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hereforhalstead · 4 years ago

Text

Prove it

*Gif not mine, credits to the owner*

• Pairing: Jay Halstead x Reader.

• Requested: Yes.

“I’d feel a lot better if you let me walk you home/ If i asked you to stay, would you?”

• Warnings: swearing/ mention of drugs

• Summary: Jay insists on walking you home after a night in Molly’s but after seeing you with Adam he decides to tell you how he feels.

• Words: 2893.

• A/N : Hope you enjoyed! Thanks so much for the request, I’m feeling motivated to get writing again due to all of the lovely messages and chats I’ve had over the past few days. Please feel free to send across any requests or prompts that you would and as always my inbox is always open :)

***

“Cheers to no one getting injured on a drug bust for the first time” Adam announces as you all raise your glasses in amusement “Not even you Halstead, gotta be a first. Right?” he adds but Jay rolls his eyes and takes another sip of his drink “Listen, It’s not me you should be congratulating. Y/N is always the one who does something without thinking and gets herself hurt, you should be directing this at her” he tips his glass towards you and you give him a menacing look “Talk about beat around the bush” you mumble but Jay’s chuckle is enough to break your facade as you mirror his grin “Just saying” he shrugs and winks.

The team had just finished up on what felt like a month long operation, in reality you had been planning it a week or so but the observations and scoping out the area made it feel so much longer. You managed to get the guy you were after and as Adam said, miraculously all of you had avoided injury which was definitely a first. His speech was clearly aimed towards you and Jay out of anyone, Jay was known for getting far too attached and close to cases which often blinded his awareness of danger. You were very similar in that if you saw an opportunity to help someone out you would take it, not weighing up the situation and resulting in you taking risks you probably shouldn’t.

Because of this, you and Jay had each others backs. Of course everyone had everyones back but not in this way. You’d seemed to have grown a close bond due to you both being very similar in the way you work and think, often knowing what the other is going to do before they even think it. As much of this being a good thing, it has often not panned out as the other will take the first step to try and protect the other and things going south, you’d probably put yourself in more danger trying to prevent Jay getting hurt rather than a result of your own misjudgment. Jay was the same, not thinking about himself and would rather put himself in a compromising position instead of you - sounds twisted but that’s just the way your partnership worked.

By this point, you’d had a few drinks but was cutting yourself off. You had an early shift in the morning and the thought of the pile of paperwork on your desk reminded you it was not something you wanted to tackle with a hangover. No one else seemed to think the same way, this was soon proved as Hailey made her way back from the bar with another tray of shots. “Oh none for me, I’m having a quiet one tonight” you excused yourself and carried on sipping the remainder of your drink.

“Yeah, I’m also out. Don’t want to be feeling rough with all that paperwork tomorrow” Jay winced and you laughed to yourself at how similar your thoughts always were. “Something you two aren’t telling us?” Hailey downs one of the shots and you almost choke on your drink “Are you being serious?” you question and she shrugs her shoulders with a click of her tounge “I don’t think it’s just me that thinks it, I overheard Kev and Adam gossiping the other day” you dart your attention over to a stunned Kevin who simply purses his lips and turns to Adam for him to defend “I-I.. Don’t know what she’s talking about” he stutters out “You couldn’t come up with something better?” Kevin mumbles under his breath and you shake your head “Nothing to report, right Jay?” you hand over to Jay who was quietly sipping on his nearly finished drink “What? Oh.. right”

You smile back at Hailey but she doesn’t seem satisfied “I’m just saying, I don’t think he would run into a burning building for much but if you were on the top floor he would be sprinting up them stairs” Kim widens her eyes at Hailey who seems so casual about everything she is saying but you weren’t taking it as lightly and were now feeling slightly uncomfortable “Well on that note, I think I’m gonna head out” you place your empty glass back on the bar and hear them continue to bicker being you “Good one” Adam curses at Hailey who again doesn’t seem fazed “I’m just saying what we’re all thinking. You can’t tell me they’re both so oblivious to it as well”. Adam runs his hand along his jawline and stands to pick your jacket up which had fallen on the floor, you hear him mutter a soft ‘sorry’ which you acknowledge with a forced smile “I’ll see you tomorrow”.

You shrug your jacket on and head for the door, slightly underestimating how cold Chicago can be and regretting not picking up a thicker coat. You start the traitorous walk down the road but feel your phone buzz in your pocket

‘Stop walking and wait for me’

You squint to see who it was from and your heart slightly picks up speed when you say Jay’s name at the top of the screen, you come to a stop and turn to look over your shoulder. Not seeing anyone there you carry on walking but keep your phone in your grasp when it vibrates again

‘What did I just say Y/N..’

You chuckle at the message and take another look behind you but this time seeing Jay a few steps away “you really don’t listen for shit do you” he greets and you scoff “Well, nice to see you too”. You carry on walking and Jay jogs to catch up and walks closely alongside you “Early night for you as well then?” you break the silence and he just nods with his hands stuffed in his pockets “Not as good when you’re partners not there” he remains with his eyes pinned to the path ahead and you feel the heat rise to your cheeks and are suddenly grateful for the darkness so he can’t see. You come to a stop and Jay turns back to look at you confused “You don’t live this way? In fact that way” you point in the opposite direction you’re walking and his eyes quickly dart back to you “You think I’d let you walk home alone?” he almost chuckles to himself but you don’t match his amusement “Jay, it’s not even 8pm and I’ve only had a few drinks. Thank you but I’m fine” you pat him on the shoulder and continue walking, you barely get a step away when he’s back by your side.

“I get that, but I’d feel better if you let me walk you home “. You’re reminded that you still have your phone in your hand when you feel it vibrate, you look down to see Adam’s name flash up on the screen. You show Jay the screen and you can’t help but notice the way he seems to straighten up when he reads the name, you ignore this and answer the phone “Hey Adam” you chime and Jay vaguely hears him respond on the other end “Hold on a minute” you put the phone to your shoulder to muffle the speaker and so Adam can’t hear “Look, if I stay on the phone with Adam and walk home alone. Will that make you feel better?” you whisper to Jay who clears his throat and nods “Do whatever you want” he responds in a harsh but quiet tone before heading back towards the bar. “Sorry, as you were saying..” you turn your attention back to the phone call and carry on your journey home.

The phone call only last a few minutes after Jay left but you made a note to tell Jay it was the full length of your journey home if he ever asks.. You step in the elevator to your apartment block and click the button for your floor, you grasp at the hand rail behind you and lean your head back on the mirror, you were shattered and just ready for bed. The elevator chimes and the doors open, as you exit and head for your apartment you find yourself rummaging around your pockets to find your key, you turn the corner and nearly jump out of your skin as you see Jay stood outside your door, leaning on the wall with his knee bent and foot resting below him.

He sees your reaction and turns to face you walking towards him “sorry I didn’t mean to make you jump” he softly whispers as you turn the key in the lock “Maybe don’t wait outside my front door when I’m not expecting anyone to be there smart ass” you hit back, still not sure on his attitude when he left you earlier.

You walk in the apartment and hang your jacket on the hook but turn back to see Jay still hadn’t moved “You coming in or did you come all this way to stand in the hall?” you question but head further in, leaving the door open. You pour yourself a glass of water and hear the door close and the floorboards creak as Jay walks over to join you “What’s going on Jay?” you ask as he leans on the doorframe and therefore making it difficult for you to get past “What did Adam want?” he tilts his head to question but you can tell he isn’t feeling as confident as he wants you to think. You exhale in a laugh and take a step towards him, you expect him to move but he stands his ground and remains in his spot. This forces you to step sideways out of the door, your body glides closely with his. So much so that if you had looked up as you passed him your faces would’ve been inches apart as he looked down at you. You huff and place your glass of water on the side and begin to take your shoes off by the sofa “Just wanted to apologize again for Hailey, I don’t know I wasn’t really listening” you trail off as you find your attention is now more on Jay’s actions and what he’s doing.

It takes him a minute to turn from where he is standing and face you, you walk in front of him and lean the back of your legs on the sofa to examine him, his eyes flick up and down your body and you reach for your drink to try and act like you didn’t notice “So you’d rather have him keep you company on your walk home than me, I see” he confidentially takes a stride towards you and folds his arms across his chest. You can’t help but notice the way his arms bulge through the tightness of his shirt and struggle to keep your eyes on him and not roaming to admire them “Grow up Jay” you scoff but see him take another step towards you “what are you even doing here anyway?” you add but he remains silent.

“If you’re just gonna stand and not say anything I’m gonna leave you here and go to bed” you stand from your spot and step away from him and towards your room. You’re stopped in your tracks when his arm latches onto your wrist to stop you “Hailey was right you know” he keeps his grasp on you tight, not in a way that it hurts but almost as if he was worried that otherwise you would walk off.

You open your mouth to speak but he soon cuts you off “I mean not about the fact there isn’t much I would run into a burning building for, as we know from past experiences that isn’t true” you laugh at the memory from when he darted back into an old house that had just caught alight because he had left his phone on the side but he seems to regain your attention “You know what, It’s late I should probably go” he releases his hold on you and you can’t ignore the emptiness you feel from loosing the tiniest bit of contact from him “You can’t be serious Jay. You can’t say that and then leave?” you both fall silent as you wait for the other to speak but you weren’t going to crack first.

“I didn’t plan on coming here Y/N. I didn’t think I would be standing here saying this to you but you were on the phone to Adam and instead of me heading home I found myself coming here to make sure you got home safe. I wish I didn’t care if you were on the phone to him when you walked home, but I do Y/N. I care that it’s me that you choose to keep you company and I’m the one to make sure you’re safe because quite frankly I don’t trust anyone else and especially you to make sure that you are. You’re the most caring person I know and honestly it terrifies me because I know you won’t stop at anything to make sure everyone around you is fine, even if it means that you aren’t and I’m sorry but it’s true”. The way his chest is quickly rising and falling from his outburst stuns you, you’d seen him loose control of his emotions before but not like this. He always struggles to hide his true feelings and shows alot of emotion, but in more actions than words and you never thought you’d see him act this way towards you.

“That’s great Jay, just great. Here you are turning up at my door because you don’t trust me to keep myself safe. You’re my partner Jay you’re supposed to trust me an-” you begin to retaliate but yet again he is there to cut you off “I do trust you Y/N. I trust you with my life and I trust you a fuck tonne more than anyone else I know but I know you won’t stop at anything to make sure everyone else is okay, so is it so bad that I wanted to make sure you got home safe?” you find him now stood inches from you and you had absentmindedly mirrored his actions but tensely hanging your arms by your side, so rigid that you can’t bring yourself to move them “So what, if I asked you to stay. Would you?” you half heartedly laugh as you almost expect him to shrug if off and give you some funny look.

“Of course I would Y/N. Are you not listening to me? I would stay tonight, I would stay tomorrow. I would stay every god damn day if I could. I don’t wait you on the phone to another guy when it should be me, I should be the one making you feel safe and not anyone else” his tone and volume picks up again just when he seemed to be calming down and you curse yourself for making him react this way again. You take another step towards him as he tries to say something else, you raise your finger to his lip to stop him. His eyes flicker between your fingertip and then back to you in confusion but he doesn’t say another word. The desperation in his eyes as he scans your face makes your heart ache and you feel it alight something within you “Just don’t say another word” you bring your face towards him and place a quick kiss onto his skin “Take your anger out on me”. You run your fingertip along his jawline run your thumb along his bottom lip to place another kiss to the side of his neck “Y/N” he warns, his voice now in a low and much more serious tone.

“I mean it Jay, everything you just said. Prove it to me” you continue to trail light pecks along his skin and leading up the the corner of his mouth “Don’t start something you don’t want to finish” the way he grips at your hips makes you edge them towards him, earning a low moan to escape from his lips “Prove it to me Jay, prove why it should be you and no one else” you taunt as he locks his eyes with yours, he nudges at your legs which are positioned together so his knee slips between them “you have no idea what you’ve just let yourself in for”.

***

#jay halstead x reader #jay halstead drabble #jay halstead smut #jay halstead x y/n #jay halstead x you #jay halstead imagine #jay halstead #one chicago x reader #one chicago #Chicago PD #chicago pd imagine

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mysimparchive · 3 years ago

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TITLE: If You Spend The Night I’ll Loose My Mind

SHIP: Twice/Mr Compress Jin Bubaigawara/Atsuhiro Sako

RATED: T

SUMMARY: When Jin shows up at Atsuhiro's stoop at 3 in the morning, does he really have the best intentions in mind? Atsuhiro suspects being alone is more than Jin can deal with at the moment, even if all he really craves is silence.Prompt: Twice and Compress spend the night together after experiencing something traumatic

ADDITIONAL INFO/WARNINGS: Includes references to pain killers and alcohol, improper use/abuse of illicit substances. Big focus on the fact that Compress only has one arm. References to Magne’s death

AO3 Link

Full story under the cut

It was past three in the morning, and there was someone knocking at his door.

A part of Atsuhiro had a feeling of what- or rather who -was responsible for that knocking. Among his ring of associates, the list of suspects was fairly limited. It did not stop the dread forming in his gut. He was not still awake at this hour because he wanted to entertain company.

As such, he sat still for a moment, taking a calming breath. See, he’d only just lowered himself on to the compact couch in the small but tidy living area of his similarly compact loft. There was a tall glass of water and a vivid orange pill bottle sitting on the coffee table in front of him. His hair was damp following a shower, and he was clad in a bathrobe as the ordeal of undressing, showering, and renewing the bandages around his missing arm had collectively caused a bit of a headache. He had not been mentally willing to go through the ordeal that was attempting to properly clothe himself again one handed and in miserable pain. Meanwhile, the robe had been hanging on a hook so conveniently near..

Another series of raps against the door, this time more persistent.

He sighed again and stood, sliding towards the door, and peering through the peephole even if it felt like a redundant gesture. He closed his eyes in sharp irritation, and quickly moved to open the door with his missing arm. Ignoring the throb of pain in his severed limb, he tried again, this time with his right.

It swung open, revealing Jin, who other than the blatantly obvious Twice mask covering his face, was in his civilian clothing, hands in his pockets, staring at his feet guiltily. It was almost as if he hadn’t been the one pounding at his door with the incessant beat of a maniac at an underground rave, and when Atsuhiro finally opened the door he just happened to be standing there. Coincidentally.

“Come inside,” Atsuhiro said urgently, granting Jin a pathway to shuffle through the doorway. He would hope to the powers that be that all of the neighbors reamined asleep and unperturbed by the sound issued by his colleague’s slamming fists. Hoping that no one had witnessed the nationally recognized visage of a League of Villains member standing at his doorstep.

“It’s three in the morning, Jin” Atsuhiro accused somewhat pointedly. Given the hour, and the day he was having thus far, he had more trouble than usual keeping the annoyance from seeping out.

“Really?” Jin mumbled first, then added slightly more expressively, “ Not like you were sleeping anyway. ”

Atsuhiro’s jaw clenched and he braced himself, willed himself to keep calm.

“You can’t just show up here like that,” he gestured at the mask.

He didn’t wait for a response, just strode back towards the couch, the left sleeve of his robe flapping emptily as he moved. He snatched up the pill bottle which had been resting nearby. Something for the pain , Giran had promised and for once there was not a trace of that teasing sleeze in his voice. Instead, there was something akin to actual sympathy that had sent an inexplicable blot of anger coursing through Atushiro.

Now, he was standing in his suffocating living room, dutifully ignoring his uninvited guest, and struggling to get the lid off said pill bottle with only one hand to aid him in the task. That was when Jin's shoes suddenly faded into his line of vision, and a hand landed on Atsuhiro's. Somewhat clumsy fingers eased the bottle free of his own clammy hand, and opened the cap with such a practiced ease, it felt like a smack to his face.

Jin handed back the bottle, again something apologetic about the gesture.

"Thank you," Atsuhiro said quietly after a beat.

The rest of the process went relatively smoother. It was easy enough to fish out one of the capsules buried inside, and wash it down quickly with the water from his glass.

He’d closed his eyes as he’d swallowed the pill, leaning slightly against the arm of the couch. For a moment, all he could fixate on was the sensation in his fingers. Those in his left hand, as if it too was brushing up against the fabric of his furniture to help him balance. There was a ghostly pinch in the tips of those extremities. As if the blood flow had paused momentarily and now it was picking up again.

Brown eyes fluttered open to land on Jin’s mask. There was usually at least one mask between the two of them in these moments. More often than not, it was his own. Tonight he was the vulnerable one, leaving every crease and dark shadow under his eyes exposed to Jin’s probing stare. If only the damn pain pill would kick in faster.

A third sigh.

“Why are you here?”

Jin continued to shift in that sorry way before finally speaking, “I thought someone should check in on you. Make sure you’re okay.”

It was a trying situation and the miserable note in Jin’s voice had him second guessing the rapid irritation pounding in his head. Of course, Jin’s intentions were always good ones. That was the common thread between all of these encounters. Except that he felt the motivation didn’t just end there.

If he had to warrant a guess this was just as much about Magne as it was his arm. If not more so. There was a pang in his chest at the thought.

“So… How are you?” Jin said when it became apparent that Atsuhiro would not be leading this conversation.

“I’m tired , Jin, it’s three in the morning,” he repeated as if it hadn’t been pointed enough the first time he’d brought up the fact.

“Oh yeah..”

A more mannered guest would take the hint and leave. Atsuhiro didn’t believe that Jin was as oblivious to these cues as he often pretended to be. If he wasn’t leaving now, it wasn’t because he misunderstood. It was because he didn’t want to be alone. And that deep seated longing for company outweighed his fear of coming off as a rude nuisance. Atsuhiro was apparently the only wimp in their team that couldn’t kick his sorry puppy-dog eyes to the curb.

Even in this state.

He fixed another look at Jin, catching on to a subtle tremmor coursing through the other man. A symptom of stress he hadn't noticed before too preoccupied with his anger, his pain, his need to get the damn cap off the pill bottle.

After a moment Atushiro broke the silence.

“Top left cabinet in the kitchen. Fetch me what you find.”

….

The spirit the two of them were sharing, plus whatever the hell Giran had slipped him, nearly had Atsuhiro forgetting he’d ever had arms at all. His head was spinning out in this awfully heady way. Or was that just the late night hour? He hadn’t slept in what felt like days.

The only solid in that moment had been Jin’s shoulder beneath his head.

Jin was talking to Atsuhiro, telling him a story. Or was he simply arguing with himself? It was difficult to keep track. Meanwhile, Atsuhiro’s glazed eyes were fixed on the satin sleeve where it hung flatly off the edge of the couch cushions.

“--She punched the damn thing out of my hand, and I thought the crash was gonna wake up the entire league. I wasn’t worried at all! And then she told me that waffle irons aren’t actually meant for waffles, they’re supposed to be used for sandwiches. I’m not a gullible guy-- I’m so fucking gulible . Shut up-- And, and for a minute I actually believed it because of the look on her face. She��s always so full of shit-- Was full of shit, asshole-”

The speech had abruptly cut off. Atsuhiro’s brain realized with only partial dely.

He shifted from his languid position, staring up at Jin. Only the lower half of the man’s face was exposed. The skin tight mask rolled up to the bridge of his nose so as to ease the drinking process. And he’d drank like it was his last night on earth, pounding back shot after shot of amber liquid, far out pacing Atsuhiro who was still somewhat aware that mixing even one shot with the Giran-pill had been a bad idea. This thought had briefly occurred to him as he’d poured a second glass after what felt like hours, but had likely been barely fifteen minutes later.

The visible half of Jin’s face was pale and unshaven. His previously flapping mouth had transformed into a thin trembling line.

“Enough,” Atsuhiro commanded softly, “Come here.”

He moved first, assisting Jin to fall into his chest. Slowly the man folded inward, the quake in his shoulders returning and vibrating against Atushiro’s body. He wrapped his available arm around Jin, hand landing at the base of his neck to card fingers through the stiff blonde locks.

….

At some point in the night Jin had stopped crying and began laughing.

At which point, Atsuhiro had pressed his lips against the other man’s cracking ones.

Something about that maniacal sound had been even more grating then the shuddering sobs which had preceded it. As they were both far too faded for the kissing to lead anywhere promising, Atsuhiro simply cherished the quiet that followed.

For one spectacular moment there was silence besides the soft sound of their mouths working against each other. He’d learned a while ago that kissing was an efficient means to shut down some of Jin’s otherwise inescapable noise. So, for the next period of time they sat and kissed, and Atsuhiro cherished the blessed silence.

Following this, they’d abandoned the bottle and dirty glasses on the coffee table, in favor of tumbling onto the futon which Jin had been far too eager to unfold. Atsuhiro remained in his robe, Jin in his dirty civilian clothes, something he may have argued on a different night. Then of course, there was the half drawn Twice mask...

Both of them were sluggish as a result of the substances coursing through their blood streams. Or perhaps that was a result of the deep resonating sadness the two of them had shared. Who was to say really? Either way, changing anything about the arrangement would have been an unnecessary challenge.

Instead, they settled. Atsuhiro spread out on his back, missing limb angled outward to keep it from rubbing against Jin’s body. Meanwhile, Jin burrowed his face against Atsuhiro’s neck, still dropping the occasional kiss against any piece of skin that was level with his mouth.

“I’m so sorry,” a ragged whisper broke the silence that he’d dared to hope would be permanent for the remainder of the night.

“...Jin… Enough,” he murmured, closing his eyes and hoping to hell that either the drugs or sheer exhaustion finally dragged them off to sleep.

….

He awoke in the early dawn hours. Or maybe it was closer to late afternoon?

Through the fog that lingered in his brain the dimb lighting in the loft was tough to decipher.

Jin was still at his side, sleeping soundly. His mask had slipped off at some point in the night, exposing his face and a pair of raw red eyelids still shut in a dream. Atsuhiro quickly clenched his eyes as a stab of pain suddenly coursed through him. Although, it wasn’t his arm that bothered him this time.

He felt a convulsion tight in his chest and realized with some surprise that he was about to cry.

#mr compress #twice #atsuhiro sako #jin bubaigawara #my hero academia #Baku no hero academia #my fic

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kayr0ss · 4 years ago

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A Tactical Approach

[Diakko Week 2020, Day 2: Hand Holding / Cuddles, Fluff] AO3

Happy to participate in Diakko week 2020! @dianakko-week

---

Akko had never considered herself a strategic person but sometimes life led a girl into situations that felt like war.

And this was a battle she was determined to win.

She assessed the setting—it was important to know your surroundings and use them to your advantage after all. What could she possibly do to make the most out of this situation? What was the ideal picture of a victory in her mind?

Victory was sweet. Like plums.

It would also be warm and absolute, full of conviction and with no space for hesitation.

And hopefully victory wasn’t sweaty. Oh by Jennifer—please—she hoped victory wasn’t sweaty!

Why were her hands sweaty now of all times? She sighed, wiping her palms along the fabric of her skirt in an attempt to alleviate the problem. Satisfied, she returned to assessing the terrain of her battle. She was in Diana’s dormitory, sitting on Hannah’s stolen study chair so that she and Diana shared a desk, huddling themselves shoulder-to-shoulder. It was eight fifty-seven in the evening and she had been waging this war for all of seventeen minutes by now.

Yes, she was counting since eight forty.

The opposing party of this skirmish just so happened to be the object of her affections. What were her motivations? What would her next move be? Akko squinted at her foe, watching as she flipped another page of the Ancient Runes textbook she was examining. She brushed back blonde and green tresses behind her ear, the candlelight of the lamp on her desk flickered playfully across her features and oh my god she has it bad, doesn’t she?

Akko exhaled, releasing a breath she didn’t know she was holding. Diana looked up, blue eyes softer than usual, and tilted her head in inquiry.

“Is everything alright, Akko?”

Ah. She really had it bad.

“Yeah.” Akko said in a quiet voice. It was so unlike her that Diana’s brow quirked upward. The movement was subtle, but they were near enough to each other for Akko to notice.

“Book.” The blonde chided, pointing downwards to the (very much ignored) Divination textbook lying in front of Akko. “You’re getting distracted again.”

Akko simply huffed. “Like it’s my fault!”

That won a small chuckle out of Diana, who turned a little pink if Akko wasn’t seeing things. This meant the implication didn’t go over her head—and that was all and well. Akko didn’t want it to go over her head. She knew that Diana knew that she… felt things.

Many, difficult to describe things that she frankly didn’t have the vocabulary for, so she’d much rather express it in actions. Diana leaned in a little, bumping their shoulders playfully. Akko giggled, looking back towards the pages of her book with no intention of reading. She felt her face heat up but she still smiled, appreciative of what was such a small yet meaningful gesture of affection from the normally aloof Diana.

She bumped her shoulder back. They were both smiling into their books now.

These little interactions had brought her back to the essence of her battle—of the mission she was on, and the victory she aimed to secure.

Now wasn’t the time to get distracted! The setting was perfect: quiet, candle-lit, with the rest of the room glowing softly in yellow and without Hannah and Barbara in sight. The curtains were pulled open and, despite it being a little cloudy, the view was just as wonderful as a clear night sky.

Akko examined her artillery options. She already used the 'shoulder bump'. Was it a good time to…

To maybe… lean her head on her shoulder?

She huffed while shaking her head and pretended it was because of the book. That wouldn’t work. She’d have a hard time reading and would probably fall asleep. She didn’t want to put Diana in a situation where she’d have to support her weight too much.

Displaying affection was such a difficult war to wage.

Her most distal appendages might work though—she had a whole two hands with fingers and thumbs! Right. She should use those. Maybe. But they were sweaty! Gods, did this have to be so hard!

But she was Akko Kagari and so far just doing it had worked wonderfully for her! And so she threw caution to the wind, and… placed her hand on the desk.

It was a strategic move. If Diana picked up on her cue, she should place her hand within pinky-reaching distance, right? Right? Akko swallowed, trying her best to look disinterested in where Diana’s hand would fall next.

The blonde had finished the words on her page, and motioned to flip to the next. Akko watched in her peripheral vision, almost in slow motion, as Diana’s hand fell back lower, lower and finally—yes!

She put it on the desk. Beside Akko’s hand.

Akko picked up an extra quill and flipped open her notebook, keeping her left hand obviously still and available, hoping that Diana hadn’t started learning Japanese because she decided to write her notes in her native language to ‘aid with recall.’

Never mind the fact that she was nervously scribbling ‘please hold my hand, please hold my hand, please hold my han—” over and over again.

Ah, but Diana seemed engrossed, and Akko took it up on herself to take initiative. Again.

It was time to deploy stealth tactics.

Slowly, and with no small amount of nervousness, she inched her pinky finger a whole centimeter to the left. That was progress! Diana hadn’t noticed. Perfect. Emboldened by her success, she went and moved in closer.

Shit. Diana pulled her hand to scratch an itch along her chin and—that was illegal, it was so cute! To Akko’s relief, her hand returned to its original position except this time it was… closer?

Was Diana picking up on her stealth tactics?

Suddenly losing her nerve, Akko ceased her slow advance. But then why would she? Reciprocation was a good thing, right?

She took a chance, looking towards her notebook to scribble a little more nonsense, and then brushed their pinky fingers together.

Surely such a small action should not have such a profound effect on her—felt from the tips of her ears, down to the pit of her stomach. There was fluttering, fluttering everywhere and this slow exchange felt like it was going to drive her insane!

Wasn’t Diana supposed to be the overthink-y one?!

Then she noticed that Diana had gone remarkably pink. Her eyes were still on the book, but there were details that Akko finally picked up once she let herself stare for just a minute.

Diana’s eyes weren’t moving. They were intense and boring a hole into what must have been the same passage on that very same page[3] for the past two minutes. Her eyes fluttered prettily, and Akko swooned a little.

She hooked their pinky fingers together—Diana had obliged willingly.

It was fascinating to watch the way she tried to steel her expression, but the way the column of her throat moved as she gulped was something Akko didn’t miss.

Oh, this was going to be the death of her. She pulled her own red eyes back towards her textbook.

Was Diana nervous too? Looked like it, at least a bit. The thought of it made the fluttering grow stronger than it ever did before, and Akko figured she was probably a raging shade of red by now.

But she loved every minute of it.

Diana—god damn it—pulled on the cuff of Akko’s sleeve to bring her hand closer, and pried her palm open, facing upwards.

And then she began to gently brush her fingertips along the inside of her palm, still feigning interest for her textbook, and Akko wanted to set herself on fire.

Akko never wanted this to end. Her heartbeat was going into overdrive, and she was pretty sure her palms were starting to sweat again but it was too late to care about that now, wasn’t it? Diana’s breathing seemed shallower, and that was a sentiment she could relate with. Somehow, it was comforting to see that she wasn’t the only one so nervous about this whole ordeal.

Praying to each and every one of her Asian ancestors, Akko steeled her nerves.

She’s going to do it.

She’s going to move in for the winning blow.

She splayed out her hands, gently, doing her best to caress every inch of skin Diana had in contact with her, before catching the spaces in between Diana’s fingers to fit her own hand snugly into a hold.

Diana was done pretending to care about the book. She had gasped, softly, and looked downwards towards their hands. She was blushing wonderfully, eyes wide, and the small smile that grew on her lips was an image Akko wanted to remember forever.

“Shall we take a break?” Diana finally broke their silence. She looked up towards Akko and—by the nine the look she was receiving was so tender it felt almost unreal.

“That’d be nice.” Akko giggled, dropping any pretense of disinterest as well.

Diana looked a little shy and hesitant, and Akko was about to ask why but then Diana leaned forward, snuggling close as she settled her forehead on Akko’s shoulder. She was trying to hide a grin. How sly!

“I can see the smile on your face, you know.” Akko’s giggles didn’t end, and she rarely spoke so softly.

“Can you blame me?” Diana’s speech was muffled against her shoulder, smile evident in the sound of her voice.

“Gotta admit, I can’t.” Akko’s grin was just as wide.

“I could get used to this.” Diana admitted, running her thumb against the back of Akko’s.

Now that they’d finally gotten to holding hands, they might have some trouble learning how to let go. Diana definitely showed no intention of doing so anytime soon.

Akko’s chest bloomed with warmth, affection, and something more.

Victory was sweet.

It was also a little sweaty and involved a lot of nerves and—

(Akko watched as Diana pulled herself upright again, bringing Akko’s hand closer towards her)

—it felt like a kiss to the back of her hand.

---

fin

---

A/N: Thank you to Tototops, who did a wonderful job beta reading and correcting all the little errors I made in this chapter! I appreciate you so much, you did so good!

Also yes hand holding is a BIG DEAL guys

#Diakko #Dianakko #Diakko Week 2020 #Dianakko Week 2020 #Diakko Week #Day 2: Hand Holding #Haha #Fluff #LWA #Diana Cavendish #Akko kagari #i love them sorry #our babies

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geezsims · 5 years ago

Photo

Doctor Amber Gonzalez — interview for @toxoplasmajuice’s Atkins’ MMBC!

1. Tell me a little about yourself. Y'know, name, pronouns, age, where you’re from, anything else you might say if I asked you, “Who are you?”

I’m Amber. Well, I should say Amber Gonzalez, or Dr. Gonzalez if you want to be formal. I’m hoping you won’t be for too long... [chuckles drily] It’s hardly the time for formalities, wouldn’t you agree? I feel similarly about pronouns, if you must know—a tedious necessity while we remain shackled by language as it is now. [another chuckle] TL;DR: you’re welcome to use whatever pronouns take your fancy, though I tend to default to ‘they/them’ for the sake of ease. I’m 21 years, three months, and sixteen days old.

As for who I am... I am an acolyte of science. Always pushing the boundaries of what can be accomplished through the power of the mind. [momentary pause] I’m not sure there’s much to know about me beyond that.

2. Before the world ended, did you have any long-term goals? Where would you picture yourself in the future if the future didn’t crumble in front of our eyes?

There were countless projects amongst which I was dividing my time. The memory’s a bit... blurry around the edges, but I’m pretty sure my primary focus at the time would have been cloning. Or was it robotics? [shakes head] No matter. Many of my resources have gone kaput in the aftermath, but that isn’t going to stop me from dedicating myself to other scientific endeavours. Even if I have to resort to... [shudders] anthropology.

3. Any talents or skills? What about hobbies?

My skills are mostly restricted to science and research, though I’ve been known to dabble in the occult when the mood takes me. Alchemy especially is a dear hobby of mine, and one that doesn’t require anywhere near the amount of power demanded by my large-scale experiments.

Mh... after giving it some thought, I should also add that I have another hobby. One that doesn’t slot quite as neatly into my pioneering lifestyle, but that may be of interest to Clyde. It may also shed some light as to why I’m here, ah... [coughs] Let’s just say that some of my bags coming here are weighed heavy with hurriedly salvaged romance novellas. For reasons I cannot rationally explain I simply can’t get enough of those formulaic love stories!

4. If you feel like sharing, what was your love life like before this? Totally fine if you don’t wanna talk about it.

[another cough] If you must know... apart from the aforementioned literature things have been pretty quiet on the romance front for me. I’ve just never found the time for anything more serious than the occasional fling with a spicy lab assistant.

5. Besides the sanctuary part, what made you sign up for this BC?

I, ah, would like to meet Clyde. Very much, in fact. But I won’t pretend that some safety and security to get back on track with my experimentation doesn’t hold a certain appeal. Given the circumstances, I’m sure most if not all the contestants are going to be bringing some sort of ulterior motive to the table.

6. Okay, okay, hot take: this question is fucking stupid. First of all, MMBCs have happened even with this question, so it’s not even protecting anybody. Second, if we really needed this information–or if the network did–there’s better ways to do background checks. You can just lie here. You can literally just lie.[*] Third, it’s just so vague. Sure, if you’ve got some degree of murder on your record, maybe that would be important, but–what, being caught with a gram of weed in the summer of ‘15 is supposed to tell me you might be a murderer? And, most importantly, it blatantly contributes to the stigma against felons. Non-violent criminals, people who’ve changed for the better, people who were falsely accused–we’re basically saying all of them might as well be murderers. And I’m not for that. But the program we’re doing this through is requiring that I ask, so, whatever: do you have a criminal record?

Not that I know of. I seem to remember some former test subjects, ah... holding a bit of a grudge, but I don’t recall any charges. As I’ve mentioned previously, my memory is not the best, but I doubt I would forget something as grave as that.

7. Anyway. Random fact about you?

Hmm... how about this: due to a past experiment, there is always a slight current of electricity about my person. My hair often crackles and stands on end depending on what sort of floor I’m standing on. Oh, and I’ve taken to wearing these gloves most of the time to avoid giving people nasty electric shocks when they come into contact with me.

8. Is there anything important I should know about you? Health-related stuff, ancient curses following you, that sort of thing?

Barring my spotty memory, my body and mind are pretty robust. There are some other side-effects from my experimentation which surface from time to time—glowing eyes, erratic sleep schedule, energy bursts followed by severe lethargy...—but nothing so serious as an ancient curse. Apart from my own hubris, which is scheduled to catch up with me any day now. [laughs] That was a joke.

9. Is there anything or anyone you had to leave behind to come here? (This one’s optional, too.)

Ah, no. No one. [drily] Just the proverbial smoking ruins of my life’s work and a dozen or so lab rats.

10. What’s the first thing you’re gonna do when things calm down and we can leave the BC house again?

It all depends on the state of the world then. I’m a highly adaptive person. If my abilities are required in the aftermath, I’ll provide as best I can, but I’d be equally happy to seal myself away hermetically at the first chance and simply get back to work. There is so much left to be discovered!

OOC questions:

1. May I draw your Sim? (No one’s ever said no to this, but it never hurts to ask, right?)

Of course!

2. Do you have any tips for writing your Sim that you feel the interview and/or your intro post don’t already give me?

She’s often sarcastic and prone to long tangents. And she alternates between quite formal speech and casual informal, bordering on the over-familiar when presented with strangers. Just quite chaotic in general. I can see her not getting along with everybody as she can be pretty wrapped up in her own shit at times, which can come off as self-absorbed, but she also won’t ever judge a book by its cover.

As for the clone thing—she isn’t one, as far as I’m concerned, but due to her excessive experimentation she sometimes worries she can’t prove to herself or others that she isn’t. It keeps her up at night sometimes.

3. I want to start decorating contestants’ rooms this time around. Do you have any pointers as to decorating your Sim’s room? General themes are fine, and if you have any specific objects you want me to put in your Sim’s room (EA content or CC), that’d be great.

Aw, that’s a cute idea! Really just any odd gadgets and doodads, maybe the robot stuff that came with Ambitions (I think? It’s been a while, lol!) rather than the overly fancy/modern stuff from ITF. I’m picturing kind of Spartan sleeping arrangements, metal flooring and/or walls, maybe those biohazard posters (no idea where they were from, sorry). Don’t worry if you can’t find any of those things, that’s just kind of the general vibe I’m imagining. Her favourite colours are bright orange, grey, teal-ish blue and neon green, if that’s useful at all :v

4. Will you generally be around for random questions I have regarding your Sim? I might need random bits of information from everyone from time to time… for reasons. :)

If not here, then on Twitter for sure!

#bc contestants #toxoplasmajuice #amber gonzalez #team amber #sims 3 #the sims 3 #ts3

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arabellaflynn · 4 years ago

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Fandom frightens me sometimes. Often, if we're honest.

I've been digging around for the Sherlock Holmes project I mentioned before, and one of the things I ran into is The Johnlock Conspiracy. For those who don't know, this was a movement among fans of the BBC's 2010 series Sherlock who contended that the series was building up to a Big Damn Gay Kiss between the leads at the end, which was theoretically the conclusion of series 4. Lots of people contributed, but this particular lady seems to have been the biggest and most thorough, having contributed a 40-some-odd episode analysis of the show, via YouTube.

Shit like this terrifies me.

There's nothing wrong with her character analysis. Her take on the significance and motivation behind what the characters say and do on screen is completely valid. I think she's 100% right in some areas, particularly Moriarty. Jim Moriarty's obsession with Sherlock is both disturbingly sexual in tone, and disturbingly indicative of someone who sees sex not as a social interaction, but as the apotheosis of control over another human being.

There's also nothing wrong with hoping the series is building to a gay romance. "Queering the canon" of Holmes stories has been a thing for a long, long time. It tends to happen in any work where two same-sex leads have a deep and devoted relationship, and because homosexual leanings were so hidden and coded for such a long time, there's much more history of having to "read into" things than with heterosexual pairings. If that had indeed been where the writing in Sherlock went, I would have considered the relationship more than adequately set up in the earlier series. AFAIK the leads wouldn't particularly have balked; I don't know all that much about Freeman's career but as a human he seems pretty no-nonsense, and Cumberbatch has a history of doing very well as queer and neuroatypical characters, under the general philosophy of 'I'm an actor, I act like other people, these other people are interesting'. With respect to the creators, Gatiss himself is gay and Moffatt has written at least one pair of lesbian Holmes/Watson analogues, Madame Vastra and Jenny, into Doctor Who.

What bothers me is the rampant apophenia among the Johnlock Conspiracy fans, typified in this lady's analysis. I'm not saying that the Sherlock crew wasn't admirably detail-oriented. They were making a show about a character whose entire schtick was noticing tiny things in his surroundings, and the main viewing audience had been fans of these tales literally their entire literate lives. Continuity had to be on the ball at all times or else. There were, in fact, plenty of passing references, allusions, background gags, and Easter eggs that were just there to say, "We read all the stories! You will find this amusing if you did, too." There's plenty of material available if you want to compare and contrast to the original canon, and discuss how the implications of various things would have changed from Victorian times to the modern-day setting of Sherlock.

When you get to the point where you are interpreting literally every detail of every line of every story as support for your one pet theory, you have a problem. No piece of writing is that focused. Her TJLC videos spiral into such a terrible black hole that every side character, every suspect, is interpreted as a "mirror" of one of the main characters, and moreover their actions are used in support of the One True Theory. Random set and costume details are interpreted as "communication" from the production crew that the theory is right. And, the very hallmark of a tinfoil-hat conspiracy, denials from both the characters on screen and the creators off are interpreted as yet more evidence in favor of the theory, because everyone knows that lying liars who lie are just trying to throw you off the scent.

And the sheer entitlement. Dear God. When no Big Damn Gay Kiss happened at the end of series four, the wave of anger from TJLC people was unbelievable. The writers were doing it wrong. The fans deserved to have their theory validated. How dare they write the thing they said they were writing the whole time.

The accusations of queerbaiting, I feel, are unsupported. The people slinging them have a very narrow view of what constitutes a queer relationship. It is true that Sherlock and John did not end series 4 in a homosexual romantic relationship acknowledged both in and out of universe. On the other hand, Sherlock's "married to the job" speech in the first fucking episode pretty solidly establishes that he identifies as aroace, even if he doesn't have the vocabulary to say it in exactly that way. I don't know when "I'm not interested in anyone like that" started to translate to "you can ignore everything I say about myself", but it's just as rude and invalidating to do it to representational characters as it is to real humans, so. Sherlock followed all that up by repeatedly, vehemently -- and given everyone else's reaction, uncharacteristically -- inviting John into his work, which he characterizes as his greatest if not only passion in life, so he's clearly starting something he sees as significant.

The amount of emotional and domestic entanglement that Sherlock wants out of John is huge and would seem to qualify for what the tumblkids call "queerplatonic". This relationship does progress over the course of the series, is explicitly acknowledged and discussed in-universe, is consistently reciprocated by John Watson, and IMNSHO, more than qualifies as what the creators have said since day one is going to be a "love story". There are more things in heaven and Earth, Horatio, etc etc etc. Not everything has to end with people tumbling into bed.

I would frankly consider it a more narratively interesting option than a romance, as it is far less common. Sherlock's central conflict is the same either way ("Oh god feelings WHAT DO"), but it changes John's somewhat. Rather than a relatively straightforward story about a man coming to terms with his sexuality, John instead has to wrestle with the idea that he might have found a life partner in this sort of relationship, rather than the traditional marriage-and-children context he was clearly anticipating. If concluding that yes, that is what he wants (and even marrying a woman who accepts the relationship, quite likes her husband's Most Significant Friend, and pushes both John and Sherlock to keep the connection alive) doesn't count as a happy ending, I have no idea what does.

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#IFTTT #Blogger #Unsolicited Advice

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windschildfanfictionwriter · 6 years ago

Note

Hi again! Quick question, do you have any tips for writing battle scenes? Because I can write emotions and angst, but action? There is too much going on and I don't know how to touch it.

Battle Scenes: Crafting Action Scenes

Okay, so I’m going to tell you how I started writing battle scenes… I was terrible at it and it frustrated me to no end. There was too much going on. I wasn’t sure what to focus on.

First: A big tip is that when things are happening too fast, it usually means the five senses- Touch, smell, hearing, sight, taste are all in hyperdrive. Remember that. If one of those senses are taken away that’s a huge deal. It causes the body to tense up. It’s foggy? Play on that. There’s ash in the air and mc can taste that on their tongue because there’s SO MUCH of it? Play on that. The light is blinding because it's reflecting off the snow? Huge. The mc gets knocked for a loop and they bust their lip or bite their tongue and there is a shit ton of blood in their mouth? On their tongue? That’s important.

Remembering ALL five senses will vastly improve any action scene.

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

Tip 1

You’ll have to trust me on this: When it comes to action, its best to split it up.

Take three separate documents and split them into

Dialogue:

Now, this can be between the mc and antagonist or a friend or lover or whatever, but if it's in an action scene then you must remember that the words have to be short powerful bits.

Example: [I just have this scene randomly up so I’m going to take the dialogue from this].

Scene

“Leif! Leif! You got him! We have to go! You got him. There’s more coming!”

“Come!”

“A car? Leif, I can’t see!”

“My eyes see!”

“Are there keys? I need keys.”

“Weasley.”

“Lean left!”

“Straight.”

“Fuck.”

“Is good, keep straight.”

“Fuck.”

End Scene

I took this from the scene I’m working on at the moment.

Here you’ll notice that they are all very short.

Emotions: Panicked. Angry. Frustrated.

Intent: Instructions. Directions. Plans. Questions.

If you are having full-length conversations in the middle of an action, then that’s a red flag that the scene isn’t an action scene at all.

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

Movement:

[I suggest you look up youtube videos. It doesn’t matter what. Cartoon or a show or a play… as long as there are people. Do an exercise or six of just… describing how they are moving. The way their body moves. Be as descriptive as you want. What stands out about their movements? What would you normally NOT notice? It helps to work on describing the little everyday movements so that when you work on an action scene the body movements are more natural.]

Example:

Scene

They did not have time to argue. He fumbled for the door, it opened up and he fell inside, his fingers fumbling along the length of the contraption.

She looked around and spotted the metal keys on the seat next to him. She picked them up and handed them to her boy. He trembled as he tried one key… the metal scraping and crunching as he tried to fit it in, but it would not yield. He tried the next one and then the next., shoving them forcefully into the crack

The third key worked.

The thing roared to life, startling her. She covered her ears as her boy slammed the door shut.

A death had come out of the building.

End Scene

**Here I need you guys to take note of how I move from long sentences to short. The long sentences are meant to make the reader anxious. We know there is a time crunch. We, the character and reader who is along for the ride, are running away, but the long sentences of failing to get the key in is stressing the reader out.

‘The third key worked.’

Is a relief not just because we’ve succeeded but because it is a short fast sentence that allows the reader to pause and breathe.

We’ve also focused on touch and hearing. Everything feels so much louder when trying to escape a pursuer. If I had them in a cell though, I might have focused on how Ron had sweat so much against the stone that he would not be surprised if it tasted like salt. It smelled like salt. And an odd stale smell that reminded him of the inside of Hermione’s parent's new fridge from two years ago. The utter silence of it all might have driven Ron mad if it were not for the antics of Leif outside his window. [Something like that].

Action requires short descriptions though, involved with the movement. This is a big thing. In Action the MC is not wandering off in the distance or brooding. Everything must revolve around the acts being performed.

Which brings me to the final piece.

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

Background:

This should be used sparingly. At the start of the action scene or at the end of the action scene.

Scene

Blue fire rose up within her as she threw herself at the death. She heard the man curse as her boy screamed at her to run. She would not! She would not! Her young one belonged to her and she would not allow this death to have him!

End Scene

***Now you might say that this is not background description, this is part of the action, but I disagree.

We are in her head, going over her actions as they are happening. We see her actions, but we also see her reasoning. This is brooding even in the briefest of forms. This is her motivation. This is her reason for fighting, but there is not much fighting being done.

This is Background For ACTION scenes.

There should be no description of how the moving Staircases in Hogwarts works and why they are moving. The only thing that should be involved in a scene with the moving staircase is if Ron has to leap from a staircase currently moving in order to make it to the third floor in time to save Harry from unspeakable evil. And in this case, we should only be told that it was moving in the wrong direction than what Ron needed.

No workings. No observations of the paintings. No brooding about how the fall would kill him. We, the reader, will know that the fall will kill him because if you’ve done your job as the writer right then he would have made this observation in a much earlier chapter.

Say, in chapter one, Ron notes that Seamus very nearly fell and that he was sure one of his friends would have caught him, but if Seamus had been alone… well, it was a very good thing he wasn’t because Ron was rather fond of Seamus and would prefer his head remain intact and his bones not broken.

And there, THAT, is the foundation for an action scene. BUT these observations should not be noted in the moment of the action scene.

Try to keep internal dialogue and observations and brooding out of an action scene, but if you feel its necessary then it needs to come either at the start or at the end.

You won’t always have to do this. I found I only needed this concept for the first ten or twenty ‘action’ scenes I wrote. But it's a brilliant way to get things started when you are struggling.

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

NOW let us look at the scene altogether:

Leif roared in fury.

The death used his stick to fling magic at her but she dodged and burned his mask. The twisted ugly smile turning black as she tore at the fangs. Killer of fairies! Foul beast of death! She took every scrap of her magic and burned through the mask and to the thing beneath.

The death screamed, clutching at his face and dropping to the ground.

“Leif! Leif!” Her young one yelled. “You got him! We have to go! You got him! There’s more coming!”

She zipped back, hearing now what her young one did. The stampede of feet. Her boy opened the door and together they threw themselves outside. She spotted one of the fast things on the pavement.

“Come!”

She dragged him to the contraption. Forcing his fingers onto the metal.

“A car? Leif, I can’t see!”

“My eyes see!”

They did not have time to argue. He fumbled for the door, it opened up and he fell inside, his fingers feeling along the contraption.

“Are there keys? I need keys!”

The third key worked.

“Weasley!”

A death had come out of the building.

Leif hit her boy’s shoulder as the metal creature shot forward. Glass shattered and Leif clutched at the wild red hair as she looked around her.

“Lean left!” She shrieked.

Her young one moved the thing left and they missed a gate by inches.

“Straight.”

They hit a bump and the metal creature lurched too far right, hitting wood and cracking the glass in front of them.

“Fuck,” her boy muttered.

“Is good, keep straight!”

“Fuck,” he repeated.

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

Background: Leif’s motivation, is right at the start. We don’t see this again until there is a very dramatic pause.

Dialogue: Is necessary communication between Leif and Ron. There are no flowery speeches of devotion or family tie or friendship. There is no time. They trust each other and it's not necessary to STATE it because we can SEE IT.

Movement: This is the primary driving force of all actions scenes. Remember to keep body language a thing and to keep in mind the five senses. Practice writing observations of everyday movement and sooner or later it will become more of a natural habit to include those things in action scenes than to have to force it.

----------------------Tip 2: FLOW

You’ve designed the scene. You split it into three parts. You pieced it together. Now you want to make sure you have rhythm and flow. This is going to sound odd, so I want you to bear with me for a moment.

Pick a song that fits the scene. Not the story. The single scene.

And remember, this is an action scene, so you want the song to be a bit upbeat, you want it to be fast paced.

Now, a song usually starts off soft, before it picks up, it emphasis certain words over others. It has a hook. It has power. It has flow.

Take that scene you wrote and I want you to picture it flowing with the song you picked.

How easily can you picture the scene? The bodies moving? The action taking place?

If there is too much dialogue in the scene then chances are that when you are matching the scene to the music that there is a lag right? It means you need less dialogue.

If there is too much action and no pause for those slow moments in the song then it will show too… you’ll need to add a few powerful lines.

If you can’t picture your character’s movements in the song then you need to flesh that out.

If you have no connection, emotions in your action scene then the song and your imagined scene won’t feel so powerful.

Music, in this sense, helps a writer to see where they are missing things. When you have a powerful scene that plays well with a song, it usually means that its good to go.

At least, this has been my means of working through action scenes.

Now, there’s usually a powerful ending before the song pitters off right? Same for an action scene.

These are the two things that have helped me in my writing for Action Scenes and I hope this helps. The biggest help though is practice. These tips will help you to practice, but if you are not writing on a regular basis then they can only do so much.

Anyways, thanks for the great ask, and I hope that this is what you were looking for!

-Windy

#Writing Advice #Writinglife

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created-by-teen-fury · 6 years ago

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Firecracker

Here it is! Sorry it’s up so late, but @cookiecatspace had to read it first because its for her. It’s a Jason Todd x OC. That OC would be Jackie, who is currently my profile picture as of now. Is Jason really out of character? Maybe! But it doesn’t matter cause it was made for my best friend and she enjoyed it so I hope y’all will too! And without further ado, here is Firecracker!

WC: 2630

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

30 minutes have passed since the mission went wrong. 30 minutes since they lost connection from the rest. 30 minutes of being stuck a large gapping ice hole in the ground with the seemingly most annoying person on the planet.

At this point, Jason had stopped trying to climb out the pit he found himself in. Jackie on the other hand was attempting to clamber up the side of the ice-covered rocks. A thump signaled her 11th attempt, but who’s counting? (Jason was. He most certainly was). Pressing on, Jackie brushed off from her shame and once again latched her hand on an uneven bit of the rock. She settled her snow-covered boot onto the ice and sprung upwards, aiming to anchor herself onto the next stone. Her hand briefly grasped the rock above her. She let out a cry of victory, though it was short lived seeing as the ice around her fingertips caused her to slip. Falling 5 feet, her back collided with the stone-cold floor once again.

“You know, if you’re so powerful why don’t you just use your pretty magic to fly you out of here?” Jason’s words rang through the cave, freezing Jackie’s next attempt to scale to frozen tower.

She swirled around to face him. He sat against the wall across from her. Crossing over to him she pointed a finger to his forehead, which he immediately slapped away, “First of all ya funker! My powers aren’t “magic”! It’s stone hard science! Real! Rooted in re-al-i-ty. NOT FICTION!” Jackie huffed out a puff of cold breath, “And secondly! If you must know all this frosty air is great for talking snowman, but not for a wild Jackie! Think of it like a power outage. You know the ones in the winter where the power lines snap because-”

“Because they freeze. I got it.” He was quick to cut her off her science lecture, “So what I’m hearing is that your useless? Great.” He pulled out a communicator from his inside jacket pocket. After clicking a few buttons, he let out a growl before hitting it several times before trying again. Throwing it to the ground beside him, he let out a grunt and leaned his head against the stones behind him.

Jackie let out gasp, “I am OFFENDED! I am still plenty useful! I almost got out just by climbing!”

“No. No you didn’t. The closest you got was being 6 feet in the air before ultimately crashing and burning.”

Pouting, Jackie sat against the other side of the cave, wrapping her arms around herself, “Well at least I made an attempt…” A tingle ran up Jackie’s spine. She hugged herself closer trying to conserve the rest of her body heat.

It grew quiet for a bit, before Jackie let out an annoyed grunt, “This is so boring!” Taking a bundle of snow into her hands, she flung it at the man across from it. A loud splat rang across the cave.

His eyes narrowed has his hands brushed off the slush, “Keep your boredom on your side of the cave.”

She let out a huff of air, her bottom lip jutting out, “you’re no fun…” When she didn’t hear a reply, she made a move to grab another clump of snow.

“Don’t even think about it.”

She let out a long groan, rising to her feet, using the wall as a crutch, “Fineeee. If you insist.”

Jason watched her pace back and forth, clutching her hands tightly to her chest. Her steps began motivated, but quickly turned into a sloppy misstep. Occasionally she would trip over her own feet before retaining her balance. Finally, her knees buckled underneath her, causing to tumble back to the ice-covered ground. Before Jason could make a move to help her sit up, Jackie head shot up from its place on the ground, her arms flailing in front of her., “Well would you look at that! Must’ve slipped on that ice over there!”

“Maybe you should sit down for a bit. You seem a little pale…”

“Nope! I’m great! Just great!”

The pair fell into a silence, not sure what else to say. It wasn’t until 5 minutes later when he noticed the first red flag. Jackie was shaking violently. Her hands ran up and down her arm trying to create enough friction to stay warm. Her teeth chattered against each other as she took slow breaths, each escaping her mouth like smoke.

“Hey… Are you like... Okay?”

Waving a dismissive hand in his direction, Jackie let out a faint chuckle, “Of c-course!” Her speech was slurred, while at the same time shaking with the rest of her body, “Just a little cold! I’m sure I’ll be fine!”

Jason didn’t seem convinced. Scooching closer to Jackie, he placed his index and middle finger against her pulse point checking her weak pulse. Almost immediately he pulled away. “Holy shit. You’re literally freezing!” He started to shrug off his jacket, but two shaky hands stopped him.

“Nope! You... You keep your jacket. I’m fine really. In fact,” Leaning against the wall behind her, she began to stand up, “I’m ready to make another attempt to climb out of here!” Before she could take another step, Jackie collapsed, falling forward.

Jason was quick to catch her shoulders, gently placing her on the ground again, “Yeah. I don’t think so Firecracker.” Once again Jason made a move to remove his leather jacket. This time no one stopped him. Wrapping it around her shoulders he hastily zipped it all the way up. “Now don’t move. I’m going to try the communicator again.”

The next 15 minutes were slow, matching Jackie’s new sluggish attitude. Frost covered her finger tips, despite her efforts to keep them from the cold. She struggled to keep her eyes open, but the longer time dragged on, the faster Jackie’s spirits fell.

Jason focused on his communicator trying everything he could to warm up the software. He let out snarl, stuffing the electronic into his pocket. Turning his attention back to Jackie he let out a panicked breath, “Shit!” His hands gripped her shoulder, squeezing slightly, “No no no. You gotta stay awake Firecracker. Don’t close your eyes on me!”

Her head rolled to her shoulder as her eyelids parted slightly, “Hey… What’s the big idea...” Her words were lethargic, “What’s a lady gotta do to get some beauty sleep around here.”

“Beauty sleep can wait bub. I’m sure your friends would rather have you alive than dead.” He looked towards the only exit, in hopes of seeing someone above them. With no one in sight, he let out a growl reaching for his gun.

Seeing this, Jackie gripped Jason’s arm as tight as she cold, albeit it was still rather weak. Jason didn’t bother to move so she kept her fingers wrapped around his forearm, “What are you doing…”

“If I shoot, there’s a chance the others might hear us. You can’t spend any more time down here.”

Jackie shook her head and grabbed at the gun, “noooo. Avalanches.” Her arms collapsed back at her side. Her head falling back against the wall.

Jason sighed before holstering his gun, opting instead for wrapping an arm around the girl. “Well, you got any better suggestions?”

Jackie’s head bobbed up and down before flopping onto Jason’s shoulder, “Mmhm. You should let me-”

“I’m not letting you climb that wall Jackie.”

“Why not ya funker?”

Jason’s head shook at her antics, “You are a piece of work.”

“Yeah. A piece of artwork…” Her voice began to fade off.

Jason shook her lightly, “Stay awake Jackie. We’ll get out of here at some point.” With his free arm Jason wrapped his hands around Jackie’s shaking ones.

Letting out a groan, Jackie curled up closer to Jason, “This isn’t fair. Why aren’t you cold?”

“Oh, I am cold. I just guess you can’t handle it.”

She let out a cry of outrage, which ended up turning into more of a whimper, “I can so handle it buster!”

“Whatever you say Firecracker.”

Before the cave could fall into another awkward silence, giggles slowly tumbled out of Jackie’s mouth. “Hey Jason… Jay... The Red Hood, buckaroo, pal, buddy, chum, comrade-”

“What now?” His head flopped against the cave walls, his eyes rolling up to the ceiling

Her ice-covered fingers prodded at Jason’s neck, causing his head to jerk away, “Did you know… that,” She paused taking another breath watching it drift away. Her hands jumped above her trying to catch the fleeting cloud before it could get away. The clearing of a throat brought her back to reality for second, “Oh yeah! I was saying something…” She went silent, looking off into empty space, her lips moving, but nothing coming out, “Oh I know… You! You my stunning compadre,” she poked him in the chest, before her arm slumped back to her side, “you’re the reason I’m in this mess…”

His eyebrow raised and she stared at her pointedly, “Oh yeah? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Cause you’re really really cute.” Giggles bubbled from her throat as she placed his hands on his cheek and began to pull at them, “Did you know that? Cause I know that. You’re like… insanely attractive, like just the hottest-”

Red crept up Jason’s neck, shaking his head, he placed a land over the babbling girl’s mouth. “Easy there Firecracker. You don’t want to spill all your secrets.”

She was quick to brush him off, and continued to speak nonsense into the universe despite the gloved hand over her mouth. The vigilante sighed, “Fine, suite yourself,” and he released his gentle grip.

“-And like they tooold me not to go, but! Get this! You loooked so fine! And I just like… I had to go.” She continued on like she was never stopped in the first place, “I like heard about you before ya know. But I didn’t think you’d look this good. Is that even legal??? Oh! Guess what!”

Tried to keep all his amusement to himself, but alas, he could not help but let a small chuckle ring out, “What?”

Her lips twisted up into a dorky grin, “When we’re gonna have like 8 dogs when we get married! And I’ve already thought of names like Bub-”

“Married? You’ve already thought of this far ahead? Hate to break it to you doll, but we just met.”

“Sooooooo? That one movie someone proposed to someone they just met! What was it called? Frosty? Snowy? Wait I got it! Frozen! How fitting…”

“If I remember correctly, that didn’t turn out so well…”

Her head flopped against his chest. Sticking her tongue out at him Jackie exclaimed, “Well I guess we’ll just have to make it work Buddy…” She let out a tiny squeak of a yawn and nestled closer to Jason, “I’m getting really really sleepy…”

He shook his head, a small smile tugging at his lips, “I know Jackie, but you gotta stay awake a little bit longer okay?”

She let out a long groan, eyes struggling to stay open, “But I don’t wanna…”

Mimicking her tone, Jason droned, “But you have too!”

Jackie huffed, her cheeks puffing up, “fine…” Jason pulled her closer, trying to lessen the shakes she was emitting.

Minutes later, the crunching of snow was heard above them. Jason’s head immediately perked up, looking towards the source. Soon several other footsteps came into range along with soft familiar voices.

“Hey!” Jason’s voice boomed across the cave, causing the commotion to come to a halt. “We’re down here!”

Almost immediately a rope was thrown down to them, followed by a voice from above, “Climb up!” It was Dick.

“Small problem with that plan!” Jason’s reply was curt, accompanied by an eye roll. His gaze shifted towards Jackie, who once again, was almost asleep.

There was a slight smack heard followed by a cry of surprise, “Idiot.” Soon after, Bella emerged from the shadows and kneeled in front of the pair, “How is she? How long has it been?”

“At least 45 minutes, maybe more. She keeps trying to fall asleep.”

She nodded before calling out to the people above, “She can’t move. We’ll need help.”

Using the rope, Conner slid down into the abyss, “Here, I can jump high enough to get her out.”

Jason nodded. Gently picking Jackie up he placed her into Conner’s arms. “She needs emergency care immediately.”

Nodding, Conner made sure she was secure before leaping out of the pit. Bella followed his lead by once again dissipating into the shadows. Letting out a sigh Jason started to ascend the rope.

By the time he reached the surface, Jackie had already been taken into the bioship. Amari sat her sister’s side with her hand stretched over her, speeding up time around Jackie to melt the ice off her body.

After making sure she was okay, Jason collapsed into a chair and loudly exclaimed, “I am never going on a mission with you bastards again.”

Bonus!

The diner doors flew open, revealing Jason Todd. He took a look around the establishment that was full to the brim with local citizens. He’s gaze fell upon just the person he was looking for. At the counter there was a girl smothered by three blankets, covered head to toe in fuzzy clothing, and hunched over a steaming cup of hot chocolate.

His boots thudded against the tile floor as he crossed over to her, and lightly tapped the top of her head. The stool turned around and Jason was soon faced with the sight of a shivery Jackie. She smiled once she laid eyes on the vigilante who was now sporting civilian clothes, “Well look who took the journey to see little ole’ me!” She voice was scratchy and quieter than normal.

“Wow… You look like shit.”

Her grin broadened as she poked him in the chest, “You sure know how to flatter a girl dontcha!” She grabbed her mug before taking a swig of its contents, “So what did you need buckaroo? Or did you just come her to see my awful good looks?”

A smile pulled at his lips as he shook his head, “I’m just here for my Jacket Jackie.”

She started laughing which soon turned into a coughing fit. She took another drink from her cup after calming down, “Jacket and Jackie sound the same! Can you believe it?!” She cleared her throat before hopping off the counter stool, “Wait here! Imma go grab that for ya pal.” She pat his shoulder before hauling herself and her three blankets into the back of the diner kitchen.

Jason stood there, his fingers drumming against the counter, waiting for her return. Soon enough Jackie emerged from the back holding his brown leather jacket in her arms, “You’re trusty clothing article has arrived!”

He took his jacket from her before tugging it on, “Thanks for keeping it in shape. Well I should probably go. I’ve got somethings to take care of tonight.” He turned to leave, but before he could get far, he redirected his attention back to Jackie, “Oh and just so you know, when we get married, we are NOT naming our dog Bub.”

Jason watched amused as Jackie’s mouth opened and closed trying to get the right words out. Her eyes were wider than saucers, and her face turned completely red. She took a big gulp before yelling, “You heard that?! I thought that was in my head! ARE YOU A MIND READER???”

“I also heard how incredibly attractive you seem to think I am.” His smirk grew as he watched Jackie stumble over her words. Patting her head, he headed towards the door, but not before yelling, “Til next time Firecracker!”.

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

So there it is! If you’d like to read more about my OCs check out my masterlist! I hope you enjoy my little story

#young justice oc #young justice x reader #dc comics oc #jason todd x oc #jason todd x reader #dc comics #Jason Todd #fan fiction #creative writing #dick grayson #red hood

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the-desolated-quill · 6 years ago

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The Woman Who Fell To Earth - Doctor Who blog (Change, my dear. And it seems not a moment too soon)

(SPOILER WARNING: The following is an in-depth critical analysis. If you haven’t seen this episode yet, you may want to before reading this review)

Never before have I gone into a Doctor Who episode with such a mixture of excitement and dread as I did with The Woman Who Fell To Earth. On the one hand we’ve finally got a female Doctor, something most Whovians have been waiting decades for, but on the other hand she’s being written by Chris Chibnall, a writer who (and let’s be generous here) has never exactly managed to win me over in the past. His past Doctor Who episodes were often derivative, stupid and poorly written and while yes he did create Broadchurch (a show that people assure me is good, but I still have little to no interest in watching), he was also the showrunner of the god awful spinoff Torchwood, which was essentially Doctor Who’s Suicide Squad.

So yeah, the thought of him sitting in the driver’s seat and at such a crucial moment in Doctor Who’s long history didn’t exactly get me hyped for the new series and if I’m honest, come Sunday 7th October, I was bracing myself for the worst.

Then the most pleasant of surprises. The Woman Who Fell To Earth turned out to be really, really good. I’m actually gobsmacked by how much I enjoyed this episode. I never thought I’d see the day where I’d be praising a Chibnall episode, but here we are.

I think one of the reasons why I enjoyed this episode so much is because it feels like all the aspects that annoyed me about RTD and Moffat’s respective eras have been sheared away. There’s no convoluted plots. No dangling arcs. No forced whimsy. No smart arse dialogue or pretentious speeches. In fact this had a lot more in common with a classic series story in terms of its pacing and scale. It’s not some global threat where everyone is dashing about like headless chickens on speed. The threat is contained to one town in Northern England where only a handful of people are in danger. Even the music has mercifully been restrained. While I do have a fondness for Murray Gold’s work on Doctor Who, his music often had a tendency to go too overboard, bombarding the senses and drowning the audience in slush. New composer Segun Akinola offers a much more subtle and moving score. It enhances the action and certain emotional moments without bashing you over the head and, crucially, Akinola knows when to shut up and let the actors carry the scene.

I must say it’s such a relief to see some humanity injected back into Doctor Who again. After years of convoluted, timey wimey Moffat nonsense, Chibnall has had the good sense to bring everything back to basics. It’s not about the aliens, the special effects, the exotic locations or the overly pretentious plots that require a fucking flow chart in order to make sense of them. It’s all about the characters. And what wonderful characters they are. Ensemble casts rarely work on Doctor Who, but I have to say I really like this cast. Out of all the new companions, Ryan is probably my favourite. Tosin Cole gives a really good performance and I really like how he’s written. In particular I like how the episode portrays his dyspraxia. The way New Who has handled things like disability and mental health in the past has left a lot to be desired, but here Chibnall gets it just right. He never makes a big thing out of it and the episode never comes across as patronising or condescending. It’s treated like any other character trait, which is exactly how it should be.

Mandip Gill is also good as Yasmin Khan, a police officer who feels like she’s not getting the most out of her life or career. She reminds me slightly of Rose Tyler, but unlike Rose, Yasmin is more proactive. She doesn’t sit around waiting for something to happen. She pursues new opportunities when they come up and gets frustrated when someone puts a wall in front of her. It’ll be interesting to see how she’ll adapt to time travel over the course of the series.

And then there’s Graham, played by Bradley Walsh. To all my non-British readers, let me give you a quick education on the wonders that is Mr. Walsh. He’s one of our most versatile performers. He’s been a footballer, a comedian, an actor and a gameshow host. He’s an incredibly funny man as well as a great dramatic performer. Having seen him in Law & Order UK, I knew he’d be perfect and he didn’t disappoint. There’s a weariness to him that’s incredibly charming and likeable, but then he’s able to go from comedic to emotional at the drop of a hat. The eulogy he gives at Grace’s funeral was incredibly powerful and moving, as are the moments where he tries to bond with Ryan, who’s clearly sceptical of any kind of father figure in his life due to how unreliable his dad is. Both Graham and Ryan are the ones to keep a close eye on I think. Ryan in particular will be carrying a lot of baggage as the series progresses. His determination to ride a bike shows not only the pain he feels toward losing his Nan, but also the guilt. If he hadn’t lost his temper, chucked his bike down a cliff and then pressed the weird glowing shapes, none of this would have happened. He clearly feels he’s responsible for her death and I’m looking forward to seeing not only how he grows and moves on from that, but also how Graham will step up and help him, being the grandfather Ryan needs if not necessarily the one he wants.

It’s the characterisation that is The Woman Who Fell To Earth’s greatest strength. Not just the from the main cast, but the supporting characters too. Little moments like the old man telling his granddaughter he loves her before getting killed by the Stenza or the crane operator listening to self motivation tapes is what gives this episode more depth and soul. And then of course there’s Grace, played wonderfully by Sharon D. Clarke. I’m hard pressed to think of a single character from the Moffat era that I gave anything resembling a shit about, which is why it’s so remarkable that I’m able to care this much about Grace despite the short time we get to know her. She’s caring, supportive and energetic. She feels like the perfect companion for the Doctor and I would have loved to have seen her in the TARDIS with everyone else, which is what makes her death so heartbreaking. She’s not some random redshirt getting axed because the script requires more tension. She’s a three dimensional character we really like coming to a tragic end.

Okay. Okay. Let’s get to the main topic of conversation. How’s the new Doctor? Have the ‘feminazis’ ruined it? Is she swapping makeup tips with the Cybermen? Is she struggling to parallel park the TARDIS? Did she accidentally kill a whole species because it was her time of the month? (these are all things I’ve seriously heard butthurt fanboys say since Jodie Whittaker was cast and I think we can all agree it’s beyond pathetic). Well, quelle surprise, turns out the Doctor’s sex change didn’t jumpstart the SJW apocalypse after all. Who’d have thought women could be Doctors too? What a novel concept.

The minute she fell into the train, I was sold. Whereas Peter Capaldi took three whole series to finally come into his own (not that Capaldi is necessarily to blame for that. Blame the monkey at the fucking typewriter for that one), with Jodie Whittaker it’s instantaneous. She is the Doctor.

It helps that Chibnall largely dispenses with all the usual post-regeneration bullshit. With the fainting and gurning kept to a minimum, we can get on with actually learning about this new Doctor and I love what I’m seeing so far. She’s quick-witted, compassionate and quirky, but not to the point where it becomes annoying like Matt Smith’s often did (in my opinion. Tastes differ, obviously. I personally found Eleven to be unbearable at times). After the Twelfth Doctor, with his borderline misanthropy and his inability to even so much as blow his nose without a companion to hold his hand, Thirteen comes like a breath of fresh air.

One thing I especially like about her is her complete lack of arrogance and boring machismo that previous New Who Doctors were sometimes guilty of. Rather than having her boast about how clever she is, like Ten or Eleven would have, she just shows us by building a new sonic screwdriver out of spoons. And she never tries to lord her moral superiority over others. Quite the opposite in fact. This is a Doctor who clearly values teamwork and can recognise strength in others. There are flashes of darkness too, like when she manipulates the Stenza into killing himself with his own DNA bombs, but she’s not driven by some inherent belief that she is right and they are wrong. She’s driven by the fact that she has gotten to know these people and doesn’t want anything to happen to them. Thirteen is quite possibly one of the most down to earth Doctors I’ve ever seen and I’m extremely excited to see more.

As I said, The Woman Who Fell To Earth is largely about its characters, which is just as well because the plot is... I wouldn’t say it’s bad, but it’s definitely the least interesting thing about the episode. I liked the look of the Stenza, with the teeth embedded in his face, and the gathering coil. I liked that it was a small scale threat and largely self contained, and I liked the way the plot slowly unfolds over the course of the story. However it is a bit derivative. The Stenza is pretty much a PG-13 version of the Predator and he is a bit one note. That being said, it doesn’t detract from the enjoyment factor of the episode. By keeping the plot simple for the most part, it allows Chibnall to fully explore the characters, who are clearly supposed to be the main focus.

In short, I’m pleased to say that I really liked Chris Chibnall’s first offering as showrunner (never thought I’d ever type this). The Woman Who Fell To Earth is without a doubt one of the most confident starts to a new Doctor I’ve ever seen and I’m very much anticipating where the series goes from here. For the first time, in a long time, I’m excited for the next Doctor Who adventure :D

(Oh, btw, all those idiots who were saying that Doctor Who’s ratings have been falling and that a female Doctor would kill the show off, so far this series the ratings have been at its highest since the show came back in 2005. Guess the reason why the ratings were low during the Moffat era wasn’t because of the World Cup, warm weather, streaming television or SJW propoganda. It was because Steven Moffat is a really shit writer. Go figure)

#the woman who fell to earth #chris chibnall #doctor who #thirteenth doctor #jodie whittaker #graham o'brien #bradley walsh #yasmin khan #mandip gill #ryan sinclair #tosin cole #bbc #review #spoilers

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daily-dose-of-naruto · 8 years ago

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How would gaara, shisui, and Naruto feel about an arranged marriage? How would they treat the bride to be? How do they handle the wedding night and how is life after that?

Hooooo shit, I got so excited this became a mini-story. I’m so sorry, unless you like long headcanons, in which case it was my pleasure. I’m a sucker for the arranged marriage trope. Also sorry about the Gaara gif, but I think he would make a fetching bride. ~Admin Axel

Naruto, Gaara and Shisui in an Arranged Marriage

Sabaku no Gaara

As Kazekage, Gaara is no stranger to the idea of a politically motivated arranged marriage. A marriage to strengthen the bonds between two villages or clans is an antiquated practice, but it’s not unheard of even in this day and age. While Gaara is not what I would call pleased by this proposal, he isn’t against it either if it’s in the best interest of Sunagakure.

Gaara is polite, but reserved about the whole thing. He doesn’t open up to or even trust people easily, so while he will always be a gentleman, he will keep enough of himself locked away so he can protect himself if things don’t work out.

It would be a lengthy engagement so he can gauge if he can trust her, but it’s worth it. In the end, when Gaara finally trusts his bride-to-be, he is so sweet to her. He can’t believe he got so lucky in something like an arranged marriage when he spent his whole life reaching out for someone to love and who will love him in return.

Gaara has a hard time concentrating during the lavish reception because he knows what he is expected to do when they are finally alone. Gaara is filled with a nervous anticipation, but he hides it well for the sake of the party. When he takes her home, he undresses her tentatively and reverently, leaving soft kisses over the skin he exposes. The first time he is intimate with his wife, he makes love to her. There’s plenty of time for rougher exploration later, but that night he just wanted to take it slow with her and learn what makes her feel good.

Their marriage would strengthen the alliance between Gaara’s village and his wife’s village, and in the quiet aftermath they would enjoy a peaceful and prosperous life. Gaara quickly learns to balance his work and his life at home with his wife, because he wants to enjoy this stroke of good fortune and never take a single moment for granted. Within the year, Gaara would begin talking to his wife about starting a family together.

Uchiha Shisui

Most of marriages in the Uchiha clan are arranged on some level, but usually between distantly related family members to keep the bloodline pure. Shisui grew up with the idea that while he could have flings with non-Uchihas, eventually the day would come when he would have to give that up and marry a relative. The proposal doesn’t exactly surprise him, but it throws him for a loop when he finds out his bride-to-be is not part of the clan.

The Uchiha clan expects him to conduct himself with dignity and stoicism, but he doesn’t really care about behaving as he’s told. Although he has a humble heart, there is something about impressing a woman that brings out the competitive side in him. Shisui will talk her into sitting in at his spars with his family members and pull out all of his flashiest moves for her.

After a while of learning who his fiance is as a person and deeming her worthy, he is loyal to a fault. He believes that if there is anyone who truly deserves the kind of devotion he is capable of, it’s the woman who will one day have his children. He always puts the needs and desires of his bride-to-be before his own, even if it costs him.

Shisui fidgets through the entire wedding ceremony and inwardly curses the pageantry and long-winded speeches that the women in his family insisted on. For months both he and his fiance had to be content with lingering touches and stolen kisses, and he wants her. He wants her like he has never wanted anything in his life, and he makes that clear to her the moment he finally gets her alone. Their first time is intense and passionate and when it’s over and they’re laying there catching their breath, it’s next to impossible to stop smiling because the future looks so promising. Shisui wakes his wife several times throughout the night for a repeat performance - he just can’t get enough of her.

Marriage isn’t always going to be neat and blissful, and Shisui is well aware of that so he intends to make the most of the honeymoon phase. It’s not long after their wedding that the Uchiha clan starts pushing for them to have a baby, and although they aren’t against the idea of a child, they want to enjoy each other as husband and wife first. Maybe in a few years they will start trying, but for now they are content to have each other.

Uzumaki Naruto

Naruto is obstinate about the whole thing the second the council decides to lay the proposal before him. Even though there is sense in arranging a marriage between himself and a seal master in case something went awry with the Kyuubi, it still rubs Naruto the wrong way. He outright tells the council he will not be agreeing to anything until he meets this seal master girl himself.

Even though this girl who is supposed to be his wife is beautiful, he still has a hard time accepting that someone is being handed to him like a gift. It seems wrong and unnatural. Naruto keeps the council at bay by never outright agreeing to the engagement, and uses the time he’s gained to get to know this girl. He can’t stand the idea that she is being forced into marrying him and has to know for certain that this is something she wants, and not some duty she is being pressured into.

Naruto is forever the boisterous, loud-mouthed ball of sunshine and he is no different around his bride to be. He excitedly introduces her to his friends, making sure that she feels welcome at all times because he knows what it’s like to be unwelcome. In rare, quiet moments when he’s exhausted himself and he’s feeling unusually pensive, he will sit down next to her with his eyes downcast like he’s expecting to be laughed at or told to get lost and ask her again, “are you sure this is what you want?” When she grabs his hand and smiles warmly at him, assuring him that she’s never wanted anything more in her life, Naruto’s smile is like the dawn breaking after a stormy night, and she can’t help the way her heart gets lodged in her throat.

Naruto spends the majority of the reception in good spirits, laughing at the teasing jibes of his friends as they offer the bride condolences for her choice in a husband. It’s not until a smirking Kiba nudges him and offers him some tips on how to make his new wife moan that it hits him. You can physically see when it registers in his brain that he’s about to have sex, because all the sudden he’s flushed and a little sweaty. It’s not like he hasn’t thought of it before, but it was always a secret thought of a far-away future and it snuck up on him so quickly that he was caught off-guard.

When he gets his blushing bride home, it’s obvious that he’s nervous from the way he resolutely refuses to look at her until she turns his head with gentle hands and smiles at him. “I don’t know what I’m doing either.” She assures him, and that’s all the encouragement he needs. He sweeps her up in his arms and carries her to the bedroom where the two of them spend the better part of the night thoroughly enjoying figuring it out.

Naruto is a kindhearted and cheerful but dopey sort of husband, and he spends most of his time pranking his wife. She’s his favorite girl, and there is no one he’d rather spend his days hanging out with. The two of them discuss children in the blissful aftermath of their wedding, but they just kind of shrug and decide to let fate take its course. Whenever they are meant to have children, they will have children. That comes a lot sooner than either of them expected, because he totally knocked her up on their honeymoon. Oops.

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extoris-1 · 8 years ago

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do them all for j

|| meme

oh my god loren this is going under a readmore bc no one wants to read this much about my ocs

1. their voice

he doesn’t actually have much of a voice. his mouth is more than a little fucked up because of the snake genetics, which gave him fangs, venom sacs, a Jacobson’s organ, and, shittiest of all, an actual snake-like tongue. without a human tongue, it’s very difficult for him to make the sounds needed for human speech, and the scientists at the School never actually bothered to attempt to teach him any way around it. he can make a variety of hisses, grunts, and other guttural noises using his throat (he does still have vocal chords), but those are more for expressing irritation or other emotions rather than actually communicating. when he needs/wants to communicate, he knows American Sign Language, and often uses it to converse with his little sister Clover.

2. their smile

a cryptid. he hardly ever smiles. he’s not a very happy person (and, really, who would be with the life he’s had), so he really only smiles when he’s annoying Six too much.

the only person who’s actually made him really smile is clover. it was a small smile, close-lipped and faint, but a smile nevertheless.

3. their greatest achievement

it’s likely a tie between actually being able to escape the School and the one time he managed to get his arms around an Eraser and crush their rib cage. he’s still rather proud of that moment.

4. their insecurities

for being an experiment, it’s an odd insecurity, but he feels odd about being the only mutant in the flock without wings. he hates being the one that essentially grounds them much of the time, since without him they could fly for longer and whenever they needed without having to make sure that he’s properly bundled and secured to Six.

5. their shortcomings

scientifically? he needs to be kept at a warmer ambient temperature than normal humans, he can’t speak and has trouble swallowing and breathing due to his tongue, he can’t fly (which, when you’re with a group of people who can, is a bit of a downside), he can’t blend in with normal humans (he’s covered with patches of scales, his hair naturally has strange patterning, and, oh yeah, he’s literally got snake eyes [-insert bad gambling joke here-]).

personality wise, he’s… not very sociable. a life of being mistreated and abused has led him to be untrusting and very angry, so it takes a while to actually earn his trust and for him to stop being so cold to you. clover, of course, has his undying love, trust, and loyalty, whereas sova is just barely starting to gain anything.

six, however, is gonna take a long ass time. i’m not sure if he’ll ever actually trust six.

6. how they deal with grief

numbness. he functions, yes, but it’s like a ghost. he doesn’t sign, doesn’t interact with anyone. he essentially just shuts down and tries to process the fact that it happened. god forbid if clover ever died. i think j might just die along with her, just not in body.

(if you can’t tell, he’s got some dependency issues.)

7. how they like to dress

he likes to cover up as much as he can. they’re trying to be covert, after all, and showing off his plates and scales isn’t exactly subtle. that, and his need for a generally warmer temperature leads him to don a lot of layers, usually an undershirt, a long sleeved thermal, and a hoodie, with jeans and boots.

however, if he was in a warmer climate and didn’t need to hide, he likely wouldn’t wear much. clothing can make his skin and scales itch (especially when he needs to shed, dear god), so if he was somewhere where he didn’t have to worry about that (say, a deserted tropical island or somewhere in the middle of the desert), the most he would wear would be some shorts and a loose tank top, and maybe not even the tank top. he’s not very self conscious, really, and he likes the feeling of the sun on his skin.

8. what they like to eat

j’s eating habits are definitely more than a little strange. technically, he has the same caloric needs as any other super-mutant (a minimum of 3,000 calories per day), but his digestive system makes eating a little more difficult. due to his serpentine dna, he’s really supposed to only eat once every three days, but he’s gotta eat a lot. on par with six. he can eat every day, but it’s a bit better for him if he doesn’t.

that being said, he favors salty/savory snacks. chips, popcorn, beef jerky, stuff like that. he can’t really taste stuff, since he doesn’t have a human tongue, so flavor of stuff doesn’t matter to him.

11. their family life

though not biological in any way, shape, or form, he has one sister, Clover, whose crate at the School was almost always right next to his. they essentially grew up together, and are the oldest mutants that School has ever produced, both being an elderly nineteen.

12. their romantic life

nonexistent lmao he’s got no time and no patience for any of that shit right now

13. their embarrassing memory from years ago

there was one time at the School where he was attempting to get out of his crate but all he managed to do was tip it over onto the door.

it was a few hours before they found him.

14. how they react to burning their tongue on food

lots of hissing and rage. that shit hurts, man, and his mouth is really sensitive. he’d be a lot more pissed off than he usually is after that.

15. how they react to a brainfreeze

similar to burning his tongue, but it’s more of a quiet rage and he’s holding his head. it’s probably a little bit different than normal brain freezes, since he’s actually got something other than blood vessels on the roof of his mouth, but either way, it’s painful and he’s angry.

16. their dreams

his dream is pretty simple, honestly. to just be allowed to live. he wants the pain of being experimented on and the exhaustion of being on the run constantly to end, and to just settle down and exist with clover and maybe sova and possibly six. he just wants to live. after a life of endless abuse, he just wants to live.

17. their ambitions

he’s not really the ambitious type. he doesn’t actually have any ambitions for himself. he’s still more stuck in survival mode rather than hoping to be something someday

18. how they sleep

snuggled up under either 8.7 blankets or right next to his sister. he likes to keep warm, and clover will wrap her wings around him like a blanket. it’s really sweet tbh

19. their reaction to betrayal

anger. rage. murderous intentions. his trust is not easily won and once it’s broken? you’re literally never getting it back ever again. he trusted you once. he will only make that mistake once.

20. their reaction to a mystery love letter

just confusion. and also a lot of suspicion. he knows about three people, none of whom would ever love him (like that, at the very least), and having his existence known to someone long enough for them to develop feelings about him is terrifying - he’s on the run, so someone must be chasing him. and they’re probably not the good guys.

21. how they react to pain

as shown earlier with the brainfreeze and tongue burning, he gets angry. he’s been in pain most of his life and he’s sick and tired of it. anyone who causes him pain is getting some pain caused in the form of either several kicks, punches, or bites - which may or may not be venomous, depending on his mood.

22. what they’re like on two hours of sleep

more quiet than usual, and a little more snappish, but he’s used to being exhausted. even before his life on the run, the scientists at the School would often make him perform rigorous endurance tests, like running on a treadmill for hours, sometimes with weights. he’s used to exhaustion. it’s sunk into almost every bone.

23. how they act when they’re sick

being sick is honestly terrifying to him. sick mutants back in the School were terminated if they didn’t get well fast enough, so every sneeze, sniffle, and cough runs chills down his spine and he tries to hide it as best he can.

24. what motivates them

rage, spite, and a need to survive. do i really need to say more?

25. why you enjoy them

well, for one, it’s always fun to play around with “science” and combine humans with animals and see what kind of positives and negatives you can get. what the “realities” of those sort of combinations may be. his existence is fascinating, as is watching him learn and grow from being solely running with Clover to suddenly having another winged mutant and a fucking eraser in his “family.”

#wraath #🌲 development (j.)#[doing all of this took so long but it's so fun #i love my snake boy]

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notesandcoffee · 8 years ago

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Opinions 4.18

Plotlines have only started to get set up for Red and Aram, “Philomena” is so political it’s jarring, Gale is everything I want out of a cartoon character, and is... has anyone checked to see if Kaplan’s okay?

I'm going to start with Red's plotline, as it was just building blocks for a payoff (I hope) will come later. He hands Dembe a box that's to be opened when Dembe leaves, and gives a very closing speech about what people owe him once they start working for him. Dembe is a little different, and so the box is a parting gift from Red. I can only hope it's something to help Dembe start his new life, if not booze. Either way, it's endgame.

Aram asks Red upfront if he shot Kaplan for allowing Liz to escape, in a line that’s almost partial to Red. He’s not going to defend shooting someone, of course, and Aram probably had the most reaction towards Liz’s “death” than anyone else on the task force. I’m not sure where that question is going to end up, but I’ll be a little sad if we don’t see Aram reflect on Red’s confirmation in the near future.

Navabi was nominated for Katai Fellowship, after several years of being on the task force. Aram recommends her, and it's unclear whether he was asked by the committee running the process or if he gave it of his own discretion. However, she turns it down because he was the one who nominated her this year. The relationship is already under some strain (thanks to Janet), and to Navabi, this feels more like Aram kissing ass to her to try get back in her good graces than an actual commendation for her work. If she was actually worthy of his nomination, she would have gotten it her first year there, in her head.

It's a misunderstanding at best, pettiness at worst. I don't think Aram did anything wrong by nominating her, but it sounds like he's had the power to nominate her the whole time, which again, doesn't make sense. If he actually did have the power to nominate her the whole time, what exactly was the point that made him nominate? He's been in awe of her since she joined, so why now? Of course, while Navabi has the same questions, she doesn't ask, instead accusing Aram of not nominating her earlier. Not a lot of details to explain what's going on, but Navabi's pissed.

Okay.

Our Blacklister is Philomena, part stalker, part private investigator, part assassin. Philomena's whole idea is that she "accidentally" gets into other's lives without much accident or coincidence, and we see this in how she chooses to hunt down Marvin Gerard, by performing a timed accident on his sister. She trades meeting with Gerard in lieu of accepting his sister's money, and is only tipped off at the end, when things are coming to a head anyway. I really enjoyed watching her work and how it kind of capitalized on the paranoid suspicion a lot of people have right now -- those people we just met, that one there on the street, the odd co-worker, are they really safe? Or would they be just as happy, if not happier, if I were killed or imprisoned?

At last, we see current U.S. politics in the show, and not just here. It's written in everything, from the "alternative truths" Marvin jokes about to the islamophobia Navabi deals with and is asked about in the interview. I'm not at all surprised by this, but it's unnecessary. It's unevitable that these things are going to come out in the work we all make, but... I don't know. I watch tv to escape from the horror of the 11 o'clock news that always comes on after. To escape somewhere on twitter, for only an hour, where I don't have to worry about people defending systematic execution of children because of some fucked-up version of "God's will".

At the same time, there's nothing else to write about. I wish we -- everyone -- could write about something different, rather than the Islamophobia, rather than the racism, rather than the crowds who feel my country is better without people like me in it and the sweeping nationalism that's on the rise worldwide. I want nothing more than a Reddington to come in and make things great again and put the people who want to see others like me swept out of society in prison where they belong. I'm told that's unreasonable -- God knows why at this point -- so I sit in front of the television with my beer and my popcorn and try to live in a universe where that happens if only for an hour. Never mind that Bigly Deplorable is retweeting me and try to focus on the good things.

The good news is in this messed-up world of crooked politicians, masterclass criminals, and the loyalists who follow each, we have someone like Gale -- the flattened, stereotyped version of Ressler that is every bad cop movie you've ever seen combined. Gale is out to get the "bad guys" -- which is Reddington &co. in his head, having no information about the P.O. The only thing he knows is that the previous Reddington task force was suddenly disbanded and Ressler, his teammate and friend, was re-assigned. Gale's sense of moral is overpowering, leaving him to insist that the smell of rotting corpses is the smell "of justice", and showing remorse for the corpses he recognizes, people that he sent in to try to act as some sort of way to get to Reddington who lost their lives. It begins to remind Ressler just how much of the person he was before Reddington turned himself in. Ressler (not Klattenhoff!) is also a terrible actor, laughing at all the wrong times, and even suggesting Reddington turned himself in way too seriously. Ressler is going to be in the center of a major conflict between the P.O. and the rest of the FBI.

However, the line that stuck out to me the most was this:

Kaplan (to Liz): I haven’t laid eyes on Agnes since the night I helped you escape.

This line is decidedly wrong, but Kaplan says it without much of a reaction. Liz may know otherwise, but she doesn't let on. Now, because the show itself has had a mess of continuity errors, it seems the gut reaction is to immediately jump on our friends in the writers' room, but... This line was looked at by too many people to both be this specific and this wrong.

To recap a bit: the scene is between Liz, Kaplan, and Agnes. Agnes is resting comfortably in Kaplan's arms when Kaplan says this, and Liz is coming around the corner of her own apartment, arms raised to shoot an intruder. Kaplan's just had a series of disjointed flashbacks of Masha as a child and how she came to work for Reddington's team. She's still thinking of Liz being a toddler with too many questions and not enough answers, not intended as malicious, but that's just something on her mind, probably on repeat.

Kaplan has seen Agnes since the night Kaplan helped Liz escape; she hasn't seen Liz since the night she helped her escape.

So why is it the line we ended up with on screen? Take either of these two lines (by yours truly):

Kaplan (to Liz): I haven't laid eyes on Agnes since you came back.

Kaplan (to Liz): I haven't laid eyes on you since the night I helped you escape.

Either of these two statements would be true, according to Blacklist universe. Instead, Kaplan gave us a weird mash-up of the two which makes no sense.

Kaplan's also been shot in the head twice at this point, and only one time did she receive actual medical attention. The other time (for all we know) she was chained to a bed and being hand-fed by someone who is definitely not a doctor. She's been having severe migraines, and is on heavy medication for them. There's a marked change in her personality, going after Red instead of trying to reason with him using their shared history as a base. Breaking and entering Liz's apartment to hold her child when she could have easily knocked. We've seen glimpses into her memory, which seems disjointed, and certain elements don't line up from what we've heard from other characters thus far. And if this line is as true as it seems to Kaplan, she's showing signs of aphasia.

These are all signs of traumatic brain injury. In real people, symptoms are dependent on where exactly in the brain the damage occurred, the severity, the surface area it covered, and a bunch of other statistics and data points regarding the injury itself. This is where the science gets jumbled a bit, and I'd love to get some clarification for it if given the opportunity. For example, aphasia usually only occurs when there's an injury to the language center on the left side of the brain; Kaplan was shot on the right side. It's abnormal for language processing to be affected by injuries to the right hemisphere, but it's not completely unheard of, given the task and the specific injury.

If this is the case, I would like to see more of a reaction from other people in the scene. Maybe not the hunter, but maybe Liz? Something that shows that everything is not nearly as alright as Kaplan thinks.

I'm not writing this as a defense of anyone. It just struck a chord with me, because I've been around real people with brain injury. They sometimes do make nonsense statements, mashups of statements they want to make, and occasionally you hear shit like this from non-brain injured people, too. But neurotypicals are written differently in this show, with statements that have a tendency to make sense, and that's what I'm taking my cues from.

Twitter was fun again for me. There was more than enough fun with the box and “what’s in the box” gif that everyone posted at the same time. Besides the political interference, it was a fun episode, although Kaplan’s storyline really is going to have to show something solid behind her change in personality and motivation in order for me to move past it.

#the blacklist #opinions #analysis #philomena

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avengxrp · 8 years ago

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Writing Wednesday, Episode 2

Hey guys! Here is your very second edition of Writing Wednesday. This week was entirely by Nikeeta’s efforts. She’s got her degree in writing so this is some helpful stuff. She and I were working together and talking about all the common mistakes we’ve done and since forgotten about since high school. So without further ado, here is your next edition of Writing Wednesday!

Writing Wednesday - Common Misspellings and Grammar: Writing Tips Edition

We’ve all done it. Used the wrong word, didn’t proofread our post before sending it off into the big bad world of tumblr with a glaring error that you only spot after either a nap or your third cup of coffee. Some of us even have fucking writing degrees and yet...!

PART ONE: Common Misspellings

Lose / Loose

Lose - the opposite of win Loose - loose morals - i.e. like Tony’s bed partners (sorry Kate)

Definitely / Defiantly

Definitely - 100% certain

Defiantly - 100% disobedience

Effect / Affect

Effect - (noun) use when talking about a result or if it follows one of these words: "into", "on", "take", "the", "any", "an" as well as "or."

Affect - (verb) use it when trying to describe influencing someone or something rather than causing it.

Weather / Whether

Weather - sun, rain, hail, sleet, snow

Whether - “I’m not sure whether I should have whiskey or vodka.”

A lot / alot

A lot - of space; of something

Alot - not actually a word

Then / Than

Then - sequence of time - i.e. first we drank a lot, and then we did something stupid and got arrested

Than - a comparison- i.e. I’d rather poke myself in the eyes than meet Tony Stark again

Allusion / Illusion

Allusion - an indirect reference - i.e. That blog post about Kate made an allusion to her father’s supposedly dodgy dealings.

Illusion - a false idea or conception; belief or opinion not in accord with the facts; an unreal, deceptive, or misleading appearance or image - i.e. People have the illusion that Clint is stupid.

Desert / Dessert

Desert - (verb) to forsake/abandon; a dry, baren, sandy region (noun).

Dessert - OM NOMS

Principal / Principle

Principal - (noun) head of a school; first in rank (adjective)

Principle - a fundamental truth or motivating force

Stationary / Stationery

Stationary - not moving

Stationery - writing materials

Soldier / Solider

Soldier - someone who serves in the army - i.e. The Winter Soldier

Solider - comparative adjective of solid; firm and stable in shape

Accept / Except

Accept - to receive - i.e. Pepper accepted an apology gift off Tony.

Except - anything brought about by a cause or agent; result - i.e. Nothing else mattered except that Kate was alive.

PART TWO: Grammar

Their / There / They’re

Their - (possessive adjective) belonging to, made by, or done by them - i.e. “That bow is their bow.” “Whose bow?” “Clint’s.”

There - a place or point - i.e. “Where should I put my bow?” “Just shove it over there.”

They’re - contraction of they + are - i.e. “Where’s Kate and Tommy?” “Oh, they’re going out on a date.”

Its / It’s

Its - (possessive pronoun) belonging to it - i.e. “Hold its head still, Clint - I’ve got the shot.”

It’s - contraction of it + is (e.g. “Is that yours?” “Yeah, it’s mine.”); informal for it + has (e.g. “It’s got six legs, kill it with fire!”)

Your / You’re

Your - (possessive adjective) sits before another word (usually a noun or a pronoun) to show that it belongs to "you" (e.g. your car, your arm), is of "you" (e.g. your picture, your photograph) or is related to "you" (e.g. your uncle).

You’re - contraction of you + are - i.e. “Where do you think you’re going, Tony?” “Workshop!”

Too / To / Two

Too - also; very (if you’re unsure, swap out the ‘too’ for also or very and if the sentence works, it’s ‘too’ you’re looking for; if it doesn’t, then it’s ‘to’) - i.e. Tony always had his music too loud.

To - toward (e.g. Kate was going to the gym this afternoon.) and to + verb = infinitive (e.g. It was going to rain today - to + rain = the infinitive ‘to rain’.)

Two - a number - i.e. “How many donuts do you want?” “Eight.” “No, Tony.” “Fine, two.”

Which / That

Which - a particular one or ones of those mentioned or implied. Use which before an independent clause (words you can change without changing the meaning of the sentence) - i.e. “Stark Tower, which was designed by Tony Stark, is an eyesore.” (Fuck off, Steve.)

That - something indicated. Use that before a dependent clause (words you can't change without changing the meaning of the sentence) - i.e. “The girl that you saw at the party was Kate Bishop.”

Our / Are

Our - (possessive adjective) of or belonging to us - i.e. “That’s our flat right there.”

Are - 2nd person singular and 1st, 2nd and 3rd person plural of the verb ‘be’ - i.e. “Where are you going?”

Who / Whom

Who - should be used to refer to the subject of a sentence - i.e. “Who is that?” “Fake Hawkeye.”

Whom - should be used to refer to the object of a verb or preposition - i.e. “To whom it may concern.”

Just remember: apostrophes are little gravestone markers that show that a word has died, been omitted, and is there as a little sign of respect. If you’re ever unsure what, for example, ‘your’ to use between ‘your’ and ‘you’re’ expand the ‘you’re’ to ‘you are’ and see if it still fits and makes sense.

PART THREE: Commas, Semicolons and Colons

A clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb.

An independent clause can stand alone as a complete sentence.

Kate(s) likes(v) dogs.

A dependent clause cannot.

i.e. Since* Pepper(s) had left(v) -- (yes? What happened?)

A restrictive dependent clause cannot. (Restrictive is bolded)

i.e. Kate held out the hand that was hurt.

An independent clause is a group of words that can stand on its own as a sentence: it has a subject, a verb and is a complete thought. Just because an independent clause can stand on its own, doesn’t mean that it has to. One or more independent clauses can be added together to form a compound sentence, and independent clauses can be added to dependent clauses to form complex sentences.

A dependent clause is a group of words that also contains a subject and a verb, but isn’t a complete thought. Because it’s not a complete thought, a dependent clause cannot stand on its own as a sentence; it is dependent on being attached to an independent clause to form a sentence. Dependent clauses can often be identified by words called ‘dependent markers’*, which are usually subordinating conjunctions. If a clause begins with one of these words, then it’s dependent and needs to be attached to an independent clause.

After

Although

Because

Before

Even though

Once

Rather than

Since

That

Though

Unless

Until

When

Whenever

Whereas

While

Etc

A restrictive dependent clause gives essential information about a noun that comes before it: without this clause the sentence wouldn’t make much sense. A restrictive relative clause can be introduced by that, which, whose, who, or whom. You should not place a comma in front of a restrictive relative clause. (You can also leave out that or which in some restrictive relative clauses.)

This all sounds much more confusing than it is - you do it already! It pretty much boils down to not leaving your sentences hanging and although an independent clause can sit on its own as a complete sentence, it doesn’t have to - make it more complex sometimes, give it a bit more oomph.

Commas

Okay, so a comma marks a slight break between different parts of a sentence. Used properly, commas make the meaning of sentences clear by grouping and separating words, phrases, and clauses.

You should use a commas for the following:

Lists - i.e. For breakfast Kate ordered scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage and French toast. (You can use a comma after ‘sausage’ too - this is called an ‘Oxford Comma’ and is entirely dependent on the writer - it’s preference!)

direct speech - i.e. Kate replied, “Go to hell.” // “Fuck you too,” said Tony. (Pretty much, if the information about who’s speaking comes before the speech - option one - then it needs a comma before the quotations and if it’s coming after the speech - option two - then there needs to be a comma inside the quotes.) There’s only two exceptions to this rule - if the speech is ending with a question mark or an exclamation mark i.e. “Will you shut up!” “Why do you think shouting will make me stop?”

to separate clauses (to link a dependent and independent clause together) - i.e. Since Pepper had left, Tony didn’t know what to do with himself. Do not use commas in, or around, restrictive dependent clauses.)

to mark off certain parts of a sentence, to mark off information that isn’t essential to the overall meaning - i.e. It was a bit shit outside, all rain and wind, so Kate decided to stay indoors. The sentence should still make sense if you take out what’s inside the commas. If you aren’t sure whether you’ve used a pair of commas correctly, try replacing them with brackets or removing the information enclosed by the commas altogether and then see if the sentence is still understandable, or if it still conveys the meaning you intended.

with 'however' - you should use a comma after ‘however’ when however means ‘by contrast’ or ‘on the other hand’ i.e. However, if Tony used a new wiring system then he’d get an extra inch of room in the suit. Don’t use a comma after however when it means ‘in whatever way’ i.e. However you looked at it, Kate was screwed.

Semicolons

The main task of the semicolon is to mark a break that is stronger than a comma but not as final as a full stop. It’s used between two clauses that balance each other and are too closely linked to be made into separate sentences i.e. Stark Tower isn’t the tallest building in Manhattan; the One World Trade Center is.

You can also use a semicolon as a stronger division in a sentence that already contains commas i.e The study showed the following: 76% of surveyed firms monitor employee Web-surfing activities, with 65% blocking access to unauthorized Internet locations; over one-third of the firms monitor employee computer keystrokes; half reported storing and reviewing employee emails; 57% monitor employee telephone behaviour, including the inappropriate use of voicemail. (Taken from oxforddictionaries.com)

Colons

There’s three main uses for a colon:

between two main clauses in cases where the second clause explains or follows from the list i.e. It wasn’t easy: to begin with, he had to tear down half his house.

to introduce a list i.e. Today Kate had to: clean her bow, bother Clint, get her nails done and do some laundry.

before a quotation and sometimes before direct speech i.e. The headline read: ‘Tony Stark Is Iron Man’.

#writing wednesday #ax modpost

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libertariansunitedagainstfa-blog · 8 years ago

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Response to fascist provocation and entryism at ISFLC

This post is best viewed on WordPress. It is saved on archive.is and archive.org. Videos are on Vimeo.

Introduction

On February 18, 2017, a small group of crypto-fascists calling themselves The Hoppe Caucus [archive] brought Richard Spencer, an open white supremacist, to the International Students for Liberty Conference (ISFLC). The conference organizers did not allow him inside the conference itself, so the provocateurs put him in a bar at the hotel where the conference was held. They deceptively set up a makeshift sign saying that the event was Richard Spencer’s appearance at ISFLC. Shortly thereafter, they were confronted by conference attendees. After about 45 minutes, the fascists were expelled by the bar’s owner.

vimeo

Although Spencer was ultimately removed, this show of force should cause concern to any anti-fascist or libertarian. Why do fascists feel emboldened enough to crash a libertarian conference? There are many reasons that we cannot exhaustively address, but one major factor is that libertarians are ignorant to the history and methods of fascism. Unfortunately, by and large, libertarians do not recognize the need to confront fascists when they show their faces in public. This — at best — neutrality has allowed for the proliferation of ideological racism and far-right elements within libertarian ranks. We aim to change that.

Spencer’s attempt to appropriate the auspices of a libertarian conference shouldn’t come as a surprise, and the caucus responsible should be understood as the tip of the iceberg. In this document we provide information on the people immediately responsible for the event. Expelling them from libertarian organizations is the starting point from which we can begin to secure an explicitly anti-fascist libertarianism. Many of the responsible parties have already been banned from Students for Liberty, but continue to operate unchallenged within a more conservative group also focused on organizing libertarian students called Young Americans for Liberty (YAL). We hope that this document will provide some of the tools and evidence that antifascists in both organizations and across the libertarian movement need to identify and resist fascist entryism.

A note to readers on the left: we use “libertarianism” here out of convenience to refer specifically to the movement popularly known by that name in the United States, but please understand that it is an ideologically diverse umbrella. We are ourselves individualist anarchists of various stripes. Despite what some disingenuous demagogues on both the right and left would claim, libertarianism is far from synonymous with fascism, and it would behoove other anti-fascists to recognize how critical it is that the libertarian movement not be ceded to fascists. The libertarian movement is large and fertile ground for radicalization and desperately needs help and solidarity. In fact, the movement is polarizing, with many members moving leftward. This leftward movement has been received hysterically by the few remaining reactionaries:

vimeo

Lies and Violence

A common misconception among libertarians and liberals is that modern fascists are peaceful. Many take them at their (occasional) claims to support only voluntary means to achieve their decidedly non-libertarian ends. The logic goes that as long as they are polite, fascists should be accepted civilly and allowed to recruit. The events of ISFLC weekend expose the delusion of such an approach, both through the fascists’ words and their actions.

One of the lies continually promoted by the fascists is that The Hoppe Caucus had no intent of disrupting ISFLC and only invited Spencer in the interests of “free speech” (a very peculiar form of free speech that requires everyone to encourage fascists to speak in their hotel). In their own words [archive]:

The Hoppe Caucus hosted Richard Spencer at #ISFLC_ not because we were trying to start some kind of commotion, but rather an important dialogue. Hans-Hermann Hoppe invited him to his own Property and Freedom Society Conference several years ago for that very reason.

It’s clear from their own words — said off-the-cuff, not typed later to fit their narrative — that this is an outright lie. As Subervi so nicely puts it, they held the event in order to “trigger the fuck out of these faggot libertarians”:

vimeo

Their denial of agreement with Spencer is selective at best:

Hans-Hermann Hoppe, for that matter, is a primary influence on crypto-fascists within the libertarian movement. He is famous for his assertions, among others, that homosexuals are predisposed toward shortsightedness, and that a libertarian society would necessarily exclude non-white immigrants, queers and other non-traditionalist individuals as threats to its continued existence. Fascists cite him when they wish to wrap immigration restrictions in libertarian language. Spencer is not the first white supremacist that his Property and Freedom Society has hosted either. His motivations for doing so are as transparent as those of the Caucus that bears his name.

One of the libertarians in attendance at the conference, John Lindley, was actually attacked twice by someone who claims to be a peaceful “ethno-nationalist”:

Myself and others went in and immediately began disrupting the event. We called them bigots and Nazis and told them if they wanted to use violence they could start on us. It was our intention get them kicked out. The manager came over and said people need to quiet down. So the Hoppe people said “hey you guys, free speech” so that's when I said “oh why you might get kicked out? Good fuck you." So management came and we all dispersed which is when Spencer left. That night after the social I came back to the hotel. I confronted the hoppe caucus who were all sitting there drinking. I yelled and then debated for a bit but they weren't even good intellectually. (Obvs) I left to go to a room and had to come back. They confronted me about stealing beer and then Cesar [Subervi] grabbed me from behind. There was a scuffle and I punched him as we were pulled apart. This morning Rocco was on my feed and I let everyone know I was still there and not afraid of them. So I saw some of them and called them out and they walked by and then walked by Cesar because I had ran into one of the girls from the ancap group and we were talking. Anyway he turned around and came up and said "you don't just get to talk shit and walk away" and attacked me so I punched him and then we fought for about 30 seconds. We were pulled apart and then I left because we were told the cops were on the way. He tried to confront me again and I just walked away. I don't regret and would do it again. Anyone who would have the state control lives based on something as arbitrary as race then you are in no way a libertarian. You are a violent threat and you should expect people you want the state to marginalize to defend themselves. Giving fascists a platform is the same as being a fascist at this point. They are the ones who started this war but we will defend ourselves. And I will defend my friends and family because that's who is being threatened.

Lindley made us proud by resisting fascists on both fronts - words and fists. He gave Cesar Subervi a hell of a black eye, too.

This violence has, of course, been misrepresented [archive] by The Hoppe Caucus as an unprovoked attack by an anti-fascist “thug.” In the words of Jeffrey Tucker, fascists are liars. In the aftermath of the second fight, other students can be heard remarking that Subervi “fights with everybody.” In fact, his entire activist career seems to consist of instigating fights, getting his ass kicked [archive], and then running away [archive] crying [archive] that he was victimized [archive]. More on him below.

This group clearly intends to do physical harm, both immediately and in the future. For all his protestations that the ethnic cleansing he plans will be “peaceful,” when asked directly by a supporter, Spencer admits that it will not be:

vimeo

The fantasy of a nonviolent white nationalism, put forward by Hans-Hermann Hoppe and his adherents in the Caucus, is so absurd a lie that even Mr. Peaceful Ethnic Cleansing will not play along with it.

Liberals and libertarians are often duped into this notion that we should wait to resist fascism until there are jackboots marching down the street and loading people into train cars. They don’t seem to recognize the connection between fascist organizing and fascist violence. But fascists make themselves perfectly clear. The far-right “libertarians” who invited Spencer admit as much:

vimeo

The reference to helicopters is an allusion to Augusto Pinochet, a Chilean dictator who murdered dissenters by throwing them from helicopters. They clearly state their intent to commit acts of aggressive violence against those they disagree with as soon as they have obtained the means to do so, yet without a shred of self-awareness they conclude that leftists are the truly intolerant ones. Spencer, you might note, finds the whole idea hilarious.

Despite all of this, some go so far as to deny Richard Spencer is even racist at all, not just that he is a nonviolent racist (aka a unicorn). Belying that notion is this footage of Spencer making the incredible claim that it’s better for a white person to be destitute in a desolate white city in Wyoming than rich in the bustling and eventful Beijing, simply because Beijing has Chinese people.

People

This problem didn’t occur for no reason and it can’t be fixed without effort. As noted earlier, a great many of the instigators of this stunt continue to be welcomed into certain libertarian circles, and even perform leadership roles. Websites like The Liberty Conservative serve as de facto mouthpieces of fascist propaganda, whether wittingly or not. Prominent libertarian icons [archive] encourage the use of movement resources to promote fascist speakers.

Besides standing up to extreme expressions of fascism, like John Lindley et al. did at ISFLC, we have to stand up to casual ones. We can’t just condemn Richard Spencer, we have to condemn every helicopter meme and “All Lives Matter.” We can’t just yell at boneheads, we also have to pressure friends who keep silent as their organizations rot from the inside. There is a disturbing volume of collaborators in libertarian and libertarian-adjacent organizations, as evidenced by the number of Young Americans for Liberty members who espouse fascism. These people must be expelled and a firm standard of anti-oppression established. This is libertarianism, people! That comes from the word liberty!

To that end, this section documents what we know about the folks responsible for the Spencer trolling. Most of them are from either the Macomb Community College or Transylvania University chapter of Young Americans for Liberty. The information presented here was obtained easily from their web presence; most of them seem to think that fascism is a harmless game and have taken no precautions with their information.

Mitchell John Steffen

Born 07/1995 5010 Pebble Creek East, Apt. 5 Shelby Township, MI 48317-4899 [email protected] Facebook [archive] Twitter [archive] • old Twitter [archive] • older Twitter [archive] Instagram [archive] • old Instagram [archive] • older Instagram [archive] YouTube [archive] • old YouTube [archive] Ask.fm [archive, full screenshot] Vine [archive] Foursquare [archive] Snapchat: Mitchistall

Steffen lives with his parents and attends Macomb Community College, where he is a member [archive] of their YAL chapter [archive]. Steffen founded the Hoppe Caucus, according to an article in The Liberty Conservative [archive] and has even posted now-deleted pictures of himself to their Facebook page:

Before beginning his career as a fake libertarian, Steffen tried to become a professional violent nationalist:

After narrowly failing in this pursuit, Steffen created The Hoppe Caucus_. _Now, he spends his time posting fascist memes espousing violence:

Ironically, he is anti-libertarian on abortion on the basis of opposing all forms of murder, and seems to endorse police violence against black people:

In between all the fascism, he attends Hope Lutheran Church and finds time to run his campus’s libertarian group:

Cesar Alfonso Subervi

Born 11/24/1995 32 Blue Ridge St. Warrenton, VA 20186-2303 [email protected] Facebook [archive] Twitter [archive] Instagram [archive] iEmoji Feed [archive: page 1 • page 2 • page 3 • page 4 • page 5] SoundCloud [archive] MySpace [archive] “Millenial Patriots” (sic) YouTube [archive • video 1 • video 2] WordPress [archive]

Subervi lives with his parents and works as a conservative activist and professional antifa punching bag. His penchant for getting his ass kicked is ironic given his long history [archive] of athleticism [archive]. He is one of the few people on this list who has no documented involved in YAL, opting instead for the even further right Turning Point USA, where he is a member of the Latino Leadership Caucus [archive]. He enjoys driving slightly over the speed limit [archive], financially supporting other fake libertarians [archive], attending Warrenton Presbyterian Church, and making incredibly douchey YouTube videos. A few days after ISFLC, he showed up at CPAC [archive], once again as a Spencer toadie.

He has filed a public contract for a business [archive] at Calle Palo Hincado 177, Zona Colonial., Santo Domingo., which is associated with the phone numbers 809-687-7607, 809-689-8366, and 809-617-2176. He once ran for president. Subervi’s old Facebook cover photo depicts Francisco Franco, Spain’s former fascist dictator, in a heroic light.

Shane Gregory Trejo

Born 11/1987 299 Lake Meadow Dr. Waterford, MI 48327 [email protected] Facebook [archive] Instagram [archive] Reddit [archive: 01 • 02 • 03 • 04 • 05 • 06 • 07 • 08]

In 2011, Trejo attended Michigan State University. Trejo now lives with his mother and writes propaganda [archive] for his friends (pictured above with Steffen) in The Hoppe Caucus, along with a variety of other mostly right-wing publications. Trejo likes a large number of fascist Facebook pages [archive]. He used [archive] to be [archive] a juggalo [archive]?

He wrote a terrible article [archive] linking libertarianism with the alt-right. Discussing the article on Reddit, he acknowledged Richard Spencer is a nazi [archive]:

Trejo spends much of his time on Reddit being a racist, misogynist dick:

Theodore “TJ” Joseph Roberts

Born 02/23/1998 2271 Teal Briar Ln. Apt. 208 Burlington, KY 41005-8386 Facebook [archive] Twitter [archive] • old Twitter [archive] Instagram [archive]

Roberts is a core member of The Hoppe Caucus and can be seen at the beginning of video footage of the Spencer event introducing himself and shaking hands. He is president [archive] of the Transylvania University chapter [archive] of Young Americans for Liberty and serves as YAL’s Kentucky state chair — a paid outreach position. In his photo above, he poses with the president of YAL, Cliff Maloney Jr.

Roberts is a former Students for Liberty campus coordinator who resigned [archive] in the wake of his attempt to bring fascist entryist Augustus Sol Invictus to ISFLC.

Roberts is on the editorial board [archive] for another far-right organization called The Revolutionary Conservative — alongside his pal Auggie. When The Hoppe Caucus attempted to raise funds for the Invictus stunt, donations were directed to The Revolutionary Conservative.

Evidently, after the plans for Invictus fell through, The Hoppe Caucus settled on Richard Spencer as the next best fascist.

Roberts also writes [archive] for perhaps the largest website working to promote fascist entryism into libertarianism, Liberty Hangout. An ardent Christian and opponent of abortion rights [archive], he attends 7 Hills Church. His internet presence makes his ideological commitments very clear.

Joel Thomas

Born 07/1991 41310 Dogwood Dr. Sterling Heights, MI 48313-4425 (586) 628-0471 [email protected] [email protected] Facebook [archive]

Thomas is the former vice president of the Macomb Community College YAL. Despite professing an ardent libertarianism, he helped bring Spencer to ISFLC.

His misguided approach to free speech may not be entirely malicious, but it is actively dangerous.

Taylor James Ragg

Born 09/25/1995 70 Nicholson Boulevard Harlan, KY 40831-7131 [email protected] Facebook [archive] Instagram [archive] YouTube [archive]

Ragg previous attended Eastern Kentucky University, but currently attends Transylvania University, where he is a member of Young Americans for Liberty [archive]. He attended Trump’s inauguration. He can be seen sitting next to Richard Spencer for the duration of the event, staying silent until eventually making finger quotes and talking about free speech.

Carlo Angelo Maiale

22300 Thomson St. Clinton Township, MI 48035-4914 [email protected] Facebook [archive] Twitter [archive] Instagram [archive]

Maiale is yet another member [archive] of the Macomb Community College YAL. His degree of involvement with the Spencer stunt is unknown; however, he can be seen wearing a red Trump hat, is friends with the rest of The Hoppe Caucus, and hails from one of the two YAL chapters who are primarily responsible.

Harry Albert Turkington IV

Facebook [archive]

Turkington is a YAL member and former SFL campus coordinator.

He attends University of Wisconsin-Green Bay where he is a member of Sigma Beta Delta [archive] and serves as grand treasurer for the Upsilon-Eta chapter of the Kappa Sigma fraternity. He is another entry whose degree of involvement is unknown. His Facebook likes [archive] are full of fascist pages and he can be seen wearing a red Trump hat at the Spencer event.

James Maier

Facebook [archive]

Maier can be seen in a photo posted to The Hoppe Caucus’s Facebook page with Steffen and Trejo. He also has a history of posting Facebook comments suggesting fascist sympathies. That said, he reportedly strenuously denies any involvement with the Spencer event or connection to the perpetrators and claims to have had a change of heart; multiple sources say he spent the weekend attempting to distance himself from his Hoppe Caucus roommates. There is a dearth of evidence implicating him relative to the other list entries. We include him here in the interest of transparency and as proof that people can change.

If you have any tips on further fascist attempts to co-opt libertarianism, please email [email protected].

#libertarianism #anarcho-capitalism #ancap #antifa #fascism

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dreamy-stars · 5 years ago

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1/1/20

holy shit i haven’t spilled any thoughts in so long! i’ve changed so much! and i’m happier now. it’s a new decade! i have so much to say

2019 was a great year as i actually did things that would have made me uncomfortable. spring semester of 2019 was a shitshow i think i dropped a class and only took three. dropped diff eq with the bald guy and i remember sitting in class no thoughts head empty and trying not to cry. and then going to some tables on campus and calling mom and bawling and apologizing. somehow i got through the semester after crying over tests and assignments. OH i started lifting weights and working out and i love it. i love being strong. being healthy is something i’ve always wanted to work towards and the women on weights program was so enjoyable. i was trying to get rly toned to look good for the nct concert actually. unfortunately i haven’t worked out much since it ended :( hoping to get back into the gym once the semester starts again. i wanna be RIPPED for summer 2020 >:)

working at sweet hut was a great experience as i was able to learn more about myself and add to my resume! i actually learn pretty fast and even though i messed up a handful of times i just want to give myself some credit hehe. i liked making new friends there, as well as bonding with my cousin more. before, i would be a bit afraid of the long silences, but now we talk about whatever and never shut up <3 working a customer service job made me appreciate the fact that i am still working towards a degree. i don’t think i could do that for an extended period. my feet hurt every day and my hands were so dry and getting blisters like crazy. ofc night shift is crazy but i loved getting tons of tips each night. We Live In A Society. i think i became more confident in small talk? idk being on the register made me better but i didn’t even do it much. i also value customer service and tipping much more i always try to tip when i can. anyway i miss making drinks and burning the sugar on the creme brule.

after working i became more motivated to work hard in fall semester. for this semester i picked two classes to be on the other campus so i could see if i could actually talk to ppl. it wasn’t that much of a change but ppl are much more open to talking in the first week i guess. i’m gonna miss that. joining vsa was the best decision this year i think. it took some courage to talk to ppl first but working at SH helped me ton. because of that i made friends outside of class isn’t that wild? too bad it’s on the other campus bc i would go more often. i think my schedule might not work with vsa next semester idk :/ i went to my first College Party this year which was so much fun! i was nervous bc i only knew like three ppl but just mingle-ing is fun when ur buzzed. i think my tolerance is pretty high idk how many shots i took :| anyway hanging out with new friends i made makes me happy. definitely a highlight of this year! also school went better than before!!! my grades are not the best but i know i put in work so i think it’s okay. also i need to stop relying on chegg so much LMAO...commuting was harsh on me and took up SOOO much time. i only skipped class a couple times (mainly bc i was sick) so i’m proud. didn’t take classes on other campus this semester bc i’m lazy and would rather spend time studying in the library nearby.

love life is sad still. chemistry is SO important. i think through text is just as important as irl. i went on a date with this guy that was a boring and unfunny texter and was like lemme give it a shot maybe its diff irl. it was alright but so....boring like no flirting like.... also he was younger and i hate younger guys...feeling like a hag... anyway this semester im hoping to go on a date with a girl instead. i thought i had a crush on oomf but it was like for a week. idk if it would ever happen but i rly like his personality and humor. 2020 pls let me have a lover im bored lemme emotionally depend on someone

stanning bts is getting so hard tbh. i can barely keep up with content from LAST YEAR. so much happens. i only go on ig like twice a day and i go to like ten ppl’s twt i dont even scroll down the tl bc it overwhelms me LOL. just looking at bts overwhelms me like i feel anxious sometimes? bc i’m missing out on stuff...idk how to explain it but i think the mama speech from 2018 made me...humble? less focused? on them? like i don’t wanna be so attached and when the day comes that they d*sband i lose my mind. bc i was so devastated that day. kinda made me chill out. being busy with school and work also made it hard to focus on them. guess i really am growing up..but also i became so obsessed with nct i love the nct daily channel LMAO feels like i’m cheating but their content is easy to digest and i don’t get so emotionally invested i guess. when i watch bts i sit there and FOCUS and give them my full attention. nct is for after hw and just to chill. do i make sense? but as i’m on break and watching bts performances and run episodes, i realize how much i missed watching them. i love them so much still and always will! sometimes it shocks me how huge they are. like you can’t compare them to anyone now. they are the highest achieving group i think. PERIODT fjlajajhka thinking back to when they were smaller and i told myself i would support them no matter what and i didn’t care if they didn’t get big like i genuinely loved them and now they are loved worldwide like....my babies.....<3 uwu...it’s crazy how much they’ve achieved in 6 years. i’m so happy for them.

also shinee’s whole discography is on spotify now! i was listening to it the other day and CRYING like a baby. i miss jjong so much especially his voice. i remember being 11/12 and spending hours watching the shows they were on i really miss stanning them. their music brings back so many feelings. ugh so good.

my mental health has been pretty good this year i didn’t cry much and the source of my stress and sadness is always school. fall semester was pretty good. i learned recently that i get jealous over ppl only a little though. it just passes by in thought but i don’t voice it to anyone bc it’s stupid LMAO. i don’t think the jealousy is that bad just minor.

2019 was a great year. i never really noticed the changes and growth i experienced but it was really apparent this year and i’m glad i am evolving :) my goal for this year is to get fit and be more comfortable in the gym, gain experience in my field through joining clubs, and be even more social (also be better at driving hehe) i’m very thankful for those around me and i hope to be closer to friends in 2020. looking forward to going to vn in the summer!

let’s have a great 2020 jen! ♡

#diary

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titoslondon-blog · 8 years ago

Text

New Post has been published on Titos London

#Blog New Post has been published on http://www.titoslondon.com/the-2017-hot-list-instyles-annual-rising-stars-portfolio-of-the-names-you-need-to-know/

The 2017 Hot List: InStyle's Annual Rising Stars Portfolio Of The Names You Need To Know

Bill Milner

Age: 21

Originally from… Surrey, UK

You’ll recognise him… as that kid in the hilarious Son of Rambow (Bill was only 12 when he landed the role) He’s since gone onto to star in X-Men: First Class and Anthropoid plus this month makes his Netflix debut alongside Maisie Williams in iBoy, the streaming service’s first movie based on Kevin Brooks’s 2010 young adult novel, about a teenager who gains iPhone -related superpowers.

Can you remember what the first VHS or DVD you bought?

When I was 13 or 14 years old I started watching films properly. My friend and I were obsessed with Christopher Nolan’s Batman. That one of the first times I realised films could have a deeper kind of story and started to notice the difference between huge blockbusters and Indie.

Do you think Netflix is starting a whole new genre?

Yeah, the consumer is so different now. It’s given us a great opportunity for long-form storytelling. People kind of think it’s ‘binging’ if you watch three episodes on television but really that’s like 2-3 hours, that’s a film! And if you do that a few nights in a row you’ve watched like 9 hours of a story and you are really following the characters. I would rather prefer an opportunity to do a series to really get in deep with the character. That’s more exciting!

What was it like making iBoy?

I was surprised how much more creative control Netflix give. They were quite happy for us to do what we wanted with regards to how far we took the language and how dark we wanted it to be.

Do you think you’re going to recognized a lot more because of its reach?

Hmmm maybe. It’s exciting that it’s always going to be online. Like in ten years time people could still be stumbling across it.

What word do you always overuse?

Well I know that in interviews a lot of actors use word “exciting” which I’m guilty of too. Like ‘I’m excited to work with them’ and ‘this is a really exciting project!’ Everything is always ‘exciting.’

What was the last lie you told?

I’m much of a liar really. If I have to lie…hmmm I actually just avoid it. Like if someone says: ‘Oh are you free this week?’ and I just don’t want to see them I just don’t text them back. It’s avoiding but also I’m being honest.

Tell us your signature cocktail?

Whiskey sours. I made them last night. My top tip? Don’t use pre-squeezed lemon juice, you have to squeeze the lemons yourself. I know it’s long but it make a big difference.

Your top three most used emojis?

That laughy-cry one. A heart. And the nail paint, for when you want to just snap someone out.

Pearl Mackie

Age: 29

Originally from… London

You’ll recognize her from… West End hit The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and BBC’s daytime soap Doctors. But you’re going to be seeing way more of her in 2017 when she makes her Doctor Who debut as Peter Capaldi’s companion.

Was acting always the career plan?

Always! Apparently when I was five my mum was washing my hair on a Sunday night before school in front of Saint Louis. Judy Garland was singing the trolley song and I turned to my mum and said I want to do that.

Where were you when you got the Doctor Who call to say you’d got it?

At home with my housemate. The whole process was mad. At the recall I read with Peter and it was all really hush hush, the whole process was like being in M15. Then my agent called me to tell me I got it. There were tears. I had to call her back and say ‘look I’ve imagined that moment a lot so please can you tell me it did actually happen!’

Have you met any fans yet?

They’re incredible. I went to Comic Con in New York and there was a girl dressed exactly like me. The trailer I appear in is only two minutes long but she had really nailed it.

Has anyone given you any good advice?

On my first day of filming Jenna Coleman sent me a bunch of flowers with a note saying that I didn’t need any advice but if she was to tell me anything it would be something that Karen has passed onto her. And that was to tell me not to eat the faggots in the canteen. They had them on the menu the other day and I was like no way!

How do you feel about Peter leaving?

I’m so sad but I’m just happy I got to work with him. He’s such a generous actor. I’m very new to camera acting and all the technical stuff and he will always check if I’m ok. We really get into the scenes and he’s very open to my opinions.

Your go-to karaoke song?

Journey’s Don't Stop Believing. That’s embarrassing.

Word or phrase you overuse?

Literally. I literally use it all the time.

Trait you value most in your friends?

Honesty. Even if I look like shit I’d rather you’d tell me.

Monday motivation?

I love those quotes on Instagram. Mine would be ‘This too shall pass.’ It’s not always going to be Monday. Just get up and go.

Go to cocktail?

I’m a classic gin and tonic gal. I love a Hendricks with a slice of cucumber.

Blake Harrison

Age: 21

Originally from… London

You’ll recognise him from… The Inbetweeners, where Blake played the hilarious dopey Neil for seven years and last year starred alongside Catherine Zeta Jones and Bill Nighy in the cinematic remake of Dad’s Army. Next up he’s swapping comedy for drama taking on roles in ITV’s Prime Suspect prequel Tennison and BBC thriller Trust Me.

Do you still get lots of people stopping you in the street and asking you to do Neil impressions from the Inbetweeners?

There’s a lot. But you know, that’s just the test of the time. I can’t knock it, it’s just is what it is.

Was it hard to avoid being typecast?

Some people are so into the show that they are quite disappointed when they realize you’re not quite that character. But I feel quite lucky with my next roles. In Tennison I play a hot-tempered police officer in the 70s. And in Trust Me I play a recovering alcoholic. That’s really the fun of acting, playing a variety of roles with different types of people.

And now you’re venturing into directing too?

My lovely wife wrote a play and I thought I’d love to make it into a short film. Directing was always something I had in mind but I’m just starting and quickly learning that there is a lot more to it than I originally thought. The note sessions with my wife are interesting too!!

What’s your signature cocktail?

We had Christmas party last year and I made eggnog for the first time and it was delicious. I just followed a recipe off the Internet. It went down incredibly well. That was a real surprise for everyone involved.

What’s the most romantic thing your wife has done for you?

She tried to throw a surprise party for me but she was really rubbish at keeping it a secret. But she tried and that was romantic. I did something really great for our proposal. I made our mutual friend pretend to book a holiday to Paris and then tell us they couldn’t go so did we want the tickets. Then I got my parents involved so when my wife called them to ask them to look after our daughter they were like ‘Oh this is very last minute…’ When we got to Paris I got down on one knee outside the Sacre-Coeur. She was totally shocked.

What are the most used emoji you’ve got?

I don’t like using them. At my age I slightly missed them. But I sometimes use the monkey covering his eyes. Maybe my vocabulary is too small but I can’t think of something that describes the monkey covering its eyes in just one word.

Tom Bateman

Age: 28

Originally from… Oxford, UK

You’ll recognise him… as the violent table-smashing Robert Jekyll in ITV’s Jekyll and Hyde and as a handsome and hilarious Shakespeare in the stage adaption of Tom Stoppard’s Shakespeare In Love. Next up you’ll see him playing Amy Schumer’s love interest in Snatched and he stars as Bouc in the 2017 version of Murder On The Orient Express alongside Johnny Depp.

So was acting always the plan?

I grew up in Oxford, that’s where my fake posh accent comes from! I wanted to be a thousand different things but I didn’t have the commitment to do any of them. But my family is all very creative so it stems from there. I’ve got thirteen siblings!

Hang on, what?

I’ve got a twin, we’re not identical but my baby brother actually really looks like me. And then there are 10 others. Some are half siblings.

What do they think of your career?

I come from a very modest background so when I told my parents they said: ‘We can’t support you but chase what makes you happy.’ I think that is good advice. They were very happy that I found something that I loved doing for living.

You’ve come straight to tonight’s party from the set of Murder On The Orient Express. What’s it like?

Stunning! Before Christmas we were filming on a 70ft high mountain range. All the action takes place on and around the train. My character Bouc owns the train and is Poirot’s best friend. I help him in solving the case.

You’re working with some pretty impressive co-stars?

It’s like Hollywood royalty. We’ve got like Derek Jacobi, Judi Dench, Olivia Colman, and then there’s Johnny Depp, Daisy Ridley and Penelope Cruz too. So it’s basically everyone! I had to do a scene which was a speech in front of the whole cast and I said ‘this is like being at the at Oscars.’

In Snatched you star alongside Amy Schumer. Is she as hilarious IRL?

She is great! She is absolutely hugely intelligent and also very sensitive. A real laughing person to those around her. But she is actually quite shy if you really get to know her.

Has a co-star ever given you good advice?

You learn by seeing. Working with Judi Dench, I mean she is heaven on Earth. The way she treats people as well as acts, you think this is who I aspire to be.

What’s your go-to karaoke song?

I once won a competition once with Easy – Commodores.

What word or phrase do you overuse?

Probably ‘Lots of love.’ I say it to everyone!

What’s your go-to cocktail?

A Negroni. Go big or go home! And it’s the only one I can make.

Most used emojis?

I genuinely don’t know what those are. Are they like smiley faces? I don’t use those. I think they’re shortcuts and awful. I don’t really text, I like phone calls.

So you’re not into social media either?

No f**k that. I was and felt like I was selling my soul. I mean do we really need to see photos of what people are eating for breakfast?

From left – right: Sacha Dhawan, Rory Fleck-Byrne and Scott Arthur

Sacha Dhawan

Age: 33

Originally from… Stockport

You’ll know him from… 24: His big James Bond moment in Live Another Day, as well as gritty crime drama Line of Duty, and the period drama for fashionistas Mr. Selfridge

When did you first describe yourself as an actor?

I used to tap dance when I was a kid and the teacher said to my parents, ‘ His tap dancing’s not bad but he should really go into performing.’ She set me up with an agent in Manchester and soon after I was cast in a children’s series, Out of Sight, at the age of 12. So around about then, I guess.

Does the acting bug run in the family?

No but both of my parents are singers. My Dad is huge fan of Elvis so he sings and my Mum is a beautiful Indian singer. They’ve got more confidence to get up in front of the family than me. Because I’m an actor, they’re always trying to get me to do a monologue. I’m, like, guys, no WAY.

What was the first VHS/ DVD you bought?

Making Michael Jackson’s Thriller by Douglas Kirkland and also – this is really embarrassing – Dirty Dancing. Me and my sister used to watch it on endless repeat.

Have you ever had any on-set disasters?

Sometimes you think you’re invincible and, one time, I had to throw a guy over my shoulder. The producer said, ‘We’ll get you a double,’ but I was insistent on doing it myself. And then I went and dislocated my shoulder.

What’s your go-to karaoke song?

Summer Nights from the Grease soundtrack. I might even put it on Spotify on the way home.

What word or phrase do you overuse the most?

'Imagination’ and ‘mate.’ I call guys and girls ‘mate.’ It's a northern thing.

You’ve got friends coming around for drinks. Tell us your signature cocktail.

Espresso Martinis to perk everyone up a bit. Or set them up for a fall.

What’s the most romantic thing someone has done for you in London?

For my thirtieth, my significant other told me we were just going out for dinner. But she’d booked a restaurant and invited all of my closest friends, which was amazing given that she’d never even met half of them. It was perfect.

Rory Fleck-Byrne

Age: 27 Originally from… Ireland

You’ll recognise him… from films including The Quiet Ones and Vampire Academy plus this year you’ll spot him starring alongside Pierce Brosnan in thriller The Foreigner.

What was the fist VHS you bought? I think it was the Lion King. I feel so sorry for adults that didn’t watch it during their childhood. It is like the Lion King is our Hamlet.

What’s been your worst on-set disaster?

When I was doing a fight exam for a role my sword broke so I had to keep styling it out. I was trying to put it back together but couldn’t. I ended up with a bit of blade in my bare hand. I think I can handle anything after that.

Has a co-star ever given you some good advice?

Pierce Brosnan. He is a very open, connected and grounded individual. He kept saying to me: ‘Stay open, live well, be good to yourself. It was more about how I looked after myself as opposed to my career or how I acted. Just watching him was a lesson in itself really.

What’s your Monday morning motivation motto?

I watch Meryl Streep making her speech at the Golden Globes. That kind of shit that will get you out of bed.

Tell us your signature cocktail recipe? A Negroni. And I have just tried a chocolate Negroni for the first time. You just add a bit of Mozart chocolate Liqueur. Some mixologists think it is wrong, but I am all about it.

What are your three most used emojis? The dancing senorita, peace and the concrete face. It is so random

Scott Arthur Age: 23

You’ll recognise him from… his big-screen debut alongside Jack O’Connell in the harrowing The Somnambulists, and last year played the lead in Bridgend, a drama that explored a mysterious real life suicide cluster that took place in Wales. Next up he joins Shia Labeouf in Borg Vs McEnroe, that looks at the epic 1980 Wimbledon final match.

What was the fist VHS/ DVD you bought? I spent my pocket money on Wayne’s World. I loved Mike Myers as a child. And I remember going to Blockbuster with my parents and I begged and begged for them to buy the Lion King, It is my favourite Disney movie by far.

Tell us about the best advice a co-star has given you? Shia LaBeouf said to me ‘Do what you want and don’t do anything else’, which is what Brad Pitt had told him. A lot of actors get told to do what ever is given to you, and as much as I think that is sound advice, I think you need to be more responsible and have your own ownership over what you do. Always do what your gut tells you, if your gut is saying no, get out of there. Your gut will always tell you what is the truth, what is real and good and what is bullshit. Don’t do any old shit because you will either end up hating it or yourself in it.

What’s your go-to karaoke song? I am quite alternative, I like doing women’s songs like the Beautiful South. And being Welsh, the Stereophonics. It gets the crowd going, not like there is ever a crowd!

What word or phrase do you overuse the most? In Wales we basically say the word ‘mun’ at the end of a sentence. So you would say something like ‘For god’s sake, mun’. It is Welsh colloquialism. I swear a lot as well which is quite bad, but I read something the other day that intelligent people like to swear a lot so…

What’s your Monday morning motivation?

I don’t have my phone by my bed any more. I have an alarm clock instead. So if I am not doing anything I will just sleep and wake up when I want to wake up. If I have got work my alarm goes off, I shower, and then I check my phone. Because of this day and age, we all wake up and check our phones but I was like I can’t do this any more. I struggle some times but I do it.

What’s your go to getting ready for a party song? If I am going to a club I quite like hip hop, maybe a little bit of Drake or Kanye West. Anything that has a good beat or base and makes you go ‘F**k yeah I am loving this’.

Hermione Corfield Age: 23 Originally from… London You’ll know her from… Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation with Tom Cruise, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies plus war TV drama The Halcyon. This year she stars in xXx: Return of Xander Cage alongside Vin Diesel, and King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, directed by Guy Ritchie.

What was the first VHS/DVD you bought? I was given Top Cat in my Christmas stocking when I was four years old. However, I remember I had actually wanted The Aristrocats but I just wrote on my list ‘the cat film’ so I ended up with Top Cat.

What has been your most challenging role? Playing Emma Garland in The Halcyon just due to the sheer volume of it. We filmed six days a week for five months. So stamina wise definitely that.

Have you ever had any funny on-set disasters? I have spilt coffee on myself multiple times. I’m always told to wear a dressing gown and don’t and then end up almost in tears saying ‘I am so so sorry I have done it again!’ And I corpse (film slang for spontaneous laughing) a lot as well. That is a big one for me!

What word or phrase do you overuse the most? ‘That’s it.’ I always say ‘that’s it.’ My friend from Wales is like where did you pick that up from it is so Welsh?

What’s your Monday morning motivation? Music. I just blast it on my speakers.

Tell us your signature cocktail recipe? I am quite good at making a mescal, lime coriander and chilli thing that I learnt in Mexico.

Eoin Macken

Age: 34

Originally from… Dublin

You’ll know him from… Sixteenth Century small screen romp The Tudors, TV fantasy series Merlin, and fast paced hospital drama The Night Shift

When did you first describe yourself as an ‘actor’

I still feel like I’m learning and becoming an actor. Make sense?

What was the first VHS/ DVD you bought?

The French film La Haine. I bought the special edition and I remember being very excited, because it was hard to get your hands on.

What’s been your most challenging role?

Killing Jesus with Kelsey Grammer, because I was playing Herod Antipas, an unlikeable character who put the thorns on Jesus’s head. It was my job to make the audience warm to him. I tried to understand him in terms of politics, how people are put in positions and you can’t always necessarily judge them.

Have you had any on-set accidents?

I cut up my wrist punching a window once. I was in character and I didn’t realise I’d actually sliced it open. I carried on filming when I really should have got it seen to. When I finally went to hospital the nurse had to reopen the wound and take the glass out. She gave me a big telling off.

What’s your go-to karaoke song?

Ice-Ice Baby by Vanilla Ice. It can’t really fail. People are genuinely amused even if you’re terrible.

What was the last lie you told?

That I’d be at this event in five minutes when I knew I was really half-an-hour away.

What word or phrase do you overuse the most?

You know?’ It’s in every other sentence.

What’s your Monday morning motivation?

Give me a pot of coffee with cinnamon and a newspaper on a Monday morning and I’m all set.

What’s your go-to getting ready for a party song?

Come Together by Primal Scream

You’ve got friends coming around for drinks. Tell us your signature cocktail.

Straight whisky. Then you know who you’re real friends are because they’ll drink it with you.

What are your top three most used emojis?

The smiley face with the wink, the one where the eyes look totally perplexed and the jazz hands. Usually all at once.

Patrick Gibson

Age: 21

Originally from… Ireland

You’ll recognise him from… The OA, where he plays the terrifying Steve Winchell, the deeply troubled bully who strikes up a friendship with Prairie played by Brit Marling. Next up he stars alongside Idris Elba and Abraham Lewis in Guerrilla plus he has landed the lead role The White Princess, the highly anticipated follow-up to historical drama series The White Queen

What was the first VHS/DVD you bought? Donny Darko. It is to this day one of my favourite films. I remember I got a portable DVD for Christmas, which I’d watch it on. That’s so weird because now you just watch it on your phone.

What’s been your most challenging role? Every role is in its own way is quite challenging, I feel like I am starting from scratch every time. It is always different approaching every character. The OA was tough in a lot of ways, physically but also emotionally which I didn’t realise at the time.

What about funny on-set disasters?

This probably doesn’t sound that funny, but in hindsight it is kind of. So there was a scene that we did in OA where I have my dog with me and I basically tell it to attack Prairie – which is Brit Marling’s character. One of the dogs was extra aggressive in real life and I was told not to say attack at the end of the scene because it really would attack. It was like a three-minute scene and we got really into it. At the end I shouted ‘Attack’ and it did. It really went for Brit. But luckily the dog was well trained enough that he stopped mid air.

What’s your go-to getting ready for a party song? It’s so corny. I didn’t even realise I was this cheesy…but it has got to be Drake. Any Drake tunes.

Tell us your signature cocktail recipe? I made mojitos for two years, not in my house but in an actual bar, so mojitos it has got to be.

What are your top three most used emojis? Without looking at my phone? The glitter stars one, the wave and the dancing girl in the red dress. Do you have a strategy for making it big or do you think it is all about luck? I don’t know if I want to make it big in the conventional sense of being a celebrity. My strategy is hopefully to always do work that I am genuinely passionate about and scripts that I really believe in. And to think if there was no money involved would you still want to do it.

Abraham Lewis Age: 21 Originally from…London You’ll recognise him from… How to Talk to Girls at Parties where he played the smooth talking Vic. Next up he stars alongside Idris Elba in Sky Atlantic political drama Guerilla.

What do your family make of your career choice?

When my mum who is an actor told my grandfather who is also an actor that I wanted to do acting too along with my sister he said ‘Oh fuck not another one!’ My dad is an actor too and he was quite cautious as knows how tough this industry is but they are all amazingly supportive now.

What has been your most challenging role? In Guerilla I play a heroin addict and had to loose 25 pounds in a month and a half to do it. And also the headspace of an addict is really weird so that left me feeling quite low at times.

What word or phrase do you overuse the most? I think everyone my age overuses the word ‘like’. I hate it when I use it.

What’s your Monday morning motivation? When I was going to the gym a lot for Guerilla I started watching these YouTube videos by a guy called The Hip Hop Preacher to motivate me. He is really cool.

Tell us your signature cocktail recipe? I used to be a cocktail waiter. I make a good Dark and Stormy.

What’s your go-to getting ready for a party song? Young Americans by David Bowie. What’s the most romantic thing someone has done for you in London? For our third date my girlfriend and I went to a David Hockney exhibition For my birthday she went back and got all of the postcards of all of his paintings then wrote quotes from all of my favourite people ever on the back of each one.

Lucy Boynton

Age: 23

Originally from… New York, raised in London

You’ll recognize her from… horror flicks The Blackcoat's Daughter and Don't Knock Twice plus Sing Street, where she totally won audiences over with her portrayal of the self-proclaimed model and main love interest Raphina. Next up is a major Netflix series Gypsy and blockbuster Murder On The Orient Express.

Like Tom (Bateman) you’ve come straight from the set of the Orient Express. What’s your character like?

I play Countess Andrenyi. She’s a Hungarian countess and ballerina. I get to wear some fantastic handmade 1930s costumes. It’s all very opulent and extravagant.

That sounds pretty different from the Netflix series Gyspy you’ve just wrapped in New York?

Definitely. That’s about a psychotherapist played by Naomi Watts who becomes too immersed in the lives of her patients. I play Alison, a drug addict. She is addicted to speed so I used to eat a lot of M&Ms for breakfast at 7am to portray that jiggy feeling and hysteria.

Did you read lots of books on psychology?

I did, I’ve always been interested in psychology and have taken classes. It helps with acting, like understanding people and why they are how they are.

Are you starting to get recognized more?

I’m what the industry call a ‘plain actor’. I have this thing where no one remembers me. Plus I’ve changed my hair colour a lot so I think that helps.

What word do you overuse?

I tend to refer to every one as ‘woman’ but that’s better than girls or hun right?

Favourite karaoke song?

I don’t do it. I’ll go and support my friends but that’s it. I’m a cheerer. I’ll holler!

Tell us your go-to cocktail?

Aperol spritz. Every single time. Even in winter.

What’s your Monday morning motivation?

I’m not a morning person. And at the moment my call time is 4am. So I just have to remind myself how much I love my job!

Alex Lawther

Age: 22

Originally from… Hampshire

You’ll know him from… Indie Brit flick, A Brilliant Young Mind, as well as The Imitation Game and the coltishly brilliant Black Mirror

When did you first describe yourself as an ‘actor?’

My first job was a play called South Downs at the Harold Pinter theatre in the West End and an actress in the cast turned to me and said, ‘Is this something you want to carry on doing?’ It was the first time someone had asked me that question and it made me realise that I did. Before that I never realised it was something that would pay my rent.

What was the first DVD you bought?

Matilda by Danny DeVito. My friend and I can quote pretty much every line from that film.

What has been your most challenging role?

I recently did an episode of Black Mirror (Shut Up and Dance) and played a very troubled person. Trying to understand someone who I don’t feel like I’ve got any connection otherwise was tricky. But when the script is good, it makes it easier.

Have you ever had any on-set disasters?

I did a film last year called Old Boys and the character I played spends all of his time falling into muddy water or tripping over and generally being quite miserable. My memory of it was being very wet and very cold.

What’s your go-to karaoke song?

Abatina by Calypso Rose. It’s got this wonderful Afro beat to it. I’m obsessed with it.

What word or phrase do you overuse the most?

'That’s very interesting.’ Because I find so many things SO interesting. My friends make fun of me and it’s become my catchphrase.

What trait do you value most in your friends?

Kindness. I like kind people. It’s so underrated.'

What’s your go-to getting ready for a party song?

Abatina by Calypso Rose!

You’ve got friends coming around for drinks? Tell us your signature cocktail.

A martini although I’m not sure how good I am.

What are your top three most used emojis?

The puppy, the alien face and the one of a camel. I use it as a private joke with a friend of mine.

From left – right: Arinzé Kene, Conor MacNeill and Rosie Day

Arinzé Kene Age: 29 Originally from: Lagos, Nigeria and raised in London You’ll recognise him from… The Pass opposite Russell Tovey, the Netflix series Crazyhead and this year spot him in the Shakespearean drama Some Sweet Oblivious Antidote

When did you first describe yourself as an actor? That hasn’t happened yet. I have what is called imposter syndrome. I kind of think one day someone is going to come knocking on my door and say ‘Hey man, you told everyone you are an actor, but you are just a normal bloke and you have somehow tricked everybody. The majority of the time I say to people I perform rather than saying I am an actor. It just feels weird coming out of my mouth.

What was the first VHS/DVD you bought? When I was young I looked older than I was. I remember buying a film called Crooklyn, by Spike Lee when I was blatantly only fourteen and should have been much older to be allowed to.

What was the last lie you told? On my way here the driver asked me ‘Are there a lot of famous people in there?’ and I said no, none at all. What word do you overuse the most? Absolutely. I say absolutely way too much. I only realised it the other day when I was writing an e-mail.

What’s your Monday morning motivation? Meditating. I do it every morning when I wake up. I mean if you have to take a piss then do it but get right in there with the meditating afterwards.

Conor MacNeill Age: 28 Originally from… County Antrim, Northern Ireland

You’ll recognise him from… The Fall plus Channel 4 comedy No Offence. He also wrote this year’s BAFTA nominated film The Party. Talk about multi-talented.

When did you first describe yourself as an actor?

When I was 18 years old I told my teachers that I wanted to be an actor and they were like ‘Oh that is a silly thing to want to do.’ So when I landed a theatre job while still doing my A-levels I turned to them and said ‘I’m now an actor.’

What was the first VHS you bought? Watership Down. And I loved it. Apparently to the point where my mum and dad were like: ‘If we have to watch Watership down one more time…’

Tell us about the best advice a co-star has given you? I worked with a theatre actress called Eleanor Methven who told me to never look at anyone else’s career because everyone’s career is different and to just concentrate on your own.

What has been your most challenging role? My character in The Fall was a schizophrenic with convulsive and delusional disorders. That was pretty hefty. For the role I did loads of research and watched a lot of documentaries about mental health and illnesses. I wanted to be really respectful to people who suffer from it too. So I felt a lot of pressure with that.

What word or phrase do you overuse the most? Class, which is a Belfast word for brilliant. I use ‘That’s class’ all the time.

What’s your Monday morning motivation?

I just think you have got to get paid don’t you? And actually, I love the shower. If I can bring myself to shower I will spend ages in there, and a good song in the shower to listen to. That will get you going.

What is the most romantic thing someone has done for you in London? Surprised me by flying in from New York.

Rosie Day

Age: 22

Originally from… Cambridge

You’ll know her from… Granchester, Homefront, The Seasoning Hour

When did you first describe yourself as an ‘actor’?

When I was 11 I was in a kids show called Hope and Glory. I probably rather precociously said it to a teacher.

Does the acting bug run in the family?

My sister did it when she was younger and that’s how I found my way into it. But before that, never.

What do your family make of it as your career choice?

They’re very supportive. My sister is with me tonight, sat at the bar. She looks just like me.

What was the first DVD you bought?

St. Trinians. I know Gemma [Arterton] now and I still tell her, ‘I used to have a photo of you on my bedroom wall.’

What has been your most challenging role?

In a film called Butterfly Kisses, which premiers at the Berlin Film Festival next week, I play a 16-year-old prostitute from a council estate who had to sleep with people to feed her younger siblings. It was difficult to be in that mindset.

Tell us about the best advice a co-star has given you?

I worked with Suranne Jones when I was 13 and, afterwards my work ethic changed. I can’t remember exactly what she said, but she made me be a better actress.”

What’s your go-to karaoke song?

Believe by Cher. I got very drunk in Malaga once, got my ear pierced on the strip and sang this to my ex who wasn’t there.

What word or phrase do you overuse the most?

‘Like’ and ‘do you know what I mean?’ My dad always replies in an exhausted tone, ‘Yes, Rosie. I know what you mean.’”

What’s your go-to getting ready for a party song?

Anything by Taylor Swift. I’ve outgrown her a bit now but for 10-years, she was my idol.

What are your top three most used emojis?

The ghost sticking his tongue out – I’ve even got it on a T-shirt – the kissing face and the unicorn. I’m a big unicorn fan.

Josh O’Conner

Age: 26

Originally from: Cheltenham

You’ll know him from… Some great telly dramas think: Ripper Street, Peaky Blinders, and The Durrells

When did you first describe yourself as an ‘actor?’

When I got my first job on Lewis. I only had one line but had to retake it about 30 times. I’m much better now.

What was the first VHS/ DVD you bought?

Family Man with Nicholas Cage. I love that film so much. That, and Love Actually. The kind of films I’m doing at the moment are indie and art house but, in reality, I love a bit of cheese.

What has been your most challenging role?

The one I played in God’s Own Country which premiers at the Berlin Film Festival next week. I lost two-and-a-half stone and I’m already quite slight so I looked pretty gaunt.

Tell us about the best advice a co-star has given you?

I worked on Florence Foster-Jenkins with Meryl Streep – name drop there! I was terrified and filming started the day after Glastonbury so I wasn’t in the best shape. I was visibly anxious. She said to me ‘never be nervous.’ It was amazing because it worked.

What’s your go-to karaoke song?

Angels by Robbie Williams. I’m not a classy guy.

What word or phrase do you overuse the most?

‘Lush.’ I’m from Somerset and it’s very typical of that area. Plus, my ex-girlfriend hated it so I use it even more now.

What trait do you value most in your friends?

I like that they drink at my local pub with me.

What’s your Monday morning motivation?

Go to the gym but I’ve never fulfilled it. I don’t think I’ve been to the gym in, like, a year.

What’s your go-to getting ready for a party song?

Anything by Blood Orange.

You’ve got friends coming around for drinks? Tell us your signature cocktail.

I love cooking Persian food and like to eat it with a killer negroni.

What’s the most romantic thing someone has done for you in London?

About five or six years ago I was living in Bristol and someone took me to London. We stayed in a hotel and that was really exciting for me because I’d never stayed in a hotel in my entire life. I grew up camping!

What are your top three most used emojis?

The thinking face, the face that’s rolling its eyes and the fire. The last one’s an in joke and I use it a lot.

Lorne MacFayden

Age: 26

Originally from: Isle of Skye

You’ll know him from… those addictive TV series including The Level, Grantchester, Tina and Bobby

When did you first describe yourself as an ‘actor?’

When I dropped out of uni – I was studying Media Design – I had to start calling myself an actor for people to start taking me seriously. Once you make that step, it all starts unraveling.

What was the first VHS/ DVD you bought?

My Great Uncle owned a rental VHS shop so I used to watch whatever was lying around. Jaws was probably one of the first films I ever saw. To this day, I’m still terrified of sharks.

What has been your most challenging role?

Probably playing Bobby Moore. It’s quite the story; battling cancer and then winning the world cup. But, throughout filming, I was hyper aware that he was such an iconic football player and such a hero to so many people, so I had to get it right.

Have you ever had any funny on-set stories?

Whilst filming Tina & Bobby, Michelle Keegan and I were driving along in a beautiful old sixties Jag. I’m really into my music so would play stuff that was appropriate to the era. I was trying to find a track and for some reason, the Notorious B.I.G came on and my phone froze. We did have a laugh about that.

What’s your go-to karaoke song?

I actually worked in a karaoke bar for a year! Mine is A Little Less Conversation by Elvis. I don’t know the words off by heart but I have fun singing it after a few drinks.

What word or phrase do you overuse the most?

‘Sound.’ It’s an expression of general acceptance to something. So if someone says, ‘Can I get you a drink?’ I’ll reply ‘sound.’

What’s your go-to getting ready for a party song?

Depends. Probably Underworld or some other nineties rave tunes.

You’ve got friends coming around for drinks? Tell us your signature cocktail.

Long Island Ice Tea. It involves everything and can get a party started pretty quickly. It’s lethal stuff. Just what you want, right?

What are your top three most used emojis?

I use the crying with laughter one when I’m totally stony faced. The winky face I use but I HATE the winky face with the tongue sticking out. I mean, what’s that supposed to express? Don’t answer that.

Photographer: Schohaja

Creative Director: Jamie Spence

Interviews: Chloe Mac Donnell, Suzannah Ramsdale and Niki Browes

Styling: Hannah Lewis

Hair: Errol Douglas

Make up: Charlotte Yeomans

Continued below…

Meet the 2017 EE Rising Star BAFTA Nominees

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