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fluentmoviequoter · 5 months

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Devastation

Requested Here by @newobsessionweekly!

Pairing: Tim Bradford x fem!cop!reader

Summary: You leave Tim because he takes out his frustration about a long day on you. The next day, everyone in the station can tell you're both miserable. A surprise calls sends Tim into a devastated spiral as he wonders if what he said was worth it.

Warnings: ANGST, arguments, break up, death, mentions of execution, brief fluff at the end bc Tim deserves a break

Word Count: 3.4k+ words

Masterlist | Tim Bradford Masterlist | Request Info/Fandom List

“Los Angeles is seeing an intense spike in crime rates.”

“The Los Angeles Police Department has received more calls today than in the last two months combined.”

“A new, temporary emergency line has been announced. In case of emergency and busy 9-1-1 lines, please call…”

“Nearly 5,000 police officers are on the streets of Los Angeles city limits, with more dispatched throughout the county.”

As residents lock themselves into their homes in an attempt to be protected by the crime spike, you respond to call after call with no break in between. Some of the stops you’ve made were false alarms, but you’ve also been shot at, yelled at, and engaged in two fights between those pointless stops. Though overtime was approved, you’re nearing the end of your sixteenth hour in the shop and need a break. Grey called the officers from this morning to return to the station before heading home. You only get eight hours off before you have to come back, but you’ll take what you can get.

Tim’s place is closer to the station, so you plan to go there rather than your home on the other side of the city. The more time you can find to sleep, the better. You’re sure everyone is just as tired and in need of rest, so you would like to do something special for them in the morning. If you can wake up in time, that is.

“Hi,” you greet when Tim opens his door.

He is obviously surprised to see you but invites you in any way. You thank him as you walk toward the couch.

“Can I crash here tonight? It’s closer and I’m exhausted.”

Tim scoffs before he nods. He returns to the kitchen and continues cooking as you set your bag down.

“How was your day?” you ask. “I had endless calls, so I can’t imagine how hectic it was for you.”

“Of course you can’t,” Tim replies without looking up. “Considering you’re just a glorified meter maid.”

Tim is tired and stressed, you remind yourself, but the words still cut through you like the knife in his hand. You were in dangerous situations for most of the day, and though you haven’t been a cop as long as Tim, your job is still important. And you’re good at it.

“What is that supposed to mean?” you ask after a tense moment of silence.

“What I said. I do more than you, but if you’re so exhausted that you can’t even drive home-“

“Tim, that’s-”

Tim finally looks up as he cuts you off to say, “You barely passed your rookie exam, you haven’t made a decent-sized arrest in months, and you think they attached you to any decent calls? This city is ripping at the seams right now and trust me when I say you are chasing garden fluff because no one trusts you to do any more. You’re lucky they were desperate enough to bring you up from writing traffic tickets. We just needed help and you were there.”

Tim’s jaw clenches as he steps toward you, and you try to remember that he is just emotional from a long day. You are, too, but you’re not taking it out on him.

“I don’t want to fight with you about this,” you offer.

“Well, sure. Because it can’t be your fault, right?” Tim asks.

His voice is rising, and only the couch separates you. His eyes are dark, and though you don’t want to give him an excuse to keep going, you refuse to be treated like this.

“Why does everything have to be about who is at fault with you?” you demand. “Are you aware that things just happen sometimes?”

“Not to you, though.”

“If you think my life is so perfect, why do you insist on worrying about me so often? No one asked you to do any of this! You could have just asked me to go home if you were this upset about a bad day.”

“You don’t even know what a bad day is! What did you do today? Respond to all of the scared housewives in gated communities?”

You could tell him the truth, that you were inches away from a bullet intended to kill you, but you think he’d somehow find a way to blame you. Your heartbeat pounds in your ears, and though you want to stop fighting, you also need to remind Tim that you’re not a rookie he can walk all over you and blame for every little thing that goes wrong in his life.

“If that’s what you think I do, I can’t change your mind,” you reply.

“Well, those of us who actually acted like cops today went through more than you’ve seen in your career. You’re a bad cop, which makes it harder on the rest of us, to carry your weight, but no one admits it after they see your pretty smile,” Tim snaps loudly.

“I’m done, Tim!” you yell.

You’re surprised by the volume of your statement, but it gets Tim to fall silent, if only for a moment.

“With what?” he asks.

“This! I am done coming back to you every day just for you to pick fights over nothing!”

“Oh, so now it’s nothing? You can complain about your day, but I can’t?”

“That’s the difference, Tim! You’re not complaining about a long day to share something and ask for comfort. You’re tearing me apart because you can’t handle your own emotions. I love you, but these fights aren’t worth it.”

“You love me but I’m not worth it,” Tim says with a sarcastic shrug and set jaw.

“That’s not what I said, and you know it.”

“Well maybe I’m just as stupid about emotions and relationships as you are about police work.”

You pick up your bag and pull it onto your shoulder quickly. As you brush past Tim, you murmur, “I’m not doing this anymore.” The door slams behind you as you leave and severs the connection you and Tim had.

After you leave, Tim sits in his anger for a while. He blames you, picks apart everything you said, and misremembers your words to make you seem like the bad guy. Suddenly, though, Tim hears your genuine I love you, but these fights aren’t worth it. He remembers the look in your eyes as he yelled at you. You never wanted to fight; you asked to stop because you just wanted to relax before returning to work. Yet Tim treated you as an emotional punching bag, something he promised himself he would never do.

Tim drops his head into his hands and sighs. He needs to apologize but can’t take back a word he said. You said you weren’t doing it – your relationship, he presumes – anymore, so Tim gives you room. The clock ticks slowly as he thinks about you, but his next shift grows nearer quickly. He texts you an apology, knowing it’s less than the least he can do. You deserve a grand gesture, a middle-of-the-night, in-person apology from the heart. But with an early morning shift, Tim knows you and he both need the break Wade sent you home to take. So, he sends a few simple words before sitting back in his misery.

In your room, you sit alone to wallow. Your phone buzzes, and you read Tim’s apology before you toss your phone to the side. It’s not enough to forgive or forget everything he said, and you can’t return to that environment yet. So, you don’t answer.

You fall asleep at the same time as Tim, though far away from the comfort you craved, with only a few hours before you’ll be forced to see each other again. Maybe another seemingly endless shift will distract you from your sadness.

Walking into the Mid-Wilshire station the morning after your fight with Tim, your injured pride and broken heart go nearly undetected. You attribute this in part to the specialty donuts you brought in; you couldn’t sleep anyway, so you left before your alarm went off to try to make everyone else’s day better than yours. Lucy talks to you in the locker room like it’s just another morning, even though you are heartbroken. Tim, however, is the talk of the station. His visible devastation and misery draw the attention of every officer in the building. When you step out and unintentionally make eye contact with him, the people closest to you can see what you’re hiding a little better.

“I should have seen it before,” Lucy tells Angela. “She was acting a little different, but I thought she was just tired.”

“I’ve never seen Tim like this before. He is miserable,” Angela says. “And he will take it out on you.”

“That’s fine. But… will they be okay?”

Angela shrugs. “I wish I could say yes, Lucy.”

Wade notices you and Tim sitting on opposite sides of the room during roll call, and he’s the last of them to be pulled into your shared misery. Now that you have seen Tim, your misery is just as obvious, and even the people who don’t know you or Tim well can see the difference.

“Nolan,” Wade calls before he instructs John to ride with you for the day. You’re unsure if it’s because of you and Tim or something else you don’t know about. Regardless, it’s because your emotions play a role in your ability to be a good cop… but maybe you were never one of those, to begin with, like Tim said.

At least I won’t have to talk. Nolan can carry the conversation for both of us, you think.

“What’s up with Tim today?” Nolan asks.

“We’re not talking about Officer Bradford,” you reply quickly.

“Okay. Then what’s up with you? The donuts were nice, but I assume you had the time to get them for a reason.”

“Nolan, we’re not having this conversation,” you snap. “We’re cops, not friends.”

“Sounds like I’m with Bradford,” Nolan mumbles.

“You have no idea,” you reply.

Meanwhile, Tim and Lucy are stuck at the station doing paperwork. Today is slower, and there’s a lot to catch up on from the chaos yesterday. Lucy knows better than to pry after spending so much time with Tim, but she can see that something is weighing on him. More than whatever invisible burden he’s carrying, Tim is devastated. She has seen it before, briefly when one of Tim’s former partners passed away, but this is different.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Lucy offers.

“No,” Tim replies immediately.

Lucy nods before her phone chimes. It only makes noise when another cop contacts her, and she rushes to read the message.

“Tim, Nolan said he needs us to meet them. He just said they’re trapped and it’s really dangerous,” she relays.

“Let’s go.”

Tim runs through the station to reach his shop, and his mind races with every step. Tim lost you last night, but he refuses to lose you forever. If – when you both get to the other side of this, Tim will give you the apology you deserve, he tells himself. And he will never be in this position again.

“Why aren’t you doing anything?” Nolan asks over the nearby gunfire.

You’re a bad cop, Tim says in your mind.

“I- I don’t know what to do, Nolan,” you admit. “I can’t do this.”

Nolan’s eyes widen. He knew you were acting differently, but your sudden and complete lack of confidence shocks him. Both of you are pinned in the corner of a warehouse, in danger of being tortured, executed, or some sick combination of worse things. You know you need to act, but your pride and your abilities are shot, thanks to Tim. You’ll be lucky if you don’t get shot, too.

“You can do this,” Nolan assures you. “You have to. Whoever said-“

“Move!” you demand.

Nolan ducks, and you fire through a nearby doorway. It draws attention to you and Nolan, and your confidence takes another hit as three men aim rifles at your chest. The red dots form a perfect triangle around your heart. Things could have been so different if you had just gone home last night instead of giving into your never-ending craving for Tim’s comfort.

“Tim,” Angela calls when he and Lucy arrive. “You don’t want to go in there.”

“Yes, I do,” he replies.

She pushes a hand against his chest and shakes her head. Despite Tim’s grumbling, he trusts Angela as a friend and a fellow cop.

“What happened?” he asks softly.

Angela looks to her right, and Tim follows her line of sight. Your shop is standing wide open as CSU combs through it. The windshield is shattered, and the interior is riddled with bullet holes. Tim’s attention catches on the blood coating everything. No one could have survived that blood loss.

“Where is she?” Tim demands.

“We don’t know,” Angela admits. “She wasn’t here when we arrived. Neither was Nolan.”

“Let me help.”

Angela looks around before she whispers, “You’re too emotional.”

“She left me last night, Angela. It was all my fault, and I didn’t even get to apologize! So, I am helping, whether you want it or not.”

Angela nods as Lucy returns to Tim’s side. He looks back to your shop and knows. He knows he is too late. That realization changes everything.

“You’re right,” he tells Angela. “I’m too close; I shouldn’t help.”

“Timothy,” she begins.

“No, I- she’s gone. We both know that. And I can’t do this, not knowing that she died out here thinking that I didn’t love her. That I didn’t fight for her.”

“Let me know if that changes, Tim.”

Angela walks away to continue investigating the scene. Lucy lays her hand on Tim’s back to provide some comfort, but he shakes her hand off before he moves toward the shop. Crime doesn’t stop just because Tim’s world ends, and if throwing himself into his work will distract him, he’ll let it. But being busy and tired will never get between you and him again.

“Snipers,” Lucy whispers as she reads something on her phone.

“What about them?” Tim inquires.

“Oh, uh, just something Angela sent me.”

“About her?”

“Yeah.”

Tim nods, and his knuckles grow white as he grips the steering wheel. “There were snipers?”

“Three of them, from what they can tell. A gun left behind matched the ballistics of the bullets in her shop. It seems like… like someone was executed in her shop.”

“Let’s take another call, Chen.”

Lucy nods and requests dispatch to begin sending them calls again. The first is a bank robbery in process, and Tim only hopes that adrenaline and devastation mix well.

“Gun!” Lucy yells before ducking behind the armored personnel carrier outside the bank.

Tim doesn’t hesitate to raise his arms and shoot. The sniper falls backward, and Tim wills his mind not to wonder how different things would be if he’d been with you instead of Nolan. Snipers took you from him, but this taste of retribution doesn’t help Tim. He walks away as soon as the bank is cleared. He wants to punch something, yell, cry, and maybe do it all at once, but it won’t bring you back. Nothing short of an apology that he can’t give will.

Tim sits on his couch in the dark because it’s as close to peace as he can get. If he closes his eyes too long, he sees you standing on the other side of the room, defending yourself from his emotional outburst. The argument was pointless, and you wanted to stop it, but Tim kept pushing. The more he thinks about it, the more he starts to turn his sadness into self-hatred because he acted like his father. He drops his head into his hands and asks himself why he allowed himself to be driven so far. Despite how he treated you and the horrible, untrue things he said, you told Tim you loved him. He loves you more than anything but didn’t return the sentiment in the heat of the moment. And now he never can.

“I love you,” Tim whispers now. “I’m so sorry.”

Someone knocks on his door, fast raps with no break between them. Tim rubs his face as he stands and walks around the couch-turned-fighting ring to answer it.

“Tim,” Angela says quickly. “We found something. We know where they were an hour ago.”

Tim looks over his shoulder to the cruiser at the end of his driveway. The lights are on, and Nyla is inside, ready to go.

“I wanted to extend the invite,” Angela adds.

Tim nods as he yanks his keys from the table by his door. He doesn’t bother to check if the door locks behind him as he races toward the car, toward you. Nyla drives quickly and parks outside an abandoned house less than fifteen minutes later. While Tim looks at the house, he sees someone move in the window.

“Somebody’s inside,” he alerts.

Nyla nods and instructs Tim to wait while she and Angela approach the house. Before they exit the car, the person walks out of the front door with their hands up. Tim throws the door open and sprints across the yard before anyone says anything.

“Nolan,” he calls.

“What happened here?” Nyla asks.

Her tone makes Tim look around, and he counts at least eight bodies in the front yard. Most are covered, and the desperation, dread, misery, and heartbreak churn in his stomach as he wonders if any of them are you.

“We walked into an ambush. She got one of them down, but we were cornered, surrounded. They dragged their ‘failure’ to the shop and finished him off before they brought us here.” After he explains, Nolan turns to Tim and says, “She asked me to give you this.”

He pulls a bloody piece of paper from his pocket and passes it to Tim, who accepts it wordlessly.

“Where…” is she? Tim wants to say, but he can’t finish the question.

“Uh, she’s inside,” Nolan answers.

Tim hears confirmation that you’re here and runs through the carnage-covered yard and house to find you. He grips the letter tightly as he navigates through the dark house. Tim stops when he sees your badge lying in a corner, and squats to retrieve it. It’s scuffed and bloody, but Tim can’t leave any piece of you behind. He tucks your letter into his pocket to hold your badge.

“Officer Bradford?”

Tim turns quickly and nearly trips over a bloody hammer. He would recognize that voice anywhere. When his eyes finish adjusting in the darkness, and he sees you slumped in the opposite corner, propped up behind the door, he crosses the room in the time it takes you to blink. Tim’s hands cup your face gently as he leans closer to you.

“I’m so sorry,” he whispers.

“Save it,” you reply. “This isn’t over yet. He said he was coming back.”

“Where’d he go?” Tim asks, effortlessly switching back to cop mode.

You smile, and Tim swallows harshly as your injured lip splits and produces a fresh bead of blood. “To rob a bank. As if you weren’t busy enough, right?”

The sniper at the bank, Tim remembers. “He’s gone,” he says quickly. “We got him.”

“You got him?” you clarify.

Tim shakes his head, and you raise your hands to his sides as you lean toward him.

“I could never do this alone. I can’t do any of this without you.”

“Did you read my letter?”

Tim pulls the paper from his back pocket and shakes his head as he reads the two short sentences.

“I forgive you. I love you,” you say as Tim reads the same words.

“It won’t happen again,” Tim promises.

“It might. We have hard jobs, but we can get through it. Right?”

Tim’s reply is a careful kiss to your forehead before he yells for a paramedic. Nolan leads Angela and Nyla inside a moment later, and they enter the door beside you.

“You could’ve mentioned she was alive,” Tim tells Nolan.

“You ran in before I said, ‘she’d like to see your face first, considering she almost died and you were the only thing she talked about,’” Nolan answers.

“Shut up,” you and Tim say together.

“This is the thanks,” Nolan mumbles.

“Can I crash at your place?” you ask Tim. “Without the argument?”

“Wouldn’t let you go anywhere else. The best cop I know deserves some comfort.”

“I thought I was the best cop you knew,” Angela teases.

“I love you,” you tell Tim.

“I love you,” he answers. After he looks into your eyes and smiles, he yells, “Where is the ambulance?”

#hanna writes✯#tim bradford x reader #tim bradford x fem!reader #tim bradford x y/n #tim bradford x you #tim bradford fic #tim bradford imagine #tim bradford angst #tim bradford the rookie #tim bradford #the rookie x reader #the rookie abc #fem!reader #requests

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thatguywhofedme · 5 months

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Ideas for feeders and feedees

I'm sure a lot of us are into feedism / death feedism for the long run, which means that any opportunities to expand our knowledge, live experiences we could have only dreamed of or even find your perfect partner who shares the same set of goals and interests as you do is always on our mind

Which is why I decided to make a small list of ideas for everyone into feedism which I hope would make it easier to find what you are looking for or at least have a starting point

Places you can visit

- Anywhere !!! : this one is pretty vague, but just go outside, get out of your comfort zone and try to do activities you wouldn't normally be doing, I'm sure you'll find opportunities to meet someone new who happens to be into feedism / death feedism

- Walmart : this one is a classic at this point, but it's always a good place to find anyone who could be into feedism just like you and I'm sure you'll find an opportunity to strike up a conversation with anyone with the same particular taste that you have and besides, who doesn't love to see a piggy on a mobility scooter doing a "small" grocery trip, speaking of which

- Grocery store : same thing as Walmart, just go in and find someone who seems to have the same interests as you and would be interested to have a little chat with you

- Pretty much any buffet or restaurant : you have LOOOOOOOTS of choices when it comes to this category of establishment for a fine gourmet such as yourself, you can go the easy route by going to McDonald, KFC or any fast food restaurants near you or your local buffet, if there's one thing all piggies have in common it's eating, LOOOOOADS of eating, especially when it's all you can eat and just a small trick,for the love of god, avoid any restaurant that serves Kale or any healthy food if you want to find a real fatty / enabler

Activities you can do

- Cooking class : no matter where it is, cooking classes are a great opportunity to find someone who 1. Enjoys food and 2. Doesn't care about the fat that keeps piling on their growing bodies, they're everywhere and it'll also teach many skills you can apply in the kitchen, whether it's to fatten yourself up or someone else

- Eating contest / competition : What else is their to say really, you got people who loves to eat lots of food in one sitting as fast or as many as possible while 99% of them don't care about the fat adding up on their figure, which they probably enjoy as well

- county fair : with all the fun activities you can do, especially the food stands on site ready to feed anyone a delicious and fattening piece of food history, your bound to meet someone who also decided to come for the same reason that you did, to find someone who wants to see how much they can stuff in their greedy mouth, with or without your help in one sitting

I know I'm missing a lot of other ideas to try and places / events to visit, but I'm sure you won't be shy to add more in the comments

With all of that said, I hope this list can help all of you with finding new opportunities in the world around you and don't forget, either you're getting fattened up or are the one doing all the fattening, the fatter the better 🐷🩷

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bullet-prooflove · 3 months

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Listen: Dean Archer x Reader (feat: Sean Archer)

Tagging: @kmc1989@helsinkibaby@hufflepuffgirl@mimi-8793

When Dean sees his son Sean for the first time in fifteen years, he’s dressed in a beige prison XL prison uniform and there’s a pane of glass between the two of them with fingerprints streaked across the surface.

Surely he thinks, they should be able to do better especially after COVID. They could at least wipe the damn thing down or something. His hands are shaking when he picks up the phone but he masks it by gripping the receiver so tightly that his knuckles turn white.

It’s been a couple of weeks since Sean called him from Cook County, that’s how long it’s taken him to get visitation. He hadn’t realised it was such a process. In the meantime he’s been in contact with Sean’s lawyer, an over encumbered public defender in an attempt to understand the charges against him. The woman had barely even remembered his name.

He tries to explain the detriment of this to Sean as he sits across from him but it starts a fight. All hell breaks loose between the two of them because Dean, he’s never really understood Sean, not since he hit fourteen and came home from Sea Cadets that summer a withdrawn, sullen teenager. It’s six moths later when his grades started to drop that they found the weed and the pills.

Sean ends up hanging up the phone and terminating the visit and Dean is left with this weird feeling of purgatory because he’s back where he was fifteen years ago, with a son that doesn’t want to talk to him.

“I don’t know how to get through to him.” Dean tells you later that night when you’re cooking dinner together. He’s tired, overwhelmed, exasperated. He wants to fix this, truly he does, he just doesn’t know how to. “I don’t know why there’s such a disconnect.”

“Have you tried listening to him?” You ask as you chop peppers on the cutting board for the salad. “I mean actually sitting down and hearing what he has to say.”

“Of course…” He replies with an edge of annoyance and you give him that look, the one that tells him he’s being an ass. He falls silent after that, mulling it over in his head as he cooks steak on the stove.

Dean has always parented the way his father parented him. His father was an admiral, he had a strict military upbringing, bouncing around from base to base, never sticking around long enough to make too many friends. It’s the reason he’s found it hard to make connections in the past, if you build a barrier between you and the rest of the world it’s less likely you’ll get hurt when it’s time to move on. He carried that into his first marriage and into every job he’s ever worked.

His father had always insisted on things being tidy, ordered and Dean he’s lived with that mantra his entire life. He thinks that’s why he was so hard on Sean, he’s used to a chain of command, a hierarchy. He was the parent and Sean was the kid. It should have been as simple as that but the truth is people are messy. It’s only through his therapy sessions with Daniel that he’s realising how much his father’s version of parenting affected him. He was always distant, emotionally cold. When he was present it was about earning his time, not enjoying it. He wonders if he brought that to the table with Sean, if he taught him that love was conditional, dependant on good behaviour.

“I think you’re right.” He tells you when the two of you settle into bed that night. You’re curled up against his side, your head resting through on his chest as his fingers comb through your hair. “Maybe I haven’t been listening.”

He’s lucky that Sean agrees to see him the second time, he could refuse, he could take him off the visitor’s list but he doesn’t. Dean thinks that means there’s hope for the two of them, that he’s committed to mending fences, after all it was Sean that reached out, Sean that called Dean wanting nothing more than to talk to his dad.

“My wife…” Dean as he sits down across from his son. “She says I’ve got a tendency to override everything but the sound of my own voice and she’s right. I just… if there’s anything you want to say to me after all this time I’ll try my best to listen.”

“You got remarried?” Sean says finally, his elbow resting on the ledge as he leans forward. “I thought the way things ended with you and mom would have put you off.”

Dean doesn’t look back on that time fondly, they’d tried to shield Sean away from the majority of it but there were nights when Leanne’s addiction was out of control and his patience had stretched to breaking point. He’s not proud of the way he handled things back then, his first marriage left him mistrustful and with a sense of worthlessness, that he still feels to this very day.

“It did.” Dean admits as he cups the phone under his chin. “I was alone for a long time before I met Isobel…”

He trails off then because he’s not sure if this is the kind of thing that Sean wants to hear. The life he has now is so different from the one he had before. He’s happy these days, relaxed. He understands that things aren’t so black and white, they don’t fit neatly into little boxes the way that he was taught they should.

It occurs to him that Sean doesn’t know this version of him. Dean preached a lot of tough love back then and not a whole lot of empathy, he had been taught addiction and mental health were character flaws, a sign of weakness. He knows different these days, from his own experiences, from yours. He’s not the same person he was fifteen years ago, he’s much more free with heart, more understanding, more compassionate. He hopes he can show Sean that in the future, that he’s changed, that he’s willing to rebuild this relationship.

“Does she know about me?” Sean asks him quietly, his voice a little rough. “Your wife Isobel? Did you tell her about me?”

There’s a slight pinkness in his cheeks and his gaze slips down the chipped table, his thumb running over a deep indentation. It takes Dean a second to realise what he’s seeing in his son and it feels like a knife plunging straight into his chest.

Shame.

Sean thinks that Dean’s ashamed of him. That he’s hidden his son away like he’s some horrible secret. He’s never wanted to reach out so badly before, he wishes the glass wasn’t there, that he could touch Sean, hug him but he can’t no matter how much he wants to.

“She does.” He tells his son, the edges of his mouth tipping up into a smile. “She wants to meet you when you’re ready.”

“We should probably wait until I’m out.” Sean says gesturing at their surroundings. “I don’t think prison’s the best place to meet my dad’s new wife. I’d prefer to put my best foot forward and all that.”

“She’s an M.E.” Dean laughs as he looks around the room. “She’s worked out of far worse surroundings than this.”

Sean smiles then and something in Dean’s chest just lifts.

“It’s not your fault you know?” Sean says suddenly, surprising Dean. “That I’m fucked up. I know you blame yourself but it was nothing you did or didn’t do. I just… I need you to know that.”

There’s an ache in Dean’s chest, it feels so visceral, like someone’s reached in and torn his heart right out of his rib cage.

“Don’t do that.” Dean tells him, his voice breaking. “Don’t let me off the hook that easy. I messed up I know I did…”

“And so did I.” Sean tells him, his eyes burning with sincerity. “I just want you to know that I’m trying to own the shit I did, to making amends for it.”

“Sean…” Dean begins but Sean shakes his head cutting him off.

“Dad.” Sean reminds him gently. “You promised to listen.”

“I did.” Dean concedes as he adjusts the handset under his chin. “Alright son, I’m listening.”

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#dean archer #dean archer x reader #sean archer #chicago med #one chicago

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trivialbob · 17 days

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Yesterday I had a great time in Wisconsin.

Early in the morning I cooked a traditional eggs and sausage breakfast. When I finished eating I walked around the campground, talking to people. I crossed paths with a lot of nice people this weekend. During my walk a group of campers were cooking eggs and bacon outside. Despite having just eaten a similar big breakfast the smell made me feel hungry again.

Eventually I drove to town to re-fill the propane tank. When I buy propane at home I pay a cashier first then show an attendant my receipt before he fills the tank. At the place in Wisconsin the owner (I think he was) came outside. I asked if I should pay before he filled or while he filled the tank.

"You can pay now if you want. Or you can talk with me while I fill the tank," he replied.

Being who I am, asked all sorts of questions about his experiences filling propane tanks while he filled mine. He seemed to genuinely appreciate my interest. There were no horror stories. He explained how he inspects the tank's date of manufacture and makes sure it's safe to re-fill. Back home I've never noticed the attendant pay much attention to the tank, nor is he into small talk either.

After that I went down the road to the place our friends own for a bloody Mary and a small pizza. I like the garnish in a separate glass and the chaser. I looked over several side-by-sides in the parking lot, including one flying two large American flags (the pictures at the top).

After lunch I returned to the campground -- and took a two hour nap. Why not. It felt like vacation. When I got up I met more people at the campground. It's been only two weekends but I'm very happy Sheila chose this place for a year.

Then I went on a bicycle ride. Because I was on some 45-55 MPH roads I wore a hi-viz jacket and had all my blinky lights going.

Almost everyone who drove towards me waived. Drivers who passed me gave wide berth. Two farmers on tractors subtly waved and nodded their heads my way. That made me smile. Approaching an Amish buggy, I figured the woman and boy in it might not appreciate my bright, flashy garb and blinking lights. But they smiled brightly and waved. That really made me grin.

In the evening I went to a different small town, the one I had been to the previous night. I was keen on having a beer at the bar that shares my first name.

First picture below is a sign on the way into town that I found amusing. Second picture is inside Mr. Bob's bar.

I should have taken a selfie, to show EXACTLY how many customers were in there at 6 PM. Later someone told me Mr. Bob's doesn't get busy until late at night. The bartender was a decent woman, but I felt she looked at me like "Why the heck are you here so early? Now I have to stop what I'm doing to serve you." It's not like I woke up the owner to serve me beer at 7 AM. I should have asked why they don't simply unlock the doors at 10 PM.

Since there was no one to chat with at Mr. Bob's I went around the corner to a taproom I had on my list of places to try. I was not disappointed.

There are 20 beers on tap. Not one of them has Light in the name. I chose a flight of four.

Next summer, sometime when Sheila drives, I plan to order the Dirty Knapp. It's served in that large, Swiss-cheese-looking circle below. For $48 you get a four-ounce beer from each of the 20 taps. That's five pints. I'm not a college student any more, but I think I can pull it off if I skip lunch and dinner :)

At the bar I sat with two other guys my age and a younger woman. The bartender was funny. The five of us laughed pretty hard while telling stories.

Because I had to drive back in the dark, along deer-infested county roads, I didn't drink any more beer after that flight. I was having so much fun talking to the others I didn't want to leave. So I tried some non-alcoholic drinks. I've seen hop water before, just never tried it. I liked it. It reminded me of some odd flavor of La Croix. I also had a non-alcoholic IPA. It tasted like real beer without making me buzzed.

To complete my night, some neighbors invited me to join them and their friends around a camp fire. More laughter and stories.

Fun times. I'm looking forward to going back a few more times before we have to winterize the trailer.

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2024-grimoire-challenge · 6 months

Text

March Week 4 - Deeper Ancestry

We touched the surface of ancestry a couple times. But now it’s time to really dig. It goes beyond just the family you know of already, grandparents and great grandparents. It goes back further and further, to the very point you can no longer trace your origins. If you don't know your ancestry, the easiest way is to ask. Ask your parents, your grandparents and your great grandparents about where your family is from. Beyond that, you could always do a geneology test. Ancestry.com or something similar, to get a generalized idea of where your bloodline stems from.

Here are some basic steps to genealogical research.

Start with yourself

Look for names, dates, places and relationships - this comes from asking family members about their lives before you were around.

Begin at home - does your family keep personal records of any kind? Journals or diaries passed down? Heirlooms of any kind? My aunt sent me some books a few years ago with historical records of my family in Texas. It contained some journal and diary entires, pictures, and a few personal effects.

Use relatives as sources - ask. My grandmother and I spent one summer doing nothing but family research and literally making a family tree.

County, State, and Federal records (births, marriages, deaths) - These are literal records you can look into to discover more about your family For example, when researching with my grandmother, we discovered that our last name used to be different, and there was a misunderstanding of the spelling when our ancestors arrived in America, and so the first letter changed when they arrived.

Libraries and other archives - Once you're aware of some of the dates and names in your lineage, look up their records of events that correspond and coincide with those names and dates.

Monday - Explore your Culture/ Cultural Practices

Research/ New Page - If you feel so inclined, make a page for your cultural practices, and how they influence and are a part of your witchcraft practice. If not, just do some research. It can be good to know these kinds of things to understand oneself.

Practical -If there are nay practices that your culture has, that you have never taken part of, or that you take part of regularly, do it! Anything from foraging, to writing, to cooking, to singing... whatever it is, do it!

Tuesday - Connecting/ Disconnecting

Research - How does one connect or disconnect, depending on the individual ancestor and situation, from one ancestor or group of ancestors? Why do we connect with them? When do we connect with them? Same goes for disconnecting. Not all of our ancestors, or their actions, are worthy of holding in high regard, or acknowledging at all.

Journal/ Introspection - Looking into one's family history can be... heavy. Discovering things about the people we already know, and those that we don't know, is not always a pleasant experience. Holding people in a certain light because of how we feel about them can change dramatically when we discover truths we didn't already know. Journal about your feelings on the things you've discovered about your culture and ancestors. Be honest about how you feel about them, their lives, and their actions.

Wednesday - Honoring/ Disavowing/ Ignoring

Research - What are some ways to honor your ancestors, those worth honoring? How do you disavow, or separate yourself from those ancestors not worthy of connection or veneration? How does one ignore culture and ancestry when the need arises?

Research - Herbal Study - Pick another herb from your list and go to town learning all you can about, magical, mundane and practical uses, associations, and so on!

Thursday - Family Tree/ History

Practical/ Lab Notebook -make a page or get your lab notebook out and make yourself a little family tree or log of the family history you’ve learned. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, thought it certainly can. It can be as simple as names connected by lines. Or it can be a more literal family tree, with branches and leaves. Either way, make it!

Research - Gemstone/ magic/ tarot/ other - make a new page dedicated to whatever topic you’ve chosen to research here. Be it a gemstone and where it comes from, how it is formed and its uses or a specific tarot suit or card.

Friday - Ancestral Work

New Page/ Definition - What is ancestral work? Look up what it is, how it is done, how you already do it, how you can do it in the future, when, where and why to do. Do you already work with ancestors, knowingly or unknowingly?

Here are some links from a quick search to help you.

Intro to Ancestral Work

Ancestral Work

Ancestor Worship

Ancestor Work

Well this was a heavy and full week! Take time at the end of it to rest!

Good luck and happy casting witches!

-Mod Hazel

#2024 grimoire challenge #grimoire #grimoire challenge #paganism #witchcraft #witchblr #2024 gc #book of shadows #dark academia #occultism #2024 gc march week 4 #march week 4 prompt #Grimoire prompt #pagan prompt #witchy prompt #grimoire information #grimoire studies #witchy studies

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sgtmickeyslaughter · 5 months

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66 and 84🥹?

Hi anon! i hope its satifsying to get your prompt answered after a week, i just didnt like this and didnt know how to end it but ive accepted that im not going to make it any better and here you go!

84. Show me what’s behind your back + 66. How could I ever forget about you?

Ian held out for so, so long, he’d like that on the record.

He didn't know about it until they moved into the westside apartment. His alarm bells started going off when he noticed Mickey being careful with something. It was unusual for Mickey, who usually threw his shit around without a care and it made Ian’s Mickey specific senses prick up.

He’d subtly tracked Mickey’s movements as they unpacked, knowing that if Mickey was bothering to try to hide something, there was no point in asking from the jump because he wouldn’t get answer.

And Ian trusted his husband, and was making a point to show that, so if Mickey wanted to hide the little unlabeled tin somewhere Ian wouldn’t find it (in the hollowed out contents of a book and buried in his nightstand, Ian wasn’t a saint and there was no logical explanation for Mickey owning a book that big) Ian would let him have that, it’s not like the contents of that tin would be life or death, right?

That’s what Ian kept telling himself when Mickey disappeared one night. He was supposed to be with Sandy and back in time for dinner, but there Ian was at midnight, wondering where the hell his husband was.

He’d exhausted, his options; calling Mickey, calling Sandy, calling Debbie and Lip, and finally calling the hospital. Nothing. No one was answering.

So Ian stretched his mind to what kind of trouble his husband could be getting into, and it kept going back to that little mystery tin.

Fuck it. Ian creeped down the hallway, keeping his footsteps light from nerves even though he was the only one home. Once he finally rifled through Mickey’s nightstand, searching through miscellaneous pens and notebooks and half eaten protein bars Ian told him to throw away weeks ago, he found the big heavy book tucked all the way in the back.

Smoothing his thumb over the cover, Ian tried to make out what it originally said. Maybe cigars? Or bullets, knowing Mickey. It was bigger than a mint tin but smaller than a lunchbox and rusting lightly around some of the corners.

Cautiously lifting the lid, Ian peered in curiously, all thoughts of it possibly holding the secret to Mickey’s location fading away as he took in the contents.

It had Mickey’s birth certificate, for one. Mikhalio Aleksander Milkovich. August 10th 1994. Cook County, born at 3:36 am. There was a white lighter, which didn’t have any gas left in it, but Ian kind of recognized it from when they were kids. There was a photo of a woman with dark hair, standing unsmilingly in front of a white wall. A little green army man, like the ones that littered Ian’s childhood bedroom, and a photo of Mickey and Mandy that must’ve been taken on Mandy’s first phone, judging from the quality.

An old strip of paper with a phone number, a GED with Mickey’s name on it which made Ian’s eyebrows raise. An ID with a photo of younger Mickey that listed him as Casimir Bukowski. And finally, a very, very old photo of Ian, with a beanie and a smirk, flipping off the camera like he thought he was the shit.

There were a couple of water stains, and places where the shitty inkjet paper was faded nearly white, but it was obviously him.

“What the fuck are you doing?”

Ian whipped around and closed the tin behind him as he faced his husband.

“Nothing,” he defended immediately. “What the fuck are you doing back so late? I was worried.”

“Got fucking trashed with Sandy” Mickey said. “Had to listen to her fucking dyke drama.”

“You should have called me!” Ian insisted angrily.

“What’re are you hiding?” Mickey slurred curiously.

“I am not-” Ian started indignantly, cheeks heating up.

“Show me what’s behind your back” Mickey ordered.

“Your mystery box” Ian admitted, throwing the tin onto their comforter.

Mickey snorted inelegantly, walking over to join Ian and sitting on his side of the bed, stumbling slightly.

Pulling the box into his lap, Mickey shuffled through the contents halfheartedly “it’s not a mystery, it’s just my shit.”

“You don’t have to hide it,” Ian said quietly, sitting next to him.

“Force of habit” Mickey explained away.

Chewing his lip, Ian debated how to bring up the photo that shocked him the most “that’s a really old picture, you can have a new one.”

“I’ve had it for a while,” Mickey said unhelpfully, like that explained it.

“How’d you even get it?”

“Mandy printed it out, I guess she took it” Ian tried to think back and vaguely remembered Mandy pointing a shitty snapshot camera at him before she made him take photos of her. “I stole it after you left, for the army.”

Mickey was looking at the photo now, rubbing his thumb over the worn paper. “I wanted to see you, I guess,” he admitted quietly.

“I thought you forgot about me,” Ian said honestly.

“How could I forget about you?” Mickey asked honestly, finally looking up to meet Ian’s eyes with a wide, unfocused look.

“I don’t know” Ian said, not really understanding his own motivations entirely, looking back. But also not ready to admit he assumed everyone forgot about him, even his own family.

“Thought about you every day,” Mickey said quietly.

But now he thought about Mickey sitting alone and looking at a photo of him in between moments of pretending, hiding in his own house from the wife he didn’t want and a father who despised him.

“You really love me, huh?” Ian asked, peering curiously over at his husbands face.

Mickey finally looked up, meeting his gaze with a smirk. “’s what I’ve been trying to tell you, Gallagher.”

For a second, Ian was so overwhelmed with emotion he couldn’t stand to look at him, so Ian bumped his shoulder against Mickey’s, smiling bashfully as he over corrected and nearly fell off the bed.

“You’re fucking trashed” Ian accused.

“Been drinking around you losers too much” Mickey defended tiredly, rubbing absentmindedly at his face.

“Yeah?” Ian asked sweetly, amusedly watching his husband fade into sleep in real time.

“M’yeah” Mickey agreed.

Ian kissed his head for a second before getting up and kneeling in front of him.

“Oh, I love you Ian, but there’s no way I’m gonna’ be able to do that” Mickey mumbled, blinking slowly down at him.

Ian just grinned and started unlacing his boots, knowing that Mickey was about fifteen seconds away from curling up on their clean comforter with dirty shoes.

“You want some leftovers?” Ian asked once he finished taking off his husbands shoes.

“I thought I wasn’t allowed to eat in the bed,” Mickey said tauntingly, digging his sock covered toes into Ian’s thigh.

Ian fixed him with a glare until Mickey shook his head. Ian shrugged and helped Mickey out of his jacket and jeans, and rolled him into the center of the bed before he padded quietly into their bathroom to take his nighttime meds.

When he got back into the bedroom, Mickey was sound asleep, snoring and drooling slightly against Ian’s pillow in the dim yellow light.

thanks for asking!

writers ask game

#sgt says #prompt game

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jo-harrington · 1 year

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Dearest, wonderfulst of them all. I'm coming in here with a monster tucked under my arm.

The Manticore. Please. It's one of my favourite beasts.

<3 <3 <3 for you.

Somna!!! Ok this one I was noodling for a while because I was like “ok. Ren faire ren faire ren faire.” And it was gonna be really special and a little grandiose (I was feeling a type of way with the end of summer.)

But the thing about Eddie and this OC (or Reader character if you’re not reading the series) is that they find heaven in the most simple places together. They find it in each other.

So I hope you enjoy this one. It's not big angsty, it's just a little soft silly thing. Big kisses for you my love.

Find Hymns of Heaven here.

And find the Master List for As Above, So Below here.

August 1984

“So what are we looking for again?”

“Rick's birthday is coming up so anything Green Bay Packers—”

“Ew.”

“—and maybe some flannels for Wayne. How about you?”

“Maybe some books. Some records for the both of us?"

"No Van Halen though."

"I swear to God," you muttered under your breath. "I mention them one time."

"Hot for Teacher is a bullshit song and you know it," Eddie grinned mischievously as he slammed the door of the van shut.

He knew just what it took to get under your skin sometimes; pick at the tiniest throwaway thing you'd say and turn it into a whole to-do. Keep pushing and pushing until you tried to tell him off because then he'd get to emphasize "but you love me" until your hard stare turned soft and you'd agree because...you did.

You did love him. Loved him for all the good things and the bad; loved him because he was an idiot.

He was your idiot. Proudly.

Today, though, was not about mischief.

You were both on a mission.

You'd driven all the way up to Fort Wayne for the Allen County Flea Market at the Fairgrounds. It was a once-a-month event where hundred of people brought their prized possessions, their antiques, and their trash to try and offload it for as much cash as possible. And he had plenty to spare, after he'd made his appearance at all of the end-of-summer parties that had been thrown by everyone of college-going-age in the tri-county area.

So why not have a little day out, treat the most important people in his life to something nice, if...a little worn. Worn was ok.

He was a little worn too. So were you. And Wayne and Rick. His friends. He'd never felt such a sense of belonging as he did with all of you. All sorts of pieces that seemingly didn't fit together or belong...that had been patched together to create something epic. Unstoppable.

His family.

After perusing a few booths together, you parted ways to hunt for your own treasures, and he greedily accepted the soft farewell kisses you pressed to his lips.

One, and then another for the road, and a third for good luck.

He prompted it, but it was typically your saying as you stole a few smooches before you left him for the night or for work, and hearing him say it made you beam brightly.

It made him glow from deep within.

Once you were out of sight, he clapped his hands and let destiny take him where it would.

Got a couple things for himself and Wayne, enough that he could convince his uncle that they didn't need to go back to school shopping for much of anything outside of the obvious pens, pencils, and notebooks from Kmart. No new shoes or shirts.

He could keep the that overtime pay from the plant tucked away for a rainy day, or maybe fix the heater on his car that he'd been hemming and hawing about since February.

He even found Wayne a sturdy denim jacket with a suede collar that, he was sure, would be perfect once the cool weather rolled in.

He got Rick's birthday gift and continued to peruse the booths along his path, finding a few useful items along the way: a coil of guitar strings still in the packaging, a set of cooking knives that might have been chipped and dull but still probably more useful to cut vegetables with than the set of steak knives that were tucked away in a kitchen drawer back home, and a plan black sweatshirt with some moth holes that could, realistically, be saved by some strategically placed band patches.

He had been contemplating whether he was willing to endure your wrath if he surprised you with a copy of Women and Children First from a pile of old vinyls--

A grander gesture would be to convince the guys to add Could This Be Magic to the setlist of Corroded Coffin 2.0's first outing at the Hideout. Jeff could test his mettle on acoustic and Eddie could dedicate the song to you.

--when he found the jackpot.

It was a dusty book with worn edges, title on the front cover printed in a heavy gothic script and embossed with gold foil.

A Modern Bestiary for the 20th Century by Professor Hellen Magnus and Doctor Pellinore Warthrop

Eddie's hand shot to it immediately, intrigued, and he spent a good few minutes flipping through the pages. He vibrated as he went page by page, eyes scanning over one creature or another.

Harpies and gargoyles and sea serpents.

He thought of all the Hellfire sessions that would benefit from this book. It really felt like an ancient tome with all of the scientific diagrams and breakdowns of each creature's skeleton, brief summaries of associated myths, and place of origin. References to other books that he made a mental note to ask about at the library.

And then, right in the center of the book, there was a fold out spread that featured a full color illustration of a Manticore.

His favorite.

He'd seen it in a book about heraldry once upon a time when he created a Munson Family Crest for the Middle Ages unit in 6th Grade History. And he'd been obsessed ever since.

The ultimate protector and most dangerous foe with the head of a human and the body of a lion, and a venomous scorpion tail. Symbolizing undefinable strength and power. So it was funny, how he had been thinking of the way his family was patched together earlier when this was waiting for him just hours ahead.

Fate was funny that way.

And funnier still...when he drew his eyes across the page once again and saw, scribbled in the corner in...colored pencil or crayon...he couldn't say for sure...was your name.

"No..." he squinted and pulled the page closer to his face. "Can't be."

It was a child's handwriting for sure, wobbly and unsure, but that was you.

For a second, Eddie didn't even...consider the implications of this being your book or how the book ending up here of all places. Stranger things had happened. Fate worked inn mysterious ways and all that.

He just felt...triumphant.

"Finally I'll get a leg up on you sweetheart," he said as he dug into his pockets for the cash to buy the book. "No more telling me about mysterious monsters and creatures. I'll know more than you soon enough."

You found Eddie sitting in the back of the van after you finished your shopping, the tote bag that you had the foresight to bring with you overflowing with books and records and even a rolled up poster that you were sure he'd like for his bedroom. His legs were crossed and he was flipping through the pages of a book that vaguely looked familiar to you.

"So, success?" you began to announce your presence. Eddie jumped a bit, startled and he shoved the book off to the side. You narrowed your eyes in suspicion. "What? Is that like...some like...weird book with sex positions in it or something? Studying to surprise me later or..."

"No! Well...studying yes, but not...I mean if you wanna..." he trailed off and raised his eyebrows suggestively. You slapped the back of your hand against his arm and laughed. "No, it's just this really interesting book I found. I'll tell you all about it on the drive back."

"Ok," you marveled at his enthusiasm. "I can't wait to hear all about it."

You dumped your bags in the back and slammed the doors shut as Eddie did his typical gentleman's act by racing around to open the passenger's door for you.

He bowed deeply and kissed the back of your hand, luxuriating in your giggles.

You wouldn't be laughing for long.

Once he was settled behind the wheel and he was sure of the directions back to Hawkins, he got the most devious look on his face. Positively devilish. His head dropped lazily to his shoulder and he dragged his eyes from the road to look at you.

"So, sweetheart, angel, cheese on my burger, love of my life," he buttered you up. "Tell me what you know...about The Manticore."

#aasb #as above so below #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson fluff #hymns of heaven

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turneradora · 13 days

Text

NEW ABOUT RIVALS 💯💯💯💯

New article in the Harper's Bazaar UK, October Issue, to promote "Rivals"!

Amazing photoshoot !

Here is the article of the Harper's Bazaar Uk magazine !!

Thanks to Emma Jones for the written transcription ! 🙏👍🌺

Harpers Bazaar - October 2024

BEST OF ENEMIES

Bazaar recreates the fictional county of Rutshire to meet the cast of Rivals, a new TV adaptation of Jilly Cooper’s racy 1980s blockbuster

As Jilly Cooper’s Rivals leaps rambunctiously to our screens, we meet the cast of the saucy new show

It’s 1986 and, high over the Atlantic, a London-bound Concorde is about to break the sound barrier. Most passengers continue smoking, flicking through magazines and ordering martinis, while the rattling WC door indicates that two are currently joining the mile-high club. Moments later, an unruffled, glamorous couple emerge triumphantly from the loo and the tannoy announces that supersonic speed has been reached: everyone whoops; glasses are clinked; and the thumping chorus of ‘You might as well face it/you’re addicted to love’ is amped up. This is the opening scene of Rivals, the much-anticipated new television adaptation of Jilly Cooper’s bestselling novel, and it’s so unsubtle that, even alone in a dark screening bunker below the streets of Soho, it makes me splutter with laughter. It is also irresistible.

The 1988 book is a classic of the Cooper canon and part of the Rutshire Chronicles, a series based in a fictional Cotswolds county that follows the lives and loves of the affluent elite – an area the team behind its new, and first, on-screen adaptation are well-versed in bringing to life. Produced by A Very English Scandal ’s Dominic Treadwell-Collins and written by Laura Wade, who was behind The Riot Club, Disney+’s eight-part drama is also executivelyproduced by both Cooper and her literary agent Felicity Blunt. It is largely faithful to the novel but, as that has 700 pages and 79 characters listed by name and personality trait in an A-Z at the front, the show necessarily homes in on the central plot lines.

The two main protagonists are Rupert Campbell-Black (played by Alex Hassell), a former Olympic-gold show jumper turned Conservative MP (and, incidentally, the ‘best-looking man in England’); and Declan O’Hara (Aidan Turner), an Irish broadcasting star who leaves the BBC to move to Rutshire with his actress wife Maud and children Taggie, Caitlin and Patrick. Declan’s new employer, Corinium Television, is run by David Tennant’s vile Lord Tony Baddingham and his sidekick Cameron Cook, an American producer he has lured over from New York, depicted by the US native Nafessa Williams. They are joined by a large supporting cast that includes Danny Dyer and Emily Atack.

The titular rivalries are many and varied, primarily centred on the struggle to win the local TV franchise; simultaneously, characters lock horns over love, money, class, pets, politics and property, while presenting chat shows, throwing parties and playing nude tennis. The resulting viewing experience is both a period drama that seems set on another planet and a series exploring themes that still resonate today.

Cooper – who, at 87, is still in full ownership of her signature cloud of coiffed hair, inimitable charisma and a hundred-mile-an hour conversation – loved working on the project. ‘It’s terribly exciting,’ she tells me, with an amazed shake of the head. ‘Other books of mine have been televised and it was awful – but with this, we took casting very seriously and I can’t fault any of them.’

During a break on Bazaar ’s shoot, Turner tells me how Cooper gave a cocktail party for the cast in her garden, and what a ball they all had filming in the West Country last summer. (The latter is clear: he’s delighted to see his co-stars, including the mongrel Pontie, who plays Gertrude, the O’Hara family dog, and some of her canine colleagues brought along for a day in front of the camera.)

The series appealed to the Poldark star immediately. ‘I thought the scripts were really, really funny – line-wise, I have some crackers,’ he says. Turner’s Declan is a big-hearted if self involved journalist, wrestling to reconcile his bosses’ desire to monetise his charm, his own dream of writing a Yeats documentary and the need to bread-win for his profligate family. Although this push and pull between being commercial and creative, between the professional and the personal, plays out in a larger-than-life fashion, it still somehow feels familiar to a modern viewer. ‘That’s the sign of really good television, isn’t it, when it holds the mirror up to our present,’ says the actor. ‘What have we thrown in the trash? What still needs to change?’

The ways in which prejudices have evolved in the past 40 years are thrown into quite harsh relief in the show. Casting a Black actress to play Cameron Cook, the damaged but resilient hot-shot American producer, gives the series an opportunity to delicately include a glimpse of the regularity of what we’d now recognise as racist micro aggressions. Equally, Cameron’s strength is joyful to witness. ‘Such a spicy, smart character – especially a Black woman, who can carry her own and get her way in the male-dominated world of that time – I wanted to sink my teeth into that,’ Williams says. ‘I also love the glamour: the red lip, the red nails.’ (The cast have embraced the scarlet-stiletto emoji – a replica of the original image on the classic book cover – as their unofficial series motif when posting on social media.)

The changing dynamics between men and women are portrayed with a light touch. Victoria Smurfit read Cooper as a teenager, and has now adored playing Declan’s wife Maud O’Hara – an insecure, attentionseeking former actress, the kind of mother who arrives at her son’s New Year’s Eve 21st-birthday party in the Cotswolds on a camel. ‘There are aspects of Rivals that make you think, “Oh my Lord, can you believe they got away with this back then?”’ the Irish actress says. ‘But in the show, it’s delivered in such a clear, fun, gentle, appalled way that a 2024 audience can digest it very easily.’ When I suggest the series has made more of the women and ensured they have three dimensions, perhaps to modernise the story a little, she makes a good point: that Cooper’s male characters – be it the rakish Rupert Campbell-Black or the angelic Lysander Hawkley of The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous – may seem the most famous because it was mostly women reading the books, and the author had designed her heroes – or antiheroes – to be ‘their perfect man’. ‘But look closely, and the women are not less than the men,’ she says. ‘Essentially, every character wants something they don’t have – usually love and safety – whether from their partners, animals or colleagues. Women in this world are entering the era of “having it all” and are learning to be open about what they want – and, by the same token, we are starting to see a softer side to the men.’

This is embodied perfectly in Bella Maclean’s Taggie O’Hara, the delightful, very dyslexic cook and daughter of Declan and Maud: on screen, she has slightly more twinkle in her eye than in the book – a good decision, as otherwise Taggie could be seen as almost too virtuous to be true to a modern audience. ‘But it’s so nice playing someone with a really strong backbone – it slightly rubs off on you,’ says the actress, who appeared in the latest Sex Education series and has just shone as the lead at the National Theatre’s London Tide. ‘Among all the silliness, the shoulder pads and mad hairdos, there’s always an undercurrent of something thought-provoking,’ she says of the show that could prove to be her career’s turning point. ‘There’s a love story that blossoms out of something really unpleasant. There’s light and shade.’

But the figure with perhaps the most chiaroscuro is Rupert Campbell-Black, Cooper’s number-one character, into whose shoes Alex Hassell is amazed to be stepping. Hassell is a seasoned RSC actor, with turns in The Miniaturist and His Dark Materials, whose theatre company The Factory counts Mark Rylance and Emma Thompson among its patrons. ‘I’m also from Essex, with dark features,’ he points out wryly, in reference to the white-blond locks and blue eyes of his new alter-ego, both of which are oft-alluded to in the books, and about which many young women dreamed in the 1980s and 90s. (Cooper was initially appalled.) ‘Rupert exudes privilege and confidence, so I had to learn a loucheness. It was helpful that everyone was told to treat me as if I was extremely attractive,’ he continues, laughing. ‘When you walk into a room of supporting artists who’ve been briefed to fall over themselves looking at you, smouldering becomes a lot easier. They imbued me with a certain power.’

In the Rivals prequel Riders, there are some pretty unpalatable aspects of Rupert’s personality – particularly the way he treats women and animals – that haven’t aged well. ‘We never explicitly had this conversation, but for my portrayal of Rupert, we’ve kept some parts of that history and taken out others. In our version, there’s a loneliness to him: he is a shit, but he has a kindness.’

However, there are two elements of Cooper’s storytelling to which the show stays steadfastly loyal: the abundance of sex and wordplay. Rupert’s dialogue is riddled with quips – some very clever, some very… Eighties. Hassell’s favourite is delivered just as Rupert is getting down to it, and involves a pun that combines Tories and the clitoris. ‘It was a hard sell,’ he says, laughing.

His character and storyline – which takes Rupert on, dare I say, a journey – are key to the show’s charm, pace, plot and sociopolitical signposting. What would Hassell like viewers to make of the series? ‘I hope people enjoy it, have conversations about the knottier topics it raises, and maybe have sex later,’ he says. ‘I say that jokingly, but – and maybe this is high hopes – perhaps for people who don’t talk to one another that much, as the series goes on, watching it with someone else might allow certain things to come to light.’

Cooper is delighted by this possibility. ‘Well, we’re philanthropists, aren’t we? I keep reading that the birth rate is going down like mad. Putting Rivals on the telly may help,’ she says, with the enthusiasm of a writer who has long had one foot in showbusiness: in her forties, she appeared in her capacity as a celebrity columnist on the BBC game show What’s My Line, and wrote a sitcom about a four-girl flat-share with Joanna Lumley in the lead role.

Revisiting the world she created – and partially lived in herself – 40 years ago has been bittersweet: it made her miss the era (‘it was much more naughty’), but also her late husband (‘there’s a lot of darling Leo and his jokes in the book’). Indeed, what today’s viewers may not clock is the real people Cooper drew on to shape several fictional figures, namely the ‘glamorous aristocratic types who were floating about when I, middle-class Jilly, moved to the country in ’82’. Rupert Campbell-Black, for example, is a patchwork of Andrew Parker Bowles, the late Earl of Suffolk and the fashion designer Rupert Lycett-Green. Her ‘beloved’ Taggie is entirely made up, but the scruffy Lizzie Vereker – a novelist whose husband cheats on her – is, she admits, based on herself: ‘She is nicer than me, though. I love her – that’s terribly narcissistic to say, but I do.’

Like her conversation, Cooper herself still rattles along at a good clip – last year, she released a bonkbuster about football inevitably titled Tackle!; this May, the King presented her with a damehood for services to charity and literature, and she’ll be tapping away at her typewriter on various secret projects right up to the very moment she is dragged out of rural Gloucestershire to the premiere of Rivals.

To all these endeavours, Dame Jilly continues to bring the same philosophies she always has: a disregard for snobbery (like many great minds, she rereads Proust and loves Helen Fielding) and a straightforward goal of contributing to the gaiety of the nation. ‘Maybe one day I’ll write something serious,’ she says. ‘But, at the moment, there’s some terrible sadness and loneliness, isn’t there? So, more than ever, and more than anything, I’d like to cheer people up.’

‘Rivals’ is released on Disney+ in October.

#aidanturnerinternational #aidan turner #séries #rivals #declan o’hara

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queer-ragnelle · 10 months

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So who among the Arthurian characters is into cottagecore? Morgan has to be right?

hi!

you know what i'm gonna have to disagree. i don't think morgan's affiliation to magic and nickname "le fay" are enough, especially bc she prides herself on a lofty status that elevates her above the humble rural living that cottagecore romanticizes. i mean here she is in the vulgate proclaiming herself a king's daughter (isn't she the daughter of duke gorlois?) while she prepares to kill her husband and get away with it.

queen shit. here are some characters i think would be into cottagecore.

arthur: when thomas berger wrote him as loving his simple life in wales with his family and sleeping out with the dogs and genuinely relishing his modest upbringing with his foster brother? i felt that.

blanchefleur: she definitely named herself "white flower" after her own garden's award winning blossoms at the county fair. she bottles it for perfume too, if you're interested. perceval always keeps a little vial around his neck so he can smell it and think of her while on quest or when he gets lost on his way to take out the trash. thanks wifey.

brangaine and palamedes: whether or not she can actually achieve this lifestyle whilst in the service of isolde, she definitely dreams of fleeing to the countryside with palamedes. it also makes his commute shorter (cottage is on the edge of the enchanted woods in which the questing beast roams).

culhwch and olwen: after the nightmarish tasks they underwent just to get married they absolutely retired far away from court life where those shenanigans wouldn't reach their children.

dindrane: she's the quintessential nun, one who didn't learn necromancy. she enjoys all the typical stuff expected in a remote hermitage; gardening, baking, making wine, going on an adventure bilbo style complete with chaotic means and tragic ends, bird watching.

fisher king and elaine: since the queen passed away they just want more father and daughter bonding time out on the boat to fish. they catch dinner in their little pond and take it home to cook and go to sleep happy. they do the same thing again the next day without any obligations besides living. nothing bad happens.

green knight and wife: pretty sure they invented cottagecore or at least introduced the concept into the realm. they have their own line of cottagecore starter kits with little seeds to grow personalized mini gardens for a country oasis even in the discomfort of your monarch-sanctioned barracks. so what if the plants they sell are annuals and you have to buy a new one every year. aren't you committed to the aesthetic?

isolde and tristan: did they or did they not smash in that grotto like their lives depended on it? i rest my case.

merlin: have you read mary stewart's merlin trilogy? my guy wanted the quiet life so bad it made him look stupid. he died as he lived, in the middle of fucking nowhere. say what we will he committed to the bit to the very end.

tor: he is literally a cowboy farmer kid turned knight. actually forget the whole list he's the only one.

thanks for the ask!

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sibylsleaves · 4 months

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hello! <3 dunno if you ever wrote about it already, but do you have any headcanons on what they'd enjoy doing during their free time? some favourite pastimes?

Between work/raising a kid/seeing friends/regular adult life i don't think they don't have a TON of time to pursue hobbies. So it's basically what we've seen them do in canon--they definitely enjoy playing boardgames with Chris/occasionally with Madney and HenRen. Buck obviously loves to cook/bake and try out new recipes, and that's something he and Chris do together--pick a new recipe, go shopping for ingredients, and experiment in the kitchen. Eddie still sometimes attends his secret underground poker nights, practices Muay Thai/follows MMA/goes to basketball pick-up. And of course a lot of video games. Chris is A Gamer and while he probably prefers playing video-games with his friends, he does still allow Buck and Eddie to play with him on occasion. I've also read so many fics also where they start a garden at the Diaz house, so I think they probably spend some time gardening too.

They go to a handful of Dodgers games per season as a family. Someone at the 118 is a HUGE Dodgers fan and has season tickets with great seats and offers up those seats for cheap/as a thank you for when someone covers their shift. Eddie is a Rangers fan and Chris is a Dodgers fan and Buck doesn't really follow baseball that closely but he LOVES baseball history and is always spouting off fun facts like did you know that the high-five was invented by Glenn Burke, a gay baseball player who played for the Dodgers in the 1970s? Buck does, and he read his entire autobiography. They also always attend the Dodgers First Responders night and I wanna say that at some point after the 118 does something extremely heroic Bobby gets invited to throw the first pitch for First Responders Night and the entire 118 attends to cheer him on.

They also love family beach days on nice weekend days when they're off work. I imagine Chris is still taking surfing lessons and Buck and Eddie will go and take him to his lesson and walk around on the beach together/rough-house in the waves and then they'll have a picnic. Sometimes they'll also invite Madney/HenRen to join them.

Buck and Eddie go to the gym together relatively frequently on their days off. I think they also like taking long drives together when the weather's nice and traffic isn't bad (which is basically just from the hours of 10am to 1pm...). Buck will drive them up the coast to Malibu or even Ventura County or down to Huntington Beach.

And I think they generally like trying new activities as a family. I think Buck is very active on the Los Angeles specific subreddits and is always in search of fun, accessible activities and events for them to attend. Go Karting, the Renaissance Faire, food festivals, the Rose Bowl Flea Market, escape rooms, various museums and science centers, the windmill tour in Palm Springs...the list goes on.

#sibyl answers #edmundodiazz #buddie established relationship spec #this just turned into an excuse for me to flex my LA knowledge LOL

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kaijuno · 2 years

Note

A very dear friend of mine has cancer. I don’t want to make you any more anxious or scared, I just want to send a story so you know you’re not alone.

In short, his answer (I suppose) in keeping some grain of sanity is letting go of every goal you’ve had and every insecurity you’ve had for those goals.

For example, he’s always wanted to try a long zip line but was waiting for the right weather. When he processed the words from hospital staff, he came to my house, used my phone and booked a weekend away so he, myself and a few friends could all go zip lining. Only after he did that, he told me the news. We cried and cried and cried.

Of course it’s easier said than done just to stop worrying about it but his logic is that “I’m going to die some day, I’m not immortal, I’m booking these fucking things before I feel I’m sick. Work can fuck off.” That man is now 5 months off chemo treatment and has that same mindset.

I know it’s not a ‘size fits all’ situation, but I thought talking about Stephen might help. He’s going for some archery lessons next week.

[continued from additional messages]

Actually I want to talk about Stephen more.

When he told me he had cancer, we cried for hours and hours. We confessed things that won’t ever be whispered to another soul and kept promises well into the night.

Now we take turns in booking experiences for him in the friend and family circles. We’ve all got a spare mattress for us and a bed for Stephen incase he feels iffy in the house. He booked the zip line weekend, I booked a table in that county, someone else drove us to the seaside to eat fish and chips in the freezing cold car, another person bought us stand up comedy tickets. He’s booked himself and his partner in for archery lessons next week. I’ve secretly bought him, his partner and his parents tickets to see a west end show and a room for the week at some point in the very near future.

Anyway enough listing. Of course he still gets scared, he’s not immune. We all offer a line incase he needs to talk to us at 3am, the nurses are incredible to him, his workplace is advocating for him to get better sick pay. We all offer a shoulder to cry onto (which has been used many times) without smothering him in false hope and premature grief. He has been off chemo for 5 months but of course he’s scared that it will come back.

Stephen is genuinely incredible and if you ever feel scared about the results of your mammogram, there are lines to call and support groups.

Stephen is a very eccentric and marvellous man. He has tweed waistcoats and a green leather armchair and has a collection of pipes he doesn’t smoke anymore. He’s also very laid back and funny. He cooks incredible curries that will burn the mouth off you. He had a phase of making his own chocolate just to understand how it was made. He has a dog called Frank. Frank is a very old man and he’s got a matching dog cover for him with a hood on it.

He’s the type of man that is a great confidant and is incredibly funny. He plays the banjo and harmonica at the same time just to wind up the neighbours. He’s one of those people that are chilled out, easy to talk to and is just so incredibly silly.

I suspect he has a secret library with original manuscripts from the 12th century or something.

Can you tag everything I’ve said with #stephen ?

[End]

Thank you so much for your messages. His mentality is really the mentality I’m trying to have while I’m in limbo here waiting for results. I’m scared. I might die young. I might lose all my hair and weight and will to fight. I might never get to get married or have kids or own a house.

But that doesn’t matter, it can’t matter anymore because if I spend my time being worried sick, I won’t get to enjoy what time, whether it be months or decades, I have left.

#Stephen

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simplegenius042 · 9 months

Text

WIP Roundup

Rules: Post the names of all (or some of) the files in your wip folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Let people send you an ask with the title that most intrigues them and then post a little snippet of it or tell them something about it! Tag as many people as you have WIPS.

Tagged by @direwombat (than you so much for the tag) to share what I have cooking up in my folder. I'll only share some as there are way too many to fit in one post (...unless... no, begone devil thoughts!). I have four folders, one each for The UnTitledverse, Far Cry The Silver Chronicles, Life, Despair & Monsters, and some extra stuff that don't belong in the three universes above (includes Wings And Horns and A Radioactive Calamity of Love, Bombs & Gore).

Anyway, below the cut is the WIP names (and their respective series they belong to) as well as the people I'm tagging. Just like direwombat (though a little differently), I will be listing them by active, snippets, or shelved. Enjoy!

[P.S I'm about to ruin my exact number of 4,000 posts LOL! Damn who knew I'd get that high]

ACTIVE WIPS (e.g. WIPs that are either published or that I am actively working on)

The UnTitledverse

The Perfect Storm saga -> Jurassic World Before The Storm

Far Cry The Silver Chronicles

The Years In Hope County (FC5)

Silva's Hope (FC5)

Life, Despair & Monsters

One By One, The Towers Crack folder -> Sonya's Push - Jennifer's Story (Love Death + Robots)

SNIPPETS (e.g. WIPs I've only shown through snippets and have been bouncing back and forth between and/or can only publish once another WIP is finished)

The UnTitledverse

The Perfect Storm saga -> A Blast In The Past (original work influenced/inspired by Bendy and the Ink Machine)

Far Cry The Silver Chronicles

A Truce, As Null And Void As Yourself (FC5)

La Última En Pie (Kind of Original Work with references to FC5 and adapted/AU characters from The Masquerade, The Bone Season, Mermaids of Eriana Kwai, The Priory Of The Orange Tree, The Locked Tomb and Rapunzel's Tangled Adventures)

No Snake, Only A Boa In The Garden (FC5)

The True Sinners (FC5)

You're Almost Like Family (FC5)

Life, Despair & Monsters

On Strong Foundations, The Tower Stands folder -> Miraculous Miracles: Tales of Hatter and his Two Buds (Miraculous)

Original Works and Other Series

A Radioactive Calamity of Love, Bombs & Gore series -> It's A Matter of Perspective, Really... (FO3)

SHELVED (e.g. WIPs that I've currently put on the shelf as of now until I have the time and motivation to write or WIPs that haunt my dreams)

The UnTitledverse

The Perfect Storm saga -> The Dark Awakening (Original Work inspired/influenced by Bendy and the Ink Machine)

The Omniscience Rule saga -> All Who Remain (The Last Of Us)

The UnTitled Ventures saga -> UnTitled Venture: Village Of Shadows (Resident Evil Village)

Mario: Mother's Boy (Original Work)

Far Cry The Silver Chronicles

Old Dusk (FCND)

Call To Arms (COD: MW)

Ain't It A Joy? (We Happy Few)

No One's Safe At Home (Welcome To The Game)

Far Cry The Judge's Duty AU -> What Are The Chances? (FC5/FCND-ish)

Lady, Running Down To The Riptide (Taken Away To The Dark Side) (FC5 AU influenced by Bioshock Infinite)

Life, Despair & Monsters

Enemies Crawl, Along The Tower's Walls folder -> Word Of Woe - Wednesday Addams' Story (Wednesday)

On Strong Foundations, The Towers Stand folder -> The Thorned Crown Of Iron Thrones - Corvus Targaryen's Story (House Of The Dragon)

Original Works and Other Series

Wings And Horns (Original Work)

A Radioactive Calamity of Love, Bombs & Gore series -> The Waters Of Life Flow (FO3).

A Radioactive Calamity of Love, Bombs & Gore series -> The House Always Wins (FONV).

A Radioactive Calamity of Love, Bombs & Gore series -> A Symbol For A Better World (Our World) (FO4).

A Radioactive Calamity of Love, Bombs & Gore series -> Vault Number 76 (FO76).

Tagging @socially-awkward-skeleton @shallow-gravy @adelaidedrubman @strangefable @strafethesesinners @wrathfulrook @g0dspeeed @josephseedismyfather @josephslittledeputy @bitchofedensgate @inafieldofdaisies @softtidesworld @minilev @snake-in-the-garden @afarcryfrommymain @nightbloodbix @derelictheretic @deputyash @deputy-morgan-malone @dephellseed @fourlittleseedlings @cassietrn @chazz-anova @voidika @onehornedbeast @carlosoliveiraa @corvosattano @skoll-sun-eater @neverthesameneveranother and @ladyoriza + anyone else who wants to share their wip list!)

#wip roundup #the untitledverse #fic: jurassic world before the storm #wip: a blast in the past #wip: the dark awakening #wip: all who remain #wip: untitled venture village of shadows #wip: mario mother's boy #far cry the silver chronicles #fic: the years in hope county #wip: silva's hope #wip: a truce as null and void as yourself #wip: la última en pie #wip: no snake only a boa in the garden #wip: the true sinners #wip: you're almost like family #wip: what are the chances?#wip: lady running down to the riptide (taken away to the dark side)#wip: old dusk #wip: call to arms #wip: ain't it a joy?#wip: no one's safe at home #life despair & monsters #wip: sonya's push #wip: miraculous miracles tales of hatter and his two buds #wip: word of woe #wip: the thorned crown of iron thrones #series: a radioactive calamity of love bombs & gore #original works #wip: wings and horns

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swampstew · 2 years

Text

Blind Date Event ~ Cavendish X Reader

Thank you to everyone who submitted applications for my Blind Date Matchmaking Event. I hope you enjoy these lovely bedtime stories during this week of overpriced chocolates, flowers and heart shaped things. @sabo-has-my-heart I hope you enjoy your date and it definitely did not have me simping pathetically for the Beautiful Pirate🤫🥺

Mostly fluff, SFW, Cavendish X Female reader, first blind date experience. WC:1.4K. Minors DNI - my content is for mature audiences only

Cavendish knocked on your door, arriving punctually for your date together. He was dressed in a billowing button down paired with black pants, a rose belt buckle hung neatly where the shirt tucked. He looked handsome, ravishing even; you weren’t 100% sold on the hat though.

He did one of those fancy handshakes where he daintily raises your hand in front of him while he bows his head. Exclaiming how thrilled he was to be your date and that he was taking you to the hottest rooftop bar in the city. He led you to his white, polished Ford Mustang convertible. You noticed a small bumper sticker on the corner of his back bumper: Hell hath no fury like a Shagya Arabian stallion.

“I’ve got to be honest; I don’t know what a Shagya Arabian is.”

Cavendish’s eyes widened before a smile came over his face. His favorite topic. A horse boy through and through.

It was quite cute how passionate he was about the subject. It stemmed from his childhood horse who was now much older and past his prime. You were surprised to know that his deep knowledge of equines didn’t stop there. No, Cavendish loves all animals.

He comes from old money so he decided to start a non-profit rehabilitation center. At first it was to rehab injured equestrians, which expanded to treat donkeys, deer, and eventually his center became overburdened with animals in need that he expanded again. To several different counties and states, all specializing in different animal needs. To say you were impressed!

The ride to the bar was fairly quick and he opened your doors and pulled out the seat for you, always a gentleman. While you waited for your orders to be cooked, you sipped on decorated cocktails as you got to know each other.

You held the matchmaking pamphlet in your hands, “Cavendish what are your three biggest deal breakers?”

He took a sip of his gin and tonic, “I would say intentional cruelty to animals, cheating, and denim on denim wearers.” You giggled at that. “What about your three dealbreakers, _______?”

You swirled your Mai Tai, “controlling tendencies, cruel personalities, and excessive laziness.”

You shared your meals with each other on appetizer plates; he has a thing about his food mixing together. He listened intently as you shared more about yourself. Things like your hobbies, passion for cooking, favorite book and movie genres, even your bucket list.

“Overall, I like to believe I am laid back. I enjoy a night in as much as I enjoy trying something new,” you took a break to finish your meal, having talked through most of the meal.

“That’s great to know, _____. I’m glad to hear you like trying new things. See, I chose this bar not just because the food reviews were good, but because this bar is partnered with the art studio next door. This week they’ve put on an immersive Van Gogh experience that I thought we could do after dinner. The fun part is, to get to the show you can only enter through the rooftop bar. Look over there,” he pointed to a tall, curtained entrance.

“Past those curtains is a hallway made entirely of glass to get to the art show. I heard its quite exhilarating, being able to see the streets from 20 stories high; the sight allows you the most exquisite view of the city especially during sunset, which is in,” he checked his watch, “about 40 minutes.”

You were stunned. The date was thoroughly planned; you were expecting a nice dinner date at best but Cavendish was really going all out with making it an experience. You smiled at him, sharing your excitement at the plan while you received another round of drinks and the dessert menu.

The dinner date was refreshing. Your first impression of Cavendish was a rich boy who probably put forth 40% of effort to get what he wanted, if money couldn’t buy it for him right away. You were pleased at how thoughtful he was. With how passionate he was about his life’s work and how much of a gentle soul he seemed to be.

Cavendish carefully spooned his ice cream into his mouth, letting the flavor mix with the piece of apple pie he had already taken a bite of. Watching his face turn into one of delighted pleasure from the dessert. It was…so cute you blushed a little. He noticed and he cast his eyes downward, a quiet chuckle escaping him.

“______, I am enjoying my time with you. There is something I would like for you to know and, I would understand if you decided not to move forward with another date after tonight once you hear it. I just…” he looked nervous, “I hope you do not judge me too harshly.”

You nod your head at him, encouraging him to continue.

“I—“, he paused, resentment and shame crossed his features for just a moment. “I suffer from somnambulism, a sleepwalking and night terrors disorder.” His eyes were shadowed now.

“That’s not all…,” his knuckles were white from how hard he was clutching his glass. “I also suffer from Dissociative Identity Disorder, and it is usually triggered during by my night terrors. Sometimes I can get violent during the worst of them. I don’t have as many episodes as I used to. I am in therapeutic treatment for both my conditions and I take medication for the sleep disorder. I just wanted to be upfront with you. I don’t want you to think I was hiding it from you or leading you on in any way,” he finally braved a glance at you.

“Oh,” you let out softly. Never before had you met a person be so honest about his own shortcomings and faults. It was admirable. “I think its brave that you shared that with me, especially during a night where we’re learning about each other to see if we’re compatible.” You smile softly.

“I can promise I won’t judge you for it. Not many people can admit they have issues and even less try to address them. I sincerely appreciate your honesty, though I won’t say right away that I’d like a second date but its not because of your disorders,” you soothe, taking another drink.

“It’s because I’m curious to see how the rest of our night goes,” you raise your glass to him. “I signed up for this event because I wanted to take a chance at finding someone. You did too. So Cavendish, what do you say we go enjoy that exquisite view and continue our date?”

His gorgeous blue orbs widened at your statement, a crooked smile growing on his face.

“Well said, _____. I appreciate your openness and kindness. To the rest of our date then,” he clinked his glass against yours in a toast.

The hallway was both thrilling and anxiety inducing, causing you to hold on to Cavendish as you walked across the glass floor. He fit the gentleman role perfectly, soothing you as he held you. The museum was breathtaking and you lost track of the time as you explored each room. By the time you were looking at the last installation, you nuzzling intimately against his body while he had his arm around your shoulder. You were actively disappointed the night had to end.

Cavendish walked you to your front door, holding your art gallery bag full of prints and goodies he had purchased for you. As you fiddled with the key in your lock, you gave him a bashful look.

“I had a really nice time tonight. I do want that second date, if you enjoyed my company as much as I think you did,” you spoke in a hushed tone.

He was sweet, lifting your hand in his, pressing a soft kiss to your knuckles.

“It would be my honor. Do you want me to surprise you or do you want to plan it together?”

“I think I would like to help plan the next one. Can’t let you be the one who shocks and amazes me all the time,” you flirt. “If you’re free this weekend, would you like to meet up for coffee and discuss it in more depth?”

His smile was radiant, “absolutely. But I’m counting it as a mini date, _____!” His heart started racing when you giggled, nodding in agreement.

You stood on your tip toes and pressed a kiss to his cheek, “I can’t wait.”

#cavendish of the white horse #swampstew bedtime stories #cavendish x reader #swampstew #cavendish x you #pirate prince cavendish #cavendish x y/n #cavendish one piece #blind date event #reader insert #swampstew stories

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trivialbob · 11 months

Text

Yesterday started nicely. On our drive to Sheila's hometown she ordered a smash burger for me from a place she and her sister have raved about. I had skipped breakfast and didn't want to be hungry later when we played bingo. Good nutrition and hydration is key to not overlooking any numbers on the bingo sheets, or so I've been told by cooks and beverage vendors.

Seeing my name and that smiley face on the bag, which was handed to me by a bubbly, attractive young woman who also had a smiling face, made me happier than I already was.

The burger was good, but not to-die-for delicious. But it's very reasonable price and those smiles made up for it :)

The town was busier than usual for a Saturday afternoon. The streets were full of cars. Deer season began yesterday. With many men (and some women) absent for hunting the town's remaining women have a D.E.A.R tradition. It's a tortured acronym if you ask me. Not that it matters, because I was still allowed to enjoy awesome retail and play bingo. I've never been interested in hunting.

I won one game of bingo. Sadly, two other people won in the same round. We had to share the $99 prize. Without the extra cash in my pocket I didn't enjoy as much awesome retail as I'd hoped to. I've won BINGO before and love the feel of $99 in cash in my pocket. Having only a third of that amount felt just one fifth as nice :(

After bingo we went the the 10th Annual Tonka Brew Fest. 16 Minnesota brewer gathered at a county park to share their well-known and newest offerings.

Brewer lists and golf pencils were available for those who wanted to take notes. I like to take notes. Often I have a pen and notebook in my pocket.

I sampled a dozen beers, sours and porters. It may seem like a lot, but using that two ounce glass mean I only drank the equivalent of two beers over a two hour session.

Two offerings stood out as my favorites. Soviet Slayer Imperial Stout, by Back Channel Brewing. It was dark and thick, clinging a bit to the side of the glass. The stout is heavy, sweet, and 10% ABV. It isn't a beer to drink several of after mowing the lawn on a hot day.

The other was Ludulin Brewing Sticky Puddles imperial Fruited Sour. Sours are never my go-to drinks, but this one was excellent. I can't argue with the brewer's description or choice of adjectives: This heavily-fruited Imperial Sour was crammed full of absurd amounts of Pineapple, Mango, Passion Fruit and Vanilla. The flavor was terrific, though the sweetness was definitely at the upper limit of what I enjoy.

We ran into several folks we know. It was genuinely nice to see them. A good friend we hadn't seen in a while beamed when she saw me and we hugged solidly. I wondered if her lunch also came with a smiley face on the bag.

I detected a trend in women's late autumn outerwear. These comfy-looking, heavy flannel or chamois plaid shirts were everywhere. I have a red and black plaid lumberjack chamois shirt of my own. I think I'll wear it today.

#Brew Fest #Flannel Shirts #Autumn

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thecinemarattifilmclub · 1 month

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Join us as we celebrate the films that we love starting with Movies That Make You Want to HUG the Weekend! The List, in no particular order:

Tenet In Her Shoes John Wick Chicago It's Complicated Train to Busan Honorable Mention: Call Me By Your Name, I Am Legend

Tenet, 2020 From the opening scene, Tenet is an electrifying blend of heart-pounding action and mind-bending science fiction. Director Christopher Nolan delivers a captivating and visually stunning film. The Protagonist, portrayed by John David Washington, is a complex figure who moves through the film asking the same questions we have as viewers. The cast is fantastic, and there's this one unforgettable scene towards the end where The Protagonist has a revelatory, emotionally charged moment with Neil, Robert Pattinson's character, that leaves you heartbroken. I love this movie and will watch it again and again! -Alana

In Her Shoes, 2005 Often overlooked in the flurry of rom-coms released in the early aughts, director Curtis Hanson’s In Her Shoes exists as one of the most endearing films of the genre. In this 2005 gem, the film’s leads, Toni Collette, Cameron Diaz, and Shirley MacLaine, each deliver performances that are beautifully nuanced in telling the story of two estranged sisters finding their way back to each other, and themselves, after reconnecting with their estranged grandmother. Yes, this is a story about love - the unexpected ways we might find it, learning to permit ourselves to experience it, how it profoundly changes us, and what we are willing to do to rebuild it after it’s been broken - but this film is about so much more than that. In Her Shoes pulls the curtain back on how grief and mental illness change our relationships in ways that can reverberate through generations and how we might be able to pick up the pieces and build something beautiful for ourselves. This movie fundamentally changed me when I first watched it. I love watching movies exploring the depths of sisterhood, both loving and complicated, and this one just means so much to me. -Victoria John Wick, 2014 Keanu Reeves, a fan favorite, is dynamite in the John Wick series. The movies are action-packed, well-acted, and feature a simple yet intriguing storyline. Whenever I'm in the mood for an exciting film with snappy dialogue and an interesting cast, I always turn to a John Wick film. Among the series, the original John Wick is my go-to because what's more exhilarating than a grieving hitman seeking vengeance for his puppy and his car? I mean, if "you've effed with the wrong one" was a person, it'd be John Wick. I'm here for it! -Alana Chicago, 2002 Based on the 1926 play and 1975 stage musical of the same name, 2002’s Chicago is a soaring accomplishment from director Rob Marshall. This musical crime dramedy tells the spellbinding tale of Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly, both inmates on Murderess’ Row at Cook County Jail, as they chase celebrity and notoriety while awaiting trial. What is at once a tour-de-force of its own merit is also an enchanting homage to its source material, this film is one I simply cannot get enough of. The performances from Renee Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Richard Gere, and Queen Latifah are electrifying and completely mesmerizing, each wholly embodying their lauded characters. Aside from the spectacular acting each delivers in this film, the musical performances are simply out of this world, with credit to the original music and lyrics by John Kander and Fred Ebb respectively, of course, but the production comes to life in a whole new way on the big screen. I watch this film a few times a year and highly recommend keeping the soundtrack in your rotation. -Victoria It’s Complicated, 2009 Oscar-nominated writer and director Nancy Meyers followed up a legendary four-film run (The Parent Trap, What Women Want, Something’s Gotta Give, and The Holiday) with 2009’s rom-com It’s Complicated. Starring Meryl Streep, with charming supporting performances from Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin, this film follows a 10-years divorced baker as she navigates life as an empty-nester and discovers what might be next for her - which appears to include an affair with her now-married ex-husband (Baldwin) and a blossoming romance with the architect remodeling her home (Martin). This film explores the complications of divorce and moving on, while highlighting the joys and pits of rediscovering yourself, especially in your golden years. While this film was met with mixed reviews from critics, there is an undeniable sense of the Nancy Meyers charm that makes it the cozy and beloved film it is to me. Like any Meyers film, the set design is a character and story to discover in itself and perhaps one of my favorite elements of this movie - it’s an aesthetic feast! I have loved this movie for years and it’s one of those movies that pulls on your heartstrings, tickles your funny bone, and makes you feel hopeful for the future by the final scene. -Victoria

Train to Busan, 2016 Train to Busan is an electrifying and almost unmatched zombie film. Like any good movie, it has emotional depth. Your investment in the characters and their survival catapults you from scene to scene. Yeon Sang-ho’s directorial choices build the tension and suspense required for the film’s propulsion, but he also incorporates space for you to catch your breath. And with this plot, you'll need it. Gong Yoo and Ma Dong-seok are a great pair, using their ingenuity and sheer power to fight their way through zombie hoards. Whenever I'm looking for something exciting to watch, this film never fails to deliver. -Alana

#thecinemarattifilmclub #favorite movies #cinema #film #movies #love this movie #tenet 2020 #in her shoes #john wick #chicago #it's complicated #train to busan #call me by your name #i am legend

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