#kyle is absolutely savage

[mikichko]

The thing about Fuerzas Especiales (Mexican Special Forces) is that you know not to be wary of the masked men. It's the ones whose faces are bare and out for the world to see that have you cautious. The ones who truly have no tether and absolutely nothing holding them back.

So when you meet the 141 you’re not worried about Ghost. You’ve handled men like him before. Maybe not to this degree or stature, but close enough.

It’s Gaz who makes you pause. Stopping mid-step before you regain your composure and properly out-stretch your hand to shake his.

You've seen that look in his eyes before. Not on him, but your comrades. The few men who teeter on the edge, desperately trying to figure out if they'll be rule breakers or enforcers. If they'll be a blind executioner or if they'll learn to judge too. All while the battle rages on, chipping at their resolve. Soon enough, they'll show if they're truly as morally righteous as they think themselves to be. Those men, they're the ones that worry you.

You know how masked men will act. Understand that they'll carry themselves differently and act differently because of the anonymity and detachment that their masks provide. Especially from the unspeakable acts they carry out.

But people like him? Who show themselves bare? Owning the savage actions they commit, regardless of the way they teeter? Yeah, men like Kyle Garrick terrify you.

[thisisyourdriverspeaking]

In honour of Indycar being back this weekend, here is US racing tunes (every drivers racing number). Enjoy 😊

Helio Castoneves (10th May 1975) - The Blackbyrds - Walking In Rhythm

Takuma Sato (28th January 1977) - Al Green - Keep Me Cryin'

Katherine Legge (12th July 1980) - Queen - Play The Game

Scott Dixon (22nd July 1980) - Jermaine Jackson - Let's Get Serious

Ryan Hunter-Reay (17th December 1980) - Harry Chapin - Sequel

Will Power (1st March 1981) - Stevie Wonder - I Ain't Gonna Stand For It

Ed Carpenter (3rd March 1981) - Barbra Streisand & Barry Gibb - What Kind Of Fool

Romain Grosjean (17th April 1986) - Simply Red - Holding Back The Years

Marco Andretti (13th March 1987) - Billy Joel - This Is The Time

Colin Braun (22nd September 1988) - Bruce Hornsby - Look Out Any Window

Graham Rahal (4th January 1989) - Duran Duran - I Don't Want Your Love

Tristian Vautier (22nd August 1989) - Bad English - Forget Me Not

Agustin Canapino (19th January 1990) - Michael Penn - No Myth

Marcus Ericsson (2nd September 1990) - Brother Beyond - The Girl I Used To Know

Josef Newgarden (22nd December 1990) - Madonna - Justify My Love

Alexander Rossi (25th September 1991) - Michael Bolton - Time, Love and Tenderness

Felix Rosenqvist (7th November 1991) - K.M.C Kru - The Devil Came Up To Michigan

Conor Daly (15th December 1991) - Karyn White - Romantic

Kyle Larson (31st July 1992) - Sophie B.Hawkins - Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover

Jack Harvey (15th April 1993) - P.M Dawn - Looking Through Patient Eyes

Scott McLaughlin (10th June 1993) - H-Town - Knockin' Da Boots

Tom Blomqvist (30th November 1993) - Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince - Boom! Shake The Room

Luca Ghiotto (24th February 1995) - 69 Boyz - Kitty Kitty

Pietro Fittipaldi (25th June 1996) - Michael Jackon - They Don't Care About Us

Alex Palou (1st April 1997) - 702 - Get It Together

Santino Ferrucci (31st May 1998) - Madonna - Frozen

Kyle Kirkwood (19th October 1998) - Savage Garden - Truly Madly Deeply

Callum Ilott (11th November 1998) - Jennifer Paige - Crush

Linus Lundqvist (26th March 1999) - TLC - No Scrubs

Pato O'Ward (6th May 1999) - Busta Rhymes ft Janet Jackson - What's It Gonna Be?

Colton Herta (30th March 2000) - Whitney Houston - I Learned It From The Best

Christian Rasmussen (29th June 2000) - Nine Days - Absolutely (Story Of A Girl)

Marcus Armstrong (29th July 2000) - Ruff Endz - No More

Rinus Veekay (11th September 2000) - Jagged Edge - Let's Get Married

Christian Lundgaard (23rd July 2001) - Babyface - There She Goes

Sting Ray Robb (3rd September 2001) - Dido - Thank You

David Malukas (27th September 2001) - Fuel - Bad Day

Theo Pourchaire (20th August 2003) - Matchbox Twenty - Unwell

Kyffin Simpson (9th October 2004) - Nelly ft Jaheim - My Place

Nolan Siegel (8th November 2004) - Maroon 5 - She Will Be Loved

All added to this playlist 😊

[kit-walk3r]

The Evans as Ghostface

What each of the Evans would be like as Ghostface from Scream

Warnings: mentions of blood, gore and violence

*Spoilers for the Scream franchise*

Tate

The most obvious Ghostface

Masked killer already? Check ✅

He’d think he was killing people to protect those he loved (aka Violet)

His kills would be pretty quick, like a couple of quick stabs and that’s it. They’d be quite messy though

Unless it was someone who had physically hurt Violet, then they would get a drawn out more painful death

He’d love doing the phonecalls and would be absolutely savage. He’d definitely say things like “hang up on me again and I’ll gut you like a fish” and “I’m gonna slit your eyelids in half so you don’t blink when I stab you in the face” (actual Scream quotes)

When it comes to the reveal he just cries

Would definitely fall over a lot when trying to chase people

Kit

Okay I’m cheating here but I refuse to believe that Kit would ever become Ghostface

Instead he’d be everyone’s number 1 suspect, like how everyone thinks he’s Bloodyface

He’d be the final boy instead of the killer. He’d be the Dewey Riley but more competent lol

Kyle

Kyle would be the Charlie Walker of the Evans: manipulated into doing all the killing

Poor Kyle would just be doing as he was told, he doesn’t know any better

Definitely the muscle

Doesn’t do any of the phonecalls though

He would be the most brutal Ghostface, we’re talking Olivia level kills. Messy, blood everywhere, dead body absolutely massacred

He would probably get the Charlie Walker treatment and be killed by his partner and then framed as the sole killer :(

Jimmy

Unpopular opinion?? Jimmy is one of the Evans most likely to become Ghostface

He’d do it for the freaks to protect them, similar to Tate but not as deluded since his victims do actually pose a threat to his family as opposed to just being like a school bully

He’s quick. Very much gives off Scream 5 vibes with the quick stabs to the neck

The first kill wouldn’t be planned, it would be in a fit of rage like how he killed the cop, but after that he gets the idea that he can protect the freaks by taking out those who could hurt them

If he had to have an accomplice it would be Amazon Eve but he’d rather do it alone to avoid getting any of the freaks in trouble if they got caught

Maybe his reveal would be that he hands himself in? Maybe there’s a Meep situation and one of the freaks is framed as the killer so he hands himself over to protect them

Jimmy’s not like other Ghostfaces. He’s not necessarily ‘evil’, he’s just seen the shit he and his fellow freaks have had thrown at them and wants to stop that from happening anymore

James

Hear me out: James wouldn’t be a good Ghostface, or at least not when it comes to the killing

He wouldn’t really see the point in concealing his identity

He wouldn’t really have any sort of motive, he’d just do it for fun

He’d do great phonecalls, but it would be so obvious it was him from his dialect

Honestly he’d be a great Ghostface mastermind, like he’d probably be the best one out of the Evans, but he wouldn’t really see the point in dressing up in a costume to do the murders so he’d be a Ghostface mastermind but not actually Ghostface

He just gives people tips and instructions

Rory

Rory would love the theatrics of getting to be Ghostface since he’s an actor

But the thing about Rory is that he would not be able to keep it a secret that he was Ghostface

He would accidentally announce it in an interview or something

His motive would be something stupid like people not giving him roles. It would be people like casting directors, producers and other actors who ‘stole’ roles from him who were his victims

Would he try and get Audrey involved? Potentially

He’d have a lot of fun doing the phonecalls but would probably out himself as Ghostface over the phone too

“You stole the role of ___ from me you little bitch” … “Rory is that you?” “Fuck”

His reveal was be very over the top (if he didn’t accidentally reveal himself before) but after his monologue he’d stop and ask if it was good or if they wanted him to try it again in a different way

Kai

Masked killer already? Check ✅

Heard of the cult of Ghostface theory? Yeah, he’d be the leader

He would have an incredible reveal, although probably not much of a surprise

He’d have great one liners

Gives off big Billy Loomis vibes

Would probably be in charge of the phonecalls and would maybe leave the killings to the others for them to prove themselves

Unless it was a big person they were planning to kill, then he would get the others to bring them to him and he’d kill them himself

When he’s killing it’s slow and torturous

Mr Gallant

He’d be a follower, not the mastermind

Agrees to go along with the Ghostface plan but doesn’t think it will get as violent as it does, he just thought it would be a bit of fun

Only wanted to do the phonecalls

He only kills one person and it’s similar to how he killed his nana, he’s made to think it’s someone else

He doesn’t want to go along with the Ghostface plan anymore so he decides he’s going to kill his partner and end it. They’re out and his partner is planning to kill someone. Gallant sees someone in the Ghostface costume and, thinking it’s his partner, stabs them a bunch of times

Surprise, it’s not his partner but is instead just an innocent person wearing the same costume

Austin

Him and Belle are basically already a Ghostface duo

The most iconic Ghostface

His Ghostface would come with musical numbers

He’d definitely end up singing the phonecalls

Motive? There’s no real motive besides the craving for blood. He just uses the costume for dramatic flare ✨

Kills would be messy but it wouldn’t matter because he’d be drinking the blood afterwards

Peter

Struggling to think of why this lil’ bean would want to kill anyone but if he were to it would be under his dad’s influence and would be to do with mutant rights

Erik and Peter Ghostface duo? Would be iconic

He’d be a great Ghostface because he’s so quick, no one would see him coming

Bit boring though because there would be no chases since people wouldn’t even have the chance to run

His speed might actually give him away as Ghostface so he would probably have to slow it down

If he’s using his mutation then the kills are quick and clean but if he’s slowed down then they’re a bit more bloody

•———•

I’m open for requests!

[brckentales]

hey there! this is a multimuse rp blog, that features characters from various fandoms —— ranging from dc, marvel, a song of ice and fire, disney, and more —— with more to come later!

crossover friendly & encouraged. the writer is 18+, and i ask anyone who follows to be an adult as well, as this blog will feature mature and possibly dead dove themes, including heavy adult content, so please bare that in mind.

i'm also completely open to writing on discord, if that's your preference! my pms are very much open whenever, for plotting or chatting or whatever.

also, this pinned post and everything else is mostly temporary. i'll be working on making everything look nicer as i go along!

under the cut, i’ll include a few things, including my muse list, some muses / characters i’m looking for to write opposite with, and a few other details for rp!

my messages are always open, feel free to dm!

WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR

i'm open to most kinda plots and pairings, open to any themes and ideas, we can discuss whatever tbh. i don't have any real limits here.

WHO I PLAY

there’s a more detailed muse list below, but honestly? i can play most any male character tbh, whatever fits the plot or pairing we go for! i can do canons, crossovers, or ocs —— it's all a yes from me! feel free to suggest someone who might not be on the list.

MUSE LIST

again, i’m pretty flexible and can write some characters outside of this, whether canon or oc, so feel free to suggest anything, this is more just for inspiration, tbh.

DC

Heroes / Anti-heroes: Batman / Bruce Wayne, Nightwing / Dick Grayson, Red Robin / Tim Drake, Robin / Damian Wayne, Signal / Duke Thomas, Batman Beyond / Terry McGinnis, Green Lantern / Kyle Rayner, The Flash / Wally West, Impulse / Bart Allen, Green Arrow / Oliver Queen, Green Arrow / Connor Hawke, Arsenal / Roy Harper, Aquaman / Arthur Curry, Aqualad / Kaldurah'm, Superboy / Conner Kent, Superman / Jon Kent, Cyborg / Victor Stone, Booster Gold, Hawkman / Carter Hall, Swamp Thing, Jimmy Olsen

Villains: Deathstroke / Slade Wilson, Deadshot / Floyd Lawton, Black Adam, Vandal Savage, Scarecrow, Flashpoint Batman / Thomas Wayne, Bane, Reverse-Flash / Eobard Thawne, Black Manta, Lobo, The Penguin / Oswald Cobblepot, Joker

MARVEL

Heroes / Anti-heroes: Daredevil / Matt Murdock, Punisher / Frank Castle, Spider-Man / Miles Morales, Spider-Man 2099 / Miguel O'Hara, Spider-Man Noir, Cyclops / Scott Summers, Wolverine, Archangel / Warren Worthington, Human Torch / Johnny Storm, Deadpool / Wade Wilson, Luke Cage, Winter Soldier / Bucky Barnes, Nick Fury

Villains: Magneto / Erik Lensherr, Green Goblin / Norman Osborn, Green Goblin / Harry Osborn, Doctor Doom / Victor von Doom, Bullseye, Kingpin / Wilson Fisk

A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE

Game of Thrones era: Jaime Lannister, Joffrey Baratheon

House of the Dragon era: Aemond Targaryen, Jacaerys Velaryon, Gwayne Hightower

BEN 10

Ben Tennyson, Kevin Levin, Albedo

AVATAR

Zuko, Mako, Sokka, Ozai

DISNEY

Peter Pan, Kuzco, Phineas Flyn, Olaf, Claude Frollo, Captain Hook, Dash Parr, Alfredo Linguini, Horst (Ratatouille)

MISC. ANIMATION

Numbuh Four (KND), Fred Jones (Scooby-Doo), Roger Rabbit, Daffy Duck, Wirt (Over the Garden Wall), Alejandro (Total Drama)

VIDEO GAMES

Genji (Overwatch), Javier Escuella (Red Dead Redemption)

WHO I’M LOOKING FOR

now here's the main gist of of what i'm looking for! if you can play any of the following characters, i would absolutely love it!

DC

Cheshire / Jade Nguyen, Artemis Crock (from Young Justice), Yara Flor, Lois Lane, Donna Troy, Wonder Woman, Talia al Ghul, Black Canary / Dinah Lance, Zatanna, Ravager / Rose Wilson, Huntress / Helena Bertinelli, Jessica Cruz / Green Lantern, Poison Ivy, Star Sapphire / Carol Ferris, Punchline, Supergirl, Spoiler, Lian Harper, Catwoman / Selina Kyle (Comics or Zoe Kravitz), Barbara Gordon / Batgirl, Dawn Granger (Titans TV), Starfire, Lilith Clay, Hawkgirl, Lady Shiva, Mera, Sofia Falcone (Reevesverse), some Arrowverse girls (Iris West, Sara Lance, Thea Queen, Laurel Lance)

MARVEL

Elektra Natchios, Psylocke, Jean Grey, Emma Frost, Rogue, Kate Bishop, Lorna Dane, Susan Storm, Sersi, Felicia Hardy, Gwen Stacy / Spider-Gwen, Wanda, Laura Kinney, Black Widow, Wanda Maximoff, Danvers (MCU), Mary Jane Watson, Hope van Dyne (MCU), Claire Temple (MCU), Agatha Harkness (MCU), Gamora

OVERWATCH

Ashe or Kiriko

FINAL FANTASY 7

Tifa Lockhart, Aerith Gainsborough, Jessie Rasberry

RED DEAD REDEMPTION

Abigail Roberts, Sadie Adler, Mary-Beth Gaskill

STAR WARS

Leia or Rey

A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE (GAME OF THRONES / HOUSE OF THE DRAGON)

Daenerys Targaryen, Cersei Lannister, Margaery Tyrell, Melisandre, Alicent Hightower, Rhaenyra Targaryen, Helaena Targaryen, Visenya I Targaryen, Alys Rivers

AVATAR

Azula, Suki

DISNEY

Kim Possible or Shego, Colette (Ratatouille), Cinderella (Disney), Jasmine, Tinker Bell, Elsa, Rapunzel

DISNEY / NICK SITCOMS

Teddy Duncan (Good Luck, Charlie), Alex Russo (Wizards), Carly Shay (iCarly), Tori / Trina / Jade (Victorious), Sharpay Evans / Gabriella Montez (High School Musical)

TOTAL DRAMA

Heather, Gwen, Courtney

LIFE IS STRANGE

Max Caulfield, Chloe Price, Juliet Watson, Dana Ward, Kate Marsh, Loretta Rice

BEN 10

Gwen Tennyson (Alien Force version or older only), Ester, Charmcaster

MISC. ANIMATION / GAMING

Daphne Blake (Scooby-Doo), Ellie Williams (The Last of Us), Lara Croft (Tomb Raider), Jessica Rabbit (Who Framed Roger Rabbit?)

MISC. LIVE ACTION

Starlight / Annie January (The Boys), Betty Cooper (Riverdale), Yennefer of Vengerberg (The Witcher show)

CELEBRITIES

Margot Robbie, Megan Fox, Gemma Chan, Madison Beer, Anne Hathaway, Anya Chalotra, Victoria Pedretti, Jessica Chastain, Emeraude Taubia, Jenna Dewan, Candice Patton, Sydney Sweeney, Alice Eve, Caity Lotz, Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner, Olivia Wilde, Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens, Taylor Swift, Dua Lipa, Conor Leslie, Minka Kelly, Alejandra Guilmant, Kennedy Walsh, Olivia Rodrigo, Hailey Bieber, Doja Cat, Hailee Steinfeld, Dakota Johnson, Corinna Kopf, Florence Pugh, Lili Reinhart, Ariana Grande, Scarlet Johansson, Bridget Mendler, Madelyn Cline, Sabrina Carpenter, Anya Taylor-Joy, Jenna Ortega, Olivia Cooke, Zoe Kravitz

[wqbytop100]

WQBY

Top 150 for the week ending April 21, 2024

Weight Of the World --Bonnie X Clyde -2 [1] -10w-

Jet Plane --R3HAB, VIZE, JP Cooper -1 [1] -13w-

Young & Foolish --Loud Luxury feat/Charlieonafriday -7 [3] -17w-

Sleep Tonight (This Is The Life) --Switch Disco, R3HAB, Sam Feldt -8 [4] -6w-

Reckless Child --Milky Chance -6 [5] -12w-

Make Me Your Mrs. --Mae Stephens -3 [3] -7w-

When I Wake Up --Lucas & Steve, Skinny Days -4 [4] -12w-

Before You Go --Seeb -9 [8] -7w-

What If We Met --Ali Gatie -10 [9] -6w-

Lighter --Galantis, David Guetta, 5 Seconds of Summer -15 [10] -4w-

Monster --A7S, ALOK -5 [4] -7w-

Low Again --Bakermat -14 [14] -10w-

Kissing Strangers -USHER -12 [12] -11w-

Outlaw Love --Brooke Eden (Dave Aude Remix) -11 [1] -9w-

Waterslides --Tiesto, Rudimental, Absolutely -16 [15] -12w-

Lonely Dancers --Conan Gray -13 [13] -10w-

Feel This Way --Victoria Nadine, R3HAB -23 [17] -6w-

Without You --Disco Fries, Lavish Life -24 [18] -6w-

Slide Out --Life on Planets -17 [8] -10w-

Beat of Your Love --Ownboss, LAWRENT feat/Ekko -25 [20] -6w-

Love & Pain --Enrique Iglesias -65 [21] -2w-

She's on My Mind --Romy -19 [1]

The Afterhours --Kyle Watson -18 [9] -9w-

Never Be Friends --Jost, Minogue -22 [1]

Hell Together --David Archuleta -34 [25]

One, Two & 3 --Galantis -36 [26]

Cutting Loose --Disco Lines, J. Worra, Anabel Englund -29 [27]

Houdini --Dua Lipa -21 [2]

Dirty Desire -Vicetone -20 [5]

Anyone --Margan Page -28 [2]

The Moves --NEIKED, Muni Long, Nile Rodgers -35 [31 -2w-

Electricity --FAST BOY, R3HAB -37 [32]

Weak --Vintage Culture, Maverick Sabre, Tom Breu -26 [1]

Save You A Seat --Alex Warren -39 [34]

Monster --Don Diablo, Felix Jaehn -40 [35] -2w-

One On One --Robin Schulz, Oaks, Topic -41 [36] -2w-

Take A Moment --ATB, David Frank -42 [37] -10w-

Lil Tune --Gus Dapperton, Electric Guest -66 [38] -8w-

Do You Feel It --VAMERO, Cyril M. Mougleta -43 [39]

Triumph ---Bishop Briggs -45 [40]

Give Me --Will Clark, BURNS -27 [12] -10w-

I Don't Wanna Worry --NEEDTOBREATHE -30 [1]

Shipwreck --Mount Kimble -89 [43] -2w-

Mas Que Nada --Oliver Heldens, Ian Asher, Sergio Mendez -47 -2w- [44]

Murder on the Dancefloor --Sophie Ellis Bextor -44 [44]

Don't You Cry ---Sunday Scaries, Discrete -80 [46]

***Heaven Or Not --Diplo, Riva Starr, Kareem Lomax -(new) [47]

Everybody Knows I'm High --SHAED -48 [48]

Forever (Stay Like This) --Armin Van Buuren -49 [47]

We Ain't Good At Breaking Up --Brothers Osborne -51 [50]

Fire --Alan Walker, YUQI, JVKE, (G)I-DLE -50 [26]

Loose Ends --Lucas Estrada, Syn Cole -88 [52]

***Same Drunk --Walker Hayes -(new) [53]

Lie To Me --Jubel, KIDDO -46 [46]

Close Your Eyes --Lucas Estrada, Tribbs, Stephen Puth -52 [7]

You're Hired --NEIKED, Ayra Starr -31 [1]

Spicy Margarita --Jason Derulo, Michael Bublé -53 [7]

Mr. Useless --Shygirl, SG Lewis -32 [17]

Graveyard --A R I Z O N A (Shoffy Remix) -38 [5]

Texas Hold 'Em - Beyonce -33 [17] -8w-

Kill Anyone --Two Feet, Ari Abdul -57 [11]

It's Love (If We Get It Right) --Anthony Russo -54 [3]

Some Kind Of Static --Neil Francis, Alan Braxe -113 [63] -8w-

I Got Time --Brittney Spencer -63 [49]

Underwater --Dubvision, Afrojack -71 [60] -8w-

Home --CamelPhatt, RHODE (Vintage Culture Remix) -68 [65] -7w-

You Know It --Gorgon City -75 [61] -7w-

Me Before You --Bleachers -119 [88] -8w-

Yes, And? --Ariana Grande -56 [19]

Fantasy --Cosmo's Midnight feat/Frank Moody -128 [70] -9w-

Can't Stop Us --Regard -72 [70]

Bad Blood --Theresa Rex -55 [20]

Count Me Out --Vicetone, Emily Falvey -73 [71]

In Your Arms --Jes Bays, Jem Cooke -74 [62] -7w-

Kettle's Up --Mahmut Orhan, Axelax, Botan -76 [73] -6w-

Soultrain --Triplism, Nandu, Radeckt -77 [68] -6w-

Out Loud --Cage the Elephant -81 [77] -6w-

Lose Control --Teddy Swims -83 [78]

Karma --JoJo Siwa -90 [79]

Addicted --Zerb, The Chainsmokers feat/INK -85 [78]

All Fckd Up --Kapuzen -59 [9]

One On One --The Knocks, Sofi Tukker -58 [1]

Both --Tiesto, 21 Savage, BIA -60 [4]

Flex --Tony Dark Eyes -61 [20]

Feels Like Us --GT_OFICE, ALWZ SNNY, Robbie Rosen -62 [6]

Me Voy Acostumbrando --Enrique Iglesias -87 [86]

Level Up --Wolfgang Gartner, Scrufzzer -86 [86]

Anthem --Diplo, Shram, Pony -107 [94] -6w-

Regret The Morning --SILK, Mali-Koa -108 [95] -6w-

Love Me --INNA -109 [96] -6w-

Come With Me --Claptone -106 [87] -6w-

Everything You Do --AFROKI, Afrojack, Steve Aoki, Aviella -114 [91] -6w-

ADHD --Mae Stephens -84 [54]

Beautiful Things --Benson Boone -64 [63] -8w-

Rusty --Layto -67 [50]

Raccoons --Caravan Palace -69 [51] -7w-

Progressive Heart --Pat Premier (Dave Aude Remix) -70 [59] -7w-

Heart Still Beating --Nathan Dawe, Bebe Rexha -78 [2]

Diamond Therapy --Diplo, Walker & Royce, Channel Tres -79 [6]

Dizzy --Sick Individuals, LOUI LANE -82 [48]

***Business As Usual --Eliza Rose, MJ Cole (Night Shift Mix) -(new)

My Favorite Drug --Justin Timberlake -141 [102]

20 Something --Jessica Baio -91 [91]

Lil Freak --bbno$ -145 [104]

My Body --Illusionize, Y&M -103 [86] -6w-

***The Weekend --Anti-Up -(new)

***Good As It Gets --Blanco Brown -(new)

Never Ending Song --Conan Gray -144 [108]

Cutting Through the Country --Medium Build -102 [89] -6w-

Dreams --Ali Farben, Maurice Lessing, Emma Wells -120 [92] -8w

***MIne --Michael Gerow -(new)

Sweet Love --Myles Smith -142 [112]

***Keep Your Head Up --We Are Messengers -(new)

***I Hate You In The Morning --Otha -(new)

Human Nature --Yot Club -143 [115]

Kiss Me Better --Julie Bergan -122 [116] -6w-

Say It Right --Dubdogs, Farfetch'd -112 [65] -9w-

***In The Cards --Jamie Miller -(new)

She --Karin Ann (Benny Benassi Remix) -111 [94] -7w-

Fire In My Soul --Yulia Niko, Carn Crua -118 [118]

Need Your Love --Ikay Sencan, KALUMA, Adam Woods -125 [121] -6w-

Good For You --Dimitri Vegas, Chapter & Verse, Goodboys -123 [61]

Without Your Love --Deorro, TELYKAST, Catello -129 [123] -6w-

Can i Have This Groove --Kenyon Dixon -126 [121]

Outside Of Love --Becky Hill -131 [125]

Higher Ground --Purple Disco Machine, Roosevelt -132 [126]

Nothing Ever Changes --Vintage Culture, MAGNUS -133 [127]

Next Years Light ---Elliot Moss -92 [24]

Good In Goodbye --Frank Walker, Trivecta -93 [10]

Life Goes On --HU -96 [85] -6w-

Premeditated --FETISH -97 [81] -6w-

Broken By You --Alexander Stewart -95 [82]

No Reason --The Chemical Brothers Chris Lake Remix) -94 [31]

More Baby --Chris Lake, Aluna -100 [5]

Never Be Lonely --Jax Jones, Zoe Wees -130 [84] -10w-

Mirrors --Caravan Palace -124 [73]

Space --Shance Codd -110 [82]

Gravity --Matt Hansen -116 [111]

Lift Off --Dombresky -101 [13]

How Do I Say Goodbye --Adventure Club, Delaney Jane -104 [58]

You --Svidden, Seeb -98 [2]

U Miss Me --Vicetone -99 [1]

Sorry Ain't Enough --Michael Gerow -115 [52]

I Still Believe --Lecrae, forKing & Country -117 [112]

Body Moving --Eliza Rose X Calvin Harris -121 [43]

The Pussy Song --Ken the Man --135 [95]

Powerful Women --Pitbull, Dolly Parton -136 [15] -9w-

Purple Irises --Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton -137 [28]

Shine Love In --Jai Piccone, 1tbsp -146 [146]

Might Just --Walker & Royce, James Patterson -140 [93]

4.21.24

[debbiechanclub]

AO3 is down so I finally finished reading over here. I take my time, sorry. So Finlay is endgame huh? Nellie and David make sense. She seems more secure with him than the others. David just knows what he wants so I'm glad she finally found herself a real man that's gonna lock it down. Jay missed out and I hope it's killing him that she's with David. Now Riley...he really can't do anything right. Kissing her when she was sad and drunk was a big no-no. Nellie stepping over his stuff was SAVAGE. I'm already rooting for evil Nellie 😈

No worries!!! Thank you SO much for reading and taking your time to send this. I know AO3 is down, but I've been thinking in the back of my head that people haven't said much to me about this fic because they lowkey hate what I've done 😅 So this means a lot to me. But yes, David is endgame. And while I'm not gonna sit here and lie that my own personal bias toward him had absolutely nothing to do with that decision, a lot of thought actually went into it. And since you sent this ask, I'm gonna go through and explain individually why all of Nellie's other love interests just weren't it for anyone who may be wondering! (And reveal just how different things could have turned out 😅)

Okay so first up: Jay. There was a point in time where Jay was endgame. You remember that teaser scene I posted where someone is reluctantly congratulating Nellie for being engaged? Jay put the ring there (and Zack was the person speaking). And to be perfectly honest, if I had finished this fic before Jay lost the IWGP title and left NJPW for real, he probably would have remained endgame. But then he left, and I started thinking about how Nellie's whole life is in Japan, and how her career would really just be starting to take off right around when Jay left. And then I started thinking about how he really didn't treat her that well at all, and I realized her taking him back would have looked so spineless. And so I started looking elsewhere for Nellie's endgame.

Now, I still have to write Jay's arc, and there's still some stuff going on between him and Nellie in that. But she's definitely going to keep him at arm's length, and he's going to lowkey try to sabotage her getting together with David (which I alluded to a bit in the first flashback scene). So Jay and Nellie's story definitely isn't done as written yet.

Next up: Kyle. Like Jay, there was a (brief) moment in time where Kyle was endgame! HOWEVER. I base my fics as much in reality as possible re: schedules and real storylines/fueds, etc. And after Kyle and Nellie hookup in fall 2021, based on Kyle's actual schedule (as detailed on Cagematch; I fucking live on that site) and what I had in mind for Nellie, they don't see each other again for a whole ass year. And by the time they do see each other again, Nellie is already in the process of reconnecting with David. (Yes, reconnecting! They go on a date wayyy back in 2017 during Nellie's first trip to Japan, which I also have plans to write about.) And actually, Kyle plays a part in Nellie realizing she has feelings for David—which is yet another thing I plan to write about. (It might be a flashback scene in part 2, actually.)

But to sum up Kyle and Nellie: right person, wrong time. It really is kind of bittersweet. And I wrote a REALLY long scene establishing Kyle as endgame that I might just post as a bonus because I worked hard on it and like it and don't just want to scrap it.

Zack. There's honestly not much to say here. Zack and Nellie have hella chemistry, but they don't work as a couple (outside the bedroom 🤭). And that's basically the entire reason they don't get back together despite Zack being the only one of Nellie's love interests/exes who lives in Japan. He was never (seriously) considered to be an option for endgame (despite that Cruel Summer fic I wrote that I regret every time I remember it 🙃). I do plan on writing a bit about when they were together before they realized they weren't right for each other, though.

And last and maybe least. Riley. Riley was never endgame. (After the rewrite) He was never anything more than a casual ongoing hookup for Nellie before she got together with Zack. But like I've written, she has a soft spot for him because she pities him a bit, I think 😂 That being said, her stepping over his things on the way to the Bullet Club locker room was absolutely a deliberate choice on my part.

So yeah, there's my long-ass explainer, and I hope it helps anyone who may be thinking I just willy nilly threw Nellie together with David. And thank you again for reading and seeing my vision. It means more than you know 💖

[litcityblues]

'The Batman' --A Review

I watched this on a whim, really. It's not that I dislike Batman, it's just that after umpteen movies and reboots and relaunches and everything else, I couldn't possibly imagine what yet another Batman movie would have to offer me that's actually new.

I was quite happy to be proven wrong.

It's not often talked about, but you see it lurking on the covers of old-school Batman comics. "The World's Greatest Detective" it proclaims and after seven movies (I'm going from 1989 on- I know there were a few before that in various forms) at no point has anyone actually leaned into that concept in a hardcore way- until now.

Yes, The Batman is pretty much all about Batman (Robert Pattinson) getting his Detective skills on and trying to find out who murdered the Mayor of Gotham City, Don Mitchell Jr. (Rupert Percy-Jones) A previously unknown villain, calling himself The Riddler (Paul Dano) takes responsibility for the murder and, after Lt. James Gordan (Jeffrey Wright) summons Batman to the scene, it's revealed that The Riddler has left him a message. The next night, The Riddler strikes again, killing Commissioner Pete Savage (Alex Ferns) and leaving Batman another message.

Working with Gordan and Alfred (Andy Serkis) Batman begins to unravel the mystery The Riddler is providing- leading them to a trove of pictures of the former mayor in the company of a woman, Annika Kosolov (Hanna Hrzic) at the Iceberg Lounge, a nightclub run by Oswald Cobblepot (Colin Farrell) one of Mob Boss Carmine Falcone's (John Turturro) Lieutenants. Her roommate, Selina Kyle (Zoe Kravitz) also wants to know what happened to her, as she's missing.

The ring of corruption deepens, as Batman and Company discover that Savage was on Falcone's payroll as well as District Attorney Gil Colson- who is next to be kidnapped and sent to interrupt the funeral of the former mayor, Mitchell. The Riddler calls Colson's phone and threatens to detonate the bomb around his neck unless he can answer three riddles. Colson refuses to give up the name of the informant who took down former Mob boss Salvatore Maroni and is killed. Batman and Gordon initially think that the informant is the Penguin, but what they find- along with Annika's corpse is that Moroni's operation merely transferred to Falcone's control along with many corrupt Gotham City Officers helping out along the way.

Batman's past (because it can't be a Batman movie without talking about Batman's past) comes into view. Alfred is almost taken out by a letter bomb addressed to Bruce and The Riddler leaks evidence that Thomas Wayne hired Falcone to kill a journalist while he was running for Mayor- as revelations about Martha's family history of mental illness were about to be revealed. Alfred insists that Thomas only wanted the journalist silenced, not killed, and was going to turn himself in to the police and is convinced Falcone killed them both to keep them quiet.

The pieces come together quickly after that-- The Riddler strikes one final time before being unmasked and arrested, where he taunts Batman with the revelation of his final plan: the destruction of Gotham's sea wall and an attempt to kill the new Mayor-- Batman prevents one, but can only aid in the recovery efforts of the flood- but doing so, finds new purpose- to inspire hope in Gotham City.

Overall: Best Batman movie I've seen in years. I wasn't sure how I felt about Pattinson in the role as he seemed very emo in the previews, but he channels a ludicrous amount of intensity into it. This is a young Batman, just starting out on his superhero journey and he's learning and making mistakes and all of that is just refreshing as hell. The cast is excellent - Andy Serkis brings a new take to Alfred Pennyworth that works really, really well- I love it. Jeffrey Wright works perfectly as Lt. Gordon. Colin Farrell is incredible and absolutely unrecognizable as Oswald Cobblepot/The Penguin. But the best part about this movie is that it's shot and feels like a thriller and not a superhero movie. You could absolutely put this up against any number of thrillers and it would hold its own. A movie that is not weighed down by the superhero of it all and doesn't trip over its own cape? Now that's worth watching. My Grade: **** out of ****

[clydesdonovan]

It’s so mean but Kyle going absolutely savage in cow days is like one of my favorite kyle moments ever, he is a feral child

[comicsiswild]

Batman: Gotham Adventures (1998) #4

[padawanduck]

what’s wild to me about turner is that before the episode i could have seen the argument that there was no way to save joseph so it really was better for his game to go all in with these after party clowns for now.

and even if he legit was in on the alliance i’m pretty sure he wasn’t exposed to the same racist conspiracy theories to nearly the same extent that that michael was bc turner always shut kyle down when he tried to float turning on the pound. so he had some plausible deniability re:racism

but no he decides to make it crystal clear by saying some weird random racist comments about “savages” with some native american stereotypes for absolutely no reason

[vermiculated]

nonsense 2022

Holiday by Candlelight Laurel Greer

In Service of Love Laurel Greer

The Twelve Dogs of Christmas Lizzie Shane

The Christmas Egg Mary Kelly

The Owl Service Alan Garner

Get In Trouble Kelly Link

Envious Casca Georgette Heyer

From A Certain Point of View Renee Ahdieh et al

Home Martha Wells

The Christmas Card Crime and Other Stories Martin Edwards ed

The Mystery of the Meanest Teacher Ryan North and Derek Charm

An Iliad Lisa Peterson and Denis O'Hare

John Winchester/God:

Guilt is for everyone else. What are its constituent parts. Where does love come from, or honor. Understanding it doesn't help matters, not more than being able to wind a clock explains Duhem-Quine. Every last shred of existence is contingent upon his choices: stromatolites, hot water gushing in, pray to him in supplication exactly as does Julie Bernstein, embarrassed about telling her husband that she doesn't know how to change a tire. One-two-three-four-five, he speaks to them both.

Dean Winchester/choices he is not aware of making:

She and Dean meet, somewhat unbelievably, on the internet: Dean really did turn out pretty well for forty-two, since after all he had stayed out of the sun, mostly killing monsters at night, and had never taken up smoking in any serious way, and maybe his emails really killed with a certain type of woman, because Dean was pretty clearly going on a lot of dates and mentioned Zazie's house with the fifteen foot tall sunflowers, Ana's apartment with the mirror on the ceiling, and eventually, --

"Benny," Sam had repeated, like Dean habitually gave him anything other than exactly what he wanted to give.

"Beni."

Nolan Sorrento/her dead wife:

Nolan stages it so she's gracious, irrefutable, holy, killing floor blues. Halliday would have occupied the prow if she was still alive, but she's not, so. Suck cock about it, you absolute fucking bitch. Nolan smiles kindly at Zach.

"Mona would have loved this," Zach confesses, hands a little tight on the jackline for someone who claims to have attended Trinity. Nolan doesn't think he's made it up, she's good with the truth; some people are bad on boats. Yachts. Halliday is ridiculous. His hair curls around his ears and his jaw is sort of implausibly sharp, and he's wearing a silk tie. Nolan's always had a weakness for a nice silk tie, especially since nobody else on board is wearing one.

The Locked Tomb where instead of flirtatiously killing one another, they're like, really mean:

Cynthia tips her forehead forward; briefly, Owen thinks she's been shot. "Technically true," she concedes.

Owen tries not to feel grimy, salty, beleaguered. Over and done with it. They should have sent a marginally-talented diplomat, someone who could be unexpectedly competent in the moment and have nothing ever to live up to, who could be good at this part and nothing else. He is a class-A fake and the only reason he made it all the way here is that his templar has not, to date, thrown a wardrobe at him the way he had everyone else who tried it on.

Dick, Jason, Kyle, Clark, and Billy go undercover with Deadshot to take down General Zod and Vandal Savage. Bruce is also there:

"His life does suck," Jason says.

"He didn't get abducted because his life sucks," Dick says, with a really kind of inappropriate emphasis given that Billy's in the room. Dick's always harped on about how everyone grows up too fast these days, except guess who they have here, the literal man-child who won't ever grow up because they're all going to get murdered on an island.

Although. Where else is there to go. Their temporary prison -- Lawton's reliable in this, if only this -- is foam-lined, radiation-absorbent, screened for sound, and if it weren't so exclusively oriented to neutralizing Kyle, Jason would almost find it endearing. They're definitely going to die.

The Fast and the Furious in 1892:

It's dark in the stables and it's not something Dom really comprehends. He respects horses, he believes they can be understood, and he'll trust them at the races, but he doesn't. Love them. Affection is an opened window, a touch under an eye, the narrowing of Spilner's back into his trousers when Mia looks out from her visor and bothers to notice. She would be a dozen times better in this moment, Dom is aware, yet she is not, safely home, while Dom is here. Hands clenched around nothing, empty heart, the new fellow looking at him like he has answers. What's the next step after breaking into the Trans' stables and talking to the horses? The one nearest, and Dom doesn't even guess, maybe it breeds true, maybe it's a gelding, perhaps what lives in the night doesn't come out, bleached black, what a thought, his breath catches.

"That a Thoroughbred?"

[barbarian15]

"Yesterday, while delivering highly charged testimony during his homicide trial, Kyle Rittenhouse broke down sobbing while retelling the events that led to his shooting and killing two people during the Jacob Blake riots last year.

This was the response from Merriam-Webster, a 190-year-old U.S. corporation":

""The implication is obvious: Merriam-Webster believes that Kyle Rittenhouse was putting on some sort of performative display of emotion in order to sway the jury during the trial—that his tears were an effort at insincere emotional manipulation and that he deserves everyone's contempt for it.

Two responses come to mind. The first is that, even if he were so inclined, Kyle Rittenhouse would not actually need to manipulate the jury during his trial. He is plainly innocent of the charges; the trial itself is obviously just a sham affair, and even the prosecution seems to have realized that its case against the young man is in absolute tatters. Rittenhouse is essentially guaranteed to walk; no fake tears would even be necessary.

Perhaps more importantly, Merriam-Webster's disgraceful, viciously cruel tweet is a sign of a cultural rot so deep and so comprehensive that it is hard to imagine we can ever come back from it.

Kyle Rittenhouse has suffered, and is continuing to suffer, far beyond the ability of most people to comprehend. His own public anguish is completely understandable and should be cause for mass sympathy and compassion. Instead, we have a major corporation gleefully ridiculing him, deriding him at his most vulnerable and miserable, and all to gleeful and ecstatic cheers from countless followers":

"This is not normal and it is not healthy. It is not a sign that our culture is degrading; it is a sign that our culture has already degraded, perhaps irrevocably, and that it will only continue to get worse.

I don't know how to fix this. But a good place to start would be refusing to take part in the kind of savage, unhinged political discourse that marks so much of online life these days. Be better than that. Be better than Merriam-Webster."

[9worldstales]

In reply to this post @woodelf68 said:

The jr. novel having Thor say that Loki stole the throne twice is ridiculous. He was lawfully given the throne when Odin was Sleeping and Thor banished, as he was next in line of the succession. And he offered the throne to Thor in TDW and Thor refused it! What was he going to do, abandon Asgard? Loki was the one who stepped up and took on the burden of rule, and yet got none of the credit. And Thor was the ‘savage, chaotic, lawless’ one when he stormed Jotunheim, breaking the peace treaty and gleefully slaughtering Frost Giants. The only time that description fit Loki was after he’d been tortured and was under the influence of the Mind Stone.

My apologies if I reply to you in a separate post but this got too long for the comments...

I’ll try to keep this as impartial and objective as I can, please, everyone, forgive me if I fail.

For start, oh yes, you’re absolutely right, as I said the whole bit of the junior novel contains canon mistakes in regard to both Thor and Loki.

Going in order:

Thor never demanded the throne, the throne was ALWAYS meant to be given to him by Odin, nor he refused it when Asgard needed him the most. He refused it when Asgard just won the war against the Dark Elves and, after Thor refused it, Asgard went through 4 years of peace. Things got worse only because Hela came back after 4 years, something no one had an idea would happen except Odin.

As for Loki yeah, the first time in “Thor” he ABSOLUTELY didn’t steal the throne. He was also a heir to it and with Thor banished for something Thor did (I’ve a long meta digging into how it was Thor who caused his own banishment if someone is in doubt about it) he was the next in line and rightful heir to it. There was ABSOLUTELY no stealing of the throne in a cut scene we see Frigga herself telling so to a surprised Loki.

Loki: What hope is there for Thor? Frigga: There's always a purpose to everything your father does. Thor may yet find a way home. Loki looks troubled by the revelation. He rises, heads for the exit, when they hear the clatter of ARMORED FOOTSTEPS hurriedly approaching. THE EINHERJAR GUARD Enter the room, block his way out. Loki tenses, prepared for the worst, but the guards just stand before them. Loki is baffled. Frigga: (cont’d) Thor is banished. The line of succession falls to you. Until he awakens, Asgard is yours.

And it’s worth to mention Thor accepted Loki as the one inheriting the throne. When Loki tells him the burden of the throne has fallen on him, Thor doesn’t say ‘no, nope, the throne is mine’. He just asks if, since his brother is now in charge HE CAN COME HOME. He doesn’t ask for the throne he just wants to come home. And when Loki tells him nope, Thor doesn’t accuse him of stealing the throne either, he accepts it.

It’s also worth to remember Loki had no idea they would pass the throne to him when Odin fell into Odinsleep. As it apparently happened before, likely Frigga took regency in those moments and Loki had no idea Odin would fall into Odinsleep back then anyway. There was no plotting whatsoever for Loki to take the throne. The movie and the side-material make clear Loki never expected the throne to pass to him, when he let the Frost Giants in Asgard, he merely aimed to stall the coronation for a bit longer.

“Thor: The Dark World” is actually a bit more controversial. Loki has been sentenced by Odin to lifelong imprisonment. This implies he has lost the rights to the throne so he’s no more a legitimate heir to it (in the comic “Thor: The Dark World Prelude” n° 2 written by Yost (scriptwriter for “Thor: The Dark World Prelude” and Kyle) which was likely written prior to Joss Whedon writing the scene for the meeting between Loki and Odin in “Thor: The Dark World” whcih was later added into the movie, Odin even rejects him as a son, telling him the boy he knew is dead and what remains is a creature he doesn’t recognize and calls him ‘Loki Laufeyson’).

The moment Loki takes Odin’s place, he technically steals the throne.

Yes, he offers it to Thor, which implies he didn’t plan to keep it, but it wasn’t his to offer in the first place and although Odin always meant to make Thor the next king (and in the first ending of the movie it’s implied that’s what he would do as soon as Thor was back in good shape) he had no idea if he meant to make him the next king right then.

What’s more he doesn’t return it to Odin when Thor refuses it. So, since Loki wasn’t anymore a legitimate heir and the throne wasn’t his to take yes, in this case he stole it from Odin, not from Thor because Thor refused it.

Now yeah, I know Feige left open the possibility that Thor refused due to what Loki said to him in the guise of Odin…

Feige: That last scene needed to work for people watching the movie for the first time, who believed that it’s Odin talking to Thor, and then the surprise, but it also needs to work a second and third time. Why is Odin saying those things? Why is Loki saying those things to Thor? They’re very nice things, they’re very caring things, that he says to him. Is it partly because he loves his brother? I like to think so. Is it also because that’s what his brother needs… to leave? Perhaps. [“Kevin Feige: It was always the plan to have Loki have a redemptive death. It was always planned that he wouldn’t really be gone.”]

But this is the first exchange Thor and ‘Odin’ had in the movie after Thor returns:

Odin: You once said there would never be a wiser king than me. You were wrong. The Alignment has brought all the realms together. Every one of them saw you offer your life to save them. What can Asgard offer its new king in return? Thor: My life. Father, I cannot be king of Asgard. I will protect Asgard and all the realms with my last and every breath, but I cannot do so from that chair. Loki, for all his grave imbalance, understood rule as I know I never will. The brutality, the sacrifice... It changes you. I'd rather be a good man than a great king. Odin: Is this my son I hear, or the woman he loves? Thor: When you speak, do I never hear Mother's voice'? This is not for Jane, Father. She does not know what I came here to say. Now, forbid me to see her, or say she can rule at my side. It changes nothing.

Thor went there specifically to tell his father he didn’t want to be king and that he wouldn’t change his mind not even if Odin were to forbid him to see Jane or allow him to marry her.

So no, Loki’s words weren’t what Thor needed to leave, Thor didn’t need to be persuaded to leave. So maybe Feige should re-read the script before talking.

So yeah, Thor refused it on his own. Loki didn’t manipulate him into doing it.

(The script of this part is messed up though, because it starts with a reference to what Thor said to Odin at the end of “Thor”… and Loki back then wasn’t around to hear it so really, Feige isn’t the only one who should re-read their script but whatever, this was a bit they rushed to put together when they decided to toss away the original ending of the movie for this new one.)

But there’s more that’s wrong with that bit.

Thor says: “My point is that our self-centered conflict over Asgard has ruined our kingdom. We have been so focused on fighting for the top we’ve forgotten there’s a middle and a bottom.”

There was no self-centered conflict over Asgard that has ruined the kingdom. The kingdom wasn’t ruined, it was perfectly fine until Hela attacked and Hela’s attack is due to Odin and how he raised her and handled her when he couldn’t control her any longer, not due to Loki and Thor.

Also the real problem wasn’t a ‘self-centered conflict for the top’… more like Odin’s screwed up parenting.

So yeah, if the Junior novel is based on the old script there’s a lot of questionable material and not just in this scene. But let’s talk a bit about Eric Pearson, the guy who wrote the script.

As I said in another post about how people came to think Loki is a serial betrayal this guy never worked on a script with Thor and Loki previously and the most he did was to be involved in the “Marvel’s The Avengers Prelude: Fury’s Big Week” in which Thor and Loki have some cameo appearances.

To continue that’s what he says about working on the script:

Fun sells, especially in the Marvel Comic Universe. Did you have a hard time balancing how hilarious the film had to be with the high stakes it has going on? Pearson: I did, yeah. It was tricky. First of all, it took a couple of interactions with Taika before we got on the same page. He’s such a different guy with a different sense of humor [he says fondly]. After I pitched the scene that happens first in the movie I got a sense of his sense of humor and going forward that was really helpful. The first draft was really about nailing the structure and the character arcs, and having our skeleton. That was when I started working more closely with Taika to get his little comedic flourishes in there. Plus, on the day during shooting, he’s bound to do anything. Suddenly there will be a weird prop in the scene and you have to be like “Ok, there it is! We’re gonna move right along!” He knew what he was doing from the beginning. He was going to rob the bank and get away with a ton of comedy, so I was just trying to keep the story together for the most part. And keep the characters honest and true to the world and their respective journeys. [“A Talk With THOR: RAGNAROK’s Eric Pearson”]

The Junior novel has basically no humour. I would say the script used is, if not the very first one, something like the second… which is also hinted by how there’s no mention of Hela being Odin’s daughter.

Let’s talk about Hela. There’s been a certain spoiler going around about her lineage, and we’d love to hear how that came about. Pearson: The decision to make Hela Odin's banished daughter came really late into writing my first draft. We had discussed her backstory as someone from Asgard's past, the Goddess of Death being a weapon of war that Odin used to conquer the Nine Realms and build his empire, but as I was writing and getting closer to the end, knowing that a Thor-Hela face-off was imminent, I felt like we needed more. More connection between the two, more depth to their ideological conflict. And it was one of those late nights, probably 11 pm working at Marvel, and I expressed this concern to Brad Winderbaum (producer). I basically told him that I'd been thinking about it, and I thought that making Hela Thor's sister made the most sense for the story and had the most impact to a shared history. He agreed and told me, "Don't pitch it to anyone because it'll be more likely to get shot down. Just write it into the script and let everyone discover the connection the same way that Thor will." Ultimately it was the right move because, after I wrote the ending and retconned the earlier scenes to reflect the family relation, everybody who read it was surprised, and pleasantly so. [“A Talk With THOR: RAGNAROK’s Eric Pearson”]

And this guy clearly has no idea what the relationship between Thor and Loki was previously and not only because he needed Chris Hemsworth to point out he wasn’t handing them correctly (how Hemsworth’s input helped or worsened the matter is up to debate)…

Pearson: For introductions, working on Thor’s voice was really great just because Hemsworth is great with the script. He actually pulled me aside one morning to talk to me about the Thor and Loki scenes. He pointed out, correctly so, that what I had was retreading a bit of what had already happened in Thor, Thor: The Dark World and The Avengers. We needed to have their relationship exhibit the amount of awareness that it should have after the audience spent so much time with them on screen. So, the Thor and Loki stuff is also some of my favorite. [“A Talk With THOR: RAGNAROK’s Eric Pearson”]

But that’s how, after Hemsworth’s tips, he describes Loki and Thor’s situation:

As the villains in the cinematic universe go, Loki is far and away considered the best by fans. Now you’ve got to bring forward his humor a little more with Hela acting as the main antagonist. What was it like reconciling all the history that Thor and Loki have while there’s another big bad threatening their world? Pearson: We find Loki in a different headspace at the beginning of the movie. Since Thor: The Dark World he’s been ruling Asgard as Odin as he’s always wanted. He’s on sort of a villainous vacation while in a role that plays to his narcissism. So, he’s mostly off his world conquering villain agenda already at the beginning of the film. Plus, Thor and Loki have had so many interactions, and alliances, and betrayals. They’ve been each others’ nemeses for so long that even they’re a little exhausted by themselves. It’s almost like the fatigue of dealing with each other allows this terminator like force of Hela to just walk in. They’re divided so she conquers. [“A Talk With THOR: RAGNAROK’s Eric Pearson”]

Thor and Loki has been each others’ nemeses for so long?

They started having an argument in “Thor” that’s placed in 2011 and that lasted basically 1 day before Loki fell into the void. They saw each other again the following year in “The Avengers” and argued for what? 2 days? Then Loki gets jailed for a year and in “Thor: The Dark World” they’re on the same page, allied against Malekith! Thor believes Loki dead and discover he’s not in 2017, when “Thor: Ragnarok” takes place!

(Now, whoever is about to say they actually have a story of Loki trying to kill Thor and tries to mention this scene to me:

Valkyrie: He did try to kill me. Thor: Yes, me too. On many, many occasions. There was one time when we were children, he transformed himself into a snake, and he knows that I love snakes. So, I went to pick up the snake to admire it and he transformed back into himself and he was like, "Yeah, it's me!" And he stabbed me. We were eight at the time.

...can either accept the short explanation that this scene is a retcon of Thor and Loki's relation or read the long explanation with all the official sources that explains how this is a retcon as prior to “Thor: Ragnarok” the canon was that Thor and Loki were loving brothers until “Thor” happened. That movie is meant to be the start of their fighting, for crying out loud.)

They have a total of 3 days of actively being on each others’ throats. This exhausted them? Even if we consider the full year in which Thor was aware Loki was alive and jailed, we’re talking of people that lives for centuries and a jailed Loki can’t really be considered at Thor’s throat.

So no, if “Thor: Ragnarok” had followed the original script, it wouldn’t have been canon compliant all the same… but Marvel wasn’t interested in protecting canon from the get-go and let Waititi free to create ‘his own thing’…

Waititi: I was lucky enough they didn’t force me to acknowledge things- there were certain things in the film, like the play, which makes fun of the scene in The Dark World where Loki dies, but there’s a point to that play, sort of to recap what happened, but also to tell the audience, “This is not what you think it’s going to be, this film is not going to be a continuation of that. It’s its own thing, and what you think you expect from this film ends at this play. [“Empire Podcast Spoiler Special: Thor: Ragnarok with Taika Waititi”]

…so really, I doubt the pressured Pearson into keeping the old scripts into consideration when writing his own.

As for Thor… the guy in the first part of “Thor” was presented as someone who absolutely loved fighting for the sake of fighting, which, I think, would have made him thrilled to fight in Sakaar, hadn’t it been for the fact they wouldn’t have paid him proper respect.

However, credits when it’s due, the second part of “Thor” is all about him abandoning this mindset. There were cut scenes in Thor which even showed how Thor refused to start a fight over being called ‘princess’ by an earthling just to show he had grown up and wasn’t anymore someone who would jump at the first chance to have a fight. “Thor: The Dark World” is also about him trying to avoid involving Asgard in a fight. So in theory Thor has stopped being someone chaotic and savage by… 6 years.

(I’m trying to preted “Thor: Ragnarok - A New Story” which is a tale included in the Junior Novel at the hands of Steve Behling and that, among other things, depicted Thor as a warmongrel again, is not part of the canon.)

On the opposite side Loki has never been savage or chaotic, he’s elegant, well organized, plans forward and, unless he’s in a deep emotional storm, remains calm and controlled.

I would argue also he’s not lawless either as, although he has broken some laws, he doesn’t wish for a world with no rules. Even when in charge of Asgard he didn’t let it turn into nobody’s land but still organized and ruled it. So really, that improvisation was mostly out of nowhere.

“Thor: Ragnarok” merely decided to retcon Loki and Marvel allowed it because they wanted to kill him in “Avengers: Infinity war” without fans to make the same fuss they did in “Thor: The Dark World” that forced them to change the ending.

Not that they succeeded as fans rejected the “Avengers: Infinity war” death too, but whatever, that’s Marvel for you.

[wqbytop100]

WQBY

Top 150 for the week ending April 14, 2024

Jet Plane --R3HAB, VIZE, JP Cooper -1 [1] -12w-

Weight of the World --Bonnie X Clyde -3 [2] -9w-

Make Me Your Mrs. --Mae Stephens -15 [3] -6w-

When I Wake Up ---Lucas & Steve, Skinny Days -4 [4] -11w-

Monster --A7S, ALOK -5 [4] -6w-

Reckless Child --Milky Chance -7 [6] -11w-

Young & Foolish ---Loud Luxury f/Charlieonafriday -21 [7] -16w-

Sleep Tonight (This Is The Life) ---Switch Disco, R3HAB, Sam Feldt -20 [8] -5w-

Before You Go --Seeb -13 [9] -6w-

What If We Met --Ali Gatie =10 [10] -5w-

Outlaw Love --Brooke Eden (Dave Aude Remix) -2 [1]

Kissing Strangers ---USHER -22 [12]

Lonely Dancers ---Conan Gray -14 [13]

Low Again ---Bakermat -16 [14]

Lighter ---Galantis, David Guetta, 5 Seconds of Summer -26 [15]

Waterslides --Tiesto, Rudimental, Absolutely -25 [16]

Slide Out ---Life on Planets -8 [3]

The Afterhours --Kyle Watson -9 [9]

She's On My Mind --Romy -11 [1]

Dirty Desire --Vicetone -18 [5]

Houdini --Dua Lipa --6 [2]

Never Be Friends --Jost, Minogue -19 [1]

Feel This Way --Victoria Nadine, R3HAB -28 [23]

Without You ---Disco Fries, Lavish Life -48 [24]

Beat of your Love ---Ownboss, LAWRENT feat/Ekko -49 [25]

Weak ---Vintage Culture, Maverick Sabre, Tom Breu -24 [1]

Give Me --Will Clark, BURNS -12 [12]

Anyone --Morgan Page -29 [2]

Cutting Loose ---Disco Lines, J. Worra, Anabel Englund -44 [29]

I Don't Wanna Worry --NEEDTOBREATHE -17 [1]

You're Hired ---NEIKED, Ayra Starr -23 [1]

Mr. Useless ---Shygirl, SG Lewis -27 [17]

Texas Hold 'Em ---Beyonce -30 [17]

Hell Together --David Archuleta -72 [34]

***The Moves --NEIKED, Muni Long, Nile Rodgers -(new)

One, Two & 3 --Galantis -67 [36]

Electricity ---FAST BOY, R3HAB -80 [37]

Graveyard ---A R I Z O N A (Shoffy Remix) -32 [5]

Save You A Seat ---Alex Warren -102 [39]

***Monster ---Don Diablo, Felix Jaehn -(new)

***One By One ---Robin Schulz, Oaks, Topic -(new)

Take A Moment ---ATB, David Frank -53 [42]

Do You Feel It ---VAMERO, Cyril M. Mougleta -42 [42]

Murder on the Dancefloor ---Sophie Ellis Bextor -56 [44]

Triumph ---Bishop Briggs -45 [45]

Lie To Me --Jubel, KIDDO -57 [46]

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Everybody Knows I'm High---SHAED -71 [48]

Forever (Stay Like This) ---Armin Van Buuren -47 [47]

Fire --Alan Walker, YUQI, JVKE, (G)I-DLE -110 [26]

We Ain't Good At Breaking Up ---Brothers Osborne -83 [51]

Close Your Eyes ---Lucas Estrada, Tribbs, Stephen Puth -33 [7]

Spicy Margarita --Jason Derulo, Michael Bublé -34 [7]

It's Love (If We Get It Right) ---Anthony Russo -35 [3]

Bad Blood ---Theresa Rex -37 [20]

Yes, And? ---Ariana Grande -38 [19]

Kill Anyone ---Two Feet, Ari Abdul -36 [11]

One On One ---The Knocks, Sofi Tukker 39 [1]

All Fckd Up ---Kapuzen -40 [9]

Both ----Tiesto, 21 Savage, BIA -41 [4]

Flex --Tony Dark Eyes -43 [20]

Feels Like Us --GT_OFICE, ALWZ SNNY, Robbie Rosen -46 [6]

I Got Time --Brittney Spencer -50 [49]

Beautiful Things --Benson Boone -63 [63]

***Love & Pain ---Enrique Iglesias -(new) [64]

Lil Tune ---Gus Dapperton, Electric Guest -65 [65]

Rusty --Layto -51 [50]

Home ---CamelPhatt, RHODE (Vintage Culture Remix) -66 [65]

Raccoons ---Caravan Palace -52 [51]

Progressive Heart --Pat Premier (Dave Aude Remix -59 [59]

Underwater --Dubvision, Afrojack -60 [60]

Can't Stop Us ---Regard -84 [70]

Count Me Out ---Vicetone, Emily Falvey -88 [71]

In Your Arms --Jes Bays, Jem Cooke -62

You Know It --Gorgon City -61

Kettle's Up --Mahmut Orhan, Axelax, Botan -73 [73]

Soultrain --Triplism, Nandu, Radeckt -68 [68]

Heart Stil Beating ---Nathan Sawe, Bebe Rexha -31 [2]

Diamond Therapy --Diplo, Walker & Royce, Channel Tres 54 [6]

***Don't You Cry ---Sunday Scaries, Discrete -(new)

Out Loud --Cage the Elephant -78 [78]

Dizzy ---Sick Individuals, LOUI LANE -55 [48]

Lose Control ---Teddy Swims -87 [73]

ADHD --Mae Stephens =-58 [54]

Addicted ---Zerb, The Chainsmokers f/INK -150 [78]

Level Up ---Wolfgang Gartner, Scrufzzer -92 [86]

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***20 Something --Jessica Baio -(new)

Next Years Light --Elliot Moss -64 [24]

Good In Goodbye --Frank Walker, Trivecta -74 [10]

No Reason --The Chemical Brothers (Chris Lake Remix) -69 [31]

Broken By You --Alexander Stewart -82 [82]

Life Goes On --HU -85 [85]

Premeditated ---FETISH -81 [81]

You ---Svidden, Seeb -70 [2]

U Miss Me --Vicetone -77 [1]

More Baby --Chris Lake, Aluna -76 [5]

Lift Off ---Dombresky -75 [13]

Cutting Through the Country --Medium Build -89 [89]

My Body --Illusionize, Y&M -86 [86]

How Do I Say Goodbye --Adventure Club, Delaney Jane -79 [58]

Missing You --Frank Walker, Nate Smith -90 [90] >>>

Come With Me --Claptone -91 [87]

Anthem --Diplo, Shram, Pony -94 [94]

Regret The Morning --SILK, Mali-Koa -95 [95]

Love Me --INNA -96 [96]

Space --Shane Codd -93 [82]

She --Karin Ann (Benny Benassi Remix) -103 [94]

Say It Right --Dubdogs, Farfetch'd -105 [65]

Some Kind Of Static --Neil Francis, Alan Braxe -113 [84]

Everything You Do --AFROKI, Afrojack, Steve Aoki, Aviella -114 [91]

Sorry Ain't Enough --Michael Gerow -115 [52]

Gravity --Matt Hansen -116 [111]

I Still Believe --Lecrae, for King & Country -118 [112]

Fire In My Soul --Yulia Niko, Carn Crua -120 [118]

Me Before You --Bleachers -106 [88]

Dreams ---Ali Farben, Maurice Lessing, Emma Wells -107 [92]

Body Moving --Eliza Rose X Calvin Harris -121 [43]

Kiss Me Better --Julie Bergan -124 [122]

Good For You --Dimitri Vegas, Chapter & Verse, Goodboys -127 [61]

Mirrors --Caravan Palace -111 [73]

Need Your Love --Ikay Sencan, KALUMA, Adam Woods -125 [125]

Can I Have This Goove --Kenyon Dixon -122 [121]

Hanging On --A R I Z O N A -117 [1] >>>

Fantasy --Cosmo's Midnight feat/Frank Moody -128 71]

Without Your Love --Deorro, TELYKAST, Catello -129 [128]

Never Be Lonely --Jax Jones, Zoe Wees -133 [84]

Outside Of Love --Becky Hill -147 [131]

Higher Ground --Purple Disco Machine, Roosevelt -148 [132]

Nothing Ever Changes --Vintage Culture, MAGNUS -149 [133]

Dark Skies --A R I Z O N A --97 [1] >>>

The Pussy Song --Ken the Man -101 [95]

Powerful Women ---Pitbull, Dolly Parton -99 [15^]

Purple Irises --Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton -98 [28]

Rhythm Machine --Westend, Max Styler -100 [50] >>>

Other Boys --Marshmello, Dove Cameron -104 [1] >>>

Might Just --Walker & Royce , James Patterson -108 [93]

***My Favorite Drug --Justin Timberlake -(new) [141^]

***Sweet Love --Myles Smith -(new)

***Human Nature --Yot Club -(new)

***Never Ending Song --Conan Gray -(new)

***Lil Freak --bbno$ -(new)

***Shine Love In --Jai Piccone, 1tbsp -(new)

Stress You --Lucas Estrada, SUPER Hi -130 [12] >>>

Dreamteam ---Galantis, Neon Trees -119 [12] >>>

Spend the Night --BJ the Chicago Kid, Coco Jones -112 [3] >>>

Lullaby --Britti -109 [33] >>>

17 New on the Chart this week >>> off next week #35 The Moves #40 Monster #41 One By One #47 Mas Que Nada #65 Love & Pain #80 Don't You Cry #87 Me Voy Acustombrando #88 Loose Ends #89 Shipwreck #90 Karma #91 20 Something #141 My Favorite Drug #142 Sweet Love #143 Human Nature #144 Never Ending Song #145 Lil Freak #146 Shine Love In

{1} Highest Position [34^] Debut Position <> no re-entries tw

[chickensarentcheap]

Best Part of Me -Chapter 82

Warnings: none

Tagging: @innerpaperexpertcloud​, @c-a-v-a-l-r-y​, @alievans007​

The storm rolls in shortly before nine; torrential rain and howling winds that rattle the windows, bend tree branches, and strip them of leaves.  Both the thunder and lightning are intense and incessant; resounding booms that seem to shake the entire house and forks of silver that slice through the coal black sky.  The sudden change in weather does little to improve Tyler’s mood; the pressure in the air bringing a migraine that settles in both temples and  over his left eye. While the sadness and hints of guilt, regret, and even embarrassment have faded, they’ve been replaced with emotions much more profound and unsettling. Immense hatred. Blinding rage. A desperate and powerful want and need for revenge.

It’s been almost three months since it all began. Kicking off with Mahajan’s badgering of his son in regards to taking over the ‘family business’, escalating into threats against his family that grew more disturbing with each passing day, and culminating in an unwanted return to Dhaka. It’s complicated and twisted; each hour brings an added layer that only pushes the finish line further and further away.  His physical pain may be worsening; but it’s his mental stability that is the most concerning. Unable to turn off the emotionally driven side of him and solely look at things from a mercenary’s point of view. He knows he’s on the edge; barely hanging on his last shred of sanity. The games have taken their toll; hearing vile things about his wife and children serving as the final nails in the coffin. Even if he does survive with his body intact, he’s not sure if his brain will be as fortunate. It’s a no win situation. Whether it’s a busted up body or a broken mind, he’ll suffer either way. And so will his family.

He places a call to Kyle’s cell phone, grimacing at the pain that shoots through his right leg and across the small of his back as he takes a seat at the end of the bed.  Anil had one of his ‘people’ stop by; a physician originally from Mumbai who’d not only  taken the CEO position at one of Dhaka’s private hospitals, but holds the utmost contempt for both the ghost of Amir Asif and those still pledging loyalty to him.

“He’s been dead for seven years,” he’d said. “Yet he’s still sending me patients and putting bodies in my morgue. Old, young; his drugs and his people do not discriminate.”

That had been the extent of conversation. No small talk exchanged as he put Tyler through a series of physical tests to determine the state of his mobility issues. The doctor offering little more than heavy sighs and shakes of head as he discovered things were worse than he initially suspected. Torn ligaments and tendons, the disintegration of cartilage, scar tissue. A lengthy list of things that could be causing problems but would definitely have to be properly -and extensively- investigated by a specialist. For the time being, there’s nothing anyone can do, aside from prescribing yet another painkiller with strict orders that someone else be in charge of dispensing it. He can’t be trusted to do it himself; the first one to admit that he has absolutely no control over the demon of drug addiction. And he’d been more than happy to hand over the responsibility; as long as he’d get some relief.

So far he's pleasantly surprised; the two pills he’d taken an hour ago successfully -and quickly- taking the edge off without making him feel ‘doped up’. The pain is still present, but nowhere as intense or unbearable. Relegated to a dull, continuous throb akin to the agony of a bad toothache.

Kyle answers on the third ring, giving a quick ‘hey’ followed by “I’ll get one of the kids for you.”  It’s the first time they’ve spoken since right before he and Esme had left for Dhaka; Kyle still sore over the fact he’d been called out for his poor treatment of his sister.

“Hold up,” Tyler says, smirking at the sound of his brother in law’s heavy sigh. “How’s things there? And don’t bullshit me.”

“Things are okay.”

“Okay as in good or okay as in they could be better?"

“If you’re just asking about the kids, then things are okay as in good. Ovi and I are making sure we keep them busy; filling their days up. And they’re happy as they can be when they’re missing both their mom and dad as much as they are. It’s hard on them; both of you being gone. But they’re doing alright. They’re coping. We’re busting our asses to make sure they don’t catch wind of what’s really going on.”

“Thanks for that. Esme and I appreciate it. Keep an eye on Millie though. She figured everything out, and while she promised she wouldn’t say anything to her brothers, I wouldn’t put it past her if they pissed her off enough. Nothing she loves more than tormenting those two.”

Kyle gives a small chuckle. “I’ll keep an eye on her. There hasn’t been any actual fights so far, but she has threatened to beat their asses a few times. You know, she’s a mind fuck that kid. She’s so sweet and cute to look at…

“But she’s a total savage,” Tyler finishes for him.

“Exactly. She doesn’t take any shit. Esme was like that as a kid; no one dared messing with her because she’d beat the ever loving hell out of them. Small, but tough. How is she? She doing okay?”

“She’s hanging in there. Just ready for all this to be over. Sooner the better. Anything going on there? Anything weird or suspicious or…”

“Other than Anil going ape shit on all the nannies and replacing them all? Things have been pretty quiet. There’s been a couple little things here and there; people getting too close to the house, calling here and hanging up, dead cat thrown over the fence.”

“That’s all rookie stuff. Someone trying to unnerve ya. I wouldn’t put too much stock into it; guys who can really do damage start bigger and end even bigger. They don’t bother with bullshit like that. You’ll call, yeah? If things get any weirder?”

“I will,” Kyle promises. “Keep  my little sister safe, okay? I wish she wasn’t involved in this at all, but..”

“She’s safe with me. She always is. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to protect her. You know that.”

“Yeah, I do. But I wish she’d never gotten dragged into all of this in the first place. And I’m not talking now. I’m talking seven years ago. If you’d just thought of her instead of yourself…”

“Is that daddy?”   Millie’s voice interrupts Kyle before he can launch into his tirade. “Mommy said daddy was going to call us. Is that him? Can I talk to him? I want to talk to him.”

There’s a slight rustling noise as the phone is passed from person to person, and the first smile of the day manages to make its way to his face when his daughter greets him with a cheerful “Hi daddy! I miss you!”

He tries not to think about it; the threat made against her and the knowledge of what would be done to her. She’s only six. Still a baby. HIS baby. “Hey,” he says. “Hey  baby girl.”

“Mommy said you’d call and you did! She said you were feeling a bit sad ‘cause you miss us so much.”

“I am a bit sad,” Tyler admits. “I do miss you guys. You being good?”

“I’m trying. But TJ really tests my patience. He’s so annoying! Why does he have to be so annoying?”

“Because he knows it bothers you. Just try to ignore him”

“It’s hard!” Millie laments.  “It’s really, REALLY hard. It’s like he wants me to punch him in the face.”

“Well I’d rather you didn’t punch anyone in the face.”

“But I’m not a pacifist. I’d rather  ‘pass a fist’.”

“Where did you learn that?”

“I’m not a snitch. Snitches get stitches.”

“How about you rein in your temper a bit,” he suggests. “Just take it from the source. He’s doing it to get a reaction. Don’t give him one. That’ll irritate him and he’ll get bored and back off. How are you? You doing okay?”

“I’m okay, I guess. I miss home. Can we go back soon? Are you almost done your work? I really want to go home.”

“So do I. And it’ll be over soon.”

“And then you and mommy will come and get us and take us home?”

“As soon as it’s over.  Once it’s done, we’ll come and get you guys. I promise.”

“Maybe next time we go on a trip, we can go to Disney World. That would be fun.”

“Have you been talking to Tanner?”

“Maybe…” Millie sing songs.

“Tell you what, when we get home, your mom and I will talk about it, okay?”

“Okay. Is it stormy where you are? It’s really stormy here.  It’s kinda scary! The thunder is really loud and it’s really windy. It never gets THIS bad at home. We get storms, but they’re not as scary as this one. I wish you were here; it wouldn’t be as scary.  You always built a fort in the living room so we can all sleep together and we won’t be afraid.  You always make it fun. Like we’re on a camping trip. We forget about being scared when you’re with us. I wish you were here, daddy.”

He swallows around the lump of emotion sitting square in his throat. “I wish I was there too.”

“Did you watch my video? I sent it to your email. Did you get it?”

“I did. But I haven’t watched it yet.  I was going to do that before bed. So I could have good dreams instead of bad ones.”

“That’s  a good idea! Maybe you can send ME a video and I can watch it before bed and that way I’LL have good dreams too.”

“You know what I’ll do? I’ll make a video for all of you and then you can all watch it before bed. Sound good?”

“Sounds good!”

“I gotta go. I’ve got an important meeting I have to get to. But I’ll make the video and I’ll send it to Auntie Nik’s email. You tell her I’m doing that, okay?”

“Okay. I miss you, daddy. I love you.”

“I miss you too. And I love you. ALL of you. So much. And I’ll see you guys in a few days.”

“You promise?”

“Yeah.” He hopes he sounds more confident than he feels. “I promise.”

****

It takes four attempts before he gets a usable video to send to the kids; trying to keep it light and cheerful and finding himself stumbling over his words and fighting back tears.  The last thing he wanted was to turn a bedtime message into something so dark and depressing. Even Millie -who is incredibly intuitive and had known from the start that Mumbai wasn’t a normal family holiday- doesn’t know the full extent of just how serious things are. He doesn’t want to scare them; seeing daddy emotional will only cause them to ask questions no one truly has answers for.  And it would only send their fears and anxiety -especially Tanner’s- through the roof. In the end he’d been able to hold it together. Reciting one of their favorite bedtime stories by heart and telling them how much he  loves them and misses them; promising that they’ll all be heading home soon. The latter had actually helped lift his own spirits. Saying the words out loud doing wonders for his confidence;  the promise itself -and not wanting to break it-  giving his motivation a desperately needed kick in the ass.

By the time he journeys downstairs, Yaz has already arrived; joining Esme, Koen, Rata and two of Anil’s men -who’d been ordered to help out in each and every way possible- in the living room. And the younger man pauses in the setting up of his laptop in order to greet Tyler with a warm,  tight hug and a playful backhand to an unshaven cheek.  He sees the exhaustion that clouds Yaz’ eyes and dampens his smile; his own fears and worries revolving around a heavily pregnant girlfriend back home. It’s been hell on everyone; long hours and restless sleep and one stumbling block after another. There’s finally some light at the end of that very long and winding tunnel. It’s faint, but at least it’s there.

He pours himself a coffee from the freshly brewed pot in the kitchen and then joins the others. Returning Esme’s smile as she looks up at him, giving her a wink before taking a seat beside her and then pressing a kiss to her temple as he leans into her. Her hand slides along his inner thigh and then settles on his knee;  squeezing lightly before her fingers locate the most tender area and begin digging and manipulating. She doesn’t need to be asked; always knowing where the painful spots are and never hesitating to provide even the smallest bit of relief.

“I hope this weather isn’t some kind of bloody omen,” Raka grumbles.   Nervously bouncing  his legs and both jumping and looking towards the sliding glass doors with each boom of thunder that  shakes the  house.

“Forty damn years old and he’s scared of a wee storm,” Koen scoffs.

Rata glares at him. “A wee storm? Sounds like Mother Nature is getting ready to blow shit up!”

“Do you need your favorite blanket? A warm bottle of milk? Someone to cuddle with you? It’s nothing but some wind and a bit of rain.”

“That’s more than just some wind and some rain!” his friend argues. “It’s like the end of the world out there! And if this some kind of omen about how things are going to go down…”

“Ain’t no bloody omen!” Koen laughs “Don’t tell me you believe in all that shit. Signs and karma and all that hoodoo voodoo, hocus pocus crap!”

“I d0n’t know,” Esme says, as she reaches for a mug of tea sitting on the coffee table. “I like to think that karma exists and that it finally caught up to my ex. Because if anyone deserved to be hit head on by the karma bus, it was him.”

Tyler nods in agreement and takes a swig of coffee.

“So what’s it looking like?” Koen addresses Yaz. “End getting close or what?”

“Depends on what news you guys have for me.  I know where I stand on my end of things. What about over here?”

“I was able to get an extra twenty four hours,” Esme says. “But I really had to up the ante; an extra five million wasn’t going to cut it. I had to promise another ten. I tried to talk them down, but it was either the extra ten or pieces of Neysa and Aarev start washing up on the shores of Buriganga in a few days' time.”

“And Anil was willing to up that much?” Yaz asks. “IF it comes down to having to pay the ransom?”

“He didn’t hesitate when I told him. I don’t know where he gets all his money from, but he acted like it was nothing more than pocket change. He’s prepared to pay IF all else fails.  But they still won’t give me proof of life unless I agree to meet them at Asif’s house and have them take me to where they’re being held.”

“Which is NOT happening,” Tyler says. “There’s no way in hell that’s happening.”

“Now hold on a second,” Koen speaks up. “It’s the way that makes the most sense.”

Tyler frowns. “What are you talking about? It makes no sense. You really think they’re going to keep their word? That they won’t hurt her? They’ll use her as bait. She won’t get anywhere near Neysa and Aarev; they won’t take her there. They’ll keep her at Asif’s and do God knows what to her until I show up to get her out.”

“She won’t be going alone,” Koen points out.

“I don’t give a shit if there’s ten of you going with her. She’s not doing this. She’s not going there. No fucking way.”

“But when they take  her there...US there...you just follow behind and…”

“You’re not hearing me, mate. They won’t take her anywhere. They’ll kill you, then use her to bait me. And they’ll do all kinds of sick and twisted shit to her. You’re just going to take them at their word that they won’t hurt her? I know you’re not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but you’re not THAT stupid.”

“Okay….” Esme speaks up. “...why don’t we all calm down and talk through all of this rationally. There’s got to be another way to find out where Neysa and Aarev are that doesn’t involve having to go to Asif’s house. We all know it’s a trap. We can’t trust a single word they say and there no doubt in my mind they’d keep me in order to get Tyler to show up.”

“She’s NOT going,” Tyler stresses. “End of story. After tonight, her part in this is down. She did everything we needed her to do. Enough’s enough. I’m not risking her or the…” he catches himself. “...I’m not risking her. We gotta find another way.”

“I think I have one.” Yaz says. “It unfortunately does involve sending people to Asif’s house, but not in an official capacity. What if I can get people to plant tracking devices on a few of the cars that are always coming in and out of there? We’ve had eyes on that place since we got here; there’s a constant flow of the same six vehicles going in and out at all hours of the day. If I can get some guys close enough to put some GPS trackers in place, we just sit back and see if any of them visit a storage facility.”

“The storage thing was just something I pulled out of my ass,” Tyler admits.  “What I saw in the pictures and the videos reminded me of where we held McMann. That’s the only reason I said. Could be a factory or a warehouse for all I know.”

“What if it’s Asif’s basement?” Esme asks. “Does that place have one? Or a cold cellar or something like that? Cements walls and floors? Could be a basement or a cellar of some kind. It would explain no windows.”

“Well that makes it even more complicated if it is,” Koen grumbles. “How would we ever find that out? We can’t just go on up and knock on the front door and ask for a tour.”

“Any way of getting eyes in there?” Tyler asks Yaz.  “It wouldn’t hurt ruling it out. Kind of fitting if it is where they’re holding them. Almost like they’re offering them up as some sacrifice to Asif.  Appease the Gods of whatever the fuck they believe in.”

“I’d have to study the blueprints again,” Yaz says. “I didn’t see a basement, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t one. A lot could have changed since the originals were made; people renovate and add on all the time. We definitely need to check it out. Better to be safe than sorry, right?”

“Can you do it?” Tyler inquires. “Get eyes in there?”

“It’ll be hard. But I’m sure I can come up with something.   There’s got to be a way of getting in there without tripping the alarms or grabbing their attention. I’ll work on it.”

“I think the bigger worry right now is the bridges,” Esme pipes up. “Koen and I saw it with our own eyes. They are locked down and both the police AND the military are manning the road blocks. And they have pictures of me, of Tyler, and they’re comparing them to everyone that goes in or out. Whether they’re walking or driving.”

“They do have them locked pretty tight,” Koen confirms. “There’s no way we could get him across without him being seen.”

“What about going in from the north?” Esme suggests. “Does anyone know if they’ve got things blocked off up there too? If you go north into one of the smaller towns, you can  backtrack your way into Dhaka,  You can’t send a chopper right into the city; you just can’t. Not when even the police and military are wanting to cash in on the bounty. A chopper is big and noisy and that’s way too much attention right off the hop. But if you take one into one of the towns north of the city, you can drive back in. IF there’s no roadblocks that way.”

“That’s a big if,” Tyler says.

“I can send some people to check it out,” Yaz offers. “There’s a lot of remote areas north of Dhaka. Could them in, get them to see what’s going and probably have an answer in five or six hours. Gotta mobilize them first.  Have they sent anything? For proof of life? Any pictures, videos…?”

“The last proof Anil received was three days ago,” Esme sighs. “Nothing since.”

“So they could be dead,” Koen concludes.

“There’s no way they’re dead,” Tyler says. “They need them alive. They know if I don’t come there, they’re going to have to settle for the cash. Which means they have thirty million reasons to keep them alive.”

Or they could kill them and just let on that they’re alive,” Koen argues. “Bait you there with the impression that they ARE still breathing.”

“That’s highly unlikely,” Yaz speaks up. “This is a huge pay day for these guys. If Tyler bails, the money is all they have. They’ll take it.”

“Then why not just bail?” Rata asks.  “Why not just say ‘fuck it’ and get out of here? Just let Anil give them the money. Hand over the cash and Neysa and Aarev go free, that’s it.”

“It isn’t just about Neysa and Aarev,” Esme reminds him. “It started with the threats against them and it escalated into a whole lot more. WAY more than any of us thought it would. Did any of us image it would get this far? Did any of us really think it would get this bad? It never should have led to this.”

“This is about my family too,” Tyler adds. “Look at all the shit that’s been said. About my wife, about my kids. You think I’m really going to sit back and let them get away with it? If it was you girl, would you just tuck your tail between your legs and run?”

“Of course I wouldn’t. I’d fight too. But haven’t we fought enough? We took care of all those people on that list. Just like we were supposed to. It’s not our fault that Mahajan changed the game when he grabbed the woman and the kid. We did what we set out to do. So why don’t we just say fuck it and go home?”

“Why don’t YOU just say fuck and go home?” Tyler retorts. “If you can’t handle it, just say so. If you’re scared to do this…”

“I’m not scared of shit!” Rata interjects. “I just don't understand why we keep busting our asses like this. Haven’t we done enough? We got all the names checked off the list, Anil is going to take care of Mahajan. We’re done.”

“We are NOT done.” Esme argues. “They have Neysa and Aarev. And Nathan. Did you forget about him? I know he’s no one’s favorite, but they have him too. We can’t just leave them there.”

“And we can’t leave Asif’s people alive,” Koen adds “They’re too much of a threat; especially to Esme and the kids.  We leave them alive and they’ll always pose a threat. We have to get rid of them so Tyler and his family can leave in peace.”

“If you want to go, go,” Tyler says. “You want to walk away, no one will fault you for it. This has been sheer fucking hell from day one. If you’re tired and you’ve had enough then just walk away. I won’t hold it against you.”

“I sure as hell will,” Koen snarls.

“I ain’t leaving you two useless assholes here!” Rata protests. “Someone has to make sure things get done right. Might as well be me.”

Koen gives a derisive snort and shakes his head.

“Well it’s true,” Rata mutters, and leans back against the couch, arms crossed over his chest. “I’m the one who’s been doing it all right since the beginning.”

“I’ll get trackers on the cars right away and send people north,” Yaz announces, and snaps the lid on his laptop closed. “We’re in the end game now.  Everyone needs to keep on their toes and be ready to go at any given moment.”

“What happens when we get where we’re going?” Koen asks. “When the shooting starts? That’s going to bring a whole lot of attention our way. We’re going to have every fucking drongo in Dhaka showing up. Regular people, cops, military. How do we deal with all of that?”

“That’s why we have guns,” Tyler informs him. “They shoot at you, you shoot back. And shoot to kill. Injuring them will do shit. You gotta put them down and put them for good.”

“What if someone creates a few distractions on the bridges?” Esme addresses Yaz “I’m sure Anil has some extra people he can lend or even people here in Dhaka that he can convince to go against Asif. If we have people causing a disturbance on the bridges, all the attention will be down by the water.”

“Not just a pretty face,” Koen teases, and shoots her a playful wink.

“I like that idea,” Rata enthuses, “Stir up some chaos. Shoot some people, blow some shit up.”

“Well I was thinking relatively non violent,” Esme says. “But yeah, that works too.”

“Just remember to not shoot unless you’re being shot at,” Yaz instructs. There’s a lot of Dhaka. Good, innocent people.  We don’t want their deaths on our hands. Know your target before engaging. And believe me, you’ll know your targets.”

“They don’t waste time shooting,” Esme adds. “Thankfully, most of them can’t shoot for shit. So your chances are pretty good that you won’t get hit.”

“Until they shoot you from behind,” Tyler smirks. “Then all of a sudden they’re really good shots.”  He immediately regrets saying it; noticing the way Esme’s entire body stiffens and hears the heavy sigh that escapes her lips.

“Ask me, that was just luck,” Yaz remarks. “Extremely bad on your part, extremely good on his.”

“Can we NOT talk about?” Esme irritably requests. “We don’t need to talk about this.”

“Gonna need eyes in the back of our heads,” Rata grumbles. “If these fuckers are known for cutting you down from behind.  I don’t want to be catching one in the throat. I wouldn’t be so lucky, that’s for sure.”

“No sense rehashing all of that,” Yaz attempts to derail the conversation. “It was a long time ago. Let’s concentrate on now and…”

“I’m just saying,” Rata continues. “If we got kids out there putting bullets in our backs or our necks…”

“Enough,” Tyler orders. “We all know what happened. We don’t need to talk about it.”

“You got lucky,” his friend informs him. “Someone was there to save your ass. All you bastards would high tail it out of there and let me fend for myself.”

“This conversation is not for me,” Esme declares, and shrugs Tyler’s hand off her shoulder when he tries to prevent her from standing up. “I’m not talking about this. I don’t even want to hear about it. Bad enough I had to go through it. Last thing I want to do is relive it.”

The next thirty second feels as if it lasts thirty minutes. Tension filled silence and a painful awkwardness; all four men attempting to avoid eye contact with one another and trying not to acknowledge the obvious tears sparkling in Esme’s eyes and the way she drops her empty mug into the sink with a loud clatter. Or the way she hurries from the room; light footsteps impossibly loud on the stairs.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Koen angrily elbows Rata in the ribs. “You know we don’t talk about that. We never talk about that.”

“It’s been seven years! I didn’t think it would be such a big deal.”

“It’s a big fucking deal! To her, anyway. You better start kissing some serious ass, you fucking drongo!”

As his friends continue to bicker, Tyler leans forward and places his forearms on his thighs. Eyes on his feet as the fingers of his right hand fidget with his wedding band; twirling it back and forth, pulling it up to the knuckle and sliding it back down again A nervous habit that creeps up when his anxiety rears its ugly head or the PTSD is gearing up to unleash hell.

Yaz slips into the empty seat beside him, then leans in close. “Still a sore spot for her, huh?”

Tyler nods in confirmation.

“It won’t be much longer until go time. Think she’s going to be able to handle it?”

“I don’t know,” he admits. “I honestly don’t know.”

******

He manages an hour and a half of sleep. Waking to the sounds of Esme muttering and whimpering beside him. Her body drawn impossibly tight and her hands tightly gripping the bottom sheet; heels  digging into the mattress as if trying to push herself away from an attacker.  He opted not to shake her awake, wanting to avoid sending her into a panic and turning her extremely combative.  He’d learned the hard way how NOT to handle a night terror. Confronted by a five foot nothing woman with the sudden strength of three grown men and having to physically restrain her until the nightmare released her from its clutches and she came out of it on her own.

Instead he took the easier approach. Rolling over onto his side and laying an arm across her midsection and draping one leg over both of hers and effectively keeping her flailing limbs and trembling body still.  A forearm resting lightly on the top of her head and his fingers reaching for her face; gently clearing tears off of her cheeks and lightly tracing random patterns on her forehead and down the bridge of her nose. Within minutes she’d been successfully comforted. Body finally stilling, tears ceasing,  eyes never opening as she issued a heavy sigh and moved onto her side.

After that, all hope of getting back to sleep had abandoned him, and for the last hour he’s been lying there in silence. Holding her as tightly as her body will allow him to; face buried in her hair as he listens to her soft, rhythmic breathing. And when her body grows uncomfortable with the heat radiating from his own and the weight of his limbs becomes  too much, she moves away and he gives  up on rest entirely. Sliding out of bed and then bunching up both of his pillows and placing them -one on top of the other, lengthwise- behind her back. If she rolls over in her sleep and blindly reaches for him, she’ll at least discover the pillows; his scent hopefully enough to comfort her.  

He’d fallen asleep fully clothed. Wanting to be ready at the drop of a hat; whether it be a phone call from Yaz or a threat on their doorstep.  And he picks up the holster -gun securely stored inside- from it resting on the nightstand; clipping it to the waist of his jeans and then shoving his feet into his combat boots, lacing them tightly before leaving the room.

He grabs some fresh air; giving the guards a nod in greeting as he steps out onto the back porch. While the storm had settled hours ago, it had brought no relief. Heat near stifling, the humidity already oppressive; causing sweat to quickly bead across his forehead and to gather at his temples and the nape of his neck.  The air is thick and heavy, yet he barely notices it as he sits on the edge of the deck. Jaw firmly set, elbows resting on his knees and his hands clasped together; eyes dark and staring out into the stillness of the night. He neither sees or acknowledges anything around him. Not the movement of the guards patrolling the darkened perimeter or their quiet conversation. Not the faint music coming from the neighbouring home or the chirping of the crickets.  

His mind is switching over now, and soon his senses and instincts will kick into high gear; his brain thinking of nothing but the task directly in front of him. The adrenaline is starting to build; that rush of blood in your veins and the anticipation that causes your heart to speed up and your stomach to flutter. For now he’s still experiencing other emotions as well; worry, nervousness, fear. Haunted by the thought that he could be called upon at any given moment and he many never return to his old life.  To that sprawling, beautiful home   on the beach with its million dollar view. To the sound of his children laughing and playing. To kissing his wife good morning when she wanders into the kitchen clad in one of his t-shirts. To kissing her goodnight and having that warm, supple body snuggled into his; her breath tickling his skin and that familiar smell clinging to her hair.

It’s shortly before one in the morning when he heads back inside. The house shrouded in silence; the open concept living, dining, and kitchen area illuminated only by the light above the stove. Instead of returning upstairs, he sinks into the easy chair in the living room; relieved that he’s able to stretch out his legs without wincing or groaning from discomfort.  The two pills he’d taken almost three hours ago effectively reducing both his pain and stiffness yet not leaving him groggy or with altered senses. It’s a temporary fix; he knows long term usage is out of the questions. His body will get accustomed to both the drug and the dosage and soon the need for more will start. The cravings will kick in soon afterwards, and he’ll find himself desperate for a fix and willing to do anything to get it. Seeking out a doctor is the safest and only hope he has; whether it be through extensive physio or surgery.  And he’s more than willing to put in the time and the effort. After all, it’s the only way he’ll be able to keep his life from falling apart.

“Tyler?”

His eyes snap open at the sound of her voice, and he glances towards where she’s paused at the middle landing of the stairs.  “Yeah?”

“Just checking to see if it was you. I didn't want to come down there and sit on someone and find out the hard  way it’s Koen.”

“Might give the guy a heart attack. Probably the most attention he’s had from a woman in a long time.”

“Everything okay?” she asks, as she descends the remaining stairs  and joins him; settling herself sideways on his lap with her legs dangling over the arm of the chair.  

“Everything’s good.”

“You feeling alright?” She pushes a hand through his hair, palm settling at the back of his head, nails lightly massaging his scalp.

“I’m feeling pretty good, actually. Those meds are doing their job. For now anyway.” He turns his face into hers and places a kiss to each corner of her mouth before covering it with his own.  One hand sliding up and down her back as the other settles on her hip. “You okay? You were having a pretty bad dream, huh?”

She nods in confirmation.

“Want to tell me about it?”

“Not really,” she says, and rests the side of her head on his shoulder.

“So it was about me?”

Another nod.

“That bad?”

“Bad enough. I don’t want to talk about it.”

“You don’t have to,” he assures her, and rests the tip of his nose against his forehead, feeling the tickle of her lashes when she closes her eyes.

“Nice attempt with the pillows though,” she says.

“It usually works.”

“I woke up completely this time. And then I panicked; I was worried you’d gotten the call and left without saying bye.”

“I’d never leave without telling you. We have our thing, yeah? Shit we always say to each other before I go? It’s like my good luck charm; say those words and everything will go right.”

“It’s held up so far. You started saying it when you went back to the job the first time and you’ve been saying it ever since.”

“Pretty good track record. I wouldn’t risk screwing things up by leaving without waking you up and telling you. You sure you’re alright? Dream still got you rattled?”

“A little,” she admits. “It was scary. And gruesome. I haven’t had one that bad in a long time.”

“Thought you didn’t want to talk about it?”

“I don’t.” She nuzzles the side of his neck with the tip of her nose, then presses a kiss to it. “It was bad…” her voice cracks. “...it was really bad.”

“It’s okay…” the hand on her back moves up to her hair, slightly stroking it as his other hand rubs her hips. “...everything’s fine. I’m right here.”

“For now.”

“We knew this was coming.”

“Doesn’t make it any easier. I know you have to go, but it doesn’t mean I want you to.”

“Would it make you feel better if I wore my lucky underwear?”

“You didn’t bring them. I packed your bag, remember?”

“And you didn’t put  them in? What’s wrong with you?”

“The only thing those underwear are lucky for is making babies. Declan, Addie. I bet you were wearing them when this one was made too.”

A hand moves to the small baby bump already straining against her pyjamas pants. “I wasn’t wearing any.”

“You don’t even know what day this one was made on. How do you know if you were wearing underwear or not? You can’t remember what you had for breakfast most days.”

“I figure if I don’t wear them six days a week, the chances are pretty high that I wasn’t wearing any that day.”

“Maybe THAT’S why your sperm is so good. You’re not suffocating them all the time. They're free range. They’re not penned in and they can come and go as they please. Like how the chickens in Colorado used to poop out butt nuggets everywhere.”

Tyler chuckles. “Butt nuggets.”

“I used to call eggs that all the time when I was a kid,” Esme muses. “My dad taught me. We’d have a big family breakfast every Sunday; like we do now.  And he’d always ask me how I wanted my butt nuggets cooked. My mom would get so mad! She hated that we were so close. I think in a way she was jealous. I was her first girl and I wanted nothing to do with her. She couldn’t figure out that she was the reason I didn’t want to be around her. And here we are, thirty some years later and she still has no clue. Makes me sad for our kids; they don’t even have one grandmother. Your mom would have been so good with them. I just know it. Her only kid...her son...having kids of his own?”

“She would have spoiled the hell out of them. She would have loved them; there’s no doubt about that.”

“She’d be so proud of you. For how you turned out.”

“Something tells me she wouldn’t he completely on board with the whole hired gun thing.”

“I’m not talking about that. I mean how you turned out as a man. If she was alive right now, she’d know all the struggles you went through and saw all the battles you fought and how you beat every single one. And she’d see how you turned out as a husband and a father despite not having the best role model to emulate.”

“Growing up I told myself that I’d never be like him. That I’d never turn out like that.”

“And you didn’t. You work hard at it every single day; to not be like him. It would have been so easy for you; to end up the same way. But you went in the opposite direction.”

“You keep forgetting that the first time didn’t turn out so good.”

“You were a kid when you got married the first time,” Esme reasons. “And judging by the stories I’ve heard she wasn’t exactly wife material.”

“She had her flaws , that’s for sure. One of them just happened to fucking anyone that showed interest.”

“Well if you ask me, she must have been crazy. Cheating on the likes of you? Why give up filet mignon for ground beef?”

“So I really AM just a piece of meat to you,” he teases, and she giggles when he kisses the side of her neck and playfully pinches her side.

“I’m just saying that I don’t get it. Why do you cheat when you have an amazingly hot husband that’s a god in bed? There has to be something seriously wrong with someone. And don’t get me started on how you were deployed when she would do it. Your husband is off...in the Middle East...getting shot at it and trying not to get blown up by roadside bombs...and you’re back home serving as the base slut? That’s the lowest of the low!”

“I guess both of us weren’t very good judges of character when we were younger.”

“There is a bright side though. To what we both went through the first time around.”

“What’s the bright side?”

“Well if things had been wonderful  in either of our first marriages, neither of us would  have ended up doing the job. You probably would have stayed in the military and I probably would have been a happy little housewife. In the PTA and driving a minivan and taking the kids to soccer and drinking Starbucks.”

“You take the kids to soccer now. Except it’s a thermos with  homemade coffee with Bailey’s in it. “

“That’s in the cooler weather. When it’s hot, it’s pink lemonade with vodka.”

He grins and presses a kiss to her forehead.

“Hey, it’s not the most exciting sport in the world; I have to get through it somehow. And I also have to survive all the thirsty females that show up whenever you coach. I don’t know how they know when it’s your turn, but that many never show when you’re not there. And they show up in their slutty little outfits and their make up done. And there I am; no makeup, ball cap on yoga pants and UGG boots and one of your hoodies. And you wonder why I have self confidence issues.”

“Who cares about the thirsty women? I only have eyes for you, you know that.”

“I care when they’re openly discussing my husband’s ass and his muscles and his bulge.”

“You should have married an uglier guy with a small dick then,” Tyler teases.

“I did that with my first marriage. I traded up the second time around.”

“Just ignore them. I do. I don’t pay attention to them. I don’t need to. I’m already married to the most beautiful woman in the world.”

“Wow…” she’s grinning as she pulls back to look at him. “...do you ever know how to lay it on thick.”

“It’s the truth. That’s how I see you. I’ve always seen you that way. It’s how I’ll always see you. So fuck ‘em. Who’s the one I go home with? Who’s the one I share a bed with every night?”

“Me. Lucky little old me.”

“Exactly. It’s always been you. It always will be. I choose you every day.”

“Even when my hair hasn’t been washed in four days and I’ve got baby puke on my clothes and dark circles under my eyes and I’m a raging bitch?”

“Even then.”

“Now THAT is true love,” she says, and places both hands on the side of his as she kisses him. Nothing hurried or overly needy; soft and languid, lips moving slowly against one another. And when she pulls away he sees the tears that sparkle in her eyes and the way the corners of her mouth droop.

“Baby…”  he combs his fingers through her hair, then kisses the bridge of her nose and cradles her cheek in the palm of his hand. “...don’t…”

“I don’t want you to go. I know you have to; it’s the only way this will ever be finished. But I still don’t want you to leave. I wish there was another way; to end all of this.”

“Believe me, so do I.”

“I’m scared. This is the most scared I’ve ever been. I wasn’t even this scared seven years ago.”

“We barely knew each other then,” he reasons. “But now…”

“There’s so much to lose. Way too much. If something happens to you…”

“Stop…” he lays a hand on the back of her head and draws it down to his, pressing their brows together. “...just stop.”

“You have to come back for me. You HAVE to. Promise me you’ll come back for me.”

“Esme…”

“Promise me, Tyler,” she pleads, fingers tightly gripping his hair. “Promise me.”

“I can’t. You know I can’t.”

“At least promise you’ll try? That you’ll do whatever it takes to get back here. Can you promise me that at least?”

“I’ll do whatever it takes,” he vows,  and places a kiss on her forehead. “I promise.”

[angelsaxis]

Thinking of all the lightsaber duelers in the galaxy from PT to ST and I'm wondering if there's ever been an actually good sith fighter. Maul lost basically every fight, dooku and assajj have tendencies to escape, and kylo is just generally bad.

In a lineup of all the lightsaber wielders I have a vague idea of who would be at the top and who would be at the bottom. Definitely our PT trio (Ahsoka, Anakin, Obiwan) would be the best (not in that order). Of the light side users that I can think of Rey would be at the bottom (sorry), but she's still better than Kylo Ren. Of the dark side users obviously Sheev is at the top and I think savage, assajj, an Kylo Ren would be at the very bottom (also not in that order).

Yoda's near the top but he's not stronger than sheev. All the PT lightsiders would absolutely wipe the floor with kyle. All of the upper level Darksiders would also defeat Kylo. I know maul hasn't even won a fight (that I can think of) but he would still destroy Kylo. This has turned into a post about who can beat up Kylo.

*all of this is based on assumed years of experience/proper training with a lightsaber and number of duels with another lightsaber wielder.