#Jacksonville Pressing

[k-i-l-l-e-r-b-e-e-6-9]

The Beach Boys – California Girls

[stevie-baby]

still not over the fact that when i was record shopping in cambridge there was a whole section/crate just for gram

[interestinginfographics]

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[harrisonarchive]

In Key West, September 10, 1964. Photos by Curt Gunther.

Paul Drew (DJ): “Have you ever done this. Sat in with another group?” George: “Yes, last trip to America. Last year we ended up in Key West, ‘cause we couldn’t land in Jacksonville because of the hurricane, and we stayed in a little motel there, and the Bill Black Combo was on the trip with us, set up their equipment in the bar, and later when everybody had gone home we had a session, just on our own, and it was nice. I never enjoyed playing so much for ages. It was great.” - Datebook, 1965 The Beatles refused to play to segregated audiences in America, and had a clause included in their concert contracts (e.g. for their Cow Palace concert in 1965). “The Beatles made history: it was the first time blacks and whites sat together in the Gator Bowl [in Jacksonville, Florida, on September 11, 1964].” - Larry Kane, MOJO, October 2016 Q: “George, I understand that from here you’re going, later on next month, down south. I understand you’re pretty against the segregation down there and we understood there were some problems about the hotel you might stay in in Jacksonville.” George Harrison: “I don’t know about our accommodations at all. We don’t arrange that. But, you know, we don’t appear anywhere where there is [segregation].” - Denver press conference, August 26, 1964 (x)

[xetlynn]

Twilight- Youngest Shadow: Chapter Four, Field Trips

(Alice X Reader X Jasper)

[three] [four] [five]

Bella and I stood next to each other, we had just gotten to our science field trip. I observed Bella’s eyes that went to the Cullens as usual. I then hear foot steps behind and before I can warn Bella, Mike pretends to be Dr. Frankenstein.

“Look! You’re moving. You’re alive!” He shouts, both Bella and I cringe. “Yeah false alarm.”

“Actually, I’m glad you’re not dead cause- well, that would suck, plus I wanted to ask you even though it’s like a month away…” He continued to talk, not even paying attention to the fact that she wasn’t facing his direction.

I watch Edward look up and over at our direction. Bella finally snaps out of it and looks over at Mike. It was a little late.

“So, what do you think?” He notices her blank expression. “You want to go? To prom. With me.”

I cover my mouth, looking away after seeing her horrified look. I try my best to refrain from laughing.

“Prom, as in dance. I uh- have to go somewhere. To Jacksonville. Yeah.” She sprouts out her lie.

“You can’t go another weekend?”

“Non-refundable ticket. Maybe you should ask Jessica.” We all glance over to across the lawn where Jessica stood. Mike then looks at me and my eyes widen.

“Don’t think about it. You’re not my type.” I sternly tell him.

He presses his lips together, sighing then going over to Jessica.

Both Bella and I make eye contact, laughing from that horrible ordeal.

Throughout the day I kept seeing two specific Cullens looking my way. And as that happened, each time I would look behind me as if there was something more interesting there.

Of course I would sneak some looks at them too but I’m hoping they didn’t notice or I wasn’t as obvious as they were.

We were now walking through the greenhouse and I saw Bella try to go up to Edward so instead of staying in between that I decide to walk ahead. Moving passed Edward and accidentally bumping into non other than Alice who seemed to have gripped tighter to Jasper.

Her grip loosened after seeing me. “I’m so sorry.” I bowed my head down a tiny bit to not look them in the eyes. She smiled motioning with her hand. “It’s quite alright.” Her voice was angelic, my face warmed up a bit and I start to feel embarrassed at how I was acting.

“I won’t be a bother, sorry again.” I stammered, going to walk away but she gently takes my hand for a second. I gasp at how cold she was.

“You can hang with us if you’d like.” My eyes wander over to Jasper who does a small nod, agreeing with his partner.

I shrug as a why not, finally straightening my posture and looking them in the eyes for only seconds at a time before looking somewhere else.

“Did those hurt?” She points to my piercings, since I flinch for a moment she instantly takes her hand back. “Oh, not really. I guess my tongue did but only the healing part.” I stick my tongue out, showing her. She stares at it.

I smile, closing my mouth, her nose scrunches in response. “I couldn’t imagine the feeling of metal in my mouth all the time.” She mumbles, almost inaudible.

“It doesn’t bother you after awhile. It kinda becomes you.” I say, purposefully adding a little dramatics at the end. I notice Jasper watching me intently. I smile and him and I didn’t even know his eyes could get wider but they did.

“Here, walk in between us.” Alice takes my sleeved arm, nod even between the fabric it still feels cold. I wonder if it bothers her.

I do as suggested, Jasper doesn’t seem so tense anymore either.

“You play Volleyball, I heard?” She asks, I grin just by the fact that she knew. “Yes! Our last game is coming up.”

“Really?” Alice looks up at me, I nod about to say something but Jasper beats me.

“We should go to it.”

My eyes light up but quickly I shot it down going back to a neutral expression.

“Yeah that would be awesome.” I agree.

For the rest of the trip I stood next to the two, it felt different but fresh as it wasn’t the same people I’ve been talking to for so long.

Someone other than Bella, Charlie, Jacob and Angela that enjoyed talking to me without using me to talk to my sister.

The buses arrived and we made our way over there, I saw Bella and Edward talking and it seemed to be upsetting my sister. I begin to walk over, picking up the pace and Alice joins.

“Hi, will you be riding with us?” She asks Bella but before my sister can say anything Edward interrupts. “No our bus is full.” He turns to go on the bus.

“Here’s my number, we should be-“

“Alice, come on.” Edward grabs her, stopping her from giving me the tiny paper. Jasper joins them, he gives me a sympathetic look and I give a small smile in return.

What just happened..?

“Your mother called, again.” Charlie calls after Bella who just stormed into the house trying to go upstairs to her room.

“Your fault for telling her about the accident.” Bella shrugs.

“She always did know how to worry.” His voice sounded sad. “But she’s changed, too. She seems happy. Phil sounds all right.”

“He is.” Bella goes up the stairs, I watch her spit the wedding photo Charlie still hasn’t seemed to take down.

The next day at lunch I stared at the Cullen table, unaware that I was doing it as I was thinking. Looking right at Alice and Jasper, infatuated with their relationship. Wondering what it was like behind closed doors. What kind of people they truly were. Why were they so nice to me at the field trip.

“La Push, baby. You in?” Eric and both my sister and I.

“Should I know what that means?” Bella raises an eyebrow.

“La Push beach, down on the Quileute rez. We’re all going after school. Big waves coming in.” Mike further explains. I already knew as Jacob had told me about the waves.

“And I don’t just surf the internet.” Eric makes a horrible joke.

“Eric, you stood up once. On a foam board.” Jessica called him out and even though I’m not fond of her. That was pretty funny.

“There’s whale watching too. You both should come with.” Angela chimes in and I smile at her.

“I’ll only go if you are.” I nudge her since she was right next to me. Her eyes widen at first but then she grins back.

“La Push baby.”

“I’ll go you stop saying that.” Bella says.

I knew Jake would be there with the others.

So of course I’m going to go. Plus, Angela is pretty cool. I love hanging out with her.

As Bella gets up to get food from the salad bar, I stand up as well but to go to the bathroom. “Where you going? Lunch isn’t over.” Eric questions me, they all look at me and I roll my eyes before turning to look at them. “I can’t piss anymore?”

Only reason I truly sit with them is for Bella and now Angela.

“Gosh you can’t ask questions anymore.” Jessica mutters, thinking I wouldn’t have heard. I raise my eyebrows, giving her a look. She presses her lips together and I head to the bathroom like I was going to do.

I enter the restroom, I actually wasn’t going to use it but to take a minute to myself before classes and everything. I normally am not overwhelmed so easily but something came over me like whiplash.

I heard the door open. “Sorry.” I whisper, going to get out of the persons way. “Hey, you alright?” The voice was small, gentle and I knew exactly who it was

“Oh, hey Alice. Yeah, I’m fine.” I force a smile, she stares at my face for a few seconds as if she was noticing me for the first time. Her expression was blank. Now it looks like she is staring off into space. I wave my hand for a minute, wondering if she’s okay.

Suddenly a smile appears upon her face. “If you say so, sweetheart.” She acts as if nothing happened. Going towards the mirror to fix her hair even though it laid perfectly. I watched every movement.

“So, you ready for that big game tomorrow?” She asks, I let out a shaky breath, laughing a bit at myself for being so nervous.

“Big time. Everyone will be there. We’ll make the paper if we win.” I tell her and she turns to face me once again.

“Really? That’s huge!” She squeals like it was actually important to her. “Yeah um, and I was thinking there’s this thing today. You should come, bring Jasper too.” I start,

Her head turns to the side. “We’re going to the beach if you’re interested.”

“Which one?”

I perk up to her answer, not expecting her to actually be interested.

“La Push.” I watch her expression falter the tiniest bit.

“Oh, how many people?”

“Uh, quite a bit.” I frown.

“I would love to. Really but Jasper has pretty bad social anxiety.” She sadly tells.

“I totally get it. Don’t worry. I’ll see you both at my game tomorrow though, right?” She seemed relieved by my response.

“Of course.”

“I keep thinking Eric’s going to ask me to prom, then he just doesn’t.” Angela tells Bella and I as we walk by the driftwood of the beach.

“You should ask him.” I tell her, Bella nods agreeing. “Take control. You’re a strong independent woman.” Bella exclaims like a motivational speaker.

“I am?”

“Totally.”

“Bella!? [Name]!” We three look up to see Jacob, Sam and Embry.

“Yes, you are.” I tell Angela before we acknowledge Jacob and end this conversation with her thinking to herself.

“Guys, this is Jacob.” I say.

“Are you stalking us?” Bella jokes.

“You’re on my rez remember?” He reminds her, “also you surfing? [Name] I’m surprised you’re not suited up too.” I just flip him off. “Definitely not.” Bella says.

“Keep her company, her date bailed.” Jessica teases and this is where I’m glad I’m not close with these people and they didn’t join me to the bathroom and heard my conversation.

Also I don’t think they would be cool with the idea of girls finding other girls attractive… sexually.

“What date?” Eric butts in.

“She invited Edward.”

“To be polite.” Bella argues, obviously embarrassed. “I think it’s nice she invited him. No one ever does.” Angela inquires, I think she is so sweet.

“Because Cullens a freak.” Mike sharply tells. “You got that right.” Sam speaks up and i grimace, not expecting that from him.

“You know them?” Bella questions.

“The Cullens don’t come here.”

I notice Jacob give Sam a look.

Everyone kind of stands there awkwardly and Bella ends up pulling Jacob aside, and she seems different. Like she’s trying to be flirtatious with him. And Jacob still having that puppy love crush is absolutely falling for it. I shake my head, sighing hoping he doesn’t get hurt. But I have a feeling Bella’s going to accidentally do so.

I go over to Sam and Embry as Angela decides to hand around Eric. “You got a little hot-headed out there.” I poke Sam who huffs in response. “Cullens are that bad?” I turn to Embry who looks down.

“You’ve heard the story before at the campfire, [Name]” Sam says, basically telling me I should remember one of these stories that I was told years ago. I press my lips together, shrugging my shoulders. “The Cullens were supposedly descended from an enemy clan. Does that ring a bell?”

I shake my head, “not really.”

“They claimed to be different than the normal enemy. So we made a treaty with them. If they promised to stay off Quileute lands we wouldn’t expose what they really were to humans.” Sam explains further, cutting it short than what Billy would have said.

“What are they-“

A scream emits from further down near the water, it was Angela being chased by Eric who holds a dead crustacean.

I end up not repeating my question as it seems to upset Sam. Going to join Jake and my sister who sat together.

Chapter four😨

Edited

[htchnr]

♰ purest hell ༻ ASH WILLIAMS.*ೃ˚

✮ꜜ masterlist. ✮ꜜ buy me a ko-fi!

content warning sex as a coping's mechanism ⋆ hint at a slightly unhealthy/toxic relationship ⋆ mention of trauma's ⋆ unprotected sex ⋆ rough sex ⋆ creampie ⋆ sex in the airstream while Pablo drives ⋆ mention of drunk sex ⋆ mention of heavy drinking ⋆ i really don't know what this fic even is anymore ⋆ if i missed anything, lmk!

summary < part one here > after that first night together, the two of you have found sense of comfort in each other. not in the most healthiest of ways — but after all that you've both been through, who can really blame you two? wordcount 0,8k.

authors note y'all, my writers block is so bad — this fic isn't even 1k words long and it's taken me well over a few weeks to get it written 🥲🫠 i think i'm losing my touch 😭

© 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 𝐇𝐓𝐂𝐇𝐍𝐑. 𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲, 𝐬𝐡𝐚����𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦, 𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫!

after that night spent together things had been a little less tense for you and Ash. the two of you found an outlet in each other, able to just feel each other when everything was too much.

but that was it — not a single change in behaviour besides the hookups. his bad flirting didn't feel more genuine, if anything, it lessened. and you could find peace in that. an outlet that truly didn't change a thing between you two. the sex was great, the momentary comfort and numbing even better. it helped the both of you cope with the trauma both of you had experienced around Evil.

a harsh thrust pulls you out of your thoughts, your face contorting with pleasure as his fat cock bullied your insides. as of late, this happened nearly every night, one of you couldn't sleep, in turn you'd crawl into the other's bed and wear yourselves out till your bodies forced you to go to sleep.

the sex after that first night became wordless, only the occasional 'i'm close' or quiet plea to quicken the pace. and you were both fine with that.

after you had arrived in Jacksonville you joined Ash in his nightly parties, getting wasted while you were with other people and then later in the night stumble into his airstream with his heavy figure covering yours, his lips dragging urgently across your skin.

the hangovers felt less bad when you woke up beside him, his heavy arm draped across your waist as he snored away into the afternoon. wake up, repeat.

it temporarily numbed the part you desperately wanted to forget — the Necronomicon, Ruby and her spawn, your dead friends, people getting possessed. " m'close, baby- " he grunts, his hips picking up their pace. your hands clutch the sheets below you, pushing your hips back into his thrusts as he fucks you from behind.

you press your face into the sheets, face contorted with pleasure as Ash chases his high. his metal fingers digging into the small, ugly existing bruises where his fingers usually bite into when he grabs onto your hips.

a bump in the road causes him to tip over you, " oh shit-! " you cry out against the sheets as his heavy figure is pushed against yours, his fat cock thrusting in impossibly deep.

Pablo had offered to drive for a while — the three of you being on the road again after Ruby had broken the truce. things had started to tense up again between you and Ash — it didn't take a genius to figure out he was dreading going back home.

your moments together certainly had gotten more tense, seeing a darker, frustrated version of him. you gasp as he pushes himself up, using the changed position to push in even deeper. his grip shifts to your thighs, practically slamming you into the mattress. you were only half a day away from Elk Grove and you could definitely feel it in the way he fucks you.

" c'mon, give t'me, Ash-! " you whine, your thighs shaking in overstimulation. you feel him twitch against your walls, his grunts sounding more and more feral as he chases his high.

you too, dread Elk Grove in a way. you dread being thrust into Deadite horror, dread the thought of seeing Ruby again. you more than anything dread not being able to fall back to your routine of numbing the stress and trauma with a good party and some rough, drunk sex. being targeted by Deadites meant being alert and sober, focused and ready for anything.

" fuck, m'gonna- " he groans behind you, his heavy figure dropping against you again as he thrusts a few more times before stilling. you moan as you feel him cum, painting your walls with his spend.

it takes him a few minutes before he rolls off of you, turning to lay on his back beside you. you remain on your stomach, only shifting to nuzzle your face against Ash's sweaty bicep. your body's sore and tired, the nights were restless and filled with nightmares again. you exhale deeply, throwing an arm over his waist as you close your eyes.

you know sleep won't hold you long, that it'll just leave you sweaty and panicking in just a few hours — but the bliss of post-sex sleep is tugging at you and you can't deny it's welcoming call.

[storiesofsvu]

A Dangerous Game Ch 23

Emily Prentiss x reader warnings: language, some teasing, that's about it. Welp. We've come full circle. We are at the end of the fic. It's been a bit of a wild ride, but we made it, right? lol. thank you all for commenting, reblogging and interacting! <3. Bingo starts next month and Emily is currently dominating that one, so there's plenty of Prentiss to come! Otherwise, if you're interested in an Alex Blake series fill out that taglist to be notified when it starts! Love you all!

Buy me a ko-fi

Over the next couple of weeks you and Emily always made sure to set aside Friday nights for each other, though that wasn’t really anything new. Some nights were out on the town, finally happy to get a chance to show the other one off, while some remained tucked in one of you apartments with take out and cuddles. You got through your first couple of cases with no complaints from any of the higher ups and the reins got loosened a little bit as it was realized you were both trustworthy and putting the job above all else. You still managed to keep things hidden from the rest of the team, Garcia getting enough joy out of gossiping with Derek or one of the two of you in the meantime.

Derek had stuck true to his word, making sure to jump on the chance to bunk with you on out of town cases, much to your annoyance. Although now that you’d actually figured things out, you didn’t need to stick to your ‘Vegas’ rule, you were together at home already. But that wasn’t enough to stop Derek, little teasing remarks the entire week on a case out in Atlanta.

Currently, you’d just taken down an unsub down in Jacksonville, Florida. While the case was solved and the paperwork was done by dinner time, the jet had been loaned out to another department which meant another two nights in the sunshine state. Considering the weather in DC had started to dip, no one was really complaining about the extended vacation. The hotel had a large courtyard out front that included an oversized patio connected to the lounge just inside the doors and that’s where the team debriefed, drinks flowing, tables covered in appetizers, bits and bites to share as laughter and stories filled the air. You did your best to linger as late as you could as everyone started trickling off but Derek was holding out just as long as you were, Emily shooting him a glare when you finally caved, saying you were heading to bed and he followed your lead.

*

Emily rolled over in the uncomfortable hotel bed, her eyes scrunching before they opened to find the room still bathed in darkness. The air conditioner was whirring away under the window, but not a sliver of light was sneaking its way through the curtains. She let out a soft sigh, rolling onto her back and her head swivelled to look at the other bed where JJ was peacefully sleeping still. She curled back around herself under the blanket, shutting her eyes again in an attempt to actually sleep in considering this was the first day they could. It didn’t matter though, she could feel it already, her brain was awake and unwilling to shut back off, she was up for the day. Grimacing, she quietly reached out, plucking her phone from the bedside table to check what time it was, praying it wasn’t still the middle of the night.

*

You were just about to approach the café’s counter when the bell above the door rang, signalling another customer and you glanced over your shoulder. Your head tilted in surprise as a grin took over your lips,

“Hey…”

“Can’t say I’m surprised.” Emily chuckled in return, easily moving through the space to link your hand with hers, pressing a soft kiss to your cheek.

“What’re you doing up?”

“Couldn’t sleep.” She shrugged, “and someone once told me this was the best breakfast in the state.”

“You’re not wrong.” You smiled, turning back to the counter to double the order.

“You could’ve texted me.”

“We both know your phone’s not on silent, I didn’t wanna risk waking up Jayje.”

“True.” She replied, somehow managing to slip between you and the counter to pay for the food, passing you your coffee. “thought about swinging by your room but I figured if I even so much as walked down the hallway Morgan would have it out for me.”

You laughed in agreeance, thanking the worker for the sandwiches before you and Emily made your way out of the shop. Her fingers tangled with yours, thumb stroking over the back of your hand as you walked the block down to the beach. Wordlessly you both kicked off your sandals, wandering through the sand to a familiar piece of driftwood that you set up camp in front of. Emily’s free hand stayed on your thigh while she took the first sip of her coffee, letting out a happy sigh at the feeling of you nestling into her side.

It was so incredibly peaceful, the waves softly crashing against the sand while the sky began to light up, colours bursting through the clouds on the horizon, slowly climbing higher and higher into the sky. Hues of orange, pink and even a hint of lilac graced the sky as a warm breeze wafted through the air. You felt Emily take a deep breath, her shoulder moving under your head as she tried to immortalize the moment, the beauty of the sky, the salty smell of the ocean, the warmth of you beside her in the cool sand. Your gaze shifted from the ocean, flicking up to look at Emily and you practically melted at how stunningly beautiful she was with the shades of the sky reflecting off her skin, the sparkle alive in her eyes. Your hand wrapped around the one of hers she had on your thigh, linking your fingers together and she finally glanced down at you.

“What?” She asked with a small smile that you returned.

“I love you.” You murmured and the smile on her cheeks broke into a bigger one. Her free hand came up to cup your cheek, guiding you off her shoulder so she could kiss you, lips lingering against yours longer than you’d expected.

“I love you too.” She replied, a misting of happy tears invading both of your eyes as she gazed adoringly at you. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be right now.”

“Same.” Smiling, you kissed her softly once more, a small giggle escaping your lips before you tucked yourself back onto her shoulder once more and her lips brushed the top of your head. A very happy silence overtook the two of you while the sun continued to climb in the sky until the array of colours had finally faded away to the classic baby blue, picture perfect fluffy clouds scattered through the air. “I wish we had sunrises like this back home.”

“Guess we’ve got a reason to come back to Florida more often then.” She replied.

“Really?” You lifted your head up, glancing over at her.

“I mean, if you want to. That’s what vacation days are for, right?”

“I say we try to find the prettiest sunrise in the entire world.”

“I mean, it doesn’t matter where we are, as long as I’m with you I know it’s gonna be the prettiest.”

“Emily!” You laughed, swatting at her arm.

“I know.” She winced, “I already regret saying it.”

“You’re a fucking cheeseball sometimes, you know that right?”

“You make me… incredibly soft.” She smiled, stroking at your cheek again and you leant in to kiss her.

“Good. Maybe I’ll get the upper hand on you one of these days.” You replied with a tease, smirk on your lips before wrapping yourself around her body once more, shifting slightly in the sand to be more entangled with each other.

It was a couple more hours by the time you and Emily made the call to head back to the hotel. The sun was fully in the sky, humidity hanging in the air and the crowds had started to pick up. Rather than the relaxing mood of the sunrise, there were people sprinkled through the sand, splashing their way into the water and setting up camp for the day. You scooped up your belongings, accepting Emily’s hand when she held it out to you and the two of you wandered back towards the hotel.

On the walk back you’d already started talking about lunch, figuring it’d be best to stop at the lounge, see what the options were so you were crossing through the courtyard rather than the lobby. You made a joke that pulled a loud laugh from Emily before she tugged you to her, kissing you deeply without a care in the world. And it was certainly lucky that she didn’t care considering the voice that you heard next was one you both recognized.

“It is about damn time! Where have you two been?”

“Penelope?” You asked, pulling away from Emily, although her arm stayed firmly wrapped around your waist, “what’re you doing here?” It was then that you actually glanced around the patio, noticing a nook of it covered in very Garcia esque decorations and balloons, “what’s… going on?”

“Garcia had this all set up back at the office, but when I told her we were staying the extra two days…” Rossi started, eyeing you and Emily with a sly grin on his cheeks.

“I figured I’d hop on a plane and bring the party to you.” Penelope smiled brightly across at you, “congratulations. You’ve been part of the BAU for a year now.”

“Pen…”

“Hold up!” JJ cut in with a laugh, “better question is what’s going on here…” She gestured toward you and Emily, who laughed at the question, her cheeks tinging pink. “Where were you?”

“Down at the beach.” You replied with a shrug, doing your best to not attempt to hide in Emily’s shoulder as you laughed it off.

“Oh please don’t tell me you were doin’ the nasty down there.” Morgan groaned.

“Hey!” Emily cut him off, “maybe if you hadn’t hijacked my girlfriend’s hotel room we wouldn’t have to sneak off for some alone time.”

“Also,” you grimaced, “absolutely not. Sand would get everywhere.”

“Okay, okay.” Penelope laughed, “interrogations later. Now…” She grabbed your hand and Emily’s arm finally slipped from your waist, letting the blonde guide you over to the table, “it’s mimosa time.” She picked one up from the table, handing it to you as everyone paused to pass out glasses until everyone had one. “congratulations to our dear sugar plum y/n. You’ve made it a full year with our chaotic little family and we wouldn’t have it any other way. You were the missing part of our team and now we’ve found you and couldn’t be happier, we love you.”

Glasses clinked together as murmurs of agreements and other well wishes were heard from around the space. Penelope pressed a gentle kiss to your cheek that you returned before taking a sip of the mimosa and accepted a soft kiss from Emily, which resulted in a little bit more hooting and hollering from the team than you would’ve normally liked, but there was still a smile on your face when you pulled back from the kiss.

“Alright, the brunch buffet is open, and the mimosa’s are bottomless. Let’s enjoy our last day in the sunshine state.” Rossi announced to another rousing cheer from everyone as little conversations started to take over.

You were immediately sucked away by JJ and Garcia, Emily watching with a fond smile as the three of you gossiped over the rims of your glasses, laughter and smiles evident all around. She took a sip of her drink as she debated browsing the buffet, despite the breakfast sandwich earlier, that had been a while ago and she was thinking about eating again when Derek stepped up to her.

“Hey,” he extended out a greeting card sized envelope.

“What’s this?”

“Just wanted to get you a little something.” He smiled, “it may be Wilson’s one year with the team but that means it’s an anniversary of some sort for you too, right?”

“I guess.” She chuckled, ripping open the envelope and flipping the card around to the front then flipped it open, her brow furrowing, “Derek did you bother reading this before you bought it?” She glanced up to him, suddenly worried by the sly look on his face, “this is a father’s day card.”

“Last time I checked, you were somebody’s daddy…”

“Morgan!” She shrieked, smacking at his chest with the card and he burst into a fit of laughter, reaching out to squeeze at her shoulder.

“Okay, okay. I couldn’t resist.”

“You fucking menace.”

“I am happy for you Prentiss, really. Happy looks good on the two of you, I’m glad you got everything sorted out.”

“Yeah.” She smiled fondly in your direction, catching your eye and you excused yourself from the girls “me too.”

“He’s not torturing you, is he?” You asked, arm easily winding around her waist and she scoffed, rolling her eyes while she showed you the card. Your eyes widened in realization as the heat began to creep up the back of your neck before you shot Derek a glare.

“You’re rooming with JJ tonight, just for that.”

“Only if you buy me ear plugs first.”

“No.” You shook your head, “you don’t deserve that. You’re gonna have to hear whatever you happen to overhear.”

Derek grimaced, raising his hands in defeat before wandering off without another word, leaving you and Emily laughing together, her lips brushing against yours briefly.

“I love you.” She murmured, simply eager to say the words again, to make it known just how important you were to her and that you always would be.

“I love you more.” You replied, leaving a kiss on the tip of her nose.

“I’m not sure that’s quite possible.”

“Guess we’ll just have to wait and see.” You grinned, clinking your glass with hers before she leant in to kiss you again.

It didn’t matter how long you would wait, because your love would be forever. And the two of you knew it that day, surrounded by your friends, your found family that you’d created and made just for yourselves. The ones who were there for you every step of the way, who’d helped you through some of the hardest times over the past year and proved that they loved you time and time again, and always would. There was part of you that had thought you would never be able to find and achieve this level of happiness, that love was a mythical concept people only talked about. But now you knew that was the farthest thing from the truth. With Emily by your side and in your corner you’d unlocked the ultimate level of peace, the greatest experience that life could bring you was one with her, and Emily couldn’t possibly be any happier than getting to be your person.  

____________________

@mickey-gomez @momlifebehard @melindawarnersgf @itisdoctortoyousir @emilyprentiss4life @somethingimaginative17 @temilyrights @alexxavicry @daddy-heather-dunbar @aliensaurusrex @rustyzebra @ilovemycrayons @mandy-asimp @thegrantwater @leftoverenvy @kades95 @dextur @m00nkn1ghts @supercriminalbean @daffodil-heart @msvenablesbitch @its-soph-xx @going-gray @just-a-torn-up-masterpiece @hopelesslyfallenninlove @peanutbutterprincess @kdaghay @emilyprentisssluvr @lex13cm @awolfcsworld @zizzlekwum @emobabeyy @riveramorylunar @s1ut4nat @midnight-sapphic @scorpsik @prentiss-theorem @unsubologyy @strongsassysexysloane @svushots @overtrred28 @happenstnces @sapphicprentiss @heidss @geekyandgay98 @pagetboobstarcomments @onmykneesformarvel @inlovewithemilyprentiss @aws-l

[saltsicklover]

To Love, To Die, and Everything In Between

This was a requested work, you can find the request HERE Find my Master List HERE Pairing: Jake "Hangman" Seresin x Reader Word Count: 3k+ Rating: R Should I put an old school Wattpad excuse as to why I've been gone so long? Also, I really hope my tag list is right!

Warnings: Swearing, mentions of war and fighting, mentions of death, regular cannon violence (probably less), No use of y/n, the term Sweetheart, Tons and Tons web weaving, credit at the end. This is so fucking angsty.

---

They say it's about the journey, the destination itself nothing more than an ending, all the importance found in the steps it takes to get there. But really, it's the destination itself that holds the meaning. After all, if that wasn't the case, the destination wouldn't come with a soul crushing grip, fingers digging into the folds of my lungs just to starve out the capacity for air. 

The journey's memories would not be left with inky smears of fingerprints, the clarity nothing more than the orange tinted, overexposed film and the whirring of a projector still clicking though no more film is passing through. Nothing left but the flickering light of the present, the whirring akin to blood rushing over ear drums. 

Destination means death to me. If I could figure out a way to remain forever in transition, in the disconnected and unfamiliar, I could remain in a state of perpetual freedom.

And this in and of itself is death. Squinting through the glaring light that is now I can see the curve of his lips, the way they give frame to perfect teeth and a tongue that has done nothing but speak promises that his hands have kept. And his hands are gentle. They are clean. They have guided me, unseeing, through the journey of the last year. 

It's been months through screens. Fingers hovering over buttons. The decision of to call or not to call. Messages collecting in inboxes and photos of moments I never had the hope of being a part of. It's better than our mother's had, or their mother's before them. Crackling phone lines and tear soaked stationary from wars past. Though the story has been the same, it has always been the same. And the story is this: man fights for his country, for his love, for his honor, for the women behind them and the men standing at his shoulders. They fight for dignity, out of duty, out of order and for a future they have no hope of seeing. That is not to say that they won't make it out alive, that they won't come home. No, it is to say that they are leaving a legacy, moving pieces of a chest board from which the game was erected at the turn of the first war and shall be played until the end of the last. 

Legacy. What is a legacy? It's planting seeds in a garden you never get to see. 

And what are we? The women who stand behind them. The women, the families, the love that stands behind them as they fight for dignity, out of duty and out of order as they search for their honor. Tear drops on stationary, kisses pressed to closed envelopes spritzed with perfume. We are crackling voices through barely connected telephone lines. We are the viewers of the photographs and the "likes" on social media, the wish you were here comments and the well wishes from worlds away. We are the same as every woman that has come before us. In love with a Soldier, an Airman, a Seaman, a Marine who's gaze is forward. 

You have a row of dominoes set up; you knock over the first one, and what will happen to the last one is that it will go over very quickly. 

From NAS Pensacola, to just east at NAS Jacksonville. Jacksonville turned to NAS Yorktown which gave way to Miramar in the way the coast gives way to the waves. The letters came in sparser than the phone calls ever did, but maybe that's what did me in. That last letter, an acknowledgement of life in the wake of something horrible having been prevented that now sinks below the horizon, down, down, down. 

It's always my own breathing, my own heartbeat. After all, I am still alone, even if he is alive and well. He stands an ocean and a world away. It's always my breathing. 

She runs, trips and pitches down the stairs, holding her letter.

She follows the letter down, down...

Blackout. A clatter. Strange sounds—xylophones, brass bands, sounds of falling, sounds of vertigo.

Sounds of breathing.

The Hard Deck on a sunny evening is all rich wood and the stark smell of the ocean, the windows pushed open to invite the fleeting warmth into the bar. I haven't made it further than the front stair case; Jake Seresin's smiles, an invite and a warning all at once though it isn't directed towards me. He doesn't even know I'm here, and I could keep it that way. I could run now, I could leave, deal with everything over the phone and through ink strokes of dying fountain pens in the same way we have been dealing with everything for months. 

I can at least be neat. Walk out and be seen as clean. 

The thing is this, Jake is home. Here at the Hard Deck, on the beach in Miramar, California surrounded by his squad, his newly minted and now permanent squad. The Daggers, the name fitting the feeling that the news pushes into the space between my ribs. An ache lives there now, unrelenting and dangerous. A reminder that the journey, our journey, has found the light at the end of the tunnel, and it's a train heading straight for us. We stood no chance, not with out feet planted firmly on the tracks. 

The shame of being seen consumes me. 

I know the look that will streak across his eyes before that smile lands full and glistening on his lips. I know that look of happiness, the one that is unburdened and surviving though it shouldn't. A smile that knows nothing of the pain looming around the corner, the dagger still stuck in my side and the way that I have been tracking blood behind me, droplets splattering crimson sick on the pavement as I limp out from hiding. He's not going to notice the way my skin is still slick with blood or the way the proverbial handle still hangs from it's new sheath between my ribs. It's red ink under his rose colored glasses. 

I think I've already lost you. I think you're already gone.

Though it wasn't a choice he made, at least, it hasn't been since he agreed to this job in the first place. The moment that ink dried on his contact, royal blue and officially binding, it hasn't been his choice. Not really. And maybe somewhere along the line I got tangled up in it all. In the kindness of his words that snuck out from his cocky grin and the way his eyes raked over the unbroken skin of my body and claimed it as land to tend. Maybe my heart has always been in my hands; why he has shielded me from the horrors of the world with his own body, even before he had a chance to see them with his own eyes. Maybe he knew my skin was supposed to stay unbroken. 

Maybe it wasn't. 

But either way, I still bleed now. And Jake still wears the rose colored glasses that come along with survival like this. A second chance at life, he declared proudly over the phone no less than a week ago, a chuckle laced in his voice in a shallow attempt to hide his utter bafflement. He wasn't supposed to make it back from this one, no matter the promises his Captain made. Jake's tone worn thin over the phone like he knew it was the end. He wasn't supposed to make it back. Our story was supposed to end there, my own body on the other side of the railroad crossing while Jake fell gallantly from the sky; a blaze of glory and red hot heat. 

But now he's home. Home, home, home. 

That's the whistle of the oncoming freight train, a warning call. 

It’s not enough nearly to survive. One needs to flourish.

I push into the bar, squaring my shoulders with my chin held high. There is no white flag here, no surrender. If one of us must fall from the sky, all burning red heat and glory, I guess it's going to be me. 

To love means to radiate with inexhaustible light.

I know the look that's coming, the look that will dash across his eyes and the smile that will bloom. Worse yet, I know the look that will succeed his smile. That look where he will square his jaw and narrow his eyes, batting down the hatches to make sure no sense of hurt will make it through. 

The hurt will make it though his eyes anyway. The cracks in his facade akin to the humanity he wishes he could keep from display. Hangman: a persona to keep emotions at an arms length though they already has a noose securely around his neck. I can see it in the pinprick tears collecting in the corners of his eyes even as he lifts his chin up; a Tarantino tilt of the head.  

He spots me, eyes going wide as his smile. "Oh my god, Sweetheart, what are you doing here?" The sight of him in all his blond hair, blue eyed glory gives me pause. God, he is beautiful. He is beautiful, with kind hands that have guided me through these last few months and now, this moment will be the last time I truly get to appreciate it. 

Those kind hands are working their way around my frame as he pulls me into his chest. He bleeds warmth, and for a moment I wonder if he can feel how much blood I've already lost, if it's wet against his palm as he grazed over my ribs. I wonder if he can feel it, and if it would still be warm. Warm with the feeling of me, and the love that I have for him. God, I love him so. 

There can be no friendship with someone I am not ready to betray. 

It's in this moment that I know, with his hands wrapped around me and my cheek pressed against the heat of his chest as his heart beats thickly in my ear, Jake Seresin is my best friend. He is my best friend and he doesn't know I'm bleeding out. 

The train is getting impossibly closer, now. It's horn blaring in my ears so loud it's giving me vertigo. I sway a bit in Jake's arms; he grips me impossibly tighter- I begin to hemorrhage. 

"Oh, Sweetheart, I am so glad you're here. If I would've known you were coming, I would've picked you up! I can't believe you didn't tell me you were coming! Jeez, I can't believe you are here, Sweetheart, really. God, you feel good," Jake's words come uninterrupted, punctuated with another squeeze of his arms. 

"Yeah... I'm," The words come out muffled against his chest, though it sounds like my own voice is a million miles away, "I'm here." 

A moment more passes gently, stuck in the confines of his embrace before he pulls back. His eyes meet mine for a moment, stark blue in the way the the flag is, embedded with stars and glory and a weight I can not even imagine- before they are flicking back up to his squad.

And it's in this moment where I realize that Jake Seresin may love me, and I may love him, but there is no blood left in me. I have nothing left to bleed, only words to bare. There is only desperation on my tongue to beg the man before me to love me more than he loves his own glory, his own noble sacrifice, and his country. 

Let me be very clear: every version of the story ends with you being slaughtered. 

I will be slaughtered too, whether it be from the knife still stuck in my side or the incoming train, I will be flayed open under the hot California sun for the world to see. 

I fear I will be ripped open and found unsightly. 

And yet, it will be okay, because I will be seen. Jake Seresin will see me, unclean and unkempt, void of blood and tears, the only thing left over will be the ghost of us and all the love that I still have left to give. Atoms cannot cease to be- I think my love for him is one in the same. 

I hope death is like being carried to your bedroom when you were a child and fell asleep on the couch during a family party. I hope you can hear the laughter from the next room. 

"Can we step outside?" I peer up at him, my chin pressed to his sternum. Truth be told, I look past him, over the prominence of his brow bone and up to the planks of the ceiling. It's easier to take a hostage when you don't have to look them in the eye.  For a moment I wonder if I should have feared getting blood on him to begin with, but knowing he himself could not feel it even as it coated his own palms helps me guide him from the audience of his friends. His wrist held loosely in my grasp until we've made it to the sand. For a moment I almost forget to let go. 

Of course love is still there. Still, still, still. 

There is a sort of sticky sweetness in the cavern of my chest now as I stand next to him. Maybe it's been there this whole time, encasing  my heart and thickness of it's beating. Jake wraps an arm around my shoulders, pulling me into his side with gentle hands. He hums with contentment, fingers brushing over my arm. 

"I can't believe you're here," Jake still looks at the sky, the horizon line drawing his eye. "What are you doing here, sweetheart?" 

My heart stutters in my chest. What am I doing here? My eyes catch the horizon too, as I pull the proverbial blade from it's place between my ribs. It too is sticky sweet with blood and smeared fingerprints. 

I write my own deliverance. 

The words are written on my tongue in bile. My hands shake. I shove them into my pockets, eyeline still stuck on the orange of the setting sun. It's warmth accompanies Jake's, sinking into my hollow corpse. Again I threaten to sway under the momentum of the moment. This is it. The ending.

"I came to say goodbye," They are not the correct words, the letters all jumbled up and ill-fitting in my mouth. "I came to wish you well." He turns his chin down to me, eyebrows knit together in confusion. 

"Goodbye?" The word rakes itself out of his throat, all gravel and uncertainty. His hold tightens on my shoulders, just a little, pulling me tighter into his side. Heat continues to roll off his frame. My hands form fists in the confines of my pockets, an attempt at clutching this moment before it  slips past. 

"Yeah, I mean..." There's a pause. Breathing room. A forcing of air in and out of my lungs. Jake doesn't seem to breathe at all. "This is it, isn't it?" 

"What could you possibly mean by that?" His gaze meets mine for the first time, steady and unyielding.  Suddenly I am aware of just how much blue surrounds me now. From my cheap cardigan, littered with holes that still manages to fight off the chill of the breeze to the royal of the ocean waves. The sky is azure too, melting into orange and pink hues that will give way to the vast deep navy of the night. But there is nothing more royal that of Jake's irises. Still weighty with stars and glory, but reflecting my own strangled feelings back at me. The destination grips my lungs just a little bit harder, the train wheels squealing against the tracks, but it's too late now. 

Everything is blue. Everything is blue. Everything is blue. Everything is blue. 

I squeeze my eyes shut, too tight, and everything my eyes see is blue then, too. "I came to say goodbye, so you could continue your life, you know,?" I shrug vaguely, hoping he will get the idea, "Like really continue your life here, settle down. This is your home base now, and your family is in there. I'm not really sure what else you'd be expecting to happen right now." 

The words pour out of me, not crossing my brain before they leave my tongue. A strangled sound of confusion leave Jake's lips as his arm slips from it's place around my shoulders. The chill gets in after that, right down to my bones. 

"I-" The words catch. I hold my breath waiting for a moment, then another, then another. Jake breathes deeply now, forcefully. Taking each beath deep into his lungs like it's painful. I continue to hold my breath. 

The spot between my ribs, now void of proverbial blade still aches, but now with more loneliness and finality than strikes of pain. A fact dawns on me in that moment, as my lungs  burn for air, watching Jake's jaw stutter with upspoken words. Maybe this wasn't supposed to be an ending. Not like this, maybe not at all. 

You are a burning house that I want to live in. 

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" With Jake's unsure words, I manage an uneasy breathe. My lungs feel aflame with new oxygen. My eyes meet the sand, my dirty sneakers looking out of place next to Jake's nice leather boots. I can't help the almost chuckle that escapes my lips, it comes out as more of a grimace. 

It occurs to me that maybe Jake has no idea about just how much I'm falling apart. Just like my mother, and her mother before her. Loving men from afar as they fight- Soldiers, Airman, Seaman, and Marines. The shock of it all ricochets through me; a generational pain that is now mine to hold. 

The splendid thing about falling apart silently... is that you can start over as many times as you like.

"If you're saying what I think you're implying here, I need you to say it out loud," Jake breaks through the fog of it all, his voice stern and commanding. It sends a shiver down my spine. I have never seen him like this, burning so fiercely with love and it makes the sticky sweetness of my insides warm. "If you're saying what I think you're saying, I need you to say it. I need you to say the words out loud for both of us to hear, because I need to hear that goodbye if you're going to walk away from me. Oh God, Sweetheart, please don't walk away now,"

"When you were on that ship," I kick some sand with the toe of my shoe, a neat little pile of it forming in front of me, "When you called, I didn't think you were coming back, and now that you're here, you're alive... God, you're alive... I just thought that I'd be holding you back. I mean, if we kept this going, there would always be something dragging you backwards, and I don't want to drag you back, Jake. But, I also can't do it like this anymore. Our relationship has been spent through phone calls and letters and I don't think we've spent more than three days consecutive together, ever," 

"I am so fucking glad that you are alive," I can't help but laugh, the pressure a little less crushing, "But we are both worth more than this," 

When I finally gather the courage to look up, Jake's eyes are already on me, running over my features so slow like he's working on memorizing them. I have so much more to say, so many words that wouldn't fit on the collage ruled paper or in the textbox of a message.  All of these words just begging to escape from behind my tongue. 

"I love you," I blurt out, eyes linked with his blues, unhindered and unbashful. "God, I fucking love you, and I can't believe I'm saying it for the first time now, not over the goddamn phone, and we are on the periphery of a fucking ending," 

"It's only an ending if you call it as such," Jake reaches for my hand. I extract them from the their denim confines and let them slip into his. "Because I am not fucking walking away. Do you think that I would?" 

What a question. What a loaded fucking question. 

"No," I answer honestly, "Not on purpose, but I know the fight is always in front of you, and that leaves me in the rearview, and I am not going to ask you to give up that, to give up all of this, for me. You have a family here, now, even if you don't want to use that word. Those folks in there, the people you almost fucking died with, those are your people forever, now. They are who you have to fight with, and fight for."

"Yes, they are my family, but that doesn't mean that you aren't anymore," Jake squeezes my hands, pulling me just a little closer. 

"Anymore?" I barely hear my own voice, but I do feel the tears welling up in my eyes. "Have I been your family before now? Before this moment, before you almost died?" 

"Of course you have," Jake chokes down a chuckle. "You are my person, my home, and I want you here, here with me,"

"But what about everything that comes next. The next time you have to go somewhere in the middle of the ocean to fight an unknown battle, with enemies who are just trying to do the same thing. Everyone is just fighting to stay alive, to get home, what then?" 

"Who do you think I was fighting so hard to get back to?" Tears fall from my eyes at his words, his hands coming up to cup my cheeks. "Who do you think I will continue to fight to get back to? Sweetheart, I will dogfight my way out of anything if that means making it back to you," Thumbs swipe at my tears as he leans in, pressing his lips over mine. A welcome home and a goodbye all in one, but not a goodbye from one another, but from the people we used to be. 

Death frees us from the torment of parting. 

And so the train passes, I remain un-flayed to the world and Jake didn't go out in a blaze of glory and red hot heat. I may have bled out, but that dagger was never mine to carry- even if we were both fighting to get back to each other. And maybe a part of us died there, on that beach, our lips pressed together as Jake breathed life back into me. It's a death, but not one of finality, because If you're lucky, you die many times before you ever really do.

----

QUOTE CREDIT

Destination means death to me. If I could figure out a way to remain forever in transition, in the disconnected and unfamiliar, I could remain in a state of perpetual freedom. - David Wojnarowicz

I can at least be neat. Walk out and be seen as clean. - A burning Hill - Mitski 

"She runs, trips and pitches down the stairs, holding her letter.

She follows the letter down, down...

Blackout. A clatter. Strange sounds—xylophones, brass bands, sounds of falling, sounds of vertigo.

Sounds of breathing."

― Sarah Ruhl, 

Legacy. What is a legacy? It's planting seeds in a garden you never get to see. - Hamilton 

"You have a row of dominoes set up; you knock over the first one, and what will happen to the last one is that it will go over very quickly." - President Eisenhower in April 1954 

The shame of being seen consumes me. - Cynthia Cruz from  diagnosis, The Glimmering Room

I think I've already lost you. I think you're already gone. - Matchbox 20

There can be no friendship with someone I am not ready to betray. -slavoj zizek 

Let me be very clear: every version of the story ends with you being slaughtered. - anecdote of the pig, tory adkisson

I hope death is like being carried to you bedroom when you were a child and fell asleep on the couch during a family party. I hope you can hear the laughter from the next room. - lilies abounded

It’s not enough nearly to survive. One needs to flourish. - Jack Tanner, The Source of Dreams, When Human Imagination Died

To love means to radiate with inexhaustible light - rainer maria rilke

I fear I will be ripped open and found unsightly. - Anne Sexton, A self portrait in letters.  

Of course love is still there. Still, still, still. - unknown, tumblr

Everything is blue. Everything is blue. Everything is blue. Everything is blue. - Halsey 

You are a burning house that I want to live in. - unknown, tumblr 

“The splendid thing about falling apart silently... is that you can start over as many times as you like.” ― Sanober Khan, 

If you're lucky, you die many times before you ever really do. - Jake Weasley Rogers. 

Death frees us from the torment of parting. lighthousekeeping, jeanette winterson 

TAG LIST @its-the-pilot @t4medicroe @inkandarsenic @kmc1989 @inky-sun @harperdoodle @possiblyexisting @eloquentdreamer @ravenwtfbro @jessicab1991 @muddwheelz123

[invaderhogtwopointohno]

What Extraordinary Beings We Are

Summary: Qimir is the hottest pop star on the planet right now with a new album, awards and a movie, he is enjoying himself until he suddenly gets attacked outside of a club. His manager, Mae, arranges for her sister to become his protective agent until they can get more permanent security but there is something about Osha that just has him in awe. Based on a Tumblr prompt by @flythesail

Find on Ao3.

Chapter One

The stadium was packed full of screaming fans, mostly girls and women in anticipation of the concert. The roadies and techs running back and forth to get everything going, the massive screen on the backdrop showing an image of a countdown to the concert’s beginning. The band was sitting in their positions, listening to the stage manager in their ear pieces. The backup dancers were jumping up and down and stretching, ready to go out.

The only one missing was the star himself.

Mae knocked on the door.

“Qimir, hurry your ass up,” she said, looking at her phone. Mae Anaseya had been Qimir’s manager for the last three years and she had been the only one to stay by his side that long because she didn’t put up with any of his bullshit- of which he had plenty. She looked at the time. They were minutes away from starting, opening the door before he could answer her properly.

She walked in to find him sitting in front of his vanity, looking at his phone and generally ignoring the woman who was working on his hair.

“Come on, you need to get out there,” she said and he looked up from his phone.

“Mae,” he said in mild annoyance, the woman putting his microphone around his head and taping it into place. “I thought we said we weren’t going to come into rooms without knocking first.”

“I did. You are going to be late, let’s go,” she said, shooing the woman away as she dragged Qimir from his perch and shame walked him down the hallway. The roar of the crowd filled the stadium and shook the walls. They were like wild animals out there.

“Where are we going next?” he asked, looking at his phone, scrolling through Instagram to see if any of the BTS guys had hit him up.

“Jacksonville, and you need to actually remember this time. Saying thank you to Boston when you were in New York did not go over well,” she said, shoving him along the path to the stage. He didn’t pay her to be nice, that was for sure.

“Thanks for the tip,” he muttered and fixed his black jacket.

“The movie is wrapping post production so you’ll be going on a press tour starting in two months, you have six more stops on this tour and you are done until Feburary next year,” she said, looking at her phone. She had been hired because she had been the only one who had gotten him where he needed to go and doing what he needed to do without much of a fight. Everyone was always letting Qimir do whatever he wanted, as long as he gave them a wink and a smile, but Mae was immune to his stupid charm and instead focused on their working relationship- she was his annoying sister who kept him on the straight and narrow.

Qimir was ushered onto the stage and in front of thousands of screaming fans, Mae standing off to the side, looking at her phone. She returned to the green room, answering calls and e-mails as the concert went on for three hours and finally he came back, sweaty, laughing and looking like he had been having fun. He showered quickly in his dressing room and they were on their way out to greet fans out front.

“We’re heading back to the hotel, your fans have twenty minutes,” Mae said, the stadium security escorting them through the hallways, leading towards the front of the stadium where fans were spilling out of the building, waiting to get a glimpse of him.

Qimir pushed his black hair back, thinking about the evening’s performance when just as they were going through the doors, a shot rang out and everyone screamed, fans running in different directions, everyone dropping down and the stadium security grabbed him, taking him back inside.

He didn’t know what was going on when there were more shots and he was forced into a side hallway and into an elevator.

“What’s going on?!” he asked, looking at Mae, who had also been grabbed.

“I don’t know!”

The security team took him down to the basement and shoved him into a car before he had the chance to ask what was happening and they were off.

“What is going on? What happened?” Qimir demanded of the driver. They made it back to the hotel and heard the news that someone had been shot outside of his concert. A fan had tried to bring a gun into the building but she had been stopped by security and the cops had talked to her. It was a legal handgun that she owned and she had been told to leave, apparently she came back after the concert and had starting shooting in Qimir’s direction when she had seen him coming out for fan photos. She was shot and in critical condition in downtown.

“Well, this isn’t good,” Mae said, looking around the hotel room. The crew and roadies had been escorted back to their hotels by stadium security, but already everyone was on edge because of the incident. Qimir had been popular but since his album release a few weeks earlier and being nominated for Artist of the Year, he had moved to a super high status in the entertainment world. That kind of attention came with all kinds of threats. They had never had serious security before and this was making her nervous.

“We are going to have to get you personal security.”

“Personal security? Mae, there’s no need for all of that,” he said, looking skeptical and she shook her head.

“With everything going on I think we need to be more careful. With the movie coming out, the concerts and the public events, you are extremely exposed, you need someone to watch out for you.”

“Yeah, but I don’t want someone who is going to stand out, that’s boring. Can you get someone who does like undercover work? Like a cool spy?” he whined and she rolled her eyes. This guy was so annoying. She looked at her phone and saw that her sister had finally texted her back.

Are you okay? I heard about what happened. Call me!

“Hold that thought,” she said, stepping into the hallway and calling her sister. “Hey, Osha, I am okay, I promise.”

“Mae! What on earth happened?”

“Well-”

She explained the situation and then finally made her request, “Hey, do you think that Sol would let you come help us out for a bit?”

“You want me to come be security for your client?”

“Qimir is not going to let some guy in a suit and sunglasses protect him, I need someone who can handle all of his annoying,” she explained, thinking of the many times he had gotten into trouble with the paparazzi in the past by making a scene. “We need your help, Osha.”

The Republic Knights were a very effective personal security team that had been formed many years earlier by Osha and Mae’s mentor, Sol. When Mae and Osha were younger, they had been enrolled in self-defense classes by their mother, and Sol had taught them how to take care of themselves. He had moved into private security after several years with the FBI and had offered Osha a job when she was in college. She had been working with him ever since.

Private security was never really Osha’s original interest, but she did get to travel a lot, help protect people and enjoy the added benefit of getting to go to some really nice places. The hotel in downtown where Mae was staying was far more luxurious than Osha was used to.

She had been working personal security for a trading group that had ships going in and out of Africa for the last several months when she got the call about Mae and went to Sol to ask for the security evaluation. Mae was insistent that the Republic Knights be the ones that provide the security service because she could trust Sol. He had a small but dedicated team that had not lost a client the entire time he had been in business.

Sol had insisted that he take the meeting in person, bringing Osha, Jecki and Yord with him to assess the threat level.

“This is a nice place,” Osha muttered to herself as they looked around the hotel lobby, waiting for Mae to come to them. The place was high dollar and they had never worked for someone at this level before.

“Not very secure,” Yord muttered and Jecki looked at him.

“It’s a hotel, idiot, not a Marine Barracks, they’re hiring us to secure it,” she said, rolling her eyes. The two had been working with Sol for about a year now and they were constantly getting on each other nerves.

“Enough, all of you, we have to look professional,” he said, fixing his suit jacket.

“What’s so special about this guy anyway?” Jecki asked, looking at Osha.

“My sister is his manager, he is mainly a singer, but he’s been doing TV shows and movies, he has a new movie coming out and the threats have been getting worse and worse. He is a big deal, I guess,” Osha said, though she had never met him before. Qimir was the thorn in her sister’s side, she was always complaining about what a pain in her ass he was, but she had liked the job and they had a good working relationship.

Mae appeared at the elevators and thanked them for coming, shaking Sol’s hand and they went up to the penthouse to meet Qimir.

“Qimir was discovered by a modeling agency about five years ago, he started singing too and that’s when his career took off with his first album, The Stranger. Since then he has been super popular. We’ve been on tour for the last two months. We wrapped his movie a month ago and it’s in post production so soon we will be doing a press tour. After what happened, I realized that we need to come up with a better security set up because we’ve been relying mostly on security at the venues and the movie lots.”

“We are more than happy to oblige, but this is a big ask, Mae, we have never taken on such a big client before.”

“That’s why I thought of you, with such a small operation, you would be more dedicated to his security than a bigger name. Besides, he’s an annoying pain in the ass and handling him is going to take a full team.”

“What about your security?” Osha asked, looking at her sister. She had been there when the woman had shot into the crowd.

“If you keep me from getting hurt too, that’s a bonus,” she said, as they reached the floor where the room was. They entered the massive penthouse to find that it was only decorated in the finest. Qimir was a major client. The most security that they had done the past few months had been escorting and trade route protection, not a single client that came with a big name. But Sol was excited for the new challenge and the higher rate of pay for his employees.

And he trusted Mae, she had been a good kid since he’d known her and Osha. They had been a little at odds because Osha had decided to keep her training under Sol going when Mae moved on to other things, but this was a chance for them to all work together.

“Qimir! Get out here, the security team is here,” Mae said, leaving them standing in the sitting area to hunt him down.

Yord took in the room, searching for all exits and being mindful of the massive windows that looked out on the city. Jecki helped herself to a spot next to Sol on the couch and Osha looked at the large painting of a lion on the wall.

“This is ridiculous, I don’t want some random people hanging around me like this,” Qimir whined as he followed Mae out of the bedroom, looking at the pair on the couch. “This is bullshit, I don’t need some suits hanging around telling me what to do.”

Mae looked at him, shaking her head.

“Qimir, I trust Sol, we’ve known each other for years, he will make sure that you are safe and that’s all that matters to me. I can’t lose my meal ticket now,” she said and he rolled his eyes, looking over and spotting Osha standing next to the massive painting and he stopped, taking her in.

She was wearing a black suit and white button up shirt and stiffened at his sudden attention. He looked her up and down and turned to face her.

“Hello,” he said, smiling at her and she looked at Mae.

“H-Hi…” she replied and walked right up to her, looking her over.

“Hi,” he said again in a much lower voice and got extremely close to her. She stiffened, looking up at him.

“Qimir, this is Sol, he’s the one who you’re meeting with today,” Mae said, looking annoyed and Sol stood up. “This is my sister, Osha, I’ve told you about her before.”

“I remember…” he said, not taking his eyes off of Osha as he completely ignored everyone else in the room. “How are you doing today?”

“F-Fine,” she said, looking at him, confused. What was his deal? She was used to being generally ignored and pushed aside. Sol was a great mentor, but he always maintained professional distance with her. Yord was the king of following the rules so he was no fun and Jecki was great, but she was not great at getting close with people, making Osha tend to stand off on her own. Her profession also made her more of a wallflower than a conversationalist.

“Qimir,” Mae snapped, grabbing him by the collar and pulling him towards the couch, forcing him to sit down. She shook her head, looking at Osha. “Sorry about him.”

Osha recovered quickly, but Qimir had yet to take his eyes off of her.

“I understand you were hesitant about having a security team around,” Sol said, trying to gain control of the meeting, “And I understand that you want to go about your life normally but-”

“No, it’s fine- I want Osha to take care of me,” Qimir said, finally taking his eyes off of Osha and looking at Sol.

“Excuse me?” Sol asked, surprised.

“Sure- yeah, if she is the one who is my escort, I am more than satisfied,” he said, smiling at her. “Mae trusts you, so I trust you, and I want Osha.”

“Uh- I don’t think-” Osha tried to interject, but Sol reached out a hand to Qimir.

“We are happy to do business with you!” he said a little too hastily. A client like this with this kind of money was going to get them more team members. Sol looked at Osha, smiling at her in reassurance.

Qimir looked at Osha, sitting back on his couch and she felt like this was a big mistake.

______

@flythesail bruh you did this to me, now I can't be stopped

[k-i-l-l-e-r-b-e-e-6-9]

The Beach Boys - Wouldn't It Be Nice

[ludmilachaibemachado]

In Key West, September 10, 1964. Photos by Curt Gunther🌸

Paul Drew (DJ): "Have you ever done this. Sat in with another group?"💐

George: "Yes, last trip to America. Last year we ended up in Key West, 'cause we couldn't land in Jacksonville because of the hurricane, and we stayed in a little motel there, and the Bill Black Combo was on the trip with us, set up their equipment in the bar, and later when everybody had gone home we had a session, just on our own, and it was nice. I never enjoyed playing so much for ages. It was great." - Datebook, 1965🌹

The Beatles refused to play to segregated audiences in America, and had a clause included in their concert contracts (e.g. for their 1965 Cow Palace concert)🌷

Larry Kane: "The Beatles made history: it was the first time blacks and whites sat together in the Gator Bowl [in Jacksonville, Florida, on September 11, 1964]." - MOJO, October 2016🥀

Q: "George, I understand that from here you're going, later on next month, down south. I understand you're pretty against the segregation down there and we understood there were some problems about the hotel you might stay in in Jacksonville."🌱

George Harrison: "I don't know about our accommodations at all. We don't arrange that. But, you know, we don't appear anywhere where there is [segregation]." - Denver press conference, August 26, 1964🪷

Via @harrisonarchive on Instagram🍂

[beardedmrbean]

A 20-year-old New Jersey man has been arrested for allegedly flying to Florida to attack a fellow gamer with a hammer following an "online altercation" that the pair had gotten into after meeting in the virtual fantasy world of ArcheAge, police say. 

Edward Kang is now facing an attempted second-degree murder charge after the assault that unfolded early Sunday in Fernandina Beach, which left the victim with severe but non-life-threatening head injuries, according to Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper. 

"I just want to let you know that this is a weird one," Leeper said during a press conference. "Some things make you say ‘hmm’. Some things you just can’t make up. There are some things that make you say ‘what in the world was he thinking’? And there are some things that make you say ‘you’re not going to believe this.’ Well, this case makes you say all four of those." 

Leeper said Kang and the victim had never met in person but were "acquainted through an online video game called ArcheAge," which he described as a "fantasy-based, massively multiplayer online game, or an MMO, where players interact in an immersive, virtual world, similar to World of Warcraft." 

"This video game is something where you can name characters, you can fight other characters and kill them – I don’t know what transpired between the victim and the suspect, but something made the suspect want to come down to Florida and injure that other individual," Leeper said. 

The sheriff said his deputies were first called to a home in Fernandina Beach early Sunday to respond to a physical altercation and "upon arrival, they discovered a significant amount of blood in the entryway of the home and in the victim’s bedroom." 

Police say the victim’s stepfather reported being awoken in the middle of the night by screams for help, and he went to investigate, he allegedly found his stepson on the ground in a physical struggle with Kang. 

Leeper says Kang – who was wearing all black clothing, gloves and a mask – entered the unlocked home and waited in a hallway to attack the victim when he took a bathroom break during a late-night gaming session. 

An investigation revealed that days earlier, Kang took a Delta flight from Newark, New Jersey to Jacksonville, Florida, before purchasing a hammer and flashlight at a hardware store – which deputies found receipts for in the hotel room that Kang had been staying at in Fernandina Beach, according to Leeper. Kang reportedly told his family he was heading to Florida to visit a friend of around the same age that he had met years ago on an online video game. 

"When the suspect was asked why he did what he did, the suspect stated that he is a bad person online, talking about the victim," Leeper said. "In addition, the suspect asked our deputy how much time in jail do you get for breaking and entering and assault? And I would say Mr. Kang, it’s going to be a long time before you play video games again." 

[fiercynn]

Hey I’d love poetry recommendations! And thank you for your reply to that post, it pissed me off but I don’t think I could have worded it as well as you did

i'm very happy to recommend poetry!!! i have a ton of recs but am going to keep it to contemporary poets i've been reading recently just to keep this manageable haha

i'm gonna recommend specific poetry collections, and if you can purchase them that would be great to support the poets and the small presses that tend to publish them, but if you can't afford to or don't live somewhere where you can access them, you can also search their names and find some of their work online

birthright, george abraham

i don't think i've ever read a collection that has hit me this hard. george abraham (they/he/هو) is a queer palestinian american poet, performance arist, and writer who was born and raised on unceded timucuan lands (jacksonville, FL). birthright is their debut collection, and its title is based on the idea of the "birthright" trips that israel funds to bring young jewish adults to israel and indoctrinate them into becoming zionist settlers. the collection is based around abraham's own trip to palestine, the "inverse of birthright", and it is absolutely stunning. the way they write about the grief and fury of the colonized, about gender, about memories and history and palestinian liberation, is gorgeous and heartbreaking and utterly galvanizing.

once, a language failed me & i hadn't a home to claim it in my own throat— in Arabic, the word for tonsil translates to daughters of the ears—we are taught that to have a body is to carry its lineage inside of us— & i've tried to make a language where my blood was just mine—but my tongue rejected it. spat it out like a mouthful of Arabic—maybe it was defense mechanism; maybe this is how i cough up blood [ translation: how i cough up History ] - "Lexicon Of"

sacrament of bodies, romeo oriogun

romeo oriogun is a queer bisexual nigerian poet born and raised in lagos, who now lives in the united states. sacrament of bodies is a powerful collection about grief - both his parents died when he was young; about the violence of both homophobia and colonialism; about love and sex and desire and more. sacrament of bodies was his first full collection after publishing several chapbooks; his most recent collection is the gathering of bastards, which i have not yet read.

I do know about the hate that sinks a name and turns water into homes drowning boys, I cannot speak because my mouth is a grave. Every day men hurting bodies filled with love are praised as heroes are hailed as saviors opening bodies into fields eaten by locusts. - "Departure"

okay so tumblr hates me and i accidentally posted this when it was not completed!!! i have more recs but i'm going to do a part 2 replying to another person with a similar ask instead of trying to salvage this post 🤦🏾‍♀️

[tcmbcy]

open to: anyone muse: jake compton. 27. apart of the jacksonville rays universe. plot / idea: jake's just revealed that not only is he bisexual, but he's in a polyamorous relationship. it's been a media frenzie which is stressing him out immensely and your muse is helping him get through it all.

"c'mon, i don't have to do another press conference, do i?" jake's exhausted. ever since the news dropped, he feels as if he's running around like a chicken with his head cut off. "it's just me saying the same things over and over again." plopping himself down on the couch, he pulls his phone out, not bothering to give it a glance. "can't you just do it for me? do me a solid?"

[goldenpinof]

can someone help me count wad shows that actually happened? Dan said today that it's 76, and i think he was wrong. i think the press release was actually right with 78 dates (update: they weren't. 78 shows, 77 dates) (not shows. shows would be 79) before these 2. so now it's 81 80 shows? SOMEONE PLEASE CHECK THE CALENDAR

Ipswich

Manchester

Southampton

York

Birmingham

Cardiff

Brighton

London

Newcastle

Glasgow

London

Toronto

Montreal

Portland

Boston

New Haven

New York

Red Bank

Albany

Pittsburgh

Philadelphia

Reading

Tysons

Durham

Atlanta

Jacksonville

Fort Lauderdale

Orlando

Nashville

Cincinnati

Cleveland

Detroit

Indianapolis

Milwaukee

Minneapolis

Chicago

Kansas City

St. Louis

Oklahoma City

Austin

Houston

Dallas

Denver

Salt Lake City

Edmonton

Calgary

Vancouver

Seattle

Portland

Oakland

San Diego

Santa Barbara

Los Angeles

Anaheim

Mesa

Perth

Adelaide

Melbourne

Sydney

Brisbane

Christchurch

Wellington

Auckland

Cambridge

Oxford

Warsaw

Helsinki

Helsinki

Stockholm

Oslo

Copenhagen

Berlin

Amsterdam

Amsterdam

Frankfurt

Antwerp

Dublin

Belfast

London taping

London taping

cancelled: Kitchener, Sydney, Copenhagen, Reykjavik

i just saw people running with these "76 shows", and i was like, wait a goddamn minute

[lboogie1906]

George Edwin Taylor (August 4, 1857 – December 23, 1925) was the candidate of the National Negro Liberty Party for the office of POTUS in 1904.

Born in the pre-Civil War South, he would become the first African American selected by a political party to be its candidate for POTUS.

He was born in Little Rock to Amanda Hines and Bryant (Nathan) Taylor. At the age of two, he moved with his mother to Illinois. He attended Wayland University. He went to work for the La Crosse Free Press and the La Crosse Evening Star. He produced newspaper columns for local papers as well as articles for the Chicago Inter Ocean.

He sided with one of the competing labor factions in La Crosse and helped re-elect the pro-labor mayor, Frank “White Beaver” Powell. He became a leader and officeholder in Wisconsin’s statewide Union Labor Party, and his newspaper, the Wisconsin Labor Advocate, became one of the newspapers of the party.

He was a member of the Wisconsin delegation to the first national convention of the Union Labor Party. His race became an issue, and he responded to the criticism by writing about African American issues.

He moved to Oskaloosa, Iowa where he continued his interest in politics, first in the Republican Party and then with the Democrats. He owned and edited the Negro Solicitor, and became president of the National Colored Men’s Protective Association and the National Negro Democratic League. He aligned himself with the Populist faction that attempted to reform the Democratic Party.

He and other independent-minded African Americans joined the first national political party created exclusively for and by African Americans, the National Liberty Party. The NLP Executive Committee approached him to be the party’s candidate.

The 1904 campaign was his last foray into politics. He moved to Jacksonville, Florida. There he edited a succession of newspapers and was director of the African American branch of the local YMCA. He was married three times but had no children. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence