#plus my dad and i clashed a LOT when we still lived together. we just got too frustrated too easily with one another

[aidenwaites]

My parents help me a little bit with money stuff when they can and they have done this for all of their kids but with me specifically I definitely feel like there's a (not unkind) level of like. You are NOT moving back in with us. going on with it too

[marshunter06]

Fuck Off, Excuse Me Part 6

A/N: I can’t sleep so I thought I would try to write, dudes my bad for not continuing this sooner… I lack inspo and motivation plus I have no fucking clue where this is going

Anyways, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5 are all linked here if anyone has forgotten what the hell is going on in this verse cause I sure as heck don’t remember.

It’s Saturday night and Courtney’s a nervous wreck, for once it’s not over exams. It’s about a boy, her soulmate to be exact, and they’re going on their first date together. She tries to calm herself as Cate helps her get ready for whatever it is Duncan has planned. She’s a bit annoyed that he wouldn’t tell her anything about wherever it is they’re going, the fact that Cate is keeping quiet despite her whining isn’t helping either. She swears everyone is turning against her to take Duncan’s side, where’s their loyalty? She needs to consider finding new people to hang out with, maybe she should take a page out of his book and bond with Phia since her friends are all traitors.

“All done! You look super cute Sissy! Have fun, and stay out as late as you want!”

“There’s no way Mom and Dad would be okay with that.”

“They’re not even home this weekend, who cares. Just enjoy yourself!”

“I’m not making any promises.”

“There’s the doorbell, he’s here! Come on Court!”

Cate eagerly drags her sister down the stairs, opening the door to see a casually dressed Duncan. Good thing she didn’t dress up for their outing either, but that was largely due to Cate’s meddling. He greets her normally asking if she’s ready to go, she simply nods as she follows him outside to his bike. She admits enjoying the ride as she keeps her arms wrapped tightly around his waist. Being around him always brings a warm feeling in her heart, the soulmate effect is too powerful, so much so that she wonders why there are those who do not end up with their destined lovers. Lost in her thoughts, she doesn’t notice they’ve arrived until she sees the huge crowd of people around them.

“Duncan? Are we…”

“Cate said you like music, and my old band happened to be playing here tonight, we’ll have special treatment.”

“Bold of you to assume we have the same music taste.”

“I guess we’ll see, won’t we?”

He takes her hand pulling her inside the venue where they’re ushered into the VIP area much to the dismay of the crowd waiting outside. Their first stop is at the bar with Duncan ordering their drinks. She declines since they’re not of age yet, but he tells her she needs to loosen up. She still refuses to partake in underage drinking, until he calls her a chicken and bets she can’t handle herself. Naturally this prompts her to try and prove him wrong, she downs the beer in one go leaving him stunned.

“So, the Princess has a dark side.”

“My soulmate is a delinquent, I can’t be that innocent.”

“You continue to surprise me, Courtney.”

Her heart pounds hearing her actual name on his lips, his eyes softening as he gives a genuine smile. Maybe she shouldn’t have drank all that alcohol so quickly, she can feel her face heat up. He points it out immediately, telling her how cute he thinks she is, this only makes her blush even more. She turns away in embarrassment, not used to seeing this side of him.

“We’re going to miss the show if we keep standing here… don't you want to see your former band mates?”

“We have plenty of time, they’re always late, but we can go to our section if you want.”

She allows him to pull her away behind the restricted access sign. They’re up on the balcony overlooking the stage as people begin to file in for the concert. She finds that she’s actually excited about attending a live music session again, she hasn’t been since her own band broke up.

“Wait, you were in a band too?”

“Only for a few months, our personalities clashed too much.”

“I mean, with a name like the Type A’s I'm surprised you didn’t kill each other.”

“There were a few close calls… oh hey, I think they’re starting.”

It’s an odd feeling to be at a concert where she doesn’t recognize any of the songs, but she tries to not let it bother her too much. Subconsciously tapping to the beat, she listens to the lyrics and discovers they’re not bad at all. She isn’t a fan of every song, but there are a few that she would probably consider adding to her playlist. She makes a mental note to ask Trent if he’s heard of this band.

“So… what did you think?”

“They’re actually not terrible, dare I say I kinda like them?”

“I knew it! Admit it, Court, we have more in common than you thought.”

“I guess I can tolerate your existence a little more now.”

“I’ll take whatever I can get. You wanna meet the guys?”

“I wouldn’t mind, I’m sure you’re dying to catch up with them.”

She expects to feel out of place amongst his friends, but that wasn’t the case at all. They all immediately accepted her without question, making her feel welcome just as Phia did during their first meeting. She has to hold back her emotions, she’s not used to people being so kind to her without ulterior motives. There’s a reason why she only has two friends beside her sister.

He brings her back before midnight without her having to remind him of her self imposed curfew. He tells her he doesn’t want to push her past her limits, he’s already proud that she let her guard down around him and enjoyed herself. She doesn’t realize the weight on her shoulder she’s been carrying over the past month has been lifted until he points out how relaxed she looks. If he can bring out this side of her from just a handful of meetings, maybe it’s not such a bad idea to fall for him. There has to be a reason fate decided to bring them together right?

“Thanks for tonight, Duncan. I had a lot of fun, it’s been a while.”

“It’s nice to see you smile more, you look prettier when you do. Good night Courtney. I’ll see you Monday at school.”

“Good night Duncan.”

He leans in to hug her, the smell of his scent lingers in the air even after she closes the door. She has a huge smile on her face as she walks up the stairs, careful not to wake Cate up. It isn’t until she’s laying in her bed that she realizes he didn’t try to kiss her, and truth be told, she’s a bit disappointed he didn’t.

[gumnut-logic]

Callisto (Arrival - Bit 2)

Prologue Incident - Bit 1 | Bit 2 Fallout - Bit 1 | Bit 2 | Bit 3 Voyage - Bit 1 | Bit 2 | Bit 3 Arrival - Bit 1 | Bit 2

Well, these posts seem to be getting longer. I’m pondering if I should make them shorter and more often.

As always, many thanks to @tsarinatorment​ @scribbles97​ @janetm74​ and @onereyofstarlight​ for their amazing support and who without putting up with my crazy this fic would likely not exist.

We are finally there and things can start happening. Wow, planning makes for longer fics apparently.

I hope you enjoy it ::hugs you all::

-o-o-o-

As the rest of the family exited the cockpit, Michael watched John deploy the last of the long chain of communication buoys into orbit around Callisto and held his breath.

The space monitor was frowning at his console as they both waited for that final connection to click into place.

A moment and John’s face relaxed.

And Michael with it.

His own board flashed up with a connection confirmed through the chained micro-tunnel drives.

John hit his comms. “Tracy Island, this is Thunderbird Excel. Do you copy?”

They waited.

A heartbeat.

“Thunderbird Excel this is Tracy Island. Great to hear your voice, John.” Even Michael could hear the smile in Kayo’s voice. “I have a lot of green and pretty lights here. Send me the tests and I will bounce them back.”

“Sending now.” John’s fingers darted across his board and Michael watched the system take on the workload and churn data all the way back to Earth. “And I must say, Kayo, it is lovely to hear your voice, too.”

“Looking forward to hearing yours often. Data incoming. Will apprise results.”

“Looking forward to it, Thunderbird Excel out.” John’s fingers flicked again and the comms signal closed.

“Thunderbird Excel?” Michael arched an eyebrow at the astronaut.

John shrugged. “Well, I think she’s earned it now, don’t you?”

“Mmmm.” He looked back down at his board. The thought of having contributed to creating an actual Thunderbird...

He was startled when a shadow passed over his hands. “You’ve done well, Michael. Thank you.”

He looked up at the red-headed Tracy floating beside him. John was an enigma. He was a brother like any Tracy, but unlike the eldest who hated him with a passion that saw no border, John was quiet, even kind. Michael had been working alongside Brains and John and occasionally the youngest, for over a year now, and while he doubted he and John would ever be close friends, there was a mutual respect.

Plus, the distinct feeling that if Michael ever laid a finger on any of John’s brothers ever again, he would not survive the attempt.

It was definitely the quiet ones who should be worried about.

Not to mention Eos.

Michael really wished he could get his hands on that piece of code.

But again, he felt that it would be his last action in this universe.

Not that John had ever threatened him.

He didn’t need to.

“Are you feeling okay?” Turquoise eyes were peering down at him.

“I am well. No need to worry.”

The astronaut smiled. “Good. Monitor the comm network and liaise with Brains regarding the T-Drive’s performance. Let’s see if we can cut down on the jumps on the way back. I’d prefer to go through as little of the nausea as possible.”

“Agreed.”

John arched an eyebrow and his lips curled up. “I’ll be in Thunderbird Five assessing the danger zone and coordinating with Thunderbird Three.”

“FAB.”

The astronaut stared at him for just an extra moment longer before pushing off Michael’s console and throwing himself towards the cockpit exit.

“Thank you, John.”

A flicker of a smile and the last Tracy disappeared through the door, leaving Michael alone.

-o-o-o-

Virgil hated the IR spacesuits. They were far too tight and left nothing to the imagination.

Also, the red baldrics clashed horribly with his green stripe enough to rip his eyeballs out.

But although his standard uniform was satisfactory for short forays into space, it was not enough for a space mission of this magnitude as it did not have the survival and safety mechanisms needed in an emergency. So, here he was dressed like some kind of spandex wearing superhero, his heavy lifting muscles providing a great anatomy lesson to any within eyesight.

“Looking good, Virg.” Gordon’s eyes were laughing.

“Shut up, Fish.” The aquanaut was used appearing all but naked in front of thousands. Hell, Virgil had nothing to be ashamed of, it was just difficult to keep a straight face in a professional capacity.

How the hell John lived in one of these things was a mystery Virgil had no interest in exploring.

The alternative was wearing something like Alan’s spacesuit, but that had its own issues regarding his exosuit and despite the...exposure, this was the best option.

At least he had a little security with the addition of his exosuit support padding and his harness – never leave home without it. That and his baldric covered a little of his modesty.

Didn’t stop his brothers’ comments though.

Alan actually snorted in laughter.

Scott raised an eyebrow, but then their commander was dressed the same and, much like John, was giving the Greek gods a run for their money in the process.

Virgil felt like a dwarf from The Lord of the Rings. What was his name? Gam? Gim? Gimli? Standing next to that bleached elf.

Virgil grunted. “Let’s do this, already.”

Okay, the grin on Scott’s face was both worth it and damned annoying.

Dad had chosen a version similar to Alan’s suit. Due to his health concerns, Virgil had recommended extra support with arm guards and greaves built into his boots. He had glared at Virgil, but Virgil was a Tracy and just as stubborn as his father and if he wanted to go on this mission he could damn well meet him halfway.

Dad wore the protection.

They had Uncle Lee’s ‘space skivvies’ measurements on file and the IR fabricators had churned out an IR uniform echoing their father’s. Considering the astronaut’s skillset, Virgil had coloured his baldric stripe as green as his own and thrown in some of his own kit.

The colour combination still ripped out eyeballs.

Thunderbird Three was nestled into the Excel much like she had been into the XL, but higher up, leaving the massive thrusters behind her and nestling instead of providing the main superstructure of the craft.

To compensate for the loss of One and Two, the Excel now had a third engine on her dorsal plane to offset the two massive pectoral lightspeed engines. Together the three engines provided the huge ion thrust needed to propel them vast distances. And when the T-Drive was required, the third would go dark, the original two engines would flare up and give him his next case of nausea.

Three still connected with Five for extra stability, but she was no longer mandatory for the Excel. Where the XL had basically been an exosuit for Three to break the lightspeed barrier, the Excel was now more Five’s exosuit as she was the one Thunderbird the Excel needed to operate at her best.

Johnny’s ‘bird now had wings.

Very, very big ones.

The cockpit was crowded but quiet as Alan smoothly disengaged Three from the bigger craft, spinning her in space and pointing her towards the moon.

Virgil shifted in his suit, uncomfortable as hell. Not enough to be world ending, but annoying. Beside him, his father glanced in his direction with a concerned frown.

“Are you okay, son?”

That, of course, prompted an equally concerned frown from Scott in front of him.

“I’m fine.” It wasn’t a complete lie, he could live with the suit. His arm was still aching and his stomach had yet to forgive him despite the food he had shoved into it, but he could probably get away with that.

The worst of it was the lack of sleep.

Scott’s eyes were far too knowing.

The medic in him knew that they were going into a potentially dangerous situation. Hell, they were in space right now, not exactly Tracy Island’s pool patio for relaxation. They needed to be alert and ready.

He had tried to sleep. He had sent all of his brothers to nap during the voyage out here. But he doubted any of them managed much.

He certainly hadn’t.

Scott knew because Virgil could see it reflected in those blue eyes of his. He still looked worn, though he tried to hide it, ever the professional.

Dad.

Dad was still looking at him with questioning eyes.

Virgil sighed. “I’m just tired. I can manage.”

Those lips pressed together, obviously displeased.

Typical.

His father was so like Scott in so many ways that having both of them to contend with on this mission was going to send Virgil grey.

It was okay for them to go out on a limb, risk their lives for the greater good, but if someone they cared about did the same, they were all worry and you can’t do that.

As if to emphasize that thought, his father’s frown fixated on Scott. Virgil followed his gaze, but from his angle could only see the back of his brother’s head.

Another glance at his father and the concern was clearly there.

Perhaps something was starting to sink into Dad’s head. Maybe he was realising what he was risking.

Who he was risking.

Three shook a little as she breached the minimal atmosphere of the moon. Alan was muttering orbital calculations. Each large planetary body was different and required a catered approach.

The Base had sent vectors and the conditions that constituted ‘weather’ on the barren moon, but there were many firsts in this mission and this was one of them.

For the benefit of the rest of them, Alan threw up a hologram of their approach.

The massive crater known as Asgard swelled on the screen. It was very bright, even in the weak sunlight. Probably ice. To the north of it lay an even brighter splash of white, rays extending out across the heavily cratered surface for miles.

As they sank, the horizon formed in a sharper curve than Virgil was used to. Sharper than Mars which was the only other planetary body beyond Earth’s Moon Virgil had ever set foot on.

“There it is.” Alan, ever enthusiastic in his element, pointed out a spot quickly growing on the display. “Callisto Base.”

It was a white cross with a massive airlock at its centre. Surrounding the arms of the cross was machinery, storage tanks and energy production facilities. It shone ever so bright, like a blunted star plastered on the side of the moon.

As they drew closer, the Tracy Industries logo could be seen branded across the airlock doors.

The base was a massive endeavour. Almost entirely underground taking advantage of a small crater in the Doh crater wall, it had capped the landform and sealed off the space creating a series of caverns to house the transport ships moving between the Base and the Jefferson or any other destination they chose.

Entirely self-sufficient, TI’s hydrogen technology gave it power, TI’s heavy duty excavation equipment gave them the power to dig the base out of the rock and ice. It had helped to find unexpected caves under the surface. All and all the Base was a robust structure, protecting its fifty-odd inhabitants from the hazards of living on an exposed and radiated moon.

“Callisto Base, Thunderbird Three requesting permission to dock.” Virgil was suddenly irrationally proud of his little brother.

Commander Walters answered immediately. “Permission granted Thunderbird Three. Hold in the airlock for repressurisation and permission to proceed.”

“FAB, Callisto Base.”

“One of these days, Jeff, you are going to tell me what that means.”

Both Alan and their father snorted.

As they approached, the big airlock doors slowly began to open, splitting the TI logo in half. The hologram stayed fixed on their destination, but Three pivoted her nose to the darkness of the sky bringing the ever-hovering presence of Jupiter back into view through Three’s windows. Alan flicked a wrist and the Thunderbird started lowering into what was now a gaping maw below.

Three slipped into the airlock and the doors closed behind them.

-o-o-o-

Alan was a professional, but he had to admit that he was internally bouncing around in joy. The air was still thick with tension, his family caught up in this thing with Dad, but Alan was doing his best to ignore it and focus on his job.

And oh my god, he was landing on his second moon of Jupiter! This had to be a first. He could go down in history as the first person to land on several moons, another planet and multiple random comets and asteroids.

Okay, so Virg and Scott had been with him, even Gordon on Europa – that had been one hell of a mission that still gave him both dreams and nightmares – but he had been the only one to land on all of them.

Alan Tracy, astronaut extraordinaire. He couldn’t help but grin as the airlock repressurised and the Callisto Commander finally gave him permission to land.

He slowed his ‘bird to a perfect touchdown as the secondary airlock doors closed above him.

He killed her engines and let her begin her cool down sequence.

The whole cockpit sighed a little in relief. A pause as if to reset and then everyone was moving.

-o-o-o-

Gray Walters rubbed the back of his neck as Thunderbird Three coasted smoothly from the decontaminating airlock into the main hangar. The pilot of that ‘bird had to be a Tracy. The huge red rocket barely fit nose to tail with only inches to spare between the two massive sets of doors. After all, they had never expected such a large craft needing to dock.

He had Kate to thank for arguing the hangar’s size...with Ju backing her up as usual.

The thought of his wife froze him for a split second. Ju was going to be okay. Jeff was here now. He had always been their good luck charm. Hell, the guy had survived eight years in space alone. Ju could manage a few days.

Couldn’t she?

“She’s docked.” Mary, his second, looked up from her station. “Shall I shunt her into a bay?”

“Leave her in central for now. We’re not going anywhere and they may need to leave in a hurry.”

“That will piss Benji off.”

“Benji can stew. His team still has a week left of their Jefferson rotation.”

“He will cite regs.”

Gray turned away. Let him cite regs. “This is an emergency and takes priority.” He sighed. “Run decon in the central core. Anyone not crucial to this operation is to steer clear of International Rescue. Lock off environmental systems. Keep the two crews contained to keep the risk of contamination as low as possible. We can’t afford an accidental bug in the system.”

“Will do.” She paused before bringing up the topic he knew she would. “What about Jeremiah?”

“What about him?”

“You need to tell them.”

“One thing at a time, Mary.”

“But-“

“First we find Kate and Ju.” He swallowed. They had to find Ju.

They had to.

-o-o-o-

Stepping onto a new world was never as grand as it appeared. Hell, landing on Mars for the first time had been a trip over his own toes’ moment.

Stepping onto Callisto was no different.

It was Scott who grabbed him before he could flip head over heels across the gantry. Changes in gravity always took time to get used to and less than twenty-four hours ago, it had been Earth oppressive.

Callisto gravity was a relief…if a little disorientating.

His eldest’s strong grip wrapped around his arm and held tight. Jeff looked over at Scott and was pinned with such worried bright blue eyes that his heart clenched.

All the tension, the argument, the resistance to his presence on this mission boiled down to the emotion in those eyes.

Love.

And fear.

Scott was terrified.

Jeff did it without thought or care for what anyone would think. He grabbed his son and yanked him into a hug, holding him close. The squawk across comms and the scrape of their helmets against each other did nothing to stop him.

“I’m sorry, son.”

“Uh...”

Scott’s arms wrapped around him, ever so hesitantly.

That hesitation hurt almost as much.

He clung that much tighter.

“Dad?” It was breathless.

He clung a second longer, but… Yes...right.

It was a moment stolen.

Because they were on a mission.

Jeff let Scott go.

His son pulled away slowly, not quite fully releasing him, and again those blue eyes were fixated on him in worry.

So much worry.

“You okay, Dad?”

Jeff straightened with more ease than he had managed in a long time and became aware of all the other eyes on him.

The ever-present echoes of Lucille’s beautiful brown eyes were assessing him. That was a given. But another two pairs of blue and a frowning fishy amber had him targeted as well.

He looked at each of them before turning back to the massive cavern around them. A mix of rock wall, structural support and storage, the docking cavern was lit with strong lighting, the red of Three reflecting on patches of frozen water embedded in the walls.

They were standing on a walkway that had been extended out to Three’s hatch. It was obviously of variable height and length and Jeff couldn’t help but admire the design.

He wondered who was responsible.

He wondered if it was Kate.

Her green eyes smiled at him at the back of his mind.

His lips pressed together as his sons and brother-in-law continued to shoot concerned expressions in his direction.

A breath.

“Let’s do this.” And he led them out and into Callisto Base.

-o-o-o-

Next

[flutteringdreams-matw]

Out of Time (9)

First/Last

Read on AO3

Word Count: 4248

Previously: After realizing there's three possible outcomes of a looming battle with Dan, Danny asks Valerie, Dani and Vlad for their help.

Now: The calm before the storm. Aka things are about to hit the fan.

Link to the next chapter will be in the replies once posted. As always - please let me know what you think!

---

"Danny- you in here?" Jazz asked, opening her brother's door tentatively. To her surprise, she saw both Danny and Phantom in the room, both looking sombre and upset. She frowned slightly, looking between the two like a hawk. "Are you okay?"

Danny's eyes briefly flashed green as Phantom disappeared, smiling at his sister. "Yeah," he replied softly. His blue eyes watched her as she crossed her arms determinedly.

"Good, cause we're ready for you." Jazz observed Danny closely as he stood up straighter, a quiet reservation embodying him. She frowned as she examined him again. "You sure you're okay? We can postpone-"

"No," Danny said tiredly. "We really can't." He walked over to his sister, ignoring her suspecting gaze as he gave her a hug. Jazz bristled in surprise, but quickly returned it. "Love you," he murmured into her shoulder.

"I love you too," she replied, pulling away from the hug. She poked his nose affectionately, making the younger teen scramble away with a scowl. "Now come on, you're needed Ghost Boy."

With a devious smirk, Danny transformed and grabbed his sister by her arms. He turned them both intangible and flew up to the Ops Center. He dropped Jazz unceremoniously to the ground as he turned tangible again.

"Ugh! Danny!" Jazz protested, shivering slightly. "Give me warning next time!"

Danny chuckled, floating in the air as he watched Jazz try and recover. "You're the one who said they were ready. Where's that Ghost Getter attitude?" he teased.

Jazz glared half-heartedly at her brother before sighing. "C'mon," she said, gesturing to the crowded Ops Center.

Both Fenton children made their way into the room, weaving through many of Frostbite's subjects as they attempted to reach their parents. Maddie, Jack, Sam and Tucker were crowded around one of the screens. Jack saw them first.

"Kids! There you are!" he boomed, causing Sam and Tucker to jump in surprise. "Vladdy's on the T.V."

Danny exchanged frowns with his sister as they moved the screen. Vlad was sitting at his desk in the Mayor's office, looking stoic and political as the T.V. station ran a banner underneath him labelling it as a mayoral address.

"Citizens of Amity Park," Vlad began. Danny rolled his eyes at the condescending tone his arch-enemy used. "As you've been aware, local hero Danny Phantom has held a large dome of energy around our beloved town for the past four days. After a brief meeting with Phantom this afternoon, we now have true confirmation of what is afoot."

Maddie turned to her son, frowning in disapproval. "You went to Vlad?"

Danny shrugged. "He needed to know what was going on. The last thing we want is him making a story up and it causes people to get hurt." He turned back to the press conference.

"There is a dangerous ghost making its way through the Ghost Zone," Vlad continued. "Dangerous enough to cause many ghosts to take refuge here in our world. Phantom has put up this shield in order to protect our town from harm." Vlad folded his hands together, looking very grim. "However, this ghost has challenged our resident ghost and has thus threatened the safety of this town. Tomorrow, these two will clash somewhere in our world, with Phantom unsure of how much protection he can give us.

"The Fentons and I have created a contingency plan in case Phantom's shield is compromised, however it is very likely that this will rival our run in with the Ghost King last year. Unfortunately, it is too late to evacuate the town. Rest assured that your safety is our number one priority. We are asking you to stay indoors until we determine that it is safe to return to our normal lives. I must implore you all to be careful – the only warning we'll have is if this shield goes down.

"As for Danny Phantom – if you're watching this: Good Luck."

Vlad faded from the screen as Lance Thunder started his analysis on what he just heard. Danny let out a breath as he turned to his parents. "We ready to figure out a plan?"

Jack gave his son a reassuring smile. "You bet kiddo," he told him, leading the way to a large round table. Ethelwulf, Frostbite and Clockwork all sat waiting for them, with many more white yeti ghosts standing behind them. Frostbite grinned readily as he saw Danny approach, while Ethelwulf looked him over searchingly.

Danny ignored them, instead floated above the table and waited for his friends and family to take a seat. Green eyes found the large fold out map of Amity Park with various pieces placed strategically across it. A small frown appeared across his face as he saw the large amount of pieces outside of the shield.

"We still have about 10 hours before Dan attacks," Maddie said, snapping Danny out of his musings. He floated back, giving her his full attention. Maddie pointed to the large group that was furthest away. "Our intel shows that Dan is East of the town gathering his army." She gestured to the rest of the town. "Danny's shield will hold for a bit, but our main priority should be getting the Fenton shield up and running. Once that's up, it should cover the entire town – the only problem is we still can't isolate Dan's ecto-signature from Danny's."

"The good news is between Frostbite and his people, we're able to scan all the ghosts hiding in Amity Park," Jack told the crowd. "This way, the shield will still be able to protect the ghosts and the town from Dan's wrath."

Danny nodded, agreeing with the line of thought so far. "And you'll keep working on the shield?" His parents nodded. His frown deepened as he surveyed the plans now on the table. "We need to keep him out of the city at all costs." Danny moved closer to the table, pointing to a large structure on the map. "Until we get the Fenton shield up, we'll have to be divided." Maddie glanced at her son nervously, but stepped back as he started to take more command at the table. "We'll split up in two teams. Ethelwulf, Frostbite; you both stay here. With Ethelwulf's shield around the Fenton Portal, it's the safest point in all this. If anything goes down, you're the best people to defend it." He traced the outer layer of the map with index finger. "The Red Hunter, Danielle and Plasmius will be at the shield holding back the shadow army. If these things are anything like Vlad's copies, then there's going to be a lot of them."

Maddie and Jack exchanged surprised looks before addressing their son. "Are you sure you can trust Plasmius?" Jack asked him. "Or the Red Hunter for that matter? She did trap you and Danielle a few weeks back."

Danny didn't look up from the map, concentrating hard on his next point when he answered. "We've had truces before," he explained. "It's fine. Besides we'll need all the help we can get."

Frostbite cleared his throat. "My fellow Far Frozen brothers will also protect the town," the yeti ghost told the group in front of them, garnering murmurs of agreement throughout the crowd. "If any of the shadows make it in, we'll be ready Great One."

"Thanks Frostbite," Danny said gratefully, flashing his friend a smile. It quickly disappeared as he continued. "Unfortunately, I think that'll happen sooner rather than later." He turned his gaze to his parents. "No matter what Vlad's said during that press conference, we're going to need people to clear the streets and provide cover if needed."

Maddie stroked her chin in thought. "I think we still have time to reach out to the Ghost Emergency Response team," she said. Seeing the look of confusion on her son's face she elaborated. "We reached out to a few people after the Ghost King attack to help with evacuation efforts in the event we couldn't get to them in time. They'll be able to use some public spaces to get people to safety in a pinch. Plus, this was set up before Vlad was mayor; we don't have to go through him for his approval."

Danny eyed his Mom suspiciously at her tart tone but nodded his consent. "Okay, let's do that," he said. His eyes darted across the map in front of him, before he paused and sighed heavily. "I don't think there's any way I can keep the shield up and fight Dan."

"Especially if you're going to be an idiot and go off alone," Tucker said. Danny scowled at him. "What? We can see your self-sacrificing shtick from a mile away dude."

"Not exactly what I meant," Danny shot back, green eyes running over the map avoiding everyone's gaze. "I'm using my base powers to keep the shield up. If something's attacking it - the best place to keep it up around the town is to be right on it."

"Making you a sitting duck," Ethelwulf finished, yellow eyes scanning the map with quick precision. "Which is what Dan is counting on; he tested your abilities in your last battle. He'll wait until you're distracted before striking."

"Which is where Jazz and I come in," Sam jumped in, moving closer to the table and pointed to various sections of the town. "We can provide cover some extra cover on you from the highest points of the city." She pointed out four large buildings. "If we station ourselves up there, we can hit the ones that close in on Danny's position."

Danny stiffened slightly at the suggestion, eying the pieces outside of the shield again and the other two buildings that Sam had suggested. He let out a breath before looking up at his family and friends. "We'll need more than just you two. Mom, Dad, Jazz and Sam will be on these four buildings," Danny grabbed four mini pieces that indicated their side of the battle and placed them on the map. "Tucker, you'll be at FentonWorks working on the shield and be our eyes while we're out there. Apart from my parents, you're the only one who can work on those calculations." He moved another piece. "I'll be at the top of the shield, keeping it up until the Fenton shield is ready. Then we can regroup here and think about our next phase of attack."

"And if your shield goes down before the Fenton one is ready?" Sam asked sceptically.

Danny floated above the table, looking grim. "Then we fight," he said simply. He floated above the crowd, his face reserved as he surveyed the crowded ops center. "This won't be easy," he told the crowd. "In a different time, he destroyed the entire world. I want to say we'll make it… but there's no guarantee that we'd be back. If we fail – our worlds as we know them are doomed." The half-ghost crossed his arms. "Dan isn't invincible. If we work together, we can bring him down. Who's with me?"

A loud roar of approval echoed through the ops center from the members of the Far Frozen. Danny scanned the crowd and found Clockwork, regarding him curiously with his red eyes. Time seemed to slow as their eyes met, Clockwork searching for an answer from the young ghost. Clockwork gave Danny a brief nod of approval before Danny floated back to the ground toward his friends and family.

Danny waited until the ghosts left the Ops Center before taking a vacant seat and transforming back into Danny Fenton. Tired eyes scanned the table again, looking at the small pieces and the map with reservation. "If this doesn't work…"

"It will," Maddie told him sternly, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It'll be fine." Danny couldn't tell if she was trying to reassure herself as well.

"If there's anything this year has shown us, it's how to kick ghost butt as a family," Jack added confidently.

"Dad's right," Jazz told him, coming around Danny's other side, giving him a big hug. "Dan may have the power, but we have the numbers and heart. Remember that, okay?" Both Fenton parents joined the hug at their daughter's words.

Danny smiled softly. "I'll remember," he said. His family released the boy from the hug, smiling. He took a deep breath, releasing it slowly. "This will work."

Maddie kissed the top of his head affectionately. "Get some rest sweetheart. We'll see you off in the morning." With that, the three Fentons exited the Ops Center, leaving Danny, Sam and Tucker alone.

Tucker walked over to the table, nudging Sam along the way and sat next to his best friend. "That was kinda weird…right? I mean… in a good way?"

Danny chuckled. "A bit, yeah." Sam finally moved to Danny's other side at the table, watching him intently. "This is the first time my parents are involved in such a big ghost attack and know all the stakes going in. It's made it easier….. but also so much harder."

"What do you mean?" Sam asked.

Danny shook his head, smiling softly. "It doesn't matter. I'm just glad we're on the same side for once." He pulled out a small pouch from his pocket, putting it onto the table. His logo reflected the light from the Ops Center above him. "Can one of you ask Ethelwulf about these? Vlad gave them to me."

"I'm pretty sure that's a red flag and should be thrown out," Sam said, narrowing her eyes at the pouch.

Danny shrugged. "He said they're Ecto-Enhancers – something to help give my powers an energy boost. While I don't trust Vlad with a ten foot pole, I think he's actually trying to help. I'd ask my parents, but Mom's been acting strange about me interacting with Vlad. I don't think she knows anything, but she definitely suspects."

"Hence Ethelwulf," Tucker finished, watching Danny confirm with a nod. Tucker stared at the pouch as a few ideas raced across his brain. "Apart from Ethelwulf, Plasmius is the only other person who knows about half-ghosts on a molecular level. Maybe these will help us separate the two of you."

"If there's one time for his creepy clone experiments to come in handy, it's now" Danny replied with a grimace.

"Gross," Tucker said. He reached over, grabbing the pouch of Ecto-Enhancers and waved them in the air. "I'll get started on this – hopefully we can get that shield up before morning." Tucker stood, giving Sam an exaggerated look before moving quickly to the stairs. "Sam, make sure this one doesn't do something stupid without me. I am the brains of this operation"

Danny chuckled at the joke. "Don't let it get to your head, techie."

Sam shook her head at their antics. "No promises," she said slyly as Danny made a noise in protest. Sam caught Tucker's equally sly smile as he made his way downstairs, realizing suddenly that he left her alone with Danny on purpose; she nearly groaned in annoyance.

"Jerk," Danny muttered in amusement. He rose slowly, gripping the table to hold himself up. His arms shook as he looked over the plans again, blue eyes darting back to the large amount of pieces on the ground.

Sam frowned worriedly. "You're exhausted," she stated.

Danny nodded. "We really need that shield," he told her wearily. "If these numbers are right then I'm going to be putting all my energy into defending the town."

"What you really need is sleep." Sam replied sharply. Danny ignored her and continued to glance at the figures on the table. "When was the last time you actually rested without those time visions?"

Danny shrugged, turning his face away. "Few days maybe," he replied. He traced the outer layer of the map toward the top of the shield, frowning in thought.

Sam sighed, standing up and put her hand on his shoulder. Danny's body relaxed slightly at her touch but remained focus on the map in front of him. "You need to rest," she said softly. "You've been heading straight for Dan ever since he escaped. Not to mention, you've been flying around and using your powers quite a bit today. Isn't it time to take it easy?" Danny only hummed at the suggestion. Sam sighed again, bracing herself against the table as she looked out in the other direction. A few moments passed, neither one speaking as they stood in the Ops Center. Finally, Sam let out a long breath, steeling her resolve. "About earlier…"

"You were right," Danny told her, cutting Sam off before she had a chance to continue. He glanced at her quickly before his eyes returned to the map. "Before. This isn't just some ghost fight."

Sam frowned, confused at his reserved demeanour. "You told me you weren't afraid anymore," she accused softly.

"I'm not."

Sam turned to him abruptly, violet eyes flashing dangerously. "So why are you holding back now? What changed in a few hours?"

Danny sighed tiredly, his black hair covering his face from her view. When he finally spoke, it was so quiet it made the hairs on the back of Sam's neck stand up. "If we make it through this, then we'll talk."

Sam blinked before nudging him hard with her shoulder. "When we make it through this, I'll be waiting. You hear me? When." They stood quietly, Sam's last remark hanging in the air as Danny made no attempt to answer. She nudged him again. "Danny, when you make it back. Not if."

Danny raised his head slowly, smiling as he looked at her. Sam's eyes widened slightly at the changing emotions across his face. "Yeah," he agreed softly. "You're right." He turned away as Sam looked at him, concerned. "I think I'm gonna head downstairs."

Sam frowned; something didn't feel right. "You're not going to sneak off on our own are you?" she asked searchingly.

Danny shook his head and brushed her off. "Nah – you'll miss me too much," he replied lightly. She wasn't convinced.

With a small wave, he took off down the stairs. Sam watched him go, still frowning as she tried to figure out his sudden change of mood.

:-=-:

"A little early for an adventure, isn't it Halfling?"

Danny didn't turn from his position on the Ops Center, opting to look at the stars through the green shield around the town with a small smile. There were still a few hours before dawn and apart from the ghosts throughout the house, everyone was asleep. "Not an adventure if I'm still here."

Ethelwulf chuckled as he walked up beside the seated young ghost. "True, but you are your ghost self on a rooftop, alone, right before we do battle with that monster. Forgive me for thinking you were sneaking off without telling us."

Danny shook his head. "I couldn't sleep," he admitted. "Stargazing helps me clear my head." They looked at the stars in silence, Ethelwulf waiting for Danny to continue. Eventually, Danny sighed, standing up to face the black wolf ghost beside him. "I keep seeing various parts of how today will play out," he said dismally. "Regardless of how much planning we do, it doesn't seem like we're going to win."

Ethelwulf opened his mouth, but a voice beat him to it.

"What have I told you before, Great One?" Frostbite floated toward them, an eyebrow raised questionably at the younger. "About fears and battles?"

"I'm not afraid of Dan," Danny told them confidently. "I'm not facing him on my own so we have more of a chance than I would normally. But…" Danny looked up at the stars again, frowning. "In order to win, we need to know his plan. With these time visions, I think I have some idea of… how he thinks."

Frostbite and Ethelwulf exchanged confused looks. "Isn't that a good thing?" Ethelwulf asked him.

"If I'm right… then it's not a good thing," Danny replied seriously. He rubbed the back of his head. "It means that our plan doesn't account for him exploiting our weaknesses – which he'll definitely do. Dan has nothing to lose, meaning he's more dangerous than ever. He doesn't care."

Ethelwulf let out a soft "Oh," as he realized what the boy was trying to say. He lowered his head close to Danny's face, big yellow eyes looking into worried green. "Danny," he said gently. "Going into battle thinking you'll lose means you've already lost. The things that you need to fight for? That makes you more dangerous too."

Danny smiled sadly. "I want to believe that. More than anything."

Ethelwulf nodded. "Then do." Ethelwulf looked him over, frowning. "Though you're not completely healed from yesterday; are you sure you'll be alright on top of that shield?"

Danny nodded. "I'm good. The faster we get that shield up, the faster I can recover and kick his sorry butt out of existence. How's that going anyway?"

Ethelwulf sighed. "Tucker gave me the Ecto-Enhancers; Plasmius seems to know quite a bit about your ecto-signature Halfling. We were able to identify more of a distinction between the ecto-signature we have of you and his. It seems like the key here is your mid-morph sample – but until you're able to recover, I believe it's unwise for us to take that sample. Though, now that we know what we're looking for, we might be able to manipulate the shield enough for us to put it up. These Ecto-Enhancers should be safe if you wish to use them."

Danny nodded in confirmation. "Good to know – probably best to leave them here for now. Last thing I want is for Dan to get a hold of them." Danny looked away, making Frostbite and Ethelwulf tense slightly. "If anyone can figure out that mid-morph sample, it'll be Tucker. He's been working with my parents for so long and knows my powers pretty well. Will you-"

"Don't worry," Frostbite assured. "We'll make sure your family is safe. No one will get through."

Danny smiled gratefully, looking up at the stars again. "Thank you," he said simply. They were quiet for a few minutes, before Danny closed his eyes and breathed deeply. "Clockwork," he called as he opened his eyes and faced his two friends.

Clockwork's spinning clock appeared promptly behind Frostbite, the latter shuffling aside for the Time Master to materialize. Once appeared, Clockwork brought his staff toward the ground, a grim smile directed at Danny.

"I think I finally understand," Danny said quietly. "When you told me that acting on the knowledge of time was a burden."

Clockwork inclined his head in acknowledgement. "I believe so," he said simply. "I'd ask you what now, but judging from that response, I can only guess."

Danny sighed again. "I need you all to promise me something," the half-ghost started, getting the attention of all three spectres on the roof. "If I….. If I stop responding on coms…..or if I go down…please don't come looking for me until my shield falls. Keep my family and friends away from it too."

The boy's request hung in the silence that followed.

"I've seen some….. things," Danny continued, green eyes pleading for them to agree. "I don't know if they're true – but I might have to make decisions out there that go against the plan to protect Amity- To protect my friends and family. I need to know that they're safe behind this shield. It's the only way I'll….Please – keep them from coming after me."

Clockwork looked at Ethelwulf and Frostbite's shocked faces as he floated past them, red eyes glued to the determined, pleading face of a fifteen year old half-ghost that started this. "I said once," Clockwork started, "That I'm inclined to trust your judgement. Through all those twists and turns of time, my view on that has never wavered Danny Phantom." Clockwork put a hand on Danny's shoulder. "Time has asked so much of someone so young – this is the least I can do."

"Are you sure this is wise, Time Master?" Frostbite asked worriedly. "The Great One is still not healed. If he goes in alone –"

"Frostbite is right," Ethelwulf said, cutting the Far Frozen leader off. "Danny, this is ill-advised. You just said you're not fighting him alone – why do you want to prevent us from helping you in your time of need?"

"We have a plan right?" Danny asked, an eyebrow raised. "No matter what happens to me, we need to make sure it gets followed. We're more likely to succeed that way. If my shield is still up, I'm okay - I'm still alive. The last thing I want is for Dan to use anyone I love as bait."

The two wolf-like ghosts looked at each other and sighed, defeated.

"I will protect them with my life Great One," Frostbite told him earnestly.

Danny turned to Ethelwulf, who sighed deeply. Yellow eyes met green once more. "You are truly remarkable, Halfling," he said proudly. Danny's eyes widened in surprise. "I will honour your wishes – however if your shield falls, I will come after you myself. I will not let you die."

Danny smiled, looking at each of the ghosts directly before nodding. "Alright, then let's-" Danny's knees buckled slightly, cutting his train of thought off as he grimaced in pain. Frostbite and Clockwork moved toward the boy. Ethelwulf winced, swearing under his breath.

"Something attacked my shield," Ethelwulf said.

"Mine too," Danny ground out as he recovered. He looked up in thought, frowning as his eyes scanned the shield. He closed his eyes, trying to find where the attack on the shield came from before sighing. He turned to Frostbite and Ethelwulf. "If I'm not back in half an hour, wake everyone else up."

"This has to be a trap," Ethelwulf said. "Danny, you shouldn't go up there alone."

"He did say he wanted to divide my attention," Danny replied bitterly. "Probably, but I don't want to chance the shield. Ethelwulf, check on the one around the portal. I'll have my Fenton Phone with me – Frostbite, head to the control station and we'll stay in contact. I'll be gone thirty minutes tops. If I'm not back, tell my family…" he paused, looking conflicted for the first time on the rooftop. "Tell them… to defend Amity. To get the Fenton Shield up and running. To…to be careful. I'll be back as soon as I can." Without warning, Danny leapt into the air and teleported somewhere outside of the shield.

Clockwork sighed, breaking Frostbite and Ethelwulf out of their surprised stupors. "Frostbite," he called. "You heard him, get to the control panel. Ethelwulf, check on that shield. The faster we do that, the faster one of you can go after him."

Frostbite and Ethelwulf exchanged confused glances. "I thought you said you trusted his judgement?" Ethelwulf asked suspiciously.

Clockwork looked at the shield above. "I do," he replied simply, a small frown on his face. "That does not mean I have to like it."

:-=-:

Danny held his hand to the shield, concentrating on finding the point that was attacked earlier. It's too quiet Danny thought, eyes darting from side to side looking for a threat. "Frostbite?"

"I'm here, Great One," Frostbite's voice came through the Fenton Phone urgently.

"Anything?"

"No. All clear on the radars."

Danny frowned, more unease rising from within him. "Yeah, here too," he said, standing, on top of the shield. It was holding strong; if anything attacked while he was up here, it would hold. He looked down and saw the mass of black surrounding the town, faint dim auras outlining each of the shadows that Dan created. Danny swallowed nervously as he lost count. "I'm headed back now," he said evenly, attempting to mask his concern.

"I'll await your arrival."

As the line went dead, Danny gasped as his ghost sense came alive, the icy cold sending a small shiver down his spine. He tensed, left hand alighting in green as he readied for an attack, the right going back toward his Fenton Phone. He barely had time to react as a large amount of ecto-energy surrounded his senses. He cried out in pain as it subsided, falling onto the shield in a heap. He barely managed to see a pair of white boots before the world faded to black.

:-=-:

"Sam, wake up," Jazz said urgently, shaking the girl awake. Sam rolled over, squinting slightly at the person who dared disturbed her slumber. "Sam, come on." Jazz shook her again.

Sam blinked before she recognized the urgency in her voice. "Is it time?" she asked, sitting up quickly and rubbed her eyes.

"Sam, Danny's missing."

Whatever tiredness she was felt left Sam instantly. "What?!"

Jazz sat back with a worried frown on the bed, her red hair glowing slightly from the light in the hallway. "Frostbite said he went to check the shield and was supposed to be back an hour ago." Her teal eyes met Sam's violet ones. "Danny told them he was coming back – then the line went dead. Ethelwulf went looking for him, but they couldn't find him."

"Was there anything on the radar?" Sam asked, grabbing both her time medallion and the violet jumpsuit as she hastily put them on.

Jazz shook her head. "No – but Frostbite said Danny just disappeared. No teleportation or anything, just… gone. Like he was never up there; we're meeting downstairs to create a game plan."

Sam nodded, putting on her last glove. "Okay, I'll meet you down in a few minutes."

Jazz gave her a nod in confirmation. "Good, I'll go check on Dad then. He probably got an hour or so of sleep before Frostbite woke Mom." Jazz headed out of her room, a worried frown still across her face as she raced down the hall.

Sam let out a shaky breath as Jazz left. Her eyes drifted to the small clock on the bedside table - 4 am. Two hours before dawn. Two hours before the fight of their lives. Two hours to find Danny.

[shemakesmusic-uk]

Alt-pop newcomer LVRA (pronounced loo-rah, real name Rachel Lu) has shared her first new track of 2021, ‘DEAD’. Following up on 2020’s debut EP LVCID, she explains: “There’s a unique power you gain when you stop caring about what people think of you. It’s an ongoing battle, though, and ‘DEAD’ is about the conflict between the fantasy of not caring and how you feel in reality. The video captures that, with a version of myself who has her shit together and another that is fighting to survive.The use of red represents fear in the human condition, but in Chinese culture it also symbolises happiness. One rarely comes without the other.” The track – a cultural mix that matches LVRA’s heritage with bleeding edge ultra HD pop – is the first taster of a second EP, which is set to follow later this summer. You can check out an Oscar McNab (Lacuna Common, Oscar Lang). directed video above. [via Dork]

Los Angeles artist Wallice follows debut single 'Punching Bag' with new coming of age anthem, '23'. Wallice finds herself caught between two places on fresh cut, '23'. “Too old to be a runaway”, but also too young to consider herself as grown up, the 22-year old yearns for a past that still has not happened yet. Working with producer David Marinelli since her return to California, Wallice has crafted a sound that is unique without taking itself too seriously. An angst-driven remonstration at the powerlessness of her age, '23' is also the clearest stamp of her musical identity to date. The expression of this purgatory is a cathartic garage-rock headbanger complemented beautifully by Wallice’s playful lyrics. “I just can't wait to be / all grown up and 23,” she admits in the song’s irresistible chorus. “Tell me what is wrong with me / I miss my Ohio fake ID”. In artfully portraying the limbo state of the age, Wallice describes the events in her life that have led to her own disaffection. “It’s hard not to compare your own professional success to that of your similarly aged peers. I dropped out of university in New York after studying Jazz Voice for a year, and my dad was VERY disappointed, to say the least, so it was hard not to feel like a loser in that sense. “The specific age 23 doesn’t have any milestones associated with it, but it’s more the idea of just looking forward to the future,” Wallice continues on the meaning of the track. "Much like how people ‘reset’ every new year, it’s comparable to be ‘older and wiser’ with each birthday, but instead of constantly looking to the future, it is important to be happy with where you are”. [via Line Of Best Fit]

Coach Party have shared their new single 'Everybody Hates Me'. The Isle of Wight group are gearing up to release their incoming EP, with After Party pitting their potent indie pop influences against bittersweet lyricism. Out shortly, the EP is teased by new thumper 'Everybody Hates Me', with Coach Party adding a neat gloss to their guitar pop sound. Out now, 'Everybody Hates Me' comes equipped with a neat video steered by Daniel Broadley. Vocalist Jess Eastwood comments: “‘Everybody Hates Me’ isn’t a metaphor for anything; it’s literally about those times when you convince yourself that everyone, including your best friends don’t actually like you, and your self-confidence is so low that you don’t even blame them. Disguise that sentiment in an up-beat singalong, and there you have the third single from our new record. The video is a direct extension of the song. It swings between the insecurities of feeling like you’re not good enough amongst your friends, and the sense of unity you get from those same people when you finally wake up from your rut. Everyone feels that way from time to time, but you gotta remember that sometimes your irrational self is going to take over. And when it does, try to remember that you’re awesome, and your friends really are your friends.” [via Clash]

Pussy Riot have gone hyperpop on their latest song 'Toxic'. The Dorian Electra collaboration features glitched out production by Dylan Brady of 100 gecs and tackles a relationship gone bad. Written, directed, and edited by Pussy Riot’s Nadya Tolokonnikova, the music video features jarring, bloody imagery matching Brady’s production. “Care about yourself, cherish your mental health, and stay away from relationships that poison you!” Tolokonnikova writes in the YouTube description. “Amen.” In the song’s lyrics, Tolokonnikova tells off an ex. “You are my daily poison so annoying,” she sings. “You’re even more toxic than my employer.” The hook continues the theme. “This combo is deadly — ’cause we used to be friendly,” Electra laments. “And now my heart is a weapon / You made me… toxic.” [via Consequence of Sound]

Baby Queen has dropped a brand new track, ‘These Drugs’. Bella Latham’s second new track of the year – following up on the anthemic ‘Raw Thoughts’ – she explains in an Instagram post: “This is a story I really needed to tell you and I didn’t know how to for a long time. When I first wrote this song, I honestly didn’t think I was going to be allowed to release it or that releasing it would be a particularly good idea. It just felt really important and that’s all I’ve ever wanted music to be; so I knew I had to share it with you.I was in a very bad place at the time… very depressed and convinced I wasn’t a good person and didn’t deserve good things. Life is different now. I’m happy. I’ve learnt that the antidote to my misery is gratitude and caring about myself even when I don’t want to, until it becomes a habit. It’s natural to look for escapism but there’s more freedom in working to build a life you like… and by that I literally just mean learning to love yourself. You, with all your scars and all your regrets, are home to an actual life! You’ve been through so much and you’ve come out the other side stronger because of it – it’s remarkable really. You’ve got to invite the sad parts of yourself in to have a tea party with you. Don’t ignore them and cover them up. If you don’t look at them, they’ll make themselves seen! You are so worthy of love and I hope that if you don’t see that yet, you will learn to in time. Anyways guys,” she finishes, “this is all very intense. I love you very much and I hope you can understand and relate in some way.” [via Dork]

Greentea Peng has shared her new single 'Nah It Ain’t The Same'. The UK neo-soul voice is an outstanding talent, someone who pushes herself further into that hip-hop / jazz nexus with each release. Produced by Earbuds, new single 'Nah It Ain't The Same' is out now, one that reflects the chemistry she has with her live band The Seng Seng Family. Dipping into drum 'n' bass, her vocals have a calming, beatific feel, with 'Nah It Ain't The Same' tugging at matters personal. She comments: “Deliberations of a (hu) MAN, subject to the pendulum's swing, I give you ‘Nah It Aint The Same’ off my album MAN MADE. An expression and exploration of my utter confusion and inner conflicts amidst shifting paradigms.” Greentea Peng stars in the new video, with Machine Operated sculpting the video. [via Clash]

renforshort has debuted a brand new single, ‘virtual reality’. The first taster of a forthcoming second EP, the track sees her “connect” with Kellen Pomeranz (Pom Pom), Jesse Fink and Beabadoobee collaborator Pete Robertson. “’virtual reality’ is a song that tackles many topics. But at its core, it really is about anxiety, routine, boredom, isolation, loneliness, and fear,” she explains. “I think a lot of people have a very unhealthy relationship with technology because it’s never really been restricted enough to consider mental health and overall health, and that has fucked so many people up, now more than ever. Ever since I was young, social media has played a major role in my mental wellbeing, and I became so accustomed to it, it became a part of my routine and it came before everything else. The moment I wake up, almost instinctively, I check my phone. Depending on what I see in the morning, basically determines how I’m gonna feel for the rest of the day. I hate it. But I can’t stop. And what’s most ironic about this all is you’re likely going to read this on social media or listen to the song on some sort of electronic device…” [via Dork]

Flock of Dimes has shared the second single from her forthcoming album Head of Roses, out April 2 via Sub Pop. Following recent single, 'Two', 'Price of Blue' is another standout from Wasner’s second solo LP, an album that showcases her ability to embrace new levels of vulnerability, honesty and openness, combined with the self-assuredness that comes with a decade-plus career as a songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist and prolific collaborator. It comes accompanied by an unearthly new video filmed in black and white, co-directed by Wasner with Graham Tolbert. Wasner says: “This song is about trying, and failing, to connect. It’s about the ways in which, despite our best efforts, we misunderstand each other, and become so attached to stories that we’re unable to see the truth that’s right in front of us. And it’s about the invisible mark that another person can leave on your body, heart and mind long after their absence. It can be difficult to make sense of the memory of your experience when the reality on the surface is always shifting—when the story you’re telling, or the story you’ve been told, unravels, leaving you with a handful of pieces and no idea how they used to fit together.”

Berlin-based indie-soul five-piece, People Club, announce their new EP Take Me Home, which is due May 7 and the band are sharing the title-track and new video. The title track 'Take Me Home' is a song about the realisation of mortality in old age and the cynicism that often plights the elderly after losing their loved ones and being left alone with their regrets. It is accompanied by a music video shot by long standing collaborator, Felix Spitta. Speaking of the process the band say, “Once again we worked with our very talented friend, Felix Spitta, who also shot the video for our last single Francine.  We basically spent a day fooling around at his house with a smoke machine and an old tape TV camera with a red filter.  The result is hazy and disorientating, just like this year has been so far.”

Introducing MARY., the dreamy alter-ego of musician and songwriter Stef T. The self-produced debut track, ‘Day to Day’, interlaces elements of electro-pop and R&B with a voice that enchants, along with an official video filmed, edited and directed by David Risdon and Charlie Rose Creative. Reading like a page in a diary, ‘Day to Day’ offers a candid and emotionally raw glance at being overlooked as a woman in a man’s world. She is put together, glamorous and poised on the outside, but on the inside she is simmering like a pot ready to boil over, fed-up and on the brink of snapping. Speaking of the track, Stef T explains, “’Day to Day’ is a reflection on what it is to be a woman in a role where you are always unseen; constantly giving yet never receiving. As woman, we are often undervalued for our day to day work in all aspects - as mothers, in relationships, in our careers; having to push extra hard to get the basic recognition and thanks that we are entitled to. This song is a commentary of a large part of my life where I settled, sacrificed and worked, only to be used and taken for granted. It is about learning to survive a toxic relationship, discover your own individual worth again and reclaim the power that you gave away to someone else. Producing this song myself is the only thing that made sense in context with the intention of MARY. as a project. She is an entirely self made, independent woman, who does it all and doesn't need a man to confirm that she's doing a good job. This is something I have personally struggled with, so I created the MARY. persona to feel more empowered in my storytelling as an artist, in an industry without a large visible number of female-identifying producers.”

Los Angeles based dream pop trio Tashaki Miyaki have just released a single and video of the title song from their forthcoming second album, Castaway, which will be released on April 23 via Metropolis Records. Singer, drummer and producer Paige Stark states that the song “is about the challenges of romantic love and how we are all bad at it in one way or another. The idea of a castaway in all this is that no one understands the relationship except the people in it, so you really are stuck on an island alone together there. Maybe you make it back to the mainland, or maybe you stay on the island.” Stark also shot the Sofia Coppola-inspired video on film, adding: "I wanted to tap into all the feelings that can come up in love relationships: anger, sadness, loneliness, vulnerability, stillness, joy, romance, longing. The actress in it has a beautifully expressive face and I've known her for a long time. I knew we would be able to create those moments together. I wanted it to feel like the camera was her lover, capturing her in various private moments, moods and feelings.”

With her Vanilla Shell EP celebrating its one-year anniversary last month, Danish-Chilean composer Molina is back with another abbreviated record in the form of the new single 'Cold,' featuring vocalist Jonas Bjerre, arriving with a pair of B-sides. The brief collection of songs continues her simultaneous journey inward toward the roots of Chilean music and outward into her own unique vision of the future. The project lands with a video for the A-side, which dreams up bizarre fantasy iconography in the tradition of Grimes and Björk to complement her subdued take on these artists’ out-there recordings. Blending ambiguous electronic sounds with the familiar drone of cello and Bjerre’s backing vocals, the track’s distinct persona may have more in common with the experimental soundscapes of artists like Jenny Hval or Julia Holter. [via Flood]

Maisie Peters has debuted her brand new single, ‘John Hughes Movie’. Described as the first single from her soon to be announced debut album, it’s a song about unrequited love, inspired by the legendary film producer and his classic coming-of-age teen comedies like The Breakfast Club and Sixteen Candles. The track comes alongside a video co-written by Maisie and director Louis Bhose (Loyle Carner, Arlo Parks, Lewis Capaldi). Maisie explains: “I wrote ‘John Hughes Movie’ when I was 17 about a house party that I had gone to. It’s a really honest depiction of being a hopeless, melodramatic teenager, being awkward and drunk and getting your heart broken by people you don’t even remember anymore. John Hughes films encapsulate that foolish romantic energy of high school and everything that I, a small town English wannabe Molly Ringwald wanted to be, but was not.” [via Dork]

Chloe x Halle have shared the music video for their song 'Ungodly Hour.' The video was debuted on Wedneday night's episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and shows the Bailey sisters going underwater for a sci-fi-style visual filled with choreography and elaborate adventures at the bottom of the ocean. Watch the Alfred Marroquín-directed video above. [via The FADER]

South London's Josie Man has returned with sentimental new single 'Cuts & Bruise', marking her first release of 2021. 'Cuts & Bruises' follows October 2020's 'Grow' single, and is accompanied by a Andrea Mae-directed video that shows couples enjoying tender moments, including Josie Man and her boyfriend. [via Line Of Best Fit]

Jessie Ware has shared a new short film for her song 'Remember Where You Are'. Her album What's Your Pleasure? arrived last year, a disco-fuelled missile that presented some much-needed good vibes amid lockdown. The songwriter returns to the record for her song 'Remember Where You Are', a soulful and uplifting slice of UK songwriting. There's now a full video for the song and it's steered by BAFTA winning director Dominic Savage. Starring British actress Gemma Arterton, it opens on Valentine's Day and finds the star wandering through deserted London streets. A glimpse of hope and renewal, it taps into the growing feeling that this time, lockdown might be coming to a permanent end. "It was a real pleasure to collaborate with Jessie and Gemma on this short film that is inspired by Jessie Ware’s beautiful music. It was also inspired by the real feeling that was felt when we filmed in the deserted streets of eerily strange lockdown London on a Saturday night/Sunday morning,” Dominic said. “The feelings and emotions in the film are a true reflection of what that felt like, and what this time invokes. Sadness, nostalgia, pain and defiance. But when we climbed Primrose Hill and the sun started to rise above the city, there was real hope and joy for a future that will surely be ours. Listening to Jessie’s music. There is no doubt of that." Jessie adds... "This song has always meant a lot to me and I was determined for other people to hear it and for it to be single. I am so touched by how many people have embraced this song, particularly when it's one of your favourite actresses and an acclaimed film director. Working with Gemma, Dominic and their team has been an absolute joy. To have them realise my song with a beautiful ode to London and the longing for human touch and interaction couldn't be more of a compliment. It's a truly cherished piece of work." [via Clash]

Jaguar Jonze has shared her new single and video 'CURLED IN' ahead of the release of her second EP ANTIHERO on April 16, both via Nettwerk Records. 'CURLED IN' presents all her best qualities at its outset. From the track’s rip-roaring, slicing guitar to her perfectly forceful, omnipresent vocals, 'CURLED IN' is a pure cathartic release. "Tear me apart, just tear me apart," she all but demands: "I've never seen wrong be done right." She's fulfilling her simplest needs, and it's freeing. "It's a bit of a twist for me to be a masochist." As a survivor of abuse, these words' unafraid power is all too apparent and an engaging statement to hear expressed.

Following the release of eclectic and impressive debut singles 'ASOS,' 'Right Time,' and 'Papercut,' rising left-of-center pop singer and songwriter Dava returns with a fresh and bold new single 'New Ceilings' available now via Sony Music's Disruptor Records. The moody anti-pop record was co-written by Dava and Mike Adubato (Del Water Gap, Grace VanderWaal) who also produced the track, and is the latest off the Los Angeles-based musician's forthcoming debut EP, Sticky, due out later this year. On the inspiration behind her new single, Dava shares, "This song was written about survival and staying true to yourself. I was having a hard time financially after moving to LA and my phone was shut off while on my way to this session. I was upset with myself for prioritizing music when I really needed the money from driving Uber to stay afloat." She continues, "The day I wrote 'New Ceilings' I was angry and I wanted a song that felt empowering and validated all the work I had put in up to that point. I ended up choosing different songs for my project but when I revisited this one year later, I felt it needed to be heard because of how authentically it embodies my struggle."

London-based Fifi Rong, a multi-talented avant-pop songstress, has shared the video for her stunning single, ‘Another Me’. Directed by Rok Pat, the video for ‘Another Me’ is stylistically simplistic, as Fifi Rong uses her own body as a medium of art, painting herself and inviting the simple imagery of waterside reeds and plants. A tranquil mysticism embraces the single as Fifi Rong acts as a gentle siren, luring the unsuspecting in yet known the inevitable outcome of the relationship. Speaking of the concept behind the single and video, Fifi Rong tells us: “In any doomed romance, timing is always mysteriously wrong. This is my first full CGI music video and it visually portrays the elusive nature of the character surrounding the key message: 'you won't find another me'. The undertone of the song displays a sense of pride and confidence in the character’s melancholy. Dressed in nothing but petals, I wanted my character to symbolise purity, nature, truthfulness, vulnerability and the divine feminine form. Acting as a rotating statue, I wanted to mark the passing of time and seasons as if a unique and lonely piece of art on display.”

[yeaahishowedupatyourparty]

ALLY’S 50 QUESTIONS WITH SPOTLIGHT 

THINGS YOU’RE NEVER ASKED

which song went to number 1 on your birthday? (find out here) “i turn to you by melanie c...whatever that means, sounds shit.” 

if you could turn any scent into a candle, what would it be? “oh, i know this one, the beach...but not just the ocean; the sand, the heat, sun cream mixed with ice cream, really fresh air. all of it. i love that smell more than anything.”

which element best suits you: fire, earth, water or air? “i think my personality is definitely fire but i’ve been connected to water my whole life, so one of those.”

what’s the worst grade you’ve ever got on a test? “a straight up fail. shoutout to my high school english teachers.”

what’s the best grade you’ve ever got on a test? “an A in geography and physics, would you believe?

how many countries have you travelled to? “i went to france a lot when i was younger, i’ve been to the states a few times, when i was in high school, me and my then boyfriend done some travelling in europe; we went to mainly greece, cyprus and italy. recently i moved to australia and last summer, with my now boyfriend, i went to hawaii for a surf competition, so yeah! next on the list is south africa.” 

who is your favourite disney character? “moana.”

what is one thing people believe that you don’t? “that there isn’t a creator to the universe. like, you don’t have to be religious to know that something caused it.” 

do you usually drink enough water in a day? “i do, actually!” 

what’s your middle name? “scarlett.” 

PARENTS

do you know both of your parents? “i do.”

are they together? “the last time i checked.” 

are you adopted? “nope.”

what’s your favourite memory with your parent(s)? “my dad used to take me swimming in the sea when i was super young, around five, and to be honest we’d go way too deep considering i was nowhere near as tall as i ended up being. mum would freak out and i don’t know, at the time it was the funniest thing ever.” 

what did your parent(s) study when they were at the academy? “my mum studied music and my dad studied modelling.” 

which project of your parent(s) is your favourite? “uh, i like august from folklore.” 

which parent is the strictest? “both. it depends on the situation.”

which parent do you look most like physically? “most say my dad just because my mum and haley are a lot closer, and more alike. i always thought i looked like my mum but i guess my dad if that’s what people say.” 

which parent do you behave the most like? “my dad, i suppose.” 

are you close? “no.”

THIS OR THAT

the titanic or the notebook? “so young leo or ryan gosling? the titanic.” 

dc or marvel? “marvel.” 

disney or pixar? “pixsney.” 

pink or green? “green.” 

summer or winter? “summer.”

spring or autumn? “autumn.” 

dogs or cats? “i don’t really have a preference.” 

rom-coms or horrors/thrillers? “horrors, i think.” 

nights in or nights out? “nights out.” 

early riser or night owl? “i’m both - struggles, but i prefer being an early riser. i like sunrises and getting out as it’s coming up.”

GETTING PERSONAL

what age did you have your first kiss? “something absolutely fucking ridiculous, at like 12.” 

have you lost your virginity? how old were you? “yes, on my 16th birthday...not cliche at all.” 

what’s your biggest regret? “i don’t have one, or i try not to.” 

which song most reflects your life so far? “that’s hard! either something you’d expect someone to relate to like cigarette daydreams or something incredibly one dimensional, like midnight memories by one direction.” 

what’s your biggest fear in life? “living in a small town, with a family carrier, four kids that love their ipads, a husband that falls asleep on the sofa before seven o’clock and living for the weekend.” 

do you want to get married? “it’s not something i really feel strongly about. what does it actually mean?” 

do you want children? “again, i don’t feel strongly about it.” 

what is a cause you feel strongly about? “the environment. have you watched seaspiracy on netflix? it’s funny you bring up children, because i feel like bringing children into the world while it’s in this state probably isn’t the best idea. plus, the population is pretty...big.”

what’s your sexuality? “heterosexual.” 

when in life did you feel the loneliest? “when i was about high school age, i guess? i don’t think that’s uncommon. you’re old enough to start clashing with the people you live with but not old enough to take yourself out of the situation if you need to.” 

10 TRUTHS

have you ever skinny-dipped? “yes! i would recommend. it’s refreshing.” 

ever had inappropriate thoughts about somebody you shouldn’t? “probably.” 

what’s the worst thing you’ve said behind somebody’s back? “i don’t think i could repeat it, honestly. it wasn’t nice, though, and i feel shit even thinking about it.” 

have you ever sent a sexual text? “that’s most of them!” 

is there anything you dislike for no apparent reason? “yeah, family vloggers trigger my fight or flight response.” 

what’s the most recent lie you’ve ever told? “i can’t actually remember.”

can you put your hand on your heart and say you’ve never complimented a project you didn’t really like? “no, i feel like giving out empty compliments is one of my biggest character flaws...sorry.” 

the best advice you’ve ever been given? “nobody thinks about you more than they think about themselves.”

a quote you try to live by? “you die in the end. and i know that’s really morbid but isn’t that comforting? things could go really wrong, but you’re given an out at the end. nobody’s stuck living with their choices forever. i think things ending eventually is comforting, to be honest. it also keeps me going and inspires me to make things exciting.” 

where do you want to be in ten years? “travelling the world, still.” 

[seaveyy-sayys]

Best friends brother • Zach Herron

Warnings? Cursing, fluff asf

If a part two is wanted I’ll make it.

Summary: you’re best friends with Ryan Herron and stayed with them while in quarantine.

1st person POV

Ryan Herron, my best friend since, well, forever. I was at Ryan’s house when the dreaded quarantine thing happened. That’s when we decided, what’s better than quarantine with your best friend? The answer is nothing. Well it was until Zach got here...

———

“Honestly I think this has to be our best idea yet!” I said while taking a freshly baked cookie off the tray. Ryan nodded, “who knew quarantining with your best friend could be such a blast!” I furrowed my brows, “Um, If I do recall, I did.” Ryan agreed with me. However, our conversation soon got interrupted.

“The favorite child just got here!” Zach yelled through the house. I sighed...heavily. Zach was the most annoying human on the planet, there wasn’t a time when he didn’t pick on me. He was constantly telling me I should date Ryan, even though he knows I’m two years older. In fact, I was closer in age to Zach than Ryan and he still insisted that we should date.

“Y/N!! Ah, my favorite person!” Zach said engulfing me in a hug, I hugged him back. Although Zach was annoying as fuck, we were still like family. “So, are you two dating yet?” He asked, I glared at him with annoyance, “You ask that question everytime you see us and the answer is always the same.”

“So I take that as a no.” Zach replied. As I was about to answer Reese came rushing down the stairs. “Zach!” She yelled hugging him. “Where’s mom and dad?” He wondered, I motioned my head towards the basement door, “They’re going through old things in the basement.”

Zach pushes past us and opens the dark brown door that lead to the basement. “Mom! Dad!” Was all he had to say. Myta and Josh hugged him so much his face got red from embarrassment, which I didn’t really understand why, everyone in the house was already family to him. “I love you guys too, but please no more hugging.” Myta and Josh backed away, “Right, you were probably over loaded with hugs before we even got up here.” Myta laughed, Zach nodded in response.

Zach found his way to the kitchen after unpacking, I sat at the island talking with Ryan. “What are you two lovebirds talking about?” Zach interrupted leaning against the counter and snatching a cookie from the plate infront of us, which was nearly empty. I flipped him off while smiling. In response, he put his hands over his heart and said, “Oh so sweet.” I giggled a bit at his actions and Zach smiled. I turned my attention away from Zach and onto Ryan, “As I was saying before someone rudely butted in,” I looked at Zach, “I like Jaeden, but I think our personalities clash a little.”

“Woah woah woah, who’s Jaeden?” Zach interrupted once again. I sighed, “Jaeden Martell, he’s an actor. I met him before quarantine, we’ve actually been friends for a while.” I explained. “Ok, but how’d you meet him?” Zach asked, I rolled my eyes, “My mom was a photographer at one of his shoots, and I just so happened to go with her that day.” Zach nodded slowly, “So you like him?” he questioned. I huffed, “Yes? Kind of? I don’t know yet! Now please stop interrogating me!” I yelled grabbing Ryan’s arm and pulling him up stairs to his room.

———

I gasped for air while grabbing my chest. I slept in the guest room like I always did, however, the bed in there always have me nightmares. My phone lay beside me, “Three AM, great.” I whispered to myself, expecting the whole house to be in bed. Quietly, I snuck downstairs and into the kitchen. I flicked on the light and grabbed a glass from the cupboard above me. I stood on my tip toes trying to reach on glass that was pushed way back, needless to say I was quite short.

I felt hovering against my back as I tried once more to reach the glass. From the side of my vision a hand grabbed the glass I was reaching for. I spun around quickly to be met by Zach, a slight smirk creeping onto his face. “Need this?” He said holding the glass out in front of him. I had been leaning against the counter while he hovered over me, his hand laying on the countertop beside me. I quickly took the glass out of his hand and pushed past him to grab the Apple juice out of the fridge.

“Thanks,” I said closing the fridge, “but I couldve done it myself.” I set the apple juice on the island while Zach sat spinning at the barstool across from me. “Really? Because it looked like you were struggling?” He laughed. “Yes I could’ve- wait why are you awake?” I questioned, his eyebrow lifted, “Why are YOU awake?” I turned around and put the juice back in the fridge, “You know I get nightmares.”

“Right, I forgot, same one as usual?” Zach answered, I looked down at the wooden floor, “Yeah...” I mumbled. He placed his hand on mine and rubbed the back of my hand with his thumb, “I’m here if you need to talk about it.” I smiled at the boy, “Thanks Zach, but I’m ok.”

I finished my apple juice, setting the glass in the dishwasher. As I walked out of the kitchen I turned back to Zach, “Goodnight Zach” He smiled at me, “Goodnight Y/N.”

———

It was around eight AM when Zach barged into my room, “Y/N!” He yelled, “I’m gonna need you to make more cookies.” I glared at him, my eyebrows furrowed and and a look of annoyance on my face, “You ate them all?!” I exclaimed.

“Well yeah they were really good. Plus you know I can’t help myself when you make cookies, you’re probably the best baker I’ve ever met. You should make the cake for our birthday.” Zach continued to ramble as I thought about our birthday. Ever since we were little we shared a birthday party, although he was a year older than me, we called ourselves birthday twins. We even used to have conjoined birthday parties, that was until he moved in with the Why Don’t We boys. At that moment I hadn’t realized how much I missed him, how much I missed being asked about Ryan and I, how much I missed when he picked on me. Although he was probably the most annoying person to ever exist I really did miss him endlessly.

I cut off Zachs rambling with a hug, “I really missed you, even though you make me want to pull out my hair, I really fucking missed you.” I said into his chest. Taken aback for a second, he sighed, then wrapped his arms around me and placed a kiss on the top of my head, “I missed you too, way more than I originally planned if I’m being honest.” He hugged me tighter.

“Zach! Come here and help me lift this!” Myta called from downstairs. Zach looked over his shoulder, then back at me, “I better go help her.” He laughed awkwardly. I let go of him, but before leaving he pulled my head towards him and kissed the top of my forehead once more. “I expect those cookies in an hour!” He yelled while going down the stairs. I laughed to myself, “What a dork.” I whispered.

Ryan came speeding through the hallway and pushed me into my room shutting the door behind us. “What was that?!” He asked loudly. I looked at him confused, “Um hugging? Sibling love?” He facepalmed, “That was not sibling love, you guys aren’t even siblings!” He retorted. “I don’t know seemed a lot like sibling love to me.” By this point Ryan was getting annoyed, “You guys barely even like each other, all he does is pick on you.”

Ryan was right, Zach and I never really got along, he’s teased me since we were kids. In the past few years, when Zach picked on me it actually gave me confort. It showed that fame didn’t change him, that he was still that annoying kid from down the street.

“I know he picks on me, I know we don’t get along, but I don’t know, I just missed him more than I thought.” I told Ryan. He sighed at my response, “I get it, sorry I freaked out.” I smiled warmly at the boy and pulled him into a hug, “It’s alright, I’d freak out too if you and my sister were hugging after being mean to each other for 12 years.”

“I really should make more cookies though, there’s only like 2 more left.” I said pulling out of the hug. “No no, there’s probably no more left, zach and Reese probably ate them.” He corrected while following me downstairs, we laughed.

“Enjoying quarantine I take it?” Myta asked from the bottom of the stairs. “It’s not so bad when you’re with your second family.” I smiled. She nodded and walked away smiling.

I pulled out two big baking trays to put the cookies on, the ingredients for the cookies, the measuring cups, and the mixer. “Can I help?” A voice asked from behind me. To my surprise it was Zach, usually Ryan was the one to help me bake. I shrugged, “Yeah, go ahead, I don’t mind.” I slid over making room at the counter. “Hey, I’m gonna go set up the blanket fort in the living room, maybe Reese will help.” Ryan said from the island. I nodded in response.

“Why do you wanna help? You never help me bake.” I asked turning to Zach while he mixed the batter together. “Exactly, I never help you bake. Plus, I said before you’re the best baker I know, and I know the boys would love your cookies.” He told me, I lifted my eyebrow, “So you’re here to steal my recipe?” Zach laughed, “Well, yes, technically.”

“Speaking of the boys, when do I get to meet them, you know I’m practically Why Don’t We’s number one fan.” I questioned. Zach stopped the mixer and looked at me, “What do you mean? You can meet them whenever, you’re always welcome to come over.” He answered. I laughed, “I am? Kind of funny since I’ve never once been informed when you live.” Zach bit the inside of his cheek, “Yeah I guess knowing our address would help.” I laughed again putting in the chocolate chips, “The secret is too put an extra handful of chocolate chips.” I told him.

I curled up in the blanket fort in between Zach and Ryan, Reese decided she didn’t want to be squished so she stayed on the couch, with a bowl of popcorn all too herself. We watched High School Musical 2, having watched the first one last night. Unsurprisingly, Zach sung through every song right in my ear.

Reese fell asleep on the couch, and Ryan went up to bed before the movie ended because he couldn’t stand Zach singing through the whole movie. So Zach and I folded the blankets ourselves. I grabbed the popcorn bowl from beside Reese who was curled up with her blanket. “I’m gonna put her in her bed, I’ll be back down to help in a second.” Zach said while picking up reese. “There’s not really much else to do, you don’t have to come back down.” I reassured him. Zach frowned, “I don’t care, I don’t want to leave you to do the rest by yourself, I’ll feel bad.” I huffed, “Fine”

I was washing the dishes when I heard footsteps from behind me, I spun around just before Zach scared me. “Gotcha!” I exclaimed, “Zach, I’ve known you for 12 years, I know you like the back of my hand.” I leaned against the sink with my arms crossed. “You don’t know everything.” He answered, and soon enough we found ourselves in the same position we had been in the previous night.

“I don’t know everything, but I know much more than majority.” I said poking his chest and pushing past him to grab a towel for the dishes. Zach himself also grabbed a towel to dry dishes with.

I sat on the island while zach put the dishes away. “You know there are chairs behind you right?” Zack spoke. “Yeah, but sitting on the counter makes me feel taller.” I admitted. He let out a small laugh, “Everything is done, you can go up to bed.” He pointed out. “Nah, I don’t feel like walking up the stairs.” I said looking at my nails. Zach walked towards me, “Do I need to carry you?” I smiled sheepishly, “Well if you insist.” I clung to him like a Koala. Zach let out a laugh and picked me up. I buried my head in the crook of his neck as he carried me. He smelled nice, something I never really noticed. His smell was indescribable, like a scent of his own, a good scent though.

When we approached my room I lifted my head up, his eyes met mine as a small smile crept onto my face, zach smiled too. It wasn’t until that moment that I knew why I missed him so much, why I hoped fame didn’t change him. He was Zach, my home, the person who I had loved from the get go and I didn’t even know. He pushed my hair behind my ear so he could see my face more clearer. Before I knew it I was being thrown onto the bed.

“Hey! You ruined the moment!” I whisper yelled sitting on my bed cross-crossed. He looked at me from the door way, “They’ll be more, don’t you worry.” He answered while walking out of the room. “Wait, Zach!” I called. He poked his head through the door way, “Goodnight.” I said. He smiled at me, “Goodnight.”

———

I gasped for air again, my hand on my chest. I looked at my phone, three AM...again. “Lovely.” I whispered to myself. Slowly I sat up placing my feet on the cold floor. It was quiet, something that barely existed in the Herron household.

I opened my door slowly so it wouldn’t make a noise and snuck into the bedroom at the other end of the hall. Inside Zach lay there sleeping. “Zach.” I whispered, “Zach.” I shook him this time. He responded with a lazy hum. “I had a nightmare.” I explained.

Zach moved over a bit and lifted up the covers, “Come over here you goon.” He answered with a lazy smile. I climbed under the covers next to him, his arm wrapped around my waist and he cuddled into me. I’ve never fallen asleep faster.

[darkpoisonouslove]

Sparks of Life Actual Trivia

As the title suggests, I will do my best to try to keep this to things that are actual trivia and not the outlines of fics (even though, let’s be real, I could turn anything into story material). Here we go.

- Valtor’s most used emoji is a blue heart that he is always sending Griffin. He barely uses any of the other emojis and that one somehow always appears as the most recently used as well as simply the most used. Griffin finds it cute even when she jokes that her most used emoji is for certain the one that is facepalming. Not just when she’s texting with him but with the twins, too, and sometimes, yes, even with Faragonda (though, that is usually when the conversation steers to something Hagen did XD). Her actual most used emoji is the one with the sunglasses because she is a badass bitch. (All of this is totally Zarathustra’s fault as she is the one that gave Griffin the opportunity to use literally every single emoji there is (and annoyed her into doing it).) Her second most used emoji is the one that blows a kiss. That one can be used both ironically and unironically. She might be a sassy bitch but she is a sassy bitch that really loves her people and even shows it from time to time. XD

- Valtor bought Griffin a waterfall incense burner:

and she has not been able to recover from that gift ever since. It meant a lot to her since she immediately fell in love with the idea of a waterfall incense burner when she first saw it but she didn’t think of buying one for herself since Valtor has a delicate sense of smell and strong scents irritate him easily. She needs to be careful when she buys scented candles and perfumes (or she’d end up giving them to the twins, again) and she didn’t think it a good idea to have one of those as she rarely burned incense anymore because of his sensitivity. She was very touched when he bought one for her and absolutely loves watching the smoke cascading down like it’s water. They still have to maneuver with it sometimes but it’s all good.

- One time Emalyn had brought out the old albums with whatever photos she and Griffin’s dad had managed to take of their daughter. She and Valtor were going through them while Griffin was fussing on Valtor’s shoulder (no need to let go of him just because she’s not thrilled about his curiosity). Valtor noticed the bowl of gummy bears in one of the photos and asked about it. Emalyn laughed before telling the story about how for one of Griffin’s birthdays in college Ediltrude had made vodka gummy bears since Griffin really loved eating the things when she was little and, well, it needed to be appropriate for the celebration at hand so just ordinary gummy bears wouldn’t cut it. Valtor listened intently but Griffin could tell there was something making him sad as he wasn’t talking a lot after that. So she picked up a packet of gummy bears next time they went shopping and that was the first time Valtor ate gummy bears (and the first time Griffin ate gummy bears ever since those vodka soaked ones) as well as, quite possibly, the last. He wasn’t a fan and tried not to antagonize her about loving them. He made sure to buy her a packet once in a while instead. He also might have gotten her a gummy bear bouquet for her birthday.

- Valtor and Griffin love to train together. There is a fitness room in the penthouse and they do spend some of their together time in there even if Griffin rarely uses any of the equipment in it. She might use the treadmill occasionally but that’s about it. She prefers to do yoga while Valtor does his exercises. Their background music choices might have clashed a little as she basically needs hers to be soothing spiritual music while Valtor prefers more energetic tunes. They solved that with wireless earphones. The matter of getting distracted while watching the other (and even pulling the other into that distraction as well) has been harder to resolve but they love spending time together even when they are both absorbed in their own things and it is only about feeling the silent presence of the other so they keep it up. They even spar together as Valtor used to take martial arts lessons and he might have taught Griffin as well so that they can have all that fun together. You know, pressing each other into walls and pinning each other to the ground. ;) They love their training sessions.

- Bathroom commodities are a bit of a nightmare. Griffin has her vanity - luckily for her because otherwise she wouldn’t have been able to get to a mirror most of the time with Valtor is the way. He is not as much vain as he is a perfectionist and also self-conscious (thanks to his mothers) and he spends ages in front of the mirror. So does Griffin, though hers is more from vanity. Yet, she was the one saying she was surprised Valtor didn’t have mirrors in every room. They still have the regular weekly fight about the bathroom as a lot of the time it looks like one of them is only waiting for the other to come out so that they can go in. It’s a bit frantic in the morning which is a factor in why the bathroom issue is one of their biggest sources of conflict when they are still sleepy and irritable or running late. They also tend to love sharing it when they are truly sharing it, however. Joined bath is one of the most relaxing activities they can imagine, especially when they help each other wash their hair. And it is perfect for cuddling and all that good stuff. ;)

- They have a fireplace in the penthouse that they both love dearly. Valtor finds the crackling of the fire and the warmth soothing and Griffin loves curling up in front of the fireplace with a good book and a cup of tea. Even more so if Valtor is there although most of the time he has paperwork to attend to. She doesn’t mind if she can lean on him and read into the evening. Winter nights have never been cozier or warmer. Though, sometimes the atmosphere turns competitive when they play chess in front of the fireplace. They happen to play other games at times as well but chess is their favorite and the heat of the fire kind of adds to the intensity. It satisfies their craving for theatrics as they are both drama queens so it is certainly a favorite thing of theirs. They even had a “picnic” in front of the fireplace once. It was fun, though they almost managed to push one of the dishes into the fireplace so they had to estimate a safety distance there.

- Griffin bought Valtor pens in different colors to help him color code his schedule and know what is important and what is less so. It was really useful even if Valtor wasn’t really feeling the idea at the beginning. Once it started saving him time that he could spend with her, however, he was quickly on board with it. He’d also use them to draw Griffin pics on stray sheets of paper during the day while he was talking on the phone or having to wait for a document to get sent to him. He really started loving the idea. So much so that he didn’t notice he was signing paperwork with the pink pen until his secretary pointed it out. They had to print out all of it anew and he wasn’t thrilled about having to repeat the whole process. Griffin laughed - very uncharacteristically and unsympathetically of her - when he told her that evening and he wasn’t quite playing offended just to get her kisses. He didn’t mind that part, though, and he did keep the pens since they were useful and made his day somewhat brighter.

- They love to travel when they can. The weekends are usually free and even if that doesn’t leave them a lot of time for long trips, they still love exploring the “local” are. They just grab the car keys and some spare clothes and drive for as long as they can before they have to start coming back or until a town catches their eye. They sometimes pick a destination beforehand, though that is left to luck. Valtor usually lets Griffin pick it as they lay out a map and whatever she points to becomes their destination. It doesn’t really matter where they’ll end up when they are together. They even managed to get a little further away a few times when Valtor hired a private jet. It was a good way to see something new when they’d already explored a lot of the closer places and to add something different in their lives. And even if they had to come back too soon, they still have the memories and those magnets Griffin loves to buy from the places they visit instead of taking photos. Photos of them, at least. They end up with plenty beautiful shots of scenery. And one or two of Griffin when Valtor manages to catch her off guard. She has snapped loads of pics of him, though, as he would even pose for her (and she might have one or two framed in her office at work plus some more in the penthouse).

- Once they were on a date (before they moved in together), Valtor took her to a ferris wheel which stopped working right as they were at the very top. Valtor is still not over the crisis he had back then (nor the fit of rage) but it ended up being Griffin’s favorite date of theirs. Sure, they were stuck for about an hour and she needed to go to the toilet which might have been thanks to the low temperatures and the wind up there that had her freezing, but it wasn’t so bad when Valtor was with her. They watched the stars that they could see despite the city lights and they cuddled into each other for warmth. Well, she cuddled into him as he was still warm like an oven and she wasn’t sure how he was doing it. And of course, cuddling turned into kissing which also got intense. They both had to fix their clothes and button what had been unbuttoned when the wheel started again most unexpectedly. Griffin still looks on that date fondly and Valtor can be swayed into admitting it went quite well considering the circumstances when she reminds him about after the wheel when they were warming up.

That’s about it... Nine points for the 9th... of June. (I have connected the dots. XD)

[purplesurveys]

941

ACH

Do you listen to anything by Bach? I’ve probably encountered some of his material since I like looking for classical musical playlists to listen to on Spotify, but I’m nowhere near being a devoted fan or anything like that.

ASH

Do you like ash trees? I’m not attached to any kind of tree, really – but I know I have nothing against this kind, haha.

Do you have the ashes of a family member or a pet? No. The only ashes I’ve gotten to encounter are my grandpa’s, but we’ve since placed them in our local ossuary so that he can rest in peace.

How often do you feel like you want to bash your head against a wall? Before September, quite seldom. But with this month being so turbulent, chaotic, and nothing like I expected it to be, seldom has turned into every day.

Has anyone ever thrown you a big birthday bash? Sure. I had a big party when I was 7 and I also had a nice slew of celebrations when I turned 18. But if you mean a surprise birthday bash then no, no one has thrown one for me.

Do you know anyone who is brash? I do, but fortunately I haven’t had to work with her for a while now. I certainly often felt annoyed when I used to have to.

Do you typically carry cash or a credit/debit card? OMG Y’ALL I finally opened my own bank account last Friday I’ve never felt so grown-up until now haha. My dad helped me set up my first card, which is a debit card. :)

Have you ever crashed someone else’s party before? No, that sounds so annoying omg. I’d never want to be known as a gatecrasher. I know I’d be pissed if someone showed up to any of my parties uninvited.

Have you ever been involved in a car crash? Yes but fortunately they’ve all been super mild ones. One of my biggest fears is getting involved in a car crash where things would be out of my control and becoming seriously injured, like if a drunk driver crashed into me or if a 12-wheeler loses its brakes and slams into my car or something. I think I’d live in resentment for the rest of my life if that sort of thing happened to me and still ended up alive.

Do you use Door Dash? I didn’t know what this is so I had to look it up, and even though we don’t have Door Dash we do have several apps that do exactly the same services.

How often do you use a dash in your writing? I like using them in more casual contexts like survey entries, personal essays, feature articles, etc. I avoid dashes in academic writing since dashes are not really the most formal of punctuation marks.

Last place you made a mad dash to? The car repair shop that my dad asked me to meet him at because his situation was a little urgent at the time.

Do you make it a habit to flash people? Oh wow, no I don’t. That’s one of the last things anyone can expect from me. I like wearing revealing or skin-tight articles of clothing, but that doesn’t mean I like giving absolutely everything away lol

Do you prefer flash or no flash on a camera? No flash, always. I hate the effect that flash does and I never go for it, unless I’m in an area where lighting is poor.

Is the Flash one of your favorite superheroes? No. I’m not very big on superheroes to begin with.

Do you use the phrase “I’ll be back in a flash”? Not really. I find myself using “I’ll be super quick” more, or using ‘jiffy’ instead of flash.

Have you ever had a gash in your head before? Anywhere else on your body? I sported a gash near my eyebrow once because of some cousin who tried to blind me by hurling a glass jar towards my left eye and just narrowly missing my actual eyeball. Now there’s a scar in its place. Currently, I have multiple gashes on my arms and legs because Cooper.

Do you like hash browns? They’re okay, but I can’t have them all the time because I find them way too greasy for my enjoyment.

Do you do hash? No.

How often do you use hash tags? Almost never, unless I’m fighting for a political cause like BLM or calling for free mass testing. Hashtags got real lame real quick when they started getting popular around 7-8 years ago.

Do you have long eyelashes? Yes, it’s my favorite feature of mine and I get compliments on them fairly often.

How often do you lash out at others? For what reasons? Not often, but when I do it’s almost always because I’m already buckling under immense pressure and probably have nowhere to release my stress onto. I don’t turn it into an automatic mechanism though, because I don’t want to make others feel like shit for things they didn’t do.

Do you like mashed potatoes? I enjoy them but they’re not really my favorite dish. I can do 4-5 spoonfuls of them before getting over them haha, like I can never seem to finish a serving of it.

Do you typically gnash your teeth together? No I HATEEEE the sensation and the sound that it makes. My sister grinds her teeth in her sleep and it drives me nuts whenever we’re on a family trip and we share a room.

Do you know someone who speaks balderdash? Sure.

What color is the backsplash of your kitchen? White.

Have you ever had any rashes before? What kinds? Yes. Back in high school I used to occasionally get a random itchy area on my leg and whenever I’d scratch it, it would turn into an ugly patch of rashes. I never figured what the condition was but I’m just glad it’s never happened again.

Do you typically make rash decisions? Sometimes. I really tend to impulsive. The last one I made was swapping a full-time job opportunity for an internship with much lesser pay. Even I was surprised by how quick I jumped into the latter, but I like the nature of the work of the internship SO MUCH MORE, and I dunno if I’ll be happy with what I would be doing in the full-time gig. Plus, internships here are never even paid ones, so the fact that they even offered to give me an allowance per day just goes to show how good the company I’m interning for is.

Have you ever worn a sash before? I probably have but I don’t remember what for anymore.

Do you often find that your personality clashes with others’ around you? Yes, but I’m also good at adjusting to all kinds of personalities so I’m not too bothered by the clashes.

Whose tires would you like to slash? Any racist’s tires, really.

Who would you like to smash with? No one at the moment.

What was the last thing you smashed out of anger? I don’t really tend to be violent when I’m angry. The last angry thing I did was to throw my head against a pillow, but that’s it.

Do you have a secret stash of something hidden anywhere? Nopes.

How often do you take out the trash? My parents prefer to do it so they don’t really ask us to.

Has anyone ever told you that you look like trash? Other than myself, no.

Do you like to splash in the pool, the bathtub, or in puddles? I wouldn’t call it my favorite thing to do; I hate the mess that it makes, ha.

Have you ever thrashed violently before? What was the cause? Yeah. I probably embarrassed my grandma for life when I did so, but it was when I had to be confined to the hospital and they needed to insert the IV thing on me. It sent me into the worst panic attack I’ve ever gotten and I ended up thrashing a lot and several people had to hold me down so that the nurse could stick the thing into my wrist.

Do you own and use an eyelash curler? No. Those make me cringe so bad...I hate how they get so close to the eyeball. Kate brought her makeup kit to school everyday and she always made me try to learn how to curl my own lashes, but it just made me feel so nauseated lol

Have you ever experienced backlash from others? A few times before.

Have you ever had whiplash before? Never.

ATH

Do you prefer a shower or a bath? Shower. Much more efficient. Baths are relaxing, but I don’t like how I end up bathing in what’s pretty much dirty water.

Have you ever given another person or an animal a bath before? I’ve only given Kimi a bath. I let my dad bathe Cooper since he’s too much of a handful for now, plus I think it’s fair if we bathe one dog each haha.

How good are you at math? I can answer advanced algebra, statistics, and geometry questions if you give me enough time to review and get reacquainted with the formulas, but I’m perfectly alright with no longer revisiting trigonometry and calculus for the rest of my life.

Do you feel like your life is on the right path? Career-wise it definitely is; I’m happy with the direction it’s going right now. Everything else seems so turbulent at the moment and I can’t say I’m happy.

Are there any bike paths or footpaths in your area? We have sidewalks, if they count.

Have you ever gone on the warpath before? Not really. I do get very angry with certain people if I think they’ve been behaving badly, but I rarely get confrontational.

Is there a birdbath in your yard? No, those aren’t common here at all. I’ve only seen those in cartoons, I think.

Have you ever had a footbath before? Nopes.

What’s the last thing you’ve had to deal with the aftermath of? I can think of one thing but it’s still pretty triggering so I don’t feel like bringing it up at the moment.

Have you ever witnessed a bloodbath? Thankfully I haven’t. I get so queasy when I see blood though; it’s so much better off this way because I wouldn’t be able to deal with one at all.

Are you a sociopath or a psychopath? Do you know anyone who might be? No lol. I don’t think I know of anyone who could possibly be either. I wouldn’t want to associate myself with one in the first place.

Who’s the last person that you faced the wrath of? Myself.

AMP

Do you have an instrument that you plug into an amp? Nope, I own 0 instruments.

When’s the last time you felt amped up? What was the reason? Thursday morning when I parked in front of the office I was gonna have my job interview in. I needed to hype myself up to feel confident so I spent a couple of minutes in the car pumping my chest and screaming and shit, lol

Have you ever gone to day camp or overnight sleepaway camp? No. My mom wouldn’t have allowed me as a kid.

When’s the last time you felt like a champ? It’s been a while. I haven’t exactly felt like I’ve been winning in anything.

Last time it was damp where you lived? This afternoon. It was really humid for a good few hours and then it ended up raining.

Weirdest place you’ve ever had a cramp? My index finger whenever I’d try to use chopsticks; and my toes when I hiked in Sagada. The toe cramps were so bizarre I was actually laughing-crying the whole time the tour guide was treating me; my dad was taking photos of me too loooooool

Do you refer to your grandfather as “Gramps”? No. I call both of them Lolo, which is our local version of Grandpa.

Have you ever worn a headlamp before? No, I’ve never really had to.

Do you have a ramp anywhere in your house? I don’t think so, no.

Has anyone ever called you “scamp” before? No.

How many lamps are in the room you’re in? How many are actually turned on? There is one lamp, and it is currently turned on.

Do you stamp your feet when you are angry? It doesn’t tend to be a behavior of mine, no.

Last time you used a postage stamp? Not sure...grade school, probably? I never used those a lot.

Are there streetlamps on your street? What time do they turn on? Yep. I don’t keep track of their schedule but a safe guess would be either 6 or 6:30 PM.

Last place/area that you wanted to revamp? My room.

Do you know anyone who is a tramp? No.

Have you seen Lady and the Tramp before? Not the full movie but I’ve seen a lot of excerpts from watching Magic English as a kid.

Do you know anyone with a “tramp stamp”? I don’t think so.

AWK/AULK/ALK

Is the squawk of certain birds annoying? Which ones? I’ve never found any of them annoying, but maybe that’s also because there aren’t a lot of different birds flying around where I live.

Do you prefer hawks or falcons? And…why? I don’t have a preference; I’ve never encountered either.

Has anyone ever watched you like a hawk before? That sounds a little creepy and I wouldn’t want to know if anyone has.

What was the last thing you used caulk on?   I’m almost positive I’ve never handled that, haha.

[a-zebra-is-a-striped-horse]

[bigskydreaming]

All right, you have officially sold me on Bobby Drake. Where do I start reading?

Its a good question, lol! Honestly, it mostly just depends on how far back you want to go. I mean, he’s been around for sixty years, lol, so there’s a shit ton of appearances to wade through, and it depends on how familiar you are with the X-Men as a whole. 

If you’re not familiar with the X-Men or Marvel in general, this is actually a really good time to jump in with reading the current books without much prior knowledge. Just last year the X-books underwent a huge status quo shakeup in the two limited series House of X and Powers of X, that pretty much like....transformed their entire place in the Marvel Universe as a whole and gave them a whole new playing field that was all pretty clearly laid out within just those two series. So its a really good starting point to kinda catch up quick to where things stand now and then just branch out from there to whatever catches your interest. 

Bobby’s a main character in a book called Marauders currently, which is only on issue #6 or #7 right now, and the book is pretty central to the major happenings in the X-Men’s corner of the universe. Plus a lot of great characters in the rest of the cast - Storm, Bishop, Emma Frost, etc.

If you want to start from way far back and have a good long, consistent read, the original X-Factor (the first series, vol 1) is where I would go. I don’t think anyone really needs to read the original X-Men series from the 60s to get a handle on the characters or universe, and personally I’ve always found X-Factor a much better read using all the same characters except with the added bonus of no Xavier. As he is. The Worst. 

Between the original X-Men run and X-Factor’s debut, Bobby, Angel and Beast popped up on various other superteams, like Bobby and Angel were on the Champions together for a bit, and then the three of them were on a team called the Defenders for a while...if you can find old Defenders issues online (this would have been back in the 70s/early 80s), they’re worth checking out just for Bobby’s brief romance with a shapeshifting character named Cloud who he first met as a woman but later shifted into a man. And while they decided to just be friends at that point, given that this was the era of the Comics Code when gay relationships were ‘frowned upon,’ this was the earliest and most blatant gay-coding of Bobby, literal decades before he was made canon gay in the comics. Plus, they’re just pretty fun stories and Bobby and Cloud were super cute together.

But yeah, then X-Factor ran for a number of years without interruption, staying consistent with the same core cast of just the original five X-Men and the supporting characters they introduced in that series, like Rictor (another future famous gay X-character, just a wee punk teenager at the time, lol). It was pretty fun overall, IMO, should give anyone new to the Marvel U a pretty solid grasp of all the major players in it, and its where a lot of big names like Apocalypse made their debut. And of course, I think Bobby was well written throughout it. X-Factor was also where a couple of the things I mentioned in that post happened, like the storyline where Loki kidnapped Bobby to use his powers to make his army.

After that.....basically, the original X-Men left that title to rejoin the X-Men when Marvel relaunched the X-Men line with a brand new X-Men #1 in the early 90s....and at the same time, they kept the already existing Uncanny X-Men title going, which was around #280 at that time. 

Since they had such a huge cast of characters at that point, they split the X-Men into two fairly iconic lineups, the Blue and the Gold....the Blue team were the chronicled in the adjectiveless X-Men book, and featured Cyclops, Gambit, Psylocke, Beast, Wolverine, Rogue and others, while the Gold team were the main characters of the continuing Uncanny X-Men title from again, around #280 and onward. The Gold team was Bobby, Jean Grey, Colossus, Storm, Archangel, and then later Bishop as well, etc. 

This era was where a lot of the best Bobby stories took place, IMO. Very early after the Gold team was formed, Bobby had a mishap with Mikhail Rasputin, the older brother of Colossus, whose powers shifted Bobby into his organic ice form for the very first time, where he became living ice that he could control and shapeshift and heal, rather than just cover himself with ice. This was the beginning of them exploring the versatility of Bobby’s powers and what eventually led to them making him an omega level mutant, though even back in X-Factor they’d established that he was far more powerful than anyone had realized before that.

Then Uncanny X-Men #311 continued this and launched one of the most pivotal periods in Bobby’s development. An accident led to a comatose Emma Frost’s mind jumping into Bobby’s body and taking control, and she used his body and powers to seek revenge for the deaths of her own students, and in the process pushed his powers even further than anyone had thought possible. This is where he came to realize he could literally teleport by melting into any body of water and recreating himself anywhere else connected to that body of water, like traveling from one end of a river to another, or even across oceans instantly....as well as proving to him that he could literally get holes blown in his ice form and just fill them up with new ice and transform back into his flesh and blood self, none the worse for wear. 

This period also led to him showing up in Generation X a lot, where Emma became one of the teachers for that generation of young mutants, because during this time, Bobby and Emma like....clashed a lot, because Bobby had a lot of issues about her hijacking his body and then taking it on what was essentially a suicide run at the time, and was also resentful of her being instantly able to do things with his powers he hadn’t even conceived of with years of training with them, and Emma was....prickly at the best of times, back then even moreso than now, so she tended to taunt him with this and push his buttons by insinuating she knew more about him than he did himself, and she knew what really was holding him back all these years, etc, etc....but then they eventually formed a very unconventional but real rapport, and decades later, they still have this weird thing where they’d probably never admit to even liking each other, but they probably respect each other more than just about any other of their teammates combined. (Also, the Christian that Bobby is currently with in the comics is Emma’s older brother).

Back to Uncanny X-Men....to take his mind off of everything that the body-jacking by Emma had brought up for him, and because Rogue was having a lot of similar issues due to her new relationship with Gambit and the glimpse of various secrets of his that she’d gotten via her own powers....Bobby and Rogue decided to take a road trip together, that went on for about a dozen issues all in all, and are some of my all time favorite Bobby stories. This includes Uncanny #319, where they go visit Bobby’s parents together and Bobby tells off his dad in epic fashion (this was literally the first comic I ever read, and still one of my faves today, lol....also he made a giant ice palace off the coastline that was as big as a city and that has nothing to do with anything except for the fact that it was very pretty and very gay. Foreshadowing!)

Then there were a couple of big iconic crossover events that took over all the titles for awhile - the first was the alternate universe Age of Apocalypse event - and its worth tracking down and reading in its entirety, IMO. Definitely one of the most pivotal ‘events’ in Marvel history, but it was actually pretty good, too? LOL. And the Age of Apocalypse version of Bobby was pretty bad ass. (He returned in Rick Remender’s X-Force title about fifteen years later, but we don’t speak of Rick Remender or that return, for both are bad and wrong).

Then reality was restored, and the Onslaught crossover happened, and like.....really the only thing you need to know about that is its basically where the entire Marvel Universe teamed up to fight the evil brain baby slash hatechild of Professor X and Magneto. I’m just saying. Read it at your own peril. I’m not even saying its BAD, I’m just saying. Read it at your own peril.

Then in Uncanny X-Men #340.....that’s the issue where Bobby left the team for awhile to take care of his dad after he was almost killed at that hate rally I mentioned in one of my Bobby posts today, so I forget where the whole ‘going undercover in Graydon Creed’s campaign’ storyline started, but back up a bit from there and you’d be good to go. He and Sam (Cannonball) went undercover together and that was basically the start of the epic Bobby and Sam bromance slash subtextual romance that I still love to this day, too.

Then he was out of the books for awhile, off taking care of his dad, and didn’t really return until this big event called Operation: Zero Tolerance happened, wherein the government went after the X-Men directly and captured pretty much all their big guns, and Bobby came back to help and had to single-handedly rescue a bunch of random mutants from Sentinels and make an interim team with which to like, save the day themselves. O:ZT is actually a really good story for him, I really like how competent he was portrayed there, and also it was the introduction of Dr. CeCe Reyes, who is also a fave. She was also briefly a sorta/not sorta love interest for Bobby, that of course didn’t ultimately go anywhere. On account of, y’know. His Massive Gayness.

Then Bobby left the team again to go return to taking care of his dad, and also because certain writers hated him (though tbh, Bobby’s actually one of the longest running heroes in the Marvel U, as in....he’s spent the longest consecutive times active in various books/teams without taking breaks, compared to pretty much all other characters who aren’t Wolverine, Captain America or Spider-man. He was a constant presence in books pretty much from his creation up until the mid-90s, so like, he was due for some time-off. I GUESS. WHATEVER).

From this point, he didn’t return until a storyline called The Twelve. It was very bad, and very dumb, and you should not read it. Your brain cells will thank me later.

Then there was a miniseries called X-Men Forever - this you SHOULD read, as its where the term omega mutant was essentially coined for the first time in the way its been used ever since, and its where both Bobby and Jean found out they were omega level mutants for the first time. And Mystique and Toad and Juggernaut were also there because....idk, tbh. That was all very strange to me. But! Still! Worth a read!

Then came a veeeeery underrated Iceman solo miniseries of four issues, that is weird but also very worth tracking down as it was a great Bobby, very poignant and also kinda sad, but like. I’d highly recommend. Especially as it was pretty much the last good Bobby for awhile, with the exception of Joe Casey, who wrote a decent Bobby but a terrible Everyone Else.

Then we enter the Dark Ages of Bobby. Where everything is bad and all the writers are the worst.

First up is Chuck Austen. Bobby was a core member of his X-Men lineup, throughout his run. This is not a good reason to read Chuck Austen’s run. Do not read Chuck Austen’s run. You’re welcome.

Then there was Peter Milligan’s run. Peter Milligan’s run was not as bad as Austen’s run. This is not a good reason to read Peter Milligan’s run. Do not read Peter Milligan’s run. You’re welcome.

Then Mike Carey took over. You CAN read Mike Carey’s run. You probably even SHOULD read Mike Carey’s run. He is not perfect, but he liked Bobby and we like him for liking Bobby. His Bobby actually spoke in complete sentences and displayed more than one emotion per issue. And Supernovas is a pretty good arc and was actually where the Children of the Vault were first introduced, and they were just brought back in the most recent X-Men issue to be a recurring antagonist, so they’re like. Relevant and stuff.

And then there’s Messiah Complex, which is basically the Advent of Oh Hai, Everything’s About To Get Just Fucking AWFUL For Mutants From Here For the Next Ten Years Or So, and there’s like....blechness with Bobby and Mystique, which...I mean....all else aside, she’s Rogue’s MOM, but WHATEVER. Look, there were....plot reasons. Kinda. So. Whatever. Just blink rapidly and move on from that as quickly as you can.

You can pretty safely jump ship at that point, because Divided We Stand is No, Second Coming is Ugh, and Schism is Why. And also there’s Age of X in there somewhere, which is to be avoided because Age of X basically just wanted to be Age of Apocalypse and its not Age of Apocalypse. Just like Age of X-Man is similarly not Age of Apocalypse, and even Age of Apocalypse 2.0 is not Age of Apocalypse. Stop trying to be Age of Apocalypse, everybody. NONE OF YOU ARE AGE OF APOCALYPSE.

You may have one (1) year of Marjorie M. Liu writing Astonishing X-Men, as a treat. She wrote a great Bobby, this was where the whole ‘freezing the whole Earth, whoopsie’ thing happened, and it was a great and very underrated story.

Then post Schism there’s stuff like Wolverine and the X-Men, where Bobby’s a main character after being lured to take Logan’s side in the Schism instead of Scott’s, with the promise of Being Relevant. ‘Twas a lie. Bobby ‘twas there, but hardly relevant. And Jason Aaron is not as good a writer as advertised, since he’s mostly the one doing the advertising and like.....dude should not trust his own hype. There’s weird and whimsical, and then there’s just plain WEIRD, and most of Wolverine and the X-Men is the latter, claiming to be the former, and like. You can’t trust anyone these days.

Then comes the Era of Bendis. Die, Era of Bendis, Die. 

Do not read the Era of Bendis. Do not speak of the Era of Bendis. If the Era of Bendis bursts into flames on the street next to you, look pointedly away, and trip anyone who runs up to try and douse the Era of Bendis with a bucket of water.

Just trust me. The Bendis, and then the Hopeless (that’s the name of the actual writer who took over on All New X-Men, but it pretty well sums up the feelings of Bobby fans on the matter too, ‘twas fate), and then the Bendis again....bad, bad, bad and also Superbad, but not the movie.

You will hear promises, siren songs, of a young, teenage time-displaced Bobby Drake having his first boyfriend, an Inhuman named Romeo. THIS IS A LIE. ITS A TRICK! A TRAP! DO NOT FALL FOR IT! 

Basically everything is blah blah blahful for awhile....until the Bobby solo series by Sina Grace, which gets a bad rap, but I maintain its worth the read. Like, I’m not going to call it my favorite take on him or anything like that, but its still good fun and a vastly more competent and compelling Bobby than anything Bendis ever eked out.

And that basically catches us up to the present, where we’re at with Marauders.

So!

There you go! Umm....this was supposed to be just a brief list of arc titles to check out, but then I went and hyper-fixated like a BUFFOON, so....umm. Yeah! Have at it!

[manage-mischief]

The Negative

PART ONE

Read on AO3 here. 

Summary: Two-shot inspired by the song from “Waitress.” In which Tonks knows something’s wrong—she just doesn’t want to admit it to herself. Good thing Molly and Fleur are there to offer some support.

Author’s Note: This fic is inspired by the song from “Waitress,” the musical. If you haven’t heard it, definitely give it a listen. Some of the dialogue is included here. This work is focused on Tonks as a character, because she was really underdeveloped in the last book. Since we clearly saw Remus freak out when he found out about Teddy, this is me assuming that Tonks did, too. I tried to get the timeline right as best as possible. It’s a bit confusing in the Deathly Hallows, tbh. Anyways, here’s the story. Equal parts fluff and angst. I’m new to fanfic writing, so any kind feedback is appreciated! P.S. I refuse to write Fleur’s dialogue in that horrid French-style that JK used. I omitted her “h’s,” but that’s it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Waitress. What I do own is…nothing. I own nothing.

“Come now, poppet. It’s better to know,” Molly cooed as she rubbed Tonks’ back in slow, soothing circles.

“It is probably nothing,” Fleur nodded encouragingly.

Tonks withdrew her head from between her knees to glare at the Frenchwoman. It sure as hell wasn’t nothing.

The last few months of her life had been absolutely perfect. After a long and arduous battle, Tonks had finally dragged Remus down the aisle. Well…it was a lot more romantic than she made it sound. The couple had wed in a small, intimate ceremony earlier that summer. They both knew there was no stopping the impending darkness of war that was fast approaching, but nonetheless, had decided to spend whatever time they had left together: a massive “up yours” to Voldie and his goons.

True, life since their union had been a bit hectic. When they weren’t working undercover for the Order, they spent all of their time together in their bedroom—the only room in their small London flat that got any proper use. Undoubtedly, that’s how Tonks had ended up in her current predicament. After being late, followed by several days of morning sickness, she was fairly certain she was pregnant.

“Here, we have the test, we’ll soon find out. It will all be fine.” The kindly ginger handed her a cookie and a cup of tea.

Merlin bless Molly Weasley. After concluding that her illness may be more than a common stomach bug, Tonks had visited The Burrow straight away. She wasn’t exactly sure why. She could have gone to her parents’ place, both of whom would have been thrilled about their daughter’s growing family. Somehow, though, the prospect of going to her mum and dad with such news had terrified her. It made the situation more real. And Tonks was not ready to accept that any of this was really happening. 

It wasn’t that she didn’t want kids. In all honesty, she had never really thought about it. She still felt like a kid herself. Plus, with the current violence sweeping their world, now was certainly not the time to be thinking about new life. She had never even discussed the prospect of a family with Remus. But, she was sure that even if he did want children—something she slightly doubted, given his anxieties about his condition—he would agree that now was nowhere near the proper time to start a family. Oh Merlin. She hadn’t yet considered how Remus would react. Her nausea returned. She groaned and brought her head back between her knees.

“Oh my, is she going to be alright?” Fleur questioned Molly as if Tonks wasn’t there. “She looks like she is going to faint! Poor thing!”

“Maybe I’d feel better if I broke your nose,” Tonks growled.

“It must be the ‘ormones,” Fleur remarked, throwing a look of pity in Tonks’s direction. That did it. Tonks rose from her chair, fully intending to draw her wand and wipe that look off of the blonde’s pretty little face. Molly was quicker. She firmly placed herself in between the two younger witches.

“Alright now, let’s all calm down and let Tonks take her test.”

“Calm down? Calm down?!” Tonks was shaking. “How can I calm down! This is a bloody disaster! I’m… I’m not ready for any of this. Remus isn’t ready!” Her voice broke. She collapsed back into her chair. Merlin’s pants, she had never been so emotional before in her life! Perhaps Fleur had been right about the hormones.

Molly kneeled in front of the anxious witch and stroked her hair. “We don’t even know if there’s anything to panic about yet. Let’s not jump to conclusions.”

“So, you think there’s a chance I’m not pregnant?”

Molly pursed her lips. “Well there’s always a chance,” she replied, unconvincingly. “But you’ll feel better once you know for sure. Isn’t that right, Fleur? Don’t you think Tonks should take the test and find out?”

“Oh yes. It will be much better to know for sure. I ‘ope you drank enough of your tea. Apparently, this Muggle test requires you to pee on it! Quite odd!” Fleur cheerfully opened the little box containing the pregnancy test they had hastily picked up at the pharmacy in town. Tonks was hoping to avoid a trip to St. Mungo’s until she deemed it absolutely necessary. There were too many prying eyes at the hospital for her liking. Merlin forbid some loose-lipped colleague of hers spotted her in the Magical Maternity Ward…

She sat up properly. “Alright. What do I do with that thing?”

Molly walked across the small kitchen to Fleur’s side. “Read us the instructions, Fleur. What does the box say?”

“’N’insérez pas le bâton dans vôtre…’”

“English, Fleur!”

“’Do not insert the test stick into your vagina.’”

Molly rolled her eyes, exasperated. “Wow! Thank you, Fleur!”

“I am sorry. That is obvious…I am getting nervous!”

“You’re getting nervous?” Tonks wasn’t sure she had made the right decision by coming to Molly’s after all.

At least all of the antics allowed for a momentary distraction. She joined the Weasley women on the other side of the kitchen. “Fine. Gimme the damn stick!” She yanked it from Fleur’s hands and headed for the loo, slamming the door behind her.

Sitting down on the toilet, she stared at the small object in her hands. What would this mean for her marriage? Was a kid really something she was ready to handle? She was snapped out of the beginnings of what would have been the day’s fifty-seventh panic attack by the sound of scuffling outside the bathroom door.

“I cannot ‘ear peeing. ‘As she done it yet?”

“Shhhh, give her some privacy! She’s clearly terrified, poor thing. Why, I remember when I found out about Bill…”

Oh, for the love of…

“I can hear you, you know!” Tonks shouted. The whispering stopped. Footsteps quickly retreated from the door. After a few more moments of existential crisis, she finally took the test.

Tonks emerged from the loo and found her companions sitting inconspicuously at the table. Molly was staring blankly at a copy of Witch Weekly, while Fleur was holding the latest issue of The Daily Prophet, whistling. Both were failing miserably in their attempts to act casual. Fleur peeked her head out above the paper. “Oh, are you finished? I ‘ave been reading the news this whole time. I did not notice. Did you know Rita Skeeter is writing a book about Dumbledore?”

Tonks rolled her eyes. “Fascinating. So, how do I find out the results?” She shook the stick, which she had wrapped in toilet paper, as it was now covered in her pee. She wrinkled her nose. Did Muggles really live like this?

Fleur dug the paper instructions out of the empty cardboard box. “You will ‘ave to wait three minutes, and then lines will appear. One line means it is negative and two means it is positive.”

“Well, let’s focus on the negative, shall we?” Tonks sarcastically quipped, flopping down beside Molly at the table. She picked up The Daily Prophet that Fleur had been pretending to read and immediately regretted it. The headlines stood out in thick, black ink as she flipped through the pages.

Five Wizards Killed in Mystery Attack

The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore: Rita Skeeter Reports

Dolores Umbridge Continues Crusade Against Half-Breeds, Muggle-Borns

She hastily crumpled up the newspaper and tossed it into the hearth. Molly and Fleur stared at her, surprised.

“Piece of rubbish, anyways,” Tonks whispered. In reality, she had been frightened. Too many horrible things were happening in the world, and the thought of bringing a child into being at such a time felt extremely irresponsible. “How long has it been?”

“Thirty-six seconds.”

“Dammit.”

“Thirty-eight seconds…”

“Okay!”

“Thirty-nine…”

“Let’s change the subject, shall we?” Molly came to the rescue, yet again. “Fleur how is construction on the cottage going?”

“Oh, it is quite wonderful! Bill ‘as been marvelous. ‘E ‘as built it so our room overlooks the sea. It is very beautiful. I cannot wait to move in for real. And I am sure you will be glad when we are out of your ‘air, Molly.”

“Oh, no, I will miss you both dearly,” Molly assured her daughter-in-law, though the hint of excitement in her words betrayed her. Though the two women had got on much better since Bill’s attack, their very different personalities often clashed. It was probably best for the both of them to get some distance.

Tonks’s leg was bouncing up and down at the table as she fruitlessly attempted to take her mind off of the time that seemed to be moving cursedly slow. “How long has it been, now?”

“One minute and twenty-three seconds.”

Tonks groaned impatiently. “How’d I ever get myself into this mess?”

“Well, did you not use protection? I thought you and Remus were very careful about that sort of thing,” Fleur innocently questioned. She immediately winced, and Tonks was quite sure that Molly had kicked the girl underneath the table.

The Auror felt her face flush. “Well, he got me drunk,” she replied, defensively. “I do stupid things when I drink…”

“Stupid things, like sleep with your ‘usband?” Fleur giggled. The girl was ballsy, Tonks had to give her credit. If she hadn’t been filled with crippling anxiety, she would have appreciated Fleur’s positivity and wit.

Molly suppressed a laugh. “Focus, Fleur. We’re trying to take Tonks’s mind off of her… predicament.” Molly chose her words carefully. “Remember. We’re focusing on the negative!” She smiled optimistically at the metamorphmagus.

“Well, the test could be negative. What if…maybe, ah, what is the expression…maybe Remus’s wand does not cast any spells…if you know what I mean. That would be lucky!”

The other two women choked. Tea spurted out of Tonks’s nose. Molly huffed. “Oh yes, miraculously lucky, to get away with an unprotected f—“

“Funny how one night can ruin your entire life,” Tonks lamented. How she was going to survive this last minute, she didn’t know. Fighting Death Eaters was less nerve-wracking.

“Just, calm down, goddammit!” Molly snapped, clearly getting anxious herself. There was only so much complaining the mother of seven could take. “Let’s all just pull ourselves together! Now,” she chided.  

The three women sat in silence, shocked by Molly’s outburst. Tonks had the unshakable feeling of having been scolded by her mother. She gazed at her hands shamefully, picking at her fingernails until Fleur spoke once more. “The test should be finished.”

Tonks’s heart flip-flopped in her chest. “I can’t look. One of you do it.”

Fleur eagerly reached for the test, but Molly held her back. Her face was stern. “You can, and you will, Tonks. It will all be alright.” Her eyes softened.

“It was only one night,” Fleur added. That did nothing to assuage Tonks’s fears. She could hear the seconds ticking by on the clock. Her stomach was in knots. But, she knew that they were right. She had to find out the truth. Whatever the result.

“One line. One line,” she chanted to herself. Fleur nodded encouragingly. Molly remained still, her face unreadable.

Tonks picked up the test, carefully unwrapping it, as if it were a Hippogriff that would attack if she approached it too quickly. “This is it.”

She turned the stick over in her hands, only vaguely disgusted by the fact that she had peed on it not five minutes earlier.

“Shit.”

[bucky-iss-bae]

Little Miss CEO - (Billy Russo x Reader) - Part 6

Part 6 of Little Miss CEO - Hope you all enjoy x

Fandom: Marvels The PunisherBill

Pairing: Billy Russo x Reader

Word Count: 1500ish (Sorry it's short compared to other parts) 

Warnings: Ever so slightly underlinings of sex, but honestly nothing at allll maybe a few swears. 

Summary: Billy and Y/N get set up by their friends, but they clash heads more than they get on. He thinks she’s a gold digger bitch and she thinks he’s Mr Obnoxious, are either of them, everyone else thinks that they’re too stubborn for their own good and probably get on.

A/N: Hope you all enjoy, any feedback is welcome x Sorry for taking like a month, it’s been written and honestly should’ve posted this long ago, but yeah, I got catching up to doooo 

Masterlist

Little Miss CEO - Part 5 

Part 6 

It didn’t take long for Frank to move in with Karen and I. It was weird, don’t get me wrong, but I’m happy for them. Happy that they’re both happy.

Billy and I spent more and more time with one another, I know I like him. A lot more than I realised, the way we interacted, I mean most days after work we met in a bar. He was sat there in his suit, and if I had a day of meetings, and getting to know new clients I was also in more professional attire. Otherwise, I just got changed in my office.  

I enjoyed his company, heck there were even times when we went back to his but never went back to mine, Frank and Karen were literally like our parents. But one thing that we hadn’t spoken about was about what we are.

We were at his place, both laying in his bed, I mean his apartment was just something else, all in a good way of course. I had my head on his chest, and his arm around me, “Billy” I started,

“Y/N” He replied back in a similar tone, aside frmo his had slight amusement to it,

I let out a small laugh but sat up to look at him, “What are we?”

He looked at me, his eyebrows knitted together, “Well... I don’t know. What do you want to be?” he asked me.

I scoffed and sat up to look at him, “Well we sleep together, spend any free time together, I mean I know that I like you, it depends on how you feel I guess”

He looked like he was deep in thought before he answered, “I’ve never been in a relationship.” He told me. “Not with real feelings. The only relationship I’ve ever had is Frank and Curtis as my brothers. I’ve used girls, slept around with them, but a relationship... is something new to me” He said I listened and nodded to what he was saying before he looked at me, “I feel like this is different. You’ve understood me as a person. Treated me as a person, never have you looked at different because of my past, instead, you’ve provided comfort in a way I haven’t realised I’ve needed. So to put it in simpler terms, I do like you Y/N. A lot. These last few weeks, aside from our first meeting, you’ve made an impact on my life for the better. And I misjudged you far too quickly not realising we would be where we are now”

I smiled at that, “You know, considering you’ve never done this before, you are good at it, I’ve got to say. I mean there are the flowers, let’s not forget the random lunches. But I hate to say, I feel like we’re too old to be using terms such as girlfriend and boyfriend if that’s where we’re headed?”

Billy laughed at this one, “Wow I mean I’m sure the term would then be partners? Or I don’t actually know. Also, are you forgetting about the times when you bring me lunch in my office?” He asked,

“Yeah, but let’s be real that’s when I’m in the neighbourhood, or close by, or when I don’t have any clients booked in, or when I’m bored”

“Mhmm, and what do you have booked in tomorrow?” He asked,

“Just a few meetings.” I told him, “They all finish at 12, and then I’ll have the whole weekend. Aside from my sister's party, so only Sunday. What are you doing tomorrow?”

“Well, I’ll be meeting you for lunch at 1pm should we say? Gives you time after your final booking?”

I let out a small laugh, “1pm sounds good. Also, you’re going to hate me, but on Saturday, are you still alright with coming with me to my sister's party? I don’t mind if you don’t want to” 

He let out a laugh and I felt his chest vibrate, “Of course, I’ve booked out my whole weekend for it”

“Really? But good, because we need to get there early”

“We do? Why?” He asked,

“Well... my sister wants me to get there early to help her with a few small things. Not much really. About half an hour before everyone else gets there, at least this way you get to meet her properly”

He nodded, “As long as she doesn’t mind that I’m with you of course I won’t mind”

“She’s got the purest heart. She’s the youngest out of us, and she’s achieved so much in her life, and she’s the smartest by far”

“Senior surgeon you said right?”

I nodded, “Yeah, she’s married with two kids and got a perfect job she enjoys”

“Didn’t realise she had kids. How old are they?”

“4 and 8. I told him, they’re excited because they’ve finished setting up their rooms and things like that. Got told they’re giving me a tour when I next see them

“How old was she when she had her first?” He asked, “Especially because you said she’s a senior surgeon, must’ve been hard work, wow”

“She didn’t. They’re adopted” I told him, “They’re brother and sister, they’re her husband’s nieces and nephews though. Their biological mom is a substance abuser. Their dad died in service, so their dad's brother, my sister’s husband fought to adopt them”

“Wow” He breathed out, “That’s amazing. Makes me happy knowing that kids like that have people there for them. Where about are they from?”

“They’re from Harlem. And yeah, she didn’t hesitate to take them in. Their mom didn’t care either, and they’re best friends with Kai’s kids. They all run a riot together”

“You know, I hate to admit this, but I’m nervous. Probably more so about meeting your brothers”

“Nothing to worry about,” I told him, “Kai, he can get on with anyone. He’s easier to get along with than Tommy is. Tommy has always been looking out for me more than he realised. I mean he was 15 when he put that other guy who fucked me over out. Not a lot of 15-year-olds would go up against an 18-year-old” I said.

“This makes me more nervous, so he was 15 and managed to fight kids who were a few years older than him. Then he was in the Navy, and now the CIA. He’s gotta know about my past. I think I’m happy that Kai was a marine though, that’s something in common, a big something”

I laughed, “Stop stressing. Come on Russo, thought you were supposed to be a big strong guy”

“Thanks for the support” He snorted,

I just lent up to kiss him which he gladly accepted.

**

I picked Billy up the following day at 12pm, the drive to my sisters was nearly an hour as she lived on the outskirts of the city. She wanted everyone to be there for 2pm, and I would be getting there for about 1ish, depending on traffic.

Billy came out wearing Dark Blue Jeans, a dark grey polo along with a leather jacket. And damn did he look fine. He was dressed down from his usual suits, and although he’s always looking amazing, he looked just as good in this.

“Hey babe,” he said getting into the car and kissing me, “You alright?” He asked,

I could tell that he looked a little nervous, “I’m good. Perfect actually. How about you?”

He grimaced and looked at me, “I don’t know. Didn’t think I would be this nervous you know. Also I mean you already know I’m strappin’ wherever I go. Do I gotta lose this or something?” He asked moving his jacket back,

I snorted, “You literally have it whenever you come to mine, whenever you go to the bar, and wherever you go. You really think me saying no to you taking it to my sister’s house will make a difference?”

“I don’t know if it would make them hate me even more, and there’ll be kids around. Does anyone know that I’ll be joining you? And am I party crashing, fucking hell, when did I turn like this?”  

I just smiled at him, “Billy, you’ll be fine. I promise. We won’t even need to stay that long, I said that I’ll be leaving early anyway”

“And she doesn’t mind that I’m joining you?”  

“Well... she doesn’t really know,” I said to him,

His jaw dropped, “Fuck off. I thought she knew that I would be joining you. I’m not going to just turn up on your arm out of nowhere!”

“She said that I could bring a plus one, sometimes I take Karen, other times I stay at hers the night before and just host rather than join, and she knows about you. Kind of.”

“Okay,” He said nodding, “Ok cool. How does she know about me?” He smirked,

“Well... first she asked if I was dating? I briefly mentioned you. And then you know how I sometimes take a picture of the food I’m eating and post it on snapchat or something, well she saw your hand and watch in the background. And she sent me at least 100 messages that day while we were eating” He started laughing at this,

“Ok then. She definitely knows. I just hope they don’t hate me. The news didn’t really portray me in the best way”

I just smiled at him, “You’ve really got nothing to worry about” I reassured him.

He took a deep breath but nodded both of us changing the subject. 

Little Miss CEO Part 7

Tagged List for ‘Little Miss CEO’

@thebabblingbookworm  @bilesxbilinskixlahey   @utterlyhopeful  

If you want to be tagged in any of the remaining parts, send a message my way xoxo 

A/N: Only two more parts leftttt, then I’ll be adding in random bonus chapters for the fun of it, I’ll make this its own master list just so it’s a bit more organised hope you all enjoyed, and feedback is more than welcome xoxo 

[texastheband]

Texas: Is not from Texas; Has never been there; Has a terrific debut LP

By Kim Reed Taken from "Pulse !", the US Tower Records magazine, September 1989 Transcription by Sophie van Rooijen

Texas is a band of multiple ironies. It takes its name from a state with powerful images and traditions, yet it hails from Glasgow, Scotland. Its members are barely out of their teens, yet the band sounds like it's been playing for years. And its debut LP – Southside – offers ample proof that Texas is gonna be around for a long time. Sydney's winter sun slips under the Harbour Bridge as Texas – a talented group from the unlikely locale of Scotland that has released one of the most stunning debut LPs in recent memory – enters the Sebel Townhouse for its last interview of the day. Post-concert parties are frequent in the cozy bar of the Sebel, where the walls (decorated with hundreds of glossy eight-by-tens) have absorbed many a tale. Lead singer Sharleen Spiteri and guitarist Ally McErlaine retire to one of the adjacent alcoves. Both members are eager to talk, despite the fact that they've probably relayed the basic history of the band to the press over and over ad nauseum since Mercury/PolyGram released its first single, "I Don't Want a Lover," earlier this year. The album, Southside, followed on its heels. “We toured the U.K. extensively before the album came out,” Spiteri begins. “When it was released there it entered the charts at number three and then went straight to gold. Even the record company was surprised because they really hadn't done anything or pulled all of the strings.” In fact, not only did Phonogram (the U.K. parent company of the band's label, Mercury) take a conservative approach in promoting Texas, it was downright blasé about the band since it was signed three years ago. Which is not to say that the label was unsupportive; on more than one occasion Texas got itself in a sticky situation and the record company came to its rescue. Three years ago, Spiteri was on her way to international status as a hairdresser when a friend told her about a band that his friend was putting together. He convinced her to take her guitar down and play a few songs with him. The result was an invitation to form a band. Despite McErlaine's affinity for Cooder's fretwork, the Texans are adamant that the name for their group evolved after they had developed their unique brand of contemporary blues. “We saw the movie 'Paris, Texas,'” explains Spiteri patiently, “and we just liked everything about it. We liked the soundtrack, too, but everything in the film is just so open. And, in turn, we feel that our music is very open and sparse.” Apparently, the name didn't evoke the wrath many had predicted when Texas started taking off, and it has been the freshness of McErlaine's playing and the natural power and control of Spiteri's singing that has been attracting all the attention. “Johnny and I got together and wrote a few songs,” says Spiteri, referring to bass player John McElhorne, “and then sent them off to various record companies. Within weeks Phonogram signed us up without ever seeing us play !” It's a story that every frustrated musician cringes upon hearing, but the fantasy sequence stops there. “Only a couple weeks after we signed I got a call from Chic producer Bernard Edwards telling me that he'd heard our tape and he wanted us to go to L.A. to record,” she explains, “but he had a lot of personal problems, and after a month we ended up scrapping everything and going home.” “It was a great learning experience for me because it was the first time I had worked with a producer,” she continues. “Things just didn't work out, though, and I guess I discovered that everybody isn't nice.” When Spiteri and McElhorne returned to Glasgow, their hometown, they concentrated on getting the band together, and that's when guitar-mad McErlaine was enlisted to join Texas. He had a reputation for skipping school in order to stay home and practice the licks of his idols, players like Keith Richards and Ry Cooder. “The band had lost a lot of money trying to record in the States,” says McErlaine, taking up the story of how Texas floundered before hitting paydirt. “When I joined the band we tried a few other producers in Glasgow in order to do it as cheaply as we could, but things weren't working out, and so we scrapped them, and there was more debt.” Eventually Texas connected with producer Tim Palmer, who has worked with Robert Plant (Now and Zen), the Mission, Mighty Lemon Drops and David Bowie's Tin Machine. His enthusiasm for the band's material and his easygoing manner endeared Palmer to the band, and he's already been enlisted to produce the next album. The other two members brought experience into the studio – McElhone had worked with Altered Images and Hipsway; drummer Stuart Kerr had been with the group Love and Money. With Spiteri and McErlaine, they were able to maintain the sound they'd developed, which was not dramatically altered by Palmer in the studio. “What Tim really did for us was give us confidence,” says McErlaine, while ordering some potent Red Back beer. “We just wanted to make an album that we wanted to hear.” “The album is really one long story about our lives in the past three and a half years,” says Spiteri. “We really put our necks on the line for this record and we fought for everything.” “People told us that 'I Don't Want a Lover' was too long because it was over four minutes, but we refused to let them edit it,” adds McErlaine. “They told us that radio wouldn't play it, but we said that if radio liked the song, they'd take it no matter what.” The band's insistence paid off, as “I Don't Want a Lover” can be heard on a majority of the globe's seven continents these days. “Lover” – with its atmospheric slide guitar runs knifing through a (now standard) modern MTV-pop synth/guitar/walloping drums rhythm track, over which Spiteri's husky contralto lays down the law – is, like the remainder of Southside, uncommonly confident for such a young band. You know how some records just sound like smash hits, even on the first listen? Southside sounds massive, with at least three other potential chartbusters – “Tell Me Why,” “Everyday Now” and “Thrill Has Gone” – lurking in the album's grooves. Texas' sound is a unique reflection of the music that has been imported to Scotland via radio, TV, records and tapes. And by the friends of Texas who sought out the rock, pop, soul and blues of North America on their trips overseas. “My dad was in the navy and went to San Francisco during the flower power days and brought back all these records,” says Spiteri, laughing. “'These Boots Were Made for Walking' by Nancy Sinatra was one of the first records I can remember listening to. But my dad's also a big Stones fan, and he even gets into Beatles vs. Stones arguments with people!” Spiteri cites Billie Holiday, Patsy Cline and Sarah Vaughn as her biggest influences; she also admits that critics who compare her to former Lone Justice singer Maria McKee aren't far off. McErlaine doesn't hesitate when naming London Calling by the Clash as his first album purchase. The names of guitarists Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, Eddie Van Halen, The Edge and Peter Buck also creep into his conversation, and it isn't hard to see what other albums and tapes he checked out in order to forge his slide guitar style. Radio is definitely not an influence on Scots who wish to discover the talents of artists outside the mainstream. “Radio stations in Britain are so conservative,” Spiteri moans. “It's all monopolized by the government, and Radio One seems to have a playlist of about 20 records. That's all you hear.” Spiteri and McErlaine like to reflect on the quick rise of Texas and with it the newfound freedom of leaving your past behind, not always a pleasant thing when you're used to a close group of family and friends. “It's very weird traveling to different countries,” says McErlaine. “You know how it is when you go home at night and you feel very comfortable? Well, now we don't have that security.” “Plus, when you go on the road,” adds Spiteri, “you become like a little family. You try to stay in touch with reality, but you can understand how some people lose it after so many years.” “But when you go back to Glasgow it brings you right down again,” says McErlaine. “Like, my dad's unemployed and I feel very lucky to be doing this. You know, my friends won't even tell me that they have a copy of our album! Sometimes we'll go to friends' houses and you'll hear our album blaring out from the living room, but as soon as you arrive at the door, it's off.” The down-to-earth attitude that Spiteri and McErlaine have toward their music (and the music business) is not as unique as it is refreshing. “Sometimes it's hard to believe that we're in a real band,” says McErlaine. “It's like when we were in Ireland for some Irish music awards,” Spiteri says. “We were just standing there watching everybody when they started saying 'U2 are here! U2 are here!' Suddenly somebody tapped Johnny on the shoulder and there's Bono and The Edge standing there! Bono says, 'I just wanted to tell you that I really like your record.' I think my jaw dropped wide open and we didn't stop smiling all night.” “We know that they're real people like us,” says McErlaine, “but we've grown up loving their music and still respect them. Now we're in the situation where we can talk to these people. Like when we met Robert Plant when we were doing the album. He had that voice that you've heard a million times on record !” Not all their meetings are as pleasant, however. “Sometimes we'll be taping a TV show or something and I'll say something to one of the other bands there, “Spiteri says, “and they'll just ignore you. Some people really do have problems. “We always think that civility costs nothing,” she continues. “You're nobody special if you are in a band; it's just a job.” Unlike most professions, however, musicians are fair game for the media. As the band is finding out, music journalists have incompetents in their ranks like everybody else. “We had one reviewer at our gigs who wrote that he didn't like the way our guitarist was standing!” Spiteri recalls. “And we think to ourselves, 'This is supposed to be a music paper?' The article went on to say nothing about the music or the songs we wrote, but at the end he wrote, 'Texas are a very good band.'” Live performance is the band's current focus, and it puts the group in a put-up-or-shut-up situation with the press and punters alike. Spiteri agrees that Texas' material like “Thrill Has Gone,” “Tell Me Why,” “Future is Promises” and the band favorite “Fight the Feeling,” is much harder to play live now than it was before going into the studio. The precision that Palmer helped the band achieve has a sharper edge than its previous rehearsal halls of Glasgow sound. The material on Southside, even after a few listens, is so sophisticated and mature that virtually anyone hearing the album will swear that the band must be longtime veterans of the music business. The album's 10 tracks (the compact disc contains the bonus track “Faith”) contain music so rich and full that it's leaving journalists scrambling for yet another way to say “brilliant”. Texas' material is completely original – with obvious influences by Cooder, Richard et al. in the guitar department – and the sound is not only a surprising hybrid, but one that's decidedly non-Celtic. Simple Minds, Big Country, Aztec Camera and newer outfits like Gun and Slide have nothing on these guys. The band is already responding to the pressure that comes with this type of recognition. “We know that there is a lot expected of us for the second album,” says Spiteri, “but we won't go into the studio until next year because we don't want to get off tour and go in tired and bored. This is very important to us, and we're not going to rush into anything.” “We recorded Southside in two and a half months,” McErlaine adds. “So we know that we don't need a year in the studio. But, we want to do it right.” Doing it right means heading back to the States for a tour of the clubs in August and September before returning to Europe for another sweep across venues teeming with an ever-growing number of Texas converts. The band has chosen to play the smaller clubs in preference to supporting a major artist in a stadium tour, and this game plan may just work. Countrymen Simple Minds did three pub tours of Australia before cracking it overseas. Now it's up to the denizens of the U.S. to decide whether to embrace a Scottish band, bold enough to name itself Texas, that has made the rootiest, most American-sounding record of the year. The welcome mat, unused as of late, is all theirs.

[oftcnas-blog]

kylie jenner . twenty one . she and her ━━ welcome tanja ‘tana’ brooks ! our sources say you’re a 𝓂𝓊𝓈𝒾𝒸 𝒶𝓇𝓉𝒾𝓈𝓉 and 𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓇𝑒𝓅𝓇𝑒𝓃𝑒𝓊𝓇 with a net worth of 26.7m. now that you’ve signed the contract to 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘵𝘦 , fans are thrilled to finally watch you on television and are hoping to see more of your 𝔦𝔪𝔭𝔲𝔩𝔰𝔦𝔳𝔢 yet 𝔠𝔬𝔪𝔭𝔞𝔰𝔰𝔦𝔬𝔫𝔞𝔱𝔢 traits on the show . but please leave your glossy lips, singing loudly in the back of uber’s, and neck kisses at los angeles, california because now , you’re dead broke. vc: ariana grande

asdf basically theres me, and then theres trash and honestly??? the difference is not big at all.. in shorter terms? me and introductions literally do not clash well together at all .. so i do want to apologize for the potential sucky ness ?? and rambles that are bound to happen asdf. on that note, im gigi (or gi) and if you want to know a little more about my baby tana just keep on reading !! 

trigger warning !! gang mention ! drug mention !! 

                                          the synthesis …

◜ scribbles on empty pages that equal pain, anger, and struggle. words that had only been meant for one, carved themselves into the brunettes skin the moment air filled her lungs for the first time .. screams into the air, she formed into a fear that driven those around her. a fear that was so powerful, it made even a king cower. her king. the daughter of a man who ran an empire, was vowed to be protected along with her six other siblings who stood beside her. but the life of crime and danger always tugged at their skin, forced their claws into their flesh. it was an eat or being eaten lifestyle, and without choice tanja brooks was thrown in the middle of it. it was her bloodline. and while her mother wanted to protect and shelter, her father wanted to toughen her skin and wrap the chains of their gang around her feet. she was forced into situations by loyalty, by the love she had for of those around her, by the drive that was forced within her. but, this lifestyle was not always for her. the constant fear, the murder, the dirty hands, the loss, the pain, and the anger, it sat on her shoulders like boulders. the pain and anger that latched on to her and her siblings wrist troubled their mother, at first it was an itch, and then it was a rash, and then it ate at her flesh. she was barely skin and mostly bone when she decided to take her twin boys, tanja, and her four other children out of their fathers arms, lifestyle, and curse.

             the important extras …

her oldest twin brother, has started to get back into the lifestyle their mother has done everything in her power to keep them out of- yet despite the knowledge and knowing for a fact that its not something he should be in she has kept his secret out of loyalty and has lied countless of times to not only his mother for him, but her other siblings as well as his friends and others in his life.

she once filled out a police report on her father, exposing everything he has and everything he has done. of course, it came from a place of anger and hurt, and a way to get back at him for not being in her the way she wants him to be. she never actually filed this report considering it could have gotten her into a lot of trouble with her father and his gang, not just trouble but it could’ve put her on her death bed.

despite the anger and hatred she has for her father, he use to send her along with his other kids money each month; while one of the twins refuses to touch it and her mother forbids it… she and her other siblings have used it to benefit them educational wise, as in paying for college and for their own pleasure such as brand items, cars, spring break trips to bora bora, and whatever else they can get their hands on.

at five years old, tanja had actually witnessed a murder (the reason her mother removed them from her fathers live) and to this day it still lives on in her head. so bad, that she use to have night terrors (and occasionally still does ).

family extras ...

socialites had always been a title the brook family carried, with her father hiding his dirty money behind an luxurious company ? they had always been just that one family everyone tends to talk about here and there for no other reason but because of their wealth and business strategy. 

when tana’s mother took the kids and left, the media framed it as an affair and the family has kind of just ran with that? never denying nor confirming the statement. 

her mom got remarried a few years after to an actor? and he kind of brought more attention to the brooks and their name? 

the kids went from being mob boss babies to? basically accepting their new lifestyle in not just money but fame too.. 

when tana was around sixteen, her father had got arrested on too many charges to count bringing out his gang involvement and other dirty things he has been doing . which at the time was a nightmare, but it brought the brooks family more then they could imagine. 

people wanted to know more? to see more? to learn more? and so, her mom wrote a book and with that interest the brooks were offered an reality show. 

for the last sixish years, the family has been almost like the kardashians? actually just like the kardashians minus the too problematic part.. 

she has six full siblings, two half, and one step and she honestly adores them all with everything in her.

the brook children in their own are all successful? from lawyers, to doctors, to actors/actresses, music artists, designers, and even business men and women.. 

shes also super close with her step father? like she kind of looks to him as her dad and is so grateful for him and all the love he has given her and her mom and sisters and brothers.

career extras ...

she started her following super early on social media? and kind of had her own little fanbase from just being on the show.

shes been singing ever since she was a little girl, but took it serious around the age of seventeen. 

her music career took off pretty quickly? like kind of a big star overnight type situation.

her music company kicked off when she was nineteen, and shes been expanding it ever since.

shes truly passionate about both of her careers, and is just super grateful she has the opportunity to do the two things she loves the most ! 

more extras ( am i ever going to shut up?? )

her name is tanja, but considering the media always got it wrong?? and most assumed it was tana she dropped the j for more of a stage name? 

of course, a lot of her family still calls her by her actual name! but even her close friends call her tana! 

    the personality …

known as the lion hearted, tana is light and love combined with a sense of playfulness and ebullient that you can somehow never get out of your head . she is a big hearted beauty, who loves with her all and as her sibling would tell her loves too hard. good intentions flow throughout her body, and despite her claiming up and down that she doesn’t need anybody she is truly someone who attaches themselves to you. she is always teasing somebody, and has a sense of adventure that surely comes from her upbringing. she feels most at home surrounding by friends, and family. she is someone who will drag you out of bed in the middle of the night for a late night drive with good music, and the first person who’ll jump in front of a bullet for you. she feels deeply, but does not always know how to deal with those feelings. she can be jealous, stubborn, and trust issues are rooted so deeply into her she doesnt know where they begin and she ends. she loves laughing, and feeling alive? which she will do anything to achieve. its like her own little high and shes an addict. an adrenaline junkie her father would call her. she’s affectionate with those she loves, and of course when shes drunk. she craves meaningful connections with those around her, and falls into a darkness when she feels as if shes disconnected. her father left this sense of needing to be needed and wanted within her, but shes dealing.

the connections …

platonic soulmates ! that one person who kind of just completes tana? they understand and connect in a way that even for them its hard to understand. best friends is an understatement. 

best friends ! two other people shes close as can be with. they are truly her number ones, the ill take a bullet for you kind of friendship. 

a girl group ! just a group of girls, tana is always seen with! could also be her best friends ! i just want something cute, close friendship, trouble and good memories. plus all the three way, even four way threads we can do would be magic. 

cousins ! from either her mom side and/or dad side. this could even be a cousin from her step dad side, so step cousins? either way id love all type of relationships. almost like siblings, cant stand one another, you name it, 

family friends ! someone who has known her for as long as she can remember ! they knew all about her father and everything that came with it.. 

childhood friends ! this could be neighbors she grew up playing with or even that one friend she went to elementary/middle/high school with.

the ex lover ! im such an angst kind of person so this will definitely be juicy.. they’ll definitely be her biggest muse.

on and off relationship ! a toxic kind of relationship, someone she truly loves with everything in her but it just never works the way they want it to. 

 musical duo ! someone who just? when they are together its magic. they write together, sing together, collab together, encourage one another and just ! are those people you see and know its going to be a bop. 

friends with benefits ! mutual or one sided . they could be using her, she could be using them. 

one sided friendships and relationships ! 

publicity friendships and relationships !

you can find more wanted connections in this tag !!

[invisibletoallbutfaeries]

meta topic on why faes are the worst

       Ever heard the song “I Don’t Fuck With You” by Big Sean? They are simultaneously that song (they don’t give a fuck) but they also aren’t because they will indeed fuck with you, but for their own amusement. That’s the short answer.

       The long answer has more to do with the fact that they’re value systems, senses of morality, and social rules are completely different to humans. 

       Going with a quick RL example to help ground this argument a bit: I was raised with the value system that you helped your friends and never expected a reward back. If they insisted on giving something back or “owing” you something, then they could decide what it was (usually monetary, usually landed on $20 because I’ve been a reader since I was a kid and it turned into book money). Even now that I’m an adult I still don’t expect anything from my friends if I help them unless I too need help and we agree to mutually help each other, if not and they want to reward me, then I offer they can buy me a coffee or rockstar from Blackrock which is usually nearby (flavored rockstars are usually only like $4.34 after tax and even coffee is only $4-5, but they’re cheaper and better than Starbucks plus I’m addicted to them).

       When I was a kid I didn’t realize other systems existed, and I first learned this when my dad helped out some of his friends who were visiting from Alaska and lost their original place to stay for the week by letting them stay with us. As this was a general kindness and just considered human decency, none of my family expected anything. That wasn’t how people from Alaska do things though, and the day before they left I came home to finding our fridge and pantry completely filled and even more groceries on the kitchen table and filling every cabinet, which freaked me out because to me that was a huge return for something as small as offering a room and bed for a week free of charge. A thank you would have sufficed. But when I went to say something, worried they thought something bad about us and thought we wanted something as extravagant as that, my mom had to stop me and thank them, later explaining that to them that was a simple thank you and my insisting it was unnecessary would have insulted them. It was simply a clash of cultures at that moment and a clash of social rules and value systems. 

To me: My family offering a place to stay during their visit (which wasn’t originally to visit us) was really small and expected of any good friend. Stockpiling our house with food was over-doing it and more alarming considering they didn’t have a lot of money and caused me to worry about them and their expenses to get home if they spent so much on us.

To them: Being offered a place to stay was a huge thing and stockpiling our house with food was a small thank you comparatively and it would have been worrisome and insulting if I had worried over it in front of them as I almost had.

       And that’s usually the root of human-Fae relations. They have completely different social rules, such as a brownie only living in a clean house and fixing your shoes if you keep it clean and hospitable for them and stealing your shit in an obvious “fuck you” manner before leaving with it if you suddenly trash the house. They saw a mutual agreement where you kept the house clean and they became roommates and helped with what they could, you suddenly trashing the place and expecting them to clean was a huge insult.

       No one knows why Fae steal babies. Sometimes it’s a prank, some just a swap, but some only steal them to teach them music and then return them and it’s hard to tell which one stole your toddler. Maybe the toddler did something rude, who knows.

       The biggest thing that’s most prevalent though is that Fae are heavily steeped in THEIR OWN RULES. They do not care about the culture of the people they are co-existing with and expect them to follow the societal and hierarchical rules that they know without those others even knowing what they are. Most myths can easily be seen as someone messing up or accidentally doing something right and suddenly discovering that whatever happened is a thing they didn’t know was a thing. To Fae playing pranks is very common and death just happens, so if they kill something then it’s not a huge deal. Depending on the Fae they’ll either eat it, use it for an accessory, sell the accidental corpse, or even just leave it and expect it to decompose and become one with nature as everything else is. If the particular Fae is in the Seelie court, maybe they’ll leave a flower on the door of the deceased’s family if it’s a highly dramatic death. Maybe a note mentioning that the loved one is dead if they’re feeling particularly sympathetic. 

       The Fae do not care about you. They do not care about your family. They don’t care about your dog, your cat, or your cow. They just don’t. Humans, to them, are low on the hierarchal ladder and they don’t care about anything that is not their’s or belongs to someone higher up on the ladder than them. They’re pranks are tailored to their various kinds, which makes them deadly to humans who cannot always see the trap coming or who can be negatively affected by their magic, even with genuinely sincere things (ex. offering a fancy pie they baked with Fae magic and then discovering that the human can’t eat human food without throwing up anymore and REQUIRES Fae-made food to survive due to the Fae magic. To the human this is a cruel joke and sadistic method to murder them with for no known reason, to the Fae they don’t realize the context and think that they’re being made an unwilling cook for a greedy human they tried to befriend and are highly offended). They will not communicate, they see no reason to. They are as entitled as their hierarchal status deems them, which means they are always entitled when compared to animals and humans (Hide your cows, they’ll steal all the milk). They are stubborn and view themselves as better than all below their social structure and somehow expect everyone to follow this structure despite not knowing about it. 

       They are chaotic, but only seen as so by structured societies as they tend to follow the rules of their kind and nature, with the Sidhee (The Royals of each faction especially) keeping them in line with those lines, not caring about other social structures. Their morality is different, again, accidental murder doesn’t matter and carries no moral weight for them because it is an aftermath of a prank, it just had a more dramatic result. Their values are more self-focused and focus more on nature, not on social or community needs like humans tend to follow. They especially don’t care about OTHER communities. If push comes to shove, humans from opposite sides of the country will still work together to survive and make new communities, figuring out cultural differences and communication issues as they go. Fae don’t do that.

       A Satyr will give zero fucks to the happiness of a Pixie, and similarly a Pixie will give little to no fucks about the Satyr’s squirrel friend and will instead utilize it as a labor animal rather than a friend and will not work on communicating this with the Satyr (Kyra experiences this a lot with Knoxie the Pixie constantly trying to utilize her Lhasa Apso puppy as a war-horse type thing and leading him into dangerous scenarios despite Kyra’s protests). Both the Satyr and Pixie will hang on the every word of a Shidee though as the Shidee are far more powerful, but the Shidee will not give a damn about them and will instead view them as peasants at best, servants moderately, and test subjects for their magic or to test dangerous waters at worst with no regard for their lives. Again, they’ll rejoin nature so no big deal. If the Satyr gets drunk though he might kill the Pixie, the Shidee will only use this as proof to why it is the better Fae variation.

So again in short:

Mostly Cultural miscommunications and large cultural deviations in moral, value, and social constructs. But in the end, the Fae Don’t Give a Fuck, but they will Fuck With You because they see you as a lesser being. Gods help you if you’re even vaguely rude though.

[frederator-studios]

Meet D.R. Beitzel, Creator of “The Bagheads”

DR Beitzel is a cartoonist, creative producer, and Pennsylvania fellow living a NYC dream. His day job is playing video games in a Times Square skyscraper; his evenings are occupied writing funnies and drawing comics for the likes of MAD Magazine, McSweeneys, and his own Phatypus Comics. And like several of his idols before him - Matt Groening, anyone? - he’s now making the petite leap from comics to cartoons.  His GO! Cartoon “The Bagheads” is a historically accurate depiction of trash take-out travails with former roommates and his competitive clashes with his older brother. He maintains that the Goat (”Goooat”) is its sole foray into the cartoonish make-believe. He studied politics, so you know that he has 0 capacity to - dare I even suggest it!? - fib.

Sooo, where’d you study animation?

I didn’t! I first went to a community college in central Pennsylvania. It was full of a bunch of cool people - unfortunately not Donald Glover or Alison Brie, but fortunately also not Chevy Chase. Then I went to University of Pittsburgh and studied communications and political science.

Poli- what now?

Yeah... it was the Obama era. I thought “It’s all uphill from here! We’re just riding this political train into the Promised Land!” Reality hit hard. Back then, Jon Favreau was writing Obama’s ‘Yes We Can’ speeches, and I was all riled up. I wanted to be a speechwriter.

At one point a local city councilman asked me to write some remarks for him to use on Martin Luther King Day. I was idealistic and had a head full of steam, so I wrote this fiery, passionate stemwinder that drew on self-sacrifice and righteousness. I even referenced "Letter from Birmingham Jail”. The thing was, it was for a pancake breakfast at a rural Pennsylvania fire hall. So, I'm pretty sure he went out and said something like, "Thanks for coming. Go Eagles”.  I was young and naive, and didn't realize that every speech didn't have to be "Ask not what your country can do for you ..."

When did you decide to NOT work in politics?

When I met a real life politician. (I laugh) No, really! He was a hometown representative - I’m from the Pennsylvania boonies. And he was a Republican, which was fine; I was just looking for a foot in the door. But when he found out I wasn’t, he asked me if I was a double agent. Like he actually suspected me of being in cahoots with the Dems to get dirt on him! So weird. And then finally, it came down to either an unpaid internship with a politician or a paid gig without a politician, so I chose to get paid.

Chasing that dollar. What was the paid gig?

I started out as a freelance editor for fashion and fitness blogs. The biggest perk - and irony - was that I was working in sweatpants from my couch. I got jobs at some TV and radio stations. At the end of college, I did do one unpaid internship, which was the best free work I ever did. It was at WQED, the PBS affiliate in Pittsburgh where Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood was filmed back in the day. They still had a bunch of the sets just hanging around the hallways - and I even got to meet Mr. McFeely, who was exactly as nice as you’d hope. Eventually, I decided to leave Pennsylvania and move to New York, probably for the cheap rent. And I’ve been here ever since, working with mobile games. I even got to visit the old MAD Magazine office when I did a comic with them. It was covered in original art from some of the all-time greats.

What kinda stuff have you done for MAD Mag and others?

For MAD, I did a comic parody called “Captain Red America”. He’s like Captain America but only represents conservative states, so a lot of his enemies are things he doesn’t actually believe in. So, when he fights the super villain Climate Change, Cap can’t fight back because he doesn’t believe in climate change, so it just beats him up. I also did some writing for McSweeneys. They have some of the funniest stuff published anywhere, and I always wanted to write for them. I love doing comics, too, because if I have an idea, I can just put it out there—there aren’t really stakeholders involved. Recently, I just finished a Valentines comic for Bushwick Daily, a local Brooklyn blog, about the types of people you meet on Tinder.

How was transplanting to NYC - did you always want to move there?

Ehhh… I’m one of those unwilling New Yorkers who loves to hate it. The city has its upsides; it’s the best comedy scene. When I first arrived I joined UCB, which I think is mandatory when you move to New York - they just issue you a membership with your MetroCard. I always brag that I got to see Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson perform their Broad City stage show before it became a TV show. I love that community, and part of me wishes I’d have stuck with it longer, but I was getting pulled in a bunch of different directions, including a new job.

Oh yeah? Where at?

At Nickelodeon! I got the opportunity very randomly, about a month after I arrived. My (soon-to-be) boss called two people in for interviews, and I guess all that theatrical training from UCB paid off, because I was able to fake being a functional person long enough for her to hire me. It’s a really fun place to work: talented artists, toys everywhere, and sometimes wide-eyed kids are touring the office or testing games for us and you remember what we’re all doing there. The downside is that we’re in Times Square, so when I venture into the street I’m guaranteed to get a face-full of armpit. But playing video games is part of my job - I produce apps and games related to Nick shows.

That is the Dream. What’s your favorite game you’ve worked on?

Probably TMNT: Legends. We had a tremendous team of real fans, and the game looks great. Plus, I got to go visit Montreal where the team is based. I highly recommend that everyone spend years developing a game with a blockbuster studio, so you can visit, too.

Did you choose the cartoon life, or did the cartoon life choose you?

Wow, I really need to get “Cartoon Life” tattooed across my stomach. It was mutual selection. As a kid, I’d go to my grandma’s house and draw through all the paper she had. I looked up to Sergio Aragones of MAD. I was always drawing in the margins of the handouts at church - that’s the only way I’d sit still. But in high school, I stopped drawing for a bit - I guess I was partying too much, or maybe I just lost all my pencils in one of my oversized neon Tommy Hilfiger jackets. Then, I got back into it in college, drawing editorial comics at my school newspapers. I get inspired by people like Matt Groening. He was grinding out “Life in Hell” for like 40 years - well after he became a TV tycoon with The Simpsons and Futurama - just for the love of it.

How did you come to pitch for GO! Cartoons?

Just a random Google search, looking for places to send some stuff. I only barely met the deadline. I put together a thumbnail pitch and sent it on in.

Did “The Bagheads” change much from pitch through production?

The core story was always a brother and sister arguing over trash take-out. But it fluctuated in length quite a bit. There were a lot parts I added and then we condensed or cut out. There were intros, flashbacks - at some point, probably dragons and ice zombies - a lot did have to be trimmed down. Which was tough, because as you can probably tell, I’m a pretty big blowhard.

Who inspired the Bagheads, and were they always, you know… bag headed?

The Bagheads were always bagheads. As a little kid, I used to doodle baghead people with my brother, who inspired me to start drawing at all. We’d draw the guys from Guns ‘N Roses, but with bags over their heads—I have no idea why, but probably because I was kid who was crappy at drawing and couldn’t draw faces. Anyway, it became a running gag between us, we called them Guns ‘N Baggies. And over the years since, I’d draw those types every now and then -- a muscle baggie, an old baggie, whatever. So when I was getting ready to submit to Frederator, I knew the character’s personalities, but I didn’t know their appearances. So I reached into my childhood and pulled out the Bagheads.

What do you enjoy the most about Elbow and Artemis?

Well, what I enjoyed most about the short in general was working with so many talented people to bring it to life. I gotta give a big shout out to Eric, Kelsey, Michelle, JoJo, Sylvia, Paul, Bill, Kevin, Stephen, our cast and everyone else at Frederator and Salami Studios who made this happen. I did not do this alone - nowhere near it.  

As for Artemis and Elbow, I’ve always liked duos with friendly antagonism, like Ren and Stimpy, Bugs and Daffy. Those good-natured conflicts where you’re kinda buddies, but you’re also kinda at each other’s throat. I like that Artemis and Elbow’s personalities create conflict: she’s hyper-competitive, he’s lazy. And then there’s their poor clueless dad, who’s working too much and constantly worried about the safety of his kids but doesn’t realize the biggest danger to them is each other. Those relationships can serve up a lot of fun, simple stories.

What inspired Nuke Man Jones, who’s still pulling off the eternal dunk as we speak?

Harlem Globe Trotters, for sure. They basically have superpowers. I was really looking for things that Elbow might see at a high altitude and I wanted something silly. Nuke Man is stuck up there in Earth’s orbit now, cursed to never complete that dunk like some Sisyphean baller fate.

The billion dollar question: do the Bagheads have bags for heads, or are they wearing bags over regular people heads?

Ya know, I’m gonna opt not to answer that one. The question of the bags can remain an unanswered mystery if it gets a series. It’ll be like The Leftovers for kids.

How about some favorite cartoons?

I mean, my Top 10 would just be The Simpsons, Seasons 1 through 10: that’s my all-time favorite TV, right there. South Park can’t get enough love—those guys have turned out classic after classic, and they’re the smartest gross-out humor in history. Looney Tunes, Ren & Stimpy, Beavis and Butthead - Mike Judge is a genius. Jim Henson and The Muppets, even though it’s not a cartoon; puppets count, right? MAD Magazine stuff like Sergio Aragones features or “Spy vs. Spy,” which was an inspiration for this Bagheads short.

I’m also really inspired by old school newspaper comics. It breaks my heart that they’re disappearing. Calvin and Hobbes is gorgeous and the most inspiring thing to me. I just read the entire series again, and it’s as good as ever. I appreciate that Bill Watterson refused all the licensing and merch deals people wanted to make for it. I read once that he left something like $400 million on the table.

That’s amazing.

Yeah. Once, I made a parody album cover for a local comic shop’s art show, and I made one based off of Notorious BIG’s “Ready to Die” cover: Notorious HOB’s “Ready to Live”. People wanted prints so I started selling them, and then it dawned on me that I was breaking the spirit of Watterson’s anti-commercial stance. So I stopped selling them, and just told people, “Sorry, they’re gone!” 

What do you like to do outside of your work*? (*everybody else’s play)

I like to connect with my inner hillbilly - errr, inner hippie - whatever it is. I go to the beach and state parks pretty often. And I love stand-up: I just saw Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Amy Schumer, Jeff Ross and Kevin Hart at Radio City Music Hall. It was insane.

What are you working on now?

At the moment, I’m investing all my resources in trying to score “Black Panther” tickets. Otherwise, I'm working on a musical animated series idea with two musician friends, Jeff and Matt. It's really cool and is somewhere between Hamilton and Freaks & Geeks. I'm also working on a comic strip about animals in a post-human world. It's really cartoony, except the president is a photo-realistic opossum whose speeches are just incoherent, ear-piercing screeches.  I'm not sure where that falls on the fiction/non-fiction spectrum. So much for giving up politics!

Great talking with you D.R., thanks for the interview! Looking forward to all of your future endeavors. And I’ll be sure to vote for you if you ever return to politics / being a spy for those wily Pennsylvania Dems.

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- Cooper