#he's ALWAYS had a diverse career please be serious

[thaempo]

sung hoon being in squid game was a mistake why am i seeing people talk about how he's 'finally' broken free of villain roles when into the ring and not others are right there and have been for years

[young-dumb-and-vaccinated]

Cult Girl: Doctorate (Hannibal x Pregnant!Female!Reader) pt. 13

Hannibal and cult girl make an executive decision about their family and their future.

@wisesandwichshark @pearlstiare

Trigger warnings: threats of violence

"What do you think, pumpkin?" You whispered to your bump, hoping that the jaunty music coming from your 3DS would make your one-sided conversion harder to hear. "Which starter should I choose?"

You put your hand on your belly. "Should I choose Treeko?"

A strong, enthusiastic kick followed.

"Wow! Treeko it is, then." You laughed, selecting the lizard Pokémon. "With kicks that strong, you're gonna grow up to be an MMA fighter."

Hannibal entered the room, trying to soothe his temper but failing. He was tasked with cleaning up the mess on the porch, and his sinuses were singed.

"My hero!" You cooed, trying to make him feel better about having to deal with what you dubbed the Bitch Petroleum Oil Spill.

"If she comes back on our property, she's dinner." Hannibal paced back and forth across the room, seething with rage. You didn't know if it was the threat against your life or the h-bomb of concentrated essential oils that got him so steamed. Probably both.

"Hannibal-" You said in a soothing voice.

"-if she runs into you at the grocery store, she's dinner. If I smell a whiff of that hideous Marc Jacobs concoction she bathes in, she's dinner."

"I don't think anything is going to happen, Hanni." You said, more for your sake than for his. If there was even a possibility that you or your baby were in danger, he'd do everything in his power to keep you safe. And he had quite a bit of power.

Hannibal released a tense breath and sat down on the bed. "How do you know?"

You shut your 3DS and put it to the side. "I just do."

"With logical reasoning like that, you'd make quite a lawyer, Mrs. Lecter." Hannibal teased, in that stiff, half-amused way he did when he was partially done working through tension.

"If it were Theresa, I'd be worried." You rationalized. "Theresa is an executor. Anna is a follower. She doesn't have the individual drive to actually, y'know, hurt someone."

"You did end her career and her marriage, not to mention her prospects of winning an obscene amount of money, in one ten-minute conversation." He recounted. "That is some serious motive. I wouldn't put much past her."

"Please." You rolled your eyes. "All she's gonna do is beg Liam to let her in, take a bath and drink an entire bottle of chardonnay while watching Riverdale."

Hannibal took off his shoes and lied down next to you. He propped his head up on his arm and fixed his gaze on you.

"What?" You laughed.

"You're so delectably round." He commented, licking his lips.

"Hey!" You protested. "You can't make those jokes when you actually eat people, y'know?"

"Is that so?" He smirked, propping himself up over you on his elbows. He lowered his face down to your ear. "Am I scaring you?"

"No." You giggled. "But you might be scaring her!"

"Her?" He repeated.

"The baby, who else?"

His face turned from playfully mischievous to genuine wonder and awe. He stroked your hair and looked into your eyes.

"What?" You laughed. "Are you mad that I assumed the baby's pronouns? Cause I will read her Gender Trouble when the time is right-"

"You want to be a mother." He said, his voice in an optimistic upturn.

Your face turned hot. "I've been... considering it."

"You do." Hannibal corrected. "I hear you talking to her, teaching her all about Pokémon. Telling her all the things you want to do when she arrives."

You looked down at your belly and narrowed your eyes. "You snitch. I told you not to tell anyone."

Hannibal chuckled, his hand lifting your shirt to reveal your large belly. "You would be the most incredible mother."

"Not to harsh the buzz or anything," You said, breaking eye contact. "But it's not like I have a very strong foundation to build off of."

"That just means we have to build our own foundation." He said, his buzz not harshed in the slightest. "One based on love, education, compassion."

"Hannibal..." you sighed. "What happens when I go back to school?"

"You'll study. Hard, of course." He said as if it were that simple. "You'll focus on your career and I will be the primary caregiver until you've established yourself."

"You said it yourself, though." You shrugged. "Parenting isn't supposed to be some blissful retirement plan. It's stressful."

"I've come to the realization that if I want this child I need to do everything in my power to minimize the burden on you." Hannibal said. "My career is secured. Yours is just getting started. I couldn't live with myself if I denied you that."

"I mean..." your voice trailed off. "We killed two couples and turned them into tex-mex together. Is there anything we can't do?"

"That's my girl." He said, running his fingers through your hair.

"Of course, now we have a lot of planning to do." You tried not to sound too excited. "We need to buy a stroller, a carseat, a changing table-"

"Pick a name." Hannibal finished.

Your mouth hung open. "Oh, shit, you're right!"

"You haven't thought of it at all?" Hannibal raised an eyebrow.

You shook your head. "Once you name it, you start getting attached to it. I guess I wanted to avoid that."

"So you're telling me you don't have a singular notion of what you'd want to name our little girl?" He pressed.

You caved. "Something not basic."

Hannibal was a professional at keeping his emotions under wraps: and that included body language and vocal intonation. You learned to pick up on his reactions through the most minute of tells. For example, the tiny exhale out of his nose and the slight tightening of his lips roughly translated to "oh thank god".

"Something that would be befitting for the title of countess." Hannibal said, taking the opportunity to remind you of his royal lineage.

"Will she be privy to the title if she's born out of wedlock?" You joked.

"She will be. Because I say so." Hannibal's curled upper lip turned into a self-confident smile. "And so will you, my countess."

"Well, in that case," You said, staring dreamily off into space. "I've always liked the quiet majesty of Gaelic and Celtic names."

His eyes lit up. "Deidre, Isolde, Saoirse, Rowena?"

"Boudicca." You offered. "Countess Boudicca Lecter."

"The warrior queen." He placed his hand over your belly. "Just like her mother."

"Or what about Cordelia?" You posed. "It's elegant, but simple."

"Imogen?" Hannibal said, as if he were asking the baby for her opinion.

Another sharp kick followed. He would never get used to feeling her kick. It made him melt every time.

He lowered himself to bring his lips to your belly. "You like the name Imogen?"

"Imogen Lecter." You said. "I like the sound of that."

Hannibal kissed your bump and then looked up at you. "Now then, my love. You are to teach me everything you know about Pokémon."

Your eyes widened. You never thought anyone would ever ask that. "...I'd love to, but, why?"

Hannibal returned to your side and pulled you into his arms. "How am I supposed to keep up with you and sweet Imogen if I don't know how the game works?"

You laughed. "You really want to know?"

"It makes you happy." He nodded, holding you a little closer. "Why wouldn't I want to know?"

A smile spread across your face. "It's a turn-based roleplaying game. You catch and train magical creatures and the end goal is to assemble a diverse team that covers as many areas as possible."

"That sounds, admittedly, quite fun." He said, reaching for your 3DS. "Show me?"

You spent the rest of the evening together in a cuddle pile, walking him through how the game worked. For an evening, you forgot about your sore breasts, your aching back and your sadistic cousin. You just enjoyed being with Hannibal and with Imogen in the dim glow of a decade-old 3DS.

[jerryb2]

I mean….you all knew this was coming ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ : the Star Wars Art of one Mr. Drew Struzan. 

And look, the man has done so much and has such a diverse portfolio that Star Wars is only one very small part of his career. If you want to explore some of his other works, then might I suggest that you check out his website. 

As for me here, we’ll be sticking strictly to his SW art. Now, with that out of the way, here we go…

*cracks knuckles*

I have to admit that before I really started to dig into this, I didn’t realize just how many Bantam Era (and beyond) Star Wars books this man has illustrated. Nearly 50 titles, ranging from novels to comics, short stories & even an RPG supplement. 🤯 

And so, after much consideration, I decided to just pull all the titles that feature his art off my bookshelf and take a few pics for you guys:

First off, I just want to point out that I don’t have every book he’s ever illustrated. Some of them are just harder than hard to find, are hilariously expensive, or I just don’t have an edition that features his art prominently - you’ll see what I mean. Right off the bat though, you can see that he was really hitting his stride in the mid-90′s, with all but a handful of these coming out between ‘94 & ‘99. One of the highlights from this time for me, is The Callista Trilogy.

I just want to stress that The Callista Trilogy is a highlight for me only because of its gorgeous cover art. 🤣 Other than that, this book series needs to go lay down. 

Anyway, the designs are all really striking and even after all these years, absolutely iconic. And you can really see Struzan’s distinct visual style at play here; not a painting in the same vein as something from Dave Doorman, and not a simple trace. Rather, something that is stylized in a very particular, very subtle way, almost to the point where it appears photo-realistic at first glance. Beautiful.

Next up is this trio of trilogies (good use of words, me), collected in these Science Fiction Book Club (SFBC) hardcovers: 

Once again, these covers are just striking, particularly The Black Fleet Crisis. This is actually what I was referring to when I said that I don’t always have the best editions for a Drew Struzan appreciation post. 😅 

Because these are hardcover collections of paperback books, we actually miss out on a good bit of the art. For these SFBC special editions, the publisher just took all three and basically photoshopped the best bits of each one together. The one that suffers the most here is obviously The Corellian Trilogy, where they didn’t even try to blend everything together, and instead just separated everything into columns. I don’t personally mind it (and I do love having the hardcover editions of these books) but if you want to see the covers as they were originally intended, just pickup those mass market paperbacks. 🙂

There’s a lot more to get through, so I’ll just hit the highlights here; even though he didn’t illustrate The Thrawn Trilogy (that was Tom Jung, who I personally think did an okay-ish job at best), he did an absolutely amazing job with the follow-up, The Hand of Thrawn Duology in ‘98 & ‘99:

I’ve always loved these covers. And narratively speaking, they really do serve as one last hurrah on the Bantam Era. Oh, and also please note, Mara Jade on the cover of Vision of the Future, just as Zahn originally described her. ❤❤❤

If you step back and look at Struzan’s work as a whole, it’s all incredibly unified. I bring this up here because even though some of these are books relatively ‘meh’ worthy, Struzan maintained a level of quality that belied the mediocrity contained within. And also to say that he was definitely busy, particularly in 1994:

That’s right - all of these released in ‘94, within a few months of one another. These covers man… *chef’s kiss*

And look I’m sorry, I just can’t help myself: The Crystal Star was a hilarious joke until we all realized they were serious about it. 😳

Alright, that’s a little on the harsh side; it’s not nearly as bad as most make it out to be, and Waru as a source for unlimited power (citation needed 👀😉) isn’t any more ridiculous than the 50 other post-Palpy, hair-brained Imperial schemes that everybody else cooked up, so I guess it fits. And besides, I really wanna be nice to Vonda McIntyre here, but this book was just so so boring. 😴

*clears throat* Moving on, here we have a couple Barnes & Noble hardcover collections of The Jedi Prince Series:

The same thing applies here; cover art photoshopped from across 6 different YA novels to get these. They don’t look bad, far from it. But rather this series has some things that people would rather forget about, namely a supposed son of Palpatine (spoiler: he wasn’t) named Triclops who had - wait for it - 3 eyes. 

Like Tien. From DBZ. Yep. 🤦‍♂️

Moving further down the list, we have yet another pair of iconic cover designs, being I, Jedi (the only Star Wars novel written in the first person, and an appropriate riff on Isaac Asimov’s I, Robot - yes ladies & gentlemen, that is as clever as Star Wars gets) and The New Rebellion.

Classics, no doubt….but for reals, did anybody else ever wonder why the X-Wing on the cover of I, Jedi is missing an S-Foil? Or how that one slipped through??? 👀

Ah, at last we arrive at what is arguably Struzan’s most famous work; the covers for Shadows of the Empire & The Star Wars Trilogy: Special Edition.

It’s hard to overstate just how important Shadows of the Empire really was for Star Wars as a brand. In an era where SW books were already extremely popular, the Shadows of the Empire Multimedia Project basically served as a breakout hit and reignited interest in SW media across the board. This was in no small part due to the striking imagery captured on its cover - are you seeing a pattern here?

This success actually renewed Lucas’ interest in a theatrical re-release of the OT in 1997….which of course, feature more beautiful art from Drew Struzan:

These are my OG Special Edition VHS tapes from back in the day. I watched these so damn much as a kid. In fact, they’re basically the whole reason that I’m here, annoying the shit out of everybody today. 😁

After the Bantam Era concluded & the Star Wars publishing license went to Del Rey, Struzan did progressively fewer pieces for SW media. Here we see his contribution for the latter half of the Last of the Jedi YA series, and his kick-ass cover art for the Darth Maul comic: 

And when I say that Struzan did progressively fewer pieces for Star Wars, I am of course omitting his turn as the poster artist for the freaking Prequel Trilogy: 

Say what you will about the films, but these poster designs are nothing short of genius. 

Look guys, it would be pretty easy for me to downplay Struzan’s Star Wars portfolio as just one small part of his incredible career. But my dudes, this is literally just the tip of the iceberg. The man has been a professional illustrator for over 50 years, and his art has delighted and inspired generations. From Star Wars to Indian Jones, and from Back to the Future to Blade Runner - Drew Struzan has played an integral part in shaping popular culture. 

Here’s to you, sir. 🍻

[flightlessangelwings]

HoneyBunnXOXO

Santiago “Pope” Garcia x fem!reader

Word count: 2.3k

Warnings: reader is a stripper/cam girl, brief assault, smut, oral (f receiving), Santi is a mischievous little shit, protective!Santi

Happy birthday @damerondjarin​ this one is for you!!

~

The music pulsed through the main area of the club and echoed through the backstage area where you and your coworkers sat in front of the mirrors to put the finishing touches on your looks. You glanced down the line and smiled as you thought about how lucky you were to work with such an amazing and diverse group of women. Plus, you were even more lucky to have an amazing boyfriend that supported you in what you chose to do for a living and loved you regardless.

When you first met Santiago Garcia, you were nervous to tell him that you were a stripper. It wasn’t that you were ashamed of what you did, but you had some bad experiences with exes when they found out about your career. But, Santi was different. It didn’t matter to him, and he made you laugh when he told you he actually found it pretty hot.

That was months ago, and your job never got in the way of your relationship since. Santi even came to the club at least once a week so watch you work. It always made you smile when you saw how into it he really was, and you found that you made more money whenever he was in the audience because you tried to be extra sexy just for him.

“Is your boyfriend coming by tonight, Honey Bunn?” Nova, a beautiful blonde, asked from your left.

You smiled, “He is actually.”

A chorus of “ooo’s” rang down the line of girls. It wasn’t unknown that everyone you worked with found Santi attractive, and he was always kind to the girls too as they all loved it whenever he came by.

“I swear girl,” Nova went on in a light tone, “If you ever mess up with him, I’m shooting my shot.”

“Not if I shoot mine first,” another girl, Cherry, chimed in.

You rolled your eyes playfully and you all burst into laughter. The girls liked to joke around, and you were completely fine with when they looked at him, but you knew they would never actually make a move on your man. Especially not when they saw how happy you were with him.

The night went on as usual and the club was packed like it always was on a Saturday night. When it was your turn on the poll, you spotted Santiago in the crowd right away and gave him a wink before you went on with your routine. He sauntered up to the stage and threw some money at you along with a kiss, and after that, men rushed up in droves to tip you.

With a thunderous applause, you gathered your money and left the stage before you went out on the floor to mingle and offer lap dances and drinks. It was the routine for you and the girls, and you all felt safe at the club with security posted all around to make sure none of the guys ever got handsy with any of you. And so far, there haven't been many incidents. 

Until tonight.

You walked around the floor with a tray of shots in your hands. Everything was fine until a tall man approached you and asked for a shot. He seemed a little tipsy, but not completely trashed, so you handed him the little cup and told him it would be $1. When he handed you the bill, he took your hand and refused to let go.

“Sir, please don’t touch me,” you spoke in a firm voice. It happened before when men would try to take your hand or their touch would linger on your body for too long, but usually a firm voice or a stern look from security made them back off.

But not this guy. He only tightened his grip on you and pulled you in close to him, which made you drop the tray from your hands. You pleaded for him to let you go, but he wrapped an arm around you and squeezed your ass roughly. He leaned in and tried to kiss your neck, but you managed to push his face away, though you couldn’t wriggle free from his grip.

Tears filled your eyes as fear coursed through your veins. You had never felt this panicked from a man at the club before, and how that it happened, you couldn’t stop shaking. The music seemed to drown your cries for help as you tried again to push the man off of you.

Then, suddenly, he was ripped from your body and you looked to see your boyfriend in front of you, positioned between you and the man who assaulted you. You reached out for him, and as if on instinct, Santi wrapped his arm protectively around you. The security guard wooshed by just then and grabbed on to the man, who was still writhing on the floor, while Santi led you to the backstage area.

“Are you ok baby?” he asked once you two were away from the loud music.

With a sniffle, you nodded as you leaned into his embrace again. You had been at this job for years, and nothing like this had ever happened to you before. And now that it did, you were understandably freaked out.

“Let’s get you home,” Santi said as he led you to your station and gathered all your belongings. You saw Nova and Cherry on the other end of the room with worried looks on their faces, and you gave them a weak smile to try to ease their minds.

Santi took you to his house and you spent the rest of the night in his arms. His strong grip on you had never felt more comforting as he whispered sweet nothings in your ear and reassured you that you were safe. You weren’t sure when you fell asleep, but when you woke up the next morning, his grip was still just as tight.

You felt calmer now as you watched your boyfriend sleep, and you were so grateful that he was there last night. With a soft smile on your face, you gently kissed his nose, which made him stir. Santi blinked the sleep away from his eyes and was alert within seconds as he said your name in a voice that was still rough from sleep.

“How are you feeling, baby?”

“Better now,” you replied in a hushed tone as you kissed him again, “Thank you, Santi.”

“You don’t have to thank me, baby. You know I’ll always take care of you,” the sincere tone of his voice made you tear up again and you squeezed him even tighter. He leaned into you and held you tight against his chest as he continued in a more serious tone, “Listen,” he said your name, “I want to talk to you about working at the club.”

You looked up at him with furrowed brows, “What do you mean? You've never had a problem with my job before,” you didn’t mean to get as defensive in your tone as you did.

“I don’t,” Santi retorted right away, “I’m just worried about you staying safe, that’s all.”

He had a point, you had to admit, especially after what happened last night. If you were honest about yourself, you weren’t sure if you even wanted to go back right away. Part of you knew you’d miss it, but you also knew that the incident would always be in the back of your mind going forward. You were torn, and you didn’t know what to do.

Then, you remembered something that Cherry told you and you got an idea, “What if I switched to being a cam girl?”

“A cam girl?”

“Yeah, like I can do strip teases and stuff online as a live stream. I can still do what I’m good at, and I can do it completely safe at home,” you grinned up at him.

Santi couldn’t help but chuckle at your comment, “You are good at it baby,” he kissed the top of your head as he thought it over for a moment, “Alright. I like that idea,” he paused, “And it’s kind of hot that you’ll work from here,” you knew that mischievous look on his face, “I like this idea.”

Over the next few weeks, you opened your account on the website and Santi helped you get yourself set up in his spare room. He also helped you take all your things home from the club. It was hard for you to leave the girls, but you knew you would stay in touch with your coworkers that had become your family. And, Santi was right, you were safer doing this from home than you were at the club.

And you were pleasantly surprised when it took you no time at all to become successful in your new business. Your friends at the club gave your account information to some of the regulars that had watched you dance for a long time, and the word spread fast. Before long, you were making as much money online under the username HoneyBunnXOXO as you did when you worked at the club.

You started with just strip teases and sexy chair dances, like you did when you worked as a stripper. Soon enough, however, your audience wanted more and you started to do more risque and sexual things on your live streams. And you even found a big confidence boost from all the compliments you got.

Santi supported you the entire time. Hell, he even watched from the other side of the room sometimes with a lustful look on his face. And he pounced on you the moment you were done, which you never complained about. Santi even surprised himself at how sexy he found your new cam girl career.

One evening, on your stream, you sat on your comfortable pile of blankets with your legs spread open and your finger on your clit. The comments and the tips poured in, and so many men commented on how beautiful your moans were.

From the doorway, Santi watched you and he couldn’t help the way he licked his lips at the sight of you. He never felt the sting of jealousy too much, and you always made sure to let him know that although you put yourself on display for people online, he was the only one that was allowed to touch you.

And that was when Santi got an idea.

He quietly slipped around the camera and got down on his knees in front of you. Without warning, he kissed your core right on your clit, which made you yelp in surprise. You looked down at him with wide eyes only to be met with his mischievous gaze. Santi winked at you before his tongue darted out to flick at your clit.

Involuntarily, you moaned loudly as Santi started to work his tongue all over your folds. You leaned back against the wall and one of your hands found its way into his hair and you held on tightly.

“Guys…” you breathed out as you addressed your viewers, “My boyfriend is licking my pussy and…” you gasped as Santi’s tongue hit  sensitive spot, “Fuck…”

He chucked into you as he swirled around your clit in a way that he knew drove you absolutely wild. You arched into his touch and when you moved, you pushed your breasts out more to put yourself on display for your viewers. Faintly, you could hear the chiming sound that told you someone left you a tip.

The more Santi ate you out and the more you moaned in response, the more times you heard the chiming sound. And your moans only got louder when he added two fingers into you and pumped them in and out at a rapid pace.

No one could hear over your moans and cries, but Santi could hear the sounds from how wet your pussy was. It was his favorite sound other than when you moaned his name. He smiled into you as he picked up his pace, determined to make you come.

It didn’t take long for your climax to take you over and with a loud cry you came into his mouth. Your limbs trembled around him as you held tight to his hair. You rocked your hips as you rode out your orgasm on Santi’s face until you tapped him twice to tell him you had enough.

Santi collapsed down onto the floor as you leaned back to take a few deep breaths to collect yourself. You couldn’t help but laugh as you heard the tip chime sound again and again as you came down from your high.

Once you collected yourself, you sat back up and bid your followers goodbye and closed the window before you looked down at Santi on the floor, who still had a wide grin on his face.

“Pleased with yourself?” you asked with a smirk.

“Very,” Santi sat up and kissed you deeply, “How’d we do?” he asked when he broke away.

Honestly, you didn’t even think to check how much money you made on your stream; your mind was too preoccupied with your boyfriend’s tongue on you. When you saw the number, however, you let out a gasp and you tapped Santi’s shoulder to get him to look as well. You never made that much from a single stream before, and you were sure that it was because your moans were louder and your orgasm was more powerful from one Santiago Garcia.

But you also knew that Santi was very proud of the number, and he would be insufferable about it for a long time. And yet, who were you to complain? “Maybe we should do this again?” you asked him with a grin of your own.

Santi wrapped an arm around your waist and kissed the side of your head, “I mean I wouldn’t say no.”

You leaned into his touch with a giggle, “Let me repay you for this first, and then we can get you set up.”

Later that night, you both lay naked in bed completely exhausted from several rounds. When Santi rolled over to grab his phone, he made himself an account on the website under the username “PopeEatsPussy69.”

~

Notes: If anyone would find dating a cam girl hot, it would be Santiago Garcia and you cannot change my mind on this! And I cracked myself up with his username so I hope y’all like that too! As always, taglists are open!

Everything taglist  @the-purity-pen​ @bisexual-space-slut​ @paintballkid711​ @f0rever15elf​ @woakiees​ @mikeisthricedeceased​ @waatermelon-sugaar​

Santiago Garcia taglist  @tintinwrites​ @thirsty-flygirl​​ @ithinkhesgaybutwesavedmufasa​ @damerondjarin​ @shadow-assassin-blix​ @huliabitch​ @velvetmel0n​ @neverlandlibrarian​ @autumnleaves1991-blog​ @darksideofclarke​ @mrsparknuts​ @popped-weasels​ @giselatropicana​ @hayley-the-comet​ @millllenniawrites​ @itspdameronthings

[notwiselybuttoowell]

We're Stewards of Our Land: The Rise of Female Farmers

'I was always fascinated by getting things out of the ground’

Sinead Fenton

Grows vegetables and edible flowers at Aweside Farm, East Sussex

Sinead Fenton is on an early lunch break, hiding from the sun. “It’s ridiculously intense, so I think we’re going to call it a day and crack back on in the evening,” she says. Fenton and her partner, Adam Smith, have been putting in beds and getting ahead on groundwork for next year. This year, there will be no commercial crops on the couple’s 4.5-acre plot.

They signed the papers on their farm last November and moved onto the land in March. Around the time they needed to make decisions about how they’d manage their first harvest, lockdown happened. With restaurants and florists – their main clients – out of action for the foreseeable future, they made the decision not to sow seeds but concentrate on opening up the land. “We were going to do it over three or four years, so we’re squeezing three years of work into this year, so we can focus on growing next year,” Fenton says.

She and Smith cut their scythes at Audacious Veg, a 0.1-acre plot in Hainault, at the end of the Central Line between Essex and London. Shortly after volunteering at the allotment in 2017, they heard the project was about to finish: “Naively, with about three weeks’ worth of growing experience, we decided that we’d take it on and get the produce to chefs.”

Smith worked in insurance accounting and while Fenton most recently worked in software and food policy, her background was in geology. “I came at farming from an activist point of view,” she says. “I was always fascinated by getting things out of the ground, but that is a destructive industry. Farming is nicer because I can do something for the system instead of taking everything from it.”

There was a lot of insecurity around the project. Land is contentious, especially in London, and land law is difficult and expensive to negotiate for those with no farming background. “Adam and I are both from cities – I’m from London, he’s from Essex. We’re from low-income families, and we had no access to farms growing up,” Fenton explains. “It’s basically impossible to get on the land, because it’s so expensive, or passed down through generations.”

They got the land for Aweside through the Ecological Land Co-op, which buys fields designated by Defra as only being good for arable crops, then splits them up to create smallholdings. Aweside is neighbours with a veg-box scheme, and waiting for others who’ll transform what once was a 20-acre maize field into a cluster of small farms rich with biodiversity. Now Fenton and Smith have a 150-year lease, and no worries that what they create will be taken away.

It’s not yet a permanent home. Fenton says they’ll be living in a caravan for a few years: “Another part of land law in the UK that makes land inaccessible is that if you want to live on your land you have to go through five years of proving your business is profitable, viable and that there is a functional need for you to live there.” Having livestock is an easy way to pass the test, but because Aweside is a vegan farm, Fenton and Smith need to cultivate and show they use every bit of plot.

It’s daunting but Fenton is excited about having a blank slate to work with. “There’s so much more to food than what supermarkets tell us to eat,” she says, explaining that they’ll grow varieties at risk of extinction, or that aren’t commonly grown in a mass market food system. “Seed diversity and plant genetics are serious issues.”

The three principles the couple work to are: more flowers, more trees, thriving soil. They’re working no-dig, putting compost directly on the ground and letting the soil life mix everything over time. They’re pesticide-free and are counting on the fact that the more diversity they have in the system, especially with a high proportion of flowers to pollinators and insects, the fewer problems they’ll face.

“Socially, economically and environmentally, something needs to change. Things have been done the same way by the same people for a long time,” says Fenton of the farming industry’s need for greater diversity. “I learned to grow on an allotment site where there are lots of different things growing at once. Bringing that approach into sites like this is needed – the industry needs it to keep itself relevant.”

'I'm hoping this will be seen as quite a cool career… even if it’s not’

Abi Aspen Glencross

Head of grains at Duchess Farms, Hertfordshire

It was, Abi Aspen Glencross was well aware, an odd, even inopportune time to launch a crowdfunding campaign. In June, with the country still locked down, Duchess Farms asked for support to buy dehulling, cleaning and milling equipment. The Hertfordshire farm needed about £16,000, and the money would go towards boosting the production of ancient and heritage grains for making flour.

“A lot of crowdfunders have been for charity or ‘please keep our restaurant open’,” says the 28-year-old Glencross, head of grains – or “senior flour nerd” – at Duchess Farms since 2019. “We felt a bit bad, but we lost a lot of our business overnight when all the restaurants closed and we were like: ‘God, we hope we don’t go under.’ It was quite a scary time for everyone.”

Still, if we have learned one thing from Covid-19, when times are hard, British people get baking. Perhaps inspired by countrywide shortages of flour, maybe invigorated by a new interest in left-field, older wheats such as einkorn and emmer, Duchess Farms sprinted to its target. “We’ve just done some ordering of equipment this morning,” says Aspen, when we speak in July. “It’s been a tough time for everyone but it has cascaded into some beautiful things and we’re just so thankful.”

Glencross’s path to farming was circuitous. She studied chemical engineering, but while her classmates were heading off for jobs at ExxonMobil and Procter & Gamble, she was more of “a hippy at heart”. She decided she wanted to learn more about soil and its role in food production. This led her to Blue Hill Stone Barns, Dan Barber’s pioneering farm-to-table restaurant in the Hudson Valley, north of New York. She spent four months working on the farm and in the bakery, receiving a crash course in ancient grains – an obsession of Barber’s. But the moment Glencross knew she herself wanted to farm came in 2016 in a field in Hertfordshire. She was with John Cherry, who was showing her around Weston Park Farms, 2,500 acres of land he maintains with minimal fertiliser use and zero tillage.

“We were walking around the fields of wheat and I just said: ‘Where does all this go? There’s so much of it,’” Glencross says. “And John goes: ‘Oh probably for animal feed. It’s a consistent market, they’ll take it, it’s easy, even if we don’t earn that much money from it.’ And I was like: ‘This is crazy.’ And that was the beginning of me getting on this grain bender because I was like: ‘Why can’t we grow these grains organically and not feed them to animals?’ So I realised I’d have to start a business, because there were not very many people doing that.”

Heritage grains can be harder to produce in vast quantities – einkorn, especially, is “a bitch to harvest” – but they do have advantages over conventional wheats. They typically have deep roots and grow tall, which means they shade out weeds and do not require chemical sprays. The end product is more nutritious and then there’s the taste. Since 2017, Glencross has run a roving supper club called the Sustainable Food Story with Sadhbh Moore, and Duchess Farms has worked closely with bakeries such as E5 Bakehouse in east London and Gail’s, and restaurants including Doug McMaster’s Silo. “Heritage grains are delicious: when you stop growing for yield and you start growing for quality the flavour is insane,” says Glencross.

Learning to farm from scratch has not been straightforward, but you sense that’s a big part of the appeal for Glencross. “There’s all these decisions the farmer makes throughout the year and why he sprays and why he doesn’t,” she says. “You realise that most people get up, sit at a computer all day and if they press the wrong button, they just delete it. When you’re a farmer, you plant at the wrong time of year and tomorrow it washes away your whole crop.”

Glencross acknowledges that it is almost unprecedented for women to run arable farms. She struggles to name a single other example in the UK. She also notes wryly that men dominate all the farming conferences, saying: “They have a wife but it’s always the men who have written the book and given the presentation.”

With more role models, Glencross hopes things will change. “I’m not cool in any way, but I’m a reasonably young lady,” she says, laughing. “And so when people say: ‘What do you do? Oh, you’re a farmer. Maybe I could do that …’ So I’m hoping that it might become seen as quite a desirable, almost cool career.” A pause: “Even if it’s very much not cool.” 

[chayacat]

Devil’s Sweet Star (17)

Fandom: Dead by Daylight

Ghostface x Female Reader  

Rated M for Violence, Language and Smut  

***

Haaa... what a pleasure to reopen your business after an absence. Well, you didn’t want it, but you must admit that this little weekend has done you good. Even if in the end, Ghostface came to see you in your hospital room. But you are finally back in your café, your kingdom, your haven of peace.  If some people find their work too stressful and boring in the long run, for you, your coffee is the opposite. The faces of the customers, their smile, the little conversations you have with them or that they have with each other... You'll never get tired of it.

The customers are numerous, and happy to see you again! Rumors are going fast in Roseville and when the locals found out what had happened to you, they all worried about you! And seeing you again was a real relief. One of your clients, a little old lady even brought you a small bouquet of flowers! How adorable! The room was full and your Neptune's pie was always the little favorite of the guests. Even though your March cake and Ufo brownies were also starting to be popular with people. And with your new cakes, people were flocking more and more. How nice it was to see a room filled.

“Have you read the papers lately? It seems that a certain Hoggins would be in the middle of a scandal. And Mr McKellan would also be involved!” said a woman to her colleagues.  

“What? Really? What did they done?” ask one of them.

“Apparently, Hoggins would sign partnerships with his competitors, then sink them thanks to McKellan's complicity to recover more profits!” replied the woman

“What a bastard.”

“Personally, this does not surprise me. I saw the article on the website of a Georgia newspaper. They're the ones who have that exclusivity. Too bad, usually it's our little newspaper that gets good scoop like this.” said the man of the group.

“At the same time, they have another Ghostface murder to write about. This Jed Olsen is really super good! I don't know how he gets so much information!” said another woman.  

This conversation caught your attention. Yet Jed told you that the journalist from Georgia got caught, didn't he? So how is it that they publish the article before Roseville? Unless...

“Hey!” said Mattew, entering the café with a childish smile.

“Mattew! Nice to see you!  Melina isn't with you?” you answer with a bright smile.

“Nah, she’s already at work, Since the scandal came out, she's been motivated. Then? Feeling better?”

“Yeah, doctor said to not make too much efforts. But I'll be fine. The same as usual?”

“Yup! It's going to wake me up a little bit for work.”

You smile while you were preparing Mattew's order. Let's talk about him, shall we?

Mattew Erins is a lovely California Boy. His family, from Irish immigration, moved to America to pursue a career. And careers are diverse! Comedians, musicians, workers, cooks... Mattew is the only one in the family who has tried journalism. His mother, a great theatre actress, and his father, a director, tried everything to keep their son in line. But little Mattew still preferred the quest for truth to comedy. The same size as Jed, his beautiful green eyes, his body a little skinny and his blond hair make him one of the prettiest boys in Ohio. His parents were very open-minded, so he had no fear of introducing them to his boyfriend Chris, who was freaking out about the meeting. 3 years of pure love and laughter between these two and few arguments. The most interesting fact about him is that he can eat like an ogre.... without gaining weight.

“There you go!” you said, giving him his order.

“Thanks a lot! This will help!” he said taking a sip. “Haaa that’s good.”

“By the way, I heard that a newspaper in Georgia published the article on Hoggins... But Jed told me that whoever was at the reception had been caught...”

“Oh, the boss changed his strategy, to prevent Hoggins from attacking us, we sent our article to this newspaper and we waited for them to publish it to publish it right after. That way we don't risk anything, even if I think it's a bit unfair.”

“it is, but in a sense, you are protected. I heard there was a new murder of Ghostface... Jed had told me about it as well. Do we know who it is?”

“It...It was Mike. Police find Mike’s body in a state...Well, it's not pretty to see. Apparently, he went wild this time.”

“Oh God...I'm sorry to hear that...” you replied.

“He was an asshole, but he didn’t deserve it. Even the worst man in the world didn’t deserve a death like that. Well, I gotta go or my boss will be angry at me again. I'm a bit of a champion of delays at the Journal... I'll see you later! and rest from time to time!” said Mattew before leaving, smiling at you.  

You take a little time to assimilate what Mattew told you. Ghostface killed Mike. In a way, Mattew was right, even the worst man didn't deserve to die atrociously. But on the other hand, He had gone after Jed. He almost killed him. So... He looked for it. But that means you have to thank Ghostface. Because if he hadn't killed Mike... Who knows what he would have done to Jed?  

The thought of feeling indebted to Ghostface disgusts you. Because you know that he will use it to get what he wants from you. But it's a fact, he saved Jed's life. Unintentionally. The memories of last night came back to you. He saw you naked and had fun scaring you with his knife. But the cold of the blade passing over your chest didn't really displease you. It even gave you little thrills of pleasure. But it's out of the question to show it to him. Only Jed can give you these sensations. Not this lunatic who only tries to satisfy his fantasies.

But let's keep this to us, okay? For now, Jed and you are not officially together. Not yet, anyway. With what happened to him, and since he still hasn't turned the page, does he only feel ready to engage in a new relationship? Maybe it won't last? Maybe he's too scared? But yet this kiss he gave you... Isn't that proof to the contrary? That he wants to move on? And that with you he finally hopes he will get there?

All this is still confused. You'll have to discuss it with him... be sure that's what he wants. Because you’re sure about what you want: for you he's the only one that can make you happy, you're sure. But what about him? You sigh while shaking your head, you don't have time to think about that at the moment. you have to focus on your work... And on Ghostface.  

If you couldn't find out more about him last night, you know that sooner or later he'll let his guard down, or he'll say something interesting to bring him down. And there, and maybe there, you can turn the situation to your advantage. But sneaky as it is, it is able to tell you anything... or to find out the truth. And you're in serious danger of regretting it.

“Excuse me, Miss! Can I have a refill please?” said a young man.

“Of course!” you answer taking the coffee pot to refill the young man’s cup.  

Another one asks for a refill and when you are about to serve him, a man came in with a gun. A man you recognize among a thousand since he is the one who attacked you. He pointed his gun at you, ready to shoot.  Your blood only made one turn. And before he can say or do anything, you throw the coffee in his face. He screamed knocking down his gun. You take the opportunity to hit him in the stomach and you put him on the ground. You give him an arm wrench and press his back with your knees to keep him on the ground.

“Someone calls the cops! Quick! I won't be able to hold him for long!” you shout at everyone before looking at him: “Wasn't it enough to stab me? You want to kill me with a bullet between the eyes now??? I've had enough of you and your boss! You can tell McKellan I intend to stay here whether he likes it or not!” you whisper to his ear.

The police arrived a few minutes later and boarded the young man. You warn them that this is the man who stabbed you. They took note of it, alerted the police station and greeted you before leaving, the suspect in the vehicle. Once inside, everyone applauded you. You feel both flattered and embarrassed, you acted only instinctively... nothing more. You resumed your work for the rest of the day. Proud of your action, you can't help but smile, you can't wait to tell Melina, Mattew and Jed all about it.

The end of the day came and as usual you go around your café to make sure everything was locked. Especially the back shop. As you went to close the back door, two hands came to hide your eyes which startled you. A little laugh was heard, a familiar laugh.

“Ready to go home Miss?” Said Jed laughing a little.

“Jed! You’ve scared me!” you answer, tapping his shoulder as he turned around and laughed.

“Sorry, I couldn't help it. Are you done going around? Are you ready to go home?”

“I am. We can go. I have to tell you something crazy.”

“What? A client fell on his butt because you clean the floor too much?”

“No... The man who stabs me attacked me again. Don’t worry he didn't have time to do anything. I sent him coffee in the face and I mastered him like a champion of martial arts! You should have seen that!” you replied proudly.

“You've mostly had some pretty sharp reflexes. Someone told the police? Did they come?” He asks.  

“Yes. I told them that he was the one who stabbed me. But it seems that they already knew at the police station. Thanks to your testimony. Besides Mattew told me for... your former colleague. Mike. Ghostface apparently didn't miss him.”

Jed only nod before opening the van’s door. You get in and put your belt before watching Jed again hoping he answers. But nothing. He simply started the car and hit the road to get home. You look at the road slightly annoyed thinking that you have to thank Ghostface for somehow saving Jed's life. Jed noticed your annoyance and patted your leg while smiling before refocusing on the road.

He parked, went down, and you both took the opportunity to pick up your respective mail. Mrs. Lawson took you in her arms when she saw you, which made Jed sneer at this embarrassing situation. You reassure the old lady before you say goodbye and leave with Jed to your respective apartments.

“Hey... it doesn't seem to be going well. You... Do you want to talk about it?” ask Jed, worried.

“It's just that... I feel compelled to thank Ghostface for killing Mike. After all, he tried to kill you at work... Who knows what could have happened to you? Maybe Mike would have come here, he'd come home and...” you said, some tears forming at your eyes.  

“Hey hey hey...It’s over now. And you don't have to feel indebted to this murderer. Mike didn't know where I was living anyway. He could never have done anything to me. And then... I know how to defend myself a little bit. Even if you don't see it... You know what? Tomorrow night I'll invite you to dinner. At home or in the restaurant of your choice. I owe you that. It'll change your mind. Ok?”  

You nod and kiss him on the cheek before wishing him good night. You close the door of your apartment and sigh with relief, but look dreamy. a one-on-one dinner with Jed. Well, this is not the first time but ... There you can discuss. Either you're officially together, or he'd rather wait. But with the sign numbers you've seen, if he tells you, he's not sure he wants to engage in a relationship with you, you'll be disappointed... but not discouraged.  

You head to the kitchen to get ready to eat. Tonight, it's Mexican. Homemade fajitas to reward yourself for your day. You've earned them! You prepare your meal, the sweet smells of spices spreading throughout the room, sweet and slightly spicy smells. You smile proudly of the result when suddenly two hands came to hide your eyes.

“Smells pretty good here... There are some for me, I hope?” Said Ghostface by releasing one of your eyes to try to catch a fajita. A gesture stopped by a wooden spoon on the hand.

“Don't even think about it. I'm not going to let you sting my food. Why don't you go steal your meal from one of your future victims? Or go home.” you answer frowning.

“Oh, come on. You can do it again. Given the amount, you could feed your whole building. I have the right to eat at least one. So? I’ve heard you've mastered your attacker? You see that sometimes diplomacy is not always the best solution. And again... I'm sure you would have slaughtered him if you had been alone.” he replied, laughing.

“I already told you that I'm not twisted as you are. And I only did it because he was pointing a gun at me. It's self-defence.” You said slightly angry.

“Of course, Of course! But you know... you start with a kick or a punch... And then you move on to an iron bar... or a stab wound. You know when you've lived a life like mine... After a while you think: either you are the prey or the predator. I'll let you guess which route I took.”

“I'd never be like you.”

“And I don't want to! You'll just be my accomplice; you won't say anything... you'll lie to the police... You will be... my guardian angel. My beautiful angel. And then who knows... Maybe you'll save me from madness. or that I will train you with me.”

“I have someone now and...”

“Do you really want to live with that Nerdy Boy? While you could have a more exciting, more dangerous life! Do you prefer a boring life to that? I'm not saying Jed won't be faithful to you... from what I learned from him, he's the best boyfriend girls would love to have. But all he thinks about is working. As I told you, I will treat you like a queen. A treasure from which no one will come near. You will be mine, and only mine. I'll never let anyone take what I care about again.” Said Ghostface touching your cheek with gloved hand.  

You were about to react when he ran over you, sticking his arms on the worktop. You could hear the breath through his mask, then a little sneer before he retired, a fajita in hand. He walked to the window, lightly lifted his mask to take a bite. Then he handed it over and looked at you.

“Taste good, but I would have added a little more spice. Oh, by the way, don't thank me for saving your little nerd's life. I need him to talk about my exploits. Think carefully... He or I. Sweet dreams.”

Then he vanished. But at least you've learned a little more. It's only a small step, but it's better than nothing. But what did he lose to get to this point? Only he has the answer.  For now, you have to hold on. Choosing between him and Jed? The choice is quickly made.

And maybe once you're together... You can bring him down.

And finally, you'll be free from the Devil.

At least that's what you think.

***

(And it’s done! Pass my code asks me for time, sometimes I wonder how I get to write and focus on my code at once. But I hope you’ll like this chapter! And now I'm resting my brain for the weekend! Have a great week-end everyone! See ya!)

[stydiaeverafter]

ABC, it’s as easy as 911

Pairing: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand

Characters: TK Strand, Carlos Reyes

Tags: children, career fic, school, fluff & humor, established relationship

Words: 2K | Rating: G | On AO3

Summary: “I cannot believe I got roped into this,” TK said as he looked up at the entrance of Cedar Elementary School.

TK and Carlos are going to face their biggest challenge yet: A classroom full of children.

A/N: I’m a teacher so this fic was bound to happen eventually. Every year we have police officers and firefighters come to talk to the children, and their questions are always too darn good. But they’re always so happy and excited. They look up to these careers. So naturally, I had to write it and add some Tarlos. I hope you enjoy it! Thanks as always to my Junkyard Fam for the endless support!

ABC, it's as easy as 911

“I cannot believe I got roped into this,” TK said as he looked up at the entrance of Cedar Elementary School.

“It’ll be great, mi amor,” Carlos replied reassuringly as he rubbed TK’s shoulder. “We’re inspiring the faces of tomorrow. Think of all the good they’ll do someday.”

“Did my dad tell you to say that? Because I’m sorry to tell you, it’s not working.”

“Nope.” Carlos laughed as he maneuvered his way around a child zipping past on his bright blue scooter, “This is where it starts, you know?”

“Where it starts is with their sticky fingers.”

“What?”

“Kids,” TK said shaking his head and scrunching his nose, “they’re somehow always sticky.”

“I highly doubt that,” Carlos laughed. “My niece isn’t sticky.”

“Your niece is a baby. She’s not quite there yet.” TK squinted as they made their way inside, “You’ll see.”

The 126 and the Austin precinct were collaborating to teach the different schools in the area for Career Week. Their hope was to inspire the children so they could start to create goals for their future. Something to work for.

TK thought it was a wonderful idea, but he didn’t understand why his father made him come to the station. Mateo would’ve been way better at this than he was. The guy was a natural with kids. But his father knew he didn’t like children and that that was the reason for it.

The only thing that made this whole experience worthwhile was having his man by his side.

He looked over at Carlos as he spoke to the principal. The guy was beaming. He clearly loved children. He was just a natural with people in general, and they gravitated towards him as if he were a shining jewel. Which he was. A rare find that TK would be thanking his lucky stars for till the end of time.

He still didn’t want to be here.

Thinking of how excited Carlos was though, it did put the thought into his mind… Did Carlos want to have children? Was this the future he saw for himself? For them? Because the future TK saw had Carlos in it. He just didn’t know if that would involve children.

TK was saved from his inner monologue as the shrill bell started ringing in his ears. He proceeded to follow Carlos and the principal down the long hallway. The walls were covered with bright construction paper. One door looked like a jungle; the next one was the ocean.

“Here we are,” the principal said with a smile. “This is Ms. Carter’s classroom. The children are kindergarteners. They’re really excited. Thanks again for coming down!”

What kind of warning was that? TK thought. She was about to leave them to the wolves.

“It’s no trouble at all, ma’am,” Carlos replied with a kind smile. He was always so polite. A true gentleman. Which was how he always was with TK… with a few exceptions within the bedroom.

The principal opened the door, but as she introduced them, all TK could see were the mousy eyes staring back at him. His back hit the wall without realizing he had moved. It must’ve been the fear inside. They were going to eat him alive.

“Good luck,” she now warned without any actual help at all as she left them to the sticky little aliens. That’s what they were after all. A different species with whom TK would never understand.

“Boys and girls,” the teacher said walking towards them from the front of the room, “Please welcome Officer Reyes and Firefighter TK Strand.”

As they all said hello with a wave of excitement, one little boy with wavy blonde hair laughed, “What kind of name is TK?”

“That’s not very nice, Tommy,” Ms. Carter replied with a stern look. She looked apologetically at TK.

“The name I was born with,” TK replied with a glare. “What kind of name is Tommy?”

Carlos got closer and nudged him in the arm, mouthing the words be nice.

Dammit. He made a promise to his father, and he didn’t want to look bad in front of his boyfriend. He cleared his throat and tried to control his fiery temper, “My name is Tyler Kennedy. Which stands for TK. TK Strand.”

They all just stared at him. Well, this wasn’t awkward at all.

“Um, yes,” the teacher interjected with a nod, “We’re learning about keeping safe, so we were hoping you could tell us a bit about what you do and some helpful tips so we can stay safe!”

“Yes, of course. I’ll start,” Carlos smiled as he walked closer to their desks. “Can anyone tell me what they think police officers do?”

“They shoot bad guys,” a little boy in front said, making a gun with his fingers. “Pew pew pew.” Of course, there had to be sound effects.

“Well, it’s a bit more than that,” Carlos replied with a head tilt, his fingers tapping on the wooden desk in front of him, “My job is to help you and your families feel safe at your home or when you’re out in the world.”

“By getting the bad guys!”

TK felt his face break out in a grin. He had thought the same thing as a child. TK tried to hide it, but it was too funny. He wanted to see his boyfriend’s calm exterior falter a bit.

But it never did. “We also make sure people are driving safe and following the law. We want people to be kind to one another. But sometimes there are people out there that aren’t very nice. So we want to make sure you are safe with your family. That’s why it’s important to never go to strangers. It’s important to stay with someone you know. Don’t wander off.”

TK’s humor shifted into something else. He was amazed once again by Carlos’ demeanor. The man had a way of lighting up the entire room. He was fun and animated, making the children giggle and clap, but could also teach about the serious stuff in a way they understood but wasn’t scary. TK knew the information was now soaked up into their little spongy brains.

They had loved every word, but they especially loved it when he let them see and try on his handcuffs and then got to observe his other tools up close.

They clearly looked up to Officer Reyes as he finished up, TK could see it in their eyes as they literally looked up at him. He could see why. The man was perfect. TK felt a sense of gratitude once more.

Now it was TK’s turn.

TK had been through a lot in his life, the good the bad and the ugly, but standing in front of them...these little aliens, well it was a challenge for sure. Things were going to get crazy.

He cleared his throat for what felt like the millionth time and felt a bit dizzy. But here goes nothing he thought. “Thank you, Officer Reyes.” Carlos smiled at the children then turned to smile at TK, one that was just for him. “Now I’m going to talk a bit about firefighters and what we do.” He looked around, “Does anyone know what firefighters do?”

They all started blurting out excitedly, and the teacher had to remind the little ones to raise their hands - one at a time they’d be called on.

TK called on a little girl with pigtails, “Can you tell me what firefighters do?”

“They put out the fires!”

“That’s right,” TK said with a small smile. He circled around a few of their desks the air smelling of syrup. “Anything else?”

He called on a little boy with glasses who kept sneezing, “They save cats from the trees. Like my cat. My cat’s name is Whiskers. They saved Whiskers. He jumped up so high! And Whiskers couldn’t get down. So my mommy called them and they came over. They had to climb real high, but they weren’t afraid. They got Whiskers. Whiskers is fluffy and nice. Do you want to meet him sometime?”

“Sure,” TK nodded looking over at Carlos who was clearly holding in a laugh. The response was cute, but TK would never admit to it, “We do often save animals you’re right. Do you remember the number they called to save Whiskers?”

“Oh, of course: 911!”

“That’s right! You call and the dispatcher will connect us to you. It’s very important. We can help if there’s a fire, or if it’s an animal,” he nodded to the little boy with glasses and the boy beamed brightly, “we can help you if there’s a car accident! Any emergency.” He paused, “Does anyone know what we ride around in?”

“A firetruck!” The children yelled out in a chorus some clapping their hands in excitement; the desks shaking on the floor.

Wow. What a reaction. But TK understood it. He used to ride around on the truck with his father when he was younger. It was such a cool experience. Memories he’d never forget.

“Yes, we often call it a ladder truck, because it has a high ladder. Does anyone know why we would need a ladder that could go up way high?”

“To save people in buildings!”

“To save cats like Whiskers. That’s my cat!”

One child with something clearly stuck in his bright red hair asked, “Do we get to go for a ride?”

“Not today, sorry,” TK grimaced. They all groaned and whined. Oh no! He upset them. “You can stop by the Firehouse anytime though. We love visitors.” When it seemed to help only a little bit he tried a different tactic, “But do you want to hear a cool story about when I got stuck up on the ladder once and almost fell off?”

When his diversion had successfully changed the mood as they all cheered, he grinned. Maybe he wasn’t too bad at this after all.

TK suddenly began to lose track of the time. He went over the procedures if there was a fire and taught the children the moves. He showed them a few tools as well. They were really excited to learn about the hose that puts out the fires and the ax of course.

When the little girl with pigtails asked if girls could be firefighters too and the hellion Tommy said they couldn’t, TK stepped right in, “Of course they can! I’ll tell you this. There is a girl on my team named Marjan and she’s the bravest of us all. It’s true.” He knelt down by the little girl, “You can be anything you want to be. Never let anyone tell you otherwise. You were clearly born to save lives!” What happened next was something unexpected but it melted a piece of his heart forever. The little girl hugged him and said, “You’re my hero!” The little boy with glasses ran up and said as he joined in on the hug, “Mine too! Whiskers loves you.”

They all ran over to him. They told him they wanted to be a firefighter when they grew up. Ms. Carter rang a bell and finally asked them to return to their seats.

TK stood up and looked over at Carlos who clearly had tears in those beautiful brown eyes. Their future was looking clearer by the second.

Who knew that being around all these young children would impact him in this way? Damn, his father and Carlos had been right all along.

As their presentation came to an end, they both said their goodbyes and the little girl with pigtails handed him a picture she had colored of the fire truck. It was perfect and he was going to hang it up where everyone could see it, especially his father.

What they did mattered, both himself and Carlos, especially in the eyes of children.

“Not as scary as you thought?” Carlos asked as they made their way to his car.

“Nah, your boyfriend is brave, babe.”

Carlos nodded as he put some of TK’s tools into the trunk, “Don’t I know it. That’s why I knew you could handle them.”

TK just laughed and looked back at the school. It had been a good day.

“You were right by the way,” Carlos said with a laugh of his own as he walked closer to TK.

“Oh, about what?”

He grabbed TK’s hand and winked, “They are sticky.”

[cooloddball]

DESTIEL AND COCKLES RANT

THIS IS A RANT ON ALL THINGS DESTIEL AND COCKLES

PS. I do not know how to make gifs and or use photos yet so feel free to add yours

I have said this before and I will say it again. I have been in this fandom for a month and I ship Destiel and Cockles anyone who has a problem with this then move along and/or if you are an anti and read this, keep your hateful comments to yourself.

That being said, I have read about almost all ships in the fandom but mostly Destiel, Cockles, Wincest, and J2. Through all the reading and discovery, I still have to say I ship Cockles and Destiel more than ever before. However, I have seen some things from the antis that did not sit well with me.

This is going to be a long post so brace yourself and it is mostly about the hate the antis (anti-cockles, anti-wives , and anti-Destiel Shippers spread). Also this is a rant so don’t mind me,

ON DESTIEL

The hate on Destiel is massive. Mostly this is from Bronlies who hate Cas like he is the anti-Christ, and the Wincest shippers.

Now I am not trying to rain on anyone’s parade but come on. Cas is Dean’s best friend. Whether you ship them romantically or not, it is canon that Cas Dean’s best friend. We have seen time and again how miserable Dean is every time Cas dies. Dea has also expressly stated that Cas is his best friend and even said they are better together; all three of them including Sam. He has called him his family. So why the hate? Chuck himself has said that he has rebuilt Cas more times than anyone.

Now, people who believe that it is better to ship Sam and Dean who are literally blood brother but it is not okay to ship Dean and Cas what is wrong with you? Is it okay for someone to fuck their brother and/or be in love with them? I mean come on.

Before I was even a shipper, I always looked forward to episodes that Cas was in. He brought a different dynamic to the show in a positive way. Yes, I love the brothers but Cas is just deifferent and all the sass he brings makes the show, at least to me 10 times better. Sue me.

People saying that JA would never be comfortable with Destine because he is a Christian. I mean, he can call Chuck a dick, call angels dicks, make deals with demons and all other unchristian things but kissing another man is where he draws the line? If he was such a Christian, why does he let another man straddle him on stage or want to kill God?

Someone once said that JA supports wincest. I saw the video and I get what he said is that whatever floats your boat or something like that. So why is it so hard for him when it comes to Destiel? I don’t understand this man. He is a paradox.

 ON COCKLES

I have seen antis, mostly those who ship J2 throw shade at MC saying that JA doesn’t like him, he just tolerates him and everything they do is for PR. I have not once seen anyone say that JP doesn’t like MC. You know why? I believe they view MC as a threat to their J2 ship.

So I stumbledupon this antis blog who had a whole analysis (much like am doing here) on why JA cannot be a couple. Here are some that I remember from the top of my head:

1.     That JA said that he thinks Matt Bomer is attractive.

2.     That JA moved to Austin to be live next to JP.

3.     That JA and MC have nothing in common being that JA plays golf and sings etc and that MC does woodwork, writes poetry and bicycle touring.

4.     That JA is with JP hence no. 2.

5.     That JA does not curse on stage but MC does.

6.     That MC does not take acting seriously but JA does.

Now now now. This beats logic. All the above things I beg to differ with not because I am cockles shipper but it is just common sense.

Being with someone or rather being in love with someone does not mean any of the above things have to be true. Hear me out.

1.     On finding Matt Bomer attractive. I have many celebrity crushes, there are also ordinary people that I find attractive. But then again, I have a boyfriend, who I am in love with; I have been with for six years. But he looks nothing like my celebrity crushes or the ordinary people I find attractive. Does that mean I am not in love with him? No. It means I have eyes and I can appreciate beauty and have a few fantasies but I chose to be with him because I love him. He also has other people he finds attractive that look nothing like me, does that mean he does not love me? I mean come on.

 Oh the most hilarious thing is that the anti said you cannot compare Matt to MC since Matt is way attractive. I mean come on; they may not look alike but they both have dark hair, blue eyes. Seriously people! And MC is so handsome and adorable at the same time. Sometimes I feel like he looks better than JA and JP. Sue me.

 2.     On JA moving to Austin. Lol. This means that he went to live next to his best friend. I mean come on. I have moved to live next to my best friend (bff) who is married. Does that mean I am in love with her? Hell no! But I feel safer knowing that she is there for me.

Also people need to understand, MC and JA could be involved romantically or not (pick your poison) but you don’t need to be next to your lover to love them or be in a relationship with them. Lond distance relationships anyone? They have families and kids and other priorities. Just because you are in a relationship with someone does not necessarily mean you live together or evn in the same area. Distance makes the heart grow fonder and also they are where they are now because of other priorities in their lives. So, living together or in the same town doesn’t make you more or less in love.

3.     On the issue of common interests. This made me laugh so hard. I mean comeon, People who are together do not need to share any interests. The diversity of their interests is probably what attracted them to each other. Also how can you say a poet and a singer have nothing in common? They are artists. MC can write poems that JA can sing. Oh also remember that video MC’s friend DM posted on Twitter where they did the whole bicycle touring in Germany? Uh huh? JA seemed to be interested in that a lot. So..

4.     I could say a lot about JA being with Jp. This J2 being married and their wives being beards is the weirdest thing I have ever seen. Seriously, J2 tinhats have gone ahead to hate of D’s posts and call her names. Telling her to stop pretending that she is JA. It is laughable and not in a nice way, really. Can they just stop? Before I became a cockles shipper I watched J2 videos where they interact be it cons, red carpet moments or even gag reels. It is just different. All I see are two bros; one that is really playful like a little puppy and the other one trying to be the big brother. As for JA and MC, it is different, there are things that JA is comfortable when Mc does that he is not comfortable when JP does them. Neck kisses for a start.

Also most of the J2 tinhats evidence about J2 being real is rarely backed up by visual evidence and if there is any, it is usually from years ago. I am not hating on antis, just stating facts.

5.     I mean, cursing on stage really? I curse all the time my bf doesn’t. Does that mean he doesn’t like me or love me? Hell to the Fucking No! Suck it!

6.     On Mc not taking acting seriously. Yeah I can guess why he doesn’t. It is not his only priority unlike JA who has chosen it as a career path. From what I have seen, MC’s priorities include making the world a better place through charities, politics, and oh, he is also a writer. Oh so forgive him if he is not obsessed with acting. Besides JA says that he likes how he acts as Cas because it is not like anything he has seen from other guest stars that have come on the show. I mean not being serious about something does not mean that you are not good at it. Would he have lasted 11 seasons if he was not good at what he does?

There was also hate that JA is only around MC for PR and he actually hates him. There were some photos and gifs so the apparent hate. So, if he cannot stand him, why is there so much evidence of JA going to MC to give some love, Neck kisses, intimate IG posts, face caresses, ass smacks, calling him his baby dadfy, heart eyes, even when they don’t know that they are being filmed?

Also why is it during the Vegascon 2020 all JA did was bring up MC unnecessarily even when no one, absolutely nobody asked him to. Come on! stop the bs and admit that Cockles is the realest ship in the history of ships!!

ON THE WIVES

I swear bitches be crazy. How can you just hat someone for literally nothing? This is mostly from J2 tinhats at other J2 stans who do not ship J2 together romantically. I mean…comeon. You do not need to be a stan for the wives just because they are married to J2 but please stop with the madness.

I recently saw someone comment on various JA posts on IG asking why he is lying to the fans that he is with D when he is with JP. So many rude things have been said about the wives especially D that it breaks my heart.

Seiously? People have gone ahead even to say that she is with JA’s friend SC and that the twins are not JA’s they are SC’s since D and SC are ‘always’ hanging out together. My question is, so D is not supposed to hang out with their friends? And for Chuck’s sake, everyone can see that the twins especially the boy (idk their names, sorry) looks like JA’s twin. I mean come on people.

I believe that they hate D because she says how much she loves MC and that Cas is her favorite character and that they are also bitter that JA chose her and not them. Just my opinion, but what do I know. On JP and G. I don’t know much about them mostly because I do not follow either of them of IG or elsewhere but I have seen hate on G as well.

The antis have gone ahead to say that when JA said that he was hanging out with SC writing songs, that he was lying and that nothing was happening he was just trying to dampen the rumours. I wonder how they felt when the album by JA and Sc came out last year. Jokes on you haters. Bitches be crazy fr.

Oh, the antis also say that the same way JA looks at his wife is the same way he looks at MC. With contempt. I mean talk about hanging yourself with your own rope. What they are saying is, JA feels about his wife the same way he feels abouts MC. Aww! That is true love bitches.

If JA actually cannot stand MC, shouldn’t he have gotten him fired from the show or at least make sure he gets less screen time and that they don’t have any panels together being that JA is the star of the show and all. I mean Mark left and he was a major character to the plot so...

Also why would JA give and buy MC clothes if he hates him? Give him a ring, a bracelet? Huh? Explain it to me.

Oh, some anti also said that before every Cockles panel at JIBCON JA cries and has to be forced on stage by Daniella and JP has to give him a hug and that’s why he drinks a lot of apple juice. LOL. WTF? What do you say to such people. I cannot even..My question is, are we talking about the same Cockles panels that I have seen? Then JA deserves all the Oscars and Tony Awards for his impeccable acting skills when he is around MC. Must really hate him. *wink*

MY TWO CENTS ON COCKLES

I know JA gives off mixed actions about MC. But I think it is to confuse people like us, shippers.  He does’t want to too out there so he tries so hard to be mean with his words. But his actions tell a different story. I mean, who gets a boner when their friend straddles them on stage and then goes ahead to post that chest to chest selfie on IG. That is the gayest thing I have ever seen.

Sharing clothes? I mean friends do share clothes but if it is like a daily thing. More than 20 articles of clothing exchanged between each other on various occasions even when they are apart does not make sense to me. And to make matters worse, JA does not deny it. One even had a tag on it. Lol. We are not children, we can see what is going on.

The 2014 DallasCon – Rob’s Birthday Party. WTF? Was all that between JA and MC? Why did he he swallow and react like that when he saw MC’s bare abdomen? Who does that? Also the looks when MC was leaving the stage. Come on.

Also what was up with the” I love you from the bottom of my heart” at the MTV top 10 in 2010.

The wife is my rock but I am glad to have some pebbles in my life.

Truth is, JA could post a video of him balls deep in MC and the antis could say that somehow MC manipulated JA to post it for PR.

People need to leave MC alone, he ie a human being who has made mistakes, JA and JP have too and I don’t see the antis hating on them. The double Standard s FOH.

I could write about this forever but the truth is JA loves MC, and D and V know that they love each other. All their friends know including JP and other castmates. I believe they know it is more than just friends and the antis can’t stand it because they also know it to be true.

JA LOVES MC. JP LOVES MC. J2M LOVE EACH OTHER. J2 LOVE THEIR WIVES. STOP THE HATE!!

I am not done but I am done for now. I could be here forever writing about this if I do not stop.

[cuddletime-blog]

Lucien: The Big Decision

WARNING: Contains some angst

I was faced with a difficult decision. I had been thinking deeply over the past couple of nights and I was losing sleep, thinking about my potential options. The Coronavirus pandemic in the city of Loveland had threatened to destroy my small media company. Sure, I had financial backing from LFG, but I was still afraid that it wasn’t enough to keep my company afloat unless we could rival the larger streaming site companies. I didn’t want to have to rely upon Victor Li’s investment entirely. I would have to make entertaining shows that were even more interesting and diverse to attract more viewers or subscribers. What if the big city wasn’t the best place for me anymore? I was considering a move to a different state and city or a smaller town for better job opportunities. I can’t afford to stay and work in Loveland anymore under the current economic conditions. The big question remained: What would Lucien think about all of this? Could I ask him to move with me or would it be better for him to stay in Loveland where he was needed the most during this pandemic?

           That night, we cooked dinner together at home. I posed my question to him after dinner. I looked up into Lucien’s eyes and said, “There has been something important troubling me recently and I need to ask your opinion about it. Elise Company is struggling to compete with the major streaming site companies right now and I don’t think I can afford to live and work in Loveland anymore. My best option right now is to move somewhere out of state and start over in a new place where there are better job opportunities. In fact, I have already received job offers from other places. Would you be willing to move with me even though your research is greatly needed here in Loveland at this time in the pandemic? I think it would be unfair for me to decide without asking how you feel first. Of course I would want to do what is the best for the both of us. I’m not sure if a long distance relationship would work. If I have to choose between my job and you, I would want to do what is best for me first so we might have to break up. It has been quite agonizing for me to consider that possibility, but I want you to do what is best for you. What do you think about all of this, Lucien?”

           After a brief silence, he looked at me, took my hand, putting it in his and said, “This is quite a major decision. Why don’t we slow down and think very carefully about all of this first? There are many important things to consider before jumping to any conclusions. I am sorry that I didn’t recognize your struggles sooner. I am willing to support your work and career however best I can. That being said, I don’t I like the idea of a breakup at all, nor do I agree with it.”

           I replied to Lucien, “I am considering a breakup because your job is so important to the people of this city since you are researching a vaccine for the Coronavirus. My own job is very important to me. I don’t want you to stop your work for me. You have your own lab at Loveland University. Perhaps you can find similar work elsewhere, but it won’t be the same. There is no guarantee that you would find the same ideal working conditions, experienced staff, and research lab equipment. It took you time and so much effort to set up your own research lab and obtain your current academic position.” Lucien said, “I understand that your own work is just as important to you. I see no reason why we can’t work out a compromise that would benefit the both of us even if we have to move for your work. I don’t see why we would have to break up.”

           After a short time, I looked up into his eyes and said, “You’re right. I tend to think of the worst possible scenario and I think that’s what I’ve been afraid of for some time…that you would want to break up with me someday. What do you like about me? At times, I worried that I might not be a good enough girlfriend for you, but I enjoy facing each day one step at a time, taking the time to understand one another, and learning more about life together with you. I enjoy balancing my career and our relationship because we support one another. You listen to me very attentively and offer your guidance when I consult you. I’ve only hoped that you need me as much as I need you. However, what I want the most is for your well-being and happiness. I don’t want to stand in the way of your happiness or have you sacrifice or throw away your own happiness and well-being for me. You said before that you won’t sacrifice someone important to you, but for me, I am prepared to break up with you if it means you don’t have to sacrifice so much to be with me.”

           He said, “I will worry about what is best for me and what is best for you. Who says that it means I have to sacrifice something to be with you? For me, it is no sacrifice. What meaning would my life have without you? There isn’t any sacrifice if it means that I can be with the person I want to protect, guide, and nurture. You are a part of me and you are my responsibility. Why would I want to break up with you after all we’ve been through and after all I’ve done to take care of you? Why would I want to give up on my responsibilities and promises to you? I want to be together with you. I haven’t told you everything yet, but I’m willing to tell you everything here and now. I would tell you everything if it means losing you. However, I don’t want to lose you at all. I’m willing to risk myself and protect what we have together. Being with you is my own happiness and well-being so please don’t tell me you want to break up and leave without me. It would be as if you were throwing me away because you don’t need and love me anymore.”

           I sobbed, feeling awful that I had hurt Lucien so much with my suggestion to break up, but at the time, I felt it was a serious and necessary option. I thought I was ready to decide even if it would be difficult. Now, I reflected on what he had just confessed and I reflected upon myself. I still wanted to be with him more than ever. Breaking up and living without Lucien would have made me very miserable. The pain would have eaten me up inside and I would miss him terribly if I was reminded of all the fun times we spent together on dates. We shared so many great memories. I would have missed going to the movies with him, reading or watching movies on the couch at his apartment, shopping at the mall or in bookstores, grocery shopping, cooking together, dining with him, going to the park, museums, aquarium, or amusement parks, and taking photos together while traveling. I would have missed seeing Lucien work at the research center or visiting him in his office at Loveland University. Furthermore, I would have missed his insightful and informative mini lectures and the way he explained some new scientific concept in simple and comprehensible terms to me. He always had many great examples to share with me so that I could better understand. Lucien was very patient with me and took the time to answer my questions or listen to my concerns about my work.

I wouldn’t be the same person without him too. Lucien was the first person who helped save my TV show Miracle Finder from being cancelled. I couldn’t have completed many of my projects without his advice. He helped me become the person I am today, a stronger, more determined, and decisive person. Lucien inspired me to always learn and grow despite any hardships. I was able to accomplish so much more in my career because of him. I wanted to be a leader in the industry and make inspiring, well-rounded, and quality shows with adequate research, depth of information, and diverse perspectives. I couldn’t fully succeed without Lucien guiding or challenging me to think more creatively and to take appropriate chances when I needed to on proposals or projects that would benefit my company. There were other times that he protected and saved me from dangers too.

I knew what my choice was now and I was so grateful to him for reminding me what was really important for the both of us. I love Lucien. I need him and I didn’t want to start a new life somewhere else without him. We would do whatever it takes to make it work so that we could both thrive in our careers and live together. We decided that Lucien would move to be with me no matter where my career takes me. I knew that with him by my side supporting me, I was certain I made the best decision.

[sympathyfortheblinderdevil]

All Is Fair Ch. 3

Anticipation

Tommy hung up the phone and sighed. Her voice was different; she sounded nervous, and that could mean that some of the more unsavory parts of his reputation had caught up with him. One reason he wanted to spend some time with Lia is that she seemed unbothered by his legend. Sure, she checked up a bit when she realized that he was Tommy Shelby, but she was hardly trembling in awe of his status. She still told him that his art was “pretentious”, and he still remembered the shape of her dark red lips as she said it.

 “Fuck,” he whispered and leaned back in his chair.  

 “It was her cousin,” he thought. He recalled the look on Jenny’s face as she approached the pair of them. Lia had leaned closer to him to share her amateur critique of that ghastly Picasso, and Tommy was having a not so subtle look down her dress. “She couldn’t get Lia out of there fast enough.”

 He opened a drawer and took out a directory of Birmingham city offices. He turned a few pages and trailed his finger down to the spot where Jenny’s department was listed “Arts and Leisure.” He thought of calling to personally thank her department for their support of the auction but hesitated as he reached for the phone. Ada had been the principal contact, and he imagined that a call from him would seem heavy-handed—exactly the image he was seeking to avoid.

 Women who were jaded by way of their privileged upbringing were all Tommy saw anymore. He looked forward to seeing Lia because she seemed different, more modern. Tommy craved the company of someone like her, someone who could be a diversion. If she was going to be worth his time, she wouldn’t let the opinions of others get inside her head.

 ***

 Jenny had resigned herself to the fact that Lia was hell-bent on seeing Tommy’s invitation through, and she might as well get used to it. She had discreetly asked around about Tommy’s recent business dealings and charitable contributions and had come away with satisfactory answers. He made his money from the import and export of car parts, had a legal gin distillery, and five homes for orphans— all with exemplary records. Maybe she had overreacted, she thought. This was, after all, just a date.

 She would feel better, though, if Lia would take her warnings a bit more seriously. Lia had always been a bit of a dreamer. As a kid, she never did very well at school despite being highly intelligent. She was always lost in a book or daydreaming instead of paying attention to her studies. She was not scatterbrained and could hold forth on serious intellectual topics, but she was not very practical. Jenny feared that her cousin viewed Tommy Shelby as an adventure rather than the flesh and blood leader of the Shelby Family. It was a feeling that Jenny couldn’t shake.

 On Wednesday night Lia stood in the middle of her room in her bra and drawers, surrounded by dresses that she had tried on and promptly discarded. She had spent the last few days consumed with anticipation for her night with Tommy, and now things seemed to be falling apart.

 “He’s already seen me in my good dress!” Lia squinted at the pile of fabric at her feet and rubbed her temples, “I guess I’ll just go naked!”

 Jenny found the scene comically tragic and offered to help. “I’ll find something of mine that will do.”

 Lia cupped her breasts and sighed in exasperation, “What will I do with these?”

 “I’ll find something,” Jenny laughed as she walked down the hall to search her wardrobe. “Besides, Mr. Shelby would think that you were gorgeous dressed in a coal sack. I’ve seen the way he looks at you.”

  The purring sound of Tommy’s Bugatti was a sound foreign to the ears of Jenny and Lia’s neighbors, and the sight of Tommy Shelby was truly remarkable. Nosey housewives peeked from behind curtains and barely cracked doors as he approached the Montrose girls’ house. Before he could knock, Jenny opened the door to welcome him in. The less time the neighbors had to gawp at their esteemed visitor, the better. She ushered him into their warm sitting room and offered to take his coat and hat.

 “Please, sit down. Lia will be ready in a moment.”

 They took their seats, and Jenny watched as Tommy took in their modest sitting room. He noticed that it was not unlike the parlor that Polly had fixed up for them on Watery Lane, although the room he currently sat in had far fewer examples of religious iconography. They sat in two light blue chairs that were draped in lace doilies. A sturdy looking couch sat against a far wall.  There was a fire in the grate of a small fireplace and Tommy noted that the worn rug before it was scarred with tiny burn marks from embers that had popped out through the years.  His eyes followed the brickwork up to where there was a portrait of Lia’s grandparents above the mantle, and they sternly looked down their noses in judgement of the gangster as he sat waiting to defile their granddaughter.

 Jenny cleared her throat and spoke, “It’s not much, but it’s enough for us. The house used to belong to my parents.”

 Tommy nodded and reached into his pocket for his cigarette case, “It is very nice.” His eyes searched the tabletops for an ashtray. “May I smoke?”

 “Of course.” Jenny motioned toward a smoking stand tucked just behind his chair. Although Tommy’s manners were impeccable, she felt odd in his presence and struggled to keep from fidgeting with her bracelets. She told herself that he was just a man, but he owned this town, and that was hard to get around. She had decided to ask him if he would like some tea, but Tommy spoke first.

 “Jenny, may I call you Jenny?”

 She nodded and Tommy continued, “You’ve lived in Birmingham your whole life, and you’ve no doubt heard some things about my family… things that may be of concern to you since I want to spend time with Lia.”

 Jenny sat up straighter and she glanced at the stairs before returning her focus to Tommy. “Go on, Mr. Shelby.”

 “Please, call me Tommy.” He looked at her earnestly and his lips curved into the faintest smile.

 “Alright, then. Tommy.”

 He leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice. “I want you to know that Lia is safe in my presence. We’ve all had to make certain decisions, make certain sacrifices, do things to advance in our chosen careers. However, in recent years my past work has paid off. I no longer need to do those things that you may have heard about.”

 Jenny’s face couldn’t hide the apprehension she felt, but she softly replied, “Thank you for your assurances.”

   Just then, Lia came down the narrow steps that led into the room.

 She wore a simple dark green, dropped waist dress that she had paired with her grandmother’s opal broach. Her hair was held in place with a velvet band that came across her forehead, and she had borrowed Jenny’s “good” beaded shawl. Though she didn’t have money, the girl had style. Somehow, with the help of her cousin, she had pulled together an outfit that could pass for the latest fashion. She would fit in perfectly wherever Tommy took her.

 Tommy stood, and the spark behind his eyes lit up when she walked into the light. He had thought about her often in the last few days, his mind always returning to the way that she bit her bottom lip when he asked her if she would have been so honest with him if she had known who he was. She was doing it again. She was biting her lip as he stared at her and smoked.

  ***

 The sun’s glow had nearly disappeared below the horizon by the time Lia climbed into Tommy’s car. He usually used a driver, but not tonight. He offered her a cigarette, and when she declined he lit his own. As he drove through the narrow streets of Small Heath he stole a glance at her. She was looking his way and ventured a small smile.

 “I gather that you have learned more about me since we last met… Like where I work, where I live…”

 “Does that bother you?” Tommy asked.

 “Not particularly. I was happy that you called.” She smoothed her skirt over her knees.

 “Mmmmm,” he hummed.

 They drove in silence for a few moments with him looking her way at intervals. Finally, he spoke again. “And what about you? Do you know who I am now?”

 She licked her lips and replied, “Yes.”

 She shifted in her seat until she was facing him. Her shawl softly sparkled in the gathering dark, and her red lips stood in contrast to her pale skin. Tommy considered her answer. It really didn’t tell him much. She knew that he was a businessman and an MP, but did how much did she know about the Peaky Blinders?

 “I don’t care about all that, Tommy.”

 They didn’t speak again until Tommy pulled the car down a narrow, dark lane. It was then that he suddenly asked, “Do you like boats?”

 “Sure. Although I can’t say that I’ve been on too many of them.”

 Lia turned toward Tommy and in the fading twilight she could barely detect a smile playing around his lips.

 “Good. Because we are having dinner on a boat.”

 Tommy maneuvered the car through the gates of Charlie Strong’s yard and Lia could see a faint glow in the distance. When they neared the canal, she could see what it was. Tommy coolly watched as Lia brought her hand up to her mouth and gasped.

 Earlier that day, Tommy had instructed Charlie and Curly to ready their best longboat for the night. Lights were strung along the fore end leading up to the cabin and they twinkled and reflected light off the black water. The smell of roasting meat and the faint sound of music drifted on the breeze.

 They walked toward the spectacle as Tommy guided her with a gentle hand on the small of her back. Cobbles crunched beneath their feet and the sky was pitch. Lia felt like they were the only two people on Earth.

 “What’s all of this?” Lia softly asked. She felt like Alice down the rabbit hole; it was all so surreal.

 “This is me Uncle Charlie’s scrapyard, and this —he gestured toward the boat — is where we are going to have dinner.” Tommy wanted her all to himself, and so he had brought her to a place where he could be sure that they would suffer no interruptions.

 Tommy boarded first, then steadied her by holding on to her waist as she climbed aboard. She was distinctly aware of the pressure of his thumbs just above her hip bones as she stepped down onto the deck. She stumbled a bit and tottered into Tommy.

 She took in Tommy’s laughing eyes. “I told you, I’ve not been on many boats.”

 “You’ll be fine now. You’ve already done the hardest part.” As he spoke the laughter faded from his eyes only to be replaced by something softer.

 She was close enough to see the curve of his glossy black lashes, the tiny lines at the corners of his eyes, and the scars on his cheek and the bridge of his nose. She had promised herself that she wouldn’t get carried away, but she could feel her neck relaxing as her face turned up to his. His lips were inches away from hers and her eyes were sliding closed when she stopped herself. She forced herself to pull away. “I’m glad you were there to catch me.”

 He still had his hands on her waist when she turned to see faint candlelight flickering inside the cabin. The table was laid with fine china and crystal glasses stood next to a bottle of champagne. A covered roasting pan and a vase of flowers were in the center.

 Completely dazzled, she smiled up at him, “Tommy, I have never seen anything like this before.”

 “Well it’s time you have then, isn’t it.”

[disastrousbarnes]

Not Without You (3)

Pairing: (Dad) Steve Rogers x Reader

Warning: swearing(?)

Summary: Ever since Steve lost Angela he hasn’t been the same, live hasn’t been the same. The only reason he was still doing this was for his kids, because they need him. So when a new chance at love comes on his path, will he take it? Will either of them take it?  

Authors note: This is written post endgame, by me, your fave depressed mess, so IDK how I feel about this chapter just yet. I do ,however, hope you guys enjoy it. FEEDBACK IS ALWAYS WELCOME AND HONESTLY WANTED!

Wordcount: 1034

Tag List:

@bxxbxy

@lunadanvers 

@dangerdolns 

@stevieboyharrington

@tessvillegas 

@lanabgil 

@cecedofficial 

@lovingrxgers 

@celebsimagines  

@pizzamyhearts TAG LIST IS OPEN!! So if you wanna be tagged just message me x

Read Chapter 1 first!  Read Chapter 2 first!

Chapter 3: A glass of scotch 

“James, Barnes, Buchanen, Idiot fuck face, whatever you wanna call him” Sam said.

This comment caused Y/N to hit Sam against the chest and laugh. “Sam, you can’t just call him James, that’s disrespectful, you know he hates that.” She said, as if ‘idiot fuck face’ is total appropriate nice language Bucky would just totally love. “So Steve, it’s safe to assume you knew Bucky?”

Steve nodded, still trying to wrap his head around the fact that out of the blue all these memories and reminders of his best friend are coming to haunt him. “How did you know Bucky?” He asked, honestly curious how either of them knew him.

“We went trough training together. Career choices, within the military, let us down different paths, always stayed in touch.” Sam said, the way he talked about their experience together makes it sound so meaningless, sterol, but the tone of his voice was full of respect, love even.

Steve nodded, “Wow, so Barnes really did it. He joined the army.” If one of them wanted to join the army, it would’ve been Steve. He actually applied quite a few times. Always got dismissed, cause of his asthma.

Asthma, something he luckily grew over as he got older. He was also lucky enough to finally gain some weight. A lot of muscle, at that.

“Yeah, well the things we do for family.” Y/N said, this time around she was the one staring at her shoes. “It was uh, nice to speak to you mister Rogers, but I have uhm yeah stuff to do. Bye Sam.” She charged off, not giving either of the men a chance to react.

Steve watched her walk away. He was left pretty confused and as he turned around to look at Sam he noticed the other man looked, well, sad. Yeah that’s the right word, sad.

“What was that all about?” Steve asked, hoping to gain some more information. Y/N hadn’t even told him about her connection to Bucky.

Sam raised his eyebrows, “She’s just having a rough time. Plus she has 3 idiot teens at home, no way Y/N is leaving them unsupervised for to long.” He said with a laugh.

Steve wasn’t buying it for a second, I mean he believed she had teen boys at home. Scrap that he doesn’t believe that. But then again why would Sam lie? He really couldn’t believe that that was the reason she stormed off like that. Definitely not when she was the one that initiated the conversation.

“You know what Rogers, I have V.A. right now, but if you’d like to meet for drinks later, I’ll be at O’Malley’s around 8. Hope to see you there.” Sam shook Steve’s hand once more and walked away.

 Steve wasn’t planning on going to O’Malley’s, he really wasn’t. He swears. Yet here he is, a little later then 8. Can’t risk being there before Sam. That would be embarrassing. That’s the way he felt when he waited in his car for 30 minutes to make sure he wasn’t early. Now, however, he was kind of regretting that decision and wishes he would’ve gone earlier. It’s rude to be late after all.

It wasn’t that hard to find Sam. The town in which they lived, sadly, had a very limited amount of racial diversity. So Sam was one of two black guys there. He was sitting at the far left corner of the bar. Nurturing something that looked like, Scotch?

Steve had thought him to be more of a beer kind of guy, but whatever.

“Hey, Rogers! You made it!” Sam said, he sounded genuinely happy to see him there. Also a little surprised, that was to be expected though, Steve hadn’t exactly been excited when Sam offered to meet him there.

Steve nodded, “Peggy, my oldest, was complaining that I never get out of the house anymore, so I figured, why not.” He was trying to play it off, like it was just something casual. As if he hadn’t been in social exile for these last few years. He totally had been.

Sam laughed, it wasn’t forced. Sam was perhaps the first person Steve had a conversation with since Angela died that didn’t treat him like he could break at anything that was said.

This became very clear when 4 beers in he jokingly said; “I bet you have a lot more closet space, you know now the missus clothing ain’t taking up all the space.”

Steve fell silent.

“Oh jesus Christ, fuck” Sam quickly realized what he had said, how wrong it was. “Steve I am so sorry I shouldn’t have. I am so-“

Steve cut him off mid-apology, “Please Sam, don’t apologize. You’re the first one to talk about her death like it isn’t some insane subject we can only speak about in serious sad tones. You’re the first one to talk about her in a way she would’ve enjoyed, a happy, funny way.” And Steve needed that. He didn’t say that out loud however.  He couldn’t, not just yet.

“Oh okay, well no problem, I guess”

And in that moment Steve knew he and Sam would be friends. He really understands what Bucky sees in this guy.

Speaking of Bucky, “How does Y/N know Bucky?” Steve asks.

Sam’s entire posture changes, he looks way more uncomfortable then before. Tense even. “Y/N and Bucky, they’re married.”

Steve was right, she is Bucky’s wife. She’s a lot younger then Steve would’ve imagined, but he could be wrong, he doesn’t know her age after all. That doesn’t explain the sudden shift in Sam’s demeanor though. So Steve looked at Sam, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

“Well I guess I should say were married. God, I don’t think I can ever get used to that. Sometimes it just feels like a bad dream, like he’ll just walk trough that door. You know, like he used too, shit eating grin on his face, Y/N on his arm. He won’t, I just can’t believe he’s really dead. You know?”

It felt as if Steve’s heart stopped and time stood still right after those words left Sam’s mouth. Bucky is dead.

“What did you just say?”

[wolfpawn]

I Hate You, I Love You Chapter 2

Previous Chapter

Rating - Mature

Triggers - references to Tom Hiddleston’s work with the #MeToo Movement. That chapter will be tagged accordingly.

authors Note - I have been working on this for the last 3 years, it is currently 180+ chapters long.  

If you wish to be tagged, please let me know.

tags: @sweetkingdomstarlight-blog

Four hours, it had been four hours since his mother left the house to go to Danielle's, but she had yet to return, and her car, and from what he could see into Elle's front garden, hers too, still in the driveways, he assumed neither had gone anywhere.

The time Tom had been in the house had at first been beneficial, allowing him to sort a few things he needed, but after a while, when his mind was allowed to think over his mother's reaction, and that of Elle, he became somewhat annoyed. He received a text from Taylor, stating she was going out shopping with the "squad" for the afternoon, so expect to see loads of pictures, but not to text or ring, it was ‘girl time’. That sort of thing would never have bothered Tom, he did have two sisters after all, but the memory of her getting irked when he did not reply to her text when he finished an exhausting scene in Australia came to the fore of his mind. Taking it all as him being jetlagged, he tried to make some tea. Boiling the kettle, he looked out to his mother’s garden, which was looking great. Diana always loved gardening, but being a single mother with a full-time career never afforded her the opportunity before, now, she claimed half its success was solely based on Danielle’s help, the young woman using her free time to aid his mother, rather than partying or finding herself a boyfriend.

Danielle had moved in next to his mother five years previous from Ireland. It was before the fame of the Avengers, but yet after Thor and War Horse, so he was on the path to fame, she had known the family before the name Hiddleston became internationally known, but being a fan of Marvel, she had known who he was. He had met her for the first time when he rang his mother to collect him from the airport after an audition in the US, and his mother could not make it, so she sent Elle instead, without telling Tom, so she knew who he was, and he did not know who she was. All that met him was a small woman, in a paramedic's uniform, standing beside an emergency vehicle, that he soon learned was supposed to bring an advanced paramedic or doctor to a scene of an accident, something he would have preferred her to tell him at a kitchen table, and not having to calm him after him assuming something had happened his mother at the arrivals door of an airport. The young medic soon made herself a firm part of the Hiddleston household. She aided his mother as best she could, calling to her before every shift to see if she needed anything, and bringing it to her the next morning, since she did the night shifts, she was the one age with Emma, so she and his sister were almost as close as sisters, and if the family wanted to go out for a meal without his niece when Sarah was around, she would call in a shift change and babysit for them, as well as playing chauffeur to him when he would arrive in Suffolk for a few days. Now, it would seem she was not the least bit comfortable around him and had done everything she had as a favour to his mum.

The sound of laughter caught his attention, and leaning onto the balls of his feet, Tom could see the origins of said laughter and it annoyed him. His mother and her neighbour were in the latter’s back garden, picking a few vegetables, clearly comfortable in each others company, even after supposedly spending the last four hours talking, something he had wanted to do with his mother, but she had obviously not wanted to do with him. He opened the window slightly, knowing it was not a gentlemanly thing to eavesdrop, but he felt as though it was justified, seeing as he was not going to get much conversation with anyone otherwise.

“I will make a soup with some tomorrow and drop it over if you’d like.” He heard Elle say.

“Thank you, sweetheart, you are too good.”

“I’ll freeze some as well, and drop a bit to his place when I am in London next week.”

“That’s not necessary darling, besides, I am not sure wasting your time cooking good sturdy home cooked meals is the right thing to do either. I am sure he is on a salad or some sort of craze diet now as well as she is.”

“He looked a little thinner, but that is probably just constant travel playing havoc on him, be nice. It’s the first time he bothered to come home alone since like, when?”

“Christmas.”

“What? Has it been that long? No, yeah, you’re right, in March you went to him in London. Well go in and spend some time with him so, he is only here for a couple of days. Who knows when he’ll have time again?”

“He has time, he just chooses to spend it jetting around the world with her in front of camera’s, honestly, it is like Crufts.”

“Diana!”

“It is, my son is just material for a new excuse for an album and in a year, he will be tarnished to any good women and the laughing stock of every major production company.”

Tom’s eyes widened at what his mother was saying; he had not known her distaste for his life choice could have gone that deep. He could hear the upset in her voice, how it nearly cracked at the end, he would wager she had tears in her eyes.

“It could be worse, she is very pretty, or was, she has a soccer mom haircut now, it looked far prettier when she had it long, or when it was the bleached, greyish blonde, and she is not using him for his money, that’s a good thing.” He heard Elle defend, sort of.

“There are others things worse than taking his money; he can earn more if he gets the work. Tom has a reputation as a serious, yet diverse actor; all he will get by the end of this is one of those stupid shark movies.”

“I actually think they are something of a cult classic, in an ‘it’s so bad, it is brilliant’ kinda way.” Elle half laughed.

“He needs to find himself a well grounded, hard working woman that will keep his head from the clouds and not have him gallivanting around with his nose in the air.”

“He comes from a wealthy background and is privately educated, not exactly grounded.” There was a small silence for a moment. “What? It’s not.”

“You can be too honest sometimes Danielle Hughes.”

“Yeah, well, I prefer to call things as I see them. But yes, going around with what was it, four bodyguards.”

“Five, five useless, attention grabbing fools that shouted ‘look at me, look at me.’ It is Suffolk for goodness sake, what was going to happen here, she gets assaulted by an over eager Cavalier King Charles to throw a ball or get its belly scratched, it was done for attention and attention alone. If you saw what way she acted in the house.”

“I have heard, the girls told me; I also got a play by play from your less than happy granddaughter.”

“What did she say?” There was something akin to fear in Diana’s voice.

“How she has not seen her favourite uncle since Christmas and that he was only allowed play with her in front of camera’s and when the, and I quote ‘princess’ allowed it. That he was not allowed spend time with her, how she only wanted her favourite piggyback-giver to read her the Gruffalo, but it was, and again I quote ‘silly nonsense’.” Elle revealed.

“What?” Diana was enraged, and Tom knew it. He had not realised his niece had felt that way, or that his family were so affected by his decision, but Elle’s revelations were not helping them get passed it, so he decided to put an end to the conversation before it got any worse. He walked to the back door, took a deep breath and opened it.

“Mum?” There was a moment’s silence. “Mum?”

“Yes, Thomas?” ‘Thomas’ her tone was glacial and the use of his full name, something she only did when she was reprimanding him told him he would not get much a reception from her anytime soon.

“Can I come in?” The two gardens were separated by a wooden fence, but since Danielle had been living there, a small gate had been put in. It was still quite high, to give both houses privacy, but easily opened to allow them into each others gardens, something most would thing odd, seeing as the occupier of one house had a Hollywood actor for a son, but it meant Elle was able to check on Diana at any time and Diana could go into Elle’s yard to feed her dog.

He could almost hear the silent looks both women were giving each other on the other side of the divide before he heard the click of the gate that allowed Elle’s side to open, he duplicated the action on his mother’s side and the gate opened, revealing a stern-faced Elle looking at him. “What’s the password?” Her face and tone were not as jovial as usual as she attempted the joke they had always had.

After hearing how the two women had spoken, in truth, he was not in the mood for her. “I need to talk to my mother.”

“That’s over five syllables.” She did not move.

“I am not in a gaming mood.”

“That was Hemsworth’s line, not yours.”

“Please, Elle.” He spoke through gritted teeth.

Pursing her lips, she finally moved out of the way and he walked into her garden, caught for a moment at how it looked. “You changed it.”

“Yeah, well, eight months since your last visit so, it does look different I suppose.” She shrugged.

“Sweetheart, the time,” Diana warned her.

Elle looked at her watch and cursed. “I have work in half an hour.” She stated, rushing into the house.

“What is it?” Tom had been so engrossed in watching Elle leave he had not realised his mother was in front of him. He looked down and felt guilty, now understanding why Danielle had stopped him up at the gate for a few moments. His mother had red around her eyes and nose, and Elle was giving her a moment to compose herself before allowing him to pass her. “What is so important you had to interrupt my talking to my neighbour?”

“I am only home for two days mum, you can talk to Elle anytime, she isn’t going anywhere. I was hoping you would actually speak with me.”

“‘She isn’t going…’ So I am to ignore someone who actually answers my phone calls to facilitate someone who will not, is that it?”

“I am your son.”

“Yes, you are.” There was an emotion in her voice that startled Tom more than her words she thought were in private did, shame. “I better get something packed for Elle for work; otherwise, she will be eating nothing for her shift.”

“That’s her problem, though, isn’t it?” Tom was getting angrier at his mother focusing on Elle and not him.

“She has to spend the next twelve hours hoping she has a boring night at work and not having to pull half dead and dying people from a car, or be called to a house fire, or God forbid even more terrible things, the least the girl could do after an afternoon of caring about me is have a good meal ready for her.” Diana snarled back at him. “What has happened you Thomas, you used to be the first to commend her, the first to acknowledge that as great as it is to give people the gift of entertainment, you and I, we do nothing as commendable or as noble as she does, and the manner you are speaking about her now, you… I cannot do this Thomas.” Diana held her hands up in defeat and walked into Elle’s house, leaving Tom alone in the garden.

[littlefeatherr]

Prompt fill for @maroucia : Mail-order bride modern AU. In a modern Westeros, the North is much poorer than the South and Sansa is lured by all the riches and temptations of the south and so, she decides to offer herself as a mail-order bride. Of course, she catches Sandor’s eyes who himself has turned to the idea because he hates dating seeing that his face is burned and all, but he still would like to find a wife. Read more below or on AO3 here.

Chapter 1

Settling down with a mug of tea, Sansa needed to take a break from job hunting. Opening her tablet, she decided to indulge her favorite escape: perusing vacation blogs, pretending she was planning a visit to the southern countries of Westeros.

While the south was full of cities bustling with diversity, plenty of jobs to be had for the asking, and mild weather, the north never recovered from the war. And the ten year winter season was a burden itself.

The poor economy denied basic resources for northerners, especially since King Joffrey placed tariffs on all the products exported from there as part of a trade war. In the past year, many industries closed. And families that Sansa had known all her life were moving away.

Since her father passed away five years back, there had been huge financial burdens on the family, and Sansa couldn’t bring herself to leave them. So she settled on a local university to continue her dream of becoming a custom dressmaker.

Bran’s snowboard accident happened not long after; in-home physical therapy and medical bills further strained the family funds. Sansa had to quit school and work two jobs. Since their mother spent her time working and caring for Bran, Arya and Rickon grew wilder by the day. Winter had come with a vengeance for the Starks.

Sleet rattled against the windows, shaking her of her recollections. Gods, what she wouldn’t do to be on a southron beach right now. She was determined to reach her dreams, one way or another. She just needed a plan. 

Sansa tapped her finger on the bookmark of her favorite blog. Escape to the warm, sun-kissed beaches of King’s Landing! Sansa wished for nothing more.  Life seemed so carefree for the people who lived there. The sight of the wealthy, young, tanned and fit men and women frolicking in the waves sent a pang of envy through her.

Sansa couldn’t remember the last time she had a vacation, could barely remember a time when she felt the effortless contentment in the people smiling back at her through the screen of her tablet.

Eagerly she moved onto the second one. The beautiful shores of Port Lannisport, one of the largest, richest cities of Westeros. Come to visit and see it’s prosperity for yourself!

More beautiful, tanned people, Sansa complained inwardly. This time they were wearing swimsuits that barely covered their most intimate places, enjoying champagne under burgundy and gold cabanas of the exclusive Casterly Rock Club.

Yes, Casterly Rock Club was very elegant, but she would feel too out of place there if they even allowed shabby northerners into the place. Every one of the guests was surgically enhanced and dripping in gold and diamond jewelry.

Swallowing hard, her hand instinctively went to the silver and sapphire direwolf charm at her neck, the last nameday gift she had received from her late father. It was a reminder of better times, and the ones she prayed to the gods were ahead for her. She fingered it while whispering a quick prayer to her father before tapping on the next bookmark.

Shop the opulent Lannisport Outlet Mall, your one-stop destination to luxury!   Oh, she would much rather visit there! Ever since she was a little girl, Sansa loved embroidery, sewing, and designer clothing.

The scenes showed happy families laughing while eating southern delicacies, bringing up a bitter lump in her throat. Young people in the latest summer fashions carried designer Dornish leather handbags as they shopped and flirted under a shaded canopy.

Wrinkling her nose, Sansa glanced down at her sweats and ratty sweater. When was the last time she went shopping? Aside from The Wall Mart, there weren’t many places to shop near Winterfell - and none of them fashionable. She would definitely need to do some serious online retail therapy if she ever visited Port Lannisport.

Faintly Sansa could hear her mother speaking to someone. On to the next region, she said to herself as she tucked her feet under her legs.

Visit the rugged hills of the Westerlands, the richest lands in Westeros. A landscape dotted with golden, rolling plains and caves from which gold and silver mines pour forth deep veins in astonishing quantities. Abundant gemstones and precious metals mean lower prices on all your jewelry needs!

With widened eyes, Sansa clicked on the pictures of black fertile fields, apple orchards, Pinot grape vineyards, and Black Mission fig tree groves. Further inland lay dense maple forests that opened up to crystal blue lakes and river rapids, reportedly renowned worldwide for whitewater rafting.

Gemstones of all kinds, gold and silver jewelry, beautiful log homes in the verdant foothills all caught her attention. Oh, she would definitely visit the Westerlands first! The featured delicacies and riches were sensational!

But how could she go? The family barely had enough money to get by; not many opportunities presented themselves as of late. Her gaze fell on a bookmark icon for a mail-order bride broker she had set up months ago. Missandei’s Marriage Brokerage Suite. Let us help you find your perfect match with a beautiful, northern bride of your choosing.

That’s one way to get south. And if I’m chosen, I could put my husband’s fee in a trust for Bran. From what Sansa had seen on the website, Lannisport and King’s Landing was teeming with beautiful women, but the farming areas surrounding them were not heavily populated. The men there depended on agriculture and vacationers for their incomes – jobs that left little time for meeting potential partners.

Her mother’s voice pulled her out of her fantasies - and back to the dreary reality of life. Stern Aunt Lysa was impatiently tapping her foot; Sansa had been so caught up in her musings that she didn’t realize she’d entered the room.

“Sansa, are you daydreaming again? Put down the tablet for a moment, please.”

Her mother had a way of saying “please” that sounded anything but polite, especially when she was about to lecture to one of her children.

No wonder Arya and Bran are nowhere to be found. Suppressing a sigh, Sansa braced herself and turned to face them.

“I cannot understand for the life of me why you haven’t yet settled down with someone and moved out,” Catelyn began. “I was married for four years at your age.”

“Mother-“

“It’s all I can do to keep Winterfell let out, and food on the table for Arya and Rickon, and Bran with all the medical bills, I can’t afford to feed you too.“

“Mother, I know,” Sansa struggled to remain respectful. Ever since she turned eighteen, this had become a well-worn topic between them, and at twenty, Sansa had already said all she had to say on the subject. 

Enter Aunt Lysa.

“That is why I started college,” Sansa pulled her mother close, “so I could make real money, not just the little I bring doing housekeeping and selling on Etsy.”

“And what good did it do you? You knew from the start that we could ill afford it, but you were determined to waste what little money your father left you on it.“ Aunt Lysa interjected. "And here you are, squandering your days on that damned tablet!”

Her words stung. “I wanted to help the family by having an actual career. I thought maybe I could open a clothing store and help the local economy, but there aren’t any opportunities here.” Sansa stepped away and wrung her hands.

Exasperated, Aunt Lysa shook her head. “Always with the dreams. Well, it’s time you grew up. Take your educated self south, Miss.”

“I would love to go, but since I, as you say, wasted my money on education, I don’t have a way.”

Aunt Lysa and her mother exchanged a look. "Uncle Petyr lives in King’s Landing in the famed Red Keep and he’s offered to take you in. You could work with his showgirls’ costumes-“

Tears stung Sansa’s eyes, for this, too, was a familiar and unpleasant topic between the three of them.

“No, absolutely not! He’s not my uncle, so I wish you both would stop with that! And they aren’t showgirls, Aunt Lysa, they’re sex workers!”

"Ungrateful child!” Aunt Lysa sputtered. “This family has no better friend than Petyr, especially since your father and Jon both-”

Sansa rolled her eyes.

“Sansa that is just a terrible rumor started by jealous people trying to discredit him.” Catelyn insisted.

“So that’s the official party line he has you two repeating.“

Catelyn gaped at her, but Sansa went on, “He’s always staring at me in the grossest way. Sending me friend requests on my social media. He’s a stalker.“

“Sansa, that’s your college third wave feminism talking! Petyr is old-fashioned, and he’s not about to hide that he’s interested in you. What’s wrong with that?” Aunt Lysa fumed.

“What’s wrong is that I’ve made it clear that I don’t want his attention - and yet he refuses to take no for an answer!” Sansa set her jaw. “If you like him so much, why don’t you go live with him and leave me alone?”

Catelyn pinched Sansa’s arm. “By the gods, Sansa, you can be just as willful as Arya at times!”

She jerked away from her. 

“You don’t have many options. So, it’s either go with your Uncle Petyr, young lady, or get in touch with a marriage brokerage.”

“A marriage brokerage? To offer myself as a mail order wife?” Sansa’s nervously considered the possibility. It was an honorable way to find a husband and definitely a good opportunity…

“Petyr offered to do it himself, but I don’t like your attitude, so you just do it on your own!” Aunt Lysa hissed. "Just go on and become a mail order bride on one of those bargain sites and see what kind of monster you end up with!”

“Whoa, wait just a minute - Petyr offered to buy me outright, didn’t he?!” Sansa shouted. “And not just for my sewing skills!”

Catelyn side eyed her. “Don’t be so dramatic.”

“Mother-”

“I married your father as a mail-order bride.” Her mother arched her brow.

Great, another guilt trip.

“And I married your Uncle Jon as one, the Seven rest him.” Aunt Lysa added, even though Sansa had turned her back to her. “You have a duty to your family. It’s time you made good on it.”

“We need the money, Sansa, and there aren’t many prospects up here-“ her mother gestured to the shabby conditions around them, “and Bran and Arya and Rickon need me. What would you have me do?”

“Stop being so selfish, Sansa!” Aunt Lysa shouted.

“Good gods, Aunt Lysa, even the marriage agencies give women the right to choose their husbands!”

Squeezing her eyes shut, Sansa fought to calm her temper and think rationally. Perhaps if I joined up with one of the free sites, I will find a nice man, settle in with him and who knows? Love might follow. It worked out pretty well for my mother. Less so for my aunt.

Biting her lip, Sansa thought it over. Could she really muster up the courage to reach out to a strange man? To be his wife, and share his bed? 

Sansa had already looked at a few sites, and they didn’t seem so bad; each one had ways and means to ensure successful matches. The only caveat was the marriage had to be consummated the day of the wedding, and if they didn’t get along by the end of the trial period, Sansa would need to return the money - and to the north.

Excitement and a bit of fear took hold of her, while Sansa’s silence increased her mother’s unease.

“Stop that lip nibbling, Sansa, it’s unladylike and a disgusting habit you picked up from Arya. So what will it be: go stay and work with Uncle Petyr, or become a mail order bride?”

Sansa had so little ownership of her own life since her father died. Yet today she would regain control, snatch it out of thin air, all for herself.

“Fine, Mother, I’m going to do it my way. I’ll meet with a marriage brokerage as soon as possible.”

Without a word, she picked up her tablet and left the room, leaving her mother crying over her ungrateful daughter and her aunt harping on her duty to the family.

[rndyounghowze]

Red Hawk Theatre Goes "Into the Woods" at ACIT in Mays Landing, NJ

By: Ricky and Dana Young-Howze

When you're a theatre reviewer you're always "on the clock" when everyone else is putting their guard down and "suspending their disbelief". You're a professional audience member and a lover of theatre. There's never really a time that I'm sitting in an audience and not writing a review.

That's why I felt a little uneasy when I felt myself in the audience of ACIT's "Into the Woods" (book by James Lapine and Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim) with nothing to do. I was invited by director Elizabeth Volpe as a theatre professional to see what their theatre program was up to. (As a theatre reviewer I can't ethically review a show unless I'm formally invited.)

But everything changed when we were invited to the Friday showing with a VIP dinner beforehand at their Cafe on Main Street. My wife Dana and I aren't just theatre people we're also super cynical Disney fans. And one of the things that we desperately love at Disney are character breakfasts where, as you're eating, costumes characters come around and interact with you. Well imagine our surprise when as we were eating the cast came out and started to interact with us. We just knew we had to review this show. So this marks the first time that I started writing a review and THEN hunted down the director to get permission to publish it.

Now it would be hard for adult actors to stay in character amongst all this chaos but these kids were on pointe and stole the show even before there was a show to steal! Then we got to meet Mrs. Volpe and we were floored when they told us that this was the first time they have ever tried something like that. They were doing so well we never would have known! After that we were escorted into the theater.

Direction by Elizabeth Volpe showed what happens when you take some of South Jersey's best and brightest all under one roof. One of the biggest things I'd ask of her is that she could go farther and bolder with her choices. When she flipped the script with things such as a sassy Milky White and a female Wolf we all bought it immediately. But that means when some actors are really going for it they raise the bar for the others. We notice that they aren't matching the energy.

I also like that she found some spots for more of this very diverse group of actors such as putting the Old Man and the Narrator as two actors. I don't know if copyright allows for it but most of it I bought. However I was thrown out by the addition of Wolf 2 played by Nevaeh Torres. She seems like she was added to create a depth of harmony however I think her voice could have been used better elsewhere. Despite this I was glad to see her onstage and I can't wait to see what she does next.

I have a lot of respect for the orchestra conducted by Anthony Sinigaglio under the musical direction of Catherine Chambers especially for good use of strings and reeds. I've seen this show three times and I think this was the best orchestra I've heard backing up a cast.

Baker (Jake Ewan) and Baker's Wife (Mya Still) must have been taking notes from a real married couple. They were making up banter on the fly in the VIP dinner and I swear that I had heard the same bickering on the ride over with my lovely bride. Great job you two!

Cinderella (Skye Maldonado) wormed her way into my heart when I first saw her at the VIP dinner. To be able to take such haranguing while everyone is finishing up their chicken marsala takes some serious chops. I think she has a huge career in dinner theatre ahead.

I was having deja vu when I saw Red Riding Hood (Gabriella Prato) onstage. I had just seen her two weeks ago at Off Broad Street Players in Millville in the same role! This is a very fun character to do and I think she did splendidly by putting her own personal touches on it. I saw what she was doing both times and I was definitely along for the ride even if for a second time.

When Jack (Ben Silvesti) was singing I was so happy! I really liked his voice. When he was acting, however, he had a tendency to act by yelling. I can tell he has a lot of talent and he will rock out all his future performances when he lets his skill speak louder than his voice.

The Witch (Allie Bagliani) has a lot of tongue twisting words and complicated songs but I'm floored with how well she took it all in stride to deliver a stunning performance. Her transition from the hag witch to the beautiful witch was stark yet seamless. Her whole body language and demeanor changed.

Supporting Shoutouts

I love that the Narrator (Gabriella Sangataldo) carried herself with poise. I immediately thought of her as the narrator so much that things like the tradition or gender didn't matter. In fact I think she is my favorite narrator so far.

Some people use a prop statue of Milky White (Antonia Bengardino) but I like that this one was a sassy actress with a lot of great moments. I hadn't seen such a fresh take before.

Rapunzel (Shania Strother) had a rich voice that added a cool bit of layering to the character. At one point she can be so hilarious and then sincere and break your heart. Good job!

Background Standouts

I really like the idea of a female Wolf (Nina Ward). It gave something a bit more "predatory" to the part that I didn't think was possible. She has such a great voice!

Steward (Michael Scott) had some pretty funny moments even if he was a bit quiet. He really did stand out especially when he was dancing.

Set design by Technical Director David Stratoti was one of the coolest I had seen. I really like the use of steps and logs and trees to add a sense of depth and height. Also kudos to the massive amount of muscle power from a huge crew it must have taken to get it built.

Costumes were designed, built, and bought by Elizabeth Volpe. We got very up close and personal to those costumes at the VIP dinner so I can tell you that they were amazing! And can I just say that they were very brave to have those perfectly clean costumes so close to all those saucy foods. One slip and you're a goner!

Props by Kayla Corson were especially divine. You get a lot of cool projects in here that you only get to do once in a lifetime. Seriously when else do you get to design a golden egg laying hen? I could see that she took pride in her work.

Lighting Design by David Stratoti was great if not a little dark. But I especially loved the Witch transformation and lightning effects.

A big shout-out to the massive hair and make-up team that did such great work! That hair was legit! Also the costume crew really kept up their end of the deal!

And also a kudo to the costumed crew members that were moving set pieces and props around. My wife Dana loves little touches like that. I'll admit that they make me smile too.

So this is what happens when you come in thinking you're going to just see a show and come out writing a review. Maybe I should stop being surprised that there are still things out there that can take me by... well... surprise. These kids deserve all the praise in the world and I really hope to see much more from this program in the future. You have two more chances to see it tomorrow at 1 and 7 PM. Please do what you can to go see it.

[wahlpaper]

If This Gets Out Review

If This Gets Out by Sophie Gonzales and Cale Dietrich

CW: Drug Addiction, Drug Use, Enabling, Neglect, Homophobia, Manipulation, Controlling Legal Contracts, Racism, Infantilization, Forced Closeting, Abusive Parents, Capitalism, Sex Descriptions, Serious Injury, Claustrophobia, Gaslighting, Microaggressions, Emotional Abuse

5/5

I may not be obsessed with any real boy bands, but I am obsessed with a fictional one! Sophie Gonzales and Cale Dietrich co-wrote an amazing story, backstory, and band of boys. At its heart, If This Gets Out is a love story, but it's much more than that. This story is about every member of the band, boy bands in general, and the dark side of the music industry. It was a well researched piece that benefited from careful arrangement. I am admittedly a sucker for the musicians-on-tour romance trope, but I find that Gonzales and Dietrich set the bar higher.

On tour for their third album, Ruben, Zach, Angel, and Jon head to Europe for the first time. Although they've all been friends for years, Ruben has started to have forbidden feelings for Zach. He knows Zach is straight, and he knows he's not allowed to come out, so he keeps it to himself. Being further from home, all four are starting to feel the limitations of their contracts more so than in the United States. Angel feels locked into his "image" and is finding any escape he can. Jon recognizes he's the only one looking out for his band mates. When Zach realizes he is bisexual, both he and Ruben start to feel the worst parts of being forced to stay in the closet.

This book deals with very serious subjects. While it balances them with hope, love, and humor, it never romanticizes working for the music industry nor does it shy away from portraying these subjects realistically. Among other topics, If This Gets Out deals with overbearing and manipulative contracts, drug addiction, and homophobia as it looks today. The plot arcs that these appear in do get resolved, but they also have loose threads. Gonzales and Dietrich did this intentionally. The loose threads are there because the real-world musicians that inspired the book have lingering issues after their pivotal resolutions. Being a popular musician can be rewarding, but it can also ruin one's life. People that start their music careers as kids are even more vulnerable.

In addition to being well researched, this book was well written. It's always interesting to see how a pair of authors will approach writing a book together. Gonzales and Dietrich each wrote their character's P.O.V. chapters (Ruben and Zach, respectively) and then went back to edit the dialogue of those characters that the other had written*. It was seamless throughout, as though just one author had written the book. Between the two of them, they were able to keep a good pace throughout the book, write realistic dialogue, and craft a mesmerizing love story.

There is much more I could say about If This Gets Out, but I don't want to spoil anything for anyone. Perhaps we'll eventually get a movie adaption, as then I would have a lot more people to discuss it with. In the meantime, if you're looking for a queer boy band love story with meaningful plot-lines and racial diversity, please check out Gonzales and Dietrich's book! It will be worth it!

[catholicartistsnyc]

Meet: Emily Claire Schmitt

EMILY CLAIRE SCHMITT is a NYC-based playwright. (www.emilyclaireschmitt.com and Twitter: @Eclaire082)

CATHOLIC ARTIST CONNECTION (CAC): What brought you to NYC?

EMILY CLAIRE SCHMITT (ECS): I'm originally from Cincinnati, Ohio and I did my undergrad at Saint Mary's College in Indiana.  I always hoped to move to New York and I was fortunate that a few things fell into place for me when I graduated.  I was accepted into the New School for Drama's MFA program directly from undergrad.  I had applied to schools all over the country, and this happened to be both my top choice and only acceptance letter.  My college boyfriend's family is from Staten Island, so he moved back home and we were able to stay together.  Now that boyfriend is my husband, so I'm here to stay.

CAC: What do you see as your personal mission as a Catholic working in the arts?

ECS: First off, I love this question.  I think about this a lot, and I always try to pray a bit before I start writing, even if what I'm working on isn't an overtly religious piece.  I believe that God wants to be present with us as we grapple with the world and, while I don't let religious doctrines limit the content of my writing, my writing is always filtered through a worldview that God exists.  

A great deal of my art is critical of the institutional Church, but I'm still very insistent that I am a Catholic writer, as opposed to a formerly Catholic writer. There is a fundamental difference between someone who critiques from within and someone who has left the Church and is describing the experience that caused them to leave.  This distinction is supremely important to me.

I believe my vocation as a writer is to be a tool for God to express Themself in the world.  Sometimes this means representing the beauty of God's world, but more often than not it means shining light on that which is not in alignment with the Divine, whether within secular society or within the Church.  I hope that my work makes both religious and secular people uncomfortable.  I hope it makes them wonder what God thinks about them.

CAC: Where have you found support in the Church for your vocation as an artist?

ECS: I've been extremely fortunate to have made great connections with fellow Catholics in the arts.  I've worked with Xavier Theatre and Film, a Jesuit theater company, and they produced a showcase of my play "The Chalice" at the Stonewall Inn.  This was one of the highlights of my career thus far, an intersection of the Catholic and secular world that was truly fulfilling.

CAC: Where have you found support among your fellow artists for your Catholic faith?

ECS: It's a mixed bag.  Grad school was not a positive experience for me in terms of acceptance. After 16 years of Catholic education, I was suddenly in a secular world and I made a lot of mistakes in terms of how I presented myself.  I was wrestling with my faith privately, but fiercely defending it publicly, which is never a good tactic.  I didn't feel safe.  I no longer work with anyone from grad school, and that's best for all of us.

However, post graduation I have really found an artistic community with people of all faiths.  I have frequent collaborators who are non-Catholic Christians, members of other faiths, atheists, and agnostics.  I've found a particular home with The Skeleton Rep, a theater company that focuses on "building modern myth."  My religious beliefs really mesh with their interests, despite being a completely secular company.  I am currently developing a musical with them. 

CAC: How can the Church be more welcoming to artists?

ECS: Stop policing our content.  The vocation of an artist is to observe, critique, and respond.  It is not the vocation of the artist to simply listen and accept doctrine without question.  This means that there is an essential tension between the work of being an artist and the work of being a practicing Catholic.

As an artist, I don't have the luxury of keeping my disagreements with the Church private. I promise I'm listening and it's possible to change my mind. Please be patient with me.

CAC: How can the artistic world be more welcoming to artists of faith?

ECS: I think this is a difficult question because in most of the instances where people have been unwelcoming to me, it's because they have been hurt in some serious way by the Church.  It's taken me a long time to accept that, while I have not personally hurt them, I am part of an institution that has and it's not unreasonable for them to ask me to answer for that.

I try to be clear about my beliefs and about why I have chosen to remain in the Church.  I also try to articulate how I'm striving to make the Church better, while remaining firm in my support of Her.  I have to be both gentle and unafraid about how and why I disagree with the secular world as well.  Once again, I promise I'm listening and it's possible to change my mind.  Please be patient with me.

CAC: Where in NYC do you regularly find spiritual fulfillment?

ECS: I'm a bit of a parish hopper.  When I first came to NYC I fell in love with Saint Francis Xavier, near Union Square.  Their Young Adults Group was a great community for me, but after moving to Brooklyn and back I'm not as involved as I once was.  I've become more interested in traditional, more formal, liturgies. Saint Joseph of Yorkville is a beautiful neighborhood parish that has a highly reverent modern mass.  There are so many families with children there, it gives me great hope.  And the pastor is the man who reported on McCarrick so that's no small thing.... I like a priest I can respect, for obvious reasons.

When I'm feeling in particular need of deep ritual, I do love a Latin Mass. Saint Agnes by Grand Central is a great place to go for that. 

CAC: Where in NYC do you regularly find artistic fulfillment?

ECS: I already mentioned The Skeleton Rep, but one thing they do which I love are monthly artist salons.  Artists will get together, drink wine, and read new work, either a full play or short plays based on a prompt.  There is no formal feedback, just a chance for the writer to hear her play.  And afterwards we have a party.

CAC: How have you found or built community as a Catholic artist living in NYC?

ECS: Connecting with Brother Joe Hoover at Xavier Theater has really connected me with a great community of Catholic artists.  He has a way of making connections and bringing together a dynamic and diverse group of people with a huge variety of perspectives on the faith.  If you ever get the chance to work with them I highly recommend it.  Joe is a fantastic playwright and actor in his own right.

CAC: What is your daily spiritual practice?

ECS: I wish I had a better one...  I pray every day before I write.  My husband and I pray together before meals.  Recently, we've been doing a daily reflection before bed.  It's just one of those Little Blue Books you pick up from your parish during Advent, but it's been great.

CAC: What is your daily artistic practice? And what are your recommendations to other artists for practicing their craft daily?

ECS: I try to write for an hour every morning after working out and before leaving for work. This is really my sacred time: after my husband leaves, freshly showered, and place to myself.  It's short but it's extremely important.  And I can't stress enough the value of praying before you write. 

CAC: Describe a recent day in which you were most completely living out your vocation as an artist. What happened, and what brought you the most joy?

ECS: The most recent Skeleton Rep salon was on New Year's Eve.  I wrote a short piece for the event which spoke of my Catholic faith and it's relationship to the mission of the company.  Afterwards, another artist present pulled me aside to talk about how he is a Catholic as well but had stopped going to Church.  He was interested in going back, so we spent a long time talking about why I felt it was important for young Catholic artists to be in the faith and engage with it from the inside.  The whole conversation was so fulfilling for me. 

CAC: You actually live in NYC? How!?

ECS: I need to be completely up front and say that I have been incredibly privileged in terms of financial support from my family.  This is something we do not talk about enough in the arts.  My parents paid my rent and my tuition while I was in school and I am debt-free.  I'm also married to someone with a traditional career who contributes the majority of our income.  I am so incredibly fortunate it's not even funny.  

CAC: But seriously, how do you make a living in NYC?

ECS: Even with the financial support, I do have a full-time day job.  I don't know how anyone would make rent or buy groceries without one.  I work in social media marketing, which is great because it's mostly all remote.  I've also been nannying for my cousin's baby so making that sweet side cash.

It's a lot of work, and keeping my passion afloat on top if it, and making sure it remains my focus rather than just a "hobby" is a constant battle.

CAC: How much would you suggest artists moving to NYC budget for their first year?

ECS: I can't give a great answer to this, because it's so varied and I was in school when I started.  But consider that your monthly rent is likely to be over 1K no matter where you live.

CAC: What other practical resources would you recommend to a Catholic artist living in NYC?

ECS: I can't recommend enough reaching out to Xavier Theater for professional connections.  In terms of headshots, Joe Loper is a former classmate of mine who does a great job and is very reasonable. http://joeloper.com/

CAC: What are your top 3 pieces of advice for Catholic artists moving to NYC?

ECS: 1.) Don't rush finding your people.  It's a big city and it takes time.

2.) Exercise.

3.) Go to confession.  Why make art with sin on your soul?