#elite four derek

[b3crew]

ANIME BOSTON 2023 | Christine Cabanos Interview | B3 - Boston Bastard Brigade

B3, Enchanting Sorcery Productions, and Anime-Zing Radio get squid ink by the barrel full in a special Anime Boston 2023 interview with voice actress Christine Cabanos. Hear about her first role ever voicing in the anime K-On!, playing crazy characters, and travel blogs & side hustles.

Click here to listen!

[pathologicalreid]

let’s do some quick criminal minds math

derek morgan was born in 1973

assuming he finished high school the same year he turned 18 in 1991 and then did a four year bachelor’s degree, he graduated from college in 1995 (if he graduated in four years) BUT he has a summer birthday, so it’s possible he turned 19 right after graduation and finished college in 1996, but let’s go with the former

THEN (and i never see anyone talk about this) derek morgan has a juris doctor degree (a three year degree) from northwestern (shown in “profiler, profiled”) so, he finished law school in 1998!!

presumably, he did not take the bar because it’s never mentioned in the show that he was a practicing attorney

so, we’re in the summer of 1998, he has a law degree, at which point he decides to become a cop with CPD (insanely odd decision)

in “…and back”, he tells emily he’s been on the team for seven years. that episode aired in 2009 so we can say he joined the BAU in 2002.

this gives derek morgan from 1998-2002 to work as a cop for the chicago police department, work on a bomb squad, complete the five month FBI training at quantico, and work his way through the ranks to get to the BAU, which is, in the show, intended to be an elite branch of the bureau!!!!

i’m not sure whether or not i should be impressed with him or displeased with the writers for just being like “okay sure he can do that too”

[adri-todo1]

Romance Club head canons/actual canons I think about a lot Part four

Shadows of Saintfour

Luke looks like Leonardo DiCaprio when DiCaprio was younger./canon, come on people we all see it.

Aaron and Sarah have a ten year age gap./canon

Michael would help Sarah with tattoo aftercare when they moved to Baltimore./headcanon

Derek's parents died by the same murderer, The Masked Man./canon

John Hall hates 80's music./canon

Although Adele was mean to Sarah at times, she didn't deserve to lose her parents nor her brother(depends on gameplay) in that house fire./not a headcanon but my own opinion

Cherry definitely tried to do his own piercings before either Ethan, Aaron or Sarah interrupted him./headcanon

Many fans overlooked the fact that Luke drugged Sarah./canon

Annette was only dating the Masked Man for his looks once he wasn't appealing to the eyes anymore, she dumped him./canon

Annette killed her mother when she was a child leaving her and William orphaned. It is unclear whether their mother did ask for the herbs, Annette shouldn't have given them to her in the first place since she and William were just children./canon but partial opinion

If Aaron and Sarah had gotten together after the whole battle with the Masked Man. They would have had kids and Aaron would have an excuse to make the corniest dad jokes ever./headcanon from a character.ai bot

Mrs O'Neil and Sheriff Nixon deserved a better ending./canon, absolutely loved this small ship despite it's short lived time.

The janitor is implied to have mental issues due to certain dialogue in season one./canon

The Holy Four, Candy, Derek, Bobby and Sarah remind me of Stranger things for some reason./headcanon

The Forester looks like William H. Macy or as some of you may know him as 'Frank Gallagher' on the show Shameless./canon and I know those who have read it and saw Shameless see it too.

The writer got the Pisadeira character from the Brazilian folklore./canon

Elite Tag

Adrian should have gotten an ass whooping plus the jail time./headcanon but a girl can dream

Ricky deserved better than Lennox and should have been with Jake instead./canon and headcanon

Karl is a sub, we all know this./canon, for my Karl romancers

Ulan should have been a casual love interest too./headcanon but I wanted this

Ricky hears things he doesn't wanna hear when his mom and Mr Stewart are getting 'busy'./somewhat a mix of headcanon and canon

Technically Vera founded Elite Tag since her inheritance money was spent on it./canon

Daniel looked good with his short dreads in season three./headcanon but canon to some

Erik and Mikayla would have been good friends with Vera if they weren't so competitive for money./headcanon

The masked guard we had to bribe for Adrian's information could have been a character worth expanding on especially if he could have helped with the whole kidnapping scene with Nicky./headcanon.

Granny Maple probably beats people in Poker./headcanon

Sledge and Corvo were a toxic couple./headcanon

Dita's real name is Aphrodite./canon

Now for some other interesting headcanons since I've only read a total of fourteen books on Romance club:

The stories written in Romance Club are all connected as revealed in Rage of the Titans when Cronos revealed the multiverse to Artemis/Andrea.

Onyx and Chand have similar features.

Cyril from Heart of Trespia is implied to be gay and may have had a crush on Reinhold at some point.

If Alaric weren't a literal women abuser, he would have had a good redemption arc and a chance to be Ellaire's love interest as well

One and Ai Ling definitely had more kids.

Osmont's death made me cry.

Lucifer, Hodge and Vlad would get along./yea I was inspired by that one Pinterest pic of the three of them showing their tattoos.

Some of the Romance Club players may have played Baldur's Gate 3, Hogwarts Legacy, Hogwarts Mystery and so forth so here are my predictions of who could be related to who.

Diego Caplan from Hogwarts Mystery is Lori's ancestor

Karlach from Baldur's Gate 3 might be a friend or a relative of Liod

Cazador from Baldur's Gate 3 and Azal'Alor.

Chiara Lobosca from Hogwarts Mystery and Max Fall

Astarion from Baldur's Gate 3 and Astaroth along with his brother, Christopher could be related

Zayne from Love and Deepspace could be related to John Roberts

Ominis Gaunt and Nova could be relatives

Bi-Han and Kuai Liang of MK1/MK11 might be related to Jamie Zhao and Shen

Hanzo Hasashi from MK11 may not be related to but is a close family friend of Nikkal

Shang Tsung from MK11 and MK1 are related to Takao

My Indian Hogwarts Mystery MC Adrianna Basu is related to Amala Basu as Amala's cousin

Same goes to my Hogwarts Legacy MC Adrija Sharma is Deviya Sharma's future daughter/granddaughter

Kenshi Takahashi from MK1 is related to Mei

Asra from the Arcana and Selena could have been related.

Sindel, Mileena and Kitana from MK1 could have been related to the Basu family with Radha and Saraswati being the cousins who were banished due to being more involved with the Influential Dozen.

Tanya from MK1 and Gisella could be friends or cousins since we know nothing of either's parents/relatives.

Amit Thakkar and Ari Jakhar could be related.

Sindel and Vidya have a few things in common. They're both single, widowed mothers of two daughters. One daughter in blue and the other in pink ish purple. They're both queens and they could honestly be seen drinking fine wine from either Edenia or Calcutta's finest winery.

Sylus from Love and Deepspace and Pierce/Lapetus could get along.

Small Author's Note:

That's all for today my friends, hopefully I will be able to show you my story, Dark Secrets of Duskwood on Wattpad in the next post

[nothingunrealistic]

review roundup: billions 7x08 “the owl”

what a waste of my time! what did reviewers think?

New York Times: ‘Billions’ Season 7, Episode 8 Recap: Going Nuclear

Mike Prince is trying to do the right thing. A man for whom his wife, Andy, cares deeply has had a mountain-climbing accident in the Himalayas. He is injured and alone, in the path of a storm, running out of food and stranded on the Chinese side of the mountains. Mike has the resources to arrange a successful extraction, even under these physically and politically dangerous conditions. To rescue the man means risking an international incident and potentially ending his presidential campaign. Not to rescue him means the man will die, and Andy will lose someone who is more to her than a friend.

fascinated by the vagueness of the description of andy’s relationship to derek here.

In this secluded environment — clearly modeled after the Bohemian Grove, right down to the choice of its avian mascot — the nearly all-male elite can mix, mingle, urinate in the open air, go streaking through the snow, participate in tests of strength with offensive names and generally enjoy the rights and privileges of being right and privileged.

get their asses!

Known to friends and foes alike as “Fourth,” Pike is there to decide which of these self-conceptualized common-sense mavericks deserves his backing. He gets his answer in the most horrifying sequence this show has seen since Bobby Axelrod paid a doctor to let a patient die.

i can imagine there were more horrifying sequences, but i can’t think of any right now. (though who knows what the last four episodes might hold? we already know a fresh angle on the printer throwing scene is in there…)

Watching this room full of rich men discuss the incineration of millions as if they’re swapping fantasy football strategies is repulsive; there’s no other way to put it. It’s everything wrong with how decisions are made in this country, as wealthy people in no danger of facing consequences for their actions debate idly which lives are and aren’t worthless when stacked against the overriding importance of their own comfort and ambitions.

i love it when sean goes off like this. it’s a breath of fresh air next to sarene’s “prince is trump, no further questions your honor” analysis and kyle’s “i don’t think michael prince is a dangerous fascist” t-shirt.

Chuck’s quest to stop Prince from reaching the White House — like the parallel sabotage campaign led by Wendy, Wags and Taylor — is predicated on the idea that no man this free of self-doubt belongs anywhere near power, let alone the kind of power present in the nuclear football.

TAYLOR MENTIONED.jpg

Chuck leaves, visibly shaken. If self-styled guardians of the soul of the nation like Fourth don’t understand that they’re selling that soul by backing Prince, what hope does he have? Which raises another question: Is “Billions” the most chilling show on television right now? And I’m not talking about the wintry setting of this week’s episode. Like virtually every episode since Prince’s presidential ambitions became clear, “The Owl” casts an unflinching eye on the danger posed to American democracy by megalomaniacal strongmen, by the ultra-rich, and especially by the people who are both. In a sense, this is covered ground for the show. Chuck already took on billionaire overreach when he battled Bobby Axelrod for five seasons. His conflicts with the pointedly unnamed presidential administration in power in the show’s universe from 2017 to 2021, represented by odious officials like Attorney General Jock Jeffcoat and Todd Krakow, made a clear argument that authoritarianism, corruption and reactionary politics are correlated phenomena. But since Axe never got directly involved in politics, and since the former president was never depicted as an on-screen character, “Billions” has never had such an opportunity to explore all these issues up close by embodying them in one man. And in an episode that depicts the threat he presents in the starkest, most existential terms imaginable, it’s worth noting what that one man actually does.

📣📣📣

To its credit, “Billions” has long presented sexual fetishism and kink not as a source of comedy (OK, not only as a source of comedy), let alone as a marker of deep psychological dysfunction. It has always been presented more as just a part of the sex lives of countless basically normal people (OK, normal by “Billions” standards). It picks up this torch again in a subplot involving Wags’s discovery that he has a certain scatological fetish that initially sends his wife, Chelz (Caroline Day), fleeing from the room. (“Stop saying words out of your mouth!” she stammers in one of the best lines of the night.) When Wendy explains to Chelz that the fetish represents Wags’s desire to be loved unconditionally, despite even the most repugnant parts of himself, Chelz is into it — but for Wags, the explanation kills the mood, like a magician revealing how the trick is done. And I call shenanigans! Figuring out why you’re into the weird stuff you’re into makes it more fun, not less.

a few counterpoints:

from 4x02 onward, billions kind of has treated chuck’s masochism as a marker of psychological dysfunction (overton window speech notwithstanding) and his loss of interest in it over the past two seasons as a sign of positive personal growth.

how much credit does billions deserve for portraying kink positively in the sex lives of certain characters if simultaneously it’s shitting on certain other characters for having (or even wanting) sex lives at all?

are we sure wags and chelz are married? i think that would come up if it had happened. (i know the audio description for this episode refers to her as his wife, but it’s been wrong before.)

in wags’s case, i can believe that having his kink explained would cause him to lose interest. remember how he promised wendy he wasn’t seeing dr. mayer by saying “i prefer those depths unplunged”? this man does NOT want to know himself.

Vulture: Billions Recap: Pissing in the Wind

another four-star rating. who is making you do this, sarene?

“The Owl” is the last, what I would call, “casual” episode. Its minimal plotlines set the stage for the chaos that will ensue over the final four episodes. That’s not a spoiler: remember that we’re still owed three more Axe episodes. And Axe + Billions = chaos.

it can be a spoiler if i bring the plot summaries of the last four episodes into it! but yes, i agree, we’re finally at the stage where things really get wild, even if there wasn’t a proper midseason turning point. watch out for those tempo changes, man, ‘cause when we go into the second bridge last third of the season, this shit takes off.

Before Prince can start communing with nature and the political elite, though, he must solve a problem for his wife, Andy. Apparently, a “friend” of hers was climbing a mountain on the Nepal/China border before tackling Mount Everest, and now he’s injured and trapped on the Chinese side. Oh, and he’s more than just a “friend.”

again with the vagueness! won’t anyone be forthright and say that andy fucked this guy? or at the very least that she slept with him?

As soon as Fourth talks about listening to “new voices” who can lead the country to even more greatness and he dismisses Governor Dunlop’s viewpoints on nuclear weapons usage as “sensible,” it’s game over. Prince almost doesn’t even need to say out loud that he would, without hesitation, bomb a hostile country with plans to launch an attack. But he does. Because Mike Prince feels fine with the end of the world as we know it. In his mind, that’s a better decision than leading with hesitation, which he claims would be Governor Dunlop’s approach. While most gasp in horror, Fourth is impressed, calling Prince’s viewpoint “a nuance few are brave enough to voice” and the embodiment of America’s core value, “strength of nation.” This is how the 2016 election happened, folks…

*long and loud sigh*

From where Fourth stands, Chuck is small potatoes, and Mike Prince is the man who can Make America Great Again.

*longer and louder sigh*

People sure do weird things when they’re given a lot of power. And in case you really weren’t sure that Mike Prince is the latest Billions character to sell his soul to the devil, the episode’s final images should clear things right up. The Owl retreat concludes with the male attendees, wearing dark, hooded cloaks (better dark than white, I guess) and carrying torches, setting a giant wooded owl statue aflame to the haunting tune of Bob Dylan’s “Blind Willie McTell.” Good grief, this country is bizarre.

can you please not jump on the “WOAH THEY WERE TOTALLY DOING A SATANIC ILLUMINATI RITUAL TO MOLOCH AT THE END THERE” train? i’ve already seen enough of that on twitter.

I deliberately refuse to discuss the Wags-Chels subplot for two reasons: (1) It felt like a leftover storyline from another season that the writers wanted to squeeze in before Billions concluded. (2) I. Hate. That. Baby. Shower. Game. With. Every. Fiber. Of. My. Being.

this is how i first found out that that was a real baby shower game. i hate it here. and yes, it felt like something that belonged into an earlier season, when neither wendy nor wags had anything better to do — such as, say, working on that plan to topple their would-be authoritarian boss when he happened to be three hundred miles away for two days — than analyzing wags’s new weird kink.

Fan Fun with Damian Lewis (Damianista): Billions on Showtime, Season 7 Episode 8: The Owl

damianista did not do a recap of this episode.

Entertainment Weekly: Billions recap: Into the woods

It's only when Michael Prince (Corey Stoll) decides he needs to attend the retreat that Chuck thinks twice about going.

incorrect! chuck goes because he knows dunlop and fourth will be there and wants to encourage him to endorse her rather than prince, but he has no idea prince will be attending until he arrives and sees prince there.

Complicating all of this, Andy (Piper Perabo) needs a favor. A friend of hers has disappeared while mountain climbing, and they can't use a beacon to coordinate a rescue because the man took an alternate route and crossed into China. Doing so would alert the Chinese government and he'd be held hostage. So Andy asks for Prince to coordinate a private, secret rescue using his connections. Prince does so despite the fact that if they get caught, his campaign is over, and despite his complicated feelings about the man being rescued, who's one of Andy's romantic connections in their open marriage.

“one of andy’s romantic connections” is the most explicit anyone’s gotten so far! congratulations!

All of this represents a shift in Prince's persona. He's becoming harsher, more cynical, and completely focused on his need for power. He's finally turning into the man everyone's been worried about.

he’s BEEN that man, kyle. that’s the point.

Fan Fun with Damian Lewis (Gingersnap): The Unbeatable, Unstoppable, Unparalleled MVPs from Billions Season 7 Episode 8, “The Owl”

Gingersnap Supreme Sleazeball Swerdlow Sayings in a Scene…AGAIN – He’s back! Slimeball doc is back, this time wearing a prison-orange, head-to-toe, Karl Kani tracksuit to The Owl’s winter conclave. […] And it doesn’t stop there – the Doc simulates ghastly hip thrusts when groaning the word “uh!” as he names off kinky sexual acts like postillionage and croissant (too many urban dictionary definitions to count),

maybe you would have found the right urban dictionary definition if you’d looked up cuissade, which is what he actually said and was spelled clearly in the captions. (and neither of those things are particularly kinky unless you’re incredibly straight.)

Benedict Arnold Citation– Griffin Dunne, who played George Pike, IV aka “Fourth” in this episode. Dunne also played Dr. Alcon Parfit in Succession. Only traitors act in both Billions and Succession and I find it deplorable when one is defecting across enemy lines, but he wasn’t the first defector.

🙄🙄🙄

Damianista […] Greatest Entrance – Governor Nancy Dunlop The badass Montana governor shows up at The Owl with these words to the old, rich, white men that I am talking about above. “Hey boys! Are you cold? Some of you seem cold. I saw a few of you answering the call in the trees back there. They were definitely cold.”

yes, of course. what could be greater and more badass than walking up to a group of people and going “haha small penis.”

Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship – Wendy and Andy While their relationship did not start off on the right foot, it seems Wendy and Andy bond over Andy’s grief when it is not the Tiger Team but the Chinese officials who are able to reach Derek first! I think Andy deep down knows why the best rescue team in the world has not been able to do it and I suspect she may join the opposition against Prince presidency in the weeks to come!

what do you mean “deep down.” she knows why the team couldn’t get derek out and she said it out loud to prince’s face.

Lady Trader […] The “Don’t Put All Your Eggs in One Basket” Award: Did Mike Prince really just pull all of his money, both personal and the funds, out of every international investment? What a very foolish and short-sighted thing to so. The losses his would take would be tremendous, not to mention how he would move the markets on certain investments, and would never be able to get “market prices.” What a moron.

[midsommar imdb parents guide “a man is constantly seen vaping” tumblr post voice] oh if that’s all

The “Vision I Never Want to See” Award: The thought of those old, wrinkly men playing naked Twister just brought up my breakfast! Gross!

disrespectful to old men who fuck each other. apologize now.

Fan Fun with Damian Lewis (Lady Trader): From the Trader’s Desk

lady trader also did not do a recap of this episode.

[deanbanowetz]

Celebrity Hairstylist Dean Banowetz Launches Hollywood Hair Guy® Academy Professional Training Academy

Innovative New Academy Offers Elite Entertainment Hair Education to Stylists

LOS ANGELES, CA, USA – [December 4th, 2024] – Renowned celebrity hairstylist, Guinness World Record Holder, hair educator and beauty industry thought leader and innovator Dean Banowetz announces the launch of Hollywood Hair Guy® Academy, an exclusive professional training academy dedicated to shaping the next generation of entertainment hairstylists. 

Changing lives one head at a time®, Dean Banowetz fondlyknown as the Hollywood Hair Guy®, is a renowned seven-time Emmy nominated celebrity hairstylist with an illustrious career spanning over three decades in the entertainment industry. As the department head behind several well-known shows such as American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance, World of Dance, and America’s Got Talent, and on the hair teams of Legendary, The Voice, and Shark Tank, it is no shock that the locks wizard and founder of Hollywood Hair Guy® Academy has worked with celebrity staples like Lionel Richie, Derek Hough, Leeza Gibbons, Simon Cowell, Jennifer Hudson, and Kelly Clarkson, to name a few. 

Banowetz has left an indelible mark on television and film, holding 11 nominations and winning four prestigious awards from the Local 706 Hair Union Guild. In addition to these accolades, Dean authored The Dean’s List of Daddy Do’s. As the founder of Hollywood Hair Guy® Academy, Dean Banowetz is committed to educating and inspiring the next generation of hairstylists. Hollywood Hair Guy® Academy offers comprehensive training that blends innovative techniques with real-world applications, ensuring that students are well-prepared to enter the fast-paced world of entertainment hair design. Dean's passion for teaching stems from his belief that every stylist has the potential to create magic, and he strives to cultivate that talent in each of his students.

In addition to his work on set and in the classroom, Dean is a Guinness World Record holder, showcasing his dedication to paving the way for progress and achieving excellence in his craft. His journey began with a commitment to artistry and professionalism, earning him recognition not just as a stylist but as a true innovator in the industry. Beyond his accolades and accomplishments, Dean’s story is one of resilience and determination. In 1987, he was honored as the Soldier of the Year US Army 2nd AD, a testament to his leadership and commitment. Today, he combines that same dedication with his artistry, inspiring countless stylists to follow their dreams and elevate their craft in the vibrant world of Hollywood.

An industry leader and award winner, celebrity stylist Dean Banowetz is known for raising the bar and redefining what it means to be a hairstylist in the modern entertainment hair industry. Banowetz’s expertise, vision, and commitment to excellence have made Dean a sought-after voice in the world of entertainment hair.

“Entertainment hair is not just about trends, it's about vision, creativity, and the power to bring characters to life. At Hollywood Hair Guy® Academy, we aim to teach students not only the skills needed to succeed in the entertainment hair world but also how to innovate and push boundaries," said Dean  Banowetz, Founder of Hollywood Hair Guy® Academy. “This is an opportunity to train with the best and elevate your hair skills and branch out as a stylist.”

Hollywood Hair Guy® Academy offers a variety of courses, from intensive short-term workshops to comprehensive boot camps, designed to equip students with both the technical skills and the business acumen necessary to help navigate a successful career in the entertainment hair business. Students will have the opportunity to learn from Dean Banowetz and other seasoned creative professionals, gaining insight into the high-level entertainment hair world through hands-on experience, one-on-one mentorship, and exclusive masterclasses. Hollywood Hair Guy® Academy proudly provides aspiring stylists with hands-on career education from industry experts in areas such as Set Hair 101 & 102, Drag Wig-styling, Fantasy Hair Structure Building, Braiding, Hairstyling for Make-up Artists, Career Coaching and Brand Consulting in addition to self-guided virtual courses: Breaking Into The Beauty Biz and Next level Hair Sheets. 

Hollywood Hair Guy® Academy is now accepting boot camp and workshop registrations, with enrollment open to individuals passionate about making their mark in the entertainment hair world. Banowetz’s innovative curriculum is designed to prepare students for the fast-paced, ever-evolving entertainment industry, offering a blend of traditional techniques and cutting-edge trends necessary to build a strong foundation as an entertainment hair professional.

###

About Hollywood Hair Guy® Academy:

Founded by celebrated celebrity hairstylist Dean Banowetz, at Hollywood Hair Guy® Academy, we foster a vibrant and supportive learning atmosphere where creativity thrives. We believe that every stylist has the potential to create magic, and our goal is to cultivate that talent through mentorship and personalized instruction. With a focus on professionalism and artistic expression, Hollywood Hair Guy® Academy encourages students to explore their unique styles while mastering the techniques that will elevate their craft. To learn more about Hollywood Hair Guy® Academy and register for upcoming boot camps and workshops, visit:  hollywoodhairguy.com

###

PR Contact:

Dylan Thomas Cotter Publicist at Cotter The Creative info@cotterthecreative.com 

[elen-000]

BLEACH: Ichigo Kurosaki’s Journey from Ordinary to Extraordinary

Bleach, an iconic anime series based on Tite Kubo’s manga, captivated audiences from October 2004 to March 2012 with its 366 episodes. Produced by Pierrot and directed by Noriyuki Abe, the series follows Ichigo Kurosaki, a high school student who inherits the role of a Soul Reaper from Rukia Kuchiki. His mission? Defend humans from evil spirits and guide souls to the afterlife.

Plot Overview:

Ichigo's life takes a dramatic turn when he gains Soul Reaper powers from Rukia. Initially reluctant, he soon embraces his role, uncovering hidden powers in his friends and confronting major threats. Rukia’s arrest leads Ichigo to the Soul Society, where he discovers Sōsuke Aizen’s sinister plans involving the Hōgyoku—a powerful substance capable of transforming Hollows into hybrid beings with Soul Reaper abilities.

As Aizen’s ambitions threaten both the Soul Society and the human world, Ichigo and his friends battle the Espadas, a group of elite Arrancars. After intense confrontations and sacrifices, Ichigo’s powers are restored, leading to epic battles against new enemies like Kugo Ginjo and his Fullbringers.

Anime-exclusive arcs add additional layers to the story, featuring unique antagonists like the Bount and the Zanpakutō spirits, expanding the Bleach universe.

Voice Acting:

In the English adaptation, Johnny Yong Bosch (Ichigo) initially struggled with character names but grew into the role, especially during intense scenes. Stephanie Sheh (Orihime) and Derek Stephen Prince (Uryū) brought their characters to life with distinct voices and personalities, balancing humor with depth.

Production Insights:

Director Noriyuki Abe and a talented team of writers and animators brought Kubo’s world to life, while composer Shirō Sagisu’s music, featured in four soundtracks, set the tone for the series. The anime evolved from a 4:3 to a 16:9 widescreen format, reflecting its growth and development.

Legacy and Reception:

Bleach has left a lasting impact with its complex characters, gripping storylines, and action-packed sequences. The anime was a hit in Japan and internationally, with a strong fanbase and critical acclaim. It continues to resonate with audiences through the sequel series Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, which revisits the manga’s final arc with a new set of episodes starting from October 2022.

Beyond the Anime:

Bleach expanded into films, live-action adaptations, and even stage musicals, highlighting its enduring popularity. The live-action film, directed by Shinsuke Sato, was released in Japan in 2018, and the rock musicals added another dimension to the Bleach experience.

[bikerpoliticalreport]

Steve Bannon Weighs In On Trump’s Possible 2024 Running Mate

Former President Donald Trump has yet to announce a running mate for his 2024 campaign but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t settled on someone. Previous reporting claimed that the 45th president would likely choose a female running mate and several names have been mentioned.

   Former White House Steve Bannon shared some interesting information about former President Donald Trump’s potential 2024 running mate. During an episode on the “War Room” podcast, Bannon revealed one interesting name.

   “By the way, I just want to make an aside before I bring Derek Harvey in. When I did Q-and-A and I did about an hour of Q-and-A, they had a little technical problem. But I did Q-and-A, which I think people were here. I want to make sure people understand this,” Bannon said.

   “Somebody asked about Robert F. Kennedy and the great speech at Hillsdale, his opening speech and what did I think about his prospects. And I said, “Look, I’m a Kari Lake person, but if Kari Lake becomes governor, as she should if this court case, or if not, she runs for the Senate. If she’s not available to be Trump’s VP that Bobby Kennedy would be, I think, an excellent choice for President Trump to consider. There was a standing ovation and this was a very hardcore MAGA war room posse crowd,” he added.

   Bannon thinks 2024 Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. could be Trump’s running mate.

   “I think that that is a signal to the political elites in this country that something very different is going on. And I thought it was quite extraordinary. Robert Kennedy Jr. has huge support for the American populist movement. Look for the GOP elites to start their attacks on Bobby any day now,” Bannon continued.

   Trump’s team recently shared some interesting insight into his potential running mate.

   Trump insiders spoke to the Daily Caller and said the 45th president is likely to pick a vice presidential candidate that is “loyal,” has “charisma,” and is “ideologically aligned” with him.

   “No candidates have publicly announced their intent to be Trump’s VP, but the former president has indicated that a lot of people’ are ‘auditioning’ behind the scenes. Trump insiders told the Caller that although there haven’t been any formal discussions to narrow down the pool, there are a set of characteristics that will likely be considered,” the Daily Caller reported.

   “We do know one thing about Trump, is that he puts a lot of weight on how well you present yourself. That really matters to him, so I suspect that will matter for his VP choice,” a GOP consultant close to Trump told the Caller, adding that the person needs to be “TV ready.”

   “Loyalty. That’s the necessary characteristic of anyone who wants to be VP. President Trump and the movement was dragged down by disloyalty in the White House,” a source close to Trump said.

 While the insiders did not name anyone specifically in the interview, they did at least share some insight into the type of person he would be interested in.

   A recent Politico report stated that an unnamed Trump adviser said the 45th president is likely to choose a running mate “from three general lanes of candidates: women, conservatives of color, or a trusted adviser.”

   “Once you get past those two issues — loyalty and Trump going more with his gut — Trump has a lot of leeway in who he would pick,” said Tony Fabrizio, Trump’s lead pollster in 2016 and 2020.

   “He’s not necessarily looking to balance the ticket geographically, but what he can do is pick to balance gender, race, ethnicity — a lot of different lanes there. It could be everything from a Tim Scott in South Carolina to an Asian American in California or somebody Hispanic in Texas. There are so many choices and paths. And there’s lots of time to go,” he added.

   According to a report from the Washington Examiner, these four Republican women could be high on Trump’s shortlist: South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, and former Arizona journalist Kari Lake.

   The Washington Examiner reported:

   Sanders, the youngest governor in the United States and the longest-tenured press secretary in the Trump White House flew up political draft boards after she delivered what Trump supporters agree was an “exceptionally strong” response to Biden’s State of the Union on Feb. 7.

   Noem was elected as South Dakota’s first female governor in 2018 after spending more than a decade in the House of Representatives and has made a name for herself as a leading Republican lawmaker in the so-called “culture wars.”

   Stefanik, the current chairwoman of the House GOP conference, was elected as a centrist Republican in 2015 but, after serving on the president’s defense team during his first impeachment, has shifted increasingly to the right. She frequently touts her strong ties to Trump and even endorsed his 2024 run days before he announced his candidacy.

   Lake is perhaps the strangest potential pick and one many current and former Trump advisers hope he avoids. The former Phoenix-area news anchor lost her Trump-endorsed 2022 gubernatorial bid against Democrat Katie Hobbs, but she only further endeared herself to the former president by repeatedly claiming that widespread fraud occurred in the 2020 election.

   One name not mentioned in the Washinton Examiner report is Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia. Her name has been floated in the media recently.

[hutz224]

World Masters Cross Country Championships preview part 3

With statistical assistance from Scott Lawrence

There are now just five days until runners and fans converge upon Bathurst for the World Cross Country Championships. My previews have focussed on the Masters 6k races because the 2k relay teams largely remain a mystery to me. But a few enquiries have revealed some interesting pairings. In the 40+ division, it has been confirmed that Ben Bruce and April Lund (USA) will run as a team and they should clean up. Steve Dinneen and Anna Kasapis are the strongest Aussie pairing, followed by Nathan Crowley and Nicole Joseph. These four runners are all from Victoria and I'm not aware of any teams from other States that might challenge them.

(L to R) Dinneen, Kasapis, Crowley, Joseph

In the 50+ category, Steve Moneghetti has thrown the cat among the pigeons by dropping down from his 60+ age group to team up with Krishna Stanton. A clever move from the master of Masters! But I fancy the chances of Victorian duo, John Meagher and Julie Norney, who have an age advantage over this all-star pair. In a remarkable coincidence, Krishna and Julie ran identical times in their most recent parkruns (18:56), so will Mona have the speed over 2k to beat his younger rival? I am going out on a limb and tipping an upset by the younger team. Ant Rickards and Bev Thomas (also Vic) are the likely third team on the podium. Krishna's presence should at least prevent a Victorian sweep of the medals.

(L to R top) Moneghetti, Stanton, Meagher

(L to R bottom) Norney, Rickards, Thomas

Now we return to the 6k individual cross country and the top 60+ and 65+ prospects. There are only three overseas M60 entries and it's a shame that most of the best runners in this age group appear to have preferred to enter the World Indoor Track Championships in Poland next month. Nonetheless, the field remains of high quality. Mona, fresh from his 5000m world track record, is the hottest of red-hot favourites. In an ominous sign for his rivals, when asked recently about the upcoming race, Mona simply volunteered: "I like cross country", four words carrying a very clear message to his rivals, among whom will be Bruce Graham (ACT), the winner of numerous Masters track titles over many years, and Derek Froude, a two time Olympian for New Zealand but now representing the USA. Craig Downie (Tas) is another elite runner, with recent times of 10:08/17:47 for 3000m/parkrun to his name. Gary Mayor (Qld) ran 17:35 for 5000m last year and so is also a chance for a medal.

(L to R) Graham, Froude, Downie, Mayor

The W60 field is not nearly as strong and has no foreign runners, so is a de facto Australian Championships. Victoria Gunn (Tas), or Vicky to her friends, ran 21:06 and scored an age grading over 90% at the Launceston parkrun last year, which probably makes her (what else?) a gun runner. Robyn Basman (NSW) has a similar 5000m time from 2022. Anne Lord (Vic) is a four-time Australian World Cross Country representative. The other runners have little or no form on the board, so there could easily be a surprise win here from someone sneaking under my radar.

(L to R) Gunn, Basman

How good it would have been to see the two outstanding M65 runners in the world going head to head in Bathurst? But alas, it's not to be, as NSW's own Keith Bateman and Scotland's Alistair Walker are both skipping the event, unfortunately. This leaves Allan Long (formerly NT, now Vic) as the clear favourite. Ian Calder (NZ) and Peter Hutton (NSW) are experienced Masters competitors and should both be in the mix. In the W65 age group, Rosemary Roediger (NSW) has a strong claim with recent parkrun times just beyond 21 minutes and consistent 90%+ age gradings, but New Zealander Christine Adamson will be close by. Great Britain and Northern Ireland's Margaret Phillips boasts an impressive 441 parkruns to date, but she cannot match the speed of Rosemary or Christine. Helen Stanley (Vic) is another respected Masters competitor. Calder and Adamson will be a chance to win the 60+ 2k relay if they team up, although the younger pair of Downie and Gunn could conceivably take the gold medals back with them to Tasmania.

(L to R) Calder, Hutton, Adamson, Stanley

I hope that you are enjoying these event previews. The final episode in these series will look at the 70+, 75+ and 80+ divisions, where the race distance drops to 4k. Until then, keep on running!

[cyoc49]

Table of Contents

Full Length Stories:

HIMBO Magazine: The New Hire (Preppy, Nerd)- Barry Allen is interviewing for a social media position with a gay fashion magazine, but the boss thinks he’d be perfect for the accounting department with just a few changes.

HIMBO Magazine: Changing Departments (Corporate Drone)- Derek Hale, a cocky & homophobic model doing a photo shoot for HIMBO gets on the boss’ wrong side and pays the price.

Auto Pilot (Preppy)- A slacker college student receives a strange button that makes life a lot easier for him.

Golly, Archie! (Preppy, 1950s)- Archie Andrews and Jughead Jones are sent back to the 50′s by their biggest opponent in Riverdale.

HIMBO Magazine: Talent Scouting (Preppy, Subservient)- A beachside slacker receives a strange “Help Wanted” email that slowly pushes him into the corporate world he dreads.

A Good Man is Easy to Make (Preppy, Nerd, Well Behaved)- On my way home from work, I help three vandals do better.

Short Stories:

Mr. Grey’s Newest Boy (Suit)- A prototype for my later suit stories. Jim Halpert is surprised when a man approaches him with an offer he’s unable to refuse.

Preppy God Father (Preppy)- A fashionable fairy transforms two deadbeat men into their best selves.

Preppy God Father, pt. II (Preppy)- Two more stories of men reaching their brightest potential, with a few new twists along the way.

Preppy God Father, pt. III (Preppy) - Preppy God Father is back with three new cases of men in need of a life upgrade.

Shopping for a Few New Wide Receivers (Preppy, Subservient)- Four of the top quarterbacks in the NFL are perfectly suited to serve as my new house boys.

Model Student (Nerd)- A disruptive student comes into class late, and the teacher decides to make an example of him.

Just Add Starch (Preppy)- As it turns out, starch isn’t just good for straightening out clothes.

New Uniform (Suit, Subservient) - One of my readers receives a dress code perfect for a daddy’s boy.

Put Some Clothes On! (Preppy, Subservient) - While on a walk I encounter a cocky young man wearing next to nothing, and can’t help but to berate him.

Reblogs:

The Interviews (Suit, Old Fashioned)- Three recent college graduates receive intense vetting during their interviews with the elite Carmichael Corporation, but come out all the better for it.

Keeping Up With Old Friends (Redux) (Preppy, Old Fashioned)- A college student meets his former lab partner several times, and is surprised to find him more and more genteel each time. What surprises him even more is when he’s offered the opportunity to head down the same path.

Re-Education (Preppy)- A nonconformist college student received special induction to fit in better at his new university.

Prep the Halls (Preppy)- A young twink is excited to spend Christmas in a cabin with his boyfriend, but is concerned when his boyfriend returns from his office meeting looking a bit different.

Top of Your Class (Nerd)- You ask to become a smart nerd to help write an essay for class. The controller gives you what you asked for and more.

The 43rd Annual Fettig High School Career Fair: Jackson (Preppy, Pilot) - A young troublemaker attempts to vandalize a private jet during a school visit, but when he’s caught he faces some unexpected consequences.

[wheredidhiseyebrowsgo]

Hello! Just wondering if you have any Pokémon au fics? Preferably m/m, with stiles as one part of the pairing. If you can’t find any, then maybe an update of your favorite tag/trope!

I choose...these fics! That's literally all I know about pokemon. But there is a tag for it! Before my time, I guess. (don't forget, you have to open it in a browser not the app)

Phantom Feelings by cherryblossombomb

(1/1 I 1,721 I General I Sterek)

Stiles did not get why people deemed it appropriate to battle in Pokémon Tower.

I Caught You by Sakuraiai

(1/1 I 1,831 I Not Rated I Sterek)

Pokemon trainer Stiles is new to hunting and catching pokemon. But he heard there is a rare and powerful pokemon in Beacon Hill's forest, and he's eager to find it. He just didn't expect to find Derek.

Sterek, I choose you! by Truee

(1/1 I 1,900 I Teen I Sterek)

Derek goes to challenge the champion after he beats the elite four, and boy is he in for a shock.

Capture you by Fox_Pause

(1/1 I 2,137 I General I Sterek)

Stiles almost gets himself killed playing Pokemon GO.

Luckily, Derek is there to save him.

Legends by CelestialVoid 

(1/1 I 2,412 I General I Sterek)

Derek runs a Pokémon Clinic with his sister and Stile is the apprentice at the local Gym, training to take over his father’s place as Gym Leader.

Coffee For Pika-Two by AsagiStilinski

(1/1 I 4,250 I Teen I Sterek)

Stiles decided long ago that being a Pokemon trainer wasn't for him, instead he prefers to keep Pokemon as pets and has stared a business in selling a specially crafted Poketreat, too bad the business is going about as well as selling umbrellas on a sunny day...

But maybe, just maybe, meeting a certain stranger on a train will change that...

[b3crew]

ANIME BOSTON 2023 | Dante Basco Podcast Interview | B3 - Boston Bastard Brigade

B3, Enchanting Sorcery Productions, and Anime Herald give thanks to the Fire Nation in this Anime Boston 2023 interview with actor Dante Basco. Hear his stories about working on the films But I'm a Cheerleader and Hook, and the importance of Asian representation in American pop culture media. Plus, he shares his experience with...competitive Monopoly?!

Click here to listen!

[fangirls-just-want-to-have-fun]

My Thoughts That No One Asked For on Dancing With The Stars season 31 ep. 10: Semi-Finals!

okay listen call me paranoid but tell me why they put clips of Trevor and Daniel when they said double elimination I am in FEAR (update: I am distraught)

Okay but Daniel and Britt look so good 🥺 

Aww Witney’s double dubs sweatshirt that’s so cute

Okay but like?? The lighting for Witney and Wayne’s dance?? ELITE

Okay nines for Wayne that’s not bad

WITNEY’S PREGNANT OMG GOOD FOR HER

LET’S GO DANIEL AND BRITT 🙌🏻 

“I feel like I’m in the cool club!” Daniel Durant you are the love of my life

Oh my god I’m so ready for this

Daniel’s frame looks so good omg 😍

THAT WAS SO GOOD OMG IM CRYING

“I think everyone here has fallen in love with you.” Bruno speaking for the people as always 

Carrie Ann really just called them out for being soulmates in front of the whole audience 😳 👀

I’m thinking two tens and two nines

“You guys are a beautiful couple.” Alfonso speaking for the people as always 

EIGHT??? NOT EVEN ALL NINES?? BRO NO LEN GODDAMNIT

AyYO that little shangela solo moment??? EVERYTHING 

I’m gonna say this RIGHT now, I would be COMPLETELY fine with shangela winning she slays 

“Well I need four tonight.” I FUCKING LOVE HER

Oh my god Daniel is one point below Wayne and Shangela I’m gonna cry

Is it bad for me to hope other couples don’t do well

WHY IS CHARLI SO GOOD GODDAMNIT

I will not let Charli and mark make me cry I will not let Charli and mark make me cry I will not - *cries*

Yeah I’m not gonna lie usually I think the judges kind of uptalk Charli but godDAMN I gotta agree with them this time because that was FANTASTIC 

CHARLI D’AMELIO WHY ARE YOU SO GOOD YOU ABSOLUTELY DESERVED THAT PERFECT SCORE BUT WHY ARE YOU SO GOOD

Is it mean of me to hope that Trevor and Emma don’t do well so that they’re lower on the scoreboard? I think that’s mean. Sorry Trevor 🤟

Oh lord Emma my love being eliminated over a cha cha the last three seasons 😭 honey… my love… (update: and the Emma Slater Cha-Cha Curse prevails)

Please why does Trevor never have a shirt on lmfao (I mean shit if I looked like that I’d probably wear less clothes too but like) 

THEIR LITTLE NODS TO EACH OTHER AT THE END 😍 

Derek is so positive all the time I love him so much

BRUNO HOLDING ONTO THE SHIRT LMFAO sir you are SO real

The troupe 🥰 

OOF listen I know what I said but those eights still hurt 🥺 

Look I really want to feel bad for Gabby and her breakup but the bachelor/bachelorette is the bane of my existence so yeah

UGH CAN GABBY STOP BEING SUCH A GOOD DANCER FUCK 🤬

I do appreciate the constant shoutouts to the musicians and the singers this season

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again but every time Gabby claps for herself I like her 5% less

Okay I feel so bad for Daniel and Britt cause the judges are talking about how absolutely STUNNING Charli and Gabby’s waltzes were and idk man I just feel so bad for my team 🥺 

I’m sorry but why are we pretending that Gabby’s gonna be affected by the double elimination at ALL we all know she’s getting a perfect score

godDAMNIT

Daniel and Britt are in fifth I’m - 😭

THIS IS LEN’S LAST SEASON WHAT????? IM SORRY??? WHO WAS GONNA TELL ME  

WHY AM I CRYING OVER LEN GOODMAN

Mark with his victory fists up I - 😂 

Praying for Britt and Daniel in this second round 🙏🏻 

Girl not me forgetting that Wayne could sing lmfao 😅 

DAMNIT their dance is REALLY good so far 

“I disagree with the MEN sitting to the LEFT of me!!” Carrie Ann Inaba you are so real

Wayne and Whitney’s friendship >>>>>>

The way Daniel looks at Britt 🥺😭

Daniel and Britt dancing to one of Gabe’s favorite songs I LOVE THEM 🤟✨💕

Daniel + Britt + Gabe = the perfect team 🤟😭

Oh the dance hasn’t even started yet and I know this one is gonna GET ME

Samba is the HARDEST DANCE?? Okay they SLAYED that

Okay this one HAS to be all nines

Once again, Daniel and Britt’s matching necklaces have me 😭 

OKAY THEY GOT REALLY GOOD COMMENTS PRAYING FOR THEIR SCORES RN 🙏🏻 

Ngl it’s so nice to see Koko getting to be the fabtastic pro we know she is 🥰 

If anyone looked at me the way Britt Stewart looks at Daniel Durant, I swear 😅😚

TWO EIGHTS?? NO 😖 I am in so much fear for my team rn oh my god

Gabe getting an interview 🥺🤟

GodDAMN shangela never misses

Oh god Tyra stop reminding me about the double elimination 😭 

Look not to be a conspiracy theorist but if both Daniel and Trevor go home tonight after those clips in the intro I’m calling conspiracy (update: I’m calling conspiracy)

Once again, WHY are we acting like Charli’s going to be affected by the double elimination in ANY way (update: obviously I was right)

MARK’S GUITAR CAMEO YES

Jesus FUCK Mark and Charli are so good SHIT dude

My girl Charli looks DEAD on her feet is my she OKAY??

Charli and Mark’s weird like older cousin/younger cousin-esque relationship >>>>>>

“I wanted to dedicate this dance to you.” Okay Tremma shippers I didn’t get it before but shit I get it now

Jesus Christ once again: WHY ARE WE PRETENDING LIKE GABBY IS GOING TO BE AFFECTED BY THE ELIMINATION WE KNOW SHE’S GONNA GET A PERFECT SCORE (update: ONCE AGAIN I WAS CORRECT WE ALL KNEW THIS)

Ugh she’s so good I hate it

Bruno ripping his shirt off oh my GOD

Two perfect scores for the bachelorette I hate it here

Daniel and Britt are in the bottom two on the leaderboard I’m praying the votes get them through 😭 

Okay yeah Charli and Gabby got through what a surprise

Oh god that means Daniel and Shangela are in the bottom two and they’re definitely gonna save Shangela 😭 

Trevor and Emma I’ll miss you both so much 😭 

I’m actually fucking sobbing rn Daniel and Britt I’ll miss you guys infinitely

I’m so upset rn but I will say I think it’s adorable how Shangela and Daniel kinda like became cute little besties over the course of this season even after all the times they’ve been pitted against each other 💕🥺

Um yo is it just me or did anyone else think that Trevor was straight up about to like confess his love for Emma like?? hello?? what was that look??  😳👀

Yeah that was cute but it’s kinda FUCKED that they straight up just shoved Daniel, Britt, and Gabe to the side like didn’t even TRY to talk to them 🤨

I’m especially mad about that because that’s really coming RIGHT after Daniel was talking about how much this competition meant to him, then they just blow him right off like wtf

Anyways obviously I’m upset because of Daniel and Britt (and now because of how Daniel was just kinda brushed off there at the end?? wtf??) but yeah I’ll be voting for Shangela and Charli from now on!! Go ladies go ladies go!

[sleepysera]

2.25.22 Headlines

WORLD NEWS

Russia: Ukraine’s capital under threat as Russia presses invasion (AP)

“Russian troops bore down on Ukraine’s capital Friday, with gunfire and explosions resonating ever closer to the government quarter, in an invasion of a democratic country that has fueled fears of wider war in Europe and triggered worldwide efforts to make Russia stop. With reports of hundreds of casualties from the warfare — including shelling that sliced through a Kyiv apartment building and pummeled bridges and schools — there also were growing signs that Vladimir Putin’s Russia may be seeking to overthrow Ukraine’s government. It would be his boldest effort yet to redraw the world map and revive Moscow’s Cold War-era influence.”

Ukraine: Kyiv residents given guns as Russian forces approach (BBC)

“The city's mayor, the former heavyweight boxing champion Vitali Klitschko, says five blasts have been reported across the capital, with some explosions heard near a power station in the north of the city. "The emergency services are [responding]. We're finding out the details," Klitschko said. "The situation now - without exaggeration - is threatening for Kyiv," he added. The night, he said, would be "very difficult".”

European Union: Assets of Putin, Lavrov, frozen (AP)

“Latvia’s foreign minister says the European Union has agreed to freeze the assets of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov along with other sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine. The move indicates that Western powers are moving toward unprecedented measures to force Putin to stop the brutal invasion of Russia’s neighbor and from unleashing a major war in Europe.”

US NEWS

US Supreme Court: Biden taps Ketanji Brown Jackson for Supreme Court (AP)

“President Joe Biden on Friday will nominate federal appeals court Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, the White House said, making her the first Black woman selected to serve on a court that once declared her race unworthy of citizenship and endorsed segregation. In Jackson, Biden delivers on a campaign promise to make the historic appointment and to further diversify a court that was made up entirely of white men for almost two centuries. He has chosen an attorney who would be the high court’s first former public defender, though she also possesses the elite legal background of other justices.”

Gay Rights: Florida House approves bill prohibiting schools from discussing sexual orientation and gender identity in K-3 classrooms (CNN)

“Florida moved one step closer on Thursday to banning teachers from discussing sexual orientation and gender identity in classrooms for young students, with the state's GOP-led House of Representatives approving a controversial bill that's facing intense opposition from LGBTQ advocates and the White House. HB 1557, titled the Parental Rights in Education bill, was passed by Florida's House by a vote of 69-47.”

George Floyd: 3 former Minneapolis police officers found guilty of violating Floyd’s rights (CNN)

“Former Minneapolis police officers Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane were found guilty of violating George Floyd's civil rights by a federal jury in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Thursday. The 12 jurors -- four men and eight women -- found Lane, Kueng and Thao guilty of depriving Floyd of his civil rights by showing deliberate indifference to his medical needs as former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd for more than 9 minutes on May 25, 2020, ultimately killing him.”

[robins-egg-bindery]

The Fixer in Wonderland by ebjameston

Stiles picks at a stray thread that his fingers find in the dark. “You didn’t see his face, Scott. He was looking at me like I was the answer to every question he’d ever had, like everything was going to be perfect and sunshine and unicorns from now on. First time Derek’s told anyone ever how he feels.”

“And you yelled at him," Scott says.

“And I yelled at him,” Stiles agrees, burying his face in the pillow. “Although, to be fair, four years ago he left me standing in a hallway with my pants around my ankles while a reporter taped the whole thing.”

fic by @ebjameston 192 pages / 49,873 words

Title Font: Gotham Body Fonts: Adobe Caslon Pro, Permanent Marker, FELL Great Primer, Special Elite, Eurostile, Times New Roman, Kirana Script, Sun Valley, Dark Twenty, Please Write Me A Song Volume One | Volume Two | Volume Three | Boxed Set Read more on the process below the cut!

Volume two! This is the one where the paper ripped; it's pretty bad, but it's on the back cover and it didn't go all the way through. It's on my copy and not the author's, so I'm being extra lazy and not...fixing....it...it's fine. Look, maybe when it starts breaking down I'll revisit...but I'm tired!

Switched up the colors on this one; I'm keeping a consistent theme through the whole series (check out the boxed set to see how they all line up!) Small typographic error in this one where an incorrect font was used on two lines, but I'm probably the only one who will ever notice.

[lunas-criminally-writing]

little black dress chapter one

beta: @ssahctchner

🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

chapter one: take care of yourself too

summary of chapter: it was maggie’s first case with the bau - not only as an agent but as a trail run unit chief. she knew the pressure was on her - to solve the case. she does whatever it takes to try to solve it - that is until she becomes faint - from lack of eating and sleep. spencer urges emily to take maggie - to get some food. he wanted to make sure maggie took care of herself - trusting emily to help maggie understand what he had been trying to teach her since they met. the importances of taking care of yourself - above all else.

warnings for the chapter: cannon violence, brief mentions of an eating disorder, and maggie not taking care of herself properly - due to stress placed on her.

🖤🖤🖤🖤

straightening out her black dress with her right hand and her go bag in her left - maggie hotchner stepped out of the elevator alongside her father. keeping her pace matched with his - she followed him to the bullpen - it was her first day as a member of the elite team of the fbi - the bau. she had not been to the office in a long time - she had wished it had been under different circumstances - but nonetheless she was there. as the two hotchners walked they were stopped by derek looking between them before he spoke to aaron. maggie watched the two interact with her head slightly tilted to the side - behavior that mimicked that of a puppy before meeting eyes with derek holding out her right hand.

“i am the one you have to fill in on the flight. i am maggie hotchner - aaron’s daughter - erin strauss put me on the case with you guys. i hope we can get along”

derek looked at maggie briefly unsure how to feel about not having the unit chief on the case - but having a new agent latter it being hotch’s daughter - was where he drew the line. he decided to play along taking maggie’s hand giving it a firm shake - noticing the young hotchner wore a similar expression that hotch normally wore.

“derek morgan - come on we have a killer to catch”

maggie looked at her father once before moving from his side - following behind derek struggling slightly to keep up with the male’s stride. once at the airstrip a smile appeared on her face - just slightly at the sight of her best friend - spencer reid.

“hey spence - it's been a while hasn't it?”

spencer picked his head up from his gaze at the case file in his hand - a smile written on his face.

“god m&m - look at you. it has been far too long.”

maggie moved and wrapped her arms around her best friend - squeezing tightly. tucking her face into his shoulder - hiding the smile she now wore.

“hard to believe i am finally here - strauss finally decided to pull me out of the woodwork.”

upon hearing the section chief clear her throat - the best friends pulled apart from their hug - smiles fading from their faces. erin looked between the two shaking her head - she was hoping that this would not cloud maggie’s judgement. erin had high hopes for the young hotchner - hopes to finally get rid of her father.

“lets get to milwaukee - shall we?”

the five boarded the jet - erin had chosen a seat on the opposite side of the jet away from the four agents - keeping an eye on them.

maggie grimaced as the plane took off - grabbing spencer’s hand being she sat at his side - despite being a frequent flyer - she hated flying. she watched the other two agents who were looking at her curiously.

“what? i don't like flying”

jj forced a nod before looking over maggie to erin - making a small face of discomfort. she knew this case was a test for the agents left with the bau meaning - spencer, derek and herself.

“from here - she almost looks human.”

spencer looked over at jj - moving hair out of his face when maggie finally let go of his hand. he was worried not only about hotch - but emily too. his face read it all.

“has anyone heard from emily”

maggie looked at her fellow agents as they chatted before - strauss came over to their table. the section chief made her uncomfortable - being she kept maggie on the wire about joining the bau - it was not only until her father was on suspension that she got the call. maggie turned her attention toward the briefing on the case - making a few comments here and there until the plane landed. once off the plane maggie heard erin call her over. she allowed herself to return to her emotionless static before going to the section chief.

“yes ma’am?”

erin eyed maggie with her eyebrow moving up in curiosity - taking note of the similarities between the unit chief that was her father.

“agent hotchner - i assume you know why you are here”

maggie forced herself to nod - hiding her micro expressions well. her eyes flickered away before back to her conversation - crossing her arms over chest - a habit she picked up from aaron.

“that i do ma’am. my father told me on the way today that he was transferring out of the bau. mother told me that i would be his perfect replacement - since we are practically the same person. with all due respect ma’am i don’t feel comfortable hiding the fact - that you want me to replace my father - to my team. they need to be able to trust me.”

erin watched maggie as she spoke - nodding as she made a good point - the team needed to be able to trust her much like they had with aaron.

“i agree with you - about needing them to trust you - but now is not the time. you and your team have a killer to catch. i am just here to supervise”

maggie let out a forced laugh - covering her mouth. it was the first bit of emotion she showed toward the section chief. her lips moved to an uncomfortable smile - as she looked at the other members of the team eying them - as if she was profiling them.

“i better get back to my team then ma’am”

erin watched maggie stalk away from her to the vehicle the team would be using - before maggie got into the passenger seat next to derek who was going to drive.

the ride to the crime scene was rather quiet as maggie felt all eyes on her - profilers what do you expect? she kept her eyes forward at the road calculating how this was gonna go down in her head, it could go one of two ways - either the team accepted her and became the new unit chief or - the case goes badly and strauss strips away her dream once more. once at the crime scene - maggie got out of the car and led the team.

“you - the fbi”

maggie’s eyes flicker to the one who spoke - profiling him before she was able to catch herself. it was hard to turn it off.

“maggie hotchner, derek morgan, spencer reid, jennifer jareua, and section chief strauss.

the detective looked at her cautiously - probably thinking what they all did about her - she is way too young to be an agent much like they did with spencer.

“vic wolnski, milwaukee pd.”

maggie glanced over at spencer as he spoke to the detective before erin’s voice broke her away from her thoughts.

“what can you tell us?”

vic talked about what was going on with the latest victim and the team - including maggie - made points. maggie’s eyes flickered over to jj as she pulled erin aside after erin criticized the detective. the brunette watched the interaction for a moment before directing her attention back to the scene in front of her. taking it all in - profiling what she could about the scene. breaking from her thoughts once more as she watched derek walk away from the scene - causing her personal cell to ping gently in the pocket of her dress. she knew better than to check the message - but her curiosity got the better of her. it was a message from her mother telling her she better do what she is supposed to do - for their family's sake. as much as maggie hated her mother - haley hotchner - she knew she was right.

once at the precinct - maggie followed vic - her stride matching with derek who was at her side. her mind spun with the words from erin and haley - making her forget why she was doing this in the first place. god she felt so helpless - it was pissing her off.

the team continued to decide the case getting nowhere - it had been like that for a while. jj realized that they could be looking at this the wrong way - changing the direction of the case. with this new direction - strauss had them deliver their profile of a troubled kid to the schools in the district. they had got some hits that fit their profile - still too much for the four agents to comb through in 12 hours. maggie laid her head on the table with a sigh. she had been awake for days - worry eating her alive. her head peeked up hearing her best friend alerting her to the presence of someone familiar.

“look who’s here”

maggie rubbed her tired eyes as she looked up - meeting eyes with both her father and an unfamiliar female who she guessed was emily prentiss. her heart skipped a beat as her eyes looking at the dark haired female that stood in front of her. maggie pushed herself up from the chair she was sitting in before smoothing down her black dress - it was a little bit different than the one she had on when she went into the office. she had changed because in her tired state - she was a klutz that spilled her coffee on herself. her dress was a little shorter - resting just above her knee - showing off her tanned legs paired with her black combat boots. she moved forward around the table - holding her hand out to emily.

“maggie hotchner - you must be emily prentiss - i have heard so much about you.”

emily’s eyes glanced at maggie looking her up and down. her breathing was caught in her throat - maggie made her question everything. her hand held maggie’s shaking it - trying to ignore the feeling of electricity she felt.

“you are right - i am emily prentiss. it is nice to finally meet you maggie.”

maggie also felt the electricity running up and down her arm - before she dropped her hand at her side. her heart was struggling to return to its normal beat as she moved back to her seat - to grab her coffee while taking a sip. from behind her coffee cup she looked at her father sighing gently. she knew this was going to be difficult - working with her father was always hard.

“lets get started”

the six of them worked mostly in silence - only making small comments here and there. maggie was wedged between emily and spencer with her father sitting opposite of her. she worked tirelessly, she was struggling to stay awake - the coffee was no longer doing anything for her. she had almost dozed off if it was not for her father’s voice.

“maggie - you should try to get some sleep”

maggie shook her head before standing up - moving to the coffee pot pouring herself another cup - she had to prove herself to strauss and her father.

“i will be fine - we are close - i know it. we have to be”

as time passed - they had an hour before the body was dumped - still little progress. only progress being they had eliminated some of the kids - none fitting what they looked for. they were too late as they got a call. a new body was found.

with the seven of them - they had to take two cars. maggie opted to drive one and her father the other. sitting in the driver seat she waited to see who would be joining her vehicle - not really in the mood to make the decision for them - but was excited to see spencer and emily walking toward her. emily got into the passenger seat - patting maggie on the shoulder - trying to give her comfort - whilst spencer climbed into the back seat. once the three were situated maggie pulled out of her parking spot following behind aaron and the officer leading the way. she had turned on her siren as winced as it blared in her ears - she was far too tired. she met spencer’s eyes for a moment, sighing.

“strauss wants me to replace my dad - as the unit chief. she thinks it is the best way to keep the team under control - to keep me under control.”

spencer made a face at the words of his best friend before he watched emily place a hand on maggie’s. maggie’s hand was squeezing the wheel so tightly - her knuckles were whitening. emily had touched her hand in such a calming fashion that her grip loosened.

“so that is why strauss has been so hard on you. you are capable of doing this unit chief job - if you truly want it but you have to be doing it for yourself - not for her. you will lose yourself if you don't.”

maggie felt a sigh escape her lips as she glanced over at emily briefly - she was getting far too emotional for her normal emotionless exterior. she could not force up her filter - even if she tried.

“i want to be just like him - doing great things - i just can't be him. my father is so good at this that it kills me. my mother is forcing me into this position - using my little brother - to get me to comply. strauss is threatening my almost nonexistent career - on this case. i can't fail - not when i fought to get this far.”

emily felt bad for the little hotchner sitting next to her - in the little black dress. her heart yearned to hold her once they arrived at the crime scene - but she just couldn't.

“you don't need to be like hotch to be good at this job - you don't need to put up this front with the team. we need you - to be you - to be able to lead us. yes, you can be a lot like him but you need to be yourself - not an empty shell. you have a great ability to lead - i have seen it thus far. you are pushing yourself too hard. when was the last time you slept - or even ate?”

maggie listened intently to emily’s words - unintentionally tightening her grip on the steering wheel again. she tried opening her mouth to speak but no words came out - she looked to her best friend in the backseat - through the rearview mirror. he was looking down at his watch - face lost in thought.

“m&m - she is right. this whole case you have been pushing yourself way too hard. i have not seen you eat something other than a few handfuls of m&ms - you had stowed away in your go bag. you look like you have not slept in days. hotch noticed it - we all noticed it. this case is your first - making this all consuming for you. you can't lead us - if you have not taken care of yourself first. emily - when we get back to the station - i need you to help me make sure she eats something - some real food. i can handle strauss and hotch - she needs to step away for a moment.”

emily nodded once toward the genius - knowing full heartedly that he had profiled the situation. he could read them both well - he saw their crushes. she also knew that - he was worried about maggie - his best friend. she remembered hearing all about maggie from him - it was part of the reason she loved maggie already.

“i will take good care of her reid - i promise.”

maggie sucked in a deep breath - she was going to be alone with emily. she did not know how to feel about the situation - it caused her to worry. she forced her attention on the road - until they arrived at the scene.

the three got out of the car and met with the others. maggie hung towards the back taking in the scene - trying to profile it. it was different than the other one they had been to - she glanced up meeting eyes with derek - who jogged over to her

“hey puppy”

maggie blinked confused - before subconsciously tilting her head to the side - like a puppy. she knew derek used nicknames for people but for some reason - her mind could not process hers.

“puppy?”

derek chuckled slightly - before scratching the back of his head. he questioned the nickname he had chosen for the younger hotchner - he needed someone though.

“yea sorry - your head tilt reminds me of a puppy. calling you hotchner or even maggie did not seem - fitting. i can call you one of those if puppy makes you uncomfortable. i just wanted to give you a nickname - make you feel a part of the team.”

a small smile tugged at the edge of maggie’s lip - now that she understood the nickname. her heart warmed at the fact that derek wanted to make her feel like she was a part of the team - even if it was just for a little bit. she trusted him enough - just like spencer and emily - to show a small bit of emotion.

“no need to change it - i like it. the head tilt is something i do subconsciously - normally when i am processing things. i touched by the fact that you wanted to give me a nickname. anything with the scene to point us in the right direction?”

derek smiled at maggie - glad she liked her nickname. he gave a small nod before letting her know what they found out. he knew that something was up - just by the way maggie had been acting since hotch arrived - the hotchners had bumped heads a lot trying to lead the team. maybe he had read too much into it - but he figured that maggie was supposed to be hotch’s replacement if his transfer happened.

“are you okay though - puppy?”

maggie felt her head shake before she could stop it - she was too tired to fight it. the movement made her dizzy - causing her to grip derek’s arm tightly - in her little hand - for support.

“no”

derek watched maggie carefully - and worriedly. he had placed his hand over hers - trying to steady her. his eyes glanced over to spencer and emily - hoping they knew what was going on. he had a feeling that he knew what was going on - it had to do with maggie’s lack of eating. he did not know why she had not eaten with the rest of the team when they had ordered food - maybe it had to do with why she was so small.

when spencer’s eyes met derek’s worried gaze - he nudged emily gently. his heart hurt seeing his best friend like this - he was the only one that knew about it. maggie had a habit of not eating - to the point it would cause her to black out - eating made her sick. he knew at point he was going to have to explain what he knew to not only emily - but hotch as well. today was not that day.

“you need to take her to get that food - now. i will handle things from this end. please take care of my best friend.”

emily listened to spencer’s whispered words before nodding at him. she knew if that situation had been different - spencer would be taking maggie to get food but she knew the team needed their residential genius.

“i will take good care of her. we will be back - in time to catch this bastard.”

spencer nodded as he watched emily walked over to maggie - taking her from derek. he took a deep breath as emily got maggie in the car. he met eyes with derek again - mentally noting another he would have to tell about maggie - since he saw how worried derek was for their new possible unit chief.

maggie grumbled under her breath as she watched emily buckle her in the passenger seat of the suv. she hated being treated like a child - even when it was needed. she was far too tired to fight emily - her mind was way too fuzzy to care. she watched emily walk over the driver's side before the older woman got into the seat. maggie allowed her gaze to stay on emily - a little too long to be considered professional - but long enough to show her crush. again - too tired to care - she reached and touched emily’s hand - wanting to feel the electricity again.

“is it too soon to consider this a date - em?”

emily looked over at the little hotchner next to her - who seemed to be fighting to stay awake. she held her hand - as she pulled away from the crime scene - heading to the closest diner. when she looked back at maggie - she was already asleep. a small smile found its way to emily’s lips.

“not too soon sweetheart - not too soon at all”

maggie was asleep but still heard emily’s words before she finally allowed herself to rest. she only woke up - once at the diner - acting like she had not heard emily’s words - but deep down she knew. she knew the feelings she had for emily were mutual - emily loved her too.

[petitemistletoe]

Dangerous Woman

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Reader

Warnings: smutty! It’s a criminal minds fic so there is talk of murder, but nothing too graphic 

A/N: My first full on criminal minds fic! Hope you all enjoy. I promise I’m going to try to be better with tag lists so please let me know if you want to be added! Also this was inspired by Dangerous Woman by Ariana Grande  Word Count: 3,941

Tag List: @221bshrlocked​

*not my gif*

Spencer only saw you four times but it was enough to get those two words that best described you tattooed on his body. 

The first time he ever saw you was when he was on a case in Seattle. It wasn’t an easy one, none of them really were, but this one was especially tough. Ten days without leads and the most influential men in Seattle were continuing to disappear. Spencer could feel the case going cold in his fingers, but to be fair it was already pretty frigid when the BAU arrived on the scene. Hotch had been pretty adamant about not taking the case, but the police chief, Chief Martin Thompson, announced to the press that the BAU were already on the case and forced Hotch’s hand. In just two months, nine men of Seattle’s elite were gone-not dead, maybe-but missing. There were no bodies and no trace of them after they were reported missing. Aside from their high socioeconomic status, there were few things that connected the victims: some were CEOs, some top surgeons, some high powered lawyers, and one was even an art curator. They ran in relatively different circles and lead different lives. The entire team was frustrated but Spencer had never been blocked like this before. He felt stupid. 

“Okay, we should all go to the hotel and get some sleep. It’s clear that we aren’t going to make any progress tonight.” Hotch said, dropping the file on the table and exhaling sharply. 

“What? It’s only…damn how is it already 11:45?” Chief Thomspon cursed, checking his watch.

“Chief Thompson, can I speak to you in your office?” Hotch asked. Thompson nodded, confused. Hotch gestured for Spencer to join him. 

“Spencer, do you have any ideas?” Hotch asked. Spencer looked at shoes and shook his head. 

“What’s going on?” Chief Thompson asked.

“With a case like this…with so many days without leads…we’re needed elsewhere Chief.”

“Elsewhere? You’re needed here!” 

“The case is going cold.” Spencer shrugged. 

“How can it be cold? We have fresh fucking bodies all over the place. That’s piping hot!” Chief Thompson spat. 

“Calm down. We’ll stay until the end of the week. But if we don’t have any leads then we will leave you with the profile.” Hotch stormed out of the room. Spencer followed him, seriously frustrated that he couldn’t crack this. He felt like he was searching for a tiny piece of string that would unravel everything. He just needed to find that piece of string. 

After a restless night, Spencer woke up and entered the police station with an idea, he bound into the conference room where his coworkers were set up and said, 

“What if we reinterview family members in the area? I know the deputies did that already but we may be able to find something they missed. Only four of the victims have family in Seattle.”

“It couldn’t hurt, Hotch,” Derek said with a small shrug. 

“Alright, call Garcia and if she finds anything about the families’ properties.” Hotch ordered. 

“Babygirl, I need property info on-” Derek gestured for Reid to list the names of those specific victims. 

“Charles Langford, Michael Donowitz, Johnathan Moon, and William Hartford.”

“Okay…I’ll have you know that Seattle’s elite are more penthouse in the city and beach house people instead of sprawling mansions so right now it doesn’t look like anyone has room to murder…” “Look deeper Garcia, try to find hidden properties: warehouses, garages, guest houses, storage units.” Prentiss listed off. 

“Okay, uh, William Hartford owned a high-class apartment building that overlooks Elliot Bay and the Space Needle. Each apartment goes for ten to fifteen thousand a month and was generating a crazy amount of money for about four years. Then, about ten months ago William bought every tenant out of their lease and he and his wife lived in the empty apartment building.”

“A giant apartment building for the two of them?” Rossi asked, “That’s a lot of space for two people. Does the wife still live there, Garcia?”

“Yes she does. William’s twenty five year old was the sole beneficiary of everything. Looks like she takes out about $3000 in cash every month. She doesn’t have any family.”

“Twenty five? How old was William?” JJ asked, sifting through the victim reports. 

“William was forty two.” Spencer added.

“Oh, a little age gap then.” Morgan teased, “how long were they married?”

“Seven years.” Garcia confirmed. 

“So they get married as soon as she turns eighteen.” Prentiss said. 

“$3000 a month is enough to take without arousing suspicion.” Rossi posited. 

“Let’s bring her in.” Hotch said, glancing back at the board with the images of the victims. 

It felt like the entire city went silent when you entered the police station. You looked like a character from a dark, twisted romance. Your hair cascaded elegantly down your back and you were wearing a dark dress that flowed around you. There was a delicate string of pearls wrapped tightly around your neck. Upon further inspection, Spencer realized that you were not wearing pearls, but you were actually wearing a string of diamonds. Spencer had never seen diamonds that large, but you didn’t have to have a jeweler’s scope to see that they were real and ridiculously expensive. You were wearing large black sunglasses and a pair of glossy black heels that made your legs look impossibly long. Your driver was holding a black umbrella over your head to shield you from the rain. You looked like the angel of death: beautiful and lethal. You entered the station and the awestruck deputies point you in the direction of the interrogation rooms. You took a seat in one of the rooms and looked around.

“Who’s going in?” Rossi asked, looking at the group. 

“What if we send in Reid and Hotch? She’s probably used to dealing with alpha males and females.” Prentiss asked. Hotch looked at Spencer, who nodded and together entered the interrogation room. 

“Hello Mrs. Hartford, my name is Dr. Spencer Reid and this is Supervisory Special Agent Aaron Hotchner. We’d like to ask a few questions about your husband’s disappearance.” Spencer said, taking a seat across from you at the table. Hotch stalked around the room, but your eyes were trained on Spencer. 

“Ask away,” you said with a small wave of your hand. Your voice was delightfully deep and confident. Spencer had to resist the urge to shiver. 

“Why are you dressed in all black?” Hotch asked harshly. He tried to catch you off guard, but you acted like he had politely asked you if you would like a cup of tea.

“I’m in mourning.” You said simply. 

“Why? Your husband is missing, we have no confirmation that he’s dead.” Hotch said. You shrugged, 

“I know the statistics. If he’s missing for more than 24 hours then he’s probably dead. And he has been missing for two months.”

“Why did your husband buy all of your tenants out of their leases?” Spencer asked. You raised a delicate eyebrow,

“I told William that I wanted a house in the suburbs, a place to raise a family. But he loved the city. There are no houses in the city-nothing that would be suitable for our living-so he made the building our home.” You folded one hand over the other, showcasing your ostentatious wedding ring. Spencer knew that the ring alone could’ve bought them a new jet. “Why do you need all that room now that you’re alone?” Hotch barked. 

“Who says I’m alone?” You laughed lightly. 

“You aren’t?” Hotch pressed. 

“No. I have plenty of friends to keep me company.” You responded. 

“Why do you take out $3000 a month in cash, every month since you have been married? Assuming you haven’t spent it, that would be $252,000.” Spencer asked. 

“William always taught me to keep a fair amount of cash on me in case of emergencies. I find that I often end up giving it to the homeless of Seattle. I have a bleeding heart, I suppose.” 

“Really? You expect us to believe that?” Hotch snapped.

“Are you accusing me of something? If you are I suggest you do it now because I have dinner reservations and I just noticed that my nails could use a touch up.” You said, giving Hotch and Spencer a polite smile. Hotch stormed out of the room, fed up with your polite boredom. 

“Uh, no, Mrs. Hartford. Thank you for stopping by. We’ll contact you if we have any other questions.” 

“Thank you, Dr. Reid.” You stuck out your hand for Spencer to shake. He stared at it for a second and the familiar words came tumbling out of him, 

“Shaking hands is actually a very effective way to transmit germs. It’s actually safer to kiss.” 

“If you wanted to kiss me, Dr. Reid, you should’ve just said so.” You said, pressing a light kiss to Spencer’s cheek. He watched you leave, your driver holding the umbrella over your head as you made your way through the rain to your car. Spencer thought for a moment and bound after you. 

“Mrs. Hartford!” He called, getting wetter by the minute. The rain was coming down harder than ever. 

“Yes Dr. Reid?” You turned, looking at him with casual inquiry.

“What is that perfume you’re wearing? It’s…very unique.”

“Chanel No. 5.” You said with a small smile. Spencer stood in the rain and watched you leave. When he re-entered the conference room, he was sopping wet.

“What was that about?” Prentiss asked. The wheels were turning rapidly in Spencer’s mind, preventing him from answering for a few moments. 

“That’s a dangerous woman.” Morgan muttered. 

“I had to ask Mrs. Hartford what perfume she was wearing.” Spencer said. 

“What?” JJ asked. 

“She said it was Chanel No. 5. Doesn’t Strauss wear Chanel No. 5?”

“That’s weird that you know that.” Rossi said, making a face. 

“He’s right, she does. Haley used to wear that. That scent is burned in my mind.” Hotch backed him up.

“Right. Well Mrs. Hartford smells like Chanel No. 5 and sodium hydroxide.”

“Sodium hy-the chemicals used to dissolve bodies.” JJ said, realization written all over her face. 

“How long would it take to dissolve the bodies?”

“3 hours. That’s why we can’t find any bodies. And sodium hydroxide isn’t all that expensive.” Spencer explained. 

The second time Spencer ever saw you, it was when Derek Morgan brought you into the station in handcuffs. You had taken his breath away that time too. You were wearing a short white long-sleeved dress with your necklace and ring. You were wearing a pair of white heels and your hair was up in a sleek ponytail. You had that same casual boredom plastered on your face, as if you were making small talk with an acquaintance, not walking to be interrogated before spending the rest of your life in prison. They already caught you in the act but they needed the full confession and the DA was pushing for the death penalty. They wanted as much information as they could get from you. Spencer walked into the interrogation room where you were sitting in your white dress, handcuffed. 

“Hi, Mrs. Hartford.” Spencer said, sitting down in front of you. 

“Hello Dr. Reid. How are you doing today?” You asked, politely. 

“Uh…well, thank you. We know, obviously, that you killed Oliver Watts and began to dissolve him in acid. We know that you must’ve done the same to the others. Can you tell me about them.”

You gave Spencer a cagey smile, one of the most genuine thing Spencer had seen from you. 

“Like that,” you said, making a drinking gesture. 

“Poison? Cyanide?” He asked. You nodded. 

“Like that. All American Psycho type,” you said, miming a chainsaw.

“You cut them up into pieces with a chainsaw?” Spencer clarified. You nodded again.

“Like that.” You said, miming dumping a liquid in a bowl. 

“The sodium hydroxide?”

“Like that,” You said with a nod, dropping something. 

“You dropped the pieces in the sodium hydroxide.”

“And I’d do it again.” You grinned. Spencer got up to leave, satisfied that he had gotten his confession. Something about you was memorizing and horrific. Your stoic boredom got under Spencer’s skin more than he would like to admit. Spencer was at the door when you called to him, 

“Dr. Reid, I have a small question,”

“Yes, Mrs. Hartford?”

“How much is my bail?”

“About four million dollars.”

“Great. Tell the officers it will posted immediately. My nails seem to have chipped again.” You said, locking eyes with Spencer. He stared at you for a long time-longer than he would like to admit-before he coughed and excused himself from the room. 

Sure enough, before the team could even gather their things and leave the station, you were be escorted out by your driver, your wrists uncuffed. 

“Thank you for your help,” Chief Thompson said, shaking Hotch’s hand, “I’m glad we found her. She is a dangerous woman.”

Even after returning to Virginia, he couldn’t get you out of his mind. He tried to stop thinking about you by throwing himself into his work. They had another case in Florida that resolved itself quite nicely and once again he was home, lying in his bed, thinking about you. The next day was a paperwork day and he excused himself to Hotch’s office. Hotch had been on the phone when Spencer knocked, but Spencer didn’t stop by Hotch’s office often, so Hotch hung up the call and motioned for Spencer to enter and take a seat. 

“Reid,” Hotch began, “are you alright?”

“Have you heard anything about the Hartford case?”

“The Hartford Case?” Hotch furrowed his brow, “Why are you wondering about that case?”

“Uh…it’s just been on my mind recently.” Spencer stared at his feet. 

“Last I heard, Hartford was facing death penalty. The state is rushing with this one, so her days are numbered.”

“Thanks,” Spencer stood and began to walk to the door, “Oh. I’m going to take a few days off.”

“Alright,” Hotch nodded, “Reid.”

“Yes Hotch?”

“Hartford has a lot of power and influence. She’s on house arrest until her date in the chamber. She can only stay in the one original penthouse-not the entire place anymore.” 

“Thanks Hotch.” Spencer nodded. He was on a plane for Seattle that evening. He paced outside of your apartment for an hour. He decided to leave and was walking to the elevator when you opened the door.

“Reach 10,000 steps yet?” You asked. You were wearing a silk robe that clung to your body. Spencer could see the soft contours of your breasts and stomach. 

“Hi.” He said, swallowing hard. 

“Would you like to come in? I’m not supposed to have guests but I doubt an FBI agent would be against the rules.” You said, opening the door wide. Spencer nodded and entered your apartment. There was a plush leather couch that Spencer sat on while you shut the door and glided to the bar. 

“Would you like a drink?” 

“No. No! I should go.” Spencer stood up and made his way to the door. 

“Dr. Reid?” You called. Spencer turned and watched you drop your robe. The only thing you had on was your diamond necklace. He ran to you, grabbing your face and kissing you hard. Your hands snaked around to the front of his body and you ripped open his shirt, the buttons flying everywhere. His hands were on your ass, cupping the supple flesh and kneading it roughly. You worked on his belt, pulling it swiftly out of the belt loops and then working on his pants. He was naked within minutes. He began to reach down to stroke himself when you grasped his wrist and brought his hand to the apex of your thighs. His hand was covered in your wetness and he gasped into your mouth. With your hand over his, he stroked himself with his now lubricated hand. 

“Do you want to fuck me, Dr. Reid?” You whispered huskily. 

“Yes.” He was breathing heavily. He was needy. Desperate. 

“Hold on.” You left his embrace and you thought he would topple over like a house of cards. You walked over to the window and threw open the curtains. The room was illuminated by the lights of the city. Spencer could see the space needle not far in the distance. You pressed your back against the cool glass. 

“Now, Dr. Reid, you know my time is very precious.” You said as you beckoned him over. He didn’t need to be told twice. He raced to you, sliding in to you easy. He was exceptionally vocal, moaning and panting in your ear. 

“Like that. Like that. Like that.” You repeated, Spencer reaching a part of you that no one had ever reached before. His long fingers stumbled to your clit, rubbing it as quickly as he could. You tightened around him as you came, him coming quickly after with a strangled moan. 

“You’re a dangerous woman.” He whispered so softly, unsure if you even heard it. 

He didn’t stay long in your apartment after that. He didn’t even stay in Seattle that night, he was on the plane and back in Virginia as the first ray of Sun broke over the horizon.

The last time he saw you was also the last time he was ever in Seattle. He didn’t tell the team he would be there and hoped they would never find out-they thought he was in Vegas visiting his mom. He was in that hot little room, staring through the glass and waiting for you to come out. Then you did. He didn’t know how you were still the most beautiful person he had ever seen. Your hair was natural and you were wearing a standard prison uniform. The guards led you to the hospital bed and you reclined gracefully. 

“Any final words?” One of the guards asked as the other brought the small silver tray with two syringes. You locked eyes with Spencer and gave him a smile. 

“Like that.” You whispered before the syringes were inserted into your arm. After a few moments, your neck lulled back. Spencer felt very uncomfortable. It didn’t seem right to see your neck bare, empty and clear without your necklace. Spencer stayed long in that room, after everyone left. Someone came to clean the area and looked at Spencer before muttered, 

“Glad that Hartford’s dead. What a dangerous woman.”

Before he returned to Virginia, he spent a few hours walking around Seattle, trying to clear his head. The sky broke and rain began to pour. Spencer dipped into a shop to avoid the downpour. 

“Can I help you?” A girl at the front desk asked. 

“What is this?” Spencer asked. 

“Um, a tattoo shop. Would you like a tattoo?”

“Yes.” Spencer nodded. He was taken to a shop and he asked for it in a place no one would see. 

“What do you want to get?” The tattoo artist asked. 

“Dangerous woman.”