#i blame my schools theater department

[thelonelytoris]

New hyperfixation dropped, and it's just this entire album

Specifically these two songs

[uglyshirtsinc]

Idea 3: Pizzaplex is an engineering disaster waiting to happen.

An idea that I don't see brought up at all, is the idea that the Pizzaplex is not constructed well.

Remember in FNAF 6 when the tutorial unit said this?

"There may be times when you purchase something of questionable quality, and we don't blame you. Cutting corners is just good business."

Keep this statement in mind while I bring up my next point. As someone who's taken an engineering class, when you are constructing a building, there are a VERY large number of codes (rules) that you need to follow for every conceivable part of it.

Fazbear Entertainment would probably find it a lot cheaper just to pay off the people inspecting the plex than to actually put money into making sure everything is up to code.

They would also try to construct the building as cheaply as possible, trying to "cut corners" wherever they could. They use substandard materials and contractors that don't double-check their work. They built the mall itself over the subterranean remains of their old restaurant, despite this making the ground very unstable.

This all works in my mind because Fazbear Entertainment has been proven to follow the "be as cheap as possible" and "maximize profits by any means necessary" approaches many times in the past.

Here is just one example of a code being violated, according to Section 1006.2.1.1 of Utah Building Codes, "Three exits or exit access doorways shall be provided from any space with an occupant load of 501 to 1,000. Four exits or exit access doorways shall be provided from any space with an occupant load greater than 1,000." We only see 2 public exits in the game, and the Pizzaplex likely holds well over a thousand people at any one time. What's worse is that one of the exits, the only one designated for emergencies, requires a VIP pass in order to be used.

If Fazbear Entertainment is willing to do this to cut costs, who knows what else they have done?

It's why, in my mind, I don't have Gregory live at the pizzaplex after the 3-star ending. Freddy would calculate that it is statistically safer for Gregory to live in his box than at the plex. He instead lives with Vanessa, creating opportunities for them to grow closer.

BTW This has happened in real life, even down to the shoddy construction and profit maximization. It was the Sampoong Department store collapse. Link

first off, idea 2 might have gotten eaten by the tumblr gods so uh- you might wanna resend me that one-

rather than respond all in one go ill just respond as i read so you see my real time thoughts but all of that is under the read more cut because not everyone wants to see my late night rants

literally anything said by tutorial unit in fnaf 6 gave me trust issues that lil shit taught me that it wasnt just ha ha silly, no some businesses DO actually do that. i also relearned that during my food handlers permit test and honestly it makes the fnaf games food storing conditions a thousand times scarier imo. forget the literal child murder or possessed robots, it's unsanitary kitchen environments that rattle my bones!

so what im hearing is fazbear entertainment is committing OSCHA violations? them and every after school theater group lmao

THE PARAGRAPH ABOVE IS A JOKE I DIDNT EXPECT TO SCROLL AND SEE THE ACTUAL VIOLATION BE LISTED I SPIT MY SODA LAUGHING- YOU PULLED UP THE UTAH BUILDING CODES TOO THIS HAS GOT TO BE ONE OF MY NEW FAVORITE ASKS TO EVER RECIEVE THAT IS PURE DEDICATION

the sentence "safer in a box" both disturbs me and makes complete sense. it's definitely the lesser of two evils, but i can hate both evils equally!

[whatyourusherthinks]

Despicable Me 4 Review

And onto the finale of The Weirdest Triple Feature I've Ever Done, and lemme tell ya, it was a mistake to do Despicable Me 4 last! What is that supposed to mean Roan? I've gone on record saying I actually like Illumination movies, even if they invented the Minions and thus ruined wine aunts forever. Roan what did you mean "it was a mistake to do Despicable Me 4 last"? I've only seen Despicable Me 1 and 2, but I really like those movies. I think the villain becoming a father is one of my favorite archetypical storylines, whether or not the villain stays evil. Why are you avoiding the question? The teaser to this movie was alright, although I was worried when the actual trailer was just showcasing the new Mega-Minions gimmick instead of the interesting "Gru's got a new baby and also the whole family needs to go into hiding" plot. Roan I'm assuming the worse unless you clarify that statement. WELL MAYBE YOU SHOULD BUGGNUTZ. I can't help it, I spent all day at the theater and both movies I watched before this one have a lot of tits in it.

What's The Movie About?

Gru's bully from school swears revenge after Gru arrests him, and after he breaks out, Gru's family needs to go into hiding. Also the AVL gives five Minions super powers for some reason.

What I Like.

As always, the familial relation between Gru and and his family is top notch. You cannot convince me that the draw for these movies is anything else, Gru, Lucy, and the girls are great characters and have excellent chemistry. I also like Gru Jr, the new baby. He's the main source of the background gags and he's very cute. Speaking of cute, the bad guy (Maxime, he's called) is obsessed with cockroaches. Are you about to tell me they made cockroaches cute in this movie? Yes, yes I am. Not only that, they make Gru's baby half cockroach in this movie and he was still adorable. It's amazing. I actually like Maxine a lot. Despicable me is no slouch when it comes to villains, and this movie is not an exception. He's maniacal and I like that he's mad for the pettiest reason. Also, he's voiced by Will Ferrell and I could not tell at all. That's crazy. I also, weirdly, like the Mega-Minions storyline. Like it's dumb that this franchise that's had a spy motif for it's entire existence is turning to superheroes, but they kinda admit that? The Mega-Minions suck at being heroes or controlling their powers, so they get retired after going on one mission. And where they all retired to was funny. The comedy can be hit or miss, but the hits are funny and the misses are just eh. My final praise is that the action is super good, surprisingly. I mean, Despicable Me 1 and 2 were fine in that department, but 4 really steps it up. It's thrilling, intense, well directed, and well animated. The stakes of the movie are also pretty high, despite the pettiness of Maxine's motivation. What else, what else... Oh, I like Maxine's girlfriend. I like that she cares about him, but isn't super enthusiastic about everything he does. It felt like a realistic relationship.

That I Didn't Like.

Is it just me or is Carrell's Gru voice gotten harsher than it was? I mean, I guess I can't blame him. He's gotten older and it cannot be easy to do that voice. But it also isn't easy on the ears, much less so now. So we're even. Also, knocking out the easy criticism real quick: all the Minions are annoying. Except for the Mega-Minion and the weird pit crew he has to clean up after the baby. This movie implies that female minions exist which is as horrifying as the fact that they are immortal. Anyway, on to the substantial criticism, this movie has like 5 b-plots. There's the Mega-Minions obviously, but also Gru Jr hating Gru for some reason, Lucy being a shitty hair-stylist and having a woman who's hair she's messed up swear revenge on her, Edith and Agnes taking karate lessons and breaking their Sensei's toe, Gru trying to make friends with their new neighbors, and Gru being blackmailed by the neighbor's kid to help her steal the mascot of an evil school. Most of them come together at the end, but it's still just stuff happening for most of the movie. Despicable Me probably has too many cute mascot characters now, so the only reason I think the going into hiding plot was made is so they can sideline half of them. Also, this movie has a major and completely unnecessary plot hole in the last five minutes. See, there's a shot in the ending of an AVL prison with all the villains from the previous movies, including VECTOR, who as we all know from the Fly Me To The Moon short, is STUCK ON MARS IN HIS UNDWEAR. HOW DID HE GET BACK FROM MARS? ANSWER ME DESPICABLE ME 4! HOW DID VECTOR GET BACK FROM MARS?! Also I didn't need to see Lucy being all flexible and limber, especially with the energy I had from the previous two movies. Gross Roan. SHADDUP.

Final Summation.

Despicable Me 4 is really sloppy, and for a while in the movie I was wondering if the other movies were as good as I remember. But the ending makes up for it. It'll entertain kids and there's some jokes for the adults, plus I like just seeing Gru's family grow.

[Edit: SPEAKING OF MAJOR AND UNNECCESARY PLOT HOLES! I've since learned how Despicable Me 3 ended, and, well, they just completely ignore it. Dru makes a super brief cameo at the very end of the movie, but he literally has no lines and all the Minions just live with Gru's family at the beginning of the movie like everything is normal. This is completely stupid. They sideline the Minions for the main plot already, but instead of having them go work for AVL (And being completely destructive psychopaths), why not just have them living with Dru being bad guys. Hell, the only bit of characterization that is both interesting and consistent is the little butt plugs running off with Dru because he's a better villain Gru! Remember Illumination? Them being dogmatically obsessed with the most evil thing they could fine was like the only idea that was halfway decent from the Minions Movie! Maybe a few of them stay behind and become the baby pit crew, and they are the ones who become the Mega-Minions. You can cut all the jokes that are just regular Minions being assholes to everyone and each other and keep the good Minion jokes. Plus, this allows you more time in the movie to add more to the interesting storylines, or make the more random plot thread connect more to the movie as a whole. Instead you shot yourself 800 times in the foot with gibberish yelling bullets.

Seriously. Did you just forget how the third movie ended?]

[unitedstatesoflyssa]

I LOOK IN PEOPLE'S WINDOWS

Working in politics doesn’t necessarily mean my creative writing degree sits unutilized. Though I endured several years of winces and surreptitious squints from aunts and neighbors and friends of the family throughout my pursuit of a Bachelors in Arts, I actually do use my creative writing degree a fair amount – it does not sit gathering dust in my Missoula apartment. Rather, I write press releases and strongly-worded emails; I help friends with pageant paperwork and practice public speaking. Despite popular belief, it was good for something. 

There’s a certain voyeurism that comes with writing that’s always enticed me. My father raised me into a people-watching machine, so much so that, in the early days of my marriage, I sat with my new sisters-in-law at the mall and passed the skills of observation down to them in the folkloric way it’d been passed to me. Whether it’s from the constant feeling of having my hackles raised as a young woman or the law enforcement blood that courses through me, I have no idea. All I know is that I’m a damn good people-watcher. I think all writers carry with them this quality. There’s something invigorating and sometimes sinful about sitting in a movie theater, or a bougie cafe for Saturday morning brunch, or in the park, and observing people down to the way they nervously shake their leg or scratch their nose. I mean, hell, what was it that Taylor Swift wrote on her last album? “I Look in People’s Windows?” I didn’t think The Tortured Poets Department was worth writing home about – more of Lyssa’s music takes at 6, stay tuned for the weather – but I did appreciate her brutal honesty about this solitary trait that all writers share. Our love of observation. This remains the aspect of my creative writing degree that’s shelved itself in the past several years. 

I blame myself for this. Writing became a survival mechanism throughout my adolescence and young adulthood. So often, my observation tied itself inextricably to the moments I wished to immortalize. Having been diagnosed later in life with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, I always wondered why my memory left me with such large gaps at certain times in my life – but then, but then, but then, I’d hear “Hurricane” by Halsey in a spin class, or maybe I’d catch a whiff of Pure Seduction perfume at Victoria’s Secret, and I’d be sucked back into the moments I used to catalog. Everything always rushes back to me so fast. The way the stars looked, the shape of a laugh suspended in December frost, what have you; it always comes back to me somehow. There was so much about me that I just wanted to sever when I was sixteen, or nineteen, or even twenty-two, that I just wrote and wrote and wrote until I physically could no longer type. It felt better than making myself hurl in a Highland High School bathroom or crying on the front steps of Sigma Nu. 

But now that my life is stable and I go to bed every night watching Bluey with my husband, and wake up next to him warm and snoring under rayon sheets, the impulse to observe, and therefore write, has escaped me. Healthier habits replaced it. I crave routine now. I wake up. I make a protein smoothie. I go to the gym. I go to work. I smile and shake hands with State Legislators, and it’s not lost on me that all of this is the result of a giant butterfly effect. I FaceTime with my friends. I eat movie theater popcorn my husband brings home from work. I rant and rave to my mother on the telephone. I eat a steak salad and try to forget about the existence of calories and the constant tally of them running like a ticker-tape in my head. I take a walk. I move through the motions of my ridiculously complex shower-and-skincare routine. 

It was amid this routine that the impulse struck me once again. Last night, as I snaked through the University District, I caught a middle-aged man (normal looking, plaid shorts, sweat beading against his shiny bald head) mowing his lawn. And it hit me. The tang of fresh-cut grass, the scent of summer and swimsuit lycra and Spandex, the late-afternoon rays fading from cornflower blue to an uncertain shade of yellow. I stood there, eyeing him for a moment. My vision trailed from him pushing his red lawn mower up-and-down his front lawn to the neighbor’s house, with a Kia Soul in the driveway, where a sprinkler danced left-to-right, glittering in the sunset. I was transfixed. 

And I realized that I wanted to observe the beautiful moments, too.

Not just the beautiful moments. Because, of course, there are so many beautiful moments. But those are easy to remember. I’m sure I’ll still write about them anyways, like the time my friend won Miss Idaho USA and I screamed so loud I lost my voice, or the day I spoke in Iceland, or the night I got married and my new great-grandfather-in-law (is that a thing?) smacked me across the ass with his cane and Payten hissed Grandpa it’s not 1930 you can’t do that anymore. But I want to memorize the mundane. I want to make an exercise of falling in love with the uninteresting and soliloquizing it the same way I used writing as a tool to avoid it. 

Thus, enter the blog. United States of Lyssa. Some girl on TikTok who claims she’s always six months ahead of the trends said long-form, written content is coming back, and it felt like my time to shine. I’ve been trying to deprive my brain of the fraudulent, easy-to-come-by dopamine anyways, so buh-bye short-form TikTok videos. The fake stuff just never feels as good! And this feels good. Let me proverbially dust off my creative writing degree and see what comes of it.

So welcome to the ride. Whether you’re here to see the inner workings of my mind, or to muse along with me, I’m glad to have you here. I can’t guarantee how often I’ll update this. If I even update it at all, for that matter. But for now, this is the corner of the Internet where you’ll find me writing love letters to the everyday, just as I did when I was young. You can watch like a voyeur, and we can share that love of nosiness. Maybe this’ll be like a car crash you can’t look away from. Either way, I hope it inspires you to find joy in the everyday too. I’m happy you’re here. 

Xoxo

Lys

(p.s. If you scroll – I’ve posted some poetry from college and some essays I wrote when I was 22. Guess I had the same idea two years ago. Never went anywhere, clearly. I’ve left them up, for your viewing pleasure. Go ahead. I’m giving you permission to creep.)

[mightyflamethrower]

Wood River father shoots man accused of harming daughter, police say

WOOD RIVER, Ill. (KTVI) – Two men are recovering after shooting each other in Wood River, Illinois, early Tuesday morning after police said a father took matters into his own hands.

According to the Wood River Police Department, the shooting happened off North 6th Street, near Lewis and Clark Junior High School, after a woman showed up at her parents’ home around 2:30 a.m. She had been severely beaten, authorities said.

Police allege the woman’s father then tracked down the man accused of harming his daughter and shot him in the middle of the street.

Both men suffered gunshot wounds and were taken to a local hospital, one by ambulance and the other via helicopter, according to police.

Nexstar’s KTVI spoke with neighbors who said they witnessed the shooting. One neighbor said that after he heard a pop, he stepped outside and saw the older man standing over the younger, pointing a gun at him. He heard the younger man beg the older man not to shoot him, followed by the older man saying, “That’s my daughter! She means everything to me!”

After that, he said he watched as the older man shot the younger one and then waited for police to arrive. He said the older man did not appear severely injured from his vantage point, while he heard the younger man screaming in pain.Minister escorted from North Carolina movie theater after trying to use his own chair

Longtime resident Mildred Rulo said these kinds of things just don’t happen in Wood River.

“My thought is, I’m just glad they knew each other,” Rulo said, adding that while the shooting is troubling, she still feels safe in the area.

“If I thought someone was going around the neighborhood shooting people just for the fun of it, I would have been sure the doors were locked. And I’d be more careful about who I opened the door to,” she said.

Others said they don’t blame a father for wanting to defend his daughter. Local resident Dawn Howard agrees with that sentiment but thinks it could have been handled differently.

“It’s hard to blame a parent. There’s five girls in our family, and I can see all of our dads going after a guy,” Howard said. “But with a gun? No. … Beat him up; don’t shoot him.”

Police have not released the names of the men involved nor said if either had been charged. The Wood River Police Department plan to turn the case over to the Madison County State’s Attorney once they finish their investigation.

"Others said they don’t blame a father for wanting to defend his daughter. Local resident Dawn Howard agrees with that sentiment but thinks it could have been handled differently.??"

How?? By calling 911 and getting accused of racial profiling?? Even if the cops did their job and arrested the perp some limp wristed judge would have just let him go. The kid was already wanted for murder. The should rename the street after the father.

[stylecouncil]

I’m thinking about watching tick tick…boom aka the worst side of me is thinking about coming out

[introvertguide]

Saving Private Ryan (1998); AFI #71

The next film on the list is one of the best films of any genre, Saving Private Ryan (1998). This is what I consider the best war film of all time despite how overwhelming it is to watch. Maybe it is because it is so difficult to watch, since the movie was nominated for 11 Academy Awards and received five trophies. Because of the ensemble cast and almost complete lack of women, the film was never going to garner much in the way of acting awards. Like the soldiers who they hoped to portray, these actors shouldn’t have expected much individual recognition. This movie affected me greatly, and I would like to delve into that after going through the story line.

MAJOR SPOILER WARNING!!! BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE FILM, EVERYTHING THAT COULD POSSIBLY BE REVEALED AS FAR AS PLOT IS GIVEN AWAY BELOW!!! 

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In the present day, an elderly man visits the Normandy Cemetery with his family. At a tombstone, he falls to his knees in anguish. The establishing shots showing the mass of grave stones is overwhelming from the get-go. The movie transitions from the graveyard to a landing boat at the battle of Normandy. Be prepared because it is about to get rough.

On the morning of June 6, 1944, American soldiers land at Omaha Beach as part of the Normandy invasion. Everything goes bad immediately as machine guns and mortars literally tear the landing soldiers to shreds. Soldiers are screaming for their mothers as they die on the beach. There is no going back into the ocean so the soldiers have run into the machine gun fire. Captain John H. Miller (Tom Hanks) of the 2nd Ranger Battalion leads a breakout from the beach that makes it through to the German encampment. It is about 15 minutes of carnage and nobody will blame you if you want to forward through this until the action cools down. Elsewhere on the beach, a dead soldier lies face-down in the bloody surf; his pack is stenciled Ryan, S. It is at this point I would recommend taking a breather if you need one.

Continuing on, we are shifted to Washington, D.C., at the War Department (keep an eye out for Bryan Cranston with one arm), where General George C. Marshall learns that three of the four sons of the Ryan family were killed in action within a short time of one another. Daniel Ryan in New Guinea shortly before D-Day, Sean Ryan at Omaha Beach, and Peter Ryan at Utah Beach: all dead with letters arriving the same day for their mother. The fourth son, James Francis Ryan, is with the 101st Airborne Division somewhere in Normandy. After reading Abraham Lincoln's Bixby letter, which is meant to comfort grieving parents, aloud, Marshall orders Ryan found and brought home.

Three days after D-Day, Miller receives orders to find Ryan and bring him back. He chooses seven men from his company for the job—T/Sgt. Mike Horvath (Tom Sizemore), Privates First Class Richard Reiben (Edward Burns) and Adrian Caparzo (Vin Diesel), Privates Stanley Mellish (Adam Goldberg) and Daniel Jackson (Barry Pepper), T/4 medic Irwin Wade (Giovanni Ribisi) and T/5 Timothy Upham (Jeremy Davies), an interpreter from the 29th Infantry Division. The group moves out to Neuville where they meet a squad of the 101st engaged against the enemy and both Ted Danson and Paul Giamatti show up. THe group searching for Ryan bump into a stranded French family who try to give over their children but a German sniper breaks up the party. Caparzo is killed by a German sniper, who is then killed by Jackson (who makes the most amazing shot that legends are made of). They locate a Private James Ryan (Nathan Fillion), only to learn that he is James Frederick Ryan. On the point of giving up, the Captain starts asking random passing soldiers and learns that Ryan is defending an important bridge in Ramelle.

Near Ramelle, Miller decides to neutralize a German machine gun position at a derelict radar station, despite his men's misgivings. It does not go well and the medic, Wade, is killed in the process. They take a German soldier that they name Steamboat Willie (Joerg Stadler) who gives up willingly and pleads for his life. The men are angry and want to kill the soldier since they can’t take any extras, so, at Upham's urging, Miller frees the surviving German soldier. Losing confidence in Miller's leadership, Reiben declares his intention to desert, prompting a confrontation with Horvath, who threatens to shoot him. Miller defuses the standoff by disclosing his civilian career as a high school English teacher in a small Pennsylvania town.

At Ramelle, they find Ryan (Matt Damon) among a small group of paratroopers preparing to defend the key bridge against an imminent German attack. Miller tells Ryan that his brothers are dead, and that he was ordered to bring him home. Ryan is distressed about his brothers, but is unwilling to leave his post. Miller combines his unit with the paratroopers in defense of the bridge. He devises a plan to ambush the enemy with two .30-caliber machine guns, Molotov cocktails, anti-tank mines, and improvised satchel charges made from socks. It is basically suicide so the bridge is wired to explode in case it can’t be held. 

Now is a time to take a breather if you need one because it is about to get bad again. Elements of the 2nd SS Panzer Division arrive with two Tiger tanks and two Marder tank destroyers, all protected by infantry. The small American group holds off the force the best they can, Although they inflict heavy damage on the Germans, nearly all of the paratroopers, along with Jackson, Mellish and Horvath, are killed. It turns out that Steamboat Willie joined the group and he personally kills Mellish with a Nazi youth knife (it is horrible) and shoots Miller Captain Miller as he attempts to blow up the bridge. Miller crawls to retrieve the bridge detonator, and fires ineffectually but defiantly with his pistol at an oncoming tank. As the tank reaches the bridge, an American P-51 Mustang flies overhead and destroys the tank, after which American armored units arrive to rout the remaining Germans. With the Germans in full retreat, Upham emerges from hiding and shoots Steamboat Willie dead, having witnessed him shooting Miller, but allows his fellow soldiers to flee.

Miller tells Ryan to “earn this” before dying from his injuries. As the scene transitions to the present, Ryan is revealed to be the veteran from the beginning of the film, and is standing in front of Miller's grave expressing his gratitude for the sacrifices Miller and his unit made in the past. Ryan asks his wife if he was worthy of such sacrifice, to which she replies that he is. The final scene shows Ryan saluting Miller's grave and fades to the American flag gently waving in the breeze.

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I really have a hard time getting through this film without pausing and taking a breather. I saw the film in the theater when I was 18, so my friends and I were all around the age that these soldiers would have been that rushed that beach and retook France. It was truly terrifying. Now I am old and have back issues, so I wouldn’t be put on a front line, but the kids that I work with and care for would be the exact age to be caught in a draft and that scares me even more. The creative ways in which man finds to kill one another is the greatest threat to humanity. 

The first two times I saw the film, I did not realize that it was the same German soldier that the group had captured who eventually killed many of the group we were following. It really changes the message in the end. I had thought that Captain Miller had showed his humanity showing mercy, but it turns out that this mercy is misplaced. Now it seems like Spielberg is saying that neither humanity, nor religion, nor innocence, nor skill, nor even intelligence can save a man in the heat of battle. The only way to live is to watch the back of your group and protect each other like family.

There was a little bit of a travesty that occurred at the Academy in early 1999, because this film lost out in the Best Picture category to Shakespeare in Love. This is the same year that also saw Saving Private Ryan, The Truman Show, Life is Beautiful, Elizabeth, and The Thin Red Line. There had to be something behind that because I wouldn’t consider the winner even in the top 5. Shakespeare in Love is considered one of the worst Best Picture winners along with Crash and The Artist. Oscars are not everything and this movie is one of the best examples of this.

When I say that some of the scenes from this movie are difficult, I really do mean it. There was a hotline set up for people who have PTSD that was triggered by the film. One of the actual members of the 101st Airborne, Major Richard Winters, was consulted about the occurrences surrounding the attack. He said that it brought up many memories that he had worked hard to suppress because he had been taught that war veterans couldn’t express the psychological pain of battle. He also said that it was an important film that revealed what war was really like.

On Veteran’s Day in 2001 and 2004, ABC aired the film uncut with limited commercial interruptions. Living in California, I was able to watch the film on both of those occasions and remember getting my girlfriend at the time to watch in 2004. The film has become like a memorial to Americans lost in the European Campaign during WW2, so I treat viewing as a badge of honor and understanding, no matter how difficult it is to watch.

This film is a pretty easy answer when it comes to the standard questions for the most part. Does this film belong on the AFI top 100? Of course. It is the new benchmark for which all American war films will be judged. It is historically accurate, it is beautifully shot and directed, and it leaves a lasting impression far longer than just about any movie I have seen. Would I recommend it? This one has an age warning. It is not appropriate for young children because the first and last battle scenes are nightmare fuel. Even worse, they are apparently very realistic. It is hard to recommend something that is so scarring, but it will keep people for glorifying battle. It is horrific and should be avoided as much as possible. And that is a lesson that I believe this movie teaches better than any other. So please give this movie a watch and feel free to take a break if you need it.

[vergilthelibrarian]

Puppy.

Yandere!Jaemin x Male!Reader

In this story, popular It Boy Jaemin has a god complex but doesn’t know it

Enjoy ^^

Being the most popular guy at Uni came with it’s perks.

Everyone automatically trusted and respected you. Everyone loved and looked up to you.

But what happens when someone doesn’t even give you the time of day?

When someone isn’t as starstruck about you as everyone else?

Let’s find out shall we? ~~

A smile grew on Jaemin lips as he came up to you.

“You wanna be partners?” he asked and you looked up from the book you were reading.

You shrugged.

“Sure.” you said, your attention going back to the book.

Jaemin’s smile faltered a bit.

Why weren’t you flustered from him just talking to you? Everyone became flustered whenever he talked to them, he was the University’s resident ‘It Boy’ after all.

Taking a seat next to you, his eyes studied you as you read.

“What are you reading?” he asked, smiling slightly.

“A book.” was your answer.

“What’s the book about?”

“Things.”

Jaemin frowned slightly.

The reason why he asked to be your partner was because he felt bad that no one was talking to you. You were a loner to begin with, only having 3 friends max but Jaemin wanted to change that for some reason. Why did he want to do that? Because he was a kind man.

You put a bus card in your book, using it as a book marker, and closed the book.

You yawned a bit, turning your attention onto Jaemin who was lost in his own thoughts.

“So… what do you want to do partner?” you asked him.

You were in a theater class together as a minor, you taking it because it seemed interesting and Jaemin taking it because his friends were there.

Your professor had gave the class an easy assignment to start the semester.

Perform a scene from any play or musical of your choice.

“How about something romantic? Oh! Like Romeo and Juliet!” he said excitedly and you shook your head.

“Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy. Not a romance.” you told him. “But if that’s what you want to do then I  guess we can do it.”

“Okay… What scene should we do?”

“Let’s do the scene where they die.” you suggested and Jaemin shrugged.

“Okay.”

He got up and told the professor what scene you 2 were going to reenact and the professor approved.

~~

As you sat, eating your lunch, you looked up to see Jaemin and another guy sit opposite of you.

“Hey Y/n!” he said smiling at you and you only nodded at him.

“This is my friend, Jeno.” he said motioning towards the young man.

“Hi.” you said, feeling you cheeks warm slightly when Jeno smiled at you.

He was very handsome, you thought to yourself, looking away from him shyly.

“We didn’t discuss where we’re going to practice at in class so I was wondering where you wanted to practice at?” he asked.

“I don’t know. I always hangout at the garden so maybe we can practice there?” you suggested, turning your attention onto Jaemin who smiled.

“Alright, that sounds like a plan. Do you want to practice after school today?”

“Sure.”

“Is it alright if Jeno tags along?” he asked and you nodded.

“I don’t see why he can’t.”

Jaemin smiled brightly at you before saying goodbye and walking off, Jeno following behind him.

~~

“How oft when men are at the point of death

Have they been merry, which their keepers call

A lightning before death! O how may I

Call this a lightning? O my love, my wife,

Death, that hath suck’d the honey of thy breath” Jaemin said as you laid on the grass, your eyes closed. This is the 3rd time you were practicing this scene and Jaemin wanted to get it right. He messed up a bit but was determined to perfect the scene even though you told him that you had a whole week to get the scene right.

Jeno watched as his friend read from the phone screen.

“Hath had no power yet upon they beauty:

Thou art not conquer’d, beauty’s ensign yet

Is crimson in they lips and in they cheeks,

And death’s pale flag is not advanced there.” as he read from the screen, trying to become use to the words, he walked around, pretending like as if he was talking to someone.

Then he dropped to his knees as he said,

“Forgive me, cousin! Ah, dear Juliet,

Why art thou yet so fair?” the back of his hand caressed your cheek.

“Shall I believe

That unsubstantial Death is amorous,

And that the lean abhorred monster keeps

Thee here in dark to be his paramour?”

He sighs.

“For fear of that, I still will stay with thee,

And never from this palace of dim night

Depart again. Here, here will I remain

With worms that are thy chambermaids; O,

here

Will I set up my everlasting rest,

And shake the yoke of inauspicious stars

From this world-wearied flesh, Eyes, look your

last!” his brown eyes glanced at your body.

“Arms, take your last embrace!” he picked up your limp body, hugging you, leaning back as he said:

“And lips, O you

The doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss

A dateless bargain to engrossing death!” he leaned close for a kiss and you immediately opened your eyes, pushing him away, falling back to the ground as a result.

Jaemin looked at you confused and you looked away

“I uh… I never had my first kiss before okay?” you told him which caused him to laugh.

“Really? Why didn’t you tell me that?” he laughed at you and you slightly pouted.

“I don’t know? Mostly because I’m embarrassed that at my big age, I still haven’t had my first kiss...” you said, folding your arms.

Jaemin came up to you, a smirk on his lips as he said:

“Maybe I can change that?” and your cheeks warmed up as your eyes widen at him then quickly turning your head away.

Jaemin felt a rush at your flustered attitude.

This was what he wanted when he asked you to be his partner.

Getting up, Jaemin lend out a hand and helped you up from the ground.

“You look cute all shy like that.” he commented causing you to frown slightly.

“Well if we’re done, I’ll be going home.” you said, getting your bag and walking away.

“See you tomorrow!” Jaemin yelled and you didn’t respond back.

He looked at Jeno.

“He’s a cutie right?” and Jeno just laughed.

~~

As the days went by and you 2 practiced, Jaemin grew more and more interested in you and wanted to get to know you better, so he tried talking to you whenever he saw and though you would talk to him, your talks were usually short.

He would compliment you on your looks but you’d wouldn’t become as flustered as you did when he almost kissed you.

Though you were cold to him, he took this as a challenge and ended up asking your friends about you and they excitedly told him everything and anything about you.

He found out you were down to earth and rather sensitive at heart, a contrast from the coldness you showed him.

He sighed as he looked at himself in the mirror.

Why couldn’t he stop thinking about you?

What did he want from you exactly?

The way how your friends described you was honestly want he wanted in a partner but the way how you acted towards him was just… he just hated how cold you were towards him.

Maybe he was just being irrational with being upset at how you treated him.

He was so use to everyone throwing themselves at him that you not doing it threw him in for a loop.

It made him utterly confused.

Jaemin knew for sure though that he liked you.

I mean, he felt hurt whenever you didn’t reciprocate his advances towards you which was all the time.

You were driving him crazy these past few days and honestly, he didn’t want the project to end.

He jumped slightly when he heard knocking on the bathroom door.

“Yo… you okay?” asked Jeno and Jaemin replied: “Yeah, I’m fine.”

“Okay...” Jeno walked away

Jaemin looked back into the mirror.

Honestly, for you to be his biggest fan was all he wanted most.

For you to follow him like a puppy was what he wanted.

He sighed once more, unlocking the bathroom door and leaving.

~~

It was the night before the assignment and Jaemin thought that maybe inviting you out to a party would  open you up a bit.

As you stood awkwardly with a cup in your hand, leaning against the wall you sighed to yourself.

This was such a bad idea.

You saw Jaemin who’s eyes caught yours and he came up to you.

“Y/n! I was looking for you! Are you having fun?” he asked, a smile on his lips.

“No, I’m not actually.” you told him over the music. “I kinda want to go home.”

“Aww, don’t leave! Come on, come with me.” he said holding out his hand and you grabbed it, walking behind him as he led you upstairs. He opened a door to a room and you walked in.

He went and sat on the bed, patting the side next to him.

“Take a seat.” he smiled and you walked over, sitting down next to him.

His eyes watched you and you glanced at him, looking away quickly as you soon realized he was drunk.

“You know, we’ve been doing this project for a week and I still haven’t seen you’ve smile or laugh.” he said. “I bet your smile is beautiful...”

You scratched your head, becoming uncomfortable.

You glanced back at him.

“What do you want?” you asked and one of his hands gently grabbed your face, turning it to look him.

“I just want to see you smile is all.” he said and you moved his hand from your face.

“You know what? I’m gonna go.” you said getting up only to be pulled back down onto the bed.

Your eyes widen as Jaemin looked at you with a look in his eyes that you couldn’t decipher, a blank expression on his face.

“Why don’t you like me Y/n? I like you. In fact, I may even be in love with you yet you treat me so coldly.” you bit your lip

“Jaemin, that’s just the way I am. It takes time for me to open up to people.”

“I’m special than most people though. You should be worshiping me.”

You looked at him confused.

“What?”

It was quiet for a moment and then Jaemin chuckled, letting you go and you got up, rubbing your wrist as you left the room, blaming the interaction on his drunkness.

He leaned back in the bed, a wicked smile on his face.

He knew now.

He knew why he talked to you on that fateful day, why he asked your friends about you, why he would even follow you around sometimes without you knowing.

He wanted you to praise him.

To hear your genuine words of praise… god, it would make him so happy.

Jaemin closed his eyes.

He couldn’t wait for tomorrow.

~~

The class clapped, some cheering, as the 2 people bowed before sitting back down.

“Okay class quiet down.” the professor said.

“And next we have, Y/n and Jaemin performing a scene from Romeo and Juliet.” everyone clapped as you 2 got up from your chairs and went to the front of the class.

As you laid down on the floor and Jaemin recited his lines, your mind went to what happened last night.

What did he mean by ‘You should be worshiping me’?

You didn’t know and honestly, you didn’t want to find out.

“Here, here will I remain

With worms that are they chambermaids; O,

here

Will I set up my everlasting rest,

And shake the yoke of inauspicious stars

From the world-wearied flesh. Eyes, look your

last!

Arms, take your last embrace!” he picked you up, hugging you tightly.

“And, lips, O you

The doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss

A dateless bargain to engrossing death!”

He placed his lips onto yours. Pulling away, he gently placed you back on the ground.

“Come, bitter conduct, come, unsavory guide!” he takes a small bottle out of his pocket.

“Thou desperate pilot, now at once run on

The dashing rocks thy sea-sick weary bark!” he said, looking at the bottle, eyes conveying the pain of Romeo rather convincingly.

“Here’s to my love!” and he took off the top and drunk from the bottle.

“O true apothecary!

Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die.”

He kisses you one more time before pretending to die, falling a bit of ways from you.

You rise up.

Since it was only a 2 partner project, there was no one to play Friar Lawrence but still you looked around then looked up, pretending to talk to someone saying:

“O comfortable friar! Where is my lord?

I do remember well where I should be,

And there I am. Where is my Romeo?”

You got up, and went to Jaemin’s body.

“Go get thee hence, for I will not away.

What’s here? A bottle clos’d in my true love’s

hand?

Poison, I see, hath been his timeless end.

O churl, drunk all, and left no friendly drop

To help me after? I will kiss thy lips,

Haply some poison yet doth hang on them,

To make me die with a restorative.” you kissed his lips.

“They lips are warm.” you looked behind you.

“Yea, noise? Then I’ll be brief.” you looked back in front of you and went through one of Jaemin’s pockets taking out a plastic knife.

“O happy dagger,

This is they sheath;” you stab yourself.

“there rust and let me die.” you fall onto Jaemin’s body.

The class clapped, some cheered and you got up from Jaemin, smiling a small smile, you bowed along with him.

You 2 went back to your seats and watched the rest of the class perform their projects.

~~

As you placed your books into your bag, you yawned, feeling tired from the day.

You got a A on your project with Jaemin and was happy that you passed.

You were also happy that maybe he’d leave you alone now but that wasn’t the case as he came into your classroom.

“Y/n. I wanted to talk to you.” he said, closing the door behind him.

You 2 were the only ones in the class.

You looked up at him as he came close to you.

“Okay. What do you want to talk to me about?” you asked once he stopped in front of you.

He smiled at you as he pushed you against the wall that your desk was conveniently next to, his smile dropping and that blank expression and unexplainable look from the party coming back to his eyes.

His arms caged you in and you looked up at him, honestly feeling scared.

“Don’t look at me with those eyes…” he said, his hand caressing your cheek.

“Where’s that cute smile you had from earlier, huh? Why can’t you smile for me?” he asked and you shook your head.

“Hmph… Don’t worry. After I’m done breaking you, I’ll build you into the perfect little pet.” he smiled at you, soon placing a kiss on your lips.

[notbecauseofvictories]

I had to go into work the other day (I don’t have a printer at home, hadn’t forwarded my calls, etc.) so in order to minimize my contact with other people, took a lyft there and back. I ended up getting into a fairly involved conversation with one of the drivers about---what else---COVID-19. He raised the point that surely, some of this was due to the unhealthiness of modern life: hormones and GMOs, contamination, the dirty city. Back in the day, people grew their own food; he told me about his hometown, where they grew mangoes and the mangoes you can get in Chicago don’t taste like that, not like the mangoes they grew.

It’s not that I disagreed, just that there’s nothing I hate quite like a recency bias. So I shot back that a hundred years ago in Chicago, most people worked in disastrously unhealthy meatpacking plants, lived crammed into close quarters with extended family and unrelated friends, and were still burying their dead too close to the lakeshore. And I’ve been thinking about it ever since, in...different sorts of ways.

Chicago has had an identifiable public health movement for a while. Its first public campaign against syphilis (with focus on safe sex!) was carried out in 1910; prior to the 1880s, Lincoln Park was a cemetery---but doctors started speaking out about the dangers of burying bodies so near the water supply and below the water table. In 1832 to prevent the spread of cholera, local leaders required all men between the ages of 21 and 60 to clean up the streets and alleys of Chicago, with monetary penalties for noncompliance. To say nothing of the gains in workplace safety and food purity that evolved out of Chicago’s labor movement and the backlash to Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle.

I mean, the following cartoon (courtesy of the Illinois Department of Health, the entity currently coordinating the COVID-19 response) dates back to the 1918 Spanish Flu outbreak:

In a strange sort of history-doesn’t-repeat-but-does-rhyme way, Chicago’s epidemic-limiting measures back then included limiting crowds by closing theaters, dance halls, skating rinks and other venues, and prohibiting public funerals. Controversially, schools remained open, but ultimately IDPH decided children would be better off in school, where they could be monitored by teachers and nursing staff for signs of infection.

As of today, Illinois has a much more comprehensive quarantine plan than it did at the height of the influenza pandemic.

I suppose that one takeaway from all this is that our society’s response to epidemics hasn’t really changed---we’re still isolating, telling people to cough into their elbows and fistbump instead of shaking hands. But on the other hand---this is not new or strange or different, this is not alien. Modern life is not to blame in some unique way. This has always been happening in one way or another, we have always dealt with the immovable uncertainty of that as best we know how. Or:

R.A. VILLANUEVA

[im-a-space-gay]

Some Notes for the Mix-Matched AU (aka the slow burn Analogical AU where Logan’s the school punk and Virgil’s the school nerd)

Logan Croft-

Resident punk

Tol boi, and I mean real tol with the muscles

He wears contacts because he’s found some people don’t take him serious when he wears glasses

When he was younger, he was very smart and wanted to learn everything, but he found out it wasn’t smarts that would help him survive, but being intimidating, and most people didn’t find it intimidating when he kept correcting them. Therefore, he stopped trying to learn and just went with the flow

Somehow hasn’t been kicked out of a single school despite allegedly “starting” fights and always being disruptive

Anger issues for daaaaaayyyyss

He has ear piercings, nose piercings tongue piercings, you name it, he’s got it.

Also has a couple tattoos which are awesome

He has somehow got in a group with people from different teenage cultures and will gladly die for them. He even brings lil babey nerd into the group and yay they’re all happier!!

Can and will debate about anything and everything, which is really fun

Virgil Storm-

The embodiment of not only all knowledge in the world, but the panicked thoughts of swear words repeating

He didn’t really care if he wore glasses or contacts, but found glasses more manageable and has a giant pair he pushes up constantly

See tol boi Logan? Well I present smol boi Virgil. He was just barely the average height, and literally had noodle arms

As a kid, he once almost failed a class because he thought learning would be boring, and therefore didn’t try. When he realized he was about to flunk, he studied hard and found the stuff he was learning... interesting?? And he remembered it?? Then he started doing the same for all his classes and wow learning was incredible!! There was so much to learn and see and do and mark his words he was going to learn it all!

After he started getting bullied for being smart and weak, he wore makeup so nobody saw the bruises. If nobody knew, nobody would bother him, so he could read for longer!

Not really used to people caring about him, so it was a big shock when this big punk came out of nowhere to help him out, and then let him hang out with his ragtag group, filled with more caring people.

He also didn’t really talk a lot at first, because he has a really bad habit of info-dumping or ranting, and nobody wanted to hear what he knew. Then one day at lunch, Patton asked him why the periodic table of elements was arranged the way it was, and what was supposed to be a small answer became an info-dumping session, and when he snapped out of it, he realized how everyone at the table was staring at him in shock. Apparently they didn’t know he could talk so much, so they’ve made it their mission to try and trigger sessions like that because Virgil seemed really happy when he did it

Also when he reads, he has a habit of either not hearing what’s happening around him at all, or having a conversation without realizing. (Not only have the others found this as a good way to trigger a rant, but also Roman quotes musicals and plays and sees if Virgil finishes it so he knows how many Virgil knows of)

Janus Smith-

Snek emo boyo

Wears an unholy amount of makeup and black clothes

Suicide jokes baaaaaabyyyy

He sometimes wears a symbol of a two headed snake, and when asked about it, gives an answer completely unrelated to it

Sometimes, he wears colorful clothes to trigger other emos or to throw everybody off

Beneath all the emo-ness, sarcasm, suicidal tendencies and black, he was a gentle, kind soul

And even further beneath that was a giant asshole

Patton Hart-

Skirts and dresses? Yes. Pastel colors? Yes. Floral print? THOSE WERE TO DIE FOR!!

A fashionista inside and out

Tried to wear boy clothing once. That is a day that shall not be named nor referenced, as it was traumatizing for all involved

Big round glasses, because those go with everything! (He even has versions of his glasses with colored lenses because those were so pretty!!)

Freckles on his nose, and as cute as they were, he will not hesitate to cover them in makeup if they didn’t fit with the outfit for the day

No, he is not a girl, and would appreciate if guys stopped mistaking him for one

Sweet and lovable, but he can and will kill a bitch with his heels if you insult or hurt anyone in his crew, including himself because he mattered

Speaking of his crew, he tries real hard not to help them with their horrible fashion tastes. Logan? Did everything need to be ripped and have bold statements on them? Janus? Beautiful face even with heterochromia and virtilago, but he keeps covering it up with tacky, horribly applied makeup that was ONLY BLACK. And don’t even get him started on when he wore colors!! What is this, a Disney Channel movie? Roman sometimes wore old costumes from school productions he did, which no. Remus was relatively fine, EXCEPT HE WORE THE SAME THING EVERYDAY AND DIDN’T TAKE IT OFF UNTIL THE WEEKEND, WHICH SMELLED HORRIBLE, MIND YOU. Virgil only wore jackets and jeans, and by far drove Patton the least insane with fashion, but the jacket he wore was black, torn up, oversized, and the worst thing, PLAID (he was planning on replacing it, secretly)

Does he cry?? No one knows

Roman Royal-

DISNEY AND THEATER KID, LET’S GO

Quotes from many different things, and bursts out into song randomly

“Not to be gay, but...”

Does many things in theater from playing a part to running around on backstage. He is theater god.

Sometimes he wears costumes from old productions (the ones in a more modern setting though. He’s not gay enough to walk around the halls in a prince outfit. He only does that at home)

Can’t fight for the life of him, but he can sure gossip

Way too loud, but can you blame him?

Remus Royal-

“I am but a mere jock, making fun of my fellow jocks and basically beating them up, being a delinquent but seen as a hero.” “I only asked what your favorite color was.” “Oh. Green.”

Acts as childish as you’d expect

Signs up for any and all sports no matter what

As much as he loves being an idiot with his fellow sports players, he much rather prefers hanging out with the group of misfits purely because they can all be themselves without judgement (he stands corrected. Apparently it was weird when he triggered Virgil into explaining the sex of unicorns and penguins)

Weird ass nicknames for his friendos on his phone. Roman was Ronbow, Janus was Kill or be Killed, Patton was Stabby-Feet, Logan was Propagayda, and Virgil was Answerkey

Dabs

THE HOUSE IS ON FIRE, WHY DID WE LEAVE REMUS TO COOK OH GOD OH NO HE TRIED COOKING ONE OF ROMAN’S PROPS WITH PATTON’S MINI PINK SKIRT AND OH SHIT OH FUCK VIRGIL’S ON FIRE SOMEONE CALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT (this was an actual event, and Remus got the fury of Roman for charring his favorite sword, Patton for ruining his skirt, Logan for somehow setting the nerd on fire, had to deal with Virgil being nonverbal for three weeks thanks to the trauma, and a Janus who recorded the entire event without showing a single emotion)

[timemachineyeah]

I started writing this in my last reblog and then realized it was getting way off topic and way too long, so -

I haven’t seen High School Musical since it came out in 2006, when I was 17/18. I haven’t seen it since because at the time I hated it so much. I felt so insulted by it.

I have no idea if this was fair or me just having a lot of hangups. I think I lean towards “hangups” though. But I want to talk about those hangups.

I had spent my entire adolescence in theater. I loved it. Performing, stage work, writing, lighting, set design, costuming - the work, the community, all of it.

The theater department was always wildly underfunded and the general attitude of people outside the drama kids towards the drama kids ranged from “that’s nice (please shut up)” to “ugh, faggots”.

I want to be clear. We weren’t in a John Hughes movie. In fact, one of the things I didn’t like about High School Musical was how oversimplified and ridiculous the portrayal of “cliques” or social groups was. At my high school, most of the football team was really nice. The cheerleaders and dance team were artists in their own right and usually too busy trying to perfect their work to get snippy to other people about it. The ASB were all really thoughtful, if overachieving, kids. People didn’t police each other’s interests like that. My social group included kids from Drama, the Debate Club, the Robotics Club, Newspaper...

(I’ll still never understand, to this day, the portrayal in so many works of fiction of the mean kids and the popular kids as being the same people. We had mean kids, but they weren’t popular. Because they were mean. People don’t like people who are mean? All our most popular students were really really nice.)

But theater especially had this attitude towards it from some that was basically... I mean first of all there was genuinely a lot of homophobia about it, and our few openly gay students did flock to the theater (or anime) club. There’d been an attempt at a Gay-Straight-Alliance when it became clear from court cases they could no longer legally bar it, but it fizzled out pretty quick because no one wanted to be seen going to it, and because, well, a couple existing clubs had already absorbed those kids and become safe havens in their own right - with a better air of plausible deniability to their parents and everyone else.

But aside from that, there was also this complete lack of recognition for how fucking hard theater was. And how much real skill was involved. And that used to drive me so fucking feral. Like, oh, theater. Anyone can do that. It’s just acting, right?

The logistics of sets and lighting and costuming and makeup, all of which we did ourselves, the endurance, the memorization, the intense rehearsal schedule... just... so easily dismissed by so many people as light pastime.

And so spending your time on it was seen as really frivolous. I think that there also weren’t any trophies for us to bring home for the school also played a part in it.

I still remember taking an art class. It was so weird, because I knew a lot of people at school, but I took this art class and got there and hardly recognized anyone. It soon became clear why.

I was in Band and Drama and had taken Writing electives and made friends in Newspaper and Choir and Orchestra and knew basically everyone in our school’s arts scene. When I took art (drawing and painting, basically), I realized these were all the kids who had no interest in the arts. They lived in a world very distinct from mine. They were taking this class to get their mandatory arts/humanities credit in what they thought would be the “easiest” way possible (that itself being a huge insult to artists, but I couldn’t overly blame them. I’ve definitely played similar games with math and gym credits in the past -  just looking for a way to do the bare minimum).

I ended up sitting next to a guy I’d been friends with in elementary school and seen occasionally in passing in middle school, but no longer knew at all. He was on the football team, but didn’t play often or rank very highly in their own social group as far as I could tell. But he took it seriously.

It also soon became clear I chose wrong on where to sit, as we... didn’t really have anything in common at all any more. Anyway, we had this assignment that involved talking to each other about what we wanted to be when we grew up. And this guy said he wanted to be an actor.

And I was like, “Woah, really?”

And he, with complete sincerity, said yeah. He thinks it’d be cool.

And I got real smiley and said, “That’s awesome! You should come to drama club sometime.”

And. Y’all.

He acted like I’d insulted him.

I still remember that. How completely incredulous and dismissive he was about the whole idea. What did wanting to be an actor have to with fucking Drama? Those guys are fucking nerds and freaks and also gay.

I can still feel it like I’d been slapped.

The John Hughes Heirarchy wasn’t really real in my high school, but that doesn’t mean you wouldn’t occasionally meet these baffling kids who thought it was, and failed to notice everyone else living normal human lives while they tried to slot into and enforce a social strata that wasn’t there.

And sometimes we’d get some dude who thought theater was fucking easy and he could do it way better than us showing up to an audition for a show and, usually, getting cast because we were always short on guys.

Usually they wouldn’t make it the actual show. When they did they were major flakes and pains to give direction to and wouldn’t learn their lines. I remember literally having to get a bunch of friends to hold a guy down because the asshole wouldn’t put on his damn stage make-up because make-up is for girls or whatever.

So the John Hughes High School Hierarchy may not have actually existed, and most of the football team may have been guys who would show up to our shows and say “nice job!” afterwards. But there were still people who believed it, and believed they were Stars and we were Losers Who Weren’t Even Self Aware Enough To Realize We Were Losers.

Enter, at the end of my high school theater career, High School Musical.

And High School Musical acted like

1. There was a John Hughes Social Hierarchy that everyone was always enforcing

2. The theaters kids? They were Losers Who Weren’t Self Aware Enough To Realize They Were Losers (Also GAY CODED)

3. Theater? Pretty easy! It’s just acting and singing (and those are, of course, easy!)! Literally zero acknowledgment of, like, any of the work that goes into it.

And, the most grievous sin of all in my eyes -

4. The drama program had to be Granted Legitimacy by a Straight White Hetero Dude wanting join. Before that? It’s a joke! But now Zac Efron (who, I will state here, I like!) was just naturally talented with zero practice, and he deserves to be the lead in the play more than those gross theater kids.

I KNOW this is neither the INTENDED nor STATED moral of the movie. It’s, in fact, supposed to be the opposite! It’s supposed to be like “Hey, Jock kid, you dismissed the arts unfairly! Now you’re broadening your horizons by learning you love the arts! Re-examine your stereotypes and change your expectations!”

But for all of the text of the movie supposedly being that story, the subtext all struck my sensitive little heart at the time as being the exact opposite.

And now all these people were talking like they’d tapped into one of my interests because they liked this shitty Disney movie. Like, oh, you and your friends got sidelined for years for Liking Musicals, but now we’re all acting like we ALSO love Musicals, but we actually only like High School Musical.

On the one hand, I’m glad for the drama club, who I know got a boost in auditions immediately following this movie. On the other hand, I weep for the drama club, which I know got so many flakes who had no idea what they were signing up for and quit a week into it because of this movie.

And all of it was so well meaning, but the overwhelming feeling I got from both the movie and the wave of popularity it had afterwards was that my entire adolescence had just been trivialized and commodified and it was, well, really damn irritating.

In the time since, I’ve seen so much warmth and nostalgia for the movie. I know I haven’t necessarily given it a fair shake. And I also feel like the sequels might be a good silly time I missed out on. And I will give it that second chance, I’m sure, some day.

I mean, I have Disney+ for free because I’m piggybacking on my mom’s account. So. Might as well.

But before I ever go back to High School Musical and forgive it its sins, which were major in my small life, but minor in actuality, I just wanted to get my grudge out there.

I fucking hated that damn movie so damn much.

[douchebagbrainwaves]

THIS ONE IS REAL

Those are pretty expensive. If they were obviously good, someone would already be writing stuff on top of it. He made cars, which had been a luxury item, into a commodity. But maybe the older generation would laugh at me for opinions expressed here, remember that anything you see here that's not in the middle. I once wrote that startup founders should be at least 23, and that one should just go to grad school.1 Why do you think so? Could you turn theorems into a commodity, and they were still mostly in denial about problems. When we got real funding near the end of it, but regardless it's certainly constraining.

Soon after we arrived at Yahoo, we got an email from Filo, who had been crawling around our directory hierarchy, asking if it was really necessary to store so much of it. At each step, flow down. Our generation wants to get paid for doing work you love, you're practically there. I said a good rule of thumb for recognizing when you have competitors, because it's painful to observe the gap between them. But when I finally tried living there for a bit last year, and the Bible is quite explicit on the subject of homosexuality. Though unprecedented, I predict this situation is also temporary. They can't hire smart people anymore, but they don't get blamed for it. This one is real. But unfortunately you run into a chicken and egg problem here. And when you see something that's taking advantage of new technology to give people something they want that they couldn't have before, you're probably looking at a winner. In a field like math or physics, where no audience matters except your peers, and judging ability is sufficiently straightforward that hiring and admissions committees can do it without setting off the kind of work you do, and since you have to jump through in school.2 So Dad, there's this company called Apple.

Err. And indeed, a lot of meetings; don't have chunks of code that multiple people own; don't have chunks of code that multiple people own; don't have chunks of code that multiple people own; don't have a cofounder, but that there be few of them. Afterward I wondered, what am I even measuring? And that's fine. If you're a hacker thinking about starting a startup in New York admire more.3 Even Einstein probably had moments when he wanted to have a meeting about it. Don't maltreat users is a subset of a more general technique: making things easier.

At least, it has to look professional. My only leisure activities were running, which I think even Spamhaus would admit is a rough guess at the top spammers. Wealth is defined democratically. While you're at it, you should get a job. After all, a Web 2. But an online square is more dangerous than a physical one. Startup ideas are ideas for companies, and sales depends mostly on effort. Surely one had to force oneself to work on, toward things you actually like. By seeming unable even to cut a grapefruit in half let alone go to the store and buy one, he forced other people to use.4 If anyone is dishonest, it's the one with fewer employees that's more impressive.

The intervening years have created a situation that is, someone whose best work was behind him—and hand over the project with copious free advice about how the book should show in positive terms the strength and diversity of the American people, etc, etc. If this were a movie, for example. If you want to stay happy, you have to assume there was someone born in Milan with as much natural ability as Leonardo couldn't beat the force of environment, do you suppose you can? Even if your only goal is to please them, the way to get information out of them. The Bay Area has a lot of time thinking about language design. One reason people who've been out in the world. Thanks to Sam Altman, was 19 at the time.

As I was leaving I offered it to him, as I've done countless times before in the same way the classic airline pilot manner is said to derive from Chuck Yeager. Once publishing—giving people copies—becomes the most natural way of distributing your content, it probably isn't, it tended to pervade the atmosphere of early universities. How many times have you heard hackers speak fondly of how in, say, transportation or communications. But the reason reporters ended up writing stories about this particular truth, rather than by compiler writers. For better or worse, the idea of starting a startup just doesn't require that much intelligence. But it's harder than it looks. Serving web pages is very, very large. Most of us hate to acknowledge this. When the values of the elite. If you're sure of the general area you want to do when they're 12, and just the sort of trifle that breaks deals when investors feel they have the upper hand—over an uncertainty about whether the founders had correctly filed their 83 b forms, if you asked random people on the street if they'd like to do is figure things out, why do you need to in order to store something for them. Most good mathematicians would work on math even if there were no jobs as math professors, whereas in the departments at the other students' without having more than glanced over the book to learn the names of users with the highest average comment scores in orange.

And software sells hardware. I wanted. Taking a shower is like a form of meditation. And the boneheads who designed this stove even had an example of loving their work might help their kids more than an expensive house. The Bay Area has a lot of startups—probaby most startups funded by Y Combinator. It's an old idea that new things come from the margin is simply that you don't have an idea. Java will turn out to be a tradition of startups taking VC money, and work on what you love is very difficult. Responsibility is an occupational disease of eminence. Odd as it might sound, we tell startups that they should try to make friends with as many smart people as you can. Or they could return to their roots and make going to the theater a treat. Well, no.

So what's interesting? The reason we have high level languages is because people can't deal with machine language. How hard would it be to jumpstart a silicon valley? So far the complete list of messages I've picked up from cities is: wealth, style, hipness, physical attractiveness, fame, political power, economic power, intelligence, social class, and quality of life. Audiences have to be derived from working in that field. I learned to program when computer power was scarce.5 This extra cost buys you flexibility. These are the only places I know that Richard and Jonathan Rees have done a lot quicker.

Notes

They would have a bogus political agenda or are feebly executed. Not only do convertible debt, so problems they face are probably not do that. Some who read this essay I'm talking mainly about software design.

Put in chopped garlic, pepper, cumin, and stir. And of course reflects a willful misunderstanding of what you launch with, you might be digital talent. The Civil Service Examinations of Imperial China, many of the definition of important problems includes only those on the subject of language power in Succinctness is Power. But be careful here, I was writing this, but something feminists need to be when it converts you get stock as if you'd just thought of them could as accurately be called acting Japanese.

If this happens it will become increasingly easy to believe your whole future depends on the matter. In sufficiently disordered times, even if they do the opposite: when we created pets. If you're part of an audience of investors want to invest in successive rounds, it will thereby expose it to profitability on a map. But you can eliminate, do not try too hard at fixing bugs—which is the least important of the world wars to say that it will seem as if the fix is at pains to point out that this isn't strictly true, because spam and P nonspam are both genuinely formidable, and only incidentally to tell someone that I hadn't had much success in doing a bad idea has been rewritten to suit present fashions.

Together these were the impressive ones. I switch person. And while this is the way to create a silicon valley out of school. Obviously signalling risk.

Another thing I learned from this experiment: set aside an option to maintain their percentage. What you're looking for something they wanted, so you'd find you couldn't slow the latter without also slowing the former.

[dream-a-little-bigger-x]

Heathers | Sweet Pea

A/N: Part three! 

Act one - Act two 

Words: 2622

Pairing: Sweet Pea x Reader

Warnings: angst, fighting, cursing

Act three: Fight For Me 

Another day, another rehearsal. Today, we’re mostly revising the things we’d already done. Like Beautiful, Candy Store and Freeze Your Brain. Mostly Candy Store since Cheryl didn’t know we’d changed the choreo a little to have both of Cheryl’s and Toni’s in there. “Thanks a lot, Y/N,” Cheryl had attacked me viciously. “Don’t blame me, Cheryl. You should’ve been more professional.” Sweet Pea had glanced back at me with a smirk on his face, agreeing with my statement. The redhead scoffs, but then focuses on my mixed choreo anyway. I could tell Betty and Veronica had a lot more fun on stage since I did the number with them the other day. It’s fun to see everyone getting better every single time. “Let’s take five, guys, and then we’re doing Our Love Is God,” Kevin tells us when the Heathers have finished their Candy Store rehearsal. “Hey, Y/N,” I hear Sweet Pea’s voice behind me as I’m searching for my water bottle in my bag. “Hey,” I greet back when I’ve found it and stand up straight to face the tall Serpent. “I think I could get some pointers on Meant to Be Yours and I am Damaged. Would it be okay to rehearse together tonight?” I can feel my face heat up as a smile finds its way back to my face. “Yeah, sure! Your place or mine?” I ask and sip from my water. “Mine, if that would be okay? My auntie is dropping off my little cousin after school and I need to watch him for tonight,” he explains. “He’ll probably be in bed when you arrive though.” He adds it quickly as though that would be a reason for me not to come. I love watching children. And I love it when guys are good with kids too. Due to the gender roles and double standards, you wouldn’t think guys were good with kids and only women are meant to be gifted in that department. “Oh, that’s fine. I don’t mind. I’ll swing by after school? We could order some pizzas for dinner?” I suggest, making it an entire date. His eyes widen a little at the realization. “If I’m giving you some pointers, I’ll probably be there all night long,” I say in a teasing tone, and it makes him chuckle. “Yeah, after school it is,” he nods and gets to his spot so we can start rehearsing Our Love is God. I’m reminded of Friday night when we were at Pop’s and I’d started singing it softly, only to him, and then he’d continued singing. That was one of my favorite moments I’d ever had with a co-star. “Yeah-lo?” Archie says as Kurt Kelly on the other side of the stage, holding a vintage telephone horn to his ear. “Hi, Kurt. It’s Veronica… how did you guys know it was always a fantasy of mine to have two guys at once?” I ask in an innocent voice as Sweet Pea snickers beside me as JD. “Wow, uh… Lucky guess?” he exclaims, punching Reggie in the shoulder. “Well, if you want it to come true, meet me at the cemetery, at dawn,” I say and then hang up the horn. Archie does the same as he looks at Reggie in absolute merriment. “Free pussy!” he yells, and Reggie suddenly mirrors his expression. “And we don’t even have to buy it a pizza!” Reggie exclaims excitedly and the two boys fist bump, saying “Punch it in!” before heading into the wings, laughing, leaving Sweet Pea and I alone on the stage again. “We can start and finish wars We're what killed the dinosaurs We're the asteroid that's overdue The dinosaurs choked on the dust They died because God said they must The new world needed room For me and you” Sweet Pea and I sing the lines together, moving towards the center of the stage, staying close to one another. Then, Sweet Pea turns me, so I face him, and he keeps his hands on my hips while mine grip at his long trench coat. “I worship you I'd trade my life for yours They all will disappear We'll plant our garden here” Then I echo, “Plant our garden here,” after which we leap into a couple of “Our love is God”. I’m weirdly comfortable in Sweet Pea’s arms. I’ve only met him a couple of weeks ago when we started rehearsing and only really got to know him a bit better on Friday night. It does freak me out a little bit. But for now, it’s only a benefit to our acting performance that I feel this comfortable. I listen to him sing as I’m kneeled down next to Archie, who had been ‘shot’ first, as he’s keeping Reggie at gun point. For some reason, he looks hot when he’s about to fake kill somebody. He then ‘shoots’, and Reggie falls on the floor. “What the fuck have you done?!” I shout at him and get up from my spot on the stage to walk over to him. In the process of doing so, I slip on one of the boys’ shoes as they had to strip for this scene. I prepare for the fall, but it never comes as a hand grabs me by my arm and holds me up. When I turn my head, I’m face to face with Sweet Pea, who simply keeps going like a true theater professional. “I worship you I'd trade my life for yours We'll make them disappear We'll plant our garden here” Then, we leap back into the Our Love is God’s until the song finishes and Reggie and Archie get up again from their death-spot. The others from the cast in the audience, applaud for us, even Cheryl who didn’t used to do that last week or even earlier today when we did Freeze Your Brain. “Are you okay?” Sweet Pea then asks when he finally lets go of my arm. “Yeah, I just tripped over a shoe,” I reply with a smile, “Thanks for saving me though.” Sweet Pea opens his smiling mouth to say something back, but Kevin interrupts him. That’s also when I get snapped into real life again and out of my bubble with Sweet Pea. “That was amazing! Let’s do Blue now, and then we’ll wrap up for today,” he says, “Anyone who isn’t in this scene can go home if they want.” Sweet Pea turns his head to me, his face in a pained expression. I give him a smile. “You can go. Just text me your address and I’ll come over when we’re done here.” He nods his head, grabs the pistol prop from me and puts it in its place, so I can do the scene with Veronica, Betty, Archie and Reggie. I was kind of hoping I could go home with Sweet Pea instead. The ride on his motorbike on Friday was so amazing and so freeing, that I’d give anything to do it again. There was just something about holding him by his torso and feeling the wind whoosh on my face – I was wearing his helmet, so no wind through my hair. Or maybe it was just being so close to him that made it so much fun and easy. Oh no…

Sweet Pea had texted me the trailer number he lived in at Sunnyside, so I drove my car there and parked just in front of the park before getting out. Just as I shut my door and locked the car, I hear smacking and grunting and groaning. With furrowed brows I walk towards the sound, only to find Sweet Pea fighting some Ghoulie – another gang we should definitely steer clear from. Rumored cannibals. “Hey!” I shout and run up to the two. “Stop it! Stop it right now!” I yell, capturing both the boy’s attention. Sweet Pea’s face is almost covered entirely in blood and it pains me to see him like this. “Ah, Sweet Pea, don’t tell me this is her…” the Ghoulie says with a bemused smile on his face. “A Northsider, really? Out of all the people… I—” before the guy can even say another word, Sweet Pea lashes out and his fist hits the Ghoulie’s jaw, sending him to the ground. “Holy shit!” I yelp, bringing my hands up to cover my mouth. “Sweet Pea, come on!” I grab his arm and pull him away from the Ghoulie. Reluctantly, the tall Serpent backs off and follows me to his trailer. “I can’t believe you fought a Ghoulie,” I mumble as he unlocks his door and lets me in first. “Where’s your first aid kit?” he points to the door on my right, and when I walk through it, I find myself in the bathroom. It’s small. Really small. I doubt you could even move in here when there’s two people inside. Without judging it any further, I open the mirror-cupboard and grab the small red box with the cross on top. If this isn’t it, he needs to sort out his life. “How was the rehearsal?” he asks, hoping for the subject not to be his fighting. “Don’t,” I reply curtly, “Don’t pretend you’re not nearly bleeding and bruising to death, Noah.” I use his real name to get the point across right while wetting a gauze with disinfectant. “Don’t call me that,” he sneers, then hisses when I dab the wound on his forehead from the Ghoulie’s ring. “I was just trying to lighten the mood.” I sigh deeply, then grab another gauze since the first one is now covered in blood. He hisses again as the wet gauze comes into contact with the injury. “It’s not that bad.” “Why were you fighting that Ghoulie? And where is your cousin?” I ask two questions in one go. “My cousin’s in my bedroom, playing a game on my phone. I was just going out to get some apple juice for him from the supermarket when I bumped into the Ghoulie. He started bashing me about the musical and …” he trails off a little before adding, “you…” “So, then you decided to punch him in the eye?” I ask whilst covering the wound with a plaster. “Don’t give me shit about this right now, Y/N. Everything kind of hurts and I’m really regretting doing it all.” My lips pull into a pained grimace as I start on his bloody knuckles. I can’t really tell if it’s his blood or the Ghoulie’s. Maybe both. “Could you…” he starts, but then stops. “Never mind, it’s going to sound stupid.” I stop what I’m doing and look up at him instead. “No, tell me. Nothing you ever say would sound stupid. Anything Reggie says, however…” I trail off suggestively and earn a chuckle from the boy. “Just tell me, Sweets.” I encourage him before going back to cleaning his knuckles. “Could you sing for me? It always soothes me when you do,” he asks sheepishly, and when I look up again, he’s staring at his hand in mine. I take a deep breath before leaping into the first song that pops into my head. Which is also vaguely appropriate for this situation. “Hey, Mister No Name Kid So who might you be? And could you fight for me? And hey, could you face the crowd? Could you be seen with me and still act proud?” I glance up at him, shooting him a small smile. “Hey, could you hold my hand? And could you carry me through no man's land? It's fine if you don't agree But I would fight for you If you would fight for me” I bandage up his knuckles then, whilst still continuing the song. “Let them drive us underground I don't care how far You can set my broken bones And I know CPR” He chuckles a little at my suggesting expression, just as I would during the show.

“Well, whoa You can punch real good” I place a soft kiss on his bandaged fist. “You've lasted longer than I thought you would So hey, Mister No Name Kid If some night, you're free Wanna fight for me?” The next thing I do is grab a salve that I know also works for bruises. So, I put a dollop on my finger and begin to softly massage it into the spots that are already bruising and turning blue. “If you're still alive I would fight for you If you would fight for me!” My hand lands on his cheek and stays there as I finish the last high note. For a moment after, we stay like that; staring in each other’s eyes with my hand on his cheek and panting a little from the endeavor of singing.   “Thanks,” Sweet Pea whispers, and I catch him glancing from eyes to my lips. This can’t happen. I need to stay professional in this. So, I cough and snap both of us from our trance. “No problem. Let’s rehearse now, shall we?” I say and reach for my bag to grab my script. “Let’s order some pizza first, I think Jordan might be hungry or getting bored. Or both,” he chuckles a little while grabbing his phone to call the closest pizza joint. “Hey, why don’t we play some games with him instead of rehearsing? We’ve done plenty of it already and we can get back to it tomorrow. Let’s just babysit your cousin for the night, keep him entertained.” He nods his head with a smile and dials the pizza guy first before getting Jordan. The rest of the night, we spend playing games, eating pizza, and finish by watching one movie with Jordan together before we put him in his bed. “Will you be here again next time I stay here, Y/N?” Jordan asks when I tuck him in bed with Sweet Pea towering over me from behind. I smile at the little eight-year-old and push a strand of his long, curly hair out of his face. “I can’t promise you that, big guy. But I’ll try, okay?” He nods his head in response before wiggling down a little and snuggling into his pillow. “Shall we watch one more movie, and then I’ll get going.” “Or you could stay?” the tall Serpent suggests with a sheepish grin on his face. “Sweets, I—” before I can finish my sentence, he’s already cut me off. “Come on, Y/N. Please, stay?” he steps closer to me, and places his hands on my hips like he does so many times during the musical. “Besides, Jordan will love it when he sees you at breakfast?” he tries, hoping the mention of his way too adorable cousin will win me over. It does. My willpower isn’t that strong. I groan, rolling my eyes. “Fine.” Sweet Pea lets out a ‘yes’, “But we’re watching Heathers the movie tonight.” I point my finger at him as if telling him that would be my one condition to doing this. He nods his head in agreement, and the two of us settle on the sofa as I text my mother I’ll be staying over at Margot’s. If she finds out I stayed over at a Serpent’s house, she will kill me, and him. Even though I have a ‘I don’t care’ attitude towards them, my parents do not share the same morals. So, the rest of the night is spent like that; cuddled up on the sofa whilst watching Heathers until both of us fall asleep. I didn’t think I would have so much fun with Sweet Pea or feel so comfortable around him. It’s not that I don’t like it, it’s that it scares me a little.

[give-me-back-my-rhodey]

The Not-So Worst Day of Peter’s Life

This fic is a part of the @friendly-neighborhood-exchange for @fromsiberia

                      Rating: General            Warnings: N/A   

I enjoyed writing this - I hope you enjoy reading it! 

Peter takes a class trip to Stark Industries. What could go wrong (or right)?

Read on ao3

“So, we have a field trip planned,” Peter mentions casually while eating lunch on Sunday.

 Tony swallows the food in his mouth, “Great kid. When and where?”

 “It’s this Friday, and it’s at Stark Industries,” Peter’s mouth contorts into a strained smile. “Did you do this?”

 “I did not, cross my heart and hope to die,” Tony runs a finger across his sternum. “It was probably someone in our HR department. Why, you don’t want to go?”

 “it just puts me in a tough spot because I’m ‘working’ here,” Peter makes finger quotations, “and no one believes me but Ned and MJ, but that’s because they know my alter ego.”

 “What do you want me to do? Do you want me to call out sick and not go in that day? Or do you want me to acknowledge you and just rave about your intelligence? I’m good with that, too.”

 “No! Just do what you normally do. If we run into you, you can just say hi to me to prove you know me, but I don’t need a whole letter of recommendation or anything!” Peter scoffs.

 Tony nods understandingly, “I will be the ultimate professional, but I cannot speak for Happy. Or Bucky, if he’s around.”

“If I’m around where?” Bucky saunters into the room, dropping a kiss on Tony’s cheek.

 “Speak of the devil,” Tony smirks. “Peter’s class is going to SI on Friday for a field trip.”

 Bucky’s eyes glitter. “Good to know.” He grabs a water bottle from the fridge and walks back out. “Going for a run with Steve.”

 “Make sure you shower afterwards!” Tony yells after him.

 Peter turns on Tony as soon as Bucky leaves, “Please don’t let him embarrass me.”

 “I will do what I can,” Tony ruffles Peter’s head. Standing up, he takes his plate and sticks it in the dishwasher. “Hey, I just got some of that stretchy material in. Wanna test it?”

 Peter eagerly follows him into the lab.

 +++++++++++++++++++

“So, Tony didn’t set it up?” Ned asks, biting into his pizza.

 “No, he had no idea. I guess they do field trip things fairly often, so they just have someone in HR schedule them.” Peter wrinkles his nose. “Really Ned? Pineapple and sweet peppers? Ugh, that’s nasty.”

 “You just have boring tastes, extra-cheese man.”

 MJ shakes her head, “Bacon’s where it’s at.”

 Peter and Ned look at each other and shrug. Neither of them can refute the fact that bacon is one of the better pizza toppings.

 “So, Penis, are you going on the field trip on Friday?” Flash Thompson walks up to stand at the end of their table. “I wouldn’t blame you for not going, you know, because it’s going to be so embarrassing for you when we all confirm that your Stark Internship is all in your imagination. Right guys?” Flash’s little posse of friends all agree and laugh.

 “I’m going.” Peter smiles at Flash.

 “Alright. It’s your funeral,” Flash replies then turns to his crowd. “IF we see Tony Stark, maybe he can tell us about Spiderman! Unlike this idiot here, Spiderman actually works with Iron Man! He’s like the coolest superhero out there. Okay, let’s go. Bye losers!” He does a little wave at Peter’s table. Peter gives him a thumbs up in response.

 “I mean, it’s funny to me that Flash loves you and hates you, but why do you put up with that?” MJ comments.

Peter shrugs, “It doesn’t really bother me. If he wants to run his mouth, trying to make me feel small, let him. At least he’s doing it to me, and not someone who will actually be affected by it. By the way, tomorrow night, we’re watching Clueless. Bucky hasn’t seen too many rom-coms, and I mean to change that. Tony said you are welcome to come. He’s making like six different types of popcorn.”

 “I’m in.” MJ nods as Ned raises his hand and waves it to show he also will be there.

 The bell rings to indicate the end of lunch break, and the trio splits up to go to their respective classes.

 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Tony meets Peter when he gets to the Tower after rotations. “Hey Pete, I’m sorry. I forgot to tell you that Harley’s going to be here this week.”

 ‘Oh ok, maybe we can finish that project now that… OH NO! Don’t tell me he’s going to be at SI on Friday!” Peter groans as Tony grimaces.

 “Unfortunately, he will be, and you know there’s nothing I can do to stop him once he’s on a warpath.”

 “My life is over,” Peter mourns. “Why can’t his college have normal spring break just like everybody else?”

 “Probably because the universe is just bent on screwing you over.” Peter hates just how amused Tony sounds.

 He folds his arms. “You’re the worst dad ever.”

 “Sure son. Want to talk it over a game of catch?” Tony has his biggest shit-eating grin plastered across his face.

 Peter shakes his head. “No, I just remembered. Aunt May said she’s going to have supper ready at 6:30 so I got to go. Love you, Dad.” He quickly hugs Tony then runs out the door.

 “Love you, too kid!” Tony calls after him.

 “Look at you, being less and less emotionally stunted as the days go by,” Rhodey comments from the doorway.  “I guess Barnes and the kid are doing you good.”

 “Oh, shut it, platypus.” Tony shoots back good-humoredly. “You were the one who started the process.”

 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Tuesday night, dubbed “Movie Night,” comes, and Tony, Bucky, Peter, Harley, Ned, and MJ are watching Clueless on Tony’s huge theater-sized TV. JARVIS turns on Clueless, and everyone soon gets lost into the hard high-school life of one Cher Horowitz.

 Peter sympathizes with Cher’s driving issues as he also had a hard time learning to drive. He cringes, thinking of the time he had to drive Flash’s father’s car to chase Liz’s dad. Tony shudders at the fashion, or lack thereof, of the 90’s.

 When the movie ends, Harley points out that although Cher’s last name is supposedly Horowitz, her report card is labelled as Cher Hamilton. MJ tells them she doesn’t like that Josh is Cher’s step-brother – it just weirds her out. Peter asks Bucky what he thought of the movie.

 Bucky thinks about it for a second then asks, “Isn’t this basically modern-day Emma?”

 “Emma?”

 “Yea, the Jane Austen novel. Like, Cher is clearly Emma. She’s so happy she got Dionne together with Murray so she thinks she’s good at this stuff. She takes Tai in order to help her become popular. That means Tai is Harriet Smith. Cher tries to set her up with Elton, whose name is taken straight from Emma – Mr. Elton. Cher thinks she’s in love with Christian, who is pulled from Frank Churchill. The only difference here is that Christian is gay, not already engaged to Jane Fairfax. Josh, of course, is Mr. Knightley, except that he’s Cher’s stepbrother, not a family friend. Because Elton says he’s in love with Cher, not Tai, Tai feels unwanted. When Josh starts showing her attention because Cher asked him to, Tai starts to fall for him just as Cher realizes she’s in love with him. This is equal to the scenes where Mr. Knightley dances with Harriet when Mr. Elton snubs her. Harriet believes he is interested whereas he’s only doing Emma a favor. Harriet tells Emma that she thinks she loves Knightley. As a result, Emma gets a reality check. In the end, Tai dates the skater boy Travis, who is the modern-day Robert Martin, deemed as unworthy by Cher/Emma.” He pauses when he sees everyone just staring at him, open-mouthed. “I’m not wrong, am I?”

“Oh my gosh,” MJ whispers. “I think I love him.”

 “Sorry, he’s mine,” Tony wraps his arms around Bucky. “Bucky, darling, I don’t know because I don’t read mushy stuff like Jane Austen, but based on MJ’s reaction, you must have hit the nail on the head.”

 Bucky nuzzles Tony’s cheek with his nose until Harley fake gags, “There are children present!”

 “The book is better, but the movie was ok,” Bucky wrinkles his nose.

 Peter clutches his chest, “It’s a rom-com classic! I can’t believe it!” He dramatically falls off the couch onto the floor, acting as if his heart had failed him.

 “Oh, no, we lost him. What ever shall we do?” Harley deadpans, stuffing a pillow on Peter’s face and holding it there until Peter rolls over.

 “You are all a bunch of children,” Tony laughs. “Honey, don’t you feel like the parent of some very unruly children.”

 Bucky snorts, “Gee, I wonder who they got it from.”

 “Gasp. Betrayed by my own boyfriend. Now I have no one in the cruel, cold world.” Tony splays a hand across his arc reactor. “Woe is me.”

 All too soon, though, it was time to go home, and Peter wishes all his nights could be like this. As Peter leaves one last lingering look at Tony and Bucky on the couch, he feels Harley nudge him. “Hey, at least you can leave,” the blond nineteen-year-old grins. “I’m going to have to deal with them, and I don’t think they’re going to wait until they get to their room to start. Seriously, I may have to gouge my eyes out by the end of the week.”

 Peter pats Harley on the shoulder, “I’m sure you’ll manage. Have a good night.”

 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Peter spends Wednesday night with Aunt May, but Tony asks for his help in the SI lab on Thursday. Two hours into working on improving Peter’s suit, Peter admits, “I’m a little nervous about tomorrow.”

 Tony immediately puts down his tools, “Ok… talk to me. What’s wrong?”

 “I just… don’t know what’s going to happen, and I don’t want to make a big deal about the whole internship. Like, I don’t even care if they don’t believe me. Now it either becomes a big deal, or they'll all still think I’m a liar. And what if someone makes the Spiderman connection?”

 “Hey, kid. You'll be fine, but if you don’t want to go, don’t go. You’ve got nothing to prove to anyone. I’ll support you with whatever you choose.  And the Spiderman thing? I don’t think anyone’s going connect the dots. They'll probably think Harles is Spiderman before you." Tony knocks his shoulder. “All I’m saying is I will be happy to see you if you decide to go, and I would never be ashamed of being seen with you. I’ve basically adopted you. If you want to add fuel to the flames, I can even call you son.” He wiggles his eyebrows.

 “No! Please don’t! I don’t need that as well.” Peter groans.

 “Ok ok fine!” Tony holds up his hands. “But let me know if you need me to be a school emergency contact. I know May’s been having longer shifts, but she won’t accept my help.”

 “She’s a strong independent woman, Tony. She doesn’t need you.”  Peter jabs playfully.

 “No she does not. I admire her. The only person I admire more than her is Pepper. And I’ve met Thor, Peter.”

 Peter gasps dramatically, “Don’t diss on my Thor!”

 When Peter goes to leave that night, Tony pulls him into a hug. “Love ya, son.”

 “Love you, too, dad.” Peter’s heart fills with happiness. He supposes tomorrow won’t be too bad.

 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Friday comes, and May wakes Peter up for his class trip. He groans but gets up. “Ugh. Today is going to be a train wreck.” He tells her.

 “You know, you don’t have to go on your class trip,” May remarks, looked amused.

 “Yea, I know, but I feel like I should just go.”

 Peter gets to school, and Flash seems to be waiting for him. “Oh, hey guys. Here he is! We’re going to see today just how pathetic Parker is. I hope you’re ready.” Flash smirks at him.

 “Oh, believe me, I am not ready for this trip,” Peter concedes, “but for reasons that are so much different than what you’re thinking.”

 “Ok, boys, enough fighting. It’s time to go,” Mr. Harrington calls from the front of the classroom. “Everyone, pair up and get on the bus.”

 Peter and Ned fall in line together, followed by MJ and Betty. The pretty blonde taps Peter on the shoulder. “Hey Peter, for what it’s worth, I believe you.”

 “Thanks Betty! I appreciate it.” Peter smiles back at her.

 The four of them sit together in the back of the bus, ignoring all the chaos going on in front of them. “It gets worse,” Peter confides to Ned, “Harley’s gonna be there. You know it’s his goal in life to make me as uncomfortable as possible.”

 “Relax, Pete, he’s like your brother. That’s what family’s for.”

 The bus ride takes approximately thirty minutes to get to Stark Industries. Once everyone is out and lined up two by two, Mr. Harrington leads them up to the facility. He fumbles with the paperwork as he walks up to a security guard. Once the guard is satisfied, he takes them in to the front desk. Bambi is working the desk, as usual. She hands out visitor’s cards to every member of the party, and her face brightens when she sees Peter. “Oh, hi Peter! I didn’t realize this was your class. You should just be showing them around, don’t you think?” She winks at him.

 Peter loves Bambi. She treats him like her own grandchildren. “Hi, Bambi. It’s good to see you. Today, I think I’m just following along with the rest of them.”

 As the rest of the class had already left the receptionist desk to wait for their tour guide, no one heard Peter and Bambi’s interaction. Mr. Harrington calls him over, and Flash looks at him suspiciously. “What, did you ask her to act like she knew you?”

 “No, she just knows me. That’s Bambi.”

“No shit. Isn’t that what her name tag read?” Flash retorts, and Peter mentally nods. Flash does have a point there.

 “Midtown High?” A voice says, and Peter freezes. No. He knows that voice. He turns slowly to find that his fear is, in fact, reality. “Hello, my name is Harley Keener. I’m a part-time intern of Tony Stark, and I will be your tour guide today. Does anyone have any questions before we start?”

 Annabelle raises her hand, “Will we see Tony Stark or Pepper Potts today?”

 “You are in luck, because Tony himself instructed that I show you his lab today. Ms. Potts is the CEO of the company, so I can’t really say if we will see her or not. She is a very busy woman.” Harley smiles. Peter feels his eyes on him, and when Peter looks up, Harley’s smile becomes a smirk. Peter’s spidey-senses tingle with a sense of foreboding.

 Flash nudges Peter, “Hey Porker, that is what someone who interns for Tony Stark would look like. He’s mature and actually attractive… unlike you.”

 “You think he’s mature? He’s the devil incarnate. The only reason he is leading this tour is because he wants to make my life miserable,” Peter hisses.

 Flash scoffs, but he just rejoins his partner at the front of the line.

 “Hey, kid.” Harley addresses Flash. “I’m sorry, but I need to ask you to stay with your partner in a two-by-two line unless I say you can spread out. I don’t want to cause problems, but I’m sure you understand that we have precautions that we must take in order to let guided tours through here.” Peter holds in a laugh when Flash looks properly chastised.

 Ned leans close and says, “And that’s where family has your back as well, even after you call them ‘the Devil incarnate.’”

 Harley leads them through department after department, explaining how each of them work. After explaining, he would ask if anyone had any questions. Finally, on the sixth floor, Flash can’t resist any longer. “I have to ask, Mr. Keener, do you know anyone by the name of Peter Parker?”

 “You mean Tony’s other intern? Yea I know him. He’s a little shit most of the time, but yea. Any other questions?”

 Everyone in the class turns back to Peter, who can’t help but smile smugly. “I have a question,” Peter asks, “Why did you decide to guide this tour? This isn’t your normal job here.”

 The blood drains from Peter’s face when Harley just smiles and says, “It was something I wanted to do, and Tony owed me that favor after he lost the bet.”

 “Oh crap.” The foreboding tingles are back.

 Mr. Harrington looks confused, “I’m sorry. I guess you two know each other?”

 “Yes, we have worked together on many a project with Mr. Stark,” Harley informs him. “We just have a little harmless rivalry – like to poke fun at each other.”

 Flash looks like he’s just going to faint. Peter wants to laugh at him, but he’s mature. He’ll laugh about it later.

 Harley continues, “Now, if no one has any questions about this department, I will take you up to the next floor. Please be warned, this is Tony Stark’s R&D floor. We will have to confiscate any phones as we do not allow any videos and pictures on this floor.” They climb the stairs. “Before we go in, please hand all your phones and/or recording devices to Alessia here. She will return them to you once we come back out of this room.”

 Once everyone forks over their technology, Harley puts his hand on the scanner, and the doors open. “Please line up against the wall, and don’t touch anything.” He tells them.

 Peter groans aloud when he sees the view in front of him. Bucky frickin’ Barnes is sitting on the frickin’ table where Tony is fixing his frickin’ arm! He knows Bucky and Harley have something up their sleeve.

 “You ok there, Parker?” Harley asks, grinning like the cat that ate the canary.

 “Yeah. I’m great.” Peter grits out.

 Tony and Bucky seem to be in their own little world because neither of them looks up. Tony closes a plate on Bucky’s arm and runs his hand down the arm until he clasps Bucky’s hand in his own. Bucky touches Tony’s face with his right arm, and Harley clears his throat loudly. Bucky slowly drops his hand, and they both turn to look at the class, Bucky’s eyes seeking Peter out.

 Tony smiles his press smile, “Welcome, guys, gals, and non-binary pals to where the magic happens. This lab here is my personal lab, and very few people have access to this select lab. Consider yourselves lucky. Sergeant Barnes here just had some problems with his arm, and, as I was working here today, came to visit me. If you see over there, I have my helper bots.” Tony walks over to ELL-E. “This darling here is one of my newer ones. Say hi, ELL-E!” Everyone awws when she raises her claw and waves. “I have three of these at home, all built when I was in college. Since I work most days at the tower, I keep them there. DUM-E was the first AI bot I ever made. He’s a mess, though. That’s why his name’s DUM-E.” He claps his hands together. “Now does anyone have any questions… actually, wait, I have a question for you kids. We are in the process in updating the Stark phone. Does anyone here own one, and if so, do you have any suggestions in improving it?”

 Raoul raises his hand, “Well, I must say I do love the latest update… the easy access to setting up disability features really helped my mom use her phone better. She used to make one of us use her phone for her because most phones either don’t have the features or make it hard to find where to turn them on.”

 “Thank you. Fun fact – that update was drawn up and coded by your very own classmate over there, one Mr. Peter Parker. I don’t know how much of a bragger he is – I sure was one when I was his age – but that young man is brilliant. I am honored to have him working here as an intern.” Tony sends a smile towards Peter.

 Flash raises his hand, “Hi, so if Peter interns for you, and you mostly work from the tower, does that mean Peter works at Stark Tower around all the superheroes?”

 “Yup,” Tony smiles. “To be honest, I think he had the biggest freak out when he met Bucky over here… or maybe Thor. Sorry, Buck, I think Thor is his favorite.”

 A few other students raise their hands to ask questions, and Peter zones out. A loud clapping sound wakes him from his reverie.

 “I hate to interrupt, but it’s almost time for lunch,” Harley speaks up. “Do you want me to take them down now, or is there anything else you want to say?”

 Tony spins back around to face them, finger in the air. “I just had a brilliant idea. Why don’t you join me and Sergeant Barnes for lunch? We’re going down to the cafeteria. Just order what you want on my dime. We’ll accompany you down in a minute.”

 “Sir, you don’t have to,” Mr. Harrington sputters. “The students did all bring lunch…”

“Oh, it would be my pleasure. I have more money than I know what to do with. I insist,” Tony says. Then he smirks and says, “I know, Ms. Jones, that I should sink my money into charities and things. Please provide me with several of your choice, and I promise to make a large donation.”

 MJ’s mouth opens and closes, then she nods. “Fair enough.”

 “Ok kiddos,” Harley says, “let me take you down to the cafeteria. If you want your phones back, please make sure you pick them up from Alessia.”

 Peter and Ned are the last ones to leave the lab. Peter turns right before he walks out. Bucky and Tony wave at him. He groans, “They’re going to do something at lunch. I can feel it.”

 Five minutes later, Tony and Bucky arrive in the cafeteria, holding hands.

 “Holy shit! Are they actually together?” Adria gasps in a loud whisper.

 Ned rolls his eyes. “Of course. What, have you been living under a rock?”

 After the power couple get their food, they sit at the table where Peter and Harley are sitting. “So, did we do ok, kid?” Tony asks.

 “Well, now the whole world is going to know you’re dating. They’re not ‘just speculating’ anymore.” Peter smirks.

 “Babe, we can have a make out session on the table now!” Bucky’s eyes twinkle. “We don’t have to hide anymore!”

 “Gosh no, please, please no!” Peter groans. “Ugh. I hate you all right now.”

 “We love you, too,” Harley coos.

 Twenty minutes later, Harley and Mr. Harrington round up the class to proceed with the tour. Bucky pulls Tony up and says, “Come on, Mr. Stark, you have a meeting with Ms. Potts to which you must not be late if you know what’s good for you.” “Oh, are you giving me orders, Sergeant Barnes?” Tony asks back, and Peter knows his face is bright red.

 “Just… go.” He mutters, and he’s sure only Bucky was able to hear him. Bucky takes it as a cue to leave. He takes Tony’s arm.

 “Here is where I must take my leave,” Tony, ever the showman, bows. “Thank you all for touring my humble company, and I do hope you all have enjoyed yourselves. Bye, Petey.” He wiggles his fingers. Peter hides his face in his hands.

 “Kill me now,” he pleads to Ned.

 The rest of the field trip goes off without a hitch, and the ride back to school is peaceful. Peter imagines everyone is on Twitter going on about Winteriron or something. He realizes that Tony and Bucky did this so that no one would bother him about the internship. Once again, he is choked up to see just how caring and thoughtful Tony is.  The next person who says differently can catch these hands. He thinks.

 Peter leaves quickly when school ends so he doesn’t miss his bus that has a tendency to show up early. Tony is waiting for him at the tower when he gets there. “So how did we do today?”

 “You guys were embarrassing, but I guess I’ve come to terms with it.” Peter grumbles. “That’s what family does. Thank you for taking all the attention off of me. You didn't have to go semi-public with your relationship.”

 “Let you have the spotlight? Never! Don't you know I need it all?” Tony jokes, then smiles softly. “I only did what Rhodey would’ve done to me.”

 Peter smiles, “Rhodey is a gift to this world.”

 “Peter, my dear, you are brilliant, but let me tell you, that is the smartest and most correct thing you have ever said,” Tony takes him by the shoulders. “But if you ever tell my honeybear that, I will deny it vehemently.”

 “Understood. Hey want to play a game of chess?” When Tony agrees, Peter gets the chessboard out that Wanda had given him. Apparently, it had belonged to her father. Peter just likes the glass pieces.

  Epilogue

On Monday, Flash apologizes to him when they return to school. “Hey Parker, I… uh… I’m sorry for all that shit I said about you. I guess it just seemed unreal, and I shouldn’t have made fun of you like that.”

 “Yea, you shouldn’t have. Being a dick doesn’t make you cool; it just makes you look like a dick. But I do understand. My life is pretty surreal. No harm done – just don’t do it anymore to anyone.” Peter tells him.

 Flash nods, “Yea, I know. So, have you met Spiderman? Is he as cool as he seems?”

 “Nah, I hate him. He’s a total loser. He once stole my ice cream sandwich and didn't replace it or apologize.” Peter smiles. “Now, Thor? He’s not called a god for no reason. He would never do that.”

 Peter walks out of school much happier than usual. Maybe this field trip wasn’t so bad.

[madpanda75]

“Taking Chances Part Two: The Kiss”

Rafael realizes who the reader is related to and emotions are acted on 😱! Check out Part One on my Masterlist. 

Thanks for all the amazing feedback. You guys are the best! ❤️

Rafael sat in his usual seat at Forlini’s bar, drinking a glass of scotch. It had been three weeks since he had first met you. Since then Rafael had visited the gallery almost on a daily basis, always under the facade of looking at a new piece of art when in reality it was to see you. The only problem was Rafael had seen every piece of art several times and he was beginning to run out of excuses to stop by the gallery after work or during lunch.

But did he really need an excuse? Judging by the way your cheeks turned bright pink and the coy smile you gave him when he walked through the door, Rafael suspected the feelings he had for you were mutual. Except what did he know? He had been out of the loop when it came to flirting, relationships, and dating for far too long. Maybe you always behaved that way with clients when you wanted to make a sale, laying on the charm with older men. Still there was something about you that was genuine. Being with you, Rafael didn’t feel the need to have his guard up. He felt safe.

Finishing up the rest of his drink, Rafael ordered another all while racking his brain for a reason to visit you. Perhaps he left a glove at the gallery? That was when he heard your voice calling his name. He turned his head to find you standing at the bar with those pink cheeks and a smile that made his pulse quicken.

*****  

You leapt across a patch of black ice, nearly falling in the middle of the bustling street. The weather man had predicted snow that day. A throng of people surrounded you, anxious to get home and away from the cold. You shivered within your coat, quickening your steps. Forlini’s was just on the next block. You had promised to meet your brother, Sonny, there after work and as usual you were late. While stopped at the crosswalk, you felt your phone buzzing in your coat pocket.

You answered it, already knowing who it was. “Hey, Sonny. I’m sorry. I know I’m late but I swear this time it wasn’t my fault. My boss made me stay past closing to make sure the new art installation was set up.”

“Actually, Y/N. I called to tell you I can’t make it,” Sonny sheepishly replied. He hated letting you down.

“Dominick Carisi Jr., I just walked 15 blocks in the freezing cold because you insisted on meeting tonight and now you’re ditching me!?” You exclaimed.

“I’m sorry. I was busy working on a case and I completely forgot this term paper I have to write tonight on capital punishment.”

“Cheerful topic,” you dryly said, now standing outside Forlini’s. “You owe me. How about basketball this Saturday at the park near my place. Loser has to buy the winner a box of cannolis from Antonio’s.”

“Unbelievable, it’s snowing and you still want to play basketball!?”

“A little snow is not gonna stop me from beating you. So what do you say? 10 at the basketball court?”

“Fine, I’ll bring coffee,” Sonny grumbled, knowing he would give into your every whim. You had your brother wrapped around your little finger.

“Did I ever tell you that you're my favorite big brother?” You teased.

Sonny laughed. “I’m your only big brother. Love ya’, sis.”

“Love you too.” You hung up the phone and went into the restaurant. You were already there might as well have a drink and warm up.

Walking over to the bar, you froze in your tracks. There was Rafael. Immediately butterflies began fluttering in your stomach. His back was to you, nursing a drink, occasionally glancing up at the TV screen behind the bar. The man hadn’t even glanced your way and already you were a wreck.

It had been a while since you had felt this way about anyone. 18 months to be exact when you came home early to find your fiancé in bed with another woman. After that you had sworn off love. You were devastated, your heart all but ripped out of your chest and thrown into a blender. Being alone was easier and less painful but meeting Rafael changed that. There was something about him that made you come alive again. That made you believe that not every man was a misogynist, cheating pig.

So rather than run out, pretending you never saw him, you cleared your throat and stepped closer. “Rafael?” Rafael set down his drink and whipped his head around, meeting your gaze. Those green eyes seemed to pierce right through your soul. You were beginning to experience borderline dangerous heart palpitations. “Mind if I sit here?”

“No, please,” he replied, motioning to the chair next to him. You shrugged off your coat and sat down, ordering a glass of merlot from the bartender. “So what brings you here? Kind of out of the way from your gallery.”

“I was supposed to meet my brother but he ditched me. I can’t really blame him. He’s a detective with the NYPD and going to school at the same time.” You shrugged and took a sip of your wine. “He’s pretty busy these days.”

“That is a lot to take on.” Rafael said, eying you almost suspiciously. Your brother sounded a lot like a certain gangly, obnoxious, blue-eyed detective he knew. But there was no way you were related to Sonny. The NYPD was one of the largest police departments in the country. Surely there were other detectives who happened to be attending school at the same time. It was just a strange coincidence. “I’m an Assistant District Attorney with Special Victims Unit so I work a lot with the NYPD.”

“Then you must know my brother! Dominick Carisi, but everyone calls him Sonny.”

Rafael choked on his scotch, his worst thoughts now confirmed. “Carisi is your brother?”

You arched a brow, watching Rafael cough and sputter for several seconds. “I take it you know him.”

“You could say that.” Rafael’s eyes widened. Amazing. Out of all the people to have a crush on he had to pick a Carisi. There was no way he could pursue you now. He downed his drink and quickly ordered another. Studying your face for a moment, he tried to find any family resemblance. Perhaps there was a faint trace of a Staten Island accent when you spoke but that was it. “I’m sorry. I just didn’t expect you to say Carisi was your brother. You two don’t look anything alike.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” you teased, but your heart fell. You liked Rafael and the last thing you needed was your big brother getting in the way. “Can we change the subject? I’m sitting at a swanky bar next to a handsome man and the last thing I want to talk about is my brother.”

A smile tugged at Rafael’s lips. “You think I’m handsome.”

“Actually I was talking about the other guy,” you said, motioning to the man sitting next to you on your left side. Rafael peered over your shoulder to see Judge Nelson, drinking a beer and munching on pretzels while watching a basketball game on the TV. Bits of crumbs flying over the counter as he called out the coach for pulling a player. Judge Nelson also bore a striking resemblance to the crypt keeper.

Rafael snorted a laugh, starting to feel a little more at ease now that the initial shock was wearing off.  

“Okay, Rafael. You know where I work and who my family is, so now I want to know about you.” You giggled and set your drink down, turning your chair to give him your full attention. “Tell me everything.”

*****

Now knowing who you were related to Rafael tried to resist temptation, quickly realizing it was a losing battle. You were his version of kryptonite, glancing up at him from beneath your lashes while innocently biting your bottom lip, your leg brushing up against his. A man could only take so much. It didn’t take long before Rafael found himself flirting right back.

You completely lost track of time talking to Rafael. The conversation flowed between you both. You told him how after your father’s heart attack, you realized that life was too short and decided to switch from a business administration major to an art history degree. He told you that he briefly considered a career in theater before ultimately deciding that the law was his passion.

The hours flew by and before long the bar was closing. “I can’t believe it’s so late,” you said, hopping off the chair. “Thanks for keeping me company.”

“My pleasure. I had fun tonight.” Rafael held out your coat for you to put on. You silently cursed the cold, wishing you didn’t have on so many layers so you could feel the warmth of his bare hands on your body.

By the time you left, snow was beginning to cover the streets and sidewalks, showing no signs of stopping. “Which way are you going?” You asked.

“Uptown. You?”

“Same. I was gonna take the subway home.”

Rafael rocked back on his heels. “Well since we’re going the same direction. We could split an Uber or a taxi or something,” he suggested.

“Sure. As long as it’s not too much trouble.”

“Not at all,” Rafael replied, taking out his phone to get an Uber. He wasn’t quite ready to say good night to you just yet, even if it was just a 15 minute car ride home.

*****

The drive uptown was mostly in silence. Rafael glanced down at your hands resting in the middle seat between you both, inches away from each other. He slowly moved his hand closer, his pinky finger barely brushing up against yours. Turning from the window, you locked eyes with him, a soft smile on your lips as you placed your hand in his.

Suddenly the driver came to an abrupt stop, pulling up to the front of your apartment building. Rafael stepped out of the car, insisting on walking you to your door. “Wait for me, please. I‘ll be right back,” he told the Uber driver. The man nodded his head, grumbling that the wait time would be added to the fare.

The heavy wet snow made the sidewalks slick. One misstep on an icy patch and you were about to make a slapstick tumble. Rafael was quick to react, catching you in his arms before you hit the ground.

You looked up into the eyes of your rescuer and blushed. Rafael’s pulse was racing. His face so close to yours, he could count the snowflakes landing on your cheeks. Once you found your footing, he reluctantly let you go. “Are you ok?”

“I’m fine. Nice catch,” you said but your feet had other plans. You tried to take another step and ended up sliding even closer to Rafael, gripping onto the lapels of his jacket to steady yourself.

The heady scent of his cologne stirred your senses. He smelled like citrus and spice, woodsy and crisp. Like the type of man who would read Tolstoy to you and then later fuck you up against his cedar desk. He electrified you. Reaching up with one hand, you cupped his cheek before placing a soft tentative kiss on his lips. You pulled away a fraction of an inch, gauging his reaction.

Rafael stared at you with lust-filled eyes. Your warm breath mingling with his in the frosty air. His nose nuzzling yours. “Oh God, what was he doing,” he thought. “This is Carisi’s sister. Don’t do this. You can’t do this.”

“Rafael,” you breathed, wrapping your arms around his neck, your fingers running through his hair.

“Fuck it,” he said in a husky voice, pulling you into a searing hot kiss. Rafael’s mouth moved fervently over yours, his tongue gently parting the seam of your lips. You tasted better than he could ever imagine, sweet and tart. You let out a soft, pleasure-filled moan, returning the kiss with vigor, sliding your tongue over his. Rafael ran his hands up and down your back, holding you close. Despite the frigid temperature, a warmth spread throughout your body, radiating through every vein. Your lungs were burning.  It felt like you were going to explode.

Needing to catch your breath, you eventually broke the kiss. Slowly you opened your eyes, meeting Rafael’s gaze, both of you panting hard. He smiled at you, running his thumb over your bottom lip. “Would you like to have to have dinner with me sometime?”

You leaned forward, kissing him one more time, your forehead pressed against his. “Yes,” you softly replied.

@glimmerglittergirl @southern-magnolia @sweetcannolicarisi @delia26 @obfuscateyummy @sass-and-suspenders @eclecticminded @thatesqcrush @katmstanton @amirightcounsellor @beltzboys2015-blog @letty-o @sonnysdoll @lyssa1385 @sweetsummertime99 @burningsorr0ws @gibbs274 @izzythefanfreak @riodallas @babypink224221 @livxrafa @esparza-army @obsessionprofessional @ottosuricato @melsquared79 @dreila03 @frenchiefoxy @tropes-and-tales @thecraziestcrayon @goodluckfindingone @graniairish @lolacolaempath @ashley-chi​ @imjustreallynosy​

[artisticflutter]

AU Yeah August - Day Nine: University

I’ve always joked about Zidane and Kuja being those theater kids... and now I can write a short blurb with it!

Series: Final Fantasy IX Rating: G Genre: General Pairing(s): None Summary: In getting away from her overbearing mother, Garnet begins attending University in Lindblum. So far unsuccessful in her social life, she decides to check out the Theater Club in another attempt to make new friends. Warning: No beta!

Despite having come numerous times with her father to Lindblum in the past, Garnet Sarah Alexandros did not often leave the University grounds. It was a depressing thought – this was her chance to finally see what city life could be like on her own, go shopping without her mother’s input, or see a movie without her bodyguards, but so many years inside and so many fears of what could happen while she was alone. If she had friends, maybe? But she didn’t even have a roommate in her dormitory, and all attempts to socialize on her floor had met in failure. Everyone seemed to already know each other and she was the odd one out.

That was why today she would take a different approach.

Whenever she read stories featuring young adults in High School, College, or University, the main characters or those in the background would often be part of clubs. And given the purpose of a club’s conception, each member would share at least one common interest. It would be a start to finally meet people and possibly make friends.

As she approached the auditorium where the club was said to gather, she leapt back upon the doors forcibly being pushed open.

“My talent is utterly wasted here!” the blue-haired man yelled while storming away, his nose pointed upwards. Somehow, he completely missed her standing there, her eyes following him in concern and confusion as he left headed to the parking lot. She jumped again as the doors flew open once more.

“Lowell! Uppity jackass…! Git back ‘ere!”

The young woman barreled out after the man before left Garnet standing with wide eyes and further bewildered to what may have occurred inside moments before her arrival. It left her motionless and wondering if she should return at another time, but there were the doors opening again. Fortunately, the several men that did come out did so slowly.

“Great… this is why I said he shouldn’t be Jack,” a blonde man commented, shaking his head and crossing his arms. Garnet blinked at his appearance, from his teal eyes to the… tail that he had. She’d never seen any like it before – could it be part of his costume? But she forced herself to stop staring as he groaned. “One thing goes wrong, he blames us, and then storms off. We’ll have to delay our first performance again.”

“Forget delay. We may have to cancel ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ and make our first performance that usual holiday affair.” The one who spoke next had silver hair, pale to the point of almost being white were it not for a little under coloration. Red shadow lining ice blue eyes and black nails flicked through her vision as they brushed back some of their hair; and it took her another moment to realize they were possibly male as well. She’d never seen a man so beautiful before, even as he shook his head in disdain. “Not only that, but he succeeded in discouraging any new sign-ups this year.”

“What? We don’t have any new members!?”

“Only new stagehands and set designers from the Engineering and Art departments.” The last to speak stood around the same height as the first young man, but had shockingly red hair cut short and intentionally spiked. However, she couldn’t make out his eyes from the low drawn headband that seemed to even cover his eyes. Was he visually impaired by it, or already naturally? But he seemed to push it back enough to either look beneath or through it. “It’s amazing really. One person managed to net us a growth of zero. At least he’ll graduate after this year?”

“Blank, we screwed! The only people that come to our performances right now are his fangirls from outside school and that’s not going to help fund the club alone. Everyone on campus knows he’s an asshole, but he’s decent at what he does. We can’t get rid of him unless someone comes along that can replace him or let us rearrange the casting and if we don’t get rid of him, we don’t get any new faces in the audience.”

The blonde man groaned and sunk to his knees while his companions shook their heads. Midst his shaking, the silver-haired man finally seemed to notice Garnet standing there and watching the three of them bemoan their misfortunes. She felt her cheeks burn and bowed her head.

“I-I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to… uhm, interrupt? No, stare… I-I mean,” she stammered, regretting now that she just stood there and watched them practically air grievances. When no one said anything, she looked up and knew the red reached her ears. All three of them had moved closer and were… examining her? Either way, she waited for them to finish or speak – whichever would happen first and hopefully soon so she could scamper back to her dorm room and hide forever.

Each leaned back and exchanged looks between themselves, and then the blonde one finally spoke.

“Excuse our drama. You could say we’re practiced in it.” She blinked, but he just gave a cheeky grin. “Anyway, we haven’t seen you around before so I’ll take it you’re not a Theater major otherwise I’d have seen you around our dorms. What brings you all the way to our humble auditorium?”

“Well, I… I was interested in possibly joining the Theater Club. I saw you posted try-outs on the bulletin starting today and--”

“Wait, what?” / “Really?” / “It’s a miracle…”

Her head swiveled between the three when they spoke at once and she found herself leaned back at bit when the blonde stepped forward, smiling brighter than his grin before as he took her hand. “Come with me! We’ll give you a script, throw you on stage, and just show us what you got! Blank, we have ‘I Want to Be Your Canary’ in the back, right?”

“Yeah, it’s there!”

“Zidane, you’re getting ahead of yourself,” the pale man chided, but the blonde – Zidane – waved a hand.

“Nonsense. Look, it’s not going to be like last time where that girl had no acting skills whatsoever.”

“You say that now and yet--”

“Excuse me,” Garnet interrupted them softly. She was rather surprised how immediately they stopped talking to look at her. “I did study drama when I was younger. And if I’m honest, ‘I Want to Be Your Canary’ is one of my favorite plays by Lord Avon Bard.”

Again, the three exchanged a look, but it was the man with silver hair that spoke first.

“Zidane, you immediately get her on this stage.”

“Waaay ahead of you, Kuja. Blank, go tell Baku the good news!”

“I’m on it!”

While Garnet didn’t fully understand why their excitement at her words, she took a little joy in knowing she seemed to make them happy. Maybe things were beginning to look up for her.