to match the very attractive athletic younger guy who was boning my father doggy style.

My beefy bodied old man was bracing himself on all fours and actually bucking his meaty ass back against every hard thrust. If I wasn't hard yet, that sight alone made my cock feel more rigid than I'd ever felt.

"You know it, buddy," my father growled in that deep, loud voice of his. "Pound my fucking hole." God, Dad was being really loud and his sex talk seemed to echo off the walls. I hoped to God there was soundproofing, then realized I hadn't heard anything before stepping into the room.

The young dude just gripped Dad's waist and used the leverage to pull my father's body back and forth onto his shaft. "You wanna do the scene we talked about, man?" the guys asked, quiet in his voice now.

Dad nodded and blushed beet red. "Yeah, let's go for it."

The top's chest seemed to puff proudly. I couldn't believe they'd not noticed me. Hell, I couldn't believe I had the balls or the stupidity to just stand there and watch them. But they were so caught up in their mating. The man's hips now slowed to a slow sexy grind and he leaned forward and kissed along Dad's thick shoulder and neck. "I've wanted to do this for so long, Dad," he growled. "After every hockey practice."

"Oh god, yeah, Joey!" my father hissed, not as loud this time.

WHAT THE FUCK!?!

My heart pounded and my dick throbbed, but my mind was in a major head-fuck place now. I was actually hyperventilating, and the voyeurism had gone from a sexual turnon to a sense of invading Dad's privacy, or seeing something I shouldn't have seen. I backed out as quietly as I entered, and let the door open and shut as silently as I could.

"Fuck!" I hissed to myself as I stood in the hallway, feeling my heart race. I tried to gather my thoughts to something that would get my dick to go down. It half worked, but not fully. I thought of going somewhere else for a while, even the hotel lobby. But I had to know. Know who'd been fucking Dad. Probably not a boyfriend, cause Dad never came to DC. Maybe some dude from Grindr, I don't know.

It took ten minutes, maybe a little more. I waited down the hall, by the elevator bank, and when I heard the click of the door, I peered out. The first one was a different room, but the second, a minute later, was from ours. I pretended like I was I just coming from the elevators and walked slowly down the hall. The dude was busy with his phone as he walked, texting or something so I could get a good look at him. I'd seen his body in profile, but now that I saw him head on, wearing joggers and a zip up pullover, I could make out that he was almost a dead ringer for me! Blue eyes to my brown, and higher cheekbones, but otherwise there was so much similar. Same height, same athletic build, same dark brown hair, same jockish demeanor.

"Hey," he grunted in acknowledgement as we passed. Bro to bro.

"Hey," I said, nervously, trying to pass it off as a normal exchange. He kept on his way, and I paused at the room door, wondering if he'd look back. He never did.

I wasn't quiet this time. I wanted to give Dad time notice. I shut the door loudly and called out, "Hey Dad."

"Hey, buddy," he called out. He was lying back in bed, watching some sports news on the TV with the volume turned down. Wearing only a thin pair of gym shorts, his body was relaxed and I got a good chance to admire his muscle. Big bulging arms, rounded shoulders, and full hard pecs. Dad's surprisingly smooth for a guy his age, but there was a dusting of hair on his chest and torso... finer and lighter colored than my own body hair. Below his pecs there was some extra weight... more than middle aged spread, I guess, though his beer belly was shy of a full gut. On Dad it looked hot. The thin fabric didn't leave too much to the imagination, but my father's genitals were soft so didn't form too much of a package. And in some ways those thighs stole the show, with a rounded curve and palpable meatiness. They were hairier than his upper body but not outright furry.

I couldn't believe this man, my father, had just taken dick like a porn star.

I snapped out of my perving reverie and rifled though my bag for my own pair of shorts. No way was I sleeping in just underwear tonight. I even pulled out some compression to layer underneath, to keep any boner in check.

I ducked into the bathroom to piss, change, brush my teeth, and just collect myself. When I got out, bare chested as Dad, he was still on the other bed, absorbed in whatever boring sports talk program was on. I couldn't believe how nonchalant he was being. Then again, maybe getting laid puts you in that kind of mood.

I settled onto the other double bed and pretended to be interested in the TV. I'd sneak glanced over at my father, to get a look at his half naked body but also to imagine that forbidden spot between his legs, deep in his ass. No way did he have the chance to shower off after sex, and I just knew that cleft and hole were still wet with lube.... and if the guy didn't put on a condom, then cum as well.

I had to lift my leg and surreptitiously reach down to pinch the base of my cock to tame the hardon. Compression would only do so much.

"Have fun tonight?" Dad finally asked. "I thought you'd be out longer."

The messed up thing was that I felt guilty for coming back too early, of not giving my father enough time to hook up with a dude. "It was all right," I said. "Just wasn't feeling it."

He looked over at me, his brown eyes filled with normal fatherly concern. "Yeah, buddy? I figured a good looking dude like you would be able to score a hot girl for the night."

"Dad!" I objected.

"What?" he asked. As if his concern were just a normal dad's male bonding with his son. In another instance it might be, but I knew now that Dad got off on the idea of me fucking. That's why he was always asking me about girls.

I had every intention of playing dumb. Of just filing this evening back into my memory bank for stroke sessions. Because this was potentially explosive stuff.

Instead I picked up that stick of emotional TNT. "I, um, saw you guys... just now... earlier," I eked out through a shaky voice.

Dad's relaxed, happy go lucky face turned dead serious. "Oh," he said. "I thought I head the door click." He looked at me and I just knew what he was thinking. He was trying to figure out just how much I'd seen. "Sorry you had to see that Joey."

"Guess I should have picked up the hint you wanted some alone time," I said. Trying to pass it off like Dad was my dorm roommate needing to get laid. I even forced a chuckle to make light of the weirdness.

Dad turned off the TV and turned toward me. God, I wished he wasn't looking so hot just then. Chest and arm muscle bulging as his body pivoted toward me. "I'm serious, Joe... I didn't mean.... Damnit... I guess you know now... your old man likes to have a little fun now and then."

It was none of my business, but curiosity won out. "He wasn't your boyfriend or anything, was he?" I mean, it didn't seem likely but I had to know if I was getting a step dad my age.

He shook his head. "Nothing like that, son," he said, pausing before adding, "It's just, well, sometimes I splurge on a hustler."

It was a weird first reaction, but I was a little mad that Dad paid that dude when any number of men would be lucky to fuck him. But as the memory of that primal scene flashed in my head, I was getting rock hard again. "Dad, I'm pretty sure you don't need to pay anyone."

Dad's eyes were on me intently now. Deciding how to take my comment. "Sometimes I want someone who's not gonna pass judgment," he said quietly. Damn he was making himself vulnerable now, for sure.

I was too. Meeting his gaze, I said, less quietly now, "I'm not gonna pass judgment, Dad."

"No?" he asked. I could hear his voice catch in his throat.

"Nope. And I hope you don't pass judgment on me," I replied.

"What would I...?" Dad started to ask before he let out a surprised, "oh!"

I'd pulled my legs out and was revealing my hardon to dad. Even beneath the shorts and through the compression, my ridge of college-jock cock was visible. My heart raced nervously but I also sat up proudly in bed and spread my legs further to show my dick off to my father.

"Fuck, you're big, Joey," he gapsed, without thinking before he took his eyes off my crotch and looked back up at me. "How long?"

"I dunno, Dad," I said. "Maybe 7 and a half inches. Almost eight."

"Shit," he grunted. Then shook his head. "But I meant how long have you had a thing for me?"

"Honest, Dad?" I replied. "I don't know. Maybe longer than I realized."

He nodded, taking in the information.

I looked over at my father and could see his dick firming up to a spike again in those shorts. "How long have you had a thing for me, Dad?"

"Maybe longer than I realized, too," he shot back, now sitting up on the bed, facing me. "I swear Joey, I tried not to go there, but you grew into such a hot fucking stud."

I'd had sex with men a couple of times before, and I'd enjoyed the naughty thrill of it. But this just seemed to click, the mutual sexual attraction. The fact Dad was as boned for me as I was for him made me wish we weren't father and son.

Then again, that was the thrill of it, too.

With a playful grin, I hooked my thumbs in my shorts and pulled them up over my boner. Dad was silent and his attention fixated watching this simple, taboo act. I slid off the shorts and the compression and let my long, thick cock ride up. It was fully engorged and stood up from my treasure trail at a rigid angle.

Dad gulped again and looked up at me. "We doing this, son?"

"Yeah, Dad," I hissed, scooting off the bed and standing up. Horniness winning out over my nerves. "We're fucking doing this."

I heard a low rumble as my butch father scooted over and with one hand on my leg to guide me, he took me into his mouth.

"Holy fuck!" I gasped. At first it was just the sheer forbidden fact that my own father was licking and now sucking my bone. But quickly I was going wild at realizing how frickin' good Dad was at this. Not going for the kill, he gave slow, sensual head that seemed to be worshipful and did the trick of working me up to a boil without sending me over the edge.

I'd had guys suck my dick a couple of times, but I'd never fully gotten a blowjob, not for real. Dad was giving me my first.

"Dad," I hissed, spreading my legs to brace my body and running my fingers softly through his light-brown hair to encourage him. I rode out the incredible incestuous pleasure, then had to put on the breaks. "Dad..." I urged, using my fingers to nudge his skull back off me. "I don't wanna cum yet."

My father let out a soft, deep growl as my wet thick prick cleared his lips. And just as quickly as he'd taken me into his mouth, his face dove down to start tonguing and kissing my balls.

"You've turned into such a stud, all right," I heard him say between kisses. "Big fucking balls, too."

I'd had two hookups with older men. Men Dad's age. One was fun, the other I felt a little skeeved out by the man's lecherous fixation on my youth. But with Dad, I responded instantly to his worshipful lust for me. Something about it brought out both my loving and aggressive side. Holding the back of his head, I pulled him roughly into my crotch, then relaxed my grip and patted his head affectionately. Dad seemed to love that.

"I wanna fuck you, Dad," I let out. As I said the words, I knew they were a messed up thing to think, much less say. I was so horny, though, and after seeing Dad practically slut out earlier, my dick was doing the thinking for me.

Dad pulled back, spit on his lips and excitement in his brown eyes. "Yeah, Joey?"

If I didn't know before, I had a pretty good confirmation that Dad had thought a LOT about that very idea. His hand stroked my spit-wet prick, as if he was sizing up how much he'd feel my size.

A nagging doubt hit me. Not incest, but my inexperience. "I might not have the moves that hustler did, but I wanna bone you, Dad."

Dad leaned back, his burly body on display for me, with its hard blue-collar muscle and that extra bulk. He was beautiful and my cock twitched seeing his masculine build offered before me. "How you want me? On all fours?"

I stepped back for a better view, shaking my head. "Face to face," I growled, feeling my cock twitch. I'd had my experiences with men and a hell of a lot of self time with porn. This was better than both combined. "I wanna make out with my dad while I fuck him."

"Joey," Dad grunted, scrambling up to lie back on the bed. I was following him, already greedily tugging at the waist band of his shorts. The elastic snagged on his erection, but he helped me work it over and off his thighs, before I pulled the shorts off and tossed them aside. "This is SO fucking wrong, son," he hissed, and I knew we were on the same wavelength. Riding that taboo.

"Fuck yeah, it's wrong," I growled, the words almost catching in my throat I was so turned on. "A son shouldn't wanna fuck his father."

Dad honest to god whimpered at that. Or maybe it was the feel of my hardon nudging along his thigh as I leaned down and claimed a kiss.

This itself was a line crossed, more than the cocksucking, more than the sex talk. I was French kissing my own father and he was sucking my tongue into his mouth before battling it with his own. We grunted into our kiss, humping our heated bodies and feeling that incredible flesh-on-flesh contact.

This desire had been bottled up so deep inside me, but this evening had brought it out so quickly, I knew it was always there. Knew my father had been deep in my psyche as I masturbated all these years. Knew he was an implicit comparison for any man I went for.

I'd have to ask Dad where I fit into his fantasies, or if there were other men, young men, in his life. All I knew now was how hungrily he held me and felt up my hockey-jock body and spread his legs, inviting me in, then wrapping those feet around to guide me to enter him.

I wasn't hustler-skilled, so I had to reach down and guide my rigid cock to root around for his entrance. But that escort had left a good amount of lube there, and as I nudged my father's recently-fucked pucker, I could tell there was a good deal of cum, too. The idea excited me and made me jealous at the same time. That fucker should have been paying Dad for the privilege...

I thrust inside my old man. Between the suddenness and my size, it was a LOT for Dad to take. Turns out the man liked it that way. He growled into our kiss and used his heels against my strong ass to urge me on.

I didn't need my invitation engraved. I let my body and my hormonal need take over. I fucked Dad, maybe just shy of rough, but definitely hard. And the faster and deeper I went the more the big man's body responded beneath me.

"Fuck me, Joe," he grunted as I broke the kiss and leaned up to get a good look at the man I was shafting, the man who made me.

"You love your son's cock in you?" I prodded.

"Fuck yeah," Dad replied. "Hot fucking incest."

That alone about got me to cum. My hips were a blur of motion and I was THIS close to orgasm.

"Open your mouth, Dad," I urged. I don't know what possessed me to do this, but I think I'd seen it a porn video and something about Dad's need made me wanna try it.

My father opened his mouth and I did it. I spit right into it, hitting the back of his throat like a bullseye target.

Dad actually fucking whimpered once I did.

I hawked some more spit and let it fly once more. And that did it, I was cumming HARD. Harder than I ever had in my life. My hips were now longer thrusting madly but giving a couple of deep jerks into my dad's guts to add my seed to that hustler's.

Dad was rock hard against my abs as we made out and held each other. Holding on to each other and not wanting this father-son fuck to end.

After a couple of minutes I realized I didn't have to end. Dad hadn't gotten off, and I was still rock hard. I could probably go for another... yeah, I could definitely go for another. My hips began a soft, shallow thrust, enough for Dad to feel it inside him.

"You going for another, Joey?" he asked, surprised and excited.

I nodded, smiling down on my father. His hair was matted down with sweat and he had a vulnerable edge to his handsome looks. I felt a strange sexual domination over my old man, but a hell a lot of love, too. It was all in the mix.

"You ever been fucked all night, Dad?" I asked, putting on my deepest, sternest voice I could manage. Yeah, maybe it was a boast, but at that point I felt I had it in me. In any case, I wanted to try.

"God, Joe," Dad hissed. His hands openly massaged my arm muscle, not as big and round as his guns but still with that athletic harness from sports and working out regularly.

I grinned, feeling playful as hell. "Is that a 'God, Joe,' I can't handle that? Or a 'God, Joe, please fuck me all night, Joe'?" I teased.

I felt Dad's heels on my ass cheeks again. "God, Joe, please fuck me all night, Joe.... son."

"You got it... Dad."

[whore-ibly-hot]

Heya, hope you're doing well. I was wondering on the yans with a body conscious darling? Specifically with their tummy and thighs, totally not feeling body conscious myself lol.

Thank you! (Also may I be 💍 anon? :0)

ARRRRAARAR I LOVE THIS ASK

As a bigger girl myself, I am no stranger to being body self conscious. While I am on a really successful weight loss journey right now, my thighs and tummy are my most embarrassing areas in my mind. I'm happy to make an short piece based on this, 💍 anon!

First and foremost, there are two stand out yanderes who love your tummy and thighs. This would be Joey and Fritz. Joey's town is old fashioned, and Fritz is literally in the olden days. Back then, wide hips were seen as a sign a lady could carry a child easier and bear more. Since both Joey and Fritz crave a family, the adore it. Upon learning you are self conscious, they would bathe you in compliments, and whether or not it removes the anxiety it does feel nice.

The Mean-girls, or at least Maggie, have unending confidence. Because of this, they don't really know how to make you feel hot. They've always either told themselves they were gorgeous, or told losers at school they weren't. So, Maggie and Sasha would take you shopping, in an attempt to retail therapy the sadness away. This happens to be Sasha's favorite pass time. Meanwhile, Lindsey would be trying to figure out what conscious meant.

Ahmed would go the route of showering you in compliments about your body, but mostly just tries to make you feel better by putting himself down. You feel ugly? Don't worry, your a godess, it's a lowly worm like him who's the disgusting one. Patrick would just try to plow you, telling you the nastiest things he can think of pertaining to the parts that make you upset. Telling you to get used to loving your stomach because it will swell much bigger when he fucks you full of his seed, or how he wants you to trap his head between your thighs.

Mattias would be gentle, and kind. As I mentioned, he craves physical touch from you, and loves using your body as a pillow. He would explain in more than just compliments, but rather a speech about how beautiful you are to him. He would also offer to go to the gym with you, and teach you how to use some of the machines there, if only so he can see you in workout clothes.

A thicker woman was seen as beautiful in ancient Athens, so Puck would be very confused as to why you didn't think you were beautiful. He would take you to see human statues and paintings of beautiful women, to show you the similarities in your figure and there's.

Carl would definitely take a similar approach to Patrick, and try and fuck the negative thoughts out of your mind. He'd also be more possesive, telling you not to think bad things about HIS possessions, his girls tummy, his girls thighs.

Gabriel wouldn't be the kindest about it, telling you to not worry about vanity, and to not insult your appearance, as his God made you in his image. Joshua wouldn't say anything, to stubborn to compliment you the way he wished. Instead, the few times you both cuddle he would silently pay more attention to those area.

Last but not least, Johannes is to awkward to voice how he feels, so he would do whatever Fritz told him to...

[bookshelf-dust]

a camaro and a tree.

billy hargrove x gn!reader

word count: 2,764

warnings: swearing, innuendos/billy being a flirty asshole aka being himself, mentions of neil, fluffy/lovey shit

a/n: hii :)) happy holidays! i hope that you’re enjoying whatever you celebrate, and if you don’t celebrate anything, i hope you are enjoying life in general. i’d been tossing this idea around and around in my head for forever, and i finally wrote it! i really hope you enjoy it. billy and readers first christmas while living together? yes, yes i think so. i love you all! <333

————

“You know, there’s a whole ass couch that you could be spread out on in any way you please, Hargrove. I’m not entirely sure why you must splay yourself out on me.”

Billy shook the bag of Skittles in his hand around, presumably looking for the red ones. Those were his favorites, and he insisted they were better than all the rest, though you were adamant that a random handful of them was just as good—no need to be picky.

Billy crossed his legs at the ankles in response to your statement.

The both of you were sat on the sofa in your living room. It had started out with you curled up on one side, but the moment you stretched your legs out to settle on the coffee table, Billy had appeared. It was like he had a Spidey-sense.

And now he was on the other end, legs stretched out over top of your own. This is after he’d lifted the blanket from you to tuck his legs in with yours. Only he had shorts on, so now the warm skin of his calves was stuck to that of your thighs.

Billy was continually sinking further into the couch, and now snatching a pillow out from under your ass to put behind his back.

You rolled your eyes at his continued use of your space. He was surely making himself comfortable.

“You’re like a fucking house cat, you know that?”

Billy let out a breath of a laugh, eyes now on the television.

Maybe it wasn’t very “adult” of you to watch Full House during your free time, but Uncle Jessie had good hair (you seemingly had a type), and Stephanie had an excellent sense of humor.

It was more of a surprise that Billy put up with it at all, since he wasn’t keen on Growing Pains, and liked to stubbornly pretend he didn’t enjoy The Golden Girls. But he laughed at both Dorothy and Uncle Joey, no matter how many times he’d try to deny it.

He also requested you fill him in any time he missed an episode because he was home late from work.

You snuck your hand under the blanket to rub up and down Billy’s leg, fingers tracing from below his knee and across his thigh. He hummed his appreciation.

Eyes wandering from the tv, this being an episode you’d already seen, you realized how empty your living room looked.

Now maybe that was partially because the both of you did not have an abundance of furniture—a couch, a table, a stray oversized chair—but also because it was those slow few days before December began and you didn’t have a tree up.

This was the first Christmas that Billy and you would be spending in your shared little apartment, and you were rather excited about it.

Christmas hadn’t always been peaceful at home, for either of you, people being picky or whiny or just assholes in general.

But living with Billy made you feel whole. You felt safe with him, and he you.

It was just that this time, Christmas was up to you. You could do whatever you wanted and cook your favorites, or maybe not even at all. You could decorate however you pleased.

You turned to Billy, watched as he lifted his arm, pulling the chain on the floor lamp next to him, muscles shifting under the yellow light.

“When do you want to get a Christmas tree?”

He set his Skittles down, pulled his legs out from under your blanket. He propped his head up against the back of the couch with his arm, looking dreamily at you.

“You mean like buy one? I don’t imagine picking out a boxed tree is gonna be that hard.”

You sat up. “Ha! Oh no, baby, we are not getting a fake tree.”

You watched his brow furrow. “I’m pretty sure we dragged the same shit tree, box and all, from California to Indiana. Neil Hargrove was not keen on the idea of having to take care of a me, let alone a tree.”

You grimaced, and he continued. “You want to pick out a real one?” He tracked the movement of your head, your excited nod. “I’ve never done that before.”

You sat up on your knees. “It’s fun! We did it every year. Sometimes we’d pick one that was too tall and we could barely get the star on. I guess I thought we’d get to pick one out too. But if you’d rather an artificial one, that’s fine Billy.”

His hands found your face, callouses rubbing at your cheeks.

“No, sugar, a real one is fine. I assume you know where the hell we go?”

————

It took some driving around, but eventually you wound up at Merrill’s, wandering through the lanes of pines with all the other families and too loud children.

Billy walked behind you, hands stuffed in the pockets of your coat. Not only did you have little hand warmer packets, but Billy had yet to get a good pair of gloves.

He had finally relented and started wearing layers when it snowed, though that did not mean he’d done it without pouting.

So now, as the both of you sidestepped a stray toddler barreling through the thin layer of powder on the grass, the only bit of him that wasn’t actually warm were his hands.

You walked him to the shorter section of trees, thinking about how small your home actually was.

“What do you think about this one?”

You reached through the branches to grab hold of the the trunk, pulling it out and spinning it around to check all the sides.

“Stand next to it,” you told him.

“Sorry?” he questioned, obviously confused.

“You’re my size reference. Don’t,” you raised a hand, stopping him because he’d already opened his mouth, “make a dick joke. You can touch the ceilings when you raise your hands, so this is my measuring, okay?”

“Yes ma’am.”

Billy gave you a two finger salute and moved next to the tree, it being just about the same height as he was. “Good?” He raised his eyebrows in question.

“Yep.” You heaved the tree back into its place, glancing at the aisle number before meandering through to look at a couple more.

Most of them were too tall, and because of that, too expensive. Even some of the shorter ones would’ve cost a pretty penny because of how nice they were: perfect shape, a dark, rich green, branches thick with needles.

“I think I liked that first one best, baby.” Billy’s breath was warm against your neck where he’d leaned over your shoulder to speak, what with a family of six standing right next to you, chatting exuberantly.

“I was thinking the same thing, Mr. Hargrove.”

You grabbed hold of his belt loops, tugging him along with you in search of your first tree.

Luckily, it was still there, and you made sure to put your hands on it, because there was a frightening looking woman eyeing it from across the way.

You hugged the tree, which brought out that sweet sweet laugh of Billy’s. “Let’s get this one then, huh?”

You nodded before pulling away, realizing you now had tree sap in your hair, not to mention an abundance of needles that you’d probably still be brushing out later.

Billy retrieved a cart to set the tree on, and you watched him lift with ease, wishing that was you he’d thrown over his shoulder.

“You’re staring.”

You pushed the cart towards the tree-trimmer, ignoring his statement.

Billy’s hands snuck up to the back of your neck, and then he was tickling you, cold fingertips dancing across your skin.

“Ignoring me now?” His voice was gravelly from the chill in the air, throat gone dry.

“Never. But I think the staring is allowed when we live together. You’re much too pretty for me.”

“I am gorgeous, aren’t I?”

You rolled your eyes at him, knowing you’d set yourself up for that one, and he planted a chilly kiss to your temple.

————

The drive home was short, but slightly terrifying. The Camaro was not built for having a tree tied to the top of it, and you were fidgety the whole trip.

Billy glanced your way before he pulled into the driveway. “You doubt my rope-tying skills, Y/N? Frankly, I’m offended.”

You opened your door before he could, which only spurred him on.

Billy pulled a pocket knife out from the glove compartment, flicking the blade open and cutting the ropes on your side of the car.

“I think we both know I excel at tying things up.”

“Billy,” you groaned his name, holding onto the tree so it wouldn’t slip while he cut the other side.

You could hear him laughing to himself, clearly enjoying his ability to fluster you.

The both of you slid the tree off the roof of Billy’s car, and he tossed you the keys.

You ran up the few stairs, unlocking the door and propping it open before going back to help him bring it inside.

While you were halfway through the door and feeling brave, you spoke. “You better behave yourself or we’re gonna find out how good my rope-tying skills are, Hargrove.”

You set the tree down, flying back out the door to get the stand out of the car before he could say anything.

Upon your return, Billy grabbed you by the waist, pinning you against the freshly closed front door.

“That’s not really threatening when you know I’d let you do whatever you wanted.”

You could feel yourself burning, and you tried to bury your face in his chest, but he caught your chin, quickly pressing his lips to yours.

When he pulled away his lips were that devastating shade of pink, and he was looking at you like you were everything in the world and more.

“Don’t go all shy on me now,” he propped his arm against the wall above your head, “now that we live together and whatnot.”

You grinned at him, and he kissed you silly for it.

————

It took a few days, but the tree had been successfully watered and kept alive, though it was still bare of any ornaments.

The lights had been easy to choose at Melvald’s, and Joyce had helped you pick out some she liked to put outside too.

So, gradually, both Billy and you had been bringing home a menagerie of bulbs and things for the tree, determined to make it your own and not have some shop-window-looking thing in your home.

One afternoon Billy gets off work early, but comes home to find you out and about, having left a note on the counter for him.

When you do come home, he’s in pajama bottoms and an old shirt, staring into the fridge like something’s going to hop out and prepare itself for him.

His face lights up when you emerge into the kitchen, arms immediately reaching for you, but you stop him with a raised hand. He practically frowns.

“I got you a prize, Billy baby.”

He propped his head up, hand under chin. “A prize?”

You nodded, wrestling with the bag on your hip, finally pulling something free.

“Hold out your hands.”

You plopped a small ornament into his hands. Specially a square one that looked like a vinyl sleeve, the tip of the record itself sticking out the side.

The sleeve was black and red, tiny writing across the top that said Metallica. It looked like the Kill ‘Em All album.

Billy looked up at you, eyes glossy. “Where’d you find this?”

“At the record store. They had a big tree with assorted ornaments for popular bands on it, I thought you’d like it. Do you?”

You watched as Billy flipped the ornament over in his hands, ran his thumb over the edge of the little black record, the top of the sleeve.

“‘Course I fuckin’ like it, baby.” He was giving you that prize-winning and swoon-worthy smile. The one you tried to tell yourself didn’t work on you. But that would just be a lie.

He scooped you up in his arms, squeezing you tight, lifting you just enough that your feet left the floor.

“The guy at the counter gave me a discount since we come in so often. Got myself one too.”

Billy set you down, walking to the living room to find a spot on the tree for his prize.

“I don’t get to see that one too?”

“Well yeah, sure. I was just excited about yours.” He watched you reach down in your bag for the other ornament you were supposedly housing. Sometimes with the way you searched for things in there, Billy thought you might as well be Mary Poppins.

You pulled out a simple gold ball that had the Queen logo on it in a black glossy film.

“That’s cute. Can I put it on?”

You nodded your assurance, watched dreamily as he put in on the tree.

Part of you couldn’t help but picture a smaller, much younger version of Billy doing the very same thing. Maybe with his mother.

“What’re you thinkin’ about, hon?” Billy’s voice broke you out of your stupor.

“You. What Christmas might’ve been like for you when you were younger. I was gonna ask if you even like it at all or if you’re just doing this for me.”

Billy continued to decorate the tree, opening a pack of Scooby-Doo ornaments that he’d found the other day—all five of them and a small Mystery Machine.

“Hold out your hands.”

You did, and Billy placed the ornaments along your palms so he could slip hooks in them.

“I do like Christmas,” he started, put Velma on the tree. “It was just always an ordeal, you know? First with my mom and Neil and then Susan. What we were gonna eat, if we had the money for presents at all, if I deserved anything.”

Shaggy and Scooby went up. Then Fred.

“It was just miserable, I guess. Everything was always such a big fuckin’ deal. But I don’t know, I guess I liked the atmosphere, or some shit? I guess the world feels a little more calm this time of year, though I know it’s not.”

Daphne. The Mystery Machine.

“And when we were in California and had to go see the little bit of extended family that we had, it was always ‘Billy you better behave,’ or ‘Don’t be an disrespectful,’ or anything that made sure I wasn’t going to fuck things up.”

“So I don’t think I ever had a chance to enjoy it. Not until you.”

He was silent for a minute plugging the lights in on the tree. “I better not turn around to see you giving me those watery eyes.”

He spun around, locking eyes with you. “No dice, huh?”

You shook your head. “Can I have a hug?”

Billy didn’t respond, but scooped you up his arms anyways. “You can have a hug whenever you want, baby.” He pressed a warm kiss to your forehead.

Billy’s hugs were all-consuming, the kind where there isn’t anything else in the world except for him. He tucks his cheek against your temple, wraps one arm around your shoulders and the other your back, hands rubbing all over, running down places they shouldn’t.

“So you liked your ornament, really?” Your voice was muffled where you face nuzzled his neck, metal chain warm on your nose.

“Yes. I love it.” His hands found your face, pulling you up from the safety of his chest.

“I love you, you know. And I meant what I said about enjoying this with you. Because I am.”

You pushed your hands under his shirt, the fabric coming with it because of how your arms were raised, trying to leech the heat from him.

“Kiss?” Billy was using that sultry tone, the one that made his words all slow. The one he used to butter you up.

“You can have a kiss whenever you want, baby.” He rolled his eyes at your mimicking of his earlier words.

You planted your lips firmly against his, enough that he sighed into it, breath warm on your face. You kissed him once, twice, three times before you pulled away, looking up at him, his lashes kissing at the corners, frown lines forming because you’d let up.

“I love you too, you know,” you told him, and his mouth was back on yours within the second.

————

please let me know if you liked this! feedback is always appreciated!! comments and reblogs mean more than you know. <33

[aberooski]

What other Yugioh ships do you like?

Only small handful of others really. Mostly ones I've had since I was a kid, I don't really delve much into shipping like I used to, though the ships I do ship I ship hard lolol

I've also only watched DM, GX, and 5Ds so there's that too on the quantity subject.

I've always been a champion of Yugi and Téa, peachshipping champion since day 1 baby I love them, the childhood friends to lovers angle is on of my favorites and I mean, look at Téa's duel with Crump in the virtual world and her and Yugi in that and him giving her his jacket cuz she's cold after that before they find Joey even though he's also freezing his ass off, they're just so sweet with each other 😭

I'm also a fan of Tristan and Serenity, when they're older. Like maybe they get together in their early 20's or something because she definately likes him back, but she's a little young. She's not that much younger than them, but still. When they're both older, super cute together. But also conversely to this......... I'm a massive chaseshipper.... I love Tristan and Duke.... I want them to kiss... I'm just saying, Duke only started showing interest in Serenity after Tristan made it clear he liked her from my recollection. He was just trying to make Tristan jealous and get his attention. That's my delusion and I'm sticking to it. Plus they are always getting pushed together in groups and they've slept up against each other more than once.... I'm so delusional right now it hurts akskksks

And when I was a kid I loved Atem and Mana. I loved the idea of them. It's one that's a really low-key ship for me I don't have any particularly strong opinions or stance about it but I'll probably take it with me to the grave regardless.

I've been screamed at for shipping Yugi and Atem with Téa and Mana and not each other when I never even cared much for that ship anyway I just don't interpret their relationship as romantic, so yeah. That turned me completely off of that ship I just wanna say. Also why I don't really engage with the DM side of the fandom anymore, especially when we're talking about shipping.

I used to be a fan of Joey and Mai as a ship when I was a kid, but not as much these days. I mean, if she wasn't like 10 years older than him, that would be one thing. But she is, so that kinda wrecks it when he's not an adult as well... y'know..? Even then, 10 years is a bit too big of a gap for me regardless haha

--

In GX I really only ship spiritshipping and stormshipping. I mean, Jaden and Jesse was the only ship I really shipped for a while.... then my third eye opened and now Chazz and Atticus have my entire heart and are now my entire creative brand mostly so akskkskslzlzl

I also like the idea of Bastion and Tania, but I feel like I need more information about her before I can commit to shipping them or not. Like... I don't know how old she is, you know? That makes me hesitate a little bit haha

Also shoutout to Nightshroud and SoL!Chazz!!! LaDDshipping you fuckin' hit!

Bonus shoutout to Sheppard and Dorothy, stop it they're so cute!

--

The ship in 5Ds I like the most is Jack and Carly, bar none. Scoopshipping supremacy is my middle name! I shipped them before I even watched then show, dude. I watched it because of them. And they did not disappoint....... until the writers took their relationship out back and shot it by basically pretending it didn't exist in the 2nd half but shhhhhhhhhhhh ignore that!!! The best het ship in the original trilogy of shows argue with the wall.

Also a big fan of Yusei and Akiza, but like with Tristan hilarious cuz Tristan and Yusei are both voiced by Greg Abbey 🤣 I also ship the fuck out of Yusei and Bruno. I have cried thinking about them. Jack and Carly and Yusei and Bruno have made me sob profusely.

Also shoutout to Trudge and Mina! She doesn't deserve him with all her Jack bullshit but dammit love it anyway!

--

So yeah, those are the only ships I personally ship or I guess have shipped in the past *cough* Joey and Mai *cough* . Just a small handful really, like I said. Never been a massive shipper by way of quantity. I latch onto things too hard to have a billion and 1 anyway 😂😂😂

[crushedsweets]

OK I NEED TO CLEAR MY ASKBOX

IM JUST GONNA ANSWER A TON OF THEM HERE SO I DONT CLOG UP MY FEED....

hi >.<

this is so fucking sweet i remembered how happy i was when i first got my car. i cried everyday for a week straight because i was so happy. very glad yall got to watch me get my first car. i spend over an hour in her every day commuting now. LMFAOOO (i named her lindsay btw) ((after tdi lsinday)). im so sorry im late but thank you so much this meant sm !!! <3

you asked me this in august im evil oh my god. anyway i aagree. but i am always inclined to forever think he's a midwest emo guy. twin sized mattress forever

SHE NEEDS AND DESERVES SO MANY.

im immediately inclined to say clocky or toby the second i see time and fire mentions. so ticciwork. my clocky is often a bit messy so she'd be pissed and angry and upset over the sort of war she's found herself in, especially as she sees toby just falling deeper into it. 'my god, was i oblivious?' when she finally realizes toby will always, always put Slenderman before her. frustrating. 'hell stays hungry for a world so weak' natalie is hungry for a good world, but she thinks everyone is too weak for goodness, meanwhile toby is hungry for power so he can make everyone else seem weak. etc. 'they only want you to bleed' they being slendy, operator, zalgo, etc etc etc... power, being a pawn, fighting, using humans as toys in a battlefield, etc etc.. yeah

RELEASE ME JOEY

i genuinely think nina is a really good influence on so many of the creeps. like theyre all assholes, traumatized, refuse to believe in the good in the world, etc etc. but nina is traumatized and still kickin. she comes in like ^_^ hello chat. and i think that, while its still important to feel the shitty feelings, it's really grounding to see someone whos just so .. able to be happy. idk. someone who SEEKS joy, rather than expects it to fall into their lap, and blames the world when it doesnt

this si perfect idk why i forgot about bats for him. gotta get back into this idea

AHHH OK I WILL DO MORE EVENTUALLY i just wanna say thank yewww i think theyre such a good sibling dynamic. like little brothers and big sisters and both being little assholes to eachother but would die for the other. idk. ugh. important to me.

actually this sounds really sweet..... thats funny cuz i was JUST talking to a friend about who i would have EJ go endgame with if i had to, but i couldnt settle on anyone. but liu seems like a good fit for ej. i think they'd be super sweet

ANON ME TOO AHHHH ITS LITERALLY MY FAVORITE FUCKING THING EVER. I DONT GAF ABOUT EVIL MEAN 'CANON' SLENDER I LOVE WHEN HE'S A DAD AND WORRIES AND STRESSES. IEPFB AND KASTOWAYS SLENDY>

AH THANK YOU!!! he reminds me of my little cousins HAHA theyre like 10-14 right now and theyre all cuties.... just playing roblox and being mischievous...

THIS IS ABOUT THE BLUSHING NAT DRAWING ISNT IT AHAH OMG THANK YOU!!! i think shes so cute. i know she cant handle compliments. she's either deadpanned 'thanks' or just covers her face and says 'shut up' cuz she doesnt know what to do.

I LOVE HER TOO!!!

GOOD NEWS THEN ive drawn her a handful of times since u sent this HAHA TYSM

you sent like... natobina i think... ok tbh kinda slaps

OK REAL but also when i read it i keep reading it as 'cochina' and i cannot bring myself to name the throuple that </3 HAHA

TBH AHAHA I SEE IT. TOBYS AMETHYST GARNETS NATALIE AND NINA IS STEVEN.

i want jeff to ache in his loneliness

i need to draw connie asap but also THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN FOR THE CAR CONGRATS I REALLY APPRECIATE IT IM SO HAPPY I LOVE MY CAR SO MUCH i gotta go vaccuum her..

shes such a cat to me. feline. of sorts, if you will

also good news for you anon, i have also drawn her an ungodly amount of times since youve sent this. LOL

THEYRE MY ANGELS I HAVE MORE OF THEM !!! I LOVE THEM!! AHHHGGG

literally the second that people tell me i made them start to like clocky i am overwhelmed with joy. i feel so much ache when people aren't fond of her bc shes so fucking cool and such a good character and so much fun. so sad that 2015 era creepypasta fandom destroyed her. but im here to fix it...

IM SORRY ANON I BARELY DRAW HIM HES JUST SO BOYISH I LAUGH EVERYTIME I SEE HIM FKAHAHAAH OK OKOK ILL CHANGE ILL DRAW HIM I SWEAR

I REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST STARTED DOING EMOJI ANONS BAHAHA u guys r funny

incredibly. happy. to do this to u.

nope! im not too interested in the 2021 nina just cuz i feel like i've seen that character concept many times (not just in jane), BUT if i had to do my own intepretation of her, 2021 nina would be INCREDIBLY immature in like. not a childish way, but an entitled, angry-fueled adult who cannot comprehend anyone else's thoughts/feelings. and thus, would despise OG nina (although within reason, OG nina idolizes the person who killed her family) . but even if there wasnt a good reason to dislike OG nina, she'd be mean. and OG nina would be mad and bitch. and theyd theyd fight. HAHA

I-IF...???????? ANON?

HELD TO THE FUCKING BRIM

[in-death-we-fall]

To Hell and Back

Kerrang 1227, September 13 2008

Being a member of Slipknot is a tough business. But it’s not just onstage that bad things can happen, as Joey Jordison knows to his cost…

Words: Daniel J. Lane Photo: Paul Harries

The cocaine one. It's short but it's a lot. Knew what I was getting into but this one's definitely gonna be wedged in my hellbrain for a bit.

(google drive link)

When Kerrang! caught up with Slipknot at the end of June prior to their headline slot on the inaugural US Rockstar Energy Mayhem tour, drummer Joey Jordison joked that, after being off the road for three years, the band were so full of pent-up energy and so desperate to get back out and play live that he “wouldn’t be surprised if we break our fucking necks on this first run of shows”. And, in true Slipknot fashion, on day one of the tour in Seattle, Washington, Slipknot DJ Sid Wilson ended up breaking both of his heels after an ill-advised stage dive, while Jordison himself reportedly drummed so darn hard he was forced to ride out the final three dates of Mayhem concealing a broken ankle from his bandmates. As a result, Slipknot were forced to cancel their scheduled European festival shows — including Reading and Leeds — after doctors ordered Jordison off the road for six weeks.

The diminutive sticksman is currently at home in Des Moines, Iowa. He’s bummed about letting all the European Slipknot fans down, but that disappointment is mixed with positivity, with new ‘Knot album All Hope Is Gone having debuted at number one and number two in the US and the UK respectively. And having finally kicked a long running and very private battle with addiction, Jordison has much to look forward to.

How much have you changed as a person since we last officially saw you on Vol. 3: The Subliminal Verses? “I’m definitely happier these days, that’s for sure. To be quite honest, and this is something I don’t want to get into, but basically, it all comes from quitting partying. I stopped taking narcotics just before the New Year and now I don’t flub on double bass anymore and I don’t have to try to get through the songs when we play live. You can do whatever you want in your life, I don’t care. I’m not going to preach to you and tell you to stop doing whatever, but now I’m happy and I play better. It’s that simple. My band’s ecstatic about it. I haven’t played this good for a long, long time. Probably since the first record, and there’s nothing more gratifying than that."

When did you realise you had a problem with drugs? “It was probably when I realised that I wasn’t just hurting myself, I was hurting the people around me. I had a real moment of clarity last year. My girlfriend at the time, a girl who I thought I was gonna be with forever, cheated on me and I went on a three week coke binge. I actually wrote some of the riffs for the new album [All Hope Is Gone] around that time, which is the only good thing to come out of it. But I just wasn’t having fun anymore and my family knew it.”

How did your family react? “My sister, Annie, kept trying to call me but I didn’t want to speak to anyone. The phone was off the hook. I didn’t answer my door, the lights were off, and I was just fucking ragingly pissed off all the time. So she sent me a picture of my nephew. He was trying to play drums and he was wearing one of my old masks. And so I called her and she put him on the phone and he said, ‘I love you uncle Joey’, and I was like, ‘Fuck it, I’m done. This is fucking stupid’. I realised I was basically fucking dying. It took that to make me realise what was really important in my life and that I’d done a lot of mean things to people.”

Like what? “Just stupid fucking rock star shit. Thankfully, I’m fucking over it, now. You act like an asshole, you feel like shit the next day and your performance suffers because of it. I really don’t want to go into it… I once made a tour manager cry because I was so fucking pissed off and hungover. Just fucked-up things like that. Let’s just say I’ve had to make a lot of apologies to people. But the past is the past, now I’m so much faster at drumming, so much more fluid with my breathing. I eat better… And I’m also fatter (laughs).”

We’d have said ‘healthier’ rather than ‘fatter’. You were looking quite skeletal towards the end of Vol. 3… “I’m just happier, dude. I wake up, and I eat really well. I don’t wake up and throw up like I used to. I’m not rail thin any more. Everyone in my family is like, ‘It’s so good to see you put on a few pounds’.”

Where do you think your addiction stemmed from? “We have good lives. I’m not going to say ‘Oh, woe is me’. People know we’ve had success and all that stuff. But there are things that can push you over the edge. Things like being an outcast at school, my step dad dying, the death of my friend [former Killing Joke / Ministry bassist] Paul Raven… He was one of the sweetest, most genuine fucking guys that I’ve ever met in my life. He was too young, man. He was too young. And I will miss him forever. These are the things that never leave you.”

Is that why you tried to incorporate the scars into your new mask? “I’ve had scar lines in my mask for a while now, but yeah, I wanted to design a mask that just shows the pain that I’ve gone through, the love and the hate I’ve gone through. It’s decrepit, it’s rotting, it’s sewn together. And the crown of thorns and the mummified look and the willowy hands, is the same thing. I’m growing old, man. I’m a human fucking tree, I’m just rotting into the earth. It’s the scariest looking thing I could come up with. I don’t wanna be the pretty boy in the band any more. I’m sick of that shit, y’know?”

Does it bug you that, pretty much from when Slipknot started, girls would throw themselves at you because you were the ‘cute one’? “Yes and no. Actually I think I might have done myself a disservice, I think the new mask might attract more (laughs). That said, I can’t wait to see the mock-ups in the audience. The old mask was kinda easy to copy, but the new one’s going to be that little bit harder. I honestly can’t wait to see the first kid with a crown of thorns at a Slipknot show.”

So what does the future hold for you, personally? “I don’t know. I take each day as it comes. Every morning I wake up and think, ‘Is this gonna be my last day?’. And if today is my last day, I wanna go out swinging, man. You know what’s crazy about me? I’ve already bought my grave. Just in case. It’s over down on Second Avenue [in Des Moines]. That’s what being in Slipknot does to you.”

Slipknot’s new album, All Hope Is Gone, is out now. The band will be touring the UK in December. See Gigs for details.

[lncarnon]

hello world and all who inhabit it i present spicy

just going through my list of muses;

nadia is very touch adverse and subsequently hasn't been laid in a long time, only interested in men

nekros is exempt from spicy hc's

teshin has a non-existent sex drive

stalker very, very rarely is horny and the moments where he is are typically reserved for his acolytes, so good luck

julie has definitely used her charm and looks to seduce people to their death but the only time she would actually let it get anywhere, is with frank, or frank's permission

joey is definitely still a virgin, not for lack of trying, but he is wholly unsure what to do with himself in that regard

were-elk huntress would be quite a terrifying ordeal and since she has no interest in men, might be seduced by a woman but also.. good luck with that one

krampus trapper fucks, he's a scary demon goat-man, but no one has been brave enough to even try

b-312 has no interest in seeking out sex, though there is a chance someone could try and convince her, good luck. she definitely would not be interested in casual encounters.

the warden is a giant robot, no

the servant of the flame definitely still has a sex drive and they use the same magic that made them, to manifest a dick, but sex is far from the first thing on their mind

mia is open to a very loose lifestyle and flings, but her job keeps a lot from developing

finka has a very specific type of man she is interested in and if you don't fit that category, the answer is likely no, but she will be nice about it

yellowleg also doesn't think about sex, if ever

rosebud is the opposite and likes to use sex as a means to conquer cocky guys, if you get her in bed better prepare for her being on top

thatcher likes a good fuck as much as the next guy, but his age is starting to get to him, and if you asked out of the blue or at a bar he would probably just chuckle and decline

maximilien fucks but he never initiates, though he won't go to bed with strangers

the monitor before becoming the monitor had a normal sex drive, but ever since his training, sees no purpose in it (with one exception and they know who they are)

june likes sex, how it makes her feel, and she engages in it whenever convenient

amon would definitely use sex as a means to control someone, full stop, he isn't interested in attachment

revenant has bodies with modifications both for mouth and other means, he doesn't get horny, but would absolutely capitalize on making someone feel ashamed because they wanted to fuck a murder robot

slade hasn't really thought about sex since everything that happened in star city, it isn't something he goes looking for, and will satiate himself if it comes up

jeri knows what sex is but would be unlikely to do anything with that information, that being said, if you really wanted to go to town with a xenomorph and not be killed go ahead and try i GUESS

for walter there seems to be some suggestion that trolls have private parts but they don't use them to reproduce so i have NO IDEA if they could fuck. walter is far more human adjacent so he might?? try, if someone wanted.

zachariah definitely gets horny, but is fairly picky on whether or not he is going to be asking for help from anyone

aria will frequent a few bars around the local area if she is really feeling like she needs some release, but don't expect her to stick around

theoretically you could have sex with the ahamkara but also why would you want to do that

saint-14 is very much a monogamous man and that's the end of that

rasputin is another one of those 'you could but he wouldn't understand what's going on' characters, so probably don't try, his son might also hunt you down-

araskes is in a state of being that she doesn't have physical needs to any degree, for food, or sex. i guess it would not be impossible to seduce her but you would have better luck seducing a brick wall

delilah is bisexual but lesbian leaning, so women will definitely have better chances at engaging with her

the outsider hasn't been human in centuries, but if you approach him in my au where he was freed from being a god, he would be pretty lost as to what he is feeling and what to do about it haha. oldest virgin.

daud is asexual, he'd let you think you are getting somewhere and then he would probably stab you for being so gullible

caska is a giant cat, she would only be interested in other giant cats and even then she isn't interested in starting a family yet

rindul is a vampire that knows how to have a good time, but most people are scared of him, so he often has quite a bit of alone time

elam, as an assassin, has definitely used sex to get to a target. at least he lets them finish before gutting them. not much interest outside of work

lord warden dusk is a very large, dragon-like demon, who definitely could fuck but doesn't inherently have much of a sex drive if ever and would use it against a mortal readily. but hey, if you are into size difference-

the ascendant lord is just a guy, with a high position in society on both sides of his person. he gets offers all the time so you really would have to make an impression to get that kind of attention from him

maxwell only had eyes for one girl, and she hates him, so don't bother

shay fucks when the need arises, but it's usually limited to someone he already knows

aiden would be a task and a half to seduce, he usually sticks to himself

teylan is exempt from the spicy hc's

[thankspete]

The Kitchen (c.h.)

This work is part of a series, When Our Friend Isn’t Around. Part 1: The Patio / Part 2: The Kitchen / Part 3: The Living Room / Part 4: The Guest Bedroom

Word Count: 1.7k Rating: T Summary: Being part of the clean-up crew isn’t so bad, after all. | Also on Ao3! Warnings: ~recreational drug use~

The upbeat rock music from earlier has been switched to smooth R&B, quietly trickling from the living room through the rest of the house. The colorful LEDs are off and every light switch in the common space has been flicked on, exposing the spills and crumbs around you. You know it doesn’t make sense, since you’re literally cleaning, but the harsh fluorescence was jarring and your drunk brain wished they’d turn the overhead light off. 

According to the digital clock on the microwave, it was 5:23 in the morning. Everyone had begun to file out of the party by 3-ish, with stragglers and close friends bidding their goodbyes closer to 4. It’s not like you were expecting to be in bed by one, but you were really starting to regret promising Ashton you’d help him clean up afterwards. 

Calum stuck around, too, given they were hosting together. They were in the living room, chatting and picking up discarded cups and cans, which fell into the garbage bags with light swishes and clinks. You stack the cups strewn around the kitchen on the dining table, alongside the empty boxes of Stella and PBR before rummaging under the sink for Clorox wipes. The first cylinder you grab seems too thin and light to be what you were looking for and you pull it from shadow into your view. An empty can of Mike’s Hard. 

“Huh?” Who the fuck threw this under the sink?

“Hey.” A voice startles you and you bump your shoulder on the edge of the cabinet as you exit. Calum’s boots come into your view first, then his flushed face. 

“You good if I take these?” He points to the cups on the table. 

You nod and toss the can in his direction. “This, too!”

He catches the can in the bag, then puts it down to start breaking down the boxes on the table. You reach back into the cabinet, finding what you were looking for. 

“Need help with anything?” He’s shoving the final folded box into the black bag before tying it up. “We’re pretty much done picking shit up, Ash is sweeping right now.”

“Sure. I think I’ve got surfaces covered, wanna help with this sticky puddle I’ve been walking in for the last hour?”

So he does. While you’re wiping down the counters, cabinets, and microwave, Calum raids the storage closet for a Swiffer. It takes him a couple of tries to get the mopping wipe on the head, but he figures it out. 

You boost yourself onto the counter, opening up more floor space for him.

“So did Joey end up breaking anything this time?”

A small laugh escapes from his nose. “No, not that I know of.” He glances up at you before returning his attention to the pink stain on the tile. “Not that you were of any help on that front.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” You nudge his thigh with your shoe. Unexpectedly, he grabs your ankle, setting aside his mopping task for now.

“I was supposed to keep an eye on him tonight.” He moves closer, maintaining a soft grip on your leg. Sitting up on the counter, you’re practically his height, looking him straight in the face, anticipating his next move. “You kept me a bit distracted.” He moves his hand from your ankle onto the counter to the right of you. You don’t look, but you can sense that there are only millimeters between his thumb and your jeans.

You weren’t quite sure what he meant by that. After Ashton had come out to get you both from the patio around 1:30, you only spoke to him two or three other times. He and Ashton were great hosts, flittering around the room, making sure everyone felt welcome, telling them thank you for coming. It was hardly your fault it seemed he kept gravitating back to you. First it was at the drinks table, when you were pouring your final cup of juice. The second time, he guided you by the elbow to a small crowd hanging out by the speaker and introduced you to them. He stuck around for a few minutes, allowing you to acclimate to these strangers before leaving you to  converse with a small tug on your shirt and a wink. You were certain you’d seen Joey leave before 3 anyway, leaning on a friend’s shoulder and stumbling on his way out.

“Seems like you were distracting yourself, Calum.” You motion to the discarded Swiffer, leaning on the cabinets across from you. He was needlessly concerning himself with you again. You couldn’t say you didn’t like it.

“Just wanted’a make sure you were having a good time.” He shrugs and in a moment of rare unbridled confidence (or stupidity), you move your right hand from your lap to resting on top of his.

“What’s your excuse right now?”

His expression remains unchanged, smiling with slightly raised brows, clearly amused by this interaction. You weren’t sure what you were hoping for, but some encouragement would be nice.

He leans in slightly, resting his left hand on the other side of you. “You’re funny, you know that?”

While you missed the blue and purple ambiance lighting, you couldn’t say you were upset about getting to really look at his face for the first time tonight. He is pretty, with full lips and deep brown eyes. His hair is tousled, curls messy from the beanie he had been wearing earlier.

It seems like he hears Ashton coming before you do and takes a quick step back, removing his hands from either side of you. The cold counter feels like it’s burning your skin compared to the warmth of his hand and for the first time, you feel disappointed that your mutual friend showed up. He clomps into the kitchen holding a grimy dustpan and dragging the broom behind him.

“Looks great in here, guys!” Ashton takes a look around the room after disposing of the dirt, dust, and crumbs into the trash. “Need help with anything before I head to bed? M’fuckin exhausted.”

Calum has picked the Swiffer back up by now, wiping the remaining stains from the floor. “No thanks bro,” he says, not even looking up. “I think we’ve got it handled.” You smile at Ashton, corroborating Calum’s statement.

“Fuck yeah. See y’all in the mornin’!” He turns and makes a bee-line to his room, down the hallway from the right side of the living room.

“M’almost done,” Calum says and you jump from the counter to the floor.

“I’m gonna get a reward ready for us.” You turn to leave the room.

“Reward?” He stops mopping for a moment, a little confused.

“For cleaning this man’s house,” you shrug.

You leave him with that and make your way to the coat closet by the front door. Off the top shelf, you pull your backpack from its hiding place. It had pajamas, deodorant, and most importantly, weed. On your way to sit, you turn off the overhead light and flip on a lamp in the corner of the room. You sink into the ratty green couch and pull the rolling tray from the coffee table to your lap. It takes a moment to rummage through your bag for papers, filters, and herbs, but you find them. When everything is laid out, filter folded and ready, you begin your process. First, a layer of marijuana, then a thinner layer of mullein. It’s supposed to be good for sleep, but it tastes like shit, so you cover it with a layer of lavender. Overtop, you place another layer of weed and pick up the paper in a U-shape to begin rolling it shut. Calum comes in from the kitchen while you’re licking the adhesive. 

“I see what you mean by reward, now. Pass ‘er over.” He sits just a few inches to your right on the couch. You hand the unfinished joint to him and he flicks it to force the herbs to fall towards the filter before twisting the end shut. You pass him your lighter, a black Clipper, to start off your little smoke circle. He pumpkin-tops it again before lighting it, discarding the leftover paper onto the rolling tray.

“Lavender?” He asks.

“And mullein,” you say, placing the tray back on the coffee table. You turn to face him now, back leaning on the armrest, your bent knee on the couch between you. 

“You’re getting me used to this fancy shit, baby. I don’t think I can go back to cutting my weed with straight tobacco.” He passes the joint to you. “Where’d you get all this stuff?”

You smoke before answering. “Online. Herb shops. Witchy stores. Probably farmers markets.” Your fingers brush together when you pass him the joint.

“Mm…think you’ll just be my plug, then. Seems like a lot of work.” 

“Ordering from Amazon seems like a lot of work?” You’re a little flabbergasted.

He’s holding the jay between his thumb and forefinger and brings it to your lips to shut you up. 

“I can stay out here tonight,” he changes the topic, referring to the pull-out couch you were currently sitting on.

You remove the joint from your mouth by pulling his wrist back, keeping your hand wrapped around his arm.

“You tired yet?”

“Are you?”

You think for a moment, and despite feeling the fatigue in your bones, shake your head. “Still gotta shower, anyway.” You weren’t sure if you were informing him or inviting him. You could tell from the way his clothes fit that his body is probably a sight to behold. See if he’s got any other tattoos obstructed by his shirt…and maybe his pants. No, definitely not inviting him, though the thought was enticing. You remembered the way he stepped back when you were face to face in the kitchen. What would Ash think?

You bring his hand back to your face, take a puff, and let go. 

“And when were you thinking of doing that? 8am? We’re wasting moonlight!”

“Pfft.” You pull the joint from his mouth, mimicking his actions on the patio. “After our reward, silly.”

“And your plan after…?”

“Sleep.” You shrug and pass the jay back to him. “Unless you’ve got something else in mind.”

as promised, the next chapter will be spicy <3 i always appreciate feedback, likes, and reblogs! hope u enjoyed :) 

[kanazawa-division]

ARB Birthday Special: Joey Kurusu

~~ October 9th ~~

“The dead cannot cry out for justice. It is a duty of the living to do so for them.”

Login Lines:

“Ow…ow….fuck, my back, I think I fucked up my spine even more after that crack, I didn’t think I was sitting here for that long, I could’ve sworn it was 10 PM when I first sat down, now it’s 8 AM and-”

“OH FUCK WHO ARE YOU-eh? A present? For me? Hold on…no fucking way, I sat here this long to miss the day shifting into my birthday?!”

Voice Lines:

“It doesn’t even feel like I’m 25 to be honest, aside from more goddamn back problems (is there a name for a condition like reverse scoliosis?? Where your back is too fucking straight?), my body randomly shutting down on me, and a new layer of existential dread, not much has changed for me which…I guess I should be grateful? Meh, I don’t know.”

“I feel kinda bad for taking the day off especially since I was in the middle of a case but everyone down at the station insisted I do so, I mean I had the hours so there was no worry there but I don’t know whether to feel flattered that my coworkers care about me that much or offended by how quick they wanted me out of the office.”

“Hehe, I can always count on my mom to make me some delicious homemade food, it’s actually rare that I get to eat Australian foods…it’s actually rare that I get to eat real food period, y-yeah I know I got the money and somewhat the skills to make myself an actual substantial meal but…instant ramen is goddamn delicious damnit and I will stand by that for as long as I live!”

“My dad…? What about him? Unless that piece of shit died or got arrested somehow then please refrain from bringing him up around me, he’s as dead to me as I probably am to him.”

"Another year, another birthday…ughhhh your big brother’s getting old, Shanny. You’d totally tease me if you saw me right now, yeah yeah, I can already hear you laughing it up, I’m over here slowly withering away while you get to be young and beautiful forever…I bet you’re super famous now, heaven’s most precious angel, real fitting for you, lil sis.”

“Yo ‘Taru! It’s good to see you ol’ buddy ol’ pal of mine, finally had enough of sitting in that old stuffy office? Yes, yes, I know, you’re always oh so serious especially when it comes to work, come on man, live a little! It’s my birthday so you have to! A-ah! Wait don’t throw my present away!”

“O-oh wooooooow! It’s…what I always wanted, man, you’re a real natural at gift giving, I think you might a have a talent here-yeah okay, I’ll stop…I mean it’s not terrible, honestly it’s about what I expected from you, which is a good thing! At least they’re colored.”

“Ky! Hey man, what’s up? How you’ve been? I know you had to go back to the states for something, ‘top secret’ huh? Yeeeeeeah, I don’t think that’s the case but I’ll leave it alone, for now, good to have you back though! Eh? A gift? Hell yeah, dude! Whatcha got?”

“Siiiiick! I’ve been meaning to get another one of these! My old one doesn’t work anymore, plus it’s all sticky and gross…NO NOT FROM THAT! It’s sticky and gross from all the times I’ve been eating over it! C’mon man, I’m not that much of a degen-…oh shut up and give me that.”

Wataru Lines:

“Happy birthday, Joey. Not even five minutes and I already want to leave, first of all, I take my job seriously and it would benefit you greatly to do the same and second, I am living just fine, I don’t need your assistance. If you’re going to behave like this then I’ll just take my leave and send this back. Good, here you go.”

“For someone so good at calling others on their BS, you sure are an awful liar, Kurusu, just say what you really mean and spare both of us the theatrics. Yes, well, I figured you could always use extra pens, god only knows how you run out of so many so quick so I took the liberty of getting you more, I would’ve gotten you more suitable ones like black, red, or blue but they were out unfortunately.”

Kyler Lines:

“Hey Joey, happy birthday, yeah sorry for leaving for a while but I talked it over with Wataru and he was cool with it. Hm? Sorry pal but that’s top secret information, whatever man, I’m still not telling you, anyways, I’m glad I made it on time, I got you a gift too, yeah, here.”

“Yeah I remember you kept complaining about how your old keyboard kept freezing up and not working on you so I got you a new one. Look, I’m not one to judge what a person does on their free time but maybe cut back on the mas-oh, well still, maybe don’t do that. C’mon man, I’ve seen your fyp, you are not fooling anyone with that bullshit.”

[joe9cool]

Collide- Justin Herbert- 31

A/N This all fanfiction, I do not know anyone on The Chargers or associated with them, Enjoy

Erika looked over at Sara, mouth opened as she too couldn't believe he would call her. Sara shrugged.

"Really? Hello Harry? That's all you have to say to me? You know Stevie is my good friend, I introduced you two! We both have moon necklaces!" It was a special piece that Stevie gave to close friends only. When she and Harry were together they spent Christmas with Stevie in London where she was gifted with the emerald necklace. It was only fitting that the 'green goddess' (Stevies nickname for her) got the emeralds one. To say she was touched was an understatement. She tried to wear it as much as possible.

"Harry, I was going to tell you. You know I'm still working on it? I have to get sponsors, find a venue. It's not easy." The first part was a lie. She wasn't really going to say anything, but now that she thought about it, the backlash she would get from his fans would be horrendous and Heidi would advise her to invite him so it didn't look bad on her part.

"Well I'm still hurt. You know I have tons of connections. Imagine my surprise when I get on the phone with Stevie and she asks me about it." It was like the flashback phone call from her mom.

"Look Harry, I have a lot on my plate. I'm not even back in Los Angeles til a couple more weeks."

"Well then! Let's get lunch!" Sara was confused. "Aren't you still on tour?"

"I have a little break." There was a pause. "I'm available March 6th."

Sara pulled up her calendar. Truth be told she was scheduled to be back in Los Angeles March 1st. Since she had been working around the clock to distract herself it paid off, and she was able to go home earlier. Heidi and Alex tried to fill her schedule with some other events but she shut it down. She wanted a nice long break before Filming for the show started up again in May. "That works for me"

"Excellent! I'll come by you." Her eyes widened. "Oh no Harry, why don't we meet at this restaurant I know. They have great Italian!" She really didn't want him to come over. Harry laughed. "It will be much better if we meet privately. You don't want rumors to start if people see us in public." True. But she really didn't want him over. "I guess." She muttered

He hung up after that. Saying that Mitch and Sara were calling him. She told him to tell the couple hi and that she missed him. It was true, they were always lovely people to her. She missed them, and she probably shouldn't have stopped talking to them when they broke up.

She filled Erika in on the lunch date. Erika kept grilling her about what they were going to talk about. "I don't know, probably just the event and planning. He does have more connections than I do. So that will be helpful."

"What If he wants to get back together?" Erika looked at her. Sara laughed. "That ship has totally sailed. I have no romantic feelings towards him.".

"Why are you so nervous?" Sara rolled her eyes. "Because it's just awkward. You know we didn't end on the best of terms. It's been years since we've been alone in a face to face situation. I mean there's no escaping."

Erika shrugged. "True, but he's not there to talk about that. Keep the conversation towards what he's here for."

Sara nodded. "I can do that." —------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Dude you're a fucking idiot." Justin looked over at Bosa in confusion. "Excuse me?"

"You really think Sara leaked your information?"

"I don't want to talk about it." He muttered. Justin thought he was able to successfully avoid the relationship talk the whole two weeks. It was their last night before they headed back to their hometown. Justin's flight to Oregon was in the morning. His buddies knew he was checked out since the night he walked out on the nameless girl attempting to dance with him. They knew their friend well enough to know why he was being the way he was.

"Come on Joey, it was a selfie she took on her phone."

"It could have been leaked. Celebrities get their personal shit exposed all the time. It happens with their nudes and sex tapes all the time without their consent."

"That article, it went into personal detail, it knew stuff about me and her that she supposedly didn't share with anyone. I mean don't you think it's weird? Like all of the sudden this show comes up and the article drops with all these photos."

Joey rolled his eyes. "You know what I think?"

Justin scoffed. "I don't give a fuck."

"Too bad you're gonna fucking hear it. I think you were scared because you are so in love with her so this was a pussy bitch move to have an excuse to dump her. Because you're scared."

"You don't know what the fuck you're talking about!" He raised his voice, catching the attention of the other guys as they came out of their rooms

Joey stood up. "I know more than you, I know that when I came over the first time for your BBQ you left her in the dust and treated her like shit. I know that when she was talking to me I cared about her interests and wanted to know everything about her. I know how excited she was that someone cared enough to pay attention to her." Justin got up. "Well I know you were trying to flirt with her while she was in my bed!"

Joey's jaw clenched. "And I know you don't fucking deserve her! She's a good friend of mine and I will always see her that way. But if I had known then what I knew now I would have shown her what a real relationship was, not allowing her to fall for a piece of shit pussy like you Herbert!"

They were face to face, noses touching. The other guys were moving in, worried that it was going to lead into a physical fight.

"You don't know shit about me Bosa. You don't know about our relationship so back the fuck off!" Justin brushed against him as he went to walk away. But Joey, having a temper, decided to take one more jab. "You won't  acknowledge the truth, that you're a two timing scumbag who could string Sara along and have your little blonde on the side." Justin whipped his head around "what?"

Bosa ignored his comment. "Hmm maybe I should call her and set her up with Nick, he is single and I bet he could take her out and satisfy her better than you ev-"

Joey couldn't get another word in, because Justin swung, barely getting his face, enough to stun the older man for a bit. Joey's face turned red, and as he went to charge Justin, Drew and Rashaun grabbed onto him. "Bro! It's not worth it!"

Gabe went to grab Justin but he shrugged his friend off. "I'm moving up my flight." He muttered. He didn't care, he needed to get out of there.

As he got the rest of his things. He was lucky everything was already packed up. Once his uber arrived, he got up and barely said goodbye to his friends. Making a mental note to message Gabe and thank him for everything. He got into his uber and it departed for the airport.

The entire flight his mind pondered on something.

How did Bosa know about certain things? What did he mean by two timing?

—-------------‐—------------------------------------------

"Look at all of these cute kitties!" Erika squealed as she was playing with a group of kittens through the cage. "I always thought we were going to get a dog, but I'm happy with a cat. Easier to take and take care of."

Sara shrugged. "I still miss Justin, but I really miss Nova. I love that cat, and I feel like I lost a stepchild." She cooed at an orange cat. "I don't know if I want a kitty or an adult cat."

"Adult cat, I feel like adults are easier." Sara nodded and they kept searching. "I kinda want a Bengal like Nova, but you have to go through a breeder."

"What's the big deal with that?" Sara sighed. "I mean, there are so many cats that need a home you know?"

Sara had just gotten back from lunch with Harry. They had been messaging back and forth and she decided to just get the first awkward meeting out of the way. They met at a bistro in downtown LA. It didn't take long for paps to spot them, and watch their every mood. It was even more chaotic when they walked to their cars. It's not like they were hand in hand. It was two friends walking side by side. They caught Sara laughing at one of Harry's lame jokes, and apparently that was enough to claim they were back together. The lunch was nice, they didn't discuss their once romance, rather it was just two friends catching up.

They went their separate ways with a promise that he would come over to discuss the Christine McVie tribute later in the week. She decided to pick up Erika from their house and while searching for a cat, she'd fill her in on lunch.

They were interrupted by a volunteer. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I heard you were interested in a Bengal cat?" Sara turned and addressed the older lady. "Why yes, it's not important, but I would prefer one."

"Well Miss, today is your lucky day! We just had a one year old male come in a week ago. His previous owner passed away and they didn't have any family members. He's a sweet boy, but he is a mischievous little guy."

Sara was already in love, "Can we see him?" She smiled at Erika, who was excited as well. The older lady gestured to the girls to follow her into the next room. Once the girls approached the cage Sara knew.

Unlike Nova, he was silver, and a little bit bigger. His green eyes stared at the girls, a little unsure as he was towards the back of his cage. "Aww he's scared", Erika commented.

The lady nodded. "We can take him into a room with you guys." She guided them into one of the adopted rooms and they watched and waited as the lady grabbed him. Sara turned to Erika, "is this a sign or something? What are the odds that there is a Bengal cat at a shelter?"

The lady brought the cat in and set him down on the opposite end. Handing the girls some treats. "Let him come to you guys."

Erika was already snapping photos of the silver boy. "Everything he does is soo cute!" Sara smiled in agreement. Eventually the cat came over and ate the treats out of their hands.

They had spent a whole hour getting accustomed to the Bengal. Once he warmed up, he was a cuddly boy. Very affectionate. Sara told the volunteer, "we want him."

They filled out the paperwork but before Sara asked the lady. "Does he have a name? I feel so stupid asking considering we spent a while with him. The volunteer laughed. "We tried to give him a different name, but Bengals are stubborn cats. His name and what he responds to is Eugene."

Sara and Erika gave each other a look. "You gotta be kidding me"

"What's wrong?" Sara shook her head "nothing. His name is Eugene" there was no use in changing it. Like the lady said, and from experience, Bengals are stubborn cats. They took a photo with Eugene for the shelter to advertise it.

After getting him in the car the girls made a stop at a pet store. They went overboard with toys, treats, and a cat condo before they went home and set everything up. It didn't take long for Eugene to come out and explore everything.

"Why do I get the feeling we are never going to go out anymore?" Erika sighed, reminiscing of the party days. Sara sighed and looked at her friend. "We're getting old sis." They both laughed.

There was one thing that had been bugging Sara for the past couple of days. "I don't think Justin cheated on me."

Erika head whipped towards her friend. "Wait, why?"

Sara shrugged. "I mean I don't know. Like the more I thought about it the more it doesn't make sense. Justin didn't like public and attention, so why would he go out with Taylor out of all people? And the posts she showed me was a photo someone took. You couldn't even see her face."

Erika nodded. "But I mean, he was at her place. According to her, they went grocery shopping. I mean you read Tumblr and twitter."

Sara thought long and hard. Everyone she spoke with before said he wasn't a cheater. When she was speaking with Joe and Alisha they were stunned about what Taylor said. Erika interrupted her thoughts. "Sara, he is a scumbag. I don't think Taylor would lie about that."

Sara nodded. She did not want to argue with her friend. But she couldn't help but wonder……

—------------------------------------------------------------------- "Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday dear Justin! Happy Birthday to you!!

Holly set the cake in front of her son the '25' candles on top of the chocolate frosting. Her son wasn't a huge sweet person, but he did love his mother's chocolate cake. This was the first birthday in a while that he was home.

She was surprised when Justin came home with just him. Holly saw the reports that Justin and Sara had split and she hoped it wasn't true. She hadn't had the time since he came to ask about it. His brothers were also in town and didn't ask, but they all knew their breakup was initiated by Justin, they knew him too well.

He had been moping around the past week. Throwing himself into rehab after having shoulder surgery. It wasn't hard to figure out why he was acting the way he was. One night Mitch had shown a picture of Sara walking around LA with Harry. It was everywhere. People couldn't stop talking about it.

"Make a wish!" Mark smiled and Justin rolled his eyes. He blew out the candles and Holly began slicing. There was an awkward silence for a few moments. Until Patrick broke it. "So I texted Sara a picture of the Oregon river."

Justin was silent. So Holly answered her youngest. "Oh?" Patrick nodded as he accepted a piece of cake. "She always wanted to go but couldn't last time. She said it was beautiful and to tell everyone hello." Patrick looked at Justin. "She also apologized for all of the people bothering us."

Justin scoffed and Mark looked over. "Something wrong?" Justin looked down and stabbed the cake. "Nothing."

Mitch, who was normally the one who didn't start conflict. "It's such a shame Sara couldn't join us. I'm sure she would have gone all out for your birthday. Not that you deserve it."

"Mitchell!" Holly remarked. Justin looked up. "Look I don't want to talk about it okay? It needed to be done"

"So you just forget about it? You tell her you love her and now you hate her guts?" Mitch knew deep down Justin masked his hurt with anger and he probably hadn't had time to face his own emotions. "I mean you make excuses for everything. Your whole life is football, and you finally have a chance at happiness and opening yourself up and being vulnerable, and you piss it away."

Justin got up and went outside. "If you're going to lecture me I don't want to hear it. I know what's best for me." He left, and before anyone could say anything, Mark followed him outside.

Justin heard the door to the backyard open. He turned to see his dad. "I don't wanna lecture." He muttered. Mark nodded. "I'm not here for that, I'm here to call you a dumbass." His son's eyes widened in shock, Mark was always a sensitive parent. Taking account of his children's feelings. He had never really had to discipline his sons. They were always good kids. But now that his middle child was older, he needed to get something in his head. "I know you're hurting over Sara."

He knew his son too well. "Dad, you saw first hand the people at the house, calling your relatives, wanting to gossip about the family. Would you want to live the rest of your life that way?"

"Do you wanna live the rest of your life wondering what could have been? I mean look, it blew over. Everyone is respectful here." Justin was silent. "She leaked it."

"Do you have any proof? When have you known her to do something like that? She's not the other girl you were seeing. Look, I understand you want your privacy, but Sara respected that. She bent over backwards for you. You know how many guys could give her the public life she leads? But she wanted you."

Justin hung his head low. "You miss her don't you?" Mark watched as his son put his head in his hands. "Justin, I don't understand why you would think something like that is her fault."

"Dad, she confessed that she looked through my private messages when we first started dating." Mark didn't even flinch. "So?" Justin looked at his dad in shock. "Dad! That's a huge violation of privacy."

"Again did you let her get a chance to explain herself?" He was silent and Mark shook his head. "Justin we all saw how you looked at her when she was here. Hell, your mother and I saw something special in you two when we met her for the first time. Relationships are hard, son. I know you too well. You're selfish, and you probably gave her a reason to doubt you."

His son was choked up. Justin had spent the past month and a half running from the truth. He looked at his dad. "I fucked up."

Justin thought about Sara, her laugh, her smile. He thought about her quirks, how she drove him nuts but in the best way. She challenged him, she loved him even when he didn't deserve it.

He hadn't cleaned his house since Ashley dropped off her stuff. His sheets still smelled of her, the shower still contained some products. Justin couldn't find it in himself to get rid of the things she gave him considering he had no problem departing from other gifts exes gave him in the past.

Justin was full on sobbing now, realizing that he blew it with the love of his life.

Sara Christine Wozniak was the love of his life.  He got up. "Dad, I have to go to her."

Mark looked at the time. "Justin it's late, no flight is available. Justin shook his head and rushed inside the house to grab his phone. In a hurried state he went through his contacts and found Sara's number

Hi, you've reached. He hung up. Shit she must have blocked his number. Opening up the internet he typed in the next flight to Los Angeles.

What the fuck? There was nothing available til evening the next day. Fuck fuck fuck. In a rush he threw some clothes in his bag. Mitch and Patrick, as well as Holly, came into the room. "What on earth?"

"I have to drive back to LA." He got up between breaths." Holly furrowed her eyebrows. "Is everything okay?"

"I have to see Sara. I have to tell her how sorry I am." Patrick smiled. "You better stop and buy her a private jet after the shit you did."

"Justin, you are not going anywhere. You know I love Sara and want her back as well but you are too emotional to drive. Sleep on it and come up with a plan. You can leave early tomorrow morning." Holly spoke, being the more rational one. She saw her son had his mind set on this so she tried a different approach. "Tonight, get some sleep, write a draft of what you're going to say to her. An 'I'm sorry" isn't enough." Justin nodded. "I'm leaving first thing tomorrow morning."

He shooed everyone out of his room. They heard a slam and a click behind them. That meant he was in business.

Holly looked at her husband. "What on earth did you say to him?" Mark smiled. "I just helped him see what was in front of him all along."

Patrick was nervous. "Do you think it's going to work? We don't even know what exactly he said. But if he's groveling like this. He fucked up bad."

"At least he won't spend the rest of his life knowing what could have been." Mark sighed. He knew his middle son too well. "Let's hope he can redeem himself."

—-------------------------------------------------------------

"Hi Harry." Sara opened the door to find her ex friend/boyfriend at her front door. Dressed in his casual clothes, but still looking like he just came out of the 70s rolling stone cover he stepped in. They were chatting through text the past couple weeks It was business only, but sometimes it led to talking about his shows, her projects etc. While Sara was unsure of Harry at first, she realized that she did miss his friendship. He looked around her place. "I see nothing has changed." His gaze stopped upon seeing the cat condo. "You got a cat?"

She nodded. "Yes, a couple of days ago, after our lunch. Erika is at the Vet with him." He nodded, then opened his arms for a hug. "Come here Sara.

Rolling her eyes, she obliged and wrapped her arms around him, his usual scent engulfing her nostrils. He hugged her tight. "Have you lost weight? You're so damn skinny! I didnt even notice last time."He pulled back and examined her in her baggy sweats. "Stress?" He knew her too well.

"Well yes, the traveling, planning all of that." She didn't want to mention anything in her personal life, although Harry probably already knew. "I made your favorite Tacos."

He moaned. "You were always too good to me." Sara ignored that uncomfortable comment. She served the food and poured the pineapple mimosa that Harry brought.

As usual they ate and talked. It was comfortable though. Sara laughed as Harry told some more tour stories with Mitch and Sara. He updated her and showed pictures of his band mates kid. It was nice, it was like the old times of when they were friends.

Once they finished lunch they sat on the couch. Having another glass of the mimosa Harry sighed. "You know I was telling Erika last month I missed not being on tour."

Sara nodded. "Oh I bet, you've been on the road forever, and you keep adding more shows." She paused and thought about what he said before. "Wait a minute, you talk to Erika?" She never mentioned keeping in contact with Harry.

He nodded, his eyebrows drawn in confusion. "Yeah we've been in touch."

Wait a minute, the whole time? "That's nice you've been keeping in contact."

"Yeah, she's been keeping me updated on you." Harry set his drink down, but not before taking a massive gulp. "I need this for some courage."

"Courage for what?" Sara was confused. Her head was spinning from what he said about Erika. Then he grabbed her hands. "Oh Harry."

"I miss you. I miss us." She tried to play dumb. "I miss us being friends."

He shook his head. "You know damn well I don't mean being friends. I miss us being a couple, and I've known that you have this guy in your life but Sara he's out of the picture. If he can't keep up with you, then he doesn't deserve you."

She wanted to throw up. "Harry." He got closer to her. "Come on the road with me until you have to film your show"

Before she could say anything else she felt his lips on hers. Quickly she shoved him off. "Harry I can't"

"Look I know I fucked up, but please I will spend everyday making it up to you."

Sara shook her head. "Harry I cant." Tears were streaming down her face. "I don't love you anymore." She wiped at her face. "I love someone else."

Harry was upset. "How? I know why you guys broke up. He doesn't deserve you! He treats you like crap!"

"Oh and you were the best boyfriend ever." She huffed. "I had to sit back and be humiliated every time you stepped out with Olivia."

Harry shook his head. "I said I was sorry, I love you Sara. Forget him, he doesn't love you. He isn't here with you isn't he?" She was silent. He threw his hands up. "He hasn't even met your family!"

She was pissed now. "Fuck you Harry. You didn't know shit about my relationship. Don't come around here acting like I should fall into your arms because of who you are."

Before he could say anything else she yelled. "Get out! I'll do this damn project by myself." Harry's eyes were watering. "Sara Christine, listen to me! I'm sorry, okay? I ruined the best thing that ever happened to me! Harry got up and ran his hands through his hair. "It's always been you Sara! Olivia, all of those other girls never made me feel the way you do! When I saw you at the show at MSG after knowing about that guy, it drove me nuts, and I realized that I don’t want to see you with anyone else.  I will do whatever it takes." She saw him reach into his pocket and pull out a box with the 'Harry Winston' engrave in it

Oh god She couldn't breathe. "Harry" She rasped out. Please.

He opened the box,which contained a 5 carat diamond oval ring and held it out in front of her. He got down on one knee. "I'm so serious Sara.You remember when I visited you in Pittsburgh and we sat on the swing on your parents porch?"

She couldn't even speak, she was stunned.  He continued. "You said that when you would sit outside at night with your grandfather, and he said any man deserving of you would take off his hat and pull the stars out of the sky and lay them at your feet."

She nodded. He looked at the box containing the ring. "Well I've only caught this one, but Sara Christine Wozniak if you accept, I'll spend the rest of my life chasing down the rest of them for you."

A/N WHEW BABY SARA GOT OPTIONS

[somuchfuckingsalt]

One thing I think the Duffers dropped the ball on is not using Steve in a leadership role within the group dynamic because he 100% has the skillset for it and it would also round out his character arc very nicely without diminishing the roles any other characters play.

And when I say Steve has the skillset I mean he played team sports and was in a leadership role on those teams. As someone who has played team sports before, the best captains are the ones who are not just physically good at playing the game, but also the ones who are able to coach others into improvement without making them feel like idiots, participate in strategizing and communicating those strategies effectively to the team, leading the team in the absence of the coaches, having good sportsmanship, being able to work with opposing teams without causing problems, etcetera.

Which is my long winded way of saying the best leaders are those who are good with people. Of the many characters on the show - particularly the teens/kids - Steve is arguably the most emotionally intelligent and he is genuinely the best with people. I don’t think we see as many examples of it in the show as we could because 1) I think the Duffers don’t see Steve as any form of intelligent because the Everything about how they write their jock and jock-adjacent characters displays a lot of prejudices and biases about the “dumb jock” stereotype and 2) the Duffers have definitely dumbed Steve down even more throughout the seasons to the point where he is The Protector and the Joey Tribbiani, so dumb he’s become comic relief. 

(playing sports also would give Steve a lot of experience with strategy, both preplanning and in making split-second decisions in the moment but being a good leader isn’t contigant on being good at strategy, I just wanted to point out he could and should be good at it)

Narratively, season 2 would have been an excellent starting point for building Steve’s leadership role since he spends the back half of the season in charge of the Party and, essentially, leading them. That would build through season 3, settle in season 4 as this is the role he has (especially since they were operating without Joyce or Hopper), and then be able to expand on his capabilities in season 5.

In season 4 specifically, Steve insisting Nancy not go alone should’ve been taken as him taking charge in that situation because he was correct, they should not be doing anything alone. I also think doing something small like just inserting a line where he’s asking for ideas on the plan instead of straight jump cut to them going planning how to get supplies would’ve been great.

I also think moments like having Steve’s voice be the voice over leading up to them executing their plan and Steve being the one to be Vecna’d instead of Nancy (which would show that Vecna viewed Steve as integral enough that fucking with his head wold affect the group) would have put an importance to Steve and put him more into that leadership role in to the audience without needing overt displays and adding to run time (since the Duffers tend to cut out a lot of moments where leadership would’ve been evident to save time). By using these 'important’ moments though would’ve been great ways to set up Steve in a genuine, established leadership role in season 5, especially since there’s going to be a time skip. 

I also don’t think that making Steve the leader would be taking anything away from the other characters - at least not the other teens/kids. For starters, Dustin, Lucas, and Max have never been the ‘leaders’ - that’s Mike. Furthermore, the only other person really sitting in that leadership position among the teens is Nancy but she is already academically gifted, the journalist, the detective, etcetera. She also is not the best people person (competent, but it’s not her strongest feature) and she has the tendency to get fixated on things, which isn’t the greatest trait to have as a leader. 

Anyway, I think the Duffer Brothers Joey Tribbiani’d Steve’s charcater and they 100% could have been doing a lot more with him than they are if they weren’t looking at him through biased “dumb jock” glasses. 

[its-to-the-death]

Bracket E thoughts:

"Brand New Day" and "Alive" are both very good, but I'm a sucker for Anthony Warlow's Hyde. He just sounds so happy to unleash his inner evil! :)

"Philistine" fucking slaps, and as much as I love "Snuff Out the Light," I want to make everyone appreciate this rockin' number as much as I do. She spends the entire song ripping Travis apart, pointing out how his vengeance doesn't make him noble, his anger doesn't make him cool, and he's a pervy otaku. She rhymes aeternum with sternum. Having listened to both versions, I think the English version is better in the vocals because they're clearer, but the Japanese version has a kickass climax at 3:15.

I'm a perpetual fan of GLaDOS' songs, and I really enjoy the thinly veiled spite in "Still Alive."

"Mean Green Mother From Outer Space" is a fun song, but I am a self-admitted sucker for Joey Richter being a hammy villain in "Wagon on Fire".

Further research has indicated "Grand Ceremony" is indicative of the pompousness and fakeness of Manley, who is universally regarded as a prick. I don't know this game, but I can definitely get that vibe from this one.

"In the Dark of the Night" is always a classic, but I voted for "A Million Gruesome Ways to Die" because it's hilarious to me that Barnaby is threatening to kill the player in all sorts of gruesome ways the same way you'd offer a bunch of options to a really picky customer at a restaurant. He's just trying to be helpful, he's so enthusiastic about it!

Dawn M Bennett my beloved makes this modern-day hypocritical dirty cowgirl seem unironically cool every time she sings. Also the Banzai Blasters apparently just fucking shot her parents to death which is some fucking whiplash from "Great at Crime," to say the least. Anyway go listen to Zora's surprise musical backstory.

This might just be because I'm not an Ace Attorney fan, but I didn't really get a lot out of Distant Traces of Beauty" in terms of villainy? Like from what I've read it makes sense in context but it just doesn't give me the villain vibes I was hoping for. Also I have to give points to "I'm a Professional" for being made up entirely on the spot.

SO PREPARE FOR THE COUP OF THE CENTURY! BE PREPARED FOR THE MURKIEST SCAM--

Holy shit that's Captain Marvel's actress? How and why the fuck is she rocking that song so well??? Anyway vote for "Black Sheep," a.k.a the much-needed "fuck you Scott" song.

Ok I submitted "Grandpa's Going to Sue the Pants Off of Santa," but...it's not a good song. It's really not. And even without knowing Les Mis that well, Alun Armstrong is doing such a good job of getting across who Thénardier is by being such a delightful scumbag.

I already can tell "Slipping" is going to win, which is fair, but I needed to vote for "What You Feel" because it is a bop.

As several people have pointed out, "That's Not How the Story Goes" is not really a villain song so much as a song lamenting the horror of the world they live in which happens to feature Count Olaf. Since the villain is listed as Olaf and not The Narrative Itself, I voted for "The Whole Being Dead Thing," which is also a very good song in a completely opposite direction from its opponent.

Holy fuck, why is "Where There's A Whip, There's A Way" so good. Why do the orcs harmonize so well. What the shit.

Have I mentioned that I love Queen Latifah's singing? Because I love her singing. She is having so much fun here.

"Open Up Your Eyes" is a pretty good villain song in an unfortunately mediocre movie that tells me a lot about who the villain is and why she villains, while "You Will Remember" veered kind of too hard into generic rock song territory. Like, I know it's supposed to be an allusion to Ember's backstory, but that backstory wasn't even in the show itself...

Oh yeah and also the person who uploaded that video apparently committed a shooting, which isn't relevant to this bracket, but was a big surprise when I scrolled down to the comments.

Some good opinions 👍