#and Ray hitting Rip was pretty spectacular

[lightgamble]

Legends of Tomorrow | 2.17

Ray, listen to me: Whoever that is, she's an imposter. Take her out.

[epicstuckyficrecs]

Weekly Recap | February 8-21 2021

You get two weeks worth of fics this time because I got too busy last weekend and didn't have time to do my weekly recap :)

Complete

Evanstan Week 2021 by luninosity/ @luninosity​ (Evanstan | 10K | Mature): All my Evanstan Week little fics!

1. dodger 2. kisses  3. on set  4. first times (a first kiss, at least)  5. in space (alternate universe)  6. fluff  7. holiday 

💙  Remote Access by Kalee60/ @kalee60​ (Modern AU, Roommates | 57K | Explicit): Bucky Barnes was in trouble. More trouble than he ever thought he could get into as a grown adult. And it was caused by two singular factors that should never have become entwined.One, his god-like housemate Steve Rogers, who was unfairly handsome and the perfect specimen of man in not only looks but personality - and completely out of Bucky’s league.Two, Bucky’s obsession with a new toy he’d purchased to fill his lonely nights (and other areas).But when Steve buys a new TV, suddenly these two seemingly separate parts of Bucky’s life crash together in a spectacular and obsessive way.Bucky soon finds himself not as in control as he thought - and that’s when things start to get interesting…

💙  Black and Blue by darter_blue/ @darter-blue​, the1918/ @the1918​ (Modern AU, Spies & Secret agents | 7K | Explicit): CIA Agent Bucky Barnes and Captain Steve Rogers, Army 207th, Military Intelligence, are two American spies working for two different intelligence agencies. They've developed somewhat of complicated relationship while chasing down the same leads.

Until One Day, We Won't Be by the1918/ @the1918​ (Evanstan RPF | 8K | Explicit): Six times Chris and Sebastian were alone. [+ one time they were not.]

💙  How to Bang Your Weapon (in This World and the Next) by Brokenwords, elkane/ @elkane​, Hark_bananas/ @harkbananas​, kocuria-visuals (kocuria)/ @kocuria​, Nospheratt/ @nospheratt​, profoundalpacakitten/ @profoundalpacakitten​, ScrambledScript, sublimepigeon/ @sublimepigeon, ursa (Canon Divergent, WS!Steve, WS\Bucky, Multiverse | 50K | Explicit): Hydra knows how to get the Asset to do their bidding. When they want a new Captain, a new Steven Grant Rogers from another universe to help grow Hydra’s collection of supersoldiers, of course they send the Asset. But little do they know that in any universe, a Bucky will always find a Steve, and a Steve will always protect a Bucky.

💙  What lies they told us by darter_blue/ @darter-blue​ (Mobster AU | 42K | Explicit): Steve Rogers might still see his ma every Sunday, but he isn’t the dutiful son. He gave up that life a long time ago. Bucky Barnes may be following in his fathers footsteps, but he wants to set a path to something more than where they’ll take him. Steve and Bucky’s lives have always intersected. There is something between them that exists, real and palpable. But they are opposite sides of a coin. Opposing families in a war for money and power. Blood and pain. And fate may bring them together, again and again, pulling them closer. But it always finds a way to rip them apart. What they need is a way to fight fate. To fight their families. To reach each other. To keep each other. 

the prosecution rests by dirtybinary/ @dirtybinary (Post-WS | 3K | Teen): The Asset has to admit, ending a mission with Captain America crying into his lap is pretty unexpected. Even for him, and he is trained to anticipate all contingencies.

💙  The Seed and the Root by the1918/ @the1918​ (Shrunkyclunks, Post-EG | 32K | Explicit): His hands and mouth are gentle on the outside, but on the inside, Steve is burning up. He’s got everything he’s ever wanted on the bed and land beneath him, and now it’s so much at once that he’s afraid he’ll combust into white, nuclear light. (Part 3 of 💙  Song of the Rolling Earth)

Burning For You by musette22/ @musette22​ (Evanstan RPF, Non-Famous Sebastian | 3K | Teen): Sebastian gets a little carried away when raving about the Mountain Lodge candle to a friend. It leads to an unexpected, fragrant encounter.

At The Bottom Of Everything by Anonymous (Evanstan RPF | 12K | Teen): Six years. That’s what they’re celebrating. Six years, of them. Of this. That's what Chris is happy about. Until the phone rings. Until he turns on the news.

💙  Slip Of The Tongue by this_wayward_life (Shrunkyslunks, Soulmate AU | 6K | Explicit): Mr Perfect Ass is even prettier from the front. His braid is loose enough that strands of hair have fallen to frame his face, and an oversized scarf is pulled up to just below his pouty, red mouth. He's big, with wide shoulders and thick arms and thighs that are straining at his jeans, and he's staring at Steve with a blush on his face and the prettiest eyes Steve has ever seen."Oh, god," Steve blurts out. "Please sit on my face."

(series) Kinktober 2020 by this_wayward_life (31 works | 80K | Explicit)

The Best Handjob Of Bucky Barnes's Damn Life (Handjob)

Soft (Eating Out)

The Benefits of A Sugar Baby  (Thigh Riding)

Black and Blue (Choking/Spanking)

Black Mesh, Red Leather (Daddy Kink)

Thank God For Company-Sanctioned Teambuilding Workshops (Blindfolded)

The Only Thing School Football Is Good For  (Blowjob)

Your Body, On Crumpled Sheets (Voyeurism)

Feeling Just Peachy (Accidental Stimulation)

Blood-slick (Knife Kink)

Bury Me (Restraints)

Summer Nights (Fingering)

Beautiful Shackles (Public Sex)

You Are My First, And You'll Be My Last (Sixty-Nine)

Cover My Body (Size Difference)

All Plugged Up (Toys)

the tenderest touch leaves the darkest of marks (Begging)

Sugar Cookies (In the kitchen)

Seeing Double (Threesome)

I'll crawl home to him (Edging)

Your Voice In My Ear (Phone sex)

Hold Me Close, Keep the Monsters at Bay (In the shower/tub)

Keep Me Warm (First Time)

He never asked me once about the wrong I did (BDSM/rough sex)

Unexpected (Caught masturbating)

Overcome (Overstimulation)

In the Crowd (Orgy)

Praise Your Baby (Praise kink)

Grab on my waist and put that body on me  (Dirty talk)

Rediscovery (Mutual Masturbation)

Think I Found Myself a Cheerleader (Dressed up)

WIP

💙  Underneath the Shattered Sky by JJK/ @trenchcoatsandtimetravel (Planet Hulk AU, Post-Endgame | 14/? | 55K | Mature): “I shouldn’t have tried to kiss you.” Steve sounded choked. “I’m sorry. It was out of line.” “It’s really okay.” “No, it’s not. You’re not him. You’re your own person, with your own history, your own thoughts and feelings. Your own life here. I can’t expect you to be him. It’s not fair. To either of you.” “Maybe not,” Bucky huffed back. “But in this universe, my Steve’s an asshole who left me. And in your universe, your Bucky was taken from you, so I don’t really know what’s fair anymore.”

💙  and the river flows beneath your skin by Deisderium/ @deisderium​ (Boarding School AU, Soulmates | 3/? | 20K | Mature): In which Steve and Bucky are forced to room together their senior year at boarding school, and accidentally soul bond to each other even though they kind of hate each other. All they have to do to get out of it is not kiss each other for a year so the accidental bond will fade. How hard could it be?

💙  The Root and the Stalk by the1918/ @the1918​ (Shrunkyclunks, Post-EG | 3/6 | 18K | Explicit): “My mom, she’s not perfect, but she always had this one saying. You can’t look right into the sunset, because the light will burn your eyes. So you have to face east, right?” Bucky tucks his forehead against Steve’s chest, staring down the gap between them, eyes on their feet. “And when you do, you can look at the ground, and you can see your own shadow.” Bucky raises his head after a contemplative silence and gazes up at Steve. Those stormy gray eyes are filled with luminance, iridescence, splintered rays of shining light. “Or—Mom would say—you can look in front of you.” His lashes kiss his cheeks in butterfly pulses every time he blinks. “And ‘God’s light at your back will show you everything.’” (Part 4 of 💙  Song of the Rolling Earth)

💙  Revenance by by JJK/ @trenchcoatsandtimetravel​, SinpaiCasanova (Bladerunnerblue) (The Old Guard AU/The Song of Achilles AU | 20/? | 62K | Mature | Warning: Violence, MCD): And perhaps it is the greater grief, after all, to be left on earth when another is gone. Or, the one where Steve and Bucky are immortal and used to be known as Achilles and Patroclus.

💙  my soul and my youth (it’s all for you to use) by voxofthevoid/ @voxofthevoid​ (Post-Endgame (non-compliant) | 1/2 | 7K | Explicit): He waits until Bucky’s got a happy mouthful of eggs and toast. “I want to fuck you when you’re asleep.” Steve smiles his sweetest smile, and Bucky’s eyes narrow further, until they’re luminous blue slits. He swallows. Steve helplessly tracks the bob of his throat and drags his eyes back up to Bucky’s. “Steven Grant,” Bucky says, tone somewhere between amusement and admonishment. “Way to spring that on a guy.”

Re-read

I [Heart] You by writeonclara (Canon, magic curse | 1K | General): “Steve’s been hit with a curse,” Natasha said. She said it calmly, so Bucky didn’t immediately go flying out of the apartment to tear apart the Tower in search of Steve. Then again, Natasha would probably be calm if New York City spontaneously burst into flames. He lowered the coffee pot and squinted at her. “Of course he has,” he said. He felt, abruptly, exhausted. “What is it?” “The witch kept ranting about sexual repression and archaic moral principles,” she continued blithely.

[fnlrndcllctv]

REVIEW: Godzilla - Kaijuu Daikessen (1994)

Toho’s first attempt at a release for the Super Nintendo, 1993’s Super Godzilla, was not received well by critics, as it opted a more strategy-based style of gameplay that resulted in some rather dull and slow gameplay across the board.

So, in an attempt to try and crack into the SNES market one more time, the company turned to Alfa System to develop a new Godzilla-themed fighting game for the console.

This isn’t the first time that Toho had enlisted the services of Alfa System, as they’d previously worked on 1993’s Godzilla: Battle Legends for the somewhat obscure NEC TurboDuo console (read our review of the game here!), so developing a fighting game that featured the iconic kaiju from the Godzilla franchise wasn’t going to be too much of an issue for the company.

A year later, Godzilla: Kaijuu Daikessen (roughly translated as Godzilla: Monster War) was released in Japan for the Super Nintendo, while a planned US release, renamed as Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters, was cancelled.

So, with the new hardware available to them (that utilised a controller that was more suited to the genre), was this follow up any good?

Let’s investigate…

Gameplay

If you’re one of the few gamers who have given the Battle Legends release a try, then Kaijuu Daikessen will feel incredibly familiar. Each monster in the game has a variety of special moves to choose from, each requiring inputs that should already be familiar to fans of the Street Fighter series (along with hundreds of other games!).

A new feature in the game is the stun meter, which works in tandem with a character’s special meter. A full special meter allows for players to execute special moves such as heat blasts, missiles and lightning beams, but if a player’s stun meter fills up and knocks them dizzy, it also empties the special meter instantly, forcing them to immediately go on the defensive upon recovery.

It’s a nice update to change things up from the first game, and having more than two buttons this time around makes the controls feel so much better, even if they are slightly unresponsive at times.

With that being said though, a handful of issues that plagued Godzilla: Battle Legends do make an appearance in this game too. Having to deal with your character being too slow to turn around and face an opponent is still majorly annoying, and the hitboxes for certain characters (especially the flying kaiju) are incredibly sloppy.

Story

Much like its predecessor, Godzilla: Kaijuu Daikessen doesn’t really have a specific story as such, as the single player mode once again focuses on a single monster as they battle their way through each opponent.

The major difference this time around is that players can choose from the majority of the game’s roster instead of just the headline kaiju himself. This gives players more options as to how they approach the game on a technical level.

Luckily, the updated visuals and the updated mechanics that go into fights give the matches a more authentic feel when it comes to re-enacting the famous fights from the movies.

Roster

Godzilla: Kaijuu Diakessen features a roster of 11 fighters;

Godzilla

Anguirus

Gotengo**

King Ghidorah

Gigan

Megalon

Mechagodzilla (old)

Biollante

Mothra

Mechagodzilla (new)*

Super Mechagodzilla**

While the roster this time around is slightly smaller than its predecessor, the game is generally more balanced this time around (with the exception of a couple of fighters). The characters have more moves now, with some pretty entertaining new additions such as Godzilla’s “Uranium Atomic Heat Ray” super special move (although it’s frustratingly easy to counter), Mothra’s “Sealing Energy” attack and Gotengo’s high voltage moveset.

Things start to feel a bit uneven when playing both as and against Biollante. Biollante is the only character in the game that is unable to jump and lacks any successful long range attacks, meaning that they’re pretty much a sitting target for an entire match. This also means that when facing the monster in single player mode, the only way to hit them is getting up close, which is where the range where the vast majority of Biollante’s moveset lies.

Similarly to the first game, the obvious omission of one of the most famous characters in the franchise (last time it was Mothra, this time it’s Rodan) is glaringly obvious.

*Only playable in VS mode.

**Only playable in VS mode via a cheat code.

Graphics

The character sprites in Godzilla: Kaiju Daikessen aren’t majorly different to the first game’s, as they were only a year apart from another, but there are definitely some noticeable little tweaks and changes that help to improve the game somewhat.

First of all, the character sprite animations in the game have been slightly polished, with each character now able to display more personality when executing (and taking hits from) different attacks, and generally making them feel more “lifelike” than their cinematic rubber suit counterparts.

Another key area that has been improved upon is the look of the stages. While not massively spectacular when compared to many other fighting games that came out that year, each stage is more vivid and busy than the ones found in Battle Legends, with the added bonus of some stages including destructible elements.

Stages

There are a total of nine stages to fight on in Godzilla: Kaijuu Daikessen;

Osaka Castle Grounds

Fuji Five Lakes

World Children’s Land

Outskirts of Tokyo

Yokosuka

Wakasa Bay

Minato Mirai 21

Makuhari Bay Area

Tokyo Bay

Each of these stage locations are specifically ripped from the various movies each fight takes place in, and, as mentioned earlier, look pretty good when compared against the previous 2D Godzilla games.

The demolish-able buildings featured in many of the levels are a nice thought, but aren’t as well animated as they could be, making them feel a bit underwhelming. They also reset to normal after each round, making the enjoyment here somewhat fleeting.

As an added bonus for a number of stages, we often get some awesome MIDI renditions of some of the franchise’s most iconic music. I’ll never get tired of hearing the classic “Godzilla Stomp” in whatever form it comes in.

Replayability

As there’s no unlockable content or bonus stages included in Godzilla: Kaijuu Daikessen, there isn’t really much of an incentive to return to the game on a single player basis outside of maybe getting a high sore on the game’s leaderboard, and even then it’s a bit of a slog.

Luckily, the 2-player versus mode is strong enough to keep healthy rivalries going in couch multiplayer sessions, and seeing some of the most ridiculous and fun super special moves in the history of Godzilla games is undeniably worth sticking around for.

Final thoughts & overall score

Godzilla: Kaijuu Daikessen is a fairly enjoyable, yet slightly flawed fighting game that not only manages to improve upon the framework set by its predecessor, but is actually one of the better titles in the long library of Godzilla video games.

There’s plenty of famous kaiju to play as, and the fan service throughout the game is more than enough to please even the most casual of Godzilla fans.

It won’t necessarily win over non-kaiju fans, nor is it anywhere near the best fighting game for the system, but it’s worth your time if you want to re-enact those iconic (and cheesy) battles between giant monsters from the movies in a 16-bit fashion.

Do you agree with our review of Godzilla: Kaijuu Daikessen?

Let us know in the comments section below!

[drnucleus]

Burn This – A Review in Thirst, Energy and Hilarity

When @leofgyth offered me to go with her and a group of friends to see Adam Driver star in Burn This on Broadway I was ecstatic. Go see our fave in person and hang out with some fellow Adam Stans/Reylos? Hell yes. Also, there be spoilers ahead so BEWARE.

So, in preparation I bought a copy of the play. I read if four times before seeing it Saturday night. Mostly because Jimmy, aka Pale – Adam’s character has dizzying monologues that rail and race along a rollercoaster of emotion that on the page make them hard to follow. I knew though, instinctually that Adam would pull off the dizzying effect to great degree.

The house music was all 80s great new wave hits that set the right tone. From Manic Monday to Voices Carry. I was immediately transported to a time when I was too young to remember much aside from the music blaring from my mom’s record player.

Now I don’t want to spend this entire review thirsting after Adam. Because believe me, no one who goes into that play comes out not thirsting to some degree. I’ll get to him soon. But first I really want to talk about the other three characters in the play. What they brought to it. How they fared up against Adam’s intensity and undeniable energy.

First up, let’s talk about Burton. He’s Anna’s off and on boyfriend. He’s a screenwriter, rich, successful, born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He’s enamored with Anna despite the fact that they seem more square peg-round hole as a pairing. He’s funny, however. His entire monologue about how there are no good movies in Hollywood and how everything gets remade every ten years is hilariously accurate even 32 years after the initial Broadway run and just goes to show that not much has changed three decades.

Burton is flawed. Entitled. Spoiled. Not used to understanding the financial struggles that Anna and Larry have gone through. But he has a good heart despite himself. He’s played by David Furr, who is almost as tall as Adam, and pretty fit too. He’s a big guy with a teddy bear like quality about him that makes you feel comfortable in his proximity. He brings that sort of energy to Burton and you kind of feel for the guy that he is the supporting lover who gets passed over and not the romantic lead. His interaction with Pale is limited to one scene of spectacular inebriated fighting and revelation. His interactions with Anna are soft, and bring out his insecurity as a writer, and the rambling disjointed way he describes his ideas hit home for a writer like myself.

Let’s move on to Larry. Oh Larry. He’s gay. A marketing exec. And dear fucking GOD he is the hidden gem of this play. I went in expecting excellent performances from Keri and Adam and they no doubt delivered. Larry consistently stole scenes from every fucking cast member, Adam included. He was so funny and his timing and delivery were perfection. From him flopping himself down on the sofa whilst playfully calling Anna a slut for fucking Pale. To him singing the song Pale sings to her to tease her about hearing the entire tryst. To his reaction to Burton’s story about getting blown by some rando guy in the snow in his twenties. To the call back to that moment with something along the lines of “Hey Burton, look, it’s snowing, wanna find a dark doorway?” He’s cheeky and enigmatic and loves Anna with a brotherly protectiveness that is so lovely.  Brandon Uranowitz is the actor who plays him and he’s a delightful surprise. When I read the play I was paying far more attention to Pale and Anna’s connection than to the wise cracking gay man she lives with. Definitely pay attention to him if you happen to be going to the play. He’s so wonderful.

Now let’s dish on Ms. Russell. At first blush you can tell she is really starting to get her bearings as a stage actress. To be frank, stage acting is very different than screen acting. You have to emote more, you have to be slightly over the top to ensure that even the person in the last row can feel the intensity of emotion you’re displaying. Whereas on a screen it’s easier to be subtle and still have the same effect. What bits of her acting style have changed since she’s started the play have shown through and shine through a beautifully nuanced performance that not even two unscripted improvisations by Adam Driver could completely throw her out of character for more than a split second to give him a “Are you fucking kidding me?” look a chuckle and then move on. She gives emotion and vulnerability as well as a gigantic emotional brick wall around herself as Anna as both Pale and Burton try to bust it down. With only Pale who is the one to break through.

She walks herself through grief. Anger at Robbie – her dance partner who dies suddenly and is the emotional center of the play as she tries to move from being a dancer to a choreographer. Desperation for connection – with Burton – only to shove him away when his enthusiasm and compassion become too much. To her frightened exchange with Pale upon their first scene together to how he busts down her walls and makes her reach out to comfort him through his pain of losing his younger brother. She holds her own against Adam’s explosive performance. She has her own moments that are just as gut wrenching but in her you feel the tight containment of her discipline as a dancer that beautifully juxtaposes Pale’s explosive grief.

I knew going to see Adam would be an experience. Having seen his performances on the big screen and the small screen I knew this was a role he would both love and find so much meat to sink his acting chops into. This is Adam at his finest. He’s an emotional trainwreck throughout the play. In his first scene he steals the audiences attention, commanding it as he paces like a caged animal, ranting about parking and pot holes, and Ray the bartender who he decked out for not shutting up to full on the floor, full body sobs with real tears and screams of grief. His dialogue is dizzying and circular, coming back around several times with the same questions. He plays inebriated, drunk, coke high and belligerent with an authenticity and veracity that makes it almost too real. Pale has no filter. He thinks it he says it. Bluntly. Boldly. It’s the exact kind of snark and sass that Adam is becoming famous for a la Adam Sackler in Girls and the explosive anger of Sackler and his even more famous character Kylo Ren/Ben Solo of the Star Wars franchise. His physicality and range of emotions in his opening scene is enough to give the audience emotional whiplash.

His acting ability in person is even more powerful than it is on the screen. You feel the emotions he sends out as a wave of energy that engulfs and enslaves the room. We laugh at his snark and quick wit, but the audience grows quiet as Pale begins to work through his intense grief. There’s a humanness to Adam’s style that makes you believe that he is not just some actor playing a part but that he IS Pale in those moments. That type of immersive acting is something I personally will never forget and am so grateful for seeing in person.

Physically, I didn’t think Adam could get more attractive than I had seen in photos, tv and movies. Oh boy was I wrong. Every review I read. Every interview with female costars I’ve read. All of that previous knowledge did nothing to prepare me for the reality of seeing him in person. The minute you hear his voice, yelling just offstage for Anna to let him in at five in the morning, the hair on the back of your neck stands up because you know an entrance™ is about to be made.

Bursting on stage he gets uproarious applause from the audience as he launches into his initial rant about pot holes, and finding parking in a city that’s dying of crotch rot. He’s so good at going from 0-100 on the emotional scale at the drop of a hat that it’s startling to witness in the same room.

From him taking off his pants to not wrinkle them your eyes immediately go to the stark contrast of his pale legs against the black socks, shirt and underwear. Or to him gliding out of Anna’s bedroom on his second visit there in her purple floral silk kimono (that he ripped the sleeve of rather accidentally) with it open to reveal more pale skin and tiny euro black briefs that made the entire audience audibly inhale. Adam’s costumes throughout the play go from sleek suits to the fun comical use of a woman’s robe to a leather bomber, jeans and shitkickers. His stage presence and physical form is a veritable feast for the eyes as his voice, intonations and blue collar diction is just as entertaining. He improvs as I mentioned before, once when he did a little twirl that seemed like it was extremely on the fly, an amused smirk on his face as Keri almost broke out laughing. And again, when they’re on the sofa together and he did something that surprised her but I can’t quite pinpoint what that was having only seen the play once.

All in all this is a play where nothing happens and everything happens. Four people processing grief in varying degrees. From Larry and Anna’s personal grief as Robbie’s found family, to Pale’s outrageous self-destructive spiral and Burton’s tangential disconnected sympathy. It makes Burn This and Lanford Wilson’s prose jump from page to stage with veracity and life that I think would make the playwright proud.

[la-fille-en-aiguilles]

Half As Good As You (1 / 2)

Jax Teller x Female Reader

A/N: I know i’m late to the party, but I am finally catching up with Sons of Anarchy, also known as one of the greatest shows ever made. I absolutely adore it, for so many reasons (Charlie Hunnam obviously being one of them). Jax Teller is such a promising character, with such an enormous literary potential, I couldn’t resist. 

This two-part story is loosely based on Tom Odell’s song “Half As Good As You”. 

Please enjoy, feedback is appreciated if you feel like leaving something. 

Warnings: a lil’ bit of angst and heartache. 

What a spectacular day for murder, you thought, grabbing your Balenciaga bag from the passenger seat right next to you, your cold take-out coffee’s smell still hanging in the confines of your car.

Charming welcomed you back with cloudless, infinite azure and blinding yellow sun, an airplane chalking a line on the canvas of the sky above your head.

Swinging that bag over your shoulder, you let your gaze wander back to the house in front of you; the empty driveway, those colorless roses and the unwelcoming cold blue paint that you never thought you’d see again.

Your sister might have lived in that house now, but the vibe of it hadn’t changed much - it still stank of bleach, burned leather and filthy secrets. 

And to think you were to spend a weekend in these walls, where every little detail, everything - reminded you of him.

It felt like it had been ages; all your memories were just some stories someone had told you at some point, with no beginning and no end, pages ripped from old dusty journals for which no one had a care in the world anymore.

You lied, of course, when you told your sister if you’d come down it’d strictly be out of the goodness of the heart. Over the phone, you insisted on not wanting to leave the house before the wedding - that fucking house you hated the most in the entire world, that gas chamber in which you knew you’d have trouble to breathe - because you’d only come to watch her kids, while she gets drunk & partially naked before she ties the knot.

The sound of a roaring engine a few blocks away interrupted your train of thought as shivers ran down your spine, your fingers gripping steering wheel so hard your skin turned white.

Coming to Charming was a mistake.

Leaving the city in the first place was a choice, with which you’d learned to live.

Or so you thought.

Dawns were always the worst.

The subtle shift of light at around five in the morning gave the shit in his room back its color: the deep navy of his crumpled sheets, striking whites, yellows and greens of his underwear, scattered around, and the soft amber of the dresser, with framed pictures on top.

Jax would look at these colors perfect themselves, come out in all of their intensive glory, yet this would never amount to anything - no change in his black-and-white routine.

The rising sun later chose the best angle for its mindful rays, whitening out the faces on those photos. Most of the time, if Jax would let his eyes slip over the paper’s polished surface - accidentally, he kept telling himself - all he saw was perfect squares of bright light, the sun doing the job his brain couldn’t - saving him all the heartache.

The morning would paint his misery a new, less lethargic color as he’d drink his coffee at the bar, surrounded by his brothers, all laughing and talking in hoarse, morning voices. That would shake him up a little, the claws of last night’s dreams letting go some. Those dreams died eventually, but the nightmare of reality went on, and sometimes it was difficult for Jax to tell one from the other.

He didn’t know it yet, but today was going to push his coping mechanisms to a whole new level.

Sitting at the bar, his long fingers wrapped around a big cup of coffee, Jax kept digging holes in the middle of a microwaved cherry pie with a table spoon. He wasn’t hungry, but he knew he had to get some food into him - the day promised to be busy and chaotic, he’d get lucky if he got a chance to eat before dinner.

“Aye, Jackie-boy, any news from Ope?” Jax slowly registered Chibs’ words as the Scot called for his attention, carefully sipping on his steamy tea.

It took a moment for Telford’s words to settle in; retrieving his phone from the side pocket of his sweats, Jax powered the display.

“Yeah, he’s...”

Words stuck in his throat, a lump he tried to push down, swallowing hard. He dropped the phone flat on the bar table, the sound deafening. Inhaling deeply, Jax brought one of his hands up to rub his eyes, his elbow knocking over the cup of lukewarm coffee.

The drops of brownish liquid landed on your face, smiling at him from his phone, with Opie’s kids on either side.

Y/N’s in town. I’m sorry, man, we didn’t think she’d actually show. I’m on my way.

‘He’s on his way.’

Wiping his phone with the white t-shirt he still wore from last night, Jax scrolled down to see if Opie sent more of that stunningly pretty, makeup-free face of yours.

Winston didn’t.

It didn’t really matter, because one look at you had already sent his imagination reeling, his heart twisting in regret while beating ten hundred miles a minute.

You were back in Charming. The idea seemed outrageous, his thoughts even more so.

Maybe, it was a sign. Maybe, this was his past coming around to give him another shot to do this different. Better.

Maybe you two could work the shit out in the end of the day, maybe... maybe you came back for him.

“Hey Prospect, clean this shit up, will you?”

Grabbing his phone from the table, Jax motioned towards the black puddle on the floor once he got Half-Sack’s attention.

Running his fingers through the dirty-blond mane of hair, Teller headed to his room to take a shower, wash those bullshit thoughts away.

That’s all they were. Bullshit.

Your arrival lit a match in his mind, anger consuming him quicker than fire licking at dry paper.

And to what end?

The anger would come and go, leaving not even a fucking hint of solace behind.

So would you.

You never got around to babysitting that evening.

Dua Lipa’s voice blaring from the speakers, you could feel your chest rumble to the rhythm. The place was swarming with people; the bar welcomed a big crowd tonight, and under flickering lights you zeroed in on a face now and again, pacing your evening by the number of people you managed to make out from the human drunken mass.

Donna was having the time of her life as she swayed her hips to the beat. Her cheeks a lovely shade of pink, she laughed at something your friend Chloe said, wrinkles in the corners of her eyes, silent witnesses of her happiness.

Fumbling with your Margarita, you watched your sister closely, trying to convince yourself it was okay. It was Harry she was marrying for God’s sake. That teddy bear of a man that’d kill for her if needed.

And that was exactly what didn’t sit quite well with you.

You threw your head back, finishing your drink in one single gulp. Slamming the glass against the bar, you motioned for the bartender to approach. The young man with a messy man bun flashed you a smile, silently asking what your next choice would be.

“Whiskey on the rocks,” you yelled over the music, leaning over the bar so he could hear you better. Smiling still, the guy nodded, getting to it right away.

You plopped back on your seat, scanning the crowd with your eyes, again, trying to pass the time.

The scene hadn’t changed much since the last time you checked - most of the faces remained the same, the only difference being the cloudiness in people’s stares and sloppiness of their movements.

Yet your eyes narrowed as soon as you caught a young, handsome man staring at you, averting his gaze as soon as you spotted him. You were pretty sure you had never met him, yet something about him felt familiar... and suspicious.

Paying for your whiskey, you slipped off the bar stool, and slowly made your way to Donna.

“I’m going to get some air,’ you screamed into her ear, the beat of the basses making your knees tremble. Donna looked at you for a moment, as if trying to figure out your motives. Then she quickly nodded, lightly squeezing your wrist before letting go.

Gripping your whiskey glass tightly in order not to spill its contents, you made your way through the shifting crowd and into the hallway, slowly but surely.

Just as you walked out from the bar area, you noticed that young man you caught staring before turning around on his heels, following you.

It was a fleeting moment kind of realization, as you noticed Prospect written in bold letters on the back of the kutte the guy was wearing. Immediately you squirmed, pushing your way out of the bar with your elbows, slamming your glass on one of the unoccupied tables as you advanced.

“Shit,” you cursed, your eyes dashing around in search for a place to hide as soon as you reached the hallway.

You were being fucking followed. From the very fucking beginning. And by whom? By the Sons of Fucking Anarchy.

That would definitely up the number of candidates on your list for a well-deserved one night stand.

Thank God they didn’t think of sending someone bigger and meaner-looking, like Tig. Then your chances of getting laid tonight would have been non-existent, with the blue-eyed biker following you around like a shadow... shadow of death.

You froze at the thought, your mind painting the reaper tattoo before your eyes, angry black traits marking Jax’ ripped back.

The Prospect didn’t stay inside with Donna. It’s you he’d been told to follow around.

Clutching both of your fists in a sudden wave of anger that hit you like a speeding train, you muttered obscenities, your chest heaving.

Trying to swim against the current was useless at this point - you couldn’t change the way things were in this town years ago, why jump headfirst into that fight all over again? - yet two could play this game, you thought, Jax fucking Teller.

“Hey there, beautiful,” you were so lost in your thoughts, your eyes drilling a hole in the marble floor, you hadn’t noticed a pair of bright classy purple shoes walk out of the men’s restroom. Your eyes instantly flicked up to face a handsome stranger with deep grey eyes and a three-day black stubble on his razor-sharp cheekbones. The stranger smiled at you warmly, slipping both of his hands in the pockets of his expensive-looking jeans.

Bingo, you thought, mix of liquid courage and adrenaline spilling into your veins.

“Hi,” giving him a half-smile, you threw a quick glance over your shoulder.

Damn Prospect was watching you through the small dirty window in the door.

Grabbing the stranger by the lapels of his leather jacket, you pulled him in, your lips smashing against his.

You couldn’t even register one thing at a time, whirlwind of sensations and puzzle-like thoughts flooding your mind. He smelled of leather, cigarette smoke and musk, a sinful mix so familiar your stomach ached in an overwhelming need to stain yourself with it; steal it, carry it. The only thing stopping you was the absence of an important undernote, something sugary and spicy like oud or patchouli...

You figured it out in a matter of seconds, and even though the detail was bound to ruin everything, you still tried. Tried to fool yourself.

Even though his lips were a little too full for your liking. A little too soft. A little too innocent. A little too different from what you loved.

With your eyes closed, you bit his bottom lip, focusing on the way his rough cheeks felt against the palms of your hands as you cupped his face.

He didn’t bite back. He didn’t grab your hips with his hands, pulling you in closer. He didn’t moan into your mouth.

You didn’t click and that was that.

You still tried.

Holding on to that familiarity of rough beard under your fingertips, his scent completely engulfing you, you thought whether he hollowed his cheeks when he inhaled the smoke. He wasn’t a manual worker - you could tell from the softness of his touch as he positioned one of his hands on the nape of your neck. Exactly, positioned - that was the word. To describe a nearly mechanic movement of those soft little fingers.

Probably ain’t that good with his hands, darlin’ - Jax’ shit-eating grin appeared before your eyes for a millisecond, exactly the time it took for you to try and get a hold of yourself again.

You tried.

Your eyes fluttered open as the stranger rolled his tongue over your bottom lip - a little provocation that made you lose your mind back in the day. This time it felt like an ice-bucket full of water being dumped on the top of your head. It felt invasive, arrogant and wrong. It felt wrong, fault of his lips, his smell, his cheeks... Fault of him not being who you wanted him to be.

The stranger kissed you with his grey eyes open. And it shouldn’t have mattered at all - for all you knew, you’d have never seen him again - but it fucking did; the man you wanted always closed his eyes with your lips on his.

‘Hey, could you...’ you whispered, your lips still touching his. ‘Could you please close your eyes?...’

No answer followed. The stranger moved his head a little, confused look of those grey eyes settling on your face.

You ransacked your mind for something to say that could justify the shitty stunt you pulled; nothing came out. Luckily, the outside world came knocking soon enough.

‘Y/N!’ swinging the door to the bar open, Donna and her flushed and happy face came into view. ‘We’re doing shots, you with us?’

‘Yeah!’ you answered a little too quickly, relief in your voice almost tangible. ‘I’m coming’.

You gave the stranger a sympathetic look before letting go of his jacket.

‘I’m sorry,’ you told him blankly, not sure what kind of emotion he’d expect from you, given the context. ‘It was nice meeting you, uh...’

‘Gabriel’, he filled in, his lips still raw from the kiss you shared.

‘Gabriel,’ you repeated, knowing you’d forget his name the moment you’d turn away. ‘See you around, I guess’.

Just as you left the man with purple shoes behind, following Donna, you noticed the Prospect by the bar. He caught your eyes and gave you an uneasy smile.

For a spy, the guy isn’t exactly hiding, you thought. Biting the inside of your cheeks, you decided to finish what you started for once and headed his way.

Nighttime had always been the time for his demons to come out to play. To bring out the worst in him.

Tonight, however, felt different.

The night was silent, save for the car engines revving miles away from Teller Morrow. Stars dotted the inky sky, their shine so bright they looked like holes in heaven’s floor.

Jax’s mind was clear – not a single stray thought corrupting the peacefulness of the moment. The roof may have trembled under his feet, good old tunes rocking the walls of the club, but he heard none of it, not a single note. Hollowing his cheeks, he took a deep drag of his cigarette ; the smoke eddied coolly down his throat, until he puffed it out slowly – milky white and circular.

This stillness was new to Jax, the feeling of time rolling by in its silent and endless way soothing him. He wallowed in it for a moment ; until the thuds of careful steps reached his ears.

Dumping the cigarette butt over the roof and straight down on the parking lot, Jax watched Opie’s impressive, broad frame block the harvest moon from the view, as he slowly climbed the stairs.

‘If this ain’t the man of the hour,’ Jax said, his lips bearing the semblance of a smile. ‘Tired of enjoying your last days of freedom yet?’

Opie chuckled quietly, making his way to his best friend. He shook his head slightly, taking a seat next to Jax, his eyes immediately drawn to the beauty that was the night sky.

‘I’ve belonged to Donna since forever, man,’ Opie shrugged, moonlight reflecting in his dark eyes. ‘This is just an excuse for boys to enjoy booze and pussy’.

Jax rolled his tongue over his bottom lip before biting on it, smiling knowingly.

‘Yeah,’ he let out, nodding slowly. Fumbling with his cigarettes, he offered one to Ope. Winston gladly accepted, lighting it up.

They sat in a comfortable silence for a while, listening to downtown Charming snore softly in its agitated sleep.

‘Saw you talking to Ima at the bar,’ Opie was first to break the silence, exhaling the smoke. ‘She still carries a torch for you?’

A crooked half-smile graced Jax’ face at the question; he slowly stood up, raising both of his hands and stretching, the hoodie he was wearing rolling up a tad, thus showing toned muscles.

‘Don’t even get me started on this one, man’, Jax shook his head, raising his eyebrows in desperate gesture. ‘She keeps pestering me about that old lady shit…’

Opie whistled, watching Jax lean over the roof barrier, and following him shortly.

‘Ima? An old lady?’ Opie repeated in disbelief, Jax watching him with a blooming smirk. ‘She’s really getting desperate ain’t she?’

Jax let out a booming laugh before staring down into the ground, his thoughts taking him elsewhere.

Comfotable silence settled over the roof again. It were as if the world had stopped, came to a much needed halt, yet both Jax and Opie knew the feeling wouldn’t last.

‘I don’t think I’ll ever get around to what you’re doing, Ope’, Teller suddenly confessed, unblinking, voicing the thoughts that’d been plaguing his mind for what seemed like ages. ‘How am I supposed to ask someone to just open themselves up to the neverending load of shit we’re dealing with on a regular basis? I deal arms, I sell porn, I hurt people. That’s all I’m good for. Who would ever want to be associated with this kind of psycho, huh? Maybe Ima is my end game.’

Jax smiled bitterly, stealing a quick glance at the Teller Morrow sign on his left, even unlit a painful reminder of who he was. Opie grabbed Jax’s shoulder, squeezing it tightly.

‘Bullshit,’ he protested, shoving Jax back a tad unintentionally. He looked Teller right into the eyes, holding that heavy stare of stormy blue orbs for a moment. ‘I know someone who did want that, Jax’, he finally said, letting go of his friend, sadness lacing his words. ‘You’re not asking for a goddamn moon’.

The Vice-President of SAMCRO sneered, biting on the inside of his cheek. Opie knew he took a plunge in dangerous waters with that statement, but he also knew he needed to put this shit Jax’d been going through ever since that fight of yours on the table.

‘Damn straight I am,’ Jax bit back roughly, not even trying not to rise to the bait. ‘That someone you know made sure I was aware of that,’ he spat, his voice dripping with anger.

‘You’re not being fair, man’ Opie stated sternly, taking a step back and shoving both hands into his jeans’ pockets, his eyes never quitting Jax’ face. ‘You both said things you didn’t mean that night. Besides,’ his voice softening up a bit, he continued. ‘Can you really blame her? After what we did to the A.T.F.?’

Jax scoffed, turning his head in Opie’s direction. The fire that anger lit in his eyes wasn’t quite gone yet, its sparks still lingering on the surface of Teller’s irises.

‘Donna didn’t seem to mind,’ he observed spitefully, turning around and leaning on the barrier, folding his hands across his chest, as if protecting his bleeding heart.

‘Donna doesn’t know!’ Opie retorted almost instantly. ‘That’s why I’m still marrying her on Tuesday!’ once the words were out of his mouth, he rubbed one of his hands against his beard, looking away, exasperated. ‘Y/N didn’t tell her shit’, he added quietly.

Gritting his teeth, Jax faced the barrier again, grabbing it with both of his hands. Rocking himself back and forth on his heels, he let out an irritated, rumbling sigh.

There was something in that sound of air pushing its way in between Jax’s lips that made Opie freeze; the fierceness of heartache behind it. Opie watched. He watched Jax’s face, as Teller bit the inside of his bottom lip, shaking his head, lowering his gaze – hiding those glossy baby blues of his.

Then he knew.

Jax’s anger was nothing but a shield for pain. Empty bravado. Signifying nothing.

Each word coming out of Teller’s mouth was an activated grenade; Jax was a soldier, cornered by his pain, scared, desperate and so damn lonely. Bitterness was his surviving mechanism. Little did he know that those verbal grenades he threw would eventually end up backfiring at him. And then that anger – that shield he carried – would clatter to the ground and the pain would hit him like a tsunami. Choking him. Drowning him.

‘I don’t care,’ Jax finally spoke, facing his best friend again. Strangled emotion seeped out of his words, only confirming what Ope had already knew.  ‘If I had to choose between Y/N and that A.T.F.’s wife again, I wouldn’t have done a damn thing differently. I will always choose Y/N.’

Protectiveness rang in Jax’s voice, like bullets falling on the ground. He eyed Opie almost threateningly, daring him to challenge his statement.

Opie nodded slowly, reassuringly. This simple gesture made Jax’s body relax a bit, as he rolled back his shoulders.

‘I know, man,’ Opie spoke calmly. ‘Y/N knows it, too, and she’s grateful, trust me. There was only one way to do it with her getting out alive,’ Winston frowned at the thought, watching the same kind of expression darken Jax’s features. ‘She now lives with the weight of two deaths on her shoulders, for God’s sake, cut her some slack.’

‘She didn’t pull that trigger on the A.T.F. when he came asking about his old lady, Ope,’ Jax rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands tiredly. He clearly did not want to have the same kind of conversation with Ope that he would have with himself in the darkness of the night. ‘I did’, he said, more to himself than to Winston, not even looking at his brother. ‘I killed him.’

Jax vocalized what he’d been telling himself ever since you left, forcing himself to believe that this – he – was the reason you two broke and could never be put together again.

‘Those two deaths are on me,’ he added, hoping his mind would be satisfied with the self-hatred audible in his confession. But it wasn’t. He knew the same thoughts would be back to haunt him in the night all over again.

‘This is on Mayans, Jax, all of it’, Opie tried to counter, watching Jax being submerged with the idea of who he thought he was. The idea that was, of course, complete and utter bullshit. ‘All you did was protecting your family. Protecting the club.’

‘Yeah, whatever’, Jax managed a small smile, almost free of bitterness. ‘It’s over, Ope. It’s done’.

Lowering his head, Jax searched for his cigarettes in his pockets, slapping his palms against the leather of his kutte. Finally finding what he’d been looking for, he took a Zippo lighter from Opie’s stretched hand and lit up the cancer stick.

Hollowing his cheeks, inhaling deeply, Jax raised his eyebrows at Ope, judging from his uneasy expression that he wanted to speak, but weren’t sure how to go about it.

‘You know it ain’t over, man’ Winston finally managed, his voice quiet and hoarse. ‘You still love her’.

The statement made Jax chuckle for some mysterious reason ; he threw his head back, slowly exhaling the smoke as it carressed his lips. Watching Ope with the same amused yet hard expression he learned to master, Jax spread his arms, as wide as they would go.

‘Yeah, well, I guess I’m shit out of luck then, ain’t I?’ a wicked smile grew on his mouth. ‘I’ll just have to find someone half as good as her, and that’s that. Consider myself lucky if I do.’

Opie huffed out a breath, looking away and down at the parking lot, shaking his head. Jax leaned against the roof barrier, taking another deep drag of his cigarette, dropping his gaze.

‘Or,’ Opie broke the silence all of the sudden. ‘You can just talk to her. Work this shit out’.

Jax gave his friend a sideways glance, a ghost of hope settling along the curves of his red lips.

‘She won’t see me, Ope,’ Jax’s words were contradicting his body language. He stood straighter, letting his chest open up as he leaned backfirst onto the barrier. ‘I’m dead to her’.

‘Guess she’s here to visit your grave then,’ Opie smirked, motioning towards the parking lot with a slight movement of his chin.

Jax’s immediate reaction was a deep, skin-creasing frown, his mind a surging perplexity. Opie could literally see the realization dawn on him, the walls he had spent all these years bulding high and deep crumbling at his feet. All it took was one look at you ; one look at that black car that brought you home.

Dread flashing in his blue eyes, excitement creeping up his spine, Jax didn’t even realize he’d been holding his breath for three minutes straight. His heart trying to escape the rattling cage that was his chest, Teller closed his eyes. Anticipation tingling through him like electric current, down to his Nike-cladded feet, he bit his bottom lip, regaining control over his body.

His blue sparkling eyes flashed in the darkness as Opie’s gentle, yet slightly mocking voice cut the tension like a knife :

‘If I were you,’ trying to keep the urge to smile at bay, Winston pursued his lips. ‘I’d hurry downstairs before Ima spots Y/N at the entrance…’

‘Shit !’ Jax hissed, already climbing down the stairs as fast as his feet would take him. In one adrenaline-fuelled jump he leapt towards the entrance door of the club, his brain on fast-forward and his heart skipping several beats at a time at the thought of seeing you…

[thehorrcr]

FIRST CHAPTER OF VAMPIRE MCR FIC THAT U SHOULD DEFINITELY READ, BECAUSE IT’S ACTUALLY PRETTY FUCKING FUNNY

Frank’s stomach growled furiously, he clutched his abdomen and used his other hand to steady himself against a wall. The world swung in and out of focus, like carnival lights through squinted lashes. Everything felt as if it were blushing, drunkenly. “Fuck.” Frank gasped, resting his forehead against the cool brick of the alleyway. The rough surface cut into his skin, but he welcomed the pain. Anything was better than the growing hole that was forming in his stomach. “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.” He spat each word out, like it was made of acid. This was the part he always hated, the part where he had to decide. Whether or not he’d rather starve to death, or… or. His mind quieted, not wanting to finish off that last part. It was better not to think about this. Maybe this time he’d have enough control. He’d simply ride out the hunger pains, the shaking in his hands, the splitting headache and icy chill that ran up and down his spine. Until it faded into nothing, like morphine being shot into his veins. He’d lick up every last bit of his own destruction, until it tasted like starlight on his tongue. Until, he’d simply fade into it.

Another bout of hunger pains stabbed through Frank’s stomach and he let out a yelp, turning so that his back was pressed to the wall. He slowly slid down it, until he was crumpled over his knees. His head, tilted back so that he could see the sky dancing above him. The stars winked back at him, like rotting teeth in a monster’s mouth. “Stop laughing at me.” He muttered. The universe had been using Frank as its toy ever since December of last year.

Frank, in his pity party, let the memory come back to him. It had been a frigid night, and Frank had been staying over at Brian’s house until dawn started to shiver its way out of the horizon. The temperature had dipped into the single digits, turning everything the wind touched into a walking popsicle.

“Don’t go out in that shit, Frankie.” Brian had said, as Frank started to collect his things. “You could hit black ice or somethin’, and I can’t have you dying on me.” He pointed a pair of chopsticks at him. They had ordered take out, and there was still some leftovers scattered on the table. For a moment, Frank had hovered by the door. The temptation between the fried rice, and full-feeling of his stomach, placing a haze over everything. Who wanted to go out into the freezing fucking cold, when Brian had a couch and a heater?

But then, reality sunk back in. Frank had work at 8 a.m., and there was no way he was going to make it, if he stayed at Brian’s. And he was already dangerously close to getting his own ass fired. (An incident with the ice cream machine had gone awry, and had caused Triple Nut Blast to get all over the kitchen.) (It was safe to say, Frank’s manager hadn’t been too pleased to have been informed that there was triple nut juice all over everything.)

Frank let out a heavy sigh, throwing his keys up in the air and then catching them before they fell, “I gotta work, Brian. You know that.”

“Call in sick. That’s bullshit! The roads are covered in ice!” Brian exclaimed, jumping up from the couch. “Is your job really worth your life?”

“Without my job, I can’t afford my goddamn life. That’s capitalism, babe.” Frank teased.

Brian groaned, “Shit, fine. Just be safe.” He threw an ice scraper at Frank, which he fumbled with before catching it. “You’ll need that, Iero. Thank me later.”

“Goodbye Brian.” Frank sang as he opened the door, letting the chill morning spill into the living room. Brian cursed, practically hissing at mother nature as she invaded his house.

“Shut the goddamn door!” Brian called after Frank, as he had pulled the door close, and had headed out into the still-night. That waited, like an egg, waiting to be cracked open into dawn.

The memory faded, as the pain intensified. Frank felt sweat beading at his brow, as he tried to focus on the world around him. Any moment now, and he’d lose his last bit of restraint. He’d descend into that dark place, and by this time tomorrow night he’d have more blood on his hands, than a filthy rich politician. Frank swore, banging his head back into the brick wall. He had to get to Ray’s place soon, or else he was going to turn the entire town into an All-You-Can-Eat-Buffet.

Frank stumbled to his feet, and started to make his way towards the vague direction, in which he remembered leaving his car. Laughter filled the alley, and for a second, Frank wondered if God was truly mocking his pain. It wouldn’t surprise him, he turned his head over his shoulder to curse up at the sky, but his attention was caught by a blur of movement, down at the other end of the alleyway. Steam was rising up from the grates in the ground, making it hard to make out the silouhettes. But Frank could see a group of guys, huddled around something. Their figures dancing like shadow puppets. Adrenaline kicked into Frank’s chest, he could smell them.

The scent of their blood, rosey, and full of decay, flooded Frank’s system. Saliva pooled into his mouth, his incisors, starting to push their way through his gums. A moan escaped his lips, without his consent as he blindly started to fumble his way towards the group. He couldn’t stop himself, the only thoughts that filled his mind was longing for the crisp, salty taste of blood on his lips. The type that blurred his vision, and filled him with infinity on high. As if he had tipped the stars into a wine glass, and had drunk until he saw visions of heaven itself.

He needed that fucking juice. The same way humans needed oxygen, or beauty sleep. They were shouting, the sound bounced inside of Frank’s skull. Until the noise twisted itself into a lullabye of screams, the types of screams that would bloom from their throats, as Frank tore into them. They didn’t even notice him, he was a panther, a shadow, the fucking grim reaper himself -

And then Frank caught his reflection in a puddle. He could see the veins, spreading out from his eyes in black rivulets. His eyes, a starved crimson started to fade when they met their own gaze. He looked deranged, like a stolen version of himself. Frank started to come to his senses, his own thoughts staining his conscious as he realized… he had wanted blood. He had wanted to kill for it.

In fact… he still almost-wanted it. The sensation of the senseless greed tugged in his stomach, like a riptide that had threatened to drag him out to sea. It took all of Frank’s strength to fight against it. He took another glance at the group of boys, and disgust pinched at his insides. He needed to get to Ray’s house so he could take a bath, and drown himself in beer.

Plus… Ray’s company could solve any problem, and that was one thing that Frank was entirely sure of. So, he turned on his heels and started to make his way back to his car. This time, his head was clear, despite the horror that was ripping its way through his stomach…

And then there that scream… that ripped through the night, like lightning tearing a hole through the great big beyond. It was desperate… and so… so… scared.

Frank recognized that noise… it sounded like how he had… on that night… that night when -

“I don’t want to die! Don’t fucking touch me! I said, don’t fucking-” It was a guy, a young guy, from what Frank could tell. It came from the group that Frank had almost turned into human-capri sun pouches, only a few moments before. It took Frank a second to realize, that they weren’t just having a jack-off session in the middle of an alley way… they were fucking mugging someone. Anger tore a hole through what was left of his restraint, if there was one thing he couldn’t stand, it was bullies.

He placed his hands on the brick wall beside him, and silently prayed for a moment that his weird powers would kick in, despite the fact that he was weak as all hell. He started to climb, his hand slipping after a few steps, but he regained his footing quickly. Frank crawled his way up the wall, and onto the fire escape, and then the roof.

The thing was, sure Frank had weird demonic capabilities that had been “bestowed upon him” by the dark one, himself. Or at least, that was quote, unquote what Luke claimed. But, he was still 5’6, and low on battery power. Taking on a group of guys that were twice his size, wasn’t the best possible choice he could make at that moment in time.

However, sneaking up on them could give Frank an extra edge, and that was all he needed.

Once Frank was on the roof, he stationed himself so that he was right above where the group was huddled. He could then see, that they were in fact, towering over a smaller kid who looked like he had lost a fight with a straight iron. One of the guys, was holding a gun and had it pointed at the kid, as he emptied out his pockets. From here, Frank could hear him saying, “Listen, I don’t have any fucking money!! This is all I have!” But the guys weren’t having any of it… they wanted more than just money…

They wanted blood.

Frank let out a sigh, standing up and popping his neck. “Ladies and gentleman prepare yourselves… as Frank Iero takes the high dive - “

Down below the click of the gun cocking, echoed off the walls. That were bent over the figures, like nosey old ladies.

Frank bent his knees, preparing himself to jump, “In one spectacular display of -”

The kid began to sob, “Please, you can’t do this to me -”

“Stop crying, or I’ll blow your brains out, fucko.” The guy replied, a cruel smile creeping its way onto his face. “Tell me, how do you look in red?”

“Self destruction.” Frank finished, and then jumped off the edge of the building. The wind rushed past his ears, as he plummeted to the ground below. The world’s colors blended together, until they all sang together, like a symphony of grey and yellow. New Jersey’s shine, couldn’t even cut through the crimson headache that pounded through Frank’s head as he smacked into the pavement. The sound of a gun firing went off, and another pain shot through Frank’s chest. It felt as if a snake had bit him in the goddamn tit. “Mother! Fucker!” Frank exclaimed. Blood was pouring from his mouth, as he sat up.

His neck was turned 180 degrees, and he was looking straight up at a blonde kid. Who couldn’t be older than 18, his mouth dropped open into a wide O. “What? You’ve never seen a double axel performed off of a 20 story building before?”

“Excuse me, but what the fuck?” Asked one of the other guys. Frank twisted his neck around with a sickening pop. Half the group shivered, collectively at the noise. “Who the fuck are you? Some sorta goddamn mutant?”

“Do I look like Wolverine to you, jack-ass?” Frank hissed. The kid all but sewed his mouth shut. Frank turned so that he could see the victim, a stick-like kid who wore glasses all the way at the bottom of his nose. One of the lenses was cracked, and blood was pouring from his nose. He was staring at Frank with an awe-struck look on his face. “Were they fucking with you, kid?” Frank asked.

The kid looked from Frank to the group, who seemed to all take a big step away from Frank at once. All except for the one guy with a gun. “Y-Yes.” He stuttered out. He frowned, “Who are you?”

“Your guardian angel, baby.” Frank replied. He pushed himself up to his feet, and took a deep breath before saying loudly, “Listen. For all you shits know, I am a God sent here to fuck your absolute sorry asses up for being a pile of dick bags to this kid right here. Either you take yourselves back home to your moms and have a self-pity jerk off session, or I’ll unleash unholy reckoning onto all of you.”

Half the guys backed out, but the guy with the gun barked back at them, “Don’t listen to him! He’s a crack head! Help me gut him, and I’ll pay you later!”

“Yeah fuckin’ right! He’s a crack head that just survived a 20 story drop onto the pavement!” Said the blonde kid, as he started to turn to make a run for it, “He could be the anti-christ for all we know!”

Frank smirked, he liked the sound of that. The kid with the glasses turned to him, looking dazed and a bit like he forgot to turn the stove off at home. “Are you the anti-christ?”

Before Frank could answer, a sharp pain shot through his skull. His jaw smacked into the rough brick of the wall, as a guy shoved him into it. “You should’ve minded your own goddamn business. Now I am gonna have to kill you, too.”

Frank started to mutter something. The guy growled, “What?!” Frank continued to try to speak, until he finally let up, and pulled Frank away from the wall.

“I said, you can’t kill what’s already dead, asshole.” Frank then, smacked his head into the other guy’s forehead. After that, all hell broke loose. The guys all lunged for Frank, Frank was little and he used that to his advantage as he ducked between them, dodging their punches as if he were a pro-wrestler. One guy had a switch blade in one hand, and tried to take a jab at Frank. Frank jumped onto another guy’s back, just as the guy lunged forward with the blade. It’s sharp edge sunk into the other guy’s arm. He let out a cry, and Frank jumped off of him. There were only three left. Frank was winning, Frank was -

Another gun shot went off, and Frank closed his eyes, preparing himself for the pain. But it didn’t come.

He opened his eyes again, and a sinking feeling dragged into through his gut. “What the fuck did you just do?” Frank asked.

“Don’t take it personally, babe.” The guy with the gun said in a mocking tone. A shadow had fallen over the alley, the moon’s silver light had been cloaked by a cloud. The man looked more menacing now, he was a devil in hiding. Frank just wish he had realized that sooner. “It’s just business.”

“C’mon, lets book it before the cops come!” Said one of the boys. They all started to take off, one by one, down the alley. Frank watched them go, swearing at them as they ran, like a pack of wolves. His attention though, was drawn away by the sound of a low moan. It was hard to believe that it actually came from a human. It sounded like something that could only be made from the low groan of stars, grinding themselves together. Until they were nothing but dust.

Frank turned to see the kid, hunched over on the ground, cradling his stomach. “Do you hear that, too?” He asked, softly.

Frank collapsed onto his knees next to him, placing his hands on his shoulders and tilting his head up so that he was looking at him. Rage, confusion and fear wrapped their cold icy hands around Frank’s heart, until all he could make sense of was the smell of blood that was pouring from the wound. “What do you hear?” Frank asked, calmly. But he was anything but that.

“The ringing… it sounds like -”

“Kid- “ Frank started.

“Angels.” He finished.

“What’s your name?” Frank asked softly. He tried to pick him up, but the kid hissed in pain when Frank tried to move him. Helplessness was clawing its way up Frank’s throat in the form of a sob, as he stared at this other… human being. This human being that he could’ve saved, but he had failed. Failed. Failed.

“Mikey. My name’s Mikey.” Blood was starting to leak from the side of Mikey’s mouth. Frank held him closely, wrapping his arms around him so that he was warm. Mikey’s head rested against Frank’s chest, Frank ran his hands through his hair. His finger slick with sweat that was beading itself on Mikey’s forehead, humming softly, they stayed there like that, in silence until he spoke up again. “My brother is going to kill me.”

“I think it’s a little late for that, bud.” Frank muttered. He cringed, and hoped that he hadn’t caught that sentence.

“This is his favorite Iron Maiden T-shirt.” Mikey laughed. The wind-chime noise faded, and a more serious shadow crossed his face. “I don’t want to die.” His voice trembled as the words escaped his mouth. “Please… don’t let me die. I don’t… I don’t want to go. Not yet. Please.” He was begging Frank for a mercy that he didn’t know how to give unless -

Unless…

Another hunger pain shot itself through Frank’s stomach and he cursed his own weakness. The responsible thing to do would be to hold Mikey’s hand until he drifted off into that blissful sleep. Until his heart finally gave out, like a missed note in a symphony. Until everything drained out of him, like sunlight leeching itself from winter’s harsh landscape. But… the starving part of Frank… no, the hopeful part of Frank. Knew he could do something more.

But at what cost?

Frank bit his lip, and drew blood. His teeth were already starting to peek their way through, betraying his ill intentions. “What if… I told you, I could save you?”

“Does this go along with that whole God thing, you mentioned earlier?” Mikey joked. His eyes were starting to turn a glassy, as he stared up at a point just past Frank’s head. As if trying to seek divine intervention from the stars.

“It.. sorta does.” Frank said. And technically, he wasn’t lying. “I can save you, but promise you won’t kill me afterwards.” He said, quickly.

Mikey made a “mmm” sound. His face paled, his body too weak to make a proper reply. Frank swore, saying a soft “I am sorry” to no one in particular, before sinking his teeth into Mikey’s neck. The soft flesh ripped apart, juicy and raw, like a tangerine. Blood rushed to the surface, flooding Frank’s mouth until he was drowning in a feral type of ecstacy. Adrenaline rushed through Frank’s body, as he drank, and Mikey’s body convulsed below him. He felt as if he truly were a God. Strength returned to his body, and the world bloomed into full color. The smells, the noises, the sounds, all running to greet him. Frank trembled, he was going to fucking drain Mikey dry if he didn’t stop, soon. But it was… so good. Relief was a drug, and it was addicting. Frank wanted to bathe in this type of bliss for the rest of his days, until everything was this painless, this euphoric, this -

There was the banging noise of a car door being slammed. Frank snapped out of his frenzy, and withdrew his fangs from Mikey’s neck. Mikey was unconscious, his eyes still staring up at the sky like a hopeless wanderer, trying to find their way home in the stars. “Mikey?” Called a voice. Frank cursed, again. And gently placed Mikey’s head onto the ground.

“You’ll wake up in 12 hours. Don’t do anything I would do. Also you can’t turn into a bat, so don’t try to fly. I still have scars from jumping out my bedroom window... “ Frank paused, and took a quick breath, “I’ll see you soon, Mikey.” Frank said. Whether or not Mikey could actually hear him, he wasn’t sure. Someone was approaching around the corner, Frank took one last look at Mikey before disappearing into smoke. Leaving behind nothing but a pool of blood, and one of his busted up converse.

[thetravelersjournal]

Gear Foxx- Chapter 1

Long Prologues!

Ringing filled my ears as I looked at what remained of my prison. The lab was completely destroyed. Glass littered the floor, and emergency lights blinked on and off in the dark, giving just enough light to see. Armed guards and lab assistants were knocked out on the floor, unaware of the chaotic environment around them. I stood up and brushed off some dust resting on my shoulders, only feeling some slight pain in my chest and left arm. I looked around before spotting a slightly confused Kintobor. I strolled over to the doctor, staring down at him. The doctor slowly gazed up, giving me a once-over. A smile steadily formed on his face before he finally let out a cry of victory.

“Finally! It worked!” the doctor laughed with joy, “Quick, help me up.”

I peered down at him for a moment longer before helping the doctor to his feet. He took in the destroyed lab with his eyes, rolling them across the floor and walls.

“Sigh… shame about the lab. But it was definitely worth it,” the doctor said, looking down at me, “It was a good thing that my assistant turned on the mind recalibrator, or else who knows what mischief you would be up t-eguuhhahh!”

I swiftly turned behind him, the bald maniac yelping in pain as my hands grabbed ahold of cotton. I yanked hard towards the heavens, giving him an atomic wedgie. Kintobor stumbled a bit before tripping on a bundle of wires and crashing to the floor. I gave a grunt of disgust.

“Happy birthday to me,” I said gruffly, before running out the door, down the hallway and out of sight.

The doctor yelled in fury while trying to take his underpants from off his head. “Apparently my assistant did not turn it on! So much for brainwashing the thing easily.” Kintobor scrambled to a nearby unconscious armed guard and grabbed his walkie talkie. “All personnel report to sector STH-75 immediately! If you see what looks like a humanoid fox, stop it! But do not kill it!” he screamed into the receiver.  He sat down slowly, stuffing his now very elastic underwear back into his pants. “This will work,” he assured himself, an idea forming at the edges of his mind, “This will work.”

The pain started to return to my legs as I ran down the many twisting hallways of the building. Cramps were the least of my worries, however. My only goal was to get out of this prison as soon as possible. I turned a corner, only to narrowly dodge a missile sent from an armed guard. I kicked the guard in the head before he could call for backup. I didn’t hang around to see if he was knocked out or not.

I continued my blind run through the building. Hallway after hallway, guard after guard, I kept running and fighting, my eyes frantically searching for some ray of hope, some sort of escape from this nightmare. No windows or exit signs lit the way for me- I was on my own. After beating the 31st guard I ran into into submission, I rounded one last turn, coming to a dead end.

A lone door with the word STORAGE written on it was the only spectacular sight to see in this said hallway. No windows to break, no other doors, not even plants to hide behind. I started to turn back when I heard the sound of heavy feet swiftly pounding the floor from around the corner. Having no other choice, I ran to the door, opened it, and locked myself inside.

Inside the storage room was a random assortment of boxes, metal mechanisms, boxes, dirty and cracked test tubes, boxes, and a giant metal device shoved into the back of the room, with a large paper note that read, “DO NOT TURN ON” attached to the top. I ignored the machine and started moving boxes and anything else heavy in front of the door at lightning speed. Before I could finish, the door started shaking as guards outside tried bashing it open. I backed up slowly. Once the guards got in, it was all over. I had to think of an escape plan, something that could get me out of this conundrum. I kept backing up, all the way to the back of the room, where I accidentally pressed a red button on the giant metal device with my elbow.

The machine turned on, and a giant purple portal opened up in the middle of the room. A strong wind entered the closet. Everything not held down started getting sucked into the portal; that is to say, pretty much everything in the room. I  grabbed hold of a large metal railing that was bolted to the floor and held on tight, closing my eyes. I squinted them towards the door, only to see one of the boxes that I had used to hold it shut flying straight towards me. It hit me square in the face, making me loosen my grip on the railing. Gravity proved too strong for me as my hands lost the banister and I fell into the portal. At this point the guards kicked down the door, only to see the gateway collapse in on itself.

I fell for what seemed like forever. The entire cosmos opened up before me, swirling around at an ever-quickening pace. Lights dazzled in front of my eyes, speeding up faster and faster. I started to choke as all the air rushed out of my lungs. My body stretched thin, as if it had been put in a taffy puller. The sight of it all was nauseating, making my stomach churn. It was beautiful.

Before I could take it all in, I landed hard on the floor, my body intact. I groaned, wheezing, before gradually looking up. I was in a new room, completely unlike the storage closet I took shelter in. The walls were horrendously torn apart, ripped completely open by an unknown force. Slowly, I regained my breath.

“Where am I?” I said.  

I looked out of the giant hole of a wall to see a vast city outside. Something about the city disturbed me. It was as if it had once held an amazing amount of beauty, only to be replaced by large ugly towers, looming down on the sidewalk below. The skyscrapers were littered everywhere around me. I could hear what sounded like faint screaming.

“Where am I?” I asked again stupidly.

An explosion at the base of the building returned me to my senses. I noticed that most of the buildings around me were on fire, burning the air, making it taste of sulfur. The wind helped me breathe easily though, brushing past my fur as I noticed-

“I’m not wearing any pants,” I said, interrupting my thoughts.

I retracted my gaze from the view and looked around what seemed to be a ruined apartment. Crumbled drywall littered the floor, along with the boxes and papers that had traveled with me from the storage room. I noticed a closet on the far side of the room. I walked over and opened it, revealing some decent (if not a little baggy) articles of clothing. I selected some faded brown pants from the lot, as well as matching leather boots. I chose a plain black shirt to hide my brand. I wanted to forget about it for now.

But as I pulled the shirt over my head, I realized I couldn’t. I had no idea where I was, who I was, or even what I was. My head started to spin, taking the walls and floor for a ride with it. The doctor had implanted a tracker in me… It probably still worked. There was no doubt that he would find me soon, and it wasn’t like I could really blend in anywhere. The more I thought about it, the more pain grew in my forehead. I felt like I was going to throw up.

“I feel like I’m going to throw up,” I said.

“SURRENDER-AND-PREPARE-FOR-COMPLETE-ROBOTIZATION!” said a robotic voice behind me, just before a giant fist broke the floor to the right of me.

I swiveled on the spot. A giant bluish-black robot stood behind me, its sole red eye focused on me. Its armor bounced off the sun’s light, distracting its shadow on the floor. It raised a hand, repeating itself, and walked closer to me. I immediately went into action, ducking and rolling under the automation’s legs. I jumped and kicked off the wall behind it, twisting around in the air before landing on its back. I tore off a small panel on its rear and began breaking and tying together different colored wires. The robot tried grabbing me off, but its arms couldn’t reach. I tore out some more mechanisms before finally conjoining two last cords.

“CEASE-AND-RESSSsiisst-,” it moaned. A low humming filled the room, before the robot promptly rebooted.

“HAPPY-AND-WILLING-TO-SERVE,” the android recited.

I sat on its back without saying anything. I had gone in head first without thinking about it-without even breaking a sweat, either. I didn’t know I could do that. I studied one of the small cogs still grasped in my hand. It showed a slightly scared fox-ish face with brown eyes, which peered back at their owner in the polished metal. I held it tight before tucking it in my pocket. I realized I had no time to think about who, what, where, when,  why, how… right now, all I could think about was what I did know.

I knew I was in a building high above a burning, screaming city. I knew that the doctor and his hired help were nowhere to be seen. I knew that I had reprogrammed this robot within 10 seconds flat. And as another explosion rocked the building, I realized I knew one last thing.

There was only one way down.

“Alright, metal man… let's make a timely exit!” I shouted as the floor started to give way.

“HAPPY-AND-WILLING-TO-SERVE,” the robot repeated, running toward and jumping through the non-existent wall. I held on tight, the wind blowing my tail upward as the ground slowly skyrocketed towards us. The droid hit the ground hard, leaving a crater where its feet hit. The skyscraper we were in collapsed, raining down dust. It took a few minutes before I could see what was going on.

Chaos reigned. Hundreds of citizens of the city ran in all directions, trying to distance themselves from more robots of the same make and model as my ride. The automations shot what appeared to be plasma bursts out of their hands, blowing up strange-looking cars and the pavement in front of them.

“No way…,” I said breathlessly. All the people running around looked like anthropomorphic animals- just like me. Ducks quacked as laser fire roasted their rear ends, monkeys screeched as a car exploded near them, and two large Deer shouted as a pair of robots grabbed them from behind.

“Get off us, you tin-plated jerks!!” shouted the male deer.

I was about to shout and charge in their direction when a giant beam of light scorched the droids to a crisp. The source of the light revealed himself to be a small human man, who stood out from the rest of the inhabitants. I watched him and a young pink hedgehog converse with the deer, before noticing dark movement behind them.

Another robot lifted his hand to vaporize the group, but didn’t have enough time to do so. My own robot came up from behind and crushed in its head, immobilizing it. The small gang stared in amazement at the hulking beast that had destroyed one of its own allies. I climbed a little higher on the bot so they could see me.

“Don’t just stand there-Get out of here!” I yelled. The group got up and ran toward the heart of the city, in the direction of a spacious building reminiscent of a castle.

“You’re amazing, mister!” The pink hedgehog waved before following her friends.

“Wait, not that way! Get out of the city!” I cried back.

But at this point they were too far away to hear me. More robots broke away from the main group huddled in the middle of the street to go after them.

“Oh, for the love of- After them, Iron Giant!” I shouted, pointing my robot friend in the direction of the group. It started stomping after them, breaking the gravel as it went. More androids were annihilated as my companion charged towards the castle, inadvertently helping more citizens along the way. By the time I got there, the people I had rescued were nowhere to be seen, and a small herd of droids was gathered near the side of the building.

“Blend in,” I muttered to my friend, sinking lower behind its back. The iron golem walked slowly forward, joining his look-a-likes as they pressed against the castle.

They stood silently, as if waiting for a cue. I took this opportunity to quietly take a broken robot’s arm off the ground. I started fidgeting with the systems, turning the arm into a handheld blaster. It was still a mystery to me how I knew so much about mechanical engineering, but I didn’t have much time to think about that now.

Suddenly, the androids broke through the wall with quick force. Several people were scattered around a makeshift hospital room. The group I had rescued before, as well as two other animals, one of whom wore a large crown on his head, backed away from the evil automations.

“Alright… now!” I whispered.

My robotic ride grabbed hold of two heads in front of it and smashed them together. Before the other robot could figure out what had happened, I jumped up and blasted it with my homemade gun. The mammals stood in shock.

“Well? Get the heck out of here! Don’t make me tell you a third time!” I exclaimed.

Everyone exited the building and began to run for the edge of town. I started to follow them, but stopped. More wails shook the city, creeping into my ears. I didn’t know what was going on, that was for sure. But I couldn't just leave the city- not while I had the power to help others escape as well.

“What say you and I go and smash some more robotic heads?” I asked my buddy.

“HAPPY-AND-WILLING-TO-SERVE,” it said robotically, before sprinting towards the sound of screaming voices.

“You need a name…,” I continued, thinking hard,  “Something casual, and not scary. Hang on, let me think…”

It had been hours since I had first entered the city. My still nameless robot ally was almost falling apart at this point, having suffered extreme scars from various battles the two of us had gone head-first into, trying to rescue more citizens. I was no worse for wear. Blood ran down my face into my mouth, giving my tongue a bitter taste to suck on. I had gone through four robot hands already, and was searching for a fifth. I saw one on the ground and started modifying it. Each arm I modified became better than the previous one, faster and more powerful. I finished my project and put it on, a sleek black cannon now encompassing my arm.

I heard a scream and noticed more survivors down an alley to the right of me. They were surrounded by the black robots in front of a large and strange shaped building, if you could call it that. I realized that it was the castle I had broken into earlier, unrecognizable from this side of the compound. I rode my buddy down the alley, screaming at the top of my lungs.

“You want to pick on them? Well, you got to get through me and my friend, uh... George... here first!”

Bots swiftly struck from the shadows, hitting my newly(and poorly)-named robot-friend in the chest, destroying it. I flew through the air, landing hard on my leg in the middle of the group. An audible crack rang in the air as I cried out in shock. I tried to get up, but the pain in my leg was intense. A couple of gasps and ‘are you alright?’s echoed through the group, but I wasn’t paying attention to them. I sat up and raised my gun, my eyes focused on the incoming soldiers.

“Here goes nothing…,” I muttered, knowing the end was near. More and more androids poured in, filling the square. There were more robots than I could count, and they just kept coming. A bead of sweat ran down my brow. I squinted my eyes, preparing myself.

A flash of blue swept through the plaza, tearing the robots apart.

It struck again and again, zooming under, over, and through more and more robots. Nuts and bolts flew through the air as the blue blur finally stopped moving to take the form of a hedgehog wearing a pair of sneakers.

“That can’t be…?” My eyes bulged with disbelief.

“And that, ladies and gentlemen… is how you take apart fifty shadow-bots in less than ten seconds!” Sonic the Hedgehog said triumphantly, “I caution you not to try this stunt at home.”

Prologue

Next Chapter

Gear and Dr. Cain belong to me.

Sonic, Amy, Nate Morgan, and others belong to SEGA, Archie(?) or Ken Penders.

[usnewsaggregator-blog]

Haunted by Turner & Murphy, Mets GM Alderson needs big offseason

New Post has been published on http://usnewsaggregator.com/haunted-by-turner-murphy-mets-gm-alderson-needs-big-offseason/

Haunted by Turner & Murphy, Mets GM Alderson needs big offseason

It’s not as if Justin Turner was Daniel Murphy with the bat when Sandy Alderson set him free, since the one-time utility infielder had yet to discover the wonder of launch angles and leg kicks.

And still I have a feeling that, to Mets’ fans everywhere, watching Turner hit a game-winning home run in Game 1 of the World Series felt like having a band-aid ripped off a fresh wound.

But what about the GM?

I can’t imagine it feels warm and fuzzy for him either, knowing two of the best hitters in baseball were once under his control, and no matter how Alderson may rationalize letting them go, Turner and Murphy are part of his permanent record, if you will.

With Kevin Long likely gone, Mets need to rebuild around Callaway

I’m not trying to rub it in here, but the timing of Turner’s World Series home run helps drive home a point as to the current state of the Mets: that is, in many ways I believe Alderson’s tenure as GM of this franchise will be defined by the moves he makes this offseason and whether they put his ballclub back on course to serious contention.

Not that the 2017 disaster is all on him, as injuries were the biggest factor in derailing the Mets’ season.

Mets GM Sandy Alderson can’t afford mistakes this offseason if team hopes to rebound quickly.

(Rich Graessle/AP)

Yet Alderson’s rather famous reluctance to take a stronger stance when Noah Syndergaard refused an MRI, days before tearing his lat muscle, became symbolic of the perception the Mets had mishandled injuries for years. And while they insist it is only a perception, it finally became such an all-consuming issue that they fired long-time trainer Ray Ramirez at season’s end.

Meanwhile, I’ve already written about how badly the Mets bungled Terry Collins’ firing, a shameful mistake that falls on Alderson because he is plenty smart enough to know better, regardless of organizational politics.

Mickey Callaway has to overcome stigma as former pitching coach

To put it simply, these aren’t the best of times for the GM. Looking back, in fact, I jumped the gun in writing a glowing column in spring training about how Alderson indeed had built a sustainable winner during his tenure with the Mets, much as he had once promised David Wright that he would.

In truth, the Mets went to the World Series in 2015 thanks mostly to the young pitching that had been drafted or signed by the previous GM, Omar Minaya, and when injuries took a toll on that pitching, there was no Plan B largely because the farm system is barren of blue-chip prospects other than Amed Rosario and perhaps Dom Smith.

To have a sustainable winner, you need organizational depth, and Alderson’s drafts, beginning in 2011, simply haven’t produced as much impact-type talent as they should have by now, even if you count Michael Fulmer being traded for Yoenis Cespedes in 2015.

Keep Em Dump Em: 2017 New York Mets

Mickey Callaway a necessary gamble to get Mets back on right path

Daniel Murphy has extended his hot streak from the 2015 World Series now that he plays for rival Nats.

(Adam Hunger/AP)

In fact, the Mets should be embarrassed that their Triple-A team finished 30 games under .500 last season, despite the fact that Rosario and Smith played most of the season there.

And, talent aside, that wouldn’t have happened had Alderson not let his personal feelings about Wally Backman dictate his decision to fire him as the manager in Las Vegas after the 2016 season. Nor would the GM have had to admit publicly, as he did a few weeks ago, that he was disappointed by the level of preparation he saw in players who were called up from Triple-A in 2017.

Alderson has taken steps to correct those problems by replacing last year’s manager, Pedro Lopez, but what scouts say is a significant lack of top-prospect talent at the upper levels of the minors can’t be fixed quite so easily.

So now, after the late-season trades of several veterans headed for free agency, Alderson needs to hit for a very high average this winter if the Mets are going to go right back to being a playoff contender, never mind a championship-caliber ballclub.

By hiring Mickey Callaway as manager, Mets may lose Kevin Long

In fact, he might need a winter like Ben Cherington had with the Red Sox before the 2013 season, when the GM at the time pretty much went 7-for-7 on free-agent signings to go from last place to a world championship.

The Mets are no more signing seven free agents than they are lowering ticket prices, of course, but without much help coming from the farm system, they need to spend significantly if they’re serious about trying to win again immediately.

Sandy Alderson said he simply didn’t have a spot to play Justin Turner.

(Sipkin, Corey, New York Daily Ne/New York Daily News)

If they try to do this completely on the cheap, then Fred and Jeff Wilpon should take the heat, but with Cespedes’ huge contract and the ballyhooed starting pitchers moving toward big money, surely the owners recognize it’s win now or go into another rebuild – which wouldn’t play so well with the fans, to put it mildly.

So how does Alderson go about it? Does he sign a free-agent thumper, whether it’s Mike Moustakas or J.D. Martinez?

Mickey Callaway introduced as new Mets manager at Citi Field

Does he get creative and package Dom Smith as part of a trade for a veteran pitcher and then sign Eric Hosmer, who has David Wright-like leadership qualities, to play first base?

Does he sign a solid free-agent pitcher such as Lance Lynn or gamble on a reclamation project such as Ubaldo Jimenez, who was a pet project of new manager Mickey Callaway with the Indians a few years ago?

Does he try to go the super-bullpen route for one season by signing Wade Davis, as I’ve suggested more than once?

Whatever moves Alderson makes, starting with the hiring of Callaway, he needs to be right, especially as he continues to be haunted by the decisions to let Murphy and Turner walk, albeit at different stages of their careers.

Former Mets infielder Ray Knight charged with assault and battery

For whatever reason, Alderson didn’t trust hitting coach Kevin Long’s belief that Murphy’s spectacular 2015 postseason was more than a hot streak, and wouldn’t consider offering him a multi-year deal as he hit free agency.

And as for Turner, theories abound as to why the Mets non-tendered him after the 2013 season. He wasn’t a star slugger yet because he hadn’t learned to pull the ball with power, as he has since, but he was a smart hitter who used the opposite field, especially in RBI situations, and had the type of grinder personality the 2017 Mets could have used in their clubhouse.

Alderson has said it was simply a matter of not having a position for Turner, but there were always whispers the front office thought he was a bad influence on Ike Davis’s nocturnal habits, and lately there has been speculation that Turner was cut loose for refusing to commit to an offseason workout program with strength guru Mike Barwis, who at the time was still running his program in Michigan.

Whatever, Murphy has been an in-your-face miscalculation, torturing the Mets with the rival Nationals, and now with Turner doing big things for the Dodgers, Alderson can’t even watch the World Series in peace.

Mets deserve praise for outside-the-box hire of Mickey Callaway

Only one way to change the narrative, and that is to put his team back on track, and quickly. The Mets have had only two winning records in Alderson’s seven seasons on the job, so it seems fair to say his legacy as their GM will be determined by whether he can do it.

Tags:

mlb

new york mets

justin turner

daniel murphy

sandy alderson

los angeles dodgers

washington nationals

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[rob-blog1234]

WEEKEND TV HOT FILM PICKS!

Check out my guide to the top films on TV this weekend and the best of the rest. Enjoy!

LATE FRIDAY 9th JUNE

HOT PICKS!

Film4 @ 2245      The Raid 2 (2014) *****

Back in 2011 Gareth Evans' The Raid became one of my favourite action films, so when I heard the sound of my Steelbook Blu ray of The Raid 2 hit my doorstep I commando rolled to my front door, one inch punched the postman off my drive way, ripped the throat out of the cardboard packaging in seconds. (Then frustratingly picked the corner of the plastic wrapper grumbling swear words for 15 minutes until I found a bit I could open), cracked open the case, launched it into the tray and cranked the surround sound up to bone crunching loud. On my first watch I was blown away. I was nervous coming into my first re-watch. Will it hold up? Hell yeah it did.

This was yet another astonishing action filled adrenalin ride. Gareth Evans has done it. A sequel as good, if not better than the first. The Raid 2: Berandal is superb. A great story, some fantastic characters and most importantly some of the best choreography and action camera work you will ever witness. This is pure skill from every person involved. From the actors, fighters, choreographers, camera operators, director, sound people... Everything is so well planned and put together; everyone pulled out all the stops... And when you think the fight sequences just cannot be topped, along comes the kitchen scene. Absolutely Amazing! Like action? Love this. Looking forward to The Raid 3.

Film4 @ 0140     Animal Kingdom (2010) ****

This is crime drama at its very best. There’s a lot of great films coming out of Oz and this is definitely up there on the list of greats. This is a tense, understated and perfectly paced film focusing on a family with some dark dealings. When J’s mother dies he lives with his estranged family and begins to get embroiled in their criminal activities. Things escalate and J soon finds himself in a very dangerous position with trouble and crisis around every corner. All the cast of splendid, all with a very genuine feel that really translates. It’s extremely well shot, top rate cinematography and with a unpredictable story it feels quite fresh and new - something the crime drama category needed. Don’t miss this.

Best of the rest:

Syfy @ 2100       The Last Starfighter (1984) ***

TCM @ 2100       Fatal Attraction (1987) ****

TCM @ 2330       Caddyshack (1980) ***

Horror @ 0035   Witchfinder General (1968) ****

SATURDAY 10th JUNE

HOT PICKS!

BBC1 @ 1725 Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) *****

A lot of peoples least favourite of the original trilogy but I stand strong with my huge appreciation for this Spielberg action epic. I have great love for this action packed adventure. Spielberg ups the ante with some of the most elaborate and spectacular action set pieces with an opening sequence that astounds me every time. Yes, some of the effects look a little dated now but what an opener! In fact Temple of Doom is my most watched of the trilogy (lets us not speak of the fourth!) pretty much down to the opening scene and the mine cart scene alone. I love how completely over the top this film is. With fantastic characters and a much darker story line, this is a truly impressive sequel to one of the best adventure films of all time.

Comedy @ 2100    Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World (2010) *****

Colourful comic book carnage. It’s loud, brash and full to the brim with cool references from computer games, comics, films and more. If anyone could step up to the plate to handle such a film… Edgar Wright could - and he did - with super style, none stop action and a great sense of humour. This is an overload for the senses: Scott Pilgrim hits all my buttons. Oh - any Mary Elizabeth Winstead looks particularly amazing as Ramona Flowers.

C4 @ 0000     Horns (2013) ****

Daniel Radcliffe has made some interesting choices whilst attempting to shake off his Harry Potter cloak - Horns is definitely one of them worth catching. On a basic level this inventive fantasy film see’s Radcliffe’s character (Ig) blamed for the mysterious murder of his long term girlfriend, in his grief he wakes up one morning with horns… yep… actual horns growing out of his head. With his strange mutation comes certain interesting results when interacting with his family, friends and everyone he meets. So what is this bizarre film? - well you could say it’s a Horror film as it certainly ticks a few boxes there but with a great blend of Mystery, Thriller and even Comedy in parts this film is one of a kind. Radcliffe is great here and is very watchable.  We follow Ig as he goes on a one man mission to find the truth about his girlfriend’s death. Inventive, unique, entertaining and original - Horns is well worth a watch.

Best of the rest:

Horror @ 1845     Duel (1971) ****

C4 @ 2000            Iron Man (2008) *****

TCM @ 2100        Caddyshack (1980) ***

TCM @ 2305        Poltergeist (1982) *****

Film4 @ 0115       The French Connection (1971) *****

SUNDAY 11th JUNE

HOT PICKS!

Horror @ 0800    Duel (1971) ****

Is 8am too early for the Horror channel? Hell no! The kids will love this hell chase from the 70's. Get it on. Steven Spielberg’s debut film really showed what amazing things we were in store for. Talent is thrown from the screen and with a very limited budget and time frame he managed to pull off a fantastic thriller full of tension and mystery from the very start to final frames. After watching the extras on the Blu ray it’s amazing it even made it to the screen. In the beginning it was created as a film for TV - it follows a man on a long car journey who is terrorised by an unknown driver in a huge truck. The chase is relentless and the tension palpable. If you love Spielberg films - check out where his cinematic success all began.

BBC1 @ 2230   Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) ****

Captain America: the Winter Soldier is one of Marvel’s best. I’ve always liked the character and Chris Evan’s is spot on as our hero. He always needs a little help and in this outing we get more from Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow. They worked well together here. It’s hugely entertaining with top rate action sequences, I love the lift scene. It leaves behind the nostalgia and war of the previous films and brings Cap firmly into the present day - with a tight & thrilling story I think I actually prefer this than the Avengers films. It felt like it has the right balance of action, thrills & comedy that never belittled it’s important story arc. Very worthy of your attention.

Film4 @ 0120   Blue Valentine (2010) *****

Officially ranked number 2 in my top films released in the UK in 2011, Derek Cianfrance’s complexly structured drama is superbly presented with some perfectly pieced together chronology changes showing the rise and fall of a relationship. We follow Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams in the very beginnings of their characters relationship. These happy times are interwoven with a heart breaking account of the relationships demise. Showing how their characters have developed, ultimately growing apart and their failed attempts at salvaging what remains. The frustration, anger, just about every emotion is thrust through the screen as Gosling and Williams give us the most stand out performances of their careers. I was extremely impressed with how maturely handled and emotionally potent they were. This film can be an uncomfortable watch at times and ‘cheery’ it is most certainly not, but its power, performances, editing and direction are spot on perfection. Don’t miss it.

Best of the rest:

Film4 @ 1100    ParaNorman (2012) ****

E4 @ 1230         Turner & Hooch (1989) ***

C5 @ 1615         Footloose (1984) ***

ITV2 @ 1700      Despicable Me 2 (2013) ***

E4 @ 1830         Star Trek (2009) *****

Horror @ 2255  House (1985) ****