#johnny english strikes again

[doctorfriend79]

Ben Miller

[shagrathmovies]

Johnny English Strikes Again - 2018 - David Kerr

[incorrectlooneytunesquotes]

Inspector Faraway (Porky Pig): N-n-n-n-now, transport. So, take any h-h-h-hybrid you w-w-want. Boston Quackie (Daffy Duck): [pulls the dust cover off an Aston Martin] I'll take this one. Faraway: Oh, d-d-d-d-don't be ridiculous, Quackie. This car's a relic. d-d-d-drinks petrol, leaks oil and has no p-p-p-passive, let alone active, s-s-s-safety features. Mary Duck: You know what else it doesn't have, Quackie? Satellite navigation or a single computer chip. Quackie: Making it completely invisible to a digital enemy!

[eclipse-has-come]

- Every step you take, I'll be watching you

part 1

A/N: Hello, I’m back with another part! Once again, i have no beta reader and i’m not a native english speaker so there might be some weird mistakes 😭 This chapter is mostly John’s past and his feelings about reader! I thought it was important to see things from his perspective, i hope you enjoy! Warnings: There are desriptions of murder, guns and war in this chapter (but that kinda comes with the territory). John might come off as a bit creepy but he's just a lonely guy :(( also parasocial relationship vibes

When John Price first died, he didn’t even realise what had happened until he heard his footman’s yell. Poor Kyle, seeing his captain with a bullet between his eyes must’ve been quite the traumatic experience.

Price wasn’t expecting the general to go this far but- well, he was playing with fire wasn’t he? Three years ago, in 1857, when the rebellion started, the queen sent out her best soldiers. John was included in the bunch. Loyal to the crown as he was, he rushed to battle, defending his country.

During his service, he got acquainted with three other men who were unfortunate enough (they wouldn’t agree with that statement) to be placed under his command. Simon Riley (a man so mysterious that one could even call him a ghost), John Mactavish (a Scottish warrior with a loud disposition) and Kyle Garrick (a young man looking to prove himself). The four of them bonded, ‘brothers in arms’ - that’s what Mactavish called them anyway.

Half a year into their service, a skirmish changed the trajectory of their lives forever. General Shepherd’s poor decision led to Johnny (“Aye, with the two of us, one of you’s bound to make a mistake callin’ us nae? Call me Johnny!”) getting heavily injured. ‘Two days’ the medics said, that’s how much the poor man had to live. 

In the end, he spent two months in the nurse’s care.

By some miracle the bullet just grazed his skull. Captain John Price didn’t consider himself particularly hotheaded, better to be patient and make calculated choices than to end up with regrets or a bullet through his heart. He was raised to be obedient so even as a child John had great respect for and would never dare to deliberately disobey his superiors. This, however, was a step too far - even for him.

For the first time in his life, Price cut his strings and made his own choice.

When Johnny was cleared by the nurses, they did not join Shepherd back on the battlefield. Instead, John took his men and sailed back to Britain. All of them received a less-than-happy letter from the General but it was easy to ignore (at first) with how peaceful their life got.

Simon took on the role of the cook, his previous experience of being a butcher making him quite an extraordinary fit for the role. His dishes would make anyone salivate, they were always perfectly seasoned and prepared, Kyle would say that Simon makes meals fit for the queen.

Johnny became the Head Gardener, as the injury caused him too much trouble to do anything physically taxing. Everything man made was either too loud or too bright, so the peacefulness of nature was a great reprieve. So with the help of the Scot, the desolate and grey garden soon took on a new look, filled with lush greenery and colourful flowers.

With his need to please and earn praise, Kyle made a wonderful footman. He knew John’s schedule down to the smallest details, such as only taking his tea at 7:06 sharp or refusing to eat anything other than an English breakfast as his first meal of the day. He would accompany his lord on any outings, his handsome looks and open nature made it easy for him to strike up new connections or better deals.

Price would never admit it but he had grown quite fond of his men. He had accepted that he would never have a family back when he first joined the army (what woman would wish to live in constant uncertainty?) so when the boys came along, he felt as if he suddenly gained three sons he never would have expected to have. The once too-quiet-and-empty halls took on a life of their own and everywhere you went you’d hear Scottish yells or quiet grunts.

That happiness- it made him soft. Too soft, so much so that he failed to realise just how fucked he truly was. Turns out Shepherd wasn’t too happy with just sending them a few scolding words. No, the general was much too cruel to let them off easy.

The fog was heavy the morning It happened. When John lit his cigar by the window, he couldn’t see anything but grey for miles; Kyle knocked on his door and informed him that breakfast was served. The routine went as usual, thus it made the next thing that happened even more shocking.

When Price sat down at his desk ready to read the newspaper in peace, he was greeted by a gun at the back of his head.

“John.”

He recognised the voice immediately.

“General” Putting down the paper gently, he folded his hands on his lap. He heard the perpetrator behind him grip the gin tighter.

“You couldn’t have truly expected to get away with it- right?” Shepherd paused, as if contemplating what’s left to say. “You were better than this John.”

Price merely hummed, not willing to entertain the other man. “We both were”

“If you want to beg for your life, go ahead, I’ll gladly wait.” 

Price let out an amused huff.

“Wouldn’t do me any good.”

The general stayed quiet and raised his gun higher; John heard a loud shot and then-

Silence.

-

His funeral was beautiful, his boys made sure of it. The only ones present were them but still, that was more than enough. The coffin was surrounded by flowers, John laughed about the fact that it was probably the first time he ever received any.

His first week as a ghost consisted of him following his men, making sure the estate was in good hands. They took their duties seriously, sometimes they even spoke to him as if he were there with them. He always replied but- well, no one ever heard him.

When the boys started getting older, he would try to make their lives easier. Move the cane closer to Johnny’s bed while he sleeps, rattling the cupboard to make sure Simon remembers to take his pills or even picking up items since Kyle can barely bend down with his bad back.

He knew they couldn’t see him but they still thanked him out loud every time. It’s as if they could feel his presence, as if they knew he was there, watching over them. His heart was happy and when their time came, he waited with bated breath for them to join him but-

They never did.

Price was left alone. His men moved on but he couldn’t seem to do the same; and with them gone, his purpose was lost too. He spent years occupying the empty home, thinking of a solution. 

No one bought his home after the late soldiers departed from this world, he wondered whether that was because of who it belonged to or just because of the sorry state it was in after the boys died.

Years of lone walks and no one to talk with made John realise that being a ghost was plain lonely. He felt miserable wandering the empty halls and knowing that he might never see his close friends again made it even more difficult. 

Losing track of time proved easy in such a desolate building. His only companions were bugs crawling on the walls and his own thoughts, he had no way of keeping up with the world. Not that he really wanted to, his time had been over for a long, long time.

Finally, after an unknown number of years, a man and his family joined him in his residence. He overheard that it was now 1939 and a second World War started (there was a first one?). John’s first instinct was to pack up and fight but- he wouldn’t be much help in his state. He could already imagine bullets passing straight through him and hitting some poor sod behind him.

John watched as the head of the family left for war, wishing it was him instead as the wife and son cried after him. The scene broke his heart and he knew that if he had gotten married and started a family, this is what it would have looked like. He knew he made the right choice to not start one back then, as he could never imagine himself leaving his hypothetical wife and child behind. 

In the end, the man never came back. John was the sole man to witness the son grow up, start his own family and continue the legacy.

Time passed and before Price knew, he had witnessed generations live and die in his home. He didn’t know how much he missed the hustle and bustle in his home until it came back. The chains around his heart lightened their load when he heard the giggles of children and conversation in the kitchen.

Over the years, he tried to subtly signal his presence to the different residents of his home but all of them were met with fear or disbelief and so, he stopped. He would rather have the families be comfortable and unaware of him than be left alone again, his heart couldn’t take it. 

The years passed, the world was slowly growing too unrecognisable for John. New inventions seemed to appear every day but he could still barely comprehend the existence of phones (and they were invented back in his time!).

The latest owner of his building was the lone descendant of the poor lad who never came back from war, a grumpy old man (who rivalled even John with his impressive moustache) that was convinced the house was haunted. He wasn’t wrong of course but John didn’t purposely make his presence known so it was curious that the elderly gentleman was sure of his existence.

He rarely visited because of that fact, causing the place to slowly grow into poor condition. Mold-covered walls and broken floorboards was an everyday sight now, which saddened Price greatly. Although the residence hadn’t been truly his for a long time, he was still the one that built it; and he would much rather see it fall into capable hands than to grow into disarray.

His silent fuming seemed to have been answered when a lone woman entered through the front door one day. Still young but too old to be the old man's grandchild, so who was she? Price was both curious and cautious, as the owner hadn’t visited for a while before her arrival.

The beginning of their relationship (if you could even call it that) was rocky, to say the least. 

At first, John was convinced she was a squatter and was determined to run her out, scaring her by creaking the stairs and pushing objects off of tables and desks (he did however feel a smidge of guilt when something shattered in one of the boxes he nudged; he was taught to never disrespect women's belongings after all).

It was only after she bought the paint and tools, that he realized what was really happening. The poor girl had bought his home and was intending to renovate it back to its original state. Instantly his guilt skyrocketed to insane heights, never before had he felt this embarrassed for misjudging a person. 

John had a new mission now: to help the wonderful lady as much as he can; starting with trying to assist her with her projects. What John didn't expect is the he seemed to fumble like a school boy with a crush. The woman was beautiful, with her lively eyes and quiet remarks. He particularly enjoyed her habit of talking to herself, it made him feel as if he was a part of this, as if he was real, at least to her. 

His crush admiration caused him to become soft for her, evident in his inability to focus. When he tried to move the heavy paint can closer to the wall, he got his foot stuck in the handle and proceeded to fling the whole thing on the wall while trying to get it out- not his proudest moment, he admits. He was even more embarrassed when the lady seemed discouraged after seeing the mess.

After a few more tries which ended in disaster (lodging a stray pebble into the front window- plus a few others he'd rather not name), he decided that his attempts to help her were only making her life harder. He ceased his unhelpful ministrations and decided to observe her progress, silently encouraging her.

She made quick work of the place and before he knew it, the first floor turned into a cozy antique (well, modern to Price) store. John walked through the aisles of beautiful trinkets, they reminded him so much of his previous life and how it used to be.

He didn't realise it until now but he missed his past more than he thought; years of loneliness made him numb to just how good he had it and what he lost.

This quiet epiphany gave him food for thought, about how he didn't wish to be alone once more. Sure, the families filled the home but they didn’t truly care (or even know) about him. He wanted someone to acknowledge his presence, to treat him like a person and not a silent observer.

He wanted it to be her.

The woman who stumbled her way into the empty house and made it her own, she didn’t know it but it meant so much to him. Over the months of her getting used to the new environmet, he had grown fond of her quirky nature. He didn’t even know her name and yet, he knew exactly how she took her tea or how much time she spends on laundry since she doesn’t enjoy doing it.

He felt a bit guilty that she was unaware of his silent observation but his happiness outweighed that. Besides, he would apologise to her soon enough.

He won't- no, he can't take another hundred years of loneliness. He promised himself he wouldn't interfere with her affairs anymore but the urge is too strong. She wormed her way into his head and heart with her endearing determination and kind eyes. He knows she’d make a good friend.

He made his move a week later. The poor lady was tired after seven days of hard work ('That should be your husband's job Darlin’.’ he thought to himself) and decided to enjoy a nice hot shower. Now, John is nothing but a gentleman; sure, he might be entering a woman's bathroom but it's for a good cause! He’ll make it up to her anyway.

He had been selfless his whole life: serving his queen and putting his men's safety above his. His afterlife was the same, consisting of helping his home's tennants and being a quiet observer. He was done pretending to live in the past, living in the moment is all that matters to him now. His whole life he wanted to have a domestic life but his sense of responsibility wouldn’t let him commit to anything other than war.

John is tired; tired of being a leader, tired of being a mere trick of the eye and most importantly, tired of being alone.

He just hopes the kind woman will see it that way too, he thinks to himself as he writes on the fogged up mirror.

[doyouknowthisactor]

By "roles" I mean playing a different character, and in a different piece of media; someone playing one character across a franchise only counts as one thing for the purposes of this poll, as does playing multiple characters in one franchise/piece of media

Below are some of this actor's roles. Please only check after voting!

The Imitation Game as Peter Hilton

One Day 2011 as Murray Cope

Johnny English Strikes Again as P

Vienna Blood as Max Liebermann

More roles

[kiiyunz]

⠀⠀  (  2:33 Ꮺ  )  ⠀127 are, for kihyun, the older brothers he never knew he needed. they’re the ones he might’ve been a little (alright, maybe far more than a little) afraid of at first but now feels completely comfortable to talk and mess around and laugh with. if he has a problem that one of his own members aren’t around to help with, or if he feels he needs some guidance a member of his own can’t give, then 127 is where he’ll naturally turn. they’re his role models, strong pillars of support that he looks up to wholly. while with DREAM he still feels he has some degree of responsibility (with jisung being the youngest), when kihyun’s with 127 he feels he can let loose a little more.

태용 & 기현⠀───⠀KIYONG

kihyun was terrified of taeyong,  point blank.  the leader of the whole of the group—practically the face of NCT itself—and kihyun—just little kihyun in the corner,  most likely not even a blip on taeyong’s radar—being friends wasn’t something he ever envisioned happening.  he imagined it would stay a coworkers-only relationship for as long as the group remained active,  in the worst case scenario.  but it wasn’t like he made any attempt to avoid him during their trainee days,  he just..  didn’t make the effort to strike up a conversation,  much more focused on doing things like staring at his shoes and wishing the ground would swallow him whole.  he stayed admiring from afar even if johnny & mark both told him repeatedly that if he just talked to him once and broke the ice their friendship would be instant.

they only,  like kihyun and yuta would also,  really got to know each other during EMPATHY—and,  like johnny and mark had both foretold,  got along perfectly.  taeyong treated him with as much love & affection as he did all his other dongsaengs,  and kihyun revelled in it,  feeling a little warm and special inside whenever the leader so much as said his name.  he felt that he had the proper neo stamp of approval now that they were friends, and couldn’t be happier about it. they could now commonly be seen walking around together arm-in-arm, gossiping about things they’d overheard from staff or whatever had gone on in the latest drama they’d both been watching, both taking selfies together and acting as photographer for their next instagram posts, and playing back-and-forth games of who could compliment the other the most.

although nowadays they only really see each in person other during whole-group comebacks & content, they’re still as affectionate as ever during those times (even more so, in fact, due to the longer period of time they would’ve been away from one another). they try to meet up for meals and little hangouts when they can manage, but more often than not they stick to texting and the occasional phone call, as well as mark or haechan dragging kihyun along to the bigger 127 meetups now and again so they get a chance to see each other. they have a neverending amount of support for one another (kihyun had never used the instagram story function more than when SHALALA came out, and whenever kihyun’s teasers drop for a DREAM comeback taeyong is similarly promoting it as much as possible) and are a pair that are much loved by everyone.

영호 & 기현⠀───⠀HYUNHO

to the surprise of some, there was an instant spark between kihyun & johnny. there was a bit of a language barrier, (what with johnny’s korean not being 100% just yet, and kihyun himself struggling majorly with most english bar a few basic phrases) but they made do with their translator apps and the help of fellow trainees around them and bonded quickly, getting along like a house on fire despite the large age gap. they bonded over fashion, over shared music tastes, over dancing and singing, and over the fact that johnny knew some of the EXO members, which kihyun was most definitely normal about (not). they bounced jokes off of each other and laughed even if neither of them found them funny, messed around in empty practice rooms whenever they had the time; making choreographies up to their favourite songs even if they had no coordination in the slightest, and on occasion johnny even (attempted) to help kihyun with his homework (even if most of the time he either A) didn’t understand what the question meant, or B) could manage to understand, but wasn’t able to help anyway).

it’s obvious to most that johnny likes to dote on kihyun. whenever the two are in a group setting he’s sure to sling an arm around his shoulder or stick to his side the minute he’s able, eager to drag him off to the side so they can talk and he get caught up on what the younger’s been up to recently. he’s first to comment on all of his posts, overflowing with praise at all of his achievements, and happy to go along with whatever whims the younger has in mind. kihyun is pretty much exactly the same, always having compliments to spare whenever johnny’s name is brought up in conversation, sticking to him like an extra limb whenever they get to be together in larger group content, making a point to promote him better than the company at times whenever he’s had a solo schedule, and appointing himself as johnny’s ‘assistant fashion evaluator’ with pride and confidence—which, of course, johnny accepted immediately, stating there was no-one he’d rather have in the position.

fans love them, always looking forward to the next time kihyun’s going to feature a blurry half-shot of johnny’s smiling face in his next instagram dump from one of their outings, or when kihyun’s figure is going to be the one standing next to johnny’s in the thumbnail when the next jcc goes up. they’re a duo that’ll always make time for one another, always be there to support one another in whatever they decide to do, and that’s a fact that's hardly likely to change.

유타 & 기현⠀───⠀YUKI

yuta and kihyun’s relationship wasn’t a relationship at all for the first few years,  to put it plainly.  they never really had a one-on-one conversation,  never really had the time to properly get to know each other.   kihyun knew of yuta,  of course,  admired his talent both in itself and in the same way he admired all of the older trainees,  but he’d just never had the chance to properly convey that to him.  and it wasn’t like they were awkward—they never failed to spare a smile at one another when they passed each other in the corridors, always a warm greeting on their lips—they just weren’t..  close.  weren’t exactly friends in the same way kihyun was with most of the others.  and that was something kihyun wanted to eventually remedy,  even if he was a little intimidated by the older boy,  and even if yuta’s korean wasn’t still 100%,  and even if he himself could only just barely count to ten in japanese.

that  ‘remedying’  didn’t end up coming until 2018,  when they were preparing for EMPATHY as a whole group.  kihyun saw yuta standing off to the side,  taking a moment to himself,  and decided to wander over to join him.  they didn’t talk for a good ten minutes,  but after that kihyun finally mustered up the courage to pipe up with a compliment on what he’d seen of yuta’s dancing so far to break the ice,  and it was all uphill from there.  they found they bonded over a number of things—their love for dance,  love for singing,  love for football,  the list went on.  by the end of the day they’d finally properly exchanged numbers and promised to talk to each other more when they found the time.  conversations didn’t feel all that awkward even over text,  flowing easily and staying entertaining, and after a few weeks they were making plans to get dinner together  (or,  if neither of them wanted to go out,  to at least order in and meet up at one of their dorms and share the meal).

yuta is noted to be someone that brings out the calmer side of kihyun.  while they can both be the mood-makers when they want to be,  brightening up the room with their grand stories and naturally entertaining energy,  they can also be quiet and mellow when they want to be—and that usually happens whenever they’re together.  kihyun will quietly say hello to yuta and then sit and catch up with him,  no overexcitable and uncontainable personality in sight.  they’re again not a duo that people often see,  but the fleeting moments that are caught on camera are enough to remind everyone that they hold each other very dear in their hearts.

동영 & 기현⠀───⠀KIDO

again,  they weren’t a pair that talked to one another all that often.  it was passing greetings in the corridors,  polite nods and half-bows in the practice room and recording studios,  and barely any communication between them outside of that.  it wasn’t like there was any love lost between them—kihyun admired doyoung’s vocal talent greatly,  and hoped he’d reach somewhere near that level someday—it was just that they never quite found the time to get properly acquainted. 

that time came around the time that jeno did.  he was their sort of middle man, the mutual friend.  he was kihyun’s  (new,  again much to mark’s displeasure) favourite hyung and doyoung’s favourite dongsaeng,  so they were bound to come into contact soon after that.  and they did—with kihyun finally striking up the first conversation and breaking down the walls that had previously stood between them.  soon they were just as close as both of them were to jeno,  chatting and joking and smiling as easy as breathing in each other’s company.  doyoung coached him on a few vocal techniques and kihyun tried  (and failed,  even if he offered to do it when no-one else was in the practice rooms)  to get the older to dance with him more,  and altogether they just grew a lot closer than they originally had been.

they’re known for their tendency to play-fight for jeno’s affections, while the latter stays clueless and smiling throughout it all. they trade heartfelt compliments and glowing praise as well as snarky quips and light-hearted mocking comments (which doyoung complains kihyun got entirely from haechan, and that he’s a bad influence). they’re always in the likes and comments of each other’s posts, always quick to comment on any achievement of the other, always ready to sit and catch up over an evening meal and a drink or two—and kihyun is always ready to plead doyoung to dance with him, to which the older is even faster to decline the offer. if one is doing a live the other is sure to either join in the comments or physically if possible, and on the whole they’re a semi-rarely seen but still very real and supportive duo (although of course they—or just kihyun, really—have their teasing moments).

니코 & 기현⠀───⠀KIKO

much like with kihyun and johnny,  there was something of an immediate connection between him and niko.  while they again faced a little bit of difficulty with the language barrier,  their matching energies alone was enough to form the beginning of what would grow to be an incredibly strong bond over the years.  their starting points were making conversation through vague gestures and the few phrases they had in common in the other’s language,  nights after practice spent having fun dancing together and sharing song & artist recommendations while doing so,  and telling jokes that made the both of them crack up even if neither of them really got the punchline.  while to begin with they didn’t hang out all too much during their trainee days,  whenever they did see each other they were all smiles and laughter,  getting along like a house on fire.

as the years went on, while they didn’t see each other half as much as they did in the past, they only seemed to get closer.  they’d be glued to each other’s sides in any whole-of-NCT content, shower the other in praise at any given opportunity  (or occasionally without the opportunity,  and being completely unprompted),  and find ways to bring the other up in conversation even when they weren’t appearing in any content together.  fans were quick to dub them as a very much older-younger brother duo,  some even naming them  ‘father and son,’  titles the pair themselves even played into from time to time. niko is in running competition with johnny & jaehyun over who’s the favourite out of the three, even if on some days it’s blatantly obvious that he’s the winner by a mile (or maybe a half-mile, at the least). kihyun has repeatedly mentioned how thankful he is to have met niko, and it’s a sentiment he hopes is reciprocated.

they’re known now for their easy affection and easier teasing with one another,  their constant lives together or featuring of the other in whatever content they may be filming  (kihyun always finds a way to feature niko in his little vlogs,  even if it’s in a way as small as showcasing the ‘good morning~’  or  ‘eat well!’  text messages he’s usually been sent that day),  and how well they seem to bounce off of each other—especially in the performance aspect.  fans have been begging for a collaboration,  even if it’s something as small as a dance cover with them in the same room.  they’re a duo that’ll be together through thick and thin for long into the foreseeable future.

재현 & 기현⠀───⠀KIJAE

it was (surprisingly, to many people who hear the story) jaehyun who first approached kihyun in the practice room back in their trainee days. he thought the younger looked a little lost, and tried to strike up a conversation to lighten his mood. it worked, but it also had the consequence of kihyun deeming jaehyun someone safe to let loose around, and so he proceeded to practically stick to his side as much as he did mark, or johnny. not that jaehyun minded all that much—he found himself getting along well with kihyun, and enjoyed the company. they bonded over music, mostly, and jaehyun (like doyoung would also do) helped kihyun with some vocal troubles & insecurities he was having. soon they were sharing headphones and sitting curled up in the corner of the practice rooms on their breaks, jaehyun holding back grins when kihyun saw him in the mornings and ran at him head-on to wrap him in a hug, and mark having to endure kihyun’s long rambles that consisted largely of “jaehyun-hyung’s so cool! and talented! and amazing!” day in and day out, to the point that he straight-up banned him from mentioning his name in any of their conversations (but soon lifted that ban after being faced with the pleading look kihyun would give him afterwards).

kihyun thinks of himself to be on a mission, one that intends to show the world that jaehyun is not the cold, stoic, serious member he's seemed to grow a reputation as. whenever they get the chance to be in the same room he’s cracking jokes left right and centre, egging jaehyun on and being overjoyed whenever he plays along and jokes right back. he’s also, similar to how he is with taeyong & johnny (and most of the other members, really) as supportive as he can possibly manage to be whenever the older has a solo schedule, complimenting him both over text and publicly for everyone to see (posting about it, mentioning it in passing if he’s on live, etc), and although it’s not often jaehyun does also try to bring up kihyun in whatever he's been featured in also. a known public (and light-hearted) on-going feud between them is kihyun trying to get jaehyun to follow him on instagram, although the older maintains that it would ruin the aesthetic he’s going for—much to kihyun’s displeasure.

kihyun is seen as someone who brings out the lighter side of jaehyun with ease whenever they’re together, making him disregard the stoic act in a heartbeat. they’re a back-and-forth sort of duo, bickering even when they’re attached at the hip with both arms around one another. the younger boy will call him cool and then say he’s approaching thirty at frightening speed in the same breath, and jaehyun can do nothing but laugh. a fan-favourite duo for sure, and everyone is waiting for the day when they drop a duet or finally do a live together, as they’ve neglected to do either for years.

정우 & 기현⠀───⠀KIWOO

while it was a mutual want to get to know each other, it was jungwoo who made the first move and introduced himself—but in kihyun’s defence, it happened only a minute or so before he hyped himself up enough to do it first. they were just as high-energy as one another and made for an ever-lively duo, making dumb jokes to lighten the mood when it occasionally got tense from all the pent-up frustration a lot of them were holding in or simply just to make people laugh. jungwoo was commonly one to sneak out of the company and take kihyun with him, the two ending up in a small hole-in-the-wall diner as they got serious for a while and talked over their respective worries and fears for the future, before putting it all behind them with a meal they could just barely pay for and walking back up to the dorms arm-in-arm, stomachs full and with wide smiles on their faces.

the bond stayed strong (and grew, even) over the years, and they took every chance they could find to hangout together—usually ending up in the diners they frequented in their trainee years, or a noraebang where they both took turns belting out lyrics to their favourite songs as loud as they could (and teaming up to sing even louder in duets), or occasionally a bar they were confident they wouldn’t get caught in (although the latter option was rare, seeing as it normally ended in kihyun having to practically drag jungwoo back home again even after the older had confidently stated he’d be the one to outdrink the younger that night). they’re constant features in each other’s posts, and definitely a duo to be reckoned with in whole-group content—always riling everyone else up to the best of their ability while hyping themselves up at the same time.

they’re just as close as ever nowadays, likely to be seen together whenever they’re able to, and talking & laughing all the while. the scarce lives they hold together are full of conversations populated with whatever topics come into their heads, attempting to teach other english phrases even if neither of them are native speakers (which usually results in one of them calling on johnny, mark, jaehyun, or niko for help), and impromptu just dance routines to music one of them is playing over their speakers. they’re a duo that’ll never be seen without a smile on their faces when they’re together, and that’s something fans hope won’t change for a long while.

includes⠀@northstarco

[inkamumbles]

tagged by: @arestlessrunaway 😎✨

last song: Ay Adrar Inu by Tiwiza

favourite colour: dark green, the kind that's a little more on the blue side

last movie/show: Johnny English strikes again

sweet/spicy/savoury: savoury? I think?

relationship status: Single as a pringle

last thing I searched: how do cats purr (I was a little hopeful that we could do it too with a bit of training, alas, I was sorely mistaken)

current obsession: drawing dinosaurs with ballpoint pen to sell them on Etsy, also Tissaia de Vries, obviously

tagging: @daerienn , @girls-and-honey and @brazenedminstrel , hopefully you haven't been tagged yet 😅

[kikuism]

wanted to talk about the songs i'm currently hooked on, esp since for once they're all english songs and i can actually say something other than 'ooh nice sounds!'

barbarism begins at home—the smiths: the guitar and bass riff in this is insaneeee and the way he's yelping??? crazy. one thing i really like about the smiths is how simple their lyrics are, you don't need a phd trying to figure out what they're saying. 'a crack on the head is what you get for not asking, a crack on the head is what you get for asking' well yes barbarism does begin at home! i've always loved the guitarwork in the smiths but this was the song that made me delve deeper into johnny marr’s work .... he's tooooooooo good

i want the one i can't have—the smiths: the yearning in this song makes me crazy... 'he killed a policeman when he was 13 and somehow that really impressed me', 'a double bed, a stalwart lover for sure, these are the riches of the poor', 'and if you ever need self validation just meet me in the alley by the railway station, it's all over my face' hello?????@+$+_

some girls are bigger than others—the smiths: the guitar riff in this song is so light and pretty, downright angelic, and then the lyrics are BOOBS! they were so funny for this. i genuinely cannottttt stop listening to this it's so addictive. THE RIFF. and why does it suddenly get soooo romantic at the end: send me the pillow, the one that you dream on, and i'll send you mine???? what the fuck. the outro lasts a full minute and i listen to it every time because the riff is that gorgeous

bigmouth strikes again—the smiths: the iconic joan of arc lyric <3 another sillay song....the imagery is so wacky. 'and as the flames touched her roman nose her walkman started to melt'??? and it just Sounds great too ughhhh another excellent guitar riff.... they're really unmatched when it comes to that funky addictive rock sound....the high pitched backing vocal is also so fun.

partners in crime—the strokes: what are they talking about <3 but it sounds sooo good esp the ending ohhh!! for me the strokes and the smiths are on opposite ends of the spectrum in that their lyrics aren't as clear but the sound is sooo good. i also love his voice in the higher register i love when a guy's voice gets higher in pitch i must say that's what makes the smiths delightful as well

under cover of darkness—the strokes: for me this is a classic rock song <3 like it almost makes me smile when the chorus kicks in. really love that slight gritty texture in his voice at 'are you okay?' and love how it's a long note too it scratches an itch in my brain

ode to the mets—the strokes: the moody wistful rock ooooohhhh yeeeaahhhh. the way the drums come in it's soooo good. the gritty texture on his voice in 'i needed you there, i didn't know'. it sounds so angsty i love it

instant crush—daft punk: this is ear candy for me can you believe this is my first daft punk song. it's so funky and fun and ofc julian casablancas's high notes and i love how the effect on his voice is just right without being overdone it's so great, my favorite bit is 'one thousand lonely stars hiding in the cold'

one way trigger—the strokes: as a falsetto lover this is music to my ears lmao and the ending is sooooo!!!! i don't wanna be in there with you i don't wanna be in there without your loving either

love you to—the beatles: when i heard the sitar my eyes bugged out like in tom and jerry.....that's sooooo cunty of them. i'm obsessed with the hypnotic rhythm of this song. 'each day just goes so fast, i turn around it's passed' real.....

taxman—the beatles: such a fun song omg.....'if it gets too cold i'll tax the heat if you drive a car i'll tax the street if you take a walk i'll tax your feet' these are lyrics for the People! they were so cunty for namecalling the taxmen in this song...i wonder how mr. wilson and mr. heath felt about it

sun king—the beatles: the hypnotic rhythm of this song is sooooo good like it just scratches my brain in such a nice way, especially when they start blabbering gibberish, that's my fave part <3 it's actually soooo good like it literally doesn't make sense

[ao3feed-irondadspiderson]

Lightening Doesn't Strike Twice

https://archiveofourown.org/works/51240244 by UnknownUncut Parker’s Luck strikes again. Words: 2662, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English Series: Part 24 of Whumptober/Flufftober 2023 Fandoms: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow (Movie 2008) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: Gen Characters: Peter Parker, Tony Stark (The Next Avengers), Steve Rogers, Johnny Storm, Aunt May Parker (Marvel), Curt Connors Relationships: Curt Connors & Peter Parker, Aunt May Parker & Peter Parker, Peter Parker & Tony Stark, Tony Stark & Steve Trevor, Peter Parker & Johnny Storm, Steve Rogers & Johnny Storm Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, Peter Parker's Field Trip to Stark Industries, but not really because we're going to the compound instead, Old Steve Rogers, Old Tony Stark, Ambiguous/Open Ending read it on AO3 at https://archiveofourown.org/works/51240244

[ao3feed-johnnylawrence]

Number One Fan

by puella_peanut

Johnny took a long swig of beer. “Some kid at school sent Robby a link to this social network website called lonely fans—“

@allvalley100 Social Network prompt

Words: 100, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Series: Part 85 of Cobra Kai allvalley100 Drabble Challenge

Fandoms: Cobra Kai (TV)

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: M/M

Characters: Johnny Lawrence, Daniel LaRusso

Relationships: Daniel LaRusso/Johnny Lawrence

Additional Tags: technology challenged johnny strikes again

source https://archiveofourown.org/works/47068996

[wenchofthescullery]

What To Do During the Strike, Day 6 (trigger warning: use of force)

*

Subtitle: A loose collection of recommendations to keep you busy, should we suffer from similar tastes and interests. *

Every now and then, I think about William Carlos Williams. It happens every few years. The name just pops into my consciousness, and I generally think, "that's something about a wheelbarrow, right? The red one?"

The Red Wheelbarrow BY WILLIAM CARLOS WILLIAMS so much depends upon a red wheel barrow glazed with rain water beside the white chickens

However, that's not it. I have a bit of dread when I remember that instead of the poetry, it's the prose that haunts me.

Williams was a physician and a poet. Those of us who do this work with children often carry his short story "The Use of Force" with us. I've talked about this with colleagues. It's a bit similar to how a whole generation was traumatized by Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery." That cold sweat comes to the back of the neck when you think about it.

Williams' story is drawn from his experiences as a doctor. (As a side note, I am having trouble even putting words to this, even though I've been thinking about it for days. I have the cold sweat again.) The practice of medicine is much more straightforward with competent adults; there is the advice, and then there is the patient autonomy to do with it what they will.

With children, it's different. I don't want it to be different! I want to have the luxury of time to talk about things, cajole, convince. To have Child Life by my side with distraction techniques, a quiet place to focus on just what is at hand, all of it.

And sometimes it is the middle of the night, and there are twenty other beds with sick children, and there is one in front of you with a septic joint. Maybe you know he will lose function of that knee without timely antibiotics, or even die. Sepsis is still frightening to medical providers. If you have seen DIC (disseminated intravascular coagulation) and the loss of fingers, or even amputations that result? When you have had a child die from it in front of you? You learn to respect your enemy.

But maybe you were in that time before good vein-finding ultrasound equipment, and it was 2 am, and the child and the mother did not speak English. Perhaps it was your hands holding down a screaming child, the slick-sweat limbs twisting in your grip, no matter how much gauze you wrapped around them, and your senior resident was muttering prayers as she stabbed and he twisted and she stabbed yet again.

Maybe you'd already used as much sedative as you could, but the child was so strong in mind and body. A frail-seeming thing but with a bony strength, and his mother crying out her own prayers in Spanish in the corner of the room, "Jesus, Jesus, ayúdame, Jesus."

There is a red there, a blurring out of sight and the boiling of blood to just get it done, my god, just hold still.

We got the IV. He ended up walking out of there, a week later.

And you will remember that, I think, for the rest of your life. You will recognize the part of you that William Carlos Williams did, that all of us do who work in extremis, on children.

so much depends upon red

It continues to haunt pediatricians to this day -- the echo of it calls back, again and again.

Medical writing is its own genre. Often these days, the popular items are straight memoirs. The poetic prose of a digested story, the tales we tell one another as one doctor to another, don't get as much press. They probably should. If you are interested, I'd recommend Richard Selzer's Letters to a Young Doctor. It's old, and cast in a bit of purple, but there are parts where the eye rings true.

When we stop being haunted by our ghosts, we make more of them.

----------------------------

Next up is the genre of mystery.

[romanlightman001]

Johnny English Strikes Again EXCLUSIVE Clip: Choosing The Perfect Car

[dreams-on-silver-screens]

Johnny English Strikes Again (2018)

[mint-moon25]

HDG - Banks

Dear Korean Girls,

Legal Permission

Korea - and - Canada

Not allowed as civilians

Any - weapon 2 defend

Yourselves - Meaning

Knives & Strangulation

Will be the deaths and

Korean Drama show this

Meaning U are produced

So your Leaders can see

How you will Die - you are

Society's experiment

Our Goals -

Religious entry

Apps - as - Members

2 enter - Tongues not

Spoken by thieves and

Murderers

Holy Ghost - speaks yes

Through our - mouths

Mostly ancient languages

Remember our Welcome

Speak Tongues - 500 Billion

Won - Our Members - All

Ages - Separated by Age

And Gender - No matter

What - Male - Waiters

Tax Free - Hong Kong

Island Males - Chinese

Martial Arts - China yes

Invented - it

But Shaolin China - those

Boys - Sleep on the floors

They and Gymnastics yes

Babes - All are Short

China Males - 7'1 ft - 7 ft

Their Harsh Training has

Ended - Height capacity

All - HDG - Members

Singers - only

All Clubs - Free - Buffets

Korea - only place - Your

Pregnant females - given

Tags

We - will have - Secret yes

Emblems - also

Front - Back

Left - Right - Arms

Our Members

Who in Korean - Public?

HDG Clubs - Worldwide

Jewelry emblems but will

Go through Airports won't

Alarm - Various - Symbols

When you need - Help who

Is a Member?

Like - Patches - Wilderness

Girls and Boys

Our App Daily will Test your

Skills - Retention - Vaccine

Audition

Sing - and - Dance

All - Ages

2 - get - Retention Vaccine

Decided - HDG - Clubs

Bilingual - Multilingual

Our Goal

Our - New - Language

All - Must - Learn

We will Give - Free Train'g

French - of - Paris France

HDG - Clubs

Official Foreign Language

App - will test - Hourly

Speak - following 2 app

Per - session - Do - right

500 Billion Won Tax paid

Next Memorize Symbols

Testing - Daily

Guess 5 right - 500 Billion

HDG - Clubs

Korean - Girls - Age 19 - 21

Symbols

Martial Arts - 1 year

Cooking & Baking - 1 year

Ballerina - Prime Dancer

1 year - Hip Hop - 1 year

Front - Back

L and R Sides

So when you need - Bully

Gone from you

Symbol - Martial Arts 1 yr

Will be what you Look for

Disabled - emblems - also

Example Party - Surprised

Then at Grocery - you will

Need - Cooking & Baking

Symbol - Thinking - of a

Whole Foods Market

Seoul - Jeju Island - 24/7

But Best Chefs - Salad &

Hot Foods - always there

But Best - USB - Electric

Plugs where U eat - 24/7

HDG - Club - Members

Free Here - Card or App

2 Scan - Total - Self yes

Checkouts - or your hai

Shopping - Cart 2 Pay

Cart walks auto front of

You - Set Budget - each

Item put in Cart - decrease

Total - Though - Free - good

2 know - Total - If you - Paid

So - Miami - is - Nutty

Groceries - Markets - Ikea

Violating - 21 and older

No Felony - can have in the

Bag - concealed - weapons

Knives - Tear Gas - Semi

Auto - Revolvers

Social Security - also join

Many in Violating the 2nd

People's Rights but Publix

Walmart - Ikea sells knives

Their Kitchens have knives

Solution

Smartwatches

Goes through Alarms

Tiny poisonous Needles

Auto goes inside Necks

Exits - Disappears

Poison - Air Cremates

Hipnotises all nearby

Nothing Happened

Auto reverses cameras

By 15 min - By 30 min

Fastest Weapon 2 keep

Us - Safe and Protected

Smartwatch - trackable

Pens - with - Tiny bullets

'Johnny English Strikes

Again' - How 2 fight illegal

Injustice - How we can yes

Fight - Leaving Capital One

Cafe - Getting Solar at Hub

Locker - Homewood Suites

Brickell - 12:40P Bus - 836

Shower - 24 Hour - Fitness

lia — sneakers (220715)

[denimbex1986]

'When one of the adaptations of a popular novel is as masterful and blistering as The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), it is best not to touch it again. Unless you bring in Andrew Scott to play the enduring titular shifty sociopath...

If the Anthony Minghella directorial starring Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Jude Law was full of sunshine and a tropical colour palette, Steven Zaillian—who has directed and written Ripley for television—shoots his version of the psychological noir entirely in black and white. The effect is breathtaking...

Oscar-winning cinematographer Robert Elswit’s camerawork is so exquisite, that as he makes us travel from the Amalfi coast to San Remo, Rome, Palermo, and finally Venice, much like Tom Ripley, we’re in awe, entirely charmed, and in no mood to leave.

The sound design is exemplary too. You hear every crackle of each cigarette that’s smoked, the ruffling of fabrics, the clamouring of footsteps on expensive wooden floors, the laboured dragging of bodies, the crashing of the waves, the shrill ringing of unanswered telephone calls, the rambling of a lift, and the thud of it abruptly coming to a halt. It all deliciously adds to the tension...So pointed is its understanding of sound’s incredible potency and just as striking is its execution.

Scott is phenomenal as Tom Ripley, a con artist scraping off a meagre living out of petty white-collar crimes in post-WWII New York City. It’s 1961. One day, out of nowhere, he gets summoned by a shipping magnate who mistakes him for a close friend of his wandering son Dickie (Johnny Flynn), who left for Europe years ago and never returned. Tom takes his chance and is sent to Italy on a fully-funded mission to get Dickie back. Enamoured by the utterly privileged lifestyle of Dickie and his girlfriend Marge (Dakota Fanning), Tom first tiptoes on the periphery of their utopian world as an acquaintance, then begins to slowly suck its lifeblood as a leech, before destroying it entirely by killing Dickie and assuming his identity. Tom isn’t as outright evil as Moriarty, the character from the BBC's Sherlock that first put Scott on the map. His villainy is more straight-faced, quotidian, inscrutable, and plausible, making it infinitely more chilling. Scott—who is at the centre of every scene—plays him with such palpable blankness that you can see the bottomless emptiness inside of him. It’s a terribly restrained performance and yet with him in the foreground, all it takes is a twitch of a muscle, a slight change in the movement, and a shift in his eyes...

Despite being a crime thriller, Ripley is neither violent nor gory. If anything, it’s spectacularly artistic. From Dickie’s picturesque home in Atrani to the tastefully done apartment that Tom rents in Rome, or his palatial house in Venice, the many stunning sculptures scattered all through Italy that the camera keeps cutting to, or the running Caravaggio analogy, or the series recognizing Tom for the master artiste that he is, or its quiet commentary on how art belongs to everyone, Ripley’s appreciation for beauty and eye for detail marks every scene.

However, Ripley is a slow burn. Moreover, since it’s set in Italy, the characters speak Italian more than English, adding authenticity to its milieu but making it less accessible. Large chunks are dedicated to disposing of bodies. There’s lots of walking up and down the stairs, too. And its arthouse treatment may feel a little ostentatious. But the view is so worth the climb. Among its many joys, Ripley is a magnificent period drama—deeply mysterious and atmospheric, like only stories from a time of no smartphones, CCTVs, and social media could be.'

[moviereviews101web]

Shamrock Spitfite (2024) Movie Review

Shamrock Spitfire: the Story of a Legendary Irish War Hero Director: Dominic Higgins, Ian Higgins (All That Remains) Writer: Dominic Higgins, Ian Higgins (Screenplay) Cast Shane O’Regan (The Watchers) Eoin Lynch (Silent Witness) Bethany Billy Emily Outred (Johnny English Strikes Again) Sophia Eleni (Dungeons & Dragons Honour Among Thieves) Chris Kaye (Edge of Extinction) Plot: The story…