#kings of queue jersey

[seven-stars-in-his-palm]

okay but hold me like you scared to sounds so good already (they all sound so good tbh but this one piqued my interest lol) what's it about? and for the fanfic questions 32, 50 and J :))

@frappe-the-peppermint WE GOT ONE 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 ahem oh wow who said that. anyway ill do the questions first then get into fic discussion…

32) Do you listen to music when you write or does music inspire you? If so, which band or genre of music does it for you?

i listen to SO MUCH MUSIC!!!!! it depends on what im wrting tbh but i just queue up a bunch of songs in my liked playlist and write and write until it ends or im no longer on that flow. and well my music taste is an absolute mess so there isnt any one definitive band or genre that does it for me (i only pay attention Sometimes) but i suppose artists like mitski and queen would be a decent summary of my taste 😅

50) How did you get into reading and/or writing fanfiction?

gravity falls, no stop. the first one that ever piqued my interest was versability (originally on ff.net me thinks) and god damn it HOOKED ME!!!! gravity falls was already getting me up but wow that just got me SO MUCH HIGHER. i have a few authors i started binge reading like thesnadger and pinesinthewoods, i started extracting fics from reccs from tumblr artists, soon discovered ao3, and never looked back. and as for writing fic,,,,, well frankly it was the search for the cure’s original form that got me GOING!!!! it originally had crappy ocs as the forefronters but i soon changed that lmao (im definitely not saying theyre bad in general, just those… no) and i wrote So Much For It on my notes app. i didnt realize i culd actually show people until way later, in which i did, and realized that it could actually be better. thats why i reversed back to part one, made the story a part two, scapped the ocs, and…now we’re here. i still love it and gravity falls, i dont really show it here anymore. i really should, man. i need to write for them again!!!! it still excites me!!!! and the prose that im weaving now,,,, id DEMOLISH THE GAME!!!!!!! :)

J) what your favorite fanfic trope? have you written it?

honestly i think just showing you my favorted ao3 tags will paint a very detailed picture. here:

though i suppose if i had to pick one here…god its between time loop and presumed dead (and grief/moruning but idk if thats a trope so much as it is a theme). MMMMMMMM. mmmmm. just YES. the psychological affects of both being a time loop and thinking someone you love is dead but they arent actually are DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!!! they are a MUST HAVE. i daydream constantly, but i havent written time loop yet because while i love it, i havent hadthe motive to write such a thing myself. reading is chill ✊ and presumed dead well i try to throw it is as much as i can, the most recent ive used being a west end town and my favorite being that one kid from jersey ! i need to do more of these fr. its just so GOOD!!!!!!

okay. its finally time for the brainwashing discussing of the fic ! i can tell you alllll about that story and it will be my pleasure sonny 🫡 its a very long story. but short verison in case you dont want to go on: its a Titanic epic . april 1912. iceberg. ive read a few that are AMAZING, but i wanted to write one that catered it allll to Me. it has lesbians, heaven sucking ass, flood parallels, and a king of the world AND draw me like one of your french girls scene. very nice 🔥

okay now its time for the long story. so a super super long time ago for a post i cant even remember (i really wanna find it 😭😭) i for someone reason went on a tangent about the titanic. i had just read this fic called sinking into the sea which was tbh VERY GOOD (and i would read it again fr fr ) but at the time, i was kinda bummed that aziraphale and crowley never actually Interacted when i had expected. aziraphale didnt even know crowley was there!!! it left me feeling melancholy, and realizing that all of the titanic fics ive ate up to that point didnt HIT hit the spot (i didnt find this after this realization, but again, theyre not even on the boat 🤧) so i was feeling a bit incomplete. i started ranting and ranting it was a wholeee wall of a text of what I would do with a titanic story and i realized oh wait i can Do Something with this because i haev free will and actual (somewhat) coherent skill. pepper jumped on the wagon, REALLY REALLY encouraged which i cant thank enough for, and….we’re here. its brewing. i had a very large interest in the titanic for a long time before this tbh, so being able to insert it into The Interest just JUMPSTARTED my brain and it still does to this day. now for the plot….

its 2020, a year after the apocalypse (no pandemic). anathema, newt, brian, crowley, and aziraphale have been assigned to plan adam’s 12th birthday party—they shenanigan, as you do. on the day of the party (adam’s birthday) anathema and newt find a chest in jasmine cottage’s attic full of titanic relics, including a pack of polaroid photos (handheld cameras did indeed exist in 1912, i checked !) which kinda might sort of have a photo of aziraphale and crowley!?!?! it was sent to them about six months before. but after the whole Second Volume fiasco, anathema just sort of wrote it off in that way and Hid It. but newt was curious, he found it, and god it was writtent his way wasnt it. (well, not by the nutter they were thinking of actually). anathema confronts them about itsoon after, and they all sit down to hear the story of the titanic in a sort of rose dawson beat. then its 1912—50ish years since the holy water incident and almost a century since the resurrectionists disaster. aziraphale has been assigned to take this trip to new york for Some Reason (we found out why later) and happened to invite crowley to come along to attempt to make amends after Allat (he really does feel bad, but he will NOT do the holy water thing yet </3) shit occurs, but history atlarge will not be rewritten. it does change their story, though. adding a sprinkle of interest in the device family line. agnes prophec(y)(ies), dancing on deck under the stars, playing cards with humans and winning by a Lot, aziraphale’s artistic skills are put to use at one point—ughghgufhits just so DEAR TO ME!!!!! and of course the conflict will come later, especially considering the religious connections to the titanic sinking—“not even God can sink this ship” type conversation 🥰 aziraphale can and will be made uncomfortable. its for the character development dont worry about it. i even have a playlist for this fic (it sorted by the way the tone shifts thru the story, some songs are silly but they had to stay). pep has also made some song covers to some of the songs that ive heavily connected to the fic and I REALLY FUCKING LIKED. LIKE A LOT. THEYRE AMAZING YOU SHOULD LISTEN IF YOU WANT TO!!!!

the point of all this is that i like titanic fics and im trying to throw my hat in the ring even if its just for me and my friend 🔥🔥 because while others have fed me, i havent seen ones that have documented like Every Single Day on the titanic that aziraphale and crowley would theoretically have as well as developing aziraphale and crowley’s relationship while taking into account whats happened before (insert the story into a part of the timeline seamlessly i think thats how i’d describe) AS WELL AS connecting the reason why the titanic was such a freak tragedy and how the world is not fucking fair instead of just “oh whoops the thing sank 😞” i want NITTY GRITTY DETAIL!!!!!! I WANT GUILT!!!!!!! I WANT CHAOS!!!!!!!! I WANT TALKING ABOUT GOD!!!!!!! I WANT AZIRAPHALE IN A MENTAL CRISIS!!!!! I WANT CROWLEY JUST WANTING TO FUCKING LIVE FUCKING PEACEFULLY!!!!!!! I WANT LESBIANS!!!!!! i need to get on this,,,, so much to do. i love it all and TY FOR THE ASK!!!!

[radioiaci]

Aside from my queue that I'll run through the weekend, you may also still RP with me much more quickly on my OC blogs! These blogs are both much more mobile-friendly!! If you're interested in interacting over there, I'll make lil' starter calls there too. :> (These OCs are both way easier to ship with too if you like to write corny stuff!)

@cdwalker ; Charlie Dean Walker is a holistic/herbalist self-proclaimed doctor who lives on the outskirts of Newark, New Jersey. His clinic is hidden away in an old abandoned warehouse and his purpose is to assist with the supernatural, paranormal, and altogether strange population of this weird hub city in their day-to-day and urgent medical needs. Charlie is a manmade chimera/hybrid who is half human, half assortment of various animals. He has a metamorphose form which is similar to a dragon. He is notably blind.  

@dinosaurgreasestain ; Pride is one of the seven deadly sins and is considered the first tarry sludge to be yoinked from Satan’s nasty self. He holds himself in the position of ‘eldest brother’ among the other sins, though he is closest to Wrath. He rules an army of tar demons known as “The Tar Legion” and operates Earth-side, typically, by possessing a man named Donovan who is referred to as his Host. He is a mean, spiteful demon who will do what it takes to get what he wants, including using and abusing both friends and strangers. He reports to Lucifer who is the only individual who he will refer to as “King”.

[mephone4epic]

As I awaken from my slumber, I rub my eyes, and there he is next to me. My king. MePhone4. Not actually though, just a life-size body pillow measuring six feet nine inches and weighing 250 pounds.I give him one last kiss before I get up and begin my routine. To start, I do what every person should do and I make my bed. Both pillows are stamped with different photos of my king, along with my sheets and comforter.

I push aside the MePhone4 shower curtain and hop in. I quickly apply my MePhone4 scented soap and get out. I brush my teeth with my MePhone4 toothbrush while listening to his soundtrack to keep my brain busy. After I finish my routine, I choose a jersey from my collection, and I make sure everything is where it needs to be before I set out for the day. MePhone4 posters? Check. MePhone4 shrine? Check. MePhone4: Inanimate Life Weekly MePhone Edition? Check. Everything is good, now I can leave.

I pour a bowl of milk and dump in my II cereal to relieve my hunger and I continue watching MePhone4’s show. I take my time with my cereal, enjoying every bite, as the episode comes to an end. That is my queue to go sit on the couch, and watch "Stranded in Paradise" | Inanimate Insanity S3E1 on repeat for the rest of the day. Most days, I don't even leave the house. There's no need. Everything I need, I already have.

Meeple MePhone4, if you're reading this, thank you for everything.

.... I have no words.

*gasp*

[blakeprentiss]

NAVIGATION💐💝🌟🥂

trying to keep my stuff organized xx

all content | gifs | fics

general: misc | queue | blog organization, etc | reblog | asks | me speaking | about me | pookie

fandom & gifset breakdown:

criminal minds �� alex blake | emily prentiss | hotchniss | emily/alex

⤷ favorite cm episodes

nhl — matthew tkachuck

⤷ new jersey devils | boston bruins

private practice — charlotte king/cooper freedman

grey's anatomy — addison montgomery

⤷ grey's out of context

new girl | parks and rec | the office | lucifer

musicians — taylor swift

other gif sets: favorite tv couples | favorite tv characters | favorite tv friendships

[erik-the-creator-mainblog]

This was amazing!!!

~FIN. Paint Tool Sai (95 hours total) Start- 2/17/16 Finish-2/24/16 Tribute to the Finale. Gravity Falls changed my life so much for the better.  Full resolution pages (Without text) will be available on my Patreon!

| Support my art! | Commissions! |

[a-tale-of-two-stans]

OH MAN YOUR QUEUE TAG...IS PERFECT

!! OH THANKS FAM!! Yeah I was looking around for quotes I could use for like a half hour and then I went back and watched ATOTS and I was like. THIS IS PERFECT.

My other option was gonna be “Queue’re our hero Stanley” but this one works way better lol

[johannestevans]

Update 09/05/2022

Hello, hello!

I have been writing a lot, but not on top of sending out regular emails, apologies! I've been doing a bunch of fanfic recently and that trend is likely to continue for a little while, so I'm splitting my new works published sections into fanfic and original!

April's Most Popular Story: Sleeping Beauty

Erotic short. A sailor takes something that doesn’t belong to him, and the captain punishes him.

9.2k, cis M/trans M and cis M/M. A carpenter’s apprentice can’t resist the captain’s cabin boy while he’s meant to be performing maintenance, and afterwards, the captain and the cabin boy punish him between them — if the apprentice wants another chance at sex with the cabin boy, he has to let the captain bugger him first.

On Medium / / On Patreon

Media Recs:

Scarborough Ahoy! (1994, dir. Tania Diez) - This is a half-hour short film that you can watch on YouTube! It's very 90s, but it's an interesting snippet of complex character work. Stars Con O'Neill!

1408 (2007, dir. Mikael Håfström) - I watched this because I'd die for Samuel L. Jackson and he's fucking great in this, but it's also just a cool little horror flick that does some interesting wheels-within-wheels existential horror, based off of a Stephen King story! Good performance from John Cusack too, does a lot of cool details-oriented stuff.

Class Action Park (2020, dir. Seth Porges & Chris Charles Scott III) - This is a documentary about Action Park, an amusement/water park in Vernon, New Jersey in the 1980s - it's unbelievably fucked up, all about how the park showed a continuous disregard for health and safety and were able to pay their way out of showing any regard, and the whole time it does make you groan in horror out loud. It's tonally pretty off, swapping between grieving mothers and insufferable yanks who are like "Omg but it was so COOL, I know people died but like, we didn't! we were badass!" but it's still worth a watch.

Disney's Fast Pass: A Complicated History (from Defunctland) - This is fucking sick, it's a documentary-length deep dive into the history of Disneyland's queueing systems and how they've impacted queueing throughout the world and varying industries, and it's really cool, I was riveted the entire time. I have autism btw.

What is Gentle Parenting? A Therapist's Thoughts On This TikTok Phenomenon (from Mickey Atkins) - I love Mickey's channel and her work in general, but this was an interesting examination of different parenting styles and a quick little examination of the impact those different styles have on people as they develop as children and grow into adults.

Harlots (cr. Alison Newman & Moira Buffini) - You guys know I live for complex portrayals of trauma and sex work respectively, plus anything set in the 18th century, and boom, here we go! Gorgeously written and depicted, really wonderful characterisation and a lot of great interplays that play a lot with intersections of class, gender, race, and all the while every single character has their own deep motivations, many with specific traumas or particularities etc. It's just really great work.

New Original Works Published

Erotic Short: House Call

A guy calls in for sex at the office of the local country doctor.

Rated E, cis M/M, 1.7k. Anal, safe sex, laughing and teasing, kissing, oral, age difference, size difference.

On Medium / / On Patreon

Erotic Short: God's Word

An English teacher in a boarding school destresses with the head of maintenance.

Rated E, cis M/M, 3.1k. Barebacking, creampie, anal, rough sex, size kink, age difference, spanking, voyeurism. Warnings for sex in front of an audience without knowing the audience is there.

On Medium / / On Patreon

Erotic Short: Ownership

Aimé already knew who he belonged to.

460 words. Jean-Pierre Delacroix and Aimé Deverell — possessive behaviour, biting, public sex, and teasing.

On Tumblr / / On Medium / / On Patreon

Erotic Short: Knotted

It’s the full moon, and they’re trying something new.

Rated E, cis M/M, transformed werewolf sex! Knotting, big size difference, slight belly bulge, anal, come inflation.

On Tumblr / / On Medium / / On Patreon

Erotic Short: Patience

Jude has been waiting for Rich to come home and unwrap his present.

Just a tiny piece, 373 words, featuring lingerie.

On Tumblr / / On Medium / / On Patreon

Erotic Short: Breed

Breeding kink and banter.

337w, rated E, cis M/M. Dirty talk and jokes about breeding during anal.

On Medium / / On Patreon

Romance Short: Tailored

A man tailors a suit for his boyfriend.

Rated M. 585 words, some size kink, some banter, teasing.

On Tumblr / / On Medium / / On Patreon

Erotic Short: Ride

A trans man rides his partner’s thigh.

250w, trans M/cis M. Return of Arne Seven and Danny from Financial Security.

On Tumblr / / On Medium / / On Patreon

Erotic Short: Meetings

Seven uses Danny as a cockwarmer.

500w. Cis M/trans M, rated E, cockwarming, D/s. More of Arne Seven and Danny.

On Tumblr / / On Medium / / On Patreon

Erotic Short: On Call

A student doctor with one of the surgeons in the on call dorm.

Another little snippet, this one featuring Jean-Pierre Delacroix.

On Tumblr / / On Medium / / On Patreon

Erotic Short: Remnants of a Bygone Era

After his roommate brings him to his bondage tutorial, Ignatius pursues a very grumpy little nurse.

Rated E, cis M/M, 7.5k. Rope bondage tutorials and sexy lectures about safe sex, age difference, power dynamics, size difference, leather, role reversals and dynamic play, anal sex, hairy bodies, dirty talk, mild humiliation, teasing, nipple piercings, tattoos.

On Medium / / On Patreon

Erotic Short: Sublime Heat

Samuel Coates experiences the kisses of a candle.

Rated E, cis M/trans M, 650w. Wax play and rope bondage, relationship between a captain and a sailor. More of Tom Warren and Samuel Coates!

On Tumblr / / On Medium / / On Patreon

Serial Update: Rescue Dogs

Chapter Eight. Valorous has a bad day at work.

On WorldAnvil / / On Medium

New Fan Works Published

Our Flag Means Death WIP: Jacob Wrestles With Comedy Tropes

5k. WIP. Rated M. Israel: From the Hebrew name יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisra'el) meaning "God contends", from the roots שָׂרָה (sarah) meaning "to contend, to fight" and אֵל ('el) meaning "God". In the Old Testament, Israel (who was formerly named Jacob; see Genesis 32:28) wrestles with an angel.   I see your "Izzy Hands is the only human in an all-Muppet TV show" and your "Izzy Hands is trapped in the wrong genre" and I raise you: Izzy Hands is the unwitting victim of a cosmic shift of the very rules of reality, now applying sitcom rules to his life instead of the real life ones that had governed him beforehand. This is, for him, horrifying in the manner of anything Eldritch and incomprehensible.

For the rest of the crew, it just seems like First Mate Hands is having a bit of a breakdown, and they really wish he'd stop.

For Izzy, this is existential horror at its worst - for the reader, dark comedy. I just love to make him suffer.

On Ao3

Our Flag Means Death Fanfic: Boots

Rated M, Complete, 810 words, Stede/Izzy/Ed. Izzy blacks Ed's boots.

Stede watches.

On Ao3

Our Flag Means Death Fanfic: One Good Kiss

Rated T, Complete, 900 words. Roach/Izzy. Izzy doesn't join in on smoking until Roach introduces some outside pressure.

On Ao3

Our Flag Means Death Fanfic: Pleas

Rated E, Complete, 1600w. Cis!Stede/trans!Izzy. Power struggle, D/s, face slapping, doggy-style, choking. Of all the shameful, disgusting things Izzy wants, Stede fucking Bonnet is one of the most embarrassing imaginable.

On Tumblr / / On Ao3

Our Flag Means Death WIP: Communicating Want

Rated E, 42k+, WIP. Izzy/Lucius, Izzy/Frenchie, lots of Izzy and the crew bonding. What's a DictionaryWrites dive into a fandom if I don't jump into an exploration of trauma?

Izzy's just so buttoned-up, how is Lucius supposed to resist the urge to seduce him?

It doesn't go well.

On Ao3

[myhahnestopinion]

THE AARONS 2020 - Best TV Show

It was prime time for TV in 2020, with many more free hours to fill. I managed to get through a lot of my backlog in fact, finally getting around to watching shows like The Strain. It’s a show about a deadly disease that tears society apart because a lot of arrogant people think they are exempt from quarantining. The disease turns people into vampires, so it’s technically escapism. Here are the Aarons for Best TV Show: 

#10. The Plot Against America (Miniseries) - HBO

It’s not TV, it’s not HBO, it’s real life. The Wire-creator David Simon’s penchant for illustrating the human fallout of institutional failures made him a perfect collaborator for HBO’s Plot Against America, an adaptation of Phillip Roth’s alternate-history novel. Following a Jewish family in New Jersey navigating the increasingly-fascist America of a hypothetical Charles Lindbergh administration, the show is a terrifying warning of what happens when hatred and conspiracy theories are allowed to accumulate political force. Notably, while the book ends with history back on the right track, the closing moments here are left ambiguous. The show was a limited series, but in many ways, The Plot Against America is ongoing.

#9. Mrs. America (Miniseries) - FX

Its interests are married to The Plot Against America, but Mrs. America traces the country’s rising extremism from a more historically accurate perspective. The miniseries centers on political activists in the 1970s on opposing sides of the proposed Equal Rights Amendment, but its dialogue isn’t a strict dichotomy. The episodic format is expertly utilized to build out intersectional ideas from the likes of Rose Byrne’s Gloria Steinem, Uzo Aduba’s Shirley Crisholm, and Margo Martindale’s Bella Abzug, detailing the difficulties in building a diverse coalition, and the dangers of a single-minded one. Drawing parallels to current debates, its compelling centerpiece is how conservative Phylis Shafley (Cate Blanchett) successfully defeats the Amendment; voting against your own self-interests, Mrs. America says, is as American as apple pie.

#8. The Outsider (Miniseries) - HBO

Societal collapse comes from within in the two shows mentioned above, but the threat in HBO’s adaptation of Stephen King’s 2018 novel is decidedly an “other.” King clearly had his mind on modern manipulations of truth when crafting the ingenious premise: a man is arrested for the murder of two young boys due to irrefutable DNA evidence, only to provide an air-tight alibi for the crime. To match King’s procedural prose, HBO brought on The Night Of’s David Price, who layers the original work with meticulous mysteries. The Outsider has all the pulpy jolts expected of the author, but the show’s true horror lies in its overbearing grief, best brought to life by Ben Mendelsohn’s Detective Anderson. To say more would be to spoil its secrets; you’ll want to be on the inside.

#7. Perry Mason (Season 1) - HBO

Just like the famous fictional attorney, HBO can’t seem to lose, with Perry Mason marking its third entry on this list. The reimagining of the long running court drama actually takes place before the character’s illustrious law career; here he’s a down-on-his-luck private eye caught up in a scandalous child kidnapping case. The result’s a gangbusters production of old-fashioned moody noir: political corruption, femme fatales, and a more morally-complicated Mason, as played by The Americans’ Matthew Rhys. The lavish period details and character-actor cast, including Shea Whigham, John Lithgow, and Tatiana Maslany, will help draw viewers in, but, I’ll confess, I was already hooked by the season’s chilling opening moments.

#6. Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist (Season 1) - NBC

Dour seasons have dominated this list thus far, but Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist sings a different tune. It’s a lovably oddball premise: an accident during an MRI causes a young woman, played by Jane Levy, to hear other people’s thoughts in the form of popular music. It’s all karaoke, but, emphasized by the presence of Skylar Astin, a worthy inheritor to Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’s musical-comedy crown. The tracklist, workplace antics, and love-triangle drama all exist in a comfortingly familiar network TV realm, but the show takes additional steps for inclusion with stories highlighting Zoey’s genderfluid neighbor (Alex Newell) and an American Sign Language performance of Rachel Platten’s “Fight Song.” During a year in need of shuffling off stress, there was no better time to queue up Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist.

#5. What We Do in The Shadows (Season 2) - FX

FX’s expansion of the mockumentary feature film of the same name lit up some of the darker corners of its universe in the show’s second season, transforming mundane-seeming material into something completely, uniquely batty. Each creature of Shadows took their turn in the spotlight this season, from a middle-management promotion gifting energy-vampire Colin Robinson unlimited supernatural power, to undead Nadja befriending a doll possessed by her own ghost, to Matt Berry’s Lazlo forging a small-town persona as a bartender/volleyball coach to escape a vengeful Mark Hamill. As always, it was the sympathetic Guillermo (Harvey Guillén), a Van Helsing descendent desperate to become a vampire, who gave the show its emotional stakes, and the vampires within a different kind altogether.

#4. Stargirl (Season 1) - DC Universe

Shadows was lit, but few things burned brighter this year than Stargirl (perhaps too brightly for the flamed-out DC Universe). The superhero drama is one of several that will outlive its original streaming service - fitting, given its obsession with legacy. Based on a character created by DC Comics stalwart Geoff Johns after the tragic loss of his sister, the show finds a young girl taking on the mantle of a fallen hero after moving to a town run in secret by supervillains. With sprightly fight choreography and an unabashed embrace of its comic book lore, Stargirl outshines the overabundance of small-screen superheroes out there. Its highlight is the bright performance of lead Brec Bassinger; put simply, she’s a star, girl.

#3. BoJack Horseman (Season 6b) - Netflix

Throughout its run, BoJack Horseman garnered acclaim for routinely delivering unexpected pathos, and the final season kept it on that track until the end. ...Get it, because horses run on tracks? The unexpected porter of television’s legacy of antiheroes ended in much the same vein as its sister shows - with consequences finally catching up with its protagonist. No amount of fanciful animal puns could soften that painful catharsis, as the show finally trampled its tricky web of abuse through bittersweet means. The series closed out with an especially thoughtful scene, the kind viewers who looked past the wonky pilot years ago were regularly blessed with; to the very end, BoJack, you were a gift, horse.

#2. Better Call Saul (Season 5) - AMC

As good as Bad ever was and better than ever before, the fifth season of AMC’s spin-off completely upended the world of its eponymous lawyer while bringing Vince Gilligan’s universe one step away from full-circle. Saul Goodman found himself in way over his head, and viewers found themselves way on the edge of their seats, as his first foray into “criminal” lawyering swiftly dovetailed with an escalating drug war. Despite the emotional distress of watching fan-favorite character Kim Wexler placed in perilous situations, there are no objections to be had with the drama’s continued masterful storytelling. Ramping up the slow-burn storytelling, season five saw Kim and Saul’s relationship develop in rich and unexpected ways, while still keeping their final fates unresolved. Fans are thus waiting with bated breath for the show’s final call next year. 

#1. The Great (Season 1) - Hulu

Who could be the best but The Great? There was a minor television controversy this year over Netflix marketing The Crown as a historical drama despite its fictional interpretation of events; The Great has no such pretentions. An asterix adorns every title card of the show, letting viewers know that its take on Catherine the Great’s coup against Emperor Peter III of Russia is only “an occasionally true story.” The show indeed is not great for education, but it’s the most entertaining television of the year, locking stars Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult in a battle of wits and a fight for the country’s soul under the watch of The Favourite co-writer Tony McNamara. The uproarious comedy slyly collates leadership based in cruelty with leadership based in goodwill in the background of its quite bawdy escapades, a subtle bit of relevant political maneuvering that lets it successfully claim the crown this year.

NEXT UP: THE 2020 AARONS FOR BEST TV EPISODE!

[legendary-defender-of-fandoms]

I think Alex Hirsch said there was an idea for Gideon to have a secret twin hidden under all that hair. Thank God that idea died.

THIS IS SUPER RUSHED. The thought of Gideons Brother and that Harry potter scene just didn’t leave me.

[gravelyhumerus]

Criminal Minds College AU - Chapter 7

Title: “I may just take your breath away”

Relationship: Jemily

Summary:

Hallowe’en chaos.

Slow-burn Jemily college AU where they live across the hall and despite all odds, the universe pushes them together. AKA they’re silly gay babies who pine after each other for months.

Read it on AO3

Tumblr:  One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen, Sixteen, (bonus scene), Seventeen, Eighteen, Nineteen, Twenty, Epilogue

After trivia night, Emily Prentiss found her world had shifted slightly. 

For the first time in her life, she had a friend group: a consistent presence of not only just Derek and the occasional Hotch, but also Spencer Reid, Penelope Garcia and most importantly, Jennifer Jareau. 

Emily noticed it most in the dining hall. Most mornings this semester, she would grab coffee and maybe an apple on her way to class. Now, she was invited to breakfast in the caf. And everyone was also invited, so the six of them began eating not only breakfasts together when their schedules lined up, but soon that melded to include dinners and the odd lunch between classes. While Penelope initiated at the beginning, soon this became a routine. 

While they were all busy, and driven people, all with full course loads, extracurriculars and miscellaneous commitments, they managed to get the whole team together multiple times that week. 

A few times, extra faces joined them. Penelope’s friend from class, Kevin… something, joined for a lunch on Wednesday. He sat shyly as Derek stared him down the entire time. On Thursday, somehow Hotch convinced their Criminology TA, David Rossi, who was part time Masters Student and part time weed dealer, to have lunch with the bribe of them using their guest pass so he could get a free meal. He reluctantly acquiesced, but seemed to enjoy himself. On Friday, the day before Halloween, Emily brought Tara Lewis, the MC from the Trivia night that was two years ahead of her in criminology, they ran into each other in the quad, recognizing each other. This open door policy made these dinners fun, with new faces alongside their team.

This was all new for Emily. Not having friends, that is, because Emily could always muddle along with some friends, and when she was younger she shaped herself easily into whatever the popular kids wanted her to be. No, it was new because it was so easy. The team, as they now called themselves as a shorthand, had fallen together so effortlessly. 

Today was Halloween and they had plans at Dave’s student house, the shabby place that she had ran into JJ, Penelope and Spencer all that time ago. Had it only been a month? She felt like she had known them all for lifetimes by now. 

It happened that way with Derek last year, the whole living together thing sped up that connection. Intimacy comes fast when you brush your teeth next to someone. 

Emily was sitting at her desk, finishing up her makeup. She was aiming for a vampire, which wasn’t hard given her previous fashion aesthetic. 

Yes, Emily did have a goth phase. She will admit it. Not to her new friends just yet, and Derek had been sworn to secrecy. She was now a much more toned down goth, more alt than goth, wearing mostly black but significantly less chains and make up. 

Tonight, she wore her fishnets, a short black dress and a cape that was already tied around her shoulders. She had put a slightly too pale foundation on her face, down her neck, and was currently working on her eye liner. She carefully created elegant swoops over her lashes, coming to sharp points. 

Next, she added a deep red lipstick. Blood red. It was all very spooky. 

Finally, she struggled to test out the fake teeth insert that she had ordered online, slipping it over her top teeth. It fit surprisingly well. 

“Happy Halloween,” she said to herself, testing out whether or not she had a lisp. She did. She didn’t care. It was perfect. 

Emily did a couple of spins in the mirror on the back of the door. Turning off the overhead light, she looked at herself in the glowing light of her string lights. 

She was satisfied. She looked like a hot vampire. 

She grabbed her tote bag, which was filled with six miscellaneous beers and coolers that she had leftover from the last few weeks, knowing that she hated the cheap hoppy beer that Rossi would have at his party. 

Emily was picky about her alcohol.

She glanced out the window, considering taking an extra layer. It was dreary outside, with the sky an eerie green and powerful gusts of wind rattling the window. Emily grabbed her leather jacket. 

Hoisting her bag onto her shoulder and draping her coat over her arm, Emily peeked out of her door, looking out into the hall. In both directions were students in costume; she spotted a Frankenstein, a couple of cats and even someone dressed up in an inflatable t-Rex suit. 

She made sure her door was locked and then walked down the hall to Derek’s room, who was at the very end of the hall, as he had lucked out and got a massive room with lots of windows, across from the showers. 

She opened the door, finding just about all of their friends already there, sneakily drinking out of mugs, cups and water bottles. 

Reid was a zombie, wearing tattered, bloody clothes and a full face of makeup that Emily assumed that Penelope did for him. Sitting next to his computer, queueing music for their pre, was Derek, dressed in a baseball jersey and hat, apparently as a baseball player. This was expected, he wasn’t big on Halloween. Hotch was… a devil? He wore all black and simply had devil horns on his head. Low commitment but the spirit was there. 

Emily hoisted herself onto Derek’s bed and greeted her friends. 

Spencer was sneaking up behind Derek, peeking his head over his shoulder. Derek, at that moment, seemed to be texting, squinting down at his phone. 

“I’m going to eat you!” Spencer yelled into Derek’s ear, causing the larger man to jump to his feet, swatting at the boy in his fright. 

Emily laughed at her friend’s distress. He really didn’t like Halloween that much. 

“Are you ready for a spooktacular evening?” Spence asked, making his voice wobbly as he put on a dramatic effect. He shone an orange, pumpkin patterned flashlight under his chin.

“Of course,” Emily lisped, “In fact, I vant to drink your blood!”

She lunged forward, and Spencer hid from her behind Derek. It was silly but she could tell how much he liked Halloween, he had talked about it all week, and she couldn’t help but adopt a lispy vampire voice to go with her costume. Though the boy was only two year younger than them, his thin frame and wide eyed expression made him seem much younger. 

“Your teeth are excellent,” Spencer pointed out, “Very realistic.”

“I don’t get the hype about Halloween,” Derek said, “Disguises? Pass. Horror movies? No thank you.”

“Booooooo,” Emily protested, “Don’t be a buzzkill, Morgan. Let us have a little fun.”

The door opened again, and Penelope, followed by JJ, joined them. 

“Is my statuesque god of sculpted chocolate thunder being lame again?”

“He barely dressed up,” Emily complained.

“Neither did Hotch!” Derek said, gesturing to Hotch’s devil horns. 

“Hey, at least I bought these at the party store,” Hotch said, “I’m sure both of those are items from your own closet.”

Derek did not confirm or deny this. Emily knew he wore the same get up last year.

“So when should we be there?” JJ asked.

She was dressed as a witch, with an oversized pointy hat perched on top of her head, her blonde hair falling around her shoulders in perfect curls. She wore a purple dress and tall boots to go with her witch look. She and Penelope joined Spencer on the floor, sitting with their backs to Derek’s closet and cracking open a beer for JJ and a fruity cooler for Penelope. 

With large wings, glittery make up and an adorable skirt, Penelope was clearly dressed up as a fairy, which was entirely apropos to who she was as a person. In fact, it was not entirely dissimilar from her normal outfits. 

“Rossi said to come by eight,” Hotch said, “So in party talk he means nine-thirty earliest.”

“It’s, what?” Derek checked the time on his laptop, “Eight fifteen now, so we can pre here for an hour or so then start walking over.”

“Yeah,” Hotch said, “His house is just off campus.”

“The weather is crazy out,” Penelope said, looking out the window. The trees were swaying and the leaves were blowing everywhere.

“We could take a cab?” Emily offered, “I’d rather avoid getting leaves in my hair tonight.”

There were some nods, then they got back to preing, playing a few rounds of King’s Cup to ensure that all of them were sufficiently drunk before they left.

Morgan put on his new playlist, not “For The Boys (and emily)” this time, but one titled “Team Vibez” that Emily had seen him make during their lecture on Thursday. It had a lot of his normal songs, some top hits, but a few fun pop songs that Emily knew he added for Penelope, and even some classic rock for Hotch. 

At this point, Emily was feeling buzzed. She had two cans discarded in the bin, both hosting lipstick prints from her dark red vampire lips. 

JJ was currently chatting with Hotch about some student government scandal that was happening at the time. While politics gave Emily the heebie jeebies, she had reluctantly joined the Criminology Academic Society. It would give her a leg up on grad school applications, for one, and so far, even as a low-level member, she found she was actually making a difference for her classmates. This meant that Emily, despite her deepest urges to not touch political scandals with a ten foot pole, knew exactly what they were talking about.

As the two discussed the student politicians—there were some minor accusations of nepotism, embezzlement and coverups by the undergraduate executive—Emily looked at JJ. Her brows were furrowed in concentration and she was gesturing wildly with her hands as she talked about how badly they were handling their crisis communications. 

Suddenly, interrupting this discussion, their phones blasted out a siren, followed by a chorus of the same robot voice announcing an emergency alert.

“National Weather Service: TORNADO WARNING in this area until 10:15PM EST,” the robot announced, “Take shelter now in a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building.”

They looked at Derek’s three, large windows, and watched as large gusts of wind sent leaves barrelling down the street.

“If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris,” it continued. “Check media.”

Then, their phones went silent and Derek’s music continued unheeded. 

“A tornado?!” Penelope said, “Here?”

The window rattled. Derek stood up and hesitantly moved away from it. 

Penelope grabbed Derek’s computer, her hands moving in a flurry.

“Ok so,” she began, “from what I can gather from the good old Internet, we’re in a region of extreme winds and the meteorologists are thinking that funnel clouds and tornados are possible this evening.”

“So much for Halloween,” Spencer whined. 

“Party is definitely off,” Hotch said. “We should probably take shelter. Is there a basement here?”

“There’s the laundry room?” Emily said. 

Adrenaline started pulsing through her veins. She’d been through some severe weather before in her life but never a tornado, nor did she expect one. They were in the north east, nowhere near tornado Alley. 

They all stood, making a move for the basement, when the lights flickered once, twice, then shut off entirely. Rain begin to fall down, hard onto the windows, and the boom of thunder filled their ears. 

“Shit,” Emily said. “Anyone have a candle?”

 ---

Ten minutes later, the six of them were seated in a circle, on the strange carpeted floor of the laundry room, with the severe weather making the wind howl outside. Between JJ’s two candles, which were very against the rules, and Derek’s laptop screen, they had enough ambient light to see, but it was all very spooky. 

The room smelled damp and earthy, with a strange combination of laundry soaps and dryer sheets. They had to move a spare sock to form a circle around the candle. It looked very much like a séance, so that did fit the Halloween spirit. 

“Well,” Hotch said, “At least this is festive.”

Derek was still queuing his music, filling the silence with his DJ skills. 

“Aren’t you worried about your battery life?” JJ asked, “What if the power doesn’t come on in the morning.”

“Then I have a great excuse not to finish my essay,” Derek said with a shrug.

“Fair point.”

“Anyways,” Derek continued, “No sense giving up on our party. We have drinks, we have music and thanks to JJ we have illegal candles.”

“They’re not illegal!” She protested, “Simply very against res rules! I like lighting a candle while I study.”

“It’s lucky that there was no one left in res because of Halloween,” Emily said. “Or we would've had a bunch of party crashers.”

“This is better,” Penelope, “Team bonding!”

“What should we play?” Hotch said, “we don’t really have much to work with.”

“This is all very high school,” Penelope said, “A couple of kids, in a basement, sitting in a circle on the floor…”

“With a tornado tearing through our city…” Emily quipped. 

“Statistically speaking for this region we are more likely to experience dangerous winds rather than an actual tornado. Worst case is that fallen tree branches hit power lines, or fall onto houses or cars.”

“So you’re saying that we’re in the worst case scenario right now?” Hotch said. 

“Yup.”

Hotch frowned. 

“How about we play truth or dare?” Penelope changed the subject.

“I’m down,” Emily said, surprising herself. “If everyone else is.”

“I’ve never played!” Spencer said.

“Never?” JJ asked. “Not at any sleepovers.”

“I didn’t get invited to many sleepovers.”

“Neither did I,” Emily admitted, “Some parties I went to played it too.”

JJ looked at her, there was a brief look of sympathy, and then understanding on her face. Emily made note of that. 

“I guess we’re playing,” Hotch murmured. 

“Derek,” Penelope purred, “Mon cher, truth or dare?”

“Truth,” he said defiantly, bracing himself with a swig of whatever was in his water bottle.

“Who is the prettiest fairy in the basement?”

“You, of course,” he replied with a wink. 

“Gross!” Emily exclaimed, “Truth or dare is not for flirting. Hotch: truth or dare?”

“Dare,” he said with a quirk of his eyebrow. 

“Show us the… most embarrassing photo of you on your phone.” 

He frowned. 

“I don’t take many photos.”

“Try,” Emily urged with a laugh. 

He fumbled in his pockets, grabbing his phone and scrolling through his photo album for a few minutes. 

“It’s from high school,” Hotch said with a sigh. “I was in a play.”

He held up a photo of him in a pirates outfit, he looked smaller, younger than he did now. His hair was shaggy and his face rounder. He was pointing the sword at the camera. 

“Who’s the girl?” JJ asked. 

“My girlfriend Hayley,” Hotch said, “we’re long distance now. I joined the play to get close to her and it seems to have worked.”

“That’s not embarrassing,” Penelope said, “that’s adorable. Try again.”

“Oh I have one!” Emily said, pulling up her Snapchat memories. She had a photo of him conked out in a lecture last year. His mouth was open and his head conked back, fast asleep in a dimly lit lecture hall. Emily had taken a series of these photos before waking him up. 

“Now that’s what i'm talking about,” Derek said. 

“How can you fall asleep during lecture?” Spencer asked in horror. 

Hotch shrugged. 

“I was tired, we had a game the night before,” Hotch said. “Morgan: Truth or dare?”

“Dare.”

“I don’t know any dares,” Hotch looked around for help. 

“He could play the tinder game?” Emily said. 

“What tinder game?” 

“Oh that’s a good one,” JJ said, “Derek opens tinder and we randomly tell him which way to swipe and see who he matches with.”

Derek groaned. Opening the app and placing it down onto the carpet. 

“Right!” JJ said to start. 

A match.  

“Left?” Hotch said, it came out more like a question. 

“Right,” Emily said. Another match. 

Left, right, left, right. New message from a recent match, left, right, right, right, right. Derek looked on in horror. 

“Ok I think he’s had enough,” Emily said with a laugh. 

“Derek it’s your turn,” Penelope said. 

Derek sighs in relief. 

“Uhhh, Pretty Boy,” he turned to Reid. Thinking for a moment. “Have you ever smoked before?”

“Smoked what? Cannabis, tobacco? Something else. Be specific.”

Emily’s jaw dropped. 

“I dunno man,” Derek said, “I was talking about weed but go off.” 

“I have.”

“How?” JJ said, “You’re like sixteen! I haven’t even smoked weed.”

“Me neither,” Penelope said, sounding outright disappointed. 

“I believe it,” Hotch said. “He has a Juul.”

“Seventeen now,” Spencer said. “Kids in my first degree found it funny when I performed actions that they deemed mature for my young age. 

“What?” Penelope said. “But you were sixteen last week.”

“It was my birthday on Wednesday,” he said. 

“And we missed it?” JJ asked.

Emily decided not to inform them that her birthday had been a few weeks back as well. 

“It’s no big deal,” Spencer said, “I don’t really do birthdays.”

“Well I do birthdays!” Penelope said, “and you’re getting one.”

Emily could see the gears turning in Penelope’s head.

“Wait you haven’t smoked weed?” Emily said. She didn’t mean to sound so surprised, but hell, it was college. 

“I’ve never been offered,” Penelope said with a shrug.

“You have a Juul, Spence?” JJ said. 

He shrugged. 

“Anyways,” Derek said with a laugh. “Reid it’s your turn to ask.”

And the game continued roughly the same for a few more rounds, with some truths, some dares, a lot of drinking and a fair amount of laughter. 

Emily learned that JJ likes some angry rock music when she’s upset, that Penelope has committed several federal crimes, that Reid used to coach basketball in high school, that Derek has been posing nude for art classes on campus for extra cash, and that Hotch has never successfully completed a word search in his life. 

The dares were limited, because frankly they were basically hiding out in a basement during what might actually be a tornado. Emily was dared to do an impression of Hotch, which wasn’t good and involved a lot of eyebrows and frowning. After, JJ was forced to leave her snapchat at Garcia’s mercy for the entire night. Other dares involved dancing, attempting gymnastics, and seeing whether or not Reid fit into the dryer. He did. 

The game finally had played out when it was Hotch’s turn again to ask. 

“JJ, what’s your greatest fear?” Hotch asked.

“Mr. Serious over here,” Derek said with a whistle. 

“Probably the woods,” JJ replied. 

“Why?” Spencer asked, tilting his head. 

JJ grabbed a candle, holding it under her chin much like Reid did earlier. 

“I used to be a camp counselor, when I was a teenager. In the woods up in Vermont.”

She leaned forward. Emily didn’t know she worked at a camp. It made sense. She pictured her in a camp t-shirt making a bracelet. It suited her. 

“I had the night shift. I tucked the girls in, turned off the lights. The typical drill. Everything seemed fine; all the kids were asleep. You know, nothing seemed out of the ordinary.”

Another dramatic pause, both Spencer and Derek had leaned in, invested in the story. 

“Until I noticed there was some blood, on the hallway floor. So, I followed the blood trail out to the camp director’s cabin, walked up to his bed and he was just lying there, underneath his covers. Dead!”

Penelope gasped. The room was silent.

“Someone stabbed him. I ran out of there so fast, out the door, down the hall. I just remember it… being really dark. Once I got to the door, there was another counselor there. I guess she heard me scream.”

JJ set the candle down, looking at the flame flicker. This couldn’t be real, Emily thought, this had to be a joke. 

“They caught the caretaker on his way to town, I guess he still had the knife on him.” 

“Anyway, I guess that’s probably when I decided I didn’t like the woods.”

“You’re serious?!” Derek demanded. 

“No!” JJ said with a laugh. “You bought that! I’m kidding!”

“So are you afraid of the woods?” Emily asked.

“Yeah,” JJ said, “They’re spooky I don’t know.”

They all laughed at that. 

Emily glanced at her phone; they had been down here for almost two hours. According to Penelope’s intermittent checks on the status of the extreme weather, most of the city was experiencing black outs, but there was no sign of an actual tornado. They were still supposed to take shelter for the next hour or so, just in case. 

In this time, Emily was close to five drinks in, with only one left in the basement. A growing pile of empties had built up around them, and Hotch had pulled out a small bottle of whiskey in addition to his beer, passing it around the circle. Having recently turned 17, the group had officially decided to give Spencer a beer, which he nursed slowly, wincing at the bitter taste. 

“Emily,” JJ turned to her and looked mischievous. “Truth or dare?”

She felt her heart flutter.

“Truth.”

“Hmmm…” JJ said, “Where was the weirdest place you’ve ever had sex?”

Emily found herself blushing at the memory.

“Oh god,” Emily buried her face in her hands. “IHOP parking lot.”

“What?”  

Emily nodded, downing the last of her beer. 

“No further questions,” she proclaimed as she opened her next drink.

“I think that should conclude Truth or Dare,” Penelope said, “It’s time for another sleepover classic, since some of you are sleepover virgins.”

She grabbed Derek’s water bottle, plopping it down onto the carpet and spun it. 

“Spin the bottle!”

Emily went pale. What was Penelope doing? She stared into her drunk, not daring to look at anyone else. 

“That doesn’t seem very sanitary,” Spencer said.

“Boo,” Penelope, “You’re no fun. It’s a classic! And we’re all friends, it’ll be fun. Hotch you spin first.”

He looked horrified, but took the bottle. There was no getting in the way of Penelope Garcia’s will.

“The rules are simply: kiss or you have to finish your drink?,” Penelope said, “Got it?

Hotch nodded, he spun the bottle. It went around the circle, once, twice, three times, then landed clearly on himself.

“How do I kiss myself?” he said, deadpan. 

“Drink!” Emily told him. He downed his last beer.

Derek spun next, rubbing his hands together nervously as it went around and around. It landed on Penelope.

“Come here, chocolate thunder!” 

Derek took his baseball cap off, turning it backwards. Penelope pulled his shirt towards her, tugging on him as their lips met. They both closed their eyes, she could hear JJ giggle at the sight.

“Was that the only reason we’re playing this?” Spencer asked, “So that you could kiss Morgan?”

“Maybe?” Penelope, “What’s it to you, boy-genius!” 

He put his hands up in surrender, it was his turn. 

He spun the bottle awkwardly, so that it rocked back and forth in addition to spinning. It went around once before landing on JJ.

Emily wasn’t sure what to think about that. On one hand, he was just a kid and the kiss wouldn't be anything, but on the other hand, Emily was jealous that she didn’t get a kiss. 

“Come here, Spence!” JJ said, making a grabbing motion at the boy and laughing. 

He leaned in with his eyes closed, Emily wouldn’t be surprised if he told them he hadn’t done even this before. JJ put a hand on his face, turned it gently, and gave him a peck on the cheek.

Derek clapped him on the back and made a comment about it being ‘pretty boy’s first kiss,’ and Reid simply sat and blushed as he busied himself with drinking some of his beer. 

Emily’s turn. She tried not to cross her fingers and pray for JJ, but it happened anyways. It landed on Derek. Emily sighed dramatically.

“Ewwww,” Emily mock protested.

“Come on, princess,” Derek jeered, “You know you want some of this!”

He lifted his t-shirt up and rubbed his hands down his abs.

“Put that away sir!” she covered her eyes. 

“Oh come here,” she said, leaning in. They kissed on the lips with a loud ‘mwah!’ noise. 

“That was cute,” Hotch commented.

Emily fake gagged, while Morgan tried to wipe her red lipstick off him. 

Last was JJ in the circle. She spun it casually. Emily tried to read her facial expression, wondering if JJ, too, wanted it to land on Emily.

See, Emily was starting to believe that JJ liked her back. She was single, and for all Emily knew, she was straight, but the more Emily got to know her, she got queer vibes. She played soccer! Her nails were short and- 

Emily couldn’t think of any other things that moment, as she was currently freaking out about the spin the bottle situation that was presently unfolding. 

The moment in the bathroom, Emily thought, that was something! The way she looked at Emily… she was sure that she felt JJ’s eyes on her linger. 

The bottle landed on Emily. They had to kiss. It was part of the game.

Holy shit. 

Penelope squealed and Emily could feel the entire room's eyes on her, except JJ whose eyes were on the ground. 

Emily could hear her heartbeat. She desperately wanted to kiss JJ but did she want to under these circumstances? For a dare? 

JJ looked at her. Blue eyes staring into brown. She could hear her blood rushing in her ears. She found herself leaning forward, only slightly. JJ did the same. Her lips parted, her eyes hungry.

Emily shifted forward, she sat with her legs tucked under her, bracing herself with her arms. JJ was cross legged, her arms free to grab at her face. JJ’s hands tugged her forward.

Their lips met. 

It was uncertain, chaste, soft. Then, JJ’s hands pulled her closer. They were pressed together, heads tilting so that their noses didn’t bump.

Jennifer Jareau was kissing her. They were kissing!

Emily’s brain short circuited. JJ filled her senses; the blonde’s vanilla perfume and soft lips and the taste of alcohol on her tongue. 

Oh god, her tongue. 

Emily did not want it to end. Their mouths opened and their tongues slid against each other, feeling so perfect and sending Emily’s blood racing away from her face and noticeably south. 

JJ was incredibly hot and Emily desperately wanted to do more than kiss her. Or kiss her like this forever. Her ams were caressing her cheek and tangled in Emily’s hair, pulling her closer.

The lights flickered on; they had power, again. JJ pulled away from her, sharply. 

Emily sat back, sitting up straight. The room was luckily too distracted by the lights to notice how out of breath Emily was. Or that they probably shouldn’t have passionately made out on a dare. 

JJ wouldn’t meet her eye, but Emily could see her own lipstick on the other girl’s lips. Emily blinked at the bright light, started by the sudden return of the electricity after she had become accustomed to the dim light of the candle.

“What impressive timing,” Spencer murmured.

Taking the lights as a good sign, Penelope checked on the emergency alert. It was over and they were safe to go back upstairs. She found out that a few downed trees were the cause of the outage and there was never an actual tornado. No one was hurt but there was a bit of property damage throughout the city. 

Without the atmosphere of the candle light, and the likelihood of a RA doing a check of the building, they decided that that was the end of their party. They gathered up their empties, and blew out the candles.

As they finished up cleaning, all making sure not to leave any trace of their illicit affairs, Emily tried to quell her racing heart and blushing face, completely unable to look anyone in the eye. 

The door opened, their RA was there. Erin Strauss. She was a hardass.

“What are you all doing down here?” she demanded. 

They all stood, stock still, jaws dropped, smelling of alcohol and clutching clinking tote bags. 

“Erin,” Emily said, trying to sound as sober as possible despite the five plus drinks in her system, “We were simply following the directions on the emergency alert.”

“Yes! It said to seek shelter from the storm and the basement seemed the best for that,” Penelope said. 

“Uhuh,” Erin said, “What’s in the bag?”

The bag clinked. 

“Oh just some garbage,” Emily said, lying through her teeth. “We had some snacks.”

“Sure,” Erin said, not believing them. 

Emily tried not to sway, but did not feel steady on her feet. She wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol or her recent kiss with JJ.

For a second, Emily was sure that their RA would bust their asses, but the girl simply sighed and told them to go to bed, muttering about how dealing with non-existent tornadoes wasn't part of her job.  

The six of them scurried upstairs, all freaked out about their near-miss with a write-up.

Reid disappeared up to his room, then JJ and Penelope walked down the hall to their’s. Emily slipped into Derek’s avoiding Erin Strauss’ watchful eye, helping Derek steady a very drunk Hotch.

Hotch, who had probably had a little too much of that whiskey, stumbled into Derek’s room and decided to sleep on the floor. Emily placed a water bottle next to him, and placed him in recovery position, glad for the distraction from the blush that refused to leave her face or the lingering taste of JJ on her lips. 

She walked slowly down the hall back to her own room, the events of that evening playing back in her mind. She threw herself onto her bed, dazed by her situation. 

Emily fell asleep with vampire make up still on her face that night. 

[oscconfessions]

As I awaken from my slumber, I rub my eyes, and there he is next to me. My king. Knife ii. Not actually though, just a life-size body pillow measuring six feet nine inches and weighing 250 pounds.

I give him one last kiss before I get up and begin my routine. To start, I do what every person should do and I make my bed. Both pillows are stamped with different photos of my king, along with my sheets and comforter.

I push aside the knife ii shower curtain and hop in. I quickly apply my knife I scented soap and get out. I brush my teeth with my knife ii toothbrush while listening to his soundtrack to keep my brain busy. After I finish my routine, I choose a jersey from my collection, and I make sure everything is where it needs to be before I set out for the day. Knife ii posters? Check. Knife ii shrine? Check. Knife ii: Inanimate Life Weekly knife Edition? Check. Everything is good, now I can leave.

I pour a bowl of milk and dump in my II cereal to relieve my hunger and I continue watching knife ii’s show. I take my time with my cereal, enjoying every bite, as the episode comes to an end. That is my queue to go sit on the couch, and watch "poo" | Inanimate Insanity S2E1 on repeat for the rest of the day. Most days, I don't even leave the house. There's no need. Everything I need, I already have.

Knife inanimate insanity if you're reading this, thank you for everything.

-🧛

.

[n1ghtcrwler]

I'm sorry the pittsburgh what

So I had to check what posts published from my queue while I was asleep and it looks like you're asking about my reference to the Pittsburgh Name War which, I have to tell you, might be my favorite thing you could possibly have been asking about.

So place names in the United States were, historically, a mess. Europeans tended to name their new towns and cities after places that reminded them of their home country or some key value they held, but not everyone came from the same place or held exactly the same values. Somewhere around the 1880's, people in the government got it into their heads that they needed to formalize a system for American place names, and by 1890 had established the U.S. Board on Geographic Names. They started changing place names in 1891, though they lacked some powers in that regard until 1906, when this board was given full power to legally enforce its 12 criteria for place names by changing the official names of locations across the nation that did not comply with those criteria. Which, it turns out, happened a lot.

Some places just shrugged and accepted the new rules, which is how New Ark of the Covenant, New Jersey became Newark, New Jersey. Some places were allowed an exception because of importance to local identity, which is why Du Bois, Pennsylvania was allowed to keep a two-word name. Some places were a mix of both, which is why New York, New York dropped the word 'city' from the end of its official name but is still two words long.

And some places were Pittsburgh.

Now, Pittsburgh didn't actually have an agreed-upon spelling at this time. Sometimes it was spelled Pittsburgh, sometimes it was spelled Pittsburg, and sometimes it would be spelled both ways in the same publication. No one really cared, which is not unusual for the people of Pittsburgh if we're honest. I mean, this is a place that had a fake Burger King running for a while and everyone just kinda went with it. So the U.S. Board of Geographic Names thought, "oh, we'll just pick one, then."

Now, you should know, -burg and -burgh are not actually the same thing. The -burg ending is German and pronounced 'berg,' while the -burgh ending is Scottish and pronounced 'burry.' To avoid confusion, the U.S. Board on Geographic Names decided that places pronounced the German way would be spelled the German way and places pronounced the Scottish way would be spelled -bury because fuck the Scottish, apparently. Pittsburgh was pronounced the German way by that time, so the federal government stepped in and informed the city very politely that their name would now and forever be legally and officially and correctly spelled Pittsburg. Which is why West Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, a couple counties northwest of Pittsburgh and famous for absolutely nothing ever, is spelled the way it is.

Which triggered one of the very few things Pittsburghers really, deeply care about: not being told what to do.

So the people of the city fought back. The city had started pushing back against the -burg spelling back in 1891, but it really kicked into high gear in 1906 when the spelling was made official official. This was actually fairly peaceful, if loud. I'm told there was at least one riot over the matter but I haven't been able to find direct records of it. What definitely happened, though, was that the people of the city loudly and openly refused compliance. Publications that had previously used Pittsburg as their normal spelling switched to Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh Stock Exchange insisted on the -burgh. The University of Pittsburgh ensured all its records had the 'h.' People flooded the Board with letters and demands and threats. Congress was called upon to overturn the decision. Back when I wrote a paper on this like eight years ago, I found records indicating that the Post Office had its hands full with complaints about the fact that it was using the official spelling rather than the accepted local spelling, and that maps which used the -burg spelling couldn't be sold in the city because no one was willing to buy them, but I can't remember now where I found that stuff.

The Board was citing a typo in official copies of the city charter by this point, which listed the city as Pittsburg, and therefore the Board claimed the city had always been named Pittsburg. The original of the charter, however, used "Pittsburgh," and the very first known written reference to the place actually spelled it "Pittsbourgh;" which the city argued was proof the city had always had an 'h'. Honestly, I'm surprised they didn't demand the -bourgh spelling at that point out of spite.

In the end, the city was able to put enough pressure on the federal government that the Board was forced to back down. In 1911, the official city spelling was changed to Pittsburgh. And a quick search for merch that calls it "The Burgh" will show that the city never really forgot.

[jemej3m]

twinyards

Aaron knocks on the apartment door, a wedge in his throat and his stomach turning over itself, again and again and again. 

This might be a bad idea. 

He remembers the deal they’d made in high school and initially kept during college. He remembers Andrew’s reasoning behind it. He remembers feeling no remorse when he broke it. He’s regretting that now.

Neil looks a little shocked when he opens the door. He’s shirtless, which is always a shock to Aaron’s system when he sees it. Andrew told him it was to intimidate anyone who they didn’t want coming back. But Aaron saw the fuzzed hair and the self conscious crossing of Neil’s arms over his chest when he saw who it was, the lopsided angle to his sweatpant’s elastic, the flush on his cheekbones. 

Maybe Andrew would be in a good mood?

Or maybe Aaron had interrupted them and he would be in a very, very foul mood. 

“If you were asleep, I can come back in the morning.” He hadn’t anywhere to stay in Denver. He wouldn’t have a clue as to where he’d start looking for a place. 

“No, it’s okay.” Neil understood. Aaron didn’t come around unexpectedly for no reason. “Come in. Aren’t you cold?”

He shrugged. 

“I’ll get Andrew.” Neil promised, trying fruitlessly to flatten his hair whilst grabbing a jersey from the washing basket on the couch, pulling it on. It was Aaron’s brother’s, a little short on him. 

The cats wound around his ankles, fond and affection, despite the months between visits. Once it’d been two years. His medical internship had been a tough time. Plus Katelyn’s pregnancy and the resulting set of twins. 

“Aaron.” His brother had barely changed. The black armbands remained, the stagnant expression. A few years ago, warmth had seeped back into his gaze. Only the closest to him could see it. 

Aaron also saw exhaustion, laugh lines around his eyes, worn calluses on his hands. They’d discussed Andrew’s retirement, once. He’d retire before he was 45, assuredly. He’d retire before Neil, of course. Neil was probably never going to retire. Aaron thought he’d still have a while, but maybe not anymore. 

“Katelyn broke of the engagement. And everything else.”

Nothing in Andrew’s expression changed. “The kids?”

“She’s got them. I don’t know what to do. We can’t split them up, and there’s no way of legally deciding who gets them: We were never married.” 

“Sleep, first.” Andrew pointed to the couch. “We will fix this in the morning. Okay?”

Aaron trusted his brother. He dumped his bag on the floor and sunk into the couch, toeing off his shoes. His brother gave Aaron a bottle of water and a toothbrush, of which he’d forgotten to bring. He always forgot his toothbrush. 

“Andrew, stop fussing.” Neil said, having cracked the door to their bedroom open. Andrew rolled his eyes. 

“He’s right, I’m fine.” Aaron said. Andrew stopped hesitating by the end of the couch and disappeared into the bedroom. Neil’s fingers had linked together with Andrew’s as he’d pulled his husband into the room, a quiet but gentle gesture that Aaron had never seen them do before. 

Despite the worn-in cushions, soft light from the moon through beige curtains and the comfortable warmth of a knitted blanket, Aaron couldn’t sleep. He was lonely and heartbroken, understandably. 

But worse than the heartbreak and the feeling of isolation was the crushing sense of relief. 

The morning was blurry for Aaron, sleep-deprived and disorientated. Then he remembered Katelyn throwing her engagement ring onto the floor, queueing behind the flight check-in desk and staring at the ceiling of Andrew’s apartment until the sun was about to come up. 

The domesticity of his brother’s life shocked him. Everything was so comfortable and quaint. The cats, the fridge magnets, the mugs and curtains and rugs, the used silverware. Aaron stood at the doorway to their kitchen, seeing his twin and Neil leaning against the island counter together, sipping on their respective coffee’s, Andrew’s arm around Neil’s waist. Aaron had never found that sense of quiet with Katelyn. From the get-go, it was sneaking around and adrenaline and a distraction from what was happening with his family. 

“I’m just going to go outside to call the twins.” 

Andrew looked over his shoulder at him and nodded. 

Aaron let the two of them be.

“Co-parenting, Aaron. It doesn’t have to be this complicated.”

“I’d need a place.” 

“And? You’re a medical professional.”

“Shut up, famous elite athlete. I’m just -- shaken, okay?”

Andrew gave Aaron a bored look. “I’m getting that.”

“No need to be such a dick about it.” He mumbled.

“I’ll help you find a place.” He watched Andrew take a sip of his coffee. “It’ll be in Chicago, not too far from that fancy school you’re sending the twins. I’ll help you pay the deposit so you don’t take anything out of their school fund.”

“You don’t need to do that.”

Andrew gestured around him. “I have nothing better to do with my money.”

“Charities?”

“Are you not a charity case?”

“Rude.” 

“Aaron.” Andrew said, stern. “A week at Katelyn’s, a week at yours. You will be able to look after both of them, see both of them, love both of them, and not have to split them off. It’ll be okay.”

“They’re so young to be moving around so much.” He shook his head. “Okay. Yes. You’re right. It’ll be fine.” The front door slammed closed: King jumped off the dining table to greet Josten at the door, but Sir stayed on Andrew’s lap. It was almost adorable -- if Aaron weren’t talking about his brother. Nothing about Andrew was adorable. 

“I got you more ice cream, honey.” Neil called out from the kitchen. 

Aaron watched his brother flush slightly. “Aaron’s still here, Josten.”

He poked his head in, grinning. “I know.” Andrew’s jaw tightened. 

Maybe it was something in Aaron’s expression. Andrew’s jaw relaxed and he slid his coffee across to Aaron. He took a sip: It wasn’t as toxically sweet as he used to like it. “You’ll find someone, Aaron.”

Aaron swallowed thickly around the cotton wool in his throat. “Maybe.”

“If I can, you can.” Andrew said casually, knowing that Aaron understand both the self-deprecating nature but also the confession he was admitting in that phrase. Neil was Andrew’s someone. He needed nothing else: He had everything he’d ever wanted, needed, dreamed and hoped for, and so much more. 

Aaron simply nodded. Maybe. 

[jakeoettinger]

I deadass don’t know who tagged me in this.. it was sitting half-completed in my drafts i’m sorry lmfao 

21 Questions

Answer 21 questions then tag 21 people you want to get to know better

1) Nickname:

Meg, Crash

2) Zodiac Sign:

Leo 🦁

3) Height:

5′2-3 i know i keep putting this but deadass it depends on the day.

4) Last Movie I Saw:

Lion King (2019) 

5) Last Thing I Googled:

um this strawberry key lime margarita mix i’m almost out of... which i got at home goods and i was trying to see the logistics of just ordering from the company’s website since homegoods wants to hoe me and not have any more.

6) Last Thing I Ate:

breakfast taco.

7) Last Song That Got Stuck In My Head:

cotton eyed joe has been stuck in my head roughly every other day since the draft.

8) Do I Get Ask?

sometimes

9) Following:

73

10) Followers:

4,059

11) Amount Of 💤:

mmm 7-10 on a good night. if i’m actually doing anything it’s usually a lot less.

12) Lucky Number:

13, 27, 14, 

13) What Am I Wearing:

um a leopard print blouse with black jeans and like brown/cognac espadrilles (we love adding height).

14) Dream Job:

Media for a sports team or organization.. social media, digital media, anything. it’s always been my ideal thing to be part of. any major sport really would be cool.

15) Favorite Food:

Mexican Food, Shrimp, Big fan of wings.., peanut butter, do margaritas count?

16) Play Any Instruments:

absolutely not

17) Languages:

literally only english 

18) Favorite Song:

Mr. Brightside x The Killers.. it just means a lot to me lol

19) Random Facts:

i made seth rogen laugh once. i witnessed harry styles riding a mechanical bull and met a very drunk niall horan.

20) Me As An Aesthetic Things:

I literally have no idea how to do this, but i’ll try lol.. going more for ‘my aesthetic’ over aesthetic things.. bc i’m not sure what those parameters are lol

burned cds full of 2000s pop punk, glossy pink lips, long hours spent driving to your favorite places, hockey jerseys, the brightest and warmest days spent outdoors,  laughing for hours at dumb comedies, stargazing at 2 am, astrology, astronomy, expensive perfume, bubble baths, jellyfish exhibits, margaritas at a hockey game, soft pinks and deep blues, spotify playlists, driving with your sunroof open singing as loud as you can, a slight sunburn and windswept hair on a boat, the smell of cotton candy and lavender.

21) Weirdest Way You’ve Been Described:

you tell me

This was in my queue and I got tagged by @teravaisteuvo on a very similar question list so i’ll add the questions that weren’t on here below! 

Favorite musicians: im gonna put bands here too instead of just individuals bc i don’t.. have a ton of individual favs.. blink182, joyce manor, mgk, pepper, abba, new found glory, taking back sunday, the wrecks, any band that was popular in the god-tier era of pop punk. and a bunch more here and there. 

Favorite songs: i mentioned mr brightside earlier but in addition to that.. fishin in the dark x nitty gritty dirt band, downfall of us all x adtr, coffeeshop soundtrack x all time low, turn my swag on x soulja boy, i think i’m okay x mgk and yungblud, break stuff x limp bizkit, bro hymn x pennywise (which also happens to be the texas stars goal song.. love that for me), follow you x bmth, literally joyce manor’s entire discography, that’s what you get x paramore, my friends over you x new found glory, anytime x eve 6, and sommartider x gyllene tider. all those you can turn on and its an instant reaction from me.

Dream trip: mm right now i’m trying to figure out how to logistically make flying into calgary and seeing banff for a few days, etc. and going to see the flames play the stars work and then going to vancouver the next day, see the stars play the canucks and stay in van a couple of days.. stay tuned. (it won’t happen but i want it to so bad)

[canaryatlaw]

Alright so we’re somewhere on the Ohio turnpike and I’m writing in the notes section on my phone because we should be getting to the Airbnb sometime soonish so I wanted to get a jump on writing this out. Today’s been pretty decent. The plan for this weekend was initially wake up early Saturday and drive to Cleveland, do Con, stay overnight at Airbnb and drive back Sunday, but concert tickets for one of Jess’ KPop bands went on sale this morning and she really wanted to have the best chance of getting them so we changed the plan to drive there Saturday evening, stay overnight, do con Sunday and drive back Sunday evening. So I woke up at 8:45 because the concert tickets went on sale at 10 am New Jersey time (because it’s in New Jersey) with a pre-queue opening 10 minutes beforehand, and if you were in the pre-queue you get randomly placed in the actual queue, whereas if you just join the queue afterwards you get put at the end. So I just woke up and leaned over and got my laptop and got on the website without doing anything else.

Now, yesterday there were tickets for BTS, who is the KPop band you’ve probably been seeing everywhere because they’re really popular, and the concert is at a football field that has 50,000 seats, so there were plenty to go around. This is a lesser known band that’s playing a concert hall with like, 3,000 seats, so when you get randomly placed in the queue and it just says the typical “2,000+ people in front of you” for one that’s supposed to be expected, the other it’s a big oh fuck. Jess is at her place doing this on her phone as well, and we both get “2,000+” off the random queue at which point we were like UGH. Mine started moving relatively quickly though and I got in at like 9:20 but at that point there already wasn’t anything left that you could actually get two seats together, and like we spent a while trying, but it just wasn’t happening, so we had to say oh well and move on.

After we gave up I got dressed and ready then we met for brunch at the usual place. It was busy so we got seated in the secondary section we’ve only been in like, twice, which was fine lol and we still had our normal waitress who knows our orders. The waitress also happened to notice we both had our nails done since we got gel manicures in New York a few weeks ago and she came back over with a pamphlet for the nail place next door that she also works at and offered to give us a discount, which was perfect because we were looking for a place to get them done like next weekend before C2E2 and it hadn’t even occurred to me that there was a place around the fucking corner from us, so that was awesome and we’ll probably do that next weekend along with seeing Captain Marvel. After we finished eating we sat for a bit so Jess could continue drinking coffee (with refills) before paying and leaving (we also always tip well so they actually really like us there because I’m a strong believer in decent tipping because being a waiter is Hard).

So once we left we walked back to our respective apartments so Jess could shower and pack and such before we left. I didn’t really have anything I needed to do because I packed last night, so I mostly just sat with my laptop and watched a few episodes of Reign, which I’m still in the first season of, but MAN has that show gotten wild. Like first they actually have her marry one of the brothers instead of everlasting love triangle like I expected, and then the king loses his fucking mind and like forces the girl he’s sleeping with to marry his other son and all sorts of wild stuff, so that’s been crazy. I am definitely enjoying it though.

Around 2:30 or so Jess came and picked me up and we started the drive to Cleveland (this is for Wizard World Cleveland if I didn’t mention that at some point). It had started raining a bit when we were leaving but it wasn’t very bad, the gps was being annoying so we had to configure that so that it didn’t take us on a route that’s 4 hours longer to avoid tolls. So we ended up putting in the address of a Cracker Barrel that’s just over the Indiana border that we knew of and drove to there. Once there we proceeded to eat at said Cracker Barrel because much like old people, we love Cracker Barrel. Everything was very good, except initially they brought me green beans instead of Mac and cheese as a side with my meal which was fine because they brought the Mac and cheese like two minutes later, but there were SO MANY GREEN BEANS on my plate 😂 like they were taking up half the fucking plate, but I mostly just found this amusing and not something to actually get peeved about.

So after we finished we paid and left, got gas and headed out to cross Indiana. As we drove at one point the rain got very, very intense, which was Scary, but thankfully we weren’t in it for that long and it let up soon after. We stopped at a rest stop a while ago to use the bathroom and get Starbucks because we wanted caffeine, and we stopped at another one like half an hour ago to refill gas just to make sure we had enough because we had like just less than what we would’ve needed to get there so we might as well just fill up and be good with it. And since then we’ve been driving and I started writing this. We lost an hour driving into another time zone and of course tonight is also daylight savings because of course it is, so we lose another hour from that which is annoying, but oh well. We just paid a toll and we’re like half an hour out, so I’ll probably stop here for now and do a quick catch up right before going to sleep.

Ok, we’re at the Airbnb after some slight stress about getting here but we made it, since we are losing hours I am going to sleep now. Goodnight peeps. Hope you’re having an awesome weekend.

[matthenslee]

We Have Today

Many years ago, I asked Santa for an Astros jersey for Christmas [queue the trashcan banging GIF]. On Christmas morning, I dashed to the tree to find...

A New York Jets uniform.

As I think about it, I'm not sure I knew who the Jets were, but I knew enough to see a helmet with a facemask wasn't even the right sport, let alone my favorite team. I don't recall my reaction, but I suspect it wasn't, "Oh gee! Thanks, Santa––you're the best."

I remember seeing the Sears catalog near my mom's chair in the living room. Always a sucker for a good book with minimal words, I started flipping, and that's when I saw it—an ad for the football uniform that just ruined Christmas.

Santa not only got it wrong; he wasn't Santa at all...

HE WAS MY MOTHER. Momta Claus had officially ruined Christmas if you will. Sure, I was young, immature, and apparently a little spoiled, but that was a Christmas I'll never forget.

Fast forward to 2013 and another Christmas we'll never forget. A few days before Christmas, the phone rang. It was our foster care agency and a request to take in three lil' ones we called "kidlets."

Of course, we said yes, which meant a mad dash to every known department store because kids were coming! On Christmas! Matt and Rebecca Claus had gifts to buy!

We had no idea what we were doing, but we gave it our all. Gifts everywhere, all wrapped to perfection for Christmas morning. 

We were ready!

We woke N, J, and C on Christmas, and the magic started. Paper started flying, presents opened, and then our lil' ones began playing with the boxes that held their toys.

In a sudden flashback, I remembered the Christmas a boy who had everything sullied the day with his reaction to a gift as these kids who had nothing found infinitely more joy from simple boxes, but I digress. It was a Christmas we'd never forget––it was wonderful.

A few months later, those three would leave us before the agency matched us with a sibling group of four we'd eventually adopt. Still, I will never forget our first Christmas as parents.

Christmas is often a mixed bag for folks. 

For a kid, that might only revolve around Santa coming through or discovering he's just your mom armed with a Sears catalog. For adults, it becomes more complex.

Loved ones die, family dynamics get weird, and the stress often goes to eleven. Our Christmas was a struggle-bus this year, and yours might've been, too. But whether it was good or bad, hard or sad, BEST DAY EVER or one you're ready to forget, a word:

Look to the manger and see a young couple with all sorts of hopes and dreams in front of them change in an instant when they welcome the newborn King. 

I know they didn’t have Target registries back then, but think about it––their whole life and all their plans changed. Wedding showers turned into baby showers as they discovered they’d be raising the Son of God...no pressure, right?

Look to that newborn King who'd live perfectly, die sacrificially, and rise victoriously. Look to that risen King, and remember He is coming again. 

He is Immanuel, as prophesied in Isaiah, announced in Matthew 1, and repeated by Himself in Matthew 28, GOD WITH US. He’s with us in this good Christmases, He’s with us in those not so good Christmases––good days, bad days, and everything in between.

Look at a mirror and know that that King loves you and cares deeply about  you. He knows what you’re going through, and you matter to Him. 

Whether that’s something seemingly silly like a Jets uniform or something heavier like the loss of a loved one, He cares.

Look at your feet and remember Jesus has given you a mission to tell a lost, hurting, and dying world that He loves them and will save them if they turn to Him in faith.

We have today.

Every day and every Christmas you've had is now in the past. We don't know what tomorrow holds or even if we'll have another Christmas, but we have today. Live it in the King's service, and make disciples as you go, wherever you go.

Go with Him into this day, and the next, and everyday thereafter and make disciples. You’ll always have good days and bad days, just as there are good Christmases and bad Christmases, but you can never go wrong staying on mission.