#jt has a cranky

[maryellencarter]

Look, at minimum, can y'all at least put some kind of blockable text or tag on your picture posts about the Queen dying? Some of us are still trying to curate our experience here

[1eeminho]

I hate being sick im barely ever sick this is the worst

[jess-rewatches-prodigalson]

Speak of the Devil (S2, E2)

Damn. I love this show.

As usual, my time stamped SPOILER FULL thoughts are below.

As always, I reference Malcolm’s mental health. A lot. So if talk about depression/mania/suicidal ideation is going to be a trigger for you, don’t keep reading. 

0:14 - Hector’s back!! hahaha :) 

0:40 - So Martin is worried about Malcolm.....he could stop manipulating Malcolm if he’s so worried. That would make Malcolm feel slightly better at least. 

0:50 - What. A. Boss. That ambush was gorgeously executed *chef’s kiss*. haha how many times do you think Jessica has orchestrated this type of ambush on one of her children? 

0:52 - I love this outfit on Malcolm. Seriously - why is it sooo attractive when he’s not wearing a tie?

0:55 -........he’s not seeing Gabrielle....but but he had a lollipop last episode. Am I supposed to believe he buys his own lollipops? Maybe he bought some to throw the team off the scent? UGH. MALCOLM, SWEETHEART, GO BACK TO THERAPY. YOU’RE IN CRISIS. ....wait. I bet you he’s not seeing Gabrielle because she knows when he’s lying. He’s probably scared that he’ll end up telling her about Endicott. And I’m pretty sure that legally Gabrielle can’t keep a crime a secret regardless of doctor-patient confidentiality. 

1:02 - .....Malcolm didn’t know that he wasn’t paying his own therapy bills? WHO DID HE THINK WAS PAYING THEM?!?! Damn. Rich people, am I right?

1:10 - You ever wonder how many therapists Malcolm saw as a kid before they found Gabrielle? Just me? Cool.

1:15 - OMG. “Sexual in nature”?!?! Calm down Jess. He’s a grown ass man and even if it was sexual Malcolm sure as hell wouldn’t want to talk to his mother about his sex life. 

1:19 - Oh so now both of your kids are in a “good place”? Martin, less than a minute ago you were ‘worried’ about Malcolm. Further proof that Martin is a liar and we can’t believe anything he says. Ever. 

1:43 - Tom Payne’s physical acting during this interaction with Jessica is incredible. Ugh. Honestly, can I give him an Emmy myself? Look. Look at his face when he says, “You wouldn’t understand.” This is a teenage boy trying to hide something from his mom and is terrified that she’ll see the lie if he makes eye-contact. <3 

1:45 - You know, Jessica really isn’t a perfect mother (especially to Ainsley) but she does care about her kids. I love her for it. She actually shows more concern for her adult children than most parents with adult children that I’ve been exposed to. 

2:08 - I can’t decide if I love the music that was playing through that scene or if it’s just super cheesy and cringey. I mean “I did a bad bad thing” right as the title page rolls out? Kind of amazing but also super dorky. 

2:13 - So Mr. David hears this whole conversation. Malcolm talking about his guilt, Martin calling Malcolm a hero, and Malcolm saying that the only person he can talk to about his problems is Martin. Sooooo either

 Mr. David is being paid very well to keep quiet on Whitly family drama, 

 Mr. David stopped listening years ago.

 Mr. David is a moron who can’t connect the dots. OR

 Mr. David is going to blow this whistle on this fiasco to Jessica soon. I mean, he called her in the first season when Malcolm started visiting Martin. Mr. David has Jessica’s number...and I have a hunch that Mr. David cares about Malcolm. He’s watched Malcolm grow up into a troubled, bizarre, but very sweet man. 

2:14 - “Why are you calling me?” Malcolm sounds upset that Martin is calling him; so why pick up the phone? I mean, I guess Martin will call him back incessantly but still. 

2:19 - Malcolm’s completely honest version of how he’s doing mentally is heartbreaking. He “doesn’t recognize himself anymore”? Ugh. Baby. My heart is shattering. Someone hug him. OR TAKE HIM TO GABRIELLE.

2:30 - There is a moment when Malcolm says, “narcissistic psychopath” where is genuinely sounds like he’s about to have a complete breakdown. This boy is on the verge. My whump heart loves it and it makes me evil. 

2:56 - aaannnnnnd there’s Malcolm on the verge of tears. This boy. Ugh. <3 

3:00 - “It’s not going away Malcolm. The guilt. Take it from me.” Sooooo Mr. David isn’t a moron right? He’s going to connect the dots. He has to. ISTG Jessica keeps saying “No more lies” in the promos because Mr. David told her what he overheard. 

3:06 - And that is the face of a boy who is dead on the inside. Seriously, he’s spent his whole life trying to convince himself (and others) that he is nothing like his father. But here we are - all his fears confirmed and it’s killed him. 

3:20 - “Is this what you used?” Ainsley is talking about how Malcolm disposed of the body right? Because last episode she thanked Malcolm for covering for her. Sooooo she clearly knows that she killed Endicott even if she doesn’t remember it. I mean, she was covered in blood - Malcolm wasn’t. 

3:23.- OMG. Endicott was killed with the Milton family silver. hahahaha why is that so funny to me?

3:43 - Just how big is that gap in her memory? I’d truly like to know. When did she check out, when did she check in, and are those times different than what she’s letting Malcolm believe?

3:55 - Yeah - I still want to know why she moved in. COVID? Is she afraid she’s going to do something else murdery? Because surely, living in the house where you know you killed someone can’t be pleasant. Or easy. Unless of course Ainsley is more like Martin than we’d like to believe. 

4:09 - hahahahaha I am living for Malcolm’s facial response to Jessica saying, “I am in charge of boxes.”

4:22 - hahahaha Malcolm and Ainsley teasing Jessica about Gil is so precious. I love it. I wish they were always that happy. 

4:40 - Look at Malcolm’s face when he says, “You and a certain Lieutenant”. He’s practically giddy. Whether that’s because he’s thoroughly enjoying the opportunity to tease his mother OR because he’s always wanted Jessica and Gil to be together in that way that many children who grow up in single parent homes hope for a fairytale parental ending. My guess - a mixture of both.

4:45 - Ainsley looks delighted at the idea of Gil/Jessica too. I assume it’s because she loves the gossip and the opportunity to tease Jessica. BUT I also wonder what Ainsley’s relationship with Gil is like? Do they have one? 

4:58 - “Does he let you wear his turtlenecks?” OMG. bahahahaha comedic GOLD. 

5:10 - THIS. The evolution of JT and Malcolm’s friendship is everything. 10/10 would recommend. So sweet. LOOK AT HOW CONCERNED MALCOLM IS. <3 <3 Malcolm’s been calling JT?!?! UGH. This warms my cold dead heart.

5:20 - JT is a bad liar. This dude is not okay. 

5:27 - “When I say I’m fine, I’m always lying.” .....we already knew this but it hurts to hear Malcolm say is so nonchalantly. 

5:32 - JT does the sign of the cross....so he’s definitely religious. 

5:56 - “Holy...” “Watch it Bright.” hahaha how much do you want to bet that Gil took Malcolm to church once (1) time as a kid. It went so poorly that Gil never brought him again. Malcolm was probably questioning the priest and generally just asking a lot of “why” questions. 

6:15 - Gil is so done with the Edrisa+Bright banter. Look at his face - he’s just sooo tired. .....is Gil particularly cranky this episode because Jessica is dodging his phone calls?

6:23 - Malcolm looks pensive as soon as Gil mentions that the Father had been with the church for 30 years. Why? 

6:56 - I’m not going to lie. I’m really getting tired of the crap Dani (and even Gil in this episode - is he mad at Malcolm for avoiding him when he was hospital-bound? Or just cranky because Jessica isn’t calling him back?) are giving Malcolm. He’s asking a question relevant to the case. Sure - it’s not an easy question to ask but last season they wouldn’t have glared at him for asking it. I understand that Dani is upset with Malcolm for lying to her and she probably thinks he knows something about how Endicott died. I get it - Malcolm screwed up. BUT Dani’s reaction is so over the top. I understand where she’s coming from - she has trust issues. That doesn’t give her the right to treat him like garbage for the rest of his life. It’s been literally MONTHS. 

7:11 - “That’s not a no.”....Damn, he looks cute when he says that. 

7:30 - I LOVE that Malcolm knows so much about the Bible and Catholicism even though he’s not a believer. It makes me think he investigated a ton of religions as a kid - looking for relief from his trauma. I respect that he did the research and I respect that he doesn’t (openly at least) think other people are moronic/short-sighted for believing in God(s). 

7:56 - I’ll be honest, my first reaction to Jonah was: “Why does he look and sound like he’s dying?”

8:03 - “Catholic.” haha I love some good religious comedy. BUT AGAIN GIL, THAT GLARE IS SO NOT NECESSARY. That wasn’t a ‘warning - you’re being insensitive’ glare. That was a ‘I’m your father and you’re in sooo much trouble’ glare. I love Gil with my whole heart but everyone is being a dick to Malcolm today (minus JT and Edrisa) and I’m done with it. Malcolm’s fragile mental state can’t handle it. Be nice to my boy. 

8:35 - Is this Gil’s church?!? Why does he know all the church staff by name? He either attends this church or someone gave him an amazing briefing before he got to the church.

9:34 - At least Gil knows something is wrong with Malcolm. 

9:41 - What? That’s it? No. Gil - press on. Don’t accept Malcolm’s “I’m fine”.

10:18 - I wish this scene didn’t end with Gil’s look of disbelief and concern. I wish we got to see Gil tell Malcolm not to go see Martin. I wish we got a more concrete papa!Gil moment. 

10:42 - Something about the fact that Martin is tethered to a pole like a tether-ball is hilarious to me. Also - why are some prisoners not tied up? The inmate talking to Friar Pete has no rope. 

10:52 - Ugh. When exactly did Martin give Malcolm “The Talk”? Like how old was Malcolm? How traumatic was it? Ugh. It’s very upsetting to remember that Martin acted like a good father to Malcolm for a good portion of the first 10 years of Malcolm’s life. It really doesn’t help Malcolm’s PTSD. 

11:00 - That’s right Malcolm. Don’t let Martin ramble. Stand your ground. <3 So proud of Malcolm <3

11:15 - Listen to the way Malcolm says, “Who is that?”. He’s some combination of resigned and scared. I love it. 

11:33 - Friar Pete is so creepy. The way he just walks up to Malcolm until his rope goes taught?! UGH. Poor Malcolm looks so done with this whole situation. He’s rolling his eyes and grimacing at various points throughout this scene. He has some major sass right now and I’m here for it. 

 11:41 - “You two should talk!” ....Is this Martin’s really eff-ed up way of trying to help Malcolm with his guilt about Endicott? I don’t like it.....and Malcolm’s face tells me he doesn’t either. 

12:48 - Is that true? Can churches really not exorcise people without medical permission in the current day?  I thought exorcisms were just banned? IDK - I’m a Christian, my branch of faith doesn’t do exorcisms. 

13:33 - YES! A JT AND MALCOLM SCENE. <3 <3 I’m unreasonably happy about this. 

13:45 - sooooooo is this Norman’s real home and his real mother? The first time I watched it I thought it was some sort of weird catholic-inpatient facility but now I’m not sure. 

15:10 - Ok. I can’t hold back anymore. Malcolm’s shoes. They. Are. Awful. I understand - Tom Payne is a short guy. He probably needs heels to fit in the shot. I’m not mad about the heels. I’m made that they gave him very very ugly heels. Is it just me? These shoes are hideous. 

15:14 - “Hi Norman.” .....Malcolm is so soft here and I’m in love with it. My cold dead heart is melting. Also JT’s freaked-out look in this scene is everything. 

15:25 - There’s something about the way Malcolm says “Good.” that just hits me really hard. It’s beautiful. He sounds and looks a little scared but he’s also really calm and professional and it’s just...*chef’s kiss*. 

16:44 - “He’s clearly mentally-ill.” I love this. I love that Malcolm is defending the person with a severe mental illness because he doesn’t have any proof that Norman committed a crime. It also breaks my heart. Makes me think of how many people dismissed or judged Malcolm poorly throughout his life because Malcolm’s mental illnesses. Even though they weren’t quite as extreme as Norman’s.

16:54 - I love this. JT is telling Malcolm to stay behind the line partially out of fear (because this whole Norman situation is clearly freaking JT out big time) but also partially because he just cares about Malcolm. I love their friendship and it’s evolution. SO. MUCH. 

17:21 - Is there a mirror of something? How the hell did Norman know that Malcolm crossed the salt? Was it the slight creaking in the floorboards?

17:54 - Dude. Is every suspect this season going to accuse Malcolm of being a killer? First Boyd, now Norman. This is not helping Malcolm’s mental state or his ability to hide his guilt from the team. 

18:30 - “Malcolm Bright. Always crossing the line.” lol. I love JT here. He’s half-teasing Malcolm. Makes me think that he subtly trying to tell Malcolm that he isn’t the killer Norman says that he is. 

18:44 - I DO NOT LIKE THIS. LOOK AT HOW SCARED MALCOLM IS WHEN HE WALKS INTO THE ROOM. A ROOM WITH GIL AND DANI IN IT. THIS IS NOT RIGHT. HE’S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE SCARED OF THEM. 

19:00 - “What the hell do you have?”. Wow. Okay. No. I love Gil. I understand that he loves Malcolm like a son and he’s scared for Malcolm and Malcolm’s mental state. But this question is so over the line. Gil knows damn well what Malcolm’s mental diagnoses are. It feels like he’s accusing Malcolm of being crazy. I don’t like it. 

19:17 - “Are you serious?” Ok. Dani really needs to start being nicer to Malcolm. She doesn’t have to trust him but some professional civility would be great. I really don’t like how hard the writers are pushing this tension between Dani and Malcolm. It makes Dani look so immature. An adult would be pissed but get over the anger after literal months. The relationship wouldn’t necessarily be the same but it sure as hell wouldn’t be this hostile.

19:40 - Something about Malcolm being the calmest person in the room is both comforting and upsetting. 

19:55 - “My father gave it to me.”.....that’s so not going to help Gil’s concern about Malcolm.

20:50 - This is cute. We don’t get to see enough of Jessica and Ainsley acting like a semi-normal mother-daughter duo. I love it. 

21:00 - “We are WASPs. It’s. What. We. Do.” OMG. Hahahaha 

21:05 - I love how invested Ainsley is in the Gil/Jessica relationship. It’s so clear that she wants her Mom to be happy and I love it. It also makes me wonder if she ever wanted Gil to be her real dad as a kid.

21:30 - Damn. This episode is creepy.

21:45 - First clue that this is a dream - Malcolm says “we” but he’s alone. 

21:57 - ...are Nuns allowed to paint their nails? #GenuineQuestion

22:14 - Not going to lie. This made me cry. I relate to Malcolm so damn much here. I’ve had a severe anxiety disorder for as long as I can remember (seriously I saw my first therapist - against my will - at the age of 4). I’ve also had chronic depression for almost as long. AND I’m a christian. I can’t tell you how many times other christians have told me to “cast my worries on the Lord” and “be free” of my pain. Or that I don’t really believe in God because I’m still suffering so visibly. The problem is - I don’t know if I want to be free. I’ve had these issues so long that I’m genuinely not sure who I’d be without them. It’s how I define myself. It affects every aspect of my personality. I feel like Malcolm might feel the same way - he doesn’t want to suffer anymore but he’s afraid of finding out who he is without the pain. 

22:17 - Okay. So there’s Gil’s voice. So Gil+ Malcolm = “we”. As though I’m supposed to believe that Gil would split up with Malcolm when they’re looking for a nun, who isn’t even a suspect, at a church. Nah. I don’t buy it. This is clearly a dream. 

22:30 - “You have to tell them what you did.”...and then we see the knife. Does this mean Malcolm is slowly convincing himself that he killed Endicott. Not Ainsley? Either way - I agree with nightmare-Ainsley. The team loves Malcolm but they’re also detectives. They’ll figure out what happened. And when they do - yikes. 

22:46 - I hate this. All season suspects have been calling Malcolm evil. Martin has been calling Malcolm a “hero”. Malcolm’s guilt is eating him alive. Simultaneously, the people who are supposed to trust and care about him (Dani, Gil, the precinct, Jessica) have all shown signs of doubting him. Dani alone has pointed a gun at Malcolm’s head. Now she’s wearing body armour? AND LOOK AT THE OTHER COPS. THEY ALL HAVE THEIR HANDS ON THEIR GUNS AS THOUGH MALCOLM IS A CRIMINAL. A THREAT. DANGEROUS. This is very bad for Malcolm’s mental health......God, the whump-whore in me hopes he has a major panic attack or something this season. 

23:23 - I love this scene. This is the papa!Gil content I’m here for. 

23:51 - JT expressing fear and concern for his unborn child makes my heart grow several sizes. Look at his puppy dog eyes here? Ugh. So precious. This whole JT arc is heartbreaking and beautiful. I love it.

24:15 - Sooooo JT knows about Jessica right? He’s a detective and a husband. He so knows. hahaha this is so cute. 

24:19 - Gil. You. Are. A. Liar......and you’ve been really grumpy this episode but I’m going to forgive you because I love you. 

24:28 - GIL. You’ve waited 20 years. How much longer can you wait for Jessica?!?!

24:35 - Maybe JT didn’t know? At least - not until Gil rambled on about waiting? JT looks like he just connected all the dots and he’s super uncomfortable.

24:43 -...... so she verbally attacks him all episode then drives him home and acts like she did toward Malcolm by mid-season 1? I’m getting whiplash. 

25:18 - This scene is so cute. They actually made the real life version of heart-eyes at each other. And Malcolm pours her a glass of water. Because 1) she’s driving and 2) she’s a recovering addict. He’s so casually respectful and I love it. 

25:28 - “Are you any different?” Ouch. Look at how hurt Malcolm is. :( Although, props to Dani for confronting him about it. Someone needed to and she’s being really calm and caring about it. 

26:10 - Dani’s little speech about being a black woman feels a little forced? Like the writers put it in so she doesn’t feel left out compared to JT? Idk, the whole thing just seemed not quite believable. Probably because when JT was racially profiled Dani - a black woman - pulled out her badge and all the white cops listened to her. It just doesn’t track. They wouldn’t have listened to her if they were racist and bold enough to attack JT in the first place.

26:47 - Anyone else think that all those lit candles are a fire hazard? Just me? Cool cool cool. 

 27:21 - Yo. This is stupid. I understand why this happened - because the plot needed it to happen. BUT WHY DID ALL THREE ARMED COPS LEAVE THREE UNARMED PEOPLE ALONE?!? And when does a team of 4 split into a group of 3 and 1??! It makes no logical sense (except for plot purposes).

28:03 - Creepy. 

28:30 - Oh. HELL no. This is absolute bs. My entire heart is breaking for JT.

29:05 - I really like how chill this Priest is. Like - he respects that Malcolm’s a disbeliever and he’s willing to talk to him without trying to convert him. 

29:55 - Listen to how upset JT sounds here!! :( :( :( My heart. :( 

30:08 - Ok so how did she end up tied in the closet and not murdered? 

30:40 - ....so did Jonah ruin that painting while Sister Agnes was in the closet or is the Sister just a moron who didn’t say anything about the guy ruining the painting?!?

30:50 - Sooooo Jonah is an “expert”. He taught Sister Agnes how to safely handle the lead-based paint. Yet - he didn’t use the protection? We saw him with a gas mask at the beginning of the episode? Did the sister not notice that he wasn’t using the protection? So much of this doesn’t track. Thankfully, I don’t watch this show for the “murder of the week” plot line.

31:30 - Malcolm is a good dude. Even now. He’s trying to help Jonah. <3 Heart of gold. 

32:25 - Martin - shut. up. 

32:45 - Friar Pete is a creepy treasure. I love him. 

33:24 - “Oh you’ve gotta be kidding.” hahaha I feel you Malcolm. I feel you. 

33:34 - Not gonna lie - when I watched this the first time all I could think is “How the eff does Malcolm remember everything Pete just said?” Maybe it’s just me but I would need Pete to go 1-2 words at a time. And slowly. ....maybe Malcolm took Latin in school? 

24:06 - Oh so all the killers this season are also going to accuse Malcolm of being a killer and/or evil. 

34:40 - Damn. I wish the team walked in right as Malcolm was screaming “the power of Christ compels you!!!”.

35:15 - I. Love. This. Gil screaming on the phone is everything. Him going to bat for JT is everything. Malcolm saying “This is bad”?!? *chef’s kiss*. ISTG Malcolm’s been scolded by Gil when Gil is that mad at some point during his teen years. 

35:53 - “I’ll take care of it.” JT. Is. My. Hero. What an absolute king. He’s going to take care of it, even though he’s terrified, because he needs to protect his family. Not just Tally and the baby. But little sister Dani too. <3 My heart is full. 

36:11 - ....okay so not to ruin a totally beautiful and profound scene but every time I’ve watched this scene JT doing that lean into the wall is very weird to me. Because he turns to face the camera. If he just slid down the wall or just leaned his head against the wall - it wouldn’t have felt so strange. It honestly distracts me from the scene. Every. Time. 

36:18 - This is hot garbage. I don’t even want to rewatch this scene because it makes me so upset. 

37:51 - I understand where Jessica is coming from but I also think she’s being a moron. I will say though, I respect the hell out of Gil for walking away when asked. A lot of men wouldn’t but he respects Jessica even if he doesn’t like what he’s hearing. So he left because she asked him to. 

39:00 - If this isn’t a red flag for Jessica about Ainsley’s mental health idk what is. 

39:25 - Poor Malcolm looks like he’s on the verge of tears here. :( I’m genuinely scared that Malcolm is becoming suicidal. He’s reaching the level of depressed and guilt where I think it’s a possibility. I genuinely think he’d rather kill himself to stop his guilt and suffering than to admit it to Gil, Jessica, JT, or Dani. ...for legal reasons he definitely can’t tell Gabrielle. 

40:00 - Sooooo Martin is finally suggesting that it was his idea to dispose of the body. I hope it’s the truth. 

40:05 - Martin is a piece of trash. He really needs to stop playing with Malcolm’s head. It’s literally killing Malcolm. 

40:50 - Oh. SHIT. Malcolm just clapped back hard. I am so so proud of him. ...also concerned about this deep anger in him though.

 41:46 - I swear - if we don’t get a Gil and Martin face-off when Martin breaks out, I will lose my mind. It’s one of the top things I want from this show. A Martin+Gil showdown. 

Ok. So I kind of loved this episode? Even though there were...many plot holes and things that annoyed me about it. Is it just me or has this season felt much darker than last season so far? It makes sense given last season’s finale but it’s still thrown me a bit. 

BUT I CAN NOT WAIT FOR 2x3. That promo. Ugh. <3 <3 We’re going to get traumatized teen!Malcolm content and I’m a sick bastard who is living for it. 

[rueren]

haikyuu boys and coffee

purely self indulgent. i have zero reason or evidence for anything 😭😭😭(didn’t do all the characters but i did as many as i could remember)

dont give them caffeine for the love of god don't do it:

HINATA ... self explanatory tbh.  throw him a mini snickers n hes set for another 6 hours

BOKUTO... another self explanatory one.  if he’s getting tired give him like 3 skittles and hell be fine

Terushima ... just don't im begging u please don't give him coffee.  he hallucinates

NOYA  ... he will bounce off of the walls dont do this to yourself him

tanaka ... honestly i think hes fine on his own but if hes with noya, they'll do something stupid like see who can handle more espresso shots before getting heart palpitations 

kogenagawa ... this baby doesnt even like coffee dont let him have any im bEGGING  he’ll hurl

LEV ... oh my god no please he’ll drink straight espresso thinking it’s regular n be like this is light work yall r babies then down like fOUR CUPS then think hes having a heartattack my heart 😭😭

atsumu  ... thinks he can handle alot of coffee, but is def another one who will start to hallucinate

futakuchi  ... i have no explanation for this sorry guys

yamaguchi  ... its too bitter for him.  doesn't even like it.   eventually likes it when he’s older but w lots of sugar

goshiki ... very self explanatory. it’s too bitter. he tried once, bless him, bc he saw tendou constantly drinking jt but he just can’t bring himself to like it

they need an IV drip of coffee in each arm and one in their leg please they are tIRED: 

AKAASHI ... self explanatory

SUGA ... he’s tired let him take a nap im BEGGING. those kids are his life force but they also suck his life force. he loves them to death

asahi ... i feel like i’m highschool he doesn’t really need it but time skip asahi chugs like 3 cups a night during fashion week

oikawa, ... self explanatory again

kenma ... he probably shouldn’t take it as much as he does because 1) he only drinks the insanely sweet ice coffees and 2) he uses it as a substitue for sleep but kuroo is convinced that kenma will one day bite his fingers off if he doesn't let him have coffee so he begrudgingly allows it

ennoshita ... he is also tired 

tsukkishima ... doesn't wanna deal with anyone's shit

suna ... also doesn't wanna deal with anyone's shit. 

osamu ... doesn't wanna deal with atsumu’s shit in particular 

matsuwaka ... have you seen his eye bags? please daddy baby get some sleep 

TENDOU ... this man inhales that shit bro you cant convince me otherwise

hanikami  .. yeah it just fits tbh.  he hears oikawa speak once and just downs a full cup

semi ... he’s tired of everyone’s ..,,,, everything ?? he needs a nap ok he also gets vv grouchy when he’s jetlagged dont @ me. post time skip he downs a cup or two before he gets off a plane so if there’s any fans on route that stop by he isn’t rude n grouchy to them 🥺🥺

somehow doesn't ever need coffee, they're always awake enough to function (if only barely):

daichi... he had to get used to it, dealing with all of their shit for so long.  

kageyama... somehow drinks milk and is then completely fine?  nobody knows how.  milk literally makes you tired i- downed a pack of strawberry milkshake at a training camp and was physically buzzing from all the fructose

kuroo ... pre time skip this man has never drank a single sip of coffee once in his entire life i guarantee you.  but post time skip??? cEO KUROO???? ........ yeah he still barely drinks it, but hes always got a large ass Starbucks cup on him so everyone fears him, thinking he’ll be cranky without it it was a present from kenma awh .  its actually filled with water or tea of protein shake or something im crying.  like can you just imagine everyone in the office scurrying to get the big ass rooster head-ass boss his cup of morning coffee bc they've seen him with this enormous ass titan of a travel mug everyday and he takes it every morning graciously, only to give it to kenma when/if he drops by through the day.  pls im sCREAMING

shirabu ...  thinks its gross dont ask me why.  i have it drilled in my head that tendou got everyone to drink it but they pretended because they didnt wanna hurt his feelings, and nobody actually liked him.   

ushijima  ... the most self explanatory thing ive ever seen in my life oh my god. he read online once that it has addictive qualities and immediately went d r u g s ? ! ? ! ? ! ? tries his best to stop tendou from his “addiction”. “it’s like heroine, satori. you know, like cocaine. irl make you sick” pls my heart can’t take it

aran  ... i also legit dont have a reason for this just lOOK at him

kita  ... he doesnt need it dude hes fine. dont ask how, he gets a good nights sleep.  literally never needs to pull all-nighters. cute baby awh i love him sm 

aone... i physically mentally? can not  see this man drinking coffee it doesnt work

IWAIZUMI ... honestly i dont know how he does it.  he is a tired man how does he nOT DRINK IT.

[incorrectprodigalsonquotes]

Carved in the Cradle Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Dani bit back an amused smile at the sight of Malcolm Bright fidgeting like a shy preschooler talking in front of the class for the first time. She had a feeling that if Jessica ever showed Bright’s childhood photos, she would find that he had that exact same look since he was a kid. All fidgeting with the sleeves of his uniform and luminous eyes too big for his face.

“Something you wanted to say, Bright?” 

Normally Dani would cringe at the thought of using the almost singsong lilt her voice had taken on, but he was ridiculously easy to tease.

“U-um...” Malcolm cleared his throat. His face like it was on fire and he knew it wasn’t because of the tea he’d just had. “So my mother sort of--well, demanded that I show up at her gala in a couple of days.”

Dani raised an eyebrow, unsurprised. Jessica Whitly was a societal force to be reckoned with and it was little wonder that even her son, who dealt with killers on a daily basis, was unable to say no to her. 

“So I gathered.” 

Bright being jittery was normal. The constant fidgeting, the mundane rambling, the sheer awkwardness was wired into him from a young age if Gil’s stories of a young Bright were all true, but he seemed almost… nervous? 

It didn’t make sense to her. Sure, he normally said some weird things and he had an unfortunate habit of sticking his foot in his mouth, but it was benign for the most part. It should’ve alarmed her about how comfortable she was around him, but the warmth of the tea she had still lingered, making everything about the already odd night pleasantly hazy. 

“She also wanted me to bring a date.” Malcolm let out a wry chuckle, his hand rubbing the back of his neck almost sheepishly. “I mean I’m already bringing Isabella as a sort of fun-sized baby date given that Mother's so taken with her, but it’d be nice to have a friend there a-and--”

“Bright.” 

Dani’s voice slowed into a low drawl as she took a step closer, her face inscrutable save for the glimmer of laughter in her eyes. She had to admit, it was pretty cute to see him so flustered.

“Are you asking me to be your date?”

“W-well, I--” 

The instant he cleared his throat, she could see a change in his demeanour. The determined set of his jaw, the squared shoulders as he drew himself to his full height, the clarity in his eyes. It briefly reminded her of something that Edrisa had said about the change that came with Clark Kent taking off his glasses. 

“I just thought it would be nice to take you to a fancy party where you wouldn’t have to arrest somebody and just enjoy yourself.”

“So it has nothing to do with you wanting to see me in a dress again?”

A teasing grin spread across Dani’s face as she tipped her head to the side. The sight of it made Malcolm’s confidence practically fly out the window, leaving him rambling so fast that he almost bit his tongue a few times. 

“Of course, there’s no obligation for you to say yes.” He nervously ran a hand through his already disheveled hair. “It’s just that you’re the only person I could think of when Mother said to bring a date. I know it’s probably not your thing, but--”

“Okay.”

“W-wait, what?” If his eyes got any wider, he could pass for a Disney Princess, all round and uncertain and saccharine sweet.

“Okay,” Dani’s eyes sparkled, the corners of them crinkling as she beamed at him. “I’ll go with you.”

“Really?” Malcolm’s anxiety practically melted away as he let out a relieved chuckle. “You don’t have to.”

“I know.” Dani nodded, “But a girl needs a night off for dancing every now and then--”

She nearly took a step back as he beamed at her, nearly as bright as the sun itself, the livewire tension in his body just melting away and it wasn’t until she caught the scent of bergamot and old leather that she realized what was happening.

Was Bright… hugging her? 

“Okay,” His voice was muffled, his face buried into her shoulder, “that’s amazing!” 

Dani couldn’t help but burst out laughing as she absently patted his back, feeling more like she had an armful of excitable puppy rather than gangly profiler. 

"Well, what are friends for, right?"

“Seriously,” Malcolm pulled away just enough so he could look at her, his arms still around her, “I owe you big time!”

“Bright--”

“No, I mean it,” he insisted with a shake of his head, still grinning ear to ear as if she had just given him the secret to all of life’s mysteries. “Anything you want, I’m yours for the week.”

Dani knew he would probably say something like that. Malcolm Bright was the kind of man who would go to the moon and back for the people he cared about, but she was still trying to wrap her head around the fact that she had become one of those people.

She briefly considered having him buy her fancy tea blends every day for a year or getting tickets to a sold out performance at the New York Ballet, but he seemed so genuinely happy that she accepted that she could only think of one thing that seemed right.

“You can start with those waffles you promised in the morning.”

(~**~)                 (~**~)                  (~**~)                  (~**~)

The bed was comfortable. Too comfortable. 

Everything in the room was too tidy, too organized. The high end furniture gave Dani flashbacks of playing Tetris at the local arcade with her cousins, all neat blocks fitting together. The only things in the room that looked out of place were Dani’s clothes on a nearby loveseat and her duffle bag of extra clothes on the vanity. There was no real character to the room she was in, no personal touch. 

Bright was right. These rooms were just like hotel rooms. At least there were silk pillowcases so she didn’t have to worry about her hair. Dani tossed and turned before she took her phone off the nightstand next to her and checked the time.

4:42 AM.

She stared up at the ceiling, deep in thought with a slight frown. When she was a kid, she would jump out of bed in the middle of the night to see what was on TV so early in the morning, curled up on the couch with her blanket wrapped around her like a cape. But it wasn’t like she could do that now. 

This not being her home aside, Bright’s TV was way too big to subtly turn on and just watch with the captions. The high definition alone would be enough to wake both him and Isabella.

Then again…

Bright could be awake right now. Maybe he could use some company. She could just sneak downstairs and check in on--

Before she could make her decision, she faintly heard a high pitched squeal coming from downstairs. She absently let her hair down from her pineapple updo and made use of the fluffy white robe that was hanging in the closet before heading down. No one needed to see her in short shorts and a thin nightshirt.

What she saw made her stop at the foot of the stairs. 

She found Bright on the ground with his legs tucked under him, a wide awake Isabella lying on a fuzzy blanket with numerous toys strewn about around them.

Wait.

Was he wearing glasses?

Dark thick frames that were so close to slipping down Malcolm’s nose as he sat with Isabella with a bunch of toys and blankets around her. It was unexpectedly cute. Something about those glasses stirred up a bit of fascination for stripped down, barebones Bright in the early hours of the morning-- 

She mentally shook her head. It was probably just her groggy mind that was thinking that though. Bright wasn’t even her type anyways, no matter how mesmerizing his eyes were.

Malcolm tried lulling Isabella to sleep again, but the little girl just kept smacking plushies in his face and blowing raspberries, her face crinkled into a happy grin. Dani bit back a laugh when she saw how Malcolm couldn’t help but smile at the baby girl as he gently grasped a chubby fist. Bright made a front about being strict with Isabella about bedtime, but he really was just a big old marshmallow when it came to babies. 

“Come on, Izzy.” Dani heard Malcolm cajole the baby as the little one batted at his face. “You need to get some sleep or you’ll be cranky. And I don’t think either of us wants to see that.” 

Izzy. 

The nickname was enough to make Dani smile. She was too half asleep to consider that maybe forming a bond with the baby may not be the best idea. Isabella continued to gurgle as her tiny starlike hands patted Malcolm’s face, letting out a high pitch giggle when she managed to grab his nose. 

“Izzy,” he whined, inciting even more giggling from the little girl, “Could you let go of my nose please? I kind of need to breathe and contrary to what lolo Gil thinks, I’d like to keep breathing.”

His nasally voice did nothing to stop the laughter coming from the baby.

Malcolm was removing Isabella’s hand when he heard a tiny laugh from behind him. He turned to see Dani on the stairs, wrapped in a fluffy robe with her arms crossed, watching in amusement. 

“Sorry,” she murmured, giving him a sheepish smile. “Didn’t mean to interrupt.” 

“No, no,” Malcolm shook his head as he picked up Isabella, “Did we wake you?”

“Hardly. I just couldn’t sleep.”

Dani’s footsteps were steady as she padded her way towards them, making Isabella turn her wide eyes to her with a coo. It still amazed her how much the little girl’s eyes were just like Bright’s, all guileless and moonlike in that shade that wasn’t quite blue or green. 

A smirk took over Malcolm’s face, a playful spark in his eyes as he made room for her to sit.  

“I thought we agreed you should avoid picking up my bad habits.” 

“Pot calling the kettle black, Bright,” she shot back as she took Isabella from him, the little girl wrapped her tiny arms around the detective’s neck, letting out a tiny kitten-like yawn as she rested her head on Dani’s shoulder. 

“For real, have you slept at all?” 

Malcolm shrugged. 

“Bright...” 

Dani narrowed her eyes at him as he simply shrugged, shaking her head as she felt Isabella tangle her hands in her curls. Her face fell into a familiar expression, what JT had affectionately named her ‘why you always lying’ face during the first case they worked together. 

“Got about four hours before I woke up,” he said, giving her a wry grin in return before nodding towards Isabella. “Then little miss night owl got up a few minutes later and I haven’t been able to get her back to sleep.”

Dani couldn’t blame him. She’d heard horror stories of sleepless nights from her oldest sister, but she could already sense Isabella starting to relax in her arms, absently rubbing the little girl’s back. Isabella was already much easier to handle than Dani’s niece and nephew. 

“Well, we’ve already exhausted all your options. Let me try something.”

She didn’t think his eyes could get any bigger, but leave it to Bright to prove people wrong. 

“You don’t have to--”

“You need to rest.” Her tone brokered no room for discussion. “We need to be up at six. Try to sleep for another hour. Make it an even five hours,” she added with a smirk.

“Five isn’t an even number.” Malcolm chuckled as Dani shot him a playful glare, holding his hands up in surrender. “Alright, but if you need help--”

“I’ll wake you, now go to sleep.” She gazed at him with stern eyes, practically daring him to ignore her. “Please.” 

“Well, since you asked so nicely…”

Dani shooed him to bed with a roll of her eyes, her smile tender as she looked back down at Isabella.

Malcolm felt sore and exhausted, barely remembering to take off his glasses as his head hit his pillow. He could hear Dani softly speaking to Izzy as his eyes fell shut.

Wait.

That wasn’t it. She was singing.

“Moon river… Wider than a mile...” 

Dani crooned as she rocked the baby, who seemed to settle down the more she was sung to. Her voice was--

Malcolm already found her voice steadying for his nerves, honeyed contralto with the slightest hint of gravel to it, but her singing?

“I’m crossing you in style someday... Oh dream maker, you heart breaker...” 

He let out a content sigh, having no words for once. He didn’t realize he was smiling as he let Dani’s singing lull him to a gentle sleep. 

“Wherever you’re goin’, I’m goin’ your way...”

And for once, he felt nothing but peace.

(~**~)                 (~**~)                  (~**~)                  (~**~)

“Our prime suspect is Evan Huntington.” 

Malcolm went straight into never-miss-a-detail profiler mode as he fed Isabella her bottle. The baby was kicking one leg with glee as she drank her milk. 

“He had a previous relationship with our victim, who’s vastly different personality-wise from his usual flings and even his own wife. The fact that Arianna doesn’t look like any of them is another inconsistency in his behaviour.”

“So let me get this straight.” JT interrupted with a grimace that Edrisa liked to refer to as his ‘turtle face’. “This guy sleeps with the women at his office…” his nose scrunched up as he tried to process what he heard, “and then to get revenge, his wife sleeps with them too?”

“Yup.” Dani had an identical look on her face and for a second, Malcolm mistook them for siblings. “Gwendolyn even tried to get me and Bright to sleep with her when we interviewed her.”

Gil let out a laugh of disbelief as JT looked like he swallowed a crateful of lemons. 

“Tell me you’re kidding, Powell.”

“I really wish I was,” she snorted before shooting a sly look at Bright. “You should’ve seen Bright's face. You could pinpoint the exact moment his brain started imploding.” 

Malcolm just narrowed his eyes at Dani playfully as she teasingly narrowed her eyes back at him. 

“Does Evan even know about Isabella?” Gil questioned, frowning at the idea of such a bright little girl being raised by someone as flippant and dismissive as a Huntington. 

Malcolm pursed his mouth as he looked down at the baby, who had abandoned her bottle in favour of playing with the grey silk pocket square tucked into his blazer. 

“He knows she exists, but he refuses to acknowledge that he’s her birth father. Arianna was already pretty adamant about keeping him out of Izzy’s life.” 

If he was being honest, he was hoping this little girl couldn’t be taken away by that man. He couldn’t imagine what would happen to Isabella if she were to grow up with that so-called family. Would she be loved? Would she even be taken care of or would she end up neglected like the characters in one of Ainsley’s historical romance novels?

“Who are the Huntingtons anyways?” JT cut in, his arms crossed. “‘Cause all I’m getting from this is bleach blonde one percenters who moonlight as cartoon villains and make deals with the devil.” 

Malcolm and Gil paused at this, giving JT identical sidelong looks in near perfect synchrony. JT rolled his eyes. Gil isn't my dad, my ass.

“Miri and Noa have been really into Gravity Falls lately. The Huntingtons sound just like the Northwests.”

“I'll take your word for it.” Malcolm adjusted Isabella in his arms, letting her sit on his hip as he set aside her bottle. “Let’s just say the Huntingtons are richer than most of New York combined--”

“Which means they get away with murder all the time. That’s why we need to find something concrete that could connect them to Arianna’s murder,” Dani added, “And I don't think Evan Huntington’s willing to take a paternity test.”

Isabella interrupted with a small shriek before playing with Malcolm’s pocket square again. The team let out a laugh at her outburst, Malcolm especially. 

“Exactly. See guys, she gets what we’re saying.” 

As he continued with his profile, Malcolm didn’t notice that Isabella started trying to copy the swift way he gesticulated whenever he talked, nearly in time with him. The sight of her waving her chubby little arms with the same wide, unblinking expression mirrored on Malcolm’s face was adorable. 

Gil couldn’t help but chuckle as he was paying more attention to the baby than the man she was imitating. Just as Malcolm was going to explain more about Evan Huntington, his face suddenly twisted. The older man raised an eyebrow in concern. 

“You okay, Bright? And don’t just brush it off with an ‘I’m fine’.”

“I’m fine. Really,” Malcolm insisted after getting a look from Gil before letting out a chuckle, “It’s more to do with Isabella here and the fact that she needs a change.” Isabella giggled as Malcolm shouldered her diaper bag with practiced ease, “I’ll be right back.”

“Just be glad you’re not dealing with two of them at once!” 

JT called out as Malcolm left the room, much to Dani and Gil’s amusement.  

“You think you’re done, but then the other one needs changing,” he grumbled. “And it doesn’t help when they look the same so you don't remember which one you just changed.”

“At least yours are both girls,” Dani quipped, the corner of her mouth tilting up as she remembered. “Mona kept confusing her kids for months and she had one of each.” 

 (~**~)                (~**~)                  (~**~)                  (~**~)

When Malcolm returned, he was surprised to find that Edrisa had joined them. 

“Bright!” She lit the second she saw him. “Right on time!”

He chuckled as he placed Isabella in her stroller and gave her a few toys to distract her. He glanced at Dani for a second before doing a double take, his eyes comically wide.

“Wait,” he managed to choke out, his mouth suddenly dry. “What’s happening here?”

Jessica might have drilled the idea of being a gentleman into him, but even that didn’t stop him from staring at the corset that was hugging Dani’s slim frame. It was a more subtle design than most, but the champagne silk and delicate gold embroidery against her deep blue shirt highlighted her dark hair and made her olive skin practically glow. 

The only thing jarring this image was the gaping hole in the corset just below Dani’s sternum. 

“We found Arianna’s corset in the dumpster outside her building,” JT cut in, looking almost amused at the way Bright was looking at Dani. “Seems our killer didn’t account for the garbage not being collected until the weekend.”

“And according to the shop owners where Arianna would buy her corsets, this is one of their designs, but this isn’t their corset,” Dani explained before she let out a hum of appreciation, looking down at the corset in consideration.

Malcolm furrowed his brows, still not taking his eyes off her. 

“How could they tell?”

“That’s the best part,” Edrisa grinned in excitement, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “If you take a close look at the stitching, you’ll see that this corset was machine stitched when they exclusively sell hand-sewn corsets only.” 

The coroner nodded in approval as she added, "Plus they pride themselves on being cruelty-free and using eco-friendly materials.” She paused at the incredulous looks everyone was giving her. “What? My stepdad talks about them all the time. He did a collaboration with them for his last fashion line." 

Malcolm’s eyes were sharp with focus as his hand hovered over at the stitching of the corset, ignoring the hole left from a knife having gone through it. 

“Amazing.”

His fingers barely brushed over the curved seam above the hip when he faintly heard someone clear their throat. Gil, most likely.

“Bright?”

Malcolm was startled out of his thoughts, looking up to see Dani staring down at him with her eyebrows raised and her nose scrunched in confusion and he was suddenly very aware of just how close he was to her. 

“Right, sorry.” He cleared his throat, a high flush stark against his pale skin. “So why’s Dani wearing it?”

“So glad you asked,” Edrisa piped up, clapping her hands in excitement. “Since we need to figure out what about it killed Arianna, Dani volunteered to try it out...” 

Her smile turned into a pout, “So far no luck. We’ve laced it up as tight as possible, but it’s not like Dani’s squashed like a tin of sardines. It doesn’t seem like it’s difficult to breathe in it.”

Dani was reminded of a confused puppy at the bewildered expression that overtook Malcolm’s face.

“You’re fine?”

She nodded, her brow wrinkled in thought. 

“Yeah,” she muttered, her hands smoothing down the front panel of the corset. “It doesn’t even feel like I’m wearing it, honestly.”

Just then Isabella let out a very loud cry, startling everyone. Everyone turned to see her plush owl on the floor, the little girl’s face scrunched up when her stubby little arms couldn’t reach it. Malcolm was quick to grab it and hand it back to her, earning him a toothless grin that matched his answering one. 

He wasn’t expecting to hear someone suddenly collapse behind him.

They all turned and their eyes widened in horror at the sight before them. Dani was sprawled across the floor, eyes wide and lips turning pale as she gasped for air.

“Dani!” 

Malcolm charged towards her in a panic, ignoring the near scrapes as he fell to his knees next to her. He couldn’t help but curse as his fingers fumbled, desperately trying to undo the corset which seemed to be getting tighter and tighter by the second. Gritting his teeth in frustration when he couldn’t get the knot out, he whipped out a pocket knife from his suit jacket and slashed through the laces before ripping it off her.

He was so going to hear it from Gil later, a scolding about unauthorized weapons already ringing in his ears, but at the moment Malcolm could focus on nothing but Dani. 

He nearly slumped over her in relief as Dani started gasping as air began to flow through her lungs once again. She weakly grabbed Malcolm’s arms as he cradled her to him, keeping her upright against his chest. He barely registered flinging the damn corset away from her, now a pitiful crumpled mess on the floor. 

“I-I couldn’t breathe…” Dani finally managed to choke out, her knuckles white from her grip on him. “I couldn’t breathe!”

Malcolm’s heart thundered almost violently as he stroked her hair, not letting her go as cool air started to fill her lungs again. Dani could practically feel it from where she had her head resting on his chest, the rhythm soothing her as she closed her eyes in exhaustion. 

Malcolm briefly looked up at Gil, his expression grim, a spark of fury making his eyes electric. 

“I think we know how this thing is our murder weapon.”

(~**~)                 (~**~)                  (~**~)                  (~**~)

"JT just texted, they’re on their way back." Gil reported as he pocketed his phone.

His expression was grim as he saw the man he considered a son freeze in the middle of his frantic pacing back and forth with a clingy Isabella on his hip. Malcolm hadn't been able to go to the hospital with Dani because the little girl saw him trying to leave the room and he wasn't able to do it in face of her tears.

“Is…” he hesitated, swallowing thickly. “Is Dani going to be okay?” 

If Gil noticed that his eyes were a little red, he had the sense not to say anything. 

“He said that both Edrisa and the hospital doctor confirmed that Dani only has some mild bruising. You managed to get the corset off her before any permanent damage was done.” 

Malcolm didn’t seem to take any comfort in that. The almost pout on his face was enough to make Gil smirk. 

“Kid, she’s gonna be okay. She’s from the Bronx, tougher than both of us combined, remember?” He unconsciously relaxed as he saw Malcolm let out a tiny smile. “Quick thinking with the knife, by the way,” he added, his tone almost smug.

He barely managed to keep his expression stern as the pout on Malcolm’s face dissolved into a deer-caught-in-the-headlights expression. It was the same face he had made the time the then officer had caught a twelve year old Bright attempting to smuggle a cageful of budgies--which Gil had later learned he ‘liberated’ from a neglectful owner--into his room, he couldn’t help but note. 

“I justified it at the time,” he admitted sheepishly as Izzy patted his stubble, “but in hindsight, probably not the best idea to have a knife on me if I’m taking care of a baby.”

“Common sense kicks in at last,” Gil chuckled as Malcolm’s face flushed with rare embarrassment, “At least I don't have to make that my next point.”

At least, he hoped he didn’t have to. Had the kid even kept his wall of weapons out of the baby’s line of sight? He kept a straight face, but he was practically screaming internally at the thought. 

“By the way,” Malcolm added as he placed Izzy back in her stroller, “my mother’s going to be stopping by to pick up Isabella while I go take care of something.”

“Where you off to, kid?” 

“I, uh, I’m gonna see Ainsley.” He glanced away, still fidgeting with the stroller’s handles, “I haven’t talked to her for a few days, though I’d check up on her.”

“And Isabella?”

“Don’t worry,” Malcolm let out a tense chuckle, “That’s why I already called Mother, she’s more than happy to watch her for a few hours.”

Gil gave an understanding smile. 

“I can keep an eye on Isabella until Jess gets here. Can’t be much different than babysitting Tala. Go see Ainsley.”

Malcolm’s smile was solemn as he knelt down to face Isabella. The baby just grinned at him and reached out to pat his face. 

“I’m only going to be gone for a little while, okay? Mother’s going to take you on another adventure, that’ll be fun, right?” 

Isabella gurgled as she hugged her owl, the plush toy squished against a chubby cheek. 

“I’ll be back soon, Izzy.” As he stood up to leave, he turned to Gil once more. “Thanks for doing this, Gil.”

“Anytime, kid.”

As Malcolm walked away, Gil knelt down and gave Isabella a smile. The baby let out a light squeal as she reached out to him, the tips of her tiny fingers barely grazing his beard. She reminded him of Tala, his only grandchild when she was that age, wide eyed and curious and grabbing anything that caught her eye. 

Once he took her back to his office, Isabella started to get fussy. He picked her up, immediately realizing what she wanted as he took the bottle of formula she hadn't finished yet. Gil couldn’t help the fond smile that overtook his face as her big blue eyes stared up at him, gurgling as a chubby fist stroked his chin. She started kicking a leg as if to say she was enjoying her snack. 

“You just wanna do everything at once, don’t you?” He would firmly deny that he cooed at Isabella if one of his officers saw him like this. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you took after Bright.”

He didn’t get a response nor did he expect one, but the gummy smile that lit up her face as she reached for her bottle gave him a sense of understanding.

Then a wave of regret hit him. If Evan Huntington knew about Isabella now, why hadn’t he taken her away? 

The lieutenant decided then and there that that sorry excuse for a man wouldn’t have a chance at ruining this little girl’s life. 

Not if he had anything to say about.

(~**~)                 (~**~)                  (~**~)                  (~**~)

After the rollercoaster that had been the blackout and Endicott’s stabbing, Malcolm and Jessica somehow managed to keep Ainsley from being sent to prison by the skin of their teeth. Malcolm was the first to admit that it wouldn’t have been possible without the help of Gil, Dani, and Edrisa. Even JT, much to the surprise of both mother and son.

But it didn’t stop Jessica from finding it fit to send Ainsley to a rehabilitation facility of sorts. Phoenix Rehab, which the Milton matriarch had said had glowing reviews was a facility usually housed teenage heirs to fortunes with so-called attitude problems and wealthy housewives who found that something about their life just wasn’t enough and needed supposed space to breathe. 

Very rarely were there people like Ainsley, who genuinely needed help and needed to understand themselves and their actions.

Malcolm had been against the idea at first. It was already public knowledge that Ainsley was The Surgeon’s daughter, but if the staff were to find out what had really happened that night... 

He shuddered at the thought of Ainsley being raked over hot coals by the fallout. 

Jessica, still reeling from what happened, had suggested Ainsley stay there for at least six months. She was reluctant to cut Ainsley off from society, but she felt that her daughter definitely needed to be somewhere where she didn’t have to deal with media vultures. Especially when Ainsley couldn’t call herself the well-adjusted Whitly anymore. 

But from the start, their mother had made it clear that if Ainsley ever wanted to come back home, whether it be for the weekend or forever, she would welcome her with what Gil dubbed as the Whitly equivalent of arms wide open. 

His sister had ended up making a deal with Jessica. If she could find even one thing she liked about the place--whether it was the food, the meditation classes, even just the comfy mattresses and the freedom to decorate her room as she saw fit--within a week... 

Then she would concede to stay the six months Jessica had recommended.

Soon six months had come and gone, Jessica and Malcolm making various efforts to visit her at least once a week and Ainsley making quite a few visits back to the Whitly family home. Though she always stubbornly insisted that she didn’t need them to check up on her so much, especially considering the long drive. 

But for reasons no one seemed to understand, the youngest Whitly always seemed eager to go back. 

Ainsley clearly seemed to be improving. She half-begrudgingly admitted to Malcolm that she may have been ignoring her own mental health and she managed to come to terms with what she had done, making peace with it more or less. 

But it still didn’t stop the guilt that she felt every time she saw a crime news report. Nicholas Endicott was nothing short of a monster for all the trauma he had put them through and she wasn’t sorry he was dead. But what worried her the most was that something in her--something twisted, something she could have inherited from the dark underbelly of Martin Whitly’s psyche--had snapped and she just couldn’t stand by and watch scum like him get what he wanted. 

Whether it was him lusting after their mother or having Malcolm and Gil at his mercy, she couldn’t let him get away with murder. 

Not again. 

Not anymore. 

She was only sorry for how it had made her notorious, serial killer father downright giddy.

Even more sorry that her mother and brother had been left to deal with the consequences. 

And before long, six months turned to seven, to eight, then nine, but as time ticked on, Ainsley Whitly seemed to have no intention of coming home for good. 

Malcolm was brought over to where Ainsley was lounging on an open patio. She looked comfortable in a flowy white tunic top and matching leggings, her hair fabulous and effortlessly styled as always. 

She seemed at an easel painting... something? 

He couldn’t tell if she was trying for peacock feathers or she accidentally started channeling Klimt with all the greens and golds. 

“Before you say anything, I’m just playing around with this,” Ainsley said without looking up. “I will smear green paint in your hair.” 

And that was Ainsley all over. She always seemed to have a sixth sense when it came to her big brother trying to tease her. He simply grinned as he walked over to her, meeting her halfway for a bear hug before he sat next to her. 

“Hey bro,” she grinned, “it’s been eighty four years. Please tell me you brought truffle cupcakes instead of just your sorry mug.”

Malcolm couldn’t help but snort as he shook his head. 

“Hi Ains. Good to see you’re still you.”

She blew a raspberry, wagging her paintbrush at him in a way that reminded him of the way great-aunt Martha Antoinette would wag her finger, seafoam green manicure almost blinding whenever she scolded him or their mother. 

“Your last visit was over a week ago. You finally coming to terms that you don’t need to be checking up on me so much?”

“It’s not that. I’ve just been…” His mouth twisted as he tried to figure out how to even begin to explain everything, “busy the last few days. How’ve you been?”

“Pretty good. I’ve taken up painting obviously,” she smirked, stroking her chin thoughtfully. “You think if I grew facial hair, I could be Bob Ross?”

“Ains,” Malcolm barely got out, his shoulders shaking with laughter, “I think it takes more than mere facial hair to even pass for Bob Ross.” 

“Rude,” she scoffed playfully before trailing off. “I dunno,” she added with a shrug, “I’ve been painting a lot of happy trees lately and I could do with another hobby.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” A relieved smile spread across his face. “How’ve you been doing?” 

“Okay for the most part. I’ve been binge-watching The Good Place the past couple of days. I don’t get all the hype, but it was actually pretty good. Though the philosophy bits just confuse the hell out of me.” 

“Well, it’s an acquired taste for some.”

Malcolm chuckled, remembering how JT’s face had scrunched up when he and Tally were debating about ethics in the latest episode during their last group outing. JT preferred everything straightforward while Tally liked diving into symbolism and the intricacies of foreshadowing.

And yet the two opposites had just celebrated their tenth wedding anniversary. 

The siblings shared a moment of comfortable silence before Ainsley spoke up. 

“You came here to ask me something.” She crossed her arms over the table and leaned forward, her knowing eyes befitting of her passion for journalism. “And don’t deny it, you know you can’t hide anything from Whitly women, bro. What is it?” 

For once, he carefully thought over his words. 

“You gave Mom the six months she wanted. Your doctors say you’re more than equipped to return to your job and your regular life.” He frowned in confusion as Ainsley looked down at the table, almost curled into herself. “You don’t have an insatiable bloodlust, you don’t take pleasure in hurting people. I can’t imagine what must have been going through your head at the time--” 

His eyes softened when he saw her look so small, so unlike her confident self. As much as he initially thought otherwise, he hadn’t been the only one affected by their father.

“But I do understand being afraid of what you could be capable of. And I know that it was a result of trauma and stress, but what happened obviously came from a very logical and rational urge to protect our family.”

“I know,” Ainsley mumbled before looking back up at her big brother, “I’m usually good at getting that through my head--I’m still scared that something will happen again. I’ll suddenly get this pang in my chest at the realization that yes, maybe I did kill to protect my family. Maybe his death helped to save the lives of innocent people who would have died because of him...”

Her voice wobbled, her eyes suspiciously bright and it was like she was five years old again, confused and hanging onto the hem of her big brother’s sweater. 

“But none of that changes the fact that I did kill him. I killed him and I don’t even remember doing it.” 

Malcolm placed a hand on her shoulder as he noticed her eyes glaze over, giving it a reassuring squeeze. 

“I’m not saying that I’m worse off than you or you can’t understand what it’s like--but you’ve had this stigma of being Martin Whitly’s son for twenty years. It sucks, but at least it’s a constant for you. Imagine feeling like you’re doing fine and then all of a sudden, you’re hit with the guilt of something you actually did and can’t take back. Something you can never change.”

Malcolm held out his other hand and Ainsley was quick to take it, much like when they had been kids and she had held her brother’s hand because she was afraid of the high dive at the pool at Grandma Liz’s house.  

“I feel that less here, but I’m still reminded.”

“You’re not a bad person, Ains. Single minded maybe, but that’s hardly the worst trait for a journalist to have.”

She let out a wry laugh. 

“But I still killed a man and that changes things.” She pursed her lips as she let out a sharp exhale. “I don’t know if I can ever feel normal again.”

Malcolm nodded. Didn’t he have so many sleepless nights over that during the past twenty years? Maybe it was something only family could understand. 

“Welcome to my world,” he jested, the beginnings of a teasing smile unfurling. 

“I guess it was only a matter of time.” Ainsley let go of his hand, her laughter given way to a resigned sigh. “And I know Mom misses me, but now she’s asking me to either come back for this gala or give great-grandma Catherine ‘the Great’ something to roll over in her grave about.”

“Well, she was the life of the party back in her day,” he shrugged. 

He vaguely remembered a larger than life old woman in an Audrey Hepburn style black dress and opera gloves, laugh lines around Milton blue eyes and streaks of silver in her chestnut hair. Malcolm had been four when she passed away, but he could still recall his young self balancing on her ruby red shoes as she led him in wide sweeping circles across the dance floor. 

“And let’s face it, you definitely take after her ‘cause you’re much better at the whole gala thing than I am. I wouldn’t even know how to talk to anyone, really.”

“Wait,” Ainsley turned to him in disbelief. “You, Professor Foot-in-Mouth Syndrome, are actually going? Willingly?”

“Yeah, and here’s the kicker. Mother wanted me to bring a date.”

Ainsley let out a snort, her expression sly. 

“Because you’re so clearly fighting them off with a stick?”

“Oh, ha, ha. Very funny,” he retorted with a roll of his eyes. 

“What are you going to do when you show up without a date?” 

Malcolm went quiet, fiddling with the cuffs of his sleeves and looking at anything but her. Ainsley’s eyes went wide with shock and delight, her reporter mind quickly connecting the dots.

“No. Way. Malcolm Alexander Bright! You actually have a date?”

Malcolm squirmed in embarrassment, his ears turning red. 

“I wouldn’t exactly call it a date exactly--”

“It’s Dani, huh?”

“Wha--” Malcolm just blinked at her in bemusement, “I just--how’d you even--”

“Figure it out? Oh please,” Ainsley rolled her eyes, tossing her hair over her shoulder. “You couldn’t be more obvious. I mean, you literally talk about her every time you come visit.”

He froze at that, eyes so wide that she thought they’d pop out at any given second. Malcolm briefly wondered how his sister could read him so easily now. It had to have been the result of her almost year long stay here. 

 “I do?” 

He winced at the way his voice almost cracked. 

“Yup,” she nodded, practically preening with unholy glee. “It’s always the same thing. You tell me about a case, update me on Gil, guess the JT name of the week, and you end on some hilarious joke Dani made, usually at your expense. Which confirms you being a masochist because you find those the funniest,” she added in afterthought. 

Ainsley settled back in her seat, grinning like the cat that caught the canary. 

“So tell me, big brother. How’d you manage to trick her into saying yes?” 

(~**~)                 (~**~)                  (~**~)                  (~**~)

Dani wasn’t normally one to simply stay at her desk, but she couldn’t help the soft smile on her face as she watched Gil and Isabella through the window of his office, the baby laughing as Gil made funny faces. It had been a while since she saw him like this, but lolo Gil was definitely a good look on him.

“Oh, Detective Powell!”

She snapped out of her thoughts a posh voice called out to her, accompanied by the crisp sound of heels clicking with each step across the floor.

“Hello, Mrs Whitly.” 

Dani looked up at the older woman with a polite smile. Jessica Whitly reminded her of the high society ladies from the reruns of Dynasty that her Granmè used to watch when she was little. Affably dramatic with those close to her, but scrappy enough to get down and dirty when she needed to if breaking an antique vase over Watkins’ head was any indication. 

Dani nearly had to cover her eyes when she spotted the bright, friendly smile on the other woman’s face, a sharp contrast with the navy suede trench coat and muted silver heels she wore. Well, at least she knew where Bright got it from now. 

“Oh no, dear, Mrs Whitly was my former mother-in-law,” Jessica chuckled airily, waving off the formality. “Given how attached my son is to you, you simply must call me Jessica. It’s lovely to see you again.” 

“It’s nice to see you too.” 

It should’ve been awkward, talking to Bright’s mother like this as if her relationship with her son was something more profound than friendship, but honestly? 

Jessica wasn’t as bad as some of the other high society mothers she had come across since meeting Bright. She was a lot of things; nosy, opinionated, a little judgemental at times when it came to Gil or her children’s choices. But she didn’t let her shortcomings stop her from trying to do right by the people she cared about. 

The subtle smile on Dani’s face was genuine, even as the detective cleared her throat upon recalling last night’s invitation. 

“Oh, by the way, I thought you should know that Bright invited me along.” 

“Invited you along...?” The older woman feigned ignorance with a quizzical tilt of her head, a rare moment of mischief for her. 

“Uh,” Dani hesitated for a second, absently biting her lower lip before she just came out with it. “Just that he extended the invitation for your gala... thing. He wasn’t really specific about what it was.”

“Oh,” Jessica lit up, clasping her hands together in delight, “So Malcolm did ask you after all! Finally. I knew that boy had a bit of the Milton persistence in him if I gave him a little nudge in the right direction, so to speak.”

Dani swallowed a chuckle, remembering the little family history lesson Bright had given them during the impromptu tour of the Whitly family home. 

“Uh, yeah.”

“Oh, this is wonderful, dear! So tell me, what do you plan on wearing?”

Oh.

Dani hadn’t really thought about what she would wear to an upscale event like that. Her family was comfortably middle class and the Powells’ idea of fancy was a night at the New York ballet and a late dinner at the Havana Café. 

“Um, I don’t really have a lot of options. Just that dress Bright bought me for a case a while back.”

“That fabulous oxblood gown you wore to the Taylor wedding?”

“Yeah, I guess.” Dani let out a laugh, simply shrugging a shoulder. “I thought about having my mom upcycle it and add some sheer lace sleeves, maybe a peekaboo collar.”

“As inventive as that may be and I will be asking for your mother’s number later,” Jessica looked momentarily intrigued by the idea before she shook her head, “I cannot let you be seen in that.”

Dani was nearly taken back, her brows raised in disbelief. 

“I’m sorry?” 

“Don’t get me wrong,” Jessica started, “That dress is gorgeous and you looked stunning as always. I've lost count of how many times people have come up to me and asked who you were after you flawlessly took down the Countess of Monte Cristo, not even a hair out of place.”

Jessica’s expression turned sly as she recalled how her son would start to frown in annoyance whenever he overheard a wealthy scion ask if the lovely detective was single. It may have led to a few ice cold glares whenever Dani wasn’t looking and the occasional possessive hand cupping the small of her back as he guided her through yet another dance, but the Milton matriarch would let Malcolm have his dignity. 

For now, at least. 

“But it’s practically an unwritten rule in the upper echelon, you simply cannot be seen in something you’ve already worn, especially when it comes to these sort of events.” 

"I guess you have a point…" Dani conceded. 

She might have had a brief glimpse of high society at the Taylor wedding, but she could tell from a glance that there was a lot of cutthroat viciousness hidden behind polite veneers. She was not about to go to the gala like a country bumpkin put on display at the-- 

Dani mentally shook her head. She must have listened to Mona talk about historical Cinderella style novels one too many times. How did Bright even grow up in that kind of environment? 

“Oh, I know!” Jessica's face lit up once again, “Why don’t I take you shopping? I still need to get my dress as well and I’m sure we could find something that suits your taste. We can make a lady’s day out of it.”

“I don’t know, Mrs Whitly--Jessica,” Dani corrected after a pointed look from the older woman. “I can’t exactly take off work--”

“Actually, you don’t need to continue your shift. Given that it ended a little while ago.” Gil interrupted, his face smug as he walked out of his office, bouncing a very happy Isabella in his arms. “Powell’s just a dedicated worker.”

Isabella kicked her legs in excitement, squealing when she saw Jessica hold her arms out. 

“Oh, my little bluebell!” Jessica gushed as she took the baby from Gil, looking every inch a doting grandmother as she turned back to Dani. “Now then, if your work day is over, I would love to take you dress shopping.” 

Dani opened and closed her mouth, unsure how to answer. Jessica was nice enough in small doses, but even she didn’t know if she could handle the entire day with Bright’s mom. 

“Powell,” Gil interjected, fatherly assurance bleeding into his usual no-nonsense lieutenant persona. “After all the hullabaloo, you’ve definitely earned a break today. Don’t let me catch you back here until tomorrow.”

“Then I guess…” Dani paused, looking at Jessica with a tiny smile. “Why not? I could use a day off right about now.”

“Wonderful!” 

Isabella started to clap and giggle as Dani stood up, the little girl’s enthusiasm making the grin on Jessica’s face grow even wider. 

“See, even Bluebell’s excited for you to join us.”

Gil chuckled with a fond expression, offering to get Isabella’s stroller when his phone suddenly rang. He hurried back to his office when he saw just who was calling. 

“Gil, I think I figured out how to get Evan Huntington to talk.”

“Bright,” Gil pinched the bridge of his nose. “We still don’t have enough evidence to bring him in. There’s still a possibility that he’s not our killer.”

“Killer or not, he knows something. He’s just not telling us.”

“Don’t I know it,” he groaned, a feeling of dread already starting to bubble up, just waiting for the other shoe to drop. “Do I even want to know what you have in mind?”

“Probably not,” he joked before his voice turned serious. “We may have to talk to Evan Huntington’s father, Edgar. But in order for it to work--” 

He could practically hear Malcolm’s Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed thickly. 

“--I may need to pay my father a visit.” 

Hey guys!

I’m sorry this took so long... again, writer’s block plus online summer courses have not been a good combination. I’m hoping that chapter 8 doesn’t take this long to write but no worries, I’m not gonna abandon the story... if anyone’s still interested in the story lol

I hope you guys are doing well and staying safe, I’ll see you next time XP

P.S. extra special thank you to @s4karuna because I could not have posted these past few chapters without her edits

[cherriebomb]

✩ for sienna and jt

Send ‘✩’ for the following:

Disagreements:

Who is more likely to raise their voice?

jt. he’s a guy, for crying out loud. he’s also always been in situations where being loud is how you win fights, conversations, anything. so he’d de.

Who threatens to leave but never actually does?

neither of them. they’re both stubborn and they both LEAVE.

Who actually keeps their word and leaves?

see above, where i state that they’re both stubborn pieces of shit.

Who trashes the house?

i wouldn’t say trashes, but jt would probably punch a wall or break a glass, if he were angry enough. and then sienna would probably mock him, which would only piss him off more and that’s when he’d storm out.

Do either of them get physical?

sienna probably punches him teasingly and he gently bops her on the head because she’s tiny, but in a fight definitely not.

How often do they argue/disagree?

they probably bicker a lot. they’re both stubborn, and sienna strikes me as the type to find something to complain about with everything, and jt would be so sick of her shit that he’d purposely pick a fight to get her off his case.

Who is the first to apologise?

do either of them actually know the words i’m sorry?

Family:

Do your muses plan on having children/or have children?

nope. that’s not in jt’s future, no matter how cute it would be to drop a child on him. if they did have kids, it would probably be an accident and sienna would threaten to get her tubes tied, or something.

If so, how many children do your muses want/have?

one, and it would be an accident for sure.

Who is the favorite parent? Who is the authoritative parent?

sienna would probably be the favorite parent, but i don’t really see jt being too authoritative, so they probably tie as the favorite with rankings changing based on how spoiled the kid is that day.

Who is more likely to allow the children to have a day off school?

jt. he’d pretend they had a doctor’s appointment and he’d take them to like. the playground at mcdonald’s and the movies or some shit.

Who lets the children indulge in sweets and junk food when the other isn’t around?

they both do, while promising the other that they would never.

Who turns up to extra curricular activities to support their children?

probably jt, and that’s just because he usually works nights so he’s around for extracurriculars during the day. he’d probably have to nudge sienna into going because she’d complain that sports are boring, or something like that.

Who goes to parent teacher interviews?

both, and only because they missed the first one and the teacher told their kid that their parents better be at the next one, or else.

Who changes the diapers?

jt does, because he’d rather that then the next one!

Who gets up in the middle of the night to feed the baby?

sienna. jt refuses unless she’s like, dying or sick.

Who spends the most time with the children?

they probably try to spend an equal amount.

Who packs their lunch boxes?

if they get a packed lunch, it’s because of sienna. jt will just give them money for hot lunch or the vending machine.

Who gives their children ‘the talk’?

god probably jt because sienna would pretend to be asleep.

Who cleans up after the kids?

when they’re little, jt would help. once they’re like, 8, jt refuses to help but watches like a supervisor because the kid thinks it’s funny.

Who worries the most?

they probably both worry, but silently.

Who are the children more likely to learn their first swear word from?

jt, because every third word is usually a swear. this kid’s parents are sailors.

Affection:

Who likes to cuddle? Who is the little spoon?

this isn’t canon because they’ve never cuddled, but sienna would definitely be the little spoon just because she’s like, three feet tall. jt is pretty indifferent to cuddling, but he would if sienna wanted to. lucky for him, it’s not an issue if she doesn’t want to cuddle.

Who gets naughty in the most inappropriate of places?

jt will try to make sienna blush, regardless of the situation. sienna would probably do it as a joke and then get an eyebrow waggle from jt.

Who struggles to keep their hands to themself?  

sienna, if she’s feeling clingy. otherwise, i feel like they’d be pretty good at keeping it under wraps unless actively trying to mess with the other. though jt would probably rest a hand on her thigh under a table.

How long can they cuddle until one becomes uncomfortable?

however long it takes before sienna launches herself to the other end of the couch.

Who gives the most kisses?

jt, and sienna definitely smacks him when he tries to kiss her for the first time. so after that, he continues to try and kiss her in the dumbest of ways, because it makes her laugh.

What is their favourite non-sexual activity?

eating takeout and listening to music in sienna’s apartment.

Where is their favourite place to cuddle?

the couch. it allows for sienna to take her space when she needs it, and jt can lounge.

Who is more likely to playfully grope the other?

probably both of them.

How often do they get time to themselves?

whenever they want it, baby!

Sleeping:

Who snores? If both do, who snores the loudest?

unfortunately, jt snores       ————       though usually pretty quietly. i don’t know about sienna, though.

Do they share a bed or sleep separately?

if they live together, i think they’d share. it’d have to be a king though.

If they sleep together, do they cozy up together or lay far apart?

if sienna wants to cuddle, they cuddle. if not, they lay apart and usually end up cuddling at some point during the night.

Who talks in their sleep?

if anyone, it’s sienna.

What do they wear to bed?

jt wears boxers, nothing else. sienna probably wears t - shirts and shorts or those cute pj pants you get from marshalls.

Are either of your muses insomniacs?

jt isn’t. he’s usually out like a light within twenty minutes of his head hitting the pillow. according to you, sienna has trouble sleeping. they’re the opposite of krava.

Can sleeping pills be found by the bedside?

jt keeps a bottle of melatonin lying around, and sienna has a bottle on her side of the bed.

Do they wrap their limbs around each other or just lay side by side?

see above : sienna is a cat, so really it’s dependent on her. they’re probably not tangled, though, since she’s about half his size.

Who wakes up with bed hair?

technically jt, but he’ll sleep with his hair in a bun to minimize the frizz. i’m guessing sienna wakes up with minor bed hair.

Who wakes up first?

jt usually sleeps until noon, so ...

Who prepares breakfast in bed for the other?

jt would on her birthday. it’d be a little messy because he’d have to pull himself out of bed and he’d probably cook half - asleep.

What is their favourite sleeping position?

jt likes sienna’s head on his chest. like, the body - pillow position, except he’s the body pillow.

Who hogs the sheets?

they fight over them. usually jt will overheat in the middle of the night, so they’ll end up on sienna anyways.

Do they set an alarm each night?

jt doesn’t know where to set an alarm on his phone.

Can a television be found in their bedroom?

yes, and sometimes jt will wake up in the middle of the night and watch old tv reruns to fall back asleep.

Who has nightmares?

jt has some nightmares, but nothing major anymore. if sienna does, he doesn’t know about it       ————      at least not yet. :zany:

Who has ridiculous dreams?

jt, specifically when he falls asleep stoned or drunk.

Who sprawls out and takes up most of the bed?

jt, because he’s like 6′1" and muscly.

Who makes the bed?

if anyone makes the bed it’s sienna. jt would rather just leave it unmade, since it’s a bed.

What time is bed time?

they are in their thirties they set their own bed time.

Any routines/rituals before bed?

jt will brush his teeth and then make sienna braid his hair if she’s not cranky.

Who’s the grumpiest when they wake up?

jt is a hellion when he wakes up, particularly if you wake him up early when he worked late. he needs about two cups of coffee before he functions normally.

Work:

Who is the busiest?

jt, because he’s in a gang and also a bartender

Who rakes in the highest income?

probably jt because i really don’t see sienna making tons off of the attic.

Are any of your muses unemployed?

nope! real adults, baby.

Who takes the most sick days?

probably sienna, since she’s her own boss. ed would kill jt if he took a bullshit sick day.

Who is more likely to turn up late to work?

they both are. sienna, because who’s gonna fire her? and jt, because he’s hungover 80% of the time, and the other 20% is because he didn’t realize what time it was.

Who sucks up to their boss?

jt. sienna doesn’t have to, and ed’s a little scary.

What are their jobs?

jt is a bartender and also a gang member / bodyguard. sienna runs the attic thrift store, unless that’s changed.

Who stresses the most?

jt doesn’t stress over much, so probably sienna.

Do your muses enjoy or despise their careers/occupations?

jt likes his job. he likes the bar - tending, and the gang stuff is exciting. according to you, sienna likes her job but she’s dissatisfied       ————      will she ever be satisfied?

Are your muses financially stable?

HAH. they’re stable enough to exist, i guess.

Home:

Who does the washing?

jt will do the laundry on fridays. if it needs to be done before then, that’s on sienna.

Who takes out the trash?

jt does because he’s a good boy.

Who does the ironing?

jt doesn’t know how to use an iron <3.

Who does the cooking?

they take turns. jt can’t cook a lot, but he knows how to use the internet so he can search recipes, and he thinks it’s fun experimenting. sienna probably can make like three dishes, so they usually end up ordering takeout anyways.

Who is more likely to burn the house down just trying?

based on the above, i’d say equal opportunity.

Who is messier?

jt. he forgets things half way through doing them, and he’s probably not home very often.

Who leaves the toilet roll empty?

jt, because he doesn’t realize that’s impolite. sienna probably reads him the riot act after he forgets too many times.

Who leaves their dirty clothes on the floor?

jt. he’ll chuck his clothes in a pile on the floor and wear the same jeans for three days in a row.

Who forgets to flush the toilet?

jt. he also forgets to put the toilet seat down sometimes.

Who is the prankster around the house?

jt. he’s always trying to prank sienna, be it that semi - permanent hair dye in her shampoo or placing plastic spiders in her shoes.

Who loses the car keys when it comes time to go somewhere?

jt, and he only remembers because he left them in the pocket of the jeans he’s wearing.

Who mows the lawn?

jt, because he bought one of those ride - able ones and he likes to show off.

Who answers the telephone?

if it’s anyone, it’s sienna. jt will just hang up.

Who does the vacuuming?

jt, and that’s only because he promised sienna he’d pick some chores and vacuuming is kind of easy.

Who does the groceries?

they both go, and then jt spends 30 minutes in the condiment aisle deciding which mustard to buy.

Who takes the longest to shower?

sienna. it takes jt about 10 minutes, 15 if he has to wash his hair.

Who spends the most time in the bathroom?

sienna. like i said, 15 mins max. maybe twenty in total, if he has to clean up the beard after showering.

Miscellaneous:

Is money a problem?

i don’t know if i’d say it’s a problem. they’re both middle class, and i assume they’re able to make ends meet without having to take out loans to buy groceries or skipping meals.

How many cars do they own?

one, and it’s jt’s. two, if you count his bike, but i don’t.

Do they own their home or do they rent?

rent.

Do they live near the coast or deep in the countryside?

i’d say somewhere in between.

Do they live in the city or in the country?

suburbs / small city - large town.

Do they enjoy their surroundings?

sienna will never be satisfied, and jt really just exists. he doesn’t hate their surroundings, but he’s not sobbing with happiness every time he looks out his window.

What’s their song?

for us, it’s strangers by sigrid. for jt, it’s i got sunshine by the temptations.

What do they do when they’re away from each other

i don’t know about sienna, but jt just works or works on the furniture he’s building, because that’s a thing he wants to do in the future.

Where did they first meet?

ah, in the attic. how romantic.

How did they first meet?

sienna PLANTED one on him to convince sawyer she had a boyfriend and was not a spinster.

Who spends the most money when out shopping?

depends on what they’re buying, i bet. if it’s alcohol or stuff from home depot, it’s jt. otherwise, probably sienna.

Who’s more likely to flash their assets?

jt would do it as a joke. and by flashing his assets, he really means hanging out without a shirt on.

Who finds it amusing when the other trips over?

they find it a riot when it’s each other.

Any mental issues?

i know i know sienna’s deal, but i forget. :shrug: for jt, it’s diagnosed bipolar disorder and ptsd. can’t wait for the nightmares to come back.

Who’s terrified of bugs?

if anyone, sienna.

Who kills the spiders around the house?

jt, though he hates actually killing them and tries to put them outside if he can.

Their favourite place?

either the unnamed bar from our thread, or sienna’s apartment.

Who pays the bills?

they each pay their own bills, like real adults. but sometimes jt forgets and has to be reminded.

Do they have any fears for their future?

jt doesn’t any more. he used to, when he was a teen going in and out of jail, but not now. i’m not sure about sienna though.

Who’s more likely to surprise the other with a fancy dinner?

jt because he likes to spoil sienna, even if he’d A. never admit it and B. fancy dinners aren’t even her thing, are they?

Who uses up all of the hot water?

sienna would, if anyone.

Who’s the tallest?

jt. he is a mountain man and towers over her. he throws her over his shoulder when he’s being too stubborn and he doesn’t want to deal with it.

Who’s more likely to just randomly hop into the shower with the other?

they both probably would, once they’re at that point.

Who wanders around in their underwear?

jt sleeps in his boxers, so jt definitely would. sienna probably does too.

Who sings the loudest when singing along to the radio?

sienna, because she’s obnoxious. jt will sing along, but he never knows the words.

What do they tease each other about?

oh, everything. once jt’s over this whole felicia issue, sienna’ll probably tease him for that. he’ll tease her for being a spinster and a future cat lady, she mocks his ponytail       ————       peak romance, in my opinion.

Who is more likely to cringe at the other’s fashion sense at times?

sienna, and it’s just because jt’s wardrobe is boring.

Do they have mutual friends?

sawyer <3. jk jt and sawyer aren’t buds. but probably not, at least until they actually were together for real.

Who crushed first?

jt, because that’s apparently the trend with my characters.

Any alcohol or substance related problems?

unfortunately jt is a little bit of an alcoholic. AGAIN i don’t know about sienna.

Who is more likely to stumble home, drunk, at 3am?

jt, and it’s because he got off work at 2 and then they ( he and whoever else was working ) drank for another hour before leaving to go home.

Who swears the most?

they both swear like sailors, but i feel like every third word for jt is a swear or something of the like.

[bowlegsandbiceps]

Positive 20 Questions Tag Game

1.) Name 4 fictional characters who showcase your personality the best, with explanations if you want.

- Daria Morgendorffer (Daria): “I don't have low self-esteem. I have low esteem for everyone else.” Daria was me in highschool. A writer, too smart and too introverted with a complete disdain for her environment.

- Miranda Hobbs (Sex & the City): “Sexy is what I try to get them to see me as after I win them over with my personality.” Not a girly girl. Painfully awkward but it never kept her down. Told hard truths. Was everyone’s ride or die.

- Julia Sugarbaker (Designing Women): “It has been the men who have done the law making and the money making and most of the mischief making. So, if the world isn't quite what you had in mind, you have only yourselves to thank." Okay this one is a little more aspirational but I do strive to be a strong Southern lady like Julia and am often the voice of reason among my squirrely friends. She’s prideful and smart with a sharp tongue and will try to resolve issues in a gentile manner but doesn’t hesitate to bring out “the terminator�� if needed.

- Anne Shirley (Anne of Green Gables): “People laugh at me because I use big words. But if you have big ideas, you have to use big words to express them, haven’t you?” I was JUST LIKE ANNE as a little girl, such a dreamer and HIGH DRAMA. 

Runners up: Sarah Crewe, A Little Princess; Sarah Williams, Labyrinth

2.) Aesthetic? 

rustic cabins, evergreens, mountain views, overflowing bookshelves

3.) Favorite musical/play? (If you’ve never seen a musical or play, one you’d be interested in seeing?

- 1776. That stupid song about the turkey being our national bird I just can’t.

4.) What is the best compliment you’ve ever received?

- Before my senior prom my friends and I were walking through wal-mart before we went to the dance (as one does in a small redneck town) and I had this BIG POOFY pink dress with a crown and white gloves and as we were passing a woman with her little girl in the cart the little girl goes “MOMMY IT’S A PRINCESS!” and as they walked away I heard the mom go “Yeah honey you just saw a real live princess!” Best moment of my life hands down.

5.) How many times have you been in love?

- Once. Never again. I’ll stick to my celebrity boyfriends from here on out thank you.

6.) Embarrassing story or fact about yourself that makes you laugh now?

- I thought artichokes were animals until i was 17.

7.) Favorite Disney/Pixar movie?

- Emperor’s New Groove. It makes me laugh SO HARD.

8.) Favorite flower or plant?

- Tulips, orange or yellow

9.) What’s your favorite holiday?

- Thanksgiving. I love all the foods. After my parents got divorced my dad would make me thanksgiving dinner whenever I wanted it. Turkey, sweet potatoes, stuffing the whole nine. 

10.) Name three things that made you laugh or smile this past week.

- Dumb tumblr posts

- getting my Stands shipment in the mail with my Misha Bear

- my cousin’s douchecanoe of a married boyfriend finally ended it so she can MOVE ON NOW. Poor kid.

11.) What song would you play to introduce yourself to someone?

- Sexyback by Justin Timberlake because I’m a huge JT fan and I make up for all my insecurities by faking arrogance.

12.) Name something that truly makes you feel peaceful even at your most stressed moments.

- Cuddling with one of my cats in my lap

13.) What do you, did you, or would you study at college?

- I got my BFA in graphic design from SCAD and I currently run the creative department at my company. We sell hardscape products and accessories like what’s in the HGTV Dream Home’s back yard every year. 

14.) This is kind of a weird one, but which outfit of yours makes you feel most like yourself?

- Jeans, graphic tee, Jordans and a leather jacket

15.) What is a quote you live by?

- "Never fall in love with an idea; they’re whores. If one isn’t getting the job done there’s always, always, always another one.” - Chip Kidd, The Cheese Monkeys

i have also recently started to follow “you’ve got to lighten up, it’s just life.”

16.) Name the funniest playlist name you have.

- “What’s Hot, DJ Roomba?” I don’t have many funny playlist names unfortunately. I did have a Destiel playlist at one point of which the subject line said, “These gay-ass cowboys are trying to kill me”

17.) Make a reference to an inside joke you have with someone you love with zero context.

- I’m tired, I’m cranky and my wife’s in argentina.

18.) What is a message you would give your younger self if given the chance?

- start practicing not giving a shit what anyone thinks of you RIGHT NOW because the sooner you get over the freer you’ll feel.

19.) Who is your favorite family member? (If you have no good blood family members, feel free to mention someone in your found family)

- my Granny. We’ve always been kindred spirits.

20.) What’s a secret dream of yours?

- It’s not really a secret but I’d love to move to NYC and be a book cover designer.

[robinrequiems]

• jon stopped being embarrassed of damians sexual questions a long time ago

• “IF YOU CALL MY MOM A MILF, I’LL CALL YOUR DAD A DILF” “do it, it’ll be way more embarrassing you”

• later: “batmans such a dilf” jon to a reporter

• #dilfbatman was trending, damian nearly stranged jon

• jon wasn’t even embarrased, he found all this funny

• damian was the type to wear a hoodie to the beach

• also damians dramatic, he’ll go into a deep childhood thought when all he was asked was if he wanted ketchup: “my grandfather used to tell me blood was ketchup, sometimes when we got American food, he would drizzle his blood on top of it. he says that his blood would make him stinger. i always wiped it off or ate around jt, I’m not a vampire. not yet anyways. my mother used to say that was his way of a practical joke.”

• jon: “ohmygod”

• damian hates being woken up, he gets mad and cranky, dick got a sword thrown at him when he came to wake damian up for school one time

• when they go to the beach and Damian gets into the water, he normally clings to jon or to some other family member

• it’s funny because both and jon get hit on/ asked out a lot

• “hey you’re cute, can i have your number?” “hey babe, should i give them my number?” “No.” “sorry, my boyfriend said no”

• when Damian gets hit on, he just leaves mid conversation it looks away

• damian falls asleep easier w/ people around him that he knows would protect him

• dw he would NEVER fall asleep during patrol or during a mission or in his robin getup

• but in everyday things? yes

• jon likes to put damians sunglasses on top of his (d’s) head, he thinks dami has pretty eyes

• when people aggressively wake damian up, damian has trouble just going to sleep again. “If I didn’t fall asleep, he wouldn’t have spilled water on me and jon wouldn’t have fought him and jon wouldn’t be suspended”

• that’s why jon and the rest of his family have to coerce damian into getting up. slowly. Damian is getting better with it though. ever since he began dating jon, things have gotten easier in terms of sleeping

• “tarzan kinda thicc” “you’re thicker” “i am, thanks for noticing” “anytime”

• “what about hercules and megera?” “Hercules is a little bitch, so that’s perfect for you” “oh my rao, nevermind”

• damian once “accidentally” drank one of jasons spiked drinks at a wayne party

• the flirting towards jon was a mess since it was just random mumbling as he held onto him

• “jon- cute.. like.. hades hot. fuck zeus” Damian hates zeus

• even with superheating, jon had no idea what damian was talking about

damian has insomnia, but he also has a really good boyfriend hcs:

• b4 dating jon, damian survived on the bare minimum of sleep, he had already worn makeup previously to hide bruises & cuts, so he also used it to hide the bags under his eyes from prying eyes ( jon )

• damian did try to sleep, he did, but between his vigilante work and other stuff, he just couldn’t, when he laid down, he felt up, or when he did sleep, the nightmares happens

• but whenever damian did sleep, it was always random, but his family members knew not to wake him up

• but the people in school didn’t. more specifically. jon

• “d? cmon get up, we gotta get to study hall.”

• all jon got was a whine. Damian whined at him as he slowly stood up. jon could see Damian’s droopy eyes

• “are you okay? you aren’t one to sleep during class”

• “‘m sleepy”

• jon frowned as that, during their study hall, they ( mainly jon ) ended up asking to go the library to study, and after finding a secluded corner, they sat down

• “did you not sleep or something last night? are you okay?”

• “not that much, im fine” damians words lacked bite, even though he intended for it to be harsher, hell, jon should’ve known something was up when Damian LET him carry his bag

• “if you want, you can go back to sleep, I’ll wake you for your next class”

• damian pondered that for a moment before he accepted it. he was just gonna sleep sitting up, but jon, in his glory, just threw an arm around him to hold him as damian snuggled up and fell asleep

• jon didn’t bring it up when it happened again, but he began taking notes on damian and his mannerisms, at least every two weeks, damian would have a day where he was sluggish or where he didn’t answer his phone ( damian was on his phone 24/7 or at least had it on him 24/7 )

• look, jon is not a complete himbo, he knows things

• but a month later, damian came in tired again, basically clinging to jon. jon had to take him to his classes and pick him up until after 3 periods where jon texted Tim ( only batfam member he knew would probably answer ) to pick him up

• TO TIM: “can u pick d up”

• TO JON: “y?”

• TO TIM: “he needp sleep he keeps nearly passing out”

• TO JON: “ok b there soon”

• jon ended up visiting damian after school, damian was now awake in his room, cuddled up in blankets and makeup wiped off

• “holy shit you look bad”

• “wow. hello to you too”

• “how— what the hell d?”

• damian could feel the disappointment rolling off jon

• oops

• but soon enough, jon realized a pattern, he knew damian would get defensive if he brought it up, so he didn’t

• instead he was just there for Damian

• when they became boyfriends, jon would just pull damian into his lap when they were alone and Damian would end up asleep. jons lap was comfy

• jon realized damian slept better with someone next to him, jon was a somewhat heavy sleeper, but whenever he heard damian shifting around in bed, he was up since it normally meant that damian was leaving ( to go sneak back into the manor ) or a nightmare

• when they weren’t with each other, jon would call damian and talk until damian stopped responding

• damian still had circles under his eyes, but it wasn’t as bad as before

• jon would lie awake with damian, just telling him stories or softly singing to him while damian fondly rolled his eyes

• jon realized damian fell asleep easier after socializing for a period of time, he gets socially drained and drowsy, there were times where damian just got on his back and fell asleep while jon continued socializing

• when Damian didn’t fall asleep, they’d normally just binge movies

• jon has caught damian lying about if he slept or not, damian may have trained both himself and his heart beat, but jon knows his best friend, but jon doesn’t bring it up, he knows it would only set his friend back

• when damians out in the sun all day, he gets tired, there was a time where he fell asleep at the beach and jon picked him up and threw him in the water / prior to jon finding out abt damians sleeping issues /

• jon nearly died that day

• jon realized that damian easily functions with little sleep, it’s sorta scary, but he just assumes it was his training from the league

• whenever damians asleep, he tries to not bother him, he makes sure to not bug him or to not move, he knows damian needs sleep

• jon got dames a stuffed animal that damian absolutely cherishes, it helps him sleep at night or keeps him calm after nightmares if jon isn’t there

• it took a while for jon to figure out how to help damian when’ a nightmare happens, but he figured it out eventually, he just had to be patient

• damian normally called him after a nightmare now, he realized jon was there, he didn’t have to hide himself away. jon talked him through it and didn’t care that he just woke up and was tired

• Damian’s his best friend

• damian confessed his feelings when he was sleep deprived + socially exhausted and then passed out

• jon didn’t bring it up until the next week

• “I was wondering when you would say something”

• “I didn’t want to embarrass you!”

• “you? Embarrass me? in your dreams”

• jon actusllt dealt with his own sleeping problems, not as bad as damians, but he had trouble falling asleep or dealt with nightmares

• but listening to damians heartbeat helped focus him, so that’s cool, plus sometimes jon can just roll over and holding damian ( if he wasn’t already ) and that makes him feel better. ( his nightmares revolve those who he could not save, whether that be civilians or his family/friends )

[amazingviralinfo]

As a teenager, I was pretty sure Id end up married to Justin Timberlake one day.

I alwaysknew we were meant to be. He wasThe One for me, as I was in hot pursuit of some romance, fun, and popularity (at the time).

Aside from thedesire to end up on JTs arm at the MTV Video Music Awards, Id thought I had a pretty solid grasp on what I wanted my future relationship to look like. The guy I ended up withwas going to be the adorable, charming, and adventurous type.

When I was young, I thought the surface-level characteristics mattered the most, like whether my boyfriend was cute, or if he shopped at the cool stores.

When were teenagers, its hard to have a realistic idea of relationships because so much of our actions areconstrained by being young and living with family. We have almost no real experience with love, and were not sure how to focus on anything but the present.

Now that Im married to a man I is the one for me,Ive come to realize that the thoughts I had as a teenager may not have been wrong they just werent fully developed.

Growing as a person meant my ideas about love grew, too.

Below, youll find some of the qualities I looked for inThe One as a teenager versus the qualities Ive now realized are important as an adult.

As a teenager, I wanted other peoples approval. Now, I want emotional maturity.

As a teenager, I thought that my friends and family liking The One was critical. It was important to have them approve of him, because I thought if they didnt, he couldnt possibly be the guy for me.

As an adult, I realize that while its still important for people close to me to getalong with my partner, its far less important than I once thought. Now, other peoples approval falls far down on the list of important qualities for my guyto have. Instead, emotional maturity takes its place.

If I like him, thats all that matters.

Being an adult means being more than just liked by everyone. Now, it means having the ability to be there as part of a true partnership. He must be emotionally capable of being present at all times, while being a great spouse who values structure and stability.

A partnership with The One means that you feel theyre ready for a real relationship, just like you are.

As a teenager, I wanted to have fun. Now, I want friendship and laughter.

As a teenager, I thought fun was the key to a real relationship.

After long days at school and dealing with my parents, I wanted to see amovie, go to parties, be outside with my boyfriend.It wasimportant to me that The One and I were constantly going out and finding something new and exciting to do. It nevermeant staying in and livingthe quiet life. I wanted big, all the time.

As an adult, I realize that a deep, understanding offriendship is more important than anything else.

Giphy

My husband and I are super close, and because of that bond, we have a great time with anything we do. Our friendship means well be laughing together whether were at a concert, at the grocery store, or at the gym. This type of relationshipgrants us the opportunity to constantly enjoy each others company, and therefore, enjoy whatever were doing, no matter what it is.

You should have fun with The One, but when you meet them, youll realize you dont need to seek out excitement.

Fun can be had anywhere, doingjust about anything.

As a teenager, I only wanted to hear good things. Now, I want honesty.

As a teenager, I wanted The One to shower me with compliments.

I wanted to know that I wassmart, pretty, and good atthings that were important to me.

While I still like to hear positivethings about myself, its not nearly as important to me as purehonesty. At first,I thought your partner should only see the best side of you. Now, Ive come to realizethat they should see all of you in order to love all of you.

My husband does thinkIm smart and pretty, but he also thinks Im cranky, and can handle certain situations better.

When he is 100 percent honest with me, he helps me behonest with myself about my own personality.

Flattering remarks are great to receive, but yourrelationship with The One should help you be a better person, not inflate your ego.

As a teenager, I wanted perfection. Now, I want commitment.

As a teenager, I was obsessed with the idea of being perfect.

Every new event, every big moment, and every important experience was supposed to be flawless.Prom night, my college experience, and of course, my marriage, would all be completely error-free.

While I couldnt have asked for a better husband, my idea of perfection has changed dramatically.

As a teenager, I thought perfect meant that nothing ever went wrong. As an adult, I realize that perfect is actually more about your day-to-day commitment.

I know, without a doubt, that my husband is committed to our marriage. No matter what goes wrong, hes there to fix it. Whether its things I do (like breaking almost everything I touch), or things that happen in life (like unexpected family emergencies), my husband shows his commitment to me by being there through it all.

Giphy

I couldnt imagine this as a teenager since I never thought past my immediate future. As an adult, I know the concept of forever is a time, and theres no point in trying to make it totally flawless.

Instead, its about trying to make it last.

As a teenager, I wanted romance likein the movies. Now, I want real love.

I thought my relationship with The One would be filled with the trappings of stereotypical romance.

Wed basically live in a rom-comall day, complete with the adorable courtship, and the happily ever after wedding bless.

Now that Im a grown-up, I see that my ideas of romance were all pretty superficial.That kind of passion doesnt equal love.

The One will show you love. Thats the kind that comes with dragging yourself out of bed in the middle of the night when your partner is sick, not the kind that represents itself through expensive flowers.

Real love, Ive learned as an adult, doesnt follow a script. It can be expressed anywhere at anytime, doing anything.

Aging naturally means that our views on the world evolve. For me, my ideas on The One grew deeper and more significant as I got older, so that I was able to recognize real love when it came along.

Im glad my superficial ideas about love have changed.

Ive learned a lot, and more importantly, can appreciate my wonderful partner every day for the love he brings to my life.