#me and my homies all hate stevens

[konigofmyheart]

long way down

MDNI .ᐟ

you sent risky pictures to your ex, but könig found them instead…

implied age gap, references to manipulation (on ex’s side), virgin fem!reader, suggestive!

♡ ‧₊˚ ⋅ ౨ৎ ‧₊ .ᐟ

könig groaned, pausing to rub his back as he bent to pick up an envelope right outside his office door, that pesky twinge in his right side reappearing due to having been sat in his office all day, sorting through piles of paperwork. he’d have complained about whoever was on mail duty, except… this letter clearly wasn’t for him. it was face down, its contents poking out: a pretty pink paper and a couple of polaroids?? the only letters he received were bills or work related.

maybe he shouldn’t have, but he took a peek at the pictures, and gott im himmel, they took his breath away. there you are, captured in film, soft shy smiles and silk and lace, such delicate looking lingerie hugging your curves…

he quickly shoves the pictures back in the envelope as his pants get uncomfortably tight, his face warming. say what you will about him, but he’s only human! he unfolds the letter, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips at the cute stationary and lip stick prints at the bottom of the page. without even reading a word he can tell you must really care for this guy, or else you wouldn’t have put that much effort into this letter. what he wouldn’t give to receive even a fraction of this attention, and here’s someone being so careless with gold like this!

könig slides the letter in the envelope, checking the front. stevens??? lucky bastard, he thinks as he heads to the barracks, begrudgingly intending to reunite it with the rightful owner. you’re a cute girl, you wouldn’t want some old dog salivating over your photos, right? plus, stevens isn’t that bad, a wide eyed recruit as könig himself once was, maybe he accidentally dropped this and has been searching for it frantically. turning into the barracks, he hears loud voices and barks of laughter coming from the rec room, and sure enough, there’s stevens playing a game of cards with three other rookies. they’ve got a fair amount of beer bottles stacked to the side, the losing rookie seemingly having emptied more than the others. they make to stand when their colonel enters the room, though a quick wave from könig has them relaxing back into their seats, breathing sighs of relief.

“stevens, you must have dropped this” he says, holding out your letter, happy to almost be done with his good deed of the month. imagine his surprise when stevens shares a look with his friends before responding with a flippant, slurred “ ‘m sorry about that, sir, i meant to throw that rubbish away… ‘s nothing important”, unsteadily rising to his feet and reaching for the envelope. “in that case, i’ll toss it for you. carry on with your game, men,” könig says between gritted teeth, dismissively clapping stevens on the shoulder, hard enough to make him plop back down on the chair with a grunt, before heading out.

how could stevens not care about such a gift?? unless könig got the wrong read on you… he briskly walked to his private quarters, kicking off his boots at the door and hanging his mask on the wall before settling on his bed. he plucked your letter out, opting to leave the dangerously tempting polaroids in the envelope to keep a clear head. slipping on his reading glasses, he began to read your neat script:

“happy valentine’s day, benji,

i’m really hoping this’ll arrive close enough to valentine’s day or else it’ll just be weird… look, i know you probably don’t want to hear from me, but i’m really sorry. i shouldn’t have made such a big deal about you sleeping with rebeca. i now see that you’re entirely right: it was my fault for not being mature enough for you. you have needs, and you couldn’t help it if i wasn’t there to tend to those needs. i’ve thought a lot about it, and i’ve made up my mind. i’m ready to prove my love to you. i’m still nervous, but like you said, you’re a man, and you need more than just hand holding and boring kisses, and it is getting pretty embarrassing to still be a virgin in my mid 20’s… it’s about time, i just had to realize that. i hope you like the pictures i included. i felt kinda ridiculous taking them, but i wanted to to show you just how serious i am about you, and for you to see what i bought to wear for you when you come home, as your late valentine’s day gift… would you please unblock me? i miss your voice a lot… at least text me? i can’t wait to see you again, if you’ll still have me.

p.s. will you be my valentine? please? <3

p.p.s. in case you lost it, my number is-”

and there, printed clearly, is your number. now könig’s getting the full picture. you’re a sweet girl, far too good for an arschloch like stevens and his manipulations. könig feels such anger to find out that jackass filled your head with such nonsense, pressuring you like some desperate teenager, making you feel insecure and guilty like that. stevens is definitely getting picked for every one of könig’s hand to hand demonstrations, no doubt about it. könig would give anything to have someone like you, and he’s willing to do so, to treat you right, as a lovely thing like you deserves. he takes a deep breath, dialing your number and setting with his back against the wall as the line trills. how he’ll convince you to give him a chance, he doesn’t know, but he does know he’ll do whatever it takes...

♡ ‧₊˚ ⋅ ౨ৎ ‧₊ .ᐟ

[stevengrant-mybeloved]

[talenlee]

Decemberween 2024 — Napoleon Blownaparte

I’ve talked in the past about how there’s a wealth of watchable and listenable material that is readalong or companion material to things that I will never watch. My usual example of this is Victorious, a show that was itself only part of a speedbump in the greater project of its own creator’s intention to fully and thoroughly chronicle the series iCarly, which I also didn’t watch and have no intention to. These are shows made for children in the early 00s, and in the context of Australia, where those shows would belong on cable TV, they were for middle class children of the 00s. I could not be less of the target for that media, but I’ve watched a whole day’s worth of documentary explaining what those shows are and what they did from the perspective of one guy who has nostalgia for them.

On the other hand, I am an emotionally damaged male who grew up in a culture of aspirational violence that loved to discuss the question ‘who would win between X or Y’, which makes it kinda strange that I both have no interest in mixed martial arts, and that I have voraciously consumed everything I can find made by one Napoleon Blownaparte.

Lert’s go for a walk.

THE MADNESS OF MAKE BELIEVE MARTIAL ARTS

Watch this video on YouTube

First of all, let’s talk about the introductory material from Blownaparte that got me interested in his stuff. My interest in con artists, liars, and ridiculous fantasists is I think at this pretty well established, and it should not surprise you to learn that through the 1960s through to the rise of MMA as an industry, the world of Martial Arts was populated by some truly hilarious examples of full-time smoke peddlers. Some of these liars you know by name already, because of their international fame — well okay, no it’s just Steven Seagal in that category. You don’t know names like Ashida Kim or Frank Dux unless you’re already the kind of person who at some point in your adolescence yahoo’d ‘street fighter real’ and then ‘street fighter real NOT THE VIDEOGAME.’

Blownaparte has a series of videos, totally about three hours, which talk about some of these goobers, both the historical like Ashida Kim and Count Dante, and the more immediately contemporary examples of people selling this kind of obviously fake fighting (‘bullshots’ as it were). It’s even got a full hour long video explaining why Frank Dux is or was something like a household name in this space of Well That’s Obviously Just A Lie, Right? storytellers.

These are really easy videos to start with, because they are fundamentally confrontational media about dorks, liars, and fools, and only occasionally veer into people who are obviously mentally unwell. Sometimes you’ll encounter someone who is just a completely obvious liar like the George Dillman no-touchies school of combat. There is an awkward piece in the first video discussing Charlie Zelenoff, who is a big lying asshole on the internet, so, sure, it’s fine to laugh at him but around the point he’s taking to instagram to holler at Nicki Minaj as if they’re in a relationship it becomes pretty clear it’s a guy who’s struggling with a consensus reality problem. I recommend skipping that chapter if you’re only here for the people who are very clearly and obviously lying to people for money.

Blownaparte got me on board by being a hater, and a funny hater. But hating famous losers from the 70s and 80s is one thing, what about hating someone much more contemporary and, because of scope and impact, much more hateable?

ALL MY HOMIES HATE JAKE PAUL | A Brief History of Freakshow fighting

Watch this video on YouTube

All My Homies Hate Jake Paul could have just been a simple, straightforwards video about how the whole experiment of what Vine based fame could create as the dry run for Tiktok resulted in the the refinement of the Shitty White Boy attention economy turbocharged into the Shittiest And Whitest of Boyests. The Paul brothers have been a specter haunting the lives of my young relatives while I desperately try to show them that actually that guy their friends think is cool sucks so much shit in a way that won’t get children I care about beaten up by their peer groups, and the shocking thing about each Paul is they’re not only both the worst at the same time, but they’re both getting worse. The point is: Fuck Pauls.

What Blownaparte uses the rise of Pauls Jogan to do, though, is to retrospect on the history of Weird Fights in the context of martial arts tournaments, the way that some people took an unserious idea very seriously and the many different miscommunications that follow. It also makes fun of Jake Paul, which is good, because he sucks. All My Homies Hate Jake Paul, after all.

This style of video, where Blownaparte takes the story of a fighter and uses it to build a thesis around, are a good way to build familiarity with the MMA context. There are stories of people who are walking memes in the space, guys like Conor McGregor, Jon Jones and CM Punk, where they are literally deployed like punchlines about things that suck, and using these single people’s careers, over a stretch of time, helped me to learn about the broader history rather than simply stepping through things in a sort of sequence of years.

They also serve as a gateway for the third form:

NEVER DIE - SUPERCUT EDITION: THE FULL STORY OF PRIDE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Watch this video on YouTube

At this point I am well interested in the stuff Blownaparte is putting out. Four hours of recapping of the UFC’s reality TV show The Ultimate Fighter or TUF for short? Why, I don’t mind if I do. Two hours explaining a Japanese promotion that’s been gone for seventeen years, and in the process engaged in some truly bonkers promotion? Delicious! The background and history of Power Slap, a show that sucks so bad that its primary home — according to it — is on Rumble, the streaming service for Rapists, Nazis, and Rapist Nazis.

I’ve watched it all.

I’ve watched every video Blownaparte has put out, including the trailers. I really love the stuff he puts out, even though I am so very far afield from what got me here. Blownaparte isn’t making videos about bozos like David “David “Race” Bannon” Wayne Dilley, he’s making videos about the story of Minnowaman and Kimbo Slice, stories that are legitimately tragic in the context of people finding niches that they can thrive in if only the thing that they can never stop doing is getting punched and kicked.

I suppose it is strange to have such an interest in these documentaries. Not only do I not follow MMA or any of its permutations but I have a bunch of complaints about it as a sport. Fights have a too-high chance to be abruptly short, or boringly long. The fighters in so many of these cases are truly garbage humans, just awful dudes. The entire industry is run from the top down by people who are rich and scum and rich scum.

In the case of Blownaparte, I followed a path that led to an appreciation and fondness not for the players, not for the game, but for the fans. I don’t like MMA. I like Napoleon Blownaparte loving MMA. The story he shares about a thing that means something to him that he enjoys, that resonates with me deep and loud and he has enough of a sense of humour about it. It is a story where Blownaparte shows a willingness to clearly indicate the way that the sport he loves is clearly defined by gaggles of losers, assholes, cheats and rapists, and yet loves it anyway not for what it is but for what it can be when it’s not being used as an excuse for the worst people ever.

Check it out on PRESS.exe to see it with images and links!

[stuck-in-the-ghost-zone]

mac i am so sorry to enter ur inbox with more qsmp but oh my god. qcellbit update. so he talked to bagi. his sister. he still doesn't remember her. he still needs time to process everything but she said she's waited fifteen years so she can wait a few more days. i'm crying and sobbing rn. also he doesn't even fucking remember what he did to get thrown in prison, all he knows is that he was killing people to survive one day and another he was behind bars. i'm UNWELL!!! he got called in to talk to cucurucho (the fuckin THING that's kind of the federation mascot and it tortured cellbit with a chainsaw months ago FUCK CUCURUCHO ALL MY HOMIES HATE CUCURUCHO) and he was just. fucking tired. yesterday he messed with the feds quite publicly and cucurucho questioned him about it and he said "i don't care what you do to me, you can torture me, i don't care. i just want my family back, i want a future with them. just give me peace. let me rest." HE SOUNDED SO FUCKING TIRED. I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT HE WAS SAYING UNTIL SOMEONE POSTED A TRANSLATION BUT HE SOUNDED SO SO SAD. AND NOW CELLBIT HIMSELF IS GOING TO TWITCHCON SO QCELLBIT IS TAKING A WEEK LONG DEPRESSION NAP. MAC CAN U HEAR ME. I'M UNWELL. I'M LOSING IT. THIS IS ME RN

anyway. hows ur day. i might go watch some steven universe bc i have been meaning 2 rewatch it (or adventure time!!!! one of the two for sure) take a short break from binge watching hannibal 2 watch a silly funny cartoon :3 also still trying to make my way thru marble hornets again it's just such an insane series 2 rewatch u know but i'm getting there!!! sorry i am just currently lying on the floor in my brain thinking about qsmp i had 2 tell u what happened 2 ur blorbo in law today

NEVER APOLOGIZE TO ME ABOUT PUTTING STUFF IN MY INBOX I LOVE GETTING MAIL I LOVE LEARNING THROUGH OSMOSIS I LOVE LISTENING 2 PPL TALK ATBT THINGS THEY LOVE

that sounss aboslutely DEVASTATING btw. oh my god. so the whole thing is like.. she remembers him but he doesnt remember her ?? GODDDD thats so upsetting. im glad hes getting 2 take a nap even if it is a depression one sigh. oh man oh man i love this.

my day was! good i think! i have not had a day to reat since my whole job shadow debacle last week so im kimd of running on fumes BUT . i have off work tmw so im gonna get a haircut and feel all good about everything. and maybe work on some art bc im now caught up to my pre prepped invertober images and i have a couple other time sensitive things like that. ougah. we keep truckin. ive got a huge backlog of youtube videos to watch from last week + beginning of this week i cannot Wait to get thru those and also watch more adventure time !! bc i have offically gotten to Stakes (a marcelone centric mini series) and it is one of my favorite eras ever. i love you vampire lore!!!

[geekgemsspooksandtoons]

Transformers Rise of the Beasts

I’ll just reveal this. I cried twice at this film. While for the second time, I felt like tearing up but...crying is a strange term to describe tearing up. And I mean this in the best way. Anyway, this film has some cool posters. But it was tricky choosing one to show here. So, here’s this one.

There will be no major spoilers for this review. I will add a keep reading option. But I will...again, no huge spoilers. Yet I am going to talk about that ending scene and how I feel about it. While I...spoil it without saying anything. First the negatives and then the positives.

I was wanting to see this in IMAX. But I didn’t want to wait a few hours, so I went to a normal theater.

Here’s my biggest negative with this film. Despite many people complaining about the runtime of the later films...I wanted this film to be longer in some areas. While maybe not exactly three hours. But this is an issue I have with some of these big “Blockbusters”, and I feel like it may have to do with the number of characters in this film.

Certain things feel like they needed to be answered. And some things seem a bit rushed. Because I feel like for general audiences, it’s better to have some moments flow more and flesh out more characters. But that doesn’t mean there are personal moments and characters aren’t developed. Because like I’ve heard about this film. And I can confirm this.

Transformers Rise of the Beasts is basically trying to give you the huge action spectacles of the Bayformers films. But while still having the more personal and slow moments of Bumblebee.

Anyway, the other negatives. This one is a bit sillier. Fuck Jillian, all my homies hate Jillian. I strangely wished this character was killed by one of the Terrorcons. But that’s merely me being a sociopath and this character maybe only has a minute of screentime and something she does that I feel like...this woman doesn’t deserve nice things. But again, I sound so horrible.

(As of right now, I’m talking about Optimus Prime’s character. But fuck! I just found out that the Jillian character was played by Sarah Stiles, holy shit dude!0

But also, the ending before the credits start. This scene...I fucking hate it. Because like others, I now worry for this franchise. I get there has been crossovers with Transformers and this particular franchise. While I wouldn’t mind it down the line. But right now, no, I don’t want this crossover. I just want my Decepticon and Predacon breathren (I sound silly I know; I want those guys to show up next time) to show up in the sequel. That guy should’ve been Agent Burns from Bumblebee, not that dude.

Anyway, let’s get to the positives.

Despite I feel like this film could’ve been longer to flesh out more things. But what Steven Caple Jr. does just like Travis Knight, and a major important thing with this film. Despite it deals with a “McGuffin” story like Bayformers films. What Steven does though is that he’s able to still put emotion, characters and heart into this film. Even with how loaded it can be. 

Because I feel like if things were written a bit differently, and maybe it was longer. Transformers Rise of the Beasts would likely be one of the best Transformers films ever. It likely is, but what holds it back is again, how loaded it can be. But the film has its heart in the right place. And Steven and the writers clearly show that. It’s just trying to balance the action with the genuineness of the story it’s trying to tell. And I think people should admire that it tried to do that. Yet criticism is always allowed.

In a way, and I shouldn’t make the comparison. It’s akin to how Brad Peyton’s Rampage is so simple with its premise, but still has this emotional core in it. I’ll get back to the point.

The characters, both humans and robots.

The Cybertronians are treated like characters, like people. And that is truly special. Despite little moments in the Bayformers films that try to develop them. But they are usually treated as part of action set pieces than actual characters. Even with films that tried to develop them did so in such ways that didn’t seem I guess genuine. And then we got Bumbleebee, a simpler story about a young girl and her new robot friend. After all the Bayverse films, that was a film we needed, and I saw that movie three times in theaters.

When hearing the producer Lorenzo Di Bonaventura wanted the sequel to be more action heavy akin to Michael Bay’s works. Many people like me were worried. And this dude Lorenzo, even to this day he still says stupid shit. He’s also one of the reasons why these films can be how they are. Like...there’s some videos explaining what I mean.

But again, despite the premise being filled with more stakes and less simple than Bumbelebee. It still treats the Transformers themselves as actual characters. Particularly Optimus Prime himself who has an arc of his own and you also have the character of Noah Diaz. They are pretty much our lead characters.

This is maybe Peter Cullen’s best voice over in the films and Optimus’s arc is fantastic. With him being a leader who has this heavy burden upon him wanting to protect his Autobots. Along with him having parallels to Noah as a character. By the way, Anthony Ramos as Noah is fantastic too. He’s likely one of my favorite human characters (Even though I still love Charlie Watson, Noah is still awesome) in this story. His goal, his story, along with his development are fantastic as well. There’s some conflict with their goals a bit despite how similar they are.

Again, they’re both played fantastically. Two of my favorite characters from the film. Then you got Pete Davidson voicing Mirage. Even though Mirage isn’t like his G1 self. But he’s pretty funny honestly, and his relationship with Noah is pretty great too. Mirage has some great scenes along with some of the other robots. Such as Optimus Primal and Airrazor. There’s a lot of good stuff in here.

But again, the robots are treated like characters just like the humans. Yet I do think you’ll mainly get that with characters like Optimus, Mirage, Primal and Airrazor. I think Scourge possibly as well, but I want to talk about him later. The other robots like Bumblebee, Arcee & Pablo Wheeljack (Yes, I’m calling him that too) have their moments. Whether it be for humor or small little moments. But nothing huge like character development.

You also have our second main human character Eleana. Who is also good, but I do seem to agree. She’s mainly there for plot reasons, but she isn’t a bad character either way. I honestly, liked nearly every character in this film. Even when characters like Cheetor, Rhinox, Battletrap, Nightbird and Stratosphere get a few lines here and there.

I’ll admit, while you do get to see the Maximals early on, they are mostly part of the third act. While Primal and Airrazor are the ones that get the most attention. And this one moment is the first part that legitimately made me tear up because of how affective it was. When you see the movie, you’ll understand what I mean.

Again, while Cheetor and Rhinox are there, nothing is done with them. But with all the robots despite...Pablo Wheeljack in a strange case. All of these Cybertronians are treated like characters and dealt with respect. Even with some having little screentime. It seems more earnest or genuine than how the Bayformers treated the robots.

Pablo Wheeljack is a weird case because he’s not bad or anything. His look isn’t bad and that I recall, there’s a reason for that. But they don’t explain it in the film, and it would be just better if he wasn’t called Wheeljack. In fact, I question if he should’ve been in the film anyway.

Now let's get to the Terrorcons. Scourge like others have said, he’s the best villain these live action films have had. Peter Dinklage voices him very well. Even though considering some of his lines really hints to him that he’s enjoying what he’s doing. Despite I feel like he seems to have a similar role as Galvatron in the 1986 Transformers movie. Being a slave of Unicron but instead of wanting to break free, he’s again, fully enjoying what he’s doing. Even though I feel like some depth could’ve been added to him to make me like him more. But he gets the job done.

While I do like me some pure villains who love what they’re doing. Some depth is nice to explain them. Even if it might be shallow.

Yet I do feel disappointed when it concerns his allies. While I can understand Battletrap is more of the “Brute” and he doesn’t get much lines. It’s kind of annoying when you know the history behind Nightbird as a character. But she’s instead played off as a henchwoman in this movie. Especially when you remember they talked about her character being flexible with alliances. Especially before the movie released. It looked like Battletrap and possibly Nightbird were ex-Decepticons turned Terrorcons.

I’m going to say this. I would’ve liked it if the Autobots when they first meet the Terrorcons, they assume they are Decepticons until they realize they are facing against something different and much more horrifying. Particularly Optimus as he’s been holding a burden as he’s been trying to make sure his Autobots aren’t found and no Decepticons find Earth. That’s something I wanted to see because I feel like that would be a big deal.

Anyway, I like all the robots in the film. I should talk about other stuff. Such as the score by Jongnic Bontemps. This is a spectacular score and hits the right notes. Especially there are familiar elements you’ll recognize from other Transformers films. Along with one of a certain classic villain I recall seeing a tweet mentioning it.

The action is again, awesome. You can see it, and it can be creative. And sometimes downright brutal. It’s made better when you can care about some of the characters. The set pieces are spectacular to see and what else can I say about the film? Because I feel like I’ve talked about it a lot. It was mainly the writing I wanted to talk about.

-

I think I want to finish this review soon. As a Transformers fan myself, I liked this film. While I do wish some things could be fleshed out a bit more. Like, the film could’ve been longer so things could have more weight. But the film still does it job of being a more heartfelt, yet action filled film. It’s directed by a guy who genuinely gives a damn and likes the franchise. It’s one of the best Transformers films despite its setbacks.

If you were annoyed with the Bayverse and loved Bumblebee, or you liked the action from the Bayformers, go check out this film. It’s pretty dang good. Maybe I gotta watch it more and think about it. But I was happy with what I’ve seen. Even though it wasn’t game changing, and you could be annoyed by it doing the “McGuffin” like story. But this time, you actually have genuine characters in this with some character development.

Again, despite how loaded it can be. It’s a good film, and I genuinely liked it. Hoping Transformers One is awesome. But also hoping the sequel to this gets even better, and we’d get a Beast Wars film down the line. Because I love Beast Wars. I just don’t want Lorenzo fucking shit up again.

[moonsickagain]

Hii!! I'm Everett/Vesper/Cecil/Severus (bdjebr i have too many names--)

I'm 17!! Capricorn pog >:))))

I use they/xe pronouns!! But it/its is okay too!!!! :]]

I'm fem nonbinary bi sapphic aroaceflux :] ((I use LOADS of micro labels heheh))

I'm dx'd with anxiety, depression, psychosis, bpd, ocd, and adhd!! Currently in the process of getting an autism diagnosis too :]]

My main interests that I post about areee;

Harry Potter (fuck JK all my homies hate JK, prof fig dies at the end, etc etc)

Percy Jackson

Welcome To The Table

Centricide/Realicide

DnD

Dimension 20 (PLEASE TALK TO ME ABOUT IT <333)

Please DNI if you're any of the following:

- Basic DNI criteria

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- Post heavily about Steven Universe or Splatoon

System Blog: @tlbsystem

[chvoswxtch]

FUCK STEVEN 🗣️

ME AND ALL MY HOMIES HATE STEVEN 🗣️

esp frankie

conflict of interest

pairing: frank castle x fem!reader

summary: another run in with your ex creates a problem with frank. billy is eager to step in and let him handle it.

warnings: swearing, billy being an instigating lil shit (yes that needs a warning, the man is a walking red flag)

word count: 2.8k

a/n: this is just a short lil filler chapter to help with pacing as i try to map out the progression of where this is all gonna lead. i thought it would be a nice lil break from the heaviness so far, bc frankie desperately needs to have a good time. as always, feedback is welcomed/appreciated!

The clearing of someone’s throat momentarily broke your concentration, but you didn’t glance up from your computer screen, fingers still furiously typing away as you tried not to lose the creative flow that was pouring out of you.

“Yeah?”

You were so focused on finishing up your sentence that you almost didn’t hear the airy sigh laced with slight annoyance that preceded a voice you had been trying to forget about since last week.

“Do you always show your visitors this much undivided attention?”

All at once your assault on your keyboard halted, and you lifted your gaze to look just over your computer screen to confirm that the voice matched the intruder you thought it was.

Steven.

You didn’t even bother to hide your own irritation at his unwelcome presence, glaring at him silently for a full thirty seconds before returning your attention to your article.

“What do you want?”

Hearing him sigh again was like hearing metal nails screeching across a chalkboard.

“I wanted to follow up with you about the article. I haven’t seen anything yet-”

“I handed it off to the original journalist.”

“What? Why?”

Letting out an exaggerated sigh of indignation, you made a show of pulling your hands away from your keyboard, looking up at Steven with your full, undivided, very thin strand of patience laced through your fiery attention.

“Conflict of interest.”

There was a mixture of disappointment and confusion etched clearly onto his features. He wasn’t used to not getting his way, or you being so cold with him, and clearly it was getting to him. The thought of causing him any kind of distress made you want to smile, but you did your best to keep it off your lips, knowing he would take it as an indication you enjoyed his presence. 

“Now, if you don’t mind-”

“Can we just talk?”

“We have nothing to talk about.”

“Oh come on, Y/N. I haven’t seen you in…years. I think there’s definitely some things for us to catch up on.”

Eight. It had been almost eight years since you last saw him. He couldn’t even fucking remember how long it had been. The overconfident smile on his lips only made you want to grab your computer off your desk and throw it directly at his face.

If only it was heavy enough to actually do some damage.

“I don’t want to catch up, Steven. I have work to do, and a deadline to meet. Now-”

“Babe, come on-”

A sharp knock to your door pulled both of your attentions over to that direction, and your brows furrowed slightly seeing another familiar pair of brown eyes staring directly at you.

Billy casually strolled into your office, giving Steven a severely unimpressed side eye that traveled up and down intentionally slowly, flickering his gaze back up as he arched one of his dark brows in question.

“Price.”

Steven stood up a little straighter when Billy surveyed him, giving him his own once over, although his seemed to be composed entirely with confusion.

“Russo.”

As they stood there locked in what seemed to be an immature staring contest, your eyes kept darting back and forth between them, eventually settling on Billy.

“What, do all you rich people just…know each other?”

Billy narrowed his eyes as he stared at Steven, and the second Steven broke his gaze to glance at you, Billy turned to face you, a wolfish grin splitting across his lips as his eyes glowed victoriously.

“Not exactly, doll. Us self mades tend to steer clear of the trust fund dependents.”

Billy flashed you a wink as he rounded your desk to come stand next to you, and you had to fight the laughter that threatened to spill noticing the look of pure offense on Steven’s face. You weren’t sure if Billy could sense that there was history between the two of you, or if he was just feeling extra flirty today, but when he bent down to press a kiss to the top of your head, it completely caught you off guard, and your cheeks flushed with heat as you glanced up at him, unable to stop the bashful smile that tugged at the corner of your lips. Billy gazed down at you with a smirk as he leaned against your desk, shamelessly letting his eyes wander over you.

“Well, don’t you look pretty. As usual.”

“How the hell do you know him?”

For a second you had almost forgotten that Steven was in the room, and as you turned your head to look at him, you noticed that his cheeks had turned slightly pink from the anger that was burning in his eyes. But before you had a chance to speak, Billy cut you to the chase.

“I own the company that’s keepin’ her safe. Speakin’ of-”

Billy glanced around your office curiously, as if he had noticed something was missing, and his eyes finally settled on yours once again as he lifted both of his brows.

“-where’s the big guy?”

“Doing a perimeter check, said he needed to stretch his legs. He should be back any second.”

“Who’s the big guy?”

Glancing over at Steven, your brows pulled together near the center of your forehead, staring over at him like the answer was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Frank.”

Steven’s features immediately dropped in dejection at the mention of Frank’s name, and he blinked a few times before his face contorted in skepticism.

“You call him the ‘big guy’?”

“You saw him.”

“He’s not that big.”

Billy chuckled darkly as Steven crossed his arms over his chest like a disobedient child, arching one of his dark brows in his direction as a devious smirk pulled across his mouth.

“Sounds like somethin’ someone small would say.” 

As if on cue, the door to your office suddenly slammed shut, the sound reverberating in your office like a clap of thunder through the clouds, and the amusement on your face immediately vanished seeing the pure, unbridled rage in Frank’s eyes. Steven’s face seemed to pale, noticing that Frank’s attention was solely on him, and in one swift motion, he was seeking shelter behind your desk. His proximity to you only seemed to piss Frank off further, and Billy wordlessly grabbed the back of your chair to pull you closer towards the side of your desk he was sitting on.

“The fuck is he doin’ here?”

“He’s apparently got a death wish, Frankie. Lucky for you, Price, Castle here is somethin’ of a genie.”

Billy’s voice was full of pure amusement as he glanced over at Steven, very clearly enjoying the fear he saw evidently in his eyes. You didn’t know if Frank had told him about your interview with Steven last week, or anything about the two of you in general, but if there is one thing you had learned about Billy, it was that he was an instigator.

Steven squared his shoulders as he laughed dryly, glancing between Frank and Billy with that same signature cocky smile he seemed to have been born with.

“You’re not gonna cause a scene in public, and certainly not with someone running for District Attorney.”

In that second, you almost felt for Steven, because he had gotten so comfortable with his status and his family name, that he truly believed he was untouchable.

But he didn’t know Billy and Frank.

“No?”

Billy cocked his head to the side slightly, a dangerous glint in his eye as he stared Steven down once again with a smirk still on his lips. Sneaking a glance over at Frank, you noticed that he hadn’t moved an inch. His stony features were set in a hardened expression, jaw tense with anticipation, and eyes glowing with wrath. His hands were clenched so hard at his sides, the skin over his knuckles matched the color of the bone beneath. His nostrils were flaring with vicious exhales, and his shirt looked like it might split open across his chest from how hard he was breathing.

But still he didn’t move.

It was like he was waiting for something…a signal or approval or…

Permission.

For the first time since Frank entered your office, you noticed that Billy’s hand was held out in his direction, in a gesture that looked like ‘stop’. Glancing between the look on Billy’s face and Frank’s position by the door, suddenly it all clicked.

Frank was waiting for Billy to let him loose.

That epiphany had a shiver cascading down your spine remembering the damage that Frank inflicted on the man that had grabbed you in the bar. As you went to stand to quickly try and diffuse the situation, Billy grabbed onto your shoulder with his other hand and pushed you back down into your seat, giving it a gentle squeeze as if to silently say stay. He was the only one in the room that didn’t look nervous, concerned, or angry. He was enjoying this. 

Billy’s touch on your shoulder didn’t go unnoticed by Steven, and his jealousy apparently outweighed his will to live as he twisted his face up in annoyance and took a step closer towards you.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

You didn’t need to look at Billy to know that he was smiling. You could hear it in his voice. Something in his eyes must have caught Steven’s attention though, because he quickly stopped his advancement, narrowing his eyes as he scoffed.

“And why’s that?”

“You see, I own the company that’s currently protectin’ her. Frank is her assigned bodyguard. This pretty girl right here was threatened by a terrorist group, one of which we don’t know who all the members are, could be anyone. Which makes you, Price, a suspect, a target, and fair game all in one. Up to you how you want this to go.”

Those words had all the color draining from Steven’s face. There was a tint of a warning in Billy’s tone that heavily suggested if Steven made the wrong choice, no one in this room would be held responsible for the aftermath. His blue eyes frantically darted between Billy and Frank before finally landing on you. You gave a subtle shake of your head, but you could see the arrogance in his eyes, and before anything stupid could come out of his mouth, you lightly nudged Billy’s hand away from your shoulder and placed yourself in between all of them like a protective barrier. 

“Look, Peter is the one working on your article. He’s right down the hall. You can go check with him on its progress. I think he actually wanted an original shot of you to go with the article, alright? Go talk to him.”

The defiance in his eyes as he looked directly over your head to stare between Billy and Frank made you want to scream. Part of you was ready to give up completely, wanting nothing more than to step aside and let him face the consequences of his unwavering narcissism. But an even bigger part of you was fed up with all the rampaging testosterone in the room, and your patience with the man in front of you had worn out eight years ago. 

It was steadily beginning to run out with the other two. 

Throwing your hands up in exasperation, you laughed humorlessly as you turned around and pointed to all three of them.

“Alright. Out.”

Billy flashed you an expression of innocence as he held his hands up in surrender, a very clear look of ‘what did I do’ splayed across his features. You shook your head as you pointed an accusatory finger in his direction.

“You are not turning my office into a crime scene, William. And you-”

All of the anger radiating from Frank seemed to dissipate the second you pointed your finger and hardened gaze at him. The way his large brown eyes transitioned from being narrowed with murderous intent to wide with surprise and a little trepidation nearly made you lose focus for a second. You hated when he looked at you with those big, puppy dog eyes that made you forget why you were pissed at him in the first place. 

“You are not committing any crimes in my office, Castle. If you three want to keep your little pissing contest going, do it outside. I don’t have time for this shit.”

“But I didn’t-”

You angrily reached out to grab Steven by the collar in one hand to cut off his protests, your other hastily gripping onto Billy’s tie, using all your strength to drag them both towards the door where Frank was standing.

“Shut up. I don’t wanna hear it. Out, all of you.”

Frank’s lips parted slightly in surprise as he stared at you in shock, glancing between Billy and Steven before looking back at you.

“Sweetheart-”

“Out, Castle.”

As soon as you shoved all three of them outside your office, they started bickering amongst themselves. You slammed your door shut as hard as you could, stalking back over towards your desk with a huff as you sat down, harshly tapping at your keyboard to unlock your computer as you grumbled under your breath.

“Fucking men.”

Not even fifteen minutes later, there was a light tapping at your door, and you let out a heavy exhale of vexation.

“What.”

The sound of your door creaking open had your eyes snapping up, and you were met with two sets of very nervous looking brown eyes. You arched one of your brows quizzically as you stared over at them. Billy cleared his throat as he gestured behind himself.

“Price left.”

“And?”

Billy turned his attention to Frank, lifting his brows with an expression of incredulity, to which Frank slightly pursed his lips and shrugged. As the two of them silently communicated, you let out another heavy exhale.

“Is there a point to all this?”

Frank nudged Billy in the ribs, to which Billy furrowed his brows in an expression of discontent. Frank rolled his eyes as he pointed to Billy’s hand, and when Billy glanced down at it, he looked up at you with a charming smile and held up what looked to be a pizza box like it was a trophy.

“We brought lunch.”

Billy eyed you curiously when you finished off your slice of pizza, and when you shot him a glare, he simply chuckled as he looked over at Frank in amusement.

“You weren’t kiddin’. She is grumpy when she’s hungry.”

Billy’s words had your eyes widening, and you whipped your head around to face a very guilty looking Frank that had paused mid-bite. He quickly set his slice of pizza down and started to shake his head.

“I didn’t-”

“You asshole!”

Frank’s mouth hung open slightly as he furrowed his brows, glancing between you and Billy as he started to protest. 

“I didn’t say that-”

“Then what did you say?”

Billy snickered as he watched Frank stumble over his words, picking up another slice of pizza as he left his best friend to drown in the middle of your violent storm without offering a raft. Frank’s mouth opened and shut several times as you stared him down, his shoulders deflating as he sank back in his chair.

“Didn’t call ya grumpy. That was all Bill. How come you ain’t on his ass?”

“He didn’t call me grumpy behind my back.”

“Aw, for fucks sake.”

Frank crossed his arms over his chest, shaking his head slowly as he glared silently out the window. Glancing over at Billy out of the corner of your eye, he flashed you a wink when he caught your smile, and you couldn’t help but start to giggle. It really wasn’t fair how cute Frank looked when he pouted. It was also absolutely hilarious to see such a big and intimidating man pouting like a child in time out. As soon as the sound hit his ears, Frank swiftly turned his head in your direction, and the look of pure displeasure on his face had you and Billy both laughing uncontrollably.

“Fuck both of y’all.”

Frank reached over to grab the pizza box off your desk, lifting his legs up to place both of his worn boots over it as he finished off the slice he was working on.

“Y’all can get your own fuckin’ pizza next time.”

“Aww, come on Frank. Don’t be so…grumpy.”

Frank arched one of his dark brows and gave you a pointed look at the teasing tone that accompanied your smirk. Billy folded his arms behind his head, nodding his head over in Frank’s direction with a grin.

“Yeah, have another slice, Frankie. It’ll make ya feel better.”

Frank grumbled under his breath as he flipped both of you off, picking up another slice of pizza to shove into his mouth. 

tags: @hopeful-evermore @day-dreaming-goddess @messymissy @itwasthereaminuteago @strawberry1042 @queenofthenoobs @wanda2themax @xcastawayherosx @ferns-fics @stevenknightmarc @ponyosmom35 @babygal-babygal @wellwwhynot @oldermenaremyreligion @combustiblemeow @tired-night-owl @fairykiss32 @danzer8705 @calkissed

[dollyprincessollie]

Pokémon fandom blorbos :3

@impbunnie @the-k1ng YESSS TY GUYSSSSSSSSSSSS

blorbo (favorite character, character I think about the most)

AVERY OFC!!! LIKE HE HAS JUST CONSUMED MY LIFE.... AND IDM IT.....

also N!!!! I LOVE HIM SOOOO MUCH ITS UNREAL...... <33333

ALSO since i have many pokemon favs... my honorable mentions as of rn are steven, wallace, cynthia, the literal rest of the bw cast (ESPECIALLY MY BESTIES4LIFE BIANCA AND CHEREN), leon, milo, raihan, gordie, piers, VOLO :)), captain cyllene, melli, and adaman :)

if u couldnt tell i like MAny pokemon characters :)

scrunkly (my “baby”, character that gives me cuteness aggression, character that is So Shaped)

ALLISTERRRRRR.... HE ALSO IS MY BABY W NO QUOTATION MARKS HE STRAIGHT UP IS MY SON!!!

ALSO LIAN AND SABI 🥺🥺🥺 i just want to adopt them...... sobs.......

scrimblo bimblo (underrated/underappreciated fave)

AVERY!!! HE IS SO UNDERRATED!!!!!!!!! IT MAKES ME SAD <////3 i genuinely nobody appreciates avery as much as me but i mean. if im his soulmate then SO BE IT!!!

glup shitto (obscure fave, character that can appear in the background for 0.2 seconds and I won’t shut up about it for a week)

omg basically all of the elite 4 members i simp for.... so like

will, lucian, and olympia 😭 idk if i'd call them OBSCURE but nobody talks abt them

ALSO COLRESS.. I THINK HES LESS OBSCURE THAN THEM BUT STILL.....

poor little meow meow (“problematic”/unpopular/controversial/otherwise pathetic fave)

AVERY DUH.... VERY VERY PATHETIC FAV <3

also VAGUE POKEMON LEGENDS ARCEUS SPOILERS BUT volo :)

horse plinko (character I would torment for fun, for whatever reason)

THIS ONE IS VERY HARD but i'd have to say melli... ollies when they see mean men

also something somethign avery <3

i would torment both affectionately btw im not a monster

eeby deeby (character I would send to superhell)

GHETSIS GOODBYE. FUCK GHETSIS ALL MY HOMIES HATE GHETSIS!!!!!!!!

[redrabbitspod]

READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH ROLLING STONE HERE:

(full, designed article. But if you don’t want to follow a magazine layout, read the transcript. Art by @bloodydamnit)

TRANSCRIPT BELOW THE CUT

Red Rabbits: The Rolling Stone Interview

Featuring Andrew Minyard, Neil Josten, and the Red Rabbits Team

By Angie Rodner

On a chilly Monday, Neil Josten and Andrew Minyard are standing side by side, looking at something on Andrew’s phone in our New York, Rolling Stone headquarters. The rest of the Red Rabbits team, consisting of Dan Wilds, Seth Gordon, Renee Walker, Robin Cross, Allison Reynolds, and pro Exy legend/honorable mention Matt Boyd, orbit around them. It's an interesting scene to take in, to say the least. No matter what they seem to be talking about, they all defer to the two hosts without any of them seeming to acknowledge it. 

I was lucky enough to sit down with all eight of them, and I’m not ashamed to say I’m a fan of the podcast and I’ve followed since Season 1. The story of Andrew and Neil (formerly known as Nathaniel Wesnisnki, the son of the Nathan Wesninski or the Butcher of Baltimore), and the revelation of their connection they’d shared as kids, was better than any true crime podcast I’d ever listened to. 

Now, the team takes on what they’ve dubbed ‘The Case of the Newark 9’ for their second season. It’s a case based around the hunt for a man known only as ‘Steven’, who they believe is responsible for a series of kidnappings and murders of young girls in and around the Newark area. They’re joined by Robin Cross, a victim and survivor of Steven’s, who is helping them investigate the case. 

I sat down with Robin and the other women of Red Rabbits first. 

What’s it been like to work on this podcast together? Was it strange to go from looking for Neil, to having him in the studio, to watching him and Andrew form the relationship they have?

Dan: It was strange, because in all honesty, it wasn’t strange. Does that make sense? None of us knew about the meeting they had as kids, but when Andrew finally told us, everything made a lot more sense. Really, they belong together. It was much weirder when they first got back and hadn’t acknowledged what was between them yet. We were all just kinda like... are y’all not seeing what we’re seeing?

Renee: They got there eventually.

How have things changed from Season 1 to Season 2? The cases are obviously different, but they still involve missing children. What’s the atmosphere like around the studio?

Dan: Tense.

Allison: I’m not even there that often and I can still feel it.

Robin: It is tense, but there’s also a sense of urgency. We know ‘Steven’ has another girl now, so it’s like every day that goes by is another day he has her... Another day we either find him, or we don’t.  

Mm... I can’t imagine how difficult that is. However, with that being said, the NYPD have made it pretty clear that they aren’t buying what you guys are selling. How does that make you feel?

Robin: I don’t feel anything about the NYPD. My anger is better placed elsewhere. I am angry. But the police didn’t listen to me when I was a kid and trying to tell them important information. Why would they listen to me now?

Renee: I think we all try and take our cues from Robin. Andrew and Neil are very careful to include her and get her opinion on certain things before moving forward. We’re not letting this thing with the NYPD deter us. 

Speaking of Robin then, what’s it like for you to have her on the team? As one of Steven’s victims that is, there with you in the studio?

Robin: Oh no. Say nice things about me.

Dan: Girl. [ laughs ] Honestly, she’s amazing. She’s my little sister and I’m not just saying that. I think we all kind of feel that way. I’ve never known a person as strong and determined as she is and I know - see she’s blushing! [ laughs again ]- I know she hates it when we talk about her like this, but it’s so true. She’s family now.

Renee: She is, and I think she brings a really unique perspective to the case. We have someone here who’s directly involved, who lived through it and can give us some idea of what the other girls went through. I think most people would really love to have that kind of resource during an investigation.

Allison: For sure. She’s even my muse for my fall line. Everything is going to be deep colors and fun modesty.

Seems like you’ve been properly inducted into the team, Robin.

Robin: [ smiling ] It feels amazing...

Now, last question. Are you confident you’ll find what you’re looking for?

All as one: Yes.

Speaking with the ladies was fun. They were easy and connected and you can tell that there was a real sisterhood in the studio that day. It was refreshing to see women supporting and helping each other thrive in such a competitive industry. There was a lot of laughter between them, and it was such a joy to be able to share it with them. 

-

My next interviewees were Seth Gordon, ‘resident TFN sound engineer/IT guy/anything to do with technology’, as he tells it, and New York Lynxes starting backliner, Matt Boyd. When I tell you I laughed throughout this entire interview, I’m being completely sincere. There was something about the way the two bounced off each other that had me smiling and understanding why they are both so well-liked. 

You guys are best friends aren’t you? I feel a bromance in this Chilli’s tonight.

Seth: Bet. Matt Boyd is my homie and BFFL. Do people still say that? Anyway, we have matching necklaces and everything.

Do you really?

Matt: No, not really, but I’d totally wear one if he gave it to me.

[ laughing ] Matt, how did you even end up here? I know you were friends with Neil, but I feel like the details on that are kind of murky.

Matt: I hit him with my truck. [ My jaw dropped ] No, really! I hit him with my truck in Midtown Manhattan when I was driving home. He refused to go to the hospital so I brought him back to my place to make sure he was okay. He didn’t leave after that.

Seth: Because you held him hostage? That’s the way I hear it.

Matt: Oh yeah, for sure. He takes up so little space, why not? [ laughs again ] No really, I did convince him to stay, but I just felt like he needed a friend. He was obviously running from something and he was scared. I just didn’t know from what or why at the time.

And when you found out?

Matt: Honestly? I just about shit myself, but it made so much sense. All the little questions I asked myself early on, finally had answers. 

I saw the interview you and Dan did with Essence. You guys look amazing together.

Seth: They are amazing together. It’s gross. 

Matt: Yeah, and you and Dion aren’t constantly fawning all over each other.

Is that Dion hovering nearby?

Seth: Yep, that’s my man. He’s amazing and fuckin’ fine as hell. Can I say fuck in this interview?

Sure.

Seth: He’s fuckin’ fine.

Seth, what’s it been like for you, putting together the shows? There’s been a lot of audio that’s hard for us as listeners to hear, and I’m sure there’s more we haven’t even heard. 

Seth: There is.

What’s that like for you to have to go through it all?

Seth: Really hard sometimes. There was some stuff in Season 1 we didn’t air that seriously gave me nightmares. It’s worth it, though. We found Neil and I think we’ll find Steven.

Are both of you confident in that fact?

Seth: Positive.

Matt: I think if anyone can find him, it’s Andrew and Neil. They’re determined and they’ll keep looking no matter what.

I believe them. 

Andrew and Neil were my last interview of the day, and a more determined pair I think I’ve ever met. 

Here’s the thing readers: They’re connected. It might make me a poor journalist, but I don’t know how else to explain it. At one point during the interview, Neil reached over to squeeze Andrew’s arm. At another point, Andrew reached over to squeeze the back of Neil’s neck. They were obviously a comfort to and for each other, and it almost seemed like they borrowed strength. It was intense and being able to witness it has been one of my favorite moments in my career.

So, let’s talk about this season before we get into everything else. You’re looking for a man you believe to be responsible for the disappearances of multiple girls in the Newark area. Do you feel like you’re any closer to solving the mystery than you were at the beginning?

Neil: Absolutely. We’ve gotten some really great tips and we think we’ve narrowed some things down. We don’t want to get too deep into what we’ve got at the moment, because we’re still investigating. But we’re confident in what we have.

What’s it been like working with Robin? I was able to interview her earlier, and she’s really something.

Andrew: She’s been the best resource we have. She’s incredibly strong and unbelievably quick. She’s taken this terrible thing that happened to her and turned it into fire, and it’s been amazing to watch. Most of the information we have comes from her.

The interview you guys did with her was absolutely chilling. I cried three times listening to it. How do you handle hearing these things? I feel like it’d be really hard not to take it home with you.

Neil: Yeah. It’s hard sometimes.

Andrew, I want to touch on the interview Riko Moriyama just did with Kathy Ferdinand and your response. What was that like for you, hearing Riko wrongfully expose something like that on live television?

Andrew: It was… I was stunned, I guess. That information was supposed to be sealed. My name was redacted. So I have no idea how he even got details of the case.

You’ve talked before about being in the foster care system. It sounds like you had a pretty rocky childhood.

Andrew: Yes.

Neil, I know yours was no picnic either. Do you think that this kind of... shared trauma, I guess, is part of why you two work so well together?

Neil: Yeah, partly. When we met as kids, I think a bond was cemented. We both knew how horrible adults could be to children. But now that we’re older, I think more than a shared trauma, it’s a mutual respect for that trauma. We both have shit, you know? I told Matt this one time and I didn’t really understand how true it was until recently, but we both have baggage that we share. We take each other’s on to lighten the load for the other. But, there are times when it gets really fucking heavy, and I think recently we’ve figured out that it’s better to lean on each other when that happens, instead of trying to carry it all ourselves.

Why do you think Riko felt the need to call you two out like he did? I know he mentioned Neil possibly being manipulated into the relationship.

Neil: [laughs]

Andrew: I wish I could manipulate him into having better taste in music.

Neil: My taste in music is fine. 

Andrew: It is absolutely not. And I don’t know why Riko feels the need to comment. I’d be interested to hear the reason. The things he said regarding Neil were ridiculous, and in his response, Neil has made sure to make that known. But the thing that really bothered me was his comments on mental health. He tried to basically call me unstable for seeking therapy and admitting that there came a point when I needed outside help. There are literally hundreds of thousands of people in this country who seek out therapy every year. There’s no shame in it and I’m unsure as to why Riko believes there is. Honestly, I’m shocked the Moriyamas haven’t released a statement. He’s their mouthpiece, after all.

Do you think they should apologize?

Neil: Yes.

Andrew: I think they should at least clarify. I’ve already heard people are planning to protest their new documentary and I don’t blame them. I wouldn’t want to give my money to people who think I’m less of a person because I struggle sometimes.

Speaking of struggle, let’s move back to the case. I know the NYPD has been giving you grief over your claims that the person you’re looking for is the same person that’s taken Haylie Clark. Robin, especially, seems completely certain. How does it feel to know law enforcement doesn’t have your back on this?

Andrew: Familiar. They’ve never had my back before, so why would they start now?

Neil: I’ve dealt with too many crooked cops to really take it seriously. I have no idea what their motivations are and to be clear, I’m not saying I think they’re crooked - I’m just saying that in my experience, the help doesn’t always come like it’s supposed to.

The rest of the team seems pretty confident in you two. They all said they absolutely believe you’ll be able to find him. Is it hard sometimes, not to lose faith?

Andrew: It’s hard all the time. But it doesn’t matter. We have to keep moving forward. We aren’t going to stop until he and Haylie are found. 

I think that’s really commendable and I look forward to seeing that happen. Now, tell me a bit about the team. Neil, since you came in at the end of Season 1, how did you find the dynamic as an outsider?

Neil: I didn’t really understand it in the beginning. Not really. It helped having Matt at my back for months prior, but I’ve never had the opportunity to make solid connections with people. So when I came into the studio, to this group of people who had known each other since college, it was overwhelming. 

Andrew: That’s funny, seeing as how they like you better than me.

Neil: It’s all the charm and charisma. 

[ laughing ] And now? You all seem really tight knit.

Neil: Now, yeah. We are. These people are my family.

Andrew?

Andrew: Yes?

Neil: She wants you to say something nice about the team.

Andrew: Every single one of them knows my coffee order, and it’s truly amazing that they can do what the interns cannot. [ he looks over at Neil, who’s tilting his head and raising his brows ] Oh, don’t look at me like that. Fine. We have a really strong team. I wouldn’t be able to do what I’m doing without them. Seth works harder than anyone I know, Dan keeps us all in line with just a look, Renee is the only reason I agreed to do this in the first place, Reynolds has a lot of money and she’s not afraid to use it for a cause she believes in, and Robin is the most inspiring person I’ve ever met.

And Matt?

Andrew: Who?

Neil: The guy that kept me alive for months while you were hunting me.

Andrew: [ rolls his eyes and shrugs ] He’s fine.

-

My take away from the interviews was this: these people will do whatever they need, in order to find their perpetrator. They believe in their cause, they hurt for these girls, and they’ll find justice for them in the end. They’re family, that much is clear, and I can’t wait to see how this ends. I can’t wait to say that I was there when it’s over.

Red Rabbits can be heard on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, and GooglePlay. You can follow the website at redrabbitspod.tumblr.com and twitter @redrabbitspod.

And as the Red Rabbits team always says, “Keep Searching”. I know I will.

[lethargic-lass]

Ughhh why does this keep happening to me???

Didn’t complete another battle ft. Lear. Last time, I didn’t get the medal from his solo event bc Giovanni got burned and fainted, thus only 1 sync pair was left standing. At least I won that time…

This however, was a NIGHTMARE! I even EXed Olivia, thanks to a guide I watched on YT but this was the closest to victory I have ever gotten.

BIG FAT PAIN!!! THIS WAS ONLY STAGE ONE!

I HATE ENDURE! ALL MY HOMIES HATE IT! AND AOE MOVES TOO. UGH! 😤

Can’t pull for Lillie bc I’m broke after spending all my gems to spark for Steven. Don’t regret it tho bc he’s my favorite character…

Welp, goodbye 600 gems. Maybe I can get em next time, if this ever this event reruns…

Ugh I hope I don’t lose to Lear or any event associated with him again. Those 2 events really gave me PTSD…

[titleleaf]

🎵 kanej, coretti, old skool tybalt and mercutio, norribeth, lila/belial from your limited information, destiel, richard ii/bolingbroke, henrycest, the teenagers from badlands, the liebert twins, landrien, emma/harriet, rust/marty, and leofgyð/eadwin please

 oh my god homie... why do you do this to me... our friendship is so precious 

kanej -- my first instinct is the lumiere version of “the queen and the soldier” but with all the gender stuff befuckt...  but you know it could also be Blinding Lights and that’s your fault

coretti -- “Heart Of Glass”, Me First & The Gimme Gimmes 

Lost inside, adorable illusion and I cannot hide I'm the one you're using, please don't push me aside We could've made it cruising, yeah

old skool tybalt and mercutio

god damn this one has me TRULY stumped, i honestly do not know, doing this whole thing I’ve forgotten every song I’ve ever listened to

norribeth -- i regret. that the answer. is patrick swayze’s “she’s like the wind”. 

lila/belial from your limited information - “Do You Love Me”, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

Well, I try, I do, I really try But I just err, baby, I do, I err So come and find me, my darling one I'm down to the grounds, the very dregs Ah, here she comes, blocking the sun Blood running down the inside of her legs

destiel -- Honestly it’s been so long but Sufjan Stevens’ “To Be Alone With You” is a great song for your complicated feelings for a self-sacrificial hot guy but also for the good Lord and I wish Destiel had more of that and less super hell. 

richard ii/bolingbroke -- this one is years-old for me: “Long-Forgotten Fairytale” by the Magnetic Fields (specifically for Rory Kinnear’s begrudgingly smitten Bolingbroke) 

If someone told me you'd be here Whispering these familiar things Talking to my little pets Smoking the same old cigarettes I would have laughed I saw you last in summertime You said you hated long goodbyes You said there's nothing to explain In every life a little rain Et cetera

henrycest -- oof this is a hard one because 80% of the songs I associate with them are just songs I associate with Allen’s novel (so.... lots of Bright Eyes) but it’s basically any Lauren Auder song and “Lion’s Teeth” by the Mountain Goats. I don’t listen to the Mountain Goats at all any more but this track is still it. It’s also a Kendall Roy HBOSuccession song so like... ok... 

the teenagers from badlands -- you might THINK it would be the bruce springsteen song actually based off this film... but it’s “Prove It All Night” 

Baby, tie your hair back in a long white bow Meet me in the fields behind the dynamo, You hear their voices telling you not to go, They made their choices and they'll never know, What it means to steal, to cheat, to lie, What it's like to live and die

the liebert twins -- after all these years it’s STILL “Coma Baby” by Nicole Dollanganger 

landrien -- oh my god... unfortunately “Seventeen” by Ladytron has been one of my Adrien songs for 99 years but you know the answer is Lana Del Rey’s “Smarty”. 

Who has a face like smarty does? Who has a voice like smarty does? Who has a choice like smarty does? Nobody, nobody, nobody

emma/harriet  -- “Flirting With Her”, Sir Babygirl 

I'll lend you this, I'll lend you that "How is it that you two always seem to match?" I'll lend you this, I'll lend you that Just promise that you'll never give it back

rust/marty -- my ultimate postcanon Rust/Marty song will always be Phoebe Bridgers’ “Killer”.

Can the killer in me Tame the fire in you? Or is there nothing left to do for us? I am sick of the chase But I'm hungry for blood And there's nothing I can do

leofgyð/eadwin 

alas you know this one too... it’s Miranda Sex Garden’s “Lovely Joan”

[mummer]

trying to think of niche ones um thoughts on the best and worst snack foods? thoughts on books ppl read in school that suck shit? thoughts on nail polish? thoughts on sufjan stevens?

best snack food plain salted lays chips worst is like anything genuinely healthy. like im not gonna pick up a fucking apple and call it a SNACK. jail. idk if i ever hated a book i read in high school hmm. i thought fahrenheit 451, 1984 and animal farm were all the same shit and were a bit boring. did at least 3 shakespeare plays but never got into them. catcher in the rye didnt grab me but it was fine. the only thing i read in english class that i hated to the point of genuine fury was robert frost, dont @ me, FUCK robert frost all my homies hate robert frost. nail polish is cool but i dont do it personally because 😔 i bite my nails 😔. sufjan malewife best songwriter of all time and my mom is DOWN to fuck him

[divorcedmalewife]

also what are ur top 10 blocked tags lol

my top ten blocked tags smsnsjs hmm well i'll list my favorites

1.) bu/ghead. When i watched riverdale, i did not like that ship and i still don't. Betty is a lesbian and you can't convince me otherwise

2.) doctor who. a shocker, but i've never seen it. Well i've seen a few christopher eccelston episodes and those were good but fuck steven moffat

3.) gender critical/terf/swerf. These are all three separate tags i have blacklisted. Trans women are women and trans men are men.

4.) harrin/grove. Fuck billy Hargrove, me and the homies hate him.

5.) Homestuck. listen i'm into spn and sherlock. i can't be into another cringey thing

6.) rey/lo. i liked kylo ren in the first movie but then a bunch of people started uwu'ing him and it made me fucking hate him and this ship

7.) starker. Please stop shipping a 40 year old man and a teenager. Peter Parker deserves better than that

8.) Voltron. Originally i had this tagged because i was going to watch the show and i didn't want to get spoiled.... now i use it to save myself because oof. i've heard that show is a mess

9.) Wincest. Sam and Dean are brothers, please stop.

10.) Zutara. Controversial, i know. But this was purely out of the fact that i feel like people used katara as a self insert and completely misscharacterized. Plus until i was about 15, i had no idea people shipped this. The show ended when I was 11 and i watched it live; so at the time i was like, well clearly katara and aang get together; so i liked them together.

[uzumaki-rebellion]

“Stark’s New Intern” Chp. 8

Summary: Erik takes a quick road trip to search for what his father has hidden...

"Free like the bluest sky Free like mountain's eye Free like... free like...free like...free like Free like the brown in my eye Free like the tears that I cry Free like...free like...free like... free like Free like a willow tree Free like a summers eve Free like the waves are crashing on the side of a solitary beach…"

Jill Scott – "Free (Epilogue)"

Erik handed a seventeen-thousand-dollar cashier's check to the salesclerk holding his I.D. and motorcycle license. The Kawasaki Ninja he wanted, the same as the one his mother used to have, with the same green and black coloring too, sat posted up outside the entrance of the motorcycle showroom.

Ownership papers handed over along with registration forms, the keys were dropped in his hand. The sales clerk had been a dick when Erik first came into the dealership looking to purchase a ride. He had to get permission from the manager before he could even do a test ride of the bike, even showing a picture of his mother on her bike with him when he was a child to let them know he was serious about buying. 

They gave him the grand total and Erik told them to have the bike polished and gassed up to go. Two hours later he was back and handing over full payment, but was annoyed when the bike wasn't ready. They assumed he wasn't coming back.

"Enjoy," the sales clerk said, and Erik rolled his eyes at him as he slung his backpack on and rolled out of the lot. His new helmet was nice on his head, and he felt free tooling down the I-10 and merging onto the 101. Transportation at last. He was too young to rent a car, and it was annoying having to use Lyft or Uber when he was ready to jet. His grandfather had called to verify his use of the money. Erik's parents had left him a small trust fund that he would receive in total when he was twenty-one. It was life-insurance money mainly, and he was allotted thirty-thousand when he turned eighteen with the rest pending. He was finally spending it on something other than clothes and computers.

His mother had him riding behind her the moment he was able to hang on to her waist, and his fondest memories were riding with her and Grandpop on the rare occasions they went out with his grandfather's bike club. Oaktown Rebels. Green and black were their colors.

The robust rumble under his thighs made him grin, and he sped up to pass a few cars as he made his way back to his apartment. He needed to grab a few things before he headed out to Joshua Tree.

Rolling into the apartment complex, he parked his new ride near Maria's leased car.

Walking into his unit, delicious smells wafted to him from the kitchen. He put his helmet on the coffee table and walked to where the tantalizing aromas came from.

"Look at you," Maria said.

He was surprised to see Valentina in his kitchen with Maria and also Giselle. All three women stared at him and his clothes.

"What happened to Erik Stevens intern? Who brought in Sons of Anarchy?" Maria said.

He touched his black leather biker jacket. The matching pants drew stares too.

"Just protective gear."

"For what?" Giselle asked. Her eyes looked suggestive. They were all a little tipsy. An empty wine bottle sat on the kitchen counter.

Valentina brushed past him to take a gander at the back of the ensemble he wore.

"That is some pricey gear, Stevens," she said.

"I bought a new bike…whatchu cookin'?"

His nose aimed for the stove.

Maria held tongs in her hand as she stood near a wok on the stove.

"Oh…shit….," she said pulling out fried egg rolls and placing them on paper towels on the kitchen counter.

"Lumpia. Chicken and pork…"

"What else?" he said, pulling open a lid on a skillet next to the lumpia still cooking.

"Pancit, chicken adobo, rice…"

Fuck.

He wanted to ride out to Joshua Tree asap, but the food looked banging and he was starving. This was better than the protein bars he was going to grab with his hydration pack.

"Join us," Maria said.

She pulled out plates from the cupboards and Giselle helped set their little kitchen table. Valentina opened another bottle of white wine. They all stared at him. He took off his riding jacket and carried it to his room. He packed up the gear he would take with him then washed his hands.

The women were already seated and grubbing when he returned.

Maria fixed him a full plate and he got down to business.

"So what is this? A hen party?" he said.

Giselle laughed and sipped on her wine.

"How did you guess?" she said.

Giselle had taken her braids out and Erik saw how big her hair was, lush puffy waves that cascaded to her shoulders, without her make-up and intern clothes, she looked like a teenager sitting next to him in her shorts and yoga top.

"We just needed to vent and trash the guys we work with," Valentina said nibbling on her lumpia.

"Well shit, maybe I shouldn't be here," he said.

"Stay, you might learn how to be a better man," Maria said.

"Erik is one of the good ones," Valentina said winking at him. Erik smiled, but then he caught Giselle looking at Valentina in a strange way. He stuffed pancit in his mouth and scooped up more of the noodles and cabbage on his fork. When Valentina's hand reached across and stroked his hand, Giselle really looked perturbed.

"Thank you so much for the pep talk the other day. I finished the beta on time and Janine spoke to me about working with Hollowell," Valentina said.

Erik nodded his head. Valentina's hand stayed on his wrist. She poured him a little bit of wine and he drank it so he could move his hand. He felt heat on his neck coming from Giselle staring and he couldn't figure out why she was giving off jealous vibes. Valentina was just the homie.

Maria must've caught the tension from Giselle.

"How's it going in your department?" Maria asked Giselle.

"Pretty good actually. I get to attend a conference with my project manager Evelyn. We leave in two weeks for Portland," Giselle said.

"So lucky! You get to travel. Wish we could go somewhere," Valentina said.

She picked at her plate and for a moment everyone was quiet as they ate.

"I have ube cake if anyone wants some," Maria said.

She jumped up and went to the fridge and brought back a purple cake. Once they all had their fill of food, Maria cut slices of the cake.

"Wow, it's purple on the inside too," Valentina said staring at it before she took a bite.

"It's a sponge cake, but a purple yam is mixed with it," Maria said.

"It's good! Light" Giselle said.

Erik snuck more wine and ate two pieces of cake.

"Let's go see your new bike!" Valentina said. Her fingers tapped Erik's hand again.

"C'mon," he said.

They all followed him downstairs.

"That is so cool!" Maria said.

Erik hopped on and started it up.

"That looks really expensive," Valentina said.

"Paid 17 G for it," he said.

"Can I get on?" Maria asked.

He helped her climb on and she took out her cell to snap pictures.

"Give us a ride around the parking lot," Valentina said stepping close to the handlebars.

"You need a helmet. I only have one," he said.

"It's just the parking lot. You don't have to go fast. We're in an enclosed place," she said.

"Me first!" Maria said clutching his waist.

He used his legs to roll back.

"Calm down, girl," he said.

Maria was giggling and wiggling behind him.

He zoomed around the lot and Maria squealed like a big kid on a rollercoaster for the first time. When he came back around and she jumped down, her face was flush from too much wine and laughing so hard. He thought she was so cute when she was buzzing.

"Me next," Valentina said.

She was taller and heavier than Maria. When she held his waist, he could feel her full breasts pressing into his back. Her chin rested on his shoulder.

"See ya!" she called to Maria and Giselle.

Unlike Maria, Valentina didn't giggle or look around, she rested her head against the back of his neck. When he brought her back, her hands dropped from his waist and rested on his thighs.

"That was fun," she said.

"Do you plan on getting off?" Giselle asked.

Valentina climbed off and Giselle hopped on. She was skittish with her hands.

"Hold tight," he said.

She relaxed and held him better. She looked around as they rode.

"This thing has some get up," she said.

"Yep. Top of the line."

He gave it a little more speed on the return so she could feel the power under them.

She took her time climbing off and Valentina was already trying to get a second excursion. He turned the bike off.

"This is so you," Valentina said.

"More cake anyone?" Maria suggested.

"I'll have more!" Valentina followed Maria back to the kitchen.

Giselle stayed behind as Erik dismounted.

"What's up with you and Valentina?"

"Nothing," he said.

"That's not what I'm hearing at the office."

"Whatchu hearing then?"

"Lunch together every day. Working late and driving home together. Acting like more than besties in public."

He shrugged.

"I eat lunch with Maria most of the time too. I don't have a car and it sucks catching the bus or a Lyft every day. She's friendly to everyone in public. Who are you hearing gossip from?"

"Maria."

"You already know she's a talker—"

"Not just her. Other people have been talking. A lot of the guys who want to hem Valentina up."

"Why do you care? You told me you wanted to stay professional. Acting like you in your feelings or something."

"I didn't say I cared like that."

"What if I was hittin' that?"

"I don't see it."

"Why not?"

"That's not you."

"Fuck you talkin' 'bout girl?" He leaned against his bike.

"Most Cali niggas I've met are prone to the white girl hierarchy. It's ingrained. Everywhere you look, white women are propped up. It is what it is. But you…you not that brotha. But Valentina, she wants to break you in."

"You jealous or somethin'?"

"Observant."

"You don't think I could get down with a white girl?"

"No."

"So you should be happy then."

"Why?"

"Most sistahs hate brothas with white women—"

"Not true. We don't care. We just get annoyed with Black men who date or marry white or non-Black women exclusively and then proceed to trash us every opportunity they get. There's a difference."

"What's the point to this?"

"Curiosity."

"I don't think so."

"I date the rainbow myself. Keep my options open. Black men will always be my first pick…but…you…you remind me of my grandfather. Y'now, Black people first, but probably have some colorism issues mixed in there—"

"Nah, I date the Black rainbow—"

"—and I wonder why you hold tight to that. Have you ever been with anyone non-Black?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Why is this a conversation?"

"Don't deflect."

Erik stared at her. He couldn't understand why she cared so much about his choices.

"I have a preference for Black women. Other women are fine as fuck too and alla that, but for me…there's something about Black women that I just zoom into. I've been with mixed Black women…I just…it just be that way, Ma. There's a cultural understanding about shit that Black women get. I don't have to waste time or energy explaining shit-"

"Like?"

"Racism. Colorism. White supremacy. American fuckery. The struggle—"

"Of course. The never-ending struggle."

Giselle's voice sounded dismissive. He didn't like that.

"What if you met that one woman that was not Black and she had some cultural understanding and she was into you—"

"Hasn't happened yet—"

"Valentina-"

"Nah—"

"It's a fact. I heard her talking to some women in the break room. She really wants to make something happen. You can't see that?"

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Be careful."

"You blockin?"

"For who?"

"You. You not low, Giselle. You still feelin' me even though you want to be all professional. I saw you looking salty at dinner."

"I don't care if you get with her."

"Yeah, you do."

Giselle turned away from him and Erik grabbed for her hand.

"Hold up, finish," he said.

"Cake?" Maria called out.

Erik saw her on the top step of their apartment with a plate in her hand.

"Be up in a minute," Erik shouted.

His eyes took in Giselle's. She was serious.

"Why should I be careful?"

"Valentina comes off cool, but she's manipulative. I wasn't planning on coming here tonight, but Maria wanted me to, and when I heard Valentina was coming—"

"You wanted to throw a flag on her play," he teased.

Giselle's eyes didn't waver.

"If I wanted you that bad, I could take you."

"Look at you saying that with your whole chest."

Erik held onto her hand.

"All I'm saying is be mindful of how she acts around you and other people. I thought she was cool until I noticed some behavior that made me see that she's a user. She's into social capital and manipulation. You are Stark's golden boy and she wants to be the golden girl—"

"She's good at what she does—"

"Getting next to people who she can climb above."

"I don't see it, but I hear you."

"Do more than hear me. Men can be so stupid when they ignore signs."

"We're all here to climb over each other. Trying to outshine the next person to claim a spot."

"That ain't you either."

"You think you know me that well."

"You're an easy read."

"Maybe I'm manipulating you."

"No. I don't think you'd do anything like that. You're too blunt. Too real."

"I'm not interested in her or anyone else here. Just you. I would let you use me."

She smiled and he thought he had an in with her.

"Lemme take you out."

"No, I told you—"

"One date."

"No."

"You're killing me, G."

Giselle headed up to his apartment.

"You'll live, Erik."

It felt mad awkward returning to the apartment. He overanalyzed every interaction with Valentina. She was just…Valentina…relaxed when she was drinking, astute, aware of shit around her with a basic understanding of her own privilege in the world. Maria liked her and Maria had a good heart.

But Giselle was pretty astute too, and Erik had to concede that he often stayed in his own head a lot over the years and tended to ignore things that didn't concern him. Especially working in the Stark offices. He did his work and bounced, took careful notes in his journal, and kept to himself on the weekends unless Maria cajoled him into going to a movie. He was not interested in Valentina like that. She was gorgeous with that Greco/Roman Mediterranean vibe, sexy without trying, aware of it, but not lording it over other women. He racked his brain trying to think of any encounter where Valentina had ever—

"Hey, you okay?"

Erik snapped out of his reverie. He stood in the kitchen eating the last of the lumpia. Maria watched him with inquisitive eyes. He could hear Giselle and Valentina talking loud as they watched TV.

"Coolio," he said.

"You and Giselle looked like you were in a serious convo."

"Nothing too serious. She still won't go out with me."

"Maybe you should find someone else."

"Like who?"

Erik waited to see what she would say. Maria's eyes glanced down at his plate.

"I dunno, maybe…"

"Valentina?"

"Giselle snitched on me, huh? I shouldn't have said anything."

"Be honest. She checkin'?"

"Yes. This won't make it weird for you, will it?"

"Already done."

"Sorry. I know you want Giselle, but…"

"But?"

"You have a sure thing out in our living room."

"Not happening."

"Why?"

Erik popped the last piece of lumpia in his mouth and washed his hands in the sink.

"I'll see you later. Thanks for dinner. I'll be back tomorrow."

"Where are you going?"

"Personal business."

He went into his room and slipped on his jacket. His hydration pack was filled and he had snack bars for the ride back.

"I'm out," he said.

Both Giselle and Valentina stared at him.

"We were thinking of going out to The Grove," Valentina said.

"Next time," he said.

He left quickly and felt like he could breathe once he was back on the I-10 heading East. Traffic was cumbersome, but once he got past Ontario, the flow of cars was less stop and go. He made a quick bathroom break at a truck rest stop, and by the time he made it to Palm Springs, he saw the rows of wind turbines peppering the sides of the freeway. He knew he was close to his destination. The hundreds of turbines looked like white giants standing guard for some long-forgotten ancient battle.

The hill he rode up to get into Joshua Tree itself was peaceful in the darkness, and he found a cheap motel to stay in. It was better to search early in the morning rather than late at night in case he ran into any cops. Weren't too many Black people out in the desert, and meth-heads along with opioid users ran amuck, so Erik didn't want to look like a dealer doing a night drop or pick-up.

The motel was clean and he set his cell alarm for early morning.

###

The heat would not arrive hardcore until later, and Erik moved quickly with the high-end GPS compass he bought for the job. This part of the desert had vortices that were fucking with the dials of the indicators.

Yucca plants and small cactus surrounded him as well as the yucca species known as the Joshua Tree for its unusual shape that Mormons long ago said looked like praying hands lifted to the sky. They seemed to thrive in arid places like this. Erik walked around with the small shovel he picked up from the Home Depot.

Sipping water from his hydration pack, he took off his jacket and laid it across his bike. There was no one near him for miles. He didn't have to worry about anyone stealing his shit. He set off in the direction the coordinates gave him. He wished there was a picture map sketch or mentions of signposts to look for, rock formations or a particular line up of cactus, anything to help pinpoint whatever he was looking for.

He found what he thought was the spot and dug for thirty minutes and found nothing. He moved to two other spots near his first dig site and found nothing still. Maybe it had been dug up a long time ago. Instead of getting frustrated, he let thoughts of his father guide him. If Baba wrote this down, it was important. He would stay as long as he could in his search.

When the sun rose high, he took off his shirt and tied it around his head, keeping his shades on as he continued digging. By the time it was near noon, his water was all gone, and he was hungry for more than the protein bars he had. Whatever his father placed here was long gone. He mentally prepared to plan a trip to the central corridor and Klamath where the other buried sites were.

A rabbit caught his eye and Erik walked towards it just to have a break from bending over and allowing him to stretch his back out.

"Shit!" his hissed grabbing onto his lips.

An intense itching overtook his bottom lip and Erik shoved his middle and index finger onto his gums there.

His tattoo.

Something was making his tattoo react in an adverse way.

He stepped back to where he was before he saw the desert rabbit and the itching faded away. He traced his footsteps around the area where the tattoo reacted. The space around it was less than a foot around.

Erik stepped forward again. The itching started again but was less pronounced. He could endure the sensation.

He started digging.

Three feet in he found a small gray silky bag the size of an apple. He picked it up and climbed out of the hole.

His eyes darted about and he walked back to his bike.

Opening the bag carefully, he found another cloth brown bag within. His tattoo flared up with prickly nerves. His hand slipped into the brown bag and he pulled out…

….a small chunk of neon blue metal that glowed with an intensity that made his hand light up. His tattoo was made from this, he was sure of it, his body reacting to the similar elements found within the metal.

Erik covered the metal back up quickly and stuffed it inside the pocket of his jacket and zipped it up. He debated covering the holes he had made back up, but he decided against it. He needed to get out of there as quickly as possible.

Pulling his shirt from his head, he put himself back together. Under the bright summer blue sky and surrounded by desert sands that led to mountains, Erik felt a freedom he hadn't felt in a long time. His quest felt tangible now. He had something his father died for in his possession. Erik shook his head, feeling a lone tear fall from his face. This felt like a true beginning. He had a talisman in his possession that would guide him to his future victory.

He rode to the nearest gas station. After filling up his tank, he bought fresh water for his pack and made his way out of town.

This metal, this hidden treasure that his father buried far away from Oakland…Erik recognized it.

Even knew the name of it.

His father had taught him the word.

Vibranium.

###

Tag List:

@fd-writes​ @soufcakmistress  @cherrystainedlipsbaby @tclaybon  @thadelightfulone

@allhailqueennel @bartierbakarimobisson @cpwtwot @shookmcgookqueen @yoyolovesbucky

@raysunshine78 @the-illllest @terrablaze514  @l-auteuse @amirra88 @jimizwidow @janelledarling

@chaneajoyyy @sweetestdream92 @purple-apricots @blackpinup22 @hennessystevens-udaku

@scrumptiouslytenaciouscrusade @bugngiz @stariamrry  @honeytoffee @meilintheempressofdreams

@tyees

[lovemecharlie]

NEW YORK MINUTE

An interactive story where you'll get to read and play along as your favorite wife and make choices. Good luck to you all and enjoy!

The First Night

When the private jet touched ground in NYC, Erik and his wives transferred to a matte black 12-passenger van where Bastion sat in the passenger seat to give the address of the house she'd rented via Noirbnb. The driver was an older black man named Sam and Erik watched him closely as he kept looking at Bastion.

“Erik, did you just hear that foolishness. JoJo said she tryna go to Dubai. For what,” Kimora cackled.

“Why Poosy? Just why,” Homie asked.

“I'm not entertaining this,” Hennessy chuckled.

“Think about it,” Josephine said launching into explanation while the others laughed.

“Eyes on the road, nigga,” Erik snapped suddenly causing everyone to look to the driver where Erik had been staring.

“Erik, leave that man alone,” Homie laughed when the driver flinched. “He don't mean no harm. You married nine beautiful women, what do you expect?”

“Hey, Mr. Driver Man, how old are you anyway,” Josephine leaned with Angel pushing her back and Erik throwing an evil expression daring Jojo to try him on this family vacation.

“Stop,” Angel cringed blocking Jojo.

“You and these old men,” Charlie laughed. “Hey Mr., you ever been to Dubai?”

“STOP. Mr. Sam, don't answer that,” Hennessy yelled. The driver continued to look ahead with Erik's eyes still burning a hole through his head.

---

The rental house was grand. It was no Stevens-Udaku estate by any means, but it was still larger and more luxurious than the average American home. A smooth dark stone path led to the front door where a quaint balcony jutted out overhead. There were many windows and many lights as well as many plants outdoors and artfully scattered inside as well. A complimentary fruit basket sat on the kitchen counter along with twelve decadent cupcakes which were boxed and sealed, and a few bottles of Arbor Mist wine in various flavors.

“This is my kind of vacation,” Charlie said around a mouthful of strawberry buttercream. “These cupcakes..” She gave a thumbs up. Erik tilted his head as if to say ‘Really?’ and she swallowed pointing to the fluffy cupcake in her hand. “I'm tasting it for poison. I'm the guinea pig.” He rolled his eyes and the group moved on looking through the lower level of the house while the driver took the bags upstairs and sat them in the hall. Vast living room, a bathroom, a movie theater den and a pool out back. They went upstairs and Bastion immediately paired everyone up for the rooms. There were five bedrooms.

“Daddy and I will-”

“Erik and who?” Hennessy cocked her head to the side. “No, try that one again.”

“Okay fine,” Bastion huffed, “Daddy and Kennedi. Is that fair?” Erik kissed her cheek when she pouted.

“Yep,” Homie said stepping forward in response to her government name being called. Erik smirked as she pulled him into the bedroom and waved her fingers closing the door.  

“Don't forget to be dressed and ready for Broadway. No sleeping in tonight. Sleep tomorrow,” Bastion yelled pointing to the next room. “Angel a-”

“Got ya,” Ryley said pulling Angel into the room. The door closed before anyone else could comment.. and now Homie was moaning.

“Okay, I'm rooming with Aly'Sha. Kimora, you're with Jojo. Henny, you're with Charlie,” Bastion pointed. The groups scattered with an agreement to reconvene when it was time to leave.

---

They'd all arrived at Broadway with time to spare dressed to kill watching a captivating performance of The Lion King. When it was all over, they hadn't far to go to get to the restaurant for dinner. It was all in the heart of NYC. Carmine's was the name of the establishment and they were the focus of the dining floor in their eye-catching garb. They looked like movie stars taken off of the red carpet and dropped at a white cloth covered table. Erik wore a navy velvet suit with a crisp white button up and navy velvet loafers. His fade and facial hair was cleanly cut, locs freshly washed and retwisted with aloe, and his golden rimmed glasses took him from pimp to intelligent black professor. He beamed, showing off his platinum bottom grill as he admired his table full of beautiful women.

“Him drunk look at'em,” Ryley snickered gesturing to the grinning N'Jadaka. His eyes were squint. The wives snickered and smiled watching him shake his head like he was just the happiest man on earth.

“I wanna make a toast,” he slurred raising his wine glass. His vodka glass was empty. Since he wasn't driving, he could get as lit as he wished.. and he was. “I married…,” he hesitated thinking about it, “Nine beautiful ass bi-” he paused looking to Charlie, “-young ladies.. beautiful. Stunning. Radiant. Divine. Beguiling..”

“Leave it to you to use big words when you're smashed,” Hennessy giggled watching him point at her with a happy yet unfocused expression. She shook her head confused, laughing and Charlie met her eye just as humored. He was really drunk.

“I love all of you so much.. so, so, so, SO much,” he stressed shaking his head for emphasis.

“Oh my God,” Angel howled giggling so hard she started crying.

“Shh shh,” Erik hushed with a finger to his lips. “I would die for you, mon amour, ma vie, mon tout..”

Hennessy wiped the tears from her own eyes, still in a giggling fit as Erik turned his attention and declarations of eternal love to her, toast forgotten.

When the check came, Hennessy used Erik's card to pay and they all hobbled into the street with Erik still whispering sweet nothings switching from French, to Xhosa, and back to English without seeming to notice.

“Yotteru yo,” Charlie said switching to Japanese grinning as she helped Erik to walk since he was weaving on the sidewalk.

“Shhh,” he shushed leaning to whisper in her ear. “Nonono I'm not drunk, babygirl. Daddy just lit. Yottenai.. Yottenai.”

“You're drunk,” Hennessy laughed.

"Hey, I think there's a club nearby, like in walking distance. We can ditch the car since we'll have to wait on it to drive around the block in this traffic and reach us. Let's just walk and enjoy the city," Kimora enthused checking her phone's GPS. Erik jogged ahead to drape his arm over her shoulders.

"Lead the way baby." Suddenly he was walking straight and Charlie stared at him, mouth wide as Hennessy laughed. Kimora turned to walk down a blackened alley that they couldn't see the end of due to shadows. Erik was right there with her.

"Wait, no," Bastion froze. The only light in there was the moonlight.

"Don't be scared, I'm right here," Erik announced walking into the shadowy darkness with Kimora. Feeling safer with him than without him, Bastion rushed into the darkness clutching onto the back of Erik's soft blazer.

"Uh uh, hold up now. I don't know 'bout all this," Angel drawled placing her hand on her hips and looking to Ryley. "My security don't get here til tomorrow."

"I'll be ya security. We'll protect each other," Ryley promised holding Angels hand firmly in hers. Side by side they walked on in after Bastion. Homie looked to Jojo then and followed as Josephine grinned and walked into the alley first.

"Should we go," Charlie asked Hennessy as they hung back.

"Wait a minute." Hennessy paused on the sidewalk to pull her engineered joint out of her clutch. Charlie sparked the lighter for her and she smirked putting the joint to her pink lips. “Thank you wifey.”

“Anytime,” Charlie smiled watching Hennessy inhale and exhale clean smoke.

"I'm ready." Hennessy and Charlie turned together walking into the alley, Charlie's phone flashlight shining ahead.

---

Erik kissed his teeth noticing three shadows moving ahead and stepped in front of Kimora. "Why we can't just walk through the city in peace," he groaned. A gun lifted pointing at him and he rolled his eyes as three men approached, two black and one white.

One of the black guys let out a long whistle, kissing his teeth at the end. "This my lucky day, money and bitches falling in my lap." He racked his gun and made the count two peices aimed at Erik who smirked at the comment. They ain't know him or his wives. "Young nigga out here gettin it," the man snorted, spitting off to the side. "We been watching you, nigga. You not from here." He looked over Erik's fit and to the wives who were decked out in pricey gowns. "I hate to embarrass you like this in front of ya bitches, but... nah, I actually don't give a fuck. Get on your knees Carlton ass weakass bastard."

"You think you can walk up on me like shit sweet just because I'm surrounded by women? Hm. Also, Carlton didn't wear glasses," Erik sighed unbothered.

"Wow motherfucker, you have a death wish," the white man laughed. The other muggers were distracted for only a second and brought back to attention by the sound of four guns clicking nearly in unison. The distraction was all the time the wives needed to flip the script.

Ryley held her pistol out strong, her eyes never wavering. He posture was a cold dare. She dared them to try to pull the trigger faster than she could, gripping up her dress with her free hand in case she had to rip it and get crazy. Angel was loose from her wine and her gun had flown quickly into the air ready to pop at any movement of the men's fingers. She nearly fired simply because she was tipsy and they were annoying. She hobbled back on her high heels, mirroring Ryley's bold energy. She silently dared them to try and pull the trigger on her husband. They'd see ugly like they'd never seen before. Bastion had the gun that Erik had given her aimed at the white guy, but she didn't exactly know how to hold it or how to aim since she lacked gun skills. The heart was there, however, and she held the gun sideways like she'd seen in the movies before looking briefly to Ryley out the corner of her eye and holding the gun straight to mirror her pose. Josephine's gun was aimed for the other black guy and she stuck her arm out over Angel with her gun to the side, but that was just how she shot guns.

"Ain't nobody killing that nigga but me, y'erd. Pull the trigger and get sprayed like gřřřřtttt," Josephine threatened imitating the sound of an automatic assault rifle. Hennessy stoodby also unbothered and smoking her joint passing it off between Homie and Aly'Sha who were barely interested, they were so unafraid. Charlie stood watching the scenario through her phone's camera, chuckling in the background behind the armed wives. They had it handled. Two of the men turned tail, lowering their guns and running away, but that one bold one who was talking trash stayed with his gun up. Angel pulled the trigger and then Ryley shot. The man fell to his knees and forward dropping his gun. Charlie stepped forward and looked him over without touching him.

"He'll live," she determined walking on. Kimora and Erik followed and then Hennessy, Homie, Bastion, Angel, and Ryley. Aly'Sha walked on like nothing had happened and Josephine started to move on, but something in her witchy mind said no. She shot her gun sending a bullet to the man's head killing him. Aly'Sha rolled her eyes.

"Now we gotta get out of here," Ryley groaned walking faster. When they emerged into the street, they saw the club a couple of blocks away.

"See! Not that far," Kimora pointed.

---

* only JoJo is available to play now. Follow the links

Play as Hennessy

Play as Aly'Sha

Play as Ryley

Play as Angel

Play as Homie

Play as Charlie

Play as Kimora

Play as Josephine

Play as Bastion

[mars-the-4th-planet]

Lapidot returns coastline to Bolivia by accident. (Part One) (This is for my nerd homie it makes sense when in context with her)

It was a crisp saturday morning on the side of earth that Lapis Lazuli (ranked the most beautiful gem on earth according to an anonymous poll) feeling blue as a shoe.

"Everyday I'm Lapis..." She said, casually flipping through channels like she actually wanted to see what was on. She didn't really. "And I don't want to be. Why was I meant to be the sadden gem who feels tired and glum all the time?"

"Lazuliiiiii!" A crunchy voice came from below.

"Hello Peridot..." Why can't I be like peridot, brave and fierce and cute and sweet and fun all at once? Lapis thought.

"Lazuli are you up there moping in the second barn I rebuilt? It's not your new glum puddle."

"Peridot I want to watch TV right now. I don't want to go on any missions."

"No you don't, and besides I am just here to ask you if you wanna hang out you silly clod!"

Lapis Lazuli smiled and blushed.

"I mean...hehe...sorry you're not a clod lazuli can you please come down? I miss having fun with you!"

"I thought you said I got on your nerves peridot~" Lapis said, bemused.

"Lazuli nooo I just uh... oh just come down already!"

Lapis slurked down the barn still tired and depressed.

Peridot noticed this and said "Stay here, I'll go get Spinel. She cheers everyone up! Except when she is trying to kill us but...well, she probably won't do that anymore! Ehehehe."

Peridot scampered off, returning soon later with a floppy, rather limp spinel. "Lazuli um... I need your help..."

"Nnngh..." groaned Spinel in clear discomfort.

"What's wrong? What happened to you Spinel?"

"Ugh.. I got hurt in a team fortress match... cracked my gem..."

"But Spinel, that game is way too violent for you!"

Her hair dropped sadly out of shame. "I know...I'm sorry Lapis, I found that out the hard way."

"How did you even get hurt playing a computer game?" Peridot asked.

"Computer...?"

Peridot gasped. "You didnt play it in real life did you?!"

"Mhmm... I did... Owww. A robot sniper had aimbot and he got a gemshot me!"

"Spinel, you should know better than to play that in real life. Come on." Lapis Lazuli grabbed Spinel and carried her over her shoulder back to the barn. "We need to call Steven and Pearl, they will know what to do."

Peridot followed behind Lapis into the barn, enjoying the view.

Spinel groaned in pain and said "Hey Lapis! Peridot is staring at your-" "NO I AM NOT, I AM NOT STARING AT ANYTHING, STOP TRYING TO GET ME IN TROUBLE SPINEL."

Lapis Lazuli ignored them and set Spinel on a bale of hay. She picked up the telephone off the receiver and dialed Steven's number on the number wheel.

"Pfft, lazuli, that phone is so old fashioned!" Peridot giggled. "When I first came to earth we didnt have those! What are you talking about Peridot?" Spinel said.

"Spinel you first got here thousands of years ago!"

"Hehehehe."

"Shush." Lazuli said. "This is most distressing and serious. Now, let me talk to Steven."

Stevens voice came through. "Believe it or not, Steven isnt at home, where could I be🎶" Said the automated message.

"Huh. I guess him and Pearl left?"

"Hhhhhhh Lapis! My gem hurts!" Spinel complained.

"Yes, I know Spinel. We will get you patched up. Let's call a geologist."

She flipped through the yellow pages of a phone book, remarking how old it was by how long it must have sat there for the pages to get so yellow.

After a quick call and scheduling an appointment for later that day (geologists aren't known for exactly being booked) they headed out.

"It says we have to go to Delaware." Lapis Lazuli said. She was smiling, enjoying having something do do.

"Deleware-?! But Lazuli! We cant go to Delaware!" Peridot pointed out.

Lapis giggled. "Not the state, Peridot. The old mining town just north of here. Confusing name, I know. Let's go!"

Lapis ran up the hillside, humming to herself. Peridot, carrying the now woozy Spinel, followed. "Hey wait up Lazuli! I cant go as fast when carrying spinel! My legs are too short.

Lapis turned around and grinned. "Don't worry Peridot! I got you!"

A wave swirled up from the ocean, picked up Peridot and Spinel, and carried them straight up the hill like they were nothing. "W-Woah!!" shouted Peridot. "Wheee!" added Spinel.

While the other two tumbled along through the water, when it reached the top Lapis jumped atop the wave and surfed it on her feet. "H-Hey! Lapis Lazuli-" Spinel tried to warn her that the sniper grounds were up north but Lapis did not hear her over the rushing water that kept cutting spinel off.

Some time later the wave crashed to a halt and Lapis Lazuli was holding the two smaller gems in her arms. "Now, how was that for a ride?" She asked calmly.

"Ehehehehe that was great Lazuli~" Peridot giggled, all blushy from being held by her crush.

"Guys.. Um... This is where I got hurt." Spinel muttered, putting her two index fingers together.

"What, this old train yard? With the train cars stacked up and the construction materials and equipment all over the place?" Lapis asked. "You fought a sniper with aimbot here?"

Spinel nodded nervously.

Something creaked in the distance, the sound echoing off the metal walls of the train cars.

"Spinel, what made you think anything about fighting here was safe? Why were you even here?"

Spinel bit her lower lip. "I... I just wanted to play..."

"Awe." Peridot said softly.

Lapis patted Spinel on the head. "Don't worry Spinel, we are almost there. The hatch leading down to Delaware should be around here somewhere."

"Did somebody say they want to challenge me?" A robotic voice called out. A sniper appeared over the top of one of the traincar stacks. He was t-posing to assert his dominance.

"Ah, Spinel! Back for round two against the Greatest, most Skillful robot sniper in the world?"

Spinel glared at him. "You aren't great at all! You have no skill, you use aimbot!" She yelled up at him.

"Of course I do! I am A ROBOT! AHAHAHAHA!" The sniper bot laughed in his rattly electronic tone. Suddenly, a blob of water engulfed him from behind and knocked him off the stack and sent him crashing to the ground. It would have knocked the wind out of him and broken his bones, if he had lungs or bones. The water hit the ground with a great splash that soaked the gems.

"There. Machines hate water." Lapis Lazuli said, in a satisfactory tone.

"Fool." He beeped in response. "I am covered in a water-repellent gloss! I am a waterproof bot! Did you really think it would never occur to me that someone may try to use a robot's weaknesses against me?!"

Lapis sighed and put the other two behind her. "Stay back girls. I will protect you from this.... Thing."

"Thing?! Oh that does it. Prepare to die!" The sniper raised his rifle, and aimed with perfect precision on her gem. He pulled the trigger but nothing happened.

"Did YOU really thing that your gunpowder weapon would work after getting soaked? Ah ha ha ha ha ha!" Lazuli said, mocking his previous words and rattly robot laughter. Spinel and Peridot also giggled behind her.

To be continued...