#bill x virginia

[thescholarlystrumpet]

[visionofroses]

have gotten so invested in bill and virginia as a couple i can't finish s3

[theempressar]

You and me both... *ded*

i really don’t think i can handle this amount of hotness

[spaceshipsandwine]

So, I just finished Masters of Sex for the second time. The first time I watched all four seasons in about five days, and the second time (which I started immediately after the first) I took more time to focus on the plot more slowly.

God, I really love that show. I’m quite satisfied with the ending. I love how Bill and Virginia finally realized they could just be together and love each other. Will there be some hard times in their married life? Sure, that’s just how life is. But they’ll get through it together because they genuinely love each other.

What I loved most of all was probably Michael Sheen’s portrayal of Bill Masters. The huge character development Bill undergoes from season 1 to 4 is just insane. And Michael’s portrayal of Bill is everything throughout the series - handsome, hot, sexy, smart, and later also cute and tender. I’m just crushing so, so, so hard. Like, seriously. I want this guy to do everything to me, scold me, smile at me, kiss me, throw me against the wall, whatever.

I’m going to fangirl over him now for God knows how long.

Also, Bill Masters in a turtleneck is doing something to me.

[batboyblog]

What Joe Biden has Done for LGBTQ+ People

I wanted to list out everything The Biden Administration has done for Queer people in the last 3 and a half years, but according to GLAAD it'd been 337 moves (and I noticed they missed a few things...) there was just no way to list every ground breaking first Queer person ever nominated to fill this or that job, every ally with a historic LGBT rights record nominated for a top job, every beautiful statement of support, every time he tried to get Congress to pass the Equality Act (support it!) So I've gone through and done my best to pick the ones I think were the most important, but everyone should check out the full list!

Day 1: Signs executive orders banning discrimination and ordering a full review of all federal agencies policies to better include and support LGBT people

Pete Buttigieg becomes the first openly gay person nominated and confirmed for a cabinet level post as Secretary of Transportation

Revokes Trump’s 2018 ban on transgender military personnel

Department of Housing and Urban Development implements LGBTQ protections in housing, becoming first federal agency to implement Pres. Biden’s executive order

First President to recognize and proclaim Trans Day of Visibility

Department of Justice Civil Rights Division issues an official memo that the Supreme Court's Bostock decision against LGBT workplace discrimination also applies to education through Title IX

HUD withdraws a Trump Administration proposed rule change, and reaffirms trans people's rights to seek shelters matching their gender identity

HHS announces the withdrawal of Trump Administration rules that allowed discrimination by healthcare organizations against LGBT people.

The State Department and later Homeland Security announce babies born to Queer couples overseas will be American citizens if one parent is American, in the past the child only qualified if they were genetically related to the American citizen parent.

The Justice Department files against a West Virginia law banning trans students from school athletics

Department of Veterans Affairs announces it will offer gender confirming surgery for transgender veterans. There are an estimated 134,000 transgender veterans in the U.S. and another 15,000 transgender people serving in the armed forces.

President Biden Signs a law making the Pulse Night Club a national memorial

The State Department creates an X gender marker for passports and other documents, allowing gender affirming identification for non-binary and intersex people for the first time.

The Census Bureau for the first time issues a Survey with questions about sexual orientation and gender identity

On the 10th anniversary of the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, Veterans Administration announces that soldiers discharged for homosexual conduct, gender identity or HIV status qualify for veterans' benefits

Dr. Rachel Levine becomes the first trans person confirmed by the US Senate when she was nominated to be Assistant Secretary for Health, she also became the first trans flag rank officer when she was sworn in as a 4 star Admiral for her job as head of the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, his makes her the highest ranked trans person in government

Holds the first ever vigil in the White House for Transgender Day of Remembrance

HHS announces rule change to reinstate and expand protections against discrimination in the Affordable Care Act, including denying coverage for gender-affirming care.

Social Security Administration reverses a Trump Administration policy and allows benefits claims by surviving partners in same-sex relationships, whose partner died before marriage equality was legal

President Biden signs the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (a bill he helped originally craft in the Senate) which for the first time has grant programs dedicated to expanding and developing initiatives specifically for LGBTQ survivors of domestic violence

The TSA announces new technology and policy shifts to improve the customer experience of transgender travelers who have previously been required to undergo additional screening due to alarms in sensitive areas.

The Social Security Administration allows people to edit their gender and name on records for the first time without legal and medical documentation

The US Air Force announces it'll offer medical and legal aid to any personnel families affected by state level anti-trans youth bills.

Karine Jean-Pierre becomes the first Lesbian to serve as White House Press Secretary

on 50th anniversary of Title IX The Department of Ed strengthens protections for Students against sexual harassment and discrimination

Veterans Affairs announces survivor benefits now extended to partners from relationships before marriage equality was legalized in 2015

President Biden signs the Respect for Marriage Act into law enshrining protections for marriage equality for same-sex and interracial couples

The Department of Ed announces new rules around athletic eligibility under Title IX, declaring blanket bans on trans students violate the law and setting up strike standards for schools

The White House announced a suit of new protections for LGBTQ people, including a new job at the Department of Ed to combat book bans, a joint DoJ Homeland Security effort to combat violence and threats and HHS evidence-based guidance to mental health providers for care of transgender kids

President Biden signs an Executive Order directing HHS to protect LGBTQI+ youth in the foster care system, a rule they later passed requiring Queer foster children to be placed in affirming homes

The Biden administration joins families of transgender youth in Tennessee and Kentucky in petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court to review and reverse a circuit court ruling allowing a ban on mainstream health care to be enforced

President Biden Signs a EO expanding on past EO on equality and helping underserved communities

The Department of Education's Civil Rights office opens an investigation into the death of Nex Benedict. President Biden in his statement said: "Every young person deserves to have the fundamental right and freedom to be who they are, and feel safe and supported at school and in their communities. Nex Benedict, a kid who just wanted to be accepted, should still be here with us today. Nonbinary and transgender people are some of the bravest Americans I know. But nobody should have to be brave just to be themselves. In memory of Nex, we must all recommit to our work to end discrimination and address the suicide crisis impacting too many nonbinary and transgender children.”

[lokischocolatefountain]

Holdout || Fraternize

Congressman!Javier Peña AU

Fandom: Narcos

Pairing: Javier Peña x Reader

Rating: 18+

Warnings: smut, fingering, arguments, period typical misogyny, American politics, inappropriate workplace behavior, office sex, kinda fem!dom, discussions of healthcare policy, inaccuracies regarding American politics

Word count: 4.5k

Summary: Sometimes it was better to talk face to face than to send his lackeys to speak for him. And who knows? Maybe he’ll get a sweet deal out of it. If nothing else, she was at least a good time.

A/N: I know Javi has nothing but disdain for politics and politicians. He would’ve pushed those DC guys out of the helicopter in season 3 if they’d asked more stupid questions. But it’s the same season 3 Javi who put in all those suits and ties and combed his hair neatly and walked around looking like a WHORE. So it’s actually his fault that I’m writing him as a politician. As usual, give your girl some comments and reblogs 🥹🥹🥹

Tagging: @art-estrange

“How many holdouts, Donna?”

“Thirteen.”

“Fuck,” he whispered, knowing instantly from the number which faction of congresspeople had refused to agree to vote for the bill. He also knew who the ringleader of this group of thirteen was. Without her approval, the other twelve wouldn’t even breathe let alone vote yes. An abstinence, maybe. But a yes? Impossible. She was also one of the few who could reach across the aisle to get them the votes he and Murphy needed to pass the bill in Congress.

“What exactly does she want?”

“Bunch of stuff,” said Donna, flipping open the binder that contained the draft of the Child Health Assistance Program bill. From his seat, Javier could see the color coded remarks that decorated the pages. Only when it went to her office did it come back with the fucking rainbow splattered in the pages. When he was a freshman to congress, the outgoing congressman from his district had warned him about her.

Difficult. Nerdy. Pretentious. A fucking bitch. An absolute cunt.

He would never say the last two things about her, of course. If he so much as thought them, his mama would fly to DC and slap him.

“The premium increase on Medicaid for one. She thinks it’s too much. Did some math on the side, too,” she said, unfolding a sticky note that contained some scribbled out numbers. “She accounted for the average household income nationally and in her district and adjusted for projected inflation and arrived at an increase by 3% on the financial burden on families. She made a calculation for our district, too. And by Stoddard’s calculations, her estimate is accurate.”

“Right, right,” he said, taking a puff of his cigarette and blowing the smoke out towards the open window. “Has anyone told her that healthcare expenses have increased and we cannot afford to keep the Part B premiums at forty four fucking dollars?”

His staffer simply shrugged before beginning to explain all the other demands the congresswoman from West Virginia had. By the time they were through with the major issues, it was time for lunch.

“Try to get Barrett and Kilpatrick on board,” he said, getting up from his seat at the head of the table. He heard her grumble, but didn’t take it too personally. It would be easier to move a boulder up a hill than to convince anyone in the congresswoman’s faction to vote for something she didn’t vote for. He pressed the stub harder into his glass ashtray, his anger towards her manifesting in the present she got him.

“Yes, sir,” she said, marking the page they’d last discussed. His staffers shuffled out of their seats and out of the office, leaving him with just Donna.

“I hear she’s back in the building. Returned from her district last night. Maybe you can convince her?” She said expectantly. Out of all the people in his office, she was the only one who knew that he had a shot. No matter how narrow the possibilities. Fair’s fair, he thought. Since he tasked her with talking to Kilpatrick and Barrett.

“Yeah,” he said, nodding. “No harm in trying.” He would’ve laughed had someone else said that. There definitely was harm in trying. His sanity was at stake. He had a hard enough time just seeing her at the committee meetings. But if he couldn’t get members of his own party on board, he could bid goodbye to the dream of passing the bill.

He picked up the binder and sped through the hallways to her office, anxious she might leave for lunch. She usually didn’t, but made exceptions for when she met with her campaign team. Something about it being unethical to do campaign business in facilities paid for by the taxpayer. And illegal. Like him, she was a workaholic. If she wasn’t in her office, she was in her congressional district.

He stopped outside the double doors to her office, American flags on either side and a nameplate with her name and state written in gold. Right as he rose his fist to knock for courtesy’s sake, the door opened and a lanky young boy stepped out of her office, sandwich in hand. Intern.

“Is the congresswoman in?” He asked, making the boy jump back in surprise.

“Uhh…” the boy trailed, looking back at the door with wide eyes. So she was in. And the kid didn’t know whether he was one of the people to whom he should lie about his boss’ availability.

“She’s…busy?”

Javi snorted before putting a hand on the boy’s shoulder and gently nudging him away from the door. “Enjoy lunch, kid,” he said before slipping into her office. The boy said something in an effort to stop him, but the door thankfully muffled the sounds. He kicked the door with the deadbolt, eager to not get caught. Nothing interesting ever happened in congress. So the first wisp of smoke would be enough for gossips to start a fire. He walked past the front office with the plush couches for guests and right into the inside where the magic happened.

Sure enough, he found her hunched over her desk, punching numbers into a calculator with her left hand as her right scribbled them out on her notebook. The black high heeled shoes she wore pushed her ass out invitingly. His eyes trailed up the shoes, following the black lines of her stockings. He took a deep breath and turned away, his eyes landing on one of her staffers’ desks.

A carton box with sandwiches from the nearby cafeteria sat open, mostly empty but for three sandwiches wrapped in aluminum foil. He wasn’t planning on lunch, but he wouldn’t decline after seeing some perfectly good sandwiches laid out in front of him.

“Get your own, Peña,” came a cold, stern voice right as he touched one.

“I would, but you owe me sustenance for making me read through all your notes. I need more nutrients to keep up with your shit,” he said, unwrapping the foil. He took a bite, nodding appreciatively as the well seasoned meat and garlic mayonnaise touched his tongue.

She put her pen down and turned around to finally face him. She looked well put together as she always did. A navy blue pinstriped skirt that clung to her beautifully, matching the jacket draped over her chair. Her white blouse was tucked in, her hair up in a neat bun to show off her pearl earrings. She placed a hand on her hip, crossed one leg in front of the other and narrowed her eyes at him. “It’s not my fault that your diet of whiskey and cigarettes doesn’t nourish you enough to read some notes on your poorly drafted bill.”

“It’s called a draft for a reason, Glitter,” he scoffed, his lips curving up in a smirk as he used her nickname against her. He knew she hated it. He wasn’t even in congress for the origin of the nickname, but it took only days for him to learn that the Congresswoman from West Virginia had “accidentally” used a glitter pen to write notes on the final draft of a bill. Sure she changed the pen after she realized. Only one word was in the imbecilic ink, but the name stuck.

“I forgot that your standards are low.” She rolled her eyes and folded her arms over her chest. “What do you want now, Peña? Is it just the sandwich? I knew you had a tight budget over in the 23rd district of Texas, but I didn’t know the situation was so dire even the congressman had to mooch off someone else.”

“I already paid for it. With my soul.” He took another bite of the sandwich, unaffected by her jabs. As he chewed on his free lunch, he slapped a hand on the binder he abandoned on a staffer’s desk.

“We need to discuss your ridiculous demands.”

“I don’t see how asking to restore coverage for disabled children counts as ridiculous.” She leaned back against her desk and placed her palms flat against the surface. “Unless you hate children. Disabled children.”

“You’ve been in D.C. too long,” he said, annoyed by her spin. “And it’s not like I slashed the funding for disabled kids. They did. Don’t fight me for shit I didn’t do. And it’s not like they would’ve changed their minds by now. None of them have grown a conscience all of a sudden. They’ll just laugh us out of their office.”

“Peña, are you proposing the child health program for the children or the fucking pricks in the House who think it’s a waste of money to invest in healthcare?”

“To invest in healthcare, we need to get the bill passed. Would you rather get some coverage for kids or none?”

“Obviously, I would like some. But some or none aren’t the only options. If you’re going to cut out necessary things preemptively, we’ll get even less than what we need by the time we’re done negotiating with them.”

He darted his tongue out, licking his lips as he considered her words. They did not differ much ideologically. He too was an idealist like her. The people of his district voted him in for his ideals, for his promises. But D.C. had a way of making cynics out of optimists. It was easier for her to remain an idealist. There was no real threat to her seat.

“We don’t have an unlimited budget. It’s going to be a pain in the fucking ass trying to get this through. I put the shit you’re asking for and we can forget getting any coverage. Just like your demand to expand benefits for low income folks. If we do what you’re suggesting, it’ll be an expenditure of 3 Billion dollars over five years instead of the 1.5 billion we have available.”

She sighed and leapt up, sitting herself down on her desk. “Listen, Peña. I know you’re holding on to your seat by a thread because your margin of victory was thinner than said thread. You need to schmooze the conservatives back in Webb County. But I refuse to pay with the health of my people so you can keep your job.”

He fist clenched at the accusation and he let out a grunt. “Easy for you to say. Your district would vote for a fucking donkey if it had our party’s name slapped on it.”

It wasn’t so easy for him. Every move he made was like walking a tightrope between doing the right thing and what his constituents thought politically correct. One wrong move and they’d be out there on CNN calling him a fucking commie. Not that it bothered him. It just wasn’t good optics.

She held her pen up like it was a sword, like a threat. “They’ve tried to primary me multiple times, asshole. Never worked. I do the work and people vote me in for it.

“Listen. You wanna talk shit or actually work on this thing so we can get it passed?”

“I did my part, Peña. Thought you read through it since you’re claiming to be so exhausted.”

“It’s not gonna work sending it back and forth. Never does. We need to sit together and sort it out.”

“Right…” she drawled, her pink painted lips curling up in a smirk and her eyes sparkling with a mischievous glint. He huffed, knowing immediately what she was smirking about. He licked his lips and let himself think of what they did the last time they decided they would sit together and ‘sort it out’.

“You know I didn’t mean that,” he said, the words tasting bitter on his lips. He didn’t mean that. But he would never refuse an opportunity to do it again.

“Oh?” She teased, an eyebrow raised.

A carefully manicured fingernail dazzled under the light as she used her pointer finger to beckon him forward. He stepped towards her, his feet moving automatically like his cock remembered how he would be rewarded if he complied with her. Eyes connected to hers, he imagined what she looked like under her suit. If he would be able to catch even a glimpse of her body this time. If he would have to reach under her skirt, rip her stockings and push her panties aside to fuck her.

He loved knocking the smirk off her lips the last time, just the sight of her pliant against his chest giving him all the satisfaction he needed even before he came. She wasn’t arguing then. Just sweet little whimpers as she clutched onto his shirt and begged for release.

Just as he could deal with the smirk by reaching her and capturing her lips in a kiss, she lifted her high heel clad foot and placed it on his pants. Over his fucking cock to be exact. He raised his eyebrows at her, confused by her move. She put a gentle pressure on his cock with her foot, making him swallow.

“The fuck are you playing at, Glitter?”

“Nothing,” she drawled in a low, seductive voice. “Just testing if you have a foot thing.”

He huffed and rolled his eyes. “I don’t fucking have a foot thing.”

“Yeah? Must be an ass thing then,” she said, lifting her leg higher and caressing his face with the top of her shoes. “Maybe it’s a shoe thing…” His breaths got quicker and his heart beat faster, his body enticed by her daring when she was usually quite conservative and no-nonsense. “You didn’t want me to take my shoes off last time. It was fucking uncomfortable. I know you like how my ass looks when I wear these.”

She trailed the pointy end of the heel down his neck, just barely touching his skin, driving him mad with want for more. The hairs on his body stood to attention and his cock twitched in his pants. She hooked the heel under his tie and pulled. When it budged only a little, he tugged on it himself, taking the thing off completely and stuffing it into his pocket.

Before she could retreat, he caught her leg. Hand wrapped around her ankle he placed a kiss above the strap of her shoes. He looked up at her, relishing in watching her confidence chip away bit by bit as he left a trail of kisses up her leg. A silent gasp left her lips as he stopped at the edge of her desk and put her leg over his shoulder.

“You up for a meeting? To discuss,” he said, tilting her head up with a finger to her chin.

A soft smile played on her lips as she said, “We’ll see…”

“Yeah? What exactly do I have to do to get you in my office, Congresswoman?”

“Convince me. Give me something I’d want.”

“Everything’s a quid pro quo to you, isn’t it?”

“Such is politics, Peña.”

“If you say so,” he said, leaning close and kissing her neck right above the collar of her blouse. He felt her swallow, making him smile against her neck. The perfume he knew she spritzed on her neck seduced his senses and he licked her skin in a quest for his other senses to experience her delicious scent.

“Javier… Someone could come in at any time.”

Javier… It was always Peña for her. Except when they fucked. Then it was Javier, Javier, oh fuck please, harder! Once she fixed herself post fuck, it was back to Peña with a tinge of disdain. Like some crude separation of church and state.

“Everyone else knocks. I’m the only one who drops by without announcing myself,” he spoke into her skin, his voice a low drawl. “And I locked the door. Because I know you can’t resist me.” She snorted, but relaxed beneath his touch. Her hand came up to his hair, touching him oh so lightly in a way that she wouldn’t mess it up too much.

“Fucking caveman,” she chided, her voice too warm for him to believe she opposed his behavior. He trailed a hand up her skirt, stopping where her thighs met. He cupped her pussy, his eyes fixed on her face to read signs of displeasure.

“Congresswoman, I just kissed up your leg like you’re a delicate fucking princess. A caveman would rip your clothes up, hold you down and fuck you hard,” he said, feeling proud of himself when he felt her pussy react to it under his hand.

“Guess you have a caveman thing,” he mocked, leaving her no time to respond before grabbing her stockings and ripping it in his hand. She shrieked and grabbed on to his shoulders to steady herself.

“That’s the second pair you’ve ruined, asshole.”

“I wouldn’t have to ruin your stockings if you just took your clothes off and bent over the desk.”

“Oh fuck you,” she laughed, letting out a little whimper when he pushed her panties aside and found her clit.

“I will, Congresswoman,” he said in a soft voice as he rolled her nub under his thumb. Her hand traversed his back, feeling the fabric of his suit and making him wish they had the time and privacy for him to take his clothes off. Feel her bare hand on his back and let her leave scratches as he took his time to get her across the finish line.

“You address everyone by their designation when you fuck them, Javier?” She rocked up against him, her chest flush against his as she searched for her pleasure under his thumb.

It felt so fucking good though she wasn’t doing anything to him, to have his mouthy, disagreeable colleague in the palm of his hand. To play her like an instrument. Have her spinning in her head for a second longer before her snarky retorts left her lips.

“No, just the infuriating, fuckable Congresswomen,” he joked, getting a shove to his chest. He didn’t budge, having prepared himself for the attack since he anticipated it.

“You tease all the men you fuck in your office with your shoe?”

“No, only the ugly ones,” she said, laughing. He smiled, happy with her giving it to him as good as she got. They were close, so close he could feel her warm breath against his skin.

“Asshole,” he whispered against her lips before closing the gap between them. She looped one arm around his neck and allowed her other hand to play with his suit lapel. Her lips were soft, contrasting the sharp words they often spoke to him. A sense of calm settled in his chest as she slipped her hand under his jacket. He felt her hand now, caressing him up and down, making him long to know what she would feel like against his skin.

Spurred by the thought, his hand rubbed her more enthusiastically. She whimpered into the kiss and he took the chance to slip his tongue between her lips. Her hand traveled up his shirt and clutched his collar, her thumb slipping under his shirt and touching his neck. He moaned and quickly felt her smirk against his lips.

Unwilling to give her the upper hand, he grabbed her panties and tugged, making the frail fabric rip in his hand.

“What the fuck, Javier!?”

“Shh…”

Unobstructed by her panties, he was free to let his hand do two things at once. He parted her pussy lips and pushed a finger inside her, her warm wetness inviting him in easily. He added another finger and coated himself in her slick.

She gasped as he returned his thumb to her clit, making him smile smugly. He pulled away so she could see him. So she could see the power he wielded over her.

“You’re much nicer like this, Congresswoman.”

“And you are more of a dickhead somehow,” she said, grabbing his cock through his pants. When she began stroking his length, he drew a sharp breath.

“Why wouldn’t I? You get wetter when I’m a dick to you. You get like this when we’re talking business too?”

“Of course not, assface.” She gritted her teeth and grabbed him harder, making him grunt.

“Maybe I should check the next time we’re yelling at each other in the middle of the hallway. Reach under your skirt and find your wet panties.”

Her grip on him got harder and her eyes narrowed at him, but her pussy clenched around his fingers. “See, you like it.”

“You’ll see what I like and don’t like when I break your little prick, Peña.”

“Thought I was Javier when I’m fucking you.”

“You thought wrong,” she said, squeezing his cock again.

He yelped, the pressure getting too much even through his pants.

“Fuck!”

“Yeah. Fuck,” she snarked, releasing him only to snake around to his behind and grab a cheek.

“Get it done quick. Unlike you, I have things to do after this.”

“Oh yeah? Maybe I should go now. Can’t keep the Congresswoman from doing the best for her constituents,” he mocked, pulling away from her.

She wrapped her legs around him and pulled him back, trapping him in place with them. “Finish the fucking job,” she spoke, a serious expression overtaking her features.

“Yes, Ma’am,” he said, keeping up the pace of his thrust. He found her neck with his lips, placing sweet kisses on her skin. So close to her, he could feel the effect of every touch, every kiss. He locked the responses in his mind, ready to use the information for the next time he found himself with his hand up her skirt.

“The other side, Javier…” she breathed her command and he followed, eliciting a moan from her.

“Just like that… Keep going.” She thrusted back into his fingers, taking her pleasure from him eagerly. Every now and then, she issued a new command. When he obeyed, she rewarded him with sweet sounds of her pleasure.

As he brought her closer, she gripped his fingers tighter. Her eyes glazed over and she stopped giving instructions, only enjoying the fruits of his compliance with her earlier ones. She leaned against his shoulder, placing some of her weight on him. Being the sucker he was for beautiful women in the throes of pleasure, he placed a kiss on her head and cradled the back of her neck with his free hand.

“Come on, come for me…” he said softly when he felt her at the edge of the precipice.

“F-fucking make me, fucker,” she cursed, mewling when he changed the angle of his fingers to add a twist to his touches.

“Will you give me a meeting in exchange then? We could work it over together…” he negotiated with no shame whatsoever. It was a shameless business, politics.

She opened and closed her mouth several times, unable to let out anything other than a breath as he assaulted her senses mercilessly. She shook her head in denial, making him smile at her defiance.

She panted as he wore her out, her chest heaving and her eyes rolled back. The hand gripping his lapel grew weak and she went limp against him. With a low moan, she came around his fingers and collapsed against him. He kept his fingers inside her, not having the heart to kiss out on how her pussy spasmed around them as she recovered from the high he brought her.

She lifted her head off his chest and dropped her legs, freeing him from her prison.

“You’re not getting a meeting in exchange for fingering me, Peña.”

“What does a man have to do then? Fuck you in the ass? Cause I’ll do it,” he said, laughing when she shoved at his chest weakly. He pulled out finally and took a step back before grabbing his handkerchief and wiping his fingers clean of her release. She hopped off her desk and pulled out her handkerchief from her purse. She unfolded the white cloth embroidered with flowers and leaves and dipped a corner in her glass of water.

He raised an eyebrow at her when she turned back around to offer it to him.

“You have lipstick on your face.”

“Ah.”

“Where?” He asked, accepting the cloth from her.

“Right there. On your neck,” she said, pointing vaguely at his neck. He swiped where he guessed the lipstick mark was and looked up at her, asking silently if he got it.

She shook her head and reached back into her purse. She offered him a black circular box- a makeup thing he knew had a mirror in it.

“Thanks,” he said and pried it open.

“Who are you expecting to vote for this from the other side?” She asked as she adjusted her clothes and reapplied her lipstick. He wiped off the traces of her from his neck and lips. He closed the box, careful not to spill the powder inside.

“Hayworth, Calvert, Cunningham, Doolittle. Rohrabacher would do it, but it’ll require a lot of negotiation. Chenoweth would find the bill agreeable, but it’s unlikely that she’ll vote for it,” he said, a little disappointed that she was talking business even though that was why he came over.

“Yeah. She has a poor record on bipartisanship. Is Evans on board? Cause he’s pretty close to Porter and he can convince him to come aboard.”

“I think he will. Stoddard is talking to Evans’ people and it seems he’s content.”

“Alright,” she said, nodding. “I don’t have time for this shit, but it needs to be done. Surely your buddy on the other side can convince a lot more people to sign on. If he isn’t confident, there’s no point in us discussing this further.”

“Murphy’s got a list. He’s still in talks with them.”

“He’s still in talks? Motherfucker, why did you waste my time then? Could’ve waited for his chipped down draft before you sent a copy to my office.”

Because as much as I fucking hate you, I respect your intelligence. I respect that DC’s cynicism hasn’t turned you away from your ideologies.

But that wasn’t what he said. That wasn’t how this partnership worked. Political alliance didn’t equal friendship. Hell, Murphy wasn’t his political ally. He was on the other side. Yet they were friends.

“Mhmm. I had it sent to you so early on ‘cause I know you’re the hardest to please.”

“Well,” she said, mischief playing at the corners of her lips. She walked behind her desk and sat back down. “You pleased me okay today. I could do without all the yapping building up to the act, though. Really sucks the fun out of it, hearing your stupid voice.”

“Asshole,” he mumbled, as he pocketed her handkerchief and retrieved his tie. She laughed, the sound eliciting a smile from him. He pressed his lips into a thin line as he busied himself tying his tie, loath to have her see him enjoy something so trivial.

“I’ll see you at the committee meeting then,” he said when he got his tie back on.

“Yeah, see you there to watch them slash programs so they can give tax cuts to their buddies.”

He snorted, agreeing with her. It drained him to sit in on the budget committee meetings. It was a high honor when he got assigned to such an important committee. Felt like a pat on the back for his hard work. Until he had to do the hard work of arguing against the fucking worst suggestions futilely. Nothing fucking mattered when they didn’t have majority. Yet, he argued. So did she.

“Pass me a sandwich on your way out, Peña.”

He picked one of the two remaining sandwiches. “Here you go,” he said, making a throwing motion without tossing it. She reacted, throwing her hands up in the air to catch a sandwich that never came.

“Asshole,” she cursed, picking up her paperweight. Before she could throw it at him, he skipped away, another free sandwich in hand. As he closed the door to her office, he could’ve sworn he heard her giggle.

.

.

.

Main Masterlist

Guys, I’m so excited about how fun this could be. Javi in his suits. Angry Javi. Javi taking his tie off like in that one Narcos episode from season 3. Javi and reader having clandestine meetings under the guise of work. Maybe a sex scandal? Who know… Let me know what you think of Congressman!Javi and Congresswoman!Reader.

[voidcap]

the LOOKS between them & the chemistry & this scene alone, i cant 🥵

“Isn’t there anything you ever think about doing? To me, I mean. Something unusual? Because I think about doing things to you. I think about making you powerless.”

“Below the Belt”, Masters of Sex (2013)

[jtargaryen18]

The House of Shadowed Roses

CHAPTER 1

Words: 5.4k

Pairing: Edward (Loosely based off a "A Different Man") x Live-in Companion Reader M/F

Disclaimer: The author of this work claims no ownership of characters aside from the reader, and original secondary characters mentioned. This work is not intended for those under the age of 18 due to explicit sexual content and darker themes. By reading this work or any works on my blog (jtargaryen18), you agree that you are at least 18 years of age. I do not consent to have my work hosted on any third party app or site.

"You could have flown away A singing bird in an open cage Who will only fly, only fly for freedom..." - "Walk On" U2

A/N: This is my spin on Beauty & the Beast. Edward, at the beginning of the story, has the condition neurofibromatosis as he does in the film. But this isn't going to be used in a negative way, nor are we going to include depictions of him being mistreated by others as a result. (Edward has structured his life in a way to avoid that.)

As you were reading over the short list of rentals into today's paper, you felt your frustation rising. Were you going to find another place to live before you had to leave your current apartment?

It had been a long few years. 

You graduated high school, started college pursuing a degree in business.Your first year in the MBA program was at the smaller Michigan university not far from your hometown. Your grades had been fine. You just realized after five years of business you didn't feel anything about it, one way or another. Did you really want to spend your life like that?

You took a gap year, working part time jobs to pay your bills and to keep your tiny, dark little apartment. You'd started working as a kennel assistant at a local veterinarian's office and what do you know? You found something you loved doing. Sure, you started out walking dogs, scooping poop, and cleaning kennels. But after a few months, you were trusted with other tasks in the clinic. You helped pull kittens or puppies when there was an expectant mother, you looked after animals boarded there. You helped put together prescriptions, sometimes helped the receptionists get vacations or personal days.

It was an easy choice, you were going back to school. The vet-med program was in Virginia but in four years, you'd earn a DVM. It was a job that you knew you'd appreciate and that would allow you to make a real difference. 

The problem was, now you were heading for thirty and the student loans were piling up. After two years in the program, you earned a two-year technician's degree. It was as good a time as any to get some work in the field and pay some of that debt down.

The veterinary hospital in the small Virginia town was even nicer than the first one you'd worked in back home. It was female-owned with three female doctors, two other techs who were guys, and a competent staff of receptionists, kennel assistants, and even a couple of volunteers. After six months, your job there just fortified your desire to achieve a career as a veterinary doctor.

The problem? Living spaces.

You knew the apartment in the old -- really old -- boarding house was probably a risk. The building was a hundred and twenty-five years old, there were drafts, creaking floors, and leaks from the ceiling when it rained. The electric wiring needed repairs often.

When you received the notice that the building where you lived was being condemned, you panicked. You had just a month to make other arrangements which meant your living conditions probably weren't safe. But its affordable rent had really helped you put some money back. 

Where were you supposed to go now?

When someone called your name the next day in the break room, you walked in to see Dave, one of the other techs, sitting at the table eating the lunch he'd packed and scrolling on his phone. He looked at you expectantly when he spotted you.

"Weren't you looking for a place to live?" he asked.

"Sure am," you told him.

"There's an ad in the marketplace," he told you, looking back to his phone. "Room for rent. Looking for someone to help with shopping and small errands. In exchange, will rent space: a bedroom, office or living room, and full bath. Kitchen and laundry can be shared."

When Dave read the address and the rent price per month, you were floored. It sounded like an elderly person looking for a housemate to help them with shopping or cleaning. That would be perfect for you and it was just fifteen minutes away from the hospital. 

"Can you send me that?" you asked him. "When was it posted?"

Dave took another look at the ad he'd read to you. "Says it was posted today."

"Perfect! Thank you," you told him.

Grabbing your phone from your locker, you were going to call right now. Hopefully, it was still available. It had the potential to be a really good deal for you.

Your call went straight to voicemail. A digital voice told you to leave your message at the tone. You did. You probably sounded like an idiot, but you quickly asked if they could call you back about the rental. You left your number and name.

And then nothing. At the end of your shift, there were no messages. The next day, no return call. The day after that? Nothing.

Damn, someone beat you to it. 

You spent the weekend doing laundry and boxing things up. You did your normal search each day in the papers, marketplaces. Maybe something you could afford would come up. You had two weeks now. You were gettting desperate.

You'd been home for maybe an hour Monday when the chime of your phone had you fishing it out of your purse to see who it was. The number was private but since you'd called to ask about another apartment this morning, you assumed it was them.

A deep, rough male voice asked to speak with you. When you confirmed it was you, he mentioned his house on Garden Street. You were floored! It was the house from the ad Dave told you about, the one where the owner was looking for help and offering a really affordable price. 

"Yes," you responded. "I am very interested in your ad."

"Do you live in the area?" he asked. 

His voice was strange. He didn't sound old per se. It was hard to tell. His voice was rough and sounded a little garbled. You had a little trouble understanding him. But there was no way in hell you were going say that. You wanted what he was offering.

You explained your situation and the urgency of it. Then you told him you appreciated his consideration. There was a long moment when he didn't say anything. Was he still there? Was he considering your case?

"I'd like to interview you," he said finally. "Tomorrow."

Really? "Okay, I can do that," you said. "What's a good time?"

Whatever you needed to do, you'd do it. Take the evening off from work even. 

"Come at eight-thirty," he said after a long pause. 

"In the morning?" You wanted to make sure you got it right. 

"No, tomorrow evening," he said. "I'll text you the address."

Okay. It was a little odd. But you needed a place to live. "I'll be there," you told him.

When you got off the phone, when you went to  bed, you could rest easier. Sure, there was a chance that you wouldn't get the place. But there was just as much of a chance that you would. You got a good night's sleep. 

***

Nerves were about to get the best of you as headed down that narrow dirt road in your car, pulling up to what looked like an old southern mansion. Twilight still clung to the deepening colors on the horizon and there was just enough light left to hint at a magnificent old house, a few of the first floor windows were lit up with soft light. There was a huge, elegant weeping willow tree in the front yard and what looked like huge flower beds on either side of the ornate front porch, their colors swallowed by the night.

Summoning your courage, you climbed out of your SUV and headed for the front door. The heat of a hot August day still lingered on the humid air and the chorus of crickets all around you made you feel like you'd entered some enchanting storybook tale.

What a beautiful place. What would it be like to live here?

You had enough time to go home and change out of your scrubs. You went with a strappy summer dress and cute sandals, a soft, summer cardigan lending a demure look to the outfit. You'd ultimately decided to carry a small purse with your phone. If you needed to make notes, you were well prepared.

The soft notes of piano music reached your ears as climbed the stairs to reach the front door. For a moment, you just listened. It sounded like someone was actually playing a piano rather than a recording and you smiled when you recognized the song. "Dream a Little Dream of Me."

You hated to disrupt that but you didn't want to be late either. Your smart watch showed you it was eight-thirty-one. 

Here goes.

Three sharp knocks on the door, announcing your presence. And just as you suspected, the music stopped. Footsteps grew louder as they neared the door. You smiled when the door swung open, anxious to greet your host and hopefully your new landlord.

But all you saw was his back as he walked swiftly away from you down a long shadowy hallway. 

"Come in!" he called back over his shoulder in that strange voice.

You hadn't expected that, hoping you hadn't done something wrong already. With nothing else to do, you quickly closed the front door behind you and followed him down the hall. He'd turned to the right, light from the room casting a spotlight on the floor. Slowly, you went that same route, peering into the room before you walked into it.

You couldn't help but smile to see all the beautiful antique furniture, a gorgeous Tiffany lamp in delicate shades of pink and purple glass adorning a small table by the window. There were no photos on the walls, which you found strange, but there were gorgeous paintings of beautiful nature views. The floor was polished wood, gleaming under your sandals as you slowly walked further into the room. You also spotted the small piano, it's dark wood catching the soft light around it.

Finally, you spotted your host sitting in a shadowy corner of the room in a huge leather chair.  He sat there so still that it startled you a little at first. It took you only a second to understand why. Your host's face... It was horribly disfigured. Swollen and misshapen, covered with bulbous areas beneath his skin. His hands were normal, telling you he probably wasn't that old. He was dressed nicely in slacks and a black dress shirt, looking ready to curl in on himself under your scrutiny.

Only one eye was really open, the other buried in the odd landscape of his face, and it was blue. That one-eyed gaze was fixed on you and you instantly read the fear and anxiety there. 

The poor man. Was it Proteus Syndrome? Or something else?

Instantly, you smiled. Years of seeing all sorts of animal injuries and conditions had you switching into the same objective mode you used at work and school. You noticed a chair sitting off to his left by a beautiful, large window. It was oddly placed several feet from him, but you understood why. You wanted him to feel comfortable with you.

"Thank you for agreeing to speak with me," you said in a tone you would have used with anyone else. Motioning toward the other chair, you asked, "May I?"

"Of course," he said, that fearful gaze on you as you took a seat. "I'm Edward. Thank you for coming out. I appreciate your... kindness."

With a nod, you told him your name, maintaining eye contact as you took a seat. 

"So, your ad mentioned needing help with shopping and small errands," you said, realizing why now.  "What are you looking for there?"

"Not a lot," Edward replied. "As you can imagine, going out can be difficult for me at times. My condition is called neurofibromatosis. I've always had it so I'm used to people's reactions. It's just, the older I get, the more I just... You'd think I'd be used to it by now."

Your heart cracked a little in your chest. You couldn't begin to imagine what life had been like for the man before you. What did you say to that?

"And forgive me, but," Edward paused for a beat. "You're just so lovely."

Saying "thank you" didn't feel right. You certainly didn't see yourself that way so you waited for the uncomfortable silence to pass.

"I'd like a weekly grocery run," he explained. "During spring, I'd like someone who could run to the garden center for me to get supplies. That would be quite a few trips actually. I enjoy gardening. It's a place of peace for me."

That had you smiling. Everything around you, the home, the landscape outside, looked gorgeous. Maybe his condition had condemned him to a life in the shadows because of his appearance. But it sounded like he enjoyed making his environment beautiful and it really was. You found that inspiring.

"It's a little dark outside," you said. "But the flower beds around the porch are gorgeous. I bet they're even more beautiful by day."

Slowly, he nodded. "Thank you."

"That's mostly it," Edward finished. "I might ask for take out once in a while. Not often. I'll make sure you have plenty of money to get everything on my list and whatever you might want for yourself."

None of that sounded like a problem at all for you. It was incredibly generous.

"You'd mentioned you were taking a gap year from college," he said. "How old are you? If you don't mind my asking."

"I'm turning twenty-nine soon," you said. 

Edward nodded, seeming to consider this. "How long do you plan to be here?"

"Oh, a while I'd think," you explained. "I'm about three months into my gap year right now. I'm going to the vet-med college. I still have two or three more years to get my DVM."

"The goal is to be a veterinarian?" he asked.

"It is," you told him. "I really love the hospital where I work now. I'm kind of hoping once I finish my degree that maybe I can stay and work there."

"So you're planning to live here," it wasn't a question, "instead of just passing through."

"I'm hoping to, yes," you said. "I work there full-time as a vet tech. I'm there by six in the morning and I get out around four. Most days. Some days we have last miute emergencies that keep us longer but it's not often. Maybe a couple of times a month. It shouldn't interefere with getting you what you need when you need it. If I get the accomodations that is."

Edward nodded, seemingly considering your words.

"Do you have any pets?" you asked him.

"Not at the moment, no."

That was a shame. The love of a pet could be good for someone like him. 

"If you ever decide you'd like to adopt a dog or cat, let me know. We work closely with the county shelter and a few different rescue leagues. There are a lot of pets in need of good homes."

"I'll keep that in mind," Edward said.

You nodded, feeling a little awkward. You felt like he was smiling. There was no way to know for sure because his face...

"My offer is this," Edward said, pulling you out of your thoughts. "You live here. Like the ad said, you get a bedroom, living room, and full bath. They are very spacious rooms. The kitchen is here on the ground floor and it should be equipped with anything you need. The laundry is in the basement. Washer, dryer, ironing station."

An ironing station? That had you smiling.

Thinking about room in this house, you felt a small spark of excitement growing. Not yet. You didn't know how much he was going to ask for rent. You could just hope that if you were willing to run errands and shop for him, he'd take the price down a little. His house was incredible.

"You run errands for me, help me when I need you, and do the shopping," he went on. "We'll call it even."

What?

"Even?" you asked.

"I don't need your money," Edward said. "I have enough for a couple of lifetimes. My father left me quite an inheritance."

From the looks of everything around you, that appeared to be true. But you could stay for free?

You knew your confusion had to be showing on your face. Edward made a rough sound. Was it a chuckle?

"I have a couple more rules," he said after a moment. 

"Of course," you said, still waiting for the punch line. This man didn't know anything about you and he was just going to let you live in his old-fashioned mansion for free? Just for running his errands and getting his groceries?

"I enjoy a peaceful life here," Edward said. "No loud television or music."

That wasn't an issue. You enjoyed peace yourself. You nodded.

"I don't mind if you have deliveries here," he went on. "But no visitors."

No one at all? That wasn't a huge problem. Still, there was your sister Monica, her husband and your nephew Lucas. They stayed so busy with work and Lucas's little league games that a visit wasn't something you had to worry about right away. But if they wanted to visit? Were you were supposed to just meet them in town?

"Does that pose a problem?" Edward asked, his gaze with that one blue eye intent on you. "Is there a boyfriend?"

"No," you said instantly. Dating was hard these days with an endless array of guys on dating apps looking for Miss Right Now and tasteful nudes. You weren't into one-night stands. You were hoping one day to find someone to be friends first because friendship was the foundation of every great relationship you'd ever witnessed. With the right person, intimacy and love came later, building a beautiful life on top of that all-important foundation. That was what you wanted. And you weren't in a big hurry. Not right now while you were still in school, building an occupation and a life for yourself.

Was that a hint of surprise in that single blue eye?

"No?"

"No," you repeated. You didn't elaborate. You didn't know Edward but for some reason, you sensed that your relationship - or lack thereof - was important to him. 

Edward studied you for a long moment. "I'm surprised."

Okay, you were a little uncomfortable being put on the spot about your personal life. You were looking for a place to live for a while. That usually involved signing a lease and a credit check. But this?

"I've been busy between school and work for a while now," you explained awkwardly. 

"You're beautiful," Edward was blunt. "That's why I was surprised."

Beautiful? 

You blew out an exhale. See? He was just being kind.

"Do you accept the offer?" he asked.

Wouldn't you be stupid to refuse him? Free rent would help you put back money for school that much faster. If you wanted to see your sister, you could go visit her. If you did meet someone? Well, you could evaluate your situation then.

"Yes," you told him. "Thank you... Is there an agreement or lease or something you want me to sign?"

"There will be," he said. "I'll have my attorney put it together for us."

Just like that, huh? No one else was competing with you for this?

"When can I expect you to move in?" Edward asked. 

"Well, I only have two weeks left," you explained. "I don't have a lot so I should be able to get everything packed up this week. I could maybe move in this weekend. If that's okay with you?"

"That sounds perfect," he said in his strangely distorted voice. 

"Would you like for me to run errands or shop for you this week?" you asked, grateful for the offer he made you. He was lonely man and you understood that. Compassion for a beautiful place to stay sounded like a good deal to you. 

"No." You sensed he was smiling again. "Make your preparations. You can move in this weekend and we'll sign the agreement then."

"Thank you," you told him. "I really appreciate this."

"I'm hoping this situation is one we will find mutually beneficial," Edward said softly. 

You nodded, rising to leave. Smoothing the skirt of your dress as you stood, you felt his gaze on you. Again, that sense of foreboding hit you. But why? Edward didn't feel like a threat to you. He was a lonely man looking for companionship maybe, some help in getting the things he needed.

"I'll call Friday," you told him, "to arrange a time for this weekend."

Edward shook his head. "No need. Come anytime you want this weekend."

"Thank you," you said, ready to go. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

You turned to leave, the piano catching your eye as you approached it. That had you turning back.

"You were playing the piano earlier," you said.

Edward nodded.

"Your playing was beautiful," you admitted.

Some emotion flashed in his eye. It was a little frustrating because you really couldn't read his expressions. You only had intuition to go on. But you sensed that you pleased him.

"Thank you," he said, adding your name. "Be careful on your way back to your apartment."

Nodding, you turned back to make your exit. When you walked out the door of Edward's mansion, you felt the cool night air wash over you. It was darker now but the moon was bright overhead. It lit the way back to your SUV. The night was gentle, peaceful when you climbed back into the driver's seat and started the engine. 

With one last look, your gaze roamed over what was going to be your new home. A beautiful old house and a gorgeous southern landscape. Free rent all for being quiet and getting whatever your new landlord needed. 

It was more than you could have hoped for.

You didn't notice Edward standing in the window, watching you leave. 

[baronessblixen]

show your 4 favorite ships and let your mutuals assume what your concept of romance is

Thank you for tagging me @randomfoggytiger!

they're in no particular order:

Mulder and Scully - The X-Files

Bill and Virginia - Masters of Sex

Niles and Daphne - Frasier

Ted and Rebecca - Ted Lasso

I could go on. I have a sweet couple for every angsty one 😂

Tagging (no pressure! only do if you want to): @xxsksxxx @ellivia @im-a-goddamn-cat @medicaldoctordana @backintimeforstuff

[whitesinhistory]

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by I Dissent 🇵🇸🔻🍉 (@katie.blue.is.the.feeling)

So the Republicans are trying to shut down the government to damage their own states so that they make the Democrats look bad before the election… Is that the game plan they’re going with?

Here is the full list of Republicans who voted against the stopgap bill to prevent a government shutdown in September 2024:

Indiana: James R. Baird, Jim Banks, Rudy Yakym III, Victoria Spartz

Ohio: Troy Balderson, Warren Davidson, Jim Jordan, Max L. Miller

Florida: Aaron Bean, Gus M. Bilirakis, Kat Cammack, Byron Donalds, Matt Gaetz, Anna Paulina Luna, Cory Mills, Bill Posey, Michael Waltz, Daniel Webster

Texas: Michael Cloud, Tony Gonzales, Lance Gooden, Morgan Luttrell, Nathaniel Moran, Chip Roy, Keith Self, Randy Weber Sr., Beth Van Duyne, Roger Williams

Arizona: Andy Biggs, Elijah Crane, Paul A. Gosar, Debbie Lesko, David Schweikert

North Carolina: Dan Bishop

Colorado: Lauren Boebert

Illinois: Mike Bost, Mary E. Miller, Darin LaHood

Oklahoma: Josh Brecheen

Tennessee: Tim Burchett, John W. Rose, Andrew Ogles

Missouri: Eric Burlison

Georgia: Andrew S. Clyde, Mike Collins, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Richard McCormick

Utah: John R. Curtis

South Carolina: Jeff Duncan, Russell Fry, Nancy Mace, Ralph Norman, William R. Timmons IV

Kansas: Ron Estes, Tracey Mann

Mississippi: Mike Ezell, Michael Guest, Trent Kelly

Iowa: Randy Feenstra

Minnesota: Brad Finstad, Michelle Fischbach

Idaho: Russ Fulcher

Virginia: Bob Good, H. Morgan Griffith

Wyoming: Harriet M. Hageman

Maryland: Andy Harris

Louisiana: Clay Higgins

Pennsylvania: John Joyce, Scott Perry

West Virginia: Alexander X. Mooney

California: Tom McClintock

Kentucky: Thomas Massie

Montana: Matthew M. Rosendale Sr.

New York: Claudia Tenney

Wisconsin: Thomas P. Tiffany, Derrick Van Orden

New Jersey: Jefferson Van Drew

Alabama: Barry Moore, Gary J. Palmer

Arkansas: Bruce Westerman

Why is this important to me? I would have been out of a job. Government contractors would rather cut you and rehire you for less pay or benefits. Also, if I miss 1 or 2 paychecks I will be homeless.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Gustaf Kilander at The Independent:

Some Republicans are openly having second thoughts about former President Donald Trump’s choice of running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance. The senator has received negative attention after old clips resurfaced of him calling some Democrats, including Vice President and presumptive Democratic nominee Kamala Harris, “childless cat ladies” and arguing that people with children should have more influence over the future of the country than those without children. The vice president has two stepchildren.

Harris, who would be the first Black South Asian woman president, has broken numerous fundraising records and she has secured enough delegates to claim the nomination at the Democratic National Convention next month. Ben Shapiro, a conservative commentator, recently said on his show, “If you had a time machine, if you go back two weeks, would [Trump] have picked JD Vance again? I doubt it.” “I think he probably would have picked someone like [Governor] Glenn Youngkin from Virginia in an attempt to broaden out his base,” he added. “There was clearly zero vetting of JD Vance. Clearly a vibes pick by an overconfident Trump that is proving to be a disaster,” former Trump White House Communications Director Alyssa Farah Griffin wrote on X after The New York Times revealed that Vance wrote “I hate the police” in an email after the killing of 18-year-old Black man Michael Brown by a white officer in October 2014.

“Given the number of negative experiences I’ve had in the past few years, I can’t imagine what a Black guy goes through,” he added at the time. Wisconsin Republican strategist Bill McCosten told Politico that “Of the people that were mentioned as finalists, he had the most risk, because he had never been vetted nationally.” He added, “Doug Burgum ran for president, he had been vetted, mostly. Marco Rubio has run for president, he had been vetted. JD Vance hadn’t. So there was risk in the pick. And we’re going to see over the next 102 days how he stands up to the bright lights of a national campaign.” A member of the House Republican caucus anonymously told the outlet: “Find me one publicly elected official in the Senate who is pushing JD Vance other than [Utah Republican Senator] Mike Lee. I’ll wait.”

Is Donald Trump beginning to regret his pick of J.D. Vance for VP yet?

Vance has been nothing but a liability to the ticket, and if Trump loses, picking Vance instead of Doug Burgum, Marco Rubio, or Glenn Youngkin may well cost him a victory.

Trump wanted Burgum, but his two sons Eric and Donald Jr. wanted Vance instead, and the sons won out.

[juniperss]

HBO War Writing Masterlist

Bill Guarnere:

-best friends brother headcanons (Bill Guarnere x Reader)

-"Just Looking Out" Bill Guarnere x Reader

-“Dollface” Bill Guarnere x Reader

Joe Liebgott:

-"Something to Hold Onto" Joe Liebgott x Medic!Reader

-I’ve Got a Crush headcanons

Dick Winters:

-Beautiful Stranger” headcanons (Dick Winters x Reader)

-Cuddling Winters headcanons

Various:

Knights of the Roundtable [Band of Brothers AU]

MOTA: -"First Steps First" Jessamine 'Lark' Waterson (OC) x Neil 'Chick' Harding

The Pacific:

"Days Between" Virginia 'Jinny' Collins (OC) x Eugene Sledge

[i-was-today-years-old-when]

i learned that Founding Father and author of the Bill of Rights James Madison stopped the Virginia Assembly from establishing Christianity as the state religion with the help of Thomas Jefferson (x)

[imaginesforeveryone]

The Leader of the Peaky Blinders (Part 6)

Pairing: Thomas Shelby x Y/N  Description:You are from one of the most notorious families in Chicago and you were about to make deals with the most notorious families of England.  Warning:

Your driver put the last of yours, and Thomas’ things in the car, you got in and off you were on your journey to Virginia. Arthur rode along with the men that your father sent with you. He seemed to be getting along with them very well surprisingly. Being we are Italians and they weren’t to ford of us. 

“Sorry we couldn’t go ride the horses yesterday.” You spoke up after 20 minutes of silence. 

“That’s quite alright, love. We are going back to my home where my horses are, that now I can show you and we can ride.” He said with a smirk.

“Can’t wait.” You said going back to silence. 

“Also.” He said speaking up and leaning towards you taking your chin softly in his hand and brining your face close to his. 

“I’m going to show you to your room when we get to my home, then I’ll give you a tour of the house, show you the living room, the dining room, the ballroom, the kitchen, the study, my office, then I’m going to save my room for last.” He said stopping, and planting a quiet, soft kiss on your neck, then coming back up to your ear. 

“Then I’m going to show you what I look like underneath you, in my massive bedroom, on my massive bed, making you cum, over and over again, until you cannot handle it anymore. Until you’re squirting and have no juices left to give.” He whispered into your ear making sure your driver couldn’t hear. Sending shivered ALL through your body. Feeling your walls tighten just thinking about it. 

“I didn’t now I could make a New York gangster like you turn that red.” He said with a sly smirk, and pulling the bill of his hat down to take a little sleep on this journey. So you decided to do the same. 

You felt the car slow all the way down and come to a complete stop. Opening your eyes you saw the big ship that awaited your arrival. Getting out of the car and shutting the door. You began your walk up bridge to get into the ship. You, Thomas, Arthur and all your men got onto it and found your seats. 

It was a long ride. A week to be exact. Finally being able to walk off the ship and onto dry land. 

“Jesus Christ I never thought I loved flat land more than I do now.” You said stepping off the ramp into the docks. 

“Yeah, you get used to it, love.” Arthur said stepping off next to you .

“The Shelby boys are back baby!!” Arthur yelled pushing through the crowd of people. Your men had all the bags and followed you and Thomas to the cars. You, Tommy, and Arthur all got into one car and the rest of the men in another. 

“Welcome to London, darling.” Tommy said lighting a cigarette. 

“Not half bad. a little more smoggy than New York, but pretty much the same.” You said looking around as you drove thought the town. 

“We have to stop at the betting shop. I have to handle some stuff, and you get to meet the rest of the business and family.” Tommy told you as the car took a left turn down a pretty ghetto looking street made of brick. 

“Welcome to Birmingham.” Arthur said sticking his head out the window and taking in the smell of it all. The car stopped infant of a building that looked like it was about to fall apart. 

“This is your betting shop?” You asked looking at its crumbled sides and not to healthy look exterior. 

“Yes. It’s been through a lot, but she still stand here.” He said opening the car door and getting out. Your men getting out of the car behind you. 

“Pete, with me, the rest of you stay out here.” You ordered. Your biggest man, Pete coming to your side. 

“You don’t have to worry around here, love. We run this town. Any allies of mine are allies of everyone around.” He explained as he walked with you. 

“Only precaution Tommy boy.” You said with a wink. Getting to the front door you walked in and it was a mad house. Men screaming at each other. Men running around the shop. Your heels clicking the ground as you walked in causing all the men to stop in their tracks. 

“What are you all looking at!? get back to fucking work you wankers!” Arthur yelled at them. 

“Come on. Let’s meet Polly.” Tommy said as you followed him to the back to an office that sat in what looked like a jail sell. A women sat in the chair on the phone, and talking to two other men stand around her. 

“Polly.” He said sitting down. He caught her attention and she looked over seeing you and hanging up the phone. 

“Ah shit. What happened? The wop is here. so what happened?” She said standing up looking more frustrated than before. 

“Excuse me?” You said to her slang term towards you. 

“Oh sweetie, don’t take offense. I’m just an insensitive cunt who can’t control her tongue.” She said with a smirk at the end. 

“Let everyone know family meeting at the Arrow House at dawn, and you will calm the fuck down.” Tommy stood seeming to not want to deal with her when she was acting like this. 

“Fuck you Tommy!” She screamed as you two walked away. 

“Well she’s a ray of sunshine huh?” You asked as you walked back to the car. 

“Yeah, she’s not always like that. The betting shop does something to her while she’s there.” He explained opening the door for you. 

Arriving at what Tommy called, “The Arrow House” after quite a bit of a drive. You didn’t imagine he had a house like this. Looked as if it was a castle at one time. It was beautiful. Rounding around the big fountain that was in the middle of the driveway, and stopping in front of the door. You stepped out onto the gravel driveway and stared up at it. 

“Tommy, this place is beautiful.” You spoke almost breathless.

“Well as someone once said, I got it pumping some rich guy full of drugs.” He said plainly and started walking towards the front door. 

“Come on everyone. Lets go.” He spoke at the door. Everyone followed and made their way into the house. You walked in and saw the beautiful chandeliers that hung from the ceilings, the large stair way leading upstairs, with a picture hanging of Thomas, his late wife Grace, and his son Charlie. 

“Dad!” You heard a kids voice say and running into the room engulfing Tommy in a hug. 

“Charlie. My boy!” Thomas said hugging his son back. He came up to Thomas chin and was on the scrawny side. But, he was an adorable kid. 

“Charlie, I’d like for you to meet Miss. Capone. She will be staying with us for awhile. Just so you know if you see her trotting around the house.” Tommy explained to Charlie. 

“Hello, Miss. Capone. I’m Charlie.” He spoke in his little English accent coming up to you and sticking his hand out to shake yours. 

“Very nice to meet you Charlie. You can call me Y/N, and you’re the only one who gets to call me that. Specially for you.” You said smiling at him. He turned a bit red with a grin spreading across his face.

“Alright time for Violin practice. Go on.” Tommy said shoeing him with one of the maids. 

“Alright, we all will go to the living room, and wait for the others to arrive to have this meeting.” Thomas said showing you and the others to the living room. You sat in a chair that was about twice her size of you, making you feel like a queen. You and Tommy were the only two sat in the room. Your men stood outside of the room and roamed the house making sure everything was safe. 

“So here’s the living room.” Thomas said handing you a glass with brown liquid in it. Could only assume that it was Irish. 

“Beautiful.” You said looking around seeing a large fire place and gold pieces sitting around along with silver pieces and large paintings. 

“Remember where I said I was showing you next?” He asked leaning over in your ear. 

“Everyone! Dining room, I’M STARVING!” A loud, tall, man in long jacket, and walked with a bounce in his step said walking into the house. You smiled up at him and stood from your seat. Tommy coming to your side, but before he could leave the room, you pulled him to the wall, where no one could see you two and attached your lips to his, giving him a deep hard kiss.

“Mr. Shelby, I do not like to be teased. I WILL find your room. I WILL strip down to my bearskin. I WILL lay in your massive bed. I WILL touch myself in YOUR bed.” You whispered to him making him slightly grin. He turned the corner and made his way to the big beautiful dining room, that sat in the heart of the home. Hung a beautiful painting of his with one of his racehorses. 

“Well hello there. You must be Miss. Capone.” The same tall, loud man said coming up to you, kind of close to you. 

“Yes, and Miss. Capone doesn’t like people in her face. Miss. Capone will cut dicks off if need be.” You said inches from his face but all he did was scoff and giggle. 

“She’s telling the truth John. Watched her do it with my own two eyes.” Arthur said from across the table causing John to back up a bit and stick his hand out to shake yours. 

“John.” He said with a smile. 

“Y/N Capone, nice to meet you John.” You said with a smile back and shaking his hand. 

“She’s a feisty one. I love it !” John said turning to go sit down. You went and sat next to Tommy as the food as being put in front of everyone. 

“Alright. Everyone eat but also listen.” Thomas said getting everyones attention. 

“So obviously we have a guest. Y/N Capone, Al Capones daughter is with us. We have just about come to amends with her and her family. But we have found stuff behind shipped and docked at her families boat yard. Snow and opium.” He spoke out introducing you and explain some of the situation. 

“We hav figured out who the supplies are going to in America, and we have figured out who is sending them.” He exclaimed out still seeming like not everyone was at attention. 

“Jack Nelson and Billy Hill.” Is at that Tommy had to say and everyone choked on their food hearing those names. 

“Jack. Nelson? Where the fuck did this wanker come out of? The shit dumpsters that lay in New York?” John asked looking down the table. The rest of dinner was talking about business and the situation going on and how to find Billy and take him down. After that everyone dispersed and went their separate ways in the house. One of the maids showing you to your room, where your bags had already been brought. 

“Have a goodnight miss.” She said with a bow and a smile. You walked into the room and looked around. It had tall windows, covering by beautiful drapes that just hovered off the floor. off to the right there was a bathroom that was covered in white tile, a large claw bathtub, with a shower head. Vanity set in the corner of the bathroom with all different types of perfumes, and some make up. The carpet was covered in medallion shapes in a deep red tone. Thomas really had some good, high class taste. You grabbed your bag, and set it on the bed. You began emptying it and putting everything in the tall mahogany wardrobe that sat in the corner of the room. You grabbed out a short black silk nightgown that was lace at the breast so it showed a bit of them through it, along with a matching robe that was outlined in lace just like the night gown. You opted for no shoes, considering if Thomas stuck to his words, they would just get in the away. 

could you be falling for this man? You haven’t gone a day without thinking about Thomas Shelby and those icy blue eyes. But he was. a backyard street gangster from England, that was also not an ally to your family just yet. But, you couldn’t help but stop and get lost in thought about him. How he carried himself as if he was on top of the world, just like you were taught to do. You couldn’t help but think of the things he did to you back in New York in your room. How he’s hands so effortlessly glide over your silky smooth skin. The way his warm whiskey stained breathe left you in chills when you felt it on your neck. The way he had no emotion in those eyes of his, but yet so much at the same time. Your father would be baffled at the sight of you and Thomas Shelby as something more than just a work transaction. But so would Thomas Shelby.

[dino-fart]

The Hawk and The Canary | Chapter 1: The Tipsy Bison

Summary + Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4

Pairing: Joel Miller x Female Reader

Genre: Action, Adventure, Romance

Setting: The Last of Us Part II

Reader Information: You are from North Virginia and have a southern accent. You are in your late 30s. You have a scar on your left cheek from a recent fight where you were captured by raiders but made your escape.

Summary: You make a stop in the settlement in Jackson, Wyoming. You find yourself at the bar admiring how peaceful the community is. Your keen eye spots a handsome and gruff patron and his brother. Now it’s the fun game of who makes the first move...

March 1st 2038

You were on your way to the Baldwin Mansion to meet a few...Acquaintances. But you were tired and needed to make a stop somewhere safe. Luckily enough, you came upon a settlement in Jackson, Wyoming. You were wearing an olive green v-neck button blouse with the sleeves rolled up to your elbows, a white tank top underneath, blue pants, black combat boots, and a brown cowboy hat. You wore a golden necklace with a canary-shaped pendant.

“State your business, ma’am.” One of the guards asked you while you sat on your horse. 

“Just wantin’ somewhere safe to stay the night, then in the mornin’, I’ll be on my way.” You tipped your cowboy hat. 

The guards asked you to dismount to check if you had bites. Once you were cleared, they let you in. “You can drop your horse off at the stables, you should head over to the Tipsy Bison for something to eat.” The guard advised and you thanked them. 

You did ask they advised and made your way to the mentioned bar. “Cute name.” You said to yourself as you read the sign and entered the bar. 

You made your way to the bar counter. 

“Well, well, a new face, pretty one too! What can I get ya?” The young bartender asked. 

“Whiskey on the rocks.” You smirked. 

The bartender made your drink and set it down, “Say, pretty lady, can I ask how you got that big scar on your cheek?” 

“Ain’t your mama ever taught you not to ask a lady too many questions?” You smirked as you took a sip of your drink. You were about to divulge into the scar when you heard shouting. You turned around to see two men fighting each other and a woman holding back two teenage girls. 

“Aw, god dammit Seth...” The bartender sighed. 

“Nice to know that even in the apocalypse, bars will always be bars.” You smirked and finished your drink. You set your glass down and thanked the bartender. You took a step back when a man stumbled back toward you. You watched him hit his back against the bar counter. 

“Seth stop it!” You saw the blonde woman shout. 

“You better listen to her, partner, she sounds mad.” You smirked at the drunk and angry Seth. 

But of course, he didn’t listen and stood up tall, he began to charge toward the other man who was standing in front of the blonde woman and the two teenage girls when you stuck your foot out and tripped him. Seth landed on his face and everyone rushed to him. “Oops~” You grinned and tipped your hat at the man who lowered his fists and gave you a silent nod. 

“Much appreciated, ma’am, I think you put him to sleep.” Another man with blonde hair approached you while helping everyone get Seth up. 

“I’ll send you my bill.” You smirked and made your way to the doors of the bar. 

“Who the hell was that, Tommy?” The man asked stepping away from the woman and the girls. 

“She’s a visitor, Joel, a visitor that saved your ass.” Tommy watched two men take Seth away. 

Joel didn’t answer, his eyes watching your figure leave the bar. 

“Get off me!!” Joel’s thoughts snapped when he heard Ellie shout. 

He turned to see her storm off. “Goddammit...” He sighed. 

He followed her out of the bar trying to talk to her but Ellie made it clear, she had no interest. Joel stopped and watched her get to her house. He sighed in exhaustion and shook his head. 

“That’s quite the punch you had there.” He turned to his right to see you leaning against the porch frame with a cigarette in your hand. 

“Thanks...And thanks for...” Joel began to say. 

“De-escalating the situation?” You smirked. 

“Yeah.” 

“Maybe you can get me a drink sometime, Tex?” You winked. 

“Maybe.” 

You told him your name in between puffs of your cigarette. You watched as he nodded his head and then told you his name. “Joel...Yeah, you look like a Joel.” You teased. 

“Whatever that’s supposed to mean.” He gruffed. 

“Have a good night Joel.” You put out your cigarette and headed into the guest house. 

Joel watched you leave then made his way to Ellie. 

You sat down on the bed and took off your cowboy hat. “Well, Abby...You have no idea how close you are.” You murmured looking at the handwritten note that says ‘Target: Joel Miller’.

[softguarnere]

Like A Girl (Like A Man)

Shifty Powers x OFC

Chapter 38: Falling Into Place

Summary: They found their way back to each other, but now they have to find their way back to themselves as well. A/N: This took me way too long to write, because I just couldn't get it right, even though I knew what I wanted to happen. But next is the epilogue, and I'm ✨very pleased✨ with that, so hopefully it all balances out Warnings: symptoms of PTSD Taglist: @latibvles @liebgotts-lovergirl @dcyllom @ithinkabouttzu @mads-weasley @mrs-murder-daddy @lieutenant-speirs

Virginia, 1946

Their first week in Clinchco is probably the closest thing that they ever get to a proper honeymoon.

Although Shifty is sometimes in pain, he insists on going into the woods, reacquainting himself with the places that raised him. Despite the winter chill, they climb Frying Pan together and watch the sprawl of blue mountains before them in silence, drinking it all in. These are not the same mountains that cradled Zenie growing up, but she squints out at them, familiarizing herself with their peaks and crevices, already calling them home.

The blanks do not easily fill themselves in, completing the story and wrapping it up in a nice bow. The universe has spent too long throwing them curveballs to stop now.

On the coldest winter nights, Zenie sometimes jerks awake, heart racing, convinced that she’ll open her eyes and find herself back in her foxhole in Bastogne – afraid that the past year has all been a dream and that she never made it out of those woods.

Shifty is usually awake, staring at the ceiling. She curls into his warmth and listens to his heartbeat, trying to drift back to sleep.

On nights when it eludes her and Shifty still dozes, she sneaks into the kitchen and places late night phone calls to Philadelphia and chats with Bill or Babe, neither of who seem to be getting much sleep, either.

It’s on one of those sleepless nights that Babe dredges up ancient history.

“Zee,” his voice crackles through the receiver. “I just realized something.”

“What is it?”

“You remember that night back in England where you danced with that girl in the pub?”

Zenie has to rifle through memories until she comes up with the correct one. There had been a girl, she vaguely recalls, who moved like a fox that allowed her a dance after Babe encouraged her not to waste her night on the sidelines. “I think so.”

“You made me look like an idiot!”

“Because I was such a good dancer?” Zenie croons quietly, smirking to herself in the darkness of the kitchen.

Babe gasps, mock offended. “No! Because I said that it was too bad you weren’t a girl – since if you were, we would have made a hell of a jitterbug team.”

She has to muffle her laugh with her hand so that she doesn’t wake up everyone in the Powers’ house. He had said that. With no clue.

“Anyway, you better get your ass to Philly to come visit me and Bill,” Babe continues. “And when you do, we’re gonna go dancing!”

“Is that a promise, or a threat?”

“Both.”

But in the end, they go nowhere. Not for a while, at least.

Shifty borrows the truck one day to drive into the next town over, eager to go visit an old friend. Zenie kisses him goodbye at the door, then heads out into town to see if she can find a job. Their time at home relaxing has been fun, but she’s spent too long being busy to get used to it. (Besides, the lingering memories of her father never raising a finger haunt her; she refuses to be anything like him.) They need money, at some point, anyway, to get their own house.

She returns home an hour later, smiling in triumph after securing herself a job at the local diner. But it fades as soon as she walks into the yard and sees Shifty sitting on the front step, frowning down at his feet.

“Shifty?”

He looks up, startled. His dark eyes are deep with something that Zenie doesn’t recognize.

“You’re home early.”

He shakes his head. “I didn’t go.”

“What?” He had been so excited, even though he was only going a town over.

“I couldn’t go,” Shifty corrects himself slowly. He stands, shaking his head, brow furrowed. “I – I don’t know. I was going down the road, and it was like all the air just left my chest. Had to pull over to catch a breath. And then I just . . . came home.”

“Oh, Shifty.”  She opens her arms, and he falls into them. His breathing is heavy, and Zenie rubs his back. They stay like that for a while, still making up for lost time, still making up for all those months where they didn’t get to hold each other like this. When Zenie speaks, she keeps her voice low, afraid to upset the delicate balance of the little universe that exists between just the two of them in this moment. “Do you want to talk about it?”

There’s a moment of hesitation before she feels Shifty shake his head. “No,” he says, breaking their embrace. He sighs. “I don’t even know what there is to say.”

He’s right. What is there to say?

The words for what the end of the war leaves in them remain just out of reach, like a plane passing over in the evening sky, or too deeply entrenched in their hearts to remove, like pieces of shrapnel lodged in a soldier’s flesh. Every time that Zenie thinks she’s found the words, they ultimately fall flat. She always thinks of David Webster, and how he could wax poetic about anything and everything. It makes her wish that she was like that.

But she’s not. So she has to find other ways to express herself. And sometimes the only way she can find to do that is to grab hold of Shifty’s hand and squeeze it like she’s gripping a lifeline. Shifty, for his part, often wraps his arms around her and just holds her, neither of them speaking – just the two of them huddled together, as if they’re the only people in the whole universe.

Things don’t magically fall into place the way that Zenie had once expected them to. Their new lives take some adjusting as new routines develop. They found their way back to each other, but now they have to find their way back to themselves as well.

Shifty disappears into the woods most afternoons. Sometimes he takes Zenie with him. They sit on top of Frying Pan, gazing out at the hazy mountains, their hands intwined. It’s on one of these days that Shifty makes a confession.

“I can’t hunt anymore,” he says quietly.

Startled by his sudden speech, Zenie tears her eyes away from the scene before her. It takes a minute for his words to sink in.

“What?”

“I can’t hunt anymore,” Shifty repeats. He’s still gazing out at the mountains, but a wrinkle appears between his brows as he furrows them in thought. “I’ve tried, but it’s not the same.”

Come to think of it, Shifty usually has his rifle with him when he heads into the woods. But he never comes back with any game. He used to love to hunt.

“I’m sorry,” Zenie says for lack of anything better.

Shifty turns to her, offers her a sad smile. He plants a kiss on her cheek. “Not your fault, Zena. Some things are just different now, and this is one of them.” He exhales, a hard sigh through his nose. “We just have to get used to them.”

And they do.

Slowly, Shifty starts to venture further than the woods. He surprises Zenie by visiting her at the diner one afternoon, and she takes her break so that they can share a slice of pie – blueberry, just like they talked about back in Haguenau – and watch people pass by on the street. When she returns home from work that evening, Shifty surprises her again by announcing that he got a job after he left the diner.

“With the coal company,” he explains. “They aren’t hiring mechanics, but they signed me on to pick slate. It’s a start.”

He doesn’t sound disappointed, but he doesn’t sound thrilled about the menial work, either.

“Shifty,” Zenie says, squeezing his hand. “You don’t have to go back to work if you don’t feel ready.”

“No,” he says, shaking his head. “I’m ready. There are only so many days a man can sit around at home or walk by the same trees in the woods. Besides, I –“ He stops, bites his lip. He shakes his head again. “Never mind.”

This catches Zenie’s attention. “What?”

An awkward pause ensues in which they stare at each other, Shifty looking like a man who has just painted himself into a corner.

Finally, he sighs. “I’m not goin’ to be the type of man your father is. Sittin’ around at home all day, I mean.”

“Oh.” He’s doing this for her. No one has ever forced themselves to do something just for Zenie’s own benefit or happiness before. She leans forward and presses a kiss to her husband’s smooth cheek. Just by considering her feelings, he’s already leaps and bounds ahead of her father. Her last conversation with Matthew applies here, too. “Don’t worry, Shifty. You’re nothing like him.”

Shifty nods in agreement. “And we never will be. Not if I have anything to say about it.”

Slowly, spring comes into bloom all around them. Green buds and colorful shoots reintroduce themselves to the landscape, creeping through the mountains and valleys like a spilled watercolor set staining fresh paper. With the rising temperatures, thoughts of Bastogne and long, miserable days in frozen foxholes subside. Zenie’s sleepless nights ebb away. Shifty begins to smile and talk more. Even though it’s their first spring together in the States as a couple, it feels like they’re returning to themselves as things begin to fall into place.

It's late March. Shifty’s birthday has come and gone, and her own is on the horizon. As the days pass, Zenie finds herself watching the calendar more and more, keeping track of dates as she makes private calculations and risk assessments as she secretly practices speeches that she needs to deliver to Shifty.

The afternoon is clear and bright. Blooming jonquils perfume the air, giving it a sweet quality that Zenie can’t get enough of. A whole company of the yellow flowers rests behind the house, guarding the little creek that runs past. Zenie paces along their ranks as she waits for Shifty to return home from work.

When the rumbling of the truck’s engine comes into earshot, Zenie has to shield her eyes from the sun as she looks up to watch her husband pull into the driveway. He’s going faster than usual. The second he spots her coming towards him, he leans out the window, smiling wide as he waves her over to his parking spot.

“Got a surprise for you,” he announces as he leaps out of the truck. “A couple, actually.”

“I have something for you, too,” Zenie admits.

“I hope it’s pie,” Shifty says. “Because that’s the only thing that could make this day any better.”

“Hmm, I don’t know. It might be better than pie.”

Shifty quirks an eyebrow. “Better than pie? That’s some big talk.” He circles to the back of his truck, smile never wavering in his excitement. “Do you remember what we talked about back in Haguenau?”

They talked about a lot of things back in Haguenau. Many plans were made in those haunted shells of buildings. But for the sake of conversation, Zenie just nods. “Yes.”

“Well, you never said what kind of dog you wanted, so I took a chance – “ Shifty opens the back door of the truck and removes a box from the back seat. Almost immediately, a small, dark nose framed with fiery fur peeps over the rim and gives the air a sniff. A glossy auburn head soon follows, and a puppy stares out at Zenie, who tentatively reaches out a hand to scratch it between the eyebrows.

“A guy at work said his dog unexpectedly had some puppies, and I told him I wanted to buy one,” Shifty explains. “Irish Setter.” He tilts his head as he watches Zenie run the puppy’s silky ears between her fingers. “I think he’s cute.”

“Beautiful,” Zenie agrees. “Does he have a name?”

Shifty beams when he tells her, “That privilege belongs to you.”

The puppy is small, but his eyes are large, soulful things. Sunlight glints off his red fur the way that it used to shine off Matthew’s auburn hair on summer days – bright, like a new penny. Bright like the sun, like Shifty’s smile. Nvda means sun, and agaliha means it’s sunny, but none of those seem quite right in explaining how he looks; the color of his fur is deeper, redder . . .

“Degvliga,” she decides.

“Wildfire,” Shifty translates. He inspects the dog, who perks up at the name. “Hey, I think he likes it.”

They get so caught up in playing with Wildfire, watching him roam the yard and telling him that he’s an osda ghili usdi that Zenie almost forgets what she was thinking about before Shifty arrived, and he forgets that he promised her a second surprise.

It’s not until they’re lying awake in bed that night, legs entangled and watching their fingers in- and untwine in the moonlight that reality seems to set in again.

“Adeljuhlvi,” Shifty says dreamily. “California.”

“What about it?” Zenie’s eyes are already half closed. For all she knows, she might have only dreamed that he said that.

The mattress dips as Shifty rolls onto his side so that he can look at her. “I forgot to tell you. A mechanic’s job opened up, but the boss wants to send me to California for it.”

Tired or not, now Zenie’s eyes open wide at the news. She props herself up on one elbow, like looking at her husband from a slightly different angle will make everything clearer. “That’s so far away!”

Shifty nods. “I know. But I’ve been thinkin’ . . . It’s also a lot warmer there. It might be nice, you know, to take a break from winter for a while.”

All the recent sunny days they’ve experienced with the onset of spring have caused her memories of winter to melt away like thawed snow. Now that she considers it, though . . . won’t they just come back with the first cold snap? Who can predict that type of thing?

Even the thought of snow sends a shiver down her spine. Memories of ice and explosions flash through her mind, quick as the shrapnel that tore so easily through the forest every day and every night. At night she sometimes wakes with the images echoing through her mind the same way that screams and gunshots echoed across that frozen wasteland they called Bastogne.

She never wants to look winter in the face again. So she makes up her mind then and there.

“I’m game if you are.” Her voice is strong, steady. “It’s your job, though, so it’s your decision.”

In the moonlight, Shifty studies her for a moment. The slightest incline of his head indicates a nod of agreement. “I think it would be best for us. For now, at least.”

“A new adventure.” Zenie settles back down onto her pillow, relaxed by the decision. “I’ll miss this place, though.”

“I know. But our mountains will always be here.”

“They’ll wait for us.”

“Exactly.”

Funny, she thought the same thing the day she ran away. And when she left home for the last time to come here, to her new home. Maybe she’s destined to think it every time. A reminder of sorts. But a fact – they have been here since time immemorial, and they will be here long after Zenie has come and gone.

“ – to tell me?” Shifty’s voice drags her out of her half-asleep state.

“What?”

“When I got home, you said that you had something for me.” He nudges her affectionately. “And there was no pie at dinner.”

A giggle works its way up Zenie’s throat. It sounds loud and bright in the moonlight and the quiet of the night around them. Through the darkness, she finds Shifty’s hand again and drags it toward her, until his warm palm is pressed against the flat of her stomach.

If all goes well, there are two new adventures that they’ll be going into – together.