#and it makes me laugh so much for Andrew to be THROWN

[emry-stars-art]

When the misunderstanding is mutual but they’re both so sweet about it (coffee shop au edition)

Inspired by the tags below (originally on this post) from @blahblaheverythingisgay and @lovelyprincejehan accompanied by some thoughts:

thank you for bringing this GALAXY brain take to my attention 😂 this guy comes in, all cagey about his past and his scars, always wearing baggy clothes but complaining about compression clothes (being on the run does a number on your joints and muscles), picking out a name for himself??? OBVIOUSLY he’s trans right

They somehow manage to have like three separate conversations about it without realizing they’re talking about two very different scenarios. Andrew only was so wrong for so long because scars on their own (and even being a criminal lbr) are such non-issues that it didn’t even occur to him that Neil could be talking about anything less important than being trans lol

Andrew had his little crisis about it and landed pretty solid on yeah he’s still into Neil regardless, and yeah he’s still super gay. He’ll figure out the rest from there. The only thing he didn't prepare for was Neil being uh. Cis

[bunnys-kisses]

wrestling au 🤼 - starring task force 141!

simon 'ghost' riley -

oh, big scary ghost. the masked heel of the little association he was apart of. he took in the sounds of people's booing, and he fought without much remorse. he tried not to make it look too real, by that he meant not messing up his opponent too much. the last thing he wanted was to get his ear talked off by upper management. there was a routine to follow, even if it ended in bruising, simon still had to follow it. or else everything could be thrown off. his hulking size made him a wall of an opponent, and the story lines where he won were always a crowd favourite. he loved being the big baddie of the ring, he loved to be the monster they booed at. because no matter how loud they got, simon would always walk away with the title belt.

he fucked like an animal though. you were the daughter of his trainer and boy did he love to take you for a spin after he got nice and sweaty. when your father was in his office cashing the cheque for the monthly payment for his services, simon was servicing something else. your back on the wooden bench of the men's locker room. simon's cock splitting you. he used his size to his advantage, while he couldn't do too much damage in the ring. you sure as hell could take a sexual beating. the numerous amount of times, simon had you twisted up as he fucked you. in the locker room, in the back of his car, even that time over your father's desk when he had left early. you were good stress relief and even when the crowd booed him, you were in the back happily cheering for your big, beefy lover.

john price -

face turned heel, a seasoned veteran with the aches and pains to prove it. his knees cracked if he tried to go to low and it usually takes him an extra few days to recover from it all. when he was clean shaven and younger, he was the pretty boy from liverpool. now in the twilight years of his career, he loved to be big, bad, price. he was the kind to play 'dirty', the sort of wrestler to throw last ditch effort tricks to win the match. he got his fists bloodied. he laughed when the crowd booed him, he basked in the feeling of being the worst of the worst. alongside his right-hand man ghost, they were destined to take the title from the pretty faced good guys. he looked good in the books and the 'shorts'. anyone close enough to the ring could see price's bulge. it was the type of be circulated on social media. he was hairy, a little different than the normally smooth wrestler. he smoked on stage and antagonized the audience. he was a hefty man who loved to get his opponents down on the mat.

but even at his age, he likes to sink his teeth into the competition. and what's better than the fresh face they got in the women's division. oh, you look amazing under him. price got into the ring with you a few times, the he had you bent in certain was that made you blush. you almost moaned when he had you basically in a ball with his barely covered crotch up against your ass. he even barked the words, "guess it's time for me to find a missus! what do you think? could our new starlet be the wife of the big, bad price?" which only earned hollering from the crowd. he liked it rough outside the ring, when he had you pushed into storage closets. when he got to tear your underwear off of you and sink into his prize. that was his cunt, don't you forget. if he sees you talking to another male wrestler, then there would be hell to pay. you better pray that the pill works, or you'll be in the stands a lot sooner than you expected with price's hefty baby in your arms.

john 'soap' mactavish -

face, face, face! but the face you hate to love! his story lines are always so good. he was cocky, loud, his laughter was like a bark when he got the microphone. he was the good boy from glasgow, even had saint andrew's cross across the ass of his shorts. he was the most flexible, often having the heels of the organization bend him in ways that most others couldn't. while he wasn't the broadest (he was still fairly big), he made up for it in endurance. one time he was asked how he could keep up for so long even if he was bloodied and bruised, he simply laughed and said, "well, ya bed enough bonnies. you can keep goin' all day and all night with the likes of these guys. sadly, the girls tap out before i'm finished." he felt like he teetered between being a heel and a face, he only became more cocky when he won the title from price. when he got the older man on the mats. it was only right for a face to have the title, for a heel to have it was wrong. but yet, there was a cockiness to him. even was he stripped price of the belt and gave the shiny metal a heated kiss. the man from the highlands was on top!

but of course the man on top loves to have his woman on top. and who exactly was the lovely woman to be with mister mactavish? well, it was the ceo's daughter of course! and the stamina he had in the ring bled into your experiences with him in the bedroom. johnny was a cervix bruiser, the kind where you'd feel it for days afterwards. when you sat at lunch with your father, you'd wince and pray that no pained expression crossed your face. like price, johnny was a breeder. with a stamina like a rabbit, of course he was shooting loads into you on almost a daily basis. you'd lie to your father about you whereabouts, you said you were at the library studying for your upcoming final. meanwhile johnny was pouring shots of liquor down your throat then messing up your pretty face with his cum as you sucked him off behind the building. insatiable, with the title around his waist only making it worse. he had the title in his hands and the ceo's daughter's lips around his throbbing cock. but don't worry, johnny isn't the type to tap and leave. no, no, finishing in you is a promise. a promise that you'll be mrs. mactavish very soon. after all, his kids weren't going to have your father's last name.

kyle 'gaz' garrick -

a very clearly a face. his gimmick is the sweetheart next door who can handle himself in the ring. a real knight in shining armor, it was hard when the story called for his defeat. but, in the end he always came back to secure his title. there was a bravado to him, and a real charmer. while some had a face that others wanted to hit, no one wanted to mess up that perfection that was kyle garrick. he did play it up a little bit, sauntering as he entered the ring, letting the crowd get excited for what was to come. he had more than a few fans, but he was always respectful. a real gentleman. he even had a trick where he'd give roses to female fans as he walked towards the ring. his smile gleaming under the bright lights.

of course, the sweetheart of the ring has the perfect love story. the woman who had been with him since his early days. while his fellow wrestlers got into all sorts of trouble, he enjoyed the company of his dear wife. but, don't get it wrong, your sex life was not boring. while price was screwing newbies, kyle was on his knees in the bathroom of the pub you all went to after the match. your back up against the sink of the single stall washroom. your pants around your knees and his large hands on your thighs. his tongue lapping at your pussy. your sweet, muffled moans kept kyle wanting more. his cock throbbed in his jeans, the rush of the match was still abuzz in his system. he loved the taste of his wife, how could he not? even after all these years together, tasting you was like biting into a ripe apple at the peak of its season. the kind of fruit that had a price tag that would make the average person shudder. you were the apple of his eye and the love of his life. of course he'd worship you. there was still an electricity between you two, a fire that couldn't be tamed. if he gave a rose to a fan as part of his gimmick, then you got a dozen. if roses made you allergies flare up, then he'd give you fake ones. so they'd never wilt, like his love for you.

[passengerprincessblog]

“Intern”~ pt. 1 Max Verstappen x reader

Disclaimer: Reader doesn’t have to be blonde! The images is just to show she’s working for the team!

Warnings: degrading? Mean max.

Summary: The series follows Y/N, a fresh and slightly timid media intern for the Red Bull Racing team, who is thrown into the chaotic, high-stakes world of Formula 1. Her job quickly becomes challenging not only because of the high-pressure environment but because of Max Verstappen, the star driver with a talent for making her feel small and flustered. Max’s arrogance and relentless teasing leave her feeling out of her depth, yet strangely captivated. Despite his condescending demeanor, there’s an undeniable pull between them, a tension that seems to simmer just beneath the surface.

I sit quietly in the corner of the motorhome, tapping nervously on my phone as I check my messages. The whole atmosphere here is intimidating, even more so when Max Verstappen and Checo stroll in, laughing at some private joke. Their easy confidence is almost tangible, filling the room with a sense of belonging I can only hope to someday feel.

Max’s eyes land on me for a split second, and I quickly look away, pretending to be engrossed in a message from my boss, Adam. I can feel my cheeks heat up just from that brief eye contact. It’s silly, but he’s… well, he’s Max Verstappen. There’s something intimidating in the way he looks at people, like he’s sizing them up and finding them lacking. And, of course, I’m not immune to his scrutiny.

The only time he’s spoken to me before, he’d made a throwaway comment that left me red-faced. He wasn’t even trying to be mean—it just slipped out, something about me “looking lost.” The memory of my blush and his faint smirk is still fresh, and I can’t seem to shake it.

My phone buzzes with a message from Adam: Can you come to Meeting Room 3 ASAP?

With a deep breath, I make my way to the meeting room, hoping Adam’s request isn’t something beyond my skill level. When I arrive, he looks a bit frazzled, glancing up from his stack of papers with an apologetic smile.

“Y/N, I know you’re still new, and I haven’t had the chance to train you properly…” he starts, running a hand through his hair. “But we’re short-staffed this weekend, so I need you to help the media team cover for the missing people. Think you’re up for it?”

I swallow hard, my nerves tightening at the idea of being around Max and the rest of the drivers more than I already have been. But I don’t want to let Adam down; he’s been nothing but encouraging since I started, always pushing me to do better, to learn more. It’s why I like him so much as a boss.

“Of course, Adam,” I reply, nodding a little too enthusiastically. “What do you need me to do?”

He hands me a tablet and goes over the details. My main job will be to record the drivers’ answers during interviews, ensuring we have accurate records. I’ll also assist Andrew with media release forms. It’s straightforward, but the thought of messing up in front of Max makes my stomach churn.

Later in the day, Adam decides it’s time for a proper introduction. He drags me into the garage, where Max is leaning against one of the cars, arms folded as he talks with a mechanic. When he sees us approaching, he raises an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips as if he already knows I’m way out of my league.

“Max, this is Y/N,” Adam says cheerfully. “She’s helping us out with the media coverage this weekend. We’re a bit understaffed, so she’ll be shadowing you a lot.”

Max looks me up and down, his gaze almost clinical, as if he’s evaluating whether I’ll be a help or a hindrance. He smiles, but it’s the polite kind—the one people give when they’re forced to interact with someone they don’t particularly care about.

“Hi, Y/N,” he says, offering a brief nod. “So, they haven’t trained you yet, huh?”

My cheeks flush, and I look away, fighting the urge to roll my eyes. There’s something so arrogant about him, the way he stands there, completely sure of himself. Why does he have to be like this? He’s just a driver, after all. A very talented one, sure, but still just a person. But his energy—the way he carries himself—makes it clear he’s used to people fawning over him.

“Not yet,” I reply, managing to keep my voice steady.

He just chuckles, clearly amused. “Well, I’ll break you in.” He says quietly enough for me to hear.

What? What did he just- I blink and smile at him.

A few hours later, we’re on our way to the media pen after qualifying. I’m clutching the tablet tightly, going over my mental checklist to make sure I have everything. Just as we reach the interview area, I realize with a sickening jolt that I’ve left the team phone back in the motorhome.

I take a deep breath, feeling the embarrassment already creeping up my cheeks. “Um… Max?” I ask hesitantly, trying to keep my voice steady. “Do you mind waiting a minute?”

He looks at me, eyebrow raised, amusement flickering in his eyes. “You forgot the phone, didn’t you?” he says, not even bothering to hide his smirk. “Let me guess—you didn’t think you’d need it?”

I nod, my cheeks heating up further, and I try to apologize. “I’m sorry, it won’t take long—”

“Oh, don’t worry, intern,” he says, emphasizing the title like it’s an insult. “I know you’re new, but I figured you’d be a bit smarter than that. Or is this your way of making sure I remember your name?”

His tone is light, but the words sting. I try to laugh it off, but it comes out more like a nervous squeak. “It’s just… I thought I had everything.”

He leans closer, making me meet his gaze, his expression full of condescension. “Don’t look so nervous. I’m asking you a question,” he says slowly, clearly enjoying how uncomfortable I am.

“I… I know. I just—”

“Didn’t think?” he cuts me off, chuckling to himself. “It’s fine. Go on, intern. Fetch the phone. I’ll wait here, seeing as you’re so eager to do a good job.”

I nod and practically sprint back to the motorhome, my mind racing. By the time I return with the phone, my cheeks are still burning, and I can tell from the look on his face that he’s pleased with himself.

During the interviews, I focus on recording Max’s answers, refusing to make eye contact. I can feel him glancing at me every few moments, as if he’s waiting for me to make another mistake, something else he can latch onto. But I keep my head down, determined to finish this task without another hitch.

Later that day, Adam calls me aside, a slight frown on his face as he glances at a form in his hands. “Y/N, I need Max’s signature on this media release form. Looks like you forgot to get it earlier.”

I feel my heart sink. Another mistake. Another opportunity for Max to remind me just how out of place I am here. Swallowing my pride, I head to his driver’s room, my hands shaking slightly as I knock on the door.

“Come in,” he calls, sounding a bit exasperated.

I step inside, holding the form and pen. He’s lounging on a chair, scrolling through his phone, barely sparing me a glance. “Um, Max… I just need you to sign this release form.”

He finally looks up, an infuriatingly smug smile on his face. “Intern, I thought we went over this,” he says, leaning back with a mock sigh. “Didn’t I tell you earlier to get it all done at once?”

“I… I’m sorry. I just—”

“Forgot. Again,” he interrupts, looking like he’s thoroughly enjoying himself. “Is this going to be a habit with you? Or should I expect you to keep knocking on my door every five minutes?”

I can feel the embarrassment flooding my cheeks, but I hold out the paper and pen, refusing to let him see how much his words sting. “It won’t happen again,” I manage, my voice barely above a whisper.

He takes the form from me, signing it with a flourish, but not before giving me one last smirk. “Let’s hope not. I don’t have time to babysit, intern.” he says, clearly enjoying himself.

He doesn’t hand the form back to me. Instead, he holds onto it, his fingers curling around the edges, teasing me as I reach out, waiting for him to relinquish it. But he makes no move to do so. His smirk only widens, and I feel a sinking sensation in my stomach.

“Maybe,” he begins, his tone dripping with mock thoughtfulness, “maybe I shouldn’t give it back to you. Maybe you should learn from your mistakes.” He pauses, watching as I grow visibly more uncomfortable under his scrutiny. And then, with a single, swift movement, he crumples the paper in his fist.

My mouth falls open in shock, and he raises an eyebrow, clearly pleased with himself.

“Do you need a babysitter, Y/N?” he taunts, his voice soft but laced with condescension. “Is that what you’re asking for? Because that’s what it looks like to me. Someone to hold your hand, make sure you don’t make any more silly mistakes.”

His words sting, each one hitting me like a small slap to my pride. I can feel frustration bubbling up inside me, the urge to snap back at him nearly overwhelming. But I bite my tongue, swallowing the retort building in my throat. I can’t risk my job, no matter how badly I want to put him in his place.

Instead, I take a deep breath, forcing myself to stay calm. “No… I’m sorry,” I mumble, trying to keep any hint of annoyance out of my voice. It takes everything I have not to glare at him, but I keep my expression as neutral as possible.

Max’s smirk only grows at my response. He seems to revel in my discomfort, enjoying every second of this little power play. He lets the crumpled paper fall from his hand, watching it drift to the floor near his feet. “If you’re so sorry,” he says, gesturing to the paper on the ground, “then pick it up and make it work. I’m sure a little crease won’t stop an intern like you, right?”

I hesitate for a moment, the indignation flaring up again, but I bite it back. He’s baiting me, waiting for me to snap so he has another reason to belittle me. So, without another word, I crouch down, reaching for the paper that lies just near his feet. I can feel his eyes on me the entire time, that smug satisfaction radiating off him as I pick up the wrinkled form and straighten back up, clutching it tightly.

I want to say something, to tell him off, to make him realize how unbearable he’s being. But all I do is nod, the words caught in my throat as I straighten the paper as best I can. Max watches me, one eyebrow raised in clear amusement, a smirk playing on his lips.

“Say thank you,” he commands, his tone soft but dripping with authority.

I clench my jaw, every fiber of my being resisting the urge to roll my eyes. But I know better. I swallow my pride, forcing myself to look up at him, though the words feel heavy on my tongue. “Thank you,” I say, trying to keep the bitterness out of my voice.

He tilts his head, that smirk growing, clearly pleased by my forced gratitude. “See you tomorrow, intern,” he says, his tone dismissive, as if I’m nothing more than a minor inconvenience in his day.

Without another word, I turn and leave, clutching the wrinkled paper in my hand, his mocking gaze burning into my back as I step out of the room.

——————————————-

Thank you for reading! 😇

Remember, liking and following let’s me know you want more writings! 💜

[fortheloveoffanfic]

The Profound Pleasure of Little Things

Hozier x reader

Author's note: Basically the thought was, "ohh, what if there was a real moment that inspired Wasteland!baby."

Summary: Andrew and Y/n spend an afternoon at the beach.

Warnings - poorly written fluff, I guess.

"I think if the world ended right now, I'd be alright with that.”

After spending the past fifteen minutes or so bearing witness to her magnificence. Ireland's solem grey sky meeting the frigid, green water and acting as a cool toned backdrop to the brightness of her beauty. The way those deep, blue jeans hug her curves, the woolen burgundy coat, draped over a band tee, that follows the contour of her frame and her hair tumbling over her shoulders as she stands a few feet off the edge, gaze cast out towards the horizon; as if the world below them had been thought up just for her.

As Y/n turns to face him, the wind whips her hair forward, and he smiles when she hastily brushes away from her eyes. “What?” She chortles, but there's an air of disbelief in the word and she tilts her head a little to the side, “why?”

Licking his lips, Andrew pushes off the boulder he's been perched on, one converse-clad foot planted on the ground while the other stayed propped on a smaller rock jutting from the lush grass. “Because,” he stuffs his hands into the side pockets of the denim jacket he's thrown over his red flannel, “I've seen you, standing here and that's gotta be the best thing that's ever happened to me.”

Y/n rolls her eyes; he's awfully romantic when he doesn't mean to be – and mind-bogglingly terrible at it when he actively tries. Just that morning he'd clumsily danced them into the kitchen table after daring more than their usual sway. But now, after a long afternoon drive and an impromptu hike up a hill that overlooks the sea, he's stringing together the sort of lines that make her cheeks go warm and stirs a flutter in her chest. “You're being dramatic,” she teases, relinquishing her hand when he reaches for it. Their fingers lace with ease; it's something they're so used to doing that Y/n rarely thinks much of it anymore. It's such a small, mundane thing and his hands have become so familiar to her that they almost feel like her own – and like she'd miss her own hand if it were gone forever, she'd miss his too.

He is a part of her; as vital as a limb, or the thing beating in her chest.

“Hardly,” his thumb ghosts the soft skin over her knuckles, and his eyes soften when they meet hers. It still startles him that she's his, and standing there with the smell of salt, autumn and her perfume flooding his senses, Andrew fears he might be dreaming, “you look…..” Like a painting, something that one could only wish to be privileged enough to see, let alone touch, “exquisite.”

Y/n giggles before glancing down at herself. She knows she must look plain at best, and a wind-tousled mess at worst. Even if she isn't the self-deprecating type, it's tough to believe that she looks like anything special without makeup, her hair free-styled by the breeze and her face nipped by the chill. The coat that she's owned for nearly a decade and a faded t-shirt probably isn't helping her case either. “Are you trying to get laid on this hilltop?” She asks conspiringly.

Snaking his free arm around her waist, Andrew simultaneously pulls Y/n closer and throws his head back in laughter. Lifting her gaze to drink him in, Y/n’s smile softens; she loves the way he looks when he laughs like that. Entirely carefree, as if he mightn’t have anything in the world to worry about, its a laugh she sees most off when he’s been home for a while and he isn’t concerned about deadlines and appearances, or when they have friends over and he’s had a bit too much to drink. Or when she says something that is a little absurd, but not quite funny, and he somehow finds the world of humor in it.

“Well, I wouldn’t be opposed,” his fingers curl into her waist. Then, when the shaking of his shoulders settle, he lowers his eyes to meet hers. It always baffles him how she could not know – not completely – what she does to him. Because if she did, Y/n wouldn’t doubt his credibility for a second when he says that she’s beautiful – and utterly in awe of everything that she is. “But I really do think that you look lovely darling,” he adds softly, freeing his hand from hers to gently cup her face, “if you saw what I did, you’d understand. If you could see yourself through my eyes…….thought of yourself with my mind, you would get to know the most breathtaking person I've ever met.”

Licking her lips, Y/n lays her hands on his chest, thumb grazing the sliver of skin left exposed by the undone top button of his shirt. “How do you do that?” She muses quietly, gazing up at him.

Andrew's thumb roves the apple of her cheek and she leans into his touch, “Do what?” He lowers his head a little, so their foreheads are that much closer to touching.

“Come up with…..stuff,” she hates the word in the context, “like that.”

“Well, it would just so happen, that I have the best muse,” because every beautiful thing he can think of is tangled up with the thought of her. He can’t see flowers without wondering how they’d look if they were laced in her hair, or held in her hands, he sees art and wonders if she’d like it too and when he’s faced with a day like this one – where everything seems to be in perfect measure – all Andrew wants to do is share it with her.

“I am just so in love with you,” he rasps, the sudden drop in his voice sending a shiver up her spine, “that it touches every part me, everything I do has a bit of you in it,” as if all the old parts of himself have been shed, giving way to something new, improved in a way that only be because of her presence.

The more Andrew thinks about the clearer one certainty becomes; in a way, the world has already ended. It happened the second he fell in love with her. Everything as he knew it was changed forever – reduced to a wasteland, and out from the ashes she came.

Lifting one of her hands, Y/n caresses his temple with the pad of her thumb. “What a beautiful mind you have,” she muses, gaze matching his. Y/n always faults him for having a way with his words, usually when he doesn't even mean to, but Andrew doesn't think she ever pays enough mind to what she's saying. “Who needs the rest of the world when they have this?”

His thumb continues stroking her cheek in that languid, gentle fashion and Andrew’s gaze softens so much that he thinks he must be melting under her touch. He must be putty in her hands – so easy to mold however she pleases, because the only thing he wants more than being with her is being exactly what Y/n needs.

May he always be a necessity, may her life be just a touch emptier without him, so she’ll keep him around.

“Who needs it, darling?” Who needs it when the best of it smiles when she looks at me? He’s just about to press his lips to hers in a kiss he’s been aching to steal since the moment she turned to look at him, when a wave – way down below – breaks so violently that a few droplets hit their faces, causing Y/n to shift her gaze towards the expanse of glacial teal.

“We should walk down to the beach,” she suggests suddenly, eyes alight with the wonder of someone yearning for the thrill of adventure. In an instant, Y/n is backing out of his embrace – like a dream just past his immediate reach. She takes his hand though, lacing her smaller, finer fingers with his and practically tugs him along, urging him towards the mouth of the stoney, sloped pathway that leads to the beach.

“Yeah, sure-” Andrew doesn’t even get to reply before he’s stumbling along, blindly following her. He isn’t even sure if she actually knows the way – he’s never taken her there, but Y/n is quick-witted enough to figure things out without anyone’s help. As he watches her trot ahead with purpose, feet clad in Chuck Taylor's stomping on the feathery grass as she moves ahead, Andrew keeps his gaze fixed on her. The way she holds her head up, as if she doesn’t need a map – or even him – to show her the way. The way the wind blows her hair and her delicate fingers work to keep them away from her eyes. She’s moving so quickly that its hard to take it all in, and Andrew finds himself wanting to ask her to slow down, so he can soak up the way she looks against the blur of the trees.

Sometimes, he wants to tell her – beg her – to just be a bit more still. Because while he adores watching her move, drinking in every miniscule action that is so specific to her, Andrew breathes for the moments where there isn’t the slightest quiver in her form. When his view of her is entirely unhampered by the demands of life; she doesn’t have to get up to answer her phone, or check on the laundry downstairs – when she’s just lounging in bed with her glasses propped on the bridge of her nose and a book held up in front of her face, when she’s sitting on the back patio while nursing an afternoon tea, watching the birds entertain each other.

When Y/n is standing before him, surrounded by a tapestry of greens and blues and other specks of colour that pale in her wake, like something he should never be so privileged to bare witness to.

His thoughts are interrupted when she stumbles on a rock and instinctively deserts her hand in favor of reaching for her hips. “Slow down,” he chuckles, reeling her close to his chest, one arm wrapping around her middle as they continue downward.

“But I wanna see the beach,” she protests with a giggle as his lips find her cheek. Reaching past herself, she lays her hand on his neck, holding his face close to hers for a few seconds longer.

“And you will,” Andrew mumbles, mouth still pressed up to her face, “but lets……enjoy the getting there too.”

“I think you’re enjoying it a little too much,” Y/n admonishes humorously when Andrew squeezes her to him.

“Impossible,” he bends his head to nuzzle the side of her face, “I actually think you’re not enjoying this enough.”

“Yeah?” She leans into his embrace, hand falling onto his forearm as she finally relents to stopping for a moment. She can hear the sounds of the sea a bit more clearly now, and the air is saltier than it had been when they were up on the hill. Through the foliage, Y/n spots bits of jewel toned ripples, a tell-tale sign that they aren’t too far off, and she’s actively holding herself back from urging him ahead. She does have a habit of rushing things, sometimes the need to just keep moving is almost overwhelming; she’s so focused on getting somewhere that she forgets the journey is half the experience.

Andrew, she often finds, is entirely the opposite. It's a quality she admires in him; his ability to revel in simple joys, the way he’s able to steady himself enough to thoroughly take everything in. While she’s eager to brush past everything in her way to get to her finish line, he’s perfectly fine with strolling through the trees, stopping ever so often to take pictures of things that interest him, or rattle off a random fact that he learned in a nature documentary.

“Yes,” Andrew hisses, kissing the corner of her lips, “just relax a little.”

“I’m very relaxed,” Y/n scoffed defensively, “we just have different definitions of that word.”

Andrew laughs loudly, finally letting her go and allowing her to take his hand again, “I’m not even sure that word is in your dictionary,” he chortles as she tows him along. Y/n doesn’t respond, he doesn’t even know if she hears him, because as the words leave his mouth, they reach the edge of the woods which opens up to the small beach. The sand is soft under his shoes, and the sting of salty air is sharp. “Happy now?” He teases when she lets his hand go in favor of going a few paces ahead.

“I was always happy,” Y/n corrects, “but now I'm…..satisfied.”

“If satisfaction is what you were looking for, I could've helped with that up there,” he nudges his head towards the top of the hill they’d been standing on about fifteen minutes earlier.

Y/n rolls her eyes as she turns to look at him, “oh shut up,” she giggles.

“Just sayin’,” he hums, moving to stand beside her, arm going around her shoulders. Immediately, Y/n tilts her head so its touching his side.

As she keeps her eyes trained forward, Y/n hums, “its so beautiful.”

Andrew returns the sound, albeit just a bit softer as he turns his head to look down at her, nestled against him. Its hard to describe just how much he enjoys the feeling of her tucked against him, its one of those simple pleasures that he never fails to appreciate; the way her form fits perfectly with his, like they were made to just click together. It's such a small thing; the comfort that comes with holding someone who wouldn’t trade the feeling of your arms around them for anything else in the world, and he can never seem to get enough of it. He lives for the way throwing his arm around her shoulder has become as natural to him as breathing, and how instinctive it is when she leans against him.

“Don’t you think so?” Y/n glances up at him, a smile dusting her cheeks when their eyes meet. There's always a little tingle that prods at her heart when she finds him looking at her, like the beat of butterfly wings against the petal of a flower.

Licking his lips, he glances forward at the ocean stretched out before then, and the near vacant beach that spreads out for at least a mile on either side.

He must’ve seen this beach near a hundred times by now. Andrew is well aquainted with the way the waves break against the collection of jagged rocks piled against once side of the shore, foam washing the salt-worn gray and seeping into the crevices. The crunch of pebbles and broken seashells under his boot isn’t foreign to him, and he knows all too well how frigid those waters can be around this time of the year. He’s seen the beauty of the place, he swears he’s done his best to appreciate it too, but there’s something different about holding her as the water pulls the sand seaward and salty sprinkles dust their lips. It feels like he’s seeing for the first time all over again.

And he loves it – all of it. The way it feels like a film has been peeled off his eyes, the thrill of enjoying the simplest things so much more than he ever has because he's sharing the moment with her.

“Yeah,” he looks at her again, lowering his head to touch the tips of their noses, “its beautiful, baby.”

[tellmeallaboutit]

knock knock (Raphael x F!Player)

Chapter 1, In Which You Install The Mod

FOREWORD: inspired by this post

SUMMARY: Careful which mods you install for BG3. Did you read the terms and conditions carefully?

TAGS: meta romance, psychological horror, smut, the character is the player, Raphael is after you, you wanted him, you invited him to our world, he accepted your invitation

RATING: explicit

AO3

***

You hesitated for a moment before downloading this “Devil Wears Nada” mod. It felt slightly inappropriate, absurd as it may sound. There was something disrespectful about making Raphael deliver his final monologue in the nude.

Well, you would have to live with offending a bunch of pixels because you do want these screenshots. You put the salt and vinegar Pringles out of the way and wiped your fingers on a napkin before committing this digital sin.

Clickity-click-click. You dragged-and-dropped the mod where you wanted it to be and launched Steam. Now to load the saved game where you made the deal with the devil and gave him the crown of Karsus… pretty much any saved game really. 

Raphael had been spared in each one of your playthroughs.

A sigh escaped you when the devil still appeared fully clothed in the game; had something gone wrong? You double-checked, only to realize that you'd forgotten to activate the mod - odd, since you clearly remembered doing so. Leaving the game, you dragged the mod back into place.

On your phone, in the Devil's Den discord chat, you informed everyone of Raphael's stubborn refusal to undress.

MAKE HIM! came the immediate reply, followed by STRIP THE OLD MAN, accompanied by raunchy gifs. Couldn't help but grin at that.

Back in the game, you loaded an earlier save file and sank into your chair to watch Raphael emerge from the flames, clothed once again. “You son of a…”, you muttered to yourself. It was getting late anyway; this would be your last attempt before calling it a day. Tomorrow is Tuesday and thus another work day. 

“It won’t be long before you come knocking at my door”, Raphael said, looking straight at you from the wide screen. This wall-breaking sequence was brilliantly executed—you had to admit it—very eerie.

Raphael let out a deep, hearty laugh, head thrown back, pearly teeth glistening in orange-red lighting. You didn’t see this animation before. They must have added it with the latest patch, so you moved in closer. 

Handsome as sin, this devil - if he asked for your soul, you’d hand it over on a silver platter.

Suddenly, he fell silent for several seconds, staring directly at you from across the digital divide. You reached for the mouse to check if there was a glitch in the cutscene when Raphael's voice sliced through the silence.

“You are quite eager to see me naked, aren’t you? Naughty little mouse,” Raphael taunted.

What the fuck?

WHAT THE FUCK!?

You recoiled in shock and slammed your laptop shut. A shriek must have escaped your lips, but you were too stunned to notice. It took a moment for your heart to settle and for you to remember what date it was today.

A quick glance over the watch on your wrist confirmed: it was the first of April. April first, two thousand and twenty-four. 

It was an April Fool's joke from the modders.

Oh, fuck. Having recovered from the initial shock, you cautiously opened your notebook, only to be greeted by the familiar "ta-ta" outro. Oh, fuck. This is some kind of really fucked-up prank. How did they get this voice line?

AI, probably. Not probably. Definitely. There was no way they could have involved Andrew Wincott.

You scanned the game screen for any other surprises, but found none. Picking up your phone, you opened Discord and began recording a long voice message - your fingers too clammy to type.

The replies came soon after.

Haha, this is so fucked up, did they really do this? Hm. I have to try it myself. RECORD IT, RECORD IT PLEASE!

You stared at the loading screen but couldn't bring yourself to replay it. Instead, you searched “Raphael naked mod April joke” and clicked on the first Reddit thread that popped up. You didn't even bother to open it; a quick glance at the preview comment – “crazy I almost had a heart attack” – was more than enough.

Enough for today.

You quickly brushed your teeth in the bathroom and changed into short pajamas before glancing at the laptop on the other side of the room, its camera eye peering at you from across the room. You closed the shutter.

“Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you”, you read somewhere.

You tucked yourself into bed, phone in hand, blanket between your legs. Was it time for a quick stroll through selected Raphael / Tav bookmarks?

No. Well, maybe. The threesome with Haarlep, just a quick re-read to help you fall asleep quicker. You were creeped out, but not that creeped out. You’ve heard of such meta jokes before. Black & White did it, Metal Gear Solid did it, too. 

But still… they really should tag this sort of stuff.

Your nightly reading was progressing nicely; things were getting interesting - “the ridges of his devil cock stroking your sensitive walls” interesting. Your hand slid into your underwear, working your finger past your hair down to your clit. This scene was very well written, you could almost feel it, picture yourself spread open between Haarlep and Raphael. 

The smut got better and better right until your phone vibrated in your hand, and you dropped it on the blanket.

Unknown caller ID.

Don't answer it, came the panicked, irrational thought as it grabbed you in a chokehold. 

You stared at the screen - the call went on and on - and pushed it aside. Swiped to the right in one quick motion and heard an automated female voice:

"This call is from Europol. We would like to inform you that your identity card number has been misused. For further information please press 1."

You hung up immediately, recognizing this as one of those scam calls that had been making rounds recently. Your mum had received one too. 

Nothing to lose sleep over.

You put the phone down and turned your back to it, trying to calm down. Screw the fanfic, you were not in the mood anymore. Well, you were, but…

Another time. 

It took some time before you could relax, your gaze fixed on the blank wall in front of you, re-playing that cutscene all over again in your head, occasionally wandering to the large window looking out over the courtyard (what a pitch black night). 

Eventually, you did. 

As you drifted off to sleep, a voice whispered in your dream:

“You are quite eager to see me naked, aren’t you? Naughty little mouse”.

The silky soft voice was so lovely; it made you feel less alone. A small smile crossed your lips as you slept.

Yes, Raphael. Very eager indeed. 

Tomorrow. You’ll try again tomorrow.

NEXT: Chapter 2, In Which You Meet A Tall Dark Stranger

[asexual-juliet]

saw the outsiders musical last night (7/20/24) and thought i would make a little post about some of my favorite parts!! brody, sky & daryl were out so i saw trevor wayne as pony, josh strobl as johnny & henry julián gendron as two-bit!

there’s a bit after pony gets jumped by the socs where darry and soda are cleaning the blood off his face and when they’re done and have gotten up johnny comes and sits next to him and takes out a rag and starts also cleaning pony’s face <3 it’s so so sweet

henry does a couple little opt-ups as two-bit in both grease got a hold and hoods turned heroes where i was like “ooh!” i adore daryl tofa so i was a little disappointed when i found out i wouldn’t be able to see him but henry was SO fantastic!! such a talented dancer and you could tell he was having so much fun with the character! such a standout for me.

was deeply impressed by how many items were successfully thrown and caught in grease got a hold like holy shit dude

the LIGHTING in great expectations has pony pointing his flashlight at darrel on “darrel was on his way up in the world” & johnny on “johnny has no kind of chance in this world” and then as the verse goes on he points it at all of the greasers standing all over the stage and the light lingers on them for the rest of the song it’s so fucking cool-looking! and during the chorus the stage starts to look like a starry sky which is a choice they bring back for the little great expectations reprise at the end of far away from tulsa. 

the moment where pony & johnny do their little cool guy walks over to cherry and marcia at the drive-in with their popped collars was so precious to me

i ADORE cherry valance and i ADORE emma’s take on her!! her little convo with pony at the drive-in was really sweet and i loved that they chose not to make the dynamic feel like a crush on ponyboy’s part it was such a nice moment of two people finding and genuinely understanding each other so deeply <3

lighting sound & everything was so next-level during the fountain scene-bob’s death like i don’t even think i can describe it it was so much and so crisp and so visceral in the absolute best way

staging for run run brother was SO cool — there’s a part at the end where they use the tires and boards from the set to make two platforms that the other actors can roll them back and forth while johnny is on one and pony on the other and they roll them away from each other and they are both reaching out so desperately towards each other its so fantastic

i also really liked the part in run run brother where dally gives pony his jacket like he just wordlessly put it on for him it’s so nice

lighting & subsequent blackout at the end of run run brother as pb&j are in the air after jumping off the “train” was ELITE

pony is holding johnny’s switchblade during death’s at my door and at the end of the song johnny reaches out to take it from him but he doesn’t pull away so he’s just holding pony’s hand and then he puts his other hand over pony’s too and they sit there like that until the lights go down <3

LOVED what they’ve done with darry’s character here!! i know people have some nitpicky things with it but he is such a fascinating character and i’m so glad that the musical theater medium was able to do so much with him that the limited pov of the novel couldn’t — brent comer plays darry so so well and my heart aches for him like fuck dude he cares about his brothers so fucking much and he’s doing his best and he’s so so tired :((( give him a break!!

jason schmidt’s voice is SO fantastic holy fuck throwing in the towel was GORGEOUS!! and the little bit at the end where soda hugs darry and it looks like he maybe kisses him on the head a little is so darling <3

the entire “do i look like julie andrews?” scene is so fucking good… genuinely made me laugh out loud. “fine, paul newman, then!” “…no shit?” is so fantastic and johnny’s little “she is pretty as hell :)” about cherry is adorable. and ofc the “goldilocks and her ugly sister” line is fucking great

the way that johnny perks up when he hears “say hey to johnny for us :)” in soda’s letter is so cute

the church fire scene is perhaps the coolest shit i have ever seen onstage

ponyboy is crying so hard after johnny dies that has to sit down on the floor of the hospital room and soda sits behind him and just holds him <3

ponyboy is like actively crying as he narrates dally’s death its so fucking heartbreaking. i liked that they drew the parallels between the train crashes in order to make dally’s death meaningful despite its departure from the book. and the detail about the train derailing when it hit him was wonderfully written. 

there is a scene where ponyboy is like inconsolable sitting on the living room floor with his head in his arms after johnny and dally die and cherry comes by the house because she has been volunteering at the hospital and no one came to pick up johnny’s clothes after he died and she thought ponyboy should have them and she tells him there’s a letter in the pocket addressed to him and after she leaves he just sits there for a while and when he finally moves he picks up johnny’s jean jacket and fucking like hugs it and buries his face in it and it’s so so so heartbreaking and soda has to come over and start reading the letter to him before johnny appears and starts singing stay gold <3

johnny starts SR at the beginning of stay gold while pony is sitting on the car at SL but he is slowly moving closer to pony as the song goes on and right before they start singing in harmony johnny sits down next to him <3 <3 <3

josh’s stay gold made me CRY!! especially him and trevor singing “i have known a love that many never know / and that love lives on no matter where i go” holy shit. their voices blend together so beautifully

overall i fucking ADORED trevor’s ponyboy!! he embodies the role so so well and has such a fourteen-year-old boy vibe when he’s onstage that i definitely did not expect from an actor in his twenties! i’ve heard that his pony is a little more emotional than brody’s & josh’s and that was a choice i really really vibed with!! and his voice was like jaw-dropping, what a talent!!

stagedoor afterwards was so so wonderful! i made drawings for the entire cast and everyone was so so nice and seemed to really like them! the ensemble & understudies especially seemed really thrilled that i had made something for them

henry in particular was so so sweet and seemed like he couldn’t believe that i had drawn him! he was like “is this me for real?” and someone (i think it was trevor) told him to look at the back where i had written his name and a little note and he was really excited about it!! he actually was like “this is awesome i have to go inside and give this to my mom right now so i don’t lose it” and his family was right inside the stagedoor and he pointed me out to them and they were so excited! he gave me a hug too it was really nice :)

trevor was also really excited and was like “this is a drawing of me for real? not brody?” and he was so happy when he turned it around and saw his name <3

i gave melody and sarahgrace copies of the same drawing of both of them and as soon as i gave it to melody she immediately looked around to find sarahgrace and show it to her (she was still inside but it was very cute) and then she told me they were going to put it on the wall in their dressing room!!

sarahgrace was like “omg you even drew my bracelet!” and was excited when i pointed out the detail i put in for the pattern on her dress!

trevor yelled across the sidewalk to tell josh to stop talking to his (trevor’s) mom as a joke lmfao

everyone except jason & kevin c came out to stagedoor and they were all so so sweet!! got photos with most of them and they all signed my copy of the book!! overall such a fucking fantastic experience! the drawings were a lot of work but it was so nice to see the looks on the cast’s faces when they saw them!!

[codename-adler]

My 2 niche aftg takes are that I love and accept Nora’s extra content, just because they don’t get married or say I love u or any of that stuff, doesn’t mean they are not healing and that they can never truly be healed without those things, it’s just that those are not important to them and that’s valid, their happy ending doesn’t have to look like everyone else’s (I also love and accept Nora’s writing, not a fan of when everyone jokingly bashes her books as if she didn’t capture all our hearts, art is meant to make you feel, and she succeeded in that a lot more than a lot of other ‘good’ writing)

Number two is that I’m not a fan of a lot of the fanon characterisation of Andrew and Neil, I know it’s par for the course in queer media that a fandom will feminise one character and masculinise the other (and make one the ‘bottom’ and one the ‘top’ respectively) , and I even expected it, obviously that’s weird in itself but that’s not even the part that bothers me that much since I knew it would happen, the part that does is that they clearly have done it the wrong way round, because like, if any one of those boys is going to wear a skirt, it’s Andrew, he’s the one that likes fashion and might decide to experiment, not Neil. If anyone is a ‘submissive’ it’s Andrew, the way he acts in the books, he literally does anything neil wants to make him happy, and if anyone gives top energy, it’s Neil josten, and I know this is silly but I guess it made the whole thing a lot more jarring for me when I went on to read fanfic and it felt even more ooc than it usually would. Anyway that’s all.

that damn extra content... Okay. i have barely read any of it.

i've read Wymack's story / Dan's recruitment; me likes. i just love that man. nora knows how to build her men.

i've read Jean's drafts and his abuse at the Nest; me hates. the SA just thrown in there for what? Riko's already dead, it's pointless to further villainize him when the series is over. i hate SA as an afterthought, something that gives character, something being used as a plot device. with the announcement of TSC however? we'll see...

i've read Allison's future; me irks. see previous ask.

andreil stuff, i've read about here and there but not directly from the source; some me laughs, some me don't care. that's literally it. i don't give it much, if any, thought at all.

i've heard of Renee's future in the peace corps and marrying a man; me ew ew ew. she is so queer-coded it's baffling how that was achieved with Renee/Jean in mind. and the peace corps?? that toxic american white savior bullshit?? baby no. there are much better religious orgs and rep out there.

the rest is mystery to me. i'm cumulating more and more reasons to thoroughly read through the EC, but it's not like... an urge. i'll get to it when i get to it. i appreciate nora sakavic for writing it, but also for not pushing it everywhere. she doesn't mind whether one considers it canon or not. i really, really appreciate that of her. SO DO NOT COME FOR HER AND HER WRITING. aftg is GOOD. it was never badly written. it's just so out of left field that it is difficult not to be made to feel ashamed for liking the series by mainstream lit and lit. corps. honestly give me a work of literature that has had a stronger grip on its readers than aftg and that you consider being 'well-written' in comparison. i will never, ever say it's bad. because it isn't. i will not be taking any question.

as for the second part of this ask... i am uncomfortable discussing sexual fanon content, and i simply do not read that kind of stuff very often, again because it's not for me, so i won't be able to add to this. perhaps other mutuals can reach out to you on this?

thank you for your contribution @doctorwhomybae and sorry for the tardiness!

[sunskate]

VM show ep 3 Chiddy and Weapo

Patrick had moved to the Detroit Skating Club in the summer of 2013 so was nearby to cameo on the show. one of the few lighter sequences with Scott (this might be the first time he smiles big or laughs for real without any trace of discomfort so far). they go cart race, Patrick says he realized he doesn't have to be absolutely perfect, that eating crap one day instead of eating the perfect meal the perfect way doesn't have to affect his Olympics (in contrast to Tessa wondering whether eating a grape before PYC will affect hers)

Patrick says it's hard to find time to talk to his gf especially at the end of the day when he's tired, and Scott says "they always get the worst of you, right? you gave all your energy to everyone else, i get home, you have nothing left, and that's what they get. god, we should get together and talk more often. making me feel all good. Scott and Patrick" - i know it’s on camera but him making such a heavy statement then being like glad we talked, go us! 😅💀this makes them seem close, but at the same time, he's saying they don't see each other much. maybe when you're an athlete at this level, you have "pick up where you left off" friendships, because you don't have time

the Weapo dinner is at Shiro's restaurant in Novi (which is supposedly haunted by the ghost of the man who built the mansion it's in)

T: (VO) our Canadian teammates, Kaitlyn and Andrew, have invited us to dinner (and VM asked if their camera crew could come? this feels so contrived 😅)

Kaitlyn says: "it feels so cool, i don't know how many other people have this kind of connection we have all together"

but this is cut so that VM look surprised that Weapo make it work being together 24/7 - even though Tessa later says "i often marvel at that fact." Weapo have lived nearby since 2009, so it shouldn't be a revelation 😬 this might be the editors massaging this storyline to say "VM aren't getting along!" and just not doing a great job of it - like the editing here-- the reactions and length of the silences after Kaitlyn asks "how about you?" feel tweaked - the way the background noise drops out for a few beats as soon as Kaitlyn asks the question to make it feel more like crickets and how they add humorous music at the end -

but can you think of another time in their history where either one of them says something like this?

S: we get on each other's nerves until one of us snaps!

T: they literally spend all of their time together, and i often marvel at that fact because i'm not sure Scott and i would survive that sort of setup

how much is Scott joking? are they being more truthful here than other times? what's odd to me is that it's Tessa who's doing the commenting on how they're not getting along, and we're not seeing Scott. just from how uncomfortable he looks throughout this show, i wonder if he was really reticent to talk about Tessa and didn't give them anything they could use. so he gets thrown under the bus by a one sided narrative. we're almost at the end of this storyline, thank goodness

[equiquest]

OH MY GOD EQUIQUEST JUST BECAME THE 200TH-LONGEST FANVENTURE IN JUST 10 MONTHS

WHY SHOULD I CARE

Well okay, I guess I should introduce it a little bit.

Equiquest: 2010: 2020 is a fanadventure remaster of some story from like 2012 about Equius Zahaak being a kid in Texas going to school with John Egbert, Jade Harley, Vriska Serket, just all of them, all the kids. Why are they all the Homestuck kids and trolls??

BECAUSE ANDREW HUSSIE REAL

Equius is mad that he's written in as the worst character in Homestuck and so goes to confront Hussie, and…

…Hussie literally photoshops him into the story as an Equius who can't make robots and has the strength of a regular child.

And so begins the fight against Hussie. Will the kids be able to save their friend? How many will be thrown into Homestuck? Why is he Aradia and Sollux's cousin and why would he write a story where they kiss?? Why is he so evil????? WHY IS THERE SO MUCH SHITPOST HUMOR????????????

Several years ago now, I was one of the co-authors on the original Equiquest adventure, and after several undiagnosed mental health episodes I decided to just drop it and leave forever.

Now I'm more medicated than ever and really bored, so I thought, "Hey what if I did it again for a laugh"

So barring working on animated pages, me and the team (y'all are angels oh my god thank you for donating your time for shitty joke pictures) are doing a good job of updating almost every day in the spirit of a time where Homestuck still existed and updated constantly. We're imagining us someday finishing the full remaster and catching up to where the original cliffhung off at, and then even opening up suggestions to readers, but for now we're just taking it easy as we go.

Please read our funny work and recommend it to friends, comments make us so happy! And if you want to join in, shoot me a message and be over 18 years old I'm begging you I don't need nobody talking to me about FNF in-jokes

[creepypastaartist3]

Golden wings full story (UPDATE)

_Monday 12:45 A.M December 18, 2014_

Thunder crashes through the night sky as rain hit the side of a old brick house that was covered in old vines and overgrown weeds. Andrew woke up, frantically feeling a cold sweat run down his back. He tried calming down as his hands couldn't stop shaking. That dream, a recurring dream that came to him almost every night. The screams that were ear piercing with blood and the shadows of light.

Slowly, Andrew got out of bed and walked out of his room to the kitchen. Turning on the light, he walked over to the purifier and poured water in a little plastic cup. his family was always poor, but he didn't mind all that much as long as he was near the woods that was all that mattered. Throughout his life he's always taking a liking to the woods ever since he was little it was just so peaceful and calming. He loved watching the animals run by or the deer walking around in the backyard.

walking back upstairs, Andrew looked at the family pictures on the wall. All the lies and the untold truth that were behind every smile, it should've made Andrew so angry, but that was one thing he loved about himself is that he never could, nor bothered to he was so used to it at this point that it was just another numbing feeling he had.

walking into his room, he turned on the light, knowing he wasn't gonna be able to sleep that night. It was so quiet in the house all that you could hear was the rain hitting the side of the house sitting at his desk, and just stared at the laptop screen the black screen, reflecting his face, having him stare directly into his own darkened eyes. His black hair was messy, and his pale skin almost blending into the wall. Andrew slammed his computer closed, not able to stand the side of himself. His face was pale as snow and his eyes were sunken in with heavy bags under them. Andrew never really gotten much sleep because of the fact that his mom would either be drunk and be loud all night like a party girl or his insomnia or sleep paralysis making him stay up or be scared awake.

_ Tuesday 10:50 AM_

Walking to his next class, Andrew couldn't stand how loud the kids in his school were. Even though everyone was forced to look the same and dress the same with the stupid uniforms and dress code there were still some people that thought they were better then everyone else even though all that people cared about was passing high school and getting the fuck out there were still the few that was just given everything and couldn't stand not having the spotlight on them even for a second. When Andrew got into his classroom he noticed his friend Eden with her head down on her desk. He walked over and sat down next to her wanting to see what was wrong. She was usually the upbeat extravert type way, Andrew was and introvert. Before Andrew even had the chance to see what was wrong a Gatorade bottle the thrown at her head causing it to spill all over her messing up her blond hair and standing her clothes red. Laughter could be heard behind Andrew and Eden and when he looked over he saw Olivia standing there with her boyfriend laughing. This pissed off Andrew But he managed to hold his tongue and helped Eden up escorting her to the bathroom to help her clean up. Andrew was pansexual so the other girls didn't mind Andrew being in the girls bathroom all that much. Andrew grabbed some paper towels and started fixing Eden's hair, "why didn't you tell me Olivia was picking on you i could have dealt with her for you" Eden Hugged herself as she tried not to cry, "I didn't want you to worry you already have to deal with a lot at school and at home." She was right Andrew was practically a Father to his little sister and was having problems at school keeping up with his classes because of his dyslexia and ADD. "Let me worry about myself you don't need to be going through this alone I can help." Andrew Put Eden's hair up in a pony tail and fixed her black bow. "thanks Andy but really I can handle myself" Andrew rolled his eyes and looked at her with a bland expression. "what ever you say but you know i can kick some ass if you want me too"

_ Thursday, 1:05 AM_

The light was blinding. voices crowded in his head screams, laughing, crying panic set into Andrew's head as he saw blood on the floor, dripping from his neck. Suddenly he woke up in his bed, staring at the ceiling and taking a deep breath his heart felt like it was running laps in his chest Andrew sat up and turned on the lamp on his nightstand. After a moment Andrew felt something off like something wasn't right. Suddenly, there was a crash downstairs that echo throughout the house, Andrew quickly ran downstairs and not long after looking around he saw his little sister and mom being held at gunpoint by a man with a black mask. Andrews hart started racing, he didn't know what to do and was to scare to even move. His sister was crying and his mom was holding her blocking her from the gun. The man was screaming at them, everything seemed slow, soon Andrew couldn't even hear the man yelling anymore just his movements. Before Andrew could even think he ran over to the man and tackled him down trying to protect him mom and sister. They wrestled on the ground for what seemed like for eternity before a loud shot could be heard through out the house. Andrews eyes were wide and he looked down and saw blood spoking into his shirt and incredible pain running through his body. Everything seemed to fade away slowly as his vison become blurry then darkness surrounded him.

slowly, waking up, bright white light floods into Andrew's eyes looking around he noticed that it was a bright white room with a thrown like chair in the middle and so they got up off the floor walking around. Suddenly three people walked into the room two females that had suits on and a shorter man standing in the middle. "Welcome my child." The man smiles gently at Andrew while the other two just stood there with no expression. "where am I who are you? "Andrew looked almost scared that this was almost like his dream, blinding white lights and unsettling human light creatures. The man got closer to Andrew and smiled more. "my dear child you're in heaven and I am God" Andrew backed away from the man. "No, that's not possible I'm not. I can't be."

Panicking Andrew looked around, trying to find a way out "Oh you see my dear. I had your memory wiped it will help you be less distracted." god smiled more, but the more he smiled the more creepy he became," see, unfortunately my son Michael was killed, locking his brother away in hell and your soul is quite strong" The more the man spoke the more Andrew became confused," I want to make you an archangel" Andrew shook his head" I can't what makes me worthy enough to stand by your side?" the man smiled dropped a little," we have been watching you, since you were first born. I even picked you myself you're strong and dedicated willing to risk your life for others. I would be honored to have you stand by my side." Andrew questioned everything that the man said he knew it was sketchy and how the man was talking wasn't normal and more creepy. Eventually, Andrew agreed, and before he knew it, bright gold light surrounded him, drowning out any noise and blinded him.

_ January 1, 2019_

heaven was in a panic Andrew tried calming down the other angels but there was no luck. Rafael and Gabriel were gone nowhere to be found It was just Andrew. Rumor got around that God was missing, and Andrew gathered as much angels together as he could trying to calm everyone down when angels started a riot against him. "you could've killed him! We all know about your power! You could've killed him just so that you could take over heaven!" Andrew was shocked by this and one by one all the angels turned on him, casting him to purgatory before, he could even protest against it.

_ unknown_

it was cold and dark. Andrew stumbled around the wooded area of purgatory. His grace was weak, and it took all of his strength to not fall down. Leaning against the tree, almost giving up on trying to find a way out. After what felt like hours Andrew started walking again looking around, hoping to find an exit. He saw an almost portal looking shape in the side of a hill. The wind was strong around it with leaves flying everywhere. Andrew wanted to see where it led to hoping it was an exit out of this hell take a chance and step closer slowly, and eventually everything went black

moments later light was shining on him, and birds could be heard from afar, slowly opening his eyes, Andrew sat up feeling grass under his fingertips. Quickly getting up Andrew looked around, trying to figure out where he was. There were trees as far as the eye could see, but they didn't look like the ones from purgatory. They were more alive and instead of silence Andrew could hear animals walking around and birds, singing through the woods. Andrew was almost at the verge of tears, with how happy he was, even though he knew he was now going to be hunted down by the others he didn't care he was just happy that he wasn't slowly dying in purgatory anymore.

Andrew walked around admiring his father's creation when suddenly he had wrestling nearby. It was fast, and Andrew knew it wasn't an animal. Looking around, Andrew slowly backed up a little sudden he was tackled to the floor and pin down. A hatchet was at his neck and the attacker was wearing orange goggles and a strange looking mask. Andrew didn't seem bothered by the hatchet knowing that it couldn't kill him or even hurt him. Suddenly there was a voice behind the attacker. It was dark and human like it was nothing like he's ever heard before. "that's enough Toby." the attacker that Andrew assumed to be Toby, got off of him, putting his hatchet back on his belt and looked up to see a tall, faceless man wearing a black suit. Andrew looked confused, trying to think back to when his father created this thing.

Andrew got up still looking at the thing in front of him confused this angered Toby "be respectful when you're in the presence of him!" Andrew just looked even more confused as the faceless creature somehow talked "Toby, calm down my child" Toby seem to have calm down a little, but Andrew still felt Toby's cold glare on him "Mind if I ask, but what are you?" The faceless creature seem to be Surprised and a little taking back that Andrew wasn't scared of him "my dear child I'm Slenderman, also known as the demon in the woods" Andrew didn't really have a reaction to this new information. "And this is my proxy Tobias Rogers. "Andrew looks at Toby noticing his head twitching a little and was making strange noises. "is he OK?" the slender creature, looked at the man next to him. "unfortunately Toby has a physical disorder that's called Tourette's." Andrew

remembered his father talking to him One time about disorders he gave to some people, Tourette's being one. "tell me my child what are you? You're not human and don't act like most creatures I've seen." Andrew seemed hesitant to tell him not fully, trusting the faceless man that stood in front of him Slenderman noticed this, and spoke a little more strongly "I see that you don't wanna tell me is it because you're scared of something?" Andrew was a little taken back, but finally decided to tell Slenderman everything, "I'm in archangel, one of my father's stronger creations. I was casted to purgatory after some issues in heaven, and made it out now I'm in hiding, knowing that the others are out hunting me" both Slenderman, and Toby look shocked "we shouldn't trust him he could be lying "Toby reached for one of his hatches, before slender man stopped him "Are you able to prove this in anyway?" Andrew think a little before stepping back. Andrews eyes started glowing gold, as bright gold light surrounded him, showing a shadow outline of his wings. Toby slowly took off his goggles, staring at Andrew in

complete shock, and little frightened. slowly the light fades and Andrew looks up at the man, it was a little hard for Slenderman to talk after that, but finally was able to form some words "what is your name my child?" Andrew spoke with no hesitation this time "Andrew Winchester" slender man thinks for a moment before speaking "I've been needing someone to protect my proxies, you see there's so much I can do but something has been killing off some of my proxies, so with saying that I'll make you a deal you help me protect my proxies, and I'll give you a place to hide from the angels" Slenderman, reaches out his hand seeing of Andrew would accept or not. Without thinking Andrew placed his hand in Slendermans, and that is how everything started.......

[she-karev]

Girl's Night In (April Kepner x Alex Karev’s Sister Friendship Imagine)

Previous Part Here

Age Rating: 12+

Chapters: Two of Five

Fandom: Grey’s Anatomy

Summary: Amber gets a voicemail from Andrew and is conflicted on listening to it while April helps dye her hair at home.

Words: 1507

Chapters Links: 1,2,3,4,5

March 25th, 2020

Amber is sitting in a chair in the middle of Jackson’s living room with April behind her with the dark brown hair dye. April is brushing the carefully sectioned blonde hair on Amber’s head with the dye. While she is doing this Amber is eating kale chips watching 2010’s Nightmare on Elm Street on the high definition tv. Amber is enjoying the film while April is getting scared as Kris is washing her face after her nightmare.

“Is he gonna show up?” April asks in anxiety gasping lightly when Kris looks up the mirror, but Freddie is not there to her relief and Amber’s amusement knowing what happens next. The next scene Freddie jumps out and attacks Kris causing April to shriek in terror and Amber to laugh at her reaction, “Why are we watching this? I’m gonna be up for days!”

“Hey we agreed I pick the movies and the movies I like are remakes of classic horror films.”

April shudders behind her as Katie Cassidy is thrown around like a ragdoll on the tv, “Why remakes? I mean aren’t the classics better?”

“They are but the good thing about the remakes is the CGI has improved.” Kris gets sliced open by an invisible Freddie on the screen, “And that makes the death scenes much gorier than when they used puppets.”

April groans, “Okay not only is this movie lacking in story but it is an anatomical nightmare.”

“If you feel that way now wait till we see Final Destination 3 next.” Amber pops a kale chip in her mouth, “I could barely get on the rollercoaster after I saw it.”

April grins as she brushes another blonde stand on Amber’s head, “Well that I can understand, I never go on the roller coaster I’m saving that stage in Harriet’s life up to Jackson. He’ll appreciate it or he won’t.”

“Your afraid of roller coasters?”

“No, I’m not afraid of roller coasters, I’m afraid of the 18 year old operating it for minimum wage.”

Amber shrugs understanding, “Okay so what kind of movies do you like to watch then? Oh wait! Let me guess, The Notebook? A Walk to Remember? Some other Nicholas Sparks cliché boy meets girl unrealistic as hell movie that rendered you a virgin until you were in your thirties?” Amber laughs at her own joke.

April scoffs at her sarcasm, “You know what I don’t judge other women for sleeping around and exploring their sexuality so why do they feel the need to judge me for my lacking of it?”

“Okay, okay serious question though…Did you wear a chastity belt?”

Amber laughs at that and April narrows her eyes, “God you and your brother are so much like, your both condescending assholes.”

“I’m still debating if it’s nurture or nature.”

April shakes her head, “It must so nice not to care what people think of you or if they even like you.”

Amber stops chewing as she looks at the tv in thought before her defense mechanism comes back, “I’d rather be hated and content with myself than be loved and stressed about what to say. Besides your not the only one who’s had to deal with condescending assholes who don’t care if they hurt you or not.”

April looks at Amber in sympathy without her knowledge since she’s busy eating chips and watching the awful movie. April decides to change the subject so Amber can feel better.

“So, you grew up with two brothers?”

“Yep, my whole life with two older asshole brothers, I guess you can chalk up my pleasant attitude to them.”

“What was that like? I’m picturing underwear with skid marks on the floor, playboys on your shelves where they hide it and a lot of roughhousing with you as the referee. Basically, I imagine you living with two horny and blood thirsty pitbulls.”

“And you would be right.” They chuckle at that, “It’s no wonder I played sandlot when I was a kid when most of my friends played barbies. My brothers taught me to never care what others thought of me and that I should be myself…and if anyone had a problem with that I can just give them a little Rocky Balboa treatment.”

“Wow you just explained so much.” April puts dark hair on another strand, “It was the opposite for me growing up. I was the youngest of four girls and growing up Libby, Kimmie and Alice called me Ducky. As in the ugly duckling. I was always the young, boy repellent, braces wearing, acne prone sister who spent more time in the library than she did finding a boyfriend. My sisters make it a point to remind me of that awkward and terrible phase of my life and that’s why I fired them as my bridesmaids before my wedding.”

Amber chews on a chip intrigued, “Wow. I always thought growing up, ‘why can’t I have a sister? It would make my life so much better’.”

“Trust me it wouldn’t.” April tells Amber bluntly as she brushes the last strands, “Boys are simple minded and at times idiotic, but their simplicity makes them sincere and more caring to the people they love. Unlike girls like my sisters who find a weak spot and press on them like a wound. In a way you were lucky to grow up with two boys, even if one of them was Alex Karev.”

Amber chuckles, “It’s hard being the baby of the family, isn’t it? I mean no matter how much we grow up or how many college degrees we get we are always gonna be the baby in the highchair they fed mashed peas to.”

“I know!” April agrees with Amber full heartedly, “I mean with your two brothers you think you would be more likely to end up a virgin at 30 than me.”

“I would have but I’ve learned how to sneak past them. Besides I didn’t need overprotective brothers to shield me from horny boys. Nobody wants to date the weird goth girl with the psycho mom.”

“Goth?” April asks intrigued causing Amber to chuckle.

“Yeah, I was a very angry child, and it turns out you can find quality grunge clothes at the Salvation Army.”

April puts a shower cap around Amber’s head, “Did you read Stephen King in your down time while listening to Nirvana?”

Amber scoffs, “No…I read his son Joe Hill and listened to NOFX.”

April grins proudly at being right, “Okay now we just wait for the dye to set for 35 minutes and then you can wash.” April grabs her hair dye box and hands it to Amber, “In the meantime you can apply my dye. You just apply a little from the root and brush it down the strand, can you do that?”

“Yeah just let me set the timer.” Amber pulls out her phone to set a timer and the notifications board stops her. Andrew’s voicemail is still on it and is still waiting to be heard. The thought of it sends Amber down the rabbit hole that Andrew pushed her in this past year. She takes a deep breath to try to collect herself and remind herself that listening to it will only make things worse. April can see the notifications behind Amber and decides to address the bipolar elephant in the room.

“Have you talked to him at all since he came back?”

Amber sets the timer on her phone, “No, last thing I heard was from his sister telling me she dropped him off at a treatment center. I guess he got early release and is back to making my life a living hell.”

“You don’t know that have you listened to the message?”

Amber scoffs and stands up, “I left him a voicemail telling him that he was ruining his life and was gonna end up like his estranged crazy father. I was drunk and angry and I wanted him to feel a fraction of the pain he put me through, God knows what he said to retaliate.”

April shrugs, “He’s been in treatment, maybe he’s better and he wants to make up with you.”

Amber scoffs, “My mother was two days out of treatment before she yelled out loud in front of my volleyball team about what a colossal disappointment I am and…and how she should’ve listened to my father and aborted me. No, I am not gonna be somebody else’s punching bag when they hit a breakdown. I’m done with him, and he has made it more than clear he is done with me.”

April looks at Amber in sympathy, “Look I can’t force you to listen to the message-”

“Good because I’m not gonna listen to it now sit your red head ass down so I can apply this hair dye and make you look somewhat better.”

April knows she’s overstepping and pissing Amber off so she listens and sits in the chair watching the slasher movie that she feels perfectly describes Amber’s mood right now.

Next Part Here

[mlobsters]

supernatural s8e8 hunteri heroici (w. andrew dabb)

(huh, has he written without daniel loflin before? looks like no, but does exclusively after this)

literal cartoonish death, always a great sign. to go along with the very serious business in the recap

that's one creepy ass smile there, misha lol wtf are you doing. i wanna be a hunter *performing human smile flawlessly*

CASTIEL Can I, uh, at least ride in the front seat? DEAN and SAM simultaneously [SAM while shouldering CASTIEL out of the way] No.

so this is how it's gonna go

DEAN Listen, you see anything weird, anything out of the box, you give us a call. DETECTIVE Whatever you say, Scully.

where the hell did that come from? (picking scully instead of mulder)

*blurry flashback on sam starts to fade in* me, out loud: OH JESUS CHRIST. i know amelia was in the recap but i forgot, okay. i'm so tired of this plot mechanic

this man (brian markinson) has been in so many of my things

the x-files s5e9 folie a deux as gary lambert

the killing s2e12 donnie or marie as gil sloane

mad men s6e2 the doorway, part 2 as dr arnold rosen

the magicians s4e7 the side effect as everett

god mad men was a beautiful show. look at the sets and costumes and lighting. gahhh. and second, he played the character in the magicians that basically caused quentin to kill sacrifice himself and i just got real hurt over it all over again good job, brain-o

i swear i keep getting natalie portman's character in garden state vibes from how she's playing this part

SAM Uh, no. Maintenance, mostly. STAN Ah. Well, that makes sense. 'Cause I got to say, Sam, you look like a real fixer-upper to me.

i laughed out loud because ????? and also sam🧍‍♂️

DEAN Cas, you gonna book a room or what? CASTIEL No, I'll stay here. DEAN Oh, okay. Yeah. We'll have a slumber party, braid Sam's hair. Where are you gonna sleep? CASTIEL I don't sleep. DEAN Okay, well, I need my four hours, so... CASTIEL I'll watch over you. DEAN That's not gonna happen.

what a weird little interaction. i guess cas is back to being clueless about social stuff for comic relief. he had some really good snarky moments there for a bit, why are we backsliding

all right so. weird feelings about this dean cas convo. dean being very.. forthright demanding a serious conversation with cas. but this...

CASTIEL Dean, I... When I was... bad... and I had all those things – the... the leviathans... writhing inside me... I caused a lot of suffering on earth, but I devastated Heaven. I vaporized thousands of my own kind, and I – I – I can't go back. DEAN 'Cause if you do, the angels will kill you. CASTIEL Because if I see what Heaven's become – what I – [sighs] what I made of it... I'm afraid I might kill myself.

i don't like how this is framed to gain sympathy (and i have a general great distaste for how suicide is thrown around in media anyway)

ORDERLY It's creepy, right? A lot of these people – they just tune out and live in their own heads. It's like maybe the real world is too much for them, and they just run and hide, you know?

the way i laughed at that prompt for a flashback

STAN I think the two of you are holding on to each other, yeah. 'Cause I know she's scared. After what happened to Don, I don't blame her for taking off. Needing to run away and hide – I know why she did it. The question is – what are you running from, Sam?

yeah current!sam, what are you running from huh?? good thing the kevin tran thing drags out for a long time so you can figure out you wanna keep hunting or whatever by the time it wraps up

oh gosh, it's bj from mash

m*a*s*h s10e18 heroes - mike farrell as bj hunnicutt

*mumbling threats at the screen, if you flashback again because dean said something about living in a dream world........ 🔪*

SAM Look, it can be nice living in a dream world. It can be great. I know that. And you can hide, and you can pretend all the crap out there doesn't exist, but you can't do it forever because... eventually, whatever it is you're running from – it'll find you. It'll come along, and it'll punch you in the gut. And then... then you got to wake up, because if you don't, then trying to keep that dream alive will destroy you! It'll destroy everything!

it's a 3 way pep talk. everyone here needs it. personally iffy on the whole cartoon schtick but i do like this test pattern room effect

bro please i'm having extreme flashback fatigue 😭

LOL i took a screenshot of dean opening the bottle this way at the beginning of the episode because i was like this is so strange that they're focusing on it, is he using his pocketknife?? also like, opening a beer while getting in the car still at the gas station? well. now i see, more silly setup for a silly payoff later

SAM My, uh – my brother used to do that. STAN Yeah? SAM Yeah. STAN He a good guy? SAM Yeah. Yeah, uh, he – he was... the best. Uh, I, uh... I lost him, and, uh, I ran.

i don't hate the story they're telling through the flashbacks, i just hate how it's executed. i can see why they're doing it this way, so we're not actively suffering through the separation, it already happened. and the people want sam and dean together. but avoiding separating them has also made this really clunky and drag out by chopping it up and sprinkling it over so many episodes

anyway, resurrecting amelia's not-actually-dead husband certainly gives us all a guilt-free out of this whole fucking situation

[faithdevotion]

@xheathcnx plotted starter [javi/polly ft. emir]

The hickeys on Polly's skin didn't vanish easily, and a higher amount of powder mixed with base cream was needed to cover them for the night event she'd attend. A week passed since the yacht getaway with Javi, and if one of his objectives was aimed towards making those two days unforgettable for her, it was achieved. Being unable to walk properly for two days after that, along with the marks left on her skin and the lewd moments they had with both alcohol and drugs involved, were impossible to forget. He made sure to remind her that when their gazes met at the club or whenever they were alone at his office for an hour before her shift ended.

With two nights off, her friend Sophia arranged a night out at the Diamond's Strip Club with both her and her former boss, Andrew, with a masquerade theme. It was the first time she was visiting a strip club that wasn't her workplace, so she was curious about what that particular strip club offered. With an elegant mask to conceal her face, her blonde hair in an updo and a tight black dress, she walked into the club holding her clutched purse in one hand, gaze behind the mask searching for the booth both her friends were at. The atmosphere was pleasant, fitting to the event. As soon as she found the two in a booth, she walked over to them and waved her hand at them before kissing both of them on the cheek. She sat down beside Andrew, opening her purse and pulling out her phone.

"Well, hot damn, girl." Sophia's gaze widened at Polly, eyes falling on the sight of the dress. "You're all for killing tonight!" She grinned wickedly, taking a sip of the rum she ordered. "I already went ahead ordering us drinks. The bartender is a hottie, I'll tell you that." Andrew rolled his eyes at Sophia's comment. While Sophia spoke, Polly offered her a smile and shook her head as she typed a text to Javi.

[text: Javier 🖤]: I hope working too much is not killing you. xx

The trio exchanged laughs, drinking and cigarettes as they spoke, with both Andrew and Polly occasionally speaking about her work and giving opinions on the strip club they were both in. During such moments, Polly got up to ask for more drinks over at the bar. Sophia eventually brought up the idea of playing Truth or Dare, which aimed to make things interesting. She flipped a coin for that, with her and Andrew getting Truth and Polly getting Dare. "Alright, one truth. I had sex twice this week." Sophia began and pointed her finger at Andrew. "I almost killed a fucker that planned to betray me the other day." Polly cocked her head to a side, brow arching at the two. "So Sophia is always about sex, and you're always about killing aside from owning a strip club. Change your activities for one week, please." She crossed a leg over the other, pursing lips and mentally thinking how she was lucky she didn't get Truth. Sophia narrowed her eyes at her behind the mask she was wearing, crossing her arms over her chest. "Fine, you devil. I know you're not so innocent even if you seem to be, so I'll dare you to ask the hottie bartender out or, ask him to dance with you at this club right now."

"Who's the devil now?" Andrew cut in, gaze diverting towards Sophia, raising a brow at the brunette. "Trust me, you and I know she's a devil when she wants to be. She's our blondie devil. Besides, she's a hottie. He'll accept, you'll see." Sophia leaned back against her seat, a sly smirk spreading across her lips. Polly snorted at the comment, placing her clutched purse on the table next to the drinks and getting up from her seat. "Asking someone to dance is easy, Sophia. I won't do the first thing for reasons." There were hints thrown about being exclusive to Javi only on that aspect. As she reached the bar, her hands slowly slid down her frame hugged by her tight dress, soon resting on her hips. Her gaze studied the surrounding atmosphere, hips slowly rolling to the rhythm of the song being played. As the bartender approached her behind the bar, her hues met his own and her gaze slightly widened at how striking his eyes were; matching her own, ocean coloured orbs. Even behind a mask, anyone could spot the intensity of blue eyes. She leaned against the bar, a smile decorating her pink plump lips. Her index finger beckoned him to lean forward, so she could lean into his ear to speak to him. "I can tell you must be a bit bored serving drinks all night..." Her smile widened, still being taken aback by his eyes. "Dance with me. I'm getting the impression you're a good dancer, just like you're good with drinks."

[adamwatchesmovies]

Shrek 2 (2004)

If there's a kind of movie that's rarer than a good sequel, it's a good sequel to a comedy. That alone makes Shrek 2 noteworthy. Better looking and funnier than the first, this follow-up is a must-see.

Newlyweds Shrek (voiced by Mike Myers) and Fiona (Cameron Diaz) return from their honeymoon to find an invitation from Fiona’s parents, who live in the kingdom of Far Far Away. As Shrek predicted, King Harold (John Cleese) and Queen Lillian (Julie Andrews) are shocked by their green-skinned son-in-law and their daughter’s appearance as an ogress. With the Fairy Godmother (Jennifer Saunders) under the assumption that her son, Prince Charming (Rupert Everett), would be marrying Fiona and King Harold none too pleased with the situation, an assassin (Antonio Banderas) is sent to deal with Shrek and his friend Donkey (Eddie Murphy).

Visually, Shrek 2 blows Shrek out of the water. It's a little shocking, actually. The human characters, in particular, look much better but it's more than just that. Peel your eyes away from the foreground and you’ll see many subtle jokes thrown in the background: funny book titles, posters on the walls, and more. There’s always something on-screen to keep you laughing.

Over and over, Shrek 2 displays perfect comedic timing. A joke will lead into another and then come back with a snap that catches you off-guard. There are so many great, quotable, memorable moments you’d be tempted to list them all but then you’d be simply writing a synopsis of the whole movie. These are not cheap, throwaway gags either. They tell you about the relationship between Shrek, Donkey, Fiona and her parents. They serve double duty by advancing the story and the same can be said about the songs. The soundtrack is no mere collection of top-10 hits; they have been carefully selected to establish the mood, make you laugh and emphasize what you see on-screen. You can feel and hear the enthusiasm the cast and crew had for Shrek 2 in every frame.

It's now time to address the film’s one flaw: the pop culture references. Spider-Man, The Fellowship of the Ring, Alien, The Wizard of Oz, Garfield, Cops… the list goes on. Some will say it gives this great film a limited shelf life. Let me counter with this: from the beginning, Shrek has been built on comedic references. Did the first picture explain who Robin Hood was? Did we pause to clarify why there were three blind mice, or a wolf dressed up in ladies’ pajamas? Anyone unfamiliar with the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tales will see dozens of jokes fly over their heads. Why criticize the film for having a mix of winks to old and new stories? The gags are still funny whether you get every aspect of them or not and they come so quickly that it doesn't even matter. Alternatively, if you don’t get the Zorro reference, go watch The Mask of Zorro!

Shrek is so good, so funny and full of so many good moments you almost don’t want to say Shrek 2 is even better. You feel as though saying you like this sequel more than the first will diminish the success of the first. Let’s just say they’re both the best. It’s a perfect choice for the whole family and with time, you only grow to appreciate it more. (On Blu-ray, March 22, 2019)

[mybookplacenet]

Author Interview: Andrew Masseurs

Tell us about yourself.: My Name is Andrew Masseurs and I am from Wellington, New Zealand. I've got two dogs and two cats. I'm a crazy guy who grew up playing cricket and football (soccer) I love working out and exercising. I've got the most beautiful women in the world as my wife and four fantastic kids. I love life and love creating. Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?: Grew up in Wellington, New Zealand. I suppose I have a kiwi way of thinking. Whatever that is. A spry optimism mixed with a never give up attitude and a hint of humour. It's all in there. Do you have any unusual writing habits? I don't start a chapter til I am happy I have all the elements that I think will make it work in my head. Then as I start writing all those elements are thrown out and I rewrite it. Crazy, but it happens every time. What authors have influenced you? Grew up in Wellington, New Zealand. I suppose I have a kiwi way of thinking. Whatever that is. A spry optimism mixed with a never give up attitude and a hint of humour. It's all in there. Do you have any advice for new authors? Be yourself. There's no one like you. What is the best advice you have ever been given? Be yourself. Robin Williams as the Genie, Aladdin. What are you reading now? The Stand Stephen King. (Second time) What's your biggest weakness? Food What is your favorite book of all time? The Shining Stephen King followed by all J K Rowling's stuff. When you're not writing, how do you like to spend your time? Spending time with my family, exercising, Spending time with my wife, eating my favourite breakfast at my favourite cafe, working to pay the bills (Writing doesn't pay the bills) thinking about what I'm about to write. Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you? There was an old lady that swallowed a fly. Freaked me out man. What has inspired you and your writing style? I have no style. My style is my own. Marketers say as an author try to compare your book to other authors so readers can find you. I cant compare my style to other authors. The inspiration is everything I've ever watched, read and heard mixed up and written on paper. What are you working on now? The third book in the A Day in the Life Apocalyptic book series, tentatively called, Days of fury. What is your favorite method for promoting your work? I've read and listened to many marketing books. I'm trying everything and anything. Luckily the first book in the series is a short novella. So my favourite marketing took was to make the eBook and audiobook free. People love a free giveaway. What's next for you as a writer? I'm planning out my book series. I'm currently releasing book two called The Day After. Next I'm writing the next two books together. I like to write two book at a time so I can come back to one fresh. And also planning the rest as I write. How well do you work under pressure? Very well. My work could quickly snowball if I don't manage my time. Writing while balancing everything else in my life is working under pressure. Remember to have fun. How do you decide what tone to use with a particular piece of writing? The particular piece of writing and relationships decide the tone. The first two books have been written in pov and third person. Each one was different because of the characters in the book. The first one was someone very much like myself. So I could get in his head no problem. The second one was a fourteen year old girl. The character established it should be third person. Characters are everything. If you could share one thing with your fans, what would that be? That I've loved writing my stories. That I've sat and cried, laughed and cheered while writing them. Because I've enjoyed them I'm sharing them so others will too. I really started writing as an alternative to watching too much TV. Take a break from the box. Read my books. Have fun. Andrew Masseurs's Author Websites and Profiles Website Amazon Profile Goodreads Profile Andrew Masseurs's Social Media Links Facebook Page Instagram YouTube Account Read the full article

[braidedjanes]

Houston TX

By Andrew Doyle

After another great trip to perform for the Corazon Migrante Tour in Houston, Texas, I wanted to share a little about our experience.

After some unexpected fees and a damaged amp during our last trip together in Nogales, Arizona in March, we decided to rent some of our equipment from a Guitar Center in Houston, not far from our hotel. It was a good dose of relief knowing we didn't have to travel with as much this time around and it was probably a little cheaper in the end too. 

We had rented a car at the airport and after a long time in line we drove straight to the hotel to unload our luggage and instruments.The weather was beautiful and we were ready to indulge in some good southern cooking. Juny's long-time friend Raul who lives in the Houston area had recommended a place we could meet up for a crawfish boil and maybe a beer or two. That sounded amazing to me, but I was trying to hide my enthusiasm. 

When we arrived, and met up with Raul there were some big hugs being thrown around and we quickly got to having some good laughs and ate until we couldn't move. 

Juny picked up her cajon after lunch and we went back to the hotel to freshen up. Still full, we met back up with Raul in an old town called The Heights (? - must confirm town and place) for a few Old Fashions and more good laughs. The service was outstanding and made us feel right at home. I think any gitters I had from being away from home and in a big city like Houston were officially evaporated at that point. 

When we got back to the hotel we ran through our set, as much as we could; as we didn't have my amp yet and we were trying not to wake the people in the rooms next door. 

After a much-needed sleep, I took the car to pick up my rental amp and when I got back we set out to find a place nearby to get some lunch. We had found a place online but quickly realized that we wouldn't have time to drive there and back and be ready to leave the hotel for soundcheck, so we kept driving in hopes that we would find something good to eat as it would likely be our last meal until after our show. 

We soon stumbled upon a restaurant called El Muelle and as we walked in I saw a bowl of soup that caught my eye. I had never seen anything like it before and knew I had to try it. It was called Mariscada de Centro America, a seafood soup in a creamy curry broth that was to die for. It was as good as the Albondigas de Camaron I had in Nogales, Arizona. I was truly in heaven. I also had tried their Coctele Vida which had squid, shrimp and raw oysters; that was so fantastic too. 

Still smiling from an amazing meal, we went back to the hotel to get ready for our show. While driving back we realized we still needed to get the PA speaker Raul had offered to loan us for the show and we were running out of time. Getting around Houston quickly is no easy task. At the point we thought we would just have to make due with the amp the Consulate said they had for us. Not long after that realization, Raul showed up at the hotel with the PA speaker! So we didn't have to drive across town to get and didn't have to rely on a speaker we hadn't seen yet. This was the MVP move of the trip. Without Raul dropping everything he was doing at that moment and bringing us the PA speaker before we were to leave for soundcheck, I don't know if we would have had a show quite honestly. 

When we got to the Consulate building we were a bit awed by how beautiful the inside of the building was and how it felt like we were up in the trees as the windows on both sides of the building showed mostly just trees and light coming in. The art was up on the wall and sculptures were displayed on clean white wooden pedestals throughout the space. There was a great aura and vibe there as everyone was warm and friendly as usual at these events. 

We got set up and did a quick soundcheck. My cousins Amy and Jonathan and his girlfriend Nikki all live in Houston and were able to come see our show. Jessica's cousin Lizette lives there too and she and her family were there as well. Seeing your family and friends at a show when you're so far from home is an amazing feeling; we're so grateful for them making it and for being so supportive of us. They made it almost impossible not to have a great show. 

It felt so good to play for such a great audience and to be a part of the Migrante Tour and mission. I love Mexican culture and the people so much!