#long hair nic cage save me

[euphoric-mars]

con air is the easiest rewatch ever like bro 2 hours straight of PLANE?? awesome. EXPLOSIONS?!?!?? so sick. LONG HAIR NIC CAGE?!?!?!? literally the movie in the world ever.

[me-myself-and-my-fos]

Platform 9 3/4

Pairing: Percy Weasley x Nicole Weasley

Word Count: 1.7k

Summary: Nic and Percy take their daughters to King’s Cross for a new school year

A/N: More of me writing instead of working on assignments and also introducing our fankids

King’s Cross Station was filled with muggles just as it was every year. The Weasley family paid no mind as they headed to their destination, pushing the trolleys along. Molly checked her wristwatch, red curls falling in her face for a moment before she tucked the stray hairs behind her ear. She readjusted the glasses on her face and looked over at her little sister.

“Hurry up, Lucy, we’re going to be late!” She barked at her sister. The owl in the cage on Lucy’s trolley let out a noise, unhappy with being woken up.

“Molly, we have twenty minutes before the train leaves. We’ll make it, sweetheart,” Nic said to her daughter as she walked beside Lucy.

Molly was still young but already so much like her father. She had the Weasley signature curly red hair, along with her father’s eyes and freckles. Her nose was only something she could inherit from her mother, along with her mother’s love for muggle pens. It came as a surprise to Nic and Percy when their oldest daughter was sorted in Slytherin, but it made sense given she was as ambitious as her father and had a knack for being resourceful in any given situation. She also had a talent for being tricky, able to slip the truth out of anyone with ease. Percy saw a bright future for Molly in the Ministry.

The younger of the two, Lucy, was nearly the spitting image of her mother with curly dark brown hair, although during the summer the light gave her curls a bit of a red tint, and once again her mother’s nose. She had brown eyes with spots of green, as opposed to her mother’s true hazel color. Lucy was starting her first year at Hogwarts and was incredibly nervous. Her sister didn’t help.

“This year’s different, mum. I’m a prefect! I have to be there early to patrol the train.” Molly insisted. Nic looked over at her husband and gave him the ‘she’s just like you’ look he was all too familiar with. Percy shook his head with a soft smile as the four continued towards the platform.

“We wouldn’t be late if you hadn’t been polishing that stupid badge,” Lucy mumbled.

Molly’s head snapped towards her sister. “Excuse me, but being a prefect is not only a serious responsibility but an honor, and–”

“Oh look, girls, Platform nine and three quarters,” Percy interrupted, saving Lucy from the lecture she would have no doubt gotten from Molly. “Molly, why don’t you go first.”

Molly tore her glare away from her sister and headed straight for the wall between platforms. She disappeared into the wall and Nic smiled down at Lucy.

“Do you want to go by yourself?” She asked Lucy.

Lucy stood for a moment as she thought. She nodded. “Yes.”

Nic stepped away from Lucy and Percy grabbed his wife’s hand. They watched as Lucy took a deep breath and ran towards the wall before disappearing.

“She’s a natural,” Percy whispered. Nic smiled at the very obvious pride on his face. She kissed his cheek.

“Best not to keep them waiting,” she said, pulling him towards the wall. They rushed through and saw the busy cluster that was Platform 9 ¾. Lucy stood close by, hands gripping her trolley tightly as she had waited for her parents to run through. Meanwhile, Molly was already heading towards the train.

“Keep up, Lucy!” She shouted back at her younger sister.

“I’m coming!” Lucy rolled her eyes and pushed her trolley as she started to follow Molly.

Unlike most students at the platform, Molly was already wearing her school uniform minus the robes (She had insisted she’d put on the robes once she got to the train). Her green and silver tie was tightly secure on her neck and she smoothed out the sweater she wore. Molly stopped her trolley close to a section of the train that wasn’t heavily occupied and Lucy stopped next to her. The family of four loaded the trunks and owl cages onto the train, but Molly held tightly onto her ginger cat, Ginger.

Nic kissed the girls on the heads, checking over to make sure they had everything. “Wands?” Molly nodded, and Lucy held hers tightly in her hand before slipping it back into her pocket. “Good, okay, lunches? I packed you girls something to eat. Lucy, do you have your sweater from Gran?”

“Yes mum,” Lucy replied. “It’s in my trunk.”

“Good,” Nic pressed another kiss to Lucy’s hairline.

“I should get onto the train soon,” Molly said, surveying the students. She recognized plenty of students from her year and her house. Her face became bright red when she saw a boy from Hufflepuff, another prefect. He was a year above her but Molly knew him because his sister was her best friend.

Lucy pulled away from her mother’s smothering of affection in time to notice the boy. She grinned mischievously. “Molly, is that the boy you fancy?” She asked her sister loudly.

Molly glared at Lucy. “Shut up, loud mouth. He’ll hear you!”

“That’s the point,” Lucy giggled.

“Girls,” Percy warned. This past summer they had started getting arguments so much easier than usual.

“Watch Ginger for me,” Molly ordered her sister, putting the cat into Lucy’s arms. The cat purred as he was held, and Lucy happily stroked his fur. “I can’t carry him while I monitor the train.”

“Say goodbye to us before you go,” Nic insisted. She hugged Molly tightly, giving her a few kisses on the head. Molly groaned in embarrassment but allowed her mother to continue. When Nic finished, Percy hugged Molly tightly.

“I’m proud of you, Molls,” he said, reminding her. Ever since her sorting into Slytherin, she was deathly afraid of disappointing her parents having not been sorted into Gryffindor or Ravenclaw. A reminder from her parents every once in a while went a long way for her. Percy pressed a quick kiss to her head before letting Molly go. She waved goodbye to her mother and father as she stepped onto the train, and Percy swore he saw her wipe away some tears.

Lucy stood cuddling Ginger as she watched students load onto the train. Nic ran her fingers through Lucy’s hair.

“Are you excited for your first year?” Nic asked.

Lucy shrugged. “Bit nervous.”

“Don’t worry, you’ll be brilliant.” Percy told her. “You’ll have your sister to look after you, even if you’re in different houses. Your Uncle Bill and Uncle Charlie looked after me when I started my first year.”

“What if the Sorting Hat can’t sort me?” Lucy asked.

“It can. The hat always can. Don’t be afraid, okay? I was a hat stall. It took seven minutes for the hat to decide whether I was a Ravenclaw or a Hufflepuff.” Nic told Lucy, giving her shoulder a squeeze of encouragement. Lucy nodded, a look of determination coming over her features.

The whistle blew to the train, signaling the train was leaving in 5 minutes.

“You should get going soon,” Nic kissed Lucy’s head.

“Before you go,” Percy smiled. “Is there anything you’re forgetting, Treacle?”

She stood there for a moment as she thought before shrugging. “I can’t think of anything.”

Percy pulled her glasses from his jacket pocket. “You almost forgot your reading glasses.”

“Oh!” She took them from him and put them in the pocket of her sweater. “Thanks, dad.”

Percy pulled her into a hug, a little longer than one he had given Molly, and kissed her head. “We love you so much, please write to us. We’ll see you soon, okay?”

Lucy nodded, smiling up at him. She waved goodbye to her parents before getting onto the train and finding a compartment. She sat down by the window and looked out of it, Ginger sat in her lap. She waved at her parents one last time before the whistle to the train blew. As it did, Percy put a hand on Nic’s waist and pulled her close. They waved to Lucy as the train started to leave. Once they couldn’t see her anymore, they stopped waving.

Nic wiped away a stray tear and looked up at Percy. “The house is going to be so quiet without them.”

“It will be,” he agreed. “But we’ll keep busy. We can bring back lots of things we did before the girls were born.”

They started to head in the direction they came to leave the platform.

Nic nodded. “Playing chess to see who makes dinner, trying new recipes for the bakery and making an unhealthy amount of sweets that we send to your family.”

Percy laughed and kissed her head. “That and more.”

That night, dinner had just been finished and Nic waved her wand, the dishes cleaning themselves. Percy was upstairs in his office, working on something last minute for the Ministry. It was the last bit he had to do for the night and then he promised Nic a relaxing evening. She was about to leave the kitchen when she heard a screech and saw an owl perch in the window. It had a letter from Hogwarts.

She quietly summoned a sickle and gave the coin to the owl before it flew off, leaving her with the letter. She opened it quickly and read through it. Nic couldn’t help but let out a squeal of excitement before hurrying up the stairs. She swung open the door to Percy’s office and he jumped in his seat.

“What’s wrong?” He asked worriedly.

“Nothing’s wrong, we got a letter from the school. Lucy’s been sorted,” Nic told him, barely about to contain her excitement.

Percy stood from his desk and shook his head as he smiled. “You scared me, darling. What has she been sorted into?” He asked, hugging her waist.

Nic grinned, showing him the letter. “She’s a Gryffindor! Just like her father.”

Percy kissed her head. “That’s fantastic. I’m so proud of her.”

“I can start making the house cookies for her and Molly now,” Nic grinned.

“I hope you make more, because once any of our nieces and nephews find out you made them they’ll start sending owls to us. And then my parents and brothers will want some.” Percy laughed.

“I know how it goes for us, Perce. Luckily for you, your wife is a very talented baker who is proficient in it both the magical way and muggle way.”

“Don't tell mum, but I do prefer when you cook the muggle way,” he whispered it, a secret between the two of them despite their empty home.

“I know,” Nic whispered back, kissing him softly.

[fortey]

Nic Cage vs Zombies the Comic

If you want to appreciate how Nic Cage vs Zombies would work in comic book form, here’s the script for the first issue.

Nic Cage vs Zombies: Issue 1

The point here is to be the most intense thing anyone has ever seen or imagined seeing. This story exists for one purpose - to convince you the world can only be saved by Nic Cage.

PAGE 1

 Panel 1 - long panel across the top 3rd of the page

Nighttime in Chinatown. The street is crowded despite the rain.  Shops are crammed tight together and signs in different shapes of pink and red and yellow neon advertising restaurants stand stark against the black of the night.  Cars and bicycles go up and down the street, as do pedestrians with umbrellas. Paper lanterns are strung from one side of the street to another in criss cross patterns

CAPTION: Chinatown.

Panel 2 - tall panel, the left half of what remains on the page

A figure stands at the mouth of an alley in a long coat and rumple cowboy hat. His back is to us and he is hallowed by the massobe, pink neon sign of the DRAGON COURT Chinese restaurant.  The people on the street pay him no mind.

Panel 3: - identical to previous panel on the right on the page

The figure crosses the street towards another alley on the side of the Chinese restaurant

PAGE 2

Panel 1 of a three panel bar across the top

The figure sidesteps a scooter the splashes him from a puddle

Panel 2: 

The figure makes his way down the alley. A single bulb at the end draws him in

Panel 3: 

close on the hand knocking on a thick steel door under one of those sliding peep hole things.

Panel 4 of another 3 panels across the center of the page

The peep hole slides open. Eyes gaze out.

Panel 5:

The door is open and the cowboy hat-wearing figure is silhouetted as he enters.

Panel 6:

The door is closed.  The rain pelts down

Panel 7 of another 3 panels on the bottom

Side view of the figure as he walks down a dim, concrete hall lined with pipes.  He is still cast in silhouette so we only see his shadowy proflle

Panel 8 

The figure is heading down a staircase.

Panel 9: 

The figure from behind in a basement. The quarters are close. Water drips from apipe. There is a bulb on the ceiling.  Our figure is in the foreground, a black shape.  

SHAPE:  Uh… hey.

PAGE 3 

splash page, one single panel

Our figure is in the foreground but the focus is not on him.  In the center of the hall before another door is a hulking beast of a man.  It is the ALBINO.  He is 7’4” tall, think The Mountain from Game of Thrones but pale white and smooth hairless.  He wears leather pants and no shirt, but he does have on a leather apron. At his hip is a holstered meat cleaver.  And on his massive bald head is a bike helmet with a GoPro affixed to it.  His eyes are pale blue and his jaw is thick.

SHAPE: Nice apron.

PAGE 4 

Panel 1 of a two panel spread on the top third of the page.

The Albino takes hold of the handle of a huge wooden door and pulls it open.  From the cracks, golden light spills out.

ALBINO: HMMM.

Panel 2: 

Our shape stands in the doorway, He is a black silhouette against golden light that spills out like the sun itself was in the room on the other side of the door.

Panel 3 spreads across the entire middle third of the page

The room beyond the door is like Shangri-La - it’s a casino but no ordinary casino.  The room is enormous with massively high ceilings.  There are wall sconce torches and dozens if not hundred of patrons at all manner of tables. Everyone is dressed formally, and suspended from cords Cirque du Soleil style are wait staff who descend from the ceiling.  There are dozens of gaming tables and everything is gold and silver.  There are statues lining walls and it’s basically the fanciest damn place you can imagine

Panel 4 is the bottom third of the page.  Finally we see the shape’s face.  It’s Nic Cage.  We’re medium close on him as the door shuts behind him.  

NIC CAGE: Nice.

PAGE 5 

Panel 1 - this is the top half of the page, so only two panels total here. 

Cage descends a small staircase, handing his coat and hat to someone in a tux. Servers on lines descend from a bar that is suspended above the entire room. They bob up and down like spiders here and there.  

Panel 2: 

Cage passes by tables of gamblers. People are pushing unusual items across tables, placing bets not with money but with things like jewels, a fossils, strange bundles of papers and curious, rare knick knacks. A 4 piece string band plays on a stage to the side

PAGE 6 

Panel 1 of two panels across top of page

Cage, from behind, in foreground as he approach a set of double doors set into the wall.  It is guarded by two identical women in matching suits and sunglasses on either side of the door.  The only difference between them is that they have the opposite side of their heads shaved, so that the side facing out has long,shoulder-length straight black hair hanging down and the side facing in, towards each other, are bald.  The women have dark skin and wear sunglasses.

The doors look to be carved from solid jade.  They are ornate and carved with dragons and Chinese lions.

Panel 2

The women wordlessly pull open the doors for Cage. Inside is a single table with three people seated at it, and some other elegant furnishings.  The people are  ways from the door and not terrible detailed by they are TEDDY SOLSTICE, a young, dark-skinned man in his 20s who has a wooden box about the size of a loaf of bread on the table before him. MRS. LUMBERG, a very rich, very elegant woman in her 40s sits before a manilla envelope and LAO CHE-FUNG, a Chinese man in his late 70s who is very decrepit and somewhat sinister.  Behind Che-Fung is a beefy man in a suit, his bodyguard, who stands next to a large, tarp-covered object.  Though we can’t sea it, it is the man-sized cage that holds a zombie.

Panel 3 of a two panel spread in the center of the page

Cage shakes hands with Teddy Solstice over the table.

TEDDY: Welcome, Mr. Cage.

NIC CAGE: Teddy, please, it’s just Nic. How are you this evening?

TEDDY: Very well, Mr. Cage. And you?

Panel 4

Nic Cage clasps the white-gloved hand of Mrs. Lumberg.

NIC CAGE: I am so much better now that I see the lovely Mrs. Lumberg is here!

MRS. LUMBERG: Flattery gets you everywhere, my dear Nicolas.  Do sit down.

Panel 5 of two panels across the bottom of the page

Nic Cage has taken his seat, and Teddy Solstice now sits also.

NIC CAGE: Sorry for being so late, parking is a nightmare.  Good to see you as well Mr. Lao. Do we have stakes?

Panel 6

Nic Cage sets a small, glass jar with a cork stopper on the table.  Inside are teeth. Human teeth.

NIC CAGE: Elvis Presley. Or his teeth, at least. Clone yourself the King of Rock and Roll or just make a necklace.

PAGE 7 

Panel 1 of three panels on the top of the page

Centered on Teddy Solstice hold open the box before him. There is a fist-sized rock within, dotted with what looks like yellow glass or gems. They glow very softly in the grey stone.

TEDDY: The largest pallasite meteorite yet discovered on Earth with this degree of radiance.

Panel 2

Centered on Mrs. Lumberg as she pulls files from the manila envelope. They are property deeds.

MRS. LUMBERG: The deeds to the childhood homes of Ed Gein, Jeffrey Dahmer and Charles Manson.

Panel 3

Centered on Lao Che-Fung.  He is simply sitting still, looking old and decrepit, lifting a hand to gesture to the bodyguard.  Behind him, on his left is the bodyguard and the tarp-covered structure.

LAO CHE-FUNG: While your tokens are rare indeed, I would be remiss if I did not say I had expected something more...

Panel 4 One full panel encompassing the rest of the page.  The body guard has pulled the tarp and we now see what appears to be a human-sized aquarium.  Inside, restrained with shackles as ancient as Lao Che-Fung himself, is a zombie.  It’s flesh is ragged and dusty old looking, like leaves on a plant that is on the cusp of death.  It is insanely thin, bones are visible beneath its flesh, and it wears only one item - a simple jade necklace on a silver chain about its neck.  One of its eyes is milk white but the other is all too sharp and alive, staring out at everyone.

ZOMBIE SFX: NNNNGGHAAAAAGGH!!!

The others are not visible in this panel, except for a partial view of the bodyguard to one side.  When Lao -Che-Fung speaks, his words come from off panel.

LAO CHE-FUNG: … unusual.

PAGE 8 

Left panel of two panels on top of the page.  

Panel 1: Nic Cage has stood from his chair and looks shocked.  Mrs Lumberg clutches at her chest in that offended, old lady way.  Teddy Solstice looks terrified.

NIC CAGE: What the hell is that?!

Panel 2: Lao Che-Fung has still not moved at all, looks like he may as well be asleep.  He is sitting in the foreground at the table, with the zombie visible behind him.

LAO CHE-FUNG: Do relax, my friends, there is no danger. In a game where money is no motivator, I had expected perhaps one of you could say you had brought to the table an item of value on par with my own.  Please, behold the abomination of Emperor Li Hahn, cursed to live beyond death.

Panel 3 of a two panel spread in the center of the page 

Close on Nic Cage’s face with an arched eyebrow.

NIC CAGE: I’m sorry, my blood sugar must be low. Did you just imply that this is a zombie?

Panel 4 on Lao Che-Fung, his expression still set and unmoving, like he just doesn’t care.

LAO CHE-FUNG: Indeed, Mr. Cage.

Panel 5 of a three panel spread across the bottom of the page.  This one just focuses on the shocked face of Mrs. Lumberg.

Panel 6 is framed exactly the same, the shocked face of Teddy Solstice.

Panel 7 is framed the same on Nic Cage, only with a wry smile now.

NIC CAGE:  Huh.  Well, that’s funky. Can’t say that I’ve ever seen one of those before.

PAGE 9

Two panels across top of page.  The first panel focuses on Lao Che-Fung who, for the first time, has changed his expression to the barest hint of a smile.

LAO CHE-FUNG: Emperor Li Hahn is the only of his kind in the world.

Panel 2: Nc Cage looks considering, sitting back in his seat.

NIC CAGE: Well, and don’t get me wrong, this is very far out stuff, but I’m not sure why I want a zombie.  I mean, it’s rare, sure, but what can it do?

Panel 3 of two middle panels focuses on Teddy Solstice

TEDDY: Carry luggage?

Panel 4 is Mrs. Lumberg, holding a gloved hand to her nose.

MRS. LUMBERG: It smells atrocious.

Panel 5 of two bottom panels goes back to Nic Cage

NIC CAGE: It does! It’s like beef jerky in a toilet on a hot day. Or like -

SFX OF DOOR CRASHING IN:  THUNK!

Panel 6:  The door has been kicked in and a DETECTIVE stands front and center with uniform cops streaming in behind him, guns drawn.  The detective is holding a warrant.

DETECTIVE: Mr. Lao Che-Fung, this is a warrant for your arrest!

PAGE 10:  

Long panel down the left side of the page.  One of the uniform officers is at the zombie aquarium looking freaked out.  The poker players are still seated and caught off guard.  The detective stands at the edge of the table.

DETECTIVE: We’ve got you on charges of operating an illegal gambling facility, trafficking in antiquities, rare and endangered animals and -

COP: (Interrupting detective):  Detective Mills, what the hell is this?

Panel 2 is the top half of what remains of the page.  The uniform officer is at the aquarium and the zombie is focused on him as the officer reaches for the latch on the door.

COP: My God, what are you doing to this man?

LAO CHE-FUNG: Detective, please, you must not do this!

Panel 3 is focused on Detective Mills as the uniform officer has the latches open.  Mills has his gun trained on Lao Che-Fung

DETECTIVE: You better think twice about telling me what I must do, Lao. I’ve had enough of your crap over the last 6 years, and this is the final nail in your coffin.

LAO CHE-FUNG: Please, Detective! I beg you, you have no idea -

PAGE 11 SPLASH PAGE!  

One giant panel of madness.  The door has burst open, the zombie has leapt on the uniform officer.  The others in the room are reeling back, the poker table is in the process of being knocked as the officer falls on it, the zombie atop of him, its yellow teeth crunching into the officer's neck, blood exploding outward like a fountain.  Nic Cage and Lao Che-Fung are to the right side of the page, Teddy, Mrs. Lumberg and the Detective to the right with the zombie and the dying officer front and center.

The zombie’s attack is bestial, like a cat pouncing on a mouse.  Its body is lithe and thin, but ropey with muscles.

COP SCREAMING SFX: GAAAGGGHHH!!

ZOMBIE SFX : GRRRRK!

PAGE 12

Large panel across the top of the page. The zombie is now feasting on the bodyguard as the Detective and two other officers draw firearms.  Mrs Lumberg is on her butt against the wall, Teddy Solstice has stumbled back and steadied himself on a small cabinet.  Lao Che-Fung is scuttling back to a folding partition where we can see the barest hint of a door hidden. Nic Cage has leapt back.  A massive fountain of blood is spurting up from the bodyguard.

MRS LUMBERG: AAAAHH!!!!

Panel 2 across the center of the page

The detective and two uniform officers open fire. The zombie lifts its head in a snarl as holes riddle its body.

GUNSHOT SFX: BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!

DETECTIVE: Jesus!

Panel 3 of two panels on the bottom of the page

Teddy Solstice pushes past the cops for the door as Lao Che-Fung escapes out a back door. The zombie is on its feet  Here the detective aims point blank at the zombie’s chest and fires

GUNSHOT SFX: BLAM!

Panel 4 is the zombie.  Its snarl turns to a very slight but noticeable smile.  Its chin and chest is soaked in blood.

DETECTIVE: Mother of God...

PAGE 13

Another large panel on the top of the page.  Behind the zombie, the officer is back on his feet.  The red blood from his neck has soaked his uniform, but the wound is now spiderwebbed in angry, black veins that run up his face.  His expression is vacant.

DETECTIVE:  Officer Riley?

Panel 2 is one half of two panels in the center of the page.  Riley is now fury as he lunges at Detective Mills, who is caught off guard.

Panel 3 is the second half of the middle scene.  Riley is on top of Detective Mills and has sunk his teeth into the detective’s face, biting his cheek, lip and nose.

DETECTIVE: JESUAAAAAAGHHHHH!!

Panel 4 is the full panel across the bottom.  Emperor Li Hahn is on one of the uniform officer’s and the bodyguard is grasping Mrs. Lumberg’s leg.  Only one uniform officer remains standing along with Nic Cage.  

MRS LUMBERG: Help me, please!

PAGE 14

This is 5 small panels across the top of the page, like a pure action sequence, all close ups.  

Panel 1 shows Mrs. Lumberg as the bodyguard bites into her ankle.

Panel 2 shows the officer tearing a strip from Detective Mill’s face

Panel 3 shows Emperor Li Hahn biting into the next uniform officer

Panel 4 shows Detective Mills with black veins spreading all around his ruined face wounds

Panel 5 is just zombie teeth splattering blood and gore

Panel 6 is in one of two panels in the center of the page.  Nic Cage has edged to the door where the final officer fights with Li Hahn. The officer is reaching out to Cage.

OFFICER: Hel...p!

Panel 7 is Li Hahn literally pulling the throat out of the officer.

Panel 8 is  the first of three frames across the bottom. Nic Cage runs from the room, so we see him head on with the door behind him.  He has a spray of blood across his face and he’s in the casino proper now. He’s in a dead run.

NIC CAGE: EVERYONE REALLY NEEDS TO NOT BE HERE!

Panel 9 is the casino in chaos. Detective Mills and Riley follow Cage out of the room, both dripping blood and gross and looking horrifying.  

Panel 10 is other officers rushing to the scene, patrons running wild

PAGE 15

Panel 1 of two panels across the top of the page.  The second officer, who asked Cage for help, lunges at one of those Cirque du Soleil waiters next to Cage

Panel 2 is Cage smashing the jar of Elvis teeth upside the zombie’s head as he pulls the waiter away with the other hand.  Shards of glass and teeth fly to one side along with dark blood.  The zombie’s face is busted pretty badly.

Panel 3 of two panels that make up the rest of the page, so they’re each two thirds of the page long, give or take.  I want the height here for what’s about to happen.  Cage and the waiter reverse bungee up to the catwalk ceiling bar.

Panel 4 is Cage and the Waiter now suspended from the ceiling.  The bar up here is glass with a steel grate floor, and a grate catwalk that leads away to a door.  All the wait staff are on these reverse bungee cords which are attached to mobile rigs that let them scoot around the room.  Minor detail, but they’re up there on the ceiling.

WAITER: What the hell is going on?!?

NIC CAGE: Zombies, man.

WAITER: Who the hell brought zombies to a casino?!?

NIC CAGE: Old Chinese man.

WAITER: Are we safe up here?

PAGE 16

Panel 1 of two panels on the top of the page.  Nic Cage and the waiter are interrupted by a new waiter rolling up to the bar, clutching at the edge of it with one of the two zombified twin door guards on his back, biting his skull.

NIC CAGE:  Oh man…

Panel 2 is the waiter pointing to a door set into a wall at the end of the catwalk

WAITER: That leads into the kitchen, we can get out there.

Panel 3 of two panels across the center of the page is Cage running down the catwalk with the waiter behind him.

Panel 4 is another wait springing up to the catwalk.  He is zombified, and latches onto the waiter’s leg.  

WAITER: AAAAGHH!!

Panel 5 of two panels across the bottom is Cage turning.  A second zombie server, a woman in a tuxedo shirt soaked in blood, has sprung up on the waiter’s other side.  

Panel 6 is Cage grabbing the waiter’s hand while the new server is biting down on the waiter’s shoulder.  The first is still eating the leg.

PAGE 17

Panel 1 is a long one across the top of the page.  The waiter’s arm comes off in Cage’s hands thanks to the zombie eating his shoulder.  The waiter is falling off the catwalk under the weight of the two zombies eating him.

Panel 2 of three panels in the center of the page.  Cage is just holding the arm still as the barest hint of the waiter is visible, falling from the catwalk.  

Panel 3:  Cage looks at the hand and arm he’s holding

Panel 4:  Cage tosses the arm 

Panel 5 is another long panel, showing a long shot of the whole scene.  There is chaos on the floor as people scramble and fight, while above on the catwalk, Cage runs for the door.  This is all seen at a bit of a distance to fit it all in, so it’s more the silhouette of Cage running, while small figures fight below.

PAGE 18

Panel 1 of three panels across the top of the page.  Inside the kitchen, with Nic Cage bursting through the door from the catwalk beyond.  Staff inside are busy prepping food, dressed in typical kitchen whites.

Panel 2: Cage rushes into the kitchen past stoves and cooks.

NIC CAGE:  OUT! EVERYONE REALLY NEEDS TO GET OUT NOW!

Panel 3:  From Cage’s perspective now, as a handful of cooks and a dishwasher lean back to look down the way at Cage with silent, confused expressions.

Panel 4 of two center panels. A zombie waiter lurches through the kitchen door.

ZOMBIE:  UNNNNGHH!!

Panel 5: The zombie grabs a cook and bites his arm.  The cook screams.

COOK: AAAAAGGGH!  AAAAGHHH!!!

Panel 6 of three panels across the bottom.  Cage grabs a meat cleave off of a nearby cutting board.

Panel 7: Cage’s arm cocks for throwing, the blade of the cleaver glints

Panel 8: Cage’s arm is fully extended, the Cleaver is in flight

Page 19

Panel 1 of two panels across the top of the page: The Cleaver spins like a ninja star, the background is just a blur

Panel 2: The cleaver hits dead center, embedded right between the zombie’s eyes and splitting its head like a super gross melon.

Panel 3 of two center panels:  The kitchen staff are all in the exact same position as when they first leaned back to look at Cage on the last page, still silent but now they all look totally shocked.  When Cage speaks, it comes from the bottom of the panel as he is not visible and this is his view of the kitchen staff.

NIC CAGE: RUN!

Panel 4:  The kitchen staff bolt for the door and Cage runs with them.

Panel 5 is one large panel at the bottom. 

Nighttime in Chinatown. The street is busy despite rainfall - the neon lights and paper lanterns give it life and there are pedestrians with umbrellas and cars filling the streets, minding their own business.  The restaurant staff are bolting in all directions Cage is running into the street.  To his side, dangerous close, is a Chinese food delivery guy on a scooter.  They’re about to collide but haven’t done so just yet.

Page 20

Panel one is the full panel across the top of the page.  Cage and the delivery boy collide.  The delivery boy is JEFFREY, a kid of about 20.  He’s wearing a helmet and a red jacket with the dragon logo of the restaurant on the back.  His scooter is one of those e-bike types, with a little basket on the back for holding orders.  He’s a skinny kid, with brown hair and a bit of a dork appeal to him.

NIC CAGE: OOF!

Panel 2 of two center panels:  Nic Cage is splayed out on the wet street.  The scooter is overturned, Jeffrey is down next to it on his side

JEFFREY: Gah…

NIC CAGE: Not..good…

Panel 3 is Nic Cage getting to his feet, looking over at Jeffery

NIC CAGE: Hey, kid, are you alright I’m really - 

JEFFREY: Nic Cage!

Panel 4 of two on the bottom is Cage offering his hand to help Jeffrey up.

NIC CAGE:  Yes, actually.  But also sorry.  But listen, we have to -

JEFFREY: Oh my God, I love you! Like not in an insane way.  Face/Off is such  bad ass movie! Can I shake your hand.

Panel 5 is Jeffrey taking Cage’s hand as Cage pulls him to his feet.

NIC CAGE: You can! You are! But hey, we really have to go.  

JEFFREY: We do? Why? Where?

PAGE 21

This page will be 6 even panels, three on top and three on the bottom

Panel 1:  Cage is holding the handlebars of Jeffrey’s scooter

NIC CAGE: Is this yours? Give me a ride to my hotel and I’ll tell you all about it.

Panel 2: Jeffrey looks unsure.  This is a side view with him in the foreground and the restaurant behind him, so you can see his jacket and the restaurant have the same logo.

JEFFREY: I don’t know, Mr. Cage. I have to get back to work soon, this is my delivery scooter.

Panel 3:  Someone in a tux, one of the gamblers, runs screaming from the restaurant as Cage takes his position on the scooter

SCREAM SFX:  AAAAAAAGHHHHHH!!!!!!

NIC CAGE: I think you’ve probably got the rest of the night off...uh… what’s your name?

Panel 4: Jeffrey gets on behind Cage, another person runs from the restaurant.  

SCREAM SFX (maybe a little bit smaller and seeming to come from deeper in the restaurant):  NOOOOOOO!!!!

JEFFREY: Jeffrey.  Hey, what’s going on?

Panel 5:  Cage is tearing off down the street, as fast as one can tear off on a double-occupied e-bike scooter.  Behind them, the sound of sirens approaches, and more screams

SIREN SFX: WEEEE-OOOO WEEEE-OOOO WEEEE-OOOO

SCREAM SFX: AAHHH! AHHH! HELLLLLLPPPP MEEEE!!

NIC CAGE: Zombies, Jeffrey. Zombies are going on.

Panel 6: rear view of the scooter vanishing into the distance, and in the foreground, a pair of zombies, one the kitchen staff guy who was bit and one the cirque du soleil waiter who helped Cage, are shambling into the street.

PAGE 22

One panel of two across the top of the page here.  A long shot of a fancy hotel with a curved laneway leading to the front door.  Cage is driving up with Jeffrey on the back of the Scooter.

Panel 2: Cage tosses the keys to a valet as he heads to the big glass doors of the hotel. Jeffrey is following but looks very confused and lost.

Panel 3 is one wide center panel of Cage entering his hotel room, key card in hand, with Jeffrey following behind.  It’s a nice looking hotel room, but nothing out of the ordinary.  It’s what you might expect a movie star to stay in. The far wall is a giant picture window with the curtains drawn.

Panel 4 of three across the bottom of the page.  Jeffrey is standing while Cage is holding a phone to his ear.

Panel 5: Close on Cage as he talks on the phone.

NIC CAGE: Marty, it’s Nic. Listen, I need a flight home. Things got weird here.

Panel 6 is a wider shot.  Cage has a remote control in his other hand and has turned the TV on.  There is a shot of a flaming zombie and the chyron reads “CHINATOWN PANIC”

NIC CAGE: Marty, I need you to listen carefully.  I saw a zombie tonight. It ate about a dozen people and now everyone in Chinatown is dead I think. I would like to go home.

PAGE 23

Panel 1 is a large panel across the top of the page.  Jeffrey is looking shocked, checking out the mayhem on the TV. Cage is pacing the room talking on the phone.

NIC CAGE: Look at your TV, Marty.  It’s the walking dead.  I killed one with a meat cleaver and I bungeed to a ceiling bar and I just came here to relax before the opening.  This is not relaxing.

Panel 2 is one of three long panels that make up the remainder of the page.  Nic Cage is chewing his nails while Jeffrey is glued to the TV which depicts the tiny image of a zombie biting someone.

JEFFREY:  Uh, Mr. Cage.

NIC CAGE: Jeffrey, please, I’m on the phone.

Panel 3: Jeffrey is plastered to the TV.  Chinatown is on fire.

JEFFREY: Mr. Cage, look at this! I live on 14th Street, that’s like 10 blocks from here.  My girlfriend is home with her brother! I have to get to them!

Panel 4 is Nic Cage holding up a finger to shush Jeffrey.

NIC CAGE: Jeffrey -- wait, what? Marty, how the hell did they shut the airport down already?

PAGE 24

Two panels one on top of the other to end this issue  Panel 1 features Jeffrey turning away from the TV and instead taking hold of the curtains.  Nic Cage is still on the phone.

NIC CAGE:  If I die here, Marty, you’re fired.

JEFFREY: Mr. Cage…

Panel 2 on the bottom of the page.  Jeffrey has thrown open the curtains and he and Nic Cage are in the foreground, from behind, looking out.  The view out the window is the bulk of the panel.  Normally this would be an amazing view looking down from a decent height at the city at night.  Instead, it shows a scene that could be mistaken for the end of the world.  Fires burn in numerous places, including one massive fire in the distance that we can assume s Chinatown.  There are helicopters in the sky, and small fires all over the place.  In the near distance there’s even a flaming zombie walking down a street.

NIC CAGE:  Marty, I gotta go.

[praphit]

BAMFs of 2019

Here's last year’s CHAMP -

THANOS

(Thanos: ”WTF did you just say?” #Mood)

Let's see if he made it back.

But, first, let’s take a look at some honorable mentions, as well as some people who were trying too hard:

Rey - 

Of course she is a total BAMF. So, why isn't she on this list? 3 REASONS: 1) She looks like a racist ex that I once dated. How can someone who decided to date you (a black man) be racist? Did y'all see the movie "Get Out"? You didn't know that the story was based off one of my relationships did you? So, yeah, she ain't ever gettin on this list.

2) The force is cheating - their I said it.

3) This last movie sucked. This rap she did didn't help her cause.

ALSO - there’s this - her rapping. I repeat, she ain’t ever getting on this list.

Nic Cage - cuz he's Nic bleepin Cage

Cardi B - cuz she’s Cardi bleepin B

Hooded Justice - if only he had been in more episodes. A black man disguising himself in a hood, as well as white, to fight evil in his neighborhood, that the police force (of which he is a part of) refuses to stop. Hell yeah! I love "Watchmen".

Lupita! - her brilliantly scary performance in "Us" is def BAMF material.

The Rock - honestly, The Rock is so awesome, and has been for so long, that he needs to be extra awesome to make it.

Trying too Hard. Please STOP:

Batwoman -

I like Ruby, but she's like an elf. She's an elf model. It's not bad to be an elf model, but... If a villain in Gotham, let's say "Bane" 

has me cornered, and Batwoman shows up to "rescue me", Imma start praying. He'd swing her around by that red hair of hers until her head pops off.

Rambo - He’s like 80! C’mon, Sly. Please STOP.

Dark Phoenix - a movie about her temper tantrum 

Joker -

 - not with all of that awkward dancing he was doing

NOW, finally, the top Bad Ass Muthas of 2019!

12) Greta - 

Say what you will about climate change, but you can't deny her passion and dedication, and how inspiring it is (unless you're Prez Trump or Fox News) to see and hear a kid like her do her thing. I admit that her winning the honor of "Person of the Year" is too much. But, we all wish our kids would be this dedicated to what they believe is positive change. Plus, she has a kickass soundtrack. Gets me hyped every time!

11) Dave Chappelle

Back in the day, comedians used to be brought on stage, tasked with the difficult job of making a room full of different types of people laugh. Now, it's not just about the job of jokes, but you have to do so without offending anyone, and with clean living. When did we start holding a comedian's behavior to a higher standard than we do elected officials? Dave saw this, and kept doing what made him popular anyway. In a world where most comedians are running scared from difficult topics, Dave plunges right in. BAD ASS. 

10) Linda Hamilton - 

Old as bleep! We have what's-her-face here, 

who is kinda badass herself, but despite being a badass cyborg (or whatever the hell she is), she still felt the need to ask for help from Linda bleepin Hamilton. LH traded her Hospice bingo card in for some guns and went to town on some machines! It'd be like if your home was being surrounded by aliens, and despite you having some fire power in your home and 911 at your disposal, everyone's first thought is to call grandma. That'd have to be one BAMF of a granny!

9) Masvidal - 

Allow me to describe this brotha to y'all who might not know.

Some guy was talkin smack to Masvidal, and that guy got kneed in the face by Masvidal (fastest knock out in UFC history = 5 secs). Some guy was arrogant enough to say he was the baddest mofo around, and Masvidal scheduled a fight with this dude for a literal baddest mofo around belt. Plus, that same night of the fight, when he was talking to the media after he had won, he started mocking Conor McGregor, talkin bout Conor don't want none of this. He was talking trash, publicly, about Conor, while people were feeding him pizza. BADASS!

If there is ever a fork in the road, and on one side you see The Rock, Jason Statham, and Will Smith chasing after you, and the other you have Masvidal sitting down, eating a slice of pizza, you had better take your chances with the three action heroes over this BAMF.

8) Nunes - 

If you don't know who she is, I wouldn't be surprised. The UFC botched her marketing before and after she fought and beat (badly) Ronda Rousey - yeah, RONDA ROUSEY; remember her? Nunes pretty much ended her career.

The UFC was so certain that Ronda was going to win, and so shocked when she lost, that they missed an opp to get behind a fighter who is better than Ronda (though mad respect for Ronda), and is currently holding TWO belts (first woman to do so). ALSO, she's the first openly gay UFC champ in history. She's so sweet too! - well, unless you're locked in the octagon with her, then she turns into a werewolf.

7) MANDO

I don't know about you, but all of this talk of teamwork from comic book movies can be a bit tiresome. The Avengers, The Justice League, The X-Men. Everybody wants to form a band. What happened to solo acts? What happened to lone rangers? People may say "There's no I in TEAM." Yeah, that's the prob! What about I?! Sometimes, you're Justin Timberlake, and the rest of the group is simply holding you back. That's Mando. He's Disney's updated (non-racist, unless you’re talkin drones) Lone Ranger. He doesn't need teamwork (maybe a weekly cameo, and a baby tag-along, but that's it!). He has beaten up gangs of robots, burnt people up, taken people out Jason Voorhees style, cut people in half, blown people up, blown off heads, BUT because it's Disney, we haven't seen any of that good stuff. He'd be higher on this list if they gave my man an R-rating.

6) Capt Marvel -

Captain Marvel is definitely the most powerful person on this list. She is probably also the fiercest person on this list. In Endgame, when she saw her black daddy (Nick Fury) on the screen, talkin bout Thanos snapped him away, and then something snapped inside of her, and she said "I'm going to go kill that mofo." The Avengers accompanied her, but I don't think she would have needed their help. She didn't really need their help in the final showdown with Thanos. He threw her aside, but you know she was coming back, until Tony got in her way. She is so fiery that it wouldn't surprise me if in her sequel, she goes back in time in order to rematch Thanos by herself, to prove her dominance. The reason that she's not higher on the list is because she's so damned destructive. She's just like The Hulk in the fact that she shows up to destroy everything. Now, she's a lot more focused than The Hulk, but she's so powerful that she does more damage. And she doesn't have much of a personality (so far), so it's hard to gauge her badassery of attitude, you know?? Like, if you're a villain, and you get in the way of a gorilla, that gorilla will destroy you in a very spectacularly badass way, but... it's a gorilla, you know??

I’M NOT CALLING HER A GORILLA. Don’t go snitching on me to her.

I just don’t know if she’s a hero or simply has anger management issues. Is she badass or too powerful not to do badass things?

Either way, RESPECT... or she'll come for that ass.

TIME FOR A BREAK - 

Let’s break from all of this badassery with some cuteness

Look how cute it is - I CAN’T TAKE IT!

Ok, back to action.

5) Iron Man - 

Look, Iron-Man started this shit! Who knows what would have become of the MCU had Robert Downey Jr. blew it. Tony Stark assembled the team (granted, he was partly the reason for the break-up), he gave us Spider-Man (with that suit) (he also gave us Ultron, but let's not get bogged down with details), he held his own against Thanos in "Infinity War",

Dr. Strange thought HIM worthy of saving, and no way time travel would have worked in "Endgame" without him. Plus, in the very end, he out-smarted Thanos, and countered Thanos' one-liner ("I am inevitable.") with his own ("And I... [five minutes later - I swear that's what it felt like] am Iron-Man.").

Paid the ultimate sacrifice. Hell yeah, he's on this list. I felt kinda bad for his wife. After IM3, she was barely around. And when Tony died, she was barely comforted... cuz nobody knew her. Oh, well.. she be aiight.

4) Thanos - 

This dude saw his demise coming, and still went straight ahead towards the foes who cut his head off. BADASS! He was exceptionally crafty in playing The Avengers and blowing up their base. Then, he was just sitting around waiting for the main Avengers (Capt, Iron, and Fat Thor). He wanted to gloat a bit first. BADASS! And had Gamora not betrayed him, and had given him the gaunlet, he would have beaten The Avengers AGAIN!

He even died with a cool pose (he took a knee and got his "Thinking Man" on). BADASS!

3) Arya Stark - 

This young lady scared the bleep out of me. She has my fear AND respect. I was actually scared for whomever her current target was... I was like "Run, fool! She gonna get ya! Damn, Arya, you didn't have to do them like that!"

Now, I know I talked about Ruby Rose being a ridiculous choice for Batwoman, but if Arya Stark left on a voyage to Gotham and became Batwoman, I'd buy that. I can see her killing Bane very slowly. This woman is a frickin psychopath, and I love it. She's fearless! She also went up against the top cheese of the white walkers. Y'all remember that badass move she had at the end!

YES! I only wish she had said something cool when she took him out, like... "You've been Starked." No, that's terrible, but something like that. I wish she was the one sitting on the throne, but they... you know... did what they did.

2) Capt America - 

I think that it's fair to say that Capt America was the rock of The Avengers After the snap, he was the only one to keep his shit together; he actually worked to help others keep their shit together.

Meanwhile, Widow is crying in the dark every night while having a PB sandwich and bourbon dinner. And she just gave up on her hair.

Thor became an alcoholic.

And you could say Hulk was ok, but... was he?

I mean, that ain't right. This is avoidance behavior if I've ever seen it.

But, Capt kept it together. Then, that fight with Thanos at the end was one of, if not THE best one on one fight of the series. Using both Thor weapons, meaning he was both badass on a fighting level and a righteousness level - which ain't easy to accomplish. And when he straped tight his shield in that trailer, and gritted his teeth - hell yeah!

Chills. Capt to Thanos: You motha bleeper"

1) John Wick - 

Three movies with no time in-between to shower, sleep, take a piss, brush his teeth, NOTHING! His life for the last few years (it seems like) has been running, lurking, hiding, beating ass.. and beating ass some more. Lord knows what this dude's kill count is up to. His nickname is "Baba Yaga" Have y'all seen what the actual Baba Yaga looks like?

Terrifying. And yet, not as terrifying as John Wick when he's angry at you.

The amount of endurance and focus that has gone into this long stint of murdering (only fueled by rage and a few shots of bourbon from time to time) is uncanny.

In JW3 he makes a guy eat a book (imagine what must be done to a person's jaw for that to happen), he gets shot, stabbed, hit my two cars (seconds within each other)... Nah, y'all ain't hear me! TWO CARS! The people in the cars were trying to kill him! He fought two super ninjas - like IP Man caliber, he beat up an army of soldiers, crawled through a desert, got shot by a friend who betrayed him, fell off of a building (bouncing around a few times before hitting the pavement), and was somehow still good to schedule a fourth movie after all of that - which I assume will pickup right there.

He doesn't have any superpowers (though you wouldn't know), but his tenacity is to be envied, and outdoes everyone else's on this list.

BAMF!!!

[preciouslypristinepanda]

Venting Frustration

... not that I know how to talk about my frustration let alone write it into proper words. I can’t write eloquent words, pfft.

But, idk. I’m just in the mood to randomly talk about my obsession with Bruce Greenwood... wait no, Theo! Wait that’s not right, I meant Kal! Ergh, no, no, it’s the asshole David Bell, right? Wrong, it’s totally about Harry - hold on a sec, Nessa, they’re basically sharing the same face claim! Damn. My obssession with Bruce Greenwood isn’t even funny 😭 Binge watching his movies/tv shows obviously isn’t making it any better - I kept coming up with so much plots based on the feels I get from all the characters, waaa 😭 #imagonecase

President Theodore G. Rutherford or Theo as he is affectionately called. God damn it, he’s my favourite out of the five, no wait, six, yeah six characters that I’ve come up with thanks to all my insane feels. He’s easily my favourite for the fact that he managed to ticked off literally everything from my dream guy to marry in a heartbeat list! I basically went crazy and just threw in everything for Theo, all the traits that I love and find sexy as hell, everything that Theo is made up of is solely to satisfy my personal needs, HA! I mean come on, Air Force Pilot who had to resign because of war injuries, Lawyer with a specialty in Constitutional Law though I prefer Criminal Lawyers but it doesn’t fit his plot so the next best thing will do! Bahah. Married a girl with quite a big age difference only because I want to marry an older man too, sniff. Just wants to leisure fly his plane but then his Presidential ambition damn it, loves his expensive liquor and nicotine plus occasionally cigar though it’s obviously unhealthy to finish three packs of cigarettes a day but hey he’s sexy smoking those imported cigarettes, ok!? Can’t even scold his daughter because he’s smitten and would never raise his voice at his little girl. Designs jewelry for his wife because simply buying whatever Cartier can offer is just not good enough! Has the most impeccable fashion sense because wearing tailored suits and well-fitted ivy league outfit is always a good idea for man of his standings... I rest my damn case, here Theodore, have my heart on a gold platter.

And then we have this asshole David Bell.

I stole his surname. In my defense I was drowning in the sea of feels, I had to save myself, ok!? 😭 Marathoning The Resident within a day was the best thing I ever did, well next best thing after creating all the characters #2k18youvebeensogoodtomyfeels AHEM. So, let me just briefly introduce you to one of god’s createst creation that is David Bell - damn I love pronouncing his name - and what makes him worthy enough to be mentioned in this magnificent post of mine, hah. He’s an asshole but a sexy asshole, if he isn’t I wouldn’t be talking about him now, would I? So, David was the preferiti of Perk-Azaria Hospital’s - legit amazing name I came up with, eh? - Chief of Surgery to succeed him way back when he first met his third wife aka the love of his life, Natalie. Yes, he’s a twice divorced man who ended marrying a girl twenty years younger than him, in simple words, he’s a damn craddle robber. But hey, David totally didn’t start the flirting, guy doesn’t even give a shit after the second time seeing his divorce lawyer, lol. Natalie, goodness Natalie, I want to be her in sense that she had the balls to start the flirting, you know? It doesn’t matter that she’s actually Perk-Azaria’s heiress - ok, I kid, it mattered a lot because if she wasn’t David would’ve just indulged and ignored her, hah. - who totally would inherit the hospital one day and being her husband would give so, so much benefit. Of course, her family opposed to it but she loved him and he did eventually fell for her, who would’t!? She’s the definition of perfection, any man would be lucky to have even an inch of her, David is needless to say the luckiest son of a bitch to have her whole. So they married, he got the post he aimed for, life was supposed to be so damn good for them, right? So, so wrong. Throw in affairs, miscarriages, insane ex girlfriend, a brief meeting with death... YEAH. I have one chapter written for DAVID AND NATALIE. Maybe, it’ll be made online, who knows.

Look at that adowable face. Stahp it, Harry 🔥

So, umm meet President Harrison Wyatt aka Harry. He is so damn adorable, I just can’t! I know, I love Presidential characters, I’ve always wondered if it could be considered as a fetish? Hmm. Ahem, anyways, so Harry, goodness Harry. Thank you, National Treasure Book of Secrets - yeah, Nic Cage’s movies suck big time but thank you casting producer for casting Bruce Greenwood as the nerdy President who studied Historical Architecture in Harvard. Sniff. Lemme marry him. Harry’s plot is just so damn interesting. If Theo’s loosely based on JFK, Harry has 9/11 which tbh I know, it’s quite insensitive but I was watching documentaries and I thought of writing something that’s sort of based on it but not so? To clarify, I mean no harm, it’s just that tragedies tend to help when you’re a writer? Maybe it’s just me. I was watching The President’s documentary when the plot came rushing in... I thought, what if, the President was in that tower when it happened? How insane would that be, racing against literally everything just to get him out to safety. And then I saw the 9/11 (2017) trailer - would never watch it probably cause apparently it’s a disgrace to the memories so uh, I’ll skip - and how they’re trapped in the elevator, well hello plot, cue in the President attending a summit held at Sky Tower (yeah, I created my own fictional tower) in NYC when two planes crashed into it, trapping everyone that’s everyone including other leaders attending the damn summit! So yeah, President and his Secret Service details stucked in the elevator whilst the ones outside climb at least twenty sets of stairs to reach the floor they’re stuck on before whatever shit happens and they loose their President. Then when he’s out, that’s when conspiracies and all the dramas start to unfold because guess what? It’s the Generals starting civil war because Harry’s not listening to them... I named the story The Enemy Within, get it, get it? Hee. Oh btw, Harry’s married to a badass wife called Ingrid who looks like Jaimie Alexander circa long hair and also has twin children, Harley Kai who looks like twelve years old Tom Holland in The Impossible and Chloè Rhea whose face I borrowed from my favourite girl ever, Elle Fanning. So yeah, will work on the script, Harry might be threatened to be given a public execution but he made his Secret Service detail promise that he’d kill him before the enemy gets him because no way will he let his wife and children witness him being murdered live on every damn media platform. Yeap.

I love astronauts especially YOU.

Alex Powell, that’s what I named him. Air Force + Astronaut = Nessa is resting in peace. Right, for this plot, his occupation is entirely useless as it’s a horror thriller and I just need to make his CV look super good, ha. Where do I even start!? I mean, it’s all about ancestors evil spirits wanting to kill his daughter by possessing his pregnant wife and making everyone’s life a living hell until help came, epic exorcism before everyone lives happily ever after... or did they not? Who knows.

So uhh... I feel good typing all that. Really good.

[bearpillowmonster]

Bizarro's World

I thought about adding this to my "Escape from Bizarro World" post but then I thought it might be just a little too long so here's my "Bizarro's World" review, a whole separate arc from the former.

Seeing Supes with long hair has always seemed different but cool, it's almost like it affects his way of thinking. I've always chalked it up to either being Black suit or Nic Cage but this one is different. A different era I have yet to discover where Lex Luthor is old and his son is dying. Clark is really cheesy in an old-fashioned sort of way and while this is an old comic, it's not THAT old. In fact, some of these shots are excellent and I wish would be made in live action.

That oil rig scene in Man of Steel wishes it could be like this. Bizarro has the same powers as Supes rather than the opposite but this is also another version of Bizarro in this universe, as in "not the first" because it makes references to some of the 80s comics. Similar to 'Escape', Bizarro has his own world but on Earth.

Having mannequins and crash dummies over versions of himself. I'm a sucker for crash dummy aesthetics so this is my jam. But they really play into the cloning aspect, talking and teasing about other stuff like Superboy, Cauldron, and a few other things that I like. I also like how Biz is the one destroying his Metropolis and yet tries to save it, it's like he can't help it, he's too reckless and destructive for his own good. Even in the real Metropolis, he's only trying to help. There's a bridge separating to let a ship pass but he doesn't know that's why, he thinks the bridge is coming apart so he welds the bridge shut with his heat vision. It's ironic because he's doing what he thinks is right and getting the opposite response, because HE's literally an opposite.

In fact, I'm convinced that Lois could've handled the situation much faster. She's the one who escaped from his fake Metro, she wasn't rescued. She's the one he's after, she's the one that seems to be able to talk to him because Superman comes swooping in as soon as he gets close to Lois and tells him "No." (which of course that's not going to work) then the trouble happens. Then he complains about how Biz is thickheaded but it almost seems like Supes is the thickheaded one. But I think that's good writing because it has me thinking about it, we as an audience know this but Supes, the superpowered superbuff hero doesn't. And because of that, HE himself starts wrecking Metropolis trying to stop him.

And it's the combined efforts of Lois and Guardian that finally put an end to Bizarro by using her own self as bait, luring him to come save her. Lois feels bad about it but then she says that "-no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get it right. Until the end. He got it right in the end." It makes you wonder if Bizarro could've learned, if he could've been a second Superman but I'm thinking that's not right either because if Superman himself can't control the damage he causes, then what would prevent Bizarro from doing the same thing? They make each other too powerful.

So Bizarro was made by Lex Luthor Jr in order to cure him somehow with Superman's "X-Factor" which gives me bad memories of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 plot where Harry needs Spider-Man's dna to get better. But it kind of ends on a cliffhanger, sure the Bizarro part is done but afterwards, it gets really weird. But that's where I'll leave it. In some ways I liked it more than Escape but it doesn't come without some stuff I could've done without or wished for more of, which in some cases makes Escape look better. I'll rate them about equal.

[monster-mum]

Home, Home on the ... Island?

In 2014 something happened that changed the course of our lives in a very unexpected way.

 It was a difficult day as Chris was leaving that evening for another three-month deployment overseas, so emotions were high. Steven was three and a half and Lyla wasn’t even one yet. We were in a big indoor play centre in St. Austell, Cornwall and Chris was waiting for a phone call. For the past few months Chris had been interviewing for a new job. We really hoped he’d get it as we desperately wanted to make a change in our lives, especially where his work was concerned. As we watched Steven bouncing of the walls in utter delight and Lyla rolling around on the floor kicking her legs, dribbling and chewing on anything she could get her chubby fingers on, Chris’ phone began to ring. He looked at me and walked off to answer it. I sat patiently waiting for him to come back and let me know what, if any, our options were. A few minutes passed and he returned.

 Chris: “Well, they’ve offered me a job.”

 I smiled pleased but could sense a ‘but’ coming.

 Me: “That’s great! Where’s the job?”

 He looked nervous

 Chris: “Stornoway.”

 Me: “Stornoway?”

 Chris: “Yeh. Stornoway.”

 Me: “Where’s that?”

 Chris: “The Isle of Lewis.”

 Me: “Ahh, yes. Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis…where’s that?”

 Chris decides that Google Maps could be very helpful here. As he types in Cornwall to Lewis I watch as the red line keeps travelling higher and higher up the map. It turns out the Isle of Lewis is over 800 miles away from Cornwall. I sat quietly for a few minutes (quite the feat for me) as I processed this unexpected information.

 Me: “When do we need to let them know?”

 Chris: “Before I leave tonight.”

 Nothing like making a huge life decision in the space of a few hours.

 Chris: “Nic, we do not have to accept this job offer. We have been here for six years and you have supported me in my job to no ends, even though you have never been happy here. You’ve sacrificed a lot. if you do not want to go than that is fine. It is completely up to you. I will find a job wherever you want to live.”

 He’s a good egg my husband eh.

 As I sat looking at the map of the UK amazed at how long our nation actually is, I processed what he was saying. He wasn’t wrong, our life in Cornwall had involved a lot of sacrifice, support and understanding on my part but in turn Chris had made some huge sacrifices to take care of us. He had missed so much time with the children, especially Lyla and he’d never get that back. Chris is amazing, he never complained or moaned about how hard it was on him to not be around, to miss the kid’s assemblies and plays, so many of their firsts. As far as I was concerned his sacrifices were far greater than anything I had done. This was his dream job. I knew how badly he wanted to do it, though he’d never say.

 Me: “Let’s just go for it Chris. We have never been there and we’ve always wanted to live in Scotland. It’s your dream job. Just say yes. Let’s go for it.”

 I can remember the shocked look on his face as I said this. I don’t know why he was so surprised I can be a fairly unpredictable individual.

 Chris: “Are you sure? We don’t have to.”

 Me: “I’m sure. If it doesn’t work out we’ll go somewhere else. We’ll give it six months and if we’re not happy we’ll look elsewhere. Time for a new adventure I think.”

 And that was the beginning of our Hebridian adventure.

 Two years later and our time to move finally arrived. It was a long time to wait for a move, plenty of time for me to get apprehensive and start to doubt our flawless decision-making process of let’s just go for it. What if we had made the wrong decision? What if we weren’t accepted into the community? What if we didn’t make any friends? What if the kids didn’t settle?

 We’d never moved an entire house before, let alone with two children, a spaniel and a cat who hated travelling. We decided that the kids would travel up with my parents stopping in Glasgow for four days as a rest stop. So, as me and Chris set off with our happy go-lucky spaniel and our elderly, drugged up to the nines, I hate cars and will vomit every time I’m in them cat, we began our 800-mile journey North. The journey went smoothly until we got to Glasgow and discovered our Ullapool to Stornoway ferry had been cancelled. Since we had decided that moving four days before Christmas would be the easiest most stress-free time to move across the entire country, this was quite a worry. Our moving lorry had to be back down south for Christmas Eve, preferably without our furniture and the kid’s Christmas presents on board. We needed to get to Lewis, one way or another. As I start to plan a way to add some kind of floatation devices to both our car and the lorry the amazing staff at Calmac ferries came to our rescue. Squeezing us onto the Skye to Harris ferry and the lorry onto the freight ferry at 3am they saved Christmas for us.

 We arrived at our new home shortly before midnight on the 21st December. Our first proper home that we had bought. We were so excited! We unleashed our mad spaniel, Sophie, who zig-zagged around our front garden sniffing anything and everything. Carrying our rather fed-up cat Maxie into the house and disposing of him in the utility room I opened his cage door and then ran around excitedly, pleased that we’d finally made it. After a few minutes I went into the utility room to check on the moggy and low and behold the bloody thing had disappeared. I called him, no response. I love cats, I love what jerks they can be. Sometimes it’s not ideal like when you realise you left the front door open in a new house, it’s midnight, pitch black and your black cat has disappeared, possibly out the front of the house. I immediately had an image of Maxie hitch hiking back to Cornwall. “But how will he get across the sea?!”

 Me: “CHRIS! Max is gone and the front door is open.”

 So, our first hour in our new home, on our new island was spent walking up and down the road out the front of the house calling our cat. I should also mention that the streetlights turn off at 11pm here, so it was very dark, freezing cold and windy. I couldn’t believe this was happening to us and immediately deduced that this was an omen and the whole world was going to end. Returning to the house deflated at the loss of our cat, after only living here for an hour, Chris disappears into the kitchen only to call me a minute later. The bloody cat was hiding under the kitchen units! Relieved and a bit annoyed we closed up the house and headed to bed to get some rest before the manic day of unpacking began.

 Moving the furniture in was pretty straightforward, other than having to remove the living room window due to the awkward shape of our TV unit. Other than that, it went well. Later that day my parents arrived with our two monsters. The kids were thrilled by their new house and promptly ran riot looking in every room and every cupboard.

 It was great seeing how happy they were.

 Fifteen months later, one cat down and a baby up we’re settled in. Maxie sadly died three months after we moved in, he was old and basically held together with duct tape so it didn’t come as a major shock to me and Chris. We buried him in a Hotel Chocolat box in the garden. Steven and Lyla dealt with it well and now offer regular tours of Maxie’s grave if anyone is wishing to visit it.

 Living here is like stepping back in time in a way. Children play out in the streets and are in and out of each other’s houses. Everyone knows each other and never hesitates to help someone in need. Moving from a community where we had new neighbours every 18 months this is a new and welcome change. I can remember taking the kids to their first day of school and looking around at all the parents and Grandparents doing the school drop off and feeling the enormity of what we had done. I had no one up here, we knew no one. One-time Lyla had managed to tangle her hair so badly it needed to be properly cut. I drove around for half an hour unable to find a hairdresser’s because I didn’t know where any of them were. I sat and cried in the car feeling very alone and very far away from home.

 It hasn’t taken long to find our way around or get to know people here, within a few months we had made loads of new friends as had Steven and Lyla. Chris settled into his new job well and is really enjoying it. The best part is that we get family time together and in abundance. He doesn’t miss out on the important things. He is there for the kids shows and performances, for their clubs and just day to day things. He’ll not miss any of Lachlan’s firsts and our tiny monster will never have to experience his Daddy going away for anything longer than a week or two.  I remember years ago I had this friend whose husband was deployed more than Chris. Before he left for a new job all her photos were of her and their girls as he was never there to be in them. Once they moved and he started his new job all of her photos had him in them because he is around more now. That is what it is like for us, Chris is now in our photos and in our lives more and yes, I know he can be annoying with all his “opinions” but life is definitely better with him around more. He still goes to work regularly so I do get a break from him every now and then. Overall, I’ve discovered all my worries and doubts to be completely unfounded as we have adjusted to our wee island life.

 Who would have thought it’d take moving to a little island off the west coast of Scotland for us to finally feel at home.

[viollettes]

“Carnations” (Part 3)

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Reader (College AU)

Summary: A carnation fundraiser, an iota of possibility, and a longtime secret crush on your hot best friend - what could go wrong?

many thanks to the phenomenal @buckyywiththegoodhair for beta-reading! you witty, pliable, sun goddess with beautiful curls - i adore you!

a/n: i loved reading all of your theories and comments! that said, i’m waaaaay too predictable ;) -j. x

“Carnations” (Masterlist)

Maybe your head is unable to function after the many hours of crying into your pillow or maybe your heart is burnt out from the tsunami of emotions. For some reason, all words and social etiquette have escaped you, and you’re left dumbly staring at the blonde standing in front of you.

“Hey, (Y/N). Uh, we’ve never met in person, but my name is Sharon Carter.”

Ah – this is blonde girl who asked if you were okay right before you sprinted out of the Student Gov office. Your manners snap back into place and you hold out a hand. “Sorry I’m a little out of right now. You’re on Student Gov, right?”

“Yes. I’m the VP of External Affairs. I work closely with Steve.”

Steve’s betrayal is still very raw, your lungs feel like they’re going to collapse at the sound of his name. “Look, I don’t mean to be rude, but I’m not really in the mood to socialize,” you say, your voice low and strangled.

“Wait!” Sharon draws in a breath before letting it rush out. “Dot was lying about the carnations. Steve wasn’t playing a cruel joke, because he never sent the flowers to you.”

The last thing you need is another soul-draining bombshell, yet here’s this random, albeit very beautiful, stranger providing you with yet another one. At this point, there’s only one thing running through your mind, and if you don’t comply with it, you feel like you’re going to combust into confetti.

“I can leave if you want –”

Eyes closed, you interrupt, “Sharon? Are you super busy for the next hour?”

The blonde knits her eyebrows in confusion at the left-field question, but she shakes her head. “I’m finished with my assignments for the day,” she says.

“Great. Do you mind if we take this conversation elsewhere? I have something urgent to take care of. I promise it won’t take long.”

“One spaghetti aglio e oglio and one shrimp and scallop pesto linguini.”

You wave your fork in protest as the waiter places one of the plates in front of Sharon. “They’re both for me,” you reveal. Your stomach grumbles in agreement, and a genuine smile splits your lips for the first time in hours.

Crying into your pillow took precedence over dinner, but the hurricane of emotions that barreled your way didn’t curb your appetite. Also, there’s no way you’re going to listen to information that has the potential to carve out your heart without a hearty bowl of comforting pasta sitting in front of you.

Are you stress-eating? Yes.

Do you care? Abso-motherfucking-lutely not.

Much to Sharon’s credit, she didn’t question your sanity after you emerged from your room looking like a hot mess. She even let you borrow the baseball cap perched on her head after you mumbled a sigh about the bird’s nest that was your hair. She kindly offered to drive, saving both of you the fifteen minute walk. Sharon scored herself more major brownie points when she barely batted an eyelash after you ordered two large pasta dishes for yourself.

“And miss, would you like a refill on your tea? Are you sure you don’t want food for yourself?”

“I’m good on the food, but I’ll take a refill on the tea. Thank you so much.”

You wait until the waiter steps out of earshot to ask, “This is weird, right? A complete stranger just dragged you to a restaurant so you can watch her shovel food into her mouth.”

A small smile lines her lips. “It’s a little unexpected. And we may be strangers, but I’ve heard a lot about you from Steve.” The blonde hesitates as she notices the light in your eyes dim at the sound of Steve’s name. “Are you sure you want to hear this right now?”

“I might as well…” The slight distress on Sharon’s face makes your guard to go up, but you ignore it and ask, “So… Dot was lying about Steve? How do you know that?”

“I was in the annex when you came into the office, and Dot forgot that you can hear everything from the back room. I know she used my password to get you the information you wanted,” Sharon reveals. She grimaces like there’s a bitter taste in her mouth but continues, “The person who sent you the flowers wrote a question mark as their name, but I know it wasn’t Steve.”

Twirling your fork into your noodles, you ask, “What proof do you have?” Your tone is a little hostile, but you don’t care.

“I’ve been with Steve for the entirety of the carnation sale. He only bought three flowers – a red one and two pink ones. The pink ones were joke flowers. I remember because he was snickering about Sam and Bucky’s potential reactions the entire time. I’m pretty sure he wrote a dirty joke or something.”

The stoic face you’re maintaining crumbles a bit as you imagine what kind of dirty joke Steve chose to send Bucky and Sam. You shove a forkful of pasta into your mouth to muffle the laughter, but the giggle successfully fights through.

Sharon takes your giggle as encouragement to continue. “After you left the office, I checked the computer. The spreadsheet confirmed Steve didn’t send those flowers and that Dot was lying.”

“But why would Dot lie to a complete stranger? I’ve never done anything to her.”

“Because Dot’s a bitch.” Sharon holds out her hands when your head shoots up in shock. “I know that’s not nice to say, but it’s the truth.”

“I don’t understand.”

Sharon sighs but continues, “(Y/N), there are some people who take satisfaction in watching others break down. You’d think as college students, we’ve graduated from the girl-destroy-girl mentality that’s shoved into our faces, but unfortunately Dot has yet to do so.”

“But she genuinely looked surprised and sorry for me.”

“Anyone can look genuinely surprised and sorry. All it requires is some acting skills. Also, Dot’s had it out for Steve ever since he beat her in the election. My guess is Dot saw an opportunity to not only satisfy her need for drama but also wreck some havoc in Steve’s life.”

So not only did you get wrapped up in a stupid fantasy, but you also spent the last few hours cursing out an innocent person and vowing to ice him out of your life. A knife twists into your heart, but it’s not one of anger or betrayal. This blade is one that stings of sharp guilt.

“(Y/N), you and I both know that Steve isn’t the type of person who’d prey on someone’s emotions through a prank. His idea of a prank is hiding pictures of Nicolas Cage in your room and things.”

“Oh my God, he did that to you too?”

“It took about two months before I eradicated all the Nic Cage photos in the Student Gov office.”

“Lucky you. It took me an entire semester before realizing he was using our study sessions as a guise to come into my room and hide more photos.”

Stifled snickers quickly change into loud giggles that diffuse the tense atmosphere lingering around the booth. A few minutes pass before Sharon cautiously speaks up. “So, how are you’re feeling?”

You set down your fork and bury your face in your hands. “To be honest, I’m not sure. I feel horrible about blindly assuming the worst about Steve, but I also feel so stupid and small,” you reveal.

Trusting the newfound camaraderie between you and the blonde, you take the next twenty minutes explaining everything, and you don’t leave out any details. The way Sharon intently listens without casting judgment compels you to dive deeper. You tell her about the high school flower sales that stamped trauma into your heart. You even break your cardinal rule and reveal your crush on Bucky and the turbulent ride it took you on.

It’s not long before you’ve talked off the weight of your shoulders. The sensation coursing through you is similar to the soda exploding out of a furiously shaken can. It surprises you how easy it is in confide in Sharon, and you even express, “I can’t believe I just told you all that.”

“Bottling things up until they explode will do that to you,” the blonde assures. “But if you don’t mind me picking at your brain, how does Bucky now fit into all of this?”

You let out a heavy sigh and push around the now-cold pasta. “Today’s events are making me realize my crush on Bucky has spiraled deeper than I intended it to. I always assumed it was puppy-love, but…” A groan escapes you as you angrily stab a noodle. “I can’t believe I banked on a fantasy that lacks any credible foundation.”

Though Sharon’s proven to be one who doesn’t judge, you can’t help but feel nervous as she remains silent. An eternity passes before she says, “Why don’t you tell Bucky about your feelings?”

Thinking that she’s joking, you clutch your stomach and burst into laughter. “Good one, Sharon. Yes, I’m totally going to confess my feelings to him and –” Your heart stops when you notice her straight face. “Oh my God, you’re being serious right now. Sharon, you know I can’t do that!”

“Why not?”

“I can’t risk losing his friendship. Also, Bucky could have any girl he wants. Why would he be interested in me?”

“Because you’re beautiful.”

Pink floods your cheeks as soon as those words leave Sharon’s lips. “No,” you staunchly disagree.

Sharon rolls her eyes as if there was no point in arguing because she was right. “Judging from what you told me, Bucky doesn’t seem to be the type to dump a friend over something like this. If he doesn’t reciprocate your feelings, it’ll sting, but you’ll move on. If he does reciprocate them, you have a budding romance on your hands and there’s nothing more beautiful than that. Plus, you have yourself to thank for it, and that makes it all more worth it.”

Could it be that simple?

You’ve always assumed that a confession would end horribly. Whenever you played out possible scenarios in your head, they always ended in either Bucky laughing in your face or you bursting into tears.

Bucky could react positively. Bucky could say that he doesn’t share your sentiments. There was no way to know for sure unless you said something. Maybe hiding your feelings wasn’t the wisest thing to do. Maybe you needed to muster up confidence in yourself, put your heart on the line, and take a chance.

But before you make the next step, there’s something you need to ask.

“Sharon, why are you doing this? You don’t know me, there’s no moral obligation for you to help me out like this.”

The blonde shrugs and says, “Steve is my friend. I couldn’t let Dot drag his name in the mud like this. Also we girls need to watch out for each other. After all,” her lips quirk up in an amused smile, “real queens fix each other’s crowns.”

Your eyebrows shoot upwards. “Wow, that’s… oddly deep. Did you think of that yourself?”

“Nah, I read that somewhere on Pinterest.”

Giggles escape you as Sharon smirks and takes a sip of her tea. There was something very humanizing about the idea of the blonde beauty browsing Pinterest.

Sharon takes your small yet growing smile as a good sign. “Now, back to this ‘thing’ with Bucky… I say you let him know about your feelings, but I, of course, can’t force you to do anything.” She gives you a knowing look before continuing, “What do you want to do?”

Part 4

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[me-myself-and-my-fos]

Knight In Shining Armor

Pairing: Archie Hopper x Nicole Blake

Word Count: 1063

Summary: Nic has to save someone important to her

The door to the Charmings’ loft swung open suddenly, catching both David and Snow off guard. Nic burst in quickly, Regina following close behind. The prince and princess gave them a confused look.

“David, I need to borrow your sword.” Nic said all too seriously, shoving her hands into the pockets of her gray jacket. He gave her a look of worry, and Snow matched her husband’s expression as they stared at their friend. Regina rolled her eyes at her ex-apprentice’s comment and attempted not to sigh in exasperation.

“Um, Nic, why do you need to borrow my sword?” He asked, craning his neck towards his room to make sure his sword wasn’t in plain sight.

“The Evil Queen took Archie.” She replied, a small hint of anger seeping through her tone.

Regina nodded. “I’m going to stop my… worse half.”

“And I’m going to save my best friend.”

Everyone heard the tone shift in Nic’s voice when she referred to Archie as her best friend. Since the curse lifted all those years ago, everyone took that phrase with a grain of salt when used to label her relationship with him. Everyone in town knew about their hidden feelings. They were just too scared to admit it. The dwarves had a long standing bet on who would confess first. The question had yet to be answered.

“You’re—” David sighed then pinched the bridge of his nose. He remembers Nic back in the Enchanted Forest. She was Autumn Hearthwood in those days and the last person to ever consider picking up a sword. Now in Storybrooke, she remained the same for the most part. Except she always managed to find trouble when a certain therapist happened to be in danger. “You’re not taking my sword.” He said.

Nic huffed, adjusting her glasses and looking back at Regina. “Just keep your twin busy, yeah? I really don’t want to have to fight you. Again.”

Regina nodded, tugging on her arm and pulling her out of the loft. “We have an evil queen to stop.”

Nic has snuck into a lot of places: the manor she grew up in; Regina’s castle; Rumple’s pawn shop; Archie’s house a few times (although she’d never admit that). But sneaking into Zelena’s house had to be the hardest thing she’s ever done. It was old and rickety and the walls were thin. She could hear Regina and the Evil Queen outside having a verbal spat in an attempt to outdo the other. She peeked out the window slightly, making sure Zelena was there too. When she was sure the coast was clear, Nic snuck towards the kitchen.

She opened the door and saw the cage. The small yellow-gold cage that held Archie. Nic’s breath left her lungs in a heavy, relieved sigh and she rushed over to him. She opened the cage and he flew out, and with a wave of her hand and a puff of dark blue smoke he was no longer a cricket and instead took the form of the man she had come to know these past years. In an instant, she pulled him into a tight hug, her fingers gripping his clothes.

“Oh thank God,” she whispered, eyes watery with tears she refused to let spill. “I’m so glad you’re alright.”

“Thank you for the rescue, Nic.” Archie smiled, hugging her back.

Nic pulled away and took his face in her hands. She was trembling with emotion as she smiled at him. “I don’t know what I would do if I lost you.” Her thumbs gently stroked his cheeks. “I love you too much to lose you.”

He paused, staring at her in surprise at the words she said. No, he had to have heard her wrong. There was no way she could have said that. “What did you say?”

Nic’s face flushed at the realization of what she said. She was mortified that she admitted that outloud. She blinked, shaking her head and grabbed his arm, tugging him out of the kitchen. “We need to go.” Nic pulled him out of the house, hoping that Regina was still keeping Zelena and the Queen busy. Waving her hand, a swirl of blue smoke engulfed them and the pair disappeared from the grounds.

They appeared in Archie’s office and Nic leaned against his desk. They stood in silence for a few moments before Nic spoke.

“Don’t worry about Pongo, he’s at my place. Completely fine and—”

“Nic,” he grabbed her arm, staring at her. She looked at him, but it was hard to meet his eyes after what she said. He gave her a soft smile. “I love you too.” Nic stared at him for a long moment. Her eyes roamed every inch of his face. She looked for some indication of lying, of hesitation. This was too good to be true. It couldn’t be this easy.

“Do…” her voice faltered, cracking as she continued, “—do you mean it?”

Archie nodded, his grip on her tightening. “Of course I do.”

She took a step forward and her hand came up to grab his tie. She tugged on it and pulled him downwards, his lips crashing into hers. He let go of her arm and Nic’s hand trailed up his chest and she carded her fingers through his red hair. Although taken by surprise at first, he quickly found himself kissing back, his hands resting on her waist.

Nic pulled away, her lips barely brushing against his. “I was so worried about you.”

“I was worried about you too,” Archie replied, pulling her closer against him.

She gave him a small smile and chuckled lightly. “I wasn’t the one who was kidnapped.”

“I’ll always worry about you. I care about you, Nic.”

“I care about you too, Archie.”

He smiled and kissed her again, softer than the first one she initiated. She kissed back, smiling into it as her hands cupped the back of his neck.

“I love you so much.” He whispered against her lips.

She hummed, her thumb rubbing against the back of his neck. “I love you more.”

“And I’ll love you forever.”

Nic smiled at him and softly kissed him. “How could I ever compete with that?”

Archie chuckled. “You can love me forever too, you know.”

“I promise I will.” She grinned, hiding her face in his neck. “I’ll always love you.”