#casey & elijah.

[behindthescreamz]

behind the scenes of “the faculty” (1998)

[zketylers]

The Cast of "The Faculty" (1998) — Tommy Hilfiger Advert

[devonsawas]

THE FACULTY | 1998 ↳ Directed by Robert Rodriguez

[witchygagirl]

Supernatural Fics

The Walking Dead, The Boys, Marvel & DCEU

AO3

Chicago PD/Chicago Fire

♡♡♡

[hearts-are-connected]

@pinkomcranger, Eli gives a similar speech at Logan's wedding, and there isn't a dry eye in the audience.

[waywardnewcomer]

I’m currently flaring from my IBD, for the first time in a long time and I’m in a lot of pain. Send me some comfort fics please, I need some distraction! fandoms I’m reading currently (9-1-1, Chicago fire, Chicago med, Chicago PD, marvel - specifically stucky, Natasha, Wanda and Tony, vampire diaries, the originals, bridgerton) or anything you think I might enjoy! Open to poly, m x reader, f x reader or character fics with no reader. Anything that will distract me from my Crohn’s hell

[duranduratulsa]

Up next on my 80's Fest Movie 🎬 🎞 🎥 🎦 📽 marathon...Back To The Future II (1989) on glorious vintage VHS 📼! #Movie #movies #scifi #actionadventure #backtothefuture #BackToTheFutureII #RobertZemeckis #MichaelJFox #christopherlloyd #leathompson #ThomasFWilson #ElisabethShue #elijahwood #BillyZane #rickydeanlogan #flea #JamesTolkan #LisaFreeman #caseysiemaszko #jasonscottlee #jjcohen #BuckFlower #JoeFlaherty #CharlesFleischer #vintage #VHS #80s #80sfest #durandurantulsas6thannual80sfest

[unbreakablestimms]

New day new requests

Enter, request, leave, come back. You know the drill :)

Follow me elsewhere

(Its been a minute since d day lol ->) @scpstimms

(Nobody asks for this one anymore ->) @slenderstimms

(I love this one ->)

@gothamstimms

(I deleted ->)

@shamelessstimms

[exist101]

The Elementals Characters

@interdimensionalvoid @crossover-enthusiast @anyone else who needs this

I am making a list of my entire oc universe this is part 1

Celine, the hero bearing the Rivermark and the sister of Stephanie

Samson (name might change), the hero bearing the Blazemark and the old friend of Casey

Trixie, the hero bearing the Treemark and the daughter of Ford

Gabriel, the hero bearing the Skymark and the brother of Hannah

Mask, the wielder of the Angel's Bane

Alexander, the immortal mentor

Alexandria, the undead hero

Tamica, the angelic warrior and sister of Veronica

Ava, the conspiring detective

Allie Axolotl, the living toon

Moxxie Monkey, Allie's boyfriend

Hannah, the parasitic host and sister of Gabriel

Casey, the warlock of The Lady of the Sun

Ford, the living puddle and husband of Elijah

Jason, the magician villain and father figure to Casey

The Tin Soldier, the Puppetmaster's personal guard and chosen one

Elijah, the father of Trixie

[rosekillerismylife]

Red White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

Wow. Just wow. This book was so full of laughter and love and nonsense that it almost tunes out the important things that are mentioned.

Although there was so much nonsense in it, the real problem will never be forgotten. Henry and Alex almost had to deny their identities, their sexualities, themselves. Almost. Society took their outings from them. Social Media made them the hottest topic in the world. They had to endure slander, not only from strangers but also from their families, especially Henry. There was so much wrong in the last part of the book that it made me question why humans had to invent cellphones and social media with it. It made me question if this would've happened in a time where social media and all the techniques were nonexistent. Where people communicated through letters rather than messages on phones or posts on social media.

I almost had a mental breakdown because the Queen asked Henry to deny himself, to change his identity and to lie to the rest of the world. The book shows us that we need to stay true to ourselves in hopes that it'll all work out eventually. There was so much hope and also so much sadness which made it into a good book. There have to be two sides to make a story good.

For one, Alex discovered his sexuality and his parents had the reaction every queer person would want to get from their family.

For another, Henry's family partly didn't agree with him being gay but eventualy realized that they couldn't do anything against it but then still tried to make it up to him, to help him. That's real character improvement.

Oh and on the Marauder aspect: Shaan and Zhara are definitely Rosekiller. I mean, come on, they helped Henry and Alex with their relationship and basically knew everything before someone else did and were extremely cool while doing so. I had some struggle with naming the AlexHenry relationship because they have so many faces. It was pretty clear to me that Henry absolutely needed to be a member of the Black family. So maybe Jegulus? But then I realized that Alex was also really mean to Henry so James maybe wasn't a fit for him but Remus was. Maybe wolfstar? And then it accured to me that in Crimson Rivers by bizarrestars, Alphard and Elijah had a relationship and that Henry and Alex are the perfect fit for them and I can't see otherwise. So Alphard and Elijah. By the way, do they have a shipname?

On that note: I want to write a book where everyone (or most of the people) is heterophobic just to relieve my anger about how unfair it is that heterosexuality is called 'being normal'.

[myglassesareinkansas]

I truly believe the following of (my version of) the Open Heart gang:

Casey and Bryce end up getting married and after a few years, they have a child, move across the country to California, and practice medicine there

(Also Casey works on her own elite diagnostics team in Cali and Bryce becomes a cardiothoracic surgeon)

Sienna is the first to have kids, and she ends up with a pretty big family (I so wish Danny hadn’t died and I almost want to ignore that detail)

Sienna ends up moving to the Midwest to practice pediatrics

Aurora elopes with her longterm and long distance partner and her friends only learn about it when she actually posts their five year anniversary (Casey and Bryce were witnesses) and definitely does not have children

Aurora moves to be with her partner in DC

Raf stays in Boston and meets a cute girl at a bar, they end up getting married and having kids

Neither Elijah nor Jackie end up getting married or having children and focus on their careers, but they date here and there and are all too willing to be the fun aunt/uncle to their friends’ kids

Both of them stay at Edenbrook

[hausofmist]

"yes... it would be comforting, to belong to something, or someone." elijah admitted. he felt a deep ache of loneliness in his chest, but he took a deep breath and let it pass through. he wasn't lonely right now, he was with casey. casey could take care of him, even if it was just for the night.

thankfully, casey was quick to distract him from his thoughts, with his wandering hands. he let out a groan as casey toyed with his jeans and kissed his neck. the younger man's words gave elijah such clear visions, but he knew what he wanted. "i want your mouth on my cock, but not for too long... just a taste, before you ride me."

"Hmm, a siren - luring you to my mercy? My, my. Seems like this sailor seems to enjoy the idea of belonging to something beautiful. Whether it's been tugged around wearing a chain, being lured to someone's clutches. Does my sailor want to belong?" Casey found himself asking and almost whispering these words to Elijah. It may be partly to tease and excite him, but he also said these things to see if that's deep down what he wanted. An isolated man just looking for a reason to belong and not be so alone.

A hand travelling slowly down the man's pants, teasing toying with a button on his jeans. "Mm, poor thing. All flustered and turned on - the question is, how best to satisfy that desire of yours" He mused and leaned in to kiss his neck, his throat - slow and lingering kisses even as he spoke. "Does the sailor want to be ridden by his siren, feel my lips on his cock...or does he perhaps want to be sprawled out on a bed on his back and made to watch as the siren who ensnared him takes him?" He hummed, meeting the man's gaze. "Now is the time to confess wants, needs, desires. We're all alone, no reason to hide from me. Confess like a good sailor, my good sailor."

[jerzwriter]

Thank you to @snoopdogcone for this prompt for @choicesprompts Angstgiving event. The prompt is highlighted in the text below.

Book: Open Heart (Book 2) Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x Casey MacTavish (F!MC) Rating: Teen Words: 3,363 Summary: Ethan's back from his mission in the Amazon rainforest, and it's time to face the wreckage he left behind.

A/N: Please note, this story is not part of my Ethan x Kaycee headcanon; it's part of my Casey MacTavish world where they are not end game.

@choicesmonthlychallengenov2024 - apology, regret

Casey was laser-focused on her task as she meandered through the packed maze of tables in Donahue’s beer garden. Nothing was going to come between her and her friends celebrating tonight’s victory properly, and securing a table was part of that goal. The place was packed, abuzz with the vibrant energy that seemed to define Boston during the final days of summer when the warm nights carried just a hint of the autumn breeze that would soon usher star-filled nights like this away. It seemed everyone had the same idea as they tried to soak in every last minute.

In the midst of clinking glasses, laughter, and the hum of dozens of conversations, Casey finally claimed victory. She flashed a bright smile when she spotted an empty table, waving furiously at her friends to join her. “Hurry up!! Hurry!” she beamed. “It’s almost time!”

Everyone quickly assembled, slipping onto the benches with their drinks in hand; the excitement was palpable. “Should we do a countdown first?” Elijah asked.

“Too late for that!” Casey replied. “It’s midnight!!”

 “Yeah! We made it!” Elijah howled with a raised glass. “Intern year is officially over!”

“And I say good freaking riddance!” Jackie chimed in. “We made it, and we did it with our medical licenses intact to boot!”

“Jackie!” Sienna frowned. “Don’t even joke about that! I was so scared Casey was going to have to leave Edenbrook! That’s one part of the intern year I want to forget!”

“I wouldn’t mind forgetting that part either,” Casey agreed. “But despite the low moments, I’ll still look back fondly on this year. After all, it’s when I met all of you!”

“Awww,” Sienna smiled, giving her friend a quick squeeze.

But Jackie wasn’t as moved. “How many of those have you had?” She laughed, motioning toward Casey’s empty glass.

Casey affectionately embraced her mortified friend. “Just enough to spill my emotions all over this table!”

Bryce arrived at the table and claimed the seat next to Casey, wrapping his arm around her waist as soon as he placed a fresh round of drinks on the table. “Well, it that’s where you are now, I’ll have you dancing when you finish this one.”

“As if getting me to dance is a struggle!” Casey chuckled. “But this is my last drink. I have a big day ahead!”

“Sure, rub it in!” Jackie smirked. “Now I can admit that part of me was hoping you’d lose your license because I would have swooped right in and taken your spot on the diagnostic team!”

“Not if I got to it first,” Elijah laughed, but his bright smile faltered when he glanced over Casey’s shoulder. “Speaking of the diagnostic team...” He nodded toward the entrance, and everyone’s heads turned.

Sienna looked like she saw a ghost. “Oh my gosh! He’s back!”

While her response may have been a bit dramatic for Sienna, it didn’t begin to express the turmoil stirring in Casey. The average person wouldn’t have noticed; she did her best to remain composed even as her body went rigid and her heart pounded in her chest. After two long months of absence, Ethan Ramsey was back, walking toward them like it was any other day, as if he hadn’t ripped Casey’s heart out just months before.

“He looks... different,” Sienna observed.

“Well, two months fighting an outbreak in the Amazon will do that to a person,” Jackie replied. Her eyes flickered in his direction, attempting to warn Casey that he was near.

But it was too late. He was already standing beside her, nodding a polite greeting to all, before his blue eyes locked on Casey’s for the first time since he had promised her they’d find a way to work things out.

“Rookie...” he stated, his expression unreadable.

If his presence flustered Casey, she hid it well. “You’re a bit too late for that, Dr. Ramsey,” she replied with a bravado she didn’t know she had. “As of sixty seconds ago, I’m not a rookie anymore. I’m officially a resident now.”

“Is that so?” he replied with a hint of a smile. “Then I take it you won’t be making any more rookie mistakes.”

“Well, I’m not sure about that,” she shrugged as her irritation began to crack her unaffected veneer. “If I’ve learned anything recently, it’s that everyone makes mistakes, world-renowned attendings included.”

The table went silent, the friends exchanging nervous looks as Sienna bit her lip. But if they were surprised by her candor, Ethan was not; it was one of the things he had come to admire in her. Clearing his throat, he replied calmly.

“I see,” he mumbled. “Well, I’ll let you and your friends get back to celebrating.”

A hush fell over the table when he turned and made his way toward the bar. Casey’s eyes followed him as her friends remained in a state of shock. Jackie was the first to break the silence. “Well, that wasn’t awkward or anything.”

Bryce tightened his grip around Casey. He knew this had to impact her more than anyone. After all, he was the one who had sat beside her night after night, listening to her cry and wiping away the tears that never seemed to stop. “Hey, are you OK?” He whispered.

Casey looked at him with a forced smile and patted his knee. “Yeah. I’m... fine.”

Sensing her friend’s discomfort, Sienna quickly steered the conversation, and the friends continued chatting as if nothing happened. But Casey couldn’t forget. Her eyes kept wandering back to the bar where Ethan sat in his usual spot – a seat so synonymous with him that it had remained conspicuously empty during his absence.

His expression was distant, and there was a heaviness to him that wasn’t there before. Even Reggie’s lively banter didn’t seem to impact his mood. He looked older... tired, as though the mission had taken more from him than anyone knew. That’s what Casey assumed it was as she looked his way. She may have been a brilliant diagnostician, but right now, her assessment couldn’t have been further from the truth. 

The night went on, and before they knew it, Reggie’s voice rang out. “Alright people! Last call. You ain’t gotta go home, but you can’t stay here!”

“Already?” Casey groaned, her voice tightening. “No! It just hit me... I’m starting on the diagnostic team tomorrow!”

“Rub it in, why don’t you?” Elijah laughed as Bryce offered Casey words of reassurance. 

“Well, I’m not starting on the diagnostic team, but I still need some sustenance to get through,” Jackie announced. “You guys want to hit the diner on the way home?”

“Why don’t you go ahead,” Casey replied. “I think I’m going stay behind and touch base with Ethan about tomorrow.”

She stepped inside the bar cautiously, so quiet that Ethan didn’t notice her until she took the stool beside him. “So... that last call thing doesn’t apply to you, huh?” she asked.

He turned to her, his eyes heavy with emotion, though his voice remained light. “Reggie and I go way back. We have... an arrangement.”

“An arrangement?” She half-laughed, her arm crossed protectively before her. “Is that what most people would call friendship?”

“I don’t have friends, Casey,” he stated flatly before downing the remains of his drink. “But I wouldn’t mind you joining me if you’re so inclined.”

Casey sat in stunned silence. She had pictured the moment when he would return in her head all summer long. Through the heartbreak and tears, she had practiced the words she planned to say like a mantra. She had perfected them. Each word a unique piece of ammunition designed to pierce his heart the way his silent departure had shattered hers. She had dreamed about finally having the chance to unleash her fury. Letting him know just how much damage he had done, but now, sitting beside him, the words that were in her heart and mind refused to travel to her lips.

With an inaudible sigh, she diverted her eyes. “Sure,” was all she could manage to say.

Ethan nodded with a look of both relief and fear in his eyes. He reached over the bar and grabbed a half-empty bottle of the bar’s finest Scotch and two glasses. “Hey, Reggie,” he yelled. “We’re going to borrow this.”

“Why don’t we take this outside?” He said. “Winter will be here before you know it; we might as well enjoy it while we can.”

“Sure,” she said again, angry at herself for her inability to say more. He hurt so badly and ran off to avoid the fallout left in its wake. He deserved to hear them. Yet, here she was, rendered silent, following him like a loyal pet shadowing its master.

They settled into two chairs beside the fire pit, its flickering light casting a warm glow between them. Ethan poured two drinks, handing one to Casey. When his fingers brushed hers, the simple touch sent a jolt through both of them. Casey wanted to down her drink in one gulp. But, if she wanted to be sober for this conversation, a sip would have to do.

“You look great,” he said with a tentative smile.

“Thank you. You look... different,” she replied, taking him in.

“Different?” he asked, his smile morphing into a full grin. “Different good, or different bad?”

“Just... different.”

“Well,” he admitted with a faint chuckle. “I’ve been through quite a bit.”

“I’m sure,” she said, swirling her glass nervously. “We all have. But, it was brave of you to go on that mission.”

Ethan choked on his drink, reflecting silently for a moment. “That... that wasn’t bravery, Casey.”

The look in his eyes launched a swell of emotions in Casey: anger, sympathy, fear, pain, and mingled with something else - something she thought she already buried. No wonder she couldn’t lash out at him. She didn’t want to feel it; she didn’t want it to be there, but love was never something Casey MacTavish let go of easily. At that moment she knew, despite the anger and hurt, she knew the truth: she couldn’t pull the trigger on him if she tried.

Eventually, the reality of the situation hit her like a wave. After all this time, he was here – sitting in front of her - and she deserved answers. Her voice shook as she spoke, each word filled with pain she had been carrying.

“You left,” she said, her voice barely a whisper. “You left without telling me. Ethan, you didn’t say a single word.”

His expression crumbled, the weight of her accusation hitting him. He knew this confrontation was inevitable, but that did nothing to lessen its sting. Leaning forward, he braced himself; it was time to face the reckoning he always knew would come.

“Casey,” he started, his voice filled with regret. “I have no excuse to offer. I was... a coward. I didn’t know what to do, so I ran... I had to. I knew that if I saw you... if we had talked...I...” His words trailed as he turned away, unable to face the look in her eyes.

“If you came to me, you knew I wouldn’t have let you go with so much unresolved between us,” she replied. “I would have supported your choice if you wanted to go, but I wouldn’t let you use it as an excuse. I wouldn’t have let you run away. You would have had to face things... face me.”

“Yes,” he smiled sadly, “and that’s why I just... left.”

His words felt like a slap on the face. Insult added to injury. Casey was done shielding him from the damage his actions had caused. It was time for him to see it all. A bitter laugh escaped her, echoing through the empty space.

“Yes!” She shot back, her body trembling and her voice filled with rage. “You just... left. Left me! I stood in a conference room with all the other interns when Naveen announced your departure. I got to hear it like I was just anyone else... like I meant absolutely nothing to you!” She shook her head, eyes burning. “You told me we’d figure things out! You insisted we’d find a way to make it work, and I believed you! Then you were just... gone, without so much as a goodbye! Do you have any idea how much that hurt me, Ethan?”

“Casey, I’m sorry,” he repeated, his voice and eyes filled with regret. “I know that was wrong. There is no excuse I can offer to make it right.”

“You knew it was wrong?” she seethed. “You knew! But then you remained silent the whole time you were gone? Two months, Ethan. Two whole months! I left you dozens of voicemails... I stopped counting how many texts I sent! Did you even listen to them? Did you hear the pain in my voice and choose to ignore me? Or did they mean so little that you just deleted them without a second thought?”

“Casey, don’t say that,” he pleaded. “Nothing you say could ever be meaningless to me.”

“Then why?” she demanded, her voice breaking as she fought back tears. “Why didn’t you contact me? You reached out to Naveen. You reached out to Harper. But me? Nothing!” She took a trembling breath. “You just ghosted me... after everything we’ve been through?”

“It’s precisely because of everything we’ve been through that I didn’t contact you,” he replied. “You know the stakes, Casey! We’re going to be working together - you’re reporting to me. Your professional development and reputation... they’re too important. You’ve worked too hard to get where you are to let it all blow up because of me. I couldn’t let whatever we had between us put you at risk.”

 “Whatever we had...” she snickered. “Past tense?”

“Yes,” he said firmly. “And the past is where it needs to stay.”

Casey felt the resolve that his presence had softened returning to life inside her. It was all coming together: the sleepless nights, the heartache, hearing the whispers in Edenbrook’s halls, enduring the pitiful stares, the loneliness she felt as she picked up the shattered pieces of herself one by one without so much as a word from the man who had caused it. He owed her... he owed her better than this. She steadied herself before speaking again, her voice defiant.

“Oh, don’t worry about that,” she scoffed. “The past is exactly where it will remain. But do me one favor,” she asked, her vulnerability peeking through once more. “Admit what it was that we’re losing. Tell me what “it” was, Ethan! Can you at least give me that?”

He leaned back, an exasperating sigh escaping him as he focused on the bright stars sparking in the dark sky. “Casey,” he murmured, trying to find the words. “What do you want me to say?”

“The truth!” she yelled. “I want you to tell me the truth! You shattered my heart, Ethan, and left me to cope with it alone. If you ever cared for me at all,  then at least have the decency to admit what it was. Don’t leave me believing I was just some... mistake... tell me! Did you... did you ever love me at all?”

Ethan turned to her, his eyes filled with a sadness he couldn’t bring himself to admit. Gently raising a hand, he tilted her chin toward him, relishing the feel of her skin against his, knowing in his heart that he’d never touch her like this again.

She couldn’t see his internal battle - a battle between the part of him that knew she deserved the truth and the part that needed to protect her... protect himself. She deserved to know that she wasn’t the only one who had spent the summer heartbroken. She deserved to know about the dozens of letters he penned, each one confessing the feelings he couldn’t bring himself to say aloud – letters he knew he’d never send.

But what if he told her? Knowing Casey, she’d forgive him and do everything in her power to make them work, even if it meant sacrificing herself. Would she quit the diagnostic team? Leave Edenbrook? Go to a lesser program? Knowing her, she just might. She’d fought tooth and nail to get to this place in her career, and he couldn’t... he wouldn’t let her sacrifice it, not for him, and not for something as fleeting as love.

“Casey,” he finally said, his voice shaking. “Love is nothing more than proximity paired with a rush of neurochemical responses triggered by heightened stress.”

She pushed his hand away, his words cutting deeper than a knife ever could. The memory of the first time he said those words to her came rushing back. At that time, she thought it was just his cynicism talking. It was almost comical. But now? After all, they had been through... he still believed that? Had their time together taught him... nothing.

She took a deep breath as she rose to her feet; this was it, this was the end, and she could feel the sadness giving way to relief.

“Maybe that’s all love is to you,” she replied. “But that’s not all it is to me. I spent the past couple of months so hurt, so angry at you, but right now... all I can feel for you is pity. You want a reset? Ethan... there’s nothing to reset. We were over the day you stepped on that plane. I know my worth, Ethan, and I deserve so much better than this.”

She let the words hang in the air for a moment, then, standing tall, she met his eyes. “I’ll see you at work tomorrow, Dr. Ramsey. I look forward to working with you this year.”

And just like that, she was his colleague and nothing more. He watched her go, her silhouette framed in the soft light of the doorway, and his chest ached with the overwhelming urge to stop her, to say something, anything to pull her back. But as the door clicked shut behind her, he sank back into his chair, knowing she was right. This was the end. They were over.

He closed his eyes for a long moment, the weight of regret crushing his soul. With a deep breath, he reached into the pocket of his leather jacket and pulled a weathered piece of paper, the latest in a long line of the unsent letters he wrote, and his eyes skimmed over the closing lines:

You’ll never know how much you’ve changed me, Casey. If only I had the courage to be a better man. You deserve someone who will meet you in the light instead of hiding in the shadows. I wanted to be that man for you, I did, but it’s not in me. I’ll always carry you in my heart, even though I have to let you go. I love you, Casey. Always -  Ethan.”

The paper shook in his trembling hands as he watched the flames dancing. Then, with a sharp exhale, he tossed it into the fire, watching as the edges curled and blackened before his words disintegrating into ash.

It was over. This chapter was closed.

@choicesficwriterscreations @choicesprompts @choicesmonthlychallengenov2024 @openheartfanfics

Tagging others separately.

[solomon-revisited]

my copy has finally arrived... sixteen old songs from my earnest friends

THE CORONER'S GAMBIT LINER NOTES

TRANSCRIPT:

HE was a guy from California who'd fallen in love with a woman from Iowa. She was working at a water testing lab. They lived in a very small house whose pipes froze every winter. The landlord would come by and put space heaters under the sink. Years later, they retained the memory of the water coming back on - the sudden sound of the shower, the rush from the sink. They slept on a foam mattress in the bedroom in the summer, and on the couch in the living room in the winter, since the house did not have central heating, rendering the bedroom essentially uninhabitable from December through March.

They were not really the kind of people to plan things: they had fun when and where they could on an austere budget. The ice skates they bought used from Play It Again Sports made for fun Christmas mornings on West Indian Creek in Nevada, one town over from where they lived. He learned to cook, and to bake: they didn't go out to eat, because there really wasn't any place to go out and eat, though on occasion they would get a pizza from Casey's, because their town had a Casey's. Under the right circumstances a gas station pizza can be just the thing, and they sometimes found themselves in those circumstances.

He made music which was slowly reaching a wider audience. If he played in New York or Chicago as many as a hundred people might show up. He was idly entertaining the idea of becoming ambitious about it: as a child, he'd been pretty pretentious, and although he was working hard to shake most of that off, a little pretension isn't a bad thing in an artist. Just as a seasoning, as a little extra flavor here or there.

One summer he took a job as a harvest help at the Farmers Cooperative Exchange down the street from the very small house where the pipes froze in winter: getting the corn and soybeans into the grain elevator and into a big Morton building where the beans formed giant mountains, which he sometimes had to climb to knock down the peaks. If you don't knock down the peaks the beans get too hot and might rot. The job didn't pay much, and he wasn't good at it, but during slow stretches he would write song lyrics on scraps of paper or in a small notebook, and when he got home from work and washed off the crop dust, he'd set the lyrics to music. "Elijah" was written like this. So was "The Alphonse Mambo."

He took a Greyhound bus to Omaha to record some of the songs, so that the album would have a nice varied feel to it, but he got very sick, which is not an uncommon thing to have happen after a Greyhound ride, and only a few songs came out the way he wanted. He kept those, and then they got married and moved to Ames because the City of Colo had purchased their home from that landlord and intended to knock it down, which they did do, he affirmed years later: and in Ames he put the album together, and then later they moved to North Carolina and a whole lot of other things happened, too, but the main thing is that this album is a document of a time when two young people in love hadn't yet located the spot on the current that would carry them to their destination, twenty-five years later, parents of two beautiful children, worlds away from Colo, the place where, for better or worse, as the saying goes, all this really began.

Dedicated to my wife, Lalitree, and to the City of Colo, Iowa.

This is the original text of the paper bag that housed the first edition of this album. I am leaving it intact rather than revising it. Stage Bidet's moment comes ever closer: let the people tremble in fear.

Elijah, Baboon, Horseradish Road, Onions, and the Alphonse Mambo recorded in Omaha with Simon Joyner, Chris Deden, Lonnie Methe, Brad Smith, John Kotchen, Steve Micek, and Pat Oakes. All of them are owed money and are to be treated with deference and respect. Five of the remaining songs were recorded at Main St. in Colo, which is a small town in Iowa, and the rest were recorded two blocks north of Emma McCarthy Lee Park in Ames, which is a considerably larger town half and hour west of Colo. Though happy circumstances currently have the Mountain Goats claiming Ames, we continue to straight up represent Colo and will put the slap down on anyone who disrespects it. Transfer and levels by Bob Durkee at FBE in Pomona, California, with Joel Huschle attending. As a result of some regrettable but inevitable conversations that took place during the transfer, Bob, Joel, and the Mountain Goats have formed a new, super-powerful punk rock machine called Stage Bidet, and we urge you to watch for us and clear us a wide berth whenever we're in your town. Instead of thanking all the people I always thank to whom I say, collectively and with no less sincerity: thanks. I am just going to spend the time left us here addressing an absent friend. Rozz: I wish you hadn't've gone and killed yourself. Though I hadn't seen or spoken with you in eight years since that night when, as far as I can tell from the reports I was later able to piece together, you tried, not without reason, to strangle the life out of me out there on the landing of Damien's apartment and I probably never would have ever seen you again anyway, it was still hard to hear that you were gone. All your friends had been predicting your death since the early eighties, and no-one could bear the thought of you growing old, but none of that did anything to soften the blow when I heard. I don't really believe that the dead see or hear what we do out here in the realm of corruptible things and I don't imagine that the anyone reads the scribblings on the backs of album jackets to them, either, so I am really only addressing a memory. To that memory I say: I thought of you now and then when I was writing these songs. I don't suppose they'd do much for you, but I thought of you all the same. All your friends miss you in some way, a little or a lot. The rumors about your final hours are dismal and tawdry: I am sure they would please you immensely. For your sake, I hope that the Christians were wrong and that you were right about whether the faithless are destined for eternal torment. In the event that you are a ghost and are wandering the earth moaning and rattling chains, I moved to Iowa from California four or five years ago, stop by any time. Have a seat on the couch until I get home from work. Help yourself to anything in the refrigerator, or to the whiskey and sake on top of it. Make yourself right at home.

Album cover design by Tom Hart

[myglassesareinkansas]

Okay headcanon that Aurora unironically loves Grey’s Anatomy

(Jackie adamantly refuses to watch it, and while Casey and Bryce do watch it, it’s solely for the purpose of making fun of it)

On the other hand, Casey and Bryce love Scrubs and it’s their favorite show to watch when they’re both on call

[forbidden-sin-bin]

By Your Side - Chapter 4

Chapter 3 | By Your Side Series | Chapter 5 (coming soon)

Summary: You experience what it’s like being on a film production for the very first time, whilst thinking about home. Luckily, your fellow castmates and film crew seem friendly enough... 

Word Count: 2,772 words

---

February 18, 1998

---

“Alright,” the director clapped his hands together, bringing everyone in the room to his attention. “Now I know we all practically know each other by now, but since everyone’s here, let’s begin by introducing ourselves and our cast roles. I’ll go first, and then we go round clockwise from there.” He nods to the group and takes his seat down at the table.

“So! I’m Robert Rodriguez, and I’ll be your director for this movie.” He motions to the person sitting to the left beside him to continue, to which a young man with  speaks up.

“Hey guys, I’m Josh Hartnett, and I’ll be playing as Zeke Tyler.” He nods shortly. 

“Jordana Brewster, and I’m playing Delilah Profitt. I’m looking forward to be working with you all.” The gorgeous brunette flashed a brilliant smile.

Next was a tomboyish looking blonde, though you had a hunch it may have been stylized that way for her role. “Hi, I’m Clea DuVall, and my role is Stokely Mitchell. Cool.” The group shared a small chuckle.

“Uh, hi, I’m Shawn Hatosy, playing as Stan Rosado.” He quickly runs a hand through his curly hair as he spoke.

“Hello everyone! I’m Laura Harris, and I’ll be playing Marybeth Hutchinson.” Her gentle voice matched her kind looks as she offered a small smile. Beside her, one of the smallest of the group, perked up as he introduced himself right after.

“Hi guys, I’m Elijah Wood. Really excited to be here, and I’ll be playing Casey Connor.” He spoke quite self assuredly despite sharing most of the group’s slightly nervous jitters, having been on multiple film productions in the past.

“...”

“Uh, Y/N? That’s your cue.” Robert whispered across the table, and suddenly you realized it was your turn, but not before you caught Elijah’s eye as he gently prodded you with his elbow.

‘Oh shit.’

 “Oh shhh...oot.” You caught yourself at the last second, not wanting to look bad in front of your peers by cursing. “Yeah! Yeah, it’s my turn.” The table shared a lighthearted laugh, though you weren’t sure if it was meant to be comforting or not. 

“Uh... hi guys!” You introduced yourself, first name and last. “I’ll be playing as... Jordan Fulcher. Nice to meet you all.” A ripple of amusement sounded throughout the table, and you were half tempted to just lay your head down on the surface with embarrassment. 

Instead, you added: “Sorry, first day on the job.” A couple of people you heard responded with “Same here”, good naturedly.

Luckily or not, the person you sat beside - whom you’ve already been introduced to as Usher - took the attention off of you to charismatically introduce himself. 

“Alright, alright! How’s it going y’all? You might’ve heard of me, you might’ve not. But that’s aight if you don’t; You can call me Usher!” He pauses, letting the room quiet down after another round of laughs and playful cheers. “Usher Raymond, and I’ll be playing Stan Rosado, thank you all for comin.”

Half of you felt grateful that the fellow beside you was able to shift the attention off of you so quickly, though the other half admonished yourself for messing up within the first day of production. ‘Great job, dumbass.’ You thought to yourself.

Looking up, you met the eye of another castmate across from you; The kind eye of Robert Patrick gave you a slight nod of reassurance as he silently mouthed: “You’re okay.”

Feeling comforted as the far more experienced actor gave you his approval, you let yourself smile back. 

It’s always nice to know you’ve got THE T-1000 as a cast member to learn from, as well as other friendly-enough faces.

No longer cornered by your awkward first introduction, you gently prodded Elijah back with your elbow to whisper: “Just wanna let you know: You did a great job in Flipper last year.”

His eyes widened in surprise. “Oh, thanks! It was a ton of fun, I’m glad you liked it.”

...

Sighing in frustration, you forced yourself to take a seat once you entered your assigned dressing room’s chairs, after pacing around the room, nothing short of stressed and anxious. Unable to shake the feeling of uneasiness, you leaned down, burying your face into your arms as they lay atop the vanity table, not daring to look at yourself in the mirror right in front of you. 

‘How the hell did they decide to cast someone with a face like mine?’ You thought, running a hand over it.

Did anything go wrong today? No, actually, if any other person would be asked this question, the most agreed answer would be: No, things went quite well for the first day.

You weren’t any other person, unfortunately; Or at least, you concluded that you cannot be any other person even if you wanted. In fact, you still felt the absolute embarrassment of messing your introduction up; Anyone else would have long forgotten by now; you however, couldn’t shake the fear of wondering if people were about to use that slight slip-up against you, or if they wouldn’t let you live it down, or-

Someone called your name as they knocked on your door. “You doing alright in there?” Robert called, and you shot up, any admonishing thoughts upon yourself being flash frozen for the time being. 

“Uh... hang on just a second!” You called back, giving yourself a once-over in the mirror to rid yourself of any evidence of stress upon your face before beelining towards the door. “Ah, hey there sir.” You gave him a welcoming smile, hiding away your inner turmoil. “What’s up?”

From the initial look on his face, you had already guessed there was something else he wanted to ask. Still, he returned the friendly expression as he replied: “Just wanted to check in on you, also wanted to say that you did great today. Don’t sweat it, just take it easy and enjoy yourself, okay?”

Nodding, you gave him a thumbs up. “Noted. Sorry about that. I... just want to make sure I can give you guys the best performance I can, so...”

“Oh, no need to worry at all.” The director laughs a little. “Everyone’s been talking about how quickly you change into your character like this.” He snapped his fingers. “It’s just the table-read, but it already looks like you’ve got your character down just like that.” You slightly bowed your head in thanks.

“I do my best, and my best is what I can only give, even on day one.” You shrugged lightly. While his words did comfort your nerves somewhat, it’ll mean nothing if not applied to the final product. 

Robert gives you a clap on the shoulder. “That’s the spirit! Now, come on, you don’t want to be eating alone on your first lunch break on the job. Everyone’s been waiting for you!”

You sighed, this time with a bemused look. “Alright alright, as long as they don’t start applauding the moment I enter the room, I’ll hang around more often.” Quickly turning to grab your headset and walkman, making sure the cassette inside still held Marshall’s new EP that you’ve been listening to more often than you would’ve liked to admit, you followed your boss to lunch. “I appreciate it, you know.” You added, genuinely grateful.

“Oh, it’s no problem at all. Don’t burn yourself out by pushing yourself too hard. You’re gonna do fine, trust in the process and you.”

---

Several weeks later...

---

“What’re ye listening to?”

Raising your head to look at whomever interrupted your peaceful quiet time before another set of rehearsals, you gave Usher a deadpan look and replied: “Nothing your ears should be hearing.” 

He raised his hands in surrender. “I mean, if you know my kind of songwriting, pretty sure that means you’re listening to the HARD, hard stuff.” He angled his neck to try and take a peek at the cassette slotted inside to no avail. “You’ve been leaving us at a cliffhanger for like, what, two and a half weeks? I wanna know what’s made this tape so special, honest to god!”

“Now that,” Clea, having heard your response, came up and sat down beside you. “Is something I’m interested in knowing about; Considering you’ve shot down all of our guesses as to who you’re listening to.” 

Sighing, you groaned, facepalming. “Ugh... not you too, Clea.” Though, you couldn’t help but smile along as your two co-stars laughed. “At this point, you’re gonna get the whole gang in on the investigation-”

“Hold up, did I miss something?”

‘... Speak of the devil.’ You thought as Shawn sidles up beside Usher to look alongside him. “Are we finally gonna hear what you’ve been playing on that walkman?” He inquired.

“If I could, I would.” You replied, keeping your face stone cold with fake annoyance. “But like I said, give it time till this guy’s made it big enough for the mainstream, and then y’all won’t look at me and think: ‘Wow, this kid is a nutcase.’“

“Oooooh, so it’s a guy.” Clea leaned in a bit, raising her eyebrows. Meanwhile, the other two boys followed along with teasing “Oooooooh’s”, like a group of gossiping fangirls.

You didn’t say a thing, except look across the room where Kidada Jones was sitting, making eye contact, you gave her a pleading look of ‘help me’. 

Tragically for you, she just shrugged, grinning playfully. “Sorry babe, you know I’m just as obsessed as the rest of ‘em.” 

“Auuuugggghhhh.” Throwing your head back in exasperation, you called out your two other co-stars that weren’t even here. “Jeez, Laura? Josh? Why must you two not be here in this very moment to defend my pride?!” The group cracked up laughing at your dramatic bemoaning. It was all in good fun, you were hardly even offended at their sibling like pestering to reveal your secrets, but god, sometimes you really needed someplace more introverted than this.

Shoving your walkman back into your pocket and got up from the couch. “I’m being held hostage here, so I’m just gonna... make my escape. See ya.” Leaving the break room to find some other place to chill. 

”Only a matter of time!” Usher called as you left. You looked back and gave him a shake of your head with a smirk, determined to win this war.

Unknowingly to them, your muscles were sore from training on another movie production, set to start filming practically right after this one ended. If you could, you’d hole up in your trailer and sleep the rest of the day away. Stretching out your back with a wince, feeling your overworked sinews creak and stretch, you continued walking down the hall to find Elijah and Robert in another room, playing a game on the Super Nintendo.

“Hey guys-” You greeted before realizing what they were playing, your eyes lighting up. “Oh shoot, is that DOOM?”

“Yeah!” Elijah briefly turned to reply to you before focusing back onto the level. “You wanna try after we finish this level?” 

“Hell yeah, say no more.” Taking a seat on one of the chairs to watch the two play out their match, you stifled a pained groan as you bent your legs to sit down. “Man, I’m already feeling like an old person.”

Robert chuckled, his character reloading their shotgun shells. “You’ve got a long way to go before you actually start feeling that way, kid.” The room was comfortably silent as you watched them play, before he piped up again: “So, how was training with Ed and Brad? Tough crowd, huh?” 

You let out a single “Ha!” before responding:

“Honestly, I’d rather have everyone here pester me about my musical choices before having Mr. Norton urge me to keep going after like, twenty reps? Don’t tell him I said that.”

“Lips are sealed.” Elijah said, as his character turned the corner of a hidden path to collect a blue keycard. “Got it.”

You clapped your hands once. “Nice! You’re almost there.” 

Figuring you may as well resume listening to your music as you watched the gory video game, you quickly put your headphones back on to hear the middle of Just Don’t Give A Fuck, muttering along to the lyrics as if on instinct.

But if you see me on the street and duck ‘Cause you gon’ get stuck, stole, and snuffed ‘Cause I just don’t give a fu-

“Hey! Language.” Robert lightly reprimanded you, breaking you out of your trance.

“Oop, sorry.” 

“...Interesting music choice you got there.” 

You gave a grimace-sort of a smile. “Exactly why I’m not showing my cassettes off to anyone. Not for the faint of heart.”

“Pfft.” Elijah waved the warning off. “We’re all adults here, honestly. What’s a couple of swear words and dark topics gonna hurt anyone?”

‘Ohhhh boy, you have no clue, Eli.’ You thought, leaning back in your seat.

--- 

Another few weeks later, March Break, 1998... 

---

Your pager bleeped loudly within your pocket, taking you out of your well earned peaceful zone-out of just letting the world go by, watching Quinn play around in the grassy park fields.

Nearly deciding against checking, you reluctantly took your pager out of your pocket, unsurprised to see your agent’s number displayed on the little screen.

Unsurprised yet somehow not having the strength today to feel irritated, you just sighed and dialed him up on your phone. Pretty handy these days, despite being manufactured a few years ago, it was a worthwhile investment if it meant being able to take calls outside the house.

As soon as you heard him pick up, you didn’t let him have a chance to say hello: “I swear to god, you better have a good reas-”

“Pack your bags, we’re going to L.A.”

You blinked. 

“...Why?”

Usually you’d be far too happy to make a beeline for the airport, but Shaun specifically agreed to not contact you during March Break, just so you could spend some time alone with your family. Having him break that protocol, despite not having any written in agreement, well, let’s just say you had a right to ask why.

Luckily, your agent seemed both excited and probably in a slight state of panic as he explained. “You remember the demo tape I told you to give to me before you left for the first table-read, right?” Not waiting for your confirmation, he quickly got to the point. “Well, someone here wants you to get that song out ASAP, if you can, you get to perform live on the 31′st as THE opening act for another artist’s debut!”

Huh.

Running a hand over your face, you shut your notebook and began to pack your things to leave the park, phone pressed between your ear and shoulder. “Which one, exactly?”

“Florentine Garde- oh, no wait, that’s not what you meant - All of them! Well, pretty much all of them. Look, just, you got a song that’s pretty much done in there right? Which one is the quickest to be produced from now before the 29th this month?”

“Alright, alright, calm down. I know which one I’m gonna do. Just let them know I’ll be there hopefully by tomorrow.”

“Already booked your flight.”

“Wow, great. Thanks for doing all this stuff before letting me know beforehand so I can tell my parents and nephew-slash-son know that I’m going back to work whilst on vacation.” You snipped.

“Look, I’m sorry, I really am. It’s just... this is an opportunity you can’t miss if you want to make it big in the music industry. I told you before that I saw your potential in your songs you showed me, and now’s the time to show an audience what you’ve got! C’mon, please, work with me here. I promise, I’ll show you the best places there to get the best ice cream. I know you like ice cream, right?”

You just chuckled, zipping up your bag. “Alright. You don’t have to bribe me like a child, but now that you mentioned it, you better uphold to that promise or so god help me if shit goes south. I’ll see you tomorrow in L.A.”

Quickly bidding him goodbye, you hung up and called Quinn over, beckoning him to come tidy up and leave. He was fairly understanding every time you told him you had to go to work, which meant not always being able to pick him up from school or taking him outside to play like today, which you were grateful for. 

Hopefully, he would forgive you for having to leave so soon, once again.

‘I’ll be back home soon, baby boy. I promise.’

----

(End of Chapter 4)

----

A/N: GET READY FOR THE REUNION YOU’VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR IN CHAPTER 5. MORE MARSHALL CONTENT FROM THERE ON OUT LET’S GOOOOOOO-

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