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tifaria · 5 years ago

Note

Good Omen fan fic recommendations?

This has been unanswered in my notes for far too long!

Whoo boy, where do I start?? Let me just pull up my AO3 bookmarks… okay. This is gonna be a long post because I have a Lot of Thoughts about fic in this fandom. I’ll separate by types of fic.

Series/stories with a plot:

Demonology and the Tri-Phasic Model of Trauma: An Integrative Approach by Nnm

As soon as Aubrey Thyme, psychotherapist, had opened her office door and seen her new client, Anthony J. Crowley, sitting in her waiting area, she was observing and assessing him. At first glance, she paid attention to the following:

–His clothing was expensive and stylish;–He wore very strange but noticeable cologne;–His relationship to the seat he occupied could only, very loosely, be described as “sitting;”–He looked angry;–He was wearing sunglasses.

What Aubrey Thyme, a professional, thought, upon first seeing her new client was: you’re going to be a fun one, aren’t you?

Okay, so some warnings: discussion of suicide, PTSD, implied alcohol abuse and implied child abuse. That said…. this is an excellent fic and I was thinking about it for days after it ended. It’s about Crowley dealing with trauma from the bookshop fire, and it has an outsider POV that I ended up caring deeply about, and the ending had me in (happy) tears. Just. It’s a miracle that this fic exists.

A Curious Case of Miracles on Marlborough Street by @nihilnovisubsole

After stopping the apocalypse, Crowley and Aziraphale finally take the next step in their six-thousand-year friendship. But when a spate of miracles sweeps across Soho and Mayfair, they realize their amorous escapades may have an unintended side effect. As they scramble to restore balance and an archangel arrives to investigate, Heaven and Hell’s messengers learn that you can never have too much of a good thing.

At the very least, you need to go look at the art on this fic, because it is magnificent. But you should really read the story, because it’s absurd and weird but in a way that makes it feel like it could plausibly take place in the TV-verse. Implied sexual content, nothing explicit. Plenty of humor. It’s crackfic that’s taken seriously, but it works and I love it.

The Sandford Flower Show by Musimm

Crowley had waited six thousand years, kept it all in check. But this was the slipperiest slope he’d ever set foot on and as soon as he’d indulged in a few discretionary acts of kindness he was falling face first into pining, tumbling into flirting, about to dislocate his knees on the sharp rocks of intimacy.

Was this really it? What he had waited six thousand years for? A stupid flower show? Aziraphale wasn’t pulling away from him. Maybe… maybe this time he wouldn’t? Maybe they’d hold hands again. Maybe tonight with a bottle of merlot in them he’d finally work up the courage and just kiss him and he wouldn’t pull away.

The very moment he’d thought it he spotted the problem at the flower show.

Chapter 7 is explicit, so if that’s not your jam, skip to the next chapter after they go to bed. I really enjoyed this one! There’s angst, pining, miscommunication, idiots acting like idiots, but with a happy ending. The plot is interesting and the original characters were engaging and felt like they’d fit right into the TV-verse. I re-read this immediately after finishing it, that’s how much I liked it.

I Will Get Up Now and Go About the City by @drawlight

This is the story of six-thousand years and a borrowed jacket. (A tale told in vignettes.)

Look, if you haven’t gone and read every single thing that @drawlight has written by now, I don’t know what to tell you. This is my favorite fic of his. It is, quite simply, poetry. I’m due for a re-read, in fact.

Fluff/Sweetness:

Divine Intervention (AKA God Ships It) by @theladyzephyr

There’s a battle strategy devised by humans many millennia ago that’s designed to overcome an adversary who is particularly well entrenched. Some walls are too tall and thick for a frontal assault, and must instead be bested through sheer dogged stubbornness.

Crowley and Aziraphale didn’t know it, but they were about to be put under siege.

Fed up with an angel and a demon who are still avoiding any talk of Feelings, God starts to interfere. When it comes to the ineffable plan, sometimes things need a bit of a push.

Listen. This is my favorite fluffy Good Omens fic ever. It’s silly, it’s romantic, it’s completely heartfelt, and it’s joyous and happy. I grinned so hard while reading it, and re-reading it, and re-reading it again. I go to this fic when I’ve had a bad day. I go to this fic when I’ve had a good day. It’s wonderful and sweet and it fills my heart with warmth.

Sunny Picnic with the Southern Pansy by @almaasi

As the one-year mark of the Unpocalypse approaches, Aziraphale pointedly mentions to Crowley that he’d like to spend the anniversary doing “something lovely” with “somebody special”. Thus, Crowley secretly plans a surprise picnic in Tadfield with Anathema and the Them. Of course, this comes served with a plateful of misunderstandings, a side of moping, and a seasoning of mischief… eventually followed by a deliciously pleasant afternoon.

I love when authors can work in the ensemble cast in a way that works. This fic is fluffy, warm, and fuzzy. I loved every time The Them were in a scene because the author wrote them so well.

Saturday (Wouldn’t It Be Nice) by Sir_Bedevere

It’s a Saturday in the little cottage on the South Downs, where a demon and an angel are spending their retirement, and there’s nothing - nothing - that they can’t face together.

It’s a Saturday, and this is how Saturdays tend to go.

This is a gentle and soft fic that soothes my soul when I read it. There’s plenty of cuddling, sweetness, and fluff. This fic is like a comforting, warm blanket when you’ve had a hard day.

Love Like Fools by @animeangelriku

One minute, Aziraphale is cataloguing some of his first editions, and the next one, he’s leaning against the bookshelf with one hand because he feels like the breath he doesn’t necessarily need (but is nonetheless used to taking) has just been knocked out of him.

He does not need to hold back his feelings for Crowley anymore. He does not need to hide his feelings for Crowley anymore. They’re on their own side now.

Soft romance with hand-holding and plenty of kissing? Sign me up. I live for Aziraphale showering Crowley with affection, and Crowley being overwhelmed by it.

An Honest Surrender by @kedreeva

“For six thousand years,” Crowley said, voice cracking, “I have wanted something I couldn’t have, because I asked the wrong questions. But I’m asking the right one now. The only one that matters.”

In which Aziraphale follows Crowley home after the nonpocalypse.

I never get tired of what-happened-at-Crowley’s-flat-that-night fics. Never. Give me all of them. This one depicts the boys as asexual and includes some intense soul-bonding that I find really lovely and that I think is achingly beautiful.

It’s Getting Hard, This Holding Back by ZehWulf

6,000-odd years is a long time to evolve a romantic relationship, but as a near-immortal being, Crowley had patience. True, they had lost momentum right around reaching the Speaking Looks and Meaningful Gestures stage, but at the time Crowley had been more or less content to let things idle.

Now, he was determined to shift things back into gear, and that gear was Explicitly Romantic Physical Expressions of Affection.

Crowley comes up with a plot for easing into physical affection with Aziraphale, and it goes about like you’d expect. Cute, sweet, and fluffy asexual relationship.

Smut/Explicit:

Lie Back And Think Of Dinner by jessthereckless

“Crowley, this is a disaster. This is everything I ever wanted. We’re in love. And there’s a picnic. And we don’t seem to be able to get…amorous without causing earthquakes.”

Aziraphale attempts subterfuge. Crowley sees right through him.

This fic is so cute, with just a bit of smut. I don’t always enjoy smut, because sometimes I feel it strays too much from their characterization, but this fic gets it right. It’s funny and charming and the dialogue is spot on. When you’re finished, read the sequel, which has more explicit smut but still manages to be believable for me while also being very sweet.

The First Week of the Rest of their Lives by @deputychairman

“Port gives the worst hangovers in the world, did you know that?” Crowley slurred when the bottle was all gone. “Don’t know who got credit for that one. Nice drink, lovely drink, shame it makes you want to die in the morning.”

“Such a shame,” Aziraphale agreed sadly, watching Crowley stretch out on his sofa. He did like port. He liked Crowley stretched out on his sofa, too.

After a week of lunch dates, Aziraphale is finally ready to face his feelings. This is sexy and just smutty enough and the banter between them in the bedroom is cute but also hot.

Overboard by Laura Shapiro

Asking Crowley to move here with him is, Aziraphale thinks, the bravest thing he has ever done.

Aziraphale tries and fails to deal with his anxiety, and eventually the pining and angst lead to an understanding. I enjoyed the depiction of Aziraphale’s anxiety over he and Crowley’s relationship, and the sex is very well done and you can sense the love in it.

Alternate Universe (AU):

Here’s the thing about AUs: I don’t usually enjoy them. I find that often the characters don’t resemble the ones I know at all, and it prevents me from getting interested in the story. However, I have come across some that I’ve loved, and while the characterizations aren’t necessary recognizable as Aziraphale and Crowley, the stories are compelling and well-written. I tend to think of it as the actors from the TV series playing other parts, and it works for me.

Acts of Service by seekwill

After receiving direct instruction from God, village reverend Aziraphale leaves his countryside congregation to serve the underserved and in-need at an urban church in London, a transition made all the more complicated by the mysterious and handsome Crowley, who always seems to appear when Aziraphale least expects him.

I was thinking about this fic for a while after I finished it. Is it a bit soap operatic? Yes. Is it also compelling and romantic and sexy? Hell yes. Just go read it and decide for yourself. The only reason I didn’t finish the entire fic in one evening is because I read until 1am and then had to wake up four hours later. Otherwise I’d have binged it all in one go.

Only Love (Can Bring the Rain) by soft_october

There were all these little hopes and musings Crowley buried so deep in his heart it ached to bring them out into the light to catalogue their faults and flaws, and each time Aziraphale sought him out, or asked his opinion on some weighty manner that was hanging on him, or even just smiled, those little wishings grew bigger and bigger, pressing in on him until he felt as if he was being crushed.

“Princes do not fall in love with gardener boys,” he told himself one night, staring into the shard of looking glass he kept on a shelf, hoping it would help, hoping that hearing it out loud would make him believe it, would help him put all these ridiculous notions behind him.

It didn’t work.

Crowley and Aziraphale, the gardener’s boy and the prince, meet as children and develop an unlikely friendship.

By the time they’re twenty, everything has changed.

Crowley is a gardener, Aziraphale is a prince, and this reads like a gentle fairy tale. I adore everything about it.

With All Your Delights by @weatheredlaw

Crowley laughed. “I thought you’d have realized by now. I am no ordinary king.”

“No,” Aziraphale said. “You certainly are not.”

or: aziraphale is sent as a gift to the southern king to smooth over trade negotiations. they both find themselves in over their heads.

Good Lord, this fic. This fic is so sexy, so romantic, so immersive. The world-building is vague, but somehow that worked for me because I was able to imagine and fill in the gaps as I pleased. Do they 100% resemble any Crowley and Aziraphale that we know? No. But is it a well-written romance that checks off a lot of boxes I enjoy? Yes. There’s angst, but with a happy ending. I think I’ve read this one 3 or 4 times now, which is unheard of for me with an AU.

Slow Show by @mia-ugly

Listen. This. This fic. It’s done something to me. I live for updates on this fic.

Crowley and Aziraphale are co-stars on a Game of Thrones-esque TV show. There’s pining, angst, explicit sex, mentions of past addiction, and somehow, it all comes together in a beautiful story that has me rushing to me computer on Mondays to check and see if it’s been updated. It has wrecked me. The last chapter was a wham and I am desperate for more. I have the utmost admiration for the author because it’s a beautiful, sexy, romantic story and I have never been so eager to read an AU before.

#good omens #ineffable husbands #good omens fic #good omens fic rec #good omens fanfic #good omens fanfic rec #good omens fanfiction #good omens fanfiction rec

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earlysunsetsoverambrose · 4 years ago

Text

Kodachrome (5/5)

Sinclairs x f!Reader

Warning: Cursing

It was coming up on six o’clock in Ambrose. You and Lester made it back about half an hour ago and settled in to wait for Bo and Vincent to return. They arrived around fifteen minutes after you.

Bo was now smoking out of a cracked window, insisting it was too hot to stand outside but knowing you didn’t like the smell lingering in the house. He was still in his long-sleeved uniform. You knew better than to tell him to change or roll up his sleeves at least, but you wanted him to be comfortable. There was no way he wasn’t dying from the way he was sweating through it. It was better to let him make that call on his own, however; and to not utter a single word about it in the rare case he actually did decide to change.

Vincent was sitting up on the couch sketching with Jonesy taking up the other half. He ditched his sweater, wearing an old tank instead. He also had his hair pulled up from his neck in a loose ponytail, but still wore his mask.

Lester – who had all but tossed his hat and over shirt across the room upon returning home – was helping you in the kitchen, distributing the sweet tea and lemonade. He took Vincent a glass of lemonade before settling himself on the floor with his own glass of sweet tea. You followed close behind with Bo’s sweet tea and a lemonade for yourself.

“It’s not a beer, but it’s still good.” You said as you approached Bo. He stubbed out his cigarette and took the glass from you.

“I suppose it’ll do.” Bo said, feigning a sigh of disappointment. He took a few sips and glanced at the glass and back to you, “Damn, if that isn’t good.”

“Glad you approve.” You said as you took a drink of your lemonade.

“So, you take any good pictures after I kicked you to the curb?” Bo asked

“In fact, I did. No thanks to you.” You said cheekily, glancing at your camera and photographs that you had set on the pool table “I’m going to fill an album with my cheesy, crappy pictures and you know what I’m going to do after that?”

“I gotta know.” Bo deadpanned

“I’m going to fill another.” You said eagerly “And another and so on, so forth.”

“If that’s what gets you outta bed in the mornin’.” Bo said with a shrug. Before you could fire back, a rumble from outside interrupted you. You and Bo looked outside to see storm clouds suddenly rolling in above your little town, “God damn it.”

“What? It’s just a little rain.” You said with excitement, “Might even cool things down a little.”

“I just repainted the fence in front of the apartments. I’m gonna have to fuckin’ do it all again.” Bo huffed

“Don’t worry about it right now, Bo. I’ll help you redo it, if you want.” You offered, “We’re having fun, no need to get worked up.”

“Whatever.” Bo said glaring out the window, willing the clouds away. With that, the rain started falling, tapping on the roof and walls of the home.

“It’s not so bad. I love the rain!” you said trying to lift his spirits.

“What’s there to love? The humidity? The flooding? The leaks in the roof?” Bo asked sarcastically.

“C’mon, didn’t you ever run around in the rain as a kid? Roll around in mud puddles?” You asked.

“No, ‘cuz I didn’t grow up in a pigpen.” Bo snarked, “And if I tracked mud in the house, my old man woulda killed me. He hated mess.”

You set down your glass and made your way out the door and onto the steps. All three Sinclair brothers looked after you, curious to know what you were getting up to now. You stuck your hand out into the downpour, catching the warm droplets as the nostalgia of the summer rain from your childhood struck your senses. You turned around to find the brothers gathered at the door way looking at you with confusion. The look on their faces was a harsh reminder than none them had the same childhood memories you did; they never got the chance. Well, now was as good a time as ever to change that. You dashed back into the house, the brothers parting as you darted up the stairs. You returned with the portable radio from your room. You stared back at the Bo, Vincent, and Lester.

“Okay, here’s what’s going to happen, I’m going to put on some music and we’re all going to run around in the rain like we’re little kids again, got it.” You practically ordered, “We’re going to have fun.”

“I’m in!” Lester chimed in ecstatically, “It’s gotta beat sittin’ ‘round sweatin’!”

“No fuckin’ way.” Bo refused flat out, “That really what you call fun growin’ up?”

“Yes, because it is fun.” You argued, “What about you, Vincent?” he looked down at the ground, twiddling his fingers, unconvinced. “Well, I can’t make you do anything, but I’m going outside and I’m going to have a blast.” You said determinately. You pushed past the brothers and stopped at the door, “C’mon, Jonesy!”

Jonesy leapt up from the couch and launched herself outside, ahead of you. You could always count on her and Lester. You fiddled with the dial of your radio, quickly tuning in to a classic rock station, Creedence Clearwater Revival lighting up the airwaves. You turned the radio all the way up and set it to the side on the stairs, still under cover from the rain. You quickly yanked Lester outside, both of you laughing as the rain met your skin. You tapped Lester on the shoulder,

“You’re it!” you declared, darting away with Jonesy, screaming as you put distance between you and Lester. After only a second to process, Lester ran full speed behind you, determined to catch up. You and your canine companion ran in big circles, to avoid getting tagged back. The bombardment of raindrops, smacked against your skin, running into your eyesight, “C’mon, Jonesy, keep running or he’ll catch us!”

“Got ya!” Lester lightly smacked the back of your neck before turning on a dime and speeding away from you, “Gotta be faster than that, Y/N!”

“I’ll show you fast!” you called wiping the rainy haze from your eyes as you sprinted after him with Jonesy barking her support. You nearly had him multiple times, but he always managed to abruptly alter his course, just out of your reach. You never knew Lester could be so elusive. Despite all the fun, your lungs already burned and you were already slowing down. As Lester got father away, you glanced down at Jonesy, “I don’t think I can go on! Avenge me, Jonesy!” you said dramatically as you patted her on the head, “You’re it, Jonesy, go get him! Get Lester!”

Jonesy barked in understanding, speeding up to catch Lester. You jogged after them as you witnessed Jonesy rear back on her hind legs and push Lester from behind, forcing him to the ground before attacking him with kisses.

“Good girl!” you praised as you caught up to them, catching your breath, “You got him!”

“She got me alright!” Lester laughed through the slobbery assault.

Vincent and Bo watched the game unfold from the staircase. Through it all, Vincent had made his way to the edge of the rainfall and put his hand out like you had done just moments ago.

“Just look at those two, laughin’ like idiots.” Bo said with a shake of his head as he crossed his arms. He glanced at his twin to see him eyeing the rain with curiosity, “Don’t tell me you’re gonna start too.”

Vincent looked back with a sheepish glance before turning around to see you helping Lester to his feet. He tilted his head as he watched you instruct his younger brother to copy the way you looked up at the sky and held out your arms, spinning around and around until you both fell on your butts. The sound of both of you laughing cut through the rain and the music. You were having so much fun together.

“Good God, they’ve finally lost it.” Bo quipped.

“I heard that, Bo!” you shouted, pushing away the hair that stuck to your face, “You know that could’ve been you that shoved Lester to the ground, but you missed out!”

“C’mon, Bo! Don’t ya wanna wrestle, for old times’ sake? Or are ya ‘fraid of losin’?” Lester taunted

“Fuck no.” Bo stated. You, Lester and Jonesy made your way to the staircase, still standing in the rain.

“How about you, Vincent? Change your mind?” you asked pleadingly. Vincent’s eye darted between you, the rain, and Bo. “Please, for me? Just for a little while?” Vincent glanced back at Bo who rolled his eyes,

“Hey, don’t let me stop you from makin’ a fool of yourself.” Bo said with a wave of his hand, “Be my guest.”

“Every party needs a pooper, Bo!” You teased as you drew Vincent into the rain party. Bo scoffed as he lit up another cigarette, continuing to watch from his sheltered spot.

As the rain fell over Vincent, he held his hands out to catch the drops, looking up at the storm clouds. There was something refreshing about standing in a rain like this. It wasn’t like getting caught in a storm and freezing from the cold winds behind it. It was warm and comforting, like the season of summer was wrapping him in its embrace.

“See, it’s not so bad, right?” your voice drew Vincent from his daze. He nodded in agreement,

“Never thought of rain like this.” He said softly

“Things like rain can always turn into fun if you’re with the right people.” You told him with a sweet smile.

As puddles began to form, Jonesy started zooming through them with Vincent jogging in tow, splashing you and Lester in their wake. You two were distracted trying to catch raindrops on your tongues, giggling every time you were successful. It was only a few moments later you saw Bo move to the edge of the rain and glance up at the clouds. You turned to face him,

“Come on, Bo!” you begged

“If ya’ll wanna make assholes of yourselves, that’s fine! I told you to leave me out of it!” Bo shouted back, digging his heels in and turning his back to all of you to finish his cigarette in peace. You grumbled to yourself.

“Hey, I got a way to get Bo to play along.” Lester whispered.

“This won’t end in either of you getting maimed or put him in a foul mood will it?” you asked cautiously.

“No promises, but Bo’s always in a bad mood, anyway.” Lester said with a mischievous grin, “I used to do this all the time when we was kids. Used to dander him up real quick. Watch this.”

“Wait, Lester!” you called in a hushed voice. He ignored you as he silently crept up behind his oldest brother as you prayed for his safety and Bo’s mercy. You bore horrified, silent witness as Lester drew closer to Bo, stopping just behind him. Without hesitation, Lester smacked Bo across the back of the head, lurching him forward, before hauling ass. Bo did a double take, not realizing what just happened until he registered Lester’s retreating figure. His face twisted in scowl as his face turned bright red, as he threw down his cigarette.

“You get the fuck back over here, you smelly bastard!” Bo shouted as he ran after his younger brother, “I’m gonna rip your arm off and smack you across the head, see how you like it! I swear to Christ I will!”

“I’m sorry! Don’t hurt me, Bo! I’m just a boy!” Lester called back through his fit of hysterical laughter. Threat of physical dismemberment or not, Lester was having a grand old time. They continued to yell back and forth through their game of chase.

“Wait! Bo! Lester!” you cried as you followed after them with Vincent, “Bo, don’t hurt your brother!” You were pretty sure Bo wasn’t as angry as he said he was. If he really wanted to kill Lester, he wouldn’t be shouting so much.

Bo finally caught up to Lester in the grass and tackled him into the mud. The two of them wrestled, trying to get the other in a headlock first, rolling all around a mudpuddle. You and Vincent caught up and watched from the sidelines. Part of you wanted to stop them so neither of them would get hurt, but the other part wanted to see how this played out. Bo eventually got the upper hand, shaking Lester back and forth by his shirt.

“Wait, wait! Bo! Stop, please!” Lester pleaded, “Just let me say somethin’!” Bo stopped his literal shakedown, narrowing his eyes skeptically.

“What?” he hissed angrily.

“I hope ya like pie.” Lester said with a deep breath in.

“The fuck does that mean?”

“Mud pie!” Lester screeched as he hurled a huge wad of mud directly in Bo’s face, knocking off his hat. You and Vincent’s hands flew to your mouths. Lester used the initial shock to scurry out of Bo’s grip to just a few feet in front of him. There had never been a moment more fragile, nobody dared say anything. Silence never seemed so loud before. Bo slowly moved his hands to his eyes and scooped away the mud with a violent flick of his hands. It was so funny, but you were too scared to laugh. He looked so mad that he hadn’t seen that one coming. Bo’s blue eyes peaked out from the brown of the mud as he shifted his dangerous glare on Lester again. The youngest Sinclair practically gulped with a nervous smile, “No hard feelins?”

As Bo pounced once more, you and Vincent jumped up. Vincent tried to hold Bo back while you did what you could to release his grip on Lester’s ankle. While you two struggled to keep them at bay, Lester and Bo kept flinging handfuls of mud at one another. All of you yelling over one another the whole time. Vincent quickly lost his grip on his twin from the slick mud and rain covering both of them now. Bo swiftly swiped up another handful of mud, reeling back with reckless abandon and zero aim, thus whipping you directly in the face. The force knocked you back as you sputtered through the dirt in your mouth and eyes.

All grappling ceased with gasps from all three of brothers. Vincent slowly moved toward you with his hands out, trying to see if you needed help. You caught a glimpse of their concerned faces through the muddy haze. In reality, you were biting back a smirk as you were about to get retribution. You started violently rubbing at your eyes,

“Ow, ow, my eyes! It hurts! I can’t see!” you feigned helplessness, adding a waver to your voice for effect. They were all on their feet in an instant. Vincent came up next to you and tilted your head up to the rain to try to help flush your eyes. Lester patted your shoulder to comfort you, telling you not to panic. Bo grabbed your wrists from your face,

“Shit, Y/N!” he said, frustration masking the guilt, “Stop rubbing at ‘em, you’re gonna make it worse. Let me see.”

“No! This is your fault!” you said, screwing your eyes tighter.

“Don’t be a brat, let me take a look!” Bo ordered. With that, you opened your eyes and snapped your head forward with an evil smirk. “What the h-”

Without warning, you tackled him back into the mudpuddle, startling all three brothers. With Bo stunned for the second time that evening, you scooped up all the mud you could hold and plopped it on his face.

“Suck mud, Sinclair!” you yelled with wicked laughter. Bo sat up, knocking you over,

“You little shit!” he fumed “You play dirty!”

“I play to win, old man!” you boasted. Bo got up, ready to attack again, before Lester joined the fray once more, piling more mud onto his older brother’s hair. Bo yanked Lester from behind him and hooked an arm around his neck.

“I can take both of you, bring it on!” Bo proclaimed as he dunked Lester’s head in the mud over and over. You wrapped your arms around Bo’s broad shoulders and tried to drag him back down into the mud with you, a difficult feat as he was twice your size, “The hell are you tryin’ to do? Choke me out?”

“If it’s death by mud for one, is death by mud for all!” you shouted through your struggle. Jonesy started running around the three of you, caking all of you in splashes of mud.

Vincent didn’t know whether to be amused or distraught at the spectacle before him. At least you weren’t actually hurt. Watching you all squabble while Bo struggled between keeping Lester in a headlock and all your weight pulling him backwards was sight to be seen. He could have never predicted this was how his day would end. He tilted his head and watched, knowing better than to get involved. He got hit with a few rogue mud pies, but he wasn’t too bothered about it since he was already a mess from trying to hold back Bo. It seemed he was the only adult living with three children.

Eventually the three of you wore yourself out by the time you were pretty much caked in mud from head to toe. You, Bo, and Lester ended sitting in the mud puddle, too tired to continue the scuffle. You were leaning back on your hands, Lester was laying back completely, and Bo was sitting back on his knees. The rain, now more of a light drizzle, washed a little of the mud away, but not much. You all glanced at one another, taking in your ridiculous states and couldn’t help but laugh at yourselves. You and Lester started another fit of hysterics as Bo cracked a smiled. Vincent even chuckled under his mask.

“See, now wasn’t that fun?” you asked them as you all continued to laugh. It was a successful mud fight if ever there was one.

“Yeah, loads. I love havin’ mud and dirt in my ass crack.” Bo snorted as he stood up from the puddle, searching for his hat.

“I thought it was a riot, Y/N!” Lester disagreed as he stood up as well “Can’t believe we didn’t try this sooner. Most fun I’ve had in some time.”

“Did you have fun, Vincent?” you asked

“Yes. Messy, though.” He rasped, taking in the mud that had left Jonesy’s fur completely brown. He looked back at you saying, “It was nice.”

“I wanted you all to have fun for a little while. Thought you all deserved a break.” You said as Vincent and Lester hauled you up from the mud.

“Well, personally, I’m all funned out.” Bo said sarcastically as he placed his hat back on his head “And next time you actually hurt yourself, I’m not gonna do a thing about it. Make you think twice ‘bout cryin’ wolf.”

“I was just getting even with you for smacking me in the face. But I’m sorry if I worried any of you.” You said

“Fine, I suppose we’re even, in that case. Just don’t do it again.” Bo said with a wave of his hand, unconcerned with the whole ordeal, “Now, let’s go home. I need another cigarette since someone made me drop my other one.”

“Okay, okay, let’s go back.” You agreed.

As you all made your way back to the front of the house, the trickle gave way to a light mist. The comforting smell of raindrops hanging on the cedar trees enveloped your senses; bringing with it a unique kind of serenity. The radio was still going strong. Bo leaned up against the staircase and lit another cigarette from the pack he’d thankfully left behind from the mud war. Vincent sat on the top stairs with Jonesy, starting to wipe off her paws with an old rag from the porch. Lester popped inside the house to grab his sweet tea before returning outside and descending the stairs again to make idle conversation with Bo. You were sitting in silence next to Vincent and Jonesy, taking it all in.

Your attention was pulled to the radio as a different song started up. You recognized it. It was that old Paul Simon song ‘Kodachrome.’ Far too serendipitous to be ignored. You jumped up from your seat and ran back inside for your camera, none of the boys concerned with your disappearance. You came back to stand in the doorway and pointed your camera at the brothers.

“Everyone say: Cheesy, Crappy Photos!” you chirped. They all looked up at you. Bo with a half-annoyed, half-amused glance. Lester beaming with an enthusiastic wave. Vincent content and comfortable, sitting with Jonesy pulled up in his lap. With an infamous click, your camera printed out the picture and you set it face down by the others on the pool table. You returned to sit back on the porch, camera still in hand. The Paul Simon song echoed through the summer air.

Kodachrome They give us those nice bright colors They give us the greens of summers Makes you think all the world's a sunny day, oh yeah I got a Nikon camera I love to take a photograph So mama, don't take my Kodachrome away

Well, unlike Mr. Simon, you didn’t have Kodachrome film or a Nikon camera, but you did have a Polaroid and a fire under your ass. Maybe you were romanticizing this whole thing too much, maybe these photographs wouldn’t mean a thing, but you didn’t care. Moments like these deserved to be remembered in color, for all they’re worth. Bo, Vincent, and Lester deserve to have good days that they want look back on. If there was a chance just one photo could give that to them, you had to try.

So, if a picture is worth a thousand words, there were a billion things you were going to tell them.

#house of wax 2005 #bo sinclair #house of wax #slasher imagine #my writing #lester sinclair #tw: cursing #slasher x reader #bo sinclair x reader #lester sinclair x reader #vincent sinclair x reader #vincent sinclair #kodachrome #female reader

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nialledfromfics · 4 years ago

Text

The Dating Game | Chapter Nine

The door closed. Niall stood motionless, his blue eyes transfixed to the painted wood panelling half expecting it to open again and for her to rush back through and jump into his arms like she had many times before. But he knew that wasn’t going to happen. He knew that beautiful, wistful, carefree part of their story was over. More over than he had failed to realize. His chest rose high with his quickened breaths and he swallowed hard, not wanting the slow blink of his glassy stare to move off of the door. His mind tried to rattle around the single thing that sparked the very reaction he couldn’t escape from: the look on her face.

He didn’t understand why she had looked so defeated, so anguished upon seeing Lila, maybe she was just shocked. He would have been too, he decided. He had been, many times. But that still didn’t explain to him, why. Her gorgeous light brown eyes peering up at him, wide and with a hint of sadness that Niall had only seen one other time over the course of their friendship. It felt like his heart was breaking all over again.

“Are you ready to go?”

Breaking him from his thoughts, Lila ran her touch down the center of his back. “Uh...yeah,” he sputtered.

The girl smiled at him. “That was Joey, huh?”

Niall pulled in a sharp breath. “Yeah.” His stare hadn’t left his closed front door, his jaw clenching slightly as he felt Lila’s fingers intertwine with his.

“She’s pretty.”

His eyes snapped over to the girl standing next to him, his lips just barely falling to a part. “Yeah,” was all he could muster in response.

Lila huffed out a short chuckle. “So what did she want?”

With his stare sliding back over to the door, Niall briefly shook his head. “I...dunno, to be honest…”

“Hmm...weird,” Lila mumbled as she shifted her body to stand right in front of Niall. His blue eyes, their entanglement with the closed door interrupted, locked with hers. “We should get going now so we’re not late.”

He tipped his head down slightly, running his hand through his hair and down the side of his face in a faint sigh. “Yeah…” he mumbled, a half smile pulling at his lips before he leaned in and pressed a kiss to her mouth, “yeah, sorry, babe. Let’s go.”

•

Of course he would be dating her. She was exactly who Joey had always pictured as his type. Irritatingly gorgeous with perfect bone structure and pore-less skin, beamingly white teeth and that model-slim body shape. She was athletic and perky in all the right places with not one ounce of body fat to be seen. Her hair was perfect, her smile, her nails, her clothes…

She was blonde, stunning and looked like she had stepped straight out of a damn magazine centerfold.

Lila was everything Joey wasn’t. And on top of that, she had him.

If Joey hadn’t felt like the biggest fool to walk the earth before, she definitely did after meeting Niall’s new girlfriend. The entire following week was spent cursing herself out for being so deluded into thinking he had even a fraction of feelings for her, and trying her hardest not to stalk Lila’s Instagram every five minutes like some kind of masochist. She had called Alexis on her way home from Niall’s house, tears streaming down her face, her voice cracking with the inability to stop crying enough to choke out how dumb and ridiculous she had been to even show up to his place like that. By the time she arrived back to her usually empty and lowly apartment, she had her best friend, her brother and his girlfriend there waiting to cheer her up. It was an unexpected welcome, and they spent the evening drowning Joey’s problems in cheap beer and greasy pizza and laughing until their cheeks hurt and they could no longer breathe. It was a nice distraction.

But the next morning Joey woke up to a text from Niall. And another later that night. And then again the following morning. She received 10 texts from him within that week. And Joey ignored every single one. She felt stupid and embarrassed and even if she were to answer him, what was she going to say? She couldn’t pour her heart out to him like she had planned, she couldn’t tell him how the thoughts of him kept her up at night and how badly she wanted to kiss him over and over and how no matter what...she could not get him out of her head. Joey couldn’t do that, and it wouldn’t be fair if she did. He was obviously with someone else, he had feelings for someone that was not Joey and she just needed to accept that.

But that didn’t mean she had to like it. It also didn’t mean she had to talk to him. Or see him. Or be around him.

Joey wasn’t sure she could ever be around him as long as he was with Lila.

It took another few days for her to really get a footing on the situation, and to come to terms that Niall actually had a girlfriend, and that person wasn’t her. Joey was jealous, she was a big enough girl to admit that, and she was heartbroken but most of all, she was beyond humiliated. How on earth she could have thought that someone like Niall would ever be into or want to be with someone like her, was enough crazy to send her to the looney bin. She was, once again, right back to square one.

Alone.

Taking what had happened to her over the previous six weeks as a sign, Joey decided to just let Niall do his thing, and she would do hers. It was well into springtime and the summer season was quickly creeping up on everyone, school would soon be out, and Joey thought her best bet was to immerse herself into her work and her students for the last couple months, and forget about everything else.

The following five weeks breezed by. Well, as much as it could breeze by when the only thing on Joey’s mind was the one thing she was trying not to think about. But she powered through, focusing on getting her kindergarteners ready for the first grade, spending some needed time with her bestie and giving her love to the only one who really deserved it; Sadie. Niall had stopped contacting her by the third week of Joey not responding to his texts and calls and while it did make her heart hurt to read over his pleas of wanting her to answer him, she knew it was for the best that she didn’t. At least not at that time. It was too fresh, like picking at an unhealed scab to just reopen the gnarly wound. Joey knew it was the right thing to do. But that didn’t mean it didn’t send her heart racing and make her knees weak and have that knot tie in her tummy every time she saw his name pop up on her screen. Because it did, every single time.

It was only a couple days later that Joey got hit with the most gut wrenching thing that could happen to her in this kind of situation: paparazzi pictures.

And not just any paparazzi pictures; lovey, cutesy, vomit-inducingly sweet kissing paparazzi pictures. Had she not been standing in the middle of the coffee shop’s line waiting to order, innocently scrolling through Instagram when she was assaulted with the shots of them, she probably would have screamed bloody murder and thrown her phone against the wall. But as she clicked on the post of some random celebrity gossip site, flicking through the two full sets of photos, she could feel the sweat beading up along her hairline and the heaviness invading her heart. Holding hands, his arm around her shoulders, his lips pressed to hers. Her hands on his face, on his chest, curling into the back of his dark hair.

Joey swallowed hard and she tried to resist, tried to tear her eyes away from the pictures, but she couldn’t. Her fingers were trembling, almost losing grip on her phone and the noisy space around her dissipated into a long drone of static as her mind jumped back to when she had felt Niall that way. Touching his pretty face, his toned chest. His arms around her, his big hands wrapped around her body as he held her tight. His warm breath against her ear, his soft skin pressed to hers. Easing her eyes closed, Joey quickly turned off her phone and dropped her arm down to her side. She could feel her chin start to wobble as the faint sound of her name being called out waved over her ears. It took another minute before Joey peeled her eyes open to see the barista repeatedly calling out her name, a puzzled look on her face.

Sucking in a jumbled breath, Joey threw her shoulders back and plastered on a smile, stepping up to the counter to retrieve her coffee order.

She didn’t mention the paparazzi pictures, or her reaction to them, to anyone. Not even Alexis. And her blonde friend knew better than to bring them up even if she had seen them. Joey was very grateful for that.

Not more than two weeks after Joey had been visually assaulted, she was curled up on her couch watching tv late one Saturday night with Sadie in her lap and her second glass of merlot, when a text came through her phone. Assuming it was Alexis sending her some useless Facebook link or her brother with another dumb meme, Joey mindlessly picked her phone up from the couch cushion beside her and glanced down at the screen.

N: Hey stranger

Her heart skipped three solid beats, her phone dropping into her lap and onto Sadie’s backend, making the little dog jump. “Sorry,” Joey managed to say, giving the pup a pet as she rested her head back down. Picking her phone back up, Joey pulled in a slow steadying breath, her hazelnut eyes flicking about her darkened living room for a moment before she decided to go ahead and shoot him a text back.

The first one in nearly 2 months.

J: Hey.

N: Holy Shit . . you answered me hahahaha

J: Lucky day, I guess.

There was a slight pause from Niall after Joey’s last text, and she thought maybe she was coming off a bit too harsh. She clearly didn’t hate Niall, in fact it was the total opposite, but it was like every time she even saw or heard his name, she pictured him with her. Him kissing her and touching her and it drove her absolutely insane. Joey swallowed hard as she stared down at the lit screen, watching those three little text bubbles flickering…

N: I miss you .

And there it was. Three words that Joey was dreading but also yearning to hear. She was so confused, so entirely fucked up from the entire situation, she wasn’t even sure what she was doing anymore. All she knew was that reading those words from him made her chest tighten and her fingers go numb and her skin bleed with a heat that could melt a glacier. Swallowing hard, Joey bit at her lip as she carefully constructed her next text.

J: Did you need something?

She was not about to let him know the hold he had on her.

N: uh haha yeah. . I just wanted to let ya know Im havin an album wrap party this Saturday and i really really want ya to be there .

N: Please , if you can

J: I don’t know. I might be busy.

N: Okay . Its at my place at 7 if you decide ya wanna stop by .

Joey thought for a moment, her teeth sinking further down into her bottom lip.

J: Can I bring someone?

There was another slight pause, almost as if Niall wasn’t sure how to answer or what she really meant by ‘someone’, and Joey’s stare drifted over the screen as she waited to see what he was going to say next.

N: Yeh , sure. Bring anyone ya want .

J: Okay. I’ll think about it.

And that was it. He didn’t respond, and Joey puffed out a long sigh and tossed her phone to the coffee table.

That was unexpected.

•

Joey immediately decided that there was no way she was going to go to Niall’s album wrap party. There was no way she was going to be able to hang around his house with people she barely knew, and watch him being lovey and cute with his perfect girlfriend. It sounded like pure torture to her.

But somehow, some way, Alexis had talked her into going. She promised that it would be good for Joey, it would help her heal and move on, confront the situation head on instead of hiding from it and pretending it didn’t exist. Joey knew she had a point. Alexis offered to go with her, to not once leave her side and if at any moment that things got too weird or too hard for Joey to deal with, they would leave. And Joey agreed.

That Saturday came without a hitch. The nerves surging through Joey, however, were as prominent and irritating as ever. It took her nearly two hours to just pick an outfit, something she usually had no issue with and it almost made her angry at herself for caring so much about what she looked like when obviously Niall didn’t care in the least. After applying her makeup, blow drying her hair into soft waves, and fussing endlessly with the tiny hairs that wouldn’t cooperate, Joey was finally ready to go.

Walking out into her living room where Alexis was waiting, Joey heard a low whistle come from the blonde. “Damn, girl,” she remarked, “you planning on sending this man to his grave?”

The girls both giggled and Joey looked down at her outfit. She didn’t seem to think she was that dressed up, but a pair of skin tight white ankle jeans, a low cut beige wrap blouse that showed off her ample cleavage and a bit of her midsection, finished with a pair of heels obviously was doing her lots of favors.

She smiled at the thought and peered back up at her friend, tucking some hair behind her ear. “Guess we should go get this party started, huh?”

•

Her anxiety only escalated the closer they got to Niall’s place. Her hands slowly rolled into tight fists in her lap as she stared out of the passenger side window of Alexis’ car. Her heart was pounding, like an annoying uneven beat of a drum in the back of her ears, as a dryness crept to the back of her throat. Joey nibbled at her lips, any trace of her lipstick long gone by the time they had pulled up to the front gate. There were at least two dozen cars parked along the main road, Alexis managing to squeeze her Toyota Corolla next to an old tree. Taking in a settling breath, the two friends climbed out of the car and started to make their way up the street to his house.

By the time they stepped into his kitchen, there were already at least forty other people spread throughout his house and outside, drinking and chatting and laughing. Music was blasting through the integrated speakers, Niall had his large patio doors swung all the way open onto his pool terrace and down by his grill and picnic area which was all perfectly aglow by hanging lights. There was wine, beer and liquor arranged along his kitchen table and the two young women had just shuffled over to help themselves to a beverage, when Niall walked up.

Joey didn’t even have to look up to know he was right beside her. She could sense him, and even though he wasn’t standing super close, she could feel the heat radiating from his body and the burn of his eyes on her, and the distinct scent of his skin. The air stuck thick to the back of her throat, trapping any kind of ability to function normally with it, as she slowly looked over at him.

“Hey, Jo,” he said, a sweet smile tugging at his lips. She hadn’t heard his voice in two months, but the low gritty baritone slid like warm caramel over her ears and made her knees just as weak as ever.

Joey breathed out a smile in return, lowering her stare for a moment as she nervously reached behind her neck to sweep her red hair over her one shoulder. It was Niall’s turn for his knees to go weak. “Hi, Niall,” Joey replied, glancing back at him.

“It’s been awhile,” he went on, clearing his throat as he dragged his stare down the length of Joey’s body. “You look...really good.”

She scraped her teeth across her bottom lip. “So do you.” His gaze was intoxicating, searing like lava into hers the longer they stood there, still and wordless. They just stared. Soaking each other in, relishing in the silent scorching heat that wafted between them, not sure what to say or what to do next. Alexis had grabbed a beer, quietly sipping on it as she stood off to the side of them and curiously darted her eyes back and forth between the two. Then Lila stepped up.

Swallowing hard as her stare shifted over to the blonde that was slipping her hand into Niall’s, Joey shook herself out of the trance she had succumbed to. “This is my best friend, Alexis, by the way,” she said, introducing her friend to Niall.

Niall looked over at Alexis and promptly stuck out his hand for her to shake. “Sick! I’ve heard a lot about ya,” he stated, “glad you could come.”

“I’ve heard a lot about you, too,” she replied with a smirk.

Niall pointed a finger at Lila. “Eh, this is my, uh...this is Lila.”

“Yeah,” Joey spoke up, “we’ve met.”

Lila nodded her head. “Yeah, we have.” The girl turned her attention to Niall, holding his hand in both of hers as she gently pulled on his arm. “Can you get me a drink, babe?”

“Sure,” Niall replied, tugging his hand away from her grasp as he stepped just past Joey and grabbed a stemmed glass from the table, pouring his girlfriend a drink. “Would you guys like a drink?”

Alexis held up her beer bottle and Niall glanced at Joey over his shoulder. She shook her head. “I’m okay for now, thanks,” she mumbled.

“Alright,” he said to Joey, stepping back over to hand Lila her glass of wine. “Well, there's plenty of stuff to drink as ya can see, and tons of food, we’re grilin’ out and shit so...please just have fun. Enjoy yourselves.”

Joey nodded lightly, giving him a soft smile. Niall reached out and gently rubbed over her upper arm. “It was good to see ya, Jo,” he went on softly, “I’m glad ya came.”

“Me too.”

Niall licked over his lips and stuffed his hands down into his shorts pockets, Lila whispering a whiny ‘babe, let’s go outside’ as she clutched his bicep and proceeded to pull him away.

The two friends watched as the blonde led Niall out to the open terrace, forcing him to engage in conversation with a small group of people. “Well, she's an insufferable bitch,” Alexis scoffed, taking a sip of her beer.

Joey pushed a shaky breath past her lips, and rolled her eyes as she twisted her head to the side, glancing at her friend. “I don’t know if I can do this,” she whispered.

Swinging her arm up around her friend's shoulders, Alexis leaned in slightly. “Just don’t let either of them see that it’s getting to you,” she said, her voice low as she held her beer bottle close to her lips, “let’s just…forget about them, get some drinks and have fun being in this big ass house with all these people who are way cooler than us.”

Joey chuckled, dropping her head in her hand for a moment. “You’re right,” she admitted, looking back over at the blonde who took another big swig of her beer, “let’s get wasted.”

“That’s my girl!” Alexis cooed, tugging her friend over towards the table full of alcohol.

•

After a couple of hours, and about three drinks in, mostly everyone had moved out onto the picnic patio area. Niall had hired a chef to grill and prepare a plethora of foods, while all the guests hung out and drank and had a good time. Joey tried to keep her mind open, she had tried to keep her eyes off of Niall and Lila but as the night drew on, it got harder and harder to ignore them. Alexis had taken off somewhere to converse with some partygoers, leaving Joey standing alone near the sliding doors and taking small sips of her expertly made margarita as her eyes stayed glued to the couple. Niall was sitting at the end of the cushioned bench of his huge patio table, his head tipping back in his loud but infectious laugh with a smile swept over his entire face as Lila sat perched happily in his lap.

Joey couldn’t help herself but to stare, wondering and wishing, the knot in her tummy clamping tighter every time Lila leaned in and brought Niall into a kiss. She watched as his big hand gripped around her hip, holding onto her so she wouldn’t fall, and by the fifth time Lila had her arms tangled around his neck, her tongue slipping past his lips, Joey just couldn’t deal with it anymore. The jealous heat had found its way to her cheeks, a sick feeling bubbling up from her stomach and she pushed out a groan, stomping her way inside.

Niall had heard her. Niall had seen her. He had peeked up at the red headed girl that was standing by herself near his sliding glass doors, more than once while he had been sitting there uncomfortably engaged with the girl in his lap. He could feel the undeniable tension in her gaze, the slight scowl that was sitting on her pretty face as her stare stayed focused on him and it wasn’t until he opened his eyes, Lila’s lips still pressed firmly to his, that he saw her storm off inside his house.

Excusing himself and leaving Lila sitting at the table, Niall made his way inside in search of Joey. She had found her way into the main living room, the only room that was quiet and a bit further off from the bustle of the party. Her eyes had eased closed as she frantically paced in front of the massive open windows by the end of his grand piano. She was trying to settle her breaths, trying to fight off the urge to want to vomit but also break down in tears and she was so overwhelmed and fixated on the thoughts whipping around in her mind that she didn’t even hear Niall walk in.

“Jo...what’s wrong?”

The sound of his voice ripped her from the jumbled mess inside her head and her feet halted on the wood floor. Looking over at him, she saw the concern written across his face. His brows pulled in, his lips parted slightly. He was standing but ten feet away from her, but it felt like he was so close that she couldn’t properly breathe. But there was no way Joey was about to tell him anything that she was feeling. “Nothing,” she blurted out, shaking her head as she began to pace again, “nothing, I’m perfectly fine.”

Niall chuckled. A more nervous reaction than not. “You don’t seem perfectly fine.”

Joey felt a piercing anger start to over take the misery. “Really, Niall?” she shouted, her feet once again coming to a stop as she darted her stare with his. “How would you even know how I seem? I haven’t even spoken to you in over two damn months.”

Niall was taken aback by her outburst, his face scrunching up at her words. “And whose fuckin’ fault is that?” he snapped back.

“Excuse me?”

“Give me a fuckin’ break, Jo, I have tried to call ya, to text ya, to fucking see ya and hang out and I got nothin’ back,” he told her, holding his palms up as he spoke. “You’ve been the one ignorin’ me every single time I’ve tried.”

“No, I haven’t.” She lied.

Niall rolled his eyes. “Seriously, Jo? Jesus, I had to practically force ya to come tonight, to me own wrap party. I’m surprised ya even showed up at all.”

Joey crossed her arms over her chest in a huff. “As if it even matters that I came…”

“It does fuckin’ matter!” Niall yelled, his voice rising louder than Joey had ever heard from him. She lifted her eyes back to his, watching as he shook his head in disbelief at her. “This is a big deal for me, Jo and I wanted ya to be here, okay? I wanted to celebrate with ya.”

Joey flicked her eyes away from his, turning her head to rest her chin on the round of her shoulder. “You don’t need me here, Niall,” she said quietly.

Furrowing his brow, Niall pushed out a sigh. “What would ya say that?”

“Because you have Lila.”

“What?” Niall said, bowing his head to rake his fingers through his dark hair. His mind was reeling, any words that came to his head were instantly stuck on the tip of his tongue. “What-...what does Lila have to do with anythin’?”

Turning her face back to his, Joey caught his stare. Her brown eyes dragged over the gorgeous blue of his, and she stood silent, her jaw twisting as she pulled in a heavy breath. “Jo…” Niall desperately urged, his voice straining his throat and his brows raising as she remained quiet, “what the fuck does Lila have to do with us?”

“Nothing,” she finally said, fluttering back the wetness that was forcing its way to the brims of her eyes, “she has absolutely nothing to do with us.”

Her words spit out harsh, like rusty barbed wire cutting through exposed flesh and Niall was left stunned, his mouth hanging agape and his head ready to explode with confusion as Joey rushed past him and right out of his front door.

•

What in the hell was she thinking?

Alexis, who had caught the very last of their little argument, along with nearly everyone else at the party, ran after her friend, trying her very best to calm Joey down as they hopped into the car and drove back to Joey’s apartment. Dropping her off, Alexis was willing to stay with Joey, to talk or just hang out so she wouldn’t be alone, but the young woman told her good friend that she was okay, she just needed to be by herself that night. The past three months had been one humiliating disaster after another, and at that point, she didn’t even want to think about it anymore. Curling up in her bed with her little sidekick and a crappy tv show playing in the background to drown out the busy noises in her head, was all that she wanted.

An hour after Joey had changed into a pair of tiny cotton shorts and an oversized worn sweatshirt, she had settled down in her mound of cozy blankets with Sadie. She had dimmed all the lights and was flipping through the tv stations to find anything decent with just the flickering white glow of the screen glinting across her bedroom walls. A faint knocking sound made Sadie’s ears perk up, alerting Joey who, at first, brushed it off and assumed it was something on the tv that made the little dog react that way. But then there was another louder knock that made both of their heads turn towards Joey’s open bedroom door.

Creasing her brows, the redhead clambered out of her bed in an annoyed groan, Sadie right at her heels already barking as they both shuffled into the main living area over to the front door. She slowly eased it open, half expecting the person on the other side to be Aleixs coming back by to lovingly force company upon her, but it wasn’t.

It was Niall.

Her eyes met his, and for a moment she found it hard to breathe, hard to pull herself away, but then she remembered how upset she was, that she was hurt and mad at him. Mad at herself. He didn’t say a word, and Joey just watched as his heavy lidded stare dropped to the ground at their feet. His back swelled beneath his linen shirt as he pulled in a long breath, and for some reason it irritated Joey and she pushed out another groan, cocking a hip out. “What do you want?” she snipped.

Niall glanced up at her, his brows wrinkling slightly at her tone as he licked across his lips. “I wanna talk.”

“There’s nothing to talk about, Niall.”

It was Niall’s turn to get irritated. “That’s some bullshit right there, Jo, and ya know it,” he grumbled, darting his stare over hers. The red haired girl rolled her eyes in haste and spun around, shuffling further into her apartment. Niall took the invitation and followed her inside, easing the door closed behind him. Sadie was already at his feet begging for a pet and Niall glanced down at the precocious little dog for a split second before he trailed after Joey into her semi-dark living room, only illuminated by a small lamp in the corner. “Why did ya have a go at me like that? And then storm outta me house all pissed off?”

Joey crossed her arms over her chest, peering down at her toes to watch as she curled them into the fibers of her living room carpet. “I don’t wanna talk about it,” she quietly detested.

“I wanna talk about it, Jo.”

The frustration and pettiness was boiling inside her and it was as if she would implode at any second. She just didn’t see the point in having this conversation with him, it wouldn’t change anything. But she gave in. Because it was Niall, she gave in. And she was not happy about it. “Fine!” she fumed between slightly gritted teeth. “You wanna talk about it? Then tell me, why did you send me those flowers?”

Niall questioningly peered at her out of the corners of his eyes, his hands perching on his hips. “What?”

“The flowers, Niall,” Joey repeated, darting her light eyes over his, “like...two and a half months ago, you sent me flowers while you were in London.”

Niall’s face softened as he realized what she was referring to and he let out a long sigh, reaching up to comb his fingers through his hair. “I...I dunno,” he stuttered out, catching Joey’s stare again. “I was tryin’ to be nice. You’d just gone through hell with that fuckin’ idiot and I didnt like the thought of you feelin’...alone or-...or sad or whatever.”

“So they were pity flowers...” Joey scoffed, turning her head slightly to coax her eyes on anything but his. She fought to keep her chin steady as she chewed on her bottom lip.

“No,” Niall quickly argued, “no, I was tryin’ to show ya I was thinkin’ about you. That I-...I care.”

Glancing back over at him, Joey pursed her lips tight. “That you care…,” she mumbled with a shrug, “right, okay.”

Niall shook his head as he struggled to comprehend anything that was happening. He could tell that Joey was obviously upset with him, but he still had no clue as to why she was so upset. Taking a small step towards her, Joey averted her stare but Niall kept his eyes on her, his brows lightly wrinkling. “Now I’m really fuckin’ lost, Jo,” he said, his voice noticeably softer, “why are ya askin’ me about the flowers?” Joey remained quiet, lowering her head as she clamped her arms tighter across her chest. “Jo…” Niall went on, raising his brows at her demeanor, “why did you think I sent the flowers?”

Joey glanced up at Niall for a split second, enough to cause a rush of emotions to crash through her entire body before she eased her eyes closed and sunk her teeth down into her bottom lip. Really it was the only thing she could do to hold in the words that were sitting like a ticking time bomb on the tip of her tongue. She knew exactly why she thought he sent the flowers, she knew exactly what she wanted–needed–to say to Niall, and she struggled with wanting to let all the words flow like a burst dam that had been holding on with just a tiny crack in its foundation, or swallow it back down and keep it to herself forever. She wasn’t sure how he would react to any of it, and that was her fear, and what was holding her back.

Niall took another tiny step closer, the blue in his eyes becoming darker and filled with more perplexity the longer he stared at her. He swallowed hard. “Jo…”

“Because!” Joey snapped, finally meeting his gaze again as she held out her hands to him, “ ‘cause...I thought you liked me, okay?”

The words tumbled off her tongue like a slippery stone that you couldn’t get your grasp on, no way to control it and Joey’s eyes went big, her mouth hanging open as her outburst hung idly in the silent air between them. Her chest was heaving, her breaths so quick she had started to feel lightheaded and all she could do was dart her eyes over Niall’s as she forced herself to choke out the rest of what she needed to say. “And...and that day, the day that I stopped by your house and was going to tell you something?” she paused, looking for the change in Niall’s expression that confirmed to her that he remembered. “You were...you were there with her, this...perfect blonde gorgeous model who was fucking all over you, and of course I end up being the complete idiot that was going to run over there and confess all my feelings to you and pour my heart out like you would even care in the slightest–”

“...wait–”

“...but no, I’m just that big of a fucking dumbass to think you could ever have those kinds of feelings about me.”

Joey pushed out a long breath upon finishing her rant and she half expected Niall to start laughing, or even to say that she was being ridiculous and walk out. But he didn’t. Niall, instead, just stood there facing Joey, his eyes dragging over her features with his jaw hanging open as her words floated breezily through his ears like a lost melody he had been dying to hear his whole life. His heart was pounding in his chest and his knees nearly buckled under him as he tried to regain his sense of what had just flown out of her mouth. “Jo…” he whispered, his tongue shakily running across his lips, “you...had feelings for me?”

Joey rolled her eyes, a low breath hissing past her lips. “Niall, why do you think I’ve spent the last two months trying to avoid you?” she told him, furrowing her brow. “Because every time I see you, I see you with her and it fucking kills me, I just...I can’t do it. And I tried tonight, okay, I tried for you ‘cause I miss you and I really wanted to be there for you and I thought I’d be alright,...but...seeing her all over you, I–” Her voice waned as her words cut short and Joey peeked down at the floor as she carded her fingers through her red hair and swept it over her one shoulder.

Niall fell quiet again, his stare searching over her face, bathing himself in each beautiful little nuance of her that he could. But then it hit him, like a ton of bricks it hit him. Why she was so upset, why she had run off, why they were having that very conversation at that very moment and an alleviation instantly poured over him. “...you still have feelings for me.”

“Niall, even if I did,” Joey paused and shook her head, watching as she nervously picked at the edge of her fingernail. “What would it even matter?”

“It does matter.”

Joey shot her stare up to his, her head tipping to the side. “Why? Why would it matter if I still have feelings for you?”

A gentle smile tugged at the one corner of his mouth. “ ‘cause I still have feelings for you.”

Her heart stopped. Her chest tightening as her lungs twisted like rope around her breaths and it was all Joey could do but keep herself from succumbing to the dizziness that was filling her head. “What?” she sputtered, her brows folding in.

Niall pressed his eyes closed for a moment, taking a few steps closer to the girl standing before him. Gathering the words he wanted to say, he stuffed down the nerves that were raging through his body and finally peered back up at her, trapped by the sparkling light in her eyes. “Joey, I’ve had feelings for you since the first night we met. The second I laid eyes on ya...Jesus Christ,” Niall paused, rubbing over the back of his neck before he continued, “but I never thought ya saw me that way. You were always goin’ on all these dates, and even that night that I stayed over here with ya after your break up...you just kept tellin’ me how you felt so lucky to have me as a friend...and it broke me, Jo.” Niall swallowed hard, shaking his head slightly as he glanced down at the floor. “I knew after that, that I didn’t stand a chance to be with ya and it’s why I left. I couldn’t be where you were. I had to get away.”

Joey let her stare slide over Niall, every heartstring tugging inside her the longer she immersed herself in his words. “I-...Niall, I don’t even know what to say,” Joey finally spoke up, “this whole time you’ve had feelings for me and I’ve been...going on and on about my stupid love life and other guys with you...why didn’t you say anything?”

“What was I gonna say, Jo?” Niall faintly chuckled, darting his eyes with hers, “I knew how you felt, or at least I thought I did, so I just...dealt with it ‘cause it was better bein’ your friend than nothin’ at all.”

Joey dropped her shoulders, bringing her fingernail up to her mouth as she peered down at Sadie, who was curled up on the couch behind Niall fast asleep. There were a million different thoughts crashing through her head, a million different feelings and just when she had decided that it was time to get over Niall, to move on and leave that part of her life behind...he was standing in front of her confessing the very same feelings that she had for him. It was startling, electrifying, overwhelming and frightening, all at once. Her heart was going wild in her chest, swelling with each tiny breath that left her lungs and she peeked up at Niall and a single, excruciating realization swiped all of it away. “But...you’re with her. You have a girlfriend.”

Niall sighed, lowering his head as Joey kept her stare glued to him. “Niall, do you know how fucked up I’ve been these last couple months watching you with her?” she softly confided, “I can’t even breathe when I’m around you…”

“Yeh, I do know,” Niall quipped with a brashness, his eyes rising up to look at her as he cocked his head back slightly. “I felt the exact same way, watchin’ ya go out with all those guys who weren’t even worthy of bein’ with ya.”

Joey pulled her face in. “So...what, you’re just dating Lila to be vindictive?”

“No! Jesus fuckin’ Christ…” Niall rolled his eyes as he ran his hand over his forehead in a sigh. “I was tryin’ to move on.”

“Move on from what? We weren’t even together.”

“From you, Jo, from my feelings for ya,” Niall paused, shaking his head as he held his palm to the front of his chest, “I didn’t date Lila to hurt ya or make ya jealous, I swear. I didn’t know ya felt that way about me.”

Joey bit at her bottom lip. “I didn’t know you felt that way about me.”

Stuffing his hands down into the front pockets of his shorts, Niall’s shoulders bounced in a light chuckle. “Well, love, we proper fucked that up, didn’t we?”

She pushed out a faint giggle, shaking her head as she reached up to tuck some hair behind her ear. A soft quiet had fallen between them, Joey bringing her stare up to Niall’s. “So...what now?” she then asked him.

“Um...dunno really, though, I guess it’d be a good time to tell ya that I broke up with Lila,” Niall told her.

Joey’s brows pulled in. “What?” she questioned. “Wait-...when did you break up with her?”

“After ya left me house.”

Her hazelnut eyes darted over his, and Joey almost couldn’t believe what he was telling her. It seemed a little too good to be true. “You broke up with her after I stormed out of your house? Today? Why would you do that?”

Niall gave her a shrug. “ ‘Cause I knew in that moment, after seein’ how upset you were, that I had to tell ya how I felt.” He paused, licking across his lips as he pulled in a deep breath. “There was somethin’ in your eyes when ya looked at me, Jo. Somethin’ inside me just...I dunno. But I knew I was done pretendin’ that I didn’t feel nothin’ for ya. That what we have between us could be real, whether ya felt the same way or not.”

Joey felt a warmth pulse to the top of her skin, curling in her belly and whipping through her veins. Her stare flitted over his, almost helplessly as she fought off the smile that was trying to break across her mouth. “It was the way I looked at you?”

“It’s always the way ya look at me,” Niall said softly. “It makes me heart stop dead in me chest. You said before that ya can’t breathe when you’re around me? I can’t breathe when I’m around ya either…”

Joey bowed her head down, a sweet smile spreading over her lips and a ruddiness punching to her cheeks as the heat swam through her body. Niall caught a hint of her expression and it made the same befall him. He couldn’t help himself; this girl, this beautifully exquisite, smart and captivating girl in front of him, made something inside him come alive. It made him want to burst at the seams and never be whole again without her. His blue eyes fawned over the long strands of her red hair that fell down the side of her face, to the soft slope of her neck and with his heart practically thumping out his chest, he wanted nothing more than to wrap her in his arms and never let her go.

Easing in a breath, Joey caught his stare once more. “What’d you tell Lila?” she asked him, her curiosity taking over.

“I just told her it wasn’t workin’ out,” Niall admitted with a shrug.

“Did she believe you?”

Niall shook his head. “I don't think so. She heard us fightin’, so I think she knew the real reason I was breakin’ up with her.”

Crossing her arms over her chest, Joey tipped her head to the side. “And what reason is that?”

“You.”

She lightly rolled her eyes in a tiny smile, the flutters in her tummy going wild. Niall smirked at her playfulness, overwhelmed by how damn cute she was and he slowly shuffled closer to her. Joey’s chin tipped up to meet his stare as Niall stood right in front of her. “I really like ya, Jo,” he breathed out, reaching up and using his fingers to delicately brush her hair away from the side of her face. “And I know ya really like me too…”

Her heart was racing, her legs nearly turning to Jello the longer they stared at one another and Joey could see the softness in his eyes, feel the heat penetrating from his body as his chest moved fast below the tan-colored buttons of his blue shirt. Her fingernails twisted into the material of her sweatshirt at her inner elbows, anticipating whatever was about to happen next as her eyes darted fast over his. The room was dead silent, burning and swirling around her ears like a tornado of fire and Joey tried to catch a decent breath, but all she wanted was one thing. One simple thing.

With her stare slowly moving down his features, over the prominent tip of his nose and the dusty shade of his grown-in beard, it settled on the one place that she had been dreaming of. His lips. Joey’s eyes fluttered and she anxiously shifted on her bare feet as she bit down on her bottom lip. “Niall?” she barely choked out.

“Yeah?”

His touch had fallen from her skin by then, his hands hanging down by his sides and Joey glanced back up to the darkening pupils of his eyes that were held steady on her. “Can you stop staring at me and just kiss me already?”

A short chuckle rumbled from his throat and he gave her a smirk. “Yeah, baby, I can do that…”

Hooking a finger underneath her chin, Niall slowly started to bring her mouth to his. Joey rushed to pull in a breath, her eyes easing closed as she felt Niall’s parted lips gently cradle around her own. With his hand moving from her chin to cup around her jaw, Joey fell into him; her hands pressed to the front of his chest, feeling the banging of his heart against her palms as his mouth slowly moved over hers.

His lips were soft, smooth and he had a hint of gin on his breath and as his head tipped further, Niall deepening the kiss, Joey felt as if the ground below her was fading away. She was floating, floating up and up, her hands slowly sliding over his shoulders to encircle his neck as his tongue slipped between her parted lips. Fireworks burst unstoppable in her tummy, sparking recklessly from her rising chest to the ends of her bare toes and Joey roughly tangled her fingers up into the back of his dark hair, not even willing to let him go if he tried.

She hummed against his open mouth, Niall tasting the sweetness of her breath on his tongue as he reached up with his other hand and curled it into the thick of her hair. He kissed her harder, not meaning to but not being able to hold back any longer. He wanted her; wanted her soft kisses and her fiery touch, he needed her; every bit of her trembling body and her enrapturing soul. Tiny whimpers edged from her throat, the feel of her fingers gently pulling at the ends of his hair every time his tongue swept over her own with the heat of her body pressed taut to the front of his, it was all more than he could have ever imagined.

It was only when Niall could feel himself fully reacting to her, that he was forced to pull away, their eyes slowly peeling open. Joey lightly ran her tongue over her lips as she rested her forehead against his to catch her breath, and just a few more heart-stopping moments passed before the young woman had urged him back into a kiss, peppering his lips with hers over and over.

#niall #niall horan #niall fic #niall fan fic #niall horan fan fic #niall fanfic #niall smut #ou #slowburn #tdg #chap 9 #YALL THIS MIGHT BE THE ONE YOU'VE BEEN WAITING FOR!!!!!!!#ahhhhhhh #okay pleas pleaseee read and SHARE!!!!#let me know what you think #i love hearing yall's thoughts or yells or whatever lol #enjoy!!

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lost-your-memory · 5 years ago

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Hi! For the prompt thing, could you do "Zero fucks given. Next please", supercat? Thank you! Have a nice lockdown :)

Heeey thank you for the prompt and for the lovely words on the previous one! I hope this one will please you as well. After Bhutan, let’s travel to Washington D.C and have some classic Cat Grant, ‘cause we all miss her.I know I was supposed to keep it under the 2K words limit ... Well, this is 3K words but you know ... Oops? ---

Cat is barely ten minutes in when she loses her patience.

There are unorganized piles of documents threatening to spill over her desk, all the lights on her phone are blinking red with missed calls and voicemails and there’s not a single cup of coffee in sight.

“Oh for the love of …” Cat swears under her breath, already striding toward her desk.

The sound of her heels hitting the luxurious wooden floor is enough to induce the beginning of a migraine and, not for the first time, she misses the soft carpeted flooring of her carefully designed CatCo office. She drops her purse on the chair strategically placed in between two massive French doors and fishes out her phone and a glass case before moving to her desk. She turns her laptop on and takes one glance at the still blinking phone display before raising a hand to pinch the bridge of her nose, to try to alleviate the ever growing pain.

She slowly sits in her plush, comfortable chair and takes a deep breath before opening her mouth.

“DYLAN!”

She stares at the door across the room, waiting for her exceptionally incompetent assistant to show up.

She’s seething, clearly not having expected that level of sheer laziness and utter amateurism from the cohort of assistants she’s already gone through since she got here.

She would have thought that her position at the White House, as Olivia’s right hand, meant that she would get the best of the best, la crème de la crème but sadly, she’s been stuck with wannabe politician who could barely handle the phone. It is telling that James Olsen, who once manhandled the phone for her, did better than any of the poor, useless souls that she’s been stuck with and at a time, he’d been an editor in chief and awarded photographer.

The door finally opened and young man with short blond hair and deep blue eyes popped his head through, looking downright terrified.

“You called, Miss Grant?”

Cat notices how the pale blue color of his shirt, perfectly ironed and stretched around his tanned neck, clashes with the crimson red tie. That fashion mistake should be motive enough to fire him, Cat briefly thinks. Only Supergirl was able to pull off that god-awful combination of childish colors.

“Come on in,” Cat gestures for her assistant to approach the desk.

The man pales, and he looks like he wants to be anywhere else in the world, but he eventually closes the door behind him and takes a few steps into the office. His real name isn’t Dylan and Cat knows it but so far, no one had been competent enough to earn the right to be called by their actual name.

“Have a look, Dylan,” Cat distinctly enunciate the wrong name, knowing he won’t say anything about it. She gestures for her desk and asks “What do you see?”

The wrongly named Dylan glances down at the desk and frowns, looking utterly confused. He’s almost shaking, Cat can tell from the way he’s tightly holding his hands together in front of the buttoned jacket of his suit.

“Uh, Miss Grant?” Dylan asks, obviously not understanding the question.

Cat lets out a deep and aggravated sigh. She brings her hand to hoover above the blinking phone display and waits but nothing happens. The look of utter confusion in the man’s eyes only deepens.

“For God’s sake!” Cat sharply stands up and places her palms flat on the surface of her desk, leaning forward to be able to stare right into the man’s eyes. “The phone is exploding with missed calls and voicemails, there are piles and piles of paper stacked on my desk and where the hell is my coffee?”

That seems to finally sparkle something in the man’s eyes, a gleam of recognition. He looks almost relieved and then words spill out of his mouth.

“Oh, if it’s a coffee you want I can …”

Cat pinches the bridge of her nose again, closes her eyes and takes another deep breath.

She raises her other hand to signal for Dylan to stop talking. Thankfully, he’s not that obtuse as to ignore that order, and so she takes a moment to count backward in her head. When she finally reaches zero, she opens her eyes and stares into the terrified blue eyes.

“Pack up your things, you’re fired.”

She slowly sits back in her chair and with a typical flicker of her wrists, she finishes dismissing the new former assistant.

---

“Cat, it’s the tenth assistant you’ve fired,” Olivia sighs, accepting the heavy glass of Scotch her friend is handing her. “You’re only six months in the job and my chief of staff is already threatening to quit.”

Cat chuckles and comes to sit in front of the president, in one of the luxurious and comfortable armchairs that match the couch on which Olivia is settled. She’s got her own glass in her hand, half-full of a honey-ish beverage that gently swirls with every move her wrist makes.

“That’s because Russell doesn’t like me, it has nothing to do with the level of turn-over in my team,” She sarcastically retorts.

“Probably, but you still fired Donovan, who also happens to be the nephew of a senator I was hoping to get endorsed by …” Olivia reproaches before taking a sip of her drink. She hums appreciatively. “Oh, that’s good Scotch.”

“Zero fucks given. Next, please!” Cat retorts with a shrug.

That gets a reproving look from the President of the United States.

“Come on, Olivia. You know I don’t like nepotism and beside, that boy was utterly and desperately useless. He once announced that the French president was on the line for me but when I picked up, I got to talk with the king of Belgium …”

Olivia now looks positively horrified. She shakes her head, lets out another sigh and then decides to chase it all with another sip of Scotch.

For a moment, they stay quiet and enjoy their drink, as well as the soft music that plays in the background, a piece of Vivaldi’s four seasons.

The many high windows along the wall let in the fading light of the late summer day.

The skyline view is far away from the one she had from her penthouse in National City but it’s still decent enough so she can watch as Washington bathes in the golden halo of the late afternoon. On the other side of the sky, it’s already dark enough for a few stars to start twinkling.

“You know you won’t ever find someone as good as her, right?”

Olivia’s words are soft and gentle and when Cat tears her eyes away from the view, she falls into a pair of knowing brown eyes. She hates that her friend can read her so easily, but she doesn’t deny that she’s got a point.

“Oh, I know,” Cat whispers, trying not to be overloaded with memories of Kara. “I’m not trying to.”

“Aren’t you?” Olivia counters, leaning forward to place her glass on the coffee table in front of her.

“I’m not, I promise,” Cat nods, bringing her own drink to her lips and savoring a few sips before adding. “I have impossibly high standards but even I know that finding another Supergirl to be my assistant won’t be possible.”

An amused smiles graces Olivia’s lips at that, and she lets herself fall back against the cushions.

“Ah, so the cat’s out of the bag, so to speak …” Olivia muses, extending her arms on either side of her, along the slope of the couch. “I was wondering …”

Cat scrunches her nose and glares at her friend.

“You know I have cat puns,” Cat grits out, slightly annoyed that the President of the United States would even make one in the first place. “And yes, of course I knew. I’ve known since the very beginning but I figured that one day, she’d tell me herself ... "

“Careful, Cat, you sound bitter,” Olivia arches a brow, her smile still firmly in place.

“That’s because I am. I branded her, you know …” Cat retorts, standing up from her armchair and going to her liquor cabinet to pour herself another glass. “I helped Supergirl be the hero she is today, by giving her a name, a platform and a reputation, by protecting her identity … and she never told me who she really is.”

“That may be so, but she doesn’t owe you anything,” Olivia gently replies and when Cat rises the decanter in her direction, she simply shakes her head no. “Beside … you probably left before she got a chance to tell you.”

Cat replaces the alcohol atop her liquor cabinet and comes back to her previous spot to face her friend.

“I didn’t leave because of her,” Cat states, making the Scotch swirls at the bottom of her heavy crystal glass.

“No?” Olivia throws her a knowing look. “You could have fooled me …”

Cat grits her teeth and looks away to the falling night. More stars are now blinking in the sky, neighboring a shy crescent of moon while Washington slowly blurs into an indistinct shadow.

“You should call her, you know,” Olivia offers, checking the phone she just pulled out of her pocket. Whatever she sees on it has her frown.

“Everything alright?” Cat asks, purposely ignoring her friend’s advice.

“Nothing I can’t handle,” Olivia replies, already putting her phone back. “Also, nice try but I know you heard me. You might think you’re not looking for someone like her but I know you, Cat. I’ve known you for a long time and despite the fact we didn’t talk for many years, I can still read you pretty well.”

Olivia stands up and grabs her glass, finishing it bottoms up. She then moves to retrieve her jacket, pulling it on and adjusting it before turning back to face Cat.

“Call her, Cat,” Olivia says, flattening the lapels of her jacket. “Do something, otherwise you’ll live with “what if” and “maybe” and I remember how you hate it. Be a big girl and follow your own advice : in order to survive, we must keep daring …”

“Diving,” Cat corrects, despite the fact she did use the word daring as well.

“I mean, that too but what you do in bed is your business,” Olivia smirks and Cat gasps before laughing out loud.

She didn’t see this coming but then again, Olivia Marsden had always been full of surprises, from the pot brownies she used to cook in college to the fact she was an alien.

“Seriously though, give it a try. What’s the worst that can happen?” Olivia asks, the malicious gleam in her eyes having been replaced with something far more serious.

Cat doesn’t answer the question and Olivia seems to know that this time, she shouldn’t insist.

“Anyway, I have to go Cat,” Olivia says, already walking toward the entrance door. Cat stands up and follows after her friend to make sure the bodyguards at her door will safely take her back to the car.

“I will see you tomorrow at the office, probably first thing in the morning since Russell asked for a meeting about you going through so many assistants in so little time …”

“Eh, let him barks, it’ll keep him busy while I find someone myself,” Cat chuckles, moving to drop a kiss on her friend’s cheek.

“Call her,” Olivia says again before exiting the loft, the door closing behind her after those last words.

---

“I hear you’re having trouble finding a decent assistant these days …”

Cat smiles around the rim of her glass and looks up to the night sky.

Supergirl’s floating a few inches up, her cape fluttering softly in the quietness of the night and her golden hair flowing freely around her delicate and otherworldly features. The moon at her back gives her silhouette a pale, silver glow that truly makes her look like a goddess from another universe, a mythical creature.

“Good evening, Supergirl,” Cat greets her, raising her glass in a mock-toast. “Care to explain why you conveniently show up on my balcony minutes after I sent a text to my former assistant?”

Supergirl floats down a few inches, half of her body disappearing behind the ledge of Cat’s balcony until their eyes are approximately at the same level. The light that spills out from Cat’s bedroom enlights Kara’s small smile and makes her eyes shine ever so dimly.

“I could spring some lie on you, say that Kara told me that you texted and that it made me want to check on you myself but what would be the point?” Kara asks, her voice soft and quiet but still clear, carrying into the night. “We both know you were never fooled, not even that time you saw Supergirl and Kara Danvers at the same time in your office.”

“To be fair, I never truly understood how you managed such an exploit,” Cat nods and takes another sip of her drink. “Anyway, no you never fooled me. How could you, with the way you were always darting out of the room with the flimsiest excuse, every of those times coincidentally happening whenever Supergirl’s presence was required? It’s like you forgot that I am a journalist, before and above anything else.”

For a moment, Supergirl looks almost outraged, but then she laughs and the sound echoes into the night like a sweet melody.

“That’s fair, I was never good at lying, despite the whole other identity situation …”

“Would you tell me?” Cat asks, searching into Kara’s eyes. “You real identity, I mean …”

Kara looks a little hesitant for a few seconds but then, she flies up and closer.

Her boots softly land on the balcony floor, and she stands up in front of Cat, a hand resting on the symbol on her chest.

“My name is Kara Zor-El,” Kara says, reverence lining her voice.

Cat notices the way Supergirl stands, tall and proud, with her chin up and steel in her jaw. She’s royalty, framed by the stars twinkling behind her golden mane and the moon hanging high above her head.

“I’m sorry it took me so long to finally tell you, but I wanted to protect you, back then.”

Cat doesn’t say anything.

She’s been abducted by the Silver Banshee and Leslie Willis once, so she knows the risk of being tied to Supergirl. She can understand why Kara never told her about her alter-ego. It still stings a little but she understands anyway.

“Why now?” Cat eventually asks, looking up to meet Kara’s eyes.

Kara seems to hesitate for a moment, suddenly looking thoughtful and distant at once.

“Someone very dear to me once told me to put on my big-girl pants and to own up to my power …” Kara eventually whispers. “I think it’s time I finally followed that advice but that’s not all. See … my sister also got good advice from someone dear to her. Someone who told her that life is short, and she should kiss the people she wants to kiss.”

Cat’s heart misses a beat when Kara takes a step forward. The smell of wind and flowers overload her senses, and she almost forgets to breathe, drowning in Kara’s presence.

“That’s … good advice indeed,” Cat whispers, getting lost in the baby blue of Kara’s eyes.

“I thought so,” Kara smiles and then adds “I really, really, really want to kiss you now, Miss Grant.”

Cat can feel her heart go wild in her chest, beating frantically against her rib cage, drumming in her ears and pulsing in her temples. She’s been hoping for this moment for so long she can’t wrap her head around the fact it’s about to happen.

“Then … what are you waiting for, Kara?” Cat whispers, slowly enunciating the right name.

It’s all it takes.

The kiss is mind-blowing, full of all the pent-up frustration they’ve been suffering through for years. It’s deep and a little blunt, with Kara’s playful tongue exploring the inside of Cat’s mouth and hands roaming along the flexed muscles stretched underneath the superhero suit. It lasts and lasts and at some point, Cat eventually feels the need to come back up for some air.

She pulls away, one hand tangled in Kara’s hair and the other clutched around the rim of Kara’s cape. Their breath come out ragged and irregular but Kara’s smile is blinding, full of joy and hope.

“Damn,” Cat whispers, a little dazzled.

“Speechless is a good look on you, Miss Grant,” Kara teases, dropping a kiss at the corner of Cat’s lips.

“Cat. Please, call me Cat,” Cat says, looking up into Kara’s eyes. “Beside, don’t get too smug, it will take a lot more than just a kiss to render me unable to speak.”

“Is that a challenge, Cat?” Kara asks, tilting her head to the side as interest sparkles in her eyes. The way she pronounces Cat’s name sounds like a secret and a promise at once, it makes Cat tingle.

“Only one way to find out,” Cat offers, stepping backward to her bedroom.

She lets a hand slide along Kara’s arm, until it reaches her hand. Their fingers instinctively intertwine and Kara instantly follows, her smile full of wonder and her eyes as bright as the thousand stars shining in the sky behind her.

#Sentences prompt #Supercat #Kara x Cat #My writing #Five words prompt #Supercat fic #Cat just have high standards only Kara can meet okay #I don't make the rules #Olivia is the MVP #I just love Olivia and Cat's friendship

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lihikainanea · 4 years ago

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Vibe of the week 23/08

The HWIC is in.

Gird your loins, mind the gap, fasten your seatbelts and pour yourself a drank. There are no emergency exits at this time. We do not apologize.

The Oracle this week is the Earth Power, and the Tarot is the Wizard’s Tarot. Sidenote about that deck--it has, quite literally, been glued to my side for a few weeks now. That deck is being real good to me, despite my initial hatred for it. I’m sorry boo. We cool now.

Sidenote sidenote: My dudes, Leo season has got me all kinds of fucked up. My Leos. They are in pain. Unprecedented pain, and they’re navigating unfamiliar territory and I just...I just want to hold their hands. Tell them it’ll be okay. I got an inkling of it when I did that spontaneous reading for Bill’s birthday and I pulled cards that kind of just had me going whoa now, hold on a goddamn second. I wanted to re-shuffle and pull again and specify that uh, this is Leo we’re talking about but that’s not really how Tarot works. They show me truth. That was just...that was just a preview. A small one. Ali’s Tarot on YouTube is one of my favourites (I find her weirdly ASMR? Also, dat riffle shuffle. Sick.) and I’ve been watching my own Libra readings along with the Leo ones because something is just...something is not right with Leo. The universe is beating the shit out of my Leos. This one, in particular, hurt me for like the entire fucking week. Bill, my dude, wherever you are--just like, get drunk or something. Call Landon. Go see Landon. Just do something before that Tower crumbles around you, in whatever way it is referring to.

The Oracle card this week is Amazonia:

The affirmation: I am interconnected with the world in an intimate way. I am vital. I can find a way to co-create rather than confront.

Words to meditate on: self-value, harmony, cooperation balance.

There is no such thing as consequence in this world, every single one of us is interconnected both with each other and with the universe. We have value. We have place being here--you hear me? You belong here. You have purpose here. You have value to add to this life, this world, this relationship--everywhere you go, you bring value and light.

And with that light, shine it inwards for guidance and for wisdom. Don’t ever raise your voice--improve your argument. Do not stop fighting, but fight differently. Fight smarter. Fight in a way that you are the only one who knows that this is a fight.

Find better ways. Whatever it is that is opposing you, find better ways.

The Tarot:

HAHAHA /FUCK

It’s fine. It’s all fine. We can do this.

1) The World (Major)

2) Two of Cups

3) The Magician (Major)

4) The Chariot (Major)

5) The High Priestess (Major)

Overarching theme: Seven of Cups.

That’s four Major Arcana in a six card spread.

That is more than half.

I SEE YOU, LEO, YOU OVERACHIEVING SON OF A---

If you were waiting for a sign from the universe--that’s it. That’s your sign. Four fucking signs, actually. I feel like you doubted all the ones before so now the universe is like “fucking really? Get it through your thick fucking skull--” and just got all ornery about it.

Let’s unpack this.

The only Suit that shows up is Cups, so this is heart-based.

Overarching theme as the Seven of Cups--escapism. The Seven of Cups is dat bitch who is too drunk in the club, drunk and sloppy to the point where you’re not even annoyed--because if she’s at that point, then you know homegirl is dealing with some shit. And you wish her the best. Maybe step on the toilet paper stuck on her heel as she exits the bathroom, so that at least she can have a small win that night.

This card is euphoria but in the bad sense. You need the escape. You look for it anywhere. You will accept it from everywhere. There’s a delaying or denial of reality here, a resistance to responsibility--but like, in 2020? Honestly who can fucking blame us. Yes I will take my escapeism, thank you very much. The Devil I know can kill me any time he likes.

It might fucking hurt less than the entire BULLSHIT that is this year.

The World--This is the last card in the Major Arcana, before the Fool is reborn and the cycle starts again. There is completion, here. But where as Death steals from us something that we do not wish to let go of, The World ends it gracefully, naturally, in a way that brings us peace, satisfaction. In a way that makes us feel stronger, and more ready to take on the next challenges. The World speaks of retreat, of quiet and well earned rest. I don’t feel, in this reading, that this symbolizes the end of a cycle--but rather, the very exuberant birth of another one. Something happened here, you realized something. Something became clearer to you, something became more concrete, something got through to you in the way you needed to receive it, and like a fucking champ you welcomed it with open arms. And off you go on this journey.

The Two of Cups--ah, young love. This could mean literal love, or it could mean that incredible feeling that is instigated by something else. Something is bringing you joy here, is giving you a bit of a thrill--whether it’s school, a new friend, a new job, an adventure, you are looking forward to something and you’re all cute and starry-eyed about it. The Magician tells me it’s something you have wanted for awhile.

Actually, you know what? I can’t read the next cards independently, they all go together.

You are just....honey, you feelin’ yourself.

You hoped for something, worked very hard at it, manifested it, thought about it a lot, and in doing that you kind of...brought it to you. Attracted it to you. And yes it’s real, and yes it’s yours. This one is for you. And it happened a little quicker than you thought possible, maybe even a little easier (did you really want it that bad? There’s no way you could have wanted it more than the 8000 other people who didn’t get it. Why did you get it? You don’t deserve this. Shut up. You hear me? Shut those thoughts the fuck up. This is yours.) And what’s even better is this is just--this is not done. That Chariot, he’s moving quickly kid and he’s heading right for you and beyond. Hop on, and hold on. The High Priestess has you channeling the highest version of yourself--the one who knows all, sees all.

You ever get approached by a guy in a bar or a club, one that you just know is scum and like, so far beneath you? You ever just calmly stare at him, knowing you could crush him and everything he loves, without even breaking a sweat? And enjoy it? Because crushing this dude might knock him down a few pegs, which is a win for humanity everywhere? That’s your High Priestess. She is Queen B, man. You don’t want to fuck with her, and when she shows up in a spread like this? She’s got you. She’s got you so hard. Her and all of her friends are standing behind you, ready to fuck that guy’s shit up.

Your intuition is strong right now. Things are moving, you feel like they’re moving in a good way, but it’s so fast and so random and so spontaneous that you kind of just...can’t believe it. Remember the overarching energy of escapism--go along for the ride, but don’t stay on it. Let this move you forward, but then be ready to hop off and put in the good work. An easy high is addictive, and it’s one you want to stay on--but don’t. It will lead you to stagnation, to a denial of reality. You are here because hard work was done. You get to enjoy it now--you get to rest, but more hard work will need to be done to stay on this path.

Remember the Oracle, about how we’re interconnected? This is the universe proving it. It’s saying that it’s got you. The bit about fighting a different fight, fighting smarter? Channel your High Priestess. She understands it at a level you cannot--she is with you, she’s not a warning here but a guide--be open to it, be humble, and know that there is more. There is more that you don’t understand. There is more that you cannot see. Know that, and bring her with you--ad she will show you a different way. A better way.

#tarot

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thedetectivessay · 5 years ago

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New Detective on the Block

a.k.a new series regular wishlist

Sadly, it seems like we're really not going to have Detective Ahn come back. With Seunggi not being part of the regular cast either, we're left with just six members.

Six isn't bad given that Kwangsoo won't leave us again. 2 Days 1 Night, for one, functions well with six.

Still, seven is just the special number. It just seems more complete, stronger. Plus, Cho PD and Myuk PD really did wonders with seven cast members when they were in charge of Running Man.

So, below is a list of South Korean stars who I think might do well as the new member and one of K's detectives.

Song Jihyo

age: 37 [August 15, 1981]

variety experience: 12 YEARS

• Family Outing, 2008 (guest)

• Running Man, 2010-present (regular cast member)

• Pajama Friends, 2018-2019 (regular cast member)

why she would make for a good cast member:

• Two of the PDs are familiar with her since they've worked together during their Running Man days. (Also: she seems to be good friends with Myuk PD's family!) It'd be an easy transition for them.

• Jaesuk and Kwangsoo had worked with her for years, and she can bring their dynamics into the show.

• Both Sehun and Sejeong have worked with her before as well. She might be a good mentor for the two of them! I think she would take Sejeong under her wings wholeheartedly, and she would be a good noona to Sehun. She will take good care of them should she join the cast.

• This is a bit selfish, but I really am curious how she and Jongmin will interact. I think that's a legendary brOTP just waiting to happen.

• Because of her experience, not only can she roll with the punches of this new format, she can also be counted on to bring more of the variety flavor that can truly enrich the show.

• Jihyo apparently graduated with an accounting major, which means she might be able to help with the math puzzles!

potential downside:

× The team might become too OP (overpowered). Jihyo's instincts are impeccable; it's very rare that she won't win a game. Add that to the speed, wit, intelligence, and sharp observation skills of the other members, we're looking at a very formidable team of detectives (albeit clumsy and goofy still).

× It's possible that she would overshadow Minyoung a bit - a bit - for a couple of reasons.

Cha Taehyun

age: 44 [March 25, 1976]

variety experience: 21 YEARS (!!)

• Family Camp, 1998 (host)

• Happy Saturday, 1998 (host)

• Campus Song Festival, 2002-2003 (host)

• MNet KM Music Festival, 2000-2001, 2003 (host)

• 2 Days 1 Night, 2012-2019 (regular cast member)

• Dragon Club, 2017 (regular cast member)

• Radio Star, 2018-2019 (host)

• Where on Earth?, 2018 (regular cast member)

• Seoul Bumpkin, ???

why he would make for a good cast member:

• I mean, look at the man's experience in the field of variety shows.

• He and Jongmin are good friends. They've worked with each other for years also in 2 Days 1 Night. They've established a good relationship, which might be nice to see continue again in the show.

• Jaesuk has met him before when he visited RM. The only thing is that they're both the leader position of their shows (Jaesuk for Running Man, Taehyun for 2 Days 1 Night), but it's not likely that they'll clash. Taehyun works well with other people, and he's not one to hog the spotlight.

It actually might be very interesting to see him and Jaesuk work with each other.

• He's friends with Kwangsoo in real life, too.

• Like all of the people in this list, he's an actor. It's the position that Jaewook is leaving behind. Our seven is made up for three variety veterans (JS, JM, and KS), two actors (JW and MY), and two singer-actors (SH and SJ).

Taehyun can fill in the open spot nicely.

potential downside:

× Though he seems to have been forgiven by many, the "gambling" scandal still follows him a bit. I've got a feeling that it won't be such a big deal for the western audience (and maybe even for some of the eastern audience), but you know. At the end of the day, South Korean viewers seem to be more important to k-variety showrunners than the rest of us are.

I really, REALLY want Taehyun to be considered as Jaewook's replacement, but if the SK people say something about it, chances are he'll get passes over.

Joo Sangwook

age: 41 [July 18, 1978]

variety experience: ~2 YEARS

• Qualifications of Men, 2012-2013 (regular cast member)

• Running Man, 2012, 2013/14? (guest)

• Infinite Challenge, 2015 (guest)

• The Fishermen and the Village, 2019, 2020 (guest)

why he would make for a good cast member:

• Though Sangwook is a phenomenal actor, he doesn't seem to be the kind to shy away from doing variety shows. When he's on one, he does the job with passion. He also doesn't neglect having a good time.

• Have you heard him laugh? It's fantastic. It makes you laugh, too. It can be his signature should he become a Project D detective.

• He has a goofy side to him that I think would be fun to see again.

potential downside:

× He might be too bright a star for the show. While he could be fun, he could overshadow everyone else in the team.

× He might not gel well with others. He works pretty okay with Jaesuk and Kwangsoo, but with the rest... It might get very awkward.

× Very busy man.

Park Boyoung

age: 30 [February 12, 1990]

variety experience: 13 YEARS

** there are so many guest appearances throughout the years in both TV and radio, so let's just consider some relevant ones **

• Law of the Jungle, 2013 (cast member)

• 2 Days 1 Night, 2015 (guest)

• Running Man, 2012, '14, '16, '17, '18(?) (guest)

why she would make for a good cast member:

• First off, yes - she's currently on a hiatus right now because she needs rest due to the surgery she had. BUT, Season 4, should we have one, won't really be in the works 'til, what, maybe late 2021? She'll have plenty of time to recover.

• Boyoung is so bubbly! And she's so energetic. She puts her heart into the things she does. I know that we kind of risk having two Sejeongs in the team, but look - Sejeong is absolutely fun, okay? It'd be nice if she can have someone who can share her same enthusiasm for the games and the cases.

• She's worked with Jaesuk, Jongmin, and Kwangsoo before, so it won't be super awkward.

• Okay, full disclosure: I also kind of want her in the team because she's one of Kwangsoo's best friends in real life. Their dynamic would be absolutely fun to watch because they're not very shy about teasing each other.

• Like Kwangsoo, she seems to be one of Netflix's favorites also. It'd be nice if she'd be in their original variety show, too.

potential downside:

× Nothing, really. She seems so sweet, and her fans seem like they're (mostly) understanding and supportive of her endeavors.

Maybe the only thing to watch out for are the opinionated internet trolls who always feel like they should have a say on what these people do with their lives and their careers 🙄

Lee Yuri

age: 40 [January 28, 1980]

variety experience: ~8 YEARS

• Food Essay, 2012 (host)

• Bright Solutionists, 2013 (host)

• Quiz to Change the World, 2014-2015 (host)

• Single Wife, 2017-2018 (cast member)

• Stars' Top Recipe at Fun-staurant, 2020 (cast member)

why she would make for a good cast member:

• Don't let Yuri's pretty face, pretty hair, and pretty clothes fool you. She's not one of your typical South Korean actresses who's very conscious of how she looks even in the sometimes downright dirty and unglamorous arena of k-variety shows. As she's proven through a guest star gig in Running Man, if she needs to wade and jump through the mud to play the game, she will.

To her, what's important is getting the job done and winning the game. Looking good comes second to victory.

• Speaking of, she's pretty competitive. I think she and Sehun can really amp the team up and get them going faster during the different cases. Plus, she might be great to have around when they're going against the Genius Detective Team ('cause let's be honest: errbody know they'll be coming back).

potential downside:

× I can't get a proper gauge on how she would feel with a project like this. The potential con might be that we're not sure she'd stay on as a regular cast member.

• • •

These are the ones on the list for now. Will edit more later if I find more.

For the meantime, do you have specific SK actors you think would be perfect in the team?

#hopeful season 4 casting #Ahn Jae Wook #Yoo Jae Suk #Kim Jong Min #Lee Kwang Soo #Park Min Young #Oh Sehun #Kim Sejeong #Busted Netflix #Song Ji Hyo #Cha Tae Hyun #Joo Sang Wook #Park Bo Young #Lee Yoo Ri

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ayankun · 4 years ago

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Agents of SHIELD Season 1 Rewatch Update

Ok so I’m having a difficult time remembering what it was that made me hate this show so much (aside from the unforgivable Minecraft reference) and stop watching in Season 1.

Just got through ep 14 and holy cow, I’m honestly not sure whether the storylines for seasons 2, 3, and 4 were planned this far in advance, but if they were then these folks did such an overwhelmingly good job of keeping their eye on the ball.

Best I can figure, I’m having a good time on this attempt thanks to prequel-goggles. I already know where this story is going, who these people will become and what’s going to make them into what they will be, and I can appreciate this older storyline in light of the circumstances it precedes -- rather than for what it is without that context.

(It certainly helps that some of the dumber stuff is already starting to be replaced by the better stuff, like it’s ep 15 and the “night-night gun” was just replaced by the much more palatable “icer,” and they haven’t tried to call the individual dwarves by name for ages now)

Also there’s some pretty good cinematography, the graphics are really respectable, watching this found family slowly realize how much they love each other is sooo charming, and the affectations required of a MCU-spin-off-sci-fi-spy-show are really well balanced with the character drama which is its true heart.

I know ep 1x08 (”The Well”) is six and a half years old so maybe spoiler warnings are not necessarily required but here we go

Remember when Thor 2 came out and then this show had to earn its stripes as co-existing in the MCU so they had to address the fact that aliens ripped up London and the whole world knows about it?

Not being able to afford the likes of Chris Hemsworth was something they obviously had to work around, and plopping in that rando dweeby Asgardian as a twist was definitely one way to do it.

But the real showstopper is that the through-line of the episode is the examination of the similarities and differences of Ward and May, especially once they both come in contact with the Asgardian rage-stick.

Seeing Ward nearly incapacitated by his traumatic childhood memories serves two important purposes. First, it makes some good strides towards humanizing the man, who until now has been that hot-and-cocky kind of character that just expects to appeal to an audience but hasn’t yet earned any appeal whatsoever. By now, we’ve had a reference to his toxic dynamic with his older/younger brothers, and seeing him reliving his experience with the well suddenly opens him up and gives some dimension to that tall-dark-handsome cardboard cutout.

Second, those experiences are a really good twist!! When it’s revealed that he’s not remembering being tortured in a well by his brother, he’s remembering allowing his brother to torture his other brother down a well and not having the guts to do anything about it. It’s a good one-two punch because you weren’t expecting to pity the guy, and now that you’ve spent twenty minutes pitying him for being victimized, you get to grapple with the much more complex emotion of the kid!Ward not knowing how to get out of this lose-lose situation and understanding that his current character must be in some way informed by this regret and guilt.

THIRD, after seeing Ward go through all this and barely hold it together, we get to see how May handles this level of relive-your-worst-trauma-and-incinerate-yourself-with-unbridled-rage when she has to pick up the rage-stick and .... instead of it leaving her on the ground like it’s just done to Ward, she somehow experiences 0.00000% change in personality or capability WhatSoEver.

She not only isn’t affected, she summons all the broken pieces of rage-stick and effortlessly wields the fully formed berzerker staff to defeat the rest of the baddies single-handed. It says so much about her character, about the depths of the trauma that sent her to the place we met her in in the pilot. We still don’t know what happened, but this her “my secret is I’m always angry” moment, and it’s a level of anger has been repeatedly and thoroughly cataloged throughout the episode so far.

It also gives these fools something to bond over. And while I’m seriously disinterested in their weird little Thing that didn’t go anywhere and didn’t really impact much, it was a nice way to avoid progress in the “Skye’s falling for her SO” storyline that I don’t care for either.

But Skye makes her move in this episode! She and Ward dance around the possibility that maybe they’re into each other and they could possibly move from antagonistic strangers to folks who are a little into each other. But he does the gentle thing and turns her down! (without closing the door entirely, I must add) And then he wanders off on his own and ... May’s wandering off on her own ... and they share some micro expressions and then, seriously you guys this sequence is so tasteful and understated, just look:

Ward leaves Skye at the bar with a parting “I’m beat, another time, maybe,” and off her wistful look we cut directly to this chiaroscuro hallway.

Ward enters the frame, starts unlocking his hotel room. He's just another monochrome shape in this monochrome place.

But then there’s May entering the shot at the far end of the hallway, and her motion and his turning to look at her frames her monochrome shape in this nice little white triangle between him and her door.

And there’s a tasty little rack focus that pulls the instant she passes in front of the door, making sure our attention is on her and the little white label of her bottle that really pops in the sea of black.

By this point in time, we’ve been shown, graphically, intimately, a dark shadow in his past, and we’ve been shown the physical and emotional toll its taken on him (an insight provided by the magic alien macguffin, btw). We haven’t been told anything, we experienced his experiences with him via the power of cinema. Her specific trauma is still a mystery at this point, but we’ve been given enough information to understand and appreciate its effects on her character. So not only can we sympathize with Ward now, we can sympathize with his empathy for May in this moment.

She catches him looking.

I mentioned micro expressions and screenshots do not do these performances justice. How does one catch in a single frame the millisecond that an eyebrow ticks in asking a silent question?

Typical for her, May’s answer is also communicated through body language.

From that canted, inviting look, we pan down as she unlocks her door and enters. She passes through the frame and disappears inside, after giving us a reminder that her plans are to apply alcohol to her issues. (Remember that Ward turned down Skye’s invitation at a bar of all places)

Oh, and what has our framing left us to contemplate? Is that a bed I see in there? (Remember that Ward turned down Skye’s invitation) Let me point out that this shot of just the bed after May walks by is on screen by itself for maybe a fraction of a second. Just a suggestion of a thing, really.

Ward contemplates.

I love returning to this shot because it’s literally the same set up, and my instant reaction is that it’s another insert, a POV shot, and I fully expect to return to the single shot on Ward to discover his decision the second he makes it.

INSTEAD. Ward walks immediately into THIS FRAME, too, black-shape-on-white-shape in the same way May was introduced to this scene. And we stay here as he closes the door behind him ...

Letting us know everything we need to know without a single word needing to be spoken.

Another fraction of a frame dwelling on that shot and then immediately fade to black. Credits. Show’s over, folks.

And not that there’s any particular meaning in it, but they were super careful to minimize what colors were allowed to appear in this sequence? Like there’s a particular sort of green in that weird armchair, which sort of matches the green-glass of her bottle. And there’s the red of the fire alarm fixtures which more or less matches the red of his, y’know, fresh facial wounds. EVERYTHING else (other than, I guess, their skin tones) falls somewhere along the white-black spectrum. NICE. BEAUTIFUL. I LIKE IT A LOT.

And the Netflix synopsis for this episode is “In the aftermath of the events chronicled in the feature film Thor: the Dark World, Coulson and the S.H.I.E.L.D. team try to pick up the pieces.” 1) I’m realizing that they literally go around picking up pieces of the rage-stick and that’s hilarious but mostly I mean to say 2) this MCU-tie-in episode could have met the brief being as vapid and non-impactful as that blurb makes it sound. But it took the opportunity to open up its characters for us to see their gooey insides, and hell they picked two of the best characters to dig into for this one, considering Ward’s tragic backstory plays as both a misdirect and actual inciting incident for his betrayal of SHIELD, and May’s tragic backstory feeds a couple of B-plots this season as well as being the major catalyst for a lot what happens in season FOUR. SEASON FOUR, PEOPLE. THE SEEDS ARE WAY BACK HERE IN SEASON ONE.

REMEMBER HOW THESE CHARACTERS WERE INTRODUCED THOUGH?? I DO, I JUST WATCHED THE PILOT LIKE YESTERDAY. WE MEET WARD FULLY ENSCONCED IN HIS GUISE OF SHIELD BADASS SUPERSTAR; HE IS LITERALLY ASKED TO EXPLAIN WHAT SHIELD MEANS TO HIM, AND WE GET TO HEAR THE FIRST OF HIS MANY LIES. WE MEET MAY IN HER OWN PERSONALLY-DESIGNED WHITE-COLLAR HELL, TURNING COULSON’S OFFER DOWN THE SECOND SHE HEARS HIS VOICE BECAUSE SHE’D RATHER STAPLE DOCUMENTS FOR ETERNITY THAN BE OUT IN THE FIELD WHERE SHE CAN MAKE ANOTHER MISTAKE LIKE THE ONE SHE CAN’T FORGIVE HERSELF FOR.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. This show knows how to weave a character-driven story, and it’s done it for six seasons straight, juggling constantly evolving -- grounded, nuanced, impactful -- character arcs with the external factors (Thor: The Dark World, for one) that force certain narrative decisions.

(until they decide to ignore those factors altogether, lol, I’m looking at you, season 5, you wacky maverick you)

#agents of shield #aos #the well #grant ward #melinda may #a long rant about things I love #it's nice to rant about positive things for a change

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violentmouths · 5 years ago

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The Sweethearts 💌

This Valentine's day gift is ten days late, but hey, better late than ever!

This gift goes to my lovely friend @clevermentalitybeliever hope you like it,

And if you haven't heard of this song yet, do listen to it, it made me think of them big time!

💘💘💘

Step one

You must accept that I'm a little out my mind

Grima sat infront of the coffee table cutting out and making origami hearts and roses,"Not enough," she said to herself, holding her face, her eyes went around in circles. "Not enough, not enough, not enough..." She repeated over and over again "They're gonna hate it- no, more hearts, more roses!" She started to shout, pointing at every single one of her plants and turned them into red, white and pink roses or bleeding hearts.

"More Roses, more bleeding hearts!" She shouted as the flowers began to bloom out of control. She heard the apartment door being unlocked, she scooped them up in her arm and took a deep breath.

The door opened, and in came Lanea and V, who were conversing with each other. V stopped mid sentence and widened his eyes at the livingroom being filled with flowers, Lanea gasped when she saw an eye twitching, messy haired Grima who holding her paper creations.

"Happy Valentine's Day!" Grima shouted, tossing the origami in the air. The spider plant laughed as she dropped to her knees, slamming her head into the coffee table and leaving a huge crack in the wood. "Grima!" The pair shouted, running over to her to see if she was okay.

Step two

This is a waste if you can't walk me down the finish line

Lanea looked at the cook book, trying to figure out how to make a certain dish, at first, she became confused by what she was reading. "Need a hand?" V asked, looking over her shoulder at the cook book "Sure." Lanea replied, moving out of V's way as he began to read "First rule, wash your hands." Grima advised, walking behind them and using the sink to wash her own hands.

The monstress' lovers went over to the sink and washed their hands, coming back to the book, Lanea and V looked at Grima, who reached for a kitchen knife. "V, get me the seasonings. Lanea, I need oil in a frying pan." Grima instructed, the two walked away from her as she read the name of the recipe.

"Shrimp fettuccine, Lanea?" She whispered to herself, putting the hand the held the knife on her hip and the other on the counter, she looked over her shoulder at her lady friend who was putting oil in the frying pan.

Step three

Give me passion, don't make fun of my fashion

Grima and Lanea waited for their other lover on the couch, the two stared blankly at the tv as it wasn't really their thing unless it involved video games.

V quietly stepped out of his room fixing his shirt, he cleared his throat to make them look in his direction, the girls were unsure what they were looking at, they both faced each other then looked at V again.

He was wearing a purple Hawaiian shirt that had red lips all over it with black pants and sneakers, he had on blue tinted shades, and a dangly earring in his left ear.

The girls smiled nervously at him, "Interesting... Outfit." Grima started, Lanea looked at the monstress then at the bard "Interesting indeed." She agreed, V looked down at his outfit. "What's wrong with it?" He asked unbuttoning the top buttons, "Nothing, it's just new..." Grima said getting up from the couch, Lanea got up with her. "It's cute." The demoness finished, hugging him from behind as the sorceress hugged V from the front, all sharing a moment of embracing.

Step four

Give me more, give me more, more

The couple sat in a cafe looking out the giant window infront of them, sharing an extra large strawberry milkshake.

Under the table, they held hands, playing with each others fingers as they spoke about their day, telling each other secrets, and sharing stories of their past.

"So that's why you like to dance, because of your mom." Lanea said as she stirred her straw in the frozen beverage, Grima nodded her head as she sipped away, V watched the plant demon before looking at the milkshake "Perhaps you could perform for the both of us, Ms. Li." V suggested looking at her again, Grima shifted her upper eyes at him "I will." She replied, taking her lips off the straw and smiling.

The bard stared at the witch, who smiled at him, both smiled at the demon who didn't stop smiling, V held up three fingers, dropping them slowly before they all put their lips to their straws, drinking the milkshake together.

Step five

You can't be scared to show me off and hold my hand

For Grima going outside was usually not her favorite thing to do, as everyone either stared at her with eyes filled with awe when she had three eyes closed or in fear when they were open.

As she walked down the street with Lanea and V, she hid in her hair so people wouldn't look at her. But this didn't fool the bard and the witch, V, who was in the middle, moved Grima to the middle and held her hand.

The monstress looked at him with shocked eyes, while off guard Lanea to Grima's other hand, the monstress looked at both of her lovers and wondered why, it took her some time to realize what they were doing but when she did it made her smile at the ground.

She wasn't going through anything alone anymore.

Step six

If you can't put in work, I don't know what you think this fucking is

The couple could be lazy at times, but when it came to planning dates it was all Lanea, and boy did she get tired of it. She couldn't understand how Grima and V were fine with her continuously planning things, did they not want to go to places they wanted to?

"Lanea dearest, where should we go next?" She heard V asked, pointing at an almost completely marked map, "We've been almost everywhere in Red Grave." The sorceress groaned before rolling her eyes.

"Alright guys," she started, looking up from her book, the bard and the spider plant looked at her and blinked "it's time for you two to plan a date." Grima closed two eyes and stared at him "U-um" "Well then..." the two stammered, putting their gaze to their map.

"How about uh...?" V started off "We go to this café?" Grima asked, pointing at a piece of the map "Yes, yes and how about a movie?" V added, pointing at another piece of the map.

The two stared at their other lover "So, let's go to the cafe at three, then see a movie at five." Grima advised holding up a few fingers "So, why don't we freshen up and leave in twenty minutes?" The rhymester advised, they both got up and quickly ran to their rooms.

Bickering about who takes a shower first while Lanea continued sitting on the couch, shaking her head at their banter.

Step seven, this one goes to eleven

If you cheat, you will die, die

"Stoooooop, I'm blushing." The spider plant giggled on the phone, she curled into a ball so no one could see her face, "What? It's true!" The voice on the phone said, the sorceress rolled her eyes in irritation; it was Dante.

He called every here and there just to flirt with the walking plant, practically begging her to come over, Grima never did though. They'd go back and forth about what they'd do to one another, flirting as if V and Lanea were not there, and this bothered them greatly.

"Grima, can we talk?" Lanea asked, closing her book and walking over to the spider plant, she took the phone out of her hands and hung up on the demon hunter, Grima uncurled herself from her ball and stared at the witch. Out of the blue, V sat down next to the sorceress, not saying a word.

"Do you love us?" She said after everyone was in the room "Yes, yes I love you,"Grima answered "what gives you that idea-?" "Then why do you flirt with Dante?" V intervened, leaning forward.

Based on his posture, he was getting serious "We're curious as to why you treat Dante with far more care than you do with me, when you're both together you act as if we aren't there." He explained, looking at Lanea then at Grima.

"...It's a demon thing, I can't help what he says, I keep him close because he's half of me." She admitted as she reached for her toes, playing with them.

The pair suddenly got it, Dante was closer to her kind than anyone else, making her feel more comfortable to talk to him about damn near anything, not only that she always felt like they were going to leave her rather the other way around.

"I see, so you're not going to leave us." V implied, Grima nodded her head at him before climbing into their arms.

"I also saw what you did there, Ms. Li, you excluded me out when you said I love you..."

If you can't handle a heart like mine

Don't waste your time with me

If you're not down to bleed, no, oh

If you can't handle the choking, the biting

The loving, the smothering

'Til you can't handle it no more, no more

Go home

💘💘💘

Colorful lyrics: High School Sweethearts by Melanie Martinez

#dmc vitale #dmc v #dmc5 vitale #vitale #dmc5 v #my friend's oc #my oc #her oc lanea #lanea #oc grima #oc; grima #ms. li #v x oc x oc #grima x lanea x v #lanea x grima #v x grima #v x lanea #sorry it's late #valentine's day gift

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violethowler · 5 years ago

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This Isn’t A Zero Sum Game: An Analysis of Lotor’s Interactions With The Paladins as a Whole Across Seasons 5 and 6

Every once in a while I’ll think about some “hot take” I saw in the VLD fandom more than a year ago and just think about how canon... just did not support those conclusions... And since that’s how most of my meta get started, I churned out a new one:

In the wake of Seasons 5 and 6 dropping I saw a lot of posts, particularly from Lotor stans, bashing the Paladins for the way they treated him in the first two episodes of Season 5, how cruel they were to just give him over to his father without a second thought. I even saw a few arguing over how humane his treatment was in S5E1.

While I do believe that Lotor’s desire for peace was genuine (as we would have seen in Season 8 before the executive meddling cut the payoff), I think that it’s a little extreme to argue that the Paladins treatment of him in S5E1 The Prisoner was unethical, or that they were just throwing him to the wolves in S5E2.

To quote one of my favorite video game characters, “Let’s hit these plot points in order.”

What exactly were people expecting the Paladins to do after Lotor saved the day in “A New Defender”? Immediately welcome him into the fold with open arms and a fresh batch of cookies that Hunk made just for the occasion? They’re forgetting that just a few episodes ago, Lotor was still in charge of the Galra Empire. He wasn’t a fringe third party with a checkered past who showed up to help when the chips were down like Rolo and Nyma. For all of Season 3 and most of Season 4, he’s been an enemy combatant, and they treated him as such. While he may currently be at odds with his father after S4E3, the Paladins have no way to know whether he genuinely wants peace or is just telling them what they want to here so he can take advantage of them. Because he’s done it before.

In S3E2 Red Paladin, Lotor has Narti use her mind control powers to have the leader of Puig send a distress signal asking Voltron for help. When they arrive, he ambushes them and sends multiple waves of fighters to gauge their skill and whether they would be able to retrieve the trans reality comet. When he gets what he wants, he leaves.

Two episodes later, in S3E4 Hole in the Sky, Lotor attaches a distress beacon to the ship with the comet inside that mimics an Altean distress signal. When Voltron arrives, he waits for them to retrieve the comet, then attacks them, steals the comet for himself, and flies off.

That’s two times now that Lotor has faked a distress signal and then used Voltron’s desire to help to further his own agenda before flying off with the fruits of his labor. He may not have done anything to them since then, but they are understandably wary of being used like that a third time. You know how the old saying goes. “Fooled me once, shame on you. Fooled me twice, shame on me.”

So, when he slides up to the Coalition saying “hey, I know we’ve fought in the past but let’s see if we can come to an agreement”, he’s looked at with suspicion, and understandably so. The Paladins aren’t going to just give free reign of the Castle of Lions to someone they know very little about, who was an enemy combatant less than a month ago (by all indications S4E2-6 take place within a very short period of time), and who has a history of using their desire to help people to advance his own agenda. So, they put him in the cell as a probationary measure. If he proves trustworthy, they give him access to more of the castle. If it turns out that he’s using them for his own ends like they fear, well, they’ve already locked him up, and at least he wouldn’t have been able to access any sensitive information. We see that bear out in S5E3 Postmortem. The Paladins aren’t bothered that Lotor’s out of his cell. He’s proven his intentions by killing his father. Their main reaction is surprise that they’re giving him access to the bridge already.

[EDIT]: Some posts following the release of Season 5 pointed out that if the lights on Lotor’s prison deck were kept on 24/7, it would constitute a form of torture. While that is a valid point to make, I saw quite a few blogs that took that possibility and exaggerated it, not even considering the “if” part of the original discussion, declaring it as fact, and rushing to label the Paladins’ actions as war crimes because we never saw Lotor’s cell with the lights off. It should be noted that all of these scenes took place in the daytime, and while we never see that specific room at night, Season 2 already showed that the castle’s lights are turned off during the night cycle, and there’s nothing to suggest they didn’t do the same with Lotor’s cell.

And there’s also another angle that isn’t really talked about – that not everyone we saw in the Coalition in previous seasons was willing to work alongside Galra like the Blade of Marmora. While the rebels we see in Begin the Blitz and A New Defender are just fine working with the Blades, it’s not out of the question that some Coalition members might resent the Coalition’s Galra allies. And if Lotor’s on the Castle of Lions, that would make him a target. The cell could also have been just as much to keep trigger happy Coalition members out as it was to keep him in.

Then I hear people arguing that they were just going to hand him over to Zarkon with no strings attached, that they were just going to give Lotor up and trust that Zarkon would stay true to his word. It sometimes sounded like some people want so badly for Lotor to be a bigger victim than he already is that they twisted canon to make the Paladins out to be thoughtless jerks. Because S5E2 Blood Duel shows us that everything that happened was all according to plan.

For those who are unfamiliar, the Unspoken Plan Guarantee trope refers to the pattern that the more the audience knows the details of the plan beforehand, the greater the chances the plan will fail, and the fewer details the audience knows in advance, the greater the chances the plan will succeed. Explaining the details of the plan after it’s been successfully carried out is optional.

After Zarkon pulls the hologram trick, the phrase “Hold our position until the time is right.” Is repeated by both Shiro and Lance (albeit without the “until the time is right” part for Lance). And the show tells us that the moment when “the time is right” is when Lotor attacks Zarkon and leads him away from the shuttle.

When the Paladins are arguing with Shiro in S5E3 Postmortem, they don’t say anything to the effect of “why did you give Lotor a weapon?” They had no problem with him being armed. The issue they had was that Lotor was given the Black Bayard, his father’s signature weapon they had only just gotten back from Zarkon 14 episodes ago. One wrong move in Blood Duel, and that weapon would have been back in Zarkon’s hands. And for a moment in that episode, it was. Zarkon did get his hands on the Black Bayard and if Lotor had been a second too slow, Zarkon would have killed all five Paladins, plus Matt and Sam in a single strike.

I’ve mentioned before that VLD prefers to show things to the audience rather than explain them out loud. Sometimes it’s to the show’s detriment because the answer to viewers’ questions aren’t immediately obvious. But watching Blood Duel again, it’s clear that plan was always “make the hostage exchange. Wait for Zarkon to double cross us. Lotor attacks Zarkon and leads him on a chase across the desert. Shiro, Matt, and Pidge storm the shuttle to free Sam.” The Paladins were always going to ensure that Lotor was armed during the fight with his father. The only issue they had was Shiro’s choice of what weapon to give him.

So now that Lotor has proven they can trust him, they start to drop their guard and be more casual and friendly around him. And according to Matt during the flashbacks in S7E7 “The Last Stand: Part”, by the time Sam Holt has been on Earth for just over a year, Voltron had been missing for six months. That means that between S5E5 Bloodlines and S6E4 The Colony, Voltron and Lotor had been working together for just over six months. That’s six months of the Paladins slowly growing to trust and befriend the new Galra Emperor. But the little embers of doubt about his intentions were still there in the back of each of their minds.

That’s why it’s so easy for the Paladins to believe Keith and Romelle when they show up accusing him of murdering Alteans with no concrete evidence other than their own assumptions. Because given his behavior before Naxzela, an apparent reveal that he had been playing the long game manipulating them all along rekindled those embers of suspicion. It’s easy for them to conclude that Lotor was playing a long con since it would fit with his behavior towards them prior to Season 4. Because what non-nefarious reason could Lotor possibly have for not telling Allura and Coran that he had been sheltering the surviving Alteans after working together for six months?

We know why Lotor didn’t say anything. Because he refused to risk Haggar discovering the Colony’s existence and scouring the universe until she found it. But the Paladins have never experienced the level of privacy invasion and subsequently justified paranoia that Lotor has. So, they do not have the experience to understand that he refused to risk the security of the colony by revealing its existence where Haggar might have spies or listening devices or cloned sleeper agents to overhear.

I agree with the theory that Lotor was telling the truth about the Altean Colony and that what was happening there was not what Keith and Romelle believed it was. I absolutely believe that the Paladins leaving Lotor in the rift was a mistake. But the attempts by certain Lotor stans to water this down to a black and white scenario of Paladins Evil, Lotor Good are not supported by canon. Canon shows us that the falling out between Lotor and the Paladins was a messy situation where everyone had understandable reasons for reacting to the reveal of the colony as they did. That doesn’t make any one person’s reactions right or justified, only that if you put the pieces together it’s understandable how they reached the conclusions they did.

TL;DR: There is no evidence in the show that suggests Lotor was treated inhumanely, the Paladins were never going to just hand him to Zarkon unarmed and hope for the best, and Lotor's paranoid refusal to tell them about the Colony gave Keith's accusations greater weight because it was in line with his behavior towards the Paladins in Season 3 enough for them to believe that he had been pulling a long con all along.

#voltron meta #vld lotor #voltron legendary defender #character analysis #vld paladins #vld season 5 #voltron season 5 #voltron season 6 #vld season 6

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lotornomiko · 4 years ago

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Light Grasping Darkness (1 of 6, mostly work safe for 1)

Old, old fic of mine...touched up with tweaks to words, grammar, sentence structure that sort of thing. Nothing too major a change, just the perfectionist in me trying to make it a smoother and more enjoyable read....I got the urge to reread this, and of course, couldn’t make it through without trying to “fix” it. And someday I really need to write the sequel, Light Seducing Darkness.

I believe this was my first foray into Hook Emma/Captain Swan fanfic. It starts out i guess R rated, but by chapter two vastly becomes super smutty. This is set in season two, is an AU, has Rumplestiltskin character death. According to fanfic net I originally wrote this in July 2013..., long before season five made Hook as a Dark One a thing. XD

As such, it was written with some thoughts in my head, (I looked at my old author’s notes) where I had thought Hook wasn’t aware of what would happen if he used the dagger on the dark one. I firmly believed he wanted to get his revenge and die, and would have been pissed to find himself stuck as the new Dark One. Although in this fic, from what I remember, I don’t think I gave him much time to be pissed, between the evil queenS orders, and the lust that quickly spilled over in an effort to combat it.

Will be posting all six parts of the completed first in a series fic onto my tumblr, as well as updating it at archive and fanfic.net. Will be posting on tumblr as I finished going over each chapter.

There are moments, all too brief respites, where everything stands frozen and still. It is a lie, the quiet that it brings giving them the illusion of the luxuries they no longer have. Chief among them is time, every moment stolen, every second bringing them closer to what just may be their deaths. However, there is no time to grieve, no time to wage protest against an unfair fate. There exists only now, the running and the plotting, readying themselves for a war they are ill equipped to fight under the best of circumstances, and that was before Gold had been killed.

There's no time to mourn him, no time to do anything more than acknowledge the fallen. Gold stands to be the first in what will become a string of massacres, the worst nightmare of many coming true as Storybrooke falls under the power of not one, but TWO evil queens.

Maybe, just maybe they would stand a chance if it had only been Cora and Regina to contend with. Maybe then they could have won, somehow backed only by the power of the savior, a power that she herself didn't understand and had barely begun to explore. But there had never been time, and Emma had never seen need to truly explore the potential within her, the magic that left her so frightened and disturbed.

She regrets that now, a million if only running through her head. Wondering if only she had made the time, if only she had put aside her duties as sheriff, if only she had taken seriously Gold's attempts to tutor her. Nothing and no one can change the past now, not Emma as the savior, and not even Gold with all the power of the Dark One at his fingertips.

All that power had done little good once Gold had lost control of the dagger. Enslaved by the one who controlled the blade, Gold had been rendered helpless, unable to do anything to ward off the death that had finally come calling.

It wasn't just that they had lost a valuable ally in the war against evil. It was the power the evil queens had gained, the magic that was now theirs to command. A power they were all to quick to use, despite the fact that their tool was a staggered weapon at best.

Emma tried not to shudder as she remembered the scream that had followed Gold's death. The scream that had been unlike anything she had ever before heard, the pain and shock of what was happening registered within it, leaving the Dark One confused, fighting against fate, against orders. That resistance to do as commanded, was the only reason why Emma and her family were still alive. Was the only reason why they were able to run long enough to scheme. Not that the Charmings had much in the way of ideas, not when the dagger was so essential to defeating that which was coming.

It was hard not to give in to those hopeless feelings. To not wonder what chance they stood, with the power of the Dark One turned against them. Even as Emma fought against despairing, she acknowledged that she didn't know enough, not to fight and not to use the power locked inside her. For all that lack of, there was hope, Emma realizing that although she didn't know much about being the savior, the young woman also didn't know enough to truly believe the Dark One was completely unstoppable, dagger aside. And she disliked immensely the pitying looks her father and mother both gave her when she had said so.

Perhaps it was because they were of the other world, and always had lived with the knowledge that there was no true way to destroy the Dark One. Even before the existence of the dagger had become known, the people who had lived in the Enchanted Kingdoms, had grown up believing in the Dark One's invincibility. They had learned first hand, the failures of those who had made attempts on the Dark One's life, had been terrorized and manipulated for years far longer than Gold had been alive.

The Dark One already so terrifying, had become something else entirely under Rumplestiltskin's control. The man had twisted the legends, distorted truths until the name Rumplestiltskin was feared, the man rather than the monster fear, and with that faded memory had gone many’s truths behind the dagger. Through his masterful manipulations, most had gone on to forget that the Dark One had once been a slave, that whoever possessed the dagger had controlled the beast. Forgotten about, it was now a painful reminder that had been slammed into them, stark and potent in its devastating truths.

It was that reminder that was snuffing the hope out of David and Mary Margaret's eyes. That and the memories of those failed attempts to kill, to corner, to even contain Rumplestiltskin and his power. They remembered well the hardships, and the sheer desperation that had led the Blue Fairy into finally discovering a way, albeit a temporary one. A way meant to hold him, to imprison him long enough so that a single generation of people would have peace of mind.

There would be no repeating that way, even if the Blue Fairy had been capable of repeating that spell. In the realm of Storybrooke, even with magic brought back into it, there simply wasn't enough of the Enchanted Kingdoms in this land. There wasn't enough of the ingredients needed to power the spell, no time to prepare, no location secured to act as a prison. There wasn't enough of anything, David and Mary Margaret knowing this, and thus choosing not to build their daughter's hopes up.

They held back, but didn't stop their daughter from scheming. Desperate plan after desperate plan came flowing, none of them seeming plausible, none of them offering true hope of survival. Emma wouldn't, couldn’t, give up, not even when faced with the Dark One, watching as her gun's bullets slammed into his black leather clad chest.

Was it the bullets or the pain of them that seemed to confuse him? He'd actually look down, stare at the small holes in his clothing, smoke curling upwards out of them. His hand would raise, finger fitting into one of the holes. No blood, the skin already healing, mending together as though the bullet had never torn it open.

No further proof was needed that their weapons were useless. And yet Emma kept on firing. Watching the body jerk back with each shell's piercing, seeing the expression on the Dark One's face, a lost look of a despair all his own. She didn't truly understand the expression, or the reasons behind it. Why would he allow such pain to color his eyes? Pain that had nothing to do with the bullets, or Mary Margaret's arrows. Hadn't this been what he had wanted? Hadn't he pursued Gold over time and space, in an effort to bring about his end and claim his power? Hadn't he become exactly what he had always wanted?

Emma didn't know that she was jumping to conclusions. Didn't know, and truth be known, wouldn't have cared. She was blinded by what she saw as his betrayal, cursing herself a fool for ever even giving him a moment's benefit of doubt. She should have known better, DID know better. Once burned, you never, ever give a person a second chance to hurt you. And yet for him, she had. For him she had pushed back the betrayals, choosing to ignore how he had left her and her friends, even her mother, to die in a rotting dungeon, or of the time shortly after, where he had been set on killing her.

Nothing personal he had claimed. And she had believed him! Was it her own guilt at work there? Was it the fact that Emma had not only abandoned him, but left him trapped at the top of a beanstalk, that led her to grudgingly bear him no ill will? Was it that same guilt that made her feel responsible, made Emma think that if she had done one thing differently, none of this would have come to past? Or did she simply regret not killing him when she had had the chance?

No way to know, no time to mull over the what ifs. She was out of bullets, and he was coming, his black leather riddled with smoking holes, but his body otherwise fine. More than fine, if one ignored the anguish of his expression. Always a handsome man, that beauty had become more pronounced, devastatingly dark and seductive, all the better to lure foolish maidens to their ruin.

Emma wasn't foolish, but even she couldn't look at that dark beauty and not be affected. She rebelled against the want that fisted inside her, total defiance spurring her to fling her gun at him. His arm raised, the gun bouncing off harmlessly. She barely registered the sound of steel being drawn, the borrowed sword in her grip as she took up a new stance, readying herself to die fighting.

David was somewhere to the right of her, a sword that had slayed dragons, in his hand. Arrows came from the left of her, Mary Margaret rapidly depleting her stock of projectiles. They were catching on fire, bursting into smoke instead of striking him, though the Dark One hadn't seemed intent on defending himself.

With a challenging scream, Emma and her father both rushed the Dark One at the same time. David's sword twirled in his grip, slashing downwards one moment, then attempting to belly thrust the next. Emma's blade met the metal of his hook, the Dark One effortlessly holding her back. She didn't fight his shove back, instead rebounding, spinning round to come at his head from a new angle. But the blow didn't connect, his hook there, stopping her blade, even as David mercilessly hacked away at his sides. He came away with nothing for his troubles, save to chip away bits of the leather of the Dark One's coat.

Emma bit out a frustrated sound, lashing out with her legs. At best the target she chose would distract him, at worse leave him infuriated. Her knee connected, and for a second it seemed the breath blew out of the Dark One. Her father quick to seize the advantage, went for the Dark One's heart, intending to split it in half with his blade.

And then David was airborne, a self presevation of the Dark One sending Emma's father flying. He didn't go far, the forest too crowded with trees, one of which he slammed into headfirst. Emma heard her mother scream out, Mary Margaret running towards where David had landed. He wasn't moving, the sword slamming tip first into the ground, inches away from his body.

Emma didn't dare think that David might be dead. Didn't dare allow herself to fear she had lost a father she had barely begun to know. She just tightened her grip on the hilt of her sword, grim determination in her to somehow bring down this monster.

The sword was caught mid blow, wrenched free of her hand by an unnatural force. She wouldn't let that deter her, striking him close fisted in the face and coming away with a hand that had gone numb from the contact. An arrow flew, just missing the Dark One's face, Emma hearing Mary Margaret screaming at her to run.

Even if she wasn’t stubbornly rebelling against such a command, there was no chance to flee. The Dark One had grabbed her by the throat, lifting her up off the ground. Leaving Emma choking one instant, growling the next. More arrows flew past, Mary Margaret refusing to take her own advice, refusing to abandon her husband and daughter to this unstoppable monster.

Emma felt her mother's frustration, as she kicked out with her legs, clawing at the arm of the hand that so effortlessly held her up off the ground. She didn't want to believe she was going to die like this, one hand digging her nails into his, the other held towards him in a warding gesture.

"Hook..." She barely got out his name, her voice sounded like gravel in response to the grip crushing down on her throat. "Please..." Emma hated that she was begging, but her options had run out. There was nothing left to do, but plead with a monster, hope there was enough of the man left inside him, to listen and show mercy.

"Emma..." The Dark One had hesitated, his grip relaxing slightly. Sorrow colored his sea dark eyes, an expression so unsettling on he who had once been nothing but wickedly flirtatious. Emma saw then that he really didn't want to do this, that he was truly enslaved by the dagger. That he was fighting even now, the compulsions of his mistress' command. And yet it would do none of them any good, could only delay the inevitable.

"Fight it." urged Emma, still speaking in the raspy tones forced on her by that bruising grip of his.

"I want to." He admitted, and then his grip tightened again. "But I can't..."

She tried to scream in frustration, but it came out a mere whimper. How did one fight, how did one hope to win against the Dark One's power? How did anyone do anything but lay down and die, when faced with such unfair odds.

"Help me." The Dark One gritted out through clenched teeth. Emma's eyes had widened, the woman shocked completely at the Dark One's plea. "Save me..."

All seemed frozen, waiting for Emma's answer. But how could she save him, when Emma couldn't even save herself? The familiar frustrations bloomed within her, Emma wishing she understood the power she was supposed to have. Would it have been enough? Was there anyway for the product of true love to combat such an ancient, and all powerful evil?

Her vision was blurring, the grip on her throat slowly but surely suffocating her. Wetness pricked at her eyes, but Emma refused to give in to tears. Sound echoed from a distance, Mary Margaret's scream barely more than a whisper. She saw faces of her past float before her, Neal, her son Henry, that of her parents and friends. Even Gold appeared, a ghostly vision of the past that helped remind her that the power was within her, Emma merely had to focus to find it, to know what she needed to do.

Difficult to focus when one was losing their tenacious grip on reality. Emma reached out, her hand making contact with the Dark One's chest. He felt warm, so full of life and vitality, in comparison to the cold that was streaking icy tendrils through her. Emma wanted that warmth, wanted to use it to stave off the cold. Her hand moved, doing an unconscious caress as she dipped inside his shirt to touch directly on his skin.

So focused was she on the warming feel of his flesh that Emma almost missed the look that flashed in the Dark One's eyes. Almost didn't see Hook looking back at her, the pain and surprise being eaten away by something primal. It was sin of a most wicked kind that gazed out at her, the ever flirtatious pirate longing for something she had never been prepared to give him. Emma would give it to him now, if it meant they stood a chance of surviving, if it meant it would buy Mary Margaret enough time to flee.

With the breath being choked out of her, Emma directed her touch lower, her accidental caress gaining purpose. The breath hissed out of the Dark One, Hook looking as though he was the one struggling to breathe now. His eyes were swallowed up in desire, when her hand slipped into his pants, Emma not bothering with being coy, or teasing, directly grasping hold of his cock, and giving it a purposeful squeeze.

Hook reacted immediately, the grip on her throat loosening as his erection sprung to potent life. Emma had a second to be amazed, and even made breathless and dazed, she didn't miss the cocksure smirk that he gave her, Hook proud of himself and the formidable size of his erection. He had been right to boast, and a part of her was actually anticipating feeling that length of his thrusting inside her.

Continuing to touch him, to stroke and grip the focal point of his arousal, Emma looked Hook right in the eyes, a smirk of her own inviting him to play. "What say we take this some place more private?"

It was all she had to say, Hook's arm going around her waist, pulling her against him so that her breasts squished against his chest. Emma didn't allow a second of hesitation to affect her, knowing there was no room for doubts at this point in time. This was the right course, the only course, and though it might just be delaying the inevitable, it might just buy the needed time. Time for her to figure out her powers, or time for Mary Margaret to find Ruby and Henry, and flee to where the Dark One's powers could not follow.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

To Be Continued....

#fanfiction #fanfic #once upon a time #ouat #Light Grasping Darkness #Captain Hook #Captain Swan #Emma Swan #Killian Jones #killian jones x emma swan #season 2 cannon divergence

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janiedean · 6 years ago

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I have to tell you something but PLEASE, please, don't be mad. I love Brienne, and I loved her with Jamie, and I'm mad and sad that they didn't get to have their happy ending...but I don't think his ending was shit. Or OOC. First at all, book!Jamie is not TV!Jamie: his relationship with Cersei is different, not as sick or manipulative. He loves his siter and is loved by her in a more "helthier" way: in the show she told Tywing the truth about them, and it's huge considering the love for power1/?

He watched her lose their 3 children, he learned about her walk of shame to get back to Tommen, he witnessed Robert’s humiliations. I think he would have stayed with Brienne if she knew his sister was safe, but he couldn’t be happy if his siter died and he did nothing to save her. He needed to be that person, otherwise all his growth would be lost, and he would have dragged Brienne in his spiral, and he didn’t want to make her miserable. To me he is still an honorable man, bc when there was a chance to do something, he did it: he killed the king to save KL, he fought the dead army, but over and over he said that the Lannister army didn’t stand a chance against the dragons or the Dathraki, he was not a fool. His speech was not about NOT CARING, it was about knowing there was nothing he could have done. He did good, he was good, and till his last moment he tried to be honorable, he tried to be the person Brienne inspired him. P.s.: Still heartbroken that he died, but I think there is some poetic justice with Cercei crashed by the symbol of the power she tried lo long to hold.

anon, I appreciate that you’re being nice and I appreciate that you’re trying to find some sense in this entire thing, but… okay, I’ll go over it and please don’t take me as *me* being mad or whatever but I don’t think a few things were clear here so I’ll try to do it now:

jc in the show is not healthier. it might be different, but it’s not and the fact that it might have been less obvious doesn’t mean that they didn’t drag that toxic mess out for four seasons when it had no reasons to exist. now: I was down with looking at it until s4 because that was book canon and I can deal with book canon. I had to look at three more fucking seasons of that toxic abusive mess happening and I don’t know if it’s obvious or not, but if I have one thing, like one in the universe that I can’t deal with, that I hate and that makes me feel sick more than anything else it’s emotional/psychological manipulation. and show!jc has that in spades and I can’t. like, as it is right now I’m pretty damn sure I’d take reading explicit thramsay fic that ends horribly with annexed detailed fanart than even rewatching five seconds of a scene where those two are in the same frame and is2g if they had kissed at the end of 8x05 I’d have thrown up. please for the love of everything if you think it’s better than book canon your prerogative, but don’t come at me informing me of that because I can’t. especially not right now;

I honestly can’t give much of a damn about the stuff c. suffered when 80% of that is her damn fault and I’m especially talking about tommen who only did that because she gave zero shits about his opinion in anything but we’re supposed to think she’s a good mother or that she cares which makes me especially sick because people have decided that for her out of nowhere when we all know how much leeway they give catelyn for that and I’m honestly done with it, and maybe it’s not inconsistent that he’d care, but it’s inconsistent how they wrote it;

because I mean if they showed some half-regret over leaving brienne or she was mentioned or if the entire thing was addressed instead of spending four episodes building it up and then did in four minutes what it took six feet under an entire season to do with nate and brenda back in the day is bad writing, has no consistency, it also murdered tyrion as a character because I can’t believe that in the span of two episodes he goes from I’m happy that you’re happy to WELL I DON’T HATE MY SISTER SO MUCH JUST GO TO PENTOS when ah, wait, c. sent bronn to kill both of them?

also ‘who ever cared abotu the innocents’ or whatever the fuck that line was??? wow, that’s all this asshole has ever cared about in canon to the point of losing his reputation for it not counting c. or tyrion at least in the very beginning of the series when everyone thinks he’s an ass, and I have to buy that this episode was halfway decent writing?

also: even if I was okay with jaime’s ending - which I could have been if at least it amounted to something because that entire episode was a plot hole after plot hole (where’s widow’s wail? he waves WITH THE FAKE HAND??? WTF??, did he ring the bells so he actually helped destroy the city without knowing dany would lose her shit through jon connington’s ghost possessing her? if bran didn’t rat him out bc he had A ROLE TO PLAY what was the damned role since he hasn’t done anything until now that warranted it??? just the first four) and he didn’t even… help cersei or take her out like he literally was there to just give her some basic human comfort and rocks fall everyone dies, what’s the sense of it?? -, anon, this entire narrative leaves brienne horribly;

because sorry but in the best of chances she’s not pregnant and someone lies to her and tells her jaime went there to stop cersei and tried to be honorable (which given what they made him say about not caring for the innocents makes it bad writing but nvm) and she can think okay, I waited years for the right guy to trust/open myself to and then he left me like that but at least he did it for a good reason now will I ever trust anyone again, maybe, and I assure you that getting over such a thing is not too easy, but that would be the best option. mid-bad option: she still thinks he did it for the right reasons but she’s pregnant so hey, she has an illegitimate child from a man who left her like that to go into a senseless death making her believe she was wrong about him and breaking her heart and she has to play single mother in tarth without him or maybe she can hedge knight along with the kid or leave him with pod or smth but that doesn’t look good on jaime either. or worse, she’s pregnant and she finds out he went just to die with cersei and didn’t even mention her or anything to tyrion along the way so she did all of the above…. for a guy who at the end of it as the narration puts it just went back to die with c. and a kid he didn’t even know might be real or not when she could have given him what he always craved/wanted/needed and left her like that? like, anon, even if it was a good ending for jaime, there is no bloody way that brienne gets out of this mess of a season with a dignified ending unless they somehow manage to pull a miracle out of their arses and sorry but their writing has been so bad that I honestly doubt it, not even david milch showing up like the calvarly could salvage this crap of a finale, and for all characters tbqh, not just them;

on top of that, sorry but it passes the message that brienne, only rep. in this show for nonstandard attractive people who spends years thinking she’ll never find love and suddenly thinks she can be happy with the guy who also fulfilled her greatest dream and opens herself up to him putting her vulnerability on the line (and while I don’t really think the whole virginity thing is that much of an issue since she actually did manage to give it to the guy she wanted it does mean something in this context)…………. shouldn’t have done it because wow, left like that without a second thought and without being addressed in the next episode at all by at least tyrion who has spent the previous four episodes either admiring her or trying to get her and jaime together never mind jaime? wow, I mean, I surely signed up to see the character I always saw myself in getting this shit treatment by people who obviously didn’t understand either her or jaime at the bottom of it for as much as I still think 8x04 did it right until the end?

anon, I appreciate your optimism about that narrative, but this episode was so badly written that it managed to about destroy the narratives of characters that weren’t even in it (sansa and brienne, and let’s not even discuss sansa because lmao), to have every single person but davos and possibly jon but meh behave ooc given what half of their lines said if not their actions because even if we take jaime’s actions as your reading (legit) what they made him say was still atrocious and ooc and same for tyrion, let’s not even touch dany or sandor/arya or really anyone that wasn’t davos. I cannot, in all good conscience, find anything good about this mess because it was badly written. period. even if we decide that the plot and motivations were fine and we try to make them make sense the way you did, the execution was shit, the dialogue was shit, it looked like they weren’t even trying, it did a disservice to every single character that was in it except davos who was there for five seconds to smuggle stuff and I honestly, honestly, cannot even find the force of will to try to make sense of it.

this entire season has been a gigantic plot hole, it wasn’t coherent within its own narration see ep. 2 clashing with ep. 8, 90% of what happened post 8x02 was for shock value without giving a single fuck about making it look in character and making the characters behave nonsensically - and I don’t mean just jaime, I mean all of them to serve the undoubtedly wtf shocking ending they have in plan for us which if I guessed already I’ll hate with the force of a thousand suns, and I’m honestly done with trying to make sense of this thing because nothing makes sense anymore. I appreciate that y’all are trying but I give up. I can’t make sense of a narrative that goes like ‘we’re doing this because it’s cool and if it doesn’t add up with everything we did before who gives a fuck’, and I honestly can do without trying to find a silver lining in a show that has totally twisted the message of the books and turned into an angst fest for which everyone has to be miserable at all costs or it’s not good tv, and that’s the last I’m going to say about this specific matter because:

a) I’m tired, b) I want to finish my spitefics and ignore this mess ever happened and concentrate on doing something that makes me happy, c) if I just keep on thinking about how bad this was IN GENERAL I wish jaime was my #1 problem I just feel worse and I don’t need it, d) the fact that they did brienne this dirty and she wasn’t even in this episode is really leaving the worst sour taste in my mouth and it’s already bad enough that I have to hope her ending is only 80% crap and not 100% crap, I honestly can’t with discourse that tries to find any basic sense in how this episode was conceived and executed beyond my problems with jc, jaime’s writing and the fact that they managed to get wrong one of his three most basic character traits that has nothing to do with brienne or jb for that matter.

thanks for being polite and nice about this and I swear I’m not mad but I honestly can’t with this episode and I would appreciate if from this point on anyone could refrain from trying to make jc sound better than it is where I can see it/where I can’t blacklist it because it’s really not a good idea right now. thanks again and have a possibly nicer than than mine. ;)

#Anonymous #ask post #only slightly less toxic than chernobyl's ruins #anti-cersei lannister #anti-cersei #anti-lannincest #anti-jaime x cersei #got negativity #game of thrones spoilers for ts #jaime x brienne for ts #otp: i dreamed of you #guys i get it but no #and now i'm going to do some work see y'all later

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thinkingaboutyoungroyals · 6 years ago

Text

525,600 Minutes

Summary: T.J. and Cyrus go on their second date.

Sequel to "Accidental Blind Date"

(AO3)

Early Monday morning, Cyrus floated into school, still dazed and dreamy from the weekend. Specifically, his brain was still replaying the incredible blind date he went on last Friday with T.J. Kippen. And it didn’t end there. All weekend, they had exchanged texts, back and forth, talking about the most random topics they could think of.

Cyrus had not stopped smiling like a fool as he practically skipped to his locker. Humming to himself, he checked the schedule tacked on to his locker door before gathering all the things he needed for the day.

“Hey, blind date.”

Cyrus jumped a hundred feet into the air as he turned around.

T.J. was leaning against the locker next to his, wearing a confident smile.

“Hi,” Cyrus managed, feelings his cheeks bloom with a blush.

T.J.’s smile widened even more. “You look like you’re in a good mood."

“Well, I had a pretty great weekend,” replied Cyrus, cheekily. “Great date and all.”

T.J. laughed as he nodded. “Me too. It was a great date.”

Those words sent Cyrus’ heart into overdrive and he was fairly sure his face was a tomato right at that moment. If T.J. noticed, he didn’t mention. Instead, he pushed himself off the locker he was leaning on.

The jock looked a little nervous as he said, “So, about that second date…”

“Y-Yes?”

He wasn’t going to cancel, right? Or say that it was a mistake? He said he had a great date! Or did he have another date after he went out with Cyrus and that date was great? What was going on?!

“They’re having a production of ‘Rent’ at the local theater this Saturday,” T.J. continued. “Do you want to go see it? We can grab something to eat after, too.”

Oh. He was asking Cyrus out again! On their second date! He meant what he said!

“Yeah… Yes! Definitely! I’d love to!” Cyrus burst out before closing his eyes, cringing at himself.

That was really loud. A few students turned their heads to look at them curiously as they passed.

“Sorry,” he said, softly.

But, T.J. just chuckled. “So cute,” he mumbled under his breath but Cyrus heard.

Now, he knew that he definitely looked like a tomato right then.

“Great,” T.J. said to him, looking like an excited puppy. “I’ll text you the details?”

Cyrus nodded, trying not to smile too much but was unsuccessful.

“I’ll see you around, then.” T.J. gave him a wink before walking away.

And Cyrus felt himself fall back against the locker, hand at his heart. It was beating way too fast and way too hard against his chest.

How was he supposed to survive the rest of this week if everytime T.J. looked at him, his heart would go out of control and he just couldn’t… stop… smiling?!?!

......

“Dude… stop smiling like that, it’s kinda creepy.”

But T.J. didn’t care. He continued watching Cyrus talk with his friends as they ate their lunch on the other side of the cafeteria.

“Leave him alone, man,” Justin said, with a mischievous smile. “He finally got a date with the guy of his dreams and it was all thanks to me.”

T.J. snorted. “Because you begged me and you would have broken his heart by not showing up.”

“Semantics.” His friend nudged him, suggestively. “So… are you taking him out again?”

“Mmhmm.”

The jock felt himself smile as across the room, Cyrus looked up and caught his eye. He cutely waved at T.J., who returned it along with a saucy smirk and a flirty wink. It brought him great joy to watch Cyrus turn red and shyly turn his head to talk to his pixie-haired friend.

He was so looking forward to Saturday!

......

“Five hundred, twenty-five thousand, six hundred minutes… Five hundred twenty-five thousand moments so dear…”

Cyrus was aware that his eyes were probably shining with glee, right at that moment. The setting. The beautiful voices floating around them. His handsome date sitting beside him. It was all perfect.

“Rent” was one of his favorite musicals. He watched the movie with his mom when he was younger and within a week, he knew every word to every song.

And it was the musical that inspired him to come out as gay to his mother. In turn, she gave him the strength and support needed to come out to his father, his step-parents, and his friends.

This show meant a lot to him and he was glad to share this moment of watching it onstage with T.J.

“I think they meant it when they said you can't buy love… Now I know you can rent it… A new lease you are, my love… On life… All my life…”

As Collins and Angel danced across the stage, looking so happy and in love with each other, Cyrus felt a hand slip into his own. He turned to see T.J. smiling at him and he couldn’t help but return it.

“I’ve longed to discover… Something as true as this is…”

...

“So with a thousand sweet kisses… I'll cover you…”

“Five hundred, twenty-five thousand, six hundred minutes��”

“If you’re cold and you're lonely…”

T.J. heard a soft sniffle beside him and turned to see a tear slide down Cyrus’ cheek.

“With a thousand sweet kisses… I’ll cover you…”

“Five hundred, twenty-five thousand moments so dear…”

“You’ve got one nickel only…”

His date’s hands shook as one of them tightly gripped T.J.’s hand in his. The couldn’t seem to stop spilling and T.J. hated seeing him like that.

“With a thousand sweet kisses… I’ll cover you…”

“Five hundred, twenty-five thousand, six hundred minutes…”

“When you’re worn out and tired…”

As Cyrus sniffled, trying to compose himself, T.J. pulled him to his side, wrapping an arm around him.

“With a thousand sweet kisses… I’ll cover you…”

“Five hundred, twenty-five thousand…”

“When your heart has expired….”

He wanted to pull Cyrus closer and bury his face against his shoulder, but Cyrus’ gaze was heavily concentrated on the heartbreaking scene on stage.

And T.J. had to admit, his own heart was breaking with each word sung out by the cast.

“I’ve got you,” T.J. whispered into his ear. “It’s okay.”

Finally, Cyrus laid his head on his shoulders, seeking his comfort. And T.J. did his best to comfort him with as few words as possible.

...

“There's only now… There's only here… Give in to love… Or live in fear…”

Cyrus felt his lips tilt up into a smile, even as another tear slid down his cheek.

“No other path… No other way… No day but today… No day but today… No day but today… No day but today… No day but today…”

Before he knew it, he was on his feet, clapping loud and cheering. His face was wet and his heart ached but there was also the sense of satisfaction and joy he felt every single time he finished watching this musical.

The cast came out, gave their final bows, and waved goodbye at the audience before the curtain closed, officially signaling the end of the show.

While everyone else in the audience began making their way out of the theater, Cyrus sank back into his seat, just letting it all wash over him.

“You okay?”

Smiling, he turned to T.J. “I’m fine. Sorry.” He wiped at the tears on his face. “I always cry at this.”

Chuckling, T.J. reached over to help wipe the tears away. “I can’t believe I made you cry at our second date. Should I have taken you to something else?”

But, Cyrus shook his head. “No, no, this was perfect,” he insisted, widening his smile to reassure the other boy. “I love this musical. It’s one of my favorites. Thank you for taking me, T.J.”

“Are you sure?”

Cyrus nodded, appreciatively. “Positive.”

T.J. smiled at him before standing up and offering a hand. “Shall we go then?”

Nodding again, Cyrus slipped his hand into his and allowed the other to pull him up.

Hand-in-hand, they made their way out of the theater.

.......

They ended up at The Spoon. Tucking themselves into a corner booth, they ordered milkshakes and a giant basket of baby taters to share.

In between bites, Cyrus enthusiastically talked about the show, naming his favorite character (Collins), his favorite scene (Collins and Angel dancing together), and his favorite song (“Seasons of Love”, of course!)

T.J. watched and listened, fascinated by the way the other boy’s eyes sparkled and intrigued by the passion and excitement in his tone. He was really cute and something about his aura just brought T.J. a sense of calm and joy. Kind of like sunshine on a cold day.

“…it was because of it that I was finally able to acknowledge the fact that I’m… well… gay,” Cyrus finished, blushing a little. “It really means a lot to me.”

“I’m glad I took you then,” T.J. replied, spinning his straw around his milkshake glass. “I’ve never seen the movie or heard the songs, so it was a new experience for me. I really liked it.”

Cyrus raised a suspicious eyebrow. “You’re not just saying that to try and impress me, are you?”

At that, T.J. laughed. “No, I’m serious! I mean, if I did impress you, it’s a bonus. But, really, I liked it. And my favorite is probably the song that Roger sang at the beginning.”

“One Song Glory?”

It sounded right so T.J. nodded. “And the song at the end that Roger and Mark sang.”

“What You Own.” Cyrus smiled. “For some reason, I’m not surprised you like those two.”

Both had a very rock-y vibe, which T.J. enjoyed.

“So… can I ask you kind of a personal question?” Cyrus asked.

“Sure. What’s up?”

Cyrus pursed his lips. “Well… I’m kind of curious since I wasn’t even aware that you… liked guys… when did you know?”

T.J. hummed. “Probably… middle school? I had a crush on a guy. It was… kind of rough, actually. There was a lot going on that time. I… found out I also had dyscalculia,” he revealed.

It wasn’t something he was fond of telling people, but he had made his peace with it. He felt like Cyrus wouldn’t think him weird or different.

And just as he hoped, Cyrus simply nodded.

“Anyway, I told my mom who helped with my dad and… they’re still kind of weird about it. Dad still thinks it’s just a phase and that I’d grow out of it but mom is pretty chill with it now. She likes to ask me if I think any male celebs are hot.” He chuckled. “The team knows but I didn’t really make a big deal of telling the rest of the school about it. It’s my business, not theirs.”

“I can understand that,” Cyrus agreed. “So… is it okay if we’re seen together?”

Slowly, T.J. reached out across the table to place his hand over his. “Of course. I’m not ashamed of who I am. Besides, I think I really lucked out when I got to go on that blind date with you.”

Across from him, Cyrus turned a cute shade of pink.

Heart hammering against his chest, T.J. figured that it was safe to tell him the truth now.

“Cyrus… I-.”

“Hi, how are things going here? Do you need a refill on anything?”

T.J. felt a burst of irritation at the waitress’ interruption but Cyrus politely smiled up at her and shook his head.

“I’m alright. T.J.?”

“I’m fine, too,” he gritted out.

“Then, just the check, please.”

“Right away.”

As the waitress sauntered off, T.J. reluctantly released Cyrus’ hand to reach into his pocket for his wallet.

“No, no! Let me!” the other insisted. “You paid for the show tickets. Let me have this.”

T.J. raised an amused brow. “You know, most people would love for their date to pay for the entire thing.”

Chuckling, Cyrus pulled out a few bills. “What makes you think I’m like most people? Besides, if you really want to pay for the whole date, then I’ll let you have the next one.”

At that, the jock perked up. “You’d go on another date with me?”

The other boy blushed. “Well… if you want to… I mean, you don’t have to but-.”

“I do,” T.J. interrupted, gently. “I really do.”

For a moment, Cyrus looked at him with wonder before breaking into a soft smile. “Me too.”

T.J.’s heart fluttered.

.........

Sooner than he would have liked, the date ended.

T.J. offered him a ride home and Cyrus couldn’t find it in himself to say “no”. Besides, he wanted to spend more time with the jock.

Two weeks ago, he was only watching T.J. laughing with his basketball friends across the hallway. Now, Cyrus was in his car, being driven home. He still felt like he was dreaming.

“Thank you for bringing me home,” he said, as the car pulled up to the sidewalk in front of his house.

“Anytime,” T.J. grinned.

Cyrus continued to smile but made no move to get out of the vehicle. Nervously fiddling with his fingers on his lap, he was trying to find the right words to say because simply saying “bye” didn’t feel enough.

“I had a great time,” he started.

“Me too. I promise that the next one will be even more fun.”

Cyrus’ heart felt like soaring. T.J. still wanted to go out with him. They had already gone on two dates and both ended amazingly. But did T.J. like him? Or was he simply passing the time until someone else came along?

“Cyrus? You okay?”

He broke out of his reverie and realized that he hadn’t said a single word. T.J. was looking at him, nervously.

Cyrus nodded. “I’m fine. It’s just… I… kind of can’t believe that you want to go on another date with me.”

“Well, why not? You’re fun to hang out with and… I…” T.J. trailed off, suddenly hesitant.

Cyrus cocked his head to the side, curiously. “You…?” he prodded.

To his surprise, the jock blushed and he looked back down at the steering wheel in front of him. “I…really like you.”

Warmth exploded and spread throughout Cyrus’ body, his heart beating a million times a minute as butterflies swarmed inside his stomach.

T.J. liked him? As in… really liked him?

“Y-You do?” he couldn’t help but squeak out.

T.J. chuckled and looked back at him.

“I don’t go to the school plays just for the heck of it, you know. I go because you’re in them. I like you, Cyrus. For a while now. But, I didn’t think you knew me and I…wasn’t really that confident in approaching you. I figured I’d always just watch you from afar, you know. But, then, Justin told me about that blind date and when you showed up, I was really happy. I don’t know if it coincidence or the universe or whatever… but I felt like it was finally my chance.” The jock swallowed, suddenly looking unsure. “And if you give me the chance, I’d really like to continue getting to know you and maybe… you’ll come to like me too.”

“That’s impossible,” Cyrus blurted out.

T.J.’s face fell. “Oh."

Realizing what his words implied, Cyrus backtracked. “Because I already like you!"

T.J.’s mouth fell open. “You do?”

“Y-Yeah… kinda… I mean… I don’t go to basketball games just to watch Marty, you know.”

At that, T.J. started to laugh, a heart-fluttering and addicting sound that made Cyrus join in.

“Wow… we’re really hopeless cases, huh?” the jock said in between chuckles.

“Yeah… we are,” Cyrus agreed.

As the laughter died down, they settled into a much more comfortable silence.

Cyrus was a mix of emotions: joy, affection, and a little bit of doubt and fear.

Now that they had both shared their feelings, where would they go from there? Were they a couple? Or did T.J. want to continue casually going on dates before making it official? And what did Cyrus want? He really didn’t know.

“I’m serious about getting to know you,” T.J. said, softly smiling at him. “And I’ll be honest in saying that I’m hoping whatever this is between us would go somewhere.”

Cyrus blushed. “You… don’t waste time, do you?”

T.J. chuckled. “Well… in the words of ‘Rent’… no day but today, right?”

Cyrus groaned. “No fair. You can’t use my favorite musical ever to make me feel like this.”

“Like what?”

“Like my heart is going to jump out of my chest and run away with you.”

“I’d keep it safe, if that’s the case.”

Now, Cyrus’ heart was definitely about to leave his body and really run to T.J.

“So… is it okay?” T.J. continued.

Shyly, Cyrus nodded. “I’d like that.” He fiddled with his fingers, again. He didn’t want to leave but he knew that if he stayed, he would lose all coherent thoughts. “Um… I should… probably head in now.” He tilted his head towards his house.

“Oh, yeah. So, I’ll text you? Or call? Whichever is more convenient for you.”

T.J. sounded so eager that it made Cyrus smile. “All of that sounds great.”

Feeling a spark of bravery, he leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to T.J.’s cheek before saying a quick, “Bye” and leaving the car. As he rushed to his front door, he could feel the blood rushing to his face again.

He couldn’t believe that he kissed T.J. Kippen! Sure, it was on the cheek, but still! He never would have made a bold move like that on anyone in the past, no matter how much he liked them. But, there was just something about T.J. that gave him confidence.

Before entering his house, Cyrus paused and turned around to look back.

T.J. was still there, watching him with a smile, hand on the cheek Cyrus had kissed.

Darn, he was so cute.

With one last wave, Cyrus opened his front door and went in. Pressing his back to the wood, he clutched his heart that simply refused to calm down.

His feelings for T.J. had been a simple crush. Now, he wasn’t so sure anymore.

But, one thing was certain: he was ready for any more surprises the Universe had in store for him.

#tyrus #tyrus fanfic

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prismarine-parrots · 6 years ago

Text

The Pranker Gets Pranked

April Fool’s!

Grian logged into the Hermitcraft server from his personal home world. He had taken a break from the server, just for a day or so, to enjoy some time off from the intense working and to brainstorm some plans for what he was going to do next after Sahara.

"Hello, my name is Grian and— whaaaaat the heck."

Now, he was FULLY aware of the date. April first: April Fool's.

He still was not expecting the entire Hermitcraft server to be missing?

He was on the spawn island, which was a problem, as Grian knew he did NOT log off here.

"Okay, so I know today is April Fool's, but... what happened here? I was planning on coming on and pranking the OTHERS, not being pranked myself! This isn't fair!"

Grian's "Did You Die?" Box stand made of light grey concrete powder was missing. The only thing there was a single block of the powder, and in the sky there was a single block of red stained glass where the random farm that was here was. The Nether Portal was still intact, but that was about it.

Grian glanced around and scratched his head in confusion.

"So I have no idea what's going on. I might as well go through the Nether Hub and see what else is weird..."

The builder hopped into the portal and watched as the magic purple film covered his vision, and the sounds of him warping to the hellish dimension and the swirls fading. He stepped out of the portal and was immediately surprised by a rather horrifying sight.

"What happened to the Nether hub?!"

Where there was once a wonderful, one-to-eight scale of their Season 6 world, there was now a grid of a sea- or jack-o-lantern, a block or a blue carpet, and a piece of grey stained glass. The blocks in-between were open and below them was the flat netherrack the hermits has spent the first six months of the season clearing out in their free time- and those blocks were spawnable. So in between the grids there were zombie pigmen galore, some wither skeletons, and the occasional blaze. The only things that seemed left alone were the Nether portals.

"All our hard work! The months that we spent working on this- well, others did, I just mined a couple hundred pieces of netherrack, but still!" Grian complained to his metaphorical viewers that would be watching his video later.

He turned to his portal and his shoulders sagged when he saw that the scale model of his base had been decided to birch fenceposts.

"Oh no, what happened to my base? This is not good... well forget what I was planning today, if the rest of the server if like this then I'm going around and seeing what disaster has come to the server," Grian chuckled, knowing fully well that Xisuma and likely a couple of others had set this up.

He stepped into his portal and waited the five seconds, before coming out in the overworld and stepping out of the purple-black frame.

And immediately falling into ocean.

Grian swam back up to the surface, coughing and sputtering.

"Oh come on!" He complained, treading water (which he had gotten very good at this season with the amount of ocean usage that they had been doing) and looking up at his base from the ocean. His vision was blurred from water on his glasses, which he quickly took off and cleaned to get the salt water off his lenses, although it really was useless when his sweater was soaked. He put them back on so that his footage matched his eyesight, and he gasped.

"My base!"

His base was basically nonexistent. The floor was missing, the walls in a random pattern, not even having the awkward grid of the Nether hub. There were two-by-two pillars of white concrete where his mob-spawning towers once were, and the smaller towers outside Grian's main base were single-block nerd poles of white concrete.

"This is insane..." Grian laughed to himself in sickening awe. "Everything is gone! My mess of chests, the mustache machine- oh, no, I see some stained glass still, oh nooooo..."

Grian swam away from his base to where he knew the massive ring around his base was supposed to be. He instead found a single-block wide circle in the surface water. Grian frowned and shook his head, before looking up at the complete mess that was now his wedding-cake tower to build height.

"This is SUCH a mess, guys... I can't believe this. How long did it take for the guys to do this? Did they use WorldEdit? TNT? To be honest, this look like mass amount of TNT usage. If they destroyed my base with TNT, I'm okay with that to be honest. It's my favorite block! Don't worry guys, I have the world save from before this mess, I'll just play Hermitcraft on single player now!"

He withheld evil giggles, knowing that there was of course people who did not realize the date and thought that this entire thing was literal. Grian was set up by the other hermits to pull some real pranks on his viewers, and he was still totally going to find ways to prank hermits before the day was done. But he had to keep in character- bursting into laughter at his dastardly schemes was going to give those schemes away!

"I need to go see other's bases! Xisuma's! False's! Mumbo's!" He gasped dramatically, "what happened to the Mumball?!"

The builder leapt off the ring and took off toward's his fellow Architech's base. the Architech station was mostly untouched, with the station rails still there but the bridges extending to and from on both sides of the platform were nonexistent, making it looks like some sort of strange ocean rig. It took not even five seconds further for the destruction of Grian's neighbor to come into view.

"Oh noooooo," Grian laughed sadly, "His storage system!"

The frame of the (SLIGHTLY squished) spherical base was completely intact. The glass all seemed to be smashed, including the glass that held the water for Mumbo's storage system IN the system. Water flooded the pathways between the chests and down onto the city of farms below.

"This is tragic..." the builder groaned as he flew over the sphere, not wanting to land in any water. Bumbo Balloni, the all-seeing entity levitating at the top of Mumbo's power beam, was missing half his faces and the snow golems inside were wandering the four micro biomes behind the rows of chests.

"Mumbo? Mumbo are you here? Mumbo Jumbo! Mumboooooooooooo! Do I need to start singing the AFK song? Mumbo Jumbo you are not-where-you-needtobeeee... Okay that was even worse than me singing when I was sick. Don't remix that. Oh no, now I'm going to get a sugarcane song too, no! I should really stop talking now..."

Grian spotted something in one of the buildings underneath the main build. He gasped in delight and dived down to it- Mumbo's garden where his bed was.

"Mumbo! Come look at what happened to your base! It's insane!" Grian exclaimed, hoping that by not mentioning April Fool's he might be able to get the spoon. However, he came to a sudden stop when he saw what he thought had been Mumbo Jumbo.

An armor stand, dressed in dark grey dyed leather armor, with a Mumbo head on top, having been edited by the magic book to have arms and look like like a player standing still.

Grian stared at the stand.

Then he gave a fake sob and fell over the armor stand. "Mumbo, no! You've been turned into an armor stand! The horror! Am I the only hermit not an armor stand because I went home for a day? What a cruel turn of events! Wow, I sound like Joe," he laughed to himself, before shaking his head.

"Alright, this has been very funny, but I don't know what to do now. Keep touring the server? I'm the only one online, it's going to get boring without anyone else to... interact with, and figure out what happened to the server..." Grian almost said "prank" which would have given away the veil of obliviousness that it was April Fool's.

His phone buzzed in his black skinny jeans pocket. Fishing it out, there was a server notification and a text.

xisumavoid joined the game.

<xisumavoid> what happened to my base?!

<xisumavoid> Grian! What did you do?!

<xisumavoid> there's guardians everywhere!

xisumavoid was slain by Guardian using magic.

<xisumavoid> meet me at shopping district. Right now.

"I'm going to be in so much trouble for something I didn't even do," Grian groaned, "I'll tell him when I meet him. This wasn't me OR the man in the chicken costume!"

Grian announced this to his camera and took off the small island that was dwarfed by the size of the build placed on it.

"This is a mess as well! Oh no! The stock exchange, iTrade, Tek to the Skies- my pickle shop!"

There was different types of disaster at each location. The Nether hub was a grid, Grian's base was spaghetti, Mumbo's base was waterlogged, and now it seemed that the entire shopping district had WorldEdit cutouts of the shops so that there was only half the build standing, whether vertically or horizontally.

"I have no words..." Grian murmured to himself. Not only that, but he was also running out of things to say without sounding repetitive of his and Mumbo's bases' reactions.

He landed in the plaza with the Nether portal outside iTrade and looked around.

"Xisuma? Look, I know you're mad, but I'm just as confused! I thought this was you getting at me?" He called aloud.

No reply.

Grian frowned. "Xisuma?"

The Nether portal warbled and spat out fuming turtle man.

"Grian, I don't know WHAT you did-"

"It wasn't me!"

"I swear if you said it was the man in the chicken costume-"

"It wasn't? My base has been reduced to nerd poles! Why would I do that to myself?" Grian asked. Xisuma stopped pointing angrily at the builder and a confused look entered his eyes behind the purple visor.

"Who did then?" X demanded. Grian shrugged.

"How should I know? I haven't been on in two days!"

"Oh my days..." X put his hand on his helmet and look to the sky. "I don't understand..."

They stood in silence for a while, unsure of what to do or say in this mess.

"Are you sure YOU'RE not trying to get at me?"

"Ugh, you fools are so dense... if neither of you did it, who do you think did?"

Grian and Xisuma both jumped at the voice that sounded slightly like the one in green, but not at the same time. They spun around to see...

"HELLO GRIAN"

The other said something that shouldn't be repeated in a PG-oneshot.

Grian's blood ran cold at seeing himself with black soulless eyes.

"NPC?! I just saw you at home!"

"And I thought I banned you, Evil Xisuma! Get off my server!" X ordered.

"And what gives you the right to order me around?"

"LET US BUILD A RUSTIC HOUSE"

"NOPE!" Grian immediately protested and turned to walk away, but when he turned around the alternate version of himself was behind him, red eyes glowing.

"On second thought I'll stay!" The builder squeaked. X raised an eyebrow at Grian but said nothing.

"You see this glorious chaos we caused?" Evil Xisuma announced, waving his arm to the demolished shopping district, "you think this is your server still? No! I am the admin of Hermitcraft now!"

"AND I AM THE BUILDER NOW GRIAN" NPC Grian likely would have had the same victorious, malicious grin that Evil X did if he were able to.

Grian and X glanced to each other, likely having the same question about this alter of the other.

You never said anything about a doppelganger?

The admin in red chuckled and held up a hand.

"Well boys, it's been a good run. But the Hermitcraft server is mine now," Evil X grinned. "Say goodbye to your precious world."

"GOODBYE"

Grian started to meekly protest, hoping to find a way to reason with his AI counterpart and this other version of Xisuma. But EX snapped his fingers and NPC Grian blinked, his red eyes flashing for just a moment, and then everything disappeared.

Grian shook his head, feeling lightheaded, and glanced around to find himself in the vaguely familiar cityscape of the HUB for all players.

Xisuma groaned, evidently suffering the same effects of being forced out of a server as well.

"Oh my days, what happened?"

"I got no clue man. But either this April Fool's prank has gone very wrong or we just lost," Grian sighed. "Calling it now, things will be back to normal by morning..."

X grunted in irritation. "I know I was in on PART of this, but not everything! I think we might have just lost Hermitcraft! And if I'm not admin anymore, then I can't rollback the server or kick Evil X and whoever your dude was and... and..."

Grian decided to not inform the not-Doom guy that he was one hundred percent that most of this was a prank. He simply pushed up his recording glasses on his nose, making sure they were still recording X's panic, smirking to himself that this was going to make a great video by the end of the day.

There's a few perks to being known as a prankster. I can't let this oppertunity be passed up now, can I?

Evil X withheld his laughter until both his partners had used the /kick command to kick Grian and his counterpart from the server. They both disappeared before his eyes, and he immediately burst out in hysterics, holding his knees and being unable to see from tears.

"That was priceless!"

"I AGREE THAT WAS VERY FUNNY" NPC Grian agreed in his robotic tone. "I THINK IT IS TIME TO RETURN TO MY CLOSET NOW"

"Awww, not gonna stay to mess with Grian more?" DocM asked the AI, sounding slightly disappointed.

"IT IS TIME FOR ME TO GO HOME"

"You sure you're going to be safe if you go back home?" Python asked, "Won't Grian do something?"

"I WILL LIKELY GET YELLED AT AND THEN HE WOULD LAUGH HE LIKES PRANKS AND WAS TALKING OF APRIL FOOL'S EARLIER"

"Aw, so we didn't get him. Damn," EX grumbled.

"I don't know man, he seemed pretty startled to see NPG over there," Doc chuckled and nodded to the AI. "It's good to finally get back at him for the stunts he's pulled on me."

EX felt grim satisfaction knowing that there was someone else out there who got enjoyment out of seeing people suffer in retribution for something they did to them. The scientist-creeper-cyborg-thing gave off the sort of sinister and intelligent vibes that EX could appreciate. The red creeper hybrid had a more mischievous vibe than sinister, but had been more welcoming to EX and NPC Grian for their short time on the server than some of the other hermits that had taken notice of them for the prank in the hours they had been waiting for Grian, and partially by chance Xisuma, to come online.

"I guess I'll be going as soon as Mr. X realizes he's still admin and will re-ban me and revoke your powers I hacked you," Evil X assumed, slightly sad but also knowing he totally deserved it for pulling this thing again.

"See you around then, I guess," Doc said rather duly and then headed for the Nether portal.

Python waved and NPC Grian, unable to really give a farewell, simply disappeared.

EX sighed, shaking his head, and took out the devices he stole from normal Xisuma and logged off the server before he could be so rudely kicked like he had many times before.

"NPC! HOW DARE YOU!"

"HELLO GRIAN WANT TO BUILD A RUSTIC HOUSE"

"NO! I WANT TO KNOW HOW YOU MANAGED TO PULL THAT OFF?!"

"IT WAS NOT MY IDEA ASK EVIL XISUMA"

"I hate that I know you're lying but I can't get it out of you..."

"I KNOW GRIAN"

———————-

Word count: 2738

Latin version didn’t let me keep that last part with NPG and Grian ;^;

Happy (well, now it's belated, but it wasn't yesterday) April Fool's!

#hermitcraft #april fools #april fools 2019 #english #grian #xisuma #xisumavoid #npcgrian #docm77 #evilxisuma #pythonmc #becca writes

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andrewuttaro · 5 years ago

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New Look Sabres: GM 12 - DET

One day my children will ask me what it was like to watch Jake McCabe in his prime. They’ll ask me: Daddy, how did our hero block shots so much and still have the strength to score goals and wreck fools? I’ll tell them it was the enduring power of the crossed swords crest and they’ll be Sabres fans forever. I’ll also tell them the Buffalo Sabres really turned the page from the dark days when they started responding. Responding to what, daddy? Losses, child: when they decided to start following losses, ugly losses, with shutout wins every single time, that was when they really turned the page. Speaking of the pages of history: I’ve been diving into the Buffalo Sabres 50Years Special Section of the Buffalo News for a couple weeks looking at their most historic games. I was prepared to default to that list for my reoccurring segment “Greatest Game Against” after each divisional matchup. When I put it out on twitter however I got some real beauties including a submission from @RegalMoustachio (Dan Ball) that is… for lack of better phrasing: Very 1980s. Allow me to paint you a picture: it’s December 23rd, 1987. Christmas is only a couple days away. Ted Sator is Head Coach and Phil Housley is the top defenseman (mind you Lindy Ruff is the Captain of this team) for a Sabres club mired in mediocrity for closing in on a decade. Sabre Kevin Maguire takes a run at Red Wings goalie Zach Stefan after Sabres goalie Tom Barrasso had apparently taken a fist in the shnoz earlier in the game. Here’s the link () go watch it, I can’t do it justice. For the next five minutes after the hit on Stefan it just escalates and escalates. Eventually Bob Probert fights Maguire and it got ugly. I don’t mean to glorify fighting but dear lord, watch that highlight and tell me that doesn’t color the history between these two teams. Last night’s game was Jake McCabe’s revenge game. He was taking revenge on all us nerds who said he’s not an absolute G. Sure he’s no Rasmus Dahlin, but he puts the Buff in Buffalo Sabres. And he did it in a game we really needed it. For the third time this season they responded to a loss with a win. For the second time this season they responded to a loss with a shutout win. For the first time this season my man Linus Ullmark has a shutout!

I was at Frightworld in Tonawanda for the entirety of this game, but the early returns clearly tended toward a snooze-fest. It appeared the Red Wings were dominating that telling statistical categories like 5 on 5 scoring chances and expected goals. They dominated the most basic statistic that is shots for the first period as they got doubled up 12-6. Luckily there were no goals against. You see a period like that and you kinda expect the worst. I went on record before this game and said if they don’t demolish the Red Wings then the first rant of the season from yours truly was coming. That rant was being prepared as I walked through the Storm Area 51 house fearing the Sabres would lose to two bad teams two nights in a row more than the face-panted acting students jumping out at me. Unfortunately we got another Rasmus Dahlin stinker this first period. I feel like I said everything I needed to say about Dahlin’s sketchy play lately after the Rangers game, but I didn’t say what I wanted to change other than don’t give over turnovers, bud. What I probably would’ve asked for occurred: Henri Jokiharju was moved up to Dahlin’s pairing and they had quite a bit more chemistry than Dahlin and Colin Miller had. In spite of that roster move, Dahlin was trying to move the puck out of the defensive zone and somehow yielded it right to Andreas Athanasiou. Athanasiou took a shot, got in back and passed it to another guy who almost out maneuvered a stick-less Ullmark. Luckily that was the worst it got in the first… well other than that Valtteri Filppula breakaway in the first five minutes… ugh, we were really lucky to survive that period scoreless weren’t we? Yikes.

The Red Wings are a team you’re not allowed to lose to. They’re like the Ottawa Senators, they’re biggest goal right now is to get a high-first round draft pick. They have real NHLers in the minors. Detroit has a team caught between then and now. You got the ghost of Niklas Kronwall on one line and USA Hockey Magazine poster boy Dylan Larkin on another. Evidently they’re taking one more dip in the tank in this year’s spicy good draft and so you have to beat them because frankly they want you to! Both the lines of REO Speedwagon and the Roaring Twenties had their chances through the first half of this game but how are you being out-chanced by the Red Wings! How? I very well could go on a rant but kinda like the night before I just have too many early good feels about this team right now to rant at em after a win. To their credit they actually got more shots and high-danger chances in the second period. All the while Jake McCabe is blocking shots like and absolute hero. And so it was his time to be the star before any of the big names that have found their way onto this club: Eichel gets knocked to the ice after laying a hit on Tyler Bertuzzi and Jake McCabe gets the puck near the Wings blueline and thinks for a moment. He decides to take the shot and it zings right past Jimmy Howard into the net for the first goal of the game. 1-0 Sabres with 8:20 left in the second. Buffalo finally had some good play for the remainder of the period including almost another goal from McCabe. Almost. Either way Jake McCabe became my Hard-Working again this game. He’s one of those phenomenons in cities like Buffalo where the populace just canonizes players they deem tough and diligent. I understand he’s not actually that good as anything more than a role player. That’s fine. Let’s celebrate the role players too because we’re winning games we don’t look so hot in because of them right now.

The third period was rowdy. So we’ve established Dylan Larkin is hot stuff. Evidently on a tanking team he takes on the role of penalty drawer. He gets Kyle Okposo for interference; he gets Colin Miller for tripping; watch the replays that data wasn’t all that convincing to me. No amount of powerplay time could save his team now though. The Sabres got a powerplay after Trevor Daley high-sticked Kyle Okposo and the mercenary unit that is this team’s powerplay that we fell in love with in the first six games came back with a vengeance. With all the video replay powers of modern technology I still don’t think I have enough angles on the absolute gem of a goal Sam Reinhart tapped in. It went from Jeff Skinner to Jack Eichel to Victor Olofsson to Sam Reinhart parked in front of the net and in. It was a thing of splendor and maybe one of those goals we look back on months from now. I mean… Jimmy Howard definitely botched that one hard but nonetheless the 2-0 goal here for the Sabres was just beyond magnificent. Unfortunately that goal deserved better than this game. For the remaining 18+ minutes Larkin went on drawing penalties, getting shots and Detroit never looked out of it. You look at 2-0 box score and think that may have not required a herculean effort from a goalie, this one did. Linus got his pad or a stick or a blocker on so many shots this game. He earned his first shutout of the season blocking 41 shots! That’s only 6 shy of the shots blocked Hutton got in his shutout Tuesday that earned him an NHL star of the week honor. I love Ullmark but he shouldn’t have had to do that much work against Detroit. This is a game the Sabres should have dominated a bit more than they did. They could not manage the clean zone exits and entries they did in the very early going of this season and had Detroit not skated around wasting minutes on end on offense then this game could’ve turned out differently. Nonetheless this one ended 2-0 Sabres and our squad improved to 9-2-1 leaving only one game left in October against a very hot Coyotes squad. Isn’t it nice to think at the absolute worst they’ll end this month 9-3-1? Crazy times we live in, eh?

A couple notes before we turn wholeheartedly into Buffalo Bills mode tomorrow: Sabres Stats tweeted in his 164 games as Sabres coach Phil Housley got them 5 shutouts while in 12 games as Head Coach Ralph Krueger has already gotten them 3. That’s a stat that one might call almost worthless, the Robin Lehner years were fraught but there is a grain of something telling in there. I also share the sentiment of many Sabres fans that a Skinner-Eichel reunion feels necessary at this point. “Skinhel” as I’ll call that combo because I’m feeling spooky, is something that can be unleashed like the blue shell powerup in Mario Cart. You use it when you really need to save your ass. We’re not to that point yet but I too feel that temptation. Before we warp this up your reply guy tweet of the game goes to none other than NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman who when asked about the efficacy of the current playoff format responded: “We think the format works well… unless you’re a Leafs fan.” BURN! That burn was so hot it just ensured it’s going to be a mild winter in southern Ontario! I can say for myself that such a comment is immediately my favorite Gary Bettman quote of all-time. There’s no beating that. Like, share and comment this blog as you go about your Saturday fun. I have nothing to say about the Coyotes Monday night other than maybe don’t let em get every shot they want like Detroit did last night. They will probably make you pay more often than not. Let’s Go Buffalo!

Thanks for Reading.

P.S. What are you looking to about the trip to Sweden for the Global Series? I am so not used to my sports teams getting fun opportunities like that. I don’t know how to get pumped for it.

#buffalo sabres #hockey #blog #NHL #detroit red wings

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