#old buildings are NOT just for rich people: shocker
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marzipanandminutiae · 14 days ago
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speaking of tearing down old buildings though
one of my fondest wishes is to dynamite City Hall and Center Plaza and rebuild Scollay Square 2.0: Bitches It Has Even More Ornamentation On The Buildings, And Also We Are Giving The Businesses Back To the Descendants Of People Who Got Forced Out To Build Your Stupid Brutalist/Minimalist/Whatever Paen To Gentrification-Masquerading-As-Progress
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same view in 1906 and 2020. like what the fuck (and no, that is not "dense housing"- it's offices for posh companies. with chain stores along the bottom, like CVS)
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der7py · 5 months ago
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Yandere Ceo x reader
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Damien Sanchez. Easily one of the world'overs biggest ceo owners ever, owning nearly over 50 companies, and being married over 42 different times since he was 18. It was no shocker. He was incredibly crude and stuck up to all of his employees. But he's more soft towards you, little butterfly.
Warnings: Mature language, age gap, implied murder, work abuse, unfair amount of power in the work field, degradation, Slight babying if you squint, unfair treatment, favoritism
Working for the Damien Sanchez was definitely an opportunity you didn't want to pass! Even if all former and current employees were strongly advising against it.
You worked as a receptionist in one of his companies on the first floor. Apparently, each floor was something completely different than the last! But it was advised in the rules you mind your own business on your own floor.
You barely ever saw the boss. But it was fine! You made bank as a receptionist, so running into the boss wasn't really any of your concern. He probably wasn't even that bad!
That was until you heard a strong voice yelling at another employee from the 5th floor.
Apparently, his coffee wasn't brewed right, and that warranted him firing the employee on the spot. Soon, the elevator made a ding, and the big man himself stomped right over to you. You could've sworn all of the employees scattered like rats.
"You! Yes, you! Go brew me a dark coffee. None of that sweet stuff now get going or so help me god I'll fire you too!" You immediately ran to the closet coffee maker to make it for him. You had bills to pay!
You rushed back over with his coffee, where he was impatiently tapping his foot on the ground. You were surprised you didn't spill it everywhere, or fall straight on your face the way you practically threw it in his hands.
_______________________
He sipped his coffee, clearly taking his time while you squirmed under his gaze. Jesus, he really was intimidating with how fast your job could be on the line. "Mm... good job. What's your name?" He asked, raising a brow at you and your squirming figure. You immediately straightened up, letting out a silent sigh of relief. "Y/n Mr. Sanchez!" He nodded his head, snapping his fingers as he drank more of his coffee. "How unique. Anyways, you're moving up in the ranks, kid. 10th floor as my new assistant, get your bags." Without another word, he walked to the elevator and took it all the way back up.
Holy shit. Holy shit! Did you just get promoted?! This job was even better than what you thought! You wasted no time packing everything up and running to the elevator, a big grin on your face. You were eating good this week! As you checked your phone to tell your friends and family the good news, you forgot you had an article about your boss pulled up.
It was no surprise to anyone that your boss had been married 42 different times. You did admire him for his pull game, but figured he had bad luck. Maybe they were all gold diggers! But apparently, people had theories of what really was happening. All of his spouses mysteriously disappeared a few days after Damien and his newly wed spouse got married. Then he'd get all the inheritance money and whatever companies they owned, considering all 42 were rich. Some people were theorizing, he murdered them. Man people were crazy with their conspiracy theories.
But you remembered you never did see the old assistant leave the building.
_______________________
He liked how eager you were to take the new position as his assistant. Maybe you wouldn't fuck up as much as his old assistant. The old bastard could barely make a coffee for him.
You took your new role very seriously, and he appreciated that about you. Even if the other employees picked on you for being relatively young. They all disappeared anyway.
Over the few weeks, he found himself drawn to you. You were his little butterfly. So full of life unlike the other scum in all of his companies.
He made sure to be extra careful and lenient with you. Oh, you accidentally misfiled an extremely important file? Oh, it's fine, darling. He used to make that mistake all the time.
Oh, you spilled coffee on his brand new outfit? It's fine, little butterfly, he has the same outfit 5 times just in case.
But anytime, any other employee dare make a mistake as little as dropping a staple while he was walking? Fired immediately. What were they thinking? Idiots.
You never noticed how much more soft he was with you. And he was determined to keep it that way. He didn't want you getting hurt over any special treatment you definitely might be receiving.
He felt alive with you. Hell! Sometimes, he upped your pay just because you smiled at him! You really were a precious angel that needed to be protected. A butterfly with delicate wings.
Just quit researching about his past spouses' disappearances, or else he'll have to clip those pretty little wings before you fly too far and find out what really happened.
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nikkeora · 11 months ago
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High Enough (Without the Mary Jane)
summary; 'in every other universe, gwen stacy falls for spider-man. and in every other universe, it doesn’t end well'. you don't want to be a mary jane anymore.
or, in which you were the mindy s. mcpherson to miles's prowler
pairing(s); e-1610! Miles Morales x fem!reader, e-42! Miles Morales x fem!reader (r is referred to with she/her pronouns, no physical description.)
warning(s); fem spanish terms are used ('hermosa' etc.), reader’s hand is smaller than Miles’. author can’t write action sequences for shit.
may be ooc but we haven't seen a whole lot of p!miles yet so there isn’t really much to go off of
implied/mentioned parental issues with reader, not proofread, written (mostly) at ao3 hours
a/n; according to google the sinister 6 of e42 are doc oc, vulture, electro, rhino, sandman and scorpion, although i've seen some other ppl say that the eastereggs are vulture, rhino, scorpion, sandman, shocker, kraven and electro. i'm going w the google one, maybe kraven and shocker are their own thing. also they're prolly rich aholes since their signs are on buildings n stuff, so that's what i went with.
also reader was sent to earth 42, but like, a few days before 1610 miles arrives, kind of like how gwen was sent to 1610 a week before she found miles
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Miles — or, who you assumed was Miles, anyway — took you back to his place, going out of his way to avoid alleys where there weren't many people around and sticking to the bigger streets. You found it kind of weird. Back home, you and Miles used to cut through backstreets and even some sketchy buildings all the time to make it home before curfew.
You felt him steal glances at you the whole walk, and you’d be lying if you didn’t do the same.
This version of him just felt so.. different.
Once the two of you reached your destination, he let you up the stairs first before quietly calling for you to stop once you reached his floor. You hesitated for a moment on the steps. It was a higher level than Miles’s flat back home, and the building had looked a lot different from what you’d seen just half an hour ago, even if it still felt familiar. You’d chalked it up to the multiverse doing multiverse things at first, but he was starting to act a little off.
Having been around your Miles for years, you knew all his tells. You could see how his weight shifted on his feet as he unlocked the door. You could see he was overall standing straighter and more tense. You could see the hesitation before he turned the key.
Miles was lying to you. And he felt guilty.
But what were you going to do?
This universe was new to you. Sure, everything seemed just about the same, but it was all so foreign at the same time. There where skyscrapers you’d never seen before, new graffiti on the streets of the same couple people over and over again - all of whom you were sure you’d seen somewhere before but couldn’t quite grasp where. The sight of buildings blocked by yellow tape and more in the process of repair after seemingly being burned down or blown up were common in this world, like it was an active war zone or something.
You really didn’t have a choice but to follow along.
He opened the door and waved you in, closing the door rather hastily after the both of you.
You took a glance around the room. There were metal bars on the windows, to keep people out or trap them in you couldn't quite figure. There was a DJ setup near them that looked awfully familiar. Hooks hung down from the unfinished ceiling, some holding chains and others oddly shaped items haphazardly wrapped with what looked like brown lunchbag paper. Wires and ventilation just about everywhere, most of the wires leading to either monitors or gadgets you assumed were in the progress of being built. An old, beat up couch and some gym gear by the wall, an open kitchen-slash-workshop area straight ahead.
The only source of light was the neon red from the signs outside the window, and even then the farther bits of the apartment remained a dark purple hue.
Then someone came out of the other room.
“What's this?”
The hell—?
From the shadows, Aaron Davis emerged.
His beard was more grown out then you'd ever seen, and his features looked sharper, almost rougher. His shoulders seemed more broad, though maybe that was the heavy jacket he wore making him look bigger than he actually was.
“¿Tío?”
Miles had taken you around to his uncle's a couple of times, which you now realized was why you recognized this place. Aaron raised an eyebrow at you, surprise flashing across his face before it was quickly wiped out. He looked over you, taling in your appearance.
“Miles.” He asked again.
“I dunno,” the boy replied, stuffing his hands deeper into his pockets and avoiding his uncle's gaze. “Just found her on the way home.”
“Found her?”
Aaron glanced at you, then back to Miles, then back to you, his eyebrows furrowed in either confusion or frustration. He finally looked back at his nephew, the two of them having a silent conversation you couldn’t read.
“…Fine.” Aaron sighed, turning around—
You felt like you were dying, or being born, or possibly both at the same time. For a split second, you were nothing but particles, your skin and bones and just about everything being ripped apart then sewn back together. Your vision was a mix between TV static and rapid fire neon colors, and it was about the same deal with your hearing (which was concerning, since you couldn't usually hear colors).
Miles had taken a step forward, letting you grab his arms to keep you from falling over as he said something you couldn’t quite hear. Aaron had whipped around so fast you wondered how it didn’t give him whiplash, fists at the ready in case he needed them.
“What was that?” Miles’s voice finally got through to you, the high-pitched screaming in your ears dying down. You blinked at him as your mind went blank.
“I don’t—” You cut yourself off. Wait, was it..? Had you just..?
“Complete cellular decay.” You recalled Miles’s countless retellings of the multiversal mess that had happened just about two years ago. “I’m glitching, aren’t I?”
“Right, and you know this because..?” Aaron asked, his hands now at his sides but not eased yet. He eyed your face as if he was expecting you to grow a third eye or something. Honestly, you couldn’t blame him.
“Okay, so, this might sound crazy,” You started, “but I’m from another dimension.
“We had something like this happen back home a while back — except, y’know, people came into our dimension rather than people from ours going somewhere else.
“The people that came, they were glitching, too. Their atoms were displaced and decaying.”
“So you’re saying,” Miles spoke up, his grip tightening around your forearms just slightly. “If you stay here too long—”
“I’ll die, yeah.” You said, the reality of the situation hitting you like a KTX. “Disintegrate, to be more accurate.”
Silence filled the flat as all three of you processed the information. Miles was frozen, his gaze fixated on the spot where your hands grabbed onto him as if he was scared you’d disappear if he looked away. Aaron crossed his arms, his eyes darting from left to right like he was reading some invisible text.
As for you, you felt unreal. Your body didn’t feel like your own anymore, your vision more like looking at the screen of a first-person shooter. Were you going to die here? You didn’t want to die yet. What would your dad think? Would he file a police report? Would Miles’s dad send out a search party to look for you? And Miles—
You hadn’t even said goodbye to him at the party.
You hadn’t said goodbye to anyone.
I don’t wanna die I don’t wanna die I don’t wanna die I don’t—
“Hey,” Miles says, his voice softer than earlier, snapping you out of your spiral. His hands slide down your forearms and slip into your own, giving them a firm squeeze. “No vas a morir.”
You’re not gonna die.
“Te llevaré a casa.” The boy said, his deep brown eyes bore into yours, slowly bringing you back from feeling like you’re looking at a video game to feeling more like you’re lucid dreaming. It wasn’t a total fix, but it’s a start. “I’ll get you home, I promise.”
You took a deep breath, trying and failing to ground yourself more.
“What’s five things you hear?” Miles asked gently, tilting his head and leaning ever so slightly closer to you. You just blinked, overwhelmed with everything.
“Mi vida,” he said again. “Five things.”
You paused for a moment.
Sirens outside.
Yelling from the streets.
Chains clinking in the breeze from the open window.
Aaron shuffling around in the other room. When had he left?
The buzzing of the lights overhead.
“Good.” Miles said encouragingly. “Now, four things you see.”
Miles.
A pan on the kitchen stove.
The DJ table by the windows.
Tio Aaron pulling out the couch to make a sofa bed.
“Three things you can touch here.”
Miles.
The ground if you bent down, you guessed.
Some trinkets on the table just over there, but you’re not gonna touch that.
“Two you can smell?”
Rusted metal. There’s tons of it around; on the walls, the ceiling, tables, even on the shelves. What was that chest plate doing back there, anyway?
That pool smell, which is kinda gross since it came from the chlorine in pool water mixed with all the gross stuff that came from human bodies.
Miles smiled as you said that. “Vuelves a mí, mi sol.” He squeezed your hands again. “One thing you can taste.”
“I dunno, soda? We had a ton of it at the party.” You wiggled your fingers. It was like you were stepping into your body for the first time — nothing was a perfect fit just yet, like a pair of knitted gloves with too much room at the ends of the fingers. You’d have to get used to it again.
It’s then that Aaron called Miles over, the boy reluctantly leaving your side and following his uncle to the other room. He told you to make yourself comfortable on the couch before he went, though, so that’s exactly what you did. The spring cushions feel oddly comforting under you, the familiarity of home twisted just slightly out of proportion.
There’s really nothing to do alone here. You tapped your fingers on your leg. Thankfully, Miles and Aaron came back after just a few minutes.
The first thing the boy said to you, “I’m gonna get you home.” A firmer, more certain repetition of his promise from a minute ago, albeit there’s a bit of a strain in his voice as if it physically hurt him to say it. In a clumsy yet swift motion, he quickly leaned down and kissed your cheek before making his exit rather hurriedly.
You felt the heat rush to your face, your hand coming up almost immediately to touch the spot.
Aaron chuckled and shook his head.
“So,” he said. “You as smart as she was, too?”
-
You tinkered with the gauntlet of a prototype suit that Aaron had dug out of storage somewhere, the man himself working on the main body. The helmet — or was it more of a mask? It was a bit bulkier than Miles's Spider-Man mask, a bit more tech-y. Probably more similar to an Iron Man helmet, now that you think about it, albeit lower in its level of advancement — was plugged into one of the many monitors strewn about the flat.
You'd managed to pry a couple bits of information out of him for the past few hours (during which you hadn't glitched again, thankfully) in exchange for some of your own. So far you knew that this universe’s Jefferson Morales had passed away a few years ago, prompting Miles to take on the mantle of the Prowler to avenge his father’s death — the details of which he stayed frustratingly vague on — and, later on, to keep the city as safe as he could.
“Wait, wait, who’s your Spider-Man, then?”
“Who’s Spider-Man?”
You blinked in confusion. “What? You don’t have a Spider-Person?”
“What, like, a part-spider guy? Nah. Scorpion’s mostly bug though, that count?”
This dimension didn’t have a Spider-Man. That was why the city was so overrun with bad guys.
You gave him a general rundown of the whole ‘radioactive spider’ thing and moved on.
Your own variant, who was Miles’s best friend and had helped make a lot of his gear, had disappeared a while after the Prowler started taking out some bad guys that were a step above villain-of-the-week, the ones who had all sorts of shady connections. Hearing about your presumed death was a strange experience.
“We know they took her,” The older man had said, jamming his screwdriver into a faulty part of the suit. “But the cops are all in on it ever since the Cartel bought ‘em out. Declared her dead after less than 24 hours.”
Oh, speaking of, apparently there was a team of villains bringing Gotham to life in New York, Brooklyn being the heart of it all. How fun.
The Sinister Six Cartel, as the Bugel had dubbed them, was the one Aaron and Miles believed to be behind your variant’s disappearance. The two were certain that the Cartel had worked out a connection between you and the Prowler. The nail on the coffin was when they sent a body double of you in the Prowler’s direction to mess with his head just a couple months ago, complete with some sort of Face Off style mask that made it possible for the fake to look exactly like you. It was only a day or two before Miles figured out it was a setup, but it had shaken him up pretty bad.
“I thought you were another one.” He’d admitted. “But then you did the whole glitchy thing. Looked horrible, by the way, real nasty. It hurt much?”
“You have no idea.”
In return, you told him about home. You told him how Miles’s dad was up for a promotion, practically Captain already. You told him about your Miles’s art and how he made a mural of him after his death. You didn’t go into too much detail about the ‘death’ part, focusing more on the peaceful aspects since it was so clearly missing from his every day life. You couldn’t really read this Aaron Davis that well since he was more guarded than he had been back home, but you could tell he appreciated it; especially the parts about his brother.
You also told him how Miles and the other Spider-People who were sent to your dimension had worked out a solution to fix their situation, and gave him a brief summary of the whole ordeal, the details of which he texted Miles since he hadn’t given you a chance to tell him about it when he left so hastily. He said something you couldn’t quite make out as he did — you caught the words ‘lab’ and ‘property’, but that was pretty much it. He only waved it off as nothing when you asked him about it.
“How’s my dad?” You asked, pushing your hand into the gauntlet to test if it worked right. It was a near perfect fit, which made you wonder who exactly it was for, since Miles’s hand was bigger than yours. “Is he doing okay? After the whole ‘declared dead’ thing?”
“He’s holding up, just like the rest of us,” Aaron replied, checking on the monitor. “Your mom — her mom’s been sticking around. Grief brings people together and all that. They’re trying therapy.”
A weird feeling bubbled up inside. While it was good to know at least one version of your parents were trying to reconcile, it bothered you that your absence had prompted it. Was that what was happening right now back home? Had your disappearance magically brought your parents back together? Had it even been long enough for that to happen, or did time flow equally throughout the multiverse?
Would it be better for them if you just didn’t go back at all?
“Oh.” You said, nodding slightly as you flexed and wiggled your fingers in the gauntlet, watching the way it moved. It was a lot thinner than the claws that adorned the Prowler’s hands from what you’d spotted here and there in the flat, built to be stealthier in the way it functioned. There were no clunks or clinks, just soft whirring noises that sounded almost like a cat’s purr. “That’s good, I guess.”
It was worse this time around, which you didn’t even know was possible. You felt yourself being split in a billion different directions, parts of you re-atomizing not quite in the right places. You’d never known the feeling of having space between where all your joints were supposed to connect, but now you did, and it honestly made you want to die. Not really. Well…
-
Miles came back sometime before dawn. You heard the door opening slowly, almost like he was trying not to wake his parents up as he was sneaking in past curfew. Not that he used the door ever since he could climb walls, but still.
He crept into his uncle’s flat, even leaving his shoes at the door so he wouldn’t make too much noise. He was making his way to the other room when he looked at you on the couch, only to flinch in surprise when he saw your eyes were open.
“¿Qué haces despierto?” He whispered, his shoulders tenser than earlier from the split second of adrenaline. “It’s late.”
“What are you doing that you have to sneak in?” You whispered back. The boy just shrugged.
“Oh, you know…” He trailed off, looking around to avoid your questioning gaze. “…Stuff.”
You rolled your eyes. “That has gotta be the lamest excuse I’ve ever heard.”
Miles huffed, shuffling over to you and sitting down on the floor in front of the couch, facing you. “Yeah, well, I asked you first. Why’re you up, hermosa?”
You sighed. “Can’t sleep.”
“Why not?”
“Oh, I don’t know, the thought of my impending doom, maybe.”
A couple beats passed by without a word from either of you, a bit of awkwardness hanging in the air, though it was accompanied by a familiar sense of comfort.
“Do you trust me?” Miles asked, his hand reaching out to gently grab a corner of the blanket draped over you.
“Probably.” You replied. You hadn’t known him long enough to trust him just yet, as much as you wanted to. The corners of his lips tilted up just a bit in an almost smile.
“Then trust that I’ll do whatever it takes to get you home.” He said. “I already lost you once, I’m not letting that happen again.”
-
The next day was pretty uneventful. For the most part, anyway, if you don’t count the random glitching throughout. You were advised heavily against going outside since the Cartel had eyes everywhere, so your area of activity was limited to the flat. Miles had evidently snuck back out after your little talk the night before, which made you feel a tinge disappointed since you wanted to get to know him better. Fortunately, Aaron said you could help with the suit again.
The TV played in the background as you tapped on the keyboard, giving the helmet a few final touch-ups as the sun set outside the window. J. Jonah Jameson jabbered on about this week’s biggest disasters and lamented about how ‘if only there was a hero to save this city’, which made you snort.
“He’s gonna switch up real quick if a hero does show up,” You remarked to Aaron, who looked at you questioningly. “The guy hates Spider-Man back home.”
“What, Jameson?” He said, raising an eyebrow. “Nah, he’s the biggest Captain America fanboy out there. Loves heroes an’ all that.”
He thought for a moment. “Pretty sure Miles saw him at Comicon that one time too.”
“What’s a Comicon?”
Unfortunately, you never got the answer as you heard the lock on the door slide open. You spun around in your chair to greet Miles as you knew he was supposed to be coming by sometime in the evening, but your friendly smile quickly faded as his expression turned to one of shock, catching a glimpse of what the two of you were working on.
The boy froze as he stared, wide-eyed, at the suit. “Tio,” He said, looking at Aaron as he clenched his jaw. “What’s that doing out?”
“She needs a suit.” The older man answered simply.
“What?” Both you and Miles asked, though you could tell it was for vastly different reasons.
“We need to get into Alchemax to get her home, and we can’t do that unless she has protection.”
“Which is why I came here to make a plan!” Miles shouted, his hands moving animatedly, the way your Miles's always did when he got upset. “Eso, eso no le pertenece. ¡No es para ella!”
They had a back and forth as the pieces came together as to why Miles was so upset.
The suit was supposed to be for you.
His you.
You were, essentially, fixing up a dead girl's clothes to wear.
“The Cartel isn't stupid, Miles,” Aaron tried to make the boy see his point. “Even if we somehow made a distraction big enough for the big ones to leave base, there's still gonna be someone left to guard it. Would you be able to live with yourself if she got hurt? Or worse—”
“Don't.” Miles's nails dug into his palms, leaving dark cresent moons in their wake. Aaron sighed.
“If she got hurt, you'd feel like that's on you. If you got hurt protecting her 'cause she doesn't have anything to protect herelf with, then I'd feel like that's on me.” He said, his features softening as he reasoned with his nephew. “This is the best bet.”
“We could build her a new suit—”
“And take what? Couple days? A week? Two weeks?”
He glanced at you, Miles following his gaze towards you as well. You knew what was implied. The only people you knew this happened to had gone maybe over a week before the glitching became a real problem, and they were superhuman. Who knew how long you had?
“She can wear mine. We have a ton of old ones, I'll just take one of those—”
“I'm not gonna let you get hurt for her, kid.”
“Don't call me that.”
They went back and forth for a while, and eventually Miles went to the other room to cool off and think things through. Aaron sighed, wiping a hand across his face.
“No offense.” He said to you.
“None taken.” You replied, not really knowing what to do. It felt wrong for you to be tinkering with something that was so clearly not meant for you, even if it was for a variant of yourself.
You could hear Miles pacing the other room, muttering to himself.
“Maybe I could...” You trailed off.
“You could try talking him into it,” He suggested. “He'll listen to you more than me right now.”
“...Should I, though?” You couldn't even begin to imagine what Miles was feeling. All this multiverse shit was too damn complicated.
“Look, kid, I know it's weird.” Aaron said, shoulders sagging just a bit. “But this—” he pointed to the suit— “is the best way to make sure no one gets hurt. Trust me.”
There was something he wasn't telling you, but he didn't have to for you to know what it was. Miles thought you were alive, somewhere out there. You knew it was entirely possible that he blamed himself for your disappearance, as it was your own version of him's go-to for anything and everything that went wrong. The shadows under his eyes, that look whenever he saw you... you wondered how many nights he'd spent outside, looking for some trace of you, a new lead to follow. Especially since your arrival.
Aaron thought this was the best chance Miles would ever get to let go of you. To get some sort of closure by sending you home.
“…I'll try.” You finally agreed, getting up from your seat and shuffling to the other room. You hesitated before going in, but the lack of a door made it awkward to linger, so you just bit the bullet and walked inside.
The room in question was more of a faux-veranda (which explained the no-door thing); a long, narrow space separated from the main living area by a sheet of drywall, with one of the wider walls filled with shelves of CDs and albums and the other decorated sparingly with old band and movie posters along with Miles-brand stickers.
“So...” You said, fiddling with your hands as you took a look around the area. You gestured at one of the stickers on the wall. “Did you make that?”
Slowing to a stop to face you, Miles nodded, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his jacket.
“Cool.”
You both stood there in silence for a moment, you working out what to say and Miles trying to come up with some other solution to the problem. The boy had an unhealthy obsession, that much he knew, but he just couldn't bring himself to let go of it. Not when you could be out there, just waiting for him to find you.
“I don't want to push you,” You started hesitantly. “But.. I think your tìo may be right.”
“I know that.” He looked at his feet as if the dirt on his shoes was suddenly the most interesting thing in the world, the sight of him reminisent of a little kid getting scolded by his mother. “I know that.”
“I can't say I understand.. whatever's going through your head right now,” You said, taking a step towards him. “But he just wants what's best for you.”
“What's best for me is finding—” He cut himself off when his eyes met yours, frustration and confusion and stubbornness and sadness and who knows what else all mixing into a big mish-mash of conflicting thoughts inside of him. He clenched his fists, tilting his head up as he tried to think clearly. To his dismay, his throat closed up, the familiar sting of tears pricking at his eyes.
“I need to find her.” He muttered, putting a hand over his eyes in an attempt to stop his tears from falling. It didn't work. “I need to find you.”
“And you will.” You were sure of it. Aaron and Miles were both so sure that their you was alive... she had to be. “But right now? Right now, I need you to help me out.”
He looked at you, his gaze almost spaced out for a moment. You wondered if he saw her in you — if she had the same haircut, the same eyes, the same accent...
You could tell he was frustrated by the way that the scrunch above his nose wouldn’t go away. Hesitantly, you reached out, wiping away the tracks stray tears had left on his cheeks. He stiffened for a moment.
“...Fine.” He finally muttered, a hand coming up to grab your arm, though he seemed unsure if he wanted to push it away or pull it closer. So he just held it in place, his thumb brushing over the inside of your wrist, the edge of your palm. His posture relaxed, just a bit. “Okay.”
-
Two days later, it wasn't too dark when the plan set into action.
Security at Alchemax — once belonging to Kingpin, now in posession of the Sinister Six Cartel — was thinnest sometime around six to seven pm, when dinner breaks, shift changes and the checkout of regular scientists were prominent.
Miles and Aaron had each set up time bombs at multiple smaller warehouses the Cartel used for storage, each coordinated to go off within minutes of each other. With little to no heroes or police in the way, the Cartel had no reason to keep their lesser important stocks well-guarded, which made it easy to sneak explosives into some of the shipments, support beams and pipes.
Once the explosions were set off, Aaron would use some rip-off Mysterio tech to make projections of some new vigilante gang, with each fake member leading the forces of the Cartel away from Alchemax. During this went on, Miles would sneak you in and to the Super Collider (which, surprisingly, had not been scrapped since its change of ownership) through the vents—
“Wait, wait, isn’t there like, a tunnel that can get us directly to the Collider?” You’d asked, remembering what Miles had told you when he first told you how he became Spider-Man.
“It got sealed off.” Aaron had said. “Some sort of supercharged electromagnetic thing. They did that with all the major underground entry points. Can’t shut it off without blacking out half of Brooklyn.”
“Or getting fried.” Miles had said. “The generators powering each point are all hooked up together a single system, como una mente colmena. You attack one of ‘em directly, all the others shoot a billion bolts of energy into you. And we don’t have time to hack into and get past the firewall to shut the thing down.”
—which you would navigate by memorizing a blueprint of Alchemax that had been conveniently leaked in a mass Cartel server leak a couple months ago. Miles would then plug in the goober he, Aaron and you had made using information gathered via Aaron's 'friends', and send you home.
It was a simple mission. Maybe a bit too simple, but you didn't really have much a choice when you were on a time crunch with limited information. Besides, Occam's razor.
“Copy?” Aaron's voice asked from your earpiece.
“Copy.” You answered, followed by Miles from his own communicator.
“A-6 is a go in 3.. 2...”
Boom.
A couple blocks away, a cloud of dust shot into the air. The building you and Miles were on the roof of shivered slightly as storage unit A-6 blew up.
“A-27.”
Boom.
“C-15.”
Boom.
From your vantage point, you had a clear view of what was going on at Alchemax without the risk of anyone down there catching a glimpse of you. You could see the non-combat scientists scrambling to get to their cars and the armed guards being led by weirdly dressed villains in the direction of the explosions. Although you supposed you weren't quite qualified to comment on the 'weirdly dressed' part at the moment, since you and Miles weren't much better in your respective suits.
Speaking of, Miles hadn't talked much ever since he first saw you wearing the suit. His responses were short if he even gave one, although you could feel him sneaking glances at you when he thought you weren't looking.
Miles fixed the gauntlet on his hand one last time before shuffling closer to you. “Ready?”
His voice sounded strange to you, his actual voice coming through your earpiece overlapping with the voice coming through his modulator.
“Mhm.”
“Going in.”
You hooked your arms around his shoulders and his arm wrapped around your waist, holding you tight as a grapple shot out of his gauntlet. He used it almost exactly like how Miles used his webshooters, although his actions were a bit more... forceful? Rougher around the edges, if that made sense.
As your feet left solid concrete, the city sped by underneath the both of you, a pretty blend of neon and gray. Your suit prevented you from actually feeling the air whipping by, but a fraction of the wind managed to seep through the cracks, sending a chill down your spine as your stomach dropped at the sudden decline.
For a moment, gravity seemed to disappear. The laws of physics no longer felt like they effected you in any meaningful way. Anything and everything that had been weighing down on you — this whole situation, Miles, demanding schoolwork at Visions, your parents and their myriad of problems — no longer held you down.
It was exhilarating.
Your 'flight', so to speak, was over almost as soon as it started. You tucked your legs as you reached the roof of the Alchemax building, separating from Miles and rolling to lessen the impact. Surprisingly, the move came quite naturally to you, even without practice. You chalked it off as something you'd learned when you were a toddler, when your mom used to sign you up for all sorts of extracurriculars. You were pretty sure martial arts or something had been one of them; maybe you'd learned it there.
Your heart pounded as the sudden rush of adrenaline faded away, and you found yourself wishing it didn't. The thrill was addicting, as was the freedom that came with it. It was like a rollercoaster, or watching How to Train Your Dragon in 4D for the first time, only a hundred times better.
Miles had never taken you swinging. He'd never exactly told you why, always brushing off your request with something like a 'maybe later' or 'I can't right now', but you knew why.
Swinging together was a him and Gwen thing.
And you were fine with that.
What, like you were gonna be jealous about something as small as that? Pfft. No way. Nope. Nada.
“¿Estás bien?” Miles asked, pulling you out of your thoughts. You nodded in confirmation.
The two of you pried open a vent using the gloves of your suit, which was easier than you’d expected it to be. To your surprise, the claws that extended from them were very useful.
“We’re in.” You muttered as you crawled into the duct, hoping Aaron wasn’t having any trouble on his end. He’d been awful quiet… Then again, no news is good news on a mission, right?
Miles crawled in after you. “You remember the way?”
“Yeah.”
Together you made your way to the underground levels of the building, miraculously avoiding any possible dead ends or mouse traps. That musty smell of mold and concrete reached your senses as you reached the deeper parts.
There weren’t many people at the Super Collider, thanks to the diversion and timing. Miles gestured for you to stay put as he swiftly dropped out of the vents, knocking out the few guards there one by one with relative ease. It was strange seeing him fight; so similar to yet completely different from him. You were doing as told and observing from the vents until you saw one of the last three people — a scientist, by the looks of it — sneaking up on Miles from behind while he was preoccupied with the two other guards.
You quickly dropped down from your spot, landing behind the guard and catching him by surprise as he whirled around with his weird-techy-science gun. Dropping to the ground, you swept your leg under his, toppling him over and knocking the weapon out of his hands. You were about to knock him out when—
“Peter Parker?”
Are you kidding me?
You were certain it was him. This Peter was scrawnier, his hair more sandy blond than Peter Parker’s back home (before he passed, anyway), and he wore thick, black-rimmed glasses that perched awkwardly on his slightly crooked nose. But the ID that read ‘Peter Parker’ in big bold letters around his neck was a pretty solid indicator.
“…Yes?” He almost squeaked out.
Meanwhile, Miles had dealt with the two guards, stepping over them to get to the console. “Sácalo y entra ahí.” He called, fumbling a little as he tried to figure out which buttons to push to fire up the Collider.
“We have a bit of a situation..” You said, pulling Peter up by his arm and dragging him to the console as well.
You gave him a hushed explanation of your unwillingness to hurt the guy, and how you believed he was genuinely a good person. After all, this universe was almost the same as yours, right? Peter Parker couldn’t be that different here…
“And besides, he probably knows how to work this thing. It’d be helpful.”
Miles sighed. “…Fine, I won’t knock him out,” He agreed. Turning to Peter, he asked, “How do you start the Collider?”
Peter gulped, everything in his body language screaming ‘I want to run away’. “You- you need codes,” He stammered out. “Approval codes, from—”
“Don’t care.” Miles cut him off, giving him a brief glance at the goober. “Just start it. ¿Lo pilla?”
Peter nodded hastily and got to work, pressing buttons and switching levers as you made your way down to the Super Collider. There was a catwalk that ran from one side of the machine to the other, connecting the two mechanisms. If you got to the middle of it, you could jump off and into the portal once the Collider was at full output. Sure enough, its huge metal plates clinked and clattered as they slowly sprung to life.
This was it. You were finally going home.
Just then, you heard a thunk along with some choice words in Spanish, and looked over to the source to see Peter out cold on the ground.
“He got to the panic button!” Miles said, scowling to himself as he plugged in the goober, praying that this plan would work out in the next minute or so. Bubble-like particles appeared at the two points of the machine that faced each other, the noise it emitted now making it so that you could only properly make out what Miles was saying through your earpiece.
The Collider whirred and sputtered as the bubbles grew bigger and brighter, eventually bursting into two beams of light that met each other in the middle, creating one big sphere with a bunch of little bubbles going in and out of it and surrounding it. The sphere grew larger and larger until it collapsed in on itself, sprouting thin, curvy lines.
The thing grew bigger and bigger until it was about the size of a person, you could feel it starting to pull you in. You just had to wait for Miles’s go ahead—
Ow.
What the hell?
You were suddenly sprawled on the ground, something having tackled you at what felt like a hundred miles an hour. That something — or rather, someone — skid to a halt just a few feet away from you, dragging a hand across the tiled floor and leaving… scratch marks?
Scrambling to your feet, you crouched in a defensive stance as you looked over the newcomer.
There wasn’t a single inch of skin showing, their suit covering the whole of their person. The suit in question was mostly white, with some gray sprinkled in here and there. It reminded you of Eve from Wall-E or a Stormtrooper, maybe a mix of both. Strangely enough, the mask was just a blank slate; a sleek, white panel with no features or details, kind of like one of those LED face masks.
Overall it was kind of… boring? It didn’t inspire fear nor did it seem very imposing or something of the sort, which you’d think would be a priority for a villain organization. If anything it was bland, the only thing that stood out from the suit being its hands which donned gauntlets that looked similar to yours, but slimmer and more polished, more accurately described as gloves rather than gauntlets. They had claws just like yours, albeit they looked sharper, a bit more gnarled.
“Miles?” You called, your heartbeat quickening. “What’s going on?”
You heard a grunt from his end. You didn’t look to see what was happening, not daring to take your eyes off of your attacker, but you guessed that backup from Peter’s panic signal had arrived.
“What’s going on?” Aaron echoed, his voice slightly fuzzy. Before you could answer, your attacker lunged. You managed to doge a full on body slam, but they grabbed your arm instead, using it to flip you over their body and knocking the wind out of you.
You writhed as you hit the ground, managing to rip your arm out of their grasp and landing a kick on their ankle, causing them to stumble. You took the opportunity to get up and put some distance between the two of you, though you didn’t get far before the lunatic started chasing you. They jumped at you again but you turned around at the last second, and as you were pushed back with their claws digging into your shoulders you kicked both of your legs out into their stomach just as your back hit the ground, sending them straight over your head.
“Tìo, get your nephew, now!” You shouted, rolling away just in time to avoid a punch that landed on the floor where your head had been just a second ago. “It all went to shit, get him out!”
The pull from the Collider was getting stronger, tiny scraps like bolts and papers flying through the air and towards the beam of light. You raced back to the catwalk but were once again stopped by the 29th century Stormtrooper. You yelped as you felt something grab the back of your neck, sharp claws piercing through your suit and digging into your skin as your head was thrown harshly against a metal beam.
And just like that, you were on the ground. Again. What was this, like, the third time? Fourth? Great. Just fantastic.
I’m not even supposed to be here, you thought, grabbing at your opponent’s wrists as their hands wrapped around your neck, slowly choking you. They were stronger than you were, faster, clearly more skilled. What were you thinking? You’re not a fighter — you couldn’t beat them, not like this.
Why was the universe so intent on making you miserable? You were just trying to get home, maybe not die. Not dying would be nice. But no. You couldn’t have nice things, could you? Not your own life, not Miles, your own damn parents were happier in a reality where you weren’t in the picture—
A sudden surge of anger made you lash out. The universe could go fuck itself. You weren’t dying like this. Not when your ticket home was right in front of you.
Your gauntlet caught your attacker’s mask, knocking it off.
You knew that face.
It was the same face that looked back at you every time you looked at a mirror.
Well, not exactly, you supposed. There was a certain roughness in her features, the same as how Miles looked different from Miles. But you’d know those eyes anywhere. But they were… what’s the word, fuzzy? Unfocused? It was like her body was on autopilot while her brain was off in Hawaii or something.
The thing you did next could’ve won you the prize for ‘smartest dumb decision of the year’.
In all your oxygen-deprivated brilliance, you retracted your mask.
It might shake her, was your reasoning. It would confuse anyone to see a doppelgänger in a fight.
Or, you know, it could go totally wrong and she could punch your face in. But you were already getting choked, so, what was there to lose?
And it worked.
Her eyes shifted back into focus as her grip slackened, and you quickly shoved her — or is it you? yourself? — off, gasping for air. You could vaguely make out the outline of a giant scorpion-guy going one-on-one with Miles, who seemed to be holding out pretty well. He was favoring his left hand though, when usually he used his right.
“I— wha—? Where—” You heard from your left. Your alternate universe counterpart looked around the lab, her eyes wide and movements jerky like a wild animal on drugs.
You were about to say something when a loud buzzing came through your comm, which had evidently been damaged in the whole head-beam connection thing. Miles’s voice came through in broken pieces.
“Col— get..t— ov-rload—”
The Collider. The goober could only force an incomplete system to run for so long. Your time was up.
Wonderful.
A flash of blinding light came from the machine as it malfunctioned. The goober could only make an incomplete system work for so long. You were just able to get your helmet back on before everyone in the vicinity was pushed back in an explosion. Was that Aaron—?
After your temporary blindness wore off, you made out the aftermath, a high-pitched ringing in your ear as you dazedly looked around. The glass that separated the control area from the Collider had been shattered, the Scorpion twitching as he tried to get to his feet — did he have feet? Now’s really not the time — There was no sign of Miles or Aaron anywhere, which was either very good or very bad. You decided to believe it was the former for your own sake. A short distance away from you was another you, that one unconscious but still breathing, from the looks of it.
Grabbing your variant, you ripped open a vent on the wall before the Scorpion could take notice of either of you, shoving her in before following suit and placing the vent cover back on. You had to get out of here. Fast.
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berlinbisque · 2 years ago
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For Indian Folks.
I just remembered that I’m old so I’m feeling suicdl again, anyway I wanted to make people jealous cuz all those girls who were mean to me… they were very materialistic, that’s why I have no friends. As kids they would boast about everything cuz they had relatives in abroad and they were rich but their mentality was very poor and they would get jealous of my inexpensive stuff which I WOULD NEVER show they would open my wardrobes and all to compete out of envy. THIS WILL COME QUITE AS A SHOCKER parents need to read this: There was a girl in my school (best friend her name was Juhi) our group was at the mall window shopping and we both liked a velour tracksuit in ivory white (I was quite well versed with fashion terminology cuz I always wanted to work for a mag too I had many dreams lol one of them was that and screenwriting) we both fell in love with it but I saw that the jacket itself was for 3500 and the entire set would’ve been for more than 7k probably so I got over it but she didn’t and then she started bullying me online and she removed so much hate, she told me several nasty things, she went home and told her mom about it too and then wrote to me “Your mother was there with us at the mall she was carrying a big bag full of money and she couldn’t buy me that tracksuit?” I was taken aback ��� only her grandmother was good to me, they hated their own grandparents and the house they would boast about (they would compare mine cuz our previous house was small and she would claim she was from Juhu it was just vile parle) that house which was 2+2 bhk was taken by her grandparents back in their times so it was affordable and that too they’d secluded them in the same house itself, her granny would sit with me and hold my hand and say “I love how you dress up, show me your bracelets I always admire your style, Juhi just doesn’t like all this… I ask her to wear such things” Juhi was jealous of that, she lied to me she said her grandma was conservative, I had gone there in ankle boots (taken from teen section so they weren’t tacky and hardly any heels) and skinny jeans, had she been conservative she wouldn’t have said that, I had in fact gone multiple times, her grandmother had spoken to me after they bullied and said we will meet you in college and BEAT YOU UP with our boyfriends that too for nothing, they were just jealous of the style and the fact that my mother didn’t buy them anything from the mall that day so they kept a grudge, but we paid for the snacks and food. That is what people do at the most. I have never seen anything like this before. My mother told them I don’t buy everytime I go out so we do window shopping… but they were just hell bent on whatever they had in their mind and they just couldn’t take a no (all this happened later after we got home in the following days) My mother was never good with me at home, she once challenged me to wait at Juhi’s house cuz she knew how Juhi was, she hadn’t left the keys so I couldn’t go home, I would return from school also parched and hungry and wait for two hours with the heavy bag on the staircase outside and then instead of food I would get beaten up maybe they’d guessed that, that’s why they were bullying, this time we were out and my mother was somewhere with my bro (who doesn’t take my side either) she asked me to wait at Juhi’s house on returning even though she knew how she was and she was sarcastically telling me that cuz her behaviour was like “You are such a failure can’t you make proper friends?” I was only 12-13 (twelve/thirteen) They were all one year older (some were bigger) cuz I had an early admission, Juhi made me stand at the building’s gate, she even said later “How dare you sit on my couch like it’s your own bloody house during my birthday party? Cuz she was very proud of that 2-3 bhk, she humiliated another girl also who was from below same building but a smaller house, so she started crying and she locked herself in one of the rooms so this girl “joked” and asked “Are you stealing something?” Which made her cry more
Her questions would always shock me, anyway I was standing there alone (outside at the gate) and all these cheap men would passing by could make out I was a kid so they were trying to take advantage, I was pretending like I was on phone and all so that it would make them feel like I was talking to someone… and I had someone on the other line. I have escaped a lot of such incidents before (I was so close to getting gang raped too by a group on empty streets cuz I was thrown out after an altercation, then I had another episode where I was getting chased by a truck and they were squeezing/crushing me on the side road with their huge truck to corner me there I kept getting lucky though and I returned unscathed) Those girls are now married, one of them is just engaged and she’s moved in with that fiancé to his house in Toronto in fact she just did that engagement to go there and boast about Canada, rest of them whom I’ve mentioned in the Modern Sociopath article, two of them are married to chappis/roadside awaara creeps and one of them looks like someone straight from Crime Patrol I noticed in one of the videos he’s too rough I kept asking myself (sometimes I do that) why am I not like them to get subjugated? To just compromise? Then I saw a video where the girl (she had bullied me a lot and mocked my loneliness with my childhood friend who actually asked everyone to boycott me and made me lonely) she was laughing so cheaply as if she was on heat such girls are constantly horn* in simple words so they are okay with anyone any male… any tom, dick, harry. They are born like that, I’m not. I have not been “programmed” that way lol. That girl had a job, her brother was working in Gulf she had money and yet she did that, if I would’ve been in her place I would’ve been more confident and I would have NEVER even thought about this… she had financial security, for me im bed ridden, I wanted to design homes like I said but even if I could start as a clerk or receptionist I would’ve taken that job. I can’t write I’m falling lifeless I have no stamina I was already very cold. I’ve cold like I said. I’ll continue later you can get back at this post later on.
That other friend got married to compete with her after harassing me during Cov she was now her friend turned enemy, they pretend like they don’t even know each other, after I got rid of her she started competing with that girl… she keeps posting travel pics to compete with her insta and her honeymoon has been going on since more than a year, she and her husband look like typical Go-Ibibo couples, with hats both of them wear hats & resortwear even when indoors even in buildings... When I called Harsh the love of my life she made her husband put that for her in his bio, then he deleted it, when I called him that for the second time, she again made him write that as LOML All I have to say is LMAO I’m return. I should have put that in my bio. I will be posting another article for them… All these girls who’ve ruined my social life and childhood all those who have bullied me, they are very materialistic right? Now it’s time to show off, show what all stuff I have, well it’s better than your husbands! They say “Some reach faster but they get nowhere” that’s true, even if they are married and I’m some “virgin spinster” it’s the quality of the life partner that matters, otherwise it’s just pure recklessness. And I’ve shared why they are okay with that. The next post will be better than your husbands for sure, I promise. They anyway stalk me religiously so SEE and covet those things Aankhein Faad Faad ke… one of their husbands is from Dubai, she always shunned Indians so she wanted to go there and I’m happy for her but it’s just some average creepo (I have seen the pics from behind which are questionable luckily she wasn’t dating him back then) Now she will get that “Habibi Hubby” to stalk that’s how I refer him, he’ll be like “This is not gonna get you anywhere blah blah” she stalks me religiously but never asks if I’m okay that’s pure gloating, time for you to covet my life now, you’ve enjoyed enough, you are sadistic too you’ve gained enough pleasure in my misery all those plaintive posts I’ve been feeding you with. - Zara Sauleh
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bleep-bleep-richie · 3 years ago
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part one
part two
He's not panicking.
Just because he knows Eddie had court at 9am and they had plans to talk at lunch, and it's now 7pm and he still hasn't called.
Nope, definitely not panicking.
He isn't pacing the apartment either. No, he's just taking a leisurely stroll back and forth across his living room. There's just nothing good on TV. He isn't panicking, there's no reason to panic.
He had texted him at 1 and, after getting no answer, again at 5. He picks his phone up where he'd thrown it not even five minutes ago face down on the couch. He swipes his way to his messages.
Nothing.
He clicks "💖Edwardo💖" and scrolls through their messages from the last couple days. He sighs and clicks the text box.
Hey, I'm gonna stay up until I hear from you, so call me whenever.
He sends it and throws the phone to the side, collapsing against the back of his sofa. He picks up his laptop, clicks on the video chat app, and stares at the stupid picture Eddie had chosen as his icon. The edge of his mouth lifts in spite of the sick churning in his stomach. "Eddie fucking Kaspbrak," he mumbles with a shake of his head. He's still looking at Eddie's picture when he starts to doze off.
He has no idea how much time has gone by when he's woken up by the sound of a call coming through his computer. His vision's blurry, he pushes his glasses back up on his face, and sees Eddie's smile way too close to the camera. He accepts the call. "What the fuck, man?"
"Richie!" Eddie cries. "Did I wake you? You said you were staying up."
Richie stretches and yawns before picking the laptop up and putting it on his coffee table. "Guess I fell asleep." He narrows his eyes. "Where are you?"
"Out! With Matt!"
Richie wants to ask who the hell Matt is but the camera is on the guy before he gets the chance.
"Look, Matt, it's my boyfriend," he hears Eddie say, "the guy I was telling you about!"
Richie has a moment of disconnect. "Uh," he says cleverly.
Matt leans closer. "Wait, holy shit, you really are Richie Tozier." He grins. "When Eddie said he was dating a celebrity, I didn't believe him."
"Fuck you!"
"Uh, hi?" Richie says. He's still reeling from 'boyfriend' and 'dating.' "Sorry, who are you again?"
Eddie turns the phone back, his face swims into view unsteadily. "My new manager! I hired him last week, he's gonna manage the New York branch when I leave."
"Okay, you're screaming."
"I'm celebrating!" he yells, raising a glass. He knocks it back and drains it to prove his point.
It's loud, Richie can hear the sounds of other people talking and laughing. He guesses they're in a bar. "Can you go outside or something? I can barely hear you."
Eddie's nodding as he gets to his feet. "Shit, yeah, sorry," he says when he swallows. "Matt, I'll be right back."
"Take your time, boss. Nice to meet you, Mr. Tozier!"
Richie makes a face. "Did he just call me Mister Tozier?"
Eddie laughs. He leans against the cool bricks of the building once he gets outside. "Yeah, he's like that."
"So," Richie starts after a beat, "how'd it go?"
"Oh! We found a place!"
"A place?"
"Yeah, an office building," Eddie replies excitedly. "Matt found it on the computer. And! He put up an ad for people to email me their resumes. It was so much easier than I was making it, big shocker there, right."
Richie tilts his head for a second. "That's fantastic, Eds, but what about court?"
"Oh, oh! Richie!" Eddie's smile splits his face. "She signed the papers! She dropped everything she was asking for, a share in the company, all the alimony. She told me on the way out it's because she's already engaged, and all I could think was 'that poor schmuck." He laughs, open and cheerful. Richie doesn't know if he's ever seen him so happy.
"Wow, that's awesome. Congratulations."
Something in his voice must give him away. Eddie's eyes soften and his smile fades. "Oh, Rich, I'm so sorry. I was supposed to call. I was just so excited to get everything done, we worked right through lunch. I'm booking a flight to LA tomorrow. Richie, we're going to he together before the end of the week." His eyes are so bright and happy, Richie wants to drown himself in them.
"That's- Wow, Eds, that's amazing." He pauses. "You're amazing." Eddie's eyes start to water and Richie figures he must be way drunker than he's letting on. "Wait, how are you video chatting from your phone?"
Eddie blinks. "Oh, there's an app for it."
"Yes, I know there's an app for it. How in the hell did you know there was an app for it? The only app you have on your phone is a calculator."
"Matt downloaded it for me. I saw your text and mentioned I needed to call you, so he showed me how to do it."
"That's great," Richie says flatly. "Matt's great."
"Yeah, he really is a whiz at the technology stuff."
"That's what happens when you hire a 20 year old."
"He's 25." He considers Richie a moment. "Wait, what was that?"
"What was what?"
Eddie eyes him. "That tone was hostile and, like, jealous. Are you-"
"I'm definitely not jealous."
Eddie's eyes widen. "You're lying! That's your lying face!"
"I have a lying face?" Richie asks, raising his eyebrows.
"You do, and you're making it right now. Why would you be jealous of Matt?"
"I'm not!" he protests. He sighs. "I dunno, man, it's just like, the most important day of your life and that's who you're celebrating with."
"Richie," Eddie says. His voice is gentle, like trying to coax a wild animal into a cage. It makes Richie want to punch a wall at how ridiculously easy it is for Eddie to turn him to mush. "I would rather celebrate with you than anyone in the world. But, baby, you're not here."
Richie's mind short circuits so hard over the word 'baby' that it takes him a full 30 seconds to process the rest of that sentence. He scoffs a laugh, completely humorless. "Yeah, and whose fault is that?"
Eddie's face crumbles and he looks down and away from the camera, like he's ashamed. Like Richie is embarrassing him.
He instantly feels like a jackass. "I'm sorry, Eds, I'm not trying to rain on your parade. I was just worried, when you didn't call."
"I said I was sorry. I got busy."
"I texted you three times," Richie replies. He feels like a petulant housewife who spent all day cooking a dinner that her husband never came home to eat. He guesses that's exactly how he sounds, too.
Eddie turns his sad eyes on Richie. "I didn't even look at my phone until like fifteen minutes ago. I called as soon as I saw them."
"I know, I know." He shakes his head. "'I'm sorry, 'm being a dick."
Eddie smirks. "Imagine that."
Richie breathes out his nose and wills himself not to be angry. Always understanding, never upset. Always with a joke but never with a complaint. How he's been all year, all his life with Eddie, if he's honest with himself. Never too emotional or serious, just in case it overwhelms. "I'll let you get back. Just let me know when you book your flight, I'll clean the guest room."
"The guest room?" Eddie's face falls. "I have to sleep in my own room? You're that mad that I forgot to call?"
"No, it's not- I just didn't want to assume-"
"Or is it because I'm out with Matt?" Eddie continues like Richie hadn't even spoken. "Because I barely even know him, Rich. I was just in a good mood and we both needed to eat. It doesn't- I don't know if he's even gay."
Richie feels green. "He's cute," he says neutrally. "He's there. You're drunk."
"Richie."
He shakes his head, rubs his palms against the denim on his knees. "I know, I know. I'm being stupid because I miss you and I missed today and I- I'm sorry."
Eddie eyes go big and wistful. "I would never- Rich, I've spent the entire time since I've met him waxing poetic about you. Besides business shit, you're the only thing we've talked about. He's probably getting sick of it, honestly."
The sudden leap of his stomach makes him want to puke. "It's okay, Eds, you don't have to-"
"Richie," Eddie cuts him off. He pulls the phone closer to his face. "Richie, I'm crazy about you. You know, sometimes-" He laughs, blushes, glances away for a second. Richie wants to look at him forever. "Somtimes after we hang up, I jerk off to the memory of the sound of your voice. It's kind of pathetic. I'm completely gone on you, is the point I'm making."
"I-" he stops himself. He'd sworn at least a hundred times over the passed year that he wasn't going to say it until Eddie is in front of him. And he's going to keep that promise. "You're- you're everything, sweetheart. I- You know how I feel about you, don't you, Eddie?"
Eddie's smile is blinding. "Yeah, I think you waiting on me for almost a year while I got my shit together is a pretty big clue."
Richie grins back.
"I have to go settle the tab," Eddie says after a moment.
"You could call me," Richie tells him, "when you get back to your room. Jerk off to my actual voice, instead of the memory. I could say something worth jerking off to."
Pink rises on Eddie's cheekbones and flushes down onto his neck, right where Richie wants to bite him. "Thanks, now I have to go back in there at half mast."
"Oh, you are so very welcome. No need to thank me. The pleasure's all mine, really." The sad thing is, he isn't lying. Nothing gets him going faster than the mere idea that Eddie wants him. The evidence of it, the confession, has him rock hard in his pants already.
"You're insufferable."
"Insatiable, Edward. The word is insatiable."
Eddie rolls his eyes with a chuckle. "I'm going to call you in 45 minutes," he promises.
Richie nods. "I'll have my script ready. The never ending list of things I'd do to corrupt the pure and innocent Eddie Kaspbrak."
"Insufferable!" He pauses, still smiling even though he's griping. "45 minutes."
"I'll be here, Eds." He flushes with the honesty of it. "I'll always be here."
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erensproudsimp · 4 years ago
Text
Confession
Jean kirschtein x reader Oneshot
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⚠ Sexual Content Ahead ⚠
Summary : You didn't want to admit your feelings to Jean in fear of losing him until tables were turned.
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"I wonder how much everyone changed after all this time", you said staring at the moving landscape through the windshield.
"I'm pretty sure there's a lot to catch up with friends you haven't met since one year", Annie replied from the driver's seat.
"I bet Historia and Ymir must be dating by now", you chuckled.
"That wouldn't be much of a shocker to me to be honest", Annie added face straight at the road.
It's been one year since your friend group graduated university and because everyone was preoccupied with their individual lives, y'all didn't have the opportunity to meet up. Until today as Jean had organised a party at his mansion. The thought of his name made your face feel hot. For as long as you can remember you've always felt a certain type of way towards that horse face.
"Thinking about him huh", Annie said noticing the redness on your cheeks.
'Wha- what do you mean? No I'm not thinking of Jean", you responded frantically looking away.
" I didn't say a name though." You could see Annie smirking in the corner of your eyes.
"Don't you think it's high time you tell him about your feelings? Who knows he likes you back too and besides you two would actually make a pretty good couple looking back at how both of you were with each other," Annie suggested.
"I don't know about that, Annie, you know I fear rejection", you said dejectedly while reminiscing at the good old days when all you and Jean did was tease the hell out of each other and pull pranks with Sasha and Connie on teachers and the others.
Soon after you reached a grand gate.
"Open up horse face it's me and y/n," Annie said over the radio.
"Yeah yeah and don't call me horse face!" Jean scoffed on the microphone. Hearing his voice made butterflies errupt in your stomach. It was the first time you were coming over his house and damn the boy was rich rich as you looked at the magnificent well-kept garden enriched by a fountain in the middle face-to-face with stairs leading to the three story illuminated building.
When you reached inside, your eyes fell on Mikasa who was lounging on the couch. Shrieking you threw yourself on her, "Oh my god! Oh my god! Mikasa It's been so long!"
"Ahaha! Welcome y/n! I missed you too now stop crushing me," Mikasa coughed from the impact of your bodies colliding.
"Did someone get hurt? Why was there a scream?" Eren inquired coming from what seems to be the kitchen with Armin.
"Oh its just y/n", Armin said as you ran and jumped on him making both of you fall down laughing, "Armiiin! I missed you so much!"
"What's all this commotion about?" Connie asked revealing himself accompanied by Sasha who was savoring a pizza, a quizzical look on her face.
"Gosh I missed you guys so much! where are the rest?" you asked a tear in your right eye.
"Reiner, Berthold, Marco and Jean are setting up the projector to watch a movie and Ymir and Historia haven't reached ye-", Eren was cut off with the arrival of said people.
"Hola amigos! We have news for you all!" Ymir shouted while hugging Historia, "We're finally going out with each other!"
"Tell me why am I not surprised," Annie said as Historia blushed and Ymir just frowned at her words. Just at that moment Jean entered the room alongside with the boys making everyone invited present in the hall.
All the blood in your body rushed to your face as you saw Jean being a totally different person from last year. He grew a goatee on his face and his hair was longer too which seemed to be a mullet. He was wearing a casual grey hoodie and sweatpants yet this was so hot to you.
Your voice was stuck in your throat when you tried to say a word to him but either ways the monent the came he announced that everything was ready for the movie. He didn't even acknowledge your presence or make eye contact with you. It felt odd as you two were so close and he barely looked in your direction.
Everyone proceeded to go to the cinema hall which was located in the basement. You took your seat between Annie and Mikasa and Jean was right behind you. In a few the movie 'Attack on titan' started. Fifteen minutes in and you had already finished all your popcorn so you got up to fetch more from the kitchen. While going out you noticed that Jean and Marco were not in the hall but you choose to ignore it to go fetch your food. Right before you entered your destination you heard two voices coming from a room. You usually don't eavesdrop but the sudden mention of your name intrigued you to do so.
"It's now or never Jean who knows after how long you would finally see y/n again", you heard Marco said to Jean.
"I don't know Marco this seems like a bad decision to me", Jean continued.
"How would you know about that Jean? You think you know how y/n truly feels but you may be wrong you know ", your heart skipped a beat after hearing this.
Did this mean it was what you were thinking?
"Marco, I think it's for the best I don't tell y/n how I feel about her/them", Jean mumbled. So that's why he's been ignoring you. This confirmed your thoughts and under the shock you lost your footing pushing the door you were leaning against open. Jean saw his life flash in front of his eyes when he realised you heard what he said.
"You know what, I am letting you two alone to talk", Marco said taking his leave giving you a reassured look before closing the door behind him
You looked at Jean with soft eyes while he turned his back on you with his hand on the back of his neck. You noticed that the tips of his ears were red and before you could say anything he spoke up.
"So you heard what I said huh, would you please forget about it? I don't want to lose you because you're aware of my feelings for you", Jean said looking down with his back still facing you.
"Jean look at me", you asked him but he refused to do so which resulted in you walking to face him but he still looked away.
You grabbed his face to make him look at you. Jean was expecting you to reject him but instead you pressed your lips against his. His eyes widen at your action and he kissed you back more roughly when it hit him.
You pushed him to the bed as you sat on his lap continuing to makeout with him. His hands roamed around your body from your waist to finally grab your ass and give it a little squeeze.
You pulled back with a string of saliva connecting your mouths and looked him.
He looked at you thinking if only you knew how beautiful you were in his eyes.
"Does this mean you return my feelings?" Jean hopingly asked.
"Who kisses their best friend without feelings moron?" you smiled at him bopping his nose.
At this instant your mouths collided with each other again. Your hand reached down to peel his hoodie off his body and goddamn he was hot. You ran your petite hands against his hard muscular chest and abbs as Jean was looking at you adoringly.
Suddenly he grabbed your chin and attacked your neck with kisses. He ran this tongue on the skin while he unbuttoned your shirt to reveal your red bra. He went down from your neck to your collarbone leaving hickeys behind. A sharp pain followed by pleasure made you purr. He skilfully opened your bra with his one hand while the other was in your hair pulling it.
As your undergarment fell to the floor his jaw dropped at the sight of your perfect boobs in front of him. It felt like a blessing that he was witnessing you in this state. While he was busy gawking at you, you took his big slender hands and placed it on them. His cheeks took a bright red colour.
You grinded on his thighs feeling him getting harder. He let out a soft grunt feeling this sensation. He was sucking on one nipple and pinching the other one which made you throw your head back in absolute bliss.
Jean then advanced into helping you take off your pants leaving you in your panties. The more this man undresses you the more mesmerised he was by your figure. He slid his fingers up and down your cunt feeling how wet he made you when he barely even touched you.
"Would you sit on my face? please", Jean breathed with eyes filled with lust. You felt your clit pulsating at his request and you knew Jean could feel it too on his thigh. You nodded with your flushed face unable to say anything out of embarrassment.
He laid down on the bed as you took off your panties. Climbing on him his hands grabbed your waist guiding you right above his mouth. He ran his tongue through your folds making you lose your breath. He held you still so that you wouldn't move away while he was eating you out. He flicked your bud then inserted his tongue into and out you. You held onto the bed counter for support, your hair falling on your face.
"Jeannn", you moaned as you began riding his face. Jean was delighted let his tongue flat to let you pleasure yourself on him. Moving up and down you ravished this sweet feeling coursing through you. Soon after your legs began trembling signaling you were reaching your climax.
"Go ahead cum on my face please y/n", Jean pleaded and you did as he told. He felt your juices ran down his neck as he was savoring the taste.
"This is the best dinner of my life," he panted as you got off him. Your heart was beating so hard against your ribs as though it would come out.
You returned to your original place on his lap. You helped him take off his sweatpants watching his hard member spring free.
"Are you okay with this?" Jean asked.
"I've waited years to be able to do it so hell yeah I am," shifting yourself on his lap to make his dick right outside your entrance, you slowly inserted it in you. Feeling the neediness grow bigger Jean couldn't take it and pushed you down completely making his dick disappear in you. You bit his shoulder to help you bear with this immense pleasure.
"Fuck y/n you feel so good", Jean moaned being wrapped with your tight walls.
Pulling back from his shoulder you looked at him in the eyes as you rode him, your foreheads touching each other. Your boobs were bouncing from your up and down movement making you look so erotic to Jean. With time you picked more speed and was moving quicker. Jean was losing his mind at this. Your bodies blended into one. Jean bit his lips and grabbed your thighs so hard it was leaving marks. Your lips connected into a sloppy yet passionate kiss.
"Shit y/n I'm reaching my limit"
"Let's cum together Jean"
Jean was thrusting his hips into you out of instinct. The room was filled with the heavy breathing of both of you and the dirty sound of your ass and his thighs clapping.
Your body freezed as you let everything out of you and felt Jean's hot liquid inside of you. You screamed his name against his chest. Removing his dick from you, you sat on his lap looking into each other's eyes.
Suddenly you heard the door open revealing Eren outside.
"Oh my god I'm so sorry!" the poor boy appologised closing the door as fast as he could.
Jean and you broke into a laughter being happy that one of two finally confessed.
End.
Thank you for reading. :)
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hargrove-mayfields · 4 years ago
Text
You’re The One I Want To Go Through Time With
Day one of HWOL is finally here!! So excited to share all I’ve written! For today I chose the prompt Neighbors AU!!! You can read this on ao3 also as part of the collection as well!!  Hope y’all like it!! 
Word Count: 11,952
Rated: G
It finally happens when he’s 15 years old. It’s not like he hasn’t seen it coming, but Steve gets kicked out.
In the very beginning of a particularly brutal Hawkins summer, he had decided to invite Tommy over to smoke weed in the pool house. He thought nothing of it, but the neighbors complained about the smell, and, coupled with every other act of his deemed irresponsible, immature, disgraceful, by his stuck-up parents, a couple of blunts was apparently the last straw.
They tell him the Harringtons had a reputation, an air of elegance and respect they had to upkeep, so they couldn’t just let him bring drugs onto their property. He thought it was ridiculous, considering that they were allowed as much wine aging in the cellar and expensive whiskey propped up on a hutch as they wanted, but when he’d brought it up he’d gotten nothing but a stern look.
They’d been through this a thousand times over, how worthless and terrible a son he could be, grounding him for bringing too many girls home, taking his car away when he failed a class, so he knew to expect a punishment.
This is obviously the next step, the throwing him out on the street thing, for years he could feel the neglect and tension starting to build up and boil over. Sometimes, they’d even hang threats of it over his head, so now that was told he had to be out of the mansion by the end of next week or there would be consequences, it couldn’t be too much of a shocker.
Though at some point, he’s got to wonder if they ever really thought as far ahead as consequences, or if they just knew they trained their boy well enough that it never got that far. If only he had more of a spine.
Now, as unsurprising as the scenario may be, Steve was still absolutely in no way, by any means ready to be thrown out on the streets before he even had his driver’s license.
In the case of emergency, like the time Stephen Sr. got just a little too rough and popped his wrist out of place, or when they’d left him alone for a month at age 9 and he went three days without food because he didn’t know how to turn the stove on, he had his aunt, the thankfully much more compassionate counterpart to his mother, who lived over in California.
The minute they’re gone, having passive aggressively hurried off somewhere, probably the country club or something, to complain about how disappointing their son was with their rich friends, Steve grabs a suitcase from the closet and gives his Aunt Margaret a call.
Before he knows it she’s got him a flight booked, a written agreement from her sister that proved taking him in was legal, and a set of luggage. Three days later, he was flying first class towards the rest of his life.
~~~~~~~
Touching down in San Francisco has got to be the most surreal thing he’s ever done.
He’d never even left the Midwest before, his farthest ventures being into the three states surrounding his home state, so to be charted off to the west coast? It’s an experience alright.
Aunt Margaret is there waiting for him, her jet black permed hair a few inches above the rest, her brown eyes sparkling with the kindest smile he’s ever seen as she runs up to hug him.
She takes all of his bags, swatting his hands away when he tries to carry even one, and makes him sit in the car while she shoves it all into the trunk.
He wasn’t used to not being the help, since that’s all his parents ever really saw him as anyways, only valuable as their son if they got something out of the time they spent with him. It’s got him feeling weird the whole drive back to the Margos apartment, like he’s in some alternate reality where people are nice to him for a change.
She lives in one of those shared places, a duplex where the house is divided into two halves for two different renters, the very kind his mother would’ve turned her nose up at despite having been raised in one herself. Margaret told him there was a mother and son who lived in the other half, but they’re quiet enough, and polite.
Just pulling up outside of the house, Steve already knows it’s everything he’s ever wanted.
The house itself, painted a pale shade of peeling yellow and missing the majority of the shingles off of the roof, is actually a reasonable size, a direct contrast to the mansion he grew up in, fit for a dozen but occupied by one most days.
Brutal summer heat has dried up the lawn and the garden so they aren’t perfectly tailored, not trimmed by underpaid staff or watered by automatic sprinklers. All across it there’s a scattering of ornaments, like colorful pinwheels in the front garden, and plastic flamingos standing guard by the mailbox.
There’s even a rickety old fence, all mossy and broken up to mark the edges of their property, so different from the white vinyl fence in his backyard at his parents house.
It would seem too that the garage was only big enough for one car, not three like he was used to, and that the makeshift gravel driveway leading up to it was at max capacity with only his aunts Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais, and a dinged up old Karmann Ghia the same color as the house parked in it.
Basically, there were none of the telltale signs that a neglected rich boy lived there, and from that alone he already knew he belonged here.
His aunt hurries him into their section of the house, theirs is the right side, so he can get to resting off the jet lag before he starts unpacking, but he’s far too distracted taking everything in to worry about being a little drowsy.
The rooms are small and the ceilings are low. Where there would’ve been beige and white and other sophisticated tones, there was a rainbow of colors in Margos apartment, from the curtains to the carpet, the Afghan on the back of the couch to the little trinkets in the entertainment center and windowsills.
He notices that, to accommodate for the heavy summer heat, there was a fan spinning in the corner, and all the windows were left wide open. His parents had the windows painted shut back home.
It might’ve been overwhelming, being thrown into a place like this so suddenly, but in his heart he knows this was what he was made for: a cozy life with someone who treated him with the bare minimum of respect.
~~~~~~~
Eventually Steve does fall asleep, the switch from Eastern Standard to Pacific time just being too great for his body. He doesn’t really mean to, he thought he’d just lay down for a minute while he was putting his clothes away in his new dresser, but he ends up sleeping until it’s almost dark out.
He goes looking for Margo when he realizes the house is empty, an irrational pit of dread growing in his chest at the familiarity of being alone, and finds her out back.
The yard also seems to be shared with the other house, a wispy line of barely showing through grass separating the two where a divider had once been, but had since been ripped up.
His aunt is with another woman, a blonde lady who he assumed was from the next door apartment, were sitting in mismatched lawn chairs, cigarettes glowing as the sun got lower and lower in the sky.
Margaret beckons him over once she notices him, and shows him off to the woman. It’s not at all like his mother would’ve done it, none of the flaunting him to make a good impression. This is more like her wanting to introduce him because she genuinely cares.
In a way, it almost makes Steve more uneasy. He could handle all the fake stuff with only the slightest hint of discomfort at being gawked at, because most of the time he’d never have to see those people again, but this was astronomically different.
“Maria, this is my nephew Steve.” Deep blue eyes seem to take him in, accompanied by a polite smile that makes his stomach drop for no good reason.
He panics, shifts into the role of the perfect little socialite he’d been working on his whole life. Without thinking, he extends his hand for her to and produces the generic response his mother’d trained into him. “It’s a pleasure to meet you Ms..”
She takes his hand, but looks a little surprised about doing it. “Hargrove. But we don’t have to do formalities.”
“Right.” It feels awkward to Steve, but judging from the laid back attitude of the women, it’s not a universal sentiment. That only makes it more embarrassing, to be the only one bothered by it.
His aunt leans back in her chair, tapping the ash of the end of her cigarette and tells him, “Go ahead and grab a chair Stevie.”
He straightens his back out and scans the yard, expecting a chair to already be propped open somewhere. The confusion must be apparent on his face when he finds nothing but grass and more grass, because his aunt specifies, “By the shed, kiddo.”
His parents always told him they weren’t allowed to have lawn furniture except the pool chairs cemented to the ground, because they said it didn’t fit the lifestyle they tried to lead. Even the concept of a shed would’ve been insulting to their tastes.
He's done enough growing up to know now that they were just afraid to look too much like they were people who lived in rural Indiana instead of in true big city luxury. They couldn’t risk seeming too much like they weren’t in the upper middle, it would be a disgrace.
The contrast between that and just sitting out there and not having his guard up is so, grounding. Not having anything at all to do but just, sit and appreciate instead of performing and worrying, it’s a lot to take in at once.
He was so nervous the whole way up, even though it was his aunt and he already knew she was nice, that they wouldn’t get along, since that’s the way things always were with his own mum, and lord knows he hardly ever even spoke to his father.
But it’s really not tense at all, actually, it’s sort of the opposite. For once in his life he feels free of expectations, and takes the moment to just exist. Ruthie and Stephen Sr. had long ago made sure that was a concept he could barely understand.
It’s not too long after that that the screen door to Maria’s side of the house swings open, scaring Steve so bad he almost tips his chair over as he startles.
There’s a boy who he’s guessing is about his age leaning out the door, but from the distance he’s at and with how dark it’s getting, Steve doesn’t see much else about him. “M back momma.”
“Okay baby.” The screen door clicks shut again in the next moment, and Maria offers Steve an apologetic smile “You’ve gotta excuse my Billy. He’s not too good with other kids.”
“No, it’s alright.” He assures her, like a polite social butterfly should.
Maria goes in a little while after that, and Margaret and Steve follow suit, since the sun’s almost all the way down.
But Steve’s curious now. He wants to know more about the boy, Billy, he thinks was what Maria called him. It’s only right to wonder, being that they’re neighbors now and all.
It gets brought up later that night, when they’re watching TV on the couch, a thrifted, feather stuffed thing he thought was simultaneously the most hideous and most comfortable thing he’d ever sat on.
“I didn’t know you had neighbors.” He’d been trying to work himself up to talking about it, sitting in the corner of the couch in a little ball and picking at his nails as he worked up his courage.
It was funny, being so nervous over casual conversation, but he guesses he could blame his parents for that one.
His own mum wouldn’t have even paid him any mind, at most pretending to listen while her eyes stayed trained to the television or magazine or coworker in front of her and hummed a non committal response, but Margo turns her whole body on the couch to face him while she answers him, with a complete sentence even. “Oh, people used to come and go all the time over there.”
“How long have they been here? Maria and her son?”
She thinks for a moment, a little surprised at her nephew's interest in the topic of their neighbors. “I don’t know, probably about a year or so now.”
“What’re they like?” He comes across as maybe a little too eager, and his aunt notices.
“What’s got you so curious?” There’s a teasing bit of reprimanding in her tone, just enough to suggest that she knows he’s being a nib-nose, but doesn’t mind it.
And he feels himself flush, because he is being nosy. To try to save face just a little, he comes up with an excuse that isn’t quite a lie. “Nothin’, just knew all my neighbors back in Hawkins, I guess.”
But she wasn’t upset with him, it wasn’t her intention to get him to shut up, like it would’ve been had he heard the same thing from one Ruthie Harrington, so she answers that question too. “I don’t know, they’re nice, sort of reserved, but I’ve never had any problems with them.”
~~~~~~
The two boys are properly introduced for the first time the next morning, when Steve goes out to fetch the mail for Margret. It feels like the least he can do for bumming off of his aunt.
Stepping out on the porch just shy of 8 in the morning and not seeing dewey grass, or the early sunshine muted behind rolling fog and dreary clouds is something he’s going to have to get used to.
Summers in Hawkins were always muggy, full of thunderstorms and unpredictably dreary days. San Francisco is so bright, so different, and such a relief.
While Steve basks in it, the already warm breeze and the sun shining bright, the neighbors’ door opens up and Billy comes out to do the same, standing on his tip-toes to reach up into the mailbox beside the door, holding a traveler's mug of coffee in the opposite hand.
When he turns around to go back inside, Steve, staying true to wanting to get to know the other boy better, has taken a few steps closer, and has extended a hand for Billy to shake, the same sort of introduction panic he’d felt last night.
But, Billy, seeing that his hands are a bit preoccupied by a stack of bills and a cup of coffee, just offers a sheepish smile.
Steve settles for a formal introduction without a handshake, though it’s still too stiff an interaction to really get to know him beyond the awkward new rich kid in town. “Hi. My name is Steve Harrington. I’m uh, I'm your new neighbor.”
“Pleasure to meet you Steve Harrington. M’Billy” They stand there, neither of them making any move to do anything but just look at one another. Billy clears his throat and shakes the coffee cup towards Steve, sensing that maybe this was the place for hospitality. “You want some? My momma always makes too much.”
“No thanks. I’m uh, allergic to coffee beans.”
“Huh.” He seems amused by that, scrunches his nose up like he doesn’t believe it, and Steve wants to curl up and disappear. “I’ll see you later then, Steve Harrington.”
He watches the other boy turn back to leave after that, and still sort of just stands there before his brain comes back on and he realizes he should say something in return. “Right, uh, bye.”
It’s just a moment's passing, but Steve can’t get the interaction out of his head.
He chalks it up to being nervous that his new neighbors won’t like him, the fear that Aunt Margo will send him back to his parents if he can’t get along here, and that makes logical sense, except, what he’s caught up on is Billy’s crooked smile, and his blond curls that lay just past his ears, messy from just waking up and bleached from the sun, and the spatter of dark freckles across his nose.
First full day in California and he has a crush on the neighbor kid. He can’t believe himself.
There isn’t very much time to mull that fact over though, because, over breakfast, what his aunt calls her ‘special occasion breakfast’ of cinnamon rolls with ice cream, she tells him she’s going to do some errands today.
And that’s alright, he tells her he’ll be fine all by himself, and he is, for the first few hours, but the more time she’s gone, the worse and worse he starts to feel. It’s that worry again, that deep rooted fear that he’ll be left alone forever.
Experience has taught him to try to calm himself down, to catch his breath and try to focus on the fact that he knows he’s being irrational, but those techniques don’t cut it, as they often don’t, and he’s sending himself further into a panic attack trying to think too hard about it
Sitting inside, he gets stir crazy, feels suffocated by everything that had before been inviting to him, so he goes for some fresh air out front. Watching the road for so long, just waiting for the Oldsmobile to pull up, he starts to feel antsy again, so he goes out back where it’s quiet instead.
There’s a glider on the porch back there, an old rusty thing that squeaked every time Steve rocked it forward or back, but the calming motion of it is probably the only thing keeping him from spiraling too far.
He doesn’t really know what time it is anymore, only that he’s hungry, and that the sun’s going down, and that he’s been sort of zoned out back there for a long while. He feels hot and cold at the same time, and he’s lost in his head.
The sound of a screen door gently tapping against the side of the house brings his eyes up from the spot on the ground he’d been staring at with tears in his eyes, but it isn’t his aunt Margaret coming home, it’s just Billy.
With his hands stuffed in his pockets, leaning against the wall between the back doors, he says real quiet like, “Momma told me to ask if you wanted some of the dinner she made.”
He shrugs. “I’m alright.”
“I figured.” Billy looks at the floor while he tries to figure out how he wants to approach this. For a long moment, neither of them say a word, no sound between them but distant field crickets, until Billy asks, his voice quiet enough it barely registers in Steve’s mind. “You okay?”
If he’s being entirely honest, Steve doesn’t really know if he’s okay. He trusted his aunt enough to move all the way across the country with her, and yet he can’t manage enough trust to believe her when she said she’d come home from some errands? Doesn’t sound too okay to him.
But he’s not in Hawkins, he’s away from the people he knows for sure wouldn’t be coming back for him unless it was to pull something like they had and treat him like garbage. So in a way, he guesses he’s better than ever.
Unable to think of any words that might convey what he’s thinking, Steve just shrugs again, but Billy seems to get it. He sits down next to Steve on the glider and plants his feet so it won’t move, and so Steve’s attention will be on him.
Knowing he’s got Steve’s focus, since he looks over at him with glossy eyes, Billy tries to reassure him, “Your aunt’s a good lady. She wouldn’t leave you.”
“Who said I thought she would?” It sounds pathetic, wet and stuffy with the remnants of tears he hadn’t known were falling, but there’s a vulnerability he couldn’t hide behind even the toughest of masks that reveals he isn’t being honest.
“The way you watched for her car said enough.” It makes Steve feel exposed, having a total stranger see right through him, but Billy explains himself. “When my momma went out looking for this place, I was sure I’d never see her again.”
“Why did you guys move here?” If he was going to psychoanalyze Steve, he felt it was only fair to ask Billy a pressing question back.
“I’ll tell you if you tell me.” He deflects it back onto Steve in a way that might’ve seemed cocky, but it's obvious he’s just trying to avoid the question.
Steve won’t let him win this one though, maybe just to save his own ego, or pretend like he hadn’t been caught crying by someone he met that morning, or maybe it was just because he had asked first, but he wants Billy to answer, so he tells him, with the slightest hint of a bashful smile playing at his lips, “You first.”
“Stubborn.” He cracks a smile back though, and goes ahead and goes first at the other boys insistence. “My dad’s a real nasty s.o.b. Would get drunk and mean for no good reason, so momma took me and we high-tailed it before he did anything too drastic.”
He didn’t know what he was expecting, why he even felt like it was any of his business, and he doesn’t know what he should say to that.
For lack of a better response, he gives his own little life story summary. “My parents were rich. They didn’t want me, so they have the time of day for me. No matter what I did they punished me for it, grounded me, hit me, sent me to Christian school, until they just got sick of me, I guess.”
“That sounds pretty shitty.” Billy offered.
“Yeah, yours too.”
After a while, Billy, sounding for a moment like he’s a lot wiser than any 14 year old has the right to be, says “What matters is we’re here now.”
Steve feels so touched hearing that. It was so simple a thing for the other boy to say, but coming from Billy after he’d just shared what he did, it means a lot more than just basic condolences.
Hardly anybody had ever been that genuine in anything they said to him. Steve can hardly force a response out of his shocked mouth. As he looks over at Billy’s face, still turned up towards the sky, he sees all that meaning there illuminated by the stars, and he's able to mutter a breathless, “Yeah.” in response.
They both jump when the door flies open, and aunt Margo comes running over to Steve. Frantically she explains that she’d been trying to make sure everything was legal, only to find that some of Steve’s papers were missing, and they had to try to track them all down and get some of them faxed, and it ended up taking way longer than expected.
It feels nice to be understood. Just a few years ago his parents left for what was supposed to be a three day trip to Indianapolis, only they didn’t come back for what was almost two months. Once they were home they didn’t even mention it, just continued going about their business as usual until it was time to leave again. His aunt taking the effort to explain herself was already a vast improvement from that.
He lets her pull him into a big hug, accepts her apology as the air is squeezed out of his lungs, and when he pulls away from her, Billy’s gone.
~~~~~~~
Finish reading on ao3! You can find this posted under the same title by ej_writer or as part of the hwol collection over there! Sorry tumblrs word limits deemed this too long!
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willowistic22 · 4 years ago
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Van life!newsies headcanons
Hello, i have recently been obsessing and/or pining over living in a van/bus. So i will project my pining to my favorite pretty paper boys like what everyone does in the newsies fandom! Very healthy and smart idk lol so here’s my take on this au for each of my ships!
*i know some ppl might not agree with all these ships but these are just my personal favorites pls don’t come after me for something i like :)*
@jaelynn-is-slightly-confused thanks for deciding which headcanons i should write first :)
A pretty long list so you might have to sit down for this one 
Javid
They converted an old american school bus
I actually have a headcanon that modern!jack comes from a rich family (maybe not the family his parents were born into but his parents worked pretty hard to be successful y’know) so that’s how they were able to buy an old school bus
So they were able to fit in a shower (not one of those foldable kinds) and a built in toilet. A pretty decent kitchen. A stove, oven, microwave, and all the other utilities necessary. Was able to fit both a washing machine and a dryer. Has a proper closet.
To fit davey’s needs, they put in a tiny book shelf. But it’s too tiny to fit in all of davey’s book (he’s got a shelf full) and was forced to give some of them away he cried a little. Jack did the same for his art supplies he cried a lot.
Jack is an illustrator and Davey is a writer. (Davey the hopeless romantic Jacobs mostly writes romance wow what a shocker) If Jack can find the time to paint on a canvas he will. It usually ends up getting sold which he doesn’t mind. 
Jack painted every inch of the bus exterior wow we’re all so shocked no we aren’t I lied :) "Jack why...” “We need to be festive when we travel, Dave!” *face palms*
They have one cat which is still nameless in my head so ://
Newsbians
They live in a school bus 
Kathrine’s a Pulitzer so you know how they can freely afford it (now that i think abt it i think old school busses sell for really cheap prices but idk) 
The shower and closet are a must have for Kathrine. She takes over most of the closet space and takes the longest in the shower. Sarah is a foodie so she built herself a whole kitchen and Kathrine is not allowed to touch anything without her permission. Even fitting in a huge fridge. They also fit in a proper working desk and a couch. Also made some sort of balcony on top of their bus so they can stargaze on top of there 
Kathrine is a reporter and Sarah is a physician in the telemedicine industry (she meets patients through video calls and such, not face to face) 
Morning coffee is a tradition for them at this point. They cannot drive the bus without having one cup of coffee 
They have two cats still nameless too ://
Ikeshot (lmao moving to my rarepairs so quickly. i mean i originally reserved the van life headcanon for them but i got too obsessed and now i’m writing this list hehe) 
They settled with a sprinter van 
it started just as an idea for their honeymoon to do a road trip around the us, but it ended up being longer than a hundred days of honeymoon and it turns into being their first proper room 
Their shower is built in and it can only fit one person. The bed takes up the whole back space. Their closet is kinda small but they don’t mind bcs Ike mostly lives in Hotshot’s clothes anyways. The kitchen is limited but they have a pullout barbeque at the back of their van, under their bed. Hotshot is a master at barbequing. 
Ike is a translator and interpreter. He also uses his hobby in crocheting to build a small business he makes cardigans :) (credit to @violetwolfraven for that little idea) Hotshot is an accountant. Very boring ik but i have a headcanon he’s good with numbers so that’s cool (well idk i feel like he’s good with math and economics) 
Bringing the playstation has always been a priority, so they built in a tv. They like to chill in the bed and play together. Mario kart is a ruthless game  
Occasional weird midnight dancing sessions is a tradition 
they have a cat named Sparks and a dog named Lewis. It’s a dalmatian which made Hotshot tempted to name him Spot :) 
*cut to a vicious argument between Spot and Hotshot which was also egged on by Ike and Race* 
Jomike (ok look i love my rarepairs alright pls let me ship in peace) 
They got a sprinter van 
Their kitchen took up most the space bcs mike and jojo are practically professional chefs. When asked to throw down in the kitchen, they will thRO W   D O W N
They even use a teal palette specifically for their kitchen. They have a one person shower but no built in toilet. a fair amount of plants as decoration. in the back of their van, they have a built in pull out dining table and two benches (built under their bed so they’d have to stop and open the back door to have a proper dinner) 
Jojo is a reporter and mike is a computer programmer. Their job requires a proper desk to work on so they just installed a foldable table in between their seats up front. 
their clothes are just stored in cabinets since they share anyways. it leaves a good amount of wall space to play a projector for netflix *cue the soft cuddling in bed* 
breakfast in bed is the most on brand thing for them to do 
they have a cat named Dixeleta. She’s an outdoor cat so they have fun doing outdoor activities together. Hiking, kayaking, etc. 
Sprace 
They live in an old sprinter van Spot got from an old family member
They have the type of bed that can turn into a living room (seats and table etc). They use a foldable shower bcs they want the space. Their kitchen can be extended out with a latch by their sliding door but that’s only when they need to use a stove and oven. Since they’re the type of people that just throws on the closest clothes they can grab they just use cabinets to store their clothes. 
ok i’ve mentioned it before about sprace but i’ll mention it again. They have three cats named Racecat, Spot Clawlon, and Romeow :D all named by race if you’re wondering. 
So Race is a social media manager and Spot is a physician in the telemedicine industry. 
They’re very lazy to constantly look for a coin laundry service. They make a schedule to do the laundry once a week but sometimes they just forget. 
Their first drive of the day will always include karaoke. They can’t tell whether their cats love or hate their singing voice most likely the latter but they’re in denial.
They cuddle each other in bed with their cats. While watching tv, to sleep, or just chilling together. 
Redfinch 
They got a mini bus
They have a built in shower, bathroom, and closet (not sure why since they don’t really care about their clothes all that much) They have a proper kitchen, fit a washing machine and dryer, plus a little seating area with a small table 
They have two big doberman named Zara and Zoey and a cat named Marbles. Pretty outdoor pets so they frequently take them out for hikes and such 
They have a ‘balcony’ on top of their mini bus to chill together. As in all five of them :)
Finch is a music producer and Albert is a photographer and videographer. Albert mostly works with tourist as their personal photographer, but he has land gigs with big companies/people. Finch works with a label that has given him to opportunity to work at home but sometime still need to stop by a studio to meet with artists or other producers. 
Finch only needs space to store his laptop, notebooks, and guitar (but he ends up hanging it on the wall anyways). Albert takes up a whole cabinet for all of his equipment. 
Not Finch waking up at an ungodly hour when a spark of inspiration comes to him, which ends up waking everyone in the bus. *cut to Albert furiously dragging him back to bed*
They installed a tv near their bed for playstation sessions or cuddling throughout a movie
Their driving karaoke is usually accompanied by their dogs which only tortures Marbles. She hides under the blanket to save her ears. smart cat hehe
Snipesmalls (Never wrote anything for them but I do love these girls :)) 
They converted a mini bus 
Sniper takes up most of the closet space, but it doesn’t matter because they share clothes anyways. A built in toilet and shower. Their kitchen has a navy blue theme to it. It was Smalls’ idea. They have a washing machine and dryer and also a proper dining table.
Sniper is a nurse in the telehealth industry (basically just like telemedicine but deals with more than just clinical services) and Smalls is a medical transcriptionist. 
They have an Australian Shepherd named Blue. It’s because of her blue eyes it’s so beautiful :O Blue likes to stick his head out while driving. 
They have a built in tv for their playstation and movies but sometimes they bring out the projector to watch while chilling outside. 
They have done the most traveling. Hopping from the US to Europe and Asia. 
They may like to share clothes but Sniper really likes to be fashionable wherever she goes. “Ok so since we’re planning to go hiking tomorrow, which hat should I use?” “Sniper, we’re hiking up a mountain, not a vogue fashion runway” “And so what if I pretend we are? Use your imagination babe! Now which one?” *sighing*
It is a nightmare to convince Sniper to give away some of their clothes She cries every time her clothes are being given away but gets happy when they go shopping for new ones and it’s the same cycle every time this happens  
They also like to go to music festivals and have picnics together 
Blush 
They live in a mini bus
They rarely buy clothes or give them away plus they share clothes so the closet is pretty small but hella messy because they’re lazy at folding their clothes away. A simple built in shower and also a foldable toilet. The kitchen is pretty equipped because Mush is a master chef. They have a little seating area with a table. Alternating as a working desk and dining table
Mush is a dietitian and Blink is a therapist, both in the telemedicine industry. 
Neither is allowed to drive if they haven’t gotten their morning coffee 
Mush is mostly then one doing the karaoke while Blink drives 
they like to have picnics together
goes to random concerts. it doesn’t need to be a really big artist. they’d simply be happy if they get tickets to any sort of concert. They prefer to see local underground artists to discover more music and such but they sometimes save up to watch big artists too. 
they’ve only been around the us and canada but are planning on going to other countries too 
Belmerttons 
they live in an old school bus 
So buttons is a huge fashionista so there is a proper closet and drawers that are mostly used by himself. A built in bathroom and the door has a mirror per buttons request. they also fit a washing machien and dryer in the bus per buttons request too. Their bed is full of decorative pillows and a few stuffed animals per elmer’s request. Their kitchen is small but does the trick. also has a little seating area with a table 
Buttons is a fashion stylist but also a designer. Elmer is a math tutor for all ages
they love going to different kind of events and festivals. one of the reasons why they wanted to live on the road in the first place 
to get buttons to give away his old clothes, elmer has to assure him it’s for a good cause bcs buttons loves all his clothes. Buttons still get a little sad and pouty when those days come but picks himself up again when elmer offers a disney movie night on the projector with some snacks
oh yes, they bring lots of snacks on the road 
They have a cat. still nameless soz 
the cat is very fluffy and sheds a lot. which is kind of a problem especially on buttons clothes 
“you’re lucky you have a cute face” -buttons while he’s cleaning the fur off his clothes 
Spromeo 
they live in a mini bus but kinda looks like a hippie van (idk how to describe it but it’s a mini bus with a hippie kind of style to it yknow) 
they have two separate areas in the bus. one up front where the driver and passenger seat is. also coupled with a tiny sofa and a table. that’s where they do their work and dine. very comfy and cozy. 
it’s seperated by a thin wooden wall. through the doorway is where the rest of their living quarters are. a bed, small kitchen but fully equipped, a shower, and foldable toilet. instead of a closet, they use a dresser since they don’t really have many clothes anyways 
so specs is a history teacher and tutor for all ages. (he’s a history nerd hehe). Romeo is a photographer and cinematographer. mostly a tourist photographer (kinda like albert yknow) 
specs likes reading history books, but he mostly does his reading on his tablet and laptop to save space. the same for romeo and comics btw 
their bed is full of pillows 
they have a cat named snowy. a lazy indoor cat. but she loves to cuddle with them in bed
they’ve also done some traveling to other countries. mostly neighboring countries but are dreaming of going to places in europe and asia. 
they enjoy doing lots of board games when they’re not driving 
romeo has a ukulele which he constantly uses to serenade to specs. sometimes to snowy but mostly specs 
woah that was long akjghflkjasfbj; h. will i write a oneshot with this headcanon? maybe but who knows. just needed to put it out there that i’m pining on living on the road with the loml and some cats and go on an adventure together. anyways hope whoever reads this enjoy and sorry for writing a long headcanon list hehe 
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yanderecandystore · 5 years ago
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How would the yan bullies react to a popular social media influencer darling? Like they’re a creator on the rise and they just keep getting more and more popular,,it becomes hard for them to go to there normal school so they opt for a more well-known and more ‘safe’ school..lets say the bullies already had seen they’re videos,,do they treat the darling as an equal?
Well… I remember doing something about their darling being a idol but is kinda old now and my writing wasn't really good, so I won't recommend you to read it.
 I'm going to try and make a better one :3
I'm sorry if it's a bit short.
🍭꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡🍮꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡🍰꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡🍮꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖🍭
 What if you're also famous? [Yandere Bully x Social Media Influencer! Reader - Headcanons]:
It's no surprise you're here. The academy is glad to have someone like you studying with their students.
It's true you only just started to make a name for yourself, but they couldn't lose the opportunity to have you studying in here while you're still young. The academy is well known for graduating young celebrities like yourself.
Nowadays, they prefer to take students that already have a bit of popularity and presentable bank account, but in the past, they used to build students for to become whoever they wanted and achieving their dreams, it didn't matter if the student was rich or poor.
Anyway, here you are, safe and sound at the best school you could find!
You already knew that this school only accepted students with either: excellent grades, enough money to pay for their entrance or if you were a "young little star", as the school called them. And you seemed to fit on the third option, you guessed.
You expected to meet many students that were way above your league, you didn't think of yourself as a big shot or anything, just someone who made videos about what they liked, and apparently a lot of people found you entertaining.
You didn't expect so many people to instantly recognize the moment your teacher said your name. Some of your classmates just flat out screamed your name the moment you opened the door to introduce yourself.
The attention is, well, nice. You were caught off guard by their reaction. It was only when the teacher asked to calm down you felt comfortable to sit down.
You could notice some familiar faces around ge class. Well, "familiar" in the sense that they were well-known to many people around the country, it makes you fangirl a bit inside but also feel self-conscious, you feel so out of place.
You sit down between two people you didn't know much, but knew their name very well. Alexandra and Adrien Coldwell.
You don't remember seeing their reaction when you entered the class, but you notice that while you were coming to sit near them they kept staring at you with the most stoic bitch face you have ever saw.
It's kinda hard to not feel intimidated since they're staring at you throughout the entire class!
What, do they have a beef with eor something?? You looked at them from time to time, yet they would stop looking at you and look at the teacher.
Best first impression.
On recess, before you could go eat your lunch they decided to talk with you. In a really weird way, considering their previous attitude.
"- … Hi." They grabbed your shoulder taking your attention. Their voices seem shy with is weird considering that every magazine showing them said that they were extremely confident.
"- Yes?" You ask, wondering what are their problem.
"- Would you-" Alexandra starts, but stop herself mid sentence.
"- No, I-I mean, we noticed that, since your the new kid, and we are from the same class, we should show you the around!" She says, not giving any opportunity for you to choose.
While they show you the school, and you walk around with them, you noticed how bipolar they seem to be with you. In a moment, they seem completely full of themselves, saying that you're lucky for having them as your guide, but also acting so shy and nervous when you talk.
You think is probably because you're new kid, and they either are trying to make friends with you, or are trying to make fun of you.
In their side of the story, they're going nuts.
Firstly, they heard about you coming to their school, with wasn't supposed to be a shocker to anyone, but they still felt excited about it. They been looking at your videos for a month or two now, and they can't stop having enough of you!
Secondly, you're on the same class as them. The same. Class. As. Them. It's too much coincidence.
Thirdly, you say on the open spot right in between them. How can they not be excited about this??
They tried their best to hide their excitement, it would probably scare you to have people as great as themselves all over your feet in a heartbeat. They feel a little shy about talking with you, maybe it's because they don't want to come of as fangirls, maybe it's because they want to ask to take a picture with you.
They want to come of as cool and calm about it, but they can't. They like to think as if "you're equals" but deep down, they feel a little too desperate to impress you.
So at the same time they make snarky comments towards you, they also feel shy about talking with you.
When you discover how duchy they're to other students, you would probably not want to be anywhere near them, but please don't leave them alone, they don't want you to hate them.
"- They deserve it though! They were just some losers ogling at you, you should thank us for trying to protect you from this freaks!" They would argue. And that would probably be the moment you would stop talking with them.
And that would be the moment your bullying begins...
🍭꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡🍮꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡🍰꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡🍮꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖🍭
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wernerherzogs · 6 years ago
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there it is, finally! the list of my favourite hl fics of All Time.
disclaimer: some of these i have read only once and forever ago, but i’ve got them saved in a folder, and i vaguely remember them Meaning something to me when i read them, but basically -- if you read something from this list and end up not enjoying it, sorry not sorry! i operate on nostalgia sometimes, it’s possible i wouldn’t be that into some of them now, too, but whatevs!
i made myself stick to one work per author, otherwise this would be endless, but if an author’s nickname is bolded, it means i’ve had the time to read all of their works, and recommend them all.
i’m fairly certain i’m forgetting stuff (especially those stories that i’ve never saved/bookmarked), so i’ll try to keep this updated fairly regularly -- whenever i remember an old fave, or fall in love with something new. i’ll make sure to reblog this post then.
the order is completely random. this is a list where every work carries equal significance, even if not always for the same reasons. it was supposed to be alphabetical, but turns out i’m far too lazy for that. (shocker.) i took the liberty of shortening some of the original summaries, because this post is going to be Too Long anyway. rip.
enjoy! hopefully.
***
blackjacks running down my back | sequel by dangerbears (+ lj) (~10,000) 
AU. university stuff. best friend stuff. music stuff. sappy stuff.
try to not remember (rather than forget) by hereforlou (59,602)
He hadn’t left, but that’s what it had felt like most of the time. Just as if one day Harry had up and left him.
(Or, the one where Harry wakes up.)
Like Real People Do by moodlighting (58,469)
Harry is Louis' soulmate but Louis isn't Harry's - it takes Harry a while to figure it all out.
a prayer for which no words exist by Eliane (34,313)
Louis is a few seconds away from blowing up a rather important section of the New York subway when he sees Harry for the first time.
Who Painted the Moon Black by throughthedark (requires an ao3 account) (95,697)
“People died,” Harry whispers so quietly Louis strains to hear. “People died, and I killed some of them. How does life just go on after something like that?”
Louis shakes his head. “I don't know. It just does.”
hold on to your stars before they fade by adelagia (31,740)
The first time they meet, it is sunrise, and Harry is naked.
(Or, the one where Harry is a lost fairy, and Louis takes him in.)
Lambing Season by HelloAmHere (24,544)
“Shut up,” Louis says, an involuntary grin tugging at his mouth. It’s not every boy who will stand in the middle of a cold barn in a suit and play musician trivia. “I’m Louis.”
//lambing season brings sleep deprivation, noisy alarms, cold barns, demanding animals, and warm strangers.
Wild And Unruly by 100percentsassy, gloria_andrews (123,655)
Harry is a cowboy sitting on the biggest oil reservoir in Wyoming, and Louis is the paralegal assigned to pressure him into selling his land.
Walk That Mile by purpledaisy (149,570)
A Route 66 AU where falling in love was never part of the plan.
the dead things we carry by MediaWhore (25,316)
“Oh,” Mrs. Padley says, clearly taken aback. “You two know each other?”
There are some things people never fully come home from. Until, one day, if they’re lucky, home comes to them.
i believe him when he tells of loving me by bitterlee (28,894)
louis doesn't remember harry. harry takes him home.
Come Along With Me by darkofthenights (28,032) (requires an ao3 account)
An AU where Harry is a magician and Louis doesn't believe in such a thing.
Dust Off My Wings by eravain (19,882) (+ download)
AU where the boys are cottage neighbours, Louis develops an obsession with the mysterious boy next door, and the end of summer is really just the start of everything else.
Boys of Summer by sharktoothedfawnskinned (49,545)
What he wants is for this to be a forever thing, not someplace Harry spent the summer once.  What he wants is for this to be more than a memory.
(New Jersey beach town AU.)
ever ever after by hattalove (22,645)
“Happily ever after, huh?” he can’t help asking, in a voice that’s softer than he’d like. Harry seems to sense the fragility of the moment. He settles down, containing the excited flailing of his hands, and mirrors Louis’s position. “Of course,” he says. “Don’t you have those here?” Louis bites his lip. “M’ afraid not. It doesn’t really work out that way for most people.”
or, an enchanted AU. sort of.
heroes of the orange skies by queenmcgonagall (30,656)
Louis likes bathroom walls and Sharpies, Harry likes metal, Zayn likes Liam and Liam likes Zayn, Niall is wise, and they all go to the zoo.
Empty Skies by green_feelings (134,048)
For three years, Harry has been running from his past. Now, he is moving to London and pledges to fulfil his only dream -- making it big in the music industry. Not everyone has a place, though, and the competition is tough. As is his past catching up on him.
Louis is part of the biggest boy band of the world, and getting there had meant a lot of hard work, as well as sacrificing parts of his heart and soul. He's still happy. Maybe not as happy as he could be, but who is he to complain?
nocturne in silver and blue by tinyweirdloves (97,594)
louis is a fallen star and harry brings him home. told over the course of fourteen years.
life does not go backward, nor does it tarry in yesterday by bottomlinsons (4568)
Louis and Harry are Knights of the Round Table and Camelot has a dragon problem. (Arthurian AU)
In This Light by exhilarated (99,234)
Harry is a wardrobe stylist who likes to live in the moment, and Louis is a popstar who looks dreamy in double breasted jackets. Harry never stood a chance.
our little corner of the world by brownheadedstranger (29,913)
AU. Louis is stuck in his mom's diner for the summer. Harry is the line cook with a pickup truck.
Every Arrow That I Aim Is True by estrella30 (24,890)
Louis doesn’t say anything again so Harry whispers, “Just stay here with me for a while, yeah? I’ll take care of you.”
Louis is quiet. He never picks his head up, but Harry can see the pillow move from where he’s nodding and his fingers tighten around Harry’s. “Yeah,” Louis says. “Yeah, all right.”
i'm not calling you a liar (just don't lie to me) by hazmesentir (33625) (requires an ao3 account)
Louis can't stop lying. Harry runs a farm. Somehow, he squeezes the truth out of him.
An Eternal Enigma by goldenquill (67,478) (+ download)
Louis is a reluctant king with a head full of fairy tales, and Harry is an emotionally challenged musical prodigy. Zayn is a hopelessly romantic painter, Liam is the castle’s resident ghost with sporadic amnesia, and Niall is the accidental head of the kingdom’s most prevalent spy ring. Very loosely based on the lives of Ludwig II of Bavaria and Richard Wagner.
all my love was down in a frozen ground by navigator (16,033)
Louis goes to the woods.
AU very loosely inspired by the creation of Bon Iver's first record.
walk my days on a wire by sunshiner (38,586)
“We’re here because we have inventive managers,” Louis says, giving Harry’s leg a little nudge with his knee, but all that’s going around in his head is, I think I'd be in the same spot in every possible universe.
or, when actor Louis Tomlinson used to daydream about dating Harry Styles, this is not what he had in mind.
take my hand (and my heart and soul) by bananasandboots (45,623)
"I – yeah. Hi," Louis finally answers, slowly, awkwardly. "I um. Sorry. I heard about your accident. You're alright?"
Or, the one where Harry hasn't spoken to his best friend in sixteen months and can't remember why.
These Inconvenient Fireworks by wontsitstill (190,000) (+ download)
Future AU in which nobody tries out for X Factor but the boys end up finding one another eventually anyway. Louis is a jaded bastard who owns a cat named Duchess and teaches drama to teenagers, Harry is an idealistic aspiring photographer/part-time footy coach, Zayn teaches English lit and wears leather jackets, Liam saves people from burning buildings, and Niall is Niall.
things have gotten closer to the sun by starseas (49,276)
when a solar flare is announced to end the world in twelve days, harry reunites with the people that he used to know better than the back of his own hand.
Harry Styles Cooks... by sunsetmog (ongoing)
In which Louis Tomlinson can’t cook, there’s a very special shower curtain, and Harry Styles used to be a baker.
Or: Louis owns all of Harry Styles’ cookbooks, and he never intends to cook a single thing out of any of them.
101 Uses For Dragon Eggs by colazitron (42,249)
Louis just got back from a three week assignment yesterday and today was only supposed to be paperwork he needs to do to finish that up, before he was going to leave early and enjoy the weekend. And then Zayn, the traitor, emailed him about a bloke who was rumoured to have found a dragon egg and apparently live tweeting the whole thing.
Don't Want Shelter by FullOnLarrie (ongoing)
Louis and Harry have known each other all their lives. Friends as children, they danced around each other as teenagers, and have spent the last twenty-five years either screaming at each other or not speaking at all. Except for that one time ten years ago…
When Hurricane Nicole threatens the coast, they end up stuck together in their families' old vacation home that they begrudgingly co-own.
Escapade by dolce_piccante (requires an ao3 account) (146,241) (+ download)
In the grand scheme of things, finding a date for a wedding should be no problem for Louis Tomlinson. He's rich. He's handsome. He's reasonably well behaved. But when the wedding is for his lifelong best friend (and former boyfriend), and is happening in under a month, finding a date for the ceremony and accompanying festivities becomes more of an adventure than he ever could have planned for.
Whether Clouds or Clear Skies by onewasturning (25,861)
“Harry,” Louis says, “last night I had an experience bordering on profound.”
“You’re making it sound like you did something sexual with my muffin,” Harry says.
Or, Louis gets into the habit of stealing baked goods while Harry’s busy keeping tabs on the weather.
the dead of july by whimsicule (117,446)
Being an Avenger means continuing to be Captain America and smiling and being honorable for the public and Harry does his best. But it doesn’t give him time to figure out who he is supposed to be once he takes off his uniform and puts the shield to the side. Just being Harry had always involved Louis, and Harry fears he doesn’t know how to exist without him.
or: Harry is Captain America, and Louis’ been dead for 70 years.
In the Clear by aclosetlarryshipper (80,751)
After Princess Gemma and her fiance Niall are captured by the witch from across the land, Harry and Louis are forced on a journey together to save them.
Featuring Lumberjack Liam, Magical Zayn, unsolicited tattoos, and untangling the past.
Also known as The Larrietale.
a house built out of stone by robpatFF (22,486)
Louis has a used bookshop and Harry has a habit of claiming things that don't belong to him.
out of the blue corner by fallingaway (85,422)
Louis is a boxer banned because of doping. Harry is a journalist following the story.
with your love we could breathe underwater by luminescents (28,542)
Harry’s brow furrows, a look of confusion spreading over his face. “But I am real. I exist, see,” he says, raising a hand out of the water and wiggling his fingers at Louis.
AU where Harry is a mermaid, Louis is a human, and they both discover a lot more than they anticipated.
dancing in the dark by clairdeloune (74,709)
Harry comes out and it brings more than he's expected.
Untangle Me by suicxne (103,000) (requires an ao3 account)
Or the one where Harry and Louis finally get it right.
California Sold by isthatyoularry (123,536)
Notoriously closeted boyband member Harry Styles is famous on a global scale, meanwhile Louis, as his best friend, is back home in Manchester, living the typical life of a 24 year old. When Harry needs Louis with him in LA, a publicity stunt gone wrong changes their friendship forever.
A fake-relationship AU between two lifelong best friends.
you came into my life by disgruntledkittenface (57,180)
When the Queer Eye cast and crew sweep into Louis’ small town and fire station to make over his best friend and coworker Liam, Louis’ carefully constructed walls start to fall down and he has to face his fears – and the only guy he’s ever been able to see a future with.
like cabbages and kings by you_explode (60,875)
When Louis was a kid, he had a series of very vivid dreams about a place called Wonderland.
Loyal Knight and True by rainbowninja167 (51,569)
Oh, Harry thinks, mouth open on a silent gasp. This is how it happens.
In contemporary Oxford, Harry Styles and Niall Horan run a magical bookshop, unbowed by an entire academic establishment that insists magic doesn't even exist.
for now (and forever) by orphan_account (sadly can’t remember the actual author) (83,283)
"Listen to yourself," Harry laughs, shaking Louis' shoulders. "Don't you think it's a bit weird to con the country you're supposed to be serving?"
Louis is going into the Army, Harry is going nowhere, and there's nothing like a little identity fraud between friends.
Say You'll Remember by whisperdlullaby (93,521)
au. louis and harry are best mates that are only half aware that they're also soulmates. alternatively, louis goes to university and harry travels the world, and they always manage to find their way back to each other.
takes place over nine years, in which they love and hurt, make mistakes and learn, and above all, grow.
Faking It by TheCellarDoor (46,173)
A uni AU in which Louis has been Harry’s best friend since he offered him cubed fruit on the playground, and they spend more time cuddling in their dorm beds than they do apart, but it’s not like that. Or is it?
Battle Cry by Velvetoscar (21,377)
Harry's got a heart, a soul, and a band. And with that, obviously, comes a future paved in great success, right? So all he has to do is win the Battle of the Bands, right? Simple.
What's not so simple is the fact that Louis Tomlinson is his biggest competition. And also happens to be made of everything that Harry's ever wanted.
Take Me Where I Cannot Stand by LoadedGunn (13,988)
Harry can agree that being husbands in space presents some challenges. Sometimes they have to escape mindless cannibals, sometimes they're being held hostage, sometimes Louis doesn't want Harry to get pregnant, and sometimes someone slips on a banana peel. But that's all part of the fun, isn't it? They could have been juggling geese.
(Firefly AU where Harry and Louis are co-pilots in life.)
Just Me, You, And This Box of Matches by tomlinsunshine (87,020) (requires an ao3 account)
Louis is fairly sure that his new neighbour is going to destroy him. And also their apartment building, and the dumpsters outside, and all the forests within a thirty mile radius. But. Mostly him.
you're an egg if im an egg by giraffesaretall (1252)
au where one direction are eggs.
833 notes · View notes
badlydrawndrawnings · 5 years ago
Text
ATWQ Book Three Thoughts
I finally got time this week to finished reading the third ATWQ book, and I got to say, I am honestly very, very scared how this series is going to end. I am feeling a sense of dread I don’t think I got when reading ASOUE as a child. Something about this series is making me go (O.O) with a dash of 8U I had no expectations on what the hell would this third book even hold. This is honestly all over the place like seriously...
This book just got me shook.
Okay, so first all...BERTRAND WAS THEODORA’S LAST APPRENTICE? Holy **** this was one of the many things that shook me to the core.  “He’d end up married to a wonderful woman and have very charming children, while I languished alone and lonely.” Lemony Snicket you have no idea what you just foretold for your future. 
Prosper Lost really decided to tell Lemony about his family (daughter Ornette  + brothers in law?) and shows he isn’t just a nosy, sneaky and lurking in the background type of guy. He has great concerns that aren’t related to his business it goes to the whole freaking town! I get the feeling something bad happened in his past and with a fire like shoot why else is he working the Official Fire Department. I guess it has something to do with his wife (I assume since he has a daughter).
In regards to Ornette, I don’t have a true clear thought or opinion of her yet. Cleo while showing up late got talked a lot for about 2/3 of the books and an illustration that gives me some idea of her character. Ornette got mention a few times, and then shows up at Wade Academy and she’s very gung-ho; willing to work with the others and Lemony who she just met. I like she’s open minded working with a stranger like Ornette is gonna fit in well. However, I guess I have to say her first impression was weaker than Cleo’s build up so I’m just *thinking* over her still. I hope we get to see more of her in the last book though. 
Theodora really just hit me with a tone of bricks. I admit this book really made me like her more because damn it, I think I did what Theodora did once or twice in my life and it sucks. So first off: Theodora all this time knew she was rank last? God, that must mean in the previous books those fancy talks of her reputation partly must have been done to make herself feel better and have confidence and skills that isn’t really there. Since she’s rank last it means there’s a chance she’s not well respected -and maybe not well like (I assume rank is a combinations of reviews from past apprentices and peer reviews). That means Theodora puts on an act for Lemony (and Bertrand who was a lot easier for Theodora to chaperone; Bertrand what review did you gave Theodora?) and everyone else to make herself seem better and more competent. Because if others of different standings take her serious, then VFD will start taking her more serious, and ergo, others (work) associates will be all ‘yeah we can be friends 8D!’. Clearly it’s not working as plan.
Theodora latching on to Sharon and their short lived friendship (the nail polish...Theodora may not have gotten friendship bracelets but she went all out anyway, this just sad to think about). Here we have Theodora thinking she not only has a friend in who know how long -and a friend from she thought was part of VFD- but has a chance to prove herself for once from all her past mistakes and screw up. And Sharon reveal herself as a fraud and Theodora is all like ‘well ****’ and despite not liking Lemony, she still made sure Lemony sure as hell wasn’t going to be taken by Hangfire and the Inhumane Society (such is a duty of a chaperone).
But despite her low rank, Theodora just more than that. She not just a wild hair driver, and yeah, this was clearly shown since the first book if she saved Lemony from getting kidnapped. Theodora knew the whole time Lemony was going to plan something with Kit (IDK if she knew of the coup, but she knew something big was going to happen. Did she took him to SBTS so their plan would fail?). She also knows enough the plan got so off the rails Kit is in jail and Theodora was willing to help Lemony break her out. I’m not saying she’s a favorite character, but she’s in a general tier of ‘I like very much!’
The Haines family (two out three at least): I feel for Sharon, wanting her daughter Lizzie back at any cost. I can understand why she felt like she had no choice to work with Hangfire. If Hangfire got Sally Murphy to work for him (she was trying to help save Lizzie this whole time oh my god), then it’s not much of a stretch Hangfire could get the Haines as well if they’re desperate. But she dragged Kellar into it and was considering striking Kellar across the face. She was willing to go that far to get her son to continue working with Hangfire to get Lizzie back. I hope with Lizzie getting found, the family can be together again and work their issues out.
Won’t say too much on Kellar himself, in part because apparently, ‘dynamite hair’  translated into the famous Tintin quiff. Don’t get me wrong, I like Kellar. His situation sucks to the tenth level and he stood up for what he know is right, even if it means he and his mom have to temporary part ways (again, I hope the Haines family can be together again and work their issues out). I totally think he and Moxie will become very good friends (he needs friends in general). Typist buddies are a go-go! But whenever I think of him and his illustration I can’t get Tintin out of my head. Thanks, Seth.
I got a better feel of Cleo from this book, and yeah, she is totally Team Chemistry Dad, and Jake is totally Team Food Mom. They’re the team parents for all these kids and they’re doing a very good job. Cleo honestly rocks the mask with her color scheme. As to the rest of Lemony’s SBTS associates + Qwerty, nothing much change on thoughts and opinions (Lemony is still upset over Moxie’s arm 8U). I hope Qwerty in the last book gets free. I thought something bad was gonna happen to him like Dewey. I feel a bit happy Qwerty is just arrested and not dead from a harpoon gun.
Ellington, meanwhile, is getting more desperate to find her father (she has a picture of him in her music box my goodness that hurts! However, thanks to a re-watch of Netflix ASOUE, and thinking about [RETRACTED] and looking at something I wrote in a different ATWQ post, I have a very bad feeling, and I hope I’m wrong about it.) if she was more or less ‘working’ with Hangfire. Those film noir vibes are getting to real warning levels that are in the red zone and close to 100% Got to admit thought, her and Lemony’s ‘first and last date’ really ended on a damp note 8U.
I’m too scared on guessing WTF is the creature/noise Lemony and Ellington heard. And do I want to know about the honeydew melons (I like cantaloupe more TBH)?
My opinion of the Mitchum parents are the same but my goodness! Someone let them know how terrible their son is and let them know they’re failure as parents! Stew upgraded from bully to ‘part time villain’, knows it, and just got worse. I gotta bring up Carmelita again because Stew is making me think over Carmelita’s character more than I ever thought before.
I interpret Carmelita as a spoil rich brat and bully who got away with her rotten behavior due to her parents not being parents, just giving her too many gifts and not teaching her important manners. She a bit of an ill-fusion of Veruca Salt and Dudley Dursley in my opinion. Anyway, Carmelita has no idea what she got herself into in the TSS, but by TGG-TPP she is ‘okay! 8D’ because Esme while teaching her to be a ‘villain’ and other dangerous things, it’s mitigated by Esme still spoiling Carmelita rotten and keeping Carmelita’s old lifestyle she’s used too. It also help in the TAA and TSS she just used words as weapons, so this ‘jump’ was just a real shocker and showing how Carmelita while knowing of VFD, is still blind to their hidden nature if she didn’t dwell to much over it.
Stew on the other hand, is a bully who has been using force since the first book, but it’s on the low-down side. Now, Stew is willingly working with Hangfire, and he just decided to go all out and take it up a notch. And Stew unlike Carmelita, isn’t blind to what is going on. I think. It’s also possible Stew doesn’t know the major end goal of Hangfire and Stew is happy he gets to continue bullying people through any means, and his target just has to be Lemony. I honestly don’t know what’s up with him and his actions.
Speaking of Lemony...someone help this poor child mentally and physically. This is all too much for a thirteen year old (or anyone). He has to worry about Kit and save a dying town, and IDK if Theodora is even going to help in the final book if she wanted to high tail it out of there. He’s feeling more lonely than ever and Imaginary!Kit shows up again. Lemony Snicket you just jinx yourself about being lonely shouldn’t stop at age thirteen ;_; you have no idea what is in store, especially when it comes to your siblings. Lemony is closer to Kit than to Jacques, but the ‘flashback’ to playing Beethoven was sweet because the two were able to spend time together and this was like, the first time Lemony actually thought of Jacques in who know how long. Now I’m thinking about Netflix!Lemony wishing he spend more time with Jacques.
So uh...Olaf got a name drop (is guess who referring to the game? band? IDK who Q is but, this is gonna be weird with my headcanon of Mr. Quagmire), I covered Bertrand’s name drop...and Josephine cameos.
If I have to put her on a tier list, Josephine would be the middle between ‘like’ and ‘neutral’. She isn’t my favorite character and guardian, but I like her enough to not put her in neutral (and I have thoughts on her that I won’t 100% share here). With many fears (rational, irrational, surprisingly rational but on first glance irrational), due to VFD messing with her to where she has no choice to become a hermit and hide away from the danger of the world and become very safety conscious. Her years of being frighten grew to where she is cowardly and cares for herself more at times (she does ‘scream’ coward near the end of the TWW, especially in the books and Movie).
Once Quite Adventurous (Movie Only), and Fierce and Formidable (Netflix Only), if it’s not a headcanon, it’s almost canon Ike’s death was the turning point for Josephine deciding to hide away from the world. With Ike’s death, Josephine must have thought she has no choice to retreat to her hazard of a home and live alone for who know how long to keep herself safe. In both adaptations, they show hints (and Netflix only; also shown it via flashback) of Josephine’s old life through photographs. Also in both adaptations, it seems Josephine really went from ‘dangerous lifestyle’ to ‘gonna hide in my room please go away’ very fast after Ike’s demise. 
So, I’m happy and a bit upset Josephine cameos in this ATWQ book. Josephine is not 100% Quite Adventurous, or 100% Fierce and Formidable. I mean, she is those thing, but Josephine is also rather...Cautious. The fact Lemony even calls her ‘careful girl’ and Josephine is taking a risk to visit SBTS seems both adaptations was exaggerating her personality before Ike’s death/possible retirement from VFD. While certainly less afraid of the world, and much braver than TWW, there’s a implication Josephine is on her tip-toes, as well as making sure where she steps (or flies to in her helicopter). I have to say showing a teen Josephine being cautious is a good way to show how her extremism phobias and hermit habits have their roots since her younger years.
And that’s why I’m happy and a bit upset. I’m happy Josephine’s character is explore and it’s fueling to my pile of headcanons that are half bake for her. But I’m upset because...the adaptations. I’ll give Movie!Josephine a minor break though. Since it came out before ATWQ, I doubt Daniel Handler had even thought of this series and character cameos planned out. Movie!Josephine was a shot in the dark and one of the few things that somehow came out unscratched. I think the film played up her fears and cowardliness, but her photo album doesn’t mess up anything regarding ATWQ’s cameo.
Netflix however, has ATWQ. And from my past re-watch, I can now see there’s some references to ATWQ that went over my head (I am seriously hopping I didn’t got accidentally spoilers *stares at [RETRACTED]*). Anyway, Netflix!Josephine’s portrayed and the changes are fitting to her character. Her last act of courage after realizing Olaf killed Ike is rather nice. Yeah, I know it seems Josephine snapped due to his grammar mistake, but on the re-watch Josephine was all \OMO/ when Olaf slips up on the tamales, so I think Josephine confront Olaf for Ike’s murder and his bad grammar. I don’t want to say they ignore Josephine being described as a careful girl in her youth to making her freaking Sporty(TM), but if I do think of rewatching the show again sometime soon after finishing ATWQ (I started reading the first chapter before lunch and I think I’ll have more time the rest of the week to read),  ATWQ’s cameo will be haunting the back of my mind.
Josephine totally needed to called out Lemony for ditching Kit, just like Hector. Though I guess Josephine has more reason to since Kit is really close to getting lock up, all because of two ‘new’ characters: Gifford and Ghede, who also tried to kidnapped Lemony back in the first book. Damn, for ‘noble’ VFD members, they sure suck at their job if Kit is still arrested and they tried to kidnapped Lemony...for some reason.
Are they are on the fire starting side?
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movedyourchair505 · 6 years ago
Text
Napule Nights - nove
Shocker, thanks to Elana for helping me with this again. Love you xx
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Every new space Jade entered with Turner offered new impressions, new faces, new secrets, and she tried to observe it all, to not leave a single detail not taken notice of, which was admittedly harder than it seemed with his hand on her hip as he led her through a dark tunnel underneath the building they had just entered, his touch proving observing and keeping her mind focused to be a rather difficult task at hand. Quite literally.
Despite his previous intention to give her more instructions in the morning, she had very little to go by as they neared the end of the corridor. He'd told her to “dress teh impress”, informed her that the previously mentioned meeting was a poker game with participants of mostly people he worked with, some although loosely connected with enemy businesses. He had asked Jade to watch those individuals, just to have another pair of eyes on them, but he'd also made it quite clear that she was mostly there to divert the attention from Turner himself, to turn some heads, to look pretty and be a distraction, and to make him look better. Jade hadn't dared to ask then, why her, why he wouldn't just hire an escort.
Helders and Cook were closely behind them, the echo of their shoes ringing up the walls, and Jade couldn't help but feel safe, especially when she could make out two more figures at the far end of the dimly lit tunnel, another pair of henchmen. All they needed to move was a nod from Turner, then they opened the door they guarded and soon Jade was once again stood in a room of which the bright and luxuriously furnished interior harshly contrasted the blank and dark exterior.
Old photographs decorated the brick walls, the floor was carpeted in crimson red, a bar set up in one of the corners. Multiple crystal chandeliers lit up the underground space, no windows, one door each on opposite ends of it. Smoke floated through the air, its smell blending together with that of leather, rich perfume and gin.
Two women stood by the bar, sipping on martinis, looking up instantly when Turner and Jade entered the room. Without even letting her gaze wander across half of the room, Jade knew that all eyes were on her, those of the two women stood on the side, those that sat in the laps of a few of the men situated around a large round table in the centre of the room, and all the men themselves – including Turner.
It was then that she realised why he hadn't decided to hire an escort, as she slowly grew aware of just what she had gotten herself into. She had seen none of the faces in the room before, no one looked familiar and most importantly, no one wore the same look that Turner did. He was the most important person here and she hadn't truly understood until this moment what that meant for her.
“Turner, finalmente.”
One man sat at the table gave Turner a smile, then gestured to the last empty chair, stood beside him and Turner's hand slipped from Jade's hip to the small of her back. The material of her dress was thin, flimsy enough to allow her to feel the heat of his touch through it and there was no denying that it made her more nervous that she liked but she tried to compose herself as he led her forward, sat down in the chair and leaned back, spreading his legs apart, the matte material of his dark suit straining over his thighs and he patted his knee, then looking up at Jade expectantly.
She pressed her lips together, let her eyes wander around the room, met with most pairs, some looking away just in time before she noticed as she sat down on Turner's thigh, one of his hands instantly finding its way to her hip again and giving it a squeeze.
One of the men opposite them at the table had started shuffling a deck of cards, a woman by his side placing an equal amount of poker chips in front of each player, then stepping back when the cards were dealt.
“Would yeh light meh a cigarette, pupa?”
Jade felt shivers run up her spine, Turner's voice much closer, much lower than expected as he reached for his cards and picked them up, sorting them in his hand. Jade instantly missed the feeling of his hand on her hip, it almost distracted her from actually comprehending what he'd said, until he bounced up his thigh slightly to get her attention, the nudge enough to make her snap out of it and she nodded, drawing the pack of cigarettes out of his pocket and fishing one out before placing the pack in front of him.
He parted his lips absently, then closed them around the cigarette when she placed it there and popped open his lighter and flamed the end until smoke rose from it and Turner held his cards in one hand once he'd finished putting them in order, taking a drag from his cigarette and holding his hand with it over the edge of the table, blowing the smoke up into the air in rings lazily.
Slowly, the cards became more interesting than their arrival and Jade felt less on edge focusing solely on Turner for a moment. Not that she had been able to really pay attention to anything else while sat so close to him. It wasn't just his scent that surrounded her into a spicy cloud of musk, but the way his suit was tight in all the right places, the top buttons of his shirt open as usual, the white contrasting his gently bronzed tan, exposing the shiny chain resting against his collarbones. He was intimidatingly gorgeous.
The embarrassment from the previous night still gnawed at her, and she was determined to not slip up tonight, to obey him, to somehow gain his approval or at least to not disappoint him or generally give him a reason to criticize her in any way, shape or form so when he leaned in again, she tried to pay attention to his words as much as his scent, his face, his touch.
“Reyht, 'ere's the deal” he drawled, his lips so close to her ear that she could feel his breath tickling her skin. He held up his cards as if he was showing her and she picked up on it quickly, staring down at his cards while she listened, nodding slowly.
“Tha' one wif the fick glasses, tha's Georgio” he said, quiet enough only for her to hear him. “I'm positive 'e's got ties teh Alfonso. Also tha' short one teh 'is reyht, he does deliverehs for another famileh tha's wif Alfonso.”
“What about the others?” Jade asked, her voice barely audible but she knew he'd heard her.
“I kno' most of 'em and 'ave worked wif them so tha's nofin teh beh worried about.”
For a moment he seemed irritated, furrowing his brows in confusion, moving to turn his head but before he fully could, his features smoothed again as one of the women from the bar placed a drink down in front of him and he acknowledged it simply with a nod before he sucked in a deep breath, his eyes flickering across the table, studying each of the men individually, gaze wandering across the women sat with them, then it landed back on Jade, shamelessly cascading down her slender neck to where her breasts were pushed up in the tight red dress that hugged her curves exquisitely.
He loved having her just sit there, just as his accessory, a secret weapon at the same time, she'd proven useful before, and he knew she was seemingly harmless to the others, just another girl to do whatever he pleased with, but he knew full well that all the other women in the room had nothing on her and he enjoyed that immensely, knowing he was superior, in power in every respect.
Jade could feel his eyes on her, their intensity, it was like they burned her skin and made her shiver at the same time. It took all her strength to focus on the rest of the men in the room rather than him, he was so close and she was so aware of the way his hand kept finding its way back to her thigh, in between taking drags from his cigarette and placing the cards on the table.
He seemed on edge at first, then slowly relaxed as the game ensued, dominating right from the start, watching the other players carefully nonetheless. He was highly focused, his movements and decisions strategically placed, and if they weren't, he was effortless at keeping up the appearance. When allowing herself to look back at him, turning her head for the shortest amount of time – not a second longer so he'd know that she was still following his orders – she regretted it instantly, struggling to go back to watching something much less interesting than him because she couldn't deny that she was completely and utterly fascinated by him, the way he pursed and licked and stretched his lips, the way his gaze hushed across the table before he made any sort of move, the way his jaw locked and she was the only one who could tell he tense.
When she could draw her eyes from him and focus on the others, she allowed herself to let her gaze drop to his hands, fiddling with the cards of bringing the cigarettes she continuously lit for him up to his lips, then back down. Every time one of his hands was free, she tensed, anticipated his touch and she was never disappointed, swallowing hard when he gave her thigh a subtle squeeze and she turned her head. It was unnecessary, he had her full attention anyway, she'd figured out as much as she could by now, felt it was quite obvious who belonged to who, who felt the most comfortable because of their location.
“Jade?” Turner drawled, his voice raspy, not as quiet as before but he cleared his throat quickly.
“Mmm?”
“D'yeh actualleh kno' 'ow teh play?” He asked. He must have noticed her not only watching the men he'd pointed out to her, but also the others, following the game carefully.
Jade chuckled, shaking her long hair back, brushing her fingers through it. “What do you take me for, Turner?” She whispered, licking her lips.
The corner of his mouth twitched and he titled his head to the side in amusement. He nodded slowly, her perfume had been lingering around him, like his personal magic tree, but as she shook her hair and shifted it really hit him and he grew more aware of just how close he was, of just how much he could do like this and she felt his fingers move across her thigh, the calloused tips running up her skin just below the hem of her dress, his nails scratching lightly at her skin in the process. She didn't know it but he was pleasantly surprised by her, especially after how she'd acted the day before. “Wha' do yeh suggest I do then?”
He gave an barely noticeable nod towards his cards, another squeeze of her thigh and she tried to compose herself, tried to ignore the way he toyed with the hem of her dress, pressed his chest close to her side, his lips almost touching her neck as he spoke and she tried her hardest to play along, to act like he was just letting his hands wander, telling her something dirty.
She could feel his heartbeat, could smell his cologne, something else she was never able to pinpoint and it was almost too much, but the urge to impress him prevailed. “Do it.”
His eyes flickered up at her, then he looked back down at his cards, straightened his neck and stretched his jaw. The confidence in her voice, knowing, decisive, he couldn't resist and pushed the rest of his chips into the centre of the table.
“All in, gentlemen.”
The mood shifted, most of the men now tense, the women suddenly paying attention to the main event too. It was quite impressive, the effect he had on a room full of people that seemed only half as intimidating as him, but what really drew Jade in was the look on his face, the smug hint of a smile, complacent radiation of confidence.
“Why don't yeh get yehrself a drink too, pupa?”
Jade was confused at first, taken aback by the tone, the edge to his voice, like something had changed, but it wasn't exactly unsettling, comforting rather, like he'd relaxed somehow. With another squeeze of her hip, he let go and shifted so she could get up, making her way to the bar in the corner, not even needing to look over her shoulder to tell he was looking at her, or to know that the groaning around the table meant that he'd once and for all asserted his dominance, a sense of pride swelling inside her as she heard the chips being dragged across the table.
“What's it gonna be?” The woman's low voice snapped Jade out of it as her eyes scanned her up and down, she pursed her lips, then looked at the other woman stood with her.
“Manhattan.”
She gave a nod, turned around to start making her drink while the other also prepared one. “So, where do you work?” She asked, looking up at Jade.
Jade raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”
“Oh, I've seen you around, haven't I?” The second one smirked. “Voglia? I used to dance there.”
“I don't anymore” Jade responded stiffly, all her confidence going up in smoke as she was unsure about how much she should share, but she also didn't want to be too cold, too distant to make Turner look bad in any way. There was way too much she still didn't know, but she knew she didn't have to try with these women either. She was certain they both accompanied the men Turner had told her about.
“Is that so?�� The first one asked, handing her her drink.
She looked back at them both, swallowing. “It's none of your business really.”
That gained the attention of the second woman as well, drawing it from her chaperone back to Jade and she just shrugged before carrying two drinks over to the table.
Jade didn't know what unsettled her but she felt instantly like she'd missed something, let the men out of sight even though Turner had asked her to watch them, but he'd also told her to get a drink and she felt strangely out of touch with herself, her task, like talking to the women had thrown her off, had made her lose focus.
She pressed her lips together, watched the second woman place a glass in front of Turner and then Jade's heart started pounding, blood rushing into her ears and she swallowed, her throat dry.
She crossed the room with two large steps, the heels of her shoes audible even on the carpeted floor and without any sense of respect or shame, she sat herself back down in Turner's lap and wrapped her arm around his shoulders, visibly catching him off guard, but he only wrapped his arm around her waist, turning his head to allow her to speak close to his ear, shielded by her hair.
“Stay calm” she said, unable to follow her own advice. Her voice was shaking, she felt dizzy.
He was irritated instantly. “Wha'?” He asked, raising an eyebrow at her.
“She spiked your drink.”
His jaw clicked and he blinked several times, she could feel him suck in a breath. “Jade, don't embarrass yehrself again. I joost told yeh teh watch the two men...”
“She's with him” Jade said quickly, panicking as she realised he really didn't value her word that much, maybe he didn't trust her at all, maybe he just wanted to keep her busy, didn't really need her.
“This is neither of their places, sheh's joost...”
“The barwoman” she spoke insistently, almost frantic, desperately trying to keep her voice down. “She's with one of the men you pointed out, I think … I think you might not be on good terms with more of two couples in this room.”
“Do yeh kno' wha' yeh're suggestin' reyht now? I'm winnin' reyht now, I...” He was growing more tense,
Jade snapped, pushing herself away from him, stealing the cigarette resting in front of him on the edge of the ashtray and without a second thought dropped it into the clear liquid in his glass.
The sizzling sound silenced the room.
Having blended into the background up until now, Cook and Helders were instantly on either side of her and Turner, both with their hands at their belt, their jackets concealing what Jade assumed to be guns and she tensed, breathing out shakily.
Turner tightened his arm around her, no indication of fear, not a hint of panic on his smooth features. “I fink weh're gunna go” he spoke calmly, locking the gaze of each of the men he was now certain had not expected him to make it this far.
“I think you better had.”
Jade watched Turner's eyes darken, praying she would never be on the receiving end of the glare he laid upon the man he'd trusted up until a few moments ago.
“I fink it's safe teh say I won” Turner said, chuckling darkly. “Me moneh.”
It was all a blur, surreal, how the woman that had put something into his drink went back into the corner, only to return with a small suitcase of bills, and Turner got up only when Helders had confirmed that it was the right amount of money, there was no rush to his movements, his hand on Jade's hip the only thing soothing her as Helders and Cook led them outside, neither of them looking back, the room behind them silent, tense.
The heavy door fell closed, separating them from the hostility she'd feared so much inside the room, but it wasn't until they were sat in the back of the car that Alexander looked over at her, his expression giving away more than he would have liked but as he regarded her next to him, he was visibly shaken, almost unable to hide just to what extent. Not that nobody had ever made an attempt on his life before, no, he was no stranger to that. But the fact that Jade had been the only reason it hadn't succeeded, it unsettled him.
“Jade...” he said quietly, swallowing hard, the lights of the city rushing by flickering across his face, his neck as his skin stretched over his adam's apple, moved his chain even.
“Y-Yes?” She stammered, desperate for him to speak.
“Yeh were reyht.”
Her heart was still racing, she felt like she hadn't really comprehended the situation she'd been in until now, and it terrified her to the core. “I...”
“No” he said, taking her hand into his, not allowing her to disagree with him which he knew she was setting up to do, judging by her expression. “Fank yeh.”
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sparda3g · 6 years ago
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One Piece Chapter 908 Review
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The time for Reverie is finally here. This arc has been nothing but exciting and it’s done without any action. It goes without saying: this series’ lore is rich. It is filled with emotions and mysteries. This chapter has made me feeling pleasant, furious (intentional), and awed by the end that had me unnerving with many questions that need answers.
I wasn’t aware that Manshelly is with everyone, but she is a princess, so that’s given I suppose. It’s quite charming that practically all princesses are in one setting, helping each other in need. They already formed a delightful friendship, as if they know each other already. Wreck-It Ralph 2, you have been outclassed in princess crossover.
I’m so glad that there’s an actual good Celestial Dragon out there and his name is Mjosgard. It’s almost too surreal to be honest. It’s good that Neptune no longer thinks unkindly of human. The balance has been restored. It’s kind of Mjosgard to place a protection on Shirahoshi, so no one can take her for their selfish need. It’s worth noting that he can order anyone, so it makes me curious what Oda has in mind with that use.
I know everyone comes from somewhere, but I can’t fathom to see Charlos’ father, Saint Rosward, being around. It’s like meet the asshole of an asshole. Before he enters “the land of the gods,” there is an old lady named Conney, Queen Mother of Solbay Kingdom, who seems to be typical as elder goes. However, she sneaks in through the gate while Rosward is bickering nonsense. I didn’t get why she look so angry. That is until the next panel.
I was blood-boiling hot when I saw Kuma being used and abused by those fu—creatures. He is deemed as an invisible slave, because if he’s not good for fighting anymore, why not slavery. Odd that I didn’t think Conney is actually Bonney. Her ability is really helpful. It does beg the question, is she Conney for the World Government, and Bonney is her true self as a pirate? Like is there a real Conney or she is her? Whatever it is, it’s nice to see her again. She really is a prominent character; very curious her reason to be there.
Sabo and other commanders, excluding Betty, are in the underground, preparing to declare war. He is livid to see Kuma in that condition; basically, channeling me and perhaps everyone. Each commander is reasoning with him as well as delivering a final warning that they cannot afford to mess up. Sabo is all in for this grand movement. I am so ready for them to bring hell to the table.
There’s a brief history lesson about the World Government. It’s building up the moment before the grand stage and it works. I was getting hype the more it explores its lore. It was at this point you know that time is here. The narrative and the pacing flow evaluates the anticipation. Everyone is gathering and taking their seat. So many characters to count, familiar or new faces. Throw in a small hype boost for Wano Country, because that time is coming soon. Also throw in a few gossip about Kaido and Luffy. Then finally, at long last, it’s time for the grand conference:
Reverie!!!
I never thought I would be incredibly hype for a discussion board, but here we are. If Oda can make people cry over a ship, he can do anything with his fans at the palm of his hand. There is one missing piece that haven’t been addressed throughout the chapter. Whatever happened to the whole Shanks and the Five Elders having a talk? I am reminded when we see the Five Elders heading towards to somewhere, but Shanks wasn’t there. It’s interesting to note that Nefeltari, Vivi’s bloodline, was once chosen to be part of the higher-ups, but turned it down. I wonder how that will play later on. Oda is cruel to leave his fans very curious. But it gets worse with the way how the chapter ends.
That shadowy figure from two chapters, the one that was at some chamber with a giant straw hat. He reappears here; however, the real shocker is he’s actually a prominent character to the World Government. I believe he’s called Im. You know he’s terrifying when he’s playing at a garden with butterflies. I’m being serious here. Don’t you know playing at a garden deems you as a God in anime/manga? I didn’t know his status until the end that got me thinking a whole lot of stuff.
The Empty Throne was mentioned previously and how significant it is to the world. It’s expected for the Five Elders to be there, but what really happened is very stunning. Im isn’t part of the World Government; he is it. Well, figuratively speaking, but he’s the king. What’s mind-blowing is he is sitting on the chair like the king of everything. Balance? What’s that?
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You may be thinking, “Aren’t you exaggerating about it?” Maybe so, but the lore and its exploitation has been phenomenal, so this took me by surprise. The build-up to Im’s arrival to the throne was bone-chilling. We just got back from the explanation that no one has sat on the Empty Throne. It’s a complete lie and those Elders are hiding it. This whole imagery speaks so much volume on how unfair the world is; as if we have seen enough proof.
Exactly what is the story with him and the straw hat? Could he be the one that killed the original user? Is he even powerful? If so, the discussion of who will be the final boss could end now. I thought it was a brilliant idea to incorporate many traits to make the setting all the more mysterious and horrifying, such as the eerie atmosphere of his whereabouts (which we will get to very soon), and the shadowy figure that has an odd shape, especially the crown if that is one. It added more with how the paneling leave intimidation.
What got me shivering and aching is Im and the posters of various characters. Luffy, Blackbeard, and Shirahoshi’s posters were stabbed, and knowing that he’s king, that is pure bad news. I can understand Luffy and Blackbeard, but Shirahoshi? Well, she is a weapon, but that means he knows and is willing to kill her. Damn, all those precious moments earlier are now hitting me with fear. Damn you, Oda.
My main fear however is he didn’t stab Vivi’s poster, rather taking it with him for something. He hasn’t even show himself and yet, I’m here shivering for the worst outcome. Actually, how do I even know his gender? I don’t know what it means, but it’s a really bad timing, especially that King Cobra was discussing earlier with Fujitora and Riku. This Im person scares me. I can only hope it pulls a- Oh wait, it’s coming back. Avoid spoilers for anime fans. Ahem. Anyway, the series is on a break next week. Oda…never mind.
This was a critically hype chapter. The foundation of its world building is incredible that everything that happened here can leave you feeling tensed. Whether it’s because what happened to Kuma and the distasteful use from those bastards or the king or the higher-up of them all is present to give an order, there’s something to get you invested. The highly anticipated time is here. We have two weeks. It’s going to be a bombastic event.
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megamanx1994 · 6 years ago
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Xenoforce III Chapter 1
(2 years after the events of the second book, Michael has become quite attached to his role as Xenoblade. But his responsibilities are put to the test when an alien parasite attaches itself to his body. While it dials up his senses by 110%, it also begins to unleash his darker side. Meanwhile behind the scenes someone steals one of his inventions for their own personal gain, while somebody else uses alien technology for money.)
Chapter 1: A day in the Life (Disclaimer! I own nothing of Xenoblade Chronicles!)
A young teen was looking at a picture of a climatic battle between living legend, Captain Falcon, and the organization known as C.H.A.O.S. “This picture was our only link to some life changing discoveries,” he said, “And now, we’ve found them. Alright let’s get to work!” He had some construction workers scavenging leftovers from a fight. Someone was using normal tools to try and pry something. “No, you can’t use that stuff,” said the teenager, “These people are tough, you gotta use the same gear that they use.” He took one of the weapons and used it to pry the object. “Thanks Mr. Pierce,” he said.”Please, just call me Edmund,” said Edmund, “Just get whatever you can for this shift and we’ll come back. This stuff is gonna make us rich!”
Some other people started to come in. “Hey, hey, you can’t come over here,” said Edmund, “This is property of PierceTech.” A woman showed him a badge. “My name is Amanda Ross, I am the head of the Public Hazzard Crew, or P.A.C, for short,” she said introducing herself, “In accordance with the executive order 75-g, all post battle cleanup will now be under our hands, so thank you for your service.” “Maybe you didn’t hear me,” said Edmund, “This is our property, and I got a contract which states, that I can take anything from this skirmish and use it for whatever I need and/or want.” “I apologize Mr. Pierce, but this is now under our control,” said Amanda, “I suggest turning in any technology that you recovered or you’ll be prosecuted.” “Amanda, you don’t understand,” said Edmund, “I am the heir to this company, and I promised my parents on their deathbed that I would get this company back to its former glory.” “There is nothing I can do about that,” said Amanda. Her men started cleaning up the technology and taking it away. “If you have any problems with how we’re running things, you can take it to our superiors,” said Amanda. “And who the hell would that be?!” asked Edmund.
Edmund was at the mansion next to PierceTech watching the news. Professor Elvin Gadd was responsible for what happened. “Hey boss, don’t let that lady get to you,” said one of his friends. “Mr. Pierce,” said one of the scientists, “We still have another load of technology from a while ago, we should return it.” “Why return it?” asked someone, “We could make some insane armor and shit and showcase it for tourists.” That gave Edmund an idea. “I’ll tell you what,” he said, “Keep it.” “But the Public Hazzard….” Said the scientist. “What they don’t know won’t hurt them,” said Edmund, “The world’s changing. Time we change too.”
4 years later……
PierceTech was looking more high tech with the new gadgets he made using some of the alien technology that was hidden. Edmund had a truck coming in with some mechons. “Business is good,” he said.
I was driving to a wedding for one of my mom’s friends from work. I changed the channel and heard that there was a police chase near the street. I decided to kick it into action. (To the 4th wall) Time to do what I do best. I transformed into my Xeno-Suit and look at my watch. “I got time,” I said to myself.  I parked my car and jumped on my hover board. Some thugs hijacked a truck and was stealing technology. One of them saw me. “Uh guys, we got trouble!” he said. I got a close look at them. They were thugs who worked for Xord who escaped from Prison. “They never learn,” I said. I jumped onto the truck and started fighting off the thugs. “Those aren’t yours,” I said. They all had energy swords similar to my monado. “Ok then,” I said. I got out my monado. “Speed!” I said. The Kanji symbol turned blue and I was able to move fast. I managed to wipe thir weapons away. I then rounded them up and imagined a cage with my digital headband and delivered them all to the police.
“Thank you Xenoblade,” said an officer. “Just doing my job for Los Angeles,” I said. I was listening to my radio. “There have been reports of a jewelery robbery in….”I looked at my watch. “I still got time,” I said. I went back to find my hoverboard and saw somebody messing with it. “Its all ready for you sir,” she said. It was a young girl with a costume similar to mine. “Wait,” I said, “Who are you?” “Well I’m Xenogirl,” she said, “Remember me?” “Wait��. That girl from the comic con contest!” I said remembering, “Congrats again on the costume Xenogirl.” “Glad to know you remember me,” she said, “I’ve taken the liberty of tinkering with the jets inside of your hoverboard, that way you can get to your location faster.” I took a look at it. “Sweet,” I said as I got on top of it, “Listen, I’m not sure if you wanna be around when bad guys are….” “Don’t worry about training me Xenoblade, I know all your moves, fighting styles, pick-up lines and everything!” said Xenogirl, “I’m your #1 fan!” “Thanks again,” I said. I flew away.
There were robbers stealing jewels from people. “Selling these is gonna make me a mint,” said their leader, Grey Mage. “Good, you could use one,” I said behind them, “I can smell your breath from all the way back here!” “Xenoblade,” he said, “How nice of you to join us. Get him boys!” His thugs were about to attack, but somebody threw a smoke ball in the field and took them down in no time flat. When the smoke cleared, I saw her. A new superhero who goes by the name, Purple Haze. “Purple Haze,” I said greeting her. “Xenoblade,” she said. Grey Mage was looking at us. “I got him buttercup,” I said. “Sure, I just softened up the punks for you,” she said. Grey Mage pulled out his wand and cast magic spells at us. (To the 4th wall) This guy isn’t really a magician, he just has a high tech suit. I leaped in and kicked the wand out of his hands. “Listen, the thing is, I got to him before you did,” said Purple Haze. “Well I talked to them first,” I said. “Look, she was he….” Said Grey Mage before he was attacked. “You know, we could share duties as heroes,” said Purple Haze. “I’ve already got a team,” I said. “Well good thing there’s heroes that can work together in this city,” said Purple Haze. She was playing with my mask and almost took it off. “You doing anything later?” I asked. “I’m helping out with a wedding,” she said, “Thanks for taking care of my job for me.” She floated away using smoke gauntlets and blew me a kiss. “Wow,” I said. Later I handcuffed Grey Mage and his thugs to a wall. (To the 4th wall) This job never gets old. I saw Micah chasing a helicopter. “Hey Michael, shouldn’t you be getting ready?!” “I still got time!” I said. I saw explosions in a building.
“That can’t be good,” I said. I flew over to see what was going on. It was Xord using a new kind of exo skeleton with a hammer. “Xord,” I said getting in a fighting stance. “Monado boy!” he said looking at me. “And Xeno Girl,” said XenoGirl. She somehow got to the top of the building. “How’d you get up here so fast?” I asked. “You see, I made these rocket boots triggered by these gloves I made,” she said. “That’s pretty cool, hold that thought,” I said. I was battling Xord. “Please continue!” I said as I was fighting him. “Well, I was inspired by all your work you did, and I wanna grow up to be somebody like you.” “That’s great,” I said, “But even I started out doing small things, maybe you should do the same. You don’t really have super powers.” “True,” said XenoGirl, “But what I lack in powers, I make up with my intellect, and I invented these.” “Pretty good,” I said still fighting Xord. “You keep dealing with this guy and I’ll get the police,” said XenoGirl. “Wait kid!” I said.
“This’ll just take a minute really,” she said. “Not that!” I said, “There’s thugs down there!” She flew over them. (To the 4th wall) How could I be so stupid to forget that she could fly? I jumped down to deal with his thugs who were stealing technology. They had weapons aimed at me. “Guys wait, we should talk this out,” I said preparing a new power I installed in my monado, “Monado SHOCKER!” I said. Using it, I managed to disable their weapons and stun them. “Good talk,” I said. “No it wasn’t,” said one of the thugs. “Now to catch Xord before he…..” I said as I saw him fall down on a car. “…..gets away,” I said. Xenogirl flew down. “He’s all yours Mr. Xenoblade,” she said. “Just Xenoblade,” I said, “Mr. Xenoblade was my dad.” The cops arrived in time. “Well, you finally caught up with him Xenoblade,” said an officer, “And who would you be young lady?” “I’m XenoGirl,” she said introducing herself, “And I helped Xenoblade round up these punks.” “Yeah, you sure did,” I said. “Hey, maybe I can apply to join your XenoForce team,” she said excited, “We could save the world and you could train me taking on small crimes until I’m ready to take it up a notch!” “Let’s not get carried away,” I said. “Oh right, sorry,” she said.
“But hey, if you play your parts right, you’ll be leading your own team of heroes,” I said, “But until then, just stay low and help the little guy and such.” “You got it,” said Xenogirl. “Oh, I gotta give you something for your help,” I said. “Like a reward?” she asked. I thought of something. I got out one of my EMP pistols. “How about this?” I asked, “You can use it to shut down enemy weapons and stuff.” “Cool!” she said as she took it, “Thanks.” “Don’t sweat it,” I said. I looked at my watch. “After all that I still got time,” I said, “Officers, Xenogirl, have a good night.” I drove to the wedding and Micah saw me. “You’re early,” she said. “That’s right,” I said, “Even after all those crimes I still made it with the decorations and stuff.” Later the party was going on after the wedding and everyone was dancing. Ratchet was dancing while looking at the ground. Denise chuckled. “Ratch, you’re not supposed to look at the ground when you dance,” she said. “I gotta Denise,” said Ratchet, “If I don’t I might slip.” He slipped but Denise caught him and giggled.
“Alright your party goers, its time to bring the newly-weds onto the dance floor,” said the DJ, “Let’s give it up for Nayla, and Jeffery!” Mom’s friend, Nayla, and her husband came to the dance floor. “Let’s show these guys how its done,” said Jeffery. They were dancing and we were all amazed. “Hey Mikey, you think you’ll ever open yourself out?” asked Anela, “Cause I got some girls that are lookin’?” “I don’t really know,” I said. Mom was talking with Nayla. “I’m really happy for you Nayla,” she said, “Jeffery seems like such a nice guy.” “Of course he’ll never replace my first boyfriend,” said Nayla, “It was his love that got me to open up my heart again.” I decided to go to the concession stand and get me something. “I’ll just take me a hot chocolate,” I said. “Here you go,” said the pink haired girl. I gave her some money. “You just got the last one,” she said with a smile. I smiled back.
“Its time to take this party down and slow down the music,” said the DJ. I noticed the pink haired girl moving to the music. “Wanna dance?” she asked. “Um, sure I guess so,” I said. She took me to the dance floor. “I can’t recall the last time I slowed dance before,” I said blushing. “No need to be nervous,” she said, “Just put your arm around me and hold my hand like this.” As we danced everyone started looking at us. “Looks like Michael’s macking,” said Micah. Although it was strange at first, I felt happy about it too.
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surveys-at-your-service · 3 years ago
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Survey #476
“yeah, i am the brain, some say insane”
What is your favorite Pixar film? Finding Nemo. Who was the last person to send you any sort of message on social media? My sister Misty. Would you rather build a snowman or a snow fort? Why? Snowman. I think you can personalize them better. At what age do you believe children should begin having screen time? I don't know. I guess it would depend on the kid. Have you ever failed an important test? Which subject? Yes; I failed my last Algebra final and the course. Who taught you how to ride a bike? How old were you? My dad. Idr how old I was. Do you know what your ring size is? What is it? Nope. When you picture dinosaurs in your head, what color are they? Like a darkish red or green. Last candy you tried that you did not enjoy? Or one that you did enjoy? No clue. Were you a chubby or thin baby? I was your average size. What is the most outrageous thing you’ve considered doing lately? Trying to get a cubicle job. Like seriously, NOBODY wants those. I don't either, but I just don't know what other options I have that don't require a degree and I'm not flocked by other people. I'd probably have some duties on the phone, but like... I'm not going to find a job I qualify for that is perfectly reclusive. Have you ever known somebody who ran away? Not personally, no. Rollercoasters that go upside-down… yes please or no thank you? NO FUCKING THANK YOU. Can you have kids? I would assume so, but honestly I wish I physically couldn't with how intensely I fear being raped. Are you a fan of Elton John? I've never really listened to his music and know very little about him as an individual. What does your town’s name begin with? "R." Are you a seafood fan? Nooooo. The one and only seafood I enjoy is shrimp. Give me a random word in another language. Tell me what it means. "Himmel" is "Heaven" in German. Odd how that was the first one to come to me, ha ha. Which city would you like to visit- Rome, Tunis, London, Madrid or Paris? Rome. New tats in your near future? Sadly no. :/ I have to focus on more important things. Did you ever participate in beauty pageants as a child? No. I don't support those. Have you ever ridden in a limousine before? No, but I've always wanted to. :( What's the most amount of money you'd pay for a house or a vehicle? Idk, considering I'm not familiar enough with what is considered reasonable and average for either. What's the longest wait time you'll wait at a restaurant to be seated? If it was actually up to me, shit, maybe only 15 minutes. I am way too impatient, and I'd rather just go to another place than wait for a while. Have you ever been given a responsibility that you couldn't handle? Did you mean: my past three jobs? Did you ever try to start a club as a child? For what? I feel like my friends and I did before... but I remember nothing of it. Who was your favorite babysitter as a child? My sister had this friend in our neighborhood as a kid whose grandparents used to watch us. The grandpa we knew as "Uncle Donny," and he was bar none our favorite. He was such a sweet man. Have you ever cared for a stray animal before? Cats, on many occasions in the past. [TW: SUICIDE/OVERDOSE] Have you ever contacted a suicide or crisis services hotline? For whom? Yeah, for me. I tried first to reach them online in one of those private chatrooms, but I want to say I waited around 30 minutes with nobody available. I was so desperate that I tried calling too, but again, it was too busy. That's when I ODed. Is there anyone from your family that you no longer associate with? I have an uncle by marriage that's an abusive, manipulative fuck that NOBODY associates with, except his brainwashed daughters. Do you have any illnesses that reoccur frequently? I mean, I have mental illnesses that flare up now and again, but no traditional illnesses. What is your sexual orientation? Queer or pansexual, idk man. Have you ever done any drugs harder than marijuana? I've never even done weed. What is one job you would never want to have? I would, no exaggeration, rather die than be a butcher. I could never in five trillion years. Do you bite or peel your string cheese? I don't like string cheese. Who crosses your mind the most? Girt, nowadays. I know, a fucking shocker who wasn't the answer. Have you ever been on a scavenger hunt? In school, yeah. Ever been to an auction? No. Are there two colors that you just simply despise? Puke green and yellow. If you were a fish, what colour would you like to be? I wanna be the Rainbow Fish. :') Did your first real significant other change you at all? You have literally no idea. Are you waiting to have sex until you’re married? No. What’s your favorite football team? I don't like football. Or even understand it. Do you have anything autographed by a celebrity? No. What’s your favorite way to eat peanut butter? Gimme a Reese's and I'm a happy bitch. :^) What’s your favorite kind of sandwich? I'm basic, just hand me a pb&j. How are you today? Worried about my mother since she has Covid now. I'm not feeling too hot, either. Was any of your home decor inspired by Pinterest? No. What is this month’s calendar picture? I don't own a current calendar. What is your last ex-boyfriend’s or ex-girlfriend’s name? Sara Jane. I prefer to refer to her as just my best friend, though; "ex" usually implies negative feelings in some way or form, and I've none of those. Do you use Snapchat? I never have. Would you rather go out for pancakes or steak? Yum, pancakes. Are you the clubbing type? No. Clubs don't appeal to me at all. Is your ex sexually attractive to you still? I haven't seen him in literally years. I wouldn't know. What is unattractive about them? The fact he apparently can't accept a mentally ill partner. Supposedly, he broke up with the girl he dated after me for the same reason he left me: her having depression. Like bro, good fucking luck finding a girl who doesn't struggle with something. Good luck finding someone who's going to be on Cloud 9 all the time. And also, he never communicated what he was feeling. Do you have a crap load of friends to hang out with? God no. The only person I hang out with is my boyfriend. Honeymoon, where? Alaska, if it's a good time of year to see the Northern Lights. If not, maybe the Bahamas to visit their black and pink beaches. The heat and humidity put me off, though... Lipstick over the actual natural lip line, your thoughts? It's capable of being attractive if done well and it's not too extreme, unless you're only looking from a distance. It can look especially great on drag queens imo. How would your wedding bouquet look like? Depends on the time of year, really. I kind of want to say black regardless, but I think that would blend too much with my dress (which I want to be black). Maybe if it was in the fall, which I want, it'd be orange and black to fit the Halloween vibe I'd love to have as a theme, perhaps a rich red, or light pink and white... idk. That's far in the future. What kind of game would you like to play that doesn’t exist yet? Bro, give me a meerkat simulator. There's the Lead the Meerkats Wii game that I ADORE, but I think the concept could be greatly expanded upon and made more realistic. What is one thing you would never ever eat? Balut came to mind very quickly. That looks like the grossest shit imaginable. I'll never forget seeing it for the first time on GMM and wondering how neither of them literally died where they sat lmao. There are a LOT of other foods, too. I'm incredibly picky. Which character in your favorite movie do you hate the most? Every single character from The Lion King is so lovable. Which non-existing (sci-fi and such) weapon and/or vehicle would you like to own/use? Bro, I want Thori'dal from WoW. A bombin' bow with unlimited, magical arrows? That shit's dope. Could save your life, and plus I love bows. How do you think the world will end? Humanity's end will almost certainly be rooted in human action. The end of the planet itself will probably be a black hole, gamma ray, or something else supremely powerful. If you could take a pill that would cure something in you that isn’t an illness - what would you be cured of? The fact I'm fat. :^) Take it all away pls. Has anyone besides your family seen you naked? If so, who? My ex. Do you remember anyone’s number by heart? Literally nobody's. Not even my own. :x Name something you will never try in your lifetime. Hunting. What’s the best place you have ever eaten at? The Cheesecake Factory, omlllll. Are you at home right now? Yep. What’s worse: Crocs or Uggs? Crocs are so fucking ugly to me. Do you knock before you open doors? Always. Does Fred from YouTube annoy you? Now THIS is a throwback. I liked him as a kid. He'd probably annoy the shit out of me now. Anything exciting taking place today? No. Who have you texted today? My mother and Becky, the receptionist at my psychiatrist's office. I rescheduled my appointment to tomorrow with my mom being sick (she wants to talk to him, and she's in no shape to today) and me not feeling well, either. Do you like grapefruits? No. Have you ever had the Reese’s PB candy bars? Omfg, the ones that are a bar of smaller squares is my FAVORITE candy in the world. Where’s your mother? In bed. She was directed to mostly quarantine in her room away from me. Are there any pets you’re wishing for? Always. :( Do you like oatmeal raisin cookies? I HATE raisins, so guess. Is your belly button pierced? No. Do you watch PewDiePie? Not anymore, no. His content changed a long time ago and doesn't interest me anymore. Do you like "Despacito?" Omg my sister showed it to me once and I hated it. Do you have any subscribers on YouTube? uhhh *checks* I have 71. More than I expected, ha ha. What’s the first word that comes to your mind if I say: "Boop!" Booping a snake on the nose. :'3 Have you ever played Five Nights at Freddy’s? Nah. I enjoy watching YouTubers play it, and I like the franchise, it's just not my kind of game to actually play. Can you twerk? Oh god, never tried, don't want to. Do you like dabbing? It looks stupid to me. It looks like you're smelling your armpit, dude. Can money buy you happiness? You are 110% full of shit if you think it can't to some degree. I would be so, so much happier if I wasn't poor. Have you heard of Blizzard Entertainment? Well, considering they're the company that owns World of Warcraft, obviously.
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sophiehunteroctopussyblog · 7 years ago
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As Benedict Cumberbatch returns to screens big and small, he tells Craig McLean the secret to building a blockbuster body – and why his Sherlock co-star is wrong to fret about the fans
The last time I met Benedict Cumberbatch he was wearing only a pair of trunks, eating wine gums and worrying about the size of his abs. It was April 2017 and we were on the suburban set of The Child in Time, the first drama from his production company, SunnyMarch. In the lead role as a children’s author overwhelmed by grief following the disappearance of his daughter, Cumberbatch was preparing to shoot a scene in a bathtub – and was painfully aware that his toned torso looked out of place.
Shortly after the five-week shoot, the actor explained, he was due to fly to America to reprise his part as the disarmingly buff, dimension-bending Marvel superhero Doctor Strange. The year before, his stand-alone Doctor Strange movie had taken almost half a billion pounds at the international box office – and when it was announced that the character (also glimpsed briefly in Thor: Ragnarok last autumn) would be making a prominent return in this year’s Avengers: Infinity War there was no question of Cumberbatch returning to the role without first hitting the gym.
By the time we met, the actor’s pre-shoot fitness regime – which he described as “pretty full on… but a mental sorbet” – was well under way; hence those abs.
Fast forward to April 2018 and Cumberbatch – a 41-year-old father of two – is in front of me once again, in a London hotel room, midway through the global press tour for Infinity War. This time, thank God, he is fully clothed (in blue linen, denim and suede), but he’s still eating sweets.
Bulging with stars (Robert Downey Jr, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, Zoe Saldana and Josh Brolin for starters), the biggest Marvel film to date promises to be a superhero Greatest Hits, featuring all of the Avengers, Spider-Man, Black Panther and the Guardians of the Galaxy. Such is the secrecy surrounding it that I’ve only been shown 25 minutes, all superhero banter and ear-splitting battles against Brolin’s intergalactic villain, Thanos.
Doctor Strange appears to be the main goody, no less. Coiled in his chair, Cumberbatch admits that, after all those hours in the gym, he “bristled” earlier in the day when a journalist commented that his Doctor Strange “wasn’t very brawny”.
“How dare he?” he tuts now in mock-outrage, “Didn’t he see my shirt-off scene? Just hours before we shot it, I was told to do nothing but drink coffee and eat Skittles. ‘What,’ I said, ‘you want to turn me into a trucker?’ But they said it’s about dehydrating – if you have that much of a sugar- and caffeine-hit, the skin ‘shrink-wraps’ round your muscles”. He grins toothily. “And it worked!” He frowns. “I would never advise it, though.”
Still, however Doctor Strange’s physique looks on screen, one place the Oscar-nominated, Harrow-educated star can count on his character having rock-solid abs is on the associated merchandise, from T-shirts to figurines. “It’s the lunch box moment,” says Cumberbatch, wryly.
He tells me about a recent visit to the home of his friend and co-star, Tom Hiddleston (“Hiddlebum”) who has been a member of the Marvel family since 2011 when he appeared as Loki in the first Thor film. “I went into his kitchen and I just said: ‘Holy s---, you’ve been merch’d: you are on the lunch box.’ And he went: ‘I know, it’s great, right?’ And, yes, it is great. It’s also slightly terrifying. I thought: ‘Oh, is that one of the hurdles? Is that a Hiddlebum moment or a McAvoy moment?’” (another peer, James McAvoy, got his “lunch box moment” with the X-Men films). That is: does the actor have to make peace with being turned into a moulded plastic souvenir?
He does, and Cumberbatch evidently has. “It’s terrible but I actually look for kids wearing Marvel gear,” he admits. “And there are very few Doctor Strange lunch boxes or backpacks.” Ten years and 19 movies into the Marvel Cinematic Universe – and with this year’s Black Panther receiving unprecedented critical acclaim – does Cumberbatch think the time for snobbery about superhero movies is over?
If, say, Eddie Redmayne asked him if he should put on cape and tights, would he encourage his friend? “I’d say he’s got his plate quite full with wizardry right now,” he chuckles, referring to Redmayne’s role in J K Rowling’s Fantastic Beasts franchise. “But, yeah, if you really are bored of that, come and join the party!”
With great franchises come great responsibilities, however. Recently, Cumberbatch’s Sherlock co-star, Martin Freeman, grumbled to me about the oppressive level of expectation created by the series’ obsessive fans. “Being in that show, it is a mini-Beatles thing,” the actor who plays Doctor Watson said. “People’s expectations, some of it’s not fun any more. It’s not a thing to be enjoyed…”
Did the fans’ obsession with Sherlock kill the fun for Cumberbatch, too? “Mmm, not really ’cause I didn’t engage with it that much,” he says. “I’m very grateful for the support, but that’s about it.” His attitude is that fan fervour becomes a separate, uncontrollable force, that “it takes on its own thing. But that happens with every franchise or entity like this.”
He pauses, frowns, then continues with what sounds like a bracing criticism of his co-star. “It’s pretty pathetic if that’s all it takes to let you not want to take a grip of your reality. What, because of expectations? I don’t know. I don’t necessarily agree with that. There is a level of it [where] I understand what he means. There’s a level of obsession where [the franchise] becomes theirs even though we’re the ones making it. But I just don’t feel affected by that in the same way, I have to say.”
He is similarly forthright on the subject of Patrick Melrose. In David Nicholls’s forthcoming five-part television drama, adapted from Edward St Aubyn’s autobiographical novels, Cumberbatch plays the lead, a character who, on the page, can appear to be an unlikeable, heroin-taking posho. “Well, your words not mine,” he replies. “I don’t think he’s unlikeable at all. I think he’s fiercely funny, erotic, charming and dangerous. And incredibly, incredibly damaged. So you should feel for him.
"The posh bit? I mean, what, you think people who are sexually abused by their father from the age of five to 10 aren’t worthy of our attention because they’re posh? You need to go back to ethics school, surely. That’s a terribly shaky moral position to hold. So,” he concludes briskly, “I don’t bounce with that.”
Neverthelesss, I suggest, it’s hard to imagine that Melrose’s life – from childhood abuse to the drugs with which he self-medicates to escape his pain – will make easy viewing. “I think at heart it will be a really enjoyable watch,” says Cumberbatch. “But it’s not for the faint-hearted. It is a story of salvation. But it is blisteringly funny. That’s the real hook for me. Even among the depth-charge moments of abuse, you’re kind of mesmerised by Hugo Weaving’s David Melrose [Patrick’s father], as you are in the books. He’s a really magnetic character.”
While researching the part, Cumberbatch talked to counsellors and former addicts. Was he also able to draw on his own school days? Surely, at Harrow, he wasn’t short of classmates weighed down by their heritage. “Well there was a prince of Jordan, so that brought a level of weirdness. But the more English version? I didn’t get an intro much into that world. I was very privileged to be at Harrow, but there’s not some part of Wiltshire that belongs to the Cumberbatches.
“We have our past – you don’t have to look far to see the slave-owning past, we were part of the whole sugar industry, which is a shocker,” he says of the revelation four years ago that an 18th-century forebear was a Bristolian merchant who established plantations in Barbados. But, no, he didn’t know “Lord and Lady Such and Such”.
His only ennobled classmate was Simon Fraser, whose father and uncle died “tragically close to one another in our last year,” making him the 16th Lord Lovat. “He suddenly became titled, and we didn’t even know. “The point is,” he continues, “weird though it might be [given] the perception of me out there, I had to push some to get to the right level of class for this. And that was a very important part of the process. Because Patrick Melrose is very much a study of class, and the disintegration of the moneyed, landed gentry to cash-poor, still possibly land-rich idiocy. Their hypocritical, cynical, back-stabbing, malicious, ironic unsympathetic behaviour is really exposed with a scalpel in this.”
Speaking of men behaving badly, if things had gone according to plan, we would by now have seen Cumberbatch’s performance as Thomas Edison in the historical epic, The Current War. At one point mooted as an Oscar-contender, the film’s original release was scrapped after its producer Harvey Weinstein (with whom Cumberbatch had previously worked on The Imitation Game) fell spectacularly from grace. Cumberbatch sounds far from disappointed.
“If it takes us not releasing our film for a couple of years just to be rid of that toxicity, I’m fine with that,” he says, adding that he wants “to step back and be as far removed from that influence as possible, both as filmmaker and as human being.”
He recalls being on the Avengers set when the Weinstein story broke. “You could feel people going: ‘This is important and this will change things…’ And that’s terrific,” he says. “But having worked with the man twice…” he exhales heavily. “Lascivious… I wouldn’t want to be married to him… Gaudy in his tastes, for all his often-brilliant film-making ability ...
But did I know that was going on? A systematic abuse of women, happening through bribery, coercion, trying to gain empathy, to physical force and threats, physical and to career? No. No,” he says firmly. “That was the true shock. That this has just literally happened. And it’s  been covered up by an entire body of people through lawsuits and gagging and money – hundreds of thousands of dollars paid to silence victims and survivors.”
He shakes his head, aghast. “That truly was a revelation. I have a film company. Our head of development is a woman. There are two women running the television side of SunnyMarch. Adam [Ackland, his SunnyMarch co-founder] and me are the only men in the office. Countless times I’ve brought up issues of equal pay and billing. And so to realise that this attitude is so deeply culturally ingrained – that was my rude awakening. We have to fight a lot harder.”
That’s toxic masculinity dealt with; now bring on Thanos!
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/benedict-cumberbatch-privilege-marvel-muscles-martin-freemans/
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Mr. Hypocrite in action. Seems lying is his second nature now. Everthing for the image. What Martin said about Sherlock days ago is pathetic? Riiiiiight!
Sure it was controversial but pathetic?!
For those of you who think there will be another season of Sherlock: Think again!
And BC didn't know about Weinstein's "methods".
Doing a "Meryl Streep" here BC?!
I'm going with Martin here:
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