#fowler: round 4

[gir-sims]

Seaport unlocked another community lot this round; the town's first Public Beach!

[my-name-is-apollo]

Just a compilation I did when I was feeling a bit bored...Gods and goddesses who are called the most beautiful:

Hera:

"I sing of golden-throned Hera whom Rhea bare. Queen of the Immortals is she, surpassing all in beauty"

– Homeric Hymn to Hera (trans. Evelyn-White)

"Hera, his sister and his wife, the grandest far in beauty among the deathless goddesses - most glorious is she whom wily Cronos with her mother Rhea did beget"

– Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite (trans. Evelyn-White)

Apollo:

"Lord Phoibos, when the goddess, lady Leto, bore you, clasping a palm tree in her slender hands, you the most beautiful of immortals, beside the wheel-round lake"

– Theognis, Elegies (trans. Andrew Miller)

"Then a youth, his brows wreathed in chaste laurel, appeared in my dream to set foot in my home. No previous age of men saw anything more beautiful than he, nor was that a human work of art."

– Lygdamus, Elegies (trans. Robert Maltby)

Apollo and Artemis:

"And Leto was joined in love with Zeus who holds the aigis, and bare Apollon and Artemis delighting in arrows, children lovely above all the sons of Heaven."

– Hesiod, Theogony (trans. Evelyn-White)

[Poseidon to Delos]: "it will be your happiness to receive my brother's twin children, fairest of the Gods"

– Lucian, Dialogues Of The Sea-gods (trans. Henry Watson Fowler)

Hebe:

"[Herakles] whose bride Hebe, the most beautiful of the goddesses, walks forever in Olympus beside her mother Hera, goddess of marriage."

– Pindar, Nemean Ode 10 (trans. Diane Arnson Svarlien)

Dionysus:

"Thy youth is not consumed by wasting time; and lo, thou art an ever-youthful boy, most beautiful of all the Gods of Heaven"

– Ovid, Metamorphoses 4 (trans. Brookes More)

Nerites:

"And they say that he was named Nerites and was the most beautiful of men and gods"

– Aelian, On Animals (trans. Scholfield)

_

Not an exhaustive list, though. I've put in only the references I've come across.

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Blurred Lined 4

No tag lists. Do not send asks or DMs about updates. Review my pinned post for guidelines, masterlist, etc.

Warnings: this fic will include dark content such as noncon/dubcon, power imbalance, and possible untagged elements. My warnings are not exhaustive, enter at your own risk.

This is a dark!fic and explicit. 18+ only. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.

Summary: Your relationship with your boss takes an unpredictable turn.

Characters: Nick Fowler

Note: Mr. Panty Snatcher.

As per usual, I humbly request your thoughts! Reblogs are always appreciated and welcomed, not only do I see them easier but it lets other people see my work. I will do my best to answer all I can. I’m trying to get better at keeping up so thanks everyone for staying with me.

Your feedback will help in this and future works (and WiPs, I haven’t forgotten those!) Please do not just put ‘more’. I will block you.

I love you all immensely. Take care. 💖

Nick may have had a rude awakening, but you feel you’ve had one of your own. You can’t help but note the subtle changes. Your boss is a stickler, a man of order. For the few years you’ve worked for him, it’s always been a sober, professional interaction. You pick up after his dinner parties and the like but he never lets you see the details of his leisure time. 

It’s nothing to do with you, you’re sure. You imagine there’s something going on; with work or otherwise. In a way, his little display reminds you of Joey. When she was a teen, she had her moments, acting out as she tried to figure out how to deal with all the new challenges of living. Still, Nick is much older than your daughter and even she’s outgrown that sort of behaviour. 

You serve him his coffee, no whiskey. He takes it along with the two Advil capsules you hold out in an open palm. He’s still naked, the blanket bunched high up his muscular thighs. 

“I see you had a rather exciting night, sir, I suppose I should start making my rounds,” you say as you turn to clear the used glasses from the table; some empty, others sticky, and more with liquor left in the bottom. 

“Eh,” he grumbles and gulps noisily, “what about the whiskey?” 

“Well, sir, I really don’t think it’s necessary,” you say as you gather up the glasses. 

“Alright, mom,” he scoffs and sighs as he takes another swig.  

You let his sarcasm roll off your shoulders. If you can deal with a teenager, you can deal with him. You feel him watching you as you stand straight. 

“Anything else I can get you?” You offer. 

“You’re not even curious about all the excitement?” He stretches an arm over the back of the couch, “there was a girl... you didn’t see her hanging around, did ya?” 

He chuckles and your cheeks tinge with embarrassment. His unusual crassness puts you on edge. You shake your head. 

“Think she’s gone,” you say. 

“Mm, don’t remember her. Must’ve been boring,” he grumbles. 

“I’m sure she was just as pretty as all the others.” 

“Hm, sure,” he snorts. 

You take the glasses out, the tense silence nipping at your heels. You return as he drains the coffee and stifles a belch. He holds out the mug. 

“Any more?” 

“Yes, sir,” you accept his cup, strolling through to fill it from the pot. As you come back again, his knees are set wide as he cracks his knuckles. 

“So, what’s it like being married?” He ask abruptly. 

You hold out his mug, trying not to show your surprise. 

“Sir?” 

“Well, you...” he looks at your hand decisively before he takes the mug, “were married, weren’t you? That bad?” 

You go back to the low glass table and collect the last of the glasses, “it was nice,” you answer honestly, “steady, consistent...” 

“Mm, so it wasn’t amicable?” He suggests as he presses the cup to his forehead. 

“With due respect, my marriage is my marriage--” 

“Where’s the ring? If he’s still around--” 

“Sir,” you warn, trying not to let your agitation seep through. 

“You never talk about him. Or your daughter.” 

“It’s...” you sway in indecision between setting him straight and stomping off. “It’s work, sir. It’s not really relevant.” 

He hums thoughtfully and sucks his teeth, “but you know all about me, don’t you?” 

You grin wryly, “sir, I know how you like your suits pressed and hung and how you take your coffee,” you insist, “it’s work.” 

“Work,” he narrows his eyes. “Not much time for a personal life. Guess I’m shitty like that.” 

You frown, “I wouldn’t say--” 

“You wouldn’t because you got a daughter to put through college. And an internship.” 

You flinch and shake your head, “did I do something that--” 

“No, I’m just being... sociable,” he measures his words. “It’s part of my job. Intel. I have to know everything about everyone. Didn’t realise before I know nothing about you.” 

You part your lips, uncertain how to react. He’s hard to read. You can’t tell is he’s angry or what. 

“If I wanted to, I could. That’s all I’m saying,” he shrugs and tastes his coffee. 

“Right, sir,” you nod hesitantly, “I’m sorry If I said anything--” 

“No, you don’t say much,” he stands, not bothering to keep the blanket over his pelvis. Instead it falls to the floor without a care, “that’s the problem.” 

Before you can reply, he turns and struts away. You look away quickly and try to shake off his attitude. What’s gotten into him? You know it’s not you. You know this kind of behaviour. Like before, you can’t help but be reminded of those adolescent blow ups. At one time, you had them yourself. 

Whatever’s going on with him, it should pass soon enough. You’re certain he’ll find some model to distract him. Or bury himself in his work like you. Hard to be upset when there’s a mess to clean up. 

🔹

The day wears on as any and you leave thirteen hours after your arrival. You’re not unfamiliar to the long shifts but you’re less and less attuned to them. Your tailbone has that subtle ache which calls for a hot bath and sleep. You don’t know that you’ll have time for both.  

The house is quiet when you leave. Nick has made himself elusive since the morning. You’re thankful for it, only seeing him to bring his meals and the few demands he had. He always seemed to be on the phone when you were near. No doubt he has his own work to tend to. It could be why he’s been so erratic. 

Is that how you’d describe it? 

You skip the bath and go straight to bed. A quick shower in the morning will do. You wake only hours later and begin a new day. A few more years and you can slow down; once Joey’s got her feet on the ground. 

You head to work in a daze. You’ll wake up once you get moving. You enter the gate code and it buzzes furiously back at you. The red flash suggests you put in the wrong number. You try again. Several times to be certain. 

Your phone shakes and startles you. You peer up at the sky, still in its early hues, and answer. You know without looking that it’s him. 

“Hey, you set off the alarm. Stop.” Nick says flatly. 

“Oh, uh, the code isn’t working--” 

“I’m not home.” 

“Oh, okay, but--” 

“Go home,” he interrupts. 

You stutter. Is he firing you? 

“Sir--” 

“Had to run off on a work trip. You need time off,” he says matter-of-fact, “so go.” 

He doesn’t wait for your answer. The line clicks and you’re left in utter confusion. You stare at the screen. The call was barely a minute long. 

Why would he lock you out? You work all the time when he’s out of town. So what’s changed? Your heart sinks as your dread wells up and fills your chest. It feels like he fired you. 

You try to call back. It goes straight to voicemail. Either he has his phone set to away or he’s deliberately ignoring you. 

You idle just before his gate as panic pulses through your skull. What did you do? You weren’t rude. You’re always painfully professional. You parse through the conversation from the morning before but can’t find anything that you did wrong. He acted strangely but you didn’t say anything about it. 

So why is he doing this? 

Your phone vibes. 

'Go home.' 

The text flashes at the top of the screen before the notification disappears. You sigh and through the cell phone. So, do you go back to the job boards and hope for the best or wait for your mercurial boss to make up his mind? 

🔹

You’re restless. The first day you spend trying to keep yourself busy. You put the energy you would have spent cleaning up Nick’s house and work on the apartment. You even oil the greasy hinge on the kitchen cupboard and squeeze in a walk before dinner. 

Joey doesn’t pick up either but you expect as much. She’s off having fun. When you were in college, you barely spoke to your parents. You were off having fun, meeting your husband... 

The next day is much the same though there isn’t as much to do. You try to make yourself catch up on your reality TV indulgences but you can’t even focus on that. Joey texts to ask if it’s something important and you assure her to keep doing what she’s doing. She calls after dinner as you have a rare glass of wine. 

“So, things are better?” You ask, trying not to betray your own worry. 

“Oh, much better. I can’t believe I was freaking out. My boss... he can be a bit intense but he’s so awesome. Mm, you know he took me to this really awesome place for a business lunch. They had one of those conveyor belt things with the sushi.” 

“That’s amazing,” you smile, “and how’s the special girl?” 

“Mom,” she squeaks. 

“What? I don’t even know her name. Give me something.” 

“It’s nothingggggg.” 

“Doesn’t sound like nothing.” 

“Mom,” she croaks. 

“Alright, fine, I can be patient but when you’re ready, you know she’s always welcome.” 

“You are so cheesy,” she accuses. 

“I can hear you blushing through the phone,” you chime tauntingly. 

“Mom!” 

“What? What’s going on? Did I forget something?” You play dumb. 

“Stop it,” she growls. 

You laugh and swirl the wine, no longer thirsty for it foggy lens. You sigh as your amusement recedes and you’re reminded why you broke the seal. You’re silent as the line turns to empty static. 

“Mom?” Joey says and reality slaps you across the face. 

“I’m sorry, I was just... you know, I think I’ll bring your dad some flowers tomorrow,” you say, “he’ll know what to do.” 

“What do you mean?” She murmurs. 

“Sitting with him helps me clear my mind,” you sigh. 

“Yeah, but, what’s going on?” 

You look down and exhale, “nothing big, just... life.” 

“Ha, tell me about it. It just doesn’t stop,” she snickers. 

“Right, well, I don’t wanna keep you from having fun or whatever--” 

“Fun? Please. I’m looking over all these case files Andy gave me.” 

“Andy?” 

“My boss, you know? As nice as he is, he sure makes you work,” she tuts. 

“Oh, I know the type,” you shake your head at the thought of your own boss; even in his absence, he’s persistent. 

[mickules]

ARTFIGHT ROUND 3 [round 2] [round 4]

Tess/Morrigan - @min0uet (Savvy (Sav) - @cryptidwizard Blake “Vulcan” Smith - @spadaaces Buck Henry Fowler - @patrickcann) Rory Forager, Penguinsloth, Preying Mantis - @mrmorgangallagher August Hans - @mernolan (Ikamo - @ashmcgivern) Nightshade - @witchbeat Confetti – le_goblelin_du_tiroir (instagram) Nanael – LinaHime (artfight)

[sashaisready]

Chapter 4 - The Ghost

Nick Fowler x Reader

Summary: Reader is a brilliant but shy and awkward CIA employee whose work is often overlooked by her colleagues…she’s blended into the background for so long that she doesn’t think there’s any other way - even if she does have secret aspirations for another life. Unbeknownst to her - a certain blue eyed agent is very aware of her talents, even if nobody else is.

Under the Radar Masterlist

<Chapter Three - Now or Never

Warnings: mild angst, reference to violence, references to sex trafficking, reader being sassy Wordcount: 3558

You were back at work the next day with a renewed sense of optimism. Everything was turning around, maybe everything would really be okay.

And no bumping into Nick for at least a few weeks. It meant you could entirely focus on throwing yourself into your new job. No distractions. 

As you sat at your desk typing a few handover notes for the other Assistants covering your work, you saw Agent Leigh stumble in and plop himself down in his desk chair. His pathetic pout complimented a nasty looking black eye and bruised nose.

Oof. You couldn’t hold back your wince as you took him in. He caught you staring and met your gaze. You froze, unsure of what people are meant to say in situations like this. He seemed…different. His usual bravado muted. His shoulders slumped. You supposed a shiner would do that to even the biggest ego.

“Uh…Rough night?” You offered gently, hardly believing you felt something resembling sympathy towards him. Or pity at the very least.

He frowned but the effort of moving his face seemed to cause further pain. He grimaced. 

“Something like that” he muttered.

It seemed as if his big mouth had finally got him into trouble. You were only surprised it hadn’t happened sooner.

“There’s a few ice packs in the cafeteria freezer” you offered, kinder than you should’ve been. “Might help the swelling. Speak to Helen the catering manager, she should be able to get them for you”.

He nodded. “Yeah…thanks”.

You went back to work thinking that was that, but he spoke again.

“Hey…” he said meekly.

You looked back at him.

“I’m sorry…for what I said yesterday…when Fowler was here…that was really rude. And not appropriate for the workplace at all. I apologise”.

You blinked in confusion. Someone could’ve offered you infinite chances to guess what he was going to say next and you never would’ve picked that.

“Oh….well….thank-you” you replied.

He looked at you pathetically. “So…uh…we cool?”

You nodded. Well…No. But you didn’t really want to drag this out any longer.

“Sure” your smile artificial.

He nodded tentatively. “So…if anyone…like…asks. I apologised, and we’re good now. Right?”

You frowned, somewhat bewildered. “Uh….yeah. Okay. But why would someone ask?”

He shrugged unconvincingly. “Just…you know. If anyone did”.

He started booting up his laptop then and it was clear the discussion was over. Palmer rounded the corner and arrived at your desk. He was smiling, looking good in a navy suit, his hair carefully styled.

“Hey…you all set?”

You smiled enthusiastically, picking up your laptop and notebook as you headed to the conference room with him. You were practically vibrating with excitement to begin.

“Yep! Ready”.

Palmer turned to look at Leigh as you passed by. He let out a low whistle once he was out of earshot.

“Jeez! What happened to him?” Laughed Palmer.

You shrugged. “Beats me. Guess he ran his mouth at the wrong person on boys’ night. Couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy…”

You paused, cringing, remembering you were at work and realising how abrupt you’d been. It wasn’t like you to say stuff like that. 

“Sorry…that was rude” you whispered.

Palmer chuckled. “Not at all…you’re totally right. It was bound to happen sooner or later”.

You smiled back at him, grateful for his reassurance.

“You’re a bit of a dark horse, aren’t you?” He teased. 

“No! No…I don’t…I’m not-Oh god. How embarrassing” you groaned, hiding your eyes behind your hand.

Palmer just laughed kindly. “I’m just kidding. Look, Palmer is a jerk. Don’t worry, you’re not gonna offend me by rightly calling it out. Okay?”

“Okay” you nodded with a shy smile. 

As the two of you walked, you pondered Leigh’s strange question. What was he talking about exactly? Why was he so concerned with the two of you being ‘cool’? It’s not like he normally gave a shit what you thought of him. Maybe he was visited by three Christmas ghosts late last night…

Your thoughts of Leigh soon dissipated as you and Palmer got to the conference room and started to work. 

He ran you through the basics of Project Cotton which was extensive and complex. Essentially, the CIA were trying to infiltrate a worldwide sex trafficking ring which had made its way to the States. There were a lot of moving parts, but it boiled down to sifting through a mixture of reliable and less reliable sources, finding ways into suspected bases and working through the chain of suspects to find out who was at the top. Palmer would be leading the field work as Walsh had assigned, but it was your job to work with him to make sense of the intel, help plan the op and collate everything into a strategy. 

The scope was like nothing you’d ever worked on in all your time here. Walsh was really testing you. The FBI were assisting, as were multiple local law enforcement agencies, and you felt the weight of your responsibility to them all heavy on your shoulders. Palmer and the rest of the team were all counting on you - bad intel could expose Palmer as a CIA operative and blow his cover - the likely outcome would be his death if the mark discovered who he really was.

As anxious as you felt (and you were anxious) there was some excitement too. As Palmer ran through the summary you found yourself immediately brainstorming ideas, solutions - this was going to be tough…but you could do it. You knew you could. And you felt encouraged that Walsh thought you could, too. This wasn’t really about Nick. This was about you, and proving to yourself what exactly you were capable of. Proving that you could take a leap out of your comfort zone and succeed. Hell, it wouldn’t be perfect - but it didn’t need to be. It just needed to be enough. 

And if you proved Nick wrong somewhere along the way too?

Bonus. 

In a way, you should thank him, his cruelty lit a fire under you that you may never have sparked yourself. 

*

The days turned into weeks and you and Palmer had slipped into a comfortable ease with each other. You both worked hard together, but you had clicked as people too. The content you were dealing with day in day out could be hard going, so you balanced that out with joking and a little fun where you could. You didn’t feel nervous around him like you did with your other colleagues. He had a calming presence you appreciated, especially as a newbie to this. 

In short? You liked Palmer a lot. 

“Call me Joe” he had said at your second meeting.

You felt a twinge of sadness as that was exactly what Nick had said to you on the day you’d been together for the first time. But you swallowed it down. 

“Joe” you’d repeated, looking back at him with a smile. 

*

You were making good progress with the research, constantly adding to a seemingly never ending report which covered all of the bases. You were just struggling to pin down the names of those at the top of the ring, a lot of leads were dead ends and pointed to ghosts, men who seemingly didn’t exist. But you told yourself that weeding out every dud lead meant you were one step closer to nailing the real perpetrators.

One of the quirks of the case was that you had boxes and boxes of historic CIA files to sift through, looking at records of convicted criminals from decades earlier who may have had links to previous rings that Cotton may have grown from the ashes of. The files were mostly yellowed pages, thick layers of dust and occasionally indecipherable hand writing when nobody had bothered to type up the reports however many decades ago.

“It’s crazy that the CIA, with all its resources, hasn’t taken the time to digitise these” you huffed, shaking your hand out after getting yet another paper cut from one of the archaic monstrosities. 

Joe laughed. He had a sweet laugh. Slightly on the dorky side, but you liked that he laughed loudly and unashamedly - not caring what anyone thought of it.

“The CIA isn’t an endless money pit” he said kindly. Unlike Nick, he was never patronising when he explained things to you. 

“The bosses want cash to go on the actual operations, not paying a bunch of temps to scan these old perverts’ files nobody but us has ever looked at”.

“Mmm” you conceded. “But have they considered…it would be helpful for me personally”. 

Joe grinned. “No. I don’t think they have…but that’s a very persuasive argument”.

You were both sitting in the conference room Project Cotton had taken over in the last few weeks. Papers and files were sprawled across the table, endless photographs and maps were pinned to the walls as post-its and notes littered every surface.

You yawned, slamming the file shut and pulling the next box out - grabbing the letter opener to split the tape. Joe had given it to you to open the boxes. It was a thing of beauty really, a slim silver knife with a delicate ornate handle. He had unearthed it in an old storage room in the basement, no doubt an essential tool for some clerk four or five decades ago.

It has become a bit of a strange running joke for the two of you. You’d take turns moving the opener to the other’s desk when the other wasn’t looking, and it became a sort of competition to see if you could sneak it into the other’s space without them noticing.

You opened the first file from the new box, taking your time skimming the musty pages. Both of you worked in comfortable silence.  

“Anything?” Joe eventually asked as he scribbled on the whiteboard.

You pointed with the blade to the file in front of you.

“Mm. Maybe. Three of these guys were all associated with something called ‘Cosmos’ - seems to be some sort of weird cult which preached peace and love…but also the kidnapping of young women”.

Joe scoffed. “Peace and love indeed…”

You peered down at the grainy mugshot of the man in the file, snarling back at you. He looked oddly familiar…but you couldn’t place him. 

You sighed. “I feel like my eyes are gonna cross…”

“Let’s take a break. You need a breather. You work too damn hard” teased Joe.

You rolled your eyes playfully. 

“We’ll order lunch. I’m thinking Hong’s” said Joe, grabbing his phone and hurriedly closing your file. 

“Ooh. Yay! Okay”. 

The novelty of expensed lunches certainly hadn’t worn off yet.

You stole a glance at Joe as he pulled up the food menu and dutifully scrolled through the options. The more time you spent with him, the more you liked him. He was sweet. Earnest. You liked that he said exactly what he meant. He never had you guessing…unlike some people.

As time went on, you began to realise how handsome he was. He had a cute dimple on one side of his mouth. His eyes crinkled a little when he smiled. He was a big guy too….broad. Strong. Sometimes your mind wandered and you wondered what he looked like under his suit…

You liked being with him.

And you liked that he liked being with you. You weren’t an agent like him, yet he treated you like an equal - not just the grunt beneath him doing all the admin. He respected you. Appreciated you. 

The other night at dinner Annie had jokingly said she was sick of hearing about him. You hadn’t realised how much you must talk about him. 

After lunch had arrived you sat together in the conference room, eating and laughing.

“…I’m sorry, I’m just saying I wanted Tom to win once in a while. Okay? That mouse was pushing it” Joe said incredulously.

You laughed uproariously. “What?? Who sides with Tom??”

“I just mean…Jerry is mocking him…”

“Jerry is a mouse…if Tom catches him then he’s dinner! Nobody roots for Tom, Joe!” You giggled.

You laughed more as you pushed the food around your takeout container.

“I’m working for a madman…”

Joe smiled. “True. But you’re doing a great job”.

“Thanks” you giggled.

“No…I mean it. You’re a beast. The stuff you’re pulling together is so impressive. Especially for a first timer. You should be proud. I sure am”.

You blushed, surprised at his admission. “Well…thank-you Joe. That means a lot. You’ve taught me so much in such a short space of time. I’m…so grateful”.

You both stared at each other for a few seconds. The air felt different suddenly. Charged somehow. Time seemed to slow down as Joe leaned towards you, his gaze dropping to your lips. You found yourself moving in too, leaning closer and closer until-

The jarring sound of Joe’s phone vibrating on the table seemed to break the trance. You both surged backwards in your chairs, looking in opposite directions.

“I better take this…” Joe grumbled, picking up his phone and leaving the room.

You sat in the silence, struggling to grasp what had just happened. You got to your feet, going to the bathroom and splashing a bit of water on your face to calm down. Fuck. You really needed to stop doing this with colleagues…

…but Joe was just so…Joe. 

You made your way back to the conference room, sitting back down and picking at your food again as you waited for him to return. You decided you wouldn’t mention it unless he did. Nothing actually happened. No need to make it awkward when you were both working so closely.

You were fishing your chopsticks around the takeout box when you heard him come back in. 

“You ate all the wontons…jerk” you joked.

“Not me, princess” came the reply. 

You jolted in your seat, a small squeak leaving your lips. You whipped round to face him.

There he was. The ghost. You suddenly felt very nervous. 

Nick was leaning against the doorway, his short chestnut hair neatly combed. A hint of 5 o’clock shadow that wasn’t there when he left for his Op. Still handsome. Still infuriating. Those damn eyes watched you carefully as he slipped his hands into his pockets. 

“I always left the wontons for you when we ordered in. I would never leave you hanging” he smirked.

“Yeah…The only thing you were ever consistent about” you said dryly.

He laughed hollowly. “So…Project Cotton huh? Going up in the world I see” he surveyed the room, taking in all of the files and documents strewn around.

“Yeah. Walsh put me on it” you replied stoically.

He nodded. “So I hear. Guess I was wrong about that, huh?”

You glared back at him. “You were wrong about a lot of things”.

He smirked. “I probably deserve that”.

You didn’t speak. Just left his words hanging. You wanted him to sit in it. You had no desire to make this any easier for him. 

“Not gonna ask how my op went? It’s been weeks”. He asked casually, but his eyes had a slightly needy quality to them.

“Well it was fine I presume. You seem to have all your limbs intact” you deadpanned. 

He chuckled. “Just about…”

You ignored him, just taking a bite of your food.

“And how’s Palmer? Being good to you?”

“Absolutely. He’s a good boss”. 

“Huh…That surprises me”. He ticked his jaw.

You glared at him. “And why’s that?”

“Just…he seems like one to keep an eye on. That’s all”. He shrugged.

You rolled your eyes. “Why? Because he doesn’t come out on your little boys’ nights?”

He chuckled again. His patronising laugh made you want to punch him in the face.

“No…actually he comes sometimes” he smirked. 

You quirked an eyebrow. That surprised you. As Joe had said that time with Leigh…it wasn’t really his scene. Still, you wouldn’t hold it against him. Everyone needs to let loose sometimes.

“Ah, Fowler. Welcome back” said Joe as he came back to the room. His voice suddenly seemed strained. His posture uncomfortable. 

Nick nodded, he also seemed somewhat tense. “Thanks Palmer. Looks like you’ve made good progress with Cotton…”

“Yup. Well it’s hard not to when you’ve got this one your team” he smiled over at you. 

You smiled back warmly. If Nick’s return had thrown you off balance, Joe was a stabilising anchor who righted you again. 

Nick smiled. “Yeah. I know the other agents are whining that the briefing reports aren’t being done to the usual standard now that their best Assistant has been poached”.

You shrugged, embarrassed at how inwardly gleeful you were at Nick’s compliment. “They’ll be fine”.

He looked back at you and you found yourself stuck in his gaze. Unable to look away as old feelings stirred. Shit. No! Be strong!

He cleared his throat abruptly. 

“Well…I better go debrief. You two have fun” Nick added sardonically as he left the room. 

Joe glared at the empty space where Nick had been standing. You saw a strange expression on his face that you hadn’t seen before. A hint of rage beneath the surface that you’d never seen a glimpse of until now. What sort of issue did those two have with each other? There certainly seemed to be a weird tension between them. 

“Anyway. Let’s get back to it” said Joe, back to his usual sunny self as if nothing had happened. 

He didn’t say anything about Nick, nor about your near kiss, he just picked up his notebook and resumed where he left off. You followed suit, but your head bubbled with unanswered questions as you pulled out your next file.

*

At the end of the day you made your way out of the building, exhausted from a full day and fantasising about a bubble bath back at home. Seeing Nick again had knocked you slightly. You knew when he left you’d have to face him again eventually, but he caught you off guard. As always.

As you strolled down the hallway to the building exit you were torn from your thoughts, quite literally, by some unseen force as you were yanked by the waist into an empty office. You let out a small shriek as your assailant spun you around and revealed himself.

“Fuck, Nick!! You trying to give me a heart attack?” You squeaked as you slugged him on the shoulder.

He grinned. “I’ve missed that fire”.

He moved to close the door.

You frowned. “I’m tired, Nick. I’ve had a long day and I want to go home. I don’t have any time for games”.

“I need to talk to you…” he sighed. 

You rolled your eyes. “Can it wait?”

He shuffled awkwardly, his cocky tone now diminishing slightly. “I just want you to be careful”.

“What?”

“With Palmer. Be careful. Alright?”

You laughed coldly. “Why? He’s a good guy.”

“Just…you’re smart. Don’t let him take advantage”.

“What does that mean?” You glared.

“Just…I don’t know. Don’t let your guard down. Don’t…I don’t know… let him take the credit for your work or anything like that. Alright? Just be careful with him. I just….I don’t trust him”.

You scoffed. “I don’t know what your beef with Joe is but you have no business butting in. I’m not interested in your masculine pissing contest. He and I have been working really well together all this time. He’s sweet, and smart, and he supports me. He actually wants me to do well and get ahead! Unlike you, he believes in me! It’s really nothing to do with you. So thank-you for your ‘advice’….but it really isn’t necessary”.

Nick frowned, raising an eyebrow. “Joe? Oh God…you like him don’t you?”

You tried to force a laugh, but it didn’t sound very convincing. “What?? No! It’s all very professional…”

Nick shook his head, tutting. “Unbelievable…”

“You can talk…” you spat. 

“Excuse me?”

“I don’t know…Ask Mace?” You narrowed your eyes. 

He laughed hollowly at that. “I knew you heard her that day in my office. Not jealous are you, princess?” The shit eating grin was back on his face. He had you now. 

You clenched your jaw, trying your best to retain your sense of calm as you felt the heat rush to your cheeks. 

“No. You can fuck whoever you like”.

He laughed again. “I’m not fucking Mace…”

“Sure…” you rolled your eyes. 

“Believe whatever you want, princess…”

You curled your hands into fists, suddenly feeling overwhelmed as all of those old feelings rose to the surface. How did he still have this hold over you? You thought you were free…

You managed to suppress it as you bit your lip and looked towards the door. 

“Can I go now or have you got another lecture for me?”

He shook his head, sighing. “Do what you want. Okay? Just…remember when I said”.

You rolled your eyes. “Tell Mace I said hi”.

You’re stormed out of the room as you shot down the hallway and left the building. Ugh. What a pig!! He could see how well you were doing and was just trying to get in your head to throw you off. He clearly didn’t liked Joe for some sort of weird male ego reason and was making it your problem. He didn’t know what he was talking about…

…right? 

Chapter 5 - Done

[mean-scarlet-deceiver]

What in the Sam Hill...

Before I tell you this story you must know the characteristics of the two men principally involved, drivers Sam Mitchell of Corkerhill and Sam McKnight of Girvan. Both were highly competent enginemen. Both knew that this was so, but Mitchell regarded all Girvan men as only one jump off the plough-boy, and lost no opportunity of taking them down. Both Mitchell and McKnight were well-educated men with a fine command of correct English, and Mitchell has a blisteringly sarcastic tongue. To hear those two conducting a conversation in polite phrasing, was a delight — McKnight infinitely watchful, weighing his words, Mitchell with the eye of an eagle, ready to pounce. They reminded me of two dogs, stalking round one another, with their hair bristling!

Good set-up. This too is yuri.

(Incidentally their engines at the time were, respectively, a Fowler Compound and an ex-G&SW Manson. The Compounds were distressingly prone to slipping on the Stranraer road in wet conditions.)

On 15 October 1930, Mitchell was on the 4.10pm through to Stranraer with No 1179. Harry McGeorge was firing. It was a beast of a night, stormy and wet, rain changing to sleet as the train went up the hill. They got to Girvan and the two rear coaches were detached for Turnberry, leaving 196 tons to go on south. The man with the Turnberry coaches gave them a push the length of the platform, then departed, and the van was scarcely off the platform end when No 1179 went into a furious slip and stuck. Most drivers would then have set back into the station and waited for assistance, but not Mitchell. He banged at it and managed to get away, but only went to the advance signal and stuck again. He got away and stuck twice up in Glendoune, off again by some miracle, only to stick finally up at the waterworks. Harry McGeorge had to take the tablet and walk back 2 1/2 miles in the dark.

Goddamnit, Mitchell. There were signs.

Harry got down eventually, but Girvan could not help him. He must wait until the local from Ayr via Turnberry came in, which arrived with Manson 4-4-0 No 14161 (ex-414 ex-73) with Driver Sam McKnight and Fireman Billy Rae. They were informed that they had to go up and bank Mitchell. McKnight was not at all pleased, for he was an elder in the parish church, and there was a Kirk Session meeting that night. However, he hurried up, rounded his train, stowed it in the siding, got Harry and his tablet aboard, and off to the rescue.

You got between a true Scotsman and his presbytery. This cannot end well.

By that time regular assistance in rear had been sanctioned for Glendoune bank. The banking engine would get a banking key from Girvan No 3 box, would not couple to the train, and at milepost 3 3/4, about a quarter-mile from the summit, would drop off and return to Girvan. But it was laid down that if an engine had to go to assist a train stuck in the section, then it must have the tablet belonging to that train, must couple to its rear, and go through the section to its first stop at Pinmore.

Well that just sounds annoying.

So they went up, found the rear of the train, Billy Rae got down to couple, and Harry went off with his tablet, McKnight telling him that he would give two crows when he was ready. Billy Rae climbed up again, McKnight gave two crows, Mitchell gave two in answer and off they went... for about a coach length, and stopped. McKnight glanced up; the vacuum needle was at zero! Billy Rae clapped his hand to his mouth. 'Oh,' he said, 'I've coupled the bags and forgot the coupling!'

Goddammit, Billy Rae.

It may sound funny but it's easier done than you'd think. Out in the dark with the sleet trickling down your neck, groping under a rear gangway for a stiff vacuum hose, you get set on the job of coupling that to the tall swan-neck on the engine, and forget the primary job of the coupling itself. McKnight and Rae got down to see what damage had been done. The engine was sitting about 10ft from the rear of the train. They examined the bag on the engine, which did not appear to be damaged. They replaced it on its plug. Then they groped for the van bag. It seemed to be all right; they put it on its plug.

The words "seemed to" are doing a lot of work here...

Also, LMFAO at the driver at the head of the train. I call him No-Chill.

All this time Mitchell had not tumbled to the situation at the rear. He was roaring, bashing and slipping, and just as they replaced the van bag he thought that he would try in reverse! McKnight and Rae were still down on the ground when back he came — Billy slipped out from between with not an inch to spare.

No-Chill, you nearly killed a man. Calm the fuck down.

Bang they went into No 14161, which rolled off down the 1 in 54! There was a situation, the old Manson moving off into the dark, with two desperate men in pursuit. McKnight was middle-aged, with some corresponding spread; he just managed to touch a buffer with the tips of his fingers. Wee Billy was like a whippet; running furiously, he got a hold of the side step, wriggled on to it, climbed up, and along to the cab and stopped her. McKnight met up. 'Come on,' he said, 'never mind coupling or anything.'

Pfffttt. It was always going to end this way.

He buffered up to the rear, and away with them. Up they went right to the top, then they had to keep steaming down through the tunnel in case they lost the train.

Coz so far we've all been playing it just a bit too safe tonight.

Finally they pulled up in Pinmore station about six feet from the van. The guard had to see to parcels, then he came and looked. 'Oh, you're tied off,' he said, 'Cheer-o, boys!' and off they went. Then 14161's crew tried to raise vacuum and could not do so.

Elder McKnight ain't ever gettin' to that kirk session.

The bag had been damaged. They took it off, went over into the wood, got a bit of stick and made a plug. When they got home, they just put in the repairs book, 'Front bag to renew' and no one ever queried it.

I believe I could give steam enginemen the random rubbish rolling about the floor of my car and with it they could patch up any vacuum brake in the land.

... Sam McKnight told me this story the following week, but extracted from me a solemn promise that never, must I ever let Sam Mitchell know what went on at the rear of his train that night. I never did so, but as all four participants have now passed on, I can put it in print for the first time.

I want the job of collecting all the company tea and publishing it to the world the second I can get away with it.

— excerpted (minus editorial comments and bolding) from Legends of the Glasgow & South Western Railway (in LMS days), David L. Smith

[ivycorp]

Hearts and Sparks Ship Week 2024: (almost) complete!

Thank you to @heartsandsparksshipweek for another round of this lovely event, and, of course, to all of those who checked those random works of mine (I love you all thankyouthankyouthankyou)

Just as the last time I am setting up a summary here from this run:

Day 1: Culture Shock/Date Night (AO3 link) - TFA Megatron & Isaac Sumdac (IN PROGRESS)

Day 2: Battle Couple/Reunion (AO3 link) - TF Marvel, Megatron & Joey Slick

Day 3: Future/Mermaid AU (AO3 link) - TFP Mer AU, Fowler & Decepticons

Day 4: Stargazing/Forever (AO3 link) - Bayverse, Reader, Megatron

Day 5: Affection/Role Swap (AO3 link) - Earthspark, Megatron & Dorothy 'Dot' Malto

Day 6: Rescue/Lost in Space (AO3 link) - Rescue Bots, Kade & Heatwave, Graham & Boulder, Dani & Blades, Chief & Chase

Day 7: Ceremony/Alternate Universe (AO3 link) - Bayverse, Mikaela Banes & Decepticons

Thank you all again!

and I promise I will finish that one in progress this week I swear it's haunting me

[wild-ride-to-headcanons]

So I’ve been inactive for a tad second, honestly How To Train your Dragon caught my eye and I’ve left TFP on the drying rack for a week or two. So to keep myself active and get back in the transformers mood, I’ve come up with some stuff about the kids. Their home life, some Headcanons, and just about them.

So let’s learn about the kids!!

Jack Darby is up first! Jack is the oldest of the teens, though he’s yet to hit even his young adult years. He’s a 17 year old teen. Tall and lanky, he stands around 6’7. At this point taller than his mom and even Fowler. Kids at his school often joke that he is emo, due to his tendencies to wear darker and baggier clothes. Also there’s the fact that he hasn’t cut his hair for awhile and it grew out. For the longest time he’d let his hair just fall over his face, only recently did he start pulling it back into a bun. He’s considered the quiet kid at school and around town. He doesn’t talk much, tends to stay home when he can, and rarely does he allow his emotions to show. He’s quite to a point that most kids at his school thinks he’s mute, only a few people know he’s not.

•Jack doesn’t have a dead beat dad, he just has a dead one.

•He likes drawing, he and Miko bond over it. He prefers realism, and neutral colors

• he has a thing for short more rounded women (hint at how Sierra’s gonna look ;)

•He’s interested in history and has an extreme curiosity that cannot be quenched!

•Jack has tendency’s to panic over those around him, always stressed about someone.

•unfortunately he’s also dealing with some mental issues (ones that we’ll have to learn about on the way.)

Miko Nakadi is up next! Miko is a young Japanese teen, she’s eccentric and loud. Standing at only 5 feet, and is 16 years old. Nothing seems to bother her, and she’s seems to have distaste for authority. This is due to her life in Japan. Miko grew up on a boat, raised by fishermen. They weren’t her bio family, though they still took her in. For most of her life in Japan she was raised on the water, not even going to a public school. These fishermen influenced most of who she is. They’re loud and enthusiastic, always encouraging her to be her real self. That combined with her little interaction with those her own age and others that lived in Japan, she has no fear to show herself. Unfortunately due to an accident on the sea, Miko got injured, permanently leaving some health issues. Due to this accident the local authorities deemed that she wasn’t raised in a safe environment and took her away, this left a bad taste of authority’s in her mouth. Eventually she managed to get enrolled in a exchange student program and was sent to America.

•She has no idea who her bio family is and doesn’t want to know.

•like Jack she loves drawing, though she prefers a more fantasy setting with bunches of colors.

•she has yet to know her type, though seems to be very open when it comes to sexuality.

•she struggles when it comes to understanding danger, as she’s been introduced to a considerably large amount of it since she was young. She also struggles understanding people and their emotions, due to not being around many.

•other than her health issue, Miko was diagnosed with Autism at a young age, and she believes that she has some ADHD.

•She loves music, especially rock and metal. If it’s loud, it’s fun. (She’s mostly deaf, having to wear hearing aids) she loves to play instruments, and has an easy time picking up on how to learn them.

Rafael Esquivel is our final one of the main trio. At 12 years old he’s only 4 1/2 feet. He’s a child prodigy, practically skipping middle school and most of elementary school. Soon it’s believed he’ll be able to go to college. He’s from a Hispanic family, a large one, having 10 siblings. Raf is from a family of geniuses, his parent both being engineers, and his sibling all aiming for high grades and phd’s. Since he was young, Raf loved to absorb knowledge. He read as many books as he could, took a lot of notes, always asked his siblings to teach him all they know. So his older sister taught him coding, while her twin taught him how to hack. One of his older brothers showed him how to start in the engineering field, often giving him little projects to build and learn from. His other siblings will teach him about biology and chemistry, despite him not being as interested in those fields. Then theirs his eldest brother, he makes sure everyone is taken care of in their parents place, always making sure that a break is taken. He also make sure that Raf keeps an open mind.

•His parents are rarely home, always on the job and making sure their family has enough to live a comfortable life. Their eldest son became the primary caretaker of the house, after Raf’s Abuela passed.

•He doesn’t show much interest in doing art like the other two, but he does enjoy the beauty of it. Especially since one of his aunt’s constantly shows him the beauty of the world.

•He’s too young and too into his education to even think about sexuality and romance. Even though one of his brothers is into psychology and sociology and is especially all about romance.

•Since he’s been so focused on learning and not socializing, his only friends are his siblings, he moved too quick through school too actually get to know kids his age. Sure the older kids treat him well in school, but they’ve never been friendly.

•His family believes that he has autism (I know a stereotype) but they’ve never diagnosed him or put him on any medications.

•other than his love for engineering, computers, and science, Raf has shown to be interested in a few other things. He loves reptiles and other little critters. He especially loves gaming and racing in games or with toy cars. He’s also shown an interest in archeology, especially since his uncle is an Archeologist, and gave him a necklace with a claw fossil attached to it.

That’s all I’m going to share for now, I feel like it’s best to learn about them as we go through the story. I also wanna mention that Jasper will be much more alive, bringing in more human characters and rounding out the few we get to see. Jack and Vince will still be rivals (it’s mostly one sided, Vince can’t handle Jack’s quite self.) sierra will have more to her than just being Jack’s small crush. Her friend will go through a race change and will have a twin, her family will also be the one fostering Miko. There will also be more characters introduced, you will just have to wait to meet them.

[tpeakphotos]

This is a shot of Lower McCloud Falls, also known as Fowler Falls on the McCloud River in Siskiyou County. I pulled in to the falls to stretch my legs a couple hours in to a 3 hour drive on a quite rainy morning at around 8am. On a summer day this spot is quite crowded with sightseers and swimmers but on this late October morning I was the only human in sight.

These falls are the third and final in a series of 3 waterfalls in the area of the river known as the upper McCloud River, above McCloud Reservoir, which is just a few miles downstream. All three of the falls are beautiful in their own way, with the Middle Falls being arguably the most spectacular (but I thought Lower Falls was definitely holding its own on this day). Visitors to the area can hike a relatively easy 4 mile round trip trail that offers views of all three falls and, if one is willing to visit early in the morning during the off-season it can be a wonderfully peaceful experience.

Prints and merch: https://buff.ly/3T3TQAM:

[mttmurduck]

BRUCE BANNER COMIC APPEARANCES RATED

no one was kidding when they said bruce banner had no consistent appearance. this is me failing to reconcile each one i’ve come across. send me more if you want me to rate them.

Matteo Scalera - Indestructible Hulk #9

point for looking fucked up. not a fan of the short hair, but maybe that’s because of the whole prisoner of SHIELD thing, so whatever. 1/10.

Ryan Ottley - Hulk (2021) #1

-10000/10 WHO IS THIS???? NOTHING TO INDICATE THIS IS A MAN OF SCIENCE, EVERYTHING TO INDICATE THE DIVE IN PLOT AND CHARACTERIZATION.

Derec Aucoin - Spider-Man Family #9

THE super nerd. a little young, but hides behind a thin veneer of calm well. the tweed and bowtie is an interesting choice. hope he doesn’t mind if they get ripped. 8/10.

Veronica Fish - Spider-Woman (2016) #11

a bit of a heart-throb???? looks like a long suffering grad student more than a man who’s been running from the military for years. where are his glasses? 4/10.

Lee Garbett - Immortal Hulk #6

super grizzled and super tired. trust me, this issue was exhaustion to the max. this is the haunted (hunted) man, and i’m honestly digging the flannel. gotta show those midwestern roots somehow. unfortunately all of these pluses don’t add up to an iconic bruce banner look, unless he was trying to steal wolverine’s. 5/10.

Adam Kubert - The Incredible Hulk (1968) #466

the scientist! prideful and yet kind, hiding a deep well of sadness and anti-military sentiments. 10/10.

Stefano Caselli - Avengers Assemble (2012) #9

glasses! scientist! a little tired but doing better :) 10/10.

Alan Davis - Totally Awesome Hulk #8

the smile! a very fresh bruce banner. looks like just some guy. 8/10.

Joe Bennett - Immortal Hulk #2

unfortunately i’m not a big fan of the detailed, almost grotesque art style. but, i concede that it’s fitting for this run. anyway, this is a very expressive and tired bruce that still tries. 7/10.

Tom Fowler - Hulk Season One

a dangerous bruce. a scientist and a loner that is intimately aware of the potential to do both harm and good. the glasses are used really well in this comic, trust me. 100/10.

Salvador Larroca - Avengers (2013) #28

okay, i think im going to get some flak for this, but i really like this bruce. dangerous, but still looks like a guy off the street. the hair has the perfect amount of flop. i’ll forgive the lack of glasses and round up. 10/10.

Larroca again! This time from the previous issue.

this alternate universe bruce is soft. a real deceptive one here. and tragic. he steals 616 bruce’s sandwich btw. that’s all i’ll say. 10/10.

Stefano Caselli again! This time from Avengers World #5

really showing us how even the same artist will draw the same guy differently. this time, Stark (tm) edition. unfortunately this means he fits the “asshole engineer” profile more than the “scientist” one. 6/10.

Mike McKone - Avengers: Endless Wartime

a scientist with sadness in his eyes, but he still finds things to smile about, maybe. probably more of a nervous smile. 9/10.

[gir-sims]

Welcome to Hope's new business, Sound Choice! A music store!

(can you spot some of my favorite bands in these photos lol)

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Witnesses Against Israel

1 Hear ye this word, O house of Israel, which the Lord has spoken concerning you, and against the whole family whom I brought up out of the land of Egypt, saying,

2 You especially have I known out of all the families of the earth: therefore will I take vengeance upon you for all your sins.

3 Shall two walk together at all, if they do not know one another?

4 Will a lion roar out of his thicket if he has no prey? will a lion's whelp utter his voice at all out of his lair, if he have taken nothing?

5 Will a bird fall on the earth without a fowler? will a snare be taken up from the earth without having taken anything?

6 Shall the trumpet sound in the city, and the people not be alarmed? shall there be evil in a city which the Lord has not wrought?

7 For the Lord God will do nothing, without revealing instruction to his servants the prophets.

8 A lion shall roar, and who will not be alarmed? the Lord God has spoken, and who will not prophesy?

9 Proclaim it to the regions among the Assyrians, and to the regions of Egypt, and say, Gather yourselves to the mountain of Samaria, and behold many wonderful things in the midst of it, and the oppression that is in it. 10 And she knew not what things would come against her, saith the Lord, even those that store up wrong and misery in their countries.

11 Therefore thus saith the Lord God; O Tyre, thy land shall be made desolate round about thee; and he shall bring down thy strength out of thee, and thy countries shall be spoiled.

12 Thus saith the Lord; As when a shepherd rescues from the mouth of a lion two legs or a piece of an ear, so shall be drawn forth the children of Israel who dwell in Samaria in the presence of a foreign tribe, and in Damascus.

13 Hear, O ye priests, and testify to the house of Jacob, saith the Lord God Almighty.

14 For in the day wherein I shall take vengeance of the sins of Israel upon him, I will also take vengeance on the altars of Bethel: and the horns of the altar shall be broken down, and they shall fall upon the ground.

15 I will crush and smite the turreted-house upon the summer-house; and the ivory-houses shall be destroyed, and many other houses also, saith the Lord. — Amos 3 | Brenton's Septuagint Translation (BST) The English translation of The Septuagint by Sir Lancelot Charles Lee Brenton (1851) Cross References: Genesis 6:13; Genesis 18:17; Genesis 34:27; Judges 3:20; 1 Samuel 5:1; 1 Samuel 17:34-35; 1 Kings 22:39; 2 Kings 23:15; Psalm 14:4; Psalm 140:5; Psalm 104:21; Isaiah 14:24; Isaiah 31:4; Isaiah 45:7; Jeremiah 4:22; Jeremiah 8:3; Jeremiah 13:11; Ezekiel 2:7; Hosea 5:14; Hosea 10:5; Hosea 10:14; Amos 1:8; Amos 2:5; Amos 2:8; John 15:15; Acts 4:20; Romans 2:9; 1 Corinthians 8:3; Revelation 10:7

[anonymousmythicalcreature]

For the ask game: top five changes you'd make to DBH, if given the chance.

Turns out doing my top 5 overall changes was kinda impossible, so I cheated a bit and instead came up with 5 changes I'd make that I don't think I've talked about much before (or expanded versions of things I do know I've talked about) and then ranked those against each other.

#5: Either combine Gavin and Captain Allen together, or alter their character designs so they're more visually distinct

Currently, there are two things that visually distinguish these characters from each other: face shape/structure and clothing. Combined with the fact that these two characters never appear in a scene together, and take actions that make complete sense combined with the other's actions and personality, these two become very difficult to tell apart when you have some level of face blindness like I do.

Yes, this is a confession that I didn't realize these were separate characters when I first got into DBH. This is also a confession that I thought the scar on Gavin's face was just another piece of fanon for about a year, until I sat down and stared at his character model a bunch and realized that, yes, he did have a very faded scar across his face. The scar would absolutely work to distinguish them if it were made more visible (meaning that it would have to be from a more recent event).

#4: Make Luther a part of the hug at the border when all of Kara's family survives

This is just kinda awkward the way it is now in canon, with him standing there watching while Kara and Alice hug. Plus, they've already got a hug animation for all three of them for the ending where they all make it out of the camp alive, so... what's the problem with reusing it here?

#3: Let the player know from the start that Amanda and the Zen Garden are programs in Connor's head

Right now, this plot twist feels like it's there for the sake of having a plot twist in Connor's story rather than the plot twist actually doing something. I think there would still be sufficiently high tension during Connor and Amanda's conversation in Last Chance Connor without this plot twist being present -- topics such as Connor's similarity to deviants, Amanda being based off of Elijah's mentor, and Elijah's various non-answers in Meet Kamski would still be on the table, and dialogue options about the stone and the previous Connors' graves in the Zen Garden (should you have looked at them previously) could potentially be added in to round things out (with Amanda giving some very deflective non-answers in response). I think this would create a stronger focus on Connor being manipulated and Connor's relationship to deviancy during this conversation, because right now the options present feel... kind of random and like they only connect to Meet Kamski rather than to Connor's story at large -- and considering that this is the chapter where Hank makes one last appeal to Connor's deviancy by bring up his previous actions and it's the one where Connor attempts to find Jericho's location by using all the evidence he's gathered in his previous investigations, I would really like this conversation to also tie a bunch of things together in Connor's story.

#2: Let Connor find out about Cole little by little throughout his chapters with Hank

I know I've talked about this before, but to rehash that: currently, Connor finds out about Cole in Russian Roulette through a photo in Hank's house, which brings up Cole's name, as well as his dates of birth and death, in Connor's system. Then, should Connor and Hank meet in Battle for Detroit, Connor also knows how Cole died and that red ice and an android were involved... with no explanation as to how he got this information. This could be done by having Fowler mention something in Waiting for Hank or Last Chance Connor, having Hank avoid certain places (such as the hospital or the site of the accident) when him and Connor drive to someplace, and giving Connor the chance to cross-reference these pieces of information with police and medical records in his head during some of his investigations instead of dealing with whatever the actual investigation is. This mechanic would be required for Connor to unlock the option about Cole in Battle for Detroit, and would give Connor software instability while also running down the timer on the current investigation (remember here that the preconstruct/reconstruct abilities involve slowed time passage, not no time passage, so I have no reason to believe that this mechanic would work any differently). This would make Connor's investigations more difficult by forcing the player to balance out finding evidence about what happened to Cole and finding evidence for Jericho's location, both of which would be required to get the Survivors trophy when going down Connor's deviant path. This would also make it more likely that players would run out of time on investigations, which is currently one of the rarer outcomes for these chapters.

#1: Get rid of the Demonstration Kiss with North

In the demonstration, all the remaining members of Jericho are being held at gunpoint by human members of the US military, and will die unless you do something to convince the president (also a human) not to kill you. Kissing is one of the options you have if Markus and North became lovers in Freedom March and North is still alive at the end of the demonstration.

North deviated because she couldn't take being used by humans in a nonconsenually romantic/sexual manner anymore in a context where we know from the events of The Eden Club that a human absolutely could injure or kill an android.

This means that the demonstration kiss is basically just North's backstory, but worse... yet the aftermath is somehow still just as happy and celebratory and good as the aftermath of the sing option.

I don't really think there's anything that can be done about this except to just not have this option... with North. In a version of the game where Josh or Simon were romance options, I would be fine with Markus doing the demonstration kiss with one of them, because then no one would have a trauma that's getting completely recreated in a somehow worse way that's then brushed off like it's nothing.

#1: Either combine Gavin and Captain Allen together, or alter their character designs so they're more visually distinct

Currently, there are two things that visually distinguish these characters from each other: face shape/structure and clothing. Combined with the fact that these two characters never appear in a scene together, and take actions that make complete sense combined with the other's actions and personality, these two become very difficult to tell apart when you have some level of face blindness like I do.

Yes, this is a confession that I didn't realize these were separate characters when I first got into DBH. This is also a confession that I thought the scar on Gavin's face was just another piece of fanon for about a year, until I sat down and stared at his character model a bunch and realized that, yes, he did have a very faded scar across his face. The scar would absolutely work to distinguish them if it were made more visible (meaning that it would have to be from a more recent event).

[beautifultimetravelvoid]

The Dancing Plague

Start time: 11:30 PM

End time: 12:02 AM

Guest: Jermaine Fowler

Professor Wiggles

Professor McNasty

How is McNasty close?

I really don't blame them for valuing sleep

why did bro give up on the investigation

I love how McNasty goes from 0 to 100 real fast

The creepy way he says open my little bag

Jermaine's laughter after he grabs a jelly bean

we still have the unanswered question, do puppets poop jelly beans

the poor people going through all of their crops dying like 7 times

they really stuck it out good for them

they just really want things to get better

"Well you've never taken the initiative Ryan"

4 episodes in an McNasty is so fed up

sweat for several days until you die, story of my life, all year round

wtf why is pile of diamonds here

"while you've got your fuzzy ass nose in a book I'm over here keeping the lights on, baby"

I believe in Ryan this time, he can make it

minds have been blown

Ryan just made the connection of people dancing til they die

took him long enough

are y'all shaniacs or boogaras

Shaniac, always have been, always will be

Ryan is so disappointed he got the question wrong

banned music, ok footloose

Ryan is so mad about the point distribution

Ryan is pissed

yay a happy ending

was this the basis for footloose

Jermaine's immediate "what the fuck" when god appears

Jermaine is very scared

when he whispers "it's me god"

why is Ryan trying to fight with god over whether or not he is god

god's song is a FUCKING BOP

"Tampa, Florida and also the rest of Florida"

ANOTHER FUCKING TIE

Ryan's going to lose, I can feel it

Jermaine deserves the world

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 7.2

437 – Emperor Valentinian III begins his reign over the Western Roman Empire. His mother Galla Placidia ends her regency, but continues to exercise political influence at the court in Rome. 626 – Li Shimin, the future Emperor Taizong of Tang, ambushes and kills his rival brothers Li Yuanji and Li Jiancheng in the Xuanwu Gate Incident. 706 – In China, Emperor Zhongzong of Tang inters the bodies of relatives in the Qianling Mausoleum, located on Mount Liang outside Chang'an. 866 – Battle of Brissarthe: The Franks led by Robert the Strong are defeated by a joint Breton-Viking army. 936 – King Henry the Fowler dies in his royal palace in Memleben. He is succeeded by his son Otto I, who becomes the ruler of East Francia. 963 – The Byzantine army proclaims Nikephoros II Phokas Emperor of the Romans on the plains outside Cappadocian Caesarea. 1298 – The Battle of Göllheim is fought between Albert I of Habsburg and Adolf of Nassau-Weilburg. 1494 – The Treaty of Tordesillas is ratified by Spain. 1504 – Bogdan III the One-Eyed becomes Voivode of Moldavia. 1555 – Ottoman Admiral Turgut Reis sacks the Italian city of Paola. 1561 – Menas, emperor of Ethiopia, defeats a revolt in Emfraz. 1582 – Battle of Yamazaki: Toyotomi Hideyoshi defeats Akechi Mitsuhide. 1613 – The first English expedition (from Virginia) against Acadia led by Samuel Argall takes place. 1644 – English Civil War: Battle of Marston Moor. 1645 – Battle of Alford: Wars of the Three Kingdoms. 1698 – Thomas Savery patents the first steam engine. 1723 – Bach's Magnificat is first performed. 1776 – American Revolution: The Continental Congress adopts a resolution severing ties with the Kingdom of Great Britain although the wording of the formal Declaration of Independence is not adopted until July 4. 1816 – The French frigate Méduse strikes the Bank of Arguin and 151 people on board have to be evacuated on an improvised raft, a case immortalised by Géricault's painting The Raft of the Medusa. 1822 – Thirty-five slaves, including Denmark Vesey, are hanged in South Carolina after being accused of organizing a slave rebellion. 1823 – Bahia Independence Day: The end of Portuguese rule in Brazil, with the final defeat of the Portuguese crown loyalists in the province of Bahia. 1839 – Twenty miles off the coast of Cuba, 53 kidnapped Africans led by Joseph Cinqué mutiny and take over the slave ship Amistad. 1840 – A Ms  7.4 earthquake strikes present-day Turkey and Armenia; combined with the effects of an eruption on Mount Ararat, kills 10,000 people. 1853 – The Russian Army crosses the Prut river into the Danubian Principalities (Moldavia and Wallachia), providing the spark that will set off the Crimean War. 1864 – Dimitri Atanasescu founds the first Romanian school in the Balkans for the Aromanians in Trnovo, in the Ottoman Empire (now in North Macedonia). 1871 – Victor Emmanuel II of Italy enters Rome after having conquered it from the Papal States. 1881 – Charles J. Guiteau shoots and fatally wounds U.S. President James A. Garfield (who will die of complications from his wounds on September 19). 1890 – The U.S. Congress passes the Sherman Antitrust Act. 1897 – British-Italian engineer Guglielmo Marconi obtains a patent for radio in London. 1900 – An airship designed and constructed by Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin of Germany made its first flight on Lake Constance near Friedrichshafen. 1900 – Jean Sibelius' Finlandia receives its première performance in Helsinki with the Helsinki Philharmonic Society conducted by Robert Kajanus. 1921 – World War I: U.S. President Warren G. Harding signs the Knox–Porter Resolution formally ending the war between the United States and Germany. 1934 – The Night of the Long Knives ends with the death of Ernst Röhm. 1937 – Amelia Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan are last heard from over the Pacific Ocean while attempting to make the first equatorial round-the-world flight. 1940 – Indian independence leader Subhas Chandra Bose is arrested and detained in Calcutta. 1940 – The SS Arandora Star is sunk by U-47 in the North Atlantic with the loss of over 800 lives, mostly civilians. 1962 – The first Walmart store, then known as Wal-Mart, opens for business in Rogers, Arkansas. 1964 – Civil rights movement: U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act of 1964 meant to prohibit segregation in public places. 1966 – France conducts its first nuclear weapon test in the Pacific, on Moruroa Atoll. 1976 – End of South Vietnam; Communist North Vietnam annexes the former South Vietnam to form the unified Socialist Republic of Vietnam. 1986 – Rodrigo Rojas and Carmen Gloria Quintana are burnt alive during a street demonstration against the dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet in Chile. 1986 – Aeroflot Flight 2306 crashes while attempting an emergency landing at Syktyvkar Airport in Syktyvkar, in present-day Komi Republic, Russia, killing 54 people. 1988 – Marcel Lefebvre and the four bishops he consecrated were excommunicated by the Holy See. 1990 – In the 1990 Mecca tunnel tragedy, 1,400 Muslim pilgrims are suffocated to death and trampled upon in a pedestrian tunnel leading to the holy city of Mecca. 1994 – USAir Flight 1016 crashes near Charlotte Douglas International Airport, killing 37 of the 57 people on board. 1997 – The Bank of Thailand floats the baht, triggering the Asian financial crisis. 2000 – Vicente Fox Quesada is elected the first President of México from an opposition party, the Partido Acción Nacional, after more than 70 years of continuous rule by the Partido Revolucionario Institucional. 2001 – The AbioCor self-contained artificial heart is first implanted. 2002 – Steve Fossett becomes the first person to fly solo around the world nonstop in a balloon. 2005 – The Live 8 benefit concerts takes place in the G8 states and in South Africa. More than 1,000 musicians perform and are broadcast on 182 television networks and 2,000 radio networks. 2008 – Colombian conflict: Íngrid Betancourt, a member of the Chamber of Representatives of Colombia, is released from captivity after being held for six and a half years by FARC. 2010 – The South Kivu tank truck explosion in the Democratic Republic of the Congo kills at least 230 people. 2013 – The International Astronomical Union names Pluto's fourth and fifth moons, Kerberos and Styx. 2013 – A magnitude 6.1 earthquake strikes Aceh, Indonesia, killing at least 42 people and injuring 420 others.

[dailyrugbytoday]

Junior Wallabies vs Argentina - Rugby Championship U20s

New Post has been published on https://thedailyrugby.com/junior-wallabies-vs-argentina-rugby-u20/

The Daily Rugby

https://thedailyrugby.com/junior-wallabies-vs-argentina-rugby-u20/

Junior Wallabies vs Argentina - Rugby Championship U20s

Junior Wallabies vs Argentina Rugby Championship U20s have named their teams for Round 1 of the TRC U20. Nathan Grey has chosen a 23-man playing group to face Argentina in Thursday’s U20 Rugby Championship opener. Lock Toby Macpherson captains the team, with vice-captain Ronan Leahy playing inside center.

Jack Barrett, who recently made his Super Rugby Pacific debut, tops a front row that includes Bryn Edwards and Tevita Alatini, with Harvey Cordukes joining Macpherson in the engine room.

Aden Ekanayake, an Australian Sevens prospect, joins Reds flanker Joe Liddy and Brumbies number eight Jack Harley in the back row.

Junior Wallabies vs Argentina – Rugby Championship U20s

Australia will face Argentina on Thursday 2 May at Sunshine Coast Stadium (7pm kick off).

The Junior Wallabies vs Argentina U20 rugby match will be shown live and exclusive on Stan Sport.

Time Thu, May 2, 2024, 3:00 PM

Location Sunshine Coast Stadium

Junior Wallabies vs Argentina – Rugby Championship U20s Predictions

Australia performed admirably in the 2023 U20 Rugby World Cup, despite a difficult draw against England and Ireland. Argentina, on the other hand, had a more favorable draw, but faced inconsistent sides in Italy and South Africa.

It could be another tight finish, but I believe Australia will break away late in the game to win by ten or more points.

Australia finished seventh in the 2023 U20 Rugby World Cup.

Australia has won its last two matches, against New Zealand and Wales.

Argentina finished ninth in the 2023 U20 Rugby World Cup.

Argentina won the final two matches of the 2023 U20 Rugby World Cup.

Argentina Pumitas versus Australia:

CORREA , Diego (Club Atlético Estudiantes) 2. VIVAS, Juan Manuel (Los Tordos) 3. RAPETTI, Tomás (Alumni) 4. GARCÍA IANDOLINO, Álvaro (Los Tordos) 5. EFRAÍN, Elías (Jockey Club of Córdoba) 6. PENOUCOS, Juan (Belgrano Athletic) 7. FERNÁNDEZ DE OLIVEIRA, Santos (SIC) 8. BERNASCONI, Juan Pedro (La Plata RC) 9. DI BIASE, Tomás (Deportiva Francaise) 10. DI LUCCA, Santino (La Plata RC) 11. SOLER FILOTY, Valentín (Tala RC) 12. BOCCO, Tomás (Córdoba Athletic) 13. SÁNCHEZ VALAROLO, Faustino (Palermo Bajo) 14. ROSSETTO, Franco (Club Atlético Estudiantes) 15. ELIZALDE, Benjamín (Deportiva Francesa / Tigres RC)

Relacements:  16. CAMERLINCKX, Marcos (Bella Vista Regattas), 17. GARGALLO BAZÁN, Gonzalo (Córdoba Athletic), 18. GALVÁN, Gael (Pucará), 19. ASEVEDO, Luciano (Liceo RC), 20. ROSSI, Julián (RC High School), 21. PODESTÁ, Genaro (Marist RC), 22. FOSSATI, Mateo (Belgrano Athletic), 23. SILVA, Timothy (SIC)

Read more about U20 Rugby Championship Australia U20 vs Argentina U20

Australia U20 team versus Argentina:

1. Jack Barrett (Waratahs)

2. Bryn Edwards (Waratahs)

3. Tevita Alatini (Brumbies)

4. Toby Macpherson (Brumbies – captain)

5. Harvey Cordukes (Brumbies)

6. Aden Ekanayake (Waratahs)

7. Joe Liddy (Reds)

8. Jack Harley (Brumbies)

9. Doug Philipson (Force)

10. Joey Fowler (Rebels)

11. Xavier Rubens (Reds)

12. Ronan Leahy (Force – vice captain)

13. Jarrah McLeod (Brumbies)

14. Will McCulloch (Reds)

15. Shane Wilcox (Brumbies)

Replacements: 16. Nathaniel Tiitii (Waratahs), 17. Tavi Tuipulotu (Rebels), 18. Nick Bloomfield (Reds), 19. Ben Daniels (Reds), 20. Ben Di Staso (Waratahs), 21. Hwi Sharples (Waratahs), 22. Cullen Gray (Brumbies), 23. Angus Staniforth (Brumbies)