#i should also mention im playing hercules over there

[hamilton-one-shots]

Hamilton High School AU 22

Alexander popped the phone onto a charger and waited for the screen to light up. When it did, he saw that the lock screen was Lafayette and a few old friends in front of the Eiffel Tower. He looked happy. At least, he looked substantially happier than the last time Alexander saw him. He sighed and added Lafayette's new number before texting him. [Laf: hey, its alex. marta gavme ur old phon. can we tak l8r? its imprtnt.] Then he switched to texting John. [John: hey, marta gav me lafs old phon 4 now.]

Both were headed back to class after lunch, though Lafayette was more nervous to respond. [Yes, of course, but it will have to wait a while. I have drama and we're talking to John after that.]

[I'm glad to hear that. I missed you. : )]

Alexander opened his laptop to work on something for the debate society, cringing as Lafayette's text tone rang through. 'Salut! New message, Monsieur! Meow!' Even Lafayette now would be annoyed by it.  [Laf: it ok. I jus wana tak. Hav fun in drama :)] He hoped he sounded friendly enough. The last thing he wanted to do was panic Lafayette. [John: i talked 2 marta a lot. I feel beter 4 it. Oh! Also took my meds] [...do u thnk Tomas gets angry spels?] [no, ignor tat. It's dum. Jus thinkin 2 much. Bored @ hoem.]

Lafayette was the first to respond with a simple [Thank you, I'll see you then.]

[I'm glad you feel better! Can't have my love feeling too bad ❤] [I'm also proud of you for taking your meds 💗] It was mushy, but it was John. He was usually like that. At least he was with Alexander. When the second set of messages came through, he frowned a bit. [Jefferson's just a stupid bully. I've known that for a while now, you know.] [Don't let him get to you.]

Alexander sighed. He couldn't blame John for thinking that way after what he did to him. [sry, just didnt tink ne1 cud b tat much of n ass w/out reson]

[I see where you're coming from, but Jefferson isn't like you. He doesn't care.]

John had a point, but... It was worth a shot. He logged into Facebook and pulled up his messages with Jefferson. [dnt b men to laf in drama]

[Anything for you <3 xx]

[dnt do tat. im tryin to b sivil]

[You just wanted to message me, didn't you? ;) xx]

[no.]

[Why? Besides, I'm meant to be working, boo <3 xx]

[4get it] Alexander dropped back to his pillow with a huff, holding the phone to his chest. This wasn't going anywhere. [jus bored. Go bck 2 studyin]

[Yes sir <3 xx] Thomas chuckled and strode into class with Lafayette and Hercules, where Alexander usually joined them, and sat beside the pair. "Smile, Mulligan. You use less muscle."

"When you drop, I will." He shot back.

"Now, now, I've been given specific instructions to be nice to Laf. I plan on following them." Thomas grinned.

Lafayette shifted to be a bit closer to Herc. He didn't feel like starting a fight with Thomas that day and didn't want Hercules to feel he had to. "If you really wanted to be nice to me, you'd kindly fuck off." He smiled, speaking low enough so that the teacher wouldn't hear, but loud enough for Thomas to hear him clearly.

Thomas nodded. "As you wish." And he... actually left?

"What's up with that?" Hercules asked.

"I don't know.. Maybe we should just enjoy this while it lasts."

[Laf asked me to move and I did. That's being kind, right? 😉 xx]

[i gess... thnx?].

[Don't mention it. See? I can be nice 💗 xx]  [What am I going to get in return? Or do I move back to sitting next to them? xx]

Alexander froze, feeling his heart jump wildly in his chest. [wat do u meen...?]

[I mean xx] [Either we start 'getting along' if you catch my drift, I'll play nice. I'll be nice to Laf, I'll be nice to Herc; hell, I'll even be nice to your Johnny 💗 xx] [We've just got to spend some time together, that's all xx] [Or I can go find John now. He's probably in the library, right? xx]

[nO] [dnt do that] [pls] He panicked, typing back quickly, biting his lip.

[Then let's hang out. Sit with me in lunch tomorrow when you're back. Then come to mine after school. I'll even drive us. OR I'll get John. xx]

Poor Alexander whimpered in panic. This wasn't what he wanted. Not in the least. [ok] He looked back to his conversation with John. [John, u cnt come ovr 2day. im 2 sick.]

John furrowed his eyebrows and took a break from drawing. [What? Are you sure? I asked Martha earlier and she said it'd be fine if I went over and visited you...] [And Lafayette asked me to come over, probably to talk about what they know.]

Crap, that was right. Alexander almost forgot. [sry, just havn an episod. frekd out fr a sec] He curled up and whimpered. He was scared... And he needed John now more than ever, but he wasn't going to let Thomas come near him, not after what he'd done to him. He had to take care of this himself. He switched back to Facebook. [tomas, im not sure about this...]

[So you'd rather me go back to sitting next to him and start something? Ooh, I know, I could tell him how hot he looks in skinnies 😉 xx]

Alexander jumped up. [no dnt] [sorry jus] [pls dnt do nythin] [pls] [tomas?] [thomas] [anser] [o god] [dnt hve dne nything] [pls] [tomas!]

[Chill. Eacker was looking this way so I had to hide my phone xx] This was a lie. Thomas had waited a few minutes before responding purposefully to scare poor Alexander. [Good to hear you screaming my name tho xx]

[stop pls]

[How'd you manage to misspell my name when it's on the screen in front of you? 😜 xx]

[pannic]

[Aww... don't panic 💗 I'm gonna look after you, I promise xx] He looked over at Lafayette and Hercules and smiled.

Lafayette glared back at him. "I'm going to get to the bottom of this..."

"Please be carerful.." Hercules kissed his cheek.

After school, Lafayette took a chance and sat beside Thomas for drama. "Hello, Thomas."

Thomas raised an eyebrow at him. "Since when do you talk to me?"

"I just thought I could ask you for some advice. Do you have any tips for playing Veronica sawyer?"

This sparked his interest. "There's not much to it. She's a high school chick trying to fit in. Sort of a sassy girl next door."

"I see.." He nodded. "And I wanted to apologize for our prank last night. I remember how hard it was for John to have to raise his siblings."

"Forget about it. Lucy's a kid. These things happen." He pulled out his script. "So, are you okay with Dead Girl Walking? Because we're going to have to practice that scene at some point and I don't want it to be awkward when we do." As if he cared. He only had to be nice to Lafayette.

Laf couldn't help but shudder a bit ,though he was able to keep it to himself. "It's just acting. No harm done. I'm sure Herc won't mind."

Thomas nodded. "You're right. He shouldn't."

Before Lafayette could comment on what Jefferson was obviously trying to do, Eacker stumbled in, apologizing for being late once again before announcing their roles. Of course, Lafayette was Veronica Sawyer and Thomas Jefferson was Jason Dean.

"See? You know me. It won't be so bad."

Though, of course, it was the fact that Lafayette knew him that made it bad.

"What scene are you two talking about?" Eacker asked as he passed the pair.

"Dead Girl Walking. Just hoping it won't be too awkward."

Eacker smiled. "Well, nothing like breaking the ice."

Wait, what?

"We're all friends here. We were going to head on stage anyways to practice a few scenes. Why not this one?"

Oh, god, were they really doing this now? Lafayette stood up and took a deep breath before following everyone out to the auditorium. It's just acting.

Thomas was too busy texting to worry.

[i dnt like tis] [im scared] [pls dnt taek it owt on laf] [i jst dnt want 2 go hoem w/ u] [sorry sory sorry] [nything els, u got it] [jus dnt ruin drma 4 laf] [dnt go neer Jhon] [John*] [pls] [pls] [pls]

[No. We've got a deal, babe. I'll behave if you do as I say. Laf's acting now; y'sure you wanna go back on this nooooow? 😉 xx]

[nO] [pls] [leev hm aloen] [il b good] [its fien] [il go w/ yu] [srry]

[Good choice 💗 xx]

Alexander changed the password on the phone to some complicated pattern before putting it down on the bed... then beginning to tremble. He hopped up from the bed before practically sprinting across to Lafayette's room and launching himself at John. Poor Rosie barely had time to leap out of the way. She hissed disapprovingly as she knocked her paw before returning to her basket as Alexander buried his face in John's chest, shaking like a leaf. He kept his arms wrapped around John's waist in the same vice like fashion he had before when he was scared John would leave him.

John didn't ask any questions. He didn't have to ask what happened. He had a good feeling. He texted Jefferson to confirm his beliefs. [What did you do to Alex? Leave him alone. If you're doing this to hurt me, just come after me instead. If you're not, come after me anyways. Leave him out.]

Thomas chuckled. How cute. But he couldn't respond yet. He got on stage with Lafayette and watched him act as the song began.

"The demon queen of high school has decreed it. She says Monday, 8 am I will be deleted. They’ll hunt me down in Study Hall, stuff and mount me on the wall. Thirty hours to live. How shall I spend them? I don’t have to stay and die like cattle. I could change my name and drive up to Seattle. But I don’t own a motorbike. Wait, here’s an option that I like. Spend these thirty hours getting’ freaky! Yeah! I need it hard, I’m a dead girl walking! I’m in your yard, I’m a dead girl walking! Before they punch my clock, I’m snappin’ off your window lock. Got no time to knock, I’m a dead girl walking." As much as Lafayette dreaded the scene, he wasn't about to half ass it.

"V-veronica..? What are you doing in my room...?" It was... unclear if Thomas was acting or not. It was either excellent acting ability... or Lafayette had genuinely caught Thomas off guard and scared him half to death. Either way, it certainly fit the role.

"Shh!" Lafayette looked back at Thomas with a sultry expression, grabbing his shirt collar. "Sorry, but I really had to wake you. See, I’ve decided I must ride you ‘till I break you ‘cause Heather says I gotsta go. You’re my last meal on Death Row. Shut your mouth and lose them tighty whiteys! Come on! Tonight I’m yours! I’m your dead girl walking." He pushed him down to his knees, lost in the role. "Get on all fours, kiss this dead girl walking. Let’s go, you know the drill. I’m hot, and pissed and I'm on the pill. Bow down to the will of a dead girl walking." He kneeled down and held his face. "And you know, you know, you know, it’s cause you’re beautiful. You say you’re numb inside but I can’t agree. So the world’s not fair? Keep it locked out there. In here it’s beautiful! Let’s make this beautiful!"

"Shh!" Lafayette looked back at Thomas with a sultry expression, grabbing his shirt collar. "Sorry, but I really had to wake you. See, I’ve decided I must ride you ‘till I break you ‘cause Heather says I gotsta go. You’re my last meal on Death Row. Shut your mouth and lose them tighty whiteys! Come on! Tonight I’m yours! I’m your dead girl walking." He pushed him down to his knees, lost in the role.

Thomas felt his knees click as he dropped, but it was totally worth it. Lafayette looked an image of perfection and coupled with those lyrics... Thomas felt like he could take him there and then.

"Get on all fours, kiss this dead girl walking. Let’s go, you know the drill. I’m hot, and pissed and on the pill. Bow down to the will of a dead girl walking." He knelt down and held his face.

It took all of Thomas' restraint not to go back on his 'deal' with Alexander. Whether or not getting in Lafayette's pants was his focus, he was undeniably gorgeous.

"And you know, you know, you know, it’s cause you’re beautiful. You say you’re numb inside but I can’t agree. So the world’s not fair? Keep it locked out there. In here it’s beautiful! Let’s make this beautiful!"

"Th-that works for me!" He exasperated before yanking Lafayette into a kiss. It was rough and messy... but at least it fit the scene.

It was going to take the power of every god to wash that taste from Lafayette's mouth. It tasted like.. Like.. Jefferson. And he hated it. But he didn't act like it. He kissed back just as roughly because it wasn't Lafayette kissing Thomas, it was Veronica kissing JD. And it was too late to back out then, so he kissed back and continued the song afterwards. "Yeah! Full steam ahead! Take this dead girl walking!

"How'd you find my address?"

"Let’s break the bed! Rock this dead girl walking!"

"I think we tore my mattress!"

"No sleep tonight for you! Better chug that Mountain Dew!"

"Okay, okay.."

"Get your ass in gear! Make this whole town disappear!"

"Okay, Okay!"

"Slap me, pull my hair! Touch me there, there, and there!" Lafayette didn't know what was worse, the fact that Thomas' hands were all over him or the fact that he was the one guiding them. At least he got to slap him. "No more talking!"

"Woah!"

"Love this dead girl walking!"

"Woah, woah! Hey, hey! Yeah, yeah!"

"Love this dead girl walking!"

"Love this dead girl! Woah, woah! Hey, hey! Wait, wait!"

They finished out the song in sync. "Love this dead girl! Yeah, yeah, yeah!"

"Ouch!"

"YEAH!”

“YEAH!"

As soon as the song was over, Lafayette got off of Thomas and caught his breath, smiling at the class a bit. He knew they did amazing. And he hated it.

Thomas looked like a mess. His hair was sticking up all directions and his face was glowing crimson. Thomas was no virgin, but he hadn't expected Lafayette to carry out the scene so well, or convincingly. He pulled himself to his feet, joining the applause for Lafayette and himself before offering a hand to help pull Lafayette up from the floor.

"See? You're both fine. Nothing to worry about." Eacker chirped with praise. "It helps when it's a friend there, right?"

"Right." Thomas piped back before returning back to his seat with Lafayette. "...so do I owe you a cigarette or...?" He laughed lightly, attempting to tidy his hair.

Lafayette rolled his eyes, holding his arms that much closer against his chest.

When class drew to a close, Thomas put his script back into his rucksack and swung it over his shoulder. "You're a great actor, Laf. Really. I mean that. I'll catch you tomorrow.," he complimented before waving him off and leaving the room, finally texting John back. [/I've/ done nothing. I haven't seen him today. Besides, he's /your/ boyfriend. You fix him xxx]

As Lafayette followed behind him, surrounded by his classmates, he felt conflicted. He loved acting, but it felt wrong doing that scene with Jefferson.

When Lafayette came out of the classroom, surrounded by various other drama members full of praise and compliments, Hercules bit his lip. This was something Lafayette was 1. Obviously passionate about and 2. Very good at. Hercules's jealousy would have to step aside. Instead, he greeted Lafayette with a supportive smile, pretending he hadn't just seen that scene. "Hey you! Someone's popular!" He hummed. "John headed back to yours early to see Alex. Are you ready to go?"

He nodded and faked a smile. "Yes. Let's go." He kissed his cheek and walked home with him.

When John and Alexander heard the pair arriving, the latter froze up a bit. Not only did they have the talk to do, but he hadn't gotten around to apologizing to Lafayette and he believed him to still be mad.

They entered the room and mumbled a few greetings before sitting down, even Rosie leaving the room as she sensed the tense atmosphere.

John was the first to break the silence.

[hamilkilo]

Café Rendez-vous

Prompt: Reader meets up the boys at the coffee shop, and Alexander is in a heated argument with Jefferson. Also, fluff? Pairing: Poly!Hamilsquad ft Jefferson X Burr (X Madison, but he’s MIA) 

 TW: Cursing, alluding to getting beaten up in a fight, black eye, sassy ham arguing with jeff, fluff??? Mention of drinking?

 A/N thank you so much for all of the positive encouragement and love! I didn’t know y'all liked Brawl in the Streets that much, so I’m pleasantly surprised! Thank you for everything! If you want me to tag anything, let me know! I want you to feel safe! Don’t be afraid to send in some requests! Please enjoy! 

 Word Count: 2456

 It was embarrassing to show up to work on Monday with a black eye, but after explaining what had happened to your boss, Mariah, she sent you home on a paid vacation. You didn’t think it was necessary, but she insisted. She said that it was just a token of thanks to her gallant knight in shining armor. You did recall her mentioning her girlfriend at some point�� what was her name again? Betsy? Betty? Elizabeth? Whatever. It wasn’t really your business anyways. 

You returned to work on Tuesday, extra refreshed but fairly behind, and the week passed in a blur as you struggled to keep up. The only sign to you that time had passed was the fading of your war wounds. 

Throughout the week, you’d received the occasional text from one of the boys, asking how you were and if the bruises were fading. It was simple and distant, like mere acquaintances. However, today was Friday, and the boys were well known for how they spent their Fridays. You giggled to yourself as you recalled how bitter that thought would make Aaron. 

You were walking to your car at the end of work when you’d gotten the text from Herc. “Hey, Y/N, wanna join your favorite fight club for coffee tonight at seven? Xoxo Herc.” You smiled at the ground. He was such a teddy bear. You still couldn’t believe the ruckus you had caused by running away. 

You quickly shot him back a text as you got into your car. “That depends, is there going to be another fight?”

You couldn’t keep that silly smile off your face as you turned the engine over and backed out of your parking space. You began to drive, ignoring your burning desire to check your phone. The radio played quietly in the back ground, but you paid it no mind. You’d forgotten to plug your phone into the aux chord, so you weren’t interested in whatever was playing. 

When you got home, you quickly parked and checked your phone. “It’s up to you, sweetheart. Whatever you choose, we’re there… and besides, you know how Alex can be! Xoxo, Herc.”

You glanced at the clock. It was already past six. You got out of your car and went into your apartment. You lived up on the third floor. It was nothing fancy, but it was quaint, and it was yours. You quickly went into your closet and changed out of your work clothes. You knew you were going out, but it was to the Mudhouse Cafe, not to meet the Queen of England. The boys wouldn’t care how you looked. Besides, you were fairly certain they were all gay for each other. So instead of dressing to the nines, you pulled on a loose pair of leggings, an oversized hoodie, and a pair of slip-ons. You scraped your hair into a messy bun, then smiled in appreciation of yourself. You were so cute! You went into the kitchen area of your place and quickly fixed yourself a quick snack. You figured you wouldn’t be eating for a bit, and you didn’t want the boys to see your hangry side yet.

By the time you’d finished, it was already time for you to leave, so you grabbed your purse and hopped in the car. You plugged your aux chord in this time and sang along to Colors. You were in that kind of mood today. 

When you went into the coffee shop, you immediately spotted the boys in their usual spot. However, this time, Alex was arguing with another man. You rolled your eyes before you carefully approached. You wanted a front row seat the the drama, but you didn’t want to get involved.

 Alex was stretching up as tall as he could to go toe to toe with Jefferson. “-maybe next time you should consider thinking in that scientifically astoundingly small brain of yours before you open your fat mouth you useless f-" 

"Y/N!” Jefferson quickly exclaimed, looking over a furious Alex-much to his dismay. You blushed, swearing in your head that you had gotten dragged into this. 

“Hey, guys! Did you start the fight without me?” You joked as you stood on the edge of the group awkwardly. 

“I was just explaining to Jefferson how grossly incompetent he was-”

“I only suggested that you add another sex scene to keep the readers hooked-”

“Im not selling porn, I’m selling art-”

“Porn is art, and art is porn!" 

They had both started arguing again, and you bit your lip. You slowly tried to slip away so you could go order your drink. Hopefully, when you came back, they’d be calmer. However, as you walked off, someone came up beside you and threw an arm over your shoulder. You cringed away on instinct before you looked up and saw John beaming down at you.

"I’m so glad you decided to come! Sorry you had to see them squabble like that… We didn’t know Jefferson would be here tonight,” John gave you a timid smile as he apologized, and you laughed. He was so adorable.

“What was it even about anyways?” You inquired, your curiosity getting the best of you. You were both now waiting in line, John’s arm still resting over your shoulders. You blushed, but you leaned in to take in more of his warmth. This felt nice. Then you scolded yourself. You had to remember that he was already taken!

“Alex writes on the side, and as much as he hates to admit it, Thomas is a good editor, so he sends his work to him when he’s thinking about publishing. I mean, it’s always ugly, but it’s usually through passive aggressive emails and explicit comments on Google Docs. This time, Thomas suggested the addition of a sex scene, but because the advice is coming from his rival, Alex is going to argue… Even if we all know Thomas is right,” John muttered the last part under his breath, then sent a sly wink your way, which caused you to giggle. 

“So you’ve read it?” You inquired, eyebrows raising, and John grinned, showing his dimples. 

“Of course,” he almost boasted, and you could tell he was proud of Alex. 

“What’s it about?” You stared at his face as his eyes lit up, and he smirked at you. 

“Well, there’s this guy who moves to New York City with the aspiration to become this great actor, and he meets another guy from his acting club he joined while he worked a side job and searched for his dream role. And he’s really into this guy, but this other guy is taken… and he almost gives up when he and the guy share a kiss in a scene on stage, and he realizes that he can’t let this guy go. So he goes to profess his undying love or whatever, as cliche as Shakespeare could comprehend, and he was going to beg the guy to give him a chance, when he discovers that the guy is in not one relationship, but two! And he’s polyamorous! And the guy admits he loves the other one too! And it’s really a beautiful story about self discovery, but Jefferson is trying to get Alex to make it smutty. I do think a sex scene would be nice, but-”

“Y/N! Fancy meeting you here!” You looked away from John, who had been passionately explaining the glorious work of Alex, and saw Aaron grinning at you. “Don’t tell me you’re hanging around with this rambunctious bunch!”

You glanced at John, who nodded to Aaron. You turned to your favorite barista and grinned at him, “Don’t you recall the fight I started last week? If anyone’s rambunctious, it’s me!”

Aaron laughed and leaned on the counter, waiting for you and John to order. You cleared your throat, “Can I get the Mudpuddle?”

Aaron nodded, and wrote on a cup, then glanced at John, who shook his head. “I already got a drink.”

You fumbled in your purse for your wallet, but before you could fish it out, John had already paid. You narrowed your eyes at him, and he held his hands up with a sheepish grin. “Um, payback for defending my honor from the mob?”

You scowled at him, then gave him a smile. He was too cute to even be mock angry at. His arm was still around you, after all. And you hated that you liked it so much. 

“So anyways,” John leaned against the counter as you both waited on your drink, “as nice as a sex scene would be, Jefferson recommended there be one as the resolution of the whole plot, a kind of bring it all together and end it with a bang…” he winked at you to make sure you got his pun, “but Alex thinks, and I agree, that if he adds smut there, then he’s sexualizing the entire sexuality as a whole. Like, this is an identity, not a kink. The focus is about finding your sexuality, and hot sex would take away from the final statement of the book as a whole.”

He finally took a breath and glanced at you, waiting for you to say something. “I see where you’re coming from. I think Alex should stick to his guns on this one, but maybe he could satiate Jefferson’s desire by moving the sex scene to an earlier part in the book? I don’t know, I haven’t read it, but I’m sure Alex knows what he’s doing-”

“Y/N!” You took the drink from the worker at the counter and walked with John back to the group. Jefferson and Alex were still arguing. Hercules and Laf were completely ignoring them and appeared to be playing Go Fish on the love seat. 

“-I’d say stick to being a doctor, but you’d probably kill all of your patients-”

“You won’t be saying that when you wind up on my table after shooting your mouth off to the wrong person-”

“I’m gonna put you on your own damn table in a hot sec-”

You had gotten annoyed listening to them both argue, and for some reason, these boys brought out your more impulsive side. You moved quickly. Their faces were inches apart, and if they didn’t look so pissed, you’d have thought they were about to kiss. You quickly snatched both of their ears and pulled them down to face level so that they were both looking at you. Alex let out a string of curse words as he reached up for his ear that was in your grasp. 

“Stop squabbling; you sound like children! It’s annoying! You don’t have to agree with each other, but you also don’t have to scream insults in the middle of a coffee shop. If a sex scene is really that big of a deal, then I question if it’s about artistic integrity or more so about your lack of sexual activity in the past few months!” You heard a few of the boys snickering behind you while you scolded these two like the children they were. You took a deep breath and let go of their ears. Alex rubbed at his ear and huffed while Jefferson fixed his hair.

“It’s good to see you, too, Y/N,” he grumbled to you, and you gave him a wide grin. 

“Go hit on your boyfriend; I’m sure that’ll cheer you up!” You suggested, and he sighed before he ruffled your hair and went to go talk to Aaron.

“What in the hell was that, Y/N? I had him!” Alex raged to you, and you rolled your eyes, sipping at your coffee. 

“Did you?” You stared matter of factly. “There’s a difference between resolving an issue and quipping like kids.”

“It was my business to resolve-”

“Then resolve it in private; don’t insult the man in the middle of a coffee shop, Alex!” You scolded him, but then you noticed the bags under his eyes. He was being grouchy. He probably hadn’t been sleeping much lately. “Come on, Alex. Sit down and relax. You can deal with Jefferson later.”

He stared at you for a minute, calculating how much you’d annoyed him, before he nodded and sat down beside you on the couch. John sat on his other side, and Alex leaned his head on him. They were so cute… it made you bitter. You wished you had that. 

You crossed your legs and sipped at your coffee, but you were quickly startled when Herc started whooping from the love seat. 

“Aw, come on, ‘Erc! I know you saw my cards!” Laf poured as Herc pumped his fist. Herc was quick to give Laf a quick peck on the cheek, and you smiled to yourself. These boys were just so cute!

"So what’ve you been up to lately?” John suddenly asked you, and you quickly focused on him. 

You shrugged. “Not much… just work really. I haven’t been out much this week. How about you?”

“Work, mostly. I dunno, I took Alex to a fancy restaurant on Tuesday… that was nice. He needed a break from his all nighters and heart stopping amount of coffee,” John rubbed Alex’s back. Alex snuggled into John’s neck, and you shared a smile with John. 

“We were kinda disappointed when you didn’t text us at three in morning this week inviting us to drink with you,” Herc teased, and you blushed. 

“I’ve been too busy with work to drink…” you admitted. How long had it been since you’d had a drink anyways?

“Too busy to drink?” John asked incredulously. “'Ow you say? Nonsense!” Lafayette shouted, and you laughed. 

“Come on, you’re coming back to our place for some drinks!” Herc stood abruptly, and you blanched. It had been a while since you’d drank, and you usually drank alone on a quiet Friday night. You were a child away from being a wine mom. These boys were rowdy as it is… get a few drinks in them and you had no idea if you’d be able to manage them. 

John stood and put his arm around Alex, who was groggy and adorably codependent at the moment. Herc linked his arm with yours, and Laf did the same on the other side. 

“I don’t wanna impose…” you lamely mumbled, and Laf looked down at you, almost offended. 

“You could never impose on us, mon cher!” And you were quickly dragged out of the cafe. 

You trusted these boys, sure. But you had no idea what to expect once they were drunk. And you were even more concerned as to whether they’d still like you after seeing what you were like when you were wasted. 

[dvddggs]

To the Four of Us (Part Twenty Six)

premise: modern AU chronicling the squad as they make their way through college and deal with general life things. words: 3,185 warnings: i think just swearing all chapters: x tags: @heythereitsloey @anitheunicorn @newyorkyoucanbeanew @lafbagxette @justafangirlwithanavy @iamgrayfox @ordinaryornate @schuylerjoon @angelica-peggy-eliza @trashyperson101 @crazydragon15 @but-if-you-had-to-choose @geespilots @marvelous-hamilfan @mynameisalexanderhammyham @panda-powers @lafeyettegunsandships @schokoobananaa @allthegoodurlshavebeentaken @aphboi @hell-yes-puns-and-ships @aham-threw-his-shot-away @hesitantcat @nonstopspook @hamrevolution @writethewayout @alexander-did-you-know @allthegoodurlshavebeentaken @sun-tree @angelizaandpeggy @isis278 @idk-destiel @engulfedinstars @hamiltrashuniverse @ahrupe @just-me-an-asshole @readfizz @skeletonmelodies @gum-and-chips @iminwaytoomanyfandoms @hadleyelizabethuley @fictionalboyfriends @ridiculousn3ssfangirl @pleuxvoir @liallow @kanadianwithashippingproblem @bucket-of-kittens @welcometohamilton @forth-schuyler-sister

a/n: lol can’t wait for ur responses. ALSO, sorry it took me so long to upload but you’re all seriously the BEST like you’re so supportive and lovely, ur all wonderful humans ok dedication: @awkwardfortuneteller for their dedication to that piece of art for me AAAAA im so excited ur a lovely person

It felt strange to be back at school. It felt strange to no longer have wires binding his jaw shut. It felt strange to not talk to his best friends.

It felt strange to not be with John.

It was all so strange.

After the funeral, John had abandoned his plans of staying with Alexander for the rest of winter break. Instead he headed back to New York to stay at Hercules’ house with Lafayette. Throughout that week, Alexander had only spoken with Hercules once, and all he had said was that they made it back home safely. Other than that, his friends had all been silent.

Alexander had been pretty quiet too—he hadn’t even told his father what happened. Although when John went back to New York, it was pretty obvious. Whenever George tried to bring up the subject, Alexander would stomp up to his room and slam the door.

He hung out with Aaron, the only person he’d told about the breakup, to take his mind off things before he went back to school. It was obvious that Aaron thought Alexander had screwed things up, but he didn’t press the issue and Alexander appreciated that.

But when Alexander was alone, his brain didn’t stop. He told himself over and over all the ways he had messed up. He told himself how it was all his fault—how if he could have just shut up for two seconds, he and John would still be together. All he wanted was to be alone, and yet whenever he was, he felt like shit. As much as he didn’t want to he blamed himself, and being alone only amplified the relentless thoughts that pounded through his brain telling him that he was a piece of shit. He didn’t deserve John. As much as he wanted him back, he knew that he didn’t deserve him. John, who deserved all the world’s happiness, could do so much better than Alexander…

But, god, Alexander missed him. He missed falling asleep with him and waking up beside him and his random texts and his kisses…the smell of the jacket he usually refused to wear…his constant warmth…

If Alexander could go back in time…

But there he was. Sitting in his father’s car in front of his residence building. There was no more avoiding what he’d done, there was no more distracting himself, there was no more hiding. He sat in the front seat staring straight ahead with his arms folded over his chest, trying to stall. He knew his friends would already be back and he wasn't ready to face them.

“Alex, I still have to drive home,” George said gently, a hint for his son to speed up.

That was the thing about his father—no matter what Alexander did, George was understanding. Even if he disagreed, he still offered his son a gentle and welcoming shoulder to cry on. Sure, he lectured him and he was stern sometimes, but when Alexander knew what he’d done—how he’d messed up—his father knew to lay off.

Alexander sighed and got out of the car to grab his bag, slamming the trunk shut harder than he intended to.

“Bye, Dad,” he said quickly, not wanting to drag things out.

“See you soon, Alex. I love you.”

After a quick hug, Alexander watched his father wave as he drove away. He sighed heavily and dragged his feet into his second home.

The lobby was familiar and somewhat comforting. It brought up memories of being drunk with his friends, laughing as they tried to unlock the security door. It was often where he and John drunkenly made out, not a care in the world about who saw them. It was where he met his friends every morning for breakfast. Even if they were hungover to the point of throwing up, they didn’t miss their standing breakfast meet-up.

Alexander climbed the stairs instead of taking the sketchy elevator, stalling as much as possible. Too soon, however, he was standing in front of his door looking at the attached whiteboard that said:

Alex Ham John, if it’s after 2AM, GO AWAY. I’m sleeping!!

He’d written it back in September, when John made a habit of padding up to his room in the middle of the night to talk about whatever was on his mind because Lafayette yelled whenever John woke him up. Alexander sighed at the memory and rubbed his fist over the message, leaving a streaky, blurred mess in his wake.

Alexander unlocked his door and turned the light on, throwing his bag onto the floor and staring at the room. It felt so long ago that he was last here even though it had only been a couple of weeks; so much had happened since then.

“Alex?” Hercules called through the attached bathroom. He popped his head into Alexander’s room and shot a small, close-lipped smile at his roommate. “Hey.”

Alexander nodded stiffly, unsmiling, and unzipped his bag to put his clothes away.

“Alex,” Hercules prompted, letting himself fully into Alexander’s room and sitting down on the bed. “How are you?”

Alexander shrugged without looking up. The (one sided) conversation made him sad—his room felt so tense and uncomfortable with Hercules and he wasn’t used to that. Normally in a situation like this, he would have immediately gone into Herc’s room, flopped down on his bed, and chatted easily with him for hours.

“He misses you,” Hercules said quietly.

At this Alexander stopped and looked up. He felt a lump rise in his throat. Until that point, he’d avoided his feelings pretty well. The mention of John, however, made his eyes burn with tears.

“H-he does?” Alexander whispered.

“Of course he does. He still loves you.”

“He does?” he repeated.

Hercules bit his lip, nodding. Alexander dropped the shirt that was in his hands and sat on his knees on the floor, drawing a shuddery breath.

“Hey—Lex?” —Alexander looked up— “I’m…I’m really sorry. I’m sorry that we all teamed up on you. I know you were dealing with a lot. We should have been more understanding. Y-you shouldn’t’ve even gone to the funeral. I’m just—really sorry.”

Midway through his friend’s apology, Alexander felt the tears that burned his eyes start to fall freely. He’d never considered that perspective and he felt a massive weight lift off his shoulders that he wasn’t entirely to blame.

Hercules held his arms open and Alexander stood up to hug his best friend.

“I’m so sorry, Herc,” Alexander croaked. He buried his face in Hercules’ neck and sniffled.

“Shh, it’s okay. As far as I’m concerned, all is forgiven, okay? I talked to Laf as well and he agrees with me. I hope John comes around, too, but I honestly don’t know if that’s going to happen. He does miss you, but he’s still so, so angry. We’re trying to talk to him, but you need to talk to him as well, okay?”

Alexander nodded and looked up at Hercules.

“Thank you,” he whispered, wiping his eyes. “I think I should talk to him now.”

Hercules nodded and hugged Alexander tightly one more time.

“I think that’s a good idea.”

Alexander took the elevator by himself down to John and Lafayette’s floor and stopped in front of John’s door. He didn’t have a whiteboard because he and Alexander had accidentally knocked it down one night. They were really drunk and making out in the hallway when John pushed Alexander against the door and knocked it to the floor. They bragged about it for a week, much to the dismay of Hercules and Lafayette, who did not need to hear about it.

With a deep breath, Alexander stepped forward and knocked on the door. It felt foreign to him—he was used to just bursting in at any time of day. He felt weird and uncomfortable; it was all wrong.

Alexander could hear rustling and see the light flick on from under the door. He knew from experience that John was grumpy when he first awoke from a nap. Alexander was this close to turning around and going back later when the door swung open. John stood in front of him shirtless and with his hair down, a tangled mane that he pushed hastily off his face when he registered that Alexander stood in front of him.

Alexander could hear Lafayette’s voice in his mind. Alex, don’t play me. I know you were fucking. John only wears his hair down during sex. It’s a bit alarming, actually. Is nothing sacred anymore? I don’t need to know, okay? He needs a better system…

John didn’t say anything, but studied the face in front of him. Alexander felt all the words he planned to say fly out of his brain. They were replaced with a frantic desperation and a knot in the pit of his stomach.

“Is—is someone in there?” Alexander asked quietly, bracing himself for the answer he was nowhere near prepared to hear.

“Alex—” John said quietly, a sudden guilt surging through his bloodstream.

It was all Alexander could stand to hear—he had gotten his answer. Without another word, he spun on his heel and all but sprinted back to the elevator. He felt tears building in his eyes as he jammed his thumb into the button for his floor, praying that the doors would close before he started to cry.

As soon as the elevator started moving, he slid to the floor, the cool metal wall against his back, and hugged his knees to his chest, letting out a sob. He knew they weren’t together. He knew that John could do whatever he wanted. He knew that he had no right to be upset. But here he was. Had John already moved on? Had Alexander fucked up that badly that John was completely over him? He felt a crushing helplessness take over him as he rested his forehead on his kneecaps. There was nothing left for him to do.

John really was done.

It really was over.

The elevator dinged and the doors opened onto his floor, where he staggered back to his room, crawled into his bed in silence, and cried himself into a restless sleep in which he had a dream about watching Star Wars in silence with his arms wrapped around John…

A weight on the edge of the bed woke Alexander up. The darkness around his blinds told him that the sun had gone down—how long had he been sleeping? The weight was Hercules sitting down and patting Alexander’s leg.

“Hey—what happened with John?” Hercules asked.

Alexander’s breathing hitched in his throat as the grogginess blew away to be replaced with the same sadness he’d felt earlier.

“He moved on,” Alexander deadpanned, closing his eyes as if it would make it seem less real. He didn’t want to see the expression on Hercules’ face. He didn't want spreading the news to make the news real.

“He told you that? Alex?”

“No, the random guy in his bed told me that,” Alexander whispered.

Saying the words aloud made him feel like he was being punched in the gut.

“Oh my god,” Hercules said to himself. “Lex…Alexander, I am so sorry. I had no idea or I wouldn’t’ve—”

“S’not your fault,” Alexander mumbled, blinking the tears away. “I need to go to sleep. I have class in the morning.”

“Alex,” Hercules replied, his voice filled with concern. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Alexander rolled over and closed his eyes, shaking his head vaguely.

“It’s over. There’s nothing left to talk about.”

An incessant beeping. A tired groan. 7:30 AM. Alexander sighed and turned his alarm off. School had officially begun again.

Alexander dragged his feet as he got ready. Despite his near twelve hour sleep, he was exhausted. He looked in the mirror as he pulled his hair into a bun. His eyes were swollen and bloodshot—he’d been crying in his sleep. Alexander felt dehydrated, emotionally drained, and sick. He felt worse than when John had first broken up with him.

Then, at least, there had been hope. There had been the possibility of forgiveness. Now, there was nothing. The envelope had been licked and sealed; there was no more hope. It was over.

“Fuck,” Alexander mumbled as he burned his tongue on a sip of his second cup of coffee. He pulled on his coat and took the travel mug with him to class, knowing he would need the false sense of energy from the caffeine.

He sat down at the back of the lecture hall without giving the class much thought. It was the first day of the new semester so he pulled out his phone; they wouldn’t be covering much material aside from the syllabus, which he’d already read in an effort to take his mind off John. Sinking into his seat, he shifted his entire focus to the music playing in his earbuds. He didn’t want to be looked at, he didn’t want to be there. He wished he was invisible.

“Alexander?” came a voice, cutting through the song he was listening to.

He paused it and pulled out an earbud, looking around for the voice. It was one empty seat away from him. Alexander gaped—it was the last person he’d have thought would be attached to the voice at all.

It was Thomas.

“Fuck,” he said through an uncomfortable chuckle. “You look like shit. Are you sick?”

“No,” Alexander said simply.

“Hey—your jaw is better. Right? No more wires. That's good…”

Alexander nodded, staring straight ahead at the projector. Thomas chuckled uncomfortably again.

“How’s John?” he asked, clearly trying to continue the conversation.

“Okay, Thomas, listen,” Alexander snapped. “I know that you feel bad for punching me. It’s fine. I’m totally over it. Okay? My jaw is fine. You don’t need to apologize anymore. But John and I broke up so I’m not really in the mood to talk.”

From his peripherals, Alexander could see Thomas’ eyes widen before he nodded awkwardly and folded his arms across his chest.

“Oh,” he said quietly. “Sorry…I—I didn’t know.”

Alexander blinked and put his earbud back in.

The class only lasted half an hour before the professor took pity on the students’ souls and let them leave.

As Alexander stood up, he knocked his mug onto his lap, spilling lukewarm coffee all over his pants.

“Fuck,” he muttered. He pulled his backpack onto his shoulder and rushed into the washroom to wipe the spill before it dried.

He wrapped his earbuds around his phone and tucked it into his pocket, wetting a paper towel and holding it to the coffee stain on his thigh. In the mirror, Alexander watched the bathroom door open again, and he stifled a muttered curse word as Thomas walked in. Thomas stopped in his tracks when he caught Alexander’s eye and went to turn back around, but Alexander stopped him.

“Don’t be stupid—just use the fucking washroom.”

Thomas shrugged and pumped some soap onto his hands. “Lecture halls are just so gross,” he explained awkwardly.

Alexander didn’t respond. He stood under the air dryer to dry his pants and watched Thomas in the mirror. He found his eyes flickering down to his lips as he babbled randomly, trying to diffuse the tension.

“It’s like a cesspool of germs in there, y’know?” he continued. “I forgot how grimy you feel after class. I hate—”

“Thomas,” Alexander said.

Thomas looked up and caught Alexander’s eye in the mirror. He furrowed his brow as Alexander bit his lip. Before he could stop himself, Alexander crossed the room and grabbed Thomas by the waist, spinning him around.

“Shut the fuck up,” Alexander growled before jamming his lips to Thomas’s.

He remembered the sensation well, memories flooding his mind. Thomas’s mouth was stiff with surprise, but he quickly obliged and kissed Alexander back. Alexander nibbled down on his bottom lip. He felt a soft moan escape Thomas’s throat and vibrate against Alexander’s lips in response. He inhaled sharply and pulled Thomas closer, lacing his fingers into his hair and tugging.

“Fuck,” Thomas breathed.

“Stop talking,” Alexander commanded, pulling harder at his hair.

Thomas groaned and threw his head back, letting Alexander suck at a spot right below his earlobe that drove him crazy.

“That’s for breaking my fucking jaw,” Alexander whispered, smiling smugly at the hickey he left behind. He moved downward, leaving them on Thomas’s neck, collarbone, and one below his other ear.

“And so are those,” he growled.

Thomas smashed his lips back to Alexander’s and kissed him roughly, letting Alexander’s tongue explore the inside of his mouth with an intense curiosity. It had become unfamiliar territory in the months since they’d last kissed. Alexander wanted to drown himself in Thomas—to drown himself in human contact. It felt so wrong, so unfamiliar, but so, so good.

The feeling of Alexander’s tongue running along his palate made him groan and close his eyes in pleasure until he felt Alexander’s teeth bite again at his bottom lip and tug him forward. Hard.

“Ouch,” Thomas said in surprise, pulling back a bit.

“That’s for being an asshole,” Alexander smirked, grabbing at Thomas’s cheeks and pulling their lips back together.

He could feel Thomas’s hot breath between kisses; he was a groaning mess, weak at the knees and hungry for more of Alexander. Hungry for as much of Alexander as he could get.

“Alex,” Thomas moaned. He was desperate for more contact—desperate to be free of the confines of his jeans. “Can we go back to my room?”

“Fuck no,” Alexander breathed. “We’re going back to mine.”

He felt Thomas sigh into his mouth as he reached up to tug at his hair again.

“I hope you’re ready for this,” Alexander continued in a low voice. “Because you’re mine for the next two fucking hours—you owe me.”

“For what?” Thomas asked. He looked down at Alexander, whose eyes were dark and filled with lust.

“For breaking my fucking jaw,” Alexander said, as if it was the most obvious logic in the world.

Thomas ran his tongue slowly along his top lip. “Fuck,” he breathed.

“You’re mine till I say you’re not,” Alexander growled. “Let’s go.”

[vvykkyd]

image credit.

i never expected to get above 50 on this blog-- i’m mega-selective, tend to play favorites, and only venture out of my comfort zone to yell profanity at people who try to be nice to me. but somehow i’m at 100! i value all of you, even if i don’t follow you back. even if we don’t talk. wykkyd has grown into much more than an impulse blog. i’ve made friendships, i’ve been able to get into new fandoms, i’ve had tremendous amounts of fun even though i know my portrayal is a little bit unorthodox.

directed mushy sh-t under the cut.. yknow.. if you’re into that.

THE OLD BUDS (the crew)

@toconfrontevil: b r u h i love your spectre, i love your jim, i love the nuances that you portray within him. we talk ooc sometimes but not as much as we should? anyways I followed you on one of my other blogs but never interacted because the character wasn’t right for it but BOY OH BOY now that i have gotten the pleasure of rping with you, i’m kind of upset i didn’t come barging into your life earlier..

@vesselbound: Z A C H ZACH kill me and bury me six feet deep so i can resurrect myself yelling about how much i admire and care about you and your characters. how long has it been!! how long! the first time I interacted with you was when you were still playing dick grayson, when you were still just a lil baby. you will always be a lil baby to me. onwards!! you are one of the most genuinely kind people I have ever met, and you have a rare strength of character. and you’re super cute haha. shred it up little hercules

@hearstheearth : cari oh my g-d how many years has it been? too many?? too many. here’s to hoping for too many more in the future. jinx is so important to wykkyd, he would straight up take a bullet for her if he couldn’t teleport them away in time. protect these kids.

THE NEW PALS (yell heah)

@doomedfist: I love the dynamic we’ve established between doomfist and wykkyd—even thoug we’ve only had one thread! That’s not even completed yet! It’s killer and I love it. Here’s to more great threads and talks.

@judgcdredd: um ok first off wykkyd is terrible and i’m sorry. you’re also the one who got me into judge dredd so i kind of feel like you owe me an apology for that? your dredd is such a dynamic character in spite of his… stoniness. your lively writing has managed to offset his absolutely terrible demeanor and for that, i applaud you. i love reading your writing, i love writing with you!

@psicicrookie: we bonded over clan techie and i feel like that’s all i have to say? anyways you’re such a great anderson, i love her and i love you for taking this fantastic character and putting her here, where i can fawn over her.

@burningxstarsx: ok well… remember when i busted into your ims yelling about how wykkyd is indubitably a foil for starfire? anyways yes. your starfire is such a cutie too, oh my gosh.

HONORABLE MENTIONS (come talk to me. please.)

@weatheredsoldier @timedeath @archeroftheeast @dreddisms @postmortemed @antemortemed (dream team?) @hellblxzer @talentforlying @eyecontactd​

[wbwest]

New Post has been published on WilliamBruceWest.com

New Post has been published on http://www.williambrucewest.com/2017/05/12/west-week-ever-pop-culture-review-51217/

West Week Ever: Pop Culture In Review - 5/12/17

In movie news, it was reported by Hellboy creator Mike Mignola that there will be an R-rated Hellboy reboot film. Hellboy: Rise of the Blood Queen will star Stranger Things‘s David Harbour in the title role, and will be directed by Neil Marshall (The Descent). As most fans were holding out for a Hellboy 3, this news came as quite a surprise. Still, it won’t star Ron Perlman, nor will it be directed by Guillermo Del Toro, so folks are a bit hesitant. I think Harbour will be good in the role, and I remember enjoying The Descent, so I think the franchise is in good hands if the intent is to scare the audience.

We got a trailer for Blade Runner 2049, which did absolutely nothing for me. Back when I was in college, I did a summer in London where I was supposed to be learning about globalization. Instead, the professor had us watch Blade Runner. I still don’t know how the two topics tied together. Anyway, I hated that movie. It tried too hard. Like Peter Griffin describes The Godfather, it insists upon itself. It wants to be so deep and mysterious, with its whole “Is Decker a Replicant?” thing. I just wasn’t a fan. So this sequel isn’t exactly on my Must Watch list, which is a shame seeing as how I’ve loved Ryan Gosling since Breaker High. Yup, even in Young Hercules. Some folks seem excited for this film, though, so good for them I guess.

Over on cable, shows are playing musical chairs. The Untitled Black-ish Spinoff that we talked about last week may now be moving to Freeform It seems that the audience that tuned in were a bit lower than what ABC would like to see for a Wednesday night, but the demographics are perfect for the show to be on Freeform. Meanwhile, fantasy series The Shannara Chronicles is moving from MTV to Spike TV (which will soon be rebranded as The Paramount Network). I never watched Shannara, but it didn’t seem like the kind of thing that belonged on MTV, except for the fact that it starred pretty teens. I’m not even sure Spike is the right home for it, either, but maybe this is a hint as to how they’re planning to use The Paramount Network.

Speaking of cable, out of nowhere it was announced that Donald Glover would be the showrunner for a Deadpool animated series on FXX. Yeah, that Donald Glover. It’s odd that we’re not getting season 2 of Atlanta until 2018 at the earliest because of his other commitments, but he’s gonna have time to do this? He’ll be running the show with his brother Stephen, but it still sounds like a tall order. I’d rather have Atlanta. Plus, this just feels like it’s gonna be Marvel’s Archer. 10 episodes have been ordered for a 2018 debut.

On basic TV, Modern Family scored a 2-season renewal, with the grown-up cast members getting a raise from $350,000 to $500,000 an episode. The contract negotiations came down to the wire, but in the end ABC was able to keep its Wednesday night lynchpin. I honestly feel like this show should’ve ended 3 years ago. I stopped being able to really relate to them when I realized they whole upper middle class status made their lives unrealistic. They never seem to have money problems, they can take trips and do whatever they want. It’s funny – the same reasons I hate Roseanne (they were so damn poor) is what I feel are missing from Modern Family. Plus, there’s the elephant in the room in the form of Ariel Winter. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, she has grown up into what some might call “hot as shit”, yet they still frump her up on the show because her character, Alex, is supposed to be mousy next to Sarah Hyland’s Haley. If they really want to make these final (yes, I’m calling it: final) two seasons interesting, they will address this fact, and force Haley to realize she’s no longer the “hot daughter”. That might actually make me watch the show again.

Meanwhile, The CW officially ordered Black Lightning to series. This would typically be seen as good news, but I can’t help but feel like the Berlantiverse is too big and unwieldy at this point. Whenever a new show is introduced, the existing shows suffer. Everyone loved Arrow until The Flash came along. Then, they loved The Flash, yet felt Arrow had slipped. Then Supergirl and Legends of Tomorrow debuted, and The Flash suffered while Supergirl was praised. This has been something of a rebuilding season across the board. Supergirl had to adjust to a network switch, while Legends saw an increase in quality. Arrow saw a return to form, while The Flash is doing whatever it’s doing over there. Flashpoint or some shit. The point is that the existing shows are finally heading in the right direction, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to introduce a new hero. In fact, I feel like Legends should be a proving ground. If a member of that team becomes a breakout fan favorite, then they get a spinoff. I’d be fine with Black Lightning as a member of the Legends, but I don’t know if there’s enough meat on that bone for him to have his own series. And can you imagine the FIVE-WAY crossover we’re gonna end up with next season?! I was already disappointed by this season’s uneven four-way, but to add another show to that? Sure, it’ll be a weeklong event, but it isn’t necessary.

With the network Upfront presentations looming over the horizon, this is the time of year when your favorite show either gets another lease on life or it gets the chop. Here’s the movement from the past 24 hrs:

Cancellations

Timeless (NBC)

Rosewood (Fox)

Last Man Standing (ABC)

Son of Zorn (Fox)

Making History (Fox)

APB (Fox)

Sleepy Hollow (Fox)

The Catch (ABC)

Imaginary Mary (ABC)

Powerless (NBC)

The Real O’Neals (ABC)

Secrets & Lies (ABC)

Dr. Ken (ABC)

American Crime (ABC)

Frequency (The CW)

No Tomorrow (The CW)

Renewals

iZombie (The CW)

The Originals (The CW)

Blindspot (NBC)

13 Reasons Why (Netflix)

Taken (NBC)

Last Man On Earth (Fox)

Gotham (Fox)

The Blacklist (NBC)

American Gods (Starz)

The Goldbergs (ABC)

Black-ish (ABC)

American Housewife (ABC)

Designated Survivor (ABC)

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (ABC)

Once Upon A Time (ABC)

Great News (NBC)

The Bachelor (ABC)

Dancing with the Stars (ABC)

Shark Tank (ABC)

Chicago Med (NBC)

Chicago PD (NBC)

Chicago Fire (NBC)

Song of the Week

I’m trying something new. Every week, I’m gonna share a song/video that I discovered that week. Today, I give you Midland’s “Drinkin’ Problem”. Yes, it’s country, but I love the sound, as it’s more of a bluesy 70s song than straight up country, and I LOVE the video.

Things You Might Have Missed This Week

Kelly Clarkson is reportedly in talks to be a judge on the revived American Idol on ABC. Seems like those talks were too late, though, as she has officially signed on as a coach on the next season of The Voice

Fox officially ordered X-Men tie-in The Gifted to series

Speaking of X-Men, Maisie Williams of Game of Thrones will play Wolfsbane in the New Mutants film. She will be joined by Magik, played by Split‘s Anya Taylor-Joy.

IM Global and Rebellion are teaming up to produce a live action Judge Dredd TV series, called Judge Dredd: Mega City One

Scandal will reportedly end after its upcoming 7th season

Direct from The LEGO Movie, Unikitty will be getting her own cartoon on Cartoon Network

Time to spot the pineapple, as Psych: The Movie will premiere on USA in December

So last Thursday night I saw Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2. I didn’t mention it in last week’s post because I’m trying to switch things up. It’s unrealistic of me to expect that all of you are able to see a film on opening night, and I also feel like you’re less likely to read my post if you think I might spoil something. So, I figured it best to sit on it a week so we’d all be on the same page. Anyway, what did I think of the film? I LOVED IT! I might even love it more than the original.

I’d say that this is probably the most emotional MCU film, as it’s more about family and belonging than it is about Infinity Stones and Winter Soldier. Star Lord’s story really hit home as a fellow child of the 80s, raised by his mom, who also didn’t have his father in his life. Now, instead of being a god, my dad simply died. But I’m sure I probably also wished Michael Knight was my dad at some point in my childhood.

What’s the movie about? Well, the Guardians are split up after a caper gone wrong. Half of the crew stays behind to fix their ship, while the other half go off with Star-Lord’s long lost father, Ego. But all is not as it seems with Ego. And that’s about all I’ll say about that. I can’t think of a single that I didn’t like about the film. Actually, scratch that. There was one thing: The Watchers. They just looked hokey, and I would’ve been fine if they’d never been introduced in the MCU. That kind of stuff belongs in the Fantastic Four Fox movies, but I like to think the MCU is more grounded than that. Their appearance looked and felt cheap to me, but luckily it’s only for a split second, unless you count their after credits appearance, too. Maybe it’s just because I typically hate most things about Cosmic Marvel, but the Guardians movies have slowly brought me around.

Internationally, the film has already crossed the $500 million mark, so I think it’s safe to say it’s success. They’re already talking about Vol 3 which, supposedly, will set up the next decade of the MCU. While I’m not entirely sure how I feel about that (again, I’m not a huge fan of Space Marvel), I’m eager to see how they pull it off. For all these reasons, Guardians of  the Galaxy Vol 2 had the West Week Ever.