#lisbon essentials

[mtdewluvr]

[lisbonsteresa]

you ever just

[wardrobemoments]

Lisbon in s2e16, Code Red

[chaotic-history]

I will die on this hill

[baronessvonglitter]

From Day One

Marcus Pike x f!Reader

Word count: 2.5K

Summary: your FBI partner and secret crush Agent Marcus Pike has only you to lean on after his breakup with Teresa Lisbon. You offer him something to take away his heartache..

WARNINGS: 18+ Only! Mature and Explicit, friends to lovers, pining, angst, fluff, confessions of love, oral (m & f receiving), 69ing, unprotected p in v sex

Author's Note: this was a fic posted on AO3 right around Valentine's Day but there's not much talk about the holiday itself except a couple brief mentions. Didn't feel like waiting 8 months to post it here 🙂‍↔️

MARCUS PIKE MASTERLIST | FULL MASTERLIST

You’ve loved Agent Marcus Pike from the moment you were introduced. Your first day at the Austin FBI field office was a chaotic one, being thrown onto a case with him immediately. Your transfer from out of state was sudden, but your skills were sought after by this particular department and you soon became an asset.

You also became close with Marcus himself, partnering with him on several high-profile cases. Spending all that time together, you felt sparks. It was easy to be with him. He seemed to genuinely care about the cases, and in getting to know him you found out he was not only handsome, but sweet and compassionate. Everything you looked for in a man.

And then Teresa Lisbon came into the picture.

One day you were bringing Marcus a coffee and bagel from your favorite place downtown when you walked into the office and saw him laughing with her. You froze, but your smile completely disappeared when she kissed him. Right in front of you. You swore your heart stopped beating.

Marcus noticed you and introduced you to his new girlfriend, an agent you'd seen around and probably nodded politely to in passing. To save face you welcomed her. When they were gone you dumped the extra coffee down the sink.

Your working relationship with Marcus grew somewhat distant. You remained cordial with him, but you kept yourself less accessible than you used to be. You refrained from calling him or even joking with him. He definitely took notice, but his relationship with Teresa took over everything else in his life. Upon hearing that after only months of dating they were engaged, you put in a request for reassignment, which was promptly rejected. You were essential to the department, and honestly quitting wasn't an option for you, so you just had to eat your heart out, watching those two lovebirds. He planned on taking her to DC with him on his transfer anyway, so you figured it would be good riddance to both after all.

And one day, a day that starts out like any other. Marcus doesn't show up for work. And there's gossip around the office that he was dumped by Teresa. You know better than to put too much faith in rumors, but at the end of the day you share an elevator going down with Teresa herself, and her face says it all. She looks guilty and can't even look you in the eye.

In your car you immediately call Marcus but get his voicemail. You drive by his house and see his car there. Banging on the door you refuse to leave until you know he's okay. "Marcus open this damn door!"

He does open it eventually and he looks like a shell of his former self. His eyes are bleary and red. He's been crying but refuses to show it.

"Jesus Christ," you mutter, and without a second thought you embrace him. Your body is warm as he hugs you back.

"I can't believe she'd do that! What a bitch!" you exclaim, sitting on the sofa with him as he reveals the details of his breakup with Teresa.

"She's not a bitch," he softly replies. "She just wants someone else."

"Okay then, she's an idiot." You refuse to let her off the hook for hurting someone you'd fallen for long ago. "Are you still going to DC?"

He nods. "I made a commitment and I'm still seeing it through."

"Unlike her," you mutter.

"I wasn't a good friend to you while I was with her," he confesses, his puppy dog eyes conveying his regret. "Can you forgive me?"

This confession shocks you. You hadn't expected Marcus to be aware of what you were going through. You hadn't even made your feelings for him known. "It's fine, Marcus.. I was hurt, I'm not going to lie.. but you were in love. I know what it's like to lose yourself in someone." You cast a look at him that is filled with longing.

"I'd been planning this move to DC months in advance," he says. "Way before I met Teresa. And honestly, my first choice was to bring you with me."

This takes you by surprise. "What?"

He smiles. "You're my partner.. it was only right that I bring you with me, if of course you wanted to. Then things changed, and.." he trails off and you can tell he's fighting off another round of tears thinking about Teresa. "Would you still want to come with me? The DC branch is still expecting two agents. We'd have to figure out a living situation, but.. I'd love for you to come. I'll understand if you don't."

"Absolutely," you say before he's even finished his sentence.

"Really?" He smiles for the first time and it lights up his face.

You smile back. "Only an idiot could say no to you, Marcus Pike.."

DC is so much more fast-paced than you expected, but you and Marcus keep busy, working on new, more prominent cases. It's like the good old days, before he had his heart stomped on by Teresa. You've been careful with him, giving him his space to heal while you've also become acclimated to this new city.

You share a two-bedroom loft in the heart of the city, and it's been an easier transition than you'd thought. Being with him is so natural, so easy. Even the holidays are spent in a kind of quiet reminiscence. But then Valentine's Day rolls around, and just as you think Marcus is finally getting to a good place, you see him somber, his sparkle dulled. He must be thinking of Teresa, and how they'd be starting a life together now..

Even though nothing has been discussed regarding the obvious chemistry between you, you decide it's time to show him what he's been missing out on. Valentine's night, you suggest staying in and watching a movie. You stream "My Best Friend's Wedding", a film you both love, and settle in with some snacks. It's a comfortable evening as you relax on the sofa, your head on his shoulder. You're both in comfy clothes: Marcus in a white tee and sweatpants, you in a tank top and sleep shorts.

You decide to test the waters by resting your arm across his chest, hand on his shoulder. and he subconsciously places his hand on your elbow. You smile, reaching up to press a soft kiss to his neck. He tenses ever so slightly but doesn't pull away, in fact he sighs and that makes you smile. You whisper his name as your lips lightly brush his ear. You feel his pulse start to race, his eyes half-lidded as he falls under your spell. Your lips skim across the scruffy beard he's grown since his breakup, pressing to his cheek.

Without warning he grabs you and puts you in his lap, straddling him, and pulls you in for a scorching kiss. He holds the back of your head while his other hand strokes your back. The kiss is a synergy of lips and tongues, and you pull him closer to you while you feel him growing hard beneath you. You joyfully rub yourself against him, seeking the friction that will bring you together, making yourself absolutely drenched and knowing he can feel it through his sweatpants. Jesus, you could come right now just from the friction alone.

But he pauses, doesn't necessarily stop, putting a small bit of distance from your kiss as his gaze searches yours. "What are we doing?" he whispers, seemingly awestruck as he brushes a tendril of hair away from your face.

"I'm making my best friend feel better," you answer.

“Just your friend?” He crooks an eyebrow. Your stomach flutters with anticipation.

“Maybe more than a friend..”

He pulls you in for another kiss, removing your tank top. You delight in the feel of his fingertips on your bare flesh. A high pitched gasp passes your lips as his lips graze your neck, tease their way down your chest until he takes a pert nipple in his mouth, slowly sucking and lavishing attention with his tongue. You press your body against him, an offering. His mouth slips further down until suddenly he flips you over with ease, making you gasp. He’s now kneeling before you, big brown eyes hopeful as his fingers curl into the waistband of your shorts.

“Marcus.. tonight’s supposed to be about you,” you tell him, voice trembling with excitement.

“You first,” he whispers as you brush a stray lock of hair from his face. “It should’ve been you from the start,” he says, admiring how your hips arch as he removes your shorts and panties together. “I know that now, and I.. I’m glad you made the first move tonight.. if I’d tried something and you rejected me I don’t know what I’d do..”

You brush your fingers through his hair and mentally damn TL for leaving him so broken. “I’m not going anywhere Marcus.. I’ve wanted you from day one..”

He exhales loudly, hooking your knees under his arms and pulling you to the edge of the sofa. In the soft glow of the table side lamp he takes in the sight of your pussy, sees how soaked you are for him. He looks up at you as his tongue delves into your folds, causing your hips to buck against him. He holds your thighs firmly, flicking his tongue inside you, scooping your sweet nectar, falling in love with the taste of you, watching each reaction. Fucking you with his tongue makes you sit upright, gently cupping the back of his head, and sweeping his tongue over your throbbing clit is what makes you cry out his name, hips rising up to offer more to his hungry mouth as your body stretches out, thighs threatening to clamp down around his head.

“Please, Marcus please,” you moan. “I want to suck your cock.. it’s all I’ve been thinking about all night,” you beg.

He’s touched by this: even when you’re so close to coming you’re still thinking about his needs, putting him first.

“Ride my face,” he says, taking over when he sees how vulnerable you are. After stripping off his clothes he lays naked on the sofa and you gingerly place yourself over his mouth, the heat of his breath warming your cunt. Marcus wastes no time getting back to work, licking and sucking, pressing his lips to your clit and gently murmuring, the vibrations making your pleasured nerve endings ricochet and send you into overdrive. You lean forward taking hold of his cock, your breath stills at the deliciously thick length, more girth towards the head, which is also perfectly shaped. Just as you've imagined all along, Marcus Pike has a beautiful cock.

You take him into your mouth with gusto, keeping one hand on the base and stroking as you suck him. You take your time, delicately tonguing his sensitive, swollen head of his cock, brushing your tongue across the slit that's already leaking precum. His salty essence is lapped up by your greedy tongue as you hear him moan behind you, and he buries his face into your cunt, sending a rush of heat and electricity throughout your body. He laps at you vehemently, intent on making you cum as many times as possible. He uses his fingers to find your G-spot, pressing harder upon the spongy tissue until you see stars behind your eyes, and give forth a cry of sweet release, coming hard around his invading fingers. "There you go," Marcus soothes, his touch becoming softer as you come down from your peak. "Baby, I want to drink from this pussy every day," he says, and his eyes light up when you give a low, wicked laugh.

"You haven't even come yet," you tell him, continuing to stroke him. You get on your knees before him but he sits up and brings you into his lap again.

"I want to be inside you when I come," he tells you, positioning you over him. "It's a fantasy I've had for so long."

"For how long?"

"Probably since that first day.."

"Oh Marcus," your rapid heartbeat resounds throughout your entire being. "Why didn't you ever tell me?"

"I wasn't so sure I wanted to lose our friendship.. but I think we might have more to gain now, if you're willing.."

This is all you've ever wanted to hear from him. Your every hope is coming true tonight, of all nights, on Valentine's Day. "I think I look pretty willing to you, don't you think?" you smirk, taking hold of his still-swollen cock and taking him so deep within you, a little at a time. The look on his face speaks volumes and he thrusts up the last few inches, eliciting a languishing moan as you take him up to the hilt.

You start slow at first, savoring the feeling of finally being one with him. His hands roam everywhere: your hips, your breasts, your thighs, as if he doesn't know where to start. He's like a kid in a candy store.

"I'm yours, Marcus," you tell him, cupping his handsome face in your hands. "I'm only yours." The pain that he went through with her he'll never have to experience again. "I'm going to make you forget anyone else ever existed for you.."

He kisses you, your bodies pressed together as intimately as any two people can be, rocking your hips in tandem, discovering the feel of each other. He watches your body as you make your own rhythm, moving sensually over him, and he wonders how he could have ever even looked at anyone else. It’s a joy to him to absorb the view of you commanding your pleasure on him, knowing he's the one making you feel this way. If there's anyone on this earth who can make him forget his heartbreak it's you.

"You're my beautiful girl," he mutters, his thumb tracing the softness of your lips. You press down harder, grinding against him and he encourages it, fucking you just as you're fucking him until you're a sighing, moaning, gasping pair. Your orgasm only spurs on his own, your walls clenching around him possessively, claiming him, drawing him towards his own completion and when he fills you you swear it's the most pristine, most natural thing you've ever felt. You belong to each other now.

And later, when you're laying side by side on the sofa, covered with a throw blanket, attempting to finish the movie, watching Julia Roberts run after a man who's marrying someone else, you sigh contentedly as he wraps an arm around your waist, drawing you in closer, a smile graces your lips and you're pretty sure it'll never leave your face. "You haven't even asked me to be your valentine," you tease him.

"Oh? I thought my actions spoke volumes." His smile lights up the semi-darkness.

"You might have to repeat some of those actions.. in case I need to be reminded.." you scoot back against him, gleefully finding him already hard again.

He chuckles and his lips brush lightly against your ear as he takes your hips in his hands and, in a sure and determined thrust, thrusts into you from behind, causing you both to cry out in bliss.

dividers by @firefly-graphics 👑

[beyondfabric]

Todd Snyder SS23 “Lisbon Calling” Editorial

 The american designer teams up with long-time friend Armando Cabrail to shoot a capsule collection in the heart of Lisbon. Casual and sophisticated, these are some of the Summer essentials I’d love to be wearing around town.

[patrickjanebrain]

Red Hot: The Slow Slow Burn of Jane and Lisbon (Walter Mashburn Edition)

I just finished re-watching Red Hot (3x07), and I have some thoughts about Lisbon and her aborted love affair with Walter Mashburn.

I admit that I didn't like it that [spoiler] Lisbon had a one-night stand with Mashburn. I enjoy the character. Mashburn was entertaining, charming, and likable in a whimsical sort of ruthless way, and Currie Graham had great chemistry with both Simon Baker and Robin Tunney. It would have been interesting if he had made more appearances on the show. But I felt it was out of character for Lisbon to just take him for a quick spin and then never see him again. And obviously he's a horrible romantic bet. The writers make that clear when they introduce him.

And then I realized that's the point.

During the 7 seasons of The Mentalist, in the course of their investigations, Lisbon and Jane meet hundreds of people, and Walter Mashburn is quite unique among them. He and Jane hit it off right away, despite the fact that Jane suspects him of being a possible murderer. Mashburn immediately understands exactly who Jane is ("You're a psychic, aren't you?").

He succinctly sums up Jane's entire raison d'etre the second time they meet.

Walter Mashburn: Oh, I know you're a charlatan as I said. You lost your wife and kid to a serial killer, your fault you think. And now you're on this hopeless quest for redemption. Battling evil and injustice, right?

Patrick Jane: Close enough.

Walter Mashburn: You play mind games with people. You size up their weaknesses, and then you give them the rope to hang themselves.

Patrick Jane: Oh, you make it sound so cool.

Mashburn happily goes along with all of Jane's schemes because he's essentially bored being the smartest, most danger-seeing, risk-taking person in the room all of the time. He enjoys new experiences.

Mashburn also has a thing for revenge. When we meet him a second time it's because he's in the process of destroying an old enemy, Yuri Bajoran. He's maneuvered a hostile buyout of his business, Yuri's "baby," because Yuri once stole the woman he loved away from Mashburn.

Playful. Ruthless. Brilliant. Charming. Hedonistic. Risk taking.

You get where I'm going here. He's Patrick Jane. Minus the trauma.

Mashburn is what Jane was trying to become before his wife and child were murdered. He was chasing fame and fortune. He was ignoring his wife's desire to live a straight life because he was having too much fun indulging himself.

And then, because of Jane's arrogance and carelessness, Red John deliberately targeted Angela and Charlotte for destruction, and Jane had to do a massive internal restructuring of his priorities.

When we first meet Jane, he's still playful, charming, ruthless, brilliant, and risk taking. But now he has a mission, and that suicide mission for revenge takes precedence over ever other thing. He's no longer self indulgent. He's sublimated his hedonistic urges, including his sexuality, to give himself greater focus. The only thing that matters is hunting down and killing Red John.

Then he meets Teresa Lisbon.

Lisbon is a soulmate. She has survived her own crucible of trauma, and she has a critical understanding of (and empathy for) broken, hurting men. She understands that Jane is off-limits romantically. He's shut down. He may flirt and charm out of habit or need, but the part of him that could give something to a relationship is no longer operational. There is an attraction between them, but it's impossible.

That impossibility is the reason they allow themselves to get so close and eventually care so deeply for each other.

Because Teresa is extremely skittish. She's a bolter. She left Chicago because she felt tied down taking care of her father and brothers. She abandoned her fiance when things got too serious between them. She's afraid of commitment. To her commitment feels like slavery, and she doesn't want that. She's afraid of that.

But that doesn't mean that she's not attracted to Mashburn. She has a type: she likes charming, ruthless bad boys who don't follow the rules. She knows they're bad for her, but she can't help it. That's her thing.

When she meets Walter, he immediately tells her he's attracted to her and available.

He asks her out. He says he'll fly his plane to Sacramento to see her. Jane finds all of this amusing. He agrees with Mashburn's assessment of Lisbon's appeal and compliments him on his style. And later he tells Lisbon that she should have taken him up on his offer, that a little empty glamour would be good for her.

When you realize that Mashburn is a stand-in for Jane, the whole thing is quite funny, really. Lisbon being attracted to Jane. Jane telling Lisbon that he'd be good for her, loosen her up a little.

When they meet again in Red Hot, Lisbon does take Mashburn up on his offer. She enjoys herself, and then like the skittish filly she is, she never sees him again. It's too much. Too tempting, too out of character for the person she wants to be. And Mashburn could overpower her emotionally. She doesn't want that.

The trauma, their mutual trauma, is what Jane and Lisbon share and bond over. It's what keeps them apart, and what eventually, after that slow, slow burn, brings them together. The attraction was always there. It's takes time to build that complete understanding and utter trust, and it never would have happened if Jane had been available to begin with.

@tmsource @robntunney @tresalisbon

[604to647]

(Late Night) WIP Wednesday

Thank you for the tags @aurorawritestoescape and @mermaidgirl30 😘

Whenever I post a new chapter of Safest with You, I essentially throw my phone down and run away, hence not getting to this until late 😂😂

Working on lots, funny enough!

Safest with You, Ch. 21 is already in progress! That final scene in Ch. 20 was actually split, and the next chapter will open right where we left off.

“This doesn’t look okay,” you gently pull the hand that you saw Din shake in pain away from the wall, turning it over and cradling it in your hands - gasping a little when you see his knuckles scraped and bleeding.  Din watches your sweet face cloud with concern as you take a handkerchief from your purse and delicately wrap it around his wounded hand; tying it snugly against his palm before turning his hand over and bringing his knuckles to your lips, pressing a tender kiss against the makeshift bandage.

“Thank you, baby.”

Two The Rockford Portfolio instalments, one fluffy and one silly and smutty. (And actually a third Christmas special has oddly been started too??)

“Awwww… poor baby,” you soften when you feel Tim drop the weight of his fatigue onto you; his hulking frame is overwhelming, but you do what you can to support him.  Chuckling, you run your hands through his soft curls, massaging light circles into his scalp with your fingers; your heart sings a little when you hear him groan in satisfaction, “How did you used to sleep before you met me?”

Tim shrugs, “Didn’t sleep.” 

Finally, before beskarandblasters deactivated (😔), I signed up for her second round of Pedro Pantheon. We weren't friends or even that familiar, but I miss her and I think I'll honour what I consider to be a lovely legacy by completing the challenge and still try to post between Aug 2-9 as she intended. I'll be writing for Marcus Pike for the first time, and my god is Hephaestus:

While it was clear that Marcus himself did not view his limp as an impediment, you still thought the comparison to what the Greeks had considered Hephaestus’ deformity to be in bad taste.

But it was worse than you thought.  It wasn’t just because of the limp. 

Your eyes widen in horror and your heart clenches painfully for Marcus when your co-worker tells you about Lisbon and Jane. 

Late night NPT (apologies if you've done it; I'm late as always): @nerdieforpedro @morallyinept @milla-frenchy @inept-the-magnificent

[foggyxrayspecs]

Security Measures

Prompt: Yelena is an underboss in her family’s organization. Her latest mission calls her to exact revenge on an old friend that no longer has her sister’s best interest at heart. While infiltrating his operation, she enjoys dismantling all his security, including his guard dog.

Warnings: dark-ish, sub-themes of human trafficking, heavy petplay

Word Count: 2k

A/N: I like the idea of Yelena taking on a pet that is essentially a loaded gun. With all her new toys, she gets super nerdy about studying the mechanics of how it all works. Then she’d devote herself to mastering the ultimate switch — a deadly weapon and a big, dumb lapdog. Hijinks ensue! Tip of the hat to @scarlettwlw for letting me borrow the Widow AU Yelena. (Much appreciated!!!) All future chapters (link)

The faint swipe of the plastic card key and the affirmative beep of the reader has you up on your knuckles and knees in seconds. The auditory enhancements behind your ears dial in on the soft echoes of boots and amplify them. You frown at the closed door in front of you and concentrate on listening to the soft murmuring of two people entering the corridor. One of them is the Boss, and the other is unknown. A stranger. They don’t sound too tall, but you’ve learned not to judge what’s in small packages.

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

IN THE ROOM

The faint swipe of the plastic card key and the affirmative beep of the reader has you up on your knuckles and knees in seconds. The auditory enhancements behind your ears dial in on the soft echoes of boots and amplify them. You frown at the closed door in front of you and concentrate on listening to the soft murmuring of two people entering the corridor. One of them is the Boss, and the other is unknown. A stranger. They don’t sound too tall, but you’ve learned not to judge what’s in small packages.

You let out a soft woof to yourself and crowd the door under the handle. As the voices grow louder, you can make out the language. Russian. You preferred it when the Boss spoke English, allowing you to understand what was going on. When you know what's going on, it's easier to guard him properly and not get in the way. Not getting in the way is the thin margin that keeps you on the Boss's good side. A side that has been disappearing as of late. 

Uncontrolled, you begin barking your head off, actively dropping your voice to catch all the lower registries of bass you can gather. You've got one thing on your mind — to protect the Boss, the space, to warn the stranger. Sound waves roll off you towards the door, willing the wood to buckle under the weight of your ferocity.

Click. The door opens, letting in the smells from the corridor. The Boss is tense. The stranger is — you sharply inhale — then the world goes black as the Boss tosses his heavy peacoat at you, covering your head. 

"SHUDDUP, FUCKING MUTT! Holy hell!" You hear the Boss circle the desk and flop down in his chair, kicking his boots up on the mahogany surface. "Come in and take a seat, Yelena. There much to discuss."  

The stranger pauses two steps into the room as the door closes.

"Ah, you have a guardhund," she says, gently surprised. 

"Yes," you hear the Boss sigh. "They've been installed here for six months since the attempted break-in. Not worth the money if you ask me."

You feel the coat being gently pulled from your head. As you blink away the darkness, you are immediately captured in the green gaze of the woman. Her eyes assessing. You swallow down more barking.

She mutters to the Boss, "Ivan. You should not treat your protector so haphazardly."

"It's good for them. They aren't a lot of fun, you know."

"Fun? Is this how run your business?"

"Yelena," the Boss says in a low husk. "You know I know how much you like your fun. Lisbon…with Magda?"

The woman chuckled and nodded, "Yes, I remember. Well, the Portuguese had it coming." You could tell she was forcing herself to relax as she sat in the chair opposite the Boss's desk. 

Your training keeps you constantly vigilant. You stare down the stranger. You cannot help but give a low growl of warning deep in your throat. She just winks at you. You blink back. You tilt your head, showing the barest amount of curiosity. 

"My sister has a pet."

"Oh, yes, I've seen her. Glued to Natasha, beautiful… a little spoiled," the Boss grins.

Yelena chuckles. "Yes, her puppy is quite a handful."

"Well, at least she has personality. This one… " He motions to you. "They just sit there. Staring. It's… a little creepy."

Yelena barks a laugh. "It sounds like they are doing their job."

Over the next half-hour, you listen to the Boss and the woman — Yelena — converse in a foreign language. Yelena sneaks glances at you every few minutes. You take her in unabashedly, watching every move she makes. The Boss didn't seem to care that she was still heavily armed even after the screening from the crew members at the front entrance.

The Boss's sharp laugh and scrape of the chair pull you back into the moment. The Boss rounds the desk and envelops Yelena into a hug, rubbing her arms. You watch her endure the embrace, holding her breath. "Okay, we've got a deal. So good to see you again, Yelena. It will be a pleasure to see you much more often, yes?"

The woman gracefully breaks his embrace and steps back, her eyes falling on you. She easily says her goodbyes with a slight nod and leaves the room. You inhale the last of her heady scent.

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

YELENA'S APARTMENT

"So, he's got a guardhund."

"Christ. How the hell did he get one?"

"Probably his mother. So, we'll need to add that into the mix."

Natasha hums absently.

Yelena takes a breath. "I don't want to kill the pup. How do I… dominate them?"

"Oh, look at you. My little sister… the handler."

"Shut up. I need to know to plan the rest of the mission. And, I don't know… you are the one with the PET!"

"Puppy and a guardhund are two very, very different things." Natasha sighs. "Most pets — even guardhunds — don't respond well to being forcibly dominated. Muzzle grabs and alpha rolls do nothing to assure them that we are in control. Instead, they make us appear more aggressive, out of control, and untrustworthy, increasing their stress.

"Since you've got time. I think you need to play to your strengths. Win them over the old-fashioned way. Earn it. If that fails… food." Natasha hums again. "Also, we could try one other thing…"

Yelena raised an eyebrow.

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

IN THE ROOM | Three days later… 

You dig your teeth into your cuff for the thousandth time that day. The leather feels good in your mouth. You begin the delicate work of chewing the edges around your wrist. Whatever you can do to pass the endless time. 

After you finish the first phase of your leatherwork, you sigh heavily, looking up at the window where the light is finally dimming. 

Your ear perks at the sound of solitary footsteps entering the corridor. You pull back your ear muscle to focus the tech on amplification. It was her again. Yelena.

You push yourself from resting on your haunches and roll forward to balance your weight onto your knuckles. You exhale a soft huff of breath as your body tenses in anticipation. 

You keep quiet as she slides the key card and opens the door, quietly shutting it behind her. You frown darkly, watching her.

She drops down to you. She was not looking into your eyes, but you could tell her attention was on you. "No enthusiastic greeting today? Am I not a threat? Forgive me if I don’t trust your judgment."

You offer a low growl and show her your teeth. You are meant to protect this room — its sanctity, its secrets. She slowly raises her hand to one of the many zippers on her vest. You growl louder. She lets out a quick "Shh!"

Your interest is captured when she lifts her hand and takes treats from her pocket. You hold still, nostrils twitching. Your shock collar training keeps you from being ruled by food motivation, but it's been such a long time since you've eaten. The Boss likes to keep you hungry to keep you on edge. Still, you hold when she presents you with an outstretched hand with three delicious-smelling morsels. You growl louder.

"Ahh, no treats? You have a strong will," she says softly.

You watch her with serious eyes. She smelled as good as she did days ago, her voice soothing, her energy calming. She forces a yawn, showing that she's not interested in confrontation. She drops the treats on the rug next to you. 

She raises her hand to another pocket and pulls out a handkerchief that smells repugnant. You sneeze and growl heavily. She quickly tucks it away and opens another zipper to remove another folded cloth. "Nope."  

Your attention snaps to the new cloth. "Mm, this has your attention. You like this?" 

She holds the handkerchief out to you, and you smell it greedily and begin softly licking the cloth texture. "Ah, Natasha was right about the pheromones. She'll love that. Look at how you are licking…licking it all up..." 

She tries to take the cloth back, and you can't help but reach out and bite it. You try to pull it back from her grasp. “You love women's pheromones, mm? Want to play tug-of-war?" She lightly tugs the cloth, and you move closer but start digging in with the heels of your palms and your knees, leveraging your strong muscles to pull back.

She grins and gives it to you, watching you as you jerk back and then begin to lower yourself to the ground immediately and lick the cloth in earnest. You hear her hum softly, and then you feel a light touch on your back. She waits three seconds, then moves her hand between your shoulder blades. “Many bruises.” She purses her lips and clicks her tongue, “Have you been fighting? Or, have they done this to you?” 

Yelena starts rubbing between your shoulder blades, and it feels like heaven. You barely close your eyes and revel in the touch soothing your knotted muscles. Since you were kicked in the back last week, you had tried to surreptitiously roll on the rug or rub against the Spartan furniture in the room to ease your body aches. You grunt softly as she begins to dig her fingers in. "Aw, you are in such tension."

You lean into her, now sucking on the cloth in your mouth. You subtly ask for more pressure by arching into her hand. She generously gives it to you, softly moving her other hand to guide you on your side. She massages your muscles intensely, and you let out a low whine of pleasure and relief.

"Ah, you are a good pup. Well, you are more like a bear. You are fierce, but you are just a baby. Yes, just a little cub," she modulates her voice high and low, then high again. 

You can't fucking help it; you lean into this new feeling of warmth in your chest and let your tongue lull out and turn all the way over onto your back, showing her your belly and narrowing your eyes to everything but her and her beautiful voice. Yelena.

Yelena gives you a brilliant smile and few more belly scratches and then quickly raises to her feet, leaving you blinking out of your joyful haze. You watch her turn on the Boss's computer and tap the keys. After a few minutes, she pulls a stick from the machine's side and tucks it back into a new pocket. 

You hear her sigh and walk back over to you, folding herself down on her haunches and gently stroking your chin. 

"Drop it." She hooks her thumb into your jaw and pries it open so she can remove the handkerchief. You whine softly, and she smiles at you slowly. "You like my smell. Very good, cub."

After she quietly leaves, you snap up the treats in your mouth and chew as you stare at the door, listening to the light steps of the blonde woman. You hope she turns heel and comes back.

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

IN THE ROOM | The next week… 

You can hear the Boss pause his typing. He stabs the intercom with his finger and calls out to his crew operating the front of the shop — only static returns.

You hear footsteps in the corridor. Yelena. 

You wait. As the sound of her boots reaches normal human hearing levels, you smell the Boss's anxiety spike in fear.

You wait, wanting to turn invisible. You don't want him to say the words. Those damn words that make you into a ravaging beast. 

Yelena swipes the card and opens the door. 

"Atta…" The word dies on his lips as Yelena puts a bullet dead-on in the Boss's forehead. 

She cuts her eyes to you and pats her thigh twice, "Come here, cub. We're leaving."

Fuck, that voice. You obey.

[psychicpinenut]

thinking mentalist thoughts and this is gonna be a bit rambly but hear me out. the choice to have jane essentially forced to confront his feelings about lisbon is so good. without pike jane probably would've still gone on for years just being content with being friends and partners. and it makes sense for him as a character. we all know of the big trauma right? wife and child killed, even though he's killed red john, that didn't bring them back. not even sure it brought him the kind of closure he was expecting. throughout the seasons he's had like 3 women in his life who he was intimate with. erica, who was almost like the female version of himself and used her sexuality to her advantage so he couldn't help but be mesmerized by her like every other man around her (well what can i say). i think of that as purely a kind of sexual attraction, didn't really mean anything. then there was lorelai who he did actually sleep with but only to get closer to red john. there was nothing there. and kristina who he actually felt a deeper connection with. we see him having an actual good time on their date and he has to excuse himself to the bathroom to compose himself because of the crushing guilt he feels about having a good time with another woman. he feels like he's abandoning angela, he's moving on but in his mind he's not allowed to move on. he can only rest once red john is dead and his family has been avenged. and then of course red john steals her away too.

it might sound harsh but jane does kind of take lisbon for granted in the sense that he assumes she'll always be there next to him. no need to ruin what they have when this is working perfectly. besides, even though red john is dead, there's still that guilt lingering. is he allowed to move on? just because he's killed red john, does that mean he can love another person? he's still a mess, doesn't have any prospects or a plan for the future. he cannot give these things to lisbon, so he's okay with just being close to her, besides, she's far too busy to date anyone, what could go wrong? then she meets pike, they start dating and suddenly that solid ground under his feet starts to crumble. what if she's not always going to be there for him? what if she moves on with someone else? ultimately, he has to get over his own guilt and reserves and allow himself to be happy. he needed that push.

[whydoyouhavetobefictional]

καὶ τῶ κρούοντι ἀνοιγήσεται (or: you only need to knock) - Lohtu - The Mentalist [Archive of Our Own]

Fandom: The Mentalist

Rating: General

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Relationships: Patrick Jane/Teresa Lisbon

Additional Tags: Pre-Relationship, set somewhere in season 3, Episode: s04e21 Red Dawn

Summary: Lisbon thinks about Jane five years earlier, his haunted gaze and rumpled clothes, begging someone to let him in and show him the Red John case files.

She thinks about the Jane now, walking through the doors without asking or knocking. Or locking others outside, if he wants, and there is no stopping him anymore.

When did he become so essential to all of them?

Author's Note: I'm particularly fond of Jane's room upstairs in the CBI. It has so many memorable scenes of Jane and Lisbon together, so I wanted to write a small ficlet about how Lisbon felt when Jane decided to make it his "thinking room". This is set somewhere in the third season, but refers to the fifth season episode, "Red Dawn", as well.

[burlveneer-music]

Cosmic Analog Ensemble - Les Grandes Vacances - this one is essentially a library music album as it stands ("The Great Vacation"). I don't think I noticed before that this is a one-man "ensemble"

Jakarta Records is proud to present “Les Grandes Vacances” courtesy of Beirut’s Cosmic Analog Ensemble, aka multi-instrumental phenom Charif Megarbane. The LP is an expansive musical odyssey, one that paints a melodic tapestry woven from an eclectic panorama of sonic tools. Funky beats, dreamy melodies + cinematic flair combine to create an experience that transcends time. From vibrant funky energy to introspective moods and library-inspired tunes, “Les Grandes Vacances” captures the essence of past and present, inviting you to indulge in the perfect balance of “groove-stalgia.” Composition, production, arrangements and mixing: Charif Megarbane Instruments: Charif Megarbane Instruments: electric guitar, 6 & 12-string acoustic guitar, baritone guitar, electric bass, theremin, vibraphone, piano, harpsichord, electric koto, Mellotron, Wurlitzer, Rhodes, Moog, Farfisa, melodica, flute, drums, drum machine, percussion, field recordings, vocals. Recorded in Beirut & Lisbon in 2023.

[clove-pinks]

Quadrilles - practising at home: 1817 print (British Museum)

A passage from S.A. Cavell's Midshipman and Quarterdeck Boys in the British Navy, 1771-1831 on the importance of social dancing for young officers in the 19th century Royal Navy:

Many young gentlemen also began to ascribe greater importance to their participation in good society. Peter Cullen noted the anxiety of the Squirrel’s midshipmen when their captain refused an invitation to a ball given by the Earl of Kinsdale. Some of the more enterprising (and disobedient) among them found a way ashore and ‘had the honour of dancing with the Ladies de Courcy’. In 1807 able seaman Robert Wilson noted the elegance of several parties on board the Unité in which the officers and young gentlemen decorated the quarterdeck, arranged bands and entertainments, and organized refreshments in an effort to entertain local ladies and gentlemen with country dances. A bitter Charles Shaw chastised his parents for failing to send him a new uniform which caused him to miss an important social opportunity: ‘We have all been invited to a Ball at the British Consul’s at this place [Lisbon] but I was obliged to refused as I had no clothes to go in’. 

Young gentlemen who paid excessive attention to the pursuits of genteel society risked the ire of more seasoned officers. Later in his career, Admiral Sir Thomas Byam Martin was peeved enough to comment: ‘The rivalry with midshipmen is no longer [over] smartness or professional duties, but in frivolous effeminacy, incompatible with what we wish and expect in the character of seamen.’ For most young gentlemen, however, the cultivation of an elegant manner in the company of polite society was essential to their personal and professional credit.  

An 1837 illustration by Robert William Buss for Captain Frederick Marryat’s novel Peter Simple, showing Royal Navy officers and midshipmen dancing at a ball in Barbados in the early 19th century.

[fake-russian-chick]

Casablanca: A love story that goes through time

“Ilsa: And what about us?

Rick: We will always have Paris”

***

That the noir drama “Casablanca”, from 1942 is a cinematography classic, nobody can disagree. Produced and situated in the middle of Second World War by the director Michael Curtiz, and having as its main character the beautiful Ingrid Bergman as Ilsa Lund, and of course, one of the most famous noir films actor of all times, Humphrey Bogart, in the part of the apparently unscrupulous Rick Blaine.

The script is surprisingly simple. The movie start informing us about how the city of Casablanca, in Morocco, was an essential stop to anyone interested in running from the Nazi occupation in France. The main problem was that get in Casablanca was easy, get out, on the other way, was almost impossible.

And is that in that scenario that we met our two main character, Rick Blaine, an American who can’t step a foot in his home country, has a bar in Casablanca, and is known for, besides being a close friend of the police’s captain, of not getting involved with anyone, breaking a lot of hearts in the process. The reason why Rick avoids any kind of romance? As in any good story, it was about a woman.

The woman in question is Ilsa Lund, a Hungarian woman who, together with her husband, Victor Laszlo, runs from the Gestapo, since Laszlo is one of the most important members of the Allied resistance. Ilsa and Rick met in Paris, and fell deeply in love a little while before the Nazi occupation in the town began, during the time where Ilsa believed that Victor had been murdered in the concentration camp that he was being kept. Once she found out that he husband not only was alive, but also had escaped, Ilsa has to leave Rick, without being able to explain what had really happened, so she would not compromise her husband and the resistance as a whole, which leaves Rick without knowing why he had been left behind.

Now, we cut for a year later, in Casablanca, where, by destiny’s irony, Ilsa and Victor enter Rick's bar, looking for a way to leave the Moroccan capital. Rick takes hold of safe conduct letters, but, in resentment of his past with Ilsa, he refuses himself to give the letters to Victor, who has to leave as quickly as possible, since some high-ranking officials of the Third Reich went to Casablanca, looking for him.

“Of all the joints, in all the towns, in all around the world, she walks into mine”

After Ilsa finally explains the reason of her leaving to Rick, in the process remembering old feelings that, given the situation, should be forgotten, she asks Rick to think for the both of them, and reluctantly, the hero who does not assume his own goodness agrees.

Rick’s plan was, at first sight, something worth of a man with no conscience, since it consisted in delivering Laszlo to the Nazis and use the letter of safe conduct to run away with Ilsa. He even combined the details with his friend, Captain Renault. What wasn’t expected is that, in the last minute, Rick’s real plan would be revealed, being that Rick himself hold Renault, pointing a gun to his heart while Ilsa and Victor got away from the city with the letters, which leads us to the most emotional scene of the film. Rick and Ilsa’s goodbye.

Ilsa believed she would stay in Casablanca with Rick, but he says that her place is with Victor, and that eventually, she would regret leaving him. Ilsa then asks what would be about them, and Rick answers that they will always have the memories of the time they spent in Paris, and watch with a heavy heart as Victor and Ilsa left for Lisbon in a plane.

“Here’s looking at you, kid”

Love. Oh, the love. It can start a war, or end it. It can give you the strength of a hero, or leave you helpless. It can be captured with a single look, but no force can make it stay. Love is unpredictable, and many times, tragic. Being in love can ruin you, and one do not have to make an effort to see that. Shakespeare saw it, and it is no wonder that he made all his young lovers to die, being they drowned, poisoned or stabbed, because he realised that some people can only be together six feet under the ground. Rick Blaine also realised it. You see, the greatest romances ever read or watched end up in tragedy. A beautiful poem hides a broken heart behind it. That is how love is, represented as a catastrophe by art. And we should fear it, shouldn’t we? But on the contrary, we embrace it, because the wish of making it right sometimes is bigger than the fear of going wrong.

It is in those circumstances that Rick, against all his common sense, allowed himself to love Ilsa again. Or perhaps, those feeling had never really went away, after all, Rick never forgot Paris, and in all the time they spent apart, Rick carried the marks of his failed love, and Ilsa’s abandonment. Besides the tragic love, we also have another theme treated greatly by the film. The discussion about moral. Rick Blaine is retreated since the beginning as a man who fights only for himself, and that would never risk his own neck, for any person or cause, but everything changes when Ilsa and Victor get in the “Rick’s Café”, because in that moment, our main character sees himself in front of a very difficult choice, the type which could save, or condemn him forever. Rick has to choose between what is right, and what is easy, knowing that doing the right thing would also involve give up on the love of his life.

How can one ask a man to take such a decision? They say that love is the death of honour, and poison of duty, but in this case, Rick proved that sometimes, the faith in something could be bigger than love. Unfortunately, because Rick a man of incorruptible moral, Rick chooses to do the right thing, leaving us with a bittersweet taste at the end of the film. Knowing it was the right thing, but still wishing that was another way, a second option, one where Rick and Ilsa could stay together. This is, indeed, the story of an impossible love, which could rival with the story of two young lovers in Verona. Although, Casablanca also teach us something, with its tragic end, Casablanca shows us that no matter how much we try, no matter how much we want… Some stories simply don’t have a happy ending.

Speaking of the most technical aspects of the production, the script is simple, and yet very well constructed, with no plot holes, and its setting in Morocco being very well done, especially taking in account the resources available at the time. The black-and-white scenes give the film a classic air, and help to transport the viewer to another time. Because it is not a very slow film, which is very characteristic of productions of the time, “Casablanca” manages to captivate all viewers, being a great starting point for anyone who wants to get started in cinema classics.

“You must remember this

A kiss is just a kiss

A sigh is just a sigh

The fundamental things apply

As time goes by”

As Times Goes By; Dooley Wilson

[420katsu]

Here is a 4 house "apartment" complex with a community shared gym. This build is on a 50 x 40 lot and costs a whopping $412,519 (Half of the budget is the fake cars from LorySims). I use this build with the For Rent pack and create 4 units for different households to rent.

CC used for this build are listed here + links:

LorySims Toyota Supra 2020

LorySims Nissan GTR 2011

LorySims Nissan Juke 2020

Yuka_Tanga Mazda MX5 1994

Harrie Octave Part 2

Pralinesims Bathroom Tiles

Vesta livingroom furniture by Severinka – TSR

WondyMoon Sodium Tabletop Plant

[zyx] Random Paintings

Felixandre x Harrie BAYSIC

Ung999 Bathroom Pisces - Folded Towel V2

House of Harlix - JARDANE

[WondyMoon] Rhenium Plant

RedHeadSims - Nintendo Switch

SIXAM CC - Kessler Kitchen

Pierisim MCM part 1,2,4 & 5

Pierisim DAVID APARTMENT part 1 & 2

SIMcredible - Dexter Backpack

House of Harlix - BAFROOM

[Onyxium] Lisbon Toy Box

House of Harlix - LIVIN' RUM

WondyMoon Sauveli Bathroom Decorations

HARRIE - Coastal part 3

Police Office Decor  by soloriya

Sims House - Wall Art Abstract Leaves

Severinka - Virgina Hallway

illogicalsims DHD Mini Addon

Maxsus Store - Dining Room Kit

House of Harlix - TINY TWAVELLERS

Harrie - Coastal part 1

Bathroom Pack by Max20

littledica - The Sims 4 Rise&Grind Coffee House

Harrie - Coastal part 4

Harrie - Brutalist Bathroom

BuffSumm -The Laundry - Decoration - Towel v4

Shoutout to all the CC creators!

Packs used listed here (there's a lot sorry): If you don't have some/all of these packs I downloaded all mine for free, so shout out to Anadius!

For Rent

Horse Ranch

Growing Together

Highschool Years

Snowy Escape

Eco Lifestyle

Discover University

Island Living

Get Famous

Cats & Dogs

City Living

Get Together

Get To Work

My Wedding Stories

Dream Home Decorator

Journey To Batuu

Strangerville

Jungle Adventure

Parenthood

Vampires

Dine Out

Spa Day

Outdoor Retreat

Home Chef Hustle

Tiny Living

Moschino

Laundry Day

Fitness

Bowling Night

Vintage Glamour

Backyard Stuff

Romantic Garden

Cool Kitchen

Perfect Patio

Party Essentials

Modern Luxe

Book Nook

Basement Treasures

Bathroom Clutter

Everyday Clutter

Pastel Pop

Desert Luxe

Décor To The Max

Blooming Rooms

Industrial Loft

Download is available on my patreon! <333

[adrl-pt]

What to blame for the ones who hide behind civilians? Who to help this week. Homosexuality is not a disease.

You are watching news from the weekly rally at the Russian Embassy in Lisbon. Today is May 18, 14:30.

On May 15, Russian rapper Misha Mavashi posted a video on his Telegram channel of a Grad MLRS firing while on the road surrounded by cars stuck in a traffic jam. In his comments, he explained that if the Russian army is “working like this,” “it means there is a permission for that.” https://novosti.dn.ua/ru/news/373813-rossijskij-reper-zasvetil-v-seti-strelbu-grada-iz-belgoroda-po-ukraine

The "Important Stories" media found out that this is the road near Shebekino in the Belgorod region, and the direction of fire corresponds to the territory in the north of the Kharkiv region. https://istories.media/news/2024/05/15/poyavilos-video-strelbi-rszo-grad-iz-probki-grazhdanskikh-avto-pod-belgorodom/

On the “Khodorkovsky Live” channel, international lawyer Sergei Golubok explained that this is “the use of a human shield. The same thing that Hamas does when launching rockets from hospitals… Article 51 of the additional protocol to the Geneva Conventions clearly states this… In this case, this MLRS will be a legitimate target for a Ukrainian strike, and civilians around will be legitimately damaged." https://www.youtube.com/live/DePwmNTB4Zo?feature=shared&t=1081

The "Go by the Forest" project, which helps Russians not participate in this war and tries to stop it, is holding the "Run through the Forest" campaign to raise funds for their work. The first race will be on May 19. In Lisbon we start at 10 AM from the Belem Tower. https://t.me/iditelesom_help/3287

On May 23 at 7 PM in Lisbon, the Sputnik bar will host a charity screening of the documentary film “The Hardest Hour”. This is an honest film about how Ukrainians lived until February 24, 2024 and how their lives changed on that day. https://maps.app.goo.gl/uQseM5w78gyvvvoF7

The screening is in support of the Orphans Feeding Foundation's Bring Kids Back UA program. The Foundation has already been able to return 36 children illegally deported from Ukraine. https://www.orphans-feeding-foundation.org/bring-kids-back-ua-program/

Former municipal deputy Alexei Gorinov asks for help with publicizing the fact that they are trying to fabricate a case of extremism for him. Gorinov is in prison for speaking out against holding a children's drawing competition during the war with Ukraine. https://t.me/alexei_gorinov_2022/713

The repression that suppresses dissent and opens the door to war begins with small, vulnerable groups of people. May 17 is the International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia. On this day in 1990, the WHO General Assembly removed homosexuality from its list of diseases, declaring that "it is not a disease, disorder or perversion." https://www.europarl.europa.eu/topics/en/article/20110513STO19333/17-may-international-day-against-homophobia

The English mathematician Alan Turing did a lot for the invention of the computers that we all use. https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A2%D1%8C%D1%8E%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B3,_%D0%90%D0%BB%D0%B0%D0%BD

After the outbreak of World War II, Turing worked to crack the code of the German Enigma cipher machine. Winston Churchill said about it this way: “No one else made the same contribution to our victory in the war.” In 1952, Turing was arrested for a homosexual act, which was illegal then. He was given a choice: prison or treatment, which was essentially chemical castration. He agreed to treatment. He was pardoned only posthumously, in 2013. https://www.bbc.com/russian/society/2014/11/141112_imitation_game_turing

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