#rico x sonny

[doesnotloveyou]

if you just started following me and thought i was kidding about the miami vice obsession

[mitochondriaandbunnies]

Miami Vice S1E21: No One Lives Forever

Sonny's new girlfriend distracts him from his work; Rico hates her.

Where do I fucking start with this one

Okay. Crime. Let's start there.

The actual crime in this episode is so inconsequential that the criminals literally have no motive but "do crime," because that's not what the episode is about. The crime is mere set-dressing for the actual thematic core of the episode, which is "Sonny's Relationships." There will be a number of Sonny's Girlfriends episodes, especially in S3 when they were trying to Heterosexual It Up, but that's not what this one is (and Brenda gets to leave the storyline relatively unharmed, too, whereas the girlfriends in the Sonny's Girlfriends episodes... uhh... don't)

I'm really serious about how stupid the crime part of it is though

Death - the ULtiMat HiGH!

These dudes just drive around Miami jacking cars and shooting up hotdog stands, there is no nuance to it at all. I think this is the least nuanced portrayal of criminals in the entire series.

That's because the nuance is all stored in Tubbs' Roiling Jealousy Over Sonny's New Girlfriend. After we watch the crime idiots jack some cars, we cut to Sonny and Rico talking, and Rico spends about ten sentences complaining about how Sonny has been unavailable recently because of ~Brenda.~ He is so obviously uncool with Brenda that Sonny calls him out on it, asking if he's jealous (the implication being Sonny has misinterpreted the obvious jealousy as Tubbs wanting a Brenda of his own), and Rico, with absolutely not an ounce of sincerity in his voice, backtracks and is like PFFT. No. Falling in love is GREAT

Which like. Is not actually a response to Sonny's question

We meet Brenda canoodling with Sonny, and she asks him why his marriage ended. He dances around the question and asks her in return "who the ugliest guy she ever dated" was. They are very much not on the same page in terms of the seriousness of their relationship. Brenda is asking hard-hitting, "I'm thinking about our future together" questions, and Sonny is asking like... two girls giggling at a sleepover questions.

(I find this super interesting also from a "Sonny is heavily queercoded throughout the series" standpoint-- the "morning after" scene also has Sonny framed very much like women often are in media, waking up in someone else's bed and finding them already up and working out downstairs. Brenda is also significantly wealthier and more successful than he is, and a lot of their love scenes are filmed in a very soft, delicate way that positions them very equally. There's something especially about the scene where they're kissing in the pool, and we see both of their bare backs floating in the sun, that feels almost like we're watching two women. Considering Sonny has another dalliance with a short-haired blonde woman where he's very feminized at the beginning of S2, this feels very purposeful?)

Brenda is played by Kim Griest, who I know best as Kay Gallagher from Wiseguy. This is not what anyone else knows her best as.

Brenda is working out in Sonny's shirt, which she gives back to him all sweaty and gross, and that is the worst crime she commits (but let's be clear: it is a crime. Why would you put on someone else's clothes to work out??)

At the precinct, Gina asks Rico if he thinks the relationship "must be real." She is also clearly jealous, but sad instead of angry, and definitely not remotely aware that Tubbs is jealous. He is uncomfortable talking with her on the subject, makes a somewhat unkind joke at Sonny's expense ("Whatever that means"), and slithers out and away so he doesn't have to keep having this conversation.

"Eye contact is for losers"

Also, Rico and Gina have the theoretical potential to be really wonderful friends and allies as the senior members of the "Sonny uses me as an emotional crutch" club, but the writers never decide to go for that, and instead you get the sense that they just can't ever really be honest with each other and that's a bummer

Sonny and Rico go to make a bust and Sonny calls Brenda mid-mission, which is foolish and supposed to demonstrate how his mind isn't on his work. However, what I'm more interested in is how this phone call with Brenda mirrors two other Important Phone Calls With Women: when Sonny calls Brenda, he's not saying anything of consequence. He's cute and flirty, but that's about it. Then, when he realizes a shooting is going down, he doesn't hang up-- he runs out of the phone booth and quite literally leaves Brenda hanging. She hears gunshots and gets no explanation or closure on what is happening until much later. This is in direct contrast to the pilot, where Sonny's call to Caroline in the middle of the mission is completely vital. utterly heartfelt, and provides extremely needed closure. It is also in contrast to the last phone call he has with Caitlin in Deliver Us From Evil near the end of season four, where Caitlin calls him, tries to tell him something important, and he brushes her off and tells her he'll talk to her later. In all three cases, there's an intersection (and conflict) between his love life and work life: with Caroline he's confirming that even though ultimately he chose work over love, that their love was always real; with Brenda he's briefly choosing her over work and then realizing that's a mistake and ignoring her feelings completely; with Caitlin he seems to have given up on the idea of romance ever being successful and chooses work over her because that's just what he does. Vice states time and time again that there's no fixing the broken justice system from the inside, and that any so-called "good cop" will eventually destroy himself and/or all those around him; Sonny's inability to balance the case and Brenda foreshadows all his other relationships failing as well. Caroline only gets out unscathed because she chooses to divest herself completely from Sonny's world, and Sonny won't find peace until he does the same.

Gina shoots one last shot and Sonny turns her down pretty definitively, and the scene feels frankly like character assassination for Gina. The last time we saw them be at all "couple-y" was way back in episode 8, and even that was already after they'd had more than one "this is a bad idea and we shouldn't be doing it" conversation. Gina asks Sonny if he's "just keeping her around for a pitstop," but the show has not indicated they've been dating for what likely accounts for at least six months (and possibly up to a year) of in-universe time. As a result, her jealousy seems not like it's based in the solid and thoughtful characterization of Gina Calabrese, Vice Detective, but rather in hoary old gender stereotypes: she's a hysterical woman who somehow hasn't realized her relationship (if it ever even was a relationship) has been over for half a year. So when Sonny quietly and sadly responds with "that's not fair" (because if they haven't been dating for 12+ episodes, it's really not fair for her to say that-- she has no control or ownership over his love life at this point), he seems like he's in the right. I am certain this conversation was written by a heterosexual man, and I hate how much Gina's characterization gets worse every time the show decides to create romantic tension between her and Sonny. Gina deserves better, in-universe and out.

Then we cut immediately to Brenda asking Sonny if he and Tubbs have "been partners long." This scene alone deserves an essay; the long story short version is that Brenda asks Sonny if being cop partners is like a marriage, whether your partner always comes first (off the job and on), and whether or not he'd ever think of her as "his partner in crime." Sonny, notably, does not answer a single one of these questions directly. He deflects and jokes, hearkening back to her serious question about the dissolution of his marriage and his jokey response about "ugly guys."

This is his face before she asks if "his partner always comes first:"

Aaand this is his face after he processes what she's just asked him:

When he responds to that question with the ambiguous "Well, on the job...," Brenda looks like this:

And then Sonny follows up with saying he doesn't remember the last time he wasn't on the job, which is to say that he implies that yes, Rico does always come first. Like. Damn, Sonny. Maybe... try lying a little?

Izzy claims to be selling "Richard Gere's shoes" and wooden clogs, because why not

Tubbs tells Crockett his mind is elsewhere, and that he should "take a few days" to "get over whatever it is you need to get over," which is among the bitchiest things he says in the entire course of the show. Rico is usually very patient, cool-headed, and compassionate, but every once and a while he says something downright cruel, and when he does it's often with a smile. He strikes me as the sort of person who has learned and chosen to be good to people rather than someone who's nature is to be kind by default. When Sonny, who is a curmudgeon on the surface but fairly soft and naive on the inside, gets mad, he lashes out; when Rico, who is thoughtful and easy-going on the surface but surprisingly unsentimental inside, gets mad, he gets mean.

On the Dance, Brenda tells Sonny she thinks being there with him is paradise; he deflects and talks about smoking. Brenda asks about Sonny's "closeness" with his coworkers again, and he's weird about it; when she clarifies she's talking about "the woman cop" (Gina), Sonny ceases entirely to mince words like he had with Tubbs. The difference is stark; he's willing to explain to Brenda that yes, at once point he and Gina had sex. He's not willing to explain anything about his partnership with Tubbs-- and yet, Brenda talks like she knows Tubbs, and isn't entirely sure who Gina is, so we know he's talked lot more about Rico than Gina.

When Rico and Brenda do meet, Rico immediately tries to tank their relationship by throwing Sonny under the bus. He implies Sonny is an idiot and bad at his job, and basically tells Brenda she'll eventually leave him.

Okay. Brenda committed one more crime. It's this table:

Izzy continues wearing clogs

Tubbs continues being an enormous bitch, telling Sonny Brenda's not his type, and that his type is "the bearded lady at the circus." Jealousy looks really bad on you, Rico my broski. You are being so so mean to the guy you have a super obvious crush on.

He then asks Sonny to go to dinner with him; Sonny says no because he's got a date with Brenda, but they agree to meet at 6am for a stakeout. On their date, Brenda asks Sonny about marriage and he gets extremely uncomfortable and goes to bed alone when she asks about who their friends would be.

Either because a) he did not set an alarm and was relying on Brenda to wake him up on time, in which case he's a fucking idiot, or b) because he did set an alarm and Brenda turned it off, in which case she has no respect for Sonny at all, Sonny misses his 6am meeting with Rico and Rico gets the shit beat out of him.

Castillo puts Sonny on desk duty because Sonny is a fuck-up. He goes on a sad boat ride over which Red 7's Heartbeat plays to a montage of Brenda, beat up Rico, and disapproving Castillo.

On stakeout, Tubbs plays the saxophone (do we ever see him do that again?) and Gina is reading A Man for All Seasons, which I suppose is doing something as a parallel with regards to the moral repercussions of the dissolution of a relationship but I don't frankly feel enlightened enough on the Tudors to expound on that

Sonny breaks up with Brenda; his line is "you're a very special person and you mean a great deal to me," which is about as unromantic as you can get. Brenda calls what they had a "wonderful fantasy;" Sonny says he can't afford fantasies. They leave it vaguely open but absolutely do not continue dating-- we don't ever see Brenda again. (Good for her.)

Returning to the actual crime, the three Death is the Ultimat High idiots roll around in bed with their guns smashing radios, declare themselves out of money, and go off for another hot dog stand murder. They come upon the stakeout with Tubbs and Gina, and Tubbs is chased down and about to be killed when Sonny swoops in heroically at the last minute and saves him. They end the episode walking away with their arms around each other. Because, you know. Partnership marriage something something something.

Hear me out: I am not convinced Sonny is talking about Brenda when he says "he can't afford a fantasy." The one romantic relationship Sonny has in the series that involves grounded, real-life issues, and actually talking through things like an adult is his relationship with Caroline, which he chooses to have healthy closure regarding. Every other romantic relationship Sonny has is, to some extent a fantasy-- he dates a pop star, a surgeon, a madame-- even Gina is a kind of fantasy to Sonny, as a sweet and understanding always-available fallback. He actually can only afford a fantasy-- he's aware, to some extent, that a normal relationship with a normal woman is likely to end the same way it did with Caroline. Considering all of the very pointed parallels between Rico and Brenda, between "partnership" and "relationship," and knowing that we'll learn in the next episode that Sonny watched one of his best friends die because of his sexuality, I don't think it's wildly out there to think that maybe the fantasy Sonny truly can't afford is one where he can make his partner his number one priority, on and off the job, and be happy about it and accept himself for it. He knows he can't afford that particular fantasy because he's literally seen someone pay for it with his life.

Oh god this was so long

And I didn't even talk about the "department softball games" scene or the lyrics to Heartbeat

Help me

[red-hot-moon]

oh god it’s wonderful to get out of bed and drink too much coffee and smoke too many cigarettes and love you so much Frank O’Hara, “Steps”

Sonny Crockett & Ricardo Tubbs in MIAMI VICE

[vispera-sabbath]

For Miami Vice day, Nov 4th.

[drrav3nb]

[shepard1172-blog]

Sonny x Rico - Edit

[red-hot-moon]

relationship status: (drives through the night while 80s synthpop plays in the background)

[oosaoosaoosa]

The Essential USWNT Friendship Series: Kelley and Sonnett

Who you are: a person who has stumbled across this post because you are gay, and/or someone who wants to get into the women's world cup and the USWNT but whose fandom experience requires knowledge of the Narratives And Friendships

What this isn’t: an endorsement of being weird to players in public spaces (in real life or comment sections, or on unlocked Twitter accounts)

What this is: a (hopefully) comprehensive collection and explanation of the (public!) friendship between two fan-favorite members of the 2023 WC squad

I know I’m missing stuff and it’s likely I’ll come back to add to this! Every time I try to add anything to this post the draft editor throws me an error message so consider this a part one. Please note this is a sideblog 🫶🏼

EMILY SONNETT

29 (as of the beginning of the  2023 Women’s World Cup)

Born in Virginia, but raised in the northern suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia 

Attended the University of Virginia, graduated with a degree in Sociology 

Was originally a midfielder, later converted to defense. Primarily plays centerback, but can play fullback on either side, and defensive mid

She is a Sagittarius (this is important)

KELLEY O’HARA

34 (as of the beginning of the  2023 Women’s World Cup)

Born and raised in the southern suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia

Attended Stanford University, graduated with a degree in science, technology and society with a focus in environmental engineering

Was originally a forward (and in fact won the Hermann Trophy as college soccer’s top player, as a forward) but converted to play fullback on either side 

She is a Leo (I told you it was important. Twin fire signs 🔥)

THE BASICS

Sonnett’s first cap was against Brazil on October 25, 2015–she started and played all 90 minutes as a centerback (beside Becky). Kelley was on the bench. 

On Feb 15, 2016 they played together for the first time! They both started against Puerto Rico and Kelley scored!

Kelley was a good mentor to Sonny immediately, her little Georgia peach padawan

They didn’t appear to really get close until winter 2016-2017, when they trained together in Atlanta during the offseason and started to hang out in a smaller group and one on one 

Eventually they played on the same team (Washington Spirit in the 2021 and 2022 seasons) and won a championship together! (2021)

It was Kelley's first NWSL playoff run and her first championship, but Sonny's second championship (she won with the Thorns a few years before)

Kelley scored the game-winner in the championship final, in overtime, as a header. She does not typically score, much less with her head (she is like 5'4'' on a good day). It was insane.

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

PRE-SPIRIT

Once they were friends they were BEST FRIENDS. Kelley loves to annoy Sonnett and has since day one. Couples massage!!, training together with Moe Brian

Typical rookie/vet prank but cuter because they're besties: BOO!

They drink coffee together: Sonnett Sunday, theee Kelley O'Hara,

Sonny is secretly an artist (seriously, she can draw): Lactose Tolerant Cow

They dance together so much. Seriously, so much (bonus Rose). In the car, anywhere.

They hype each other up: Snacks at the beach, blue on navy, flexin, cutest sports girl ever, Sonnett is an undercover singer,

Even their friends have pointed out their similarities. Are they the same or are they the same?

The 2019 World Cup parade was deeply chaotic: please beer and god they drank nonstop idk how they survived, they also napped on the plane back from france with pinoe and ashlyn

they help each other out: cold towel, guest coach kelley,

They threw out the first pitch for the Braves after the World Cup (with Mal, whose husband Dansby played for the Braves at the time)

They also made an appearance at an Atlanta United game together

They were chaotic in every team picture, X,

they took on the Tokyo olympics together (feat many teammates)

they were extremely annoying in the BFF quiz while Kelley and Alex tried to win (link to the BFF quiz episode below in required viewing section)

THE SPIRITS

Sonny's e-bike is their bike, not her bike, but sometimes they biked together too

More coffee adventures, in DC this time, X + X

Mentoring rookies, but this time together

When half the Spirit got COVID in 2021 and had to quarantine at a hotel in Portland, somehow they did not get tired of each other

Exploring restaurants together

Taking pictures of each other (they called each other Rick and Morty for a while which I try to forget), & with their bikes, & with matching orange beanies, more matching orange beanies

more dancing and celebrating, even celebrating carli as a duo, celebrating moving onto the nwsl final

getting jumpscared by their own rookies...together this time

being stinky and sweaty together and generally chaotic

cheering on the braves together on kelley's couch, being very loud and annoying

celebrating the spirit championship together, X + X + schwasted dancing with Kelley's girl together, doing a tiktok with Trinity and the trophy, making memes out of their championship cellies

showing off their championship rings together and celebrating the CBA signing at Audi together

they went to DC pride with the spirits

they developed this weird euopean cheek kissing thing

clowning in huddles together and doing tiktoks with the kids

Being annoying on the player's pod they recorded with Trinity and Andi (link to the pod below in the required watching section)

Still hyping each other up, of course: nice kick!, sonny's soft spirit fingers

POST-SPIRIT

Kelley took a pic of her abs when she got cleated at the CONCACAF tournament in 2022 and in solidarity, Sonny nearly took her shirt off

still taking lots of pictures and videos of each other, mostly Kelley. (I'm putting this in post-Spirit because although we didn't know it yet, Kelley already knew she was leaving DC)

Kelley literally left the Atlanta airport during her layover to hang out with Sonny on her birthday

loving on their Spirit rookies together, even after Kelley was off to NJ, +1 (Trinity's first goal in the 2023 WWC Send-off game)

celebrating Mal's wedding together with Andi and Rose

bringing each other up in every conversation

Being annoying about Taylor Swift

Sonnett almost killed Kelley within the first 30 seconds of them playing against each other for Gotham and the Reign and Kelley thought it was hilarious

OTHER PHOTO DUMPS / COLLECTIONS

Georgia girls

Glued together in Tokyo

More Spirits shenanigans

NT Camp besties

Kelley's visit to Portland in 2019

Hyping each other up in Instagram comments

General camp/NT shenanigans including the infamous "you're so wiggly" video

2019 WC Parade ridiciulousness

More coffee! Plus a cookie (and a "cookie")

MISC PHOTOGRAPHS THAT I JUST HAVE LYING AROUND

more of Kelley mentoring rookie Sonny on the NT

Kelley and Sonny in Atlanta in 2016 or 2017 (I don't remember exactly, I also cropped Moe Brian out of this but it was 800 years ago, sorry Moe)

A moment caught in the background of a post-2019-final celebration picture

Pre-2021 NWSL championship moments: not impressed with someone's pregame speech, Sonny wore 6 for the Spirit so they were neighbors, something Sonny was saying with her mouth full was very interesting to Kelley ,

Some more Spirit NWSL championship moments: they can't believe it, Kelley was beside herself, tongues out for the gals, I would pay to know what Kelley said here, another moment where I would love a transcript,

REQUIRED VIEWING

Kelley's episode of Laughter Permitted with Julie Foudy, where a few of her best friends surprise her with an appearance, including Sonny, Allie Long and Alex Morgan

The BFF Quiz Championship, moderated by Sonnett

The Player's Pod with Sonnett, Andi Sullivan, and Trinity Rodman

1v1 with Kelley O'Hara (pre-camp 2023 WWC)

Throwing the first pitch out with Sonnett, Kelley and Mal

[southernvangard]

Episode 390 - Southern Vangard Radio!!!

BANG! @southernvangard #radio Ep390! We’re a mere TEN episodes away from Episode 400 - if our rudimentary math calculations are correct, we’re hitting four hundo around mid-April. Spring time will be a fun time here at the best underground rap show on the planet. Come on - what show do you know wraps up with one of it’s co-hosts rocking out to the J Geils Band? The answer - NO ONE. YOU WAAAAALCOME!!!!! #SmithsonianGrade #WeAreTheGard #YouWaaaaalcome // southernvangard.com // @southernvangard on all platforms #undergroundhiphop #boombap #DJ #mixshow #interview #podcast #ATL #WORLDWIDE #RIPCOMBATJACK

Recorded live February 5, 2024 @ Dirty Blanket Studios, Marietta, GA

southernvangard.com

@southernvangard on all platforms

#SmithsonianGrade #WeAreTheGard

twitter/IG: @southernvangard @jondoeatl @cappuccinomeeks

Pre-Game Beats - Selections from Boom Bap Crew Vol. 1

Talk Break Inst. - "Finger Tips" - Kuartz

"The Lesson" - Emskee x MiLKCRATE ft. DJ Jon Doe

"Pedal To The Floor" - Tha God Fahim & Cookin Soul

"More Of The Raw" - Da Flyy Hooligan (prod. DJ Rhettmatic)

"Move " - Crotona P x Sinamatik ft. Rico Blox

"Hero" - Masta Ace & Marco Polo ft. Inspectah Deck

Talk Break Inst. - "Forget About Me" - Kuartz

"Murderers' Row" - Reef The Lost Cauze ft. Dillon, Miggs Sonny, Saleem Oxygeen & DJ Skipmode

"Late 90's (DK Remix)" - PR Dean ft. Copywrite, Heleos, King Nova & Messiah Kaine

"Molly" - Tame One & Parallel Thought ft. Aesop Rock & Breeze Brewin

"Man Down" - Napsndreds

"Talk Is Cheap" - Crisis ft. Eto

Talk Break Inst. - "Stay" - Kuartz

"Macys Lo Section" - Jay Royale  feat. Nym Lo (prod. Crown, cuts DJ Eclipse)

"Must Don't Know" - IamGAWD & Clypto ft. Rufus Sims

"Blood In Blood Out" - Bozack Morris ft. Asun Eastwood & Lex Talionis

"Mystery Science Theater" - HiDEF x Estee Nack ft. Raz Fresco

"Washed Ashore" - Waterr X Wavy Da Ghawd

"Dwayne Johnson" - Chuck Chan x Squeegie Oblong

"Lion Vs. Panther" - Crimeapple & Preservation 

"Whats Today Math?" - Al.Divino

"1 Way Ticket" - Forever Pavot & XP The Marxman

Talk Break Inst. - "Ain't No Way" - Kuartz

"Love Stinks" - The J. Geils Band

"Big Beat" - Billy Squier

SOUNDCLOUD

https://on.soundcloud.com/Lg29g (SHORT LINK)

APPLE PODCASTS

https://itun.es/us/QyyX9.c/

SPOTIFY PODCASTS

YOUTUBE

GOOGLE PODCASTS

http://bit.ly/svrgooglepodcasts

TWITCH

[oceluna]

Crockett & Tubbs S2E: ''The Prodigal Son part I & II ''

[mellowoutpal]

Tag drop!

[mitochondriaandbunnies]

Normal partner behavior, totally acceptable in the workplace

[red-hot-moon]

– I sure hope Guzman's worth all this. – Don't worry about it. He is, buddy.

MIAMI VICE 3x12 Down for the Count (pt 1)

[vispera-sabbath]

"Nobody lives forever. "

[olderthannetfic]

Could you rec some personal favorite stories, especially if they're older-school? I won't read smut, but that's about the only thing I'm not interested in.

--

Heh. I hate to be a downer, but have you read my tumblr at all?

To me, smut isn't one minor subsection of fandom: it's a thing I like to be in all stories, including plotty casefic. It's the thing I am in fandom for, but more than that, human sexuality is the cornerstone of how I see characterization. It's not some curtained off section of the video store separate from the "normal" stuff but the very foundation of what I care about in art, how I see the world, and how I understand myself.

To ask me and phrase it like that is a major insult to who I am as a person. Just saying.

But since you ask, I guess the stories without explicit sex that most stick in my mind are two about Methos from Highlander dying:

Dry Cell by Laura JV, originally from 2008, probably on LJ, but now on AO3

Metempsychosis, ditto

I don't recall when I originally found them. It might have been around when they were written. It might have been a little later. They gave me--and give me--a crawly, weird feeling in my guts that keeps me thinking about them years later.

A more recent fic I liked was on quiet days (and always) by freethedoncastertwo. It's about BTS' Jin having a bad day and has the honor of being a fanfic tagged 'magical realism' that actually contains magical realism.

You have no idea how refreshing that is for me. Misuse of 'magical realism' to mean 'urban fantasy' is a massive pet peeve of mine, and it is rampant in BTS fandom. In this case, Jin turns invisible because he feels unseen, and it's both a metaphor and literal. It's never really explained. (Though I suppose the characters do wonder about it more in an urban fantasy way than with the blasé acceptance common in magical realism.) Most BTS fic tagged with this is more like X Goes To Hogwarts. Gaaaaah.

I'm wracking my brain trying to remember other no-sex fics I've especially liked. I think there might have been some very violent gen smarm hurt/comfort in Horatio Hornblower fandom back in the day that I was pretty into, but I always liked the stuff with sex better.

Oh, there is one from a Miami Vice zine where Rico gets poisoned by the people from the zombie episode and Sonny thinks he's dead. Gen but very iddy in the way I like. I don't think it has ever been online though.