#Sincerely Benson

[afrobeatsindacity]

NEW ALBUM: BNXN - SINCERELY, BENSON

Elite Lagos vocalist and one of the new gen’s most exciting breakthrough artists BNXN (fka BUJU) drops his highly anticipated 15-track debut album, ‘Sincerely, Benson.’. The formidable Afrofusion singer penned every single lyric on the project, whilst working with a collection of A-List producers, including Jae5, Sarz, ATG, Guiltybeatz, Leriq, Davinchiii, Denzl, Blaisebeatz, Tempoe, Magicsticks and Dro amongst others.

Sincerely, Benson is a masterclass in vocals and musicality as the singer opens up and lets us explore his world. BNXN set the tone early on with

‘Gwagwalada’ featuring Kizz Daniel and Seyi Vibez, which dropped in February and has been on a winning streak ever since. True to his reputation as a hitmaker, Sincerely, Benson is bursting with singles that will make it a debut that stands the test of time.

Sincerely, Benson includes a handpicked selection of features, including UK rapper Headie One, Taves, Nigerian superstar 2Baba and Jamaican singer Popcaan. Speaking on Sincerely, Benson BNXN said, “This is as sincere as it gets”.

Over the last few years, the Lagos singer has released a growing body of work that pushes back against conventional modes of African music and in doing so, he has created an instantly recognisable sound. He has completely switched up the game, becoming one of the biggest and most internationally known names in the new wave of stars. Following his recent acclaimed singles, ‘Pray’ and 'GWAGWALADA' which both feature on the album, last month BNXN collaborated with UK artist Stefflon Don on ‘Whats Poppin’ which has created an undeniable buzz in the UK and received 6M streams to date. He is showing no signs of slowing down, and to celebrate the release of his album, BNXN has announced a headline show at London's iconic venue, The Roundhouse on the 18th of November.

Download and Stream: Sincerely, Benson now.

Play, Share and Enjoy “Sincerely, Benson”

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[thebadphilosopher]

Look, I'm not a big fan of this ship...

BUT if these two do not get together in the newest season WTF. It's been how many years?????

[joeyclaire]

not to suddenly get all ranson on main but it is sincerely one of my favorite ships of all time. randy is so interesting because on one hand he’s spent his entire life being walked all over and he’s very naturally submissive but he doesn’t WANT to be. he doesn’t LIKE being walked all over he doesn’t LIKE being naturally submissive. and on the other hand randy is terrified of feeling anything other than apathy and has such tightly wound self control and repression and letting benson be in charge was such a RELIEF for him. he’s so calculated in his actions that letting someone else be completely in charge of him was exactly what he needed! it’s such an interesting contrast and i haven’t even mentioned how benson feels about all that.

[naturesapphic]

Hiiii I really like your writing and I was wondering if u could do Olivia benson x reader where reader struggles with sh but only if your comfortable with it again really love your writing

“I’m here”

Olivia benson x fem!reader

WARNINGS: talks of sh, hurt/comfort, blood, razor

You were on the bathroom floor with the razor in your hand. You didn’t want to do it, you really didn’t but the thoughts wouldn’t stop. The feeling of needing to do it wouldn’t go away. It was only when you heard the front door shut and the voice of your girlfriend that snapped you out of it.

“Y/n? Princess? You here?” Olivia called out and you quickly put the razor away underneath the sink and went out the bathroom to greet her. There she was standing by the door putting up her coat and taking off her shoes. You gave her a fake smile and went up to your girlfriend to give her a hug and kiss.

You wrap your arms around her neck as you use your tippy toes to reach her. “Hey princess.” She said softly against your neck and you pull away from her embrace. “I-I’m okay…” you say a little shakily. Olivia frowns, sensing that you are lying. “Baby are you sure? I can tell that you aren’t…but I won’t push you to tell me anything if you aren’t ready yet.” She said softly as she cups your face with her hands.

You looked up at her and saw the sincerity in them and that’s when you broke. You started sobbing and Olivia quickly took you into her embrace, whispering reassurance as she holds you. “It’s okay princess…I got you…” she says softly as she continues to hold you tightly against her. After a few minutes you calmed down enough to start talking to her about your past and your urges you had with self harm.

She listened to you closely and intently to every word that came out of your mouth and you appreciated it tremendously. Olivia always listened to you and never judges, which is one of the reasons you are in love with her. “Thank you for telling me baby…I just wish I would have known sooner so I could have helped you. I’m so proud of you for not going through with it. I can’t imagine how hard it was.” She said sympathetically as she rubs your back while placing little kisses on the side of your head.

“Thank you liv…I love you…and I promise next time if I get the urge to I’ll call you.” You said and Olivia smiles big at your words. “Yes please call me. Even at work.” She reassured you and you nodded, a small grateful smile on your lips. “Thank you…” you say again and she shakes her head. “No need to thank me baby. I’m always here for you.” Olivia says softly as she helps you stand and the two of you make dinner together. After dinner, y’all spend the rest of the night in each others arms, feeling a lot better than you did hours ago.

A/n: I hope this is what you were hoping for anon and I hope you liked it! I hope everyone else did to and I just wanted to let y’all know that I see you and that I love you. If y’all ever need anything im here <3 remember to stay hydrated and to rest! I love y’all :)

[lizdonnelly]

Second Circle, Ch. 1

Pairing: Elizabeth Donnelly x f!reader, shades of Alex Cabot x Olivia Benson Warnings: Smut, violence, references to alcoholism Summary: “We are each our own devil, and we make this world our hell.” Based on a request for Liz/f!reader's first time, and my own desire to write a series about Liz navigating romance amidst chaos. Loosely inspired by the events of 2x21 'Scourge' and a few details from 10x8 'Persona'.

---

Although the wind rattled against the windows of the banquet hall and the pinprick lighting of the chandeliers overhead flickered, the murmur of the gala continued on.

The air vibrated, alive with the weight of the tension that had wracked the city in the past few weeks and no doubt fueled by the media machine cranking out headline after headline, each more sordid and gruesome than the last.

Melinda's grip tightened on your elbow as another group approached. Your heart quickened at the sight of short, gelled back blonde hair and the heady perfume that wafted over. Anxiety tore at your stomach with molten claws.

"Doc Warner, glad to see you've made it," a bloodhound of a man said, leading the pack. He gestured towards you with his whiskey glass. "Elliot and Olivia give you enough time to make friends outside the morgue? I must not be pushing them hard enough."

Melinda patted your back. Heavily lined brown eyes scoured you from behind the bloodhound, appraising the manner in which Melinda had touched you. A cold bead of sweat slid down the back of your neck.

"Always glad to see you on the right side of the concrete, Captain," The medical examiner teased. "Especially these days. But yes, believe it or not, I do have time to run in other circles." A man with a voice as calm as the creek that ran beside your childhood home piped up. "Pleased to finally get the chance to meet you," he said with an easy smile and a tip of the head. This man carried himself with a centeredness that was hard to come by, even across the crowd of New York City's top professionals that had congregated that evening. "I've heard about your efforts at Mercy General. I can't imagine what you've had to deal with as of late." It was a line you'd heard plenty of variations of recently, but his sincerity seemed completely genuine. Although his eyes were warm, inviting pools of black ink, you couldn't shake the feeling that somehow he knew. Melinda turned to you with a smile, oblivious. "As you can probably tell, Dr. Huang is our resident psychiatrist," she said. "And a fed, at that," came that harsh, staccato voice you had become attuned to. You bit at the inside of your cheek. The psychiatrist-fed's gentle smirk grew. Thankfully, a pasty, bird boned blonde intruded, reaching out past Huang. "Alexandra Cabot, assistant district attorney," she said, wasting no time.

You shook her hand, surprised at the strength of her grip. Studying her gaze, you got the sense that events like this were easier for her to navigate than they were for other members of the party. She sipped at her champagne lightly and looked around, her stare lingering on the elevators as if she either wanted to leave or wished for someone else to arrive.

"Can't forget her royal highness," the bloodhound Captain joked, gesturing to the woman you'd been struggling not to address.

Dr. Huang spoke again in earthen tones and an air of alacrity. "There's no need to bother, Melinda. The only reason the Bureau Chief wouldn't have led the introductions," he paused, "is if this isn't a stranger to her." Liz rolled her eyes. You subconsciously tugged at the sleeve of the sweater that hung a little past your fingertips. "If you're so perceptive, Agent, then why did a sixth girl show up gutted like a fish at Grand Central this morning?"

---

Liz Donnelly hated courtroom restrooms. She had since the 70's, in fact.

On this occasion, though, she tolerated the lavender soap and the lukewarm water as she used the mirror to study the other woman.

The younger woman next to her scrubbed underneath her nails with a precision so adroit it had to be practiced. "If you're trying to scrub away evidence," the Bureau Chief piped up, "do me a favor and be less obvious." The woman's eyes widened, eyebrows rising. Liz leaned over and tugged playfully at the name tag dangling from the pocket on the woman's scrubs. The woman paused. "If you're trying to flirt with me," she finally whispered, "do me a favor and be more obvious."

The bathroom door swung on its hinges and in strode Olivia Benson, the SVU detective clearly in a tizzy and blind to the way the Bureau Chief and her conversation partner jumped apart like two opposing magnets. The strands on the back of her glossy brown pixie cut stuck up. As the detective ran a nervous hand through them again, Liz understood why.

"Got tired of listening to Cabot try to grill a child? Don't tell me she needs me back in there." Benson shook her head, slumping against the paper towel dispenser. "He got another one."

The detective muttered a quick apology, shifting aside to let the woman in scrubs dry her hands. Liz swallowed thickly.

"Sexually assaulted as well, I take it?" Benson eyed the prosecutor. The detective nodded exasperatedly. "She was an architect. Single, wasn't a user, friends are all model citizens." Benson sucked in her bottom lip and bit at it. "No vengeful ex-boyfriend, at that. Seems she had a gambling habit, but I've know plenty of girls who play the ponies, and all of them are still very much alive."

"However disparate these murders seem, there has to be a connection. Better make good use of that overtime, or you'll have more blood on your hands," Liz jabbed, gesturing towards the sink. The detective's brow furrowed.

"So this is the support we're going to get from our new Bureau Chief? How the hell are-"

Benson paused awkwardly as the woman in scrubs shuffled out the door, paying no mind to the quick finger waggling wave she threw at the prosecutor.

Liz managed a brief smile.

Benson looked towards the door, then back at the wiry woman before her in the starched black pantsuit.

Had there been a window in this particular courtroom restroom, Liz had half a mind to climb out it herself.

---

The bloodhound, whom you now knew as Cragen, thumbed the facets of his whiskey glass at the sound of the announcement.

A gentleman in a well-pressed suit and white gloves had called out across the banquet hall. The gala wouldn't be ending at its scheduled time, due to "inclement weather conditions", meaning the whole ordeal was to proceed for who knows how long. Fortunately, the waitstaff were headed back with fresh bottles and hor d'oeuvres as an apology for the inconvenience.

"I don't mean to pry, but does this have anything to do with-"

He cut you off with a somber shake of his head. He turned to face you, the capillaries webbing along the corners of his eyes swollen.

"This is news to me."

Cragen turned and headed back to the bar with a sniffle.

"They're doing a reasonable job of keeping everyone occupied, at least," came an even voice from behind you. Huang joined your side. Jet black pools still held a mirthful twinkle.

"Tell me something. How long have you and the prosecutor been involved with each other?" "This is the first time Ms. Cabot and I have met," you stammered. "You know that's not who I meant," he countered with a soothing grin. "Forgive my intrusion. You don't have to answer, if you don't want to."

The psychiatrist's musings were an unexpected relief to you. You felt the dam within your chest begin to burst, allowing you to finally speak on something you had kept locked up to yourself these past few weeks. "I'll forgive you, but only if you tell me how you knew," you laughed, tension evaporating from the edge of your voice. Huang nodded to himself.

"That's not your sweater."

You lowered your glass. "It's too long in the arms," he said, gesturing freely. Huang was one of the few who had not been drinking.

"It's not like I have much time to see a tailor," you tried to riposte. "True, but the odds that you and Donnelly wear the same perfume are not favorable," he said with an air of one revealing a royal flush. "My guess is that either she gave the sweater to you, or you're wearing it out of convenience. Alternatively, she could've asked you to wear it, knowing you'd cross paths tonight. She appears to be rather domineering, so that would not surprise me if it were the case."

It took everything in you to fight back the heat that rose in your cheeks at the bounce of his eyebrow.

"You make a hobby out of judging women's perfume?"

"I was a profiler in another life. It was more than a hobby to judge everything about a person." Huang's gaze followed Cragen as he made his way through the crowd across the room.

"Makes for a good party trick, I'll give you that."

Huang paused before turning back to you. His expression held an odd seriousness to it now. "I get the sense that I'm not the only one playing party tricks tonight."

---

Alex Cabot hadn't known Elizabeth for long, but she already didn't care to know the woman much longer.

The younger prosecutor checked her Cartier watch once more, eager for any distraction at this point. Somehow, neither clock hand had so much as budged. She squeezed her eyes shut amidst the bubbling conversation of the crowd in the godforsaken hall and thought of wide, chocolate brown puppy dog eyes and pixie cuts, of handcuffs and coffee cups.

"Alexandra, that look is not becoming on someone like you," an airy tone wafted over.

Lena Petrovsky, New York Supreme Court judge. Fuck. At this rate, she half expected Barry Moredock to round the corner and lecture her about some constitutional disservice she also happened to be encouraging this evening.

"Running all-nighters with the SVU shouldn't be taxing on someone from Harvard Law. But really, you look like hell, try to get some rest after this circus," Petrovsky said, gesturing around them. "You won't be of any use to the city if you keep burning the candle at both ends."

Alex opened her mouth to speak, but a harsh voice speared through her.

"From what I've seen so far, Ms. Cabot is no stranger to circuses," Donnelly jeered.

Alex was certain some snide joke about her courtroom performances was incoming, but she paused, shrieks cutting through the crowd behind them.

---

"This just in: at approximately 11:07 tonight, NYPD discovered the body of a young woman in Central Park. The cause of death? A large wound along the victim's neck, a similar M.O. to the recent string homicides that have shocked the city this past month. Although signs of sexual assault were present, no information is available yet as to the identity of the perpetrator. Investigators have identified the victim as local self-portraitist..."

Liz looped her arm around your shoulders, tugging you out of the bar and onto the street.

"I am not ruining one of the rare nights we both have to ourselves with more of that fear-mongering," she said. You shifted under the weight of the fur coat she shared with you, pressing yourself against her side. Although her voice was firm, you could tell she was rattled. She led you past throngs of men and women in pressed shirts and cocktail dresses, club promoters, and a man stumbling toward you with a box of pamphlets.

"They didn't call me in," you mused. Your brows knitted in confusion. Liz grabbed hold of your chin.

"And they won't," she seemed to command into reality through sheer force of will alone. She brushed her thumb across your lips. Rain gently began to fall overhead. The lights of the cabs clogging the street blurred.

You leaned forward, slipped her thumb into your mouth, and lightly sucked on it.

The prosecutor smirked. You were pleased with the fact that she appeared slightly taken aback by your boldness.

"Come on," she said with a gaze that told you she was a thousand miles away already.

You felt her breath hot against your ear as she tugged you into the back seat of a nearby town car.

"I have something else for you to suck on."

---

"Top her off," Cragen said to the bartender, tilting his glass across the counter.

Across the room, the band still played. The peeling notes of the saxophone reverberated across the inside of his skull. A dull throb continued to pound at the back of his eyes.

Looking down into the amber liquid, Cragen studied the panes of glass that stretched across the ceiling. More rain, more wind.

He couldn't kill in this.

Cragen took a swig.

Elliot and Olivia were still at the station, sifting through tips and folders full of supposed eyewitness accounts. Munch was no doubt trying his best to hold down the fort, but even his endurance, battle-tested over years in Baltimore homicide, was waning.

The brass thought maintaining appearances would comfort the public, although the Captain wondered how all of this pomp and circumstance could reassure anyone but those New York elites with the most fragile of egos.

He took another sip, turning back to watch ADA Cabot and Dr. Huang engaged in what appeared to be a heated argument. At least, heated on the blonde's end. Nearby, Doc Warner was caught in Judge Petrovsky's line of fire. He chuckled into his glass, thankful not to be in the good doctor's shoes.

Further off, Donnelly and the woman Melinda had introduced the group to were headed towards the restrooms. Cragen squinted. The Bureau Chief, with all five foot something's worth of bluster, was leading the other woman hand in hand. Something Arthur Branch had told him once made him chuckle.

Cragen went to take the final swig of his whiskey to finish off the glass, but noticed it was still full.

---

You stumbled through the doorway of Liz's brownstone, her hands quick to pull down your skirt. The door slammed shut. Her mouth pressed hot kisses up the side of your throat. Deceptively strong hands gripped at your ass.

"Upstairs," she husked.

Something fluttered in your stomach. Although you had gotten used to the feeling of the prosecutor's clever tongue in your mouth after a couple coffee dates, the two of you had yet to cross the threshold, so to speak.

Her hands guided you around the corner and up the flight of stairs, toying at the back of your bra. The sensation of her fingers trailing down your spine broke your brain. There could be no anxieties at this point, no thoughts for that matter, only Elizabeth Donnelly and her teeth at your throat and her pillows now pressed up against the back of your head.

The prosecutor leaned over you, nudging your legs aside. She began to drag her knuckle up and down the rapidly dampening fabric that clung to your slit. Heavily lidded brown eyes met yours.

"God Liz, I need you...I need it..."

You were embarrassed at the whine, embarrassed with how wet you already were for the woman.

"Need what?" her voice came coolly. She paused her ministrations to press a finger up against your hole. "This?"

You squeezed your eyes shut. "Please..."

Liz chuckled and hiked up the sleeve of her blazer.

"Since you beg so pretty," she said, "I guess I'll have to oblige."

You felt her tug your panties to the side, the sensation of her pressing a few quick kisses all across your mound and lips sending your heart into a spiral. Shortly afterwards, she helped you kick out of them, and her hands slid up to caress the insides of your thighs. Liz dragged her tongue up through your folds, praising how good you tasted. You moaned unabashedly now, desperation rising to a fever pitch.

"So impatient," she teased from between your legs as she lapped at you. You fought back another whine, the cry dying in your throat as you felt her climb up the bed and tug your body against her. She snaked a hand between your legs and slid a finger into you.

"Fuck, you're tight," her voice strained against a few strands of hair matted against your ear.

Your chest rose and fell rapidly as you tried to reply. "Speak up, sweetheart," she cooed, easing another finger into you.

"I want you to stretch me," you panted, clinging to lucidity.

She bit at your earlobe with a growl, a third finger slipping inside you now. Your head spun at as you felt yourself adjust to take even more of her. The air was now thick with the wet, wanton sounds of her pumping inside you. With each thrust, she stroked at a spot inside you that brought you closer and closer to your peak.

"I-I can't last much longer," you sputtered. You pressed back against her, hips rocking up into her palm. She sucked at a patch of skin underneath your jaw.

"Then cum for me," Liz said, beginning to stroke her thumb along your clit. She curled her fingers inside you and allowed you to roll your thighs against her hand.

The tension gripping your body snapped, your mind careening into the darkness as waves of pleasure rushed over you. Liz kept up her pace, pressing light kisses across your face. She talked you through your orgasm in crisp, honeyed tones in a manner you'd spend the next few days dwelling over.

When your heart finally calmed, she withdrew her hand, savoring the taste of you as she rose up off the bed. You watched her with a confused look, eyes straining against the shadows that cloaked the bedroom.

Her hand threaded into your hair, cupping the back of your scalp. Suddenly, she met you from the side of the bed.

You felt her pull you towards her, your face soon nuzzling up against the fabric of her slacks.

She tugged her zipper open with her free hand.

You wasted no time in starting to cover her panties in kisses, rewarded with a groan as she lolled her head back.

"That's a good girl," she said, voice straining. "Keep it up."

You reached up and tugged them down, lips wrapping around her clit. She laced both hands in your hair, pulling you closer. You leaned up, catching a glimpse of her through heavy lashes.

A thumb caressed your cheek.

"I can't wait to cum all over that pretty face."

You sucked harder.

---

Liz led you towards the restrooms, which were just outside the banquet hall in a hallway not so generously lit. The darkness served the mood well, though. Her mind wandered to thoughts of herself draped over your back, your legs parted wide enough for you to try taking her strap, her hips rutting into you with a ferocity that'd leave you with bruises she was proud to give you.

She wasn't sure if it was the booze or the fatigue calling the shots at this point, but neither prevented her from noticing your hand tugging free from her grasp.

The prosecutor turned in time to catch sight of a white glove cover your mouth.

[marilynthornhilllover]

● INTRODUCING NEW CHARACTERS

{theses characters has either been requested or apart of the headlist; characters soon to be writen list}

● Olivia Benson

● Vanessa shelly

● Sam carpenter

● Tara carpenter

● Joyce byers

● Monica galler

● Jane Margolis

● Ruby Matthew's

● Siobhan corbyn

● Siobhan roy

● Shauna Sadecki

● Lorraine Broughton

● Vilanelle

● Mary Villiers

● Evelyn deavor

● Slavia ( arcane )

● Love Quinn

● Beck ( you)

● Liza drake

● The Countess ( American horror story)

● Wanda

● Jan Steven's

● Lady lesso

● Amelia shepherd

● Candy montgomery

● Olivia crain

● Alicent hightower

● Rheanyra targeyan

● Rheanys targeyan

● farah dowling

● Misty quigley

● Laura Peterson

● Deanyers targeyan

● Jackie sharp

● Claire underwood.

● Andy Andromache

● Regina George

● Rhea ripley

● Jennifer check

● Ellie Williams

● Yelena Belova

● Abby Anderson

● Hazel Callahan

● Jessica day

● Jade west

● Gloria prittchett

● Alex Dunphy

○ Theses are just some characters that I admire and would like to start writing fanfics for / some of which I already started writing fanfics for but I haven't posted them as yet or there're not finished. More characters will be added to this list as time goes on, you are all free to send requests to me with whatever other characters you would personally like me to start writing on as well as fanfic requests for current characters listed above. I'm drying to hear what ideas you all have in store👏🏾, love you all and happy easter.

- sincerely, The Mother Of Smut.

[bullet-prooflove]

Past Mistakes Part Twelve: Fire - Mike Duarte x Reader (feat: Joe Velasco)

Tagging: @crazy4chickennuggets @kmc1989 @oureternalbond @nessamc @jayblackpanther @mysoulisasunflower @littleone65 @thesandbeneathmytoes @katluke25 @mydarkestsecretlol @evee87 @wooshwastaken @hearthockey @justreblogginfics @im-just-a-mississippi-girl @rosaliedepp @storiesofsvu @smellsliketeensspiryt @legit9thlunaticwarrior @xoxabs88xox @kiwiithecrazybird @spooky-pomegranate @chavez-ashley @telepathay @weiwei0210 @spaghettificationandpretzels @plaidbooks @irishavengersassemble

Past Mistakes Series:

Part One: Try - Mike turns back up in your life after three years apart.

Part Two: Hope (NSFW) - Mike and you get reaquainted.

Part Three: California - Mike and you discuss the past.

Part Four: Favours - Mike asks Liv for a favour.

Part Five: Choices - Mike comes face to face with someone from his past.

Part Six: Truth Hurts - Mike begs you to tell him the truth about what happened three years ago.

Part Seven: Sharing - Mike and Joe have a conversation.

Part Eight: Buried - Mike discovers that McGrath’s misdeeds go far futher than he thought.

Part Nine: Complicated - Mike discusses moving forward.

Part Ten: Feral - Mike returns to the apartment to find you’ve disappeared.

Part Eleven: Torture - You wake up to a very stark reality.

It’s over.

You should feel a sense of relief but instead you sit in the passenger of a black SUV wearing Detective Joe Velasco’s NYPD windbreaker, with a sense of dread in the pit of your stomach. On the back seat is your holdall, filled with the items you were supposed to take away with you when you left with Mike. Mike who you were supposed to be running away with, Mike who hadn’t shown his face since Murphy had rescued you from that hell house.

“He wanted to be here.” Joe says softly. “Benson and Murphy convinced him it was best to stay away. As soon as McGrath gets wind of what happened tonight, he’s going to be looking for you and we both know the first person he’s going to turn on is Duarte.”

You close your eyes, the back of your head coming to rest upon the seat as you exhale.

“He’s kept us apart for so long already.” You tell Joe. “I feel like it’s never going to end.”

“I’m sorry.” Joe says as he turns the key in the ignition. “The two of you don’t deserve this. What McGrath did to you…”

He trails off but you can hear the sincerity in his voice. His knuckles tighten as he grasps the steering wheel, his gaze on the road ahead.

“It happened to you, didn’t it?” You say quietly.

“He almost killed me.” Joe admits before continuing. “He almost killed you too. He’s dangerous when he’s not cornered, imagine what he’s like when he is.” He sighs before shaking his head. “You and Duarte are a threat, which is why we’re heading to the airport right now. The sooner we can get you out of the city, the safer you’ll be.”

It’s another decision that was made without you, the way everything in your life has been for the past three years. You feel that fire flare up inside of you, that familiar fierceness that comes with taking control of a situation. It’s something you’ve not felt for a very long time.

“I can’t do this.” You tell Joe. “I can’t just leave.”

“You understand what happens if you don’t right?” Joe asks you, his voice stern as he glances at you. “McGrath will do everything in his power to silence you.”

“I have to do this.” You tell him, that rage starting to claw it’s way through the numbness that’s been stifling you for as long as you can remember. “He fucking buried me for three years, I can’t run, not now. He’s taken so much from me already; I’m not letting him have anything else.”

There’s silence for a second as Joe processes your words.

“Fuck.” He says as he glances in the rearview mirror before pulling the car into a U-turn. “Duarte’s going to murder me.”

Love Mike Duarte? Don’t miss any of his stories by joining the taglist here.

Want more Mike? Check out his Masterlist here!

Interested in supporting me? Join my Patreon for Bonus Content!

Like My Work? - Why Not Buy Me A Coffee

[black-arcana]

BUTCHER BABIES Release One-Take Music Video For 'Sincerity', Filmed In London

Following the launch of their new single "Sincerity", BUTCHER BABIES have shared a music video for the track, available on YouTube today. Directed by the powerhouse duo, singer Heidi Shepherd and guitarist Henry Flury, this raw, unrelenting one-take video rips through the shadowed streets of London. A visual that captivates the city's gritty chaos which mirrors the intensity of a metal riff that only BUTCHER BABIES can materialize.

"Sincerity" is a song rooted in wishful thinking. The lyrics dive into trusting someone to be delicate with your feelings, but rather having used those emotions to feed their own ego and benefit.

"Sincerity" marks BUTCHER BABIES's first release since the departure of co-founding co-vocalist Carla Harvey.

On the new single, Shepherd states: "Over the last decade and a half, BUTCHER BABIES has become known for our aggression and soaring melodies. This new release is no different. Diving into real-life experiences and expectations while exposing the rawest part of our souls, this single is bound to invoke an emotional rollercoaster between looking toward the future with hope while reminiscing of past losses."

Though a release date has yet to be confirmed, there are more plans for new BUTCHER BABIES music. Future releases will be available via Judge & Jury Records, a powerhouse record label and production company founded by multi-platinum producer Howard Benson (MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, SEETHER, SKILLET, OF MICE & MEN) and Neil Sanderson of THREE DAYS GRACE. The instrumentation was meticulously crafted by Benson and Sanderson at West Valley Recording Studios, Benson's studio in Woodland Hills.

On the signing to Judge & Jury Records, Benson shares: "I have always been a fan of the band and never really thought we'd get a chance to work with them! I especially love Heidi's vocal range and ability to weave compelling stories through her music. Excited Judge & Jury got to do this music together with her and Henry, and for the fans to hear it!"

BUTCHER BABIES is Heidi Shepherd on vocals, Henry Flury on guitar, Ricky Bonazza on bass and Devin Nickles on drums.

BUTCHER BABIES played their first concert since the official departure of Harvey on July 27 at the Stonehenge festival in Steenwijk, The Netherlands.

The band announced Harvey's exit in a social media post on July 20. BUTCHER BABIES wrote: "As you may have already guessed, it is confirmed that Carla Harvey and BUTCHER BABIES have officially parted ways.

"Carla has been an integral part of our journey, bringing her unique talent, passion, and energy to the band. We are grateful for the incredible memories we've made together and the impact she has had on our music and our fans. We will miss her greatly and we wish her all the best in her future endeavors.

"We deeply appreciate your support over the past 15 years," BUTCHER BABIES added. "We feel incredibly fortunate to keep making and playing music as our career, and we are excited for this new era of BUTCHER BABIES!

"See you on the road."

Carla added in a separate post: "Over the last 6 months You may have noticed my absence from BUTCHER BABIES posts. After 15 years of dedication, I wanted to let you know that I will not be rejoining the band for any future endeavors.

"I am super proud of my work with BUTCHER BABIES…2 EPS, 5 Full lengths albums and countless tours with our metal heroes! To all of our incredible BUTCHER BABIES friends and fans…you have provided me with some of the greatest experiences of my life! I have loved every second of writing and performing all over the world for you! I have loved meeting you. WOW. I still can't believe this kid from Detroit got so lucky.

"I am not done making music and performing. I WILL see you soon".

In the fall of 2023, BUTCHER BABIES completed a European tour without Carla, who sat out the trek in order to undergo emergency surgery on her left eye.

BUTCHER BABIES' three-week 2024 European tour concluded on August 17 at the Czech Republic's Rock Of Sadská festival.

BUTCHER BABIES kicked off a U.S. headlining tour on September 18 in Palmdale, California. Support on the "Good Lord! The Butcher's Ded!" trek is coming from DED, DROPOUT KINGS and FOX LAKE.

This past January, Harvey and ANTHRAX and PANTERA drummer Charlie Benante announced that they were officially engaged.

BUTCHER BABIES released a double album "Eye For An Eye..." and "…'Til The World's Blind", in July 2023. The double album celebrates the tenth anniversary of BUTCHER BABIES' critically acclaimed debut, "Goliath", released on July 9, 2013 via Century Media Records.

BUTCHER BABIES' previous album, 2017's "Lilith" was produced by Steve Evetts (THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, SEPULTURA, SUICIDE SILENCE) and marked the band's recording debut with drummer Chase Brickenden, who replaced Chris Warner in 2016.

[slavicviking]

Sport's Day (Steddie WIP)

Just a little snippet to entice you because I was (am?) having a writing crisis and this little thing helped me break out of it. Takes place right before summer break in 1985

���Jesus Christ, what the f-“

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” a girl yelps. “I was trying to tie my shoe but I have, like, no coordination so I kind of fell over you? I didn’t mean to do that, I’m so sorry. Balancing on one leg is so much harder than it looks. Like, honestly, how do cheerleaders even do that thing where they-“

“Whoa, hey, it’s fine,” Eddie jumps in before the girl – Robin Buckley, turns out – faints from lack of air. A yellow ribbon hangs limply off her wrist. Maybe it makes him a bad person but there is a sense of relief knowing he will not be the only ‘uncoordinated’ one on the team. Harrington is going to have an aneurysm for sure.

Robin blinks down at him, lips pulling down in a frown. “Oh, it’s you.”

Okay? Mean.

“Yes?” Whatever imaginary comradery Eddie hoped for seems off the table all of a sudden. Well, that’s a bummer. “Why the long face? Not happy to see a fellow nerd on the team?”

“You stepped on my sandwich last week.”

Ah. Well. That would do it, he supposes. The lunch break speeches… they sometimes get a little intense. Eddie gets a little intense, is what the rest of the Hellfire Club would probably say. Eddie’s shoes have known to slam face – sole? – first into the best of what the Hawkins High cafeteria had to offer; which is not saying much, to be completely honest.

“My humble apologies,” he tries a little bow and hopes it comes off as sincere. Buckley looks less than convinced. Tough crowd, what can he say.

“Alrighty, I think that’s all of us,” Harrington’s overly cheery voice thunders somewhere from above him and Eddie, like a moth drawn to a flame, has no other option but to look up. With his hands power-posed onto his sinfully slim waist and the sun positioned perfectly behind him, Steve Harrington seems to have taken it upon himself to alter Eddie’s brain chemistry, braincells leaving left and right, leaking right through his ears, never to be seen again.

“You’re drooling,” Robin’s monotone informs him from his right and he promptly slams his mouth shut, even though he knows the claim is wildly exaggerated. Buckley may be the best or the worst person he’s ever met – he needs to befriend her.    

“First up is the relay-race. We need four people. Anyone up?”

Harrington is met with painful silence and that does dim the cheery smile a little bit. Eddie wonders if that is where the King Steve comes out of the hiding, all scary, sharp teeth and disregard of basic human decency. He himself stills, for once not wanting to draw any attention to himself, feeling like a student who doesn’t know the correct answer which, not to brag, if you asked Higgins or any other teacher in Hawkins High, is something Eddie excels in. Curiosity, though, is a fickle thing and he’s fallen victim to it more times that he can count, and so when the uncomfortable silence drowns on, Eddie can’t help but take a look around to meet the Team Yellow, so to speak.

Fred Benson peers at him from his thick glasses. A group of scared freshman cower together. There’s a couple of band kids other than Robin Buckley who forgone glaring at the back of Eddie’s head in order to chew on her lip nervously and stare at the ground. Not a jock in sight.

Steve Harrington couldn’t have landed a worse team if he tried.

Surprisingly he doesn’t look like he’s about to piss himself over it.

Huh.

Probably will post the whole thing tomorrow ok bye

[thedevilrisen]

The Archive - Celebration!

The day has come! I'm back and ready to write. (Somewhat Consistently!)

To recognise the fact and get me back into the writing grove I will be writing from lists of prompts and songs, for your favourite hockey people!

I will have a list of prompts and players that will be methodically worked through via voting! (One a week maybe) This will be very similar to how my first celly worked. I will also be taking special requests from whoever asks for particular players and prompts or songs.

Sincerely thedevilrisen

-

Song List: Any Song from Tate McRae's Album 'Think Later' Any Song from Oliva Rodrigo's Album 'GUTS' She's all i wanna be - Tate McRae Feel like shit - Tate McRae Beautiful Things - Benson Boone You Proof - Morgan Wallen Last Night - Morgan Wallen Thinkin' bout me - Morgan Wallen Wasted On You - Morgan Wallen Fast Car - Tracy Chapman (Luke Combs) Dear Future Husband - Megan Trainor This Town - Niall Horan Stick Season - Noah Kahan Friday Night - Lady A

I'm happy to add songs should one be requested to be added to the rotation!

-

Prompt List: Finding the other wearing their clothes. Cuddling in a blanket fort. Head Scratches. Patching up a wound. Reacting to the other one crying about something. Prompts with dialogue: "what if y-" "if you seriously propose that i sit on your lap, i will kill you." "you're not okay, you're shaking. what can i do? please just let me help you." "do everything that i say, and we might both live to tell the tale of this night." "close your eyes, you don't need to see this." "Are you sure you're okay? You're sweating." "ive never been in a relationship before, so i don't really know how to do the whole...kissing thing."

If people want to suggest more prompts please do!

-

Players:

Sidney Crosby Evgeni Malkin Kris Letang Drew O'Connor Tristan Jarry Jack Hughes Luke Hughes Simon Nemec Nico Hischier Quinn Hughes Cole Caufield Tyler Seguin Trevor Zegras Jamie Drysdale

Again! Feel Free to request any players that aren't on my list.

[deadcactuswalking]

REVIEWING THE CHARTS: 14/12/2024 (Sabrina Carpenter, Christmas Garbage)

Another Christmas episode, you know what it is. “Last Christmas” by Wham! returns to the spot – I wrote about it very recently – for an eighth non-consecutive week, and we have more Christmas songs in the top five – “All I Want for Christmas is You” by Mariah Carey at #3 and “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” by Brenda Lee at #5. There are plenty Christmas songs all over the highest reaches of the charts – all but two of the top 10 – so let’s ditch the format and just zip through the UK Singles Chart. Welcome back to REVIEWING THE CHARTS!

content warning: sexy Santa

Rundown

Perhaps most notably, there are two new peaks within the top 10 for Christmas singles, those being “It Can’t be Christmas” by Tom Grennan at #6 and, impressively, after a decade and change, “Underneath the Tree” by Kelly Clarkson at #10, whilst Laufey takes “Christmas Magic” to #20 and “Carol of the Bells” by John Williams is for whatever reason up to #49, then Mark Ambor’s cover of “Run Rudolph Run” from last week paces to #60. Outside of festivities, we have the other entries in our top five, “That’s So True” by Gracie Abrams at #2 and “APT.” by ROSÉ and Bruno Mars at #4, then we do see some gains for “Messy” by Lola Young at #11, “Snowman” by Sia at #18 (a festive-themed song, but far from festive), “The Days” by Chrystal at #24, “Die with a Smile” by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars at #37, “Good Luck, Babe!” by Chappell Roan at #47, “Dirty Cash (Money Talks)” by PAWSA and The Adventures of Stevie V at #57, “Too Sweet” by Hozier at #59 and “Stick Season” by Noah Kahan at #62. We then have a few holiday returns too, alongside “Burning Down” by Alex Warren back at #68, as we see the annual return of “DJ Play a Christmas Song” by Cher at #73, “Christmas Lights” by Coldplay at #71, and possibly thanks to a virtual duet with BTS member V, “White Christmas” by Bing Crosby at #66.

As for what’s left us to make room, we see the departures of “Disease” by Lady Gaga, “Thick of It” by KSI featuring Trippie Redd, “Sympathy is a knife” by Charli xcx with the remix featuring Ariana Grande, “WILDFLOWER” by Billie Eilish, “Stargazing” by Myles Smith and “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter, which exits to make room for a song that also kind of already charted; I suppose we’ll get into it. Much like we had a couplet of songs, one a Christmas-themed rendition of a prior release, one a newer song from a mid-level album drop, we have much of the same this week… just the female version, as it was two guys last week. Funny how that turns out. Either way, it’ll be yet another quick episode – thankfully since I’ve delayed this enough to get my keyboard fixed, life happens and gets in the way of silly chart reviews. But not anymore!

New Entries

#72 – “toxic till the end” – ROSÉ

Produced by Evan Blair

BLACKPINK star ROSÉ has been the first to release a full debut album, that being rosie, and whilst I’ve yet to hear the entire record, I do have some hopes for a bubblegum albeit enjoyable pop record, as she has the most significant solo catalogue of a BLACKPINK, and unique production choices and charisma have largely carried those solo singles for me. I wasn’t particularly excited, therefore, seeing Evan Blair, who has worked primarily with safer, modern “teenage” acts like Benson Boone and Nessa Barrett. With that said, though, he pulled through for this one, seemingly the single being pushed from her solo debut currently charting at #4 over on the albums chart. It’s not a remarkable sound, going for a very typical bubbly synth pastiche, but the vocal production does a lot to enhance limited vocal performances and the fizzle of hearing that gated drum against the synthbed is still as effective, perhaps more so, as it would have been for a 2019 Halsey track that similarly mixes those watery sounds with guitars and a whole lot of wavy filtering, especially on the Auto-Tuned vocals, though the sincere bridge on this bitter and justified piss-off, the spoken interlude between verses, it all ends up sounding more sincere. Sure, the song has the length and energy of a hyperpop snippet, but does away with the jaded irony that could easily put me off, especially with such a youthful singer like ROSÉ who will go for the melodrama. Consider me still largely interested in that new album, whenever I get to listen.

#25 – “A Nonsense Christmas” – Sabrina Carpenter

Produced by Julian Bunetta

Well, once again, we are stuck with a simple song being redone for this year’s festive season, except in this case, this is actually an older Christmasified rendition of the track, being initially released in 2022, then placed into her fruitcake EP, which debuts this week on the albums chart at #5. Said track is of course “Nonsense”, a hit in itself that I already reviewed when it first charted. The original is silly and smutty in a way that ended up defining her career from then on, though she’s ditched much of the Ariana Grande R&B-pop stylings since for a… “classier” and more vintage style that makes this version, changing the lyrics into Christmas innuendo and adding sleigh bells to the mix, feel a little dated on arrival. Regardless, it’s already out-peaked the original (#32 in 2023, whilst Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers” was #1), partly because of her Netflix holiday special I’ve yet to see but I’m sure has the same cheeky appeal as this track, just one that I don’t think will hold year after year.

Conclusion

Well, once again, we have two options but instead of two measly, mediocre offerings, they’re good tracks with little to write home about – consider it a dual Honourable Mention rather than crowning anything a best or worst. It’s the Christmas chart next week, but for now, thank you for reading, long live Cola Boyy and I’ll see you next week!

[fredbensonenthusiast]

Writing characters.....

I just wanted to share this passage on writing from Fred.  It feels strikingly modern and actually reminds me of an almost identical quote by the dramatist David Mamet.  I am always amazed at how vividly a character can be portrayed on the page with no access to their interior thoughts at all – Mr Rochester from ‘Jane Eyre’ springs to mind, and of course Ralph Lanyon from ‘The Charioteer’.

Indeed, there seemed to be as many methods as there were Masters, but as I emerged from this sea of fiction, I found that a certain fluid belief of mine had now been churned by study into the solid conviction that the only sure method of revealing your characters in fiction is by their direct speech, and the certainty of that outweighed all else that I had learned. No amount of discussion or comment or analysis on the part of the author will ever give any of his puppets the vividness and reality which the puppet himself can create when he talks. “Out of the heart the mouth speaketh” has no truer application than in the world of fiction. Sincerity, pomposity, simplicity, love, honour, rascality, and all the gamut of qualities, are far more trenchantly conveyed by direct speech than by action, paradoxical though it sounds, and though it may not be applicable to the world where conduct is supposed to be nine parts of life. Yet even action is better than mere analysis, for the more you only dissect, the more indubitably dead your subject becomes. A large school of modern fiction is, for this reason, quite unreadable, for its talented authors are under the melancholy delusion that half a dozen clinical reports from the waste-paper basket of a psycho-analyst, loosely strung together, are sufficient to give vitality to the corpses which they mistake for characters.

Mother, EF Benson, 1925

Trouble is, apart from some notable exceptions, by his own admission, he doesn't seem to take his own advice very often!  

[joeyclaire]

tradwife au:

randy has aesthetic social media accounts all about his life as a homemaker and he’s constantly alluding to “the future baby” as if he’s pregnant and all the comments are like “you’re a man??” or make jokes about him being a trans icon and people come to the conclusion that like the rest of his content it’s a fetish thing. and they would, of course, be right

randy: traditional marriage is the key to liberation

every single commenter: you are a gay man the hell do you mean traditional marriage

lot of people think it’s ragebait cause there’s no way a gay guy married to another man could sincerely believe he’s being a tradwife. but he does believe it.

every single randy video gives the impression he’s going to give birth in a week

rubbing his tummy like yeah guys we’re gonna make everything from scratch so we can be ready for when the baby comes!! but it’s every video spanning back years

the benson cameos are infrequent enough that there are people who know randy’s content and have never seen his husband but frequent enough that there are people going “okay. i would do all that for him too” cause he’s sexy

benson has an ig account where he just posts about hunting and occasionally humors randy’s audience and does qnas. he receives the following comment “i remember reading a long time ago that you and your husband were in a tradwife d/s relationship? am i remembering correctly?” he replies “no! we aren’t in some weird fetish relationship, jesus! but yes he’s actually been getting more into the housewife role lately and it's like, fucking hot to me”

“also we’re not gay stop being weird about my roommate”

yeah i live with a man who i fuck and he cooks all my meals wearing a frilly apron and it makes my dick hard but it’s not a kink thing and i’m not gay

benson posts about the newest addition to his knife collection and all the comments are going “how many of these have you used on randy” and he’s like i’m shutting this whole fucking thing down

randy’s baby fever gets so intense they have to get him a black lab puppy. benson thinks of any dog under sixty pounds as “basically a cat” but randy wants something he can carry around and benson’s like, “get stronger then damn”

[cowboyism]

benson/randy rated: M (for now i guess) words: 4653 (again for now)

The woman at the school’s reception desk flat out refused to give them anything about Miss Beard, her hands laid on the countertop as she shook her head sadly. Big, plump bottom lip jutting out in what Benson might have known to be real sympathy if he had ever been presented with the emotion in a sincere way. Which he hadn’t. At least, that’s what he imagined, anyway. When she had removed her palms from the counter, the ledger beneath them had become stuck to one, slick with a nervous sweat that she hid all too well in the calm, collected way she had informed the boy she simply couldn’t give that sort of information away.  The page was left greasy and she pointedly did not look at it.  “And Mr. Bradley, I really think you’re doing the right thing. Good for you.” She had said, like she was his fucking grandmother. 

They don't make it to Miss Beard's place. Mr Sheppard lies in a pool of his own blood and Benson & Randy drive on, and on, and on, and on, and on.

[deadnymaster]

Now it´s time for me to talk about Jax from digital circus and all of this people whith the "I can change him" mind. Because well...

This character is not going to change at all xd (Also, the "I can change it" concept that a lot of minors have... Please people, never NEVER have that mentality whith real people, you are not only being toxic and not acepting people the way they are, but it´s also dangerous for you to be around real cursed persons. People is not gonna change for you, in most of the cases, they corrupts your naive mind)

Returning to Jax personality, there´s people pointing that he was soft for a millysecond on episode 2 and that it was a signal of redemtion. Welp, characters can be soft and assholes at the same time xd Just think about Benson from Clarence, he has an episode where he was sincere about his ilusion for watching a dolphin, at the end of the episode, returned back to his asshole behaviour whithout any character development. Digital circus is still a young series, but Idk why I have the feeling that whith Jax is gonna be worse...