#Stud Ford

[anatomyofjamesyates]

[properbloke79]

Billy Ford

[mensuited]

[jonberry555]

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny REVIEW

My review of the fifth and latest Indiana Jones Film: Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is Directed by James Mangold; Written by Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth, David Koepp, & James Mangold; Based on Characters by George Lucas & Philip Kaufman; Produced by Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, & Simon Emanuel; Starring Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Antonio Banderas, John Rhys-Davies, Toby Jones, Boyd Holbrook, Ethann Isidore, Mads Mikkelsen; Cinematography by Phedon Papamichael; Edited by Michael McCusker, Andrew Buckland, & Dirk Westervel; and Music by John Williams. Production companies: Walt Disney Pictures and Lucasfilm Ltd. Distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

[wheelsgoroundincircles]

1930 Ford Highboy Coupe

There’s always lots of detail work with any build and this ’30 Ford highboy coupe is no exception. Look closely and you will find Craftworks Fabrication handmade steel motor mounts. The license plate and valve covers were painted by Jeremy Seanor of Luckystrike Designs. He also painted all the accompanying engine and tranny parts. The powdercoat was handled by Pittsburgh Powder Coat while the chrome plating was conducted by Jon Wright’s Custom Chrome Plating.

The chassis is comprised of a Roadster Shop custom frame that was stepped, stretched, and features contoured ’32 Ford-style framerails. It was also then boxed, capped, and has hole punch flared front framehorns. From here the frame is outfitted with a Super Bell 4-inch drop, drilled and plated I-beam axle, low-profile monoleaf spring with Ridetech tubular shocks paired to custom-made drilled billet radius rods from Johnson’s Hot Rod Shop. Steering falls to the Flaming River box and a LimeWorks Hot Rod column topped with a four-spoke Billet Specialties Sprint Car–style leather-wrapped wheel. In back there’s a Currie 9-inch rearend outfitted with 3.70 gears, 31-spline axles, QA1 coilovers, a Pete & Jakes Panhard bar, and a parallel four-link setup. Braking is a combination of disc/drum front to rear. The forward braking dark gray–painted Wilwood Dynalite calipers are neatly hidden behind the Pete & Jakes finned backing plates. While in back the 9-inch is outfitted with 11-inch brakes, this time hidden beneath the SO-CAL Speed Shop finned drums all the while the chassis rides on a full set of 16-inch Dayton wire wheels wrapped with Coker/Excelsior rubber measuring 5.50R16 in front and 7.00R18 in the back.

All hot rods have something fun settled between the ’rails and beneath the hood (well if they have a hood). In the case of our ’30 Ford highboy coupe it sure appears to be a vintage Ford Y-block but after more than a cursory look we begin to see the telltale signs that there’s something more. Indeed, while it may look like a Ford it truly is a 376-inch LSX iron block, with aluminum heads and ARP studs, plus adapter-equipped small-block Ford (Windsor) valve covers all from Don Hardy Race Cars and then assembled by Talik and Marc Mullin. The intake is an Edelbrock LS dual quad with a pair of Thunder AVS EnduraShine carbs dressed in OTB air cleaners. Delivering the gas from the Tanks stainless reservoir is an Earl’s Performance billet fuel pump. More engine accessories include an MSD 6AL box to go along with the MSD billet Ford small-block distributor that functions through a timing cover adapter from Chevrolet Performance all the while using an MSD coil and Lokar vintage plug wires. Powermaster also supplied the alternator and starter, the battery is an XS Power AGM, and a Wegner Motorsports water pump is used as well as a Wegner front accessory drive unit. This 500-plus hp V-8 utilizes custom headers made at Craftworks Fabrication based on Ultimate Headers LS header flanges. The pseudo-Ford small-block is backed up to a TCI StreetFighter 700-R4 with a 2,800-stall speed converter operated by a Lokar shifter. The trans cooler comes by way of Derale Performance and moves the power through a 3-inch-diameter custom-made driveshaft.

[ckret2]

Chapter 17 of Human Bill Causes Problems And Ruins Relationships On Purpose (title TBD), featuring: Mabel and Ford, not letting their relationship be ruined.

They're gonna be okay.

Also: weird donuts, cool crystals, and summer class.

####

Mabel was out of sight by the time Ford exited the shop—stupid, why hadn't he chased her the second he saw her run? He knew Mabel was fast. He circled the block calling her name—there was nowhere she could have gone, this mixed-use building was surrounded by residential houses—and then he hurried back to the parking garage, worst case scenarios tumbling through his head.

When he spied her leaning against the trunk of Stan's car, he heaved a sigh of relief. "Mabel! You shouldn't run off like that in a strange city. Anything could have happened."

Mabel tightened her crossed arms, glaring at her shoes. "I'm better at taking care of myself than you think."

Ford's shoulders slumped. He stood there useless, the silence thick between them, grappling for something to say to cut through it.

He never did well with these thick, awkward, choking moments—the moment before Stan left home, the moment after Fiddleford left the portal project, all the moments on the phone with his parents or with Shermie when he couldn't think of anything they'd be truly interested to hear about his life or any questions he truly wanted them to answer. He'd lost a lot of relationships in those moments. "Mabel—you're not in trouble, and I'm... I'm not mad at you."

"Being disappointed isn't better."

"I'm not disappointed, either. Just... concerned."

Wrong word. Mabel looked up at Ford with a dark, furious look that reminded him unnervingly of a look Bill had given him a few days ago. (He still hadn't learned to identify this as the hallmark gaze of the defiant teenager.) Then she glared at the ground again. "I wanna go home."

If he took her home, it would be an agonizing hour and a half silence—and what were the odds she'd just run to Bill and tell him he'd been "right," and he'd fill her head with more poison? It was far too late to forbid her from talking to him without exacerbating the situation. Ford could force her to stay right here in Portland until he'd talked to her—he had the keys, the driver's license, and almost fifty years' seniority—but if he did that, she'd tune out anything he said.

And she'd be right to. Who was he to her except the other uncle, the one who'd spent a year lavishing attention on her brother and only asked to spend time with her as a trap to give her a lecture?

He leaned on the car trunk next to her and looked down at the top of Mabel's head. She was wearing a headband studded with rhinestones and plastic ruby earrings. She'd dressed up for this. Ford swallowed hard. "Mabel, I'm an idiot."

She didn't say anything.

"I am. I'm a fool. I put all my skill points in intelligence and zero in charisma." He paused. "Which... that sentence probably makes self-evident." He cleared his throat. "I started out bad at socializing, and not interacting with humans for thirty years didn't make me any better. So I don't have any idea what I'm doing here. But... I asked you to come here with me because I really do want to spend more time with you; and because Bill hurt me, and I love you too much not to make sure you're protected against him doing the same to you."

He put a hand on her shoulder, and when she didn't tense up or pull away, he went on: "I think I tried to do too much in one trip, and it just made what should have been a fun time... awkward for you. But, if it helps, it's awkward for me, too. We can be awkward together. We're on the same side, I promise."

Mabel let out a loud, snotty sniff. "You... really do wanna hang out with me?" Quieter, she asked, "Not just Dipper?"

"Of course I do!" Ford said. "But I don't blame you for doubting me. I... know I've spent less time with you than with Dipper. I thought he needed me more. I'm sorry it took this to make me make time for you like I should have all along."

"Was... was there ever really a crystal store on the highway?"

"There was! I promise! I honestly don't know what happened to it! Maybe when I was coming from the airport Soos took a different exit than I thought? Or maybe a truck got between us and the sign as we were passing it and we didn't realize, but—"

He was getting off topic. The mystery of the crystal store wasn't what was important here. Reel in the puzzled scientist for a moment and be an uncle. "But—I swear Mabel, I didn't make up a story just to get you out here. I truly wanted to go to a crystal shop with you, hand on my heart." He put his hand on his heart. "That's a full finger more sincere than normal."

Mabel let out a choked giggle. She finally looked up at Ford, eyes red, cheeks tear streaked, but fighting to smile through her tears. "Grunkle Ford, I—" She wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his sweater. "I'm not trying to ruin summer again, I promise! All I'm talking to Bill about is preschool cartoons and arts & crafts! Sure, he's—he's been nice since I helped him out, but—that doesn't mean I've forgotten who he is or what he can do..."

"Mabel, you didn't ruin last summer." Ford knelt down and hugged her back. "Bill did. Never forget that. I'm just trying to prevent him from doing it again."

Mabel nodded, unconvinced. "He couldn't have ruined it by himself."

"You're right. He couldn't. Which is why I was so wrong to keep the rift secret from everyone in the house but Dipper. I was trying to keep you safe, but you never would have fallen for his lies if I'd armed you with all the information you needed."

He leaned back from Mabel and patted his briefcase. "That's why I'm doing things properly this time! I'm prepared to educate you on every trick Bill has ever borrowed from the books of con artists, cult leaders, and serial manipulators. If you're going to talk to him, you'll know the rules of every mind game he plays before he starts playing them." He unzipped his briefcase and pulled out some of the research materials he'd assembled to prepare for this conversation. "I'm afraid even that might not be enough to fully protect you against his devious tricks, but if you keep your guard up and regularly check in with the rest of the family, then—"

Mabel looked in Ford's briefcase and exploded in a peal of laughter. "Grunkle Ford, are you making me go to school in the summer?! Gross!"

Ford blinked. If this was Dipper, he'd have been delighted at the educational opportunity. This just went to show how much he still needed to learn about Mabel, too. "Come now, Mabel. There's no greater defense against the shadowy forces of deception than the light of knowledge!"

Mabel laughed again. "You nerd!"

Ford grinned. "But, I'll try to make it fun, too."

"Okay, I'll take your psychology class. Bill-proof me! Arm me with knowledge!" She raised her arms like she was flexing her biceps.

"Great!" Ford rummaged through his briefcase. "I'll start with the broad strategies I've seen or heard of him using to isolate his victims, then narrow in on specific tactics he uses to steer conversations his way. First we'll go over the B.I.T.E. model of authoritarian control, and—"

Mabel put a hand on his shoulder. "How about we start with lunch?"

Ford paused, then let out a huff. "Yes, of course. We should eat."

They got in the car and went looking for a restaurant.

####

They had lunch at a burger place, and Ford told Mabel everything he could think of about how Bill operated—all guided by copious research notes.

To his relief, Mabel never got bored. Instead, she immediately related his lesson back to things she'd already seen Bill do: how easily he'd gotten her, Dipper, and Soos to do his job for him inside Stan's mind, or how he'd tried to turn Mabel and Dipper against each other during Mabel's puppet show. When she admitted what Bill had said to make her worry about talking to Ford, he confessed how Bill had turned him against Fiddleford—and how he'd done it with just a couple comments. All he'd had to say was that Fiddleford might not be committed enough to the portal project, might not be bold enough to finish, and Ford's mind had done the rest.

Ford hadn't even told Dipper about that part—instead, he'd just let Dipper read it in his journal. Ford had yet to so much as talk to Fiddleford himself about it. It was shameful to admit out loud; but less so when he knew he was talking to someone else who'd very nearly been fooled the same way—and that sharing his story might save her from repeating it.

They wrapped up lunch, moved to a nearby shop called Druid Donuts for dessert, and continued their conversation on one of the picnic tables outside. Mabel got a donut wizard with a pretzel stick wand and purple cream filling, and Ford tried out a donut with jelly beans on top. The jelly beans were kinda stale. He plucked them off and ate them anyway.

Mabel sighed, "Grunkle Ford, I'm so sorry I let Bill make me doubt you."

"Bill has that effect on people. When I had this same talk with Dipper, he tried to shoot me with the memory gun in case Bill was possessing me."

"Dipper never mentioned that!" Mabel laughed; but it quickly petered out as she remembered who had ultimately gotten memory gunned over Bill.

She gazed thoughtfully down at her wizard. (She'd eaten off one of his arms, half his robe, and licked out the purple cream filling.) "What made Bill so awful?"

"I sorely wish I knew," Ford said. "I spent half my life trying to find out where he came from, along with how to defeat him. All I ever learned is that he's from a two-dimensional realm—and he destroyed his dimension, friends and family included, for power."

Mabel's eyes widened.

"But... why? I still don't know. He told me he found his home 'restrictive'—but I imagine any limitations would feel restrictive to someone who's seeking omnipotence, so I have no idea what that truly means." Ford looked down at his donut. He'd plucked off all the jelly beans and sorted them into two piles on a napkin, one of regular beans and a smaller one with a few deformed ones. He popped a couple of beans in his mouth. 

"It's weird," Mabel said. "It's like... I'm trying to hate him, but it's hard. It was easy last year! And I know who he is, and I know that all this"—she pointed at Ford's bag full of notes—"is going on in his head, but—when I talk to him, he just seems like... not a different person, but a—a normal person. I don't want to not give that person a chance just because he's Bill. You know? Does that make sense?" Mabel grimaced. "Or is that just how good he is at acting?"

Softly, Ford said, "I think it does make sense. Actually, even after everything he's done to me... since he's been locked up with us, I've—had a moment or two like that. I don't think he's doing it on purpose. I think it's a natural side effect of being in such close proximity to him."

Ford had been thinking a lot about his bizarre burst of compassion on the night Bill burned off his hair. He'd wondered if, maybe, putting a human face over Bill had made Ford see him as a new person. But that wasn't right. Like Mabel had said: Ford didn't see this human Bill as a different person, but rather...

Ford had obsessed over Bill for thirty years. He'd combed the multiverse for information about Bill's history, his state of existence, his potential weaknesses. But in all that time—in all that time, he hadn't once spoken with Bill.

He'd spent half a lifetime moving amongst people who saw Bill as a symbol, a legend, a cosmic force. He'd come to see Bill the same way. A threat, a target, an idea. He'd spent so many years picking a scant few hours of conversation with Bill to shreds that—he was now beginning to realize—he'd half convinced himself that Bill didn't actually have an identity beneath his lies.

It wasn't that seeing a human face made Ford forget that this person was Bill. It was that seeing a human face made Ford remember that Bill was a person. Ford had gotten so used to hating Bill the symbol; had he ever learned how to hate Bill the person? Or had he just let himself believe Bill wasn't a person at all?

Treating Bill like an idea rather than a person was useful enough when Bill was some distant foe. But now Bill was here. Ford couldn't let himself go soft just because Bill was capable of filling space in a window seat and tripping on the furniture and waking screaming from nightmares and regretting a stupid haircut.

Bill had been a person every other time Ford had tried to kill him, too. And that didn't change the fact that he needed to die.

And Mabel—who had so much less practice with hatred than Ford had—was struggling with the same thing.

"You want him to make sense," Ford said. "I understand that completely. Once we see somebody as a person, it's hard to see them as a monster, even if that's what they are. Our minds think monsters want to destroy the world, not play weird chess games. Seeing him as just a monster would be safer for everyone—but, as long as he's imprisoned and powerless, all he can do is be a person."

Mabel thought that over. "Yeah," she said. "You can hate somebody or you can get to know them, but you can't do both."

Ford could think of a few people he'd only hated more the better he got to know them, but he supposed Mabel was kinder than him. "More or less."

"How do you deal with it?"

"By avoiding him."

Mabel's gaze dropped back to her donut wizard. She ate his wand and other arm.

Ford took a deep breath. "Mabel... knowing everything you know now, do you still want to keep talking to him?"

Her neck sank down into her turtleneck. "Do I fail your class if I say yeah?"

Ford smiled sadly. Was she too kind for her own good, or—like Ford—too curious? "I thought you might say that," he said. "Follow-up question: are you prepared to be disappointed when he doesn't live up to your hopes? And I do mean 'when,' not 'if.' You're offering him a charity I don't think he's capable of reciprocating."

If she'd gotten angry, if she'd gotten defensive, he would have worried more. But she laughed and said, "Grunkle Ford, last summer I got my heart broken by like, sixteen boys. After that, I can handle finding out the evil demon triangle I'm trying to reform is still an evil demon. I'll be impressed if he ever gets an opportunity to kill one of us and doesn't take it."

Ford chuckled, relieved. "I think you deserve to hang out with people you can hold to higher standards than that."

"I do! But the other people I hang out with don't wanna watch the same shows as me. I don't think I can make you understand how important that is."

On the one hand, that struck Ford as a very thirteen-year-old priority. On the other hand... He winced. "Actually... for a while, he was the only person that would play Dungeons, Dungeons, and More Dungeons with me."

"WHAT! What kind of character did he play!"

"None. He always wanted to be the dungeon master," Ford said. "He ran very strange campaigns. And had a weird fascination with princesses with eyeballs for heads. And, in retrospect, it was probably a red flag when he decided to portray the God of Long Odds as a one-eyed golden triangle."

Mabel at least had the good grace to bite her lip instead of laughing at Ford.

"Well. I don't think you should want to talk to him. But, if you do... then you have a rare opportunity. Perhaps the first in multiversal history. Bill's our captive, he seems to trust you, he's motivated to make you trust him... I think if anyone's ever had a chance of finding out what made him like he is, it might be you. Perhaps you'll get your question answered."

"Grunkle Ford..." Mabel grinned slyly. "Are you saying that you want me to talk to him? Like, as a spy?"

Ford grimaced. "If I said that, that would make me a terrible uncle. I should be doing everything in my power to steer you away from him. I know that would be safer for everyone and healthier for you." He paused. "But. I can't control you. And as long as you've decided to talk to him anyway—I want to know everything you learn."

Mabel laughed. "You got it!"

"Final advice: don't trust anything he says, assume everything he does has an ulterior motive, and never agree to do anything he asks without twenty-four hours away from him to consider it. And keep talking to us—to me, to Dipper, to Stanley. He might fool one of us, but he can't fool all of us."

"Yeah!" Mabel raised a hand. "Pines power!"

"Pines power." Ford high-sixed her, then finished up his donut. "Well, I think this was very educational for both of us." He stood. "You've still got your $50. Want to go back to the crystal shop?"

####

They grabbed a big green box of donuts for the family and headed back to Lunar Blessings. While Mabel was agonizing over several fun-colored crystals, Ford wandered back toward the statue of Bill. He had to do something about this. "Excuse me." He waved down the shopkeeper. "Do you happen to know where this sculpture came from? The name of the artist, or...?"

She came over to study it. "I think we get all of these from a studio in the Bahamas, but I don't remember the artist off the top of my head. Why?"

He tried to think of a lie that sounded more realistic than the truth—maybe if he said he thought he recognized the art style and wanted to know if an old friend had made it, she'd be willing to dig up the artist's name?

He decided to go with a story that might get this thing off the shelf faster. "Because that particular depiction of the Eye of Providence is associated with a dangerous cult."

Her brows went up. "You're sure? It's a common symbol."

"Giving it eyelashes and a bow tie isn't. Trust me: either the artist is a cultist, or they got the design from somebody who is."

"Cult's a... pretty loaded word." (Ford grudgingly respected her for her wariness. She probably dealt with somebody calling something-or-other in this shop "cultish" on a daily basis.) "How do you know they're that bad?"

"Because once I got in, it took me thirty years to get out."

The shopkeeper's demeanor changed immediately. "Oh," she said. "I'm sorry. We get these in bulk with a lot of other sculptures, I thought it was just some obscure... Are these people dangerous, or—?"

"Not as much as they used to be, I don't think. Their founder's incarcerated. But... the kind of people who'd be eager to buy this probably aren't the people you want to sell to."

As she eyed the sculpture skeptically—probably deciding whether she found this stranger's story credible enough to warrant taking merch off her shelves—Ford asked, "Do you think you could find the artist? With the founder gone, I... I've been wondering how his other victims are faring." There wasn't much point in pushing further to remove the item. He'd given the shopkeeper enough to think about, and he doubted one more statue on one more shelf would really do any harm while Bill couldn't use its eye.

She hesitated, then nodded. "I'll check our records. If we don't have it, you can give me your contact info and I'll let you know when I find out."

"Thank you." What would Ford say if he did meet another of Bill's victims? He'd known a few, very distantly, thirty years ago; Bill had told him who he could go to to get art, much like the sculpture in this store. Back then, he'd felt like he was in a secret society—a real secret society with real secrets, not like the corny social club styling itself a "secret society" he'd joined in college—with the double secret that none of the other members knew that Ford was the society president's favorite. In retrospect, they'd probably thought they were Bill's favorites, too.

He supposed he'd find out if he ever met the artist.

####

Mabel found a little pink cat figurine, a string of small nazar eye beads she thought would be great for crafts, an extremely small crystal naturally colored like a watermelon slice, and a bracelet made out of tiny colorful rock chips arranged in a rainbow. The shopkeeper wasn't able to find the artist's name before they left; but Ford left his name, address, and the shack's number on a piece of receipt paper so she could contact him if she found out more.

As they were leaving, Ford said to Mabel, "You know... if you still like those glass pyramids, I think there's a couple in my study that escaped the purge. You could have one."

"Really? You're sure? You don't have to..."

"I'm sure. They're not magical or dangerous—and I think I'd like for one of them to get new, better associations. Just, keep it in a room where Bill can't get his hands on it," Ford said. "But if he does see it... make up a story about it that will drive him crazy."

Mabel considered that. And then a wicked smile twisted up her face.

####

"Okay, your turn," Mabel said. She was slouched down in her seat with her feet up on the car's dashboard. "Befriend, betray, or betroth: Carl Sagan, the Queen of England, and... a wizard."

Ford sucked in a breath. "Ooh, that's tough." He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. "Describe the wizard."

"Greatest wizard of all time! And his beard is like, ten feet long."

Ford pursed his lips as he thought. "Marry the wizard," he said. "As much as I admire Carl's mind, he freely shares his knowledge with the public. Wizards are far more reclusive. Marriage may be my only way to learn his secrets."

"The queen isn't even on the table?"

"I've been a king before, Mabel. Too many social obligations for me," Ford said. "I suppose I'll have to befriend the queen. I can't afford to make any more powerful enemies. Anyway, it could give me an opportunity to ask about some of the legends surrounding Buckingham Palace."

"So you'd betray...?"

Ford frowned deeply. "This game is vicious."

Mabel laughed. "I won't tell him!"

"I appreciate it," Ford said. "All right, your turn. Befriend, betray, or betroth: a president, a movie star, and an astronaut."

Mabel paused. Mabel thought about the guy on the $10 bill—who, she was sure, was definitely a president, or else they wouldn't have put him on a bill. Mabel said, "Which president?"

He'd meant the concept of a president, but. "Uh..."

Mabel gasped and sat up straight. "Grunkle Ford, look!" She pointed out the driver's side window.

"Wh—?" Ford gaped as they drove past a tall pole topped with a gray sign. The sign read, "OCCULTED CRYSTALS". Beneath the words was a glass window shaped like a cut diamond.

"Is that—?"

"That's it!" Ford swerved into the exit lane. "You're not getting away this time, you sonofagun!"

"I've still got like two dollars! Let's do this!"

They celebrated and congratulated each other as they descended onto the frontage road and made a U-turn under the highway.

On the other side, there was no trace of the sign. All they found was a strip of five nondescript whitewashed storefronts, all out of business, with a narrow weed-filled parking lot in front.

Mabel and Ford exchanged a baffled look.

Ford pulled into the empty parking lot and stepped out of the car. "It was here, wasn't it?" he asked. "It can't have been farther back than this." He squinted to the west, shielding his eyes with his hand. No signs that way, and no trees or buildings tall enough to be hiding one.

"Maybe it's a time travel thing!" Mabel jumped out of the car and ran to the abandoned stores, peering through the windows one at a time to see if any looked like a former crystal shop.

Ford glanced warily at a concrete block along the edge of the parking lot that looked like it might once have supported a pole. "Hmm."

Eventually, when they couldn't find anything, they slunk back into the car, got on the frontage road, took the next U-turn, and got back on the highway.

The diamond-windowed Occulted Crystals sign taunted them from the horizon.

They stared dumbly at it.

Mabel pulled out her phone and snapped a picture.

"What are you?" Ford asked the sign. "Is it invisible on its other side?"

Mabel turned in her seat and peered through the back window as they passed it. "Still visible!"

"Then can it only be seen if you're traveling east on the highway?" Ford mused. "But you'd have to be westbound to take an exit that reaches that location. It's impossible to access."

"What if you're traveling west but you drive the car backwards!"

Ford mulled over that. "For starters, we'd probably get pulled over." Ford glanced down at the car's clock. "It's getting late, too. We can't procrastinate anymore if we want to be home in time for dinner."

The sign had disappeared behind them. Mabel turned back around and settled in her seat. "I think this calls for a follow-up investigation later, don't you?"

Ford grinned. "I had the exact same thought."

####

"... And that's how we realized it wasn't Louisa who had slashed Sarah's tires," Abuelita said, "it was Arthur! Can you believe it? Arthur!" She turned away from the stove to look at Bill, eyebrows raised, making sure he fully appreciated this twist.

Sitting backwards on one of the kitchen chairs, he shrugged. "I can't blame him. Every man has his limit. And Sarah's been pushing his for weeks." He took a swig from a bottle of spoiled grape juice.

"Stop drinking my cooking wine," Abuelita said. "Sure, but Arthur's so passive! I thought he'd have a nervous breakdown long before he ever took action! Anyway, things just haven't been the same since he got arrested."

Bill shook his head sympathetically. "I tell you. This town's bingo hall is really going to the dogs."

The front door swung open, and Mabel's voice drifted in: "Betroth the vampire, of course. And—is it possible to betray a zombie? Do they understand loyalty? When Soos got turned..."

Bill perked up, set the juice bottle on the kitchen table, and got to his feet, immediately drawn to a more rewarding distraction. "I'll get out of your hair," he told Abuelita, and switched to English. "Hey, Shooting Star and Sixer!" He leaned against the kitchen doorway. "How were the crystals?"

"Great! I got a watermelon rock and a cat and some beads and the coolest bracelet!" She raised her hand and twisted it back and forth, making the rock chips click together. "And donuts!" She shoved a big green open box in Bill's face. "You're allowed to take one. Only one."

He grabbed the yellowest one he saw and bit in. "Huh. Piña colada. Weird." He took another bite and leaned around the open box lid to look at Mabel. "So. Did you two have fun?"

"Yes! It was a blast!" Mabel gushed. "We got lunch in Portland, and we talked foreverrr, and we've got more in common than I ever imagined, and we're gonna make more trips to Portland soon! I think it really brought us closer together."

"Huh." Bill's gaze flicked up to Ford. "How about that." Ford's face betrayed nothing. Bill looked back at Mabel and grinned wider. "Glad he's less of a killjoy than I thought."

"Pffft! You know he knows how to have fun," Mabel said. "Mr. God of Long Odds."

Bill's eyebrows shot up.

Mabel squeezed past Bill into the kitchen. "Abuelita, if you want a donut, I'm putting them in the bottom left cabinet with the pots."

"Thank you, Mabel."

"I'm taking Ford to the record store to introduce him to late 80's music," Mabel went on. "And we saw a crystal shop that isn't there depending on which way you're driving! Whaaat! Crazy, right!" 

"Oh, you found Occulted Crystals?" Now Bill's grin was aimed at Ford. "I know you didn't get that bracelet there. Didn't figure out how to get in?" He winked. "Do you want to?"

Ford's expression darkened; but before he could say anything, Mabel darted back into the entryway. "No! No spoilers! You'll ruin the fun of figuring it out!"

Bill laughed. "Okay, fine! Just one safety tip: never go looking for it on an empty stomach."

Mabel gave him a distrustful look. "Will that help us get in?"

"It'll help you get back out."

She nodded slowly. "Good to know." She hugged Ford. "I'll be right back! I haven't been to the bathroom since lunch." She bounded upstairs.

Leaving Ford with Bill.

Bill simply smiled. "You talked about DD&MD? That takes me back."

"I know what you're up to, you snake," Ford said. "And it's not going to work. At least leave her out of it."

"Hey, you can't blame me for worrying about her," Bill said. "She's such a caring little thing. And you don't have a strong history of family loyalty."

Ford's hands curled into fists; but he forced himself to turn away from Bill without acknowledging him, and headed for his and Stan's guest room.

"But hey," Bill called after him. "I really am thrilled to see you two getting along so well."

Nothing in Bill's tone sounded sarcastic. Ford paused and glanced back at him suspiciously; but then he shook his head and kept going.

Bill's smile faded. He made a rude gesture at Ford's back; then returned to his post at the kitchen table to listen to Abuelita's gossip and make sure she didn't touch the poison.

####

(Thank y'all for not pulling out the pitchforks at the end of last chapter lol. If you enjoyed, I'd appreciate a comment or reblog! Thanks! 💕)

[bebemoon]

look for the name NAVARI (requested by @potentialle) | gucci by tom ford sheer logo buckle top (s/s 1998), vivienne westwood x burberry micro skirt, prada black leather mules, chanel "sycomore" eau de parfum, sophie buhai gold tiny egg stud earrings, christian dior butterfly logo charm gold chain bracelet, loewe "barcelona" red leather handbag

[richarlotte]

More about your leveling up process?

I wash with disinfectant soap, use hibiclens beneath my arms and anywhere else that’s prone to sweating or odor, and use sunscreen religiously. I’ve done a lot to clear up my KP and lighten my hyperpigmentation, but the most important thing I’ve learned is that all my time and money would mean nothing if I wasn’t consistent. I used to get bad body acne, and after a chest and shoulder peel, a trip or two to the dermatologist, continuous care, starting to wash and change my sheets daily, and really focusing on clearing the scarring, it’s finally gotten so much better and the scarring has nearly disappeared. I shower morning, after exercise, and at night and make sure to moisturize properly. 

I just recently had a 24-inch 2x6 closure and 4 24-inch bundles made into a middle part wig. It’s thick, luscious, bouncy, and it looks amazing. I used Raw SEA Straight bundles, I straighten it with minimal heat and it stays bone straight no matter the weather or humidity, and it’s absolutely gorgeous. The hair I use looks healthy, feels amazing, and the price makes sense for the level of quality. I have a lot of wigs but this is in my top five; it works for everyday wear and it looks nice even when it’s tied up so it’s versatile and easy to wear in braid, a bun, or even a low ponytail.

I wear natural makeup most days. I’m currently using products from Charlotte Tilbury, Dior, Nars, Hourglass, Anastasia Beverly Hills, Urban Decay, and Tom Ford and loving how easy it is for me to create natural looks. I’ve been focusing on natural soft matte makeup and really learning how to apply bronzer to emphasize my cheekbones and the results have been better than expected. I’m very good at eye makeup and I love the lip combos that I do, but sculpting my face is the one thing that escapes me. I wear lashes but they’re pretty minimal and I do my eye makeup in a way that makes my eyes look wide open instead of overly seductive.

I wear jewelry every day. I usually wear gold Cartier that I’ve collected over the years or other small pieces, but I make an effort to accessorize. One of my favorite fashion magazines said that the key to looking put together was wearing at least a few pieces of matching jewelry, so I’ve made an effort ever since. I have a really nice pair of diamond stud earrings that I got on my 17th birthday, and I wear them on special occasions. I also have a small collection of more adventurous jewelry and charm jewelry, and then I have a few different tennis and pearl pieces. For everyday wear, I try to keep it basic.

I usually do my nails simply. I either do chrome or french tips; sometimes I do a really nice dark red, but I try to keep them short and neat. I have acrylics and usually do gel polish on them; I use a cuticle oil every day and make sure that I’m getting fills frequently because I want my hands to look good. I’m going to do perfume in this section because I do my spritzes of perfume right after I apply my cuticle oil. I love perfume. I think that perfume is amazing, and it’s an amazing tool, but you honestly do have to be careful with how much you’re applying. There’s nothing worse than the smell of overpowering perfume. I avoid strong perfumes, essential oils, and ouds and limit the number of sprays I do. 

[keis-slut]

PINES TWINS HEADCANONS

|

in honor of their birthday (8/31), some headcanons of 25 year old dipper and mabel!

also bc i binge watched the show again-

includes what they’re up to, relations, interests, stuff they do in their free time, etc.

+ short 5 song playlist of their taste at the end

(will be songs from recent years since it’s now, as in this second, of their interests. i’d be happy to do a full playlist if requested!)

|

DIPPER

-stayed in touch with stan and ford all these years, he’s very close to them. they’re still around but much older and calmer

-so, yes, he’s covered in tats. yk that fanart we allllll have seen? yea they pretty much look like that, some weird ones, he rlly likes patchwork style tattoos

-probably has one on his chest or stomach/lower pelvis tbh, he’s a quirky dude

-mabel probably dared him to do something like that because she thought he’d chicken out from the pain but he did it

-him and mabel have matching tattoos that was dippers idea, dipper has a pine tree on his ankle and mabel has the shooting star on hers

-his pain tolerance is definitely pretty high given all the stuff he’s been through

-he decided to grow his hair a bit longer because he likes it that way. he enjoys being able to put it into a messy half up lil bun

-as for shaving his face, he likes to be clean. as much as he was excited about chest hair or whatever, once there started to be more hair coming in, he got tired of it and started keeping clean. maybe some stubble on his face once in a while if he’s lazy

-he has rosacea he mistakenly took for acne when he was growing into his teens, so he just naturally has a reddened face, probably from all the stress. aside from it being a medical condition, it’s rather cute

-he’s also in the sun a lot in california, so that’s what caused that and his darkening freckles.

-he’s good with his skin though, he likes to just keep himself clean, that’s it.

-he also wears chapstick, but only the cherry flavor from the chapstick brand.

-likes jewelry so he wears a bunch of different necklaces and bracelets and rings. he changes his necklace like every week, it’s always some kinda rock in wire or dog tag. also pierced his ears so he wears small studs or smthn

-ahem he has his tongue pierced ahem

-wears a lot of plain clothes or band t-shirts. he’s got like a weird grunge/hippie mix to his style, like converse and band tshirts with like a bandanna and all his jewelry

-still wears hats, he likes beanies too

-he consumes a lot of media, he loves cartoons but will watch the occasional greys anatomy episode

-he loves video games, such a nintendo sucker like mario, sonic, zelda, smash

-his fav series is the legend of zelda im not biased shut up

-he also got into anime more, this happened a bit after he left the summer of 2012. you can blame soos for recommending he tries it out, and he did

-i feel like his favorites would be like soul eater, jujutsu kaisen, or death note

-cat person cat person cat person

-owns like 3 cats

-orange tabby he named corduroy, grey tabby named tyrone (calls him ty), and a black one he named august, for him and his sisters birth month.

-she helped him decide the name, they got him together so technically it’s both of their cat but mabel still has waddles (and a guinea pig but this isn’t mabels headcannons)

-he decided against going to college but instead has his own interactive websites for people interested in the weird and crazy supernatural, this all started from a blog he created himself about the weird things he’s researched.

-he’s thought about studying computer science, or becoming a teacher for philosophy or even psychology, something like that, but he now thinks college will get in the way of his personal research, so he finds things off of that

-he does a lot of his own research on these things anyway because he’s still interested in it

-for an actual job to make a steady income he’s been working at an amazon warehouse for a couple of years

-dabbled in smoking weed but it’s not for him, he’s too paranoid

-he has a lot of friends but most of them are online

-you thought the awkwardness was just part of the preteens phase, well it wasn’t

-he’s still pretty awkward but i guess some girls find that more attractive as you get older and not gross

-also i think dipper is straight, but he’s still pretty flamboyant.

-he’s definitely tested the theory of him being not straight though, that’s all imma say

-he’s better at talking to girls, especially now that he knows what he really wants to do and who he is, the confidence in himself was the key

-sometimes he’s shy, but doesn’t have a problem smiling or saying hi or complimenting someone

-he’s had a couple of relationships, done a handful of things and tried stuff out, but he still hasn’t found the one

-he’s the kinda guy that needs to find someone who’s ok with him being very private and independent sometimes, and he finds that hard

-as much as he can be distant, he still wants a long term partner eventually

-he also does know he has a lot of his own issues to figure out to do that, because he knows he can get distant, and so he has traumas to work out and he’s aware of that

-at heart, he is very much so a lover boy though

-his top love language from the 5 would be acts of service. he may get distant and stuff but he still thinks about you a lot and what you need or what you’re doing, like bringing you soup or tissues when you’re sick, switching your clean clothes to the dryer, simple stuff like picking up after you if you forget, or even teaching you new things he’s learned about because he likes to share that

-in order of the 1-5 from most to least, acts of service, gift giving, quality time, words of affirmation, and physical touch.

-just because it’s the last doesn’t mean he doesn’t like it, he just shows the others more.

-he’s perfectly fine with cuddling and kissing all day in bed on a lazy rainy day, all gloomy outside during a thunderstorm and you both are cozy in bed, nice and warm form body heat and in and out of sleep.

-he needs this very often he’s so stressed

-wears knee high socks to bed tho oops

-he’s doesn’t like wearing a shirt to bed that much though, but he does wear the socks

-always with shorts or boxers tho, he doesn’t like the feeling of pants over long socks, or pants under the covers anyway. not a fan of layers

-as much as he’s very into technology and being lazy or whatever, he does like to go outside a lot and hike, or casual walks

-he enjoys the feel of nature, and more so during the summer. summer is his favorite season for nostalgia reasons

-drives a subaru crosstrek. and he liked the camo green, ok?

-covered in magnets and stickers

-wants to get a motorcycle

-now that he drives, him and mabel make frequent trips to gravity falls whenever they can to see everyone, they all still stay in contact, and love seeing the twins.

—pinetrees pods

stick season - noah kahan

birds of a feather - billie eilish

baby i’m home - odetari

snakelike - whatsaheart

crush - ethel cain

|

MABEL

-also stayed in touch with stan and ford like dipper, they’re both close with them (stan and mabel are closer but they all love each other equally)

-i feel like she also would have tattoos but they’re kinda smaller and more floral and colorful, not huge and overbearing though

-not to be sad, but waddles doesn’t have much time left and so she got a little tattoo of a cute pig on her hip for memory of him

-she chose her right hip because that’s his favorite spot to snuggle on her when they sleep together or cuddle, he was always on that side

-she definitely kept like a girly hippie and y2k kinda style as she got older

-she keeps her hair long and always natural, she never really likes to blow it out or straighten it, but she loves doing different styles like braids or space buns, but usually just naturally down and wavy.

-likes hair clips and scrunchies, especially the ones with the cute designs and colors on it. like the hair clips that look like wings and have dangling jewels

-she did however have a little phase where she wanted to dye some of it, she did the front strands of her hair hot pink and purple before

-she really likes doing her makeup, all kinds of styles and colors. she’ll try eyeliner, face paint, glitter, lipstick colors, bright eyeshadows, everything

-she doesn’t overdo it, but always has some kind of color in her face, like a natural face but some blue or purple eyeshadow, something cool.

-has a small stud on her nose, but a lot more piercings on her ears.

-she never wanted anything crazy but she thinks more holes to put cute earrings in was a good idea

-she also enjoys tv, she loves movies more though. she likes cartoons but more enjoys shows like friends, or reality tv shows like the masked singer or love island

-she also enjoys video games, mostly because dipper introduced her to alot, zelda she likes because of him and she got into animal crossing too

-NEEDED pietro on her island or else she wouldn’t play.

-she bought her own switch because of this

-it has pink remotes and lots of stickers, obviously

-she also has a pc, she likes playing minecraft with candy and grenda. she isn’t very good at it tho so she plays with cheats LOL

-social media obsessed, she posts everything, especially on tiktok and instagram. she likes sharing, sharing is caring.

-her user would probably be like “sh00t1ngst4r31” or smthn from like 2016 pinterest username ideas but she doesn’t care too change it, she still thinks it’s cute

-pothead, it makes her feel funny and fuzzy and happy and stupid and…oh i’m hungry.

-so yea, she also has a guinea pig and she named her star, after her own alias as shooting star

-she likes to draw and she actually makes money off her art, like selling designs or stickers on redbubble, but also makes art of characters from games and stuff, or pretty nature designs

-shes in college for theatre and film, she would love to make movies or shows some day. she’s also interested in acting and singing a lot too

-there is a boy she likes in her class but she’s nervous to talk to him, after the whole boy crazy teen phase, she’s calmed down but become more nervous to talk to boys if she likes them, otherwise she’s extremely social.

-mabel isn’t straight guys. never was and never will be. she finds its much easier to talk to girls if it’s a crush.

-GOES TO DRAG SHOWS!

-she’s friends w all the queens, she gets behind the scenes of them changing and choosing their songs and outfits and their theme for sets !!!!

-she’s like adhd central, but yes she’s on medication for it.

-i also think she has a personality disorder of some sort, like bpd

-she has a tough time keeping relationships because of how wild and moody she can be as a person, it can get confusing and it’s hard, but her optimistic trait keeps this lovely girl going, she’s doing ok don’t worry.

-DRIVES A MODDED JEEP WRANGLER ITS PURPLE AND COVERED IN DUCKS

-also likes anime, she’s an ouran high school host club girly, but also the occasional demon slayer fan

-she loves my hero academia be fr

-she’s in love with ochaco

-wears big asf t-shirts to bed, panties and socks. it’s cozy

-collects stuffed animals, she loves emptying her wallet at arcades and only playing for stuffies. it’s not all for nothing though, she’s pretty good at what she does.

-big collector and still scrapbooks.

-she has shelves of manga and figures, also books of drawings and memories, and other random collectibles

-really likes sanrio

-she is in school and does have her own online business, but she does also dog sit and dog walk on the side

-i feel like she loves to cook and bake, she likes to try new things all the time

-she enjoys traveling too, she’s been to the east coast in the states like new york, vermont, and down to virginia and north carolina too

-also out of the country, she’s been to japan, and paris a couple times. she HAD to take a picture that made it look like she was holding a tiny eiffel tower before she dies cmon

-she loves fall, definitely a pumpkin spice girl

-prefers dunkin over starbucks, but will get the occasional cake pop from starbucks

-she’s still taller than dipper lol, i’d say she’s like 5’6 while he’s an inch shorter

-she wears glasses now, but prefers contacts. she only wears her glasses like at home or doing casual stuff if she doesn’t feel like putting her contacts in but for the most part she wears the contacts

-she loves taking trips with dipper back to gravity falls, she’s especially excited to see wendy again now that they can really relate more with girl things since mabel’s old enough to understand a lot more

-they take mabel’s jeep when driving to gravity falls, but switch out driving here and there.

-passenger gets aux, it’s their rule

—shooting stars symphony

girl, so confusing - charlie xcx

i love hollywood! - slayyyter

l’amour de ma vie, extended - billie eilish

ancient dreams in a modern land - marina

joyride - kesha

[mensuited]

[psychopasss4]

Ginoza: Hotness Overload 🔥

Casually beating up goons.

Dominating his dominator 😍

Struttin' like a Gun-slinging Tom Ford Model 🤩

Warding off like an Instagram Stud in Man Bun

A TRUE RECIPE FOR HOTNESS ❣️🔥

Ginoza: "Huh?! Who the heck are you?!"

😘👌🏻❤️

Bon Appétit!!!

[pinkurbanfictionhaven]

1- FUCK ME AT FASHION WEEK

The sound of metal hangers scraping rapidly across dozens of clothing racks full of high-priced designer clothing filled up the large NYC penthouse.

The clothing was delivered a few hours prior and had yet to be stored inside Nicki's three-floor closet, so the racks sat in the center of her living room instead.

Nicki groaned annoyedly as she searched maniacally for the white ensemble and matching fur jacket that she requested for her new wardrobe assistant, Trina to pack into her wardrobe for New York City Fashion Week.

"I swear I can not believe this shit! I am scheduled to be at the Tom Ford show in less than a fucking hour and I'm still here struggling to put an outfit together because my assistant can't follow simple instructions and do her damn job!" She ranted, storming into her bedroom to put on her jewelry.

"You know you can just wear something else right? It is the girl's first week doing this job so I am sure that it was an honest rookie mistake, Cookie." Her friend Thembi defends the young assistant.

Nicki eyeballs her, watching her lay lazily across her California King Bed, fully dressed down for the gods in the latest couture while stuffing handfuls of Smart Popcorn into her mouth.

Thembi 👆🏾

Her new stylist, Maher Jridi handpicked the perfect designer outfits for her to slay fashion week, and she felt stressed that everything wasn't in order since she is a bit of a perfectionist.

"Why don't you help me put an outfit together since you know so fucking much!" Nicki rants, tossing her ankle-length weave to the side to clasp her diamond-encrusted necklace around her neck.

Thembi sits upright in Nicki's lavish bed, analyzing her best friend that she has known for years as she shuffled around the gigantic bedroom, complaining about everything under the sun.

Nicki stops near her light-up makeup vanity to spritz some sweet-smelling perfume onto her chest, wrists, and neck.

Staring down at the perfume bottle, she realized that she picked up his favorite perfume scent on her out of habit, it frustrated the hell out of her, causing her to suck her teeth and put the bottle down.

Nicki hated to admit it, but her subconscious mind was on him.

Nicki has been moody and bitchy since they touched down in New York a few days ago, Thembi and all of Nicki's entourage and beauty team couldn't help but notice the change in her.

"What about this red dress, Cookie?" Thembi climbs down from the bed and approaches the various racks of clothing, pulling the dress from a rack after eyeing it from across the room.

This is cute! Right, Cookie?" Thembi holds up a cute short studded dress to show Nicki. "Pair it with some sexy ass thigh highs and you're all set." She runs her hand over the fabric.

Nicki peeks her head out of the bathroom door and cringes at the sight of the dress.

"No! that's basic! Are you trying to turn me into one of these basic bitches?"

Nicki frowned her face in the mirror as she adjusted her glued mink lashes and primped.

"I have to look perfect and sexy, the paparazzi will be there and you know they live for dragging people for their attire. It's bad enough that my name is all up in the news for this Remy bullshit."

Her friend walks into the bathroom, standing beside Nicki as she brushes her long tresses, she stares into the mirrored reflection at her, watching closely with her tongue stuck inside of her cheek.

After a brief moment of thinking, she grins to herself when she comes to the revelation of what is going on with her temperamental friend.

"I just had an epiphany..." Thembi utters knowingly.

Nicki turns her head and looks at her. "I swear if you say I need to go to Tiffany's I'm straight backhanding you back to Queens!" She smiles adorably, lightening up a bit.

"No, crazy! I just figured out why you've been giving everybody a stink-ass attitude all week long and why you've been screening all of your cell calls, throwing tantrums, and spending just a little too much time in the shower with the removable shower head! You, my friend, need some dick!" Thembi exclaimed.

Nicki's neck quickly snapped in Thembi's direction and she gave her a hostile expression, side-eyeing her.

Nicki couldn't help but become a bit offended by her comments, she just threw major shade. Even though it was true tea, she didn't appreciate her friend being so blunt about it.

In reality, it had been a treacherous three weeks since Nicki got the release that she so desperately desired, she was on a sex strike after a heated argument with the guy that she regularly scheduled her freaky dick appointments with and she had way too much pride to crack first.

He and she had a hostile relationship, they argued and bickered whenever they were in the same room and vowed that they hated each other with a burning passion, but a year ago after a drunken night, one of their heated arguments led to them hate fucking on the private balcony of his hotel room and it's been a fuck fest ever since.

They still hate each other, but the sex between them is so fucking explosive and addicting that they can't control themselves.

So here they are, two enemies stuck between hating each other and fucking each other. The turmoil was real.

"Please, not everyone is overly dick obsessed like you ok? I am living my best life over here!" Nicki retorts, slamming her bedazzled brush down on the counter.

Thembi gives her a knowing look, twisting her lips to the side, putting her hand on her hip, and narrowing her eyes.

Nicki kisses her teeth and lets out a loud frustrated shriek, throwing her head backward in anguish and whining.

"Fine, bitch! Fine! Is it that obvious?! Fuck! I've been dickless for three whole weeks and I feel like ripping all of my hair out! You happy?" Nicki rants, throwing yet another tantrum.

Thembi just stares at her in amusement before they both burst into a fit of laughter.

"Bitch, I knew that something had to be up when you were aggressively humping that big unicorn floaty in Gucci's music video last weekend!" Thembi exclaims.

"You know I ain't got no man, sis! Stop playing these games!" Nicki whines.

"Well, what about this mystery guy that you've been fucking on the low and refuse to tell me or our other girls about?" Thembi questions.

"Nicki!" They suddenly hear, Maher calling from the front of the penthouse.

Nicki smiles cheekily in triumph since he just saved her from the awkward conversation.

"Hehe! Nice try, sis!" She says, and playfully sticks her tongue out at her friend before speed walking out of the bathroom.

Thankfully, Maher found an eye-catching last-minute outfit for her and quickly assisted her with putting it on.

It was already bedazzled so the added jewelry was no longer needed.

They all left the penthouse suite fifteen minutes later and arrived at the runway show fashionably late, just before the show began.

Nicki took her seat front row with her entourage of eight, crossing her legs and handing her Gucci purse off to her assistant.

The show began after a small speech from Tom Ford, she watched the slender male and female models as they strutted and sashayed up and down the catwalk in all of the latest designs while the cameras flashed.

Amid the chaos of the show, she felt eyes on her which caused her to scan around the crowded room.

When their eyes finally locked, her breathing became slightly uneven. The look that he gave her caused her legs to clench and her lips to tremble.

There he and his crew were, seated across from her on the other side of the stage.

Nicki wasn't expecting him to be in New York, let alone at fashion week since he wasn't listed as one of the show's performers and the fashion shows weren't usually his thing, he found them boring.

Damn it, he looked fucking edible, he was clean-cut and dressed down in a denim jean jacket and basic attire, but he still had a way of making the simplest of outfits look so sexy and his own.

Nicki could feel herself getting wet from the sight of him alone, the minute she saw the lecherous gleam in his eyes, her pussy started throbbing like rapid a heartbeat.

He blatantly disregarded the models on the runway and continued sensually glancing across the room at her, bluntly eyeing her entire body and biting his lip.

Thankfully, he had on dark designer sunglasses, so it wasn't noticeable to the random people surrounding them, but Nicki peeped it.

He ran his hand over his freshly groomed facial hair and subtly head-motioned for her to get up and meet him in the bathroom.

Nicki subtly shook her head no causing him to frown and glare at her. He never liked when she disobeyed him.

Nicki watched closely as his hand slid from his knee up to his thighs and he grabbed his bulge, letting her know exactly what would be waiting for her if she got up and went to the bathroom.

"Fuck, why the hell is he doing this right now. People could be watching him." She mumbles to herself and shifts in her seat uncomfortably, biting down on her lip.

Nicki decided to finally break the intense eye contact with him and focus on the show once again, she was only getting herself worked up by watching him and his teasing and she knew that eventually, someone in the crowd would catch on.

Every so often during the two-hour show, she would subtly glance over at him to see that his hungry eyes were still focused directly on her, it was very obvious that the outfit she had on was to blame for his sexual behavior.

When the fashion show finally ended, Nicki chatted with the designer and took photographs with celebs, models, and some of the people that she knew from the industry.

Her eyes scanned the entire room multiple times for Abel, but he seemed to have disappeared right after the end of the show. Nicki hoped he was headed for her penthouse.

In the meantime, Nicki decided to mingle with all of the other guests for a while to give him time to make it across town to her place and hopefully be laying in her bed hard and ready for her when she gets there.

It was hard to put on a fake smile and front when in reality she was anxious to get back to her place to get the life fucked out of her, but she did it.

"Nicki!" Tom called her from across the room before approaching her and taking both of her hands in his.

"Tommy! Thank you for inviting me tonight sweetie! I had such a wonderful time." She pecks both of his cheeks sweetly while giving him a big dimpled smile.

"Will you be coming to the after-party?" Tom asks as they begin to walk hand in hand towards the private exit of the venue.

"I don't think I'll be able to make it, I'm kind of tired and jet-lagged." She lies.

"Oh, nonsense! You simply must come, when you see the gift bags that I am giving away you'll be glad that you did. Come on! You can ride over in my limo with me!" Tom began to drag Nicki along by her arm, not taking no for an answer.

Nicki kept a very calm exterior, but on the inside, she was screaming and crying.

Tom didn't understand the urgency of this particular dick appointment, it was crucial!

The next hour was spent at the party, surrounded by boujee fucking partygoers and engaging in pointless conversation with people that she didn't give a damn about.

Nicki sipped slowly on her bubbling champagne as she maneuvered through the crowded party in search of someone in her entourage to drive her back home, she already knew that Abel would eventually become restless.

Nicki spent another twenty-five minutes searching around before she finally decided to call a car service to pick her up.

"Damn, no reception." She sets her glass down on a nearby table and wanders away to a secluded area of the party to get away from the loud, pulsing, blaring music.

Nicki stops near the entryway and she is so focused on her phone that she doesn't notice that the closet door behind her is opening.

A hand suddenly clasps over Nicki's mouth, muffling her scream, and she feels someone's arm grip her small waist, pulling her into the closet.

Nicki begins to shriek, tussle, and freak out until the dimly lit closet light flickers on and she comes face to face with Abel.

Her small balled-up fists began pounding against his chest in frustration and she screeched.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, you asshole?! You almost scared me half to death!" She places her hand against her rapidly heaving chest, attempting to calm down her racing heart.

Abel quickly cups his hand over her mouth, pressing her back against the door and reaching down to lock it.

"Would you shut up before we get caught together in here!" Abel gripes, staring down into her brown eyes.

"Well, you can't be popping out of fucking closets like a serial killer!" She retorts, slapping his hands away.

"Where the fuck have you been?" He whispers. "You have been ducking me for weeks. I have been calling and texting you like crazy!"

"I told your nappy-headed ass to leave me alone, you were on punishment and you still are." She rolls her neck and turns to leave the closet, but he pushes her back.

"Fuck out of here... You've kept that pussy away from me for weeks and I'm done with your bullshit aight? I'm not leaving New York without sliding deep inside of you so might as well dead all that fucking attitude and open your fucking legs." He whispers assertively into her ear.

Nicki opens her mouth slightly to speak, but he cuts her off by wrapping his hand around her fragile neck and giving it a slight squeeze; which caused the flood between her legs to worsen.

"Shut up and listen." He demands. "Do you have any idea how badly I have been craving your spoiled ass? You have me catching flights for some pussy like I'm one of these regular niggas out here!" He argues with her which was one of his favorite things to do since it always led to mind-blowing sex.

Nicki gave him an adorable dimpled grin, feeling his grip tighten around her neck, she felt accomplished and powerful knowing her pussy was so good that it had him hopping on private jets just to get a sample of it.

Nicki shrugs playfully. "Sounds personal, but it's not my problem. You could have found some pussy back in Toronto."

"Don't pull all that cute shit with me, Nicki. I already know that you missed this dick being inside of you. I can look into your eyes and see how badly you want me right now." He says cockily, causing Nicki to roll her eyes.

I bet that little pussy is dripping for me like a fucking faucet..." He whispers, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Nicki furrowed her eyebrows, she hated his cocky ass with a burning passion.

"Nigga-"

"Just shut the fuck up, we don't have much time." He whispers huskily, cutting her off.

He pulls her forward by her neck and crashes his lips against hers.

They begin to kiss fervidly, tongue-kissing each other roughly and fighting for dominance. Abel regains full control when he takes her tongue into his mouth and sucks it.

Nicki attempts to gain control by reaching up to grab his hair, but Abel grabs a firm hold of her wrists and forcibly pins them up above her head, causing her to whine out in frustration.

"You ain't running shit today, Peaches..." Abel grunts against her succulently soft lips, calling her the name that he gave because he said that her pussy juices are delicious and sweet and of course that peach-shaped ass of hers.

"We can't do it in here, someone will hear us." Nicki pants against his lips.

"Let me just taste it then.." He grunts back, biting her bottom lip, pulling it before trailing rough kisses down her neck to her chest.

Nicki shutters and bites her lip gently when she feels his hands running down her curves.

They slide over her hips and he grips her ass, his lips connect with her left breast and he swirls his tongue over it.

"This closet is too small for all of that..." she whines, feeling her skin heat up from his rough touching and kisses.

"I'll be fast, mama. I just really need to feel you right now." He whispers.

Abel's hands begin to fumble with Nicki's dress as he desperately tries to find a way to get it off of her.

The cage metal design of it makes it difficult, causing Abel to groan in frustration.

"Take this shit off now before I rip it off of you..." He grits.

Nicki snickers at his frustration before finding a way to slip the dress off.

It drapes to the floor, leaving her in a bedazzled bra and leather bottoms.

Abel eagerly begins to tear her shorts from her body, almost ripping them as his long tongue swirls circles around her exposed cleavage.

He roughly kisses and bites down her body until he reaches her belly button, he swirls his tongue around it before licking lower until he is staring at her pussy that is teasingly visible through her see-through pink thong.

Nicki looks down at him, breathing deeply and eager to feel his tongue. He just stares at it fixedly which is causing her to drip even more.

Nicki whimpers softly and slaps the side of his head to get his attention.

"Eat it, Nigga!" She demands, attempting to pull his face between her legs.

He instantly bites down on her inner thigh, making her squeak and hit him again.

"Keep playing and I'll walk out of here and leave you dripping..." He warns.

Before Nicki can come up with a clever comeback, he forces her thighs further apart, sliding his tongue up her slit.

"You petty ass motherfucker." She hisses, feeling her body tingling for more.

He snickers sinisterly and begins to suck on her clit through the thin fabric of her thong while staring up into her eyes.

"Your panties are already soaked, you were thinking about me huh, ma?" He whispers, moving them over to the side so he can taste more of her.

"Grind that pussy against my tongue, ma." He urges, firmly gripping her thighs while his tongue flips and slurps.

He tortures her clit and slips his fingers into her wet entrance which catches her off guard and causes her to scream out just a little too loudly. He punishes her by forcing his fingers deeper.

"Shut up and take this shit, you can take it can't you, baby?" He teases.

The sound of him sucking drives her insane, she was so fucking turned on that she slipped her breasts out of her bra and started kneading and licking her breasts which drove Abel crazy.

Nicki curses repeatedly under her breath and throws her head back in total ecstasy when he starts to suck harder just like she likes it, making her clit harden in his mouth, as his fingers relentlessly probed in and out of her.

Heat rushes throughout her body and in between her thighs.

Nicki's pussy was succulent, Abel could eat it all day if she'd allow it, his favorite place was in between her legs and he knew that his tongue game was the best that she'd ever had.

Her thighs tremble and her toes begin to curl inside of her boots when he begins to devour her as if she is the only form of nourishment that he would ever possess.

Nicki was a moaning mess, inching closer and closer to her release as her hips grind desperately and her breath hitched.

When Nicki is mere seconds away from exploding all over his face, Abel suddenly stops and stands with his face and beard coated in her wetness.

"What the fuck!" Nicki gripes, heaving slightly as her stomach twists in knots from her neared release that he ruined.

Nicki made an impassioned plea for him to continue pleasing her, but Abel had other plans, his desperate need for release made him uncaring. He had to fuck her.

Abel wasn't even trying to hear her whining, his only focus was filling her up with his cum.

He fumbled around with his belt until his erect dick was freed and pulsing hard in his hand.

Nicki was about to curse him out but he shut her up when he wordlessly pushed her back against the door, thrusting deep inside of her with one harsh movement.

All Nicki could do was gasp and hold onto him tight, closing her eyes and whimpering at the fullness that she felt with him inside of her.

"That shut you right the fuck up huh, baby girl?" He teases, proceeding to thrust his hips and give her the deep long strokes that she had been craving for three weeks.

He gripped her thigh, lifting one so that he could dig deeper while his other hand wrapped around her neck dominantly.

"Look at me, baby..." He demanded, leaning forward to kiss her lips deeply.

Her eyes slowly fluttered open and he made intense eye contact with her, watching her mouth gape when he slid balls deep and her eyes water when he hit the right spot.

He loved watching her unravel before him, watching her body submit every time he slides inside of her and pushed her past her limits.

Nicki didn't have to utter a word, her expression said it all. Her eyes squinted and her moans filled his ears as she thrusts against him and cursed under her breath.

Abel was over all the slow shit after a while, he and Nicki never had the time to fuck slow, their sex was always rough and fast.

He released his firm grip on her neck and lifted her other thigh up, taking full control of her body.

Fear took over Nick's expression, she knew what was coming from the look in his eye, she tried to keep a tough expression although she knew her pussy was about to be torn apart.

"You better not drop me down on this floor, nigga." She sassed, trying to mask her fear and excitement.

Abel's brow remained furrowed, he didn't give a fuck about her smart-ass comments because he knew she would soon be rendered speechless.

He began to pound into her core roughly, giving her short and fast strokes that caused her pussy to throb in pleasured pain.

"Oh fuck!" She screamed, no longer caring if anyone heard her.

He kissed the side of her face, lifting her and making her bounce on his dick. "Take this shit, take this dick baby." He grunted.

"Fuck, baby! That hurts so fucking good!" She moans and digs her nails into the back of his neck, gripping him tightly.

He became even more aggressive and began fucking her like he hated her, showing no mercy on her sore pussy.

Abel's pace increased and sweat beads formed on his forehead, he shut his eyes tightly and moaned when she began to tighten up on him. He made her bounce harder although he could feel her attempting to push him out.

"Fuck, wait, Abel..." she whimpers, trembling a bit in his arms.

"Nah, I'm not stopping until you cum on this dick so you better take this shit, ma." He grunts against her neck.

"I can't take it!" She whimpered. "Fuck, please slow down, Daddy!" Abel smiled and shook his head no.

"The next time that you decide to be petty and keep this pussy away from me for three weeks, I'm going to destroy your fucking walls... do you hear me?" He breathes.

Nicki started to cry softly against his shoulder, it felt so good that she couldn't hold back the tears and she knew he would never let her hear the end of it when it was said and done.

"Stop holding it, you are not about to make me cum first so just cum for me," Abel whispers into her ear which made her whine in frustration.

It was a competition between the two, they kept a record of who made who cum first and Nicki had yet to succeed in making Abel cum before her.

Not being able to take any more punishment, Nicki starts to release all over Abel's dick while screaming into the nape of his neck.

"Good girl." He praises her, slowing down his strokes to help her through her orgasm.

The slow strokes make her cum again which causes him to chuckle, she is so mad and embarrassed that all she can do is nuzzle against his shoulder like a big baby and moan.

Her body trembled once again when he finally filled her up with his warm cum, moaning and grunting in her ear as he releases.

They both remained there silent and panting for just a few minutes to gather themselves.

Nicki's pussy felt numb when he finally put her down on the floor and pulled out.

They wordlessly redressed and Nicki quickly exited out of the closet once the coast was clear.

Glancing over her shoulder, she notices Abel leaning against the wall, texting.

He glances up at her from under his lashes and just smirks.

"When I get to your crib tonight you better be naked and waiting for me, I'm not done with you." He says.

Nicki smiles slightly, displaying one of her dimples before rolling her eyes.

"I'll think about it." She yanks down her dress before walking away with a satisfied smile on her face.

[autopsiedsage]

can I tell you guys something

is this a safe space

if I told you that ford having an inexplicable belly button stud was one of my most prized headcanons would I be thrown into jail and then killed

[hetaologist]

APH America "Ethnography" and Headcanons (SFW)

The United States of America, Alfred F. Jones, Mr. Stars and Stripes, 'Merica, Pretty Boy, um... or just simply America.

Here is a list of data I have gathered from this country and oh boy, what an interesting specimen we have here....

Ethnography

You will find this find this mythological creature at your local Walmart superstore during the evening hours on a weekday, sporting flannel loungewear pants (The plaid kind), a cotton t-shirt that definitely has been worn no less than two (2) times, Old Navy $1 flip flops, and a gray jacket.

When asked about his late night runs to the popular supermarket chain, his answer is just simply:

"There's nothing else to do and no where to go."

America's Cart Inventory for March 22nd:

One (1) package of "Mega Stuf Chocolate Oreos" for $5.97, One (1) 6-Pack of "Starbucks Frappuccino Chilled Coffee Drinks" in Caramel Flavor for $7.98, One (1) Family Sized Bag of "Flaming Hot Cheetos" for $5.94, One (1) "Furby Interactive Toy" for $39.19, and One (1) Stick of " Axe Apollo Men's Deodorant Stick" for $4.97. Total of purchase was $64.05 before tax.

When questioned about the "Furby Interactive Toy", he replies:

"Yeah dude, there's this thing I wanna make that's called a "Long Furby". Wanna come by my place and check it out?"

I agreed to the invination as it would give me a better look into his living space and lifestyle. He's very friendly person.

Living Space (Home):

Oh dear god, why did I agree to come here?

House is a what you would expect from a typical American college student such as:

"Saturdays Are For The Boys" banner flag, Marvel and DC posters, a very unsettling looking blue leather couch that looks like it has been through hell and back, random dumbbells and untouched exercise equipment, every game console from the 1972 "The Magnavox Odyssey" to the PS5, action figures from various popular TV shows and comics, an old KFC bucket with half eaten chicken on the coffee table and a shelf with a huge vinyl record and CD collection.

Conclusion: What a fucking gross nerd.

America offers a cold can of Coca-Cola, I accept it.

He shows me a very long light blue "Long Furby" from his collection, further proving how much of a dork he was.

When asked what kind of music he liked (in regards to his music collection), he replies:

"That's hard to answer, it changes every week. Because of my diverse music, I pretty much like everything. One week I could be listening to 1980's classic rock, 2000's techno-pop, Bluegrass Country, 1990's Hip Hop or anything. But, if I had to give you this week's favorite artist, it would have to be Taylor Swift and Doja Cat."

"Interesting..." I replied.

I have recorded enough data for today (the smell was bothering me) and left his home to do further extensive research.

Headcanons:

America has a deep love for cars and trucks, he can be seen working on his vintage 1968 Dodge Charger R/T called 'Thunderbird' (an absolute speed demon that can reach at top speeds of muthafuckin' 156 mph), and his enormous 2019 Ford F-150 'Big John' that he loves to drive to world meetings because he is a total stud muffin showoff.

Oh yeah, he defiantly modded 'Big John' horns with airblasters. So when he parks his car and he sees other nations come out of their vehicles, he pounds on that horn and scares the living shit out of them.

He totally does 2 am donuts in the Thunderbird the front of Walmart parking lots with his brother Canada to freak him out.

Other than seeing him work on his cars while listening to "Waking Up in Vegas by Katy Perry" on the radio, he's in his room sorting out his action figure and comic book collection.

Damn, what what a geek.

He has an eBay account where he buys, trades and auctions his collection as his interests constantly change.

If you think him being a geek, dork and a nerd is gonna save him from getting a basic ass Stanley cup, you're wrong.

He has a navy blue one that he takes to meetings and he would get dirty looks from the other nations.

"Goddamn it America, you do not need that much coffee."

"Fuck you, you scone sucking twink. It's not coffee, it's the Panera Super Charged Lemonade mixed with Redbull."

"I beg your fucking pardon..."

He gave Canada a red one for his birthday that he also takes with him to meetings.

"Canada, mon ami~. That better not be that merde American drinks that makes your heart explode."

"No, it's Tim Hortons iced coffee."

"Well.. that's better than what America drinks..."

[supercalifragipopculturevomit]

RUSH (2013) Daniel Brühl as Niki Lauda

Though I've already seen Daniel in several movies over the years, it was this role that made me see him in a whole new light. It sparked the obsession of needing to know everything about him and seeing everything that he's been in. It's what got me into the fandom and back into Tumblr after years of major fan-girl inactivity. That was 6 months ago. The insanity has abated a little bit now that I'm running short on fuel but it's still ongoing.

This biographical sports film written by Peter Morgan (The Crown) centers on the rivalry between Formula One drivers James Hunt and Niki Lauda in the 70s. Not a fan of F1 or sports in general—nothing against either, just zero interest—but this character-driven film, much like Ford vs Ferrari, had me at the edge of my seat the entire ride. And it surprisingly has one of the best meet-cutes and accidental wingmen I’ve seen yet.

Brühl delivers an Oscar-worthy performance in this role. For someone who needed a lot of convincing he could do the character justice, he truly went above and beyond. For one, he befriended and studied Lauda, the iconic F1 figure he was portraying. No easy feat considering Lauda being, well… Lauda.

In interviews, Brühl recounts the story of the memorable invite he got from Lauda to meet in Vienna. This would be their first meeting and Lauda told Brühl outright that he should only bring hand luggage so he can piss off if they don’t like each other.

He would end up staying a few days and buying additional clothes.

He also spent a month in Vienna to nail the accent, making sure to capture the arrogance and irony innate to it. And although he got driver training for the role, he also considered the tiniest details like which went on first: helmet or gloves? There was also the tricky business of looking graceful entering a tiny F1 car—a bigger challenge for Chris Hemsworth who plays Hunt—but an obstacle all the same.

All the hard work paid off. Rush was well-received by audiences, critics, and the F1 world. The first time Lauda saw the film he went, “Holy shit, that’s really me”. Lauda’s friends thought he did voiceover work for it. Director Ron Howard was so pleased with Brühl’s performance that he went out of his way to show an unfinished cut of the movie to the producers of The Fifth Estate (2013). This gracious act would land Brühl the co-lead role opposite Benedict Cumberbatch.

Now, 10 years later, he is shooting another film with Howard called Eden. It's a survival thriller with a star-studded cast that includes Jude Law, Ana de Armas, and Sydney Sweeney. In early 2024, he's also releasing Race For Glory: Audi vs. Lancia, another racing film, but this time with Burnt co-star Riccardo Scamarcio.

***

Most of the text comes from this older, much longer post: The Best of Daniel Brühl

[esther-dot]

"The queen wore a high-collared black silk gown, with a hundred dark red rubies sewn into her bodice, covering her from neck to bosom."- Sansa(AGOT IV).

"Joff wore plush black velvets slashed with crimson, a shimmering cloth-of-gold cape with a high collar, and on his head a golden crown crusted with rubies and black diamonds."- Sansa(AGOT V).

"He(Joffery) was in crimson samite, his black mantle studded with rubies, on his head his heavy golden crown."- Sansa(ACOK VIII).

"Tyrion wore a doublet of black velvet covered with golden scrollwork, thigh-high boots that added three inches to his height, a chain of rubies and lions' heads."- Sansa(ASOS III).

Lannisters are wearing Targ colors in Sansa chapters. Could it mean something other than Lannisters are standin for Targs?

And I'll paste in an anon, too:

I found something interesting in Sansa chapters. When Sansa was called to write letters to Robb, Cersei was wearing black gown with rubies. When Sansa goes to court to plead mercy for Ned, Joffery was wearing black and gold with rubies in his crown. During her marriage with Tyrion, he was wearing black and red dress with rubies chain. All are invoking Targ image and trying to exploit Sansa. Cersei pretending to be a just queen, Joffery a just king and Tyrion being a good husband.

(related to this convo)

I agree with both of you that the Targ colors have an interesting habit of creeping up in pivotal moments for Sansa. I could describe the Joffrey and Tyrion instances as examples of a Stark maiden being taken advantage of by a prince who charms her with a song, and a suitor/husband who has ulterior motives. So, yes, it is more than just a general connection to Targs, I think Lyanna is woven into this.

I can’t remember lines to indicate that Sansa knows the extent of Tyrion’s ambition, that if she were to give him a son, her life would be endangered, but we know her life would be, so it kinda reads as another connection to Lyanna who died as a result of Rhaegar's desire for a third head of the dragon.

Before we have joked about Cersei's dress referencing Rhaegar, and I actually do think it's intentional:

They had come together at the ford of the Trident while the battle crashed around them, Robert with his warhammer and his great antlered helm, the Targaryen prince armored all in black. On his breastplate was the three-headed dragon of his House, wrought all in rubies that flashed like fire in the sunlight. The waters of the Trident ran red around the hooves of their destriers as they circled and clashed, again and again, until at last a crushing blow from Robert's hammer stove in the dragon and the chest beneath it. When Ned had finally come on the scene, Rhaegar lay dead in the stream, while men of both armies scrabbled in the swirling waters for rubies knocked free of his armor. (AGOT, Eddard I)

The queen wore a high-collared black silk gown, with a hundred dark red rubies sewn into her bodice, covering her from neck to bosom. They were cut in the shape of teardrops, as if the queen were weeping blood. (AGOT, Sansa VI)

We could say that’s far fetched, except, in Sansa's first chapter Rhaegar and his rubies are quite pivotal, and the Trident incident leads to her losing Lady. What's important about that is that Sansa's pleas for Lady's life remind Ned of Lyanna:

He could still hear Sansa pleading, as Lyanna had pleaded once. (AGOT, Eddard IV)

One might say the two Stark girls are deliberately associated by the author. 😊

So we get Rhaegar and his Rubies when Sansa suffers a great loss, Rhaegar and his rubies when she realizes her prince doesn't care about her, Rhaegar and his rubies when she is forced to "betray" her family, Rhaegar and his rubies when she is forced into an unwanted marriage….I mean, I'm not saying reading this as Lyanna’s story is the only way to read those descriptions, but it's a very interesting way to see them!