#bennett turning 5 years old or something this birthday

[panther-asterisk]

[a-araiguma-a]

Prologue. Between the serving and Her smile.

Chapter 1. Towards the inevitable

Fandom: Harry Potter Pairing: in the future Oliver Wood x fem!reader Warning: drama, problems of parents and children, mention of a loved one dying, much pining a/n: It is a pity that the number of characters is limited and I will have to divide the chapter into several parts, because I cannot shorten the introduction to the story. First, I will tell you about the heroine, her childhood, how she entered Hogwarts, after the events will go faster. It will be funny if I describe the child's life in such detail and describe the relationship between our couple poorly. Once again, English is not my native language

Start - Prolog (Episode 1 - Episode 2 - Episode 3 - Episode 4 - Episode 5) - Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 - Chapter 3 - Chapter 4

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry stood on the slopes of the Scottish Highlands, hidden from prying eyes, which gave it the appearance of an old, abandoned castle. For those who weren't privy to the mysteries of magic, Hogwarts was just a ruin, long abandoned and forgotten. But for wizards and witches, this castle was the heart of the wizarding world, the place where their abilities were developed and legends were born.

Any child with a magical gift who reached the age of eleven always received an invitation to enter Hogwarts. Enrollment in the school was almost automatic, because immediately after birth, their names were entered in a special Admission Book stored in the bowels of the school. A certificate of admission confirmed their membership in the wizarding world, and on the threshold of their eleventh birthday, an owl would bring them a coveted letter with the Hogwarts seal.

But if the child was a Muggle-born or a half-breed unaware of their magical heritage, the enrollment process was a little more complicated. For such children, a special envoy was sent from Hogwarts, who personally visited the family, explaining to them the amazing truth: their child is a wizard or witch, and the path to the wizarding world opens up before him.

So it was with Margaret. Born in 1976, her birth was marred by tragedy. Her mother, Charlotte, barely had time to see her newborn daughter before her heart stopped. Doctors warned that the birth would be difficult, but the parents hoped for a miracle. Alas, fate decreed otherwise. Her father, Bennett, was completely broken by the loss of his beloved wife. Grief-stricken, he couldn't accept that he now had to take care of the tiny life they'd created together. Margaret was a constant reminder of what he'd lost. Every time he looked at her, he saw the ghost of Charlotte, the same blond hair, the same expressive eyes-features that should have made him love, but only hurt. Unable to bear the pain, Bennett gave her up to be raised by his parents.

Meanwhile, Charlotte's family, although distant, never forgot about the child. They were full-blooded wizards, but after Charlotte's marriage to a Muggle, they decided to keep their distance. They understood that Bennett knew nothing of the wizarding world, and they respected his grief by staying away. However, they watched their granddaughter from afar, hoping that one day, when Margaret turned eleven, she would enter Hogwarts, enter her true world, and the connection that had been lost would be restored.

Over time, Bennett's wounds began to heal, and this was helped by a colleague at work, who gradually became closer to him. She understood his suffering and supported him. Over time, their relationship grew into something more, and when Margaret was six years old, they married. It brought some stability back to Bennett's life.

Margaret's stepmother was a kind woman, but she also had her own difficulties. Denied the opportunity to have children of her own, she saw Margaret as both a challenge and a gift. It was difficult at first. The little girl was quick-witted and insightful, but she didn't understand why her father barely paid attention to her, but this was a woman he loved. He bought the child whatever she wanted, but his eyes, when they did meet hers, were filled with sorrow.

As the years passed, Margaret learned to live in this world with quiet fortitude. She found solace in books, escaping to worlds far removed from the cold reality of her home. Her stepmother, despite all her efforts, had never really won the girl's heart, and Bennett's aloofness remained an unhealed wound.

As Margaret grew up, she began to notice strange things happening around her. Objects sometimes moved on their own when she was angry or upset, and she could predict things before they happened. These glimpses of magic were disconcerting to a girl who had grown up in a world of logic and common sense, where such things were considered impossible. She didn't know that there was an ancient magic flowing in her veins, a legacy that was just waiting to be awakened.

And now, her eleventh birthday was approaching, and with it the possibility of a new beginning — a world in which she might find her true place, a world that could fill the void in her heart.

It was the summer of 1987. Her life went on as usual, surrounded by a caring stepmother and a distant father, whose attention was focused on a new family and work. A few weeks before her eleventh birthday, a normal morning in the house was disrupted by an unexpected knock on her room window. Margaret approached curiously and saw a large owl with a letter sealed with an unfamiliar coat of arms. The letter was addressed to her, with an exact description of the room she was sleeping in. Just as she took the letter in her hand, there was a knock on the door of the house. When she opened the door, she saw a tall man in an old-fashioned robe. His eyes were sparkling with good humor and a touch of mischief. He introduced himself as Professor Maxwell and explained that he had come to deliver some amazing news.

Margaret's world changed the moment she learned of her magical heritage. Her mother, Charlotte, was from an ancient wizarding family, and now, thanks to her, the girl had to go to Hogwarts — a school that she didn't even know existed.

Professor Maxwell patiently explained everything to Margaret's father, answering his questions and dispelling his doubts. Bennett was stunned, but he knew that this could be a real chance for his daughter to find her place in a world where she had always felt like an outsider. Miranda, trying not to show her excitement, hugged the girl, assuring her that they would support her in any choice.

And so, on that day, Margaret realized for the first time that her life would never be the same again. There was a new world ahead of her — a world full of magic and amazing discoveries, a world where perhaps she would finally find her place.

Several days had passed since Professor Maxwell's visit, and Margaret was still trying to realize that her life would change radically. Questions swirled in her head like a whirlwind: what kind of school is this? Why had she never heard of magic? And most importantly-what will happen now?

The answers to these questions came unexpectedly when Charlotte's parents and Margaret's grandparents arrived at Bennet and Miranda's house. This was their first visit in years, and their arrival was a complete surprise. They had come with a clear intention: to take their granddaughter home before Hogwarts, to help her learn magic and answer all her questions.

When Bennett opened the door and saw them, he froze, not knowing how to react. Inside the house, Margaret and Miranda had already heard voices on the doorstep and stepped out into the hallway. When Margaret saw the elderly couple with their stern but kind faces, she immediately knew who they were, even though she had never met them before.

"Mr. and Mrs. Fairchild," Bennett said quietly, ushering them into the house. — Please come in."

The Fairchilds went inside, looking around the house. Grandmother Margaret, an elegant woman with graying hair, looked at her granddaughter warmly, and her husband, a tall and imposing man, nodded in greeting.

"Margaret," Grandma said softly, taking a step toward the girl. — We're your grandparents. I'm sorry we weren't there before, but now that you're about to be a part of the world of magic, we want to be there for you.

Margaret felt a little confused. Her eyes darted back and forth between her grandparents and parents, not knowing how to react.

"We'd like you to come and stay with us for the rest of the school year," Grandpa continued. We have everything you need to help you prepare for school, and we can answer all your questions.

Bennett nodded in silent agreement.

"It's the right thing to do," he said at last. — I can't explain everything about magic to her myself, and you can do that. This is her world, and I want her to be ready.

But Miranda, who was standing next to Margaret, pressed her lips together and shook her head.

"Bennett, you can't just send her away," she said, sounding worried. "She's part of our family. I know something special is waiting for her, but how can I just let her go? We barely managed to establish a relationship...

"Miranda, I understand," Bennett said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "But think of Margaret. She needs to learn about her magic, learn how to control it. The Fairchilds can help her.

Grandma took a step forward, addressing Miranda:

— We don't want to take her away from you, Miranda. We just want to give her a chance to learn about her roots and prepare for what awaits her at Hogwarts. We know how important this is, especially for children who are experiencing the world of magic for the first time.

Miranda took a deep breath and looked at Margaret, who had been silent all this time, listening to their conversation.

"Margaret," she said softly, " what do you think of all this?" Do you want to go with them?"

Margaret hesitated, not knowing what to say. On the one hand, she felt that her grandparents could give her answers to the many questions that plagued her. On the other hand, she didn't want to leave Miranda, who had become almost like a mother to her.

"I — I do not know," Margaret said at last. — I want to learn more about magic, but I'm scared. It's all so unexpected...

"We'll be with you, honey," Grandma said, taking her hand. — This is a new world, and it will open up amazing opportunities for you. But you don't have to decide right now. We can wait until you feel ready."

Miranda, feeling her anxiety subside a little, looked gratefully at the Fairchilds.

"Thank you," she said. — I just want her to be happy and not feel lonely."

"That's what we all want," Grandpa said, taking a step back. "We can wait a few days for you to get used to the idea, Margaret. You can make a decision when you're ready.

Margaret nodded, feeling understood and supported. But the decision was still up to her, and she knew that many difficult choices lay ahead.

[silentinfamies]

karrueche   tran.     she/her.     cis   woman.      ›      spotted   at   the   met   steps   ,   shamaya   ngu   ,   most   likely   listening   to   i   am   by   baby   tate   with   their   airpods   pro   .   the   thirty   year   old   gained   quite   a   reputation   ,   known   to   be   -reticent   yet   +compassionate   to   anyone   who   knows   them   .   you'll   easily   spot   them   when   you   hear   about   freshly   manicured   nails   ,   designer   sunglasses   hiding   lifeless   eyes   ,   the   sound   of   stilettos   against   marble   flooring   ,   followed   by   n°5   parfum   .   latest   nepoupdates   article   talks   about   pop   sensation   turned   businesswoman   in   heated   legal   battle   with   record   label   ,   but   i   guess   any   reputation   is   good   reputation   .   (   reece   ,   25   ,   they / them   ,   est   .   )

B A S I C S 

full name: shamaya ngu. nicknames: maya, yaya (close family and friends). gender:  cis woman. pronouns:  she/her. sexuality:  pansexual. age:  30. date of birth:  march 1st, 1993. zodiac sign:  pisces. birthplace: los angeles, california. current location: manhattan, new york. residence:  loft on the upper east side. occupation:  former child actress, singer-songwriter, businesswoman. languages spoken: english, vietnamese, patois.

A P P E A R A N C E

faceclaim:  karrueche tran. height:  5’1. eyes:  brown. hair:  naturally dark brown. piercings:  standard earlobe piercings.  tattoos:  here & here.

P E R S O N A L I T Y

traits:  (+) compassionate, honest, headstrong, loyal , business savvy. (-) reticent, stubborn, temperamental, workaholic , unforgiving.  mental health:  depression; medicated.  physical health:  very healthy physically. likes:  weed, working on her business ventures, traveling, fashion, partying, thunderstorms, cosmetics.  dislikes: being in the spotlight, being lied to, being told what to do, performing, the music business.  fears:  getting pulled back into the music industry.  phobias:  insects. hobbies:  shopping, sketching ideas for new designs, coming up with new makeup looks, movie nights with friends, clubbing. skills: business savvy, singing, cooking. quirks:  switching between spoken languages when very angry or upset, tapping her nails against any flat surface, humming when annoyed or irritated, hitting whoever's closest to her's arm or leg when laughing really hard.

F A V O R I T E S

ice cream flavour:  neapolitan.  time of the day / night:  late night.  weather:  hot weather.  colours:  colors on the red spectrum.  music: r&b, pop, hip-hop, rock, indie. 

M I S C E L A N E O U S

a cherished item:  the diamond necklace her father gifted her for her 13th birthday. first love ( celeb crush ):  beyoncé, chad michael murray, keanu reeves. usual mood:  neutral.  character inspo: prue halliwell ( charmed ), bonnie bennett ( the vampire diaries ), sidney prescott ( scream franchise ).

B A C K G R O U N D

born and raised, for the most part, in los angeles, shamaya's rise to fame was destined from birth. with her mother being a pop/r&b sensation and her father being a well known producer, her life was pretty much set financially from the moment she entered the world. and while it was great that she would never have to worry about struggling like a majority of the world's population, the cons that were attached to her lifestyle tended to outweigh the pros.

like her mother who was forced into the industry at a young age, so was she. as much as she loves her mother, there's still a lingering air of resentment that maya has towards her because she feels as though she stole her childhood away from her. one would think that because her mother went through something similar that she wouldn't want her daughter to go through that, but they'd be wrong. from the time that shamaya could walk and talk, she's been working.

she had her first acting gig at the wide eyed age of four years old, and by the time she was ten years old, she had a hefty catalogue of work underneath her belt. movies, tv show appearances, and the main role of a kid's television show. and at the time, she absolutely loved it. she enjoyed working. it made her feel like a grownup, something that a lot of kids wished that they could experience. what she didn't notice while growing up was that she was missing out on a lot of fundamental childhood growth. going to school instead of being homeschooled by private tutors, making friends on the playground, etc. she never got to experience any of that.

looking back on it, the most fun memories from her childhood were the times she spent a few weeks of the summer seasons in jamaica with her mother's family or in vietnam with her father's family. when she could just be a normal child, playing and enjoying herself amongst relatives; especially her cousins around her age.

she was thirteen years old when she entered the music world. a girl group was her introduction to the music industry, a trio with two other girls who were both talented in their own respect. they were met with quite a lot of success, selling records and selling out tours by the time she was fifteen. at that point in her life, she had fallen in love with music, and didn't see the issue with her giving up her youth in return for all of her success. she was on the rise, and no one could stop her from reaching the top.

due to contractual conflicts and butting heads within the group itself, the trio disbanded by the time shamaya turned eighteen years old. and once their breakup was solidified, she immediately signed with a new label as a solo artist. in her excitement and naiveté, she recklessly signed a deal that ended up shooting her in the foot. a contract that locked her into a legal promise to provide the label with eight studio albums; something that seemed fair and doable to maya in her youthful ignorance. what she didn't realize was that it would soon become apparent that she shot herself in the foot with her decision.

booked and busy didn't even begin to describe maya's life from that point on. if she wasn't recording an album, she was promoting an album, or doing some form of work to keep her name at the forefront of the general public's mind. from 2011 to 2020, she released an album almost every year, resulting in having seven albums in less than a decade, a feat that very few artists can say that they've reached.

apart from being overworked, maya's former ways of being overly kind and accessible opened her up to being screwed over and taken advantage of many times, both professionally and personally. this treatment eventually led to the hardening of her heart, turning her from a wide eyed, bushy tailed, eager to please pop star, to a scorned, miserable songstress in the spotlight. she began hating the music industry for destroying her love of music. she never wanted to touch a mic again, whether or not she was contractually obligated to.

after releasing her seventh studio album in 2020, she began focusing on other prospects. her makeup line was the first of her business ventures, and quickly became a success due to its diverse and inclusive shades of foundations and concealers, gaining traction amongst the beauty industry and the public. not only was it high quality, but it was easily accessible to people from all walks of life. her next business venture involved a line of high in lingerie, another successful accomplishment underneath her belt. despite all the success she achieved as a businesswoman, the lingering knowledge in the back of her mind that she still owes her label another album terrifies her. she doesn’t want to go back to music, and she doubts she ever will. she’s been trying to hold off on that final album for three years now, and her label, and fans, are growing more and more impatient and irritated with her delays.

[scoredandstoried]

ORION BOYD is a bisexual cis man, originally from San Fransisco. His birthday is July 26th, and he is 39 years old. His FC is Lee Pace and he’s been in Chicago for seven years. He recently took on a new job as a wildlife conservationist and is learning quite a bit! He performs as a drag queen part-time, and used to be a paramedic.

@hocstarters​

Please let me know if you want to connect or plot with Orion!! ​

-Has a cocker spaniel named Jupiter who he adopted as an old-timer -Has 8 chickens he built a chicken coop for in his backyard -A bisexual disaster -He is 6′7″… 6′9″ in heels -Drag name is ‘Celeste’ -Has 2 younger sisters and hippie parents -Is the nicest idiot in the world

FULL BIO UNDER READ MORE

TRIGGERS: Abuse

Orion is the oldest child of Bennett and Eliza Boyd, who met each other at a roller rink in a podunk little Minnesota town. Two rebellious teens who quickly fell in love, they vowed to travel, to see the ocean, and ultimately, to stay together forever. And they did it all. They bought an old beat-up van and drove through the US. They played guitars on moonlit nights, sitting on the roof and watching fireflies. And when Eliza got pregnant, they knew they’d name their first born son after the constellation they sat under when they conceived him.

When Orion came into the world, Bennett and Eliza were thrilled, and had no plans to stop their travel. Toddling little Orion came with them as they drove through dusty mid-western states, along the western coast, and even into Mexico. He was a creative little kid who loved animals and begged for a dog. His mother homeschooled him, teaching him the fundamentals for preschool and kindergarten. Since they traveled so often, he didn’t get to make a lot of friends. When his sister Berryhill came along, his parents began debating more and more the possibility of settling down… at least so their kids could get a proper education. After a few more years of going from place to place, Eliza and Ben settled down in a cute little home in California. Ben found an old shack on a picturesque beach and fixed it up, turning it into a perfect spot to rent out boogie boards, surfboards, snorkel gear, and grab a snack.

As Orion got older, the third Boyd sibling, Sunshine, was born. Orion loved teaching Berry and Sunny everything he knew about surfing, and the three of them spent many afternoons running around in the sand until they came back to the surf shack to help their dad close up for the night. As Orion got older, he studied and worked at the shack, debating college and secondary education. But he wasn’t too smart, and didn’t think he’d do too well. Still, he tried. Eventually, Orion was running the shack on his own for days on end while their parents traveled again, studying at night. Orion would watch Sunny and Berry, make sure they were getting on the bus for school, and would run the little shop on weekends while attending college. He was dating a beautiful girl, going surfing every day, and working towards a future.

Orion didn’t talk about the fights with his long-time girlfriend Emma very often. He figured people wouldn’t really take it seriously- an adult man, 6′7″, getting slapped around and made fun of by his 5′7″ girlfriend? It was laughable, right? After being guilted into moving with her to Chicago for her to pursue a reporter job, Orion found himself presented with a new start, in a new place. He hated Chicago but adapted quickly, meeting new friends at a local drag and karaoke bar, and realizing his own self worth. After a nasty fight left him with fingernail scratches across his face and bruises on his arms, he broke it off with his then fiancée. Since then he’s really come into his own. Orion started drag- something Emma never would’ve condoned, and met so many amazing and supportive friends. He has started working in wildlife conservation and is living on his own with his rescue, Jupiter, and his 8 chickens.

[eystuary]

Welcome to the fishing line!!

Hello everyone, welcome to @eystuary if you like my art or want to see more of what I draw, Do consider leaving a follow and reblog any pieces that make you smile! My name is Estrella, though I go by Est or Estrey. I’m currently a self taught artist just making art for fun! My pronouns are she/they, and I’m 20 years old, my birthday is in September making me a Virgo. My Mbti + enneagram test say I’m an ISFP 9w1. My art tag is #Eyst or #Artest (Please don’t follow, if you ship real people, inc*st ships, are a minor attracted persons, kink account, terf, ddlc/cgl, and anything in between what's listed) [Do not repost my art period. Sharing in discord servers and using them as icons is fine, as long as you reblog and leave a like on the original post!! linking people back to my blog is also appreciated as well.]

I’ve recently moved from my main blog @cubed-melon​. I made the decision to start fresh mostly for organization sake, since @cubed-melon​ is so full of content that isn’t my art work, and is just old in general, feel free to look through my old blog if you’d like, My art tag is Artest it mostly consist of Tower of god artwork. I also have an old splatoon art blog @coroinka​ that I have not posted on since maybe early 2020-2019 you may also check that out if you’d like!! click read more if you want to learn more rules or other fun facts about me!

Ask/submissions/dms

I am always open to both asks and submissions as for what I allow to be asked is a another thing here is a list of things you are welcomed to send,

- Questions you have about me or my art

- Art request or suggestions

- small talk/ conversation

- pictures of your pets dogs, cats, birds, reptiles etc

- whatever comes to mind!!

- clarifications, warnings, reminders, ect. You may always message me if I forget to tag something, or if you have any other issues with something I post, please contact me about it in my asks/dms first, and I’ll do my best to resolve whatever I can!! Just work with me and I’ll see what  I can do!!

- if you just need someone to chat with at any given time

What not so ask or send

-Anything listed on my Do not interact section of this post with reason

- Anything hurtful or cruel about me or anyone I’m friends with.

- Most drama or discourse (unless its something you desperately think I should be aware of!)

-unironic threats of violence against myself or others.

I have the right to choose not to respond to asks, submissions, and dms. If I choose, I’ll do my best to respond to what I can, but apologize to the ones I can’t.

Here is the section of my pinned post where I can go into a bit more detail about what I like!!

I enjoy a good handful of media, and would love to talk about them with anyone at any given time as I do enjoy meeting others and making friends through shared interest!!

Most recently I’ve been really into Genshin Impact, so it's been my focus as of recently ! but don’t be surprised if you see me drawing for other series, or my own original works, as my blog is focused on me just drawing what makes me smile, and in turn I hope it brings joy to others as well!!

Here is a small list of things I like. I'll try and update this every few months if something new happens to make the list!! other hobbies outside of art include but not limited to -Fishing even though I haven’t gone since I was little!! -Gardening, my favorite plants in my garden right now are my sunflowers, and zucchini plants!! also the lemon cucumbers <3 -Voice work/Voice acting, I never really practiced much until recently, but its something I do enjoy!! - Playing games and watching shows -sewing I’ve made a total of two quilts !! Top 5 favorite Fictional characters -25th Bam from Tower of God -Minamoto Koh | from Toilet-bound hanako kun -Bennett | From Genshin Impact -Pearl | From Splatoon 2 - Maki Zenin | From Jujutsu kaisen

Anime/tv series/manga series

-Mob psycho 100

-Demon slayer/Kimetsu no yabia

-Toilet-bound hanako kun

-The promised neverland

-Jujutsu kaisen

- Hunter x Hunter

-Tower of god !!

Video game series

-Genshin impact

-Splatoon

-Pokemon

-Animal crossing

-Hollow knight

[chcfasher]

okay i am so excited to get to plotting & interacting with all u cuties ! bare with me though , im also trying to study for a quiz i gotta take later tonight . anyways , i’m mia aka your resident masshole reporting for duty . i’m 20 years old ... will be 21 in june ( fingers crossed my Sad ass will be out of q*arentine by then ) . i go by she / her / dumb bitch pronouns & am very much so done talking about myself already . so lets get to my boy asher here who is ... how do you say ? a asshole ? a dirt bag ? a soft baby boi ? if you wanna plot & discord is easier for you shoot me a mssg @ 𝖒𝖌𝖐'𝖘 𝖜𝖍𝖔𝖗𝖊#9789 . lets goooo 💛

𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐋 𝐃𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐒

full name: asher james bennett nickname: ash , aj birthday: march 25 , 1996 zodiac: aries hometown: madison , wisconsin ( click here to see his parents house / childhood home ) current residence: los angeles , california ( although he lives in the villa with everyone , before the year away he lived on his own & still owns the home , both because he loves the place and because it gives his family somewhere to go when they come out click here to see his house ) vehicle: 2017 jeep wrangler rubicon in black ( click here ) , 2019 maserati granturismo in red ( click here ) gender: cismale orientation: heterosexual , heteromantic relationship status: single ( it’s complicated ) family: tamara marie bennett-abbott ( mother ) , harrison charles bennett ( father , deceased ) , mason billings abbott ( stepfather ) , bradford sawyer abbott ( brother ) , stephanie anne bennett ( sister )  education: vocational highschool graduating from the culinary program , graduated ucla with a bachelor in management with a minor in food studies occupation: celebrity chef , tv personality  net worth: 19.7m height: 5′11″ weight: 161lbs tattoos: left arm ( x , x ) , right arm ( x , x  , plus the butterfly tattoo jack has ) , right hand ( x ) , right thigh ( x ) , left leg ( x ) criminal record: arrested ( x6 ) - simple assault ( x2 ) , assault and battery ( x1 ) ,  disorderly conduct ( x2 ) , criminal mischief ( x1 ) , criminal trespassing ( x2 ) , minor in possession of alcohol ( x2 ) , drug possession ( x1 ) drugs / alochol / smoking: yes , mostly marijuana though / yes / no moral alignment: chaotic neutral hogwarts house: slytherin theme song: righteous by juice wrld (  a look at his mental health and the way it he attempts to cope ) & i am by james arthur ( deep dives into his view on himself and how outside opinions of him have effected the way he sees himself ) & empty space by james arthur ( instead of being about a girl this really encapsulates how the loss of his father has affected his life ) traits: charismatic , well-intentioned , affectionate , loyal , jocular , reckless , immature , flippant , short-tempered label: politicians son , miscreant , fuck boy , broken bird , mr. misunderstood , mama’s boy , epicure hidden talents: drawing , singing , master at rubiks cube , skilled card counter ( blackjack )

𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃

asher was born just eleven months after his sister stephanie , to at the time lobbyist harrison bennett &  prosecutor tamara bennett . a menace as a child , he made dennis the menace look like a saint , basically . at first his parents hoped this was simply just a phase but as time went on it became very clear that  if it were a phase it was going on for much longer than his parents had hoped . his sister immediately taking on the spot of prodigal daughter , while asher took on the spot of black sheep of the family . this didn’t mean that his parents didn’t absolutely adore both of their children , because they did . both taking on daddy’s little girl & mama’s boy respectively , early on . 

around the time asher was seven both of his parents were up for office , his mother for district attorney & his father for u.s representative from wisconsin . the influx of cameras / eyes on the bennett family mixed with the level of stress both his parents were under completely put asher off from the world of politics . despite being in a family that had generational ties to politics on both sides . during a family appearance asher was captured on camera ( both video & photo ) putting up a piece sign behind his sisters head during a speech his father was giving . 

[ tw: death , suicide , loss of a parent ] when asher was twelve his father went on a boating trip with friend , call it a boys trip if you will . two days into the trip news broke of his father being in a major boating accident where harrison was the only one on the boat & was dead upon being found . it later was confirmed by the coroner that his death was likely a suicide .  the loss of harrison was hard on the entire family , it was easy to say it affected asher heavily having locked himself away in his bedroom for nearly a week only leaving his room to go to the bathroom & grab food that he’d return to his room to eat . later , when he returned to school he was suspended just in that school year three times . it was genuinely the beginning to the incredibly reckless version of asher , that we seen since .

despite his antics he played varsity football as a cornerback & varsity soccer as a midfielder . taking up sports at an early age , it was clear he was a born athlete who genuinely enjoyed a little competition . he also took an interest in culinary , he was very much so that kid standing on a step stool as he helped his parents in the kitchen . this interest turned into him attending a vocational / trade highschool instead of an ordinary public school , like he had in elementary & middle . 

when he was fifteen he started a youtube channel where he posted cook with me videos weekly & vlogged his experience within the culinary program at school .

during highschool his mom started getting serious with a professor at the local university . asher , of course , hated the idea of his mom replacing his dad and it took nearly two years & an engagement for him to actually sit down & listen to his mom about the situation . it wasn’t until then that he realized , mason , was supposed to replace his father ... it was simply his mom not allowing herself to get stuck in one place in life & fall into a spiral . once he actually heard her side he gave the guy a chance . turns out the two have alot in common & get along very well . he’ll never replace his father but he respects him none the less .

before he’d even graduated highschool , asher amassed over 1m subscribers , made appearances on the ellen degeneres show & rachel ray show . this was around the time he realized he wanted to turn his hobby into something more than that & hell he was good enough to do so . when graduation came , he’d already committed to attending ucla as a business major with a minor in food studies . 

soon after graduation he went on the show master chef , finishing as runner up , which was one hell of a feat given he’d been the youngest chef on the show . he enjoyed the experience & recognition the show gave him . 

while at ucla he continued to play football he was so good he was receiving national attention to the point where nfl scouts were looking at him . obviously he was still too young to go into the draft but they let him know , this was something that was more than on the table . it was definitely something he loved hearing but at the end of the day , the nfl was never really the goal for asher . so toward the end of his sophomore season when he was suspended for the rest of the season for getting arrested & charged with drug possession & criminal trespassing he took that as the excuse not to return the sport the following season .

this was not the first time ( we know it was not the last *wink wonk* ) asher was arrested . from the end of his middle school days throughout highschool he’d racked up four arrests . his first one taking place in eighth grade & the only reason the misdemeanor charges actually went through were because his mom asked for them to in hopes that it would scare asher from acting out in such a fashion ever again . unfortunately , his actions were rooted in much more than teen rebellion having never accepting or being able to cope with his father’s passing . the charges & arrests that would follow his mom was able to cover up & kind of bury them . that way word didn’t spread like wildfire about her reckless son .

not even a full year removed from football & he’d accepted a tv show offer from food network . a show called asher’s kitchen a primetime half-hour show where a new chef would come on each week if they beat asher in making a 3-course meal they win bragging rights & $20,000 , if they don’t they go home empty handed . despite the shows constant high ratings asher grew bored of the show & left after only two seasons . the network tried to replace him but quickly learned asher’s personality was what really carried the show .

in 2018 , he went on to open his first ever restaurant the smoking goat an american bistro with an upscale vibe in the heart of los angeles . the place is literally his baby & if you can’t find him you can bet your bottom dollar you’ll find him there . whether it’s catching up with regulars or big name celebrities coming through the doors , or throwing on a chef coat and cooking up some of his very own specials . 

around the time of his restaurant opening he started to let up on the youtube channel & it’s now been nearly two years since he’s uploaded & honestly has no intent on returning to the platform . in asher’s eyes , everything has a term limit & his youtube channels time was up .

𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟗 / 𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐎 𝐒𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄

the timing of his amsterdam arrest was to say the least , horrific . not only was he in talks with several networks ( fox , cbs , netflix , etc ) to have his own daytime food-focused talk show but his mother was at the beginning stages of her 2020 presidential campaign , which she had since put a halt to and decided to continue on with her tenure as a u.s senator from wisconsin . with the headlines of his arrest spreading like wildfire , the internet resurfaced many of his earlier transgressions , the networks inevitably put a halt to going any further in negotiation & the political realm began to turn their attention to the kind of parent the senator was to have a son so ... out of control ? her opposition questioning how she could run a country if she couldn’t so much as raise a law abiding son .

upon his release from jail he took a jet straight home to wisconsin . with the realization of how much harm he’d done to the bennett reputation he made the personal promise to stay away from the media ( no social media , no tv , nothing ) & be the son the political world expected from a politician . his mother ( who is emulated mostly after laura baker from all american ) nearly begged him not to halt his life as a way of personal punishment for his actions . but after months back home & away from the limelight , asher could see the tides turning back in his moms favor & no big network offer ( and there were quite a few that came his way after the news of his arrest subsided ) could pull him back out into the forefront . 

instead opening his second restaurant bennett’s  , an upscale bar & grill in the capital city of wisconsin . he also began work on a cook book that’s kind of taken on a life of it’s own but he’s yet to be anywhere close to finishing that . 

he has inevitably decided to come back & reunite with the bling ring a year later after his family sat him down & kind of had an intervention with him over his persistence to punish himself . claiming they feel he’s matured & gotten a good grasp on himself & that they don’t think he’ll fall into his bad behaviors again . ( spoiler alert: they’re going to be very wrong about this ... just saying / he’s going to return with the intent of being a better guy , being on the “ right track “ but lets be real it’s going to quickly spiral out of control as per usual ) . 

𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘

as you can probably tell this boy is no good . he’s the guy your parents warn you about , i swear , he will get you into so much trouble & bask in the glory of being the one to give you such an adrenaline rush . he’s big on being here for a good time & not a long time . he just wants to have fun , at any cost . he’s extremely goofy , the kind of guy to whip out some mediocre wrestling moves on you for the sake of getting attention . he doesn’t take much seriously ... until he does ? what im saying is homeboy has one hell of a short temper and once he’s flipped his fuse , he basically blacks out . the reason for this is because no matter how happy & full of life he’d like to come off he has this deep well of anger that swells in him ever since he lost his dad . also a topic that can get him clenching his jaw , do not under any circumstances bring up harrison bennett . very much so a mama’s boy , though , catch him facetiming his mom once a day to tell her how much he loves her & see how she’s doing . he can come off very uncaring at times , it’s easy to say he’s probably one of the most misunderstood people around . he comes off like a douchebag , like someone who has little regard for others & don’t get me wrong he often is both of those things but he isn’t heartless ? when he has time to sit back and think about the damage he does ... it hits him like a mack truck & he goes into a pretty dark place of feeling like he’s a villain but he wants to be the hero of the story ? not very big on apologizing , verbally . if he says sorry you can bet a smug grin is following behind the words . instead he’s big on buying things & even cooking to show he’s sorry . probably not the best way to go about things but this is asher we’re talking about here . he is a flirt & will fuck anything . that’s all i have to say about that . onto his friends ? whew are his friends his world . he is a big proponent of bros before hoes & is an extremely loyal guy - to his friends . a true ride or die type a guy , he’d help he hide a dead body without any explanation at so what happened . a big move now ask questions later kinda dude .

𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒

BREATHE BY JAMES ARTHUR : he has a soft spot for her . he always has . she’s one of the only girls who doesn’t drool over him , they’ve never hooked up to any extent and that’s due in large part to her telling him from the beginning that the only way she’d give him a chance was if he straightened up his act & proved to her that he was worth her time . if there is a girl out there who can asher for the better , it’s her . but everytime she thinks she’s gotten him on the right path , she catches him either acting out or reverting to his fuck boy ways & getting with girl’s who he doesn’t have to put so much work into .

SAME SQUAD BY P-LO : let’s be real these three originated “saturdays are for the boys” . they’ve been boys for as long as they can remember . if you see one of them around you can rest assured the other two are in the vicinity . they’re the best of friends . they know everything there is to know about each other . all a bit reckless , but that’s what makes them such a fun trio . a very homiesexual bond takes place between these three & nothing & nobody could get between them .

CLOSE FRIENDS BY LIL BABY & GUNNA : they were once good friends , things spiraled past the point of their control , lines got blurred & then they were dating . the relationship as a whole was one no one thought would last . to give them credit things were good at first but after he cheated & she found out from a friend about it things started to go down hill . things only got worse when he was persistent in lying to her about the situation . she inevitably took him back & not too much later the arrest in amsterdam happened . before he was even released from jail , she was sent a video of him & one of his friends talking about sleeping with a prostitute . although it never happened the fact that was his intent was enough for her . his expectation was that because she forgave him before she’d wipe away the pain of him once again not having regard for their relationship & forgive him but she just couldn’t . when he came out to her forwarding the video to him , he decided to ignore the situation completely . the two have not had any contact for nearly a year & never really broke up or spoke about the situation . 

NO FRAUDS BY NICKI MINAJ & DRAKE & LIL WAYNE : the perfect ride or die squad . the media likes to say someone in the trio is dating at any point in time but , that’s just not the case . these three are always getting into something . the true depiction of always having your friends back . they will lie for each other , fight for each other , anything to prove their loyalty to each other .  

i also have some musing posts here , if you want to give that a look !

[crysj88]

Phylax Avengers x oc Prologue

Phylax: Ancient Greek. Watcher, protector, sentinel, guardian.

Bennett Lancaster grew up in her small hometown with her head full of stories of heroes, from the latest action flick to the oldest of Greek myths. Going into private security and moving away from her small hometown, she knew would bring her adventures. She never imagined that it would put her in the middle of the next generation of heroes. (Rating Teen.)

Tony x oc (platonic), Natasha x oc (slowburn)

Word count: 4212

Chapter warnings: cheating, child death, blood, injury

Mrs. Bethany Lancaster watched her four older children as they ran out of the house. Nora would watch the three little ones and it would give her some peace and quiet as long as the baby stayed asleep. Thirty solid minutes with no disasters was a small miracle. It gave her time to catch up on housework, which she had lacked since baby number five, Zach, arrived. She checked on the three month old before turning back to the chores at hand.  

She had the most recent pile of laundry folded and stacked the only thing left was matching the socks. That was when she heard the scream. 

“Momma!”  Beth looked up to see her 6 year old daughter, Bennett racing towards the house. Her face red and there were obvious tear tracks. Panic. That was what was in her daughter’s face. She ran to the yard meeting her half way. The girl was crying so hard that understanding her words was near impossible. “Fitzy, Fitzy. Momma...Fitzy.” Beth scooped the crying girl in her arms and headed farther into the open fields. “Nora, Leo,” she called for her two oldest children.

Bennett buried her head in her mother’s shoulder. “Fitzy.” 

Bethany’s heart raced as she ran towards the distant call returned by her 15-year-old daughter. “Momma. Help it’s Fitz.” 

The sight that met Bethany Lancaster’s eyes was one that every mother fears. A small body lay in the creek, blood soaked through his short blonde hair. His face pale and lips blue. Bethany handed the crying Bennett to Nora and knelt by the boy. “What happened?” She felt for a pulse and then listened for a breath but found neither. 

“I don’t know. We were playing in the field. Fitz wanted a turn with the kite but Leo had it. The next thing I remember we were here and Fitz was like this.” The older girl took deep breaths trying to calm herself to take care of her sister. 

Bethany began the process of CPR knowing it was no use. She sent Leo to the house to call 911. Blood slid down the creek bed as she tried to pump life back into her young son. 

“Fitzy!” Bennett cried, kicking Nora sharply in the leg so the older girl would drop her. As soon as she hit the ground the girl scrambled to her twin brother. “Fitzy, wake up,” her tears dripped to his cheeks, “Fitzy!” 

When the ambulance arrived it was too late. Bennett cried in her mother’s arms pleading for her brother to get up. Nora had returned to the house shortly after Leo and was caring for Zachary.

Bennett’s mother clung tightly to the girl. Small bloody handprints appeared on the fabric of her shirt as the girl fought to reach her brother as the coroner zipped the body bag. Fitz’s face disappearing from their view. The small girl went weak in her mother’s arms. Sobs wracked her body as she cried. Her brother’s name came out as only a whimper. Bethany Lancaster allowed her first tear then holding her daughter as her son was taken away. 

Frost coated the ground of the small park closest to Stark tower. Normally Bennett would take her bike out of town to a small nature trail nearby, today there wasn’t time. The steady pounding of her sneakers hitting the pavement was Bennett's sole focus. After a nightmare an early morning run was soothing. The cold morning air brushed against her face, turning her cheeks and nose rosy. Her breath froze in the air in front of her. 18 years had passed since that day and she still felt the loss. If she managed to outrun her memories during the light of day, they always caught back up to her in her sleep.

Back at Stark Tower again Bennett made her way to the gym. She pushed her short hair back out of her face, and made her way to the heavy bag. The bag buckled under the weight of her first few punches. The rough leather grated against her knuckles as she tried to bleed out the last of her nightmare.

For a year and a half Bennett had held a job in security at Stark Industries, as Tony Stark’s personal bodyguard. She had been with Pepper through every second of the incident in Afghanistan. She had helped Tony weather the introduction of Ironman and subsequent fall out. 

Tony was the first big job Bennett had in her field of choice. She had applied for numerous other positions at companies around the city but was passed over because she was too young or inexperienced. Today marked her 24th birthday. 

She was qualified for the job. Top of her class at the academy, marksmanship was in the top 5%, hand to hand combat top 3%, surveillance and observation top 7%. The problem came in because she didn’t look 24. She didn’t even look 20 most days. On a really good day the blonde could pass for 21 but most days about 16 or 17. Resembling a teenager was not exactly intimidating. The clothes Pepper bought, and Tony paid for, helped.  Pepper insisted though, that this was an asset. It made it easier for her to fade into the background. Unassuming and nonthreatening. So when she selected Bennett’s work attire, it was professional but always carried a young, carefree air to it. Usually in the form of colored Converse, lightly distressed jeans, or a graphic tee under her button down or jacket.  

Tabloids had been fun the first couple months after she was noticed. According to those reporters Bennett was Tony Stark's love child from his wild youth. The papers had new stories released every week. "Birth mothers" were lining up to back their stories. There were a few similarities between Bennett and Tony. Skin tone, brown eyes, although his were a darker brown than hers, and a few other overlapping "roguish features", to quote Tony. But past that nothing. The women claiming to be her mother, ranged from hispanic to Irish, from waitresses to swimsuit models. Each story was more ridiculous than the last. Simple math would disprove every one of the women, they were all too young. As would Bennett’s nearly platinum blonde hair. Seriously not one paper thought to find a blonde.

 Quick punch combos rocked the bag on it's chains. The bag caved around her heel as she sunk a kick in. The bag was inviting. Granting a release. The anger and fear. The nightmares, the memories. A release for all of it. Bennett poured them all into the bag where they would stay buried in the sand contained in the canvas. She worked the bag over and over, punch after punch, blow after blow. The combinations becoming more deadly as she worked. 

Tony entered the room watching the girl work and the bag rocked on it’s chains. He watched not wanting to interrupt her. Her fist slammed hard into the bag and he winced. She seemed to deflate holding on to the bag. Letting out an exhausted breath she whispered, "Happy birthday, Fitz"

He gave her another moment heart breaking slightly at the sight. Opening the door and shutting it again Tony approached her as if he had just gotten there. "As my bodyguard, are you not supposed to be aware of your surroundings? I mean if I can sneak in on you anyone can." He crossed the room towards her. "You gonna talk about it this time?"

"I am supposed to be aware of threats, I would hardly classify you as a threat," she walked over taking the bottle from his hand for a drink. The liquid had barely touched her tongue when she spit it out, gagging. "What on earth are you drinking?" She opened the bottle giving the substance a tentative sniff, it was thick and green.

"It's, uh, protein shake from one of those MMA magazines you get."

"Why is it green?" The blonde sniffed it again, wrinkling her nose at the smell.

“Kelp?” Tony took a moment to answer.

“Your answer to that shouldn’t be a question,” she quipped, handing the bottle back and turned to get water from the small fridge.

Tony nodded towards her hand, “you’re bleeding.”

She looked down examining the knuckles. Sure enough the skin was broken on the first two knuckles of each hand and the rest were smeared with blood. “It’s probably just a little scratch.”

He gave her a disbelieving look. “You never even let me look at the bag without wrapping my hands.”

“It’s fine, Boss. It looks worse than it is,” she shrugged it off. “Go grab your mouthpiece and meet me on the mats.” Bennett headed into the locker room to grab her mouthpiece and take care of her hands. She knew better, but the rough material of the bag had felt good. Pain always brought relief. Physical pain was manageable. 

Turning the water on she waited the few seconds it would take for it to heat. She ran her hands under the water scrubbing them clean. The water diluted the blood. Bennett squeezed her eyes shut as her nightmare rushed back. The onslaught of images making her slightly nauseous. Wiping her hands dry the skin looked new. It had knit itself back perfectly. That’s why it had escaped her notice, something small like that was less bothersome than a mosquito bite. There is no telling how many times the skin had broken for them to bleed that much. In the most extreme case so far her healing factor was effective enough to heal 12 gunshot wounds simultaneously. So a busted knuckle from the heavy bag was something she wasn’t worried about.  

 Wrapping her knuckles she returned to the gym, mouthpiece in hand. Many things are socially acceptable now.  Many things the government has legalized. They tolerated Ironman. There were rumors of Captain America being found. Talk of other survivors of genetic experiments. Negotiations for the rights of Inhumans. One thing that had not been changed, that had not been legalized, had not been repealed. The Mutant Registration Act. 

Mutation was still seen as an abomination, an affront to nature. Mutants were closely monitored if they managed not to be thrown in jail. To date only three mutants from the registration had not been incarcerated for any length of time, and only because their mutations were purely cosmetic. Horns and tails posed no real threat to humanity's safety. It would be safe to say Tony didn't know about her abilities. No one knew, not even her parents. She intended to keep it that way. She pulled on her fingerless gloves and headed back into the gym.

Ground fighting was the order of the day. After reviewing some of the pins and chokes they had worked on they began to grapple.

 Round 1: 2 minutes, submission, guillotine, Bennett. 

Round 2: 45 seconds, submission, arm bar, Bennett 

Round 3: 3 minutes, submission, Darce choke, Bennett. 

It continued for seven rounds. Some of the rounds could have been shorter but Bennett liked to play a bit. The third round for instance had taken so much time because Bennett wanted to win with the Darce choke. Other times she just drug the fight out to make Tony work harder. Tony got close a few times. After each round the blonde showed him how to lock in the choke to prevent escape. 

Training with Tony was a good warm up for the day and Bennett truly loved teaching him. He didn't really need it. He had the suit. Hand to hand combat was kinda obsolete against that. 

"Okay," he coughed, tapping the mat to signal Bennett to let go. "I'm done. Besides we have a full day." He stretched to work out the kinks in his spine from the fights. 

Bennett pulled up the schedule on her phone, the Stark tech projecting the application off the screen for her. "We have 30 minutes to clean up, eat, and get to the board meeting."

He nodded drinking from the bottle of green goo. "Thanks, kid. Next time I am going to win one." She chuckled, pulling her gloves off before heading back upstairs to change.

 The meeting seemed to drag on and on. No matter how many of these things she sat through Bennett never could find it in herself to follow along. The phone buzzed in her pocket. A new text. 

Tony: kid, watch this.

A few seconds passed and one of the board members grew noticeably irritated before he swatted the air. Upon closer inspection Bennett could see a small black object darting around the man’s head. Bennett would have simply assumed it to be a fly except for the small red light blinking from it. Almost indiscernible. 

Tony flicked his fingers across his phone and the small object darted at the man again. It was a drone. The man grew more distracted by the second. Bennett and Tony bit back their laughter. 

“Tony,” Pepper snapped, “do you have anything to contribute?”

“Uh,...no I think you covered it rather eloquently,” he tapped his screen once more before shoving the phone back in his pocket. Bennett watched the drone zip away probably to some charging dock across the building. 

“If no one has any new business I think we can adjourn,” Pepper dismissed the board members with a smile. As the last man stepped out she turned a glare toward the two. Focusing on Tony she spoke “do you think this is a game, I am trying to run a company here, your company. You could at least pretend to care.” 

 Pepper dragged Bennett and Tony upstairs. If Tony kept this up he would run the company into the ground. He needed to take his responsibilities seriously. Happy met them in the kitchen  where lunch was being served. JARVIS with the help of a bot or two had prepared a salad with grilled chicken. 

Bennett inwardly groaned kelp shakes and now salad. Tony was on a health kick, which meant it was time to stock up on junk food. 

Pepper excused herself when she received a call from one of the overseas investors during lunch leaving Tony, Bennett, and Happy alone for a moment. "Tonight's the night, right? Are you sure you wanna do this kid?" Tony leaned back in his seat trying to make his voice sound casual.

Bennett’s face lit in a smile. "I think so. Emily and I have been together for two years. Our lives fit together seamlessly. We have talked out our plans for the future together. Almost never fight." She chuckled lightly. "Everyone says that proposing is nerve wracking. But I thought it all through and planned it out. Honestly I'm not nervous at all. We fit too well together. She's gonna say yes." Bennett took the small box from her pocket examining the ring. 

Tony held out his hand and she passed the box over. Tony nodded his approval before handing the ring to Happy.

 "Not a bad choice, kid. You want me to drive you tonight. I could get the limo."

Bennett tucked the ring back in her pocket. "No I got it. Gonna take one of Tony’s cars and pick her up, take her to her favorite restaurant. That I can pass off as birthday privileges. Limo would be a bit over the top. Might tip her off." 

"Public proposal? At the restaurant? Pretty gutsy." Tony quipped. 

"No, she wouldn't want that kind of attention" Bennett shook her head, "a walk in the park after, to a spot I know she loves. I'll ask her there." Bennett could see it all in her mind from the bench by the lake to the smile on Emily’s face. Tonight was going to change everything. Tonight would be the start of a new life, a better life.

Happy's phone buzzed. "Sorry, Pepper needs me to pick up someone at the airport. If I don't make it back in time, good luck, kid." He smiled before running out the door. 

"Benn are you really sure about this? Not a doubt in your mind that Emily is the one?" Tony wore a serious expression. "You're young. Not many people find their soulmate at 24."

“I didn’t,” Bennett smirked, ”we met when I was 22."

Tony's expression grew more serious if possible."Benn. This is a big decision. I don't want to see you heartbroken if things don't work down the road. Just make sure you have thought this through. Does Emily really make you happy?"

The blonde gave his words careful consideration before replying. "I think so. I mean we've had rocky places sure. Everyone does, but I think she makes me happy."

Tony locked his gaze with hers "marriage is a lifetime thing." 

"Who are you and what have you done with Tony?" He didn't even smirk at the attempted joke. Bennett let out a deep sigh "I know it's a lifetime thing. I am prepared to sacrifice a lifetime if she needs me to.” She let the silence hang for a few seconds before allowing a smirk to slide in place, “Pepper is gone for the day and Happy is out so...Smash bros showdown." Tony didn't move immediately but the corner of his lips turned up. " Come on, Boss. It will get my mind off things."

He gave a sigh before a genuine smile spread across his features. "Alright, best of 75. If I win I get your bike for a week if you win you can use my suit."

"No safety mode?" Bennett cocked one brow in question.

"Weapons hot." He held out his hand which she in turn took shaking it. 

"Deal."

Several hours later Pepper walked into the common area to Tony's shouts of victory and Bennett’s groans of defeat. "The bike is mine for the week." He crowed. 

"Yeah, yeah," She scowled at the tv screen “you can use the Harley or the Honda this week.”

“No I get the Ducati,” he insisted.

“The original deal said you get my bike for a week not which one. You should be more specific next time, I have seven.” She smirked.  

"Well, well." They both jumped at the new voice spinning to see Pepper standing in the doorway. "I see you two got a lot done today."

"It was bonding time, really." Tony explained. 

Bennett shot a cheeky grin towards the older woman shrugging, "while the cat's away…"

"Obviously." A soft smile played on her lips even as she tried to hide it. "Bennett, don't you have to be somewhere in an hour?"

She tapped the screen on her phone, her Ducati lit up in the background as she checked the time. "Crap. Yeah thanks Pep." Jumping up from the couch the girl pressed a kiss to Pepper’s cheek before heading to the doorway. 

"Are you both coming back tonight? I have a few things saved for the occasion. Wanted to celebrate a little with you, both of you.” Tony explained.

“More than likely. But Tony: no party! If you guys want to say “hi” and stuff fine, but no extras. No party.” Bennett set the rules for Tony’s “celebration”.

"Alright. Be safe and have fun tonight" Tony wrapped her in a tight hug. "Good luck, kid."

“Thanks, boss." Pepper pulled the girl in for one more hug as she rushed to her room. 

Bennett pulled up to Emily’s apartment at 6:30 sharp. Knocking at the door she rocked back on her heels as she waited for Emily to answer, a bouquet of roses in hand. 

“Bennett!” Emily opened the door with a broad smile. She leaned forward pulling the blonde into a kiss. “Those for me?” She asked, pulling away for a second. 

“Who else would they be for?” Bennett pecked her lips again. 

She took the roses, “I’ll just put these in water right quick,” she slipped inside pushing the door closed before Benn could follow. Seconds later she came back out, “ready to go?” Her smile was bright as she took Bennett’s hand, heading to the car. 

Bennett opened her door for her, before climbing in the driver's seat. They drove and talked, laughing occasionally. The blonde couldn’t keep the smile off her face.

The night started at an art gallery. Emily led Bennett through the gallery pointing out her favorite pieces. They talked over the exhibits as they went. Emily gushed over a large metal sculpture in the middle of the museum. She rattled on talking about lines and angles to convey the artist’s meaning. Benn nodded along and agreed when she was asked what she thought. Her only real thought about the piece though was the welds were crap. 

Bennett lagged a bit behind as they came across an exhibit of statues from Greece. Athena, Artemis, and Apollo were displayed alongside sculptures of gorgons, minotaurs, and chimaeras. Emily tugged her along to finish up the last few exhibits. 

When they pulled up to the restaurant Bennett quickly hopped out of the car, rushing around the front of the car to open Emily’s door. Bennett held out a hand and Emily took it. Her hand resting in the blonde’s made Benn feel as if Emily trusted her with her whole world. It was a responsibility the young bodyguard was happy to take on. 

“This really isn’t necessary, Bennie,” she tucked her hand around Bennett’s arm, “but thank you.” 

Dinner was slightly more expensive than she had originally planned but for tonight it would be worth it. Next stop was the nature park. They walked through the park under the stars hand in hand. The little box bounced in her pocket as they neared the spot.

Bennett took in the night sky. North star was straight ahead. Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. A story of jealousy. Zeus’ wife Hera was jealous of Callisto after Zeus fell in love with her. So Hera changed her into a bear. Callisto was hunted for years. Zeus and Callisto had a son named Arcas. When he grew Arcas became a great hunter, he was moments away from unknowingly killing his mother but Zeus interfered. Sending them into the sky creating the two constellations. 

“Bennie,” Emily pulled her from her thoughts. “Bennie babe, what is it about them that you find so fascinating?” She gestured towards the heavens.

“Everything. The stories, history, science…” 

Smiling Emily pulled her girlfriend around to face her. She beamed at the blonde, “you always have your head in the clouds, aren’t there more interesting things down here on the ground.” She pulled Bennett in close for a kiss, wrapping her arms around her neck deepening the kiss. 

Bennett pulled away after a moment, leading Emily further into the park. 

Bennett steeled herself.  “Em, I wanted to talk to you about something.”

“Of course. I wanted to talk to you about something too,” she followed happily. 

“You go ahead,” Bennett said, “what did you want to talk about?”

“No, no, go ahead, it can wait,” she threaded her fingers through Bennett’s. 

“Well,” they came to the spot by the edge of the lake. Taking a deep breath Bennett began her speech “Emily, we have been together for two years now. You helped me adapt to New York, out of the security of my college campus. New York is quite a bit bigger than I am used to,” a grin spread across Bennett’s face, one side slightly higher than the other. Lopsided. 

Emily placed her hand on Bennett’s cheek leveling out her smile “Yeah, your little “no where” Texas is a bit tiny. Population of what, 23?”

“That wasn’t the population, that was the size of my graduating class,” Bennett gave her an indignant look. “Give me some credit.” Emily laughed. “I couldn’t have made it this far without you, and I don’t want to spend any of my future without you by my side. So Emily, will you marry me?” Bennett pulled the ring from her pocket and waited for her answer. 

Bennett parked the car in the garage, killing the engine. She walked in the living area to see Tony, Pepper, and Happy all waiting. Champagne on ice. She let out a long sigh, there was no way to avoid them. 

Tony was grinning from ear to ear when she entered, “hey kid, how did it go?” He looked over her shoulder. “Where’s Emily?” 

The girl plastered a smile on her face. “I...not as planned.” she ran her hand through her hair, brushing her bangs behind her ear only for them to fall back in her face, too short to stay tucked. 

“What do you mean?” Pepper was concerned. 

“Turns out we...don’t want exactly the same things. Her future and mine... there’s this other girl, Madison. Emily has been with her for most of our relationship.” They were all dumb struck. She pulled the box from her pocket, setting it on the coffee table in front of the couch. “Guess I will have to figure out the return policy for that in the morning.” She gave the others a half hearted smile. “I think I am going to bed. Good night.” Apparently Tony was right, no one finds their soulmate at 24.

AN: won’t leave many of these. First I don’t own Marvel or their characters just Benn and her story. 

Second give me any feedback or ideas you have on this story. Any critic is welcome. It is a slowburn as far as the romance aspect goes but it will get there and there is plenty of other stuff in the meantime. 

Hope you enjoyed this introduction to Bennett and my story. Ch1 should be up in a week. 

[strouja]

Turned 55 - A day in the life

I did this 5 years ago when I hit 50 and figured I’d do this again.  To capture a moment in time and what I did on typical day, but it just happened to be my birthday Sept. 1, 2020

Late night working

I got inspired and decided to improve our security profile on our product on a very minor issue, but it would be nice do.  So after midnight, which made it my birthday I researched on how to only allow Transport Layer Security (TLS) version 1.2 (and not allow earlier versions) to parts of our system used for internal communications.  This is a minor issue as we lock this down for all customer access and this is just for our own “system to system” communication.  So I looked up how to do this for something called Kibana and WebSphere liberty.  I checked in config file changes into something called github for our product and sent a “pull request” to have an expert review it.

So it is now 1:30 am and I’m ready to call it a night.

Can we sleep now

The wife comes up to bed and we agree to NOT let our dog Winston sleep in our bed as he can make it hard for us humans to sleep.  I would have him stay with us but Linh is not in favor.

So he whines outside our door for a good 15 minutes or so.  Now we are ready to sleep.

All of sudden we hear him barking constantly.  He behaves as a guard dog and we are perplexed as there is never anything going on late at night.  This is relentless.  After about 10 or 15 minutes of this I go out to see what the hell is going on.  He is in the next room, on my 16 year old son's bed looking out the window barking at something in the darkness. 

So I put his LED collar on and let him run around the house and chase until his heart’s content.  He stays outside for 1/2 hour or so.  I entice him back in and close the curtains in William's bedrooms so he won't go crazy barking anymore.  So I think.   FYI my son William is passed out in the basement on a new giant bean bag.Now it is probably 2:30 and I'm finally ready to sleep.  But no, we hear Winston barking non-stop again. 

FYI this never happens, normally it is peaceful here at night and the dog does not bark at things past 9 pm or so. It turns out whatever animals he saw before are still out there and he can see them from the windows on the 1st floor.  My wife is fast asleep.  I can't sleep because of this and possibly from my short but pretty hard 10 minute bike workout earlier today and the more than normal amount coffee I had today.  I normally just have  one cup but drank some leftover coffee in the afternoon.I probably fall asleep at 3 am or so.I have a 9 am meeting I have to get up for.

Working for the Man - IBM

Since I work from home I am able to get up right before my 9 am meeting. Then I run a meeting at 9:40 with my boss and my boss’ boss to go over how to allocate our finite internal cloud resources that one team wants to consume all of it.  This is all done by Webex video & audio conferencing (like Zoom).

We have a bunch more meetings.  Then I get a break sometime before noon.

Catching last 20 km of Tour de France Stage 4

When I get a break I put on the TV and through my Roku 3 put on NBC Sports Gold (without ads and European commentary)  to see if today’s Tour de France stage is still on.  I find out the race is still live and it is mountain top finish and there are 20 km left.  So this is the perfect time to watch.  I catch up on work while hearing the race and glimpsing at it.  

Although I’m an avid cyclist, race myself, and lead a fast ride every week (normally 2 times a week but reduced to one because of covid-19 and with a smaller group), I’m not a big fan of pro bike racing because I know all the top names and riders are still doping.  So I know only a fully doped rider has a chance of winning today’s stage, especially because it is mountain top finish. 

Fixing my bike

After my ride on Sunday with my former teammates: Ray Plewacki, Vic Siegfried, and Dave Fuentes, I asked my buddy Ray P. if he can fix some shifting problem of my bike this week.   He texted me earlier in the day and he agreed to come over during his lunch break.   He arrives at 12:30 as I have another meeting going on.  I tell my boss I will have to duck out of the meeting.  He is fine with that.

Ray does his magic and does micro adjusting on my Shimano DuraAce Di2 electronic shifting.  I could not shift into one of the mid gears in the back.  Ray figured it out for me.  So I’m all set for Tuesday Night World Championships.

Bike Ride

I eat my Overnight Oats in the very late morning and later on eat my vegan lentil based meal I made yesterday in the instant pot.   I finish up work, then clean my bike (clean the drive train) and put bike in car.

I drive to bike ride and get FaceTime video call from my Don Cayelli on the ride over to wish me happy birthday.  We agree to have our families go to North Carolina in a few months for a mini-vacation.  We talk about a bunch of things and he asks how old the guys I ride with.  I explain that the average age is about mid 30s, one guy I am older than his parents.  The best and strongest rider by far is 40 years old, a former pro - Jason Schneider.   He would not dope and had to leave the pro ranks as a result, doping was rampant (I claim it still is) but was much more out in the open.  That is the only reason why his pro bike days were cut short.

There were some notable strong riders not here, 2 of the regulars - Alex Batres and Jason Boslaugh.  Them not being here makes it much more manageable for me as the top guys feed off of others and try to outdo each other, in this process this puts the hurt on me.   Many other super strong riders have not been here for anytime this year since we resumed these small rides because of Covid-19. Two notable people in this category are: George Croghan & Ferry Gijzel.

The ride tonight is very hard, 3 loops with hills about 12 miles each loop.  We average 22.5 mph with stopping for lights every loop.  So a pretty hard ride.  I stay with the lead group but make a mistake on 2nd lap and don’t follow a very strong move (that I was told about) and end up doing a few miles solo to catch many 3 people and pull us most of the way to the main group on “Bennett Road” and catch them at the light.

Here is the strava from tonight’s ride

https://www.strava.com/activities/3998711104

This is missing pics of the strongest rider - Jason Schneider

Getting heckled on the ride

On the ride I get comments from the 2nd strongest rider on the ride about joining AARP.  This kid is 27 and I am older than his parents. Spencer Lofgran is this person of interest. 

Close the gap on the ride

On the last lap I was gaped a bit on a flat portion - Lawyers road as I was behind 3 folks that were not continuing the ride and the 4 guys in the front started hammering.  The strongest guy comes back and gives me a massive push that pushes me past all the riders.  This was by far the strongest push I ever received on the bike

Catching up with Mates

In the parking lot after the ride my buddy Vic Siegrfried is there waiting to wish me happy birthday.    Here is a pic from Sunday ride with me, Ray Plewacki (middle) and Vic 

Catching up with former work mates - IT Legend

I drive home and call a good friend of mine from work Anthony Zawacki to catch up with him.  He was our best worker by far but in our last round of layoffs was dismissed.  He is an IT rockstar doing great at his new job.  He asks me a work question and that reminds me to contact a team using our product to help them avert a Kubernetes problem of an expiring certificate and to fix it before it expires.

Working for the man again

I get home and hop back on my new work issued MacBook Pro 16″ laptop to figure out the commands I want the customer to run. The commands are not in our official doc and I eventually find the commands that work.  I test them on my own test system at an IBM lab and give them to support to get to them to the customer.  I no longer have contacts with the on-site team as the main person I worked with left IBM. 

I then write a long slack message to our documentation person to explain why we need these commands in our documentation. I then give sample output of the commands and what we are looking for.

The next day I spend a few hours doing more testing and spend an hour with our doc person to make all the changes to our official doc that I then get out to our customers on this release of our product.

Birthday Cake

My wife bought a 2 cakes, chocolate mousse with raspberries and apricot tart. 

I eat 100% plant based foods (past 8 months or so) but broke that tonight to eat the chocolate mousse

We FaceTime my daughter Sophia at the University of Virginia (UVA), I light candles, and we sing happy birthday with Linh, Sophia (on iPhone), William and our infamous dog - Winston.  Here are some poor photos I took in haste.

Trippy Lights & Wall Art

As I’m heading to bed my son shows me the LED lights we bought him for his bedroom and some very funky psychedelic wall art whose appearance change dramatically as the LED lights change colors.  

[tardisadventuresminisodes]

Emma and D.O. TARDIS Adventures Minisode 5-The Newcomer

Roger and little Eleven set a trap for a genius in an unstable home. They had bought all his stuff. The agenda was to bring it to Emma as soon as they caught him. Emma even talked to the social worker to let her give him a stable home in the TARDIS. Luckily, thanks to Emma’s friendship with Adam Schiff at that point, it was cleared.

So when 13-year-old James Bennett snuck into the Brother Jerome thrift store to get a electroplating set back from there, the trap was then dropped on him and Roger and little Eleven grabbed him.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! GET OFF OF ME!” James roared out as Roger then turned into his Vespiform side and flew James out of the thrift store and into the TARDIS.

“Don’t be afraid, James.” little Eleven said as he un-netted James from the trap and Roger changed back. “We’re here to help you.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. What is this place, where are we?” James asked confused.

“Mom says your portrayor may be a Whovian. He likes science fiction and fantasy, but that’s not why she wanted to get you away from your mother.” little Eleven said. “I’m Eleven Theta, by the way. This is my partner, Roger Goodlightly. Don’t listen to him if he hits on you.” little Eleven said.

“Hey, that’s a bit harsh. I’m not Jack Harkness, I don’t hit on just anybody.” Roger corrected.

“Sorry, Rog.” little Eleven said.

“You guys are crazy.” James said in response. But then, James was sent into Emma’s TARDIS as Emma and a social worker were waiting for him, the same social worker who signed off on Emma becoming a guardian for James.

“What’s this? What’s going on?” James asked.

“Ah, you must be James. I’ve heard and seen what genius you possess. I’m Emma.” Emma responded.

“I’m Miss Belcher, I work with NY CPS, I have signed off on Mrs. Theta having guardianship of you until you’re 18.” Miss Belcher said.

“I don’t understand.” James said confused.

“I’m friends with people in the NYPD. I promised I’d get you out of your situation if they let me go back to when you were about to steal back your electroplating kit. Which was unnecessary, by the way because everything has been bought back. Your bike, your radio, your electroplating kit, your family’s TV. Everything was bought back and put into a special room for you in the TARDIS.” Emma explained.

“For me?” James asked as Emma nodded, then showed him the room she put together for him. When they got there, James was amazed by how his room looked. A desk for studying and doing homework, a chemistry set to do experiments, his bike to ride when he got bored from doing homework, his TV to watch all his favorite programs on or even to keep up with the news. A warm bed to rest on, a wardrobe full of all his old clothes his mother donated, his radio next to his cup of pens to write with so he can listen to music while he wrote poems, he was in awe and was beginning to choke on tears. “I don’t know what to say, this is beautiful.” James said as he looked around in his new room in his new home. “But why me?”

“My mom was a latent alcoholic when I was in my early to mid 20′s. She died in 2018 my time, but two years prior, the alcohol didn’t become a problem until she had taken a nasty fall down the stairs of my parents’ old basement of our family home in Vinton where I used to live. That was May 4th, 2016, a month after I had broken my ankle. A little over two months after that, my mom goes into the hospital. Her liver’s stopped absorbing enzymes found in alcohol. She has to stop, but the pain was too much and they refused to give her regular painkillers due to the Opioid epidemic. She was in pain most of her life as a result and then they tried to give her a new pain medication but apparently, it wasn’t enough. So she kept fixing herself drinks. My dad just yelled at her to stop drinking, but she thought he was too mean. So I tried being softer, even begging her to stop. She broke her promise to stop drinking after 24 hours.” Emma paused to take a deep breath and a lump in her throat began to form. “It got so bad that on her 58th birthday, she stopped being able to get up by herself. The next day, she had to be carried off to the hospital. She was there until Halloween, where she was essentially sent home because she kept wanting to come back home. My dad bitched at me, I tried to do my best to help out but he was really making it harder on me than the whole fact that my mom was home when she needed to recover somewhere else. Then the next day, my mom made me help her cut her hair off and then she asked for one more drink. She emotionally blackmailed me into making me get her the whiskey. She said if I didn’t, she’d have to crawl all the way back out to the kitchen.” Emma started to tear up as she continued. “She continued to deteriorate until February 2018, when she died of Liver Cirrhosis.” She took a minute to compose herself before looking back at James. “I’ve seen your struggle before, and your mother is just about as bad if not worse than my mother. She refuses to seek help, she won’t stop doing something she shouldn’t be doing for the sake of her family. You don’t deserve that, James.” Emma said as James nodded understandingly.

“So I get to stay here for as long as I want?” James asked.

“For as long as you want or until Miss Belcher says she has a better place on hand.” Emma said as she gave James a tour of the rest of the TARDIS.

“This is Lucky and Frankie. I adopted Frankie and her two sisters after I felt I needed to help her sister Amelia and her boyfriend, now husband, Rory stay together.” Emma said.

“Charmed to meet you.” James said as he shook their hands. Just then, Sophie came in with Jessica.

“This is Jessica and my second youngest daughter Sophie. She’s one of the adopted girls.” Emma said.

“Jessica Dalswaldek, you must be the newcomer to the TARDIS. Pleasure.” Jessica said.

“James Bennett. Enchanted.” James said. Soon, Emma reached the kitchen with James, who was intrigued by the gadgets in the kitchen.

“We had this craving processor installed when we had a kid named Gray grow up in the TARDIS. His brother was a friend of the Doctor’s named Jack Harkness. We’ll introduce you to the Doctor at a later date. In the meantime, go ahead and test out the machine.” Emma said as James did and requested steak and ice cream like Pollyanna described.

“I just wanted to have that Pollyanna kind of childhood after Mom started giving stuff away to Brother Jerome. All they’re interested is canonizing Brother Jerome as a Saint. Well, one isn’t interested. One day after school, Mr. Sullivan’s son tried to give some of the money back. When I tried to cash it, Mr. Sullivan had the assets frozen.” James started getting mad and cut rather furiously into the steak. Then he took a deep breath. “No one should be living like this. No KID should be living like this. Not in constant poverty because it’s better to give than to receive.” Emma rubbed James’s back as he started huffing in emotional turmoil and he began to cling to Emma crying. “The worst part is I can’t hate her. I know she’s sick, but I can’t help her either. I don’t know how to help her or stop her.” James finally broke down and Emma held him. Then they sank to the floor and she held him like she would comfort Ben or little Eleven when they were young boys.

“Shh, it’s okay. It’s alright, baby. Let it all out. You’re safe now, I know how you feel. Shhhhhhhh, you’re okay now.” Emma said as she began to tear up herself and began to let go of her own emotional turmoil and the two just sat there on the kitchen floor crying their eyes out as the ice cream began to melt and the steak got cold.

After the embrace and the comfort received, James knew he was in a safe, stable environment that he could get used to.

[mychemicalimagines]

The One Where Rooster Got The Girl

Summary: Colt dated Melissa Roth after him and Abby broke up, he shows up and dumps her leaving her pregnant without knowing. He comes back and finds out about the baby he lost and that she married to Rooster..How will this change everything.

Roosters full name is Jameson Bennett, so when Melissa talks about James, she’s talking about him.

Gifs are not mine.

Warnings: Talks of baby’s death and cussing.

Sorry there isn’t much Lovey in this. I just wanted to put this out here quickly and over the very emotional moments. If you have any concerns or comments, please comment or message me.

If you like it please leave feedback through messages, my ask box or the comment section(:

Tags: @thorman-barnes s @supernova1737 @hurricaneharleyhusky

I sit in the passengers seat of Beau’s truck. Just listening to the radio with Drake, the Bennett’s dog, in my lap. I look over at Beau.

“Do you think Rooster took a look at the tractor?” I ask. He smiles over at me.

“It’s Rooster, of course not.” he answers. I laugh as we pull in the drive way.

We went to the local Tractor Supply to grab more fencing for around the yard. Some of the lines are about to break. I get out of the truck after Beau parks and he lets Drake out on his side. We walk up the porch and I sit down. I can’t stand wearing my work boots around the house. I feel like i’m going to track something through the house. Beau kisses my head and goes to the door.

“Rooster you home?” Beau yells inside.

“Yes sir!” Rooster yells back. “Living room!”

I laugh quietly, “Got him trained.”

Beau winks at me and goes inside.

“I thought you were going to take a look at that tractor and try and see-“Beau gets cut off.

“Check it out. Colts home,” Rooster says loud enough so I can hear him.

“What the hell are you going here? I thought you were in Canada playing amatures football?” Beau asks. I decide to take my boots off slowly. I don’t want to see Colt right now.

“Semi-Pro. I was playing for the Saskatoon Cold. It’s like Maimi Heat, but you know. cold” Colt clarifies. I roll my eyes. We knew that.

“Yeah we know. We also heard you got arrested for flashing Shani Twain while you were up there,” Beau says. I can tell he was smirking.

When it hit our local paper, he put it on the fridge to show his perfect Colt wasn’t so perfect. I dated Colt for 2 years about 7 years ago. He only came to town to see me and one time years ago he stopped by for a try out close to town and came over to talk for a bit, we had sex, then as he was leaving he broke up with me. “We just want different things right now” he said. Then drove away in Roosters truck. If it wasn’t for that night, I wouldnt be where i am now. I smile to myself. I stand up and walk in the front door, closing the screen door quietly.

“I remember last time you stopped by. Said you were done with football. You wanted to start helping around here. How long ago was that, Rooster? About 6 years?” Beau asks Rooster.

“Yes sir. It was on my birthday. We picked Melissa up and was supposed to go to dinner, but you guys fought the whole time. Hey I got ten bucks anyone here knows how old I am.” Rooster says sitting forward in his chair. He looks over to the door when I move my arms. He smiles, and I put 3 fingers up on my right hand, 5 on my left hand. I smile when he winks at me and pats his pocket meaning I’ll get the money later.

“Then you snuck out of here in the middle of the night. Took your brothers truck. Went and dumped your beautiful girlfriend. You left the damn gate open!” Beau snaps, then he notices me standing near the table making his frown weaken. He hates being angry in front of me.

“Okay that wasn’t my fault! Rooster was chasing me yelling ‘that’s my truck.’And so I thought he was gonna close it” Colt tries to explain. He has only thought of himself his entire existence. He didn’t see the point that he dumped me and stole his brothers truck. It’s always someone else’s fault.

“Our cows were all over town. After you dumped Mel, she found one standing in the Sizzler parking lot, just staring at a picture of a rib-eye.”Beau says.

“I’m 35,” Rooster says trying to defuse the tension. I take off my jacket and lay it on the kitchen island, then i lean on it. I gotta see how this conversation ends. Colt sighs and puts his foot on the table.

Beau looks down, “what the fuck is on your feet?” I can’t see but I can see the humerus look on Roosters face.

“They’re boots,” Colt says in a duh voice.

“Those are not boots,” Beau says.

“They’re Uggs,” Colt says. I cover my mouth to keep from laughing. What guy wears Uggs? Rooster would never wear my boots. “That’s Australian for boots” Colt says.

“They’re ladies shoes. I just bought some for Mel for her birthday” Beau says. It’s true I wear them to Maggie’s all the time. They’re so comfy.

“Okay that’s the forth time you guys brought up Melissa. Quit it, we broke up years ago. She was nothing but a rebound after Abby! I never liked her! I pityed her! She ended up being a whore anyway.” Colt says putting his foot down from the table angrily.

“Hey!” Rooster says, “Don’t you dare say anything bad about her.”

“Why not? I know she cheated on me!” Colt says and Beau cuts him off.

“She had everything going for her and you had to fuck it up!” Beau says.

“How? So what, i dumped her big deal! She wanted me back, wouldn’t stop calling me. I had to change my damn number” Colt says.

“She kept calling you to tell you she was pregnant!” Rooster snaps.

Colt looks at him, “what?”

“She was pregnant Colt, that was the only reason she was calling you,” Beau says.

“How do we know it’s mine? She slept around-“ Colt starts. Before I could say anything, Rooster stops him.

“She slept with 2 guys in her life time. Dad took a test and it came back that the baby and dad were 100% related. The kid was yours.”

“If she was pregnant the kid would be about 5 now, right? Where is it? Did she take it and leave?” Colt says smartassly throwing out his hands.

“Jameson Beau Bennett was born October 13th at 11:58 pm” I say, finally letting Colt know I was in the room. He quickly turns around. He gets a shocked look on his face. I guess he noticed my transformation.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Colt asks walking over.

“Oh you mean the thousands of calls that you ignored?” I say still leaning on the island.

“Could have left a voice mail.” He says.

“Oh right,” i put my fingers to my ears acting like i’m on a phone, “Hey Colt I’m pregnant. Don’t worry Mr.Football Star, James and Beau are helping me, and James is raising it as his own bye,” I say acting like I left a voice mail.

“Wait Rooster raised him?” Colt asks turning around, “Where is Jameson? Wait you even named him after Rooster? What the fuck?”

I push off the island and walk up to Colt. Being 5’3” isn’t good when you’re trying to be intimidating.

“Because James was more of a father to Jay than you would ever be,” I say in a stern voice.

“I didn’t get a choice!” Colt snaps at me. I glare and Rooster runs around Colt and pulls me back knowing I’d do something i’d regret.

“I called you all the fucking time! I gave you a choice, either answer the fucking phone or not learn about your child!” I snap trying to pull away from Rooster but he holds me still.

“Where is he then? I’ll let him know who his father is!” Colt says looking around.

“Jameson passed away October 14th at 1:03 am,” Beau says walking over to Rooster and I.

“What?” Colt whispers. “how?”

“He didn’t get enough oxygen through his umbilical cord, so when she went into premature labor they noticed his lungs weren’t developed enough to survive,” Rooster answers for me because i start tearing up.

“I’m sorry Mel, I didn’t know-“ he starts.

“Because you didn’t want to know! If you would have answered your damn phone you would have known!” I snap. Rooster wraps his arms around me lovingly and Colt glares a bit.

“What you guys dating now?” He asks.

“Nope,” Rooster says.

“Then why are you holding her like that?” He asks smartly.

“Next week we’ll be married 3 years,” Rooster smirks.

“Married?!” Colts yells.

“Yeah,” I say questioning.

“First you try and steal my kid, then you marry my ex?” Colt asks, ”What the fuck?”

“I love her Colt, get over it” Rooster says.

“You don’t love, you fuck and release,” Colt glares at Rooster.

“Drop it Colt, you weren’t here to see how much James helped me! He made sure i was healthy enough to grow Jay. When i gave birth and Jay passed away I wanted to die! James helped me through it all. He helped me realize that this was a bump in the road called life. I can’t let this control me. I won’t forget Jay but I had to move on. I fell in love with him for all of that.” I say wiping the tears from my eyes.

Colt looks down then back up at me, “What can I do?”

“Nothing, everything was paid for. We had him cremated,” I pull my necklace from my shirt. He sees a small locket. “We have some of his ashes on us at all times, so he’s always with us.” I say.

Colt looks over Rooster and as he pulls out his chain Colt stops him and points to his tattoo on his forearm,”You got tattoos too?”

Jameson Beau

10-13-10 10-14-10

Rest Easy Angel, Fly High

with his footprints.

“Mel and I got matching ones,” he says.

“Who signed the birth certificate,” Colt asks.

“I did,” Rooster says. “I was gonna raise him, he might not have been my actual son but I was gonna raise him as such.”

“He was my son!” Colt yells.

“Colt, shut up. He was pretty much Roosters son! He took her to all the appointments. Made sure she took all her medication, felt the first kick. Loved him since the moment Mel told him she was pregnant. We never questioned her on if it was yours or not. We did the test because we knew you’d ask that!” Beau snaps.

“It’s okay Beau, I’m done with this conversation. Colt, James is right. You weren’t there to sign it. He wasn’t using me as a rebound as you said you were doing before. James actually loves me for me, if you can’t accept that, oh fucking well” I wipe my eyes as I tear more.

Rooster looks at Colt, “I love her and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

Colt looks down and goes to speak but i put my hand up to silence him, “I’m going to see Carla, she’s pregnant.”

I turn to Rooster and stand on my tip toes and softly capture his lips with mine into a passionate kiss. He deepens the kiss by putting his hand on my neck.

Colt coughs falsely causing us to pull away and I roll my eyes and I press my lips to his quickly. I walk to the kitchen and grab my jacket and walk out the door. Great just what I need on a day like this.

I know this kinda sucked and i’m sorry. Thanks for reading!

[salemroleplayhq]

❝ I HAVE DEFINITELY HAD GUYS WALK UP TO ME, PUT THEIR ARM AROUND ME, AND WHEN THEY WALK AWAY MY SHOULDER SMELLS LIKE TACO MEAT.���

MEET…

Birchwood “Orion” Boyd

Age: 40

Birthday: June 22nd, 1981

Gender/Pronouns: Cis Male, any pronouns

Hometown: San Francisco, CA

Length of time in Salem: 3 years

Occupation: Paramedic & Drag Queen

Faceclaim: Lee Pace

THEIR STORY

tw: past abuse

Orion is the oldest child of Bennett and Eliza Boyd, who met each other at a roller rink in a podunk little Minnesota town. Two rebellious teens who quickly fell in love, they vowed to travel, to see the ocean, and ultimately, to stay together forever. And they did it all. They bought an old beat-up van and drove through the US. They played guitars on moonlit nights, sitting on the roof and watching fireflies.

When Orion came into the world, Bennett and Eliza were thrilled, and had no plans to stop their travel. Toddling little Orion came with them as they drove through dusty mid-western states, along the western coast, and even into Mexico. He was a creative little kid who loved animals and begged for a dog. His mother homeschooled him, teaching him the fundamentals for preschool and kindergarten. Since they traveled so often, he didn’t get to make a lot of friends. When his sister Berryhill came along, his parents began debating more and more the possibility of settling down… at least so their kids could get a proper education. After a few more years of going from place to place, Eliza and Ben settled down in a cute little home in California. Ben found an old shack on a picturesque beach and fixed it up, turning it into a perfect spot to rent out boogie boards, surfboards, snorkel gear, and grab a snack.

As Orion got older, the third Boyd sibling, Sunshine, was born. Orion loved teaching Berry and Sunny everything he knew about surfing, and the three of them spent many afternoons running around in the sand until they came back to the surf shack to help their dad close up for the night. As Orion got older, he studied and worked at the shack, debating college and secondary education. But he wasn’t too smart, and didn’t think he’d do too well. Still, he tried. Eventually, Orion was running it on his own for days on end while their parents traveled again, studying at night. Orion would watch Sunny and Berry, make sure they were getting on the bus for school, and would run the little shop on weekends while attending college. He was dating a beautiful girl, going surfing every day, and working towards a future.

Orion didn’t talk about the fights with his long-time girlfriend Emma very often. He figured people wouldn’t really take it seriously- an adult man, 6′7″, getting slapped around and made fun of by his 5′7″ girlfriend. After being guilted into moving with her to Boston for her to pursue a reporter job, Orion found himself presented with a new start, in a new place. He hated the big city but adapted quickly, meeting new friends at a local drag and karaoke bar, and realizing his own self worth. After a nasty fight left him with fingernail scratches across his face and bruises on his arms, he broke it off with his then fiancée, filing a restraining order and moving himself out to Salem. Since then he’s really come into his own. Orion started doing drag, performing as ‘Celeste’- something Emma never would’ve condoned, and met so many amazing and supportive friends. He’s a certified paramedic and living on his own with his rescue, Jupiter.

PERSONALITY

+  Optimistic, kind, brave

-  Spontaneous, naive, flaky

ORION IS PLAYED BY ELI.

[martinlawless]

National Masters Circuit Race Championship 2021. Age Category 45-49 Race.

British Cycling, National A Race E1234 Leicester Cycle Circuit Sunday 4 July 2021

The National Masters Circuit Race Championships… a chance to win a proper National jersey for the year as recognition by British Cycling. There are separate category races in 5-year bands from 30+. Men and Women.

This year is my last in the 45-49 year band. Everyone’s UCI birthday is 1st Jan, so I’ll be 50 next year on the final bong from Big Ben. I did this race two years ago and really enjoyed the event and scene. So I made it a priority to sign up to this one early on and focus in on it.

The race would be on the Leicester Cycle Circuit. I’d never been there before. Turns out to be a very good 1km loop. Tarmac quality excellent and good safe run-offs onto grass (take note Colchester). It’s not technical, really. Though racing makes things technical. A simple circuit means more speed. More speed means more reaction times required on challenges and opportunities that appear in the bunch. And, as ever, the wind and weather makes a virtual hill - turning a stretch into a danger zone that can challenge riders and generate a split. The course is dumbbell shaped, with the northern loop being tighter than the southern one. The northern one rises a bit too.

I set off in the car in very good time. I didn’t have anything to hold back for and get there to see teammate Chris in his 40-44 category race. His field is smaller than ours. Maybe 25 riders. It’s a tough race. Chris goes heroic and into the first break of four from the gun. Hauled in and blitzed, he finds it hard to stick at the back recovering while fresh breaks occur. It’s a reminder to me that in my 75 mins race there will be several attacks. If I find myself in a break, it has to be decisive - or I’m bailing out back to the bunch. I’ll burn up easily otherwise.

I’ve got my crit wheels on. New second-hand Dura-Ace C35 tubular wheels. Ramped up to 110psi just to feel extra bad-ass. Super quick and nippy. I sign in. Pin up. I nearly forget to put on the transponder, which would be a disaster. There’s a good chance of a heavy shower, but it’s warm. So race suit only. Becoming less racy with every wash. Factor 50 suncream. I love my Koo eyewear, but for close-quarters crit stuff, I prefer my “100%” wraparounds that give me brilliant peripheral vision and eyes in the back of my head. I feel like a bit of a doofus Daft Punk wannabe. But - hey, safety first. I do a regular back garden workout. I always add in stretching around the neck and shoulders in simulation of the constant need to look around you in a tight race. I should do pilates and yoga as I get older too.

I have a good little chat with James from Cinnamon-Contour. He’s bandaged up like Roglic having had a crash in the sprint at Hillingdon in one of the rehearsal races last week. I’m impressed he’s back. I also bump into Chris from Verulam. I’m confident he’ll do well. The course suits his atomic finishing sprint power. He finished 3rd in one of the rehearsal races. Other than that, I don’t really know anyone - jut a few of the usual faces and backsides. It’s a good thing: it means the race is bringing in people from all regions - not just the south and east. I hear all sorts of accents. I’m concerned by how fit looking some of these old boys appear!

Our race is the most popular. I’m unsure why, but I have a theory it’s because mid-life crisis is peaking as people get to 50. One last chance to pretend to be Sam Bennett, Cav or Caleb.

This is a proper British Cycling event. The briefing is more stringent than the usual “rock-up with a banana and go” race. This adds nicely to the drama ahead. It feels significant. Points go down to 15th place. The top-third will score today. I am in a bit of a downward points spiral from my current 2nd Cat licence. The points started late this season - early races were zero-points post-COVID. And now I can’t see where I’ll get them from. I simply can’t find the time or BC events. To be honest though: a gentle relegation into 3rd Category doesn’t bother me at all. I’ll have more options to race.

There’s always something to forget or nearly forget. It’s a gel at the start this time. But I remember in time on the start line. I will have another halfway I reckon. I put my finger on my Wahoo to ensure I don’t forget to start the all-important Strava. We have two neutralised laps behind the car to get used to the bends and we’re released.

It’s a steady start. I expect we are all mostly unfamiliar with the course and each other and just want to walk into this one. Eventually, there’s a break and the peloton cranks up.

In a rather unconventional prep, I’d ridden a Hilly TT the Sunday before, a Zwift crit Monday, a tired chaingang Tuesday. Then did the Fred Whitton loop in the Lake District on Thursday with three friends. I’m unsure 110 miles featuring the toughest ascents in England, three sleeps before a short high energy effort, is in any training manual. After the Fred, I did not turn a pedal. I was unsure where my legs would be. In the first few laps I’m relieved to feel they are fine. A sports massage helped. In fact, I feel good. The Fred had raised my pain threshold it felt. When asked to dig deep, it was no problem.

I’m pleased to be lolling around the top third or so in the bunch. The first break gets a third of a lap gap. But the bunch aren’t really bothered. All the same, there’s always a rider or two getting frustrated about the lack of coherence in hauling them in. The laws of physics prevail, and the first break fizzles out eventually.

I can hear Chris cheer me on each lap which is motivating. I concentrate on my line, holding it, seizing gaps where possible and generally keeping my nose clean. As expected, I don’t feel I can be in a small break. I just need to watch out for a big split. I can feel this isn’t going to happen though after a while.

The wind is a bit tasty. As much as it’s valuable to look at those big flags you get at events for the direction, you can’t beat throwing a bit of grass up in the air before a race for the truth.

It gets tight at times. This Leicester doesn’t feel that wide. I go onto the grass on one lap to avoid a clash. In these situations you don’t panic, just glide back on and everything is all right. I get a good backside push on another lap. No problem. ‘On your left’, ‘On your right’. All the good calls you want in a race. No daft riding here which was appreciated.

A second break is brought in. Then on 37 minutes, the decisive break from Ian, who everyone seemed to fear, was made. He would take another rider with him and the bunch would let him go pretty easily.

The last laps approach and the race dynamic changes. The bunch gets top heavy as people prepare for the sprint. The last few laps are very twitchy. We are wide across the lane and very tight as everyone jostles for the sprint. I find myself in the middle of the bunch at times and hate it: locked in shoulder to shoulder. There’s few oohs and aaahs as riders barge each other. I see one rider barged and he has to unclip to save himself. He skips along the road on foot at 30mph+ and re-clips without losing too much momentum. It’s impressive control regained. I can see Verulam Chris inching forward. I want to keep on his wheel but the way through is blocked. It’s always remarkable how you might have a few laps to make a simple move up a few bike lengths - yet it’s just not doable. Stuck.

Into the final lap and final bend, it’s high speed but I’ve got something extra in the tank to give. I am forced wide if I’m to apply any sprint. This puts me out of the draught, and I lose momentum, but I gain a clean run. My sprint is OK. I can hold a decent effort for 10 seconds, albeit I won’t be strong enough to gain ground. The front of the tight sprint pulls away while I come in just off the back of it but ahead of the string of others behind.

I replay the last moments over and over. It’s hard to see what else I could have done except to maybe find more confidence in my endurance to move up and hold a premium position early on. I eventually scan the data. I’m 21st and ahead of me are many names I know to be strong. I’m happy with that.

I return to the car park and change. I have a good post-race chat with Chris. He has crazy high power and he’ll smash a race soon, with a bit of luck, choosing the right break. I decide to have a peep at the Cat 3-4 race going on after ours. As I rock up, there’s a crash at the most basic point of the course. Four riders down. Three get back up gingerly, one a lot slower. I’m thankful our race ended safe and well. Take out the neutralised laps and our race is well over 27mph average. Dynamic and speedchess-like reactions required at all times.

Tired of sugary things, I crave salt, so stop off at the nearby McDonalds on the way back. The most biblical thunderstorm kicks off in the drive-thru. I wonder what would have happened to our race in such conditions. As I carefully navigate the motorway with Lance Armstrong’s ‘The Move’ on Spotify, I wonder if they black flag circuit races for lightning as we all go around a big open field sat on quite metallic things.

I think about next year’s Masters and take a look at the results for this year’s 50-54 category. I’m slightly disappointed to see names of strong riders I know struggle to reach the points. It’s a useful reminder that it never gets easier - we just get older.

Strava link: https://www.strava.com/activities/5574763935

[scoredandstoried]

Orion is a bisexual cis man, originally from San Fransisco. His birthday is July 26th, and he is 39 years old. His FC is Lee Pace and he’s been in Chicago for seven years. He recently took on a new job as a wildlife conservationist and is learning quite a bit! He performs as a drag queen part-time, and used to be a paramedic. 

Please let me know if you want to connect or plot with Orion!! ​

-Has a cocker spaniel named Jupiter who he adopted as an old-timer -Has 8 chickens he built a chicken coop for in his backyard -A bisexual disaster -He is 6′7″... 6′9″ in heels -Drag name is ‘Celeste’ -Has 2 younger sisters and hippie parents -Is the nicest idiot in the world

FULL BIO UNDER READ MORE

TRIGGERS: Abuse

Orion is the oldest child of Bennett and Eliza Boyd, who met each other at a roller rink in a podunk little Minnesota town. Two rebellious teens who quickly fell in love, they vowed to travel, to see the ocean, and ultimately, to stay together forever. And they did it all. They bought an old beat-up van and drove through the US. They played guitars on moonlit nights, sitting on the roof and watching fireflies. And when Eliza got pregnant, they knew they’d name their first born son after the constellation they sat under when they conceived him.

When Orion came into the world, Bennett and Eliza were thrilled, and had no plans to stop their travel. Toddling little Orion came with them as they drove through dusty mid-western states, along the western coast, and even into Mexico. He was a creative little kid who loved animals and begged for a dog. His mother homeschooled him, teaching him the fundamentals for preschool and kindergarten. Since they traveled so often, he didn’t get to make a lot of friends. When his sister Berryhill came along, his parents began debating more and more the possibility of settling down… at least so their kids could get a proper education. After a few more years of going from place to place, Eliza and Ben settled down in a cute little home in California. Ben found an old shack on a picturesque beach and fixed it up, turning it into a perfect spot to rent out boogie boards, surfboards, snorkel gear, and grab a snack.

As Orion got older, the third Boyd sibling, Sunshine, was born. Orion loved teaching Berry and Sunny everything he knew about surfing, and the three of them spent many afternoons running around in the sand until they came back to the surf shack to help their dad close up for the night. As Orion got older, he studied and worked at the shack, debating college and secondary education. But he wasn’t too smart, and didn’t think he’d do too well. Still, he tried. Eventually, Orion was running the shack on his own for days on end while their parents traveled again, studying at night. Orion would watch Sunny and Berry, make sure they were getting on the bus for school, and would run the little shop on weekends while attending college. He was dating a beautiful girl, going surfing every day, and working towards a future.

Orion didn’t talk about the fights with his long-time girlfriend Emma very often. He figured people wouldn’t really take it seriously- an adult man, 6′7″, getting slapped around and made fun of by his 5′7″ girlfriend? It was laughable, right? After being guilted into moving with her to Chicago for her to pursue a reporter job, Orion found himself presented with a new start, in a new place. He hated Chicago but adapted quickly, meeting new friends at a local drag and karaoke bar, and realizing his own self worth. After a nasty fight left him with fingernail scratches across his face and bruises on his arms, he broke it off with his then fiancée. Since then he’s really come into his own. Orion started drag- something Emma never would’ve condoned, and met so many amazing and supportive friends. He has started working in wildlife conservation and is living on his own with his rescue, Jupiter, and his 8 chickens. 

[nxghtlight]

Tiny quick note just to see how you guys like this—

Jamie and Sophie’s mom is Eliza Bennett (previously Overland, and before she was married, Thompson), a pediatrician specializing in children with disabilities

Jamie’s step-dad, Sophie’s dad, is Stuart Bennett, a kindergarten/elementary school teacher who illustrates kids books on the side

Jamie’s dad, Mike Overland, served in the Air Force, but he and Eliza either separated after being apart for too long or he passed away while in service when Jamie was 2. Jamie wears his dogtags under his shirt but doesn’t remember much about him. (and f r e a k s when Jack tells him “oh yeah my last name used to be Overland”)

Sophie refers to them as ‘mom’ and ‘dad’, Jamie refers to them as ‘mom’ and ‘Stu’ or ‘Stuart’.

Eliza started dating Stuart when Jamie was probably like... 4 or 5, and Sophie was born just before Jamie turned 7? They got married in the synagogue down the street from the clinic lol

Stuart and Jamie bond over a mutual love of cryptids. Jamie is very excited when Stuart buys him a ghost detector for his 10th birthday. Nobody understands why it goes off all the time in the colder months but never in the summer. The grownups think it’s busted. Jamie uses it to tell when Jack’s going to drop by.

Stuart is Jewish and raises Sophie as Jewish, but Eliza is Christian and Jamie was raised Christian when he was little, so now they celebrate both religions and let Jamie pick and choose what he’s comfortable with. Sophie doesn’t really figure out which holidays are Jewish and which are Christian until she’s around 9 years old, and North /adores/ her either way (though Bunny beats him out in sheer neurotic checking-up-on-the-Bennetts)

When Jamie’s about 11 and Sophie is 6 they decide quite simply that they’re going to adopt Jack, and announce this in the living room, and something just c l i c k s and Stuart spots the boy in the doorway and screams a little. It takes rational but patient Eliza a little while longer to understand, but later that night she wakes Stuart up at 2 am and just

“honey, Jamie’s ghost radio actually works and our house is haunted by my great-great-great uncle in law“

And Stuart kind of,, has to take a moment

Before muttering “holy shit”

[maggieisalarrie]

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Harry almost hits one of them with his car right off the bat - and of course he’s the hot one.

Happy Christmas, here’s to many more.

A 2017 Advent Fic

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“This can’t be good,” Niall said, Zayn just groaned.

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Harry is a cowboy sitting on the biggest oil reservoir in Wyoming, and Louis is the paralegal assigned to pressure him into selling his land.

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Leaflet for Over Again Inc.

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To reach our goal, we use all means necessary.”

Or the Arnacoeur AU in which Harry is scheduled to be married to Liam in 10 days and Harry’s mother hires Louis and his team to break them up.

Paint Me In A Million Dreams by green_feelings (110k)

Harry’s one of Hollywood’s biggest actors, has made a name for himself in prestigious films and lives the life of a superstar. There’s just one thing missing to make it picture-perfect, but the one Harry’s in love with is completely out of reach for him. Enter Louis, one of Hollywood’s biggest actors himself, who just came out of the closet and taps new genres in the industry. When Louis sacks the role Harry auditioned for in Scorsese’s next big film, their irrational feud starts. Who could have guessed it would get even worse when for promo season, their teams decide to present them as a couple for publicity?

In short, Harry’s in love with someone and doesn’t care about dating anyone else, Louis never felt home in L.A., Liam writes love songs for someone he shouldn’t write love songs to, and Niall makes everything better with good food.

bittersweet & delicate (tomorrow may not come again) by tolvsmol (55k)

“I – “ He tries to speak, but his breath gets stuck in his throat. He wipes his hands at his wet face. Then everything just tumbles out of him, like some dam broke inside and everything flooded. “I fuckin’ hate him, Liam. I hate him. I hate that I love him so much. I fucking hate him. All this time later and he can still make my heart beat just for him. It’s not fair. It isn’t fucking fair. He moved on, he built himself a new fucking life in a new fucking city and I’m still the pathetic little Harry wrapped around his tiny little finger. I just – he can’t – I can’t fucking deal with him now. Liam, I just, I can’t. He left. I can’t even think about him without wanting to fucking die, without feeling my heart break all over again.” Harry can’t see. Everything is hazy and he thinks he’s on his knees now and it doesn’t matter. “He’s going to kill me. This time, when he leaves again, he’s going to kill me.”

or the au where louis gives up on harry and harry wants to give up on everything

Swim In The Smoke by whoknows (102k)

“What about this, Captain?” Liam asks, nudging the boy kneeling between their feet with the toe of his boot. The boy hisses and swipes at him, slurring out something unintelligible around the makeshift gag Niall had to stuff in his mouth. He misses by a mile and tries again, just as ineffectively.

Harry looks down at him, at the way the sun streams over his face and shoulders, at the way the gag stretches his mouth, lips pink and chapped. He’s lithe and pretty, smudged all over with dirt. They had found him tied up below deck, mostly unconscious, next to a barrel full of gold. He’s clearly a prisoner, but there’s something familiar about him, something that niggles at Harry’s brain. Something he can’t quite put his finger on.

“Put him in my cabin,” Harry decides, turning back to deal with the rest of the loot. The boys screams out jumbled curse words at Harry’s back, muffled by the gag, and Harry can’t understand any of it.

Hearts Don’t Break Around Here by sincewewereeighteen (26k)

"Another car has stopped at the beginning of the carpet. People are going to collapse any time soon, and Louis knows why.

Harry Styles has just arrived. And Louis. Well. Louis is a grown man. He curses himself a hundred times for even letting his heart race in his chest. He knew they were bound to meet tonight.

What the hell is wrong with him?"

Or: the one in which Harry's having his big movie debut and Louis sings on its soundtrack.

It’s A Long Way Down by veegirl (53k)

It’s June 2013, and the legalization of gay marriage is the most discussed political issue in the country. As a member of parliament Louis Tomlinson has decided to do everything under his power to keep marriage between a man and a woman. Little does he know a boy with green eyes and pink lips from his past is on a mission to change his mind.

Mistletoes & Wrackspurts series by perfectdagger (sincerelyste), star_k (220k)

above your head by deadspy (58k)

What happens when an unstoppable object meets an immovable force?

[Space AU. Louis is an astronaut. Harry works for Mission Control. They don't get along.]

A Red-Dusted Planet by onewasturning (38k)

Harry finally makes it to the edge of the pool where Louis is almost curled up in on himself laughing in the shallow water. He wants to feel annoyed, his competitive side rankled at the unfair and unjust tactics used by his opponent, but it’s like—

The light refracts off the water and moves across Louis’ skin, darkening the ink of his tattoos, and he looks beautiful, dazzling, still that god laughing down on all the destruction he's caused. And Harry’s heart is caught somewhere in his breathless chest, like it’s become tangled amidst the veins and arteries whilst trying to make room for wet boys on warm, summery days.

Or, a one-night stand in a small town in Australia turns into a weekend that Harry could've never predicted with a boy he may never forget.

It’s A Better Place (Since You Came Along) by phdmama (52k)

When Harry Styles, a mid-level talent, Finder, and small business owner, sets off on the vacation of a lifetime with his best friend, Niall Horan, he has no idea the changes his life will undergo over the next nine days. He's got it all planned - there's going to be shore excursions, lounging by the pool on the deck of the luxurious cruise ship, not to mention margaritas. What he does not plan for are the new friends, new bonds, or the mystery from his past that comes back to haunt him, and he certainly hasn't planned for Louis.

Let Me Touch You Where Your Heart Aches by rosegoldhl (MoonlitLarrie) (47k)

Alcohol was all he could taste. Alcohol and Harry, and he didn’t mind one bit. Harry kissed him back with just as much fervent heat. He pushed Louis against the taxi door and pulled his head back, breathing hot and heavy against his lips. “Let’s go, yes?”

Or a Friends with Benefits AU, in which Louis falls in love and Harry is jealous. There is some Karaoke singing somewhere in there, because how do you write a romantic comedy without a Karaoke scene?

No Place Without You by fackinglouis (19k)

Harry's in love with life and he's in love with the world.

Louis' in love with Harry and he doesn't think there's any way he can possibly compete.

A Wanderlust AU in which Harry doesn't have a permanent home and stays with Louis when he visits NYC.

My To Read Tag 

Reading Again

Love Is A Rebellious Bird by 100percentsassy & gloria_andrews (135k)

AU in which the boys still make music. Louis is the concertmaster of the London Symphony Orchestra, Harry is the New! and Exciting! interim conductor/ex-cello prodigy who “has made Mozart cool again” according to Esquire Magazine (Louis hates him immediately, which is definitely why he internet stalked him in his dark bedroom late at night that one time), and Niall is the best. Zayn and Liam are around too.

Don’t hum Bolero.

we'll play hide and seek to turn this around (give me love like never before) by Wankerville (20k)

“So here's the thing,” he starts. “I didn't mean what I said a few weeks ago to like, hurt your feelings or anything. If you like painting your nails, then you should do that, and not like, care if anyone else doesn't like it because their opinions shouldn't matter, you know?” Louis takes a breath, finally glancing over to see the boy wide-eyed and pink-cheeked. On a whim, he adds, “And like, I noticed you scraping it off and you haven't been wearing any and I think you should because that's what you like.”

or an au where harry paints his nails and drinks strawberry milk and is too nervous for it to be nothing and louis' just trying to figure out whats wrong with him

Part 1 of the strawberry milk fic series

Young & Beautiful by Velvetoscar (227k)

Louis, to his horror, attends an elitist university in which the name Zayn Malik means something, Niall Horan doesn’t stop talking, there are pianos everywhere, and Harry Styles, only son of a drug-addled, clinically insane ex-rocker, has a perfect smile and empty eyes.

You You You by isthatyoularry (138k)

“Infamous boybander leaves club together with unknown,” read the headline. Underneath were pictures of a boy with dark curls, green eyes and very tight pants. They both studied the article for a moment, reading it through quickly. “Is that…?” Louis frowned. That guy almost looked exactly like… “HOLY FUCKING SHIT!” “Louis,” Niall said, looking absolutely fucked over. “You just fucked the most wanted guy on earth. You just fucked Harry Styles of One Direction.”

Or, the one where Harry and Louis meet at a club and Louis takes Harry home, only for him to realize that the boy who just made him breakfast half naked is Harry Styles from One Direction.

Last edited: February 28, 2018

[joestilgoe]

Friends (and paid acquaintances)

I was in France for a week - or near as dammit. A little corner of Paris (in Piccadilly) was my home as I spent one glorious week wafting around the marble and mirrors of that French theme park they call Zedel, like a true flaneur. I was only a couple of glasses of pastis away from cramming a dog-eared copy of Madame Bovary in my back pocket and humming Maurice Chevalier b-sides.

The reason for my semaine de soufflé was a return to the magnificent home of cabaret in London - Crazy Coqs. Down the stairs, turn right, and the beautiful 1930s art deco opulence transports all incumbents back to a more glamorous age (or if you don’t think it more glamorous, then almost certainly an earlier age). I hadn’t played there for a while, so I knew I had to be back with a bang. The bang came in the form of roping in various friends to be my special guests during the week, and it was a nice mix of jazzers and those I’ve met in more theatrical circles. All were absolutely brilliant, and for those who came to a few of the shows, I think it brought something unique to the week - it certainly made me raise my game to try to match the lustre of these amazing performers. 

Here is the account of the week, in classic 30s-postcard-style note form.

MONDAY

1st show - Claire Martin. The High Priestess of British jazz singing. I get to work with Claire often, and in fact the first time either of us appeared here was as a new double act, the show being April In Paris. We also asked Imogen Ryall - friend of Claire’s and excellent jazz singer - fine line in vocalese and writing nifty lyrics to existing jazz tunes. They both sang up a storm. Lovely entry into the week - Claire sang my new song for her ‘Between You And Me’, which she and Kenny Barron are due to record this summer for her new record. Imogen introduced me to new tune - ‘Lawns’ by Carla Bley. Forgot to say today was my BIRTHDAY, so Claire procured a glass of fizz for me during a rushed supper of sea bream and set lists. And chips. Always the chips. Happy Birthday was sung by the crowd as I ran to the stage (run, in case the clapping doesn’t last).

MONDAY - LATE SHOW

Later that night... my band boys were the second show of the evening - Ben and Tom, pom tee pom, Tom and Ben, dagga dagga den. Still on a high after first show, but enjoyed this one equally. First time with band here - great crowd of Monday late-birds - who cares about Tuesday mornings? First appearance of the improv blues - something about railways, Theresa May and Swansea. All very prophetic. Happy Birthday a little more forced this time (I might have asked for it).

TUESDAY - NO SHOW

There was filming. Michael Caine was there. Good excuse for a night off.

WEDNESDAY 

Natalie Williams. My great friend and frequent Ronnie Scott’s sparring partner (mostly during the Valentine season). New song - Lady Luck. Finally finished the lyrics on the train on the way up. Only taken 5 years. Nat also sang beautifully - highlight was ‘How Glad I Am’ - a Nancy Wilson song I’ve unknowingly loved for ages (in that I never knew what the song was). Also McArthur Park. Someone left the cake out in the rain...

Props to Ms Williams also for swapping last minute as Rob Brydon was filming that week and suddenly couldn’t do the Weds slot. Sorry to those who then couldn’t rearrange, but neither was anything less than a great stand-in for the other (though in a police line up you would notice the difference). 

THURSDAY

1st show - Jamie Parker (Olivier award still fresh). From High Society days, Jamie just finished Harry Potter the week before - I mean he was in the play rather than having just read the books - very lucky to have him. He sings a dream, and chooses interesting repertoire. Highlight being ‘Hamlet’ (Frank Loesser song - the title gives away the plot), and then a great Tom Waits song called ‘Annie’s Back In Town’. We duetted on World On A String - Jamie was on fire, great voice, great connection with the audience. Oh, if anyone has that picture of us together please send in. 

THURSDAY LATE SHOW

Brandon Allen on tenor sax, standing in at late notice for absentee woodwinder Giacomo Smith - Brandon had his son Raph in for the soundcheck. The joys of Soho parenting. Raph wasn’t too keen on our sound, but I knew it would be fine with more people in the room. I forgot the middle 8 to ‘My One And Only Love’. My One And Only Job, it should be renamed. Brandon was fantastic, nice to catch up and chat about life - he’s touring with Kyle Eastwood as well as his own projects. His latest venture had its premiere at Ronnie’s last week - Soho Suite. Glass of wine after, bumped into some friendly faces. Apologised. 

FRIDAY

1st show was the power-glamour pairing of Katherine Kingsley and Dom Tighe. (They’re married). (To each other). KK just been announced as playing the lead in massive new musical about Dusty Springfield next year called Dusty. Old pal Maria Friedman is directing. So, she sang two Dusty songs - what a voice! Huge power and range, showed off by extra song from Singin’ In The Rain. She played Lina Lamont to great acclaim. ‘What’s Wrong With Me?’ not in the film, but a great number. Dom followed and charmed and beguiled with ‘Younger Than Springtime’ and ‘On The Street Where You Live’. What a smooth bar steward. Both joined me for last song - ‘God Only Knows’. Katherine’s choice, and what a blinder. Mention of mutual appearances at mutual weddings. I sang Waterloo Sunset at theirs, and God Only Knows was at ours. Katherine and my agent (one and the same) was in. Thumbs up. 

FRIDAY LATE SHOW

Brydon. Well. Never thought he would say yes, let alone show up. He was glorious. Said he was nervous, ended up staying on stage for 30 minutes. Alan Bennett, Michael Caine, all three voices of Barry Gibb, Elvis, they were all there. ‘Impossible Dream’, improvised blues, Grease sung in a cut glass English accent. Joyous. Quite overwhelmed after he’d gone, such a great performance. Chatted backstage about The Trip, Human Remains and everything else I professed to be a fan of. 

P.S. Rob and I have just reprised our Barry Gibb moment at the Old Vic gala, and another improvised blues. Quite the new Flanagan And Allen we are...

SATURDAY

The magnificent Clive Rowe. Clive Rowe The Magnificent. Told the audience I was a bit of a fan - highlight was his Top Hat/ Puttin’ On The Ritz hybrid, which got its own standing ovation. Another after Well Did You Evah? (He was Frank, I was Bing). Clive is a legend, and the audience knew it. He charmed and wowed, and he was a delight in rehearsals, so all round it was quite the Saturday night. 

Then, on the train home, Katie called. London Bridge. Truly awful. We hoped we didn’t know anyone involved. Next morning, an email from Julian Ovenden, my guest that night. He was there - he arrived at 10.05 on his motorbike after finishing his play, and witnessed most of what we all read about. I told him of course he didn’t have to do the gig. He called later - he wanted to do it. He didn’t want to be thinking about the horror he’d seen all day. 

So.

SUNDAY

Julian is quite the star, and if you’ve seen any of the John Wilson proms recently, he’s often stolen the show. Coupled with huge TV parts and loads of theatre work, it’s fair to say we were lucky to have him there. But then, after last night, we were doubly lucky. We were all lucky to be there. Julian spoke beautifully about it - not too much, as this is a show and it has to go on and people often want to escape the day. He sang even more beautifully. A great rendition of an old Jerome Kern number called ‘The Land Where The Good Songs Go’ was my highlight, but I took huge guilty pleasure in performing Sondheim’s ‘Agony’ as a duet. Who was on piano? Ovenden. Annoyingly talented as he is, I was struggling to read the Sondheim score in rehearsal, and he said ‘I can do it’. So he did. Massive fun. Julian left to a huge standing ovation, had to get home and be with his family.

 I left with a big grin and lots of memories of a truly special week. Thank you, Crazy Coqs. We’ll be back next year.