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whatthebodygraspsnot · 4 months

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Mickey’s on house arrest for an eensy teensy crime (a total misunderstanding obviously - Mickey would never.)

At first he thinks he’s gonna go level ten batshit cooped up in their apartment. It’s not that he doesn’t like the home they’ve made for themselves, it’s just he’s a man who needs enrichment in his enclosure and everyone knows it.

Ian finds himself “breaking” things on the downlow so he can subtly float a “hey could you look at the ___ today? I think it’s busted” over their morning coffee. He's not coddling him, he just likes knowing Mickey will have something to do while he’s at work besides pace the halls and make trouble for himself out of sheer boredom.

The first week is rough. But by the next week, things have evened out considerably for Mickey. He’s clearly found a passion in something, because Ian will come home and Mickey’ll be outside on the balcony, more or less where he left him that morning. And he’s pretty sure it’s not the tomatoes he’s got potted out there.

Ian doesn’t wanna pry, especially since Mickey’s found something that works for him. But he’s a curious being. So when he comes home the next day, he decides to follow after the sound of his beautiful house-arrest husband on the balcony.

“Ha… Dumbass…”

“Who is?”

Mickey quickly turns to him as Ian steps out, joining him at the rail for a welcome home kiss.

Or…rather, Ian is kissing and Mickey is grumbling against it. “No one…”

“Mm?”

“Home early.”

“Yeah,” Ian smiles, glancing curiously at the green-space that the balcony overlooks, “got done pretty quick today.” There’s no one there. Just a couple squirrels darting around by the bushes.

Mickey nods, taking a long drag from his cigarette.

He’s clamming up.

Ian definitely struck something.

Silence floats between them, Ian taking the cig for himself. And he almost lets it go until it happens - movement, Mickey’s eyes darting to it down below.

Ian follows it. Hears himself huff a laugh as he watches a squirrel tear at lightning speed to the bush across the way. “Fast little fucker.”

“Gonzales…”

“Huh?” Ian turns to him.

But Mickey refuses to meet his gaze. “Speedy Gonzales,” he says. Very cryptically.

And Ian…doesn’t know what to do with that. He chuckles, teasing, “What, you out here namin’ the squirrels, Mick?”

Another handful of seconds float by them in complete silence. Avoided eye contact.

…oh.

Wait.

Holy fuck, he’s out here naming the squirrels.

“You got somethin’ to say, wise guy-”

“No!” Wow - no - Ian doesn’t-… It’s just how the hell is he supposed to process something this endearing in such a short time span? “No, baby - nothin’ wrong with it.” Oh no, his house-arrest husband is cute?? “I mean, Speedy Gonzales - you really nailed it, ya know?”

Beside him, Mickey’s shoulders are starting to deflate from where they’ve ratcheted up in defense mode. Not all the way, but starting at least. Ian thinks they should probably leave it at that for now, but then miraculously, he’s talking again. “Got no fuckin attention span… Been lookin’ for the same shit he buried since Monday.”

Ian takes it in with a carefully constructed expression, “Oh yeah?” no smile to misconstrue or anything. “Where’s it at?”

Because Mickey knows, doesn’t he?

“Big tree,” he nods to it, “right side.”

Holy fuck, Ian is so in love with this man.

“Almost got it before you came out.”

“You think I scared him off?”

“Nah, he’s a real dumbass. Probably woulda dug two times and then ran off somewhere else.” And then, like he didn’t just make Ian’s heart absolutely rock hard, he turns to the door. “Fuckin’ starvin’ - you bring anything home?”

They have sandwiches and potato chips and Ian practically has to eat his hands to stop himself from asking more questions about his husband’s squirrels.

On Saturday morning, Ian joins him outside to water his tomatoes and then lingers, eager for any tidbits Mickey might drop on his own.

In the grass below, a squirrel clambers over a pile of dirt and then begins a session of quick digging, bringing a smile of recognition to Ian’s face. “Hi Speedy.”

“That’s Rat Tail,” Mickey corrects from his chair.

Oh. Right. “How can you tell?” Ian asks stupidly. Because all it takes is one look with his own eyeballs to note the thinning end of this particular squirrel’s tail. “Ah.” Rat Tail. Got it.

And so begins the introductions, the two of them sipping coffee as Mickey leisurely explains the lore to him. Ian didn’t realize squirrels lead such a rich, fulfilling life, honestly. Who could’ve known?

Mickey, of course, his feet propped up on the railing and his ankle monitor blinking away while he points out new characters seemingly every morning.

“That’s Scratch.” and “That’s Little Bitch.” and “Damn, I thoughtchya kicked the bucket, Rabies.”

Each name takes its place on Ian’s mental list.

“That one’s Allen,” Mickey says once.

To which Ian simply has to ask, the fact that he shares a name with their neighbor surely no coincidence. “What? Why?”

“He’s short ‘n ugly.”

“Got it.”

By the start of the next week, Ian feels caught up on the ins and outs of the squirrel lore. But just like with his husband, there’s always something to learn.

“Hey Mick, is that one new?”

Mickey flicks his eyes up from his phone, identifying the squirrel on the fly. “Nah, just hasn’t shown up for you yet.” Ah. “That’s Little Fucker.”

Ian nods. Interesting. “Are Little Fucker and Little Bitch related?”

“I dunno. Think they’re bangin’ each other, though.”

“Of course.”

Ian sees himself and Mickey in Little Bitch and Little Fucker.

Week Four hits, and Mickey is starting to wonder why he ever dreaded house arrest so much. It’s really not all that bad, especially when he’s got a caring husband who gives a shit about his-

“MICKEY!” comes Ian’s voice, fucking tearing through the apartment and launching Mickey into a startled fumble and ‘the fuck’ with his wet towel. “MICK GET THE HELL OUT HERE - QUICK!”

He’s dripping wet and ten seconds away from making a b-line to the gun drawer, but when he sees his husband’s face practically pressed up against the screen door, his look of sheer excitement is contagious.

“The fuck?” Mickey snaps, keeping the towel around his waist, “The hell are you out here-”

“It’s Speedy, Mick!” Ian beams, opening the door for him and pointing dramatically toward the green-space. “He’s getting it! He’s gonna get it, finally!”

Mickey shuffles over to the rail, the history that’s being made making his blood run hot when he sees it with his own two eyes, Speedy Gonzales digging frantically at the exact spot that he’s been too much of a dumbass to check for a whole month.

He and Ian grow deathly still. Wait with bated breath.

And then…finally…after weeks of anticipation…

“Oh my god,” Ian grins, both of them watching Speedy Gonzales stuff the acorn into his mouth and then dart for cover under the bushes.

“Well whaddaya know - stupid fucker actually did it.” About damn time.

Beside him, Ian wrangles Mickey wetly into his side, processing the moment proudly. Silence may float between them, but it’s positively electric. Fiery. And when Ian glances down with him, Mickey knows the exact look in his eyes.

“You bricked up right now?”

Ian nods, swallowing thickly.

Speedy Gonzales is left to eat in peace as the two of them push their way inside, eager to celebrate the rush Little Bitch and Little Fucker-style.

#do you still love me #gallavich #shameless #ray writes

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eliashirsch · 4 months

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God Tier Top Gun Fanfictions. A Masterlist. (1/3)

As of 15th May 2024, these are some of the BEST stories I have read in the fandom. Of course, this is completely subjective and there are many personal factors as to why I crowned them God Tier.

Mainly:

Reading it for the first time: ‘Oh, this is really good, I’m going to be thinking about this for the rest of my life’

When compiling the list: ‘Oh my god, this fic, man, this fic!!’

There are many other fics that match the first criteria, but for it to be on this list, I needed to have these two reactions.

REMINDER! READ THE AUTHORS' TAGS AND WARNINGS!!! They’re there for a reason. PLEASE make sure you understand where the story is going to be before reading!!

Without further ado, I present to you, my roman empires:)

Winner Categories:

1. Best of the Best Authors (1/3)

2. Best of the Best Series (2/3)

3. Best of the Best Fics (3/3)

4. Honorary Mentions (4/3)

Best of the Best Authors

Authors that I trust with my life, whose work are ALL incredibly well written.

COMPACFLT @compacflt

They’re the first person to pop in my head when I was thinking about making this list. No amount of time and words will be enough for me to describe how good their work is. Seriously. It’s on a level I’ve never seen before for fanfiction. The world building, the characterization, the prose, everything. COMPACFLT has a way of understanding these characters, it makes so much sense and fits so well with canon. I’m just at a loss for words. Genuinely the reason I converted to Icemav supremacy.

When We Get Around to Talking About It

Goose has been dead for a week and a half when Iceman loses his first wingman in a dogfight with six Soviet MiGs over the Sea of Okhotsk. Goose has been dead for thirty years when Iceman loses his second wingman to a surface-to-air missile on the tail-end of a mission he's responsible for: he's sent his family on a suicide mission to destroy a uranium enrichment facility in Russia's Far East. This is the story of those thirty years in the middle. (Or: Tom Kazansky rises through the ranks while trying to stay a good man. If he ever was one to begin with.)

This was the first story I’ve read from them. And it’s so… I don’t have words. It’s told from Ice’s perspective, filling the gaps between TG and TG:M with added Icemav and Hangster. In my mind this is canon:D

Debriefing (& Other Stories)

"We can start here, I guess. If we're talking about us," Pete says. "Nineteen-eighty-six. The first thing I thought, when I saw you in that O-club, was: Iceman is off-limits. Capital O, capital L." Despite himself, despite the fear, Tom laughs a little. "Oh, yeah? Why's that?" "Well, first off, we were competition. And yeah, you were attractive, but then you opened your mouth and I swear. You were just an asshole. Goose is trying to introduce you to me and here I am thinking about how much of an asshole you are. Shut up about Cougar, asshole." "It was supposed to be a friendly competition!" "Yeah, right. So that's what I was thinking: he's attractive, clearly doesn't know how to talk to other men, might be into the proposition if I framed it the right way. But he's an asshole, so this competition is just gonna be friendly." Pete pauses. Then he says, "Ice, you wanna get married?" And that's how they start talking about it. (Or: they finally get around to talking about it. Plus a couple extra stories for good luck.)

Sigh and send COMPACFLT a loving look. This Maverick's POV adds so much to the story without being repetitive. COMPACFLT deliberately tells their story like puzzle pieces, and they complete each other—just like Icemav, if you will.

The Slider oneshot is truly something else. I was so eager for the upload and kept an eye on their account for updates religiously. To flesh out a character that barely has any source material is an incredible skill to have. And the Bradley oneshot… Omg… My favorite characterization of Bradley, period.

Tremors & Aftershocks

They both come back to their senses and stop openly crying again eventually. The stitches fall out of the thirty-year-old wounds and the scars fade back to skin-color. Life stops being so painfully raw after a couple weeks back home. You get used to miracles the way you get used to anything else. One day at a time. [Or: 40 years of extras, from 1982-2022. Some true love, some heartbreak, some miracles.]

To me, this one has a different feeling from the other two. More focused on Ice and Mav’s relationship as opposed to the whole plotline. It’s tender and bittersweet and feels like being hugged for the first time and then told that you wouldn’t get another hug in thirty years time.

What impresses me most is that, if you go to COMPACFLT’s Tumblr account, you’ll see the thought they’ve put for these stories are INSANE. They’re so educated on the military and its history and it adds so much to these characters. I’m not American and all my writing for Top Gun will always stem from google searches and other fics. If you’re a nerd like me and like to read about other’s analysis about topics they know nothing about, I suggest you go to their account and have fun.

COMPACFLT, you have captured my soul with your writing. Thank you for your service and I wish you well in life.

AortaArgent @aortaargent

If you’re looking for an author who can write smut like nothing else, go to their profile. Better yet, click here, and scroll down to the threads they made about girl!Mav and get horny real quick. It’s a shortcut to heaven really. (And yes, I’m still upset that they seem to have left the fandom, but I still hold the stories they’ve left behind close to my heart:)) My favorites:

like a shotgun (needs an outcome)

“Ice gave me a handjob when we did this,” he argues. “Oh, that’s what gets you moving? Seeing who comes first?” With that, Slider takes hold of him, wrapping his hand around and keeping his fist steady. “Go on, baby girl. Fuck it like a good little -” He squeezes Slider’s balls a little harder than he’d imagine is necessarily pleasant. For Slider. It's definitely nice for him. “Fuck,” Kerner chokes out, weakly. Ice sounds like he’s trying not to laugh. “I told you he bites.” In which there are multiple realisations, improbable numbers of pilots hanging out in a shared shower, volleyball games and verbal tennis. Yes, it's compulsory to wear your dogtags in the shower - never know when you could need identification. (Only kidding, it's for added fuckability.)

It’s so hot... but believable at the same time. BDSM is just one of those things where you read about it and can tell if the author has experience or is just extremely well-informed.

Eye to Eye

“Maybe it’s not just us looking to get a piece of you,” Wolf says. He’s right by Maverick’s head, and a shiver rolls down his shoulders in a sweeping tide at the soft click of each word against his ear. “Maybe we offered. You’re so pretty, Mav. It’s not a hard sell.” His hands twitch with the effort of not reaching up to tear off the blindfold and find out if they’re telling the truth or just winding him up. It’s possible. Occupied, blindfolded, he might not have noticed the door opening. More guys could have been in the showers. Two hands circle his ankles, firm over his boots, and hold him steady. Someone else has his left hand, kneading the tendons down the back of it. Anyone and anything is plausible. A continuation. Finally.

HOT DAMN. That’s all.

AortaArgent portrayed Ice and Mav’s relationship as absolute and secure while having fun with Mav’s dynamic with the other guys. All of their works are mind-boggling and simply amazing!

thecarlysutra @icemankazansky

Need I say more? Carly’s one of the most prominent members of the Top Gun fandom. Actually, I trust any member of the Top Gun Old Guard. With Carly, there’s something about their writing that makes me think of discovering an old box of CDs you used to watch relentlessly, dusty and worn, but the nostalgia rushes back and it’s achingly familiar. You can tell they’ve been writing for Top Gun for so long the characters kind of became their own. And when you click on any fic they wrote, you can fall and trust they’ll catch you. My favorites:

and i promise, you're the locksmith

“Is something going on in your neighborhood?” Maverick asked. “Like … a pest problem or something?” “You could say that,” Ice said. “Like … a coyote or something?” “Suitors,” Ice said. Maverick's attempts to woo Iceman are somewhat complicated by the promise Ice has made: Anyone who wants to marry him must catch his cat, which wears the key to his house around its neck on a silver chain. Inspired by the Tumblr legend.

This one’s so cute!!! Ugh, I’m never going to get tired of reading Icemav fall in love over and over again.

Dreams of Impact

Maverick's trip in Darkstar takes him further than he ever imagined possible.

Sigh for the second time and send hearts Carly’s way. Basically, Mav gets transported to another universe and weird things happen. I love fics that dabble with the universe, the what-ifs, the what could’ve been. Do you ever have that moment when you make a decision, look back and wonder how life would be if you chose differently? Click on the link and read 🫵

aelibia @topgunreacts

God. aelibia’s just too good. It’s like banger after banger after banger. If you’re looking for an author whose work is a guaranteed good read, click the link and it’ll show you magic. They have Icemav ranging from tender and soft to angsty, portraying all different sorts of love and a way of writing explicit sex that I’ve never found anywhere else.

I can’t even pick which one’s my favorite because they’re all my favorite. Especially the series they wrote, oh my god. I love them all. However, one that I reread religiously and being giddy over is this:

Wine Dark Sea

Raised by a selkie mother bound to a human man, Ice returns to the human world as a teenager with a singular purpose: to find the source of human strength, and claim it for himself. But after a careless mistake binds him to another human man, Ice is forced to reconsider his most fundamental beliefs: What is the meaning of strength? And what is the cost of freedom?

It’s so silly at times and heartbreaking most of the time. I especially love the later chapters where the evil is defeated and Ice is just being a silly seal while Mav’s being the supportive partner that he is. This fic is the SOLE REASON that my favorite animal is a seal. Thank you for opening my eyes to something that has been so obvious from the start, your majesty aelibia.

I also humbly present these seal drawings because the image of Ice galumphing around a Navy base, complete with wet smacks and people shrieking in horror makes me laugh everyday. That, and the scene where Mav is surrounded by four fat harbor seal pups and reading a story to them. Eleven out of ten.

This one’s my favorite:}

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deepfrost-citadel · 1 year

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"You know," Xisuma said, peering cautiously over Cub's shoulder at the museum's latest addition, "When you said you wanted to show me a new exhibit, I wasn't expecting…" He trailed off.

Evil Xisuma glowered at him from inside their enclosure.

"…This."

To say Evil X looked a little miffed about the situation would be an understatement. At least Cub had done a nice job decorating, Xisuma thought, between the blackstone and crimson wood, Evil X looked right at home - if they weren't sitting grumpily in their 2-by-1 lava pool, surrounded by the mangled remains of whatever Cub had put in there for enrichment.

"Surprise!" Cub grinned, doing jazz hands at the enclosure, "I know what you might be thinking-"

Xisuma doubted that somehow.

"- 'Cub, Evil Xisuma hasn't done anything this season! They aren't a historic artefact! They shouldn't be in a museum!' But!" Cub wagged a finger triumphantly, "They are important to the history of Hermitcraft as a whole. So really, if you think about it, they definitely belong in a museum."

"… Okay?"

"Glad we're on the same page."

Xisuma wasn't sure if anyone was ever on the same page as Cub. Except maybe Scar.

"Now! As you can see, I've been decorating their enclosure, trying to add some interactive elements for guests and such." Cub pointed towards a line of redstone lamps at the top of Evil Xisuma's enclosure, "These show you how much electricity they're generating when they do their lightning hands thing. I'll be honest with you, it's broken a few times already so it's still a work in progress-"

"… Is that what all the lightning rods are for?" Xisuma frowned, eyeing the entirely lightning rod-ed ceiling.

"It is indeed!" Cub said, ignoring the twinge of concern in Xisuma's voice, "Well, a little. Mostly it's a safety thing, it wouldn't be good to have guests being electrocuted, now would it?"

"I suppose not… And it definitely works?"

"Oh yeah, it's been very thoroughly tested. Hey, Evil Xisuma," Cub walked up to the glass and tapped on it a few times, much to Xisuma's silent horror, "Wanna show X how the lightning rods work?"

In response, Evil Xisuma stuck their middle finger up at him and yelled something muffled to almost inaudibility that sounded a little like: "When I get out of here, I'm going to rip your head off and use it as a coffee mug, you stupid e-boy twink."

The pair on the other side of the glass blinked.

"… That's a no then." Cub turned back to Xisuma, "They do this a lot."

"They certainly do," Xisuma nodded faintly.

"You can probably tell the glass is uh... Mostly noise-cancelling, had to install that because Helsknight is in the next enclosure over and he's still hibernating. You know how Wels gets when you wake him up early, don't wanna find out how that guy is."

"… Of course," Xisuma sighed, pinching the nose bridge of his helmet, "Do I want to know how you got hold of those two?"

Cub laughed in the slightly unhinged way that gave Xisuma visions of Cub spending several weeks toying with the evil hermits as he hunted them for sport, "Nah man, it's not an interesting story."

Somehow, Xisuma doubted that.

"Anyway," Cub said, changing the topic before Xisuma could ask if he knew there was still someone's blood on his left sleeve, "What I really called you for is that I need an Evil Xisuma expert, and you're the man to ask about all things Evil Xisuma."

"Except for Evil Xisuma."

"Except for Evil Xisuma, yes." Cub nodded sagely, "So. Obviously I wanna make sure everything is nice for our new residents, give them plenty of enrichment and all that, but it hasn't been working out so far."

"I can see that."

"Soo… Any suggestions? What kind of thing does Evil X like? Food? Blocks? I dunno, fake derpcoin or something?"

Xisuma hummed, tilting his head in thought as he gazed at Evil Xisuma, who had clambered out of the lava pool to press their hands against the glass and give Xisuma the saddest, most pathetic puppy dog eyes their LED screen could muster (which, admittedly, were very sad and pathetic) in a silent plea to not leave them here with that madman, they'll be good for realsies this time they promise-

"Well," Xisuma said, turning to Cub, "They like to knit, so maybe they'd like some wool… Oh! And if you can find any old Wormman merch, they'll love that too."

Evil Xisuma's head hit the glass with a despairing thunk.

#hermitcraft #xisuma #cubfan135 #evil xisuma #my writing #dont ask me what possessed me to write this the answer is i have no idea #anyway the museum continues to contain both normal things and creatures

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sensitivehandsomeactionman · 20 days

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350 fans attended. 10 fans per table. Buffet style. It took a long time for us to all get our food, pick a seat and sit down. 10 minutes later, Jensen and Steve walked in and greeted all of us from the stage.

Jensen started by explaining how they got this panel idea: because he often gets band related questions in panels and he feels bad about it sometimes, because not everyone with him is involved and they couldn't weigh in. (He jokingly lowered his voice)"Jared", and he doesn't want anyone to feel left out. And also, the only person(s) who could answer Radio Company related questions are either him or Steve. So they got the idea of doing a panel specifically for music related questions together and since we are in Texas, BBQ!

How do they collaborate with each other? Jensen said Steve is the more musically talented of the two, he is the one who could read music and communicate with professionals and explain what they need. Jensen just, he considers himself as having sharp ears. He might not know what exactly something was called but he knows when something just sounds right (or wrong), just by listening to it. And Steve is the one who enriches and develops from his hunch, and communicates with other professional musicians to work on them. Because, Jensen admits, he does not have the vocab of all those technical terms.

They did a little demonstration with guitar, Jensen strung a simple tune and gestured to Steve, and Steve was like, "You want me to do it here, now?" but he picked it up and made it into a much more complex melody and Jensen laughed, "now you are just showing off!" Steve mentioned it's like Jensen's "acting stuff" and Jensen fake astonished like, "Acting STUFF?" And Steve was like, How would I know what you do? All I know is you were always off busy doing your...stuff!

City Grown Willow. It's a song Steve wrote as a gift to a couple of his friends 10 years ago. The husband was from Colorado (cowboy) and wife from LA. They had split up now but they were a great couple. And the song was just kind of put on the shelf after it was written. One day Jensen and Steve were trying some music together, and Jensen asked Steve if he has anything that's already baked. Steve said you know most of my stuff already! You were there when I wrote them! Then he suddenly remembered, oh there is this one...and afterwards Jensen was like, can I have it? And that's how it came to be.

How did they first start? They were both from Texas and became friends in the good old days. Early 2000s they were roommates in Vancouver and Steve sometimes recorded at home. When he was recording his first album, Jensen walked in and was like, what is that? I love the song. He casually sang the harmony and Steve was like, I didn't know you could sing? Jensen was humble about it and said something like, Yeah I could carry a tune now and then. But Steve was so impressed he insisted for Jensen to record it properly right there. Well they were at home anyway so, no biggy? And Steve ended up using Jensen's harmony for that song in his first album. And it went from there. They've collaborated together and developed more than 50 songs now.

Austin summer! Hhh Steve is an Austin local. He said every year he gave a birthday concert. It's a small gathering, just for friends. And this year is the 10th anniversary and everyone was like, Steve, could we do it anywhere but Austin for this year? August, too hot! And he was like, well, yeah, all right. And then Jensen called, and his 10th anniversary concert was still held in Austin! Last week. Jensen said, Well, it was meant to be! Also Jensen: I used to live here! Austin is great! But not in June, July, August, and sometimes throw in September too. Never liked Austin summer, and why did creation choose August I have asked this question for a year now.

Fans asked him what he misses most about Texas and he said, I don't? I am still here all the time. I am here now, I was here a few weeks ago and then a few weeks before that. My whole family's still here my mom and dad are in Dallas I often visit them. So I kind of... I didn't catch what he said after that but I got the idea that he thinks of himself more like commuting, instead of permanently moved out.

They mentioned an Easter egg they put in one of their songs, they used the exact same letters for 2 sentences and they were really proud of it and high fives each other all excited afterwards. I think it might be All Our Own but I'm not sure. Maybe someone else remembers?

The new song Home on the Road Jensen was shooting Rust in New Mexico and rented a small house next to the Rio Grande river. It's quiet and out of the way and he walks on riverbank trail on his day off and loved it. When Steve visited and they tried to hum a tune out and once they got it, the first words came out of Jensen for that tune was "home on the road". Just like that little house, his home on the road. Both him and Steve travel so much for work, it resonated. And they wrote the song. They said it's not polished yet but they sang it for us anyway. The tune reminded me of City Grown Willow. I think it'll become my new favorite.

If they were invited to perform in ACL festival will they go? Jensen: No!! Steve: Ugh definitely? Jensen: So here is your answer. Steve will drag me kicking and screaming to there. They laughed so hard and then Jensen said, no any time you have a chance to perform in that capacity, of course you go.

Talked about Kaleo and JJ. J2 and JJ are friends and they get together whenever JJ visits and they'd love to collaborate together if ever get the chance. This is all I could recall!

#Jensen Ackles #Steve Carlson #Radio Company #Radio Company Texas BBQ 2024 #austincon 2024 #creator: hanmeicui #thank you for sharing this amy cui <3 #i tried to transcribe exactly as it was written #long post

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am-i-the-asshole-official · 11 months

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WIBTA if I called animal services on my parent's neighbours?

I want to begin this with saying neither me nor my parents get on with my parent's neighbours. My parents live in a rural area with about 6 acres of land. The field next door used to be just a large field however 6 years ago got brought by a middle age couple (50 and 65) and they built a house on it with the majority of the field still being used for their horses.

We never got on but for the most part just ignored each other until covid. During covid my parents started walking in the woods behind our house to get out of the house on a daily bases whereas before they would have gone travelling and walking other places. The new neighbours didn't like this. Both properties open directly onto foresty land however the easiest way to get to the main forest path is to walk along the fence that borders neighbours field. To cut a long story short there was a lot of shouting, signs and sticks blocking our way, harassment, and cameras to try and intimidate my parents not to walk behind their property. We got the police involved in the end and have a restraining order against the neighbours so they're not allowed to approach or talk to us within reason (obviously they can be in the field to tend to the horses etc)

I wanted to tell this to get the point that yeah parents and neighbours do not get on at all. Since the restraining order things have been peaceful however I did install a camera at the front of my parents property as we did have some damage that might have been neighbours but could have been anything else really. This was recommended by the police. My parents aren't good with tech so I take care of their phones/netflix and now having the camera connected to my phone so I get the alerts if someone walks by.

The neighbours recently got two puppies though they are now over a year old. They are GSP x Labs so working dogs that in my opinion would need a lot of exercise and enrichment. As I get the notifications for the camera I know what time the neighbour walks past with the dogs and it's every day down the same country road for 10 to 20 mins in the morning. To me it doesn't seem to be enough. I've also noticed since the dogs are growing up and getting stronger/not trained the neighbour seems to be struggling with them. My neighbour is 65 but not the fittest and this past week he's been taking one dog at a time for a 5 minute walk each.

Now all I have is the knowledge of the camera. They could be getting enrichment at home, let loose in the field with the horses to run but to me it just doesn't seem fair on the dogs. But since it's been peaceful for my parents I don't want to rock the boat and maybe cause the neighbours to retaliate. Even anon they probably would know who it is who called the animal services on them. But I also hate to see dogs not living their best life. I have no doubt they aren't getting mistreated and are well fed. I just don't think they are the right dogs for an middle age couple that do not leave the house except to get shopping and can barely give them a 10 minute walk. I don't even really agree with how they keep their horses either but again they're not mistreating them just keeping young horses in a field all day and not doing any training or anything at all with them. Just seems unfair.

Sorry for the long post, just been weighing on my mind.

What are these acronyms?

#aita #am i the asshole

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valeffelees · 6 months

Note

Oh do tell about that snowbaz au of yours 👀

I WOULD FUCKING LOVE TO, thank you so much tumblr user pidgelikethebird (and also my most beloved and loyal companion @drowninginships) for providing me the enrichment i need to survive the winter.

ok gimme a min here to turn my thoughts into comprehensible words. i'm gonna say right now: this post is gonna be a LONG one, but 10 out of 10 scientists agree you should read to the end.

so, if you didn't know, The Beauty Inside is a Korean romcom from 2015, based off an American short film of the same name; the orig short film i linked is an extremely quick watch (only 6 episodes, each one 4-10 minutes long) and i would absolutely recommend it, but the very basics of the premise is that: a man wakes up in his bed on his 18th birthday to find he's in a completely different body than his own, and every day since then, he wakes up as somebody new.

AND OBVS I JUST HAD TO FUCKING SNOWBAZ THAT, which is how my AU, titled In the Many Ways of Loving You, was born:

Simon Snow wakes up every day as somebody new; the only person who knows the truth is Penny, his best friend and roommate, since she's been by his side since it all began ten years ago.

he works on commission as a custom bookbinder—like, he has an Etsy or some shit, i dunno, some kinda online shop where people can commission him in a variety of ways to rebind their favourite books, either by paying extra for Simon to buy the book himself and rebind it from new and send it to them, or sometimes collectors will send their personal copies to him to have him rebind them, and he's very good at it, and N E WAY the point of this is that he has a small bookshop he's been going to regularly for the last eight or so years, because it's close to his and Penny's flat, and where the story begins: Baz is a new employee that just started working there about two weeks ago and Simon has a massive crush on him.

ok, now. day one: when we meet Simon for the first time, he wakes up and he's lovely and blonde and brown-eyed and ok, yeah, i've just made him look like Agatha bc i thought it'd be kinda funny, esp since Agatha's not actually in the fic otherwise.

and Simon has to pick up a copy of some random book from the bookshop today bc someone bought a custom binding of it, so he goes down and, as usual, since it's his job, Baz has to come over to talk to him and is like, "hey, can I help you with anything?" and Simon doesn't need any help bc he's been coming to this shop for years, but every time Baz asks he says yes bc he wants the excuse to talk to him, and on this day Simon is like, wait. i'm so hot rn. so he asks Baz out—

and Baz is like [finger guns] absolutely not.

and Simon is like 👁️👄👁️ welp i'm in fucking agony.

but whatever, fine. a guy like Baz is prolly already in a proper relationship, and it's always a bad idea for Simon to get involved with someone he has to see on the reg. he had to start going to a different coffee shop that's twenty minutes out of his way bc he went out on a great date with one of the baristas at his old spot and then obvs couldn't go out again after just that one time, and it made him super emo, so really, Baz saying no was prolly for the best.

TIMESKIP, it's been a few days and Simon has to go down to the bookshop again. but this time he's a bloke. and so Baz comes up to ask if Simon needs help and he says yeah, as usual, and the two of them end up having a bantery convo about the book Simon's looking for bc they've both read it and Baz hated it, but Simon loved it, and it's just very cute and casual, and then Baz is like. so, my shift ends in liiike... four hours. are you doing anything?

and Simon is like. OH. OH!!!

that whole "it's prolly for the best" thing? yeah, fuck that, that was Simon of the past, he doesn't know what the fuck he's talking about bc cute bookshop guy wants to hang out and so they go out and have the most fucking insane romcom date ever.

'cause you gotta remember, Simon only gets one real day with people, so he doesn't do like casual coffee dates or movies or whatever. they go out and like fucking B&E a museum after hours bc Simon knows someone like the janitor or something (i dunno) leaves one of the back doors unlocked so he can step out for a cig every few hours, so they sneak in and have the time of their life running around looking at art while trying not to get caught, and we're going to use the suspended disbelief bestowed upon us by the power of romcoms to pretend security cameras aren't a thing, and it is BRILLIANT. like, Simon and Baz have so much chemistry, and when the night ends Baz is just like all smiles and creased eyes and messy black hair and, breathlessly: "I want to see you again."

and Simon's heart drops. because he wants to see Baz again, too, but he can't. no matter how much he wants to, he can't. when he wakes up tomorrow he's going to be someone new, so he can't, he can't, he can't, he—

"Yeah," he says. "Tomorrow?"

SIMON NO!!!

"It's a date."

FUCK!!!

ok, so now we have a problem. Simon can't just stand him up, i mean he could but he doesn't want to, and he really does want to see him again, so he does the only thing he can think of: he stays awake. all fucking night.

Baz, the next day: "You look exhausted."

Simon, wired asf on caffeine and trying to be smooth: "Had someone on my mind all night."

and then they go have another wicked date, but i have nothing in my notes about what it is. oh, i have them living in Canada in this fic btw bc as a rule, if a fic doesn't have to be set in England, i move them to Canada for comfort. so i might have them go cliff jumping or something? who knows. we'll go with that for now.

cue the romcom montage.

[mother tongue starts playing SO DON'T SAY YOU LOVE ME FALA AMO, JUST LET YOUR HEART SPEAK UP AND I'LL KNOW]

ok. post-date. Simon is so dumb and infatuated with Baz and does something only a boy who is dumb and infatuated and sleep-deprived would do in his situation, and he goes back to Baz's flat with him to "watch a movie", or in other words: the movie starts and then they prolly have sex, but in my notes this is written as "??? smash ???" so i guess it's kinda up in the air.

either way, Simon passes the fuck out at Baz's place bc he was properly exhausted by that point, and he wakes up to Baz screaming at him bc obvs he looks like a different person now.

Simon, half-asleep: [PANICKED FLAILING] BAZ IT'S ME!!! STOP THROWING THINGS!!! BAZ!!! IT'S ME, IT'S SIMON!!!

and Baz is like: WHAT THE FUCK

and Simon is like: I CAN EXPLAIN

and Baz is like: HOW DID YOU GET IN HERE

and Simon is like: I CAN EXPLAIN!!!

so, here's a detail from the orig film that comes into play here: in the orig movie, the MC keeps a video diary, logging every day what his face looks like, and in this, Simon does this on his phone and backs them up to his computer every hundred days, so he gives Baz his phone and tells him the whole story while Baz scrolls through these short like minute long videos of Simon on various days going, "Hey, this is me today. I have [this and such] thing to do, blah blah blah."

and the thing is, Baz recognises him in some of them. bc Simon is always coming into the bookshop. he stops watching when he gets to the day Simon looked like Agatha, and Simon has been quiet for a while at this point, just letting Baz process.

Baz: "I want you to leave."

Simon takes his phone without a word and goes. Penny picks him up on the corner a block over and drives him back to their flat. she doesn't ask what happened. she already has a pretty good idea.

when Simon's next commission comes in, he thinks about going to another bookshop, he really does. but this one is so convenient, esp since Simon can't drive bc he can't risk getting pulled over carrying a licence that doesn't have his face on it, and he's been going there for eight years and it's not like Baz will recognise him anyway.

so, to the bookshop he goes, but this time when Baz comes up to ask if he needs help, Simon is like, "haha, no that's okay," and goes back to looking for things on his own, and Baz kinda lingers awkwardly for a moment before going on his way, but then when Simon comes up to the till to pay for the book, Baz just stands there staring at him. and Simon is so uncomfortable, like, he just wants to leave—

"Simon?"

SORRY, YOU WHAT?

"What?" Simon gapes at him. "How did— how did you? But I'm—"

"Can we talk?" Baz asks.

"How did you know it was—"

Baz shouts over to the other employee on the floor that he's taking his lunch break, and Simon just slowly follows him out of the shop with the book forgotten, unpaid for, at the check-out.

and here's the deal, Baz liked Simon a stupid amount considering they'd only gone on two dates, but they were good dates, and Baz doesn't date much, so he's a bit hung up on just how much he liked Simon and the weird way shit ended, so he's basically like. i want to see it again. and Simon is like, see what? and Baz is like, you. the... whatever that you do, i want to see you change.

and that's how Simon ends up bringing Baz back to his flat, and btw: Simon has a rule about never bringing people back to his flat bc it's weird as fuck. his room is really tiny, and it's cluttered as fuck in a Howl's bedroom type way. he keeps to the same cheap, casual style for all his clothes, but he needs things in a bunch of sizes. shoes are a nightmare. he has to take care of his hair in a million different fucking ways. so he has the lives of a dozen people shoved into a room the size of a shoebox, and his mattress has no frame. that shit is just on the floor, so it takes up less space. and there's this mirror, a wide full bodied mirror, propped up against the wall facing the bed, so that the first thing Simon can do each day is roll over and look at himself.

Simon and Baz have supper together, they talk, they pretend this isn't weird as fuck and, even though it is weird as fuck, they still have so much chemistry, and this is a fanfic, so they just end up having sex again but it's supposed to be kinda emo and tender and look, it's what my heart wants, ok?

morning comes. Simon wakes to Baz's hands on his face. which is already and improvement compared to last time. Baz is looking at him very seriously, but also very like. softly. he's touching Simon's features, tracing them, and Simon is quiet for a very long time, watching him do this, until he's just like. what are you doing.

Baz: "Getting to know you." A pause. "Why does it happen?"

Simon: "I don't know."

Baz: "Are there other people like you?"

Simon: "I don't know."

Baz, sighing: "Well, what do you know?"

Simon: "That I'm still me. Inside, I mean. Like... if you had a book, and every day you gave it a new cover, the story wouldn't change."

Baz: "You must get lost on a lot of shelves."

Simon: "Yeah."

and from there, Baz is just a part of Simon's life the same way Penny is, he knows the truth, and he deals with it. for the first time in Simon's adult life, he gets to really date. he and Baz do a bunch of domestic shit together, for months, and it's so good. all of it is so good, all the time, and they fall so fucked up deep in love with each other.

(detail from this point that is relevant later: Baz and Simon make a game out of Baz recognising Simon at work on days when he hasn't seen yet what he looks like. Simon will come in and try to act like a stranger, but Baz can Where's Waldo him every time.)

but then Christmas comes. and Baz has to go home to see his family. and i don't have an exact idea of how this convo goes, only that it is not a fight of any kind, like, it is a normal convo about the holidays but Baz apologises to Simon during it for not telling his family about him, he says they'd want Baz to bring Simon home if he did (bc i just don't wanna fuck with homophobia in this so we've shot Malcolm with the ally beam) and he wouldn't know how to explain Simon's whole... thing to them, and Simon kinda realises that like. he can't ever be the type of boyfriend Baz can bring home to his family. he can't ever be the type of boyfriend Baz gets to have a normal life with.

SO SIMON GHOSTS HIM.

like, Baz comes back from his family's place, annoyed that Simon hasn't returned any of his texts or calls, only to find that Simon and Penny have literally fucking moved flats in the two weeks he's been gone. and obvs he's fucking devastated and confused by this and desperately trying to get Simon to respond to him, but he won't.

Simon goes out of his way to find a new bookshop to go to, and that's the end of things for about a week or so, and i haven't actually decided what happens here exactly, but the general idea i wanna go with is that Simon goes to the bookshop Baz works at just for the sake of seeing him, checking up on him, bc he misses him.

but remember that game they played? so yeah, Baz walks up to say his usual like, "hey, can I help you find anything?" but he fucking clocks Simon after like ten seconds.

scene change: they're in Simon's new flat, like maybe Baz demanded that if Simon is going to break up with him he owes it to him to do it goddamn properly, but i dunno. details, details. but they end up getting in a huge fucking fight and Simon reveals the reason he ghosted Baz was bc he realised Baz can't have a real life with him and Baz is like:

"You don't get to decide that for me! You're still you, you're still lovely—"

"You don't even know what I look like!"

"I don't care what you look like, you fucking moron, I care that you're Simon Snow! There's a person inside you that exists every day, even when everything else changes, and he's lovely. I love him. The rest doesn't matter, how can you not see that? Stop telling me I'm not allowed to love you however you are, I'll love you a hundred different ways, Simon. Any size, any shape. I'll love you over, and over, and over. That's a life for me. A real life for me. You!"

and then Simon throws his arms around Baz's neck and hugs him like he needs him to breathe and Baz clings to his shirt and they're both prolly crying all loud and gross, but it's fine. they're gonna be fine.

the next day: Simon wakes up to Baz's mouth on the back of his neck. "Like this one, then?" he says.

"Loveliest yet." Baz brushes his knuckles over the slope of Simon's shoulder. "Freckles, curls, broad shoulders... Mmm, maybe we should stay in bed today."

Simon laughs and rolls over to pin Baz to the mattress, grinning at him. he goes to say something, prolly rib at him the way they do, but as he does he catches his reflection in that mirror he keeps by his bed and he freezes.

"Holy shit!" he shouts, and shoves himself up onto his knees. "That's me!"

Baz rolls his eyes. "Yes, yes, I told you—"

Simon shakes his head furiously. "No, it's. Baz. I'm. Jesus fucking Christ, that's me. Baz, that's me."

Baz sits up slowly. "Do you mean—"

"Fuck, holy shit!" Simon grabs his curls with both hands. he hasn't touched these curls in ten fucking years. he looks older than he remembers himself, which is a given, but it's definitely him. his father's eyes, his mother's chin. the moles on his cheek, above his eyebrow, below his ear.

Simon freaks out in a way that kinda toes the line between being happy and being a breakdown, he throws himself at Baz, and they both fall back onto the bed and Simon is laughing and he's shaking and he doesn't understand, he doesn't get it, but holy fuck, he has his own face, he has his own body, he has his own hands. Baz pushes them apart so he can get a look at him, and Simon is actually kinda self-conscious when he does, which is a new feeling. he never has to feel self-conscious about anything, usually, since he knows every flaw or insecurity isn't really his, and will be gone the next day, but this is just... him.

Baz takes Simon's face in his hands and then, breathlessly, "Hello, Simon Snow."

AND THEN THEY KISS bc what else would they do here.

and uhh, yeah. so. Simon goes out to the kitchen where Penny is making breakfast and she loses her shit when she sees him. big hugs all around. Baz really does take the day off work to spend it with Simon, even though that just means lying around on the sofa watching movies while Simon works on his current rebinding commission. when Penny gets home that evening, they order takeaway and sit around the lounge room playing boardgames together until late, late, late into the night. Penny falls asleep in the armchair, and now it's 3-am.

Simon is tired. he's looking at the clock, sitting with his knees up and his arms around them, with Baz beside him. Baz has his forehead on his shoulder, an arm around his waist. he doesn't want to go to bed, because what if... what if it was only for today. how long will it be until the next time? what if there is no next time, what if, what if—

"We'll still be here," Baz whispers, exhausted. "And you'll still be you. No matter what, Simon."

and so they go to bed.

Simon wakes up to Baz's mouth on the back of his neck.

"Good morning, Simon Snow."

AND YEAH, that is the entire plot of my The Beauty Inside AU.

i told you this was gonna be a long one, but if you've made it all the way to the end of this mess, thank you kindly again for indulging me!

#ngl i wanted to sign up for the cobb with this fic idea really bad but at the time i wasnt confident i could manage #taking part in a fandom event. i might think about signing up for it next year if it runs again but who knows #thanks for hanging out!#snowbaz #ask #pidgelikethebird

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fandomwritingbit · 1 year

Note

Okay what about one where there reader is Michael's new (hot) art teacher and William is just "Michael you need to join the art club immediately" or "well I GUESS if the pta needs help with the spring art festival -"

Hello! This has too so long I'm sorry 😶 Uh I hope this is what kind of thing you were looking for, thank you so much for the request.

Side note it took me so long to figure out what pta was lmao

So,

art teacher (gn)reader x william afton (sfw)

"Well, I'm happy to let you know that Michael is doing really well in my class. He's an absolute pleasure to teach." You smile, looking from the father to the son. The resemblance was more than evident, but their attitudes were opposites, Michael sat as he always did, hunched forward, his hands twisted together, he was scarcely able to hold your eyes for more than a few seconds. His father though took up a lot of room in his chair, his posture reeking of easy confidence and he had no difficulty looking at you. It was moments like this that you could learn a lot about a student’s home life and it was abundantly clear that these two weren’t so close.

"But?" Mr Afton prompted, his tone jovial. He was beginning to understand why his son likes art so much. A lovely thing like you leading the class? Who could blame him? He'd expected some old lady wearing well too many scarfs, glasses on a pearled chain around her neck, not someone like you.

"But,” You can’t help but smile, heat rising to your cheeks, “as I'm sure you've learnt from his other teachers tonight, currently Michael might struggle to meet the entry requirements of universities." As you spoke, you had to work hard to keep your thoughts on track, this man was attractive in a way you didn't expect. He smirked when you paused, and you forced your gaze on Mike. "But as I said to Michael before, we've got plenty of options to boost grades."

Michael spoke up, "Need to join a club or something."

Nodding, you turn to explain why to Mr Afton. "Yeah, certain enrichments can be graded. I'm advocating the art club… He'd get the opportunity to make a portfolio, which Unis love, and I have no doubt he'd excel." The man before you looked bemused, his eyes flicking up from your lanyard to your eyes.

"And, do you run the art club?"

You grin a little embarrassed, "Yeah, I do-"

The dad chuckles and looks to Mike offhandedly, "Then you should absolutely join." To which he rolls his eyes, partly at his father’s blatant flirting and at the lack of enthusiasm at joining your club.

Mike sighs, "Yeah okay, I'll go."

"Smashing. I'll put you on my register." You pull out the document from your lever-arch folder and quickly jot his name down. Whilst doing so, the man opposite you watches your left hand for a ring and on seeing there wasn't one, smirks from ear to ear.

Once done, you quickly put your hands out in an attempt to stop them from leaving, "Uh, before you go. I'm really sorry to ask, but we're holding an art festival next week and I'm struggling to find some help... would you be willing to lend a hand?'' You automatically feel guilty for asking. Doing so in person put a lot more pressure than a general email, but you were hoping to almost force him. Like you’d tried to with every other parent tonight.

You catch Michael’s expression, you’d asked him the other day if he had anyone that would want to help out and he’d laughed a little, “Uh no, not really.” he’d said. You do feel like you’ve gone behind his back a bit, but if you can’t get a few more pairs of hands this festival is going to fall on its arse.

He sat back in the chair, his feet poking out at your side of the desk, "A festival? What exactly would you have me doing?"

You smile, pleasantly surprised that he was obliging you, "Mainly the setup, it's a lot of stuff to move out to the green. Though of course all-day help would be appreciated, I just don't want to push my luck."

"You already are," he smirks, "when is it?"

"Next Friday, the 19th." Your eyes go wide as you wait for his answer, all the other parents you’d asked tonight had told you that they were working on Friday, as people tend to do, and you have a feeling that he was about to say the same.

He hums, “Friday-” but is cut off by Michael,

“You work Fridays.” he states, a harsh tone on the words, making you think that he really didn’t want his dad to help you out.

Scoffing, he shoots his son a look, “Yeah I do.” Before turning his attention back to you, “But, I could skive it.” The expression on his face is hard to place, perhaps mischievous, or sly. Regardless, you panic slightly.

“Oh. No, you don’t have to do that, Mr Afton-”

He puts his hand out to silence you and it works, you bite your tongue instantly, “I know, but I will. It’s not exactly like I help out frequently.” He’d decided already, either because his son was clearly desperate for him not to do so, or because he’d like to spend a bit of time with you. Let's face it, it was both. And so, you were left with little option but to graciously accept, and you thank him.

As your student and his father leave, he shakes your hand. “Thank you, Mr Afton. You’ve really helped me out.” Both your hands encase his and it doesn’t occur to you that that is unusual until you do it, heat beneath your face. He flashes you a smirk that makes your blood ice, before nodding.

“It’s fine really. Should be fun.”

Friday was as manic as you had expected. The second you arrived at the college you were behind, the mass of stalls and pieces of art were absurd to move even with the three others you’d manage to recruit: the head of languages, Martin, a science teacher, Kris and of course, Mr Afton. Another parent was expected but dropped out last minute, adding to the workload. And the people in charge of the stalls and activities wouldn’t arrive until kick-off so to speak.

Surprisingly, Mr Afton was a godsend. Helping you drag the stall skeletons on to the field, well you dragged them, he rather easily picked them up, somehow managing the awkward height and weight without breaking a sweat.

“Now, you’re just showing off, Mr Afton.” you giggle, trying not to look at the way his arms flexed whilst he carried the objects. You can’t really help it though and try to steal what glimpses you can as the two of you lug 12 stalls outside. If you’d have known he was doing the same you probably would’ve dropped everything and made a fool of yourself, so mercifully he’s much slier with his staring than you are.

It’s only when you’re done with the moving, the two of you can start decorating, the other workers put on duty setting up the games, things like a ring toss and lucky-dip. You study him for a moment while he’s distracted tying the string of a line of bunting around a nail that probably shouldn’t be sticking out of the stalls, and good lord this man looks a lot like his son. Everything from the dark hair which probably wasn’t as neat as he’d left it this morning, to the shape of his brow, making his eyes look hooded and narrow. The difference was all attitude and experience. You have to glance away when you start thinking about his experience.

“Ooh what are you looking at? Am I doing it wrong?” he asks, bringing heat to your cheeks at the knowledge that he’d just caught you staring for way too long. He turned his head, looking down the sting, checking to see it wasn’t coming undone or tangled.

“No, sorry.” your smile hints at your embarrassment, “It just crossed my mind how much you look like your son, sorry.” God you hate the way you’re smiling just because he’s looking at you but it’s completely involuntary.

He smirks at that, “Well, I am fairly certain I’m his father.” his tone was playful despite the nature of what he was joking about. “I take it you don’t have any kids?”

“Uh no, no I don't. What gives that impression?”

“You look well rested.” he walks over to you and crouches down to look in a box at your feet, “And you’re smiling too much.”

You giggle, “I know.” You rub at your temples, “It’s a nervous thing.” The second you say that you question yourself why, what a weird thing- you feel so awkward. He’s just a man. An attractive man- yes. But just a tall… brooding… handsome… man.

“And here I was thinking you were just enjoying my company.” he sniggers, bringing you out of your head, it’s been a long time since a bloke had made you all skittish like this. He properly faces you now, searching your eyes. “What’s making you nervous?”

You, you internally answer, quickly thinking of a more appropriate response, “Just uh today. I have a feeling it’s going to be an absolute nightmare.” You drop your eyes.

“I’m sure you’ll manage.”

You briefly rest a hand on your forehead. “Got no choice really.”

He moves to walk past you but pauses, standing half behind you. “Well, I can stay and help out. If it’s not me that’s making you nervous?” he smirks as he moves away, his voice teasing, riling up some butterflies in your stomach.

He stays, and soon after the others arrive, students flogging their wares and local crafts aficionados, though you have them actually working, you don’t mind Mr Afton drifting around doing a bit here and there. As nice as you find him, he didn’t strike you as someone that would be happy to run a stall on his own.

Once everything has settled down and the festival is running smoothly, you allow yourself a moment of a break. He finds you sitting on a bench just off the green. There he takes a seat beside you, digging in his pocket for a packet of cigs.

“You can’t really smoke here, you know.” you laugh as he stops mid action, his lighter half raised.

He shrugs, reasoning “I’m outside.” resuming the act though now watching you for further reaction.

You fold your arms, a grin contradicting the seriousness. You’re well-aware that you weren’t going to stop him. “Still a college… I won’t tell on you though.”

He chuckles as he takes a drag on it. This was like a flashback to his youth, so he plays his part, “Good. No one likes a sprag.” Man, it’s been a long time since you’ve heard that.

You try to steal a glance at his left hand, wanting to triple check that he wasn’t wearing a ring. Not that you would say or do anything, you just need to know. Not seeing a wedding band wasn’t enough though and the question dances around inside your head.

You finally bite the bullet and spit it out. “You’re not married then, Mr Afton?” you gesture to his hand, to give him context to how you arrived at that. You’d tried to sound like you were making small talk but it failed miserably.

The mean laugh he lets slip is pure reflex. “No. Not anymore.”He wanted to tease you by asking why you wanted to know, but you’re already flustered and avoiding his direct gaze.

“So you’re uh…?” you hesitate to finish the question, realising you were jumping to a conclusion.

Thankfully he finishes it for you, “Divorced? Yeah.” He just loved how you smiled at him in relief there, the amusement evident on his face.

You try to explain why you fumbled that so badly, talking quickly, “Well. I didn't want to say divorced and get it wrong."

“In case…?”

God, your face is hot again, why can’t you just talk normal to this guy. “In case… you know… you were uh widowed or something.”

“Or something?” he questions again, trying not to laugh at how you were stumbling.

You put your head in your hands, laughing self-deprecatingly at yourself, “Leave me alone - I’m…”

“Nervous?”

“A little yeah.” you speak, your face still obscured. “I mean you’ve come and sat with me. I’m just curious why.”

You don’t need to look to feel the smirk on his face. “Maybe cos I wanted to.” You feel his movement on the bench and look up to catch his gaze, his head cocked to meet your eye line almost perfectly. “You’re pretty, you know. Even with your head in your hands.”

Your eyes open wide at his bluntness as you try and think of something to say in response. You’re starting to see why Michael was so desperate to keep him away.

#fnaf #william afton #william afton x reader #fnaf william afton #michael afton #william afton x you #gn reader

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mirkwoodshewolf · 3 months

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No following; Planet of the apes fanfic Chap. 5

*Author's note*

And here we go with the start of even more family drama happening with the Rodman family. And we are also getting closer to ending ROTPOTA story line, the next chapter will be the last one for the first book before going into book two which takes place during DAWN. So get ready for that and be on the lookout for that. Until then continue to enjoy my lovely readers.

Taglist:

@plethora-of-things

@waddles03

@jd-johndeacon-or-jackdaniels

@gay-and-ready-to-cry

@queen-paladin

@psychosupernatural

____________________________________________________

Life went on as expected. I graduated high school, got my diploma and performed my last show with the Community center. But even though life outside the Rodman house was normal, on the inside there was a dark cloud constantly hovering over us.

My grandpa’s health was rapidly deteriorating day by day. Now he hardly ever moved, nor did he speak. All he did was just lay in bed or sit on it if Will wanted him to at least be out of bed. Will had thrown himself not only into his work but also trying to find a way to bring Caesar back home. Caroline’s tried to be there for Will but truthfully what could she do to help?

As for me, well—there are days when I just spend most of my time in Caesar’s room, preserving all of this things just the way they were. I’d look at all the old drawings he did when he was just a young chimp, the models he’s built and puzzles he’s completed. I’d even play some of his favorite movie soundtracks he’d come to love thanks to me.

Even though Uncle Will and Caroline said to me that we’d be allowed visitation rights to Caesar, we just had to call in advance before we could. And it couldn’t be more than one visit a month. That alone wasn’t good enough for me, I’d be leaving by mid-August and then who knows what could happen to him by then.

He could be put down, sent to an even worse facility, I don’t know. I began doing some research on the San Bruno facility and as I expected there wasn’t much to go by. Nothing but the smoke and mirrors of them providing ‘enrichment and quality integration with other chimps’. I then went into my contacts and called up one of my friends who once worked for the school yearbook.

“Hey Doe, listen do you still have that camera I gave you for your birthday last year? Oh nothing’s wrong I just need to borrow it for a little bit, is that alright? Great, thanks. Yeah, yeah that’ll work. Okay see yah tomorrow. Bye girl, and thanks again. Kiss, kiss.” I hung up and turned to an old photo that Will made for Caesar.

It was the two of us together on his 3rd birthday just after I had performed E.T’s flight for him. My violin bow in hand with Caesar and I leaning against the other and him holding my violin carefully in his.

“I promised I’d never let anything happen to you, and I failed you little brother. But I’m not gonna fail you again.” My plan forming carefully in my head.

The next day I met my friend Dorinda at her aunt’s cat café and she gave me the camera I had given her for her 17th birthday. A 4K megapixel digital camera. Doe was always into photography which is why all her pictures were the best ones in the school yearbook. And like me, she’s getting a scholarship all the way in New York for Journalism with a focus in principle photography.

I promised to bring the camera back before she left for New York in two weeks to start moving into her new apartment her dad had found for her (her parents had gotten divorced during our sophomore year). I then rode on my motorbike towards San Bruno’s primate shelter.

Once I got there, I was careful not to drive up to the gate, instead I found an old abandoned building that was fairly close to the shelter and snuck inside of it. I climbed up the stairs until I reached a good window that happened to look down at the sanctuary.

I turned on the camera and looked through the lens screen and saw the full 4k HD picture of the San Bruno Primate shelter. I hit the zoom button and low and behold I managed to actually see the security building and saw two men. One was a blonde haired boy who could’ve been ten years older than me, or maybe around my uncle’s age. And the other one was a dark-haired man about the same age, maybe a few years older than the blonde haired boy.

“What I wouldn’t give to have some audio recording gear right about now.” I muttered to myself as I slowly look around the security building.

After a few minutes of nothing but seeing the two of them arguing, or more like the blonde one bullying the dark-haired man, I soon heard the sounds of a car pulling up. Without hesitation, the gates opened up and the car pulled in. I was beginning to think this could be another employers car or even the manager who runs the shelter, but the second I heard the frantic honks and faint sounds of cheering, I knew this wasn’t the case.

Soon enough two girls and another boy came out of the car and were waving around bottles of beer. I smirked and began snapping the pictures of them. The blonde boy coming out and greeting whom I assumed were his friends, and him letting them inside the shelter. I also made sure to get good pictures of the beer his buddy brought. Smirking I looked down at the camera and said.

“Gotcha.” I raced out of the building and headed back towards my bike. Quick as I could, I drove off to the closest Walmart and went over to the tech department to get the photos developed. After waiting about 20-25 minutes, the clerk handed me the photos and I thanked him before heading out.

I packed up everything I was going to need tomorrow when I heard a knock at my door. I jumped slightly but relaxed once I saw that it was uncle Will.

“I just got off the phone with the sanctuary, your visitation tomorrow has been approved.”

“Thanks Will.” I said.

“Now you sure you don’t need me to come with you. I know that things have been—delicate for you lately since Caesar was……”

“I’ll be fine uncle Will. Who knows, maybe seeing him and knowing that he’s alright will put me at ease.”

“You know I’m doing everything I can to get him back, right?”

“I know you are. Believe me, I know.” I walked up to him and embraced him. “You’ve always tried to be so strong. It’s okay to need help.” I heard him sniffle before he separated from me and he said.

“You might wanna get some sleep. They told me they’re expecting you at 10am sharp.” Without another word, he left my room and I let out a deep sigh. I got into bed and soon fell asleep after setting my alarm.

Bright and early the next morning, I got up, got dressed, had my breakfast and took off towards the San Bruno primate shelter before the summer morning traffic could hit. This time I came straight to the gate and after showing my electronic approval to the dark-haired employer, he let me in and escorted me inside.

“What’s your name?” I asked him.

“Pardon?” he asked nervously.

“I asked you for your name.” I asked him again.

“R-Rodney.” He replied.

“Pleasure to meet you Rodney, I’m Lin. Lin Rodman.” I extended out my hand as we came into the office and he hesitantly took my hand before we shook on it.

“Alright Rodney piss off and get back to work!” snapped the blonde-haired man. Rodney flinched and raced off further down the sanctuary corridor. “So, my father tells me you’re here for the new guy? Been nothing but trouble that one.”

“All apes are intelligent beings if you take the time to know them in a calm, collective manner.” I told him. He rolled his eyes and groaned.

“Oh don’t tell me you’re one of those people. The ones that are always protesting for animal rights and their free speech. Please they’re animals! They don’t know the difference between food and their own shit.” I narrowed my eyes at him and said as I came around and sat down at one of the chairs.

“And just who are you to say something like that?”

“Are you kidding me? Kid, I’m Dodge Landon. And I know better than these stupid monkeys.”

“Apes. Monkeys have tails, apes don’t.”

“Whatever. Let’s just get this over with.” He trudged out of the main office and I followed right behind him to another room where a large cage with only a small slot stood. “Wait over there.” He ordered me as he pointed at a bench before continuing onward. I sat down at it and waited for a bit.

Soon I heard the sound of footsteps coming from the roof and hopping down in the cage was Cesar. The second we saw one another, Caesar hooted happily and I came over to him taking his hand in mine.

“Hey, hey there Caesar.” He reached up and gently touched where the bruise from Hunsiker’s punch was at as he signed to me.

‘Still hurt bad?’

“It’s fine, see? Bruise is gone now. I’m okay bud, I’m okay.” The second I saw Dodge come into the room I stood up and asked him. “I’d like to know that he’s being well taken care of here and that no harm has come to him.”

“He’s fine. If he gets picked on, that’s his problem, not ours.” Dodge shrugged nonchalantly.

“So you wouldn’t care if a court order of animal abuse came onto this sanctuary?”

“Truthfully I could care less about what happens to this place. My father’s the one who really runs it, he just forces me to work here.”

“Huh.” I hummed. “Now according to your website, you say you provide an ‘enriching environment’ is that correct?”

“Yeah, so what?”

“So what is that exactly? Just out of curiosity.”

“You know you’re asking a lot of questions that shouldn’t be asked.”

“Well now hold on a second, I’m merely just making conversation here. I’d like to know that the temporary home that Caesar is in is giving him everything he needs. He’s not like other chimps you know.”

“Please. He’s just another dumb animal who thinks he’s special. And you’re a nosy little girl whose sticking her nose where it don’t belong!” Caesar lowly growled but I held my hand out in front of him to calm him down.

“I suppose I am. But before you do anything, I’d like to show you something.” I went over to my pack and pulled out the folder and held it out to him. He snatched the folder and opened it up to reveal the fully developed 4k pictures of him and his friends together with beer in hand and him sneaking them inside the sanctuary through the backdoor.

“How’d you get these pictures?” he hissed at me.

“How I got them doesn’t matter, what matters is what are you going to do with them.”

“You really think you’re so smart, huh? Well I’ll show you!” he then proceeded to rip up the pictures to shreds. “There, now you have no evidence.”

“Don’t I?” I then pulled out the thumb drive I had put the pictures on before getting them developed. “Now I know you said you could care less what happens to this place, but what happens if—I don’t know say….the public finds out about this? If the courts decided this place was unreliable to house unwanted apes. After all in this day in age, it’s the public opinion that rules all, right? Even if the courts don’t do anything, the people will. And that would be such a headache for you, now wouldn’t it? Unless……we come to a little deal.”

Dodge looked at me with both seething anger but also a hint of fear.

“You blackmailing me?” he asked.

“Yes.” I replied after a moment of silence. I gave him an unsettling wide smile, softly chuckling while and a crazy look to my eye to let him know I meant business.

“What do you want?” I turned towards Caesar and said as I took his hand in mine.

“I should like to come at least twice a week, no further visitor approval. And I shall provide the apes true enrichment. Give you less work to do.”

“And just how do you expect over 100 apes are going to listen to you.”

“Music doth soothes the savage beast, isn’t that how the quote goes? In that folder you’ll also see my resume of performing with the San Fransico community center orchestra. You give me at least an hour to entertain the apes with true enrichment, and no one ever need know your dirty little secret. Not even your own father.”

I could see Dodge going over my proposition in his head, he took a deep breath in before exhaling sharply.

“And you swear you won’t go back on your deal and release those photos online?”

“You keep your end of the bargain, and I shall keep mine.” Dodge glared at me but he soon said.

“Deal. In fact you can start now, these animals have been going mad for hours.” As he turned away I turned to Caesar and muttered.

“Got it, Malfoy.” Caesar let out a laugh as I snickered which made Dodge stop and slowly turn to us.

“What did you call me?”

“Nothing, nothing not a thing, Draco Malfoy.” I told him before muttering the name under my breath again. “I’ll see you on the other side Caesar.” He nodded and proceeded back up the cage and I heard his footsteps trail off.

“Move it.” Dodge lowly sneered as he gestured for me to move. I was then taken to the back room where I feared all the apes were actually living was revealed.

Tightly condensed cages with only room for them to pace a foot between and only a small bunk-like bed for them to sit on if they didn’t want to sit at the floor of their cages. All the chimps were going insane in their cages, beating on them, hotting and chattering hysterically.

“Sweet Jesus it’s worse than I thought.” I muttered.

“Oi! If you don’t mind, get on with your silly fiddle music.” Dodge impatiently snapped.

“It’s a violin, not a fiddle.” I set my case down and took out my violin.

“Uhh Dodge? Wh-why is she back here?” Rodney asked nervously.

“Oh don’t worry Rodney, I’m here to give you boys a bit of extra help.” I gave him a wink as I walked down the ramps tuning my violin to make sure it was good and ready. As I came to the pathway between the cages, the apes began to settle down as they all looked to me.

I then proceeded to play the very song I played at my last performance with the community center. Celtic woman’s ‘Granuaile’s Dance’. The second I started with the first few notes and dancing about like a doe in springtime, the apes all went silent as they watched me.

I’d dance in front of some of their cages, spinning on the balls of my feet while continuously playing. Some came up to their cages with an entranced look that Caesar always had whenever I’d play for him. Others began softly hooting happily as I’d do another spin for them before running down the corridors.

I made sure to give every ape the same attention as I played in each row and ran down the long, winding corridor. Twirling, jumping, skipping, and racing down as I played my violin. By the end of it all, I had raced back towards the main entrance of the corridor and when I finished, I heard some claps from the apes while the rest of them hooted and chattered in their way as an applause. I even heard some claps from above as I saw Rodney clapping but then he stopped when Dodge glared at him.

“Now if you gentlemen don’t mind, I’ve got about 57 minutes left of this concert and I think the apes would appreciate it if they weren’t being monitored like common criminals.” Dodge turned away scoffing under his breath.

“Whatever.”

“J-just be sure to not get too close to the cages.” Rodney advised me. I nodded and he left to go back into the infirmary office. I took a deep breath in and proceeded to do several more compositions until my hour was almost up. For the remainder of the five minutes I had left, I sat in front of Caesar’s cage.

“So you think the others enjoyed having true enrichment?”

‘Yes. Maurice especially loved it.’ Caesar signed.

“Who’s Maurice?” Caesar then pointed over to the only Orangutan in the sanctuary. Maurice looked at me with eyes that held the same level of intelligence as Caesar and he began to sign.

‘You play beautifully.’ I gasped softly and signed to him.

‘You know sign language?’

‘Circus orangutan.’ Maurice signed to me. I looked at him sympathetically and signed back to him.

‘I’m so sorry.’

‘No need for apologizes.’ I turned back to Caesar and he signed to me.

‘When can I go home?’ I sighed solemnly.

“Believe me brother, if it were up to me I’d bust you out of here right now. But only Will can get you out of here, I have no legal right to do that. I’m sorry.” Caesar huffed lowly as he looked away from me. “I’m really sorry Caesar, the only thing I can do is come twice a week and provide you with some semblance of home thanks to my deal with the owner’s son.” He didn’t look back at me. “I’ll see you in two days.” I packed up my violin and headed out the door.

“Finally finished?” Dodge sneered.

“Be thankful I took an hour of your miserable life of having to deal with these intelligent creatures. And remember our deal, if I hear you mentioning this to your father, the pictures get posted on my Instagram.” I walked out the door, got on my bike and headed back to the house.

Along with providing music for the apes, I also performed for grandpa in hopes of getting some recognition back into his eyes. But all he gives any of us is the thousand-yard stare.

Sometimes I wonder if there is such a thing as ‘out of body experience’, that way grandpa could really see just how much his health has affected all of us. Like cancer, the worst thing about Alzheimer’s disease is not what it does to the person it’s affecting, but the people around them.

Four weeks later and I had just finished my current concert I had given the apes at San Bruno primate sanctuary. And as usual, I try to make the last few minutes be the one on one time with Caesar and I. Lately, however, I’ve noticed how he’s grown to be more distant. He hardly ever signs back to me, only giving me the occasional nod or one worded sign. I sat by his cage and said to him.

“I don’t know what happened after the last time Will and Caroline came to see you a week ago, but surely it can’t be worth all this brooding and misery.” He didn’t turn back to face me. “Please Caesar, you’re really starting to worry me. You can hardly look at me anymore. Are you—ashamed of me being here now?” he remained on his bunk bed, his back turned to me.

My heart cracked as I let out a soft scoff.

“Alright, I can take a hint.” I packed up my violin and told him. “Just know that all these years together wasn’t a game to me, nor a lie. You were like the little brother I never had, but if you don’t want me in your life anymore, I’ll respect your decision. I’ll remember you though, after all—I remember everyone who leaves.” A tear slid down my face as I raced out of the sanctuary and rode back home.

I stayed in my room the rest of the day and into the night. Looking through the old scrapbook I had made of Caesar and myself throughout the years. All of his best drawings, pictures of us together, things we collected during our time in the redwoods. My throat clenched tightly and my heart sunk to my stomach.

I grabbed an old suitcase and with all the memorabilia I had that reminded me of Caesar, I placed them in the suitcase before zipping it up and placing a lock on the suitcase and locked it up. I then slid the suitcase under my bed before collapsing onto my bed burying my face into my pillow as tears once again fell down my face.

And just when I thought I didn’t have anymore tears to shed, I woke the next morning to check on grandpa when I saw him and uncle Will together. Grandpa’s body pale as his white sheets and lying still like a statue. Will turned to me with tears in his eyes and he shook his head at me.

My body went numb—I didn’t feel myself collapse to my knees but I did take notice of how the world looked bigger while I felt smaller. I must’ve let out some heart-breaking wail because uncle Will came and held me in his arms while Caroline came rushing in and I saw her checking on grandpa, but there wasn’t anything she could do. There wasn’t anything anyone could do.

My grandpa, Charles Rodman, was dead.

We had the funeral a week later. I didn’t even hear the automatic speech that the officiant had to say about my grandpa, all I could hear was muffled voices while I watched brokenly as my grandfather’s casket was lowered into the earth.

After the service, I was back in my room fiddling with some of grandpa’s old sheet music. I don’t know why but now that he’s gone I feel—empty. Like all the music I once had inside of me, the passion I once had for it, it was completely gone. I tossed the sheet music aside and I heard a knock at my door.

“Knock, knock, may I come in?” I heard Caroline’s voice ask softly. I let out a small grunt allowing her inside my room. She sat down beside me and asked me, “How are you holding up Lin?”

“Was it worth it?” I croaked out for the first time after being silent for a whole week.

“What?”

“Was it worth pulling it off? His death? Would it have—hurt less if he had passed on five years ago? Or would we still be in this much pain, knowing that he didn’t have to have that fleeting second chance.”

“I know there’s nothing I can say that’ll bring him back, or change what happened. But you should at least take comfort in the fact that—he’s no longer suffering anymore. And he’ll always be with you, as long as you remember the things he taught you.” I moved my eyes towards my violin and I suddenly had a distain for it.

“LIN!!” Will’s voice cried out after hearing the front door slam shut. Thunderous footsteps came up and he soon entered my room, a pissed off look across his face.

“Will, hold on now’s not the—”

“No Caroline this is between me and her.” Will snapped. Caroline stood up and walked over to my uncle, holding his arm.

“Choose your next words carefully. She’s in a fragile state right now.” She then left closing the door behind her.

“The month you’d disappear twice a week for, tell me exactly where’d you go off to? And don’t lie to me.” I looked up at him.

“Visiting the community center to—”

“I SAID DON’T LIE TO ME LIN!!” he said slamming his hand on my dresser. “I know Lin. I know you’ve been sneaking out to see Caesar by blackmailing the owner’s son. He told me, ‘tell that little brat of yours I don’t care about the photos. Now both of you aren’t my problem anymore’.”

“You already know, what’s the point in me telling you?”

“Don’t turn this around! Why would you do something so incredibly stupid!? If it had gotten out by the time the court date came around that you trespassed on private property, blackmailed their staff, and illegally saw Caesar, we’d never get him back! You never think these things through!”

“What like you did?! When you gave grandpa that drug? Or not telling Caesar who he really was? Or even just now by paying off Mr. Landon just to break Caesar out!” I snapped as I stood up from my bed and got into his face. “Yeah, I saw the envelope full of money before we left for the service for grandpa. You’re not as slick as you think you are uncle.”

“Well as you can see it didn’t work. Caesar wouldn’t leave with me.”

“Good.” I went to walk away but he roughly grabbed my arm and snapped.

“What now all of a sudden you don’t care about him anymore? You’d always call him your brother ape now you’re acting like you don’t even know him!”

“Because I’ve learned to accept what he wanted. Something that you clearly can’t seem to grasp, and I don’t just mean for Caesar.” He let go of my arm and said.

“You got to be with your grandfather longer than you would’ve…”

“And then his disease came back! Ten times worse than it was before! You didn’t think that would happen!?”

“It’s not my fault that you turned your back for one second for him to get into Hunsiker’s car allowing Caesar to be taken away from us!” silence immediately rang through my room.

My fists clenched so tightly that my knuckles turned white and my nails dug deep into my palms. I shook with rage as uncle Will suddenly realize what he had said.

“Lin, I—”

“No! No this is great! It’s great that you finally spoke the truth after all this time! I’m happy to know that Caesar being taken away was all my fault! So I’m sorry if I made things harder on you but in less than a month from now you…won’t even have to deal with me!” I stormed out of my room as well as out of the house.

I didn’t even bother grabbing my bike, I just ran as fast and as hard as I could down the street. I don’t know where I ended up and I didn’t care, all I knew was that I couldn’t stay in that house.

#planet of the apes #planet of the apes imagine #planet of the apes imagines #planet of the apes x reader #planet of the apes fanfic #planet of the apes fanfiction #caesar #caesar x oc #caesar x reader #caesar imagine #caesar imagines #caesar fanfic #caesar fanfiction #rise of the planet of the apes

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otterskin · 10 months

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Otterskin Recs: Blue Eye Samurai

Premise: A 'half-breed' samurai with blue eyes, possessed by an evil spirit of vengeance, cuts her way across the land as she seeks her father - one of only four white men in isolated Japan. For the crime of her own miserable existence, she will execute him.

Oh yeah, it's good. This may be sacrilegious to say, but...

American Cartoons < Anime < American Cartoons trying to be anime

Somehow, that last thing can overcome the problems the first two things are usually crippled by. BES is one such incredible show. It's well-paced, designed for the screen first and foremost, builds on its continuity and has occupied my thoughts for a week.

Thanks to that excellent pacing, it was very hard to not binge the whole thing. I only made it till episode 4 by watching one at a time, and then binged the rest with only a sleep to interrupt it. Its influences range from Samurai Champloo (naturally) to Hellsing Ultimate to Shogun by James Clavell to Kill Bill to maaayybe The Last Samurai. I've no idea how accurate to Japanese history it is, but even with all the ultra-violence and impossible physical feats, I did feel very grounded in its version of 17th century Japan.

The storytelling is compelling, the characters complex, the action exhilarating, and the voice-acting impeccable. Particular kudos given here to Maya Erskine as the titular character, who manages a convincing androgenous voice that is meant to come across to others as emotionless, but must convey all kinds of emotional information to the audience - for an entire show. That is no easy feat! The work of Randall Park as Heiji Shindo was also a favourite, managing to juggle menace and comedy. Even in the character's darkest moments, he is first and foremost entertaining.

Believe it or not, I did not at first realize that Abijah Fowler was played by my own beloved Kenneth Branagh! I should've realized it when this despicable character was so instantly charismatic, ha ha. As good as everyone else is, and they are all excellent, Branagh's menacing Irishman is the most interestingly performed, with small inflections and lilting menace that makes this odd duck out a protagonist of his own terrifying story. In a world of propriety and performance, only he and Mizu, the Blue-Eyed Samurai, are honest about who they are and what they want.

However, my favourite character of the show is probably Akemi. To avoid spoilers, I'll simply say that she's a competing protagonist and much-needed counter-balance to Mizu's story. She enriches the story with her perspective and experiences, which is a necessary thing when the protagonist is so laser-focused on a single goal. It is through Akemi's eyes that we actually come to understand the world and how it works, before Mizu ruthlessly slices through it.

The one fly in the ointment is that the CGI animation can't always keep up with the show's ambition. It's nowhere near as good looking as the impossible Arcane was, but once you accept its limitations, you get used to it. The animation also increases in quality as the show goes on, which means it only gets better! There are all kinds of dynamic camera movements and creative cinematography to make it engaging, too. My favourite was the use of a bunraku puppet show intercut with a flashback, which is interesting on several levels, not the least of which is realizing that since this is in 3D, that these animated characters are also puppets, of a modern kind.

I recommend this show for fans of Claymore and Afro Samurai in particular. It's violent, dark and carnal, but unlike so many anime that are so, it has excellent writing for its female cast and the wider story. This is the rare 'adult animation' that is actually for mature viewers, who expect mature writing and sensibilities.

Give it a go. And let me know what you think!

#TV recs #anime #claymore #blue eye samurai #netflix

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cleolinda · 1 year

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youtube

I haven't sat up and waited until midnight for something in a long while, so that was fun.

When I listen to something new, a few songs will snag on my brain--purely on a musical level, it's not really about lyrics at that point if I can even understand them--and then we go into the "I'm autistic, I listen to one (1) song at a time on repeat, see you in a week" stage. (Okay, I might rotate 2-3.) Like, Unreal Unearth will probably be Enrichment in My Enclosure for a good month or two; I'm still wringing the dopamine out of "De Selby (Part 2)." I am extremely hashtag-blessed to have had five whole months to chew on the six singles we got, as it is.

For whatever reason, "Who We Are" up there was the one that really caught my ear last night. Like I just started smiling to myself: that's the one. There were others--including the very last song, which is astounding--but I went, yeah, this is the one going straight to repeat.

One of the fun things about the way I listen to music is that sometimes songs just don't snag for me until many listens, or many months, or many years later. I wrote about Florence + the Machine's "Howl" turning out to be my most-played song on Apple Music--it didn't seem all that great to me for the first seven listens or so, and then suddenly it was The Song. Songs turn into little oracles; they wait and talk to me when I need to hear them.

(If you've had that happen--a song that seemed Just Okay suddenly hitting for you, chime in--I'm curious.)

(So... Hozier just sounds like that, huh. Because I know this man is not using autotune. He just wakes up and sounds like that.)

#music #music discussion #hozier #unreal unearth

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dreamiehan · 1 year

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Yiji’s Relationship with Stray Kids

stray kids addition au: yiji

→ VOCAL RACHA + 2/3 DANCE RACHA (VER.)

[ yi-an jihae masterlist] 🎧

𝙃𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙜 𝙃𝙮��𝙣𝙟𝙞𝙣

contact name 💬 hyunnie bun ( ◠‿◠ )

⠀↳ the two moons whose gravitational pull towards one another is too strong.. these two share a bond that even the gods envy, yet when they clash the emotions are destructive and lingering.

ʚĭɞ is it envy yiji feels towards hyunjin? or is she simply so adorned by his presence that it suffocates her insecurity? she feels conflicted and often guilty about her inner turmoil towards hyunjin but she truly would do anything for him.

ʚĭɞ unironically, as both hyunjin and yiji are members of the main dance unit, these two complement each others artistry really well. fans describe it as a “performers chemistry” when the two are together on any stage.

ʚĭɞ yiji has always been quite curious of hyunjin’s art hobbies and kinda follows him around the dorms like a lost puppy when he is painting. hyunjin thinks it’s really cute (which he will never admit becuase he know yiji will simply cease cause its cringey) as it is her way of spending quality time with him.

ʚĭɞ despite their awkward nature, yiji and hyunjin have a lot in common. yiji has always been better with writing her feelings and sometime’s shares her poetry with him, in exchange he attempts to write little poems to share with her about his art.

ʚĭɞ the two of them have this unspoken thing will hyunjin will say he’s going out, usually to a cafe, sometimes an art event, or just on a walk for something he needs and yiji always tags along. he never asks her directly but she’s always there.

ʚĭɞ hyunjin feels deeply when it comes to yiji, meanwhile yiji tries hard to not to feel anything at all.. it’s an unrequited lovers trope; two people yearn deeply for one another yet they were continuously separated in their past lives.

fun fact 💭

it was hyunjin who actually came up with yiji’s producer name HAESUN. truthfully, he thought he was being funny/annoying by calling her sunsun but she secretly adored it. that’s why her producer ephtiet is very dear to her heart.

𝙇𝙚𝙚 𝙁𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙭

contact name 💬 smiley╰(*´︶`*)╯♡

⠀↳ everybody point and sob at the golden duo. “being with felix is like remembering how to breathe again.. you’re so happy that your stomach hurts from laughing”.

ʚĭɞ golden duo, also competitive gaming duo??? literally every decision between yiji and felix is settled with a quick, best of three versus in super smash brothers. who’s cleaning the dishes? 1v1. going back to the store to grab something one of them forgot? 1v1. chicken or steak for dinner? 1v1.

ʚĭɞ yiji likes to think she was naturally drawn to felix’s radiant aura back when the two were just trainee’s. she always felt like she could let down her walls, even for just a second.. he always made her feel safe enough to be herself and that intimacy has never faded.

ʚĭɞ somehow felix is the only one who can manage to get yiji to leave her room when she needs “enrichment in her enclosure time” aka, she has a genshin impact gambling addiction 😭 if there are no schedules, home girl could be couped up in her bed for hours, grinding quests, playing the events, and pulling on the banner.

ʚĭɞ and just when you thought jisung and yiji were loud, felix and yiji are on an entirely different level.. and so toxic HELP???. due to the amount of late night yelling and swears chan has them living apart in the new dorm arrangement specifically for this reason.

ʚĭɞ yiji was never a foodie until she met felix, honestly if it was up to her.. she is content eating the same meal multiple times a week but not on LEE FELIX’S WATCH. he loves dragging her to cafes and bakeries of all kinds, all those aesthetic pictures of felix drinking? yeah, yiji took those.

ʚĭɞ since the release of skz player, yiji has been desperate to co-produce a song with felix. she absolutely loves his voice.

fun fact 💭

when all of the kids and yiji to live in the same dorm, the two of them would often wander into the living room at night to play mario kart and one time the yelling got so out of hand they got a noise complaint 💀

𝙆𝙞𝙢 𝙎𝙚𝙪𝙣𝙜𝙢𝙞𝙣

contact name 💬 my prince (//∇//)♡

⠀↳ this girl is 101% whipped for kim seungmin and he doesn’t understand why. “kim seungmin, cuddle me right now”. “ah.. you are stressing me out already.. *gets up and cuddles her anyway*”. yiji loves him so much but unbeknownst to her, seungmin wishes he could always do more to show he cares.. he just struggles at navigating their relationship.

ʚĭɞ when these two first met, their relationship only existed out of forced proximity. it’s not that they necessarily disliked one another but rather neither of them felt inclined to get to know each other beyond schedules.

ʚĭɞ mhmm, kim “i know something is troubling you but i don’t know how to ask you about it” seungmin!! this boy buys yiji flowers constantly and it is the cutest darn thing (it’s like a little peace offering) sometimes he will even pretend like he has no idea who sent them but as soon as they’re alone he always apologizes saying, “i didn’t know which ones were in season so i just bought you all different types” :D

ʚĭɞ no one took seungmin getting his braces off as personally as yiji did, she was absolutely devastated. seungmin was like ??? honestly, in her eyes he just looked a lot more adult, like he was growing up too fast but these days yiji always reminds seungmin how much she loves his smile and he gets all shy about it hehe.

ʚĭɞ hyunminji are the unsuspecting trio of skz! from the outside, it doesn’t seem like yiji, hyunjin, and seungmin would spend as much time together but on their off days seungmin will the two in their dorms and the three of them will binge dramas and order take out. it’s really cute to kinda see them sprawled out on the sofa with open boxes of chicken and jjigae on the table.

ʚĭɞ yiji just has a heart full of love and adoration towards seungmin, he has no idea. despite their differences in age, yiji looks up to seungmin greatly and finds peace in their quality time. yiji finds that being emotionally vulnerable is alot easier when expressing her concerns to seungmin!

fun fact 💭

seungmin loves to pretend fight with yiji and it’s honestly the weirdest funniest thing ever.. he wouldn’t be caught dead showing her outright affection but instead just puts his fists up and starts throwing punches that don’t actually land?? sometimes though yiji is like 10/10 not in the mood for his antics and she will actually square up 💀

𝙔𝙖𝙣𝙜 𝙅𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙞𝙣

contact name 💬 lil innie ✌︎('ω'✌︎ )

⠀↳ if innie is stays fashionista boyfriend, then yiji is stays fashionista gf ♡ these two love taking ootds of each other

ʚĭɞ from the outside it may look like jeongin and yiji aren’t close but that is false! these two have such a wonderful bond, yiji just doesn’t baby him as much as the other members hehe

ʚĭɞ when it comes to jeongin, yiji cannot conceal her emotions.. she’s always just so proud of him and when he is extra hard on himself she will scold him!

ʚĭɞ these two are so sassy when they’re together, even chan doesn’t stand a chance (☝︎ ՞ਊ ՞)☝︎ and they are always laughing about something! it will be completely silent, they’ll give each other one look and start cackling

ʚĭɞ they are always on some b.s, unserious duo; for example, it could be 8 a.m and these two will be watching a horror movie, screaming like nobody’s business 😭 it is like they are in their own little world when they’re together

ʚĭɞ when they were trainees, jeongin was a bit intimidated by her (yiji has an insanely vicious resting bitch face) but now jeongin knows she is probably just daydreaming LMAO

fun fact 💭

jeongin is yiji’s croissant dealer?? like actually the plug for every carb she could ever dream of. when their schedules are packed (especially during comeback seasons) jeongin brings a little box of croissants with him in his bag 🥹

#dreamiehan 🥳#stray kids imagines #straykids #stray kids #han jisung #bang chan #hwang hyunjin #lee minho #seo changbin #kim seungmin #lee felix #yang jeongin #stray kids added member #stray kids addition #stray kids 9th member #kpop oc #kpop member au #stray kids au #stray kids imagine

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blue-mostacho · 9 months

Text

~Cherry Bomb~

Warnings: mentions of SA (not detailed), alcohol and drug abuse.

I decided to just change up a little bit the introduction of the prologue. I hope it doesn't disappoint you guys, it doesn't mean that the Billy romance is completely out of the table. That's not the case AT ALL, like, not even close. I just chose to change it up a little bit so it fits better the fic as it could lead anywhere.

I chose two songs to accompany this first chapter, you will find a symbol with the name of the song right at the beginning. As you read the chapter, the symbol will appear signaling the moment you need to play the songs and when to stop them.

Before you start reading it, please read the prologue for full context.

You can find it here.

I hope you enjoy!

Previous part (prologue), just in case bc I panic xd

Chapter One - Bruises and burgers.

★ Afraid - The neighborhood

☆ Kickstar my heart - Mötley Crüe

The tick-tack coming from the clock hanging on the wall is giving me an eye tick. I roll my eyes as the boredom is driving me nuts, yawning I stretch my back, lifting my arms. Another shitty day at work with shitty customers and shitty coworkers. I'm not very fond of people, I've never really had a lot of friends, in fact, I don't even recall having friends as a little girl. Of course, I had a couple of kids with whom I would play at recess, but that was it. In high school, I would hang out with different groups of people, but I never felt like I really belonged to any of them. It wasn't their fault though, I just didn't feel that way, you know? Like, I never had no one to rely on. On the other hand people didn't seem very pleased with my presence either, so...

It never bothered me too much, I liked being alone. I used to spend a lot of time in my head, making up stories of all sorts, fake scenarios and adventures. I had fun that way. My whole life revolved around books and comics, movies, and any other medium that would enrich my imagination. Although I must say that over the last few years, I have met some wonderful people, like Don. I met Don a couple of years ago, I'd landed a pretty decent job at an arcade in California, and the paycheck wasn't bad at all, he was my coworker. He wasn't into video games or comic books, but he needed the money to pay for school loans. Since I liked working there, the thought of settling down, getting a small room in a shared apartment, and starting a new life didn't sound bad at all. I did for a while, I was 20 at the time. I'd spent two years on the road and it was starting to take a toll on me. Everything was going well, but remember what I said about never having a real group of friends? Yeah, well, I actually had one for a short time. ★ I used to do night shifts at a local bar since I needed the extra cash to fix my car, which had broken down. When I said I had a rusty car, I really meant it. Every night, a group of six people around my age would come in and spend the night playing cards, drinking, and doing the usual shit people in their 20s do. I was the only one covering the nights, so it wasn't long until we became friends, especially since one of the guys in the group had his eyes on me. I liked hanging out with them. Soon, my shifts stopped feeling like work. Most of the nights they were the only customers, so I would just sit at the table with them and play poker until the end of my shift.

In the beginning, everything was fine, just a handful of wannabe adults having fun here and there, nothing special. But as the weeks went by, I started to notice small but weird details, I brushed them off. After all, they were in their twenties, living in a place like California, so of course things like alcohol and drugs were something usual.

During my first months in California, everything went well, I was convinced I made the right decision, but life wasn't planning on making it so easy for me, so eventually things started going south.

Don tried to warn me the few times the guys showed up at the arcade. I guess he could see something that I didn't. There's not a day that I don't regret not listening to him. I was so caught up in my own world that I missed all the signals until it was too late, and I know I deserved everything that happened.

With each passing week, everything turned more and more sketchy. New people started joining them at the bar, some of them were older, way too old. I just knew that they weren't just playing poker anymore. Slowly, they were going down a really dark path, and I was being dragged down with them.

I tried to stay out of it, but one night, one of the guys, Axel, showed up at my door. He was covered in blood, his own blood. That was his first mistake because after that they wouldn't leave me alone. I guess they assumed I was his girlfriend and tried to send him a message through me. We were actually pretty close, that's why he came to me when he needed help.

That night, he told me everything that'd been going on while I was nursing him up. After that, I understood why it's said that young people are stupid. Because we are.

Long story short, they got involved with some nasty drug dealers. I'm not talking about Eddie type of dealer. It was more of a drug network, they used to party a lot which led to them experiencing with strong, exotic substances. Safe to say they became addicted quickly, which resulted in consuming every day, and those substances were also expensive. So by the time Axel found himself knocking on my door, they were all in deep debt, and that's why he got the beating of his life. They did fuck him up real good, I was freaking out trying to convince him to go the ER to check for possible concussions. Needless to say, he refused.

After that I distanced myself from him and the rest, but as I said they already fixated on me.

Weird things started happening to me. It didn't last long though, just a couple of weeks. But I guess that's what you get when you ignore the red flags.

Don was there the whole time, he knew everything and kept insisting I cut off any ties with them, that just distancing myself wasn't enough.

I still saw them from time to time, especially Axel and Nadia, a breathtaking blonde with baby-blue eyes. I will never understand how she managed to fall into something like that, I swear she is the sweetest girl I've ever met.

I tried to help them both as much as I could, but it was to no avail.

Everything got too much for me on Axel's birthday, we all gathered to celebrate. I wasn't sure about going, but he insisted. That was his second mistake, and it was also mine. Don tried to talk me out of it, but we were just going to have dinner. They were planning on going to a club after that, but I'm not a party person, so I would just skip it with the excuse of having to work the next day. And that's exactly what I did. I had dinner, and then I went home, or at least I tried.

I will never forget that night. It was dark, the dining place we chose wasn't far from my home so I didn't take the car.

To this day if I close my eyes I can still feel the pain radiating through my body.

I would've ended up worse than Axel the night he showed up at my house if it wasn't for a couple of passers-by, but i was too late anyway. By the time the two strangers interfered, the other men had already managed to rip off my clothes between punches and have their fun with me on time. My entire body was aching, and the cold air didn't help soothe my already shaking figure.

After that I just left, nobody knew except Don. He was the only one I called once I managed to get into my house.

Eight months. That was the duration of my time in California. After that, I spent three months driving nonstop until I found Hawkins.

Today marks one year since that night, and I still shudder at the memory.

You're probably wondering why I decided to stay here after what happened, why not keep on traveling and avoid any attempt at a more stable life, or maybe go back home? Honestly, I don't know. I guess the contrast between this small town and a big city was too appealing after everything that's happened. Not gonna lie, my friendship with Eddie did help too. Of all the people that I've met in all these years of traveling, he's my favorite one. But I'll never tell him that, the fucker won't stop pestering me about it.★

The ticking of that goddamn clock still drumming in my ears pulls me out of my thoughts. I zone out a lot more than before, but I got used to it.

I groan annoyed, looking at the time. I still have thirty minutes left and I pray to God that I don't get any customers.

It's almost Christmas, so everything is decorated with tinsel and colorful lights, the streets smell like freshly lit fireplaces mixed with aromas of holiday sweets that had just been taken out of the oven.

I love Christmas, but like, obsessively. Although this year is kinda hard to get into the festive spirit, around this time is when I miss home the most. Reliving that night doesn't help either, it feels like my body knows exactly what day it is and decided to keep bringing the memories back on a loop. It's not like I think about it all the time, but sometimes it just comes to my mind like a slap on the face.

I shake my head, pushing those thoughts away, tired of the subject. I realize that I can start with my closing routine, first flipping the sign on the door as always. Soon enough I'm on my way to my car, not before grabbing some instant ramen and a few other snacks from the store. Sometimes, I walk to get to work, but the cold air of Indiana's winter is unbearable at this point.

It's a ten-minute drive home, it's already dark outside, it's almost 10 pm so my headlights help me see enough so I don't crash.

As always, I drag my feet to the entry of my roulotte, cigarette hanging from my lips like a ritual. My eyes fall on Eddie's trailer as it's parked thirty feet away in front of mine, just like every day. He's home, so as soon as I set foot in my house, I just throw my bag on the bed and rush outside again.

I make my way to the long-haired boy's door, I don't even bother knocking. Once I open it, the warmth of the house hugs my body as I make my way inside.

–Momma's home!- I shout, to make sure he can hear me. But I get nothing in response. I can hear some struggling, a frustrated 'fuck' coming from the living room. I look to my right just to find him lying on the floor with his arm under the couch, his neck hurtfully bent as his head rests on the front of the piece of furniture.– What are you doing?

–What does it look like I'm doing?- he tries to turn his head to look back at me, but clearly, he fails. I walk over there, swinging my legs over him trying not to step on him. I crouch, so now I have a perfect view of his face, it is red, and the vein on his forehead looks like it's about to explode. His bangs are bathed in sweat as he keeps struggling.

–I don't know, you tell me.‐ I try not to laugh as the words leave my mouth.

–My fucking arm is stuck under this thing.- he punches de couch with his free hand.

–How did it end up there Eds?- I don't even bother to keep it in anymore and a laugh comes out from the bottom of my chest.

–Oh it's just something that I enjoy doing...what do you think? My fucking guitar pick fell under it!- he starts out with a calm tone full of sarcasm and ends up yelling with a pitched voice.–Could you just help me already?

I laugh even harder, but I get up and place my hands under the side of the couch, lifting it up, freeing his arm. He rubs his now red, almost bruised, bicep as he mutters a "fucking couch" under his breath.

–You're welcome.- I let it down again and let myself fall on it.–Didn't it occur to you to just move it to the side?‐ His eyes snap up at me.

–Well, obviously not smartass.- getting up to sit beside me. I lift my hands in a surrendering.

–Okay okay, chill.- but I am laughing hysterically, which only increases his bad temper. His face turning red again.–Anyway, I brought ramen. Do you have any clean pots?.- I turn to look at the kitchen only to find the sink full of dirty dishes.–Nevermind.

His back is now laying against the cushions, he's lookin at the ceiling, putting on display his side profile.

Eddie has long, curly hair that falls a little lower down his shoulders. Big brown eyes, right under the waves of his bangs. We actually have the same haircut... kind of. The only differences being the orange dye in my hair compared to the chocolate of his locks, and mine has a lot more layers and volume. We're pretty similar in a lot of things, even in clothing.

His skin is pale making his pink lips stand out more as he bites on his bottom lip thinking.

–I'm too tired to cook right now.- he says with a dramatic sigh.–Why don't we go out?‐ He tilts his head to look at me.–I could use some fresh air.-I roll my eyes.

☆–Okay but I'm not driving.‐He shruggs nonchalantly.

A few moments later I'm handing him the keys to my car, as he enters the driver's seat. The sound of the engine roaring in the trailer park as he speeds off.

–The guys really want to meet you, you know?- I'm deep in thought when his voice fills the car, gaze lost in the window while i suck on a cherry lollipop.- Dustin wouldn't shut up about you after he met you.

–I mean, I will be having a few days off from work during the holidays.- I say, taking the sweet out of out my mouth, focusing on him. He's been trying to introduce me to his friends for a while now, I usually work double shifts so I barely have any free time. I kept promising him that I would find some time, but it's nearly impossible. After all, we are short on people at the store. But I did meet Dustin one evening after work, I'd stomped into Eddie's place unannounced as always. They were so focused on the videogame they were playing that I almost killed them from a heart attack. Kid's pretty cool though.

–Maybe you could join the D&D Christmas campaign.- My eyebrows rise in surprise, he's very picky about the people he allows into his D&D club. I've been pestering him about it since I came here, but he always would spit out something along the lines of it not being just a game, life or death situations and not allowing himself to recruit nothing but the best warriors he could find. Everything in a very dramatic way, just as he is. Even after I told him that I've been playing for years now, he wouldn't change his mind. Saying that the key word was "playing", and that it was enough for him to know I wasn't worthy of a place in his fantasy world or the Hellfire Club.

–Are you okay? Do you have a fever or something?- I tease placing the back of my hand on his forehead, fake concern lacing my voice. He pushes it away, not moving his eyes from the road.

–Shut up.- he laughs.–I'm just tired of listening to you bitching about it.

–Yeah, sure.‐ chuckling I place the candy back I'm my mouth looking outside the window again. I don't need to look at him to know that he rolled his eyes. He stretches his arm to reach the cassette of the car, turning up the volume and banging his head to the beat of Mötley Crüe. He speeds up the car almost to its limits, enjoying the thrill of the adrenaline as he laughs vibing to the song.

It only takes us two more songs before my car is far behind parked as we reach for the door of Richie's, I swear they make the best burgers here. The place is full, diferent groups of teenagers spread throughout the ample space. We make our way to a table and just as we were about to sit down, someone shouts behind us.

–Munson!☆

Next chapter.

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