#testing how cruz feels

[booasaur]

Special Ops: Lioness - 1x08

[elisysd]

Difficult - Gracie Abrams

Masterlist - Previously - Next Chapter

To name this feeling Would take a hundred thousand years, some kind of grieving But over what I never had, so I've been speaking To my therapist, I call her every weekend

It was raining in Monaco when Lyanna logged on to Zoom with her Macbook and Sophia's face appeared on the screen. Lyanna could see that she was at her office, which was quite rare.

“Hey, gorgeous! So how is Monaco?”

“Gloomy.” Answered Lyanna trying to show her the downpour that was taking place at that moment.

“Nice. It reminds you of London, that way.”

“Believe it or not, but I was kind of used to the sun.”

“Who are you and what did you do to Lyanna Michel? I’ve never thought that I would hear you saying that. You hate when it’s hot outside.”

“Yeah well, people change.”

“Love changed you, in your case. Speaking of, where is lover boy?”

“With his physio. He has to make some physical tests to evaluate his condition and build a plan to get him back in shape for the new season.”

“I’m glad to hear that he is okay. Now maybe, you are going to come back home in London?”

A long silence followed. Lyanna had been thinking for a few weeks. She didn't really miss London, she didn't miss her flat either, she was working very well from Monaco and then she had Charles. When she thought about London and her potential return, a lump formed in her stomach and it made her feel sad.

“About that… I’m thinking of moving out.” She confessed.

“What? Where? Do you mean moving out of the flat or of London?”

“Well both… I haven’t thought this through but… I was thinking of getting something closer to Charles. Like Nice? I have to find a real estate agent. Monaco is way too expensive for me.”

“Or you could just straight up move in with Charles instead of getting something for yourself. You are basically living together, already.”

“It’s different. I’m here because Charles needed someone to help him. It did not feel like moving – moving you see what I mean? I still want my independence and Charles will be away most of the year. I don’t see myself living here on my own. I would feel like an intruder. And moving with someone is a big step. As much as I love Charles, I’m not ready for that. But anyway, what is the oh so secret project you wanted to talk to me about?”

Suddenly, Sophia's face lit up and Lyanna could see the excitement on her face. Lyanna knew that look well; it was the same one she had worn when she had told her that her name was being seriously considered for the Oscar nominations.

“I got a call at the end of last week from Michael Mann’s team. He is working on his next movie and they would really like to have you on board. I did not tell you sooner because I wanted to see by myself what the project would look like and if it’s something that could interest you. But Lyanna, this movie can be the one to give you the Oscar. I’m sure of it. It’s such a big project with an intention to be shown at the Venice’s Mostra. That’s how big it is.”

“Wow.. okay. Michael Mann is a legend. What is the movie about? Do you know if other people have been casted or contacted?”

“Adam Driver and Penelope Cruz have signed up for it from what I’ve been told. They are searching for their last lead actress. Lead actress Lya. Up for consideration for the Oscars. Can you imagine?”

“You still have not told me about the kind of movie.” Pointed out Lyanna.

“It’s a biopic about Enzo Ferrari.”

Across town, in a private gym, Andrea and a Ferrari doctor were putting Charles through a series of tests to see how he was doing. Overall, they were satisfied with the Monegasque, who not only showed good physical health, but also an excellent mental state. He was ready to face the new season and give it his all. It was as if his accident and forced rest had mentally rebooted him. All Charles wanted to do was get back into an F1 car as quickly as possible. In fact, Ferrari was planning to do so, to test him on track and also because it would make good photos to feed the Scuderia's official accounts.

“Yeah, I talked to Silvia about that. The PR team planned a whole program to show people that I’m alive and well.”

“What have they in store for you?” asked Andrea.

“An interview in my flat, in Monaco. They also want to shoot a video like a day in my life like kind of thing. And me at the factory. And I’m going to go the FIA prize giving ceremony. She did not ask me to go, I’m forced. And here I thought that I would have had a few weeks off before Christmas… And you know the best thing? They want to include Lya. They still have not given up on the idea. I mean, I want her by my side at the FIA ceremony that’s for sure. But during the video shoot? Not sure about that.”

“And no stupid Christmas challenge with Carlos?”

“Don’t get me started on that. They want us to have a competition of who is going to make the best gingerbread house.”

“You know how they are.” Tried to resonate Andrea with him.

“I don’t mind doing that. But I don’t want them to use my relationship. Especially when I can feel that it’s purely in a marketing way. I have to talk to Lya about it and see what she wants to do. If she is down for it why not, but I doubt it. But the worst thing is that I know that even if we both say no, they are still going to do it so we might as well try to do what they want and have a little bit of control over it.”

When Charles returned to the flat in the late afternoon, it was almost dark. The living room was dimly lit and he found Lyanna, with a cup of tea in her hands, staring out of the window. Charles wondered what she could see: it was pouring rain and there wasn't much visibility.

“Hey, love. What are you staring out?”

She let out a long sigh and shrugged her shoulders, which worried Charles. She didn't look too good. He knew she'd had a telephone appointment with Sophia earlier in the day and wondered if that was the reason for her distant behaviour. He put his sports bag down in the entrance hall and walked over to her, holding her by the waist. If she usually let herself go naturally against him, this time he felt her stiffen. 

“Everything’s okay?” insisted Charles.

She freed herself from his arms and went into the kitchen to empty her cup and rinse it. Charles had the impression that she was trying to avoid him and he hated that feeling, reminding him of moments in their relationship that he would like to leave in the past.

“Lyanna?” he tried to get her attention as he followed her.

“I’m not in the mood for talking, Charles.” She finally decided to speak to him.

“Did I do something wrong? If it's because I left the toilet seat up again, I'm sorry, I'm trying to be careful.”

“Not everything revolves around you, Charles.” she replied sharply.

“So… I did something wrong.”

“For fuck’s sake, I told you I didn’t want to talk about it, so please drop it!”

Charles felt unsettled, it had been a while since he'd had an argument and he had to admit that he didn't miss it at all. He could see that something was tormenting Lyanna, he wasn't blind. The only logical conclusion he could come to, if it wasn't his fault, was the video call with Sophia.

“Did something happen with your work?”

The fact that Lyanna stopped dead in her tracks as she headed for the bedroom made him realise that he had been right. The young woman turned back and sat down on the sofa, where Charles joined her.

“A biopic about Ferrari is about to be shot and they want me onboard as a lead. It’s a huge project and probably Oscar worthy.” She said bluntly.

“What? Lyanna, that’s amazing! I’m so proud of you! If you need help to prepare, I can find archives and…”

“I said no.”

“What do you mean you said no?” asked Charles, confused.

“They don’t want me. They want Charles Leclerc’s girlfriend.” She explained with tears in her eyes.

“Come on Lya, you know it’s not true…”

The young woman stood up abruptly, startling Charles.

“Don’t be stupid Charles! I think it’s pretty convenient to be called for this movie not so long after we made our relationship public!”

“Or they think you are talented and deserve to be part of it, Lya.”

“Do you know how humiliated I felt? Do you have the slightest idea? No of course you don’t. My career is what matters the most to me. I worked my ass off to be where I am today, to feel deserving of it. And it’s still feels like it’s a big dream and that I will wake up at any minute. When I understood why they wanted me, it was like all my work, my blood, sweat and tears, all of that was for nothing. I didn’t feel like Lyanna Michel, the actress. I felt like Lyanna Michel, Charles Leclerc’s girlfriend and actress. And it hurt. So bad. I felt robbed.”

“I’m so sorry, Lya… I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have anything to say. It is what it is. But I can’t accept to make a movie like this. I would wake up every day wondering if I stole someone’s place. And I would end up hating you because of that, and that’s the last thing I want.”

“I still think you should take time to think this through, maybe talk with the people involved.”

“There is nothing to talk about. My decision is final and I’m asking you to respect it. I should not even have said something, it was stupid you don’t understand. You can’t understand.”

“I understand! Truly, I do! But it’s something that we could have sorted out together, instead you preferred to do things on your own. I don’t to be an obstacle to your career, Lya. I want to see you succeed.”

“It’s my career Charles. I can do whatever the hell I want! I don’t interfere in yours so please don’t interfere in mine!”

“How do I interfere? Tell me? I don’t because you never talk to me.”

“What is the point? You know who could understand me? Arthur. He knows what it feels like to be associated to you and how painful it can get.”

It was a low blow for Charles.

“Don’t bring Arthur into it, please.” He told her with a serious tone.

“Why shouldn’t I? Have you ever wondered how he could feel? To always be in your shadow, to be compared to you? I never thought that it would be something that I would one day experience but here we are.”

“You are being dramatic. Really. It’s just a movie, Lya? Why are we fighting?”

“It’s deeper than just a movie. It’s about my place in your life. It’s about balance. How would you feel if tomorrow you would get a sponsorship with a brand because you were my boyfriend?”

“I would be proud!”

“Let me doubt that.”

“Listen… I’m tired and I’m stressed out. And obviously we are both stubborn about it and fighting is pointless. I’m going to go to bed.”

Seeing the young woman heading for the guest room rather than their bedroom, Charles questioned her.

“I don’t feel like being near you, right now.”

This hurt Charles; it felt like his heart was being torn in two. He spent an absolutely horrible night, tossing and turning all the time. And when he got up the next morning with the firm intention of having a frank and calm discussion with his girlfriend in order to find a solution, he had the impression that it was no longer his heart that had been torn in two, but his soul. She was gone.

========

author's note: It's always one step forward and three steps back between this two. I'm curious, where do you think Lyanna went? Is he gone for good? Is she just out for a walk? Who knows (me I know) Let me know your thoughts and theories, I can't wait to hear them. As usual, a like, a reblog, a comment help giving visibility to the story and it supports the author! taglist:

@zendayabelova @purplephantomwolf @ru-kru @dakotali @blueflorals @aundercover @ruleroftheuniverse @fangirlika @writerscurse @elijahmikaelsonbitch @leclerc13 @karmabyfernando @stargaryenx @pitlanebabe @boiohboii @reengard

If you are tagged but did not receive any notifications, please check your settings because it means that Tumblr didn't let me tag you.

[ygsunflower]

I was listening to Post Show Recaps podcast reviewing Special Ops: Lioness Ep 1 & 2. and the two hosts brought up something that inspired me to dive a little bit deeper into Cruz’s character: They pointed out that the Marine officer was kind of using Cruz’s trauma/experience to recruit her. They then mentioned in the US how going to the military sometime is a mean for people to be able to afford college education. The fact that they are just high school graduates, barely 18 years old, and they are signing up for something that might be so much bigger than what they could comprehend at such a young age is crazy. Their conversation got me thinking, this also fits Cruz’s narrative with the military. I mean, I always low key view this show as a military/CIA propaganda recruiting program, but these two hosts made me view Cruz’s journey through a new lens (though not sure this is what the show intended for us to see)- Cruz almost serves as the opposite example of why the young teens/adults, especially troubled individuals, should join the military without hesitations for the second chance it might provide them.

Cruz had a tough upbringing, and even into her early adulthood, her life was full of chaos, abuses, instabilities, and she was unloved. Her first military encounter was so positive that she jumped right on it as her means to get out of her toxic relationship/environment. The Marine officer literally saved her from her abusive boyfriend. You can’t get that “hero/savior” image more straightforward than this. So just like those teens/young adults, she joins the military for a simple reason- it allows her to achieve whatever she wants to in the future. This opportunity gives her a future. Of course, she wasn’t really thinking the deeper meaning of being a marine and being in the military. She probably just thought- oh so apparently I performed well on the written test, and I just aced my physical exam. And on paper, military saves life, so why not? Things will only go up and life will get easier and simpler from now on. Little did she know, and even little did she prepared for the harsh implication of joining the military.

She would probably be fine if she just stayed as a Marine or a typical soldier, because neither depends much on her to perform solo. She got to excel, but she also had the protection of an unit. It’s only when she was thrown into a solo espionage mission where she only had herself making all the on the spot decisions which could lead to the life or death of not just the mission, but also her own life, her team’s lives, and possibly the government’s interests, she started to really consider the weight of being in this line of work. She started to question what she singed herself up for all those years back. I imagine her internal turmoil kept growing as she met Aaliyah and started to develop true feelings for her. With each passing day, Cruz’s realization that this life is not what she wanted only grew. She’s not made for this type of work, at least not as fit for the work as her boss, Joe. In the last episode, Cruz completely lost it, and screamed this in Joes’s face- Joe subscribes to the ideology of the CIA work, and she truly believes in it. As much as this job demands of her, she’s making the conscious decision to pursue it because that’s what she considers necessary for the just/noble cause (in her view). Cruz wasn’t like that at all. This new perspective also helped explain in my head why Cruz sometimes seem a little un-spy-like because this is literally the point. The longer she stays in this mission, the more uncomfortable and unfit she becomes for the job. She joined so she could have safety, stability, and a possibility of the freer future. In my head, she didn’t mind/care much about the military’s ideology until it went against her feeling loved for the first time in her life. And from that moment on, the cruel reality of being in the military became insufferable. What she thought could be a mean to her ideal life turns out to be the force that prevents and even destroys her chance of ever living her ideal life with her loved one... So in the end of S1, Cruz was alone, lost, and broken because her dream was once again shattered by reality.

Laysla really nailed Cruz’s internal turmoil in my opinion. The rigid posture, the hesitation, the pained and dulled eyes… You see how Cruz broke down little by little throughout the season. You see just how much all these burdens and conflicting feelings were eating her up alive especially when she’s with Aaliyah.

Hope we get a S2 where we get to see them exploring more of Cruz Manuelos, and the Aaliyah x Cruz relationship after the bloodshed. I’d love to see how this incident affects Cruz and Aaliyah.

[palaceofimperium]

ARCH & SEAMUS #2

“So it has begun?”  Seamus was leaned up against the doorframe to Arch’s lab, a brow raised, with his arms crossed over his chest, causing the shoulders of his finely tailored suit coat to pucker slightly.

Arch looked up from the potion he was in the process of gathering the ingredients for to pin the demon with a stare that would have caused lesser males to wither.  “You’ve heard, I take it?  Do we have a leak in the Palace?”  A dark brown brow of his own rose, letting more light play off of his light blue eyes.  Eyes that remained trained on the stately silver haired demon as he pushed off of the wood frame to saunter into the room more fully.

“Not unless you consider Arioch a leak, dear friend.  He knows I consider those within dear to me, and thought that reinforcements might be needed in the coming days should Damien decide to mount an offensive to get his daughter and her fiance’ back.” A smirk formed on Seamus’ lips as he watched Arch’s eyes roll.

As much as the demon of revenge and the mage played at not liking one another much, Seamus knew the truth that they were friends behind the scenes.  Sometimes subterfuge was required to keep the enemy guessing.  Since Arch believed that they had enemies within the Palace, that meant hiding the truth from all but those he considered closest to him.  He considered himself honored to be amongst those the mage considered a good friend, and therefore knew reality.

“No.  I do appreciate him advising you of the situation.  I assume you have also heard about the visitor who arrived last eve?” Arch now stood erect and turned to make the two of them tea.  “It was the most exciting of days.  I am hoping we have some calm for a stretch, but I fear that is not within the plans of the fates and destiny, old friend.”

“I have heard.  A most unusual circumstance, indeed.”  Seamus replied as he rested one hip against the heavy wooden workbench Arch had previously been working at.  “I have also been advised that the newest immortal in Imperium’s companion is to be avoided, lest I set him aflame.”  He grinned, slightly malevolently.

Arch chuckled, “I’m surprised that Abriella hasn’t gagged him and hog tied him in a closet after his behavior. She often surprises me with the amount of restraint that she possesses.  He is just lucky that he faced her and not Cruz regarding the whole matter I believe.”  Pouring the water over the leaves he had macerated, and leaving them to steep, he turned to face his friend and his expression went from slightly amused to more serious.  “This is where the darkness becomes stronger.  The shadows will become long and the pain within the palace more acute.  I wish I could change it, Seamus, but all I can do is stand back and watch. My frustration is growing, but at least working with Olly and the new human, Amaya, will keep me distracted.”  

“I also heard rumor that the Prince that Ms. Gail had spoken of having been found.” It seemed that things never did slow down in the Palace. Sometimes he wondered how Abriella kept her sanity, but then again she was the Horseman of Death.  Was she truly sane?  There were questions.

Now Arch was surprised.  This was news to him, but then in the last 24 hours both he and Olly had been rather focused on Amaya.  If other things had been transpiring in the Palace or elsewhere, they would not have caught his attention unless someone brought them to him specifically.  “I was unaware of that, but something told me he might show up when she disappeared from Earth.  He appeared in her dreams, after all, and dream walkers cannot enter the dreams of those in Imperium. I wonder how Abriella will handle that.  If he is truly a Prince of another realm, this could get very interesting.  ” 

“Abriella is meeting with him now topside.  I have a feeling they will be returning for the tests to begin shortly.”  Seamus knew that this fulfilled more of what Arch had foreseen, and it seemed to trouble his friend as much as it did him.  The darkening of his friend’s countenance said as much.

“You know what comes next.  What will happen, and what it then leads to.  I cannot stop it, Seamus.  I cannot even warn those it is going to happen to.  I am powerless to intervene lest the Fates take action against me.”  The weight of it all seemed to make the tall mage slump some. He could do nothing but mitigate as much of the damage as he could and protect those who were not involved in what was coming….and what was coming was dark….

reblog banner by @cafekitsune

[equius]

The stylus is cool to the touch as he expertly flips it between his fingers. It has a decent weight to it, despite its small size. He crosses his legs, catching a sliver of his argyle-printed socks as his pant leg rises up just slightly. The idiot tailor finally got his damn measurements right.

Staring down the long, wooden table at the other executives, Maxwell raises an inquisitive eyebrow, not wanting to wait any longer for any answers, waving his hand in an exasperated manner to get someone, anyone, to open their mouth.

“Well,” one of them finally says, “I would like to see more hard data, rather than just your projections. Are you conducting current experiments?”

“Of course, Mr. Cruz,” Maxwell answers calmly, the gentle smile on his face a work of perfected artwork, as fake as can be, and fooling even the most knowledgeable. “I currently have three shells actively being tested with live brain matter, and another sixteen are in production, being modified from the past and current tests ran.”

Cruz nods, satisfied with the answer, but he still doesn’t look too convinced yet. “I would rather confer with my own staff and wait for the results of your tests before I commit to a partnership,” he says at length, to which several of the other men seated at the table nod in response to. “I have always admired your work, Mr. Rose, but you’ve seemed just a few steps behind lately. I hope that this isn’t indicative of your projections for the future.”

“On the contrary, it should speak volumes of my caution, as I am extensively testing until things perform correctly, instead of just moving along with errors. Also the care I put into my work, and that which I hold for my partners, as I would never in a million years consider asking anyone to form a business agreement with me were my work not perfect.”

The words are like broken glass, arranged to form a window. Transparent, and obvious. He is so full of shit, and so is everyone else in the room.

Another executive clears his throat, and the entire room collectively participates in a silent groan. “Even with the data you’ve provided,” he says, tossing the datapad back onto the polished table top, “It is still a paltry success compared to what’s going on over at Braytech.”

Restraining himself from screaming, Maxwell forces another smile, the corners of his eyes aching from how painfully fake it is. “As you know, Mr. Kim, Maxcorp is more people-focused, as I’ve made a point to dedicate my work and both its benefits and profits alike to my partners and the company shareholders, whereas Mr. Bray has been growing more and more reclusive as of late, and hides his work behind closed doors, sharing it with no one.”

“The point still stands.” Kim rises from his chair, nearly prompting Maxwell to stand up instinctively along with him. “I am not willing to back any kind of project without the kind of exceptional data that Clovis--”

“THIS IS NOT FUCKING BRAYTECH!” Maxwell shouts as he jumps to his feet, both of his hands slamming down on the walnut table. His chest heaves as his veins surge with a dangerous cocktail of rage and adrenaline, and he can feel himself trembling against the seams of his expensive suit. “You will not, no.. you will NEVER compare me to that piece of shit again. Not now! Not ever!” 

Fingers sliding under the edge of the table, Maxwell presses a hidden button, and the board members begin to rise apprehensively as they watch the windows of the room shutter themselves automatically. The vents in the floor open, and the room is now filling with a sleeping agent in gaseous form, developed by Maxwell himself, and has made himself immune to. He stands there, casually adjusting his sleeve cuffs as the crowd of executives have made a mad dash for the door, only to find it locked, and curse his name in various languages before they inevitably succumb to the effects of the drug.

Humming a lively little tune, Maxwell straightens his tie, presses the button again to reset the board room, and begins collecting the datapads from the table. Carrying them all under one arm, he meanders over to the clustered pile of unconscious bodies at the door, sorting through them like a pile of socks, and registering their thumb prints to each contract pulled up, pledging their money to his business, and their lives to his experiments.

Stepping over the pile of people, Maxwell opens the door, finding his assistant standing there, waiting for him. “Start with Kim,” he says, pushing the assistant out of his way, “I’ll be down to the lab in twenty minutes; have him prepped and ready for transference.”

The sound of ceramic shattering forces him to open his eyes.

Maxcorp is gone. The bright hallway lights are gone. His human hands are gone. Everything is gone and everything is dark. He blinks with eyes that do not exist, drowning in darkness that is so damning that it feels like his brain is suffocating. He drops to his knees, gasping for breath with a body that doesn’t need air in the lungs it doesn’t actually have. He can feel broken ceramic shards around him from the plate he was carrying. Dropped. Shattered. The nerves in the carbon appendages he calls fingers tell him so. But what are they? Sensory pads and wires and conductors and oh my god what is happening to me??

The howling is guttural and horrible to hear. It sounds organic, like something a body made of metal should not be able to produce. Amidst the involuntary wailing, a small, metallic voice cuts in, calling out the same name over and over. Shift. Him. Me. Who am I. What am I. Oh god what have I done to myself, what have I done to everyone else? What have these hands done, these hands that I can’t see. Oh god, oh god, oh god, fuck fuck fuck FUCK!!!!!!!!!!!

He’s curled up on the floor, a shaking carbon form amidst scattered ceramic shards.

The sound of a nearby transmat goes unnoticed, as does the sound of hurried, frantic shuffling. A hand on his shoulder. Three fingers. Large fingers. 

“Don’t touch me!” he wants to scream. But he can’t. He can’t override the howling, the howling, the howling.

His body is being lifted up like he’s nothing more than a sheet of paper. Held. Cradled. He can smell gunsmoke, peppermint, and ether. He can smell it with the nose he doesn’t have, registering its familiar scent with that of Misraaks, in the brain in a jar he has trapped inside his cranium. He can hear Misraaks saying something, but he can’t hear it over the sound of the howling, the howling, the howling.

He can feel his body settling, molding into a comfortable shape in the arms of the large Eliksni. He can hear the familiar rumbling chitter inside Misraaks’ chest as he breathes. Are the howls quieting? Or is his head just so close to the Eliksni’s body that it’s drowning them out? Don’t know. Don’t care. He focuses on that sound, wrapping it around his mind and soul like it’s the only thing in existence that can tether him to reality. Whatever this hellish existence is, it’s still better than the one he’s lived hundreds of years before, with his hands soaked in blood and the pockets of his designer suit overflowing with money.

He howls. He wails. And he weeps. He gasps for breath that he doesn’t need in a body that isn’t his, made possible by the lives of people who once lived and then died on his watch for his own dime. His innards are cables and wires and they’re pooling with the blood spilled that was used to create what he is and what he has been. His brain remembers what he wants to forget; this was done intentionally. He had once wanted to remember, and now he wishes to forget.

To what purposes does endless memory serve him if it causes the kind of pain, agony, and internal betrayal such as this? To swallow non-existent bile in a carbon-coated throat at the memory of smiling as the life faded from a metallic body with a brain placed inside of it, like a box of crackers in a cupboard. To what purpose, and to what end?

It’s quiet now. 

He can feel one of Misraaks’ hands gently petting down his back in long, deliberate strokes. Three seconds long, and repeat. Okay. Focus on that for a moment. He tries to exhale a steady breath, but it’s more of a crumpled groan that was trapped in the back of his dentae. It makes his entire body shudder. Misraaks’ hand doesn’t falter.

“You are safe,” Misraaks says simply, “The only harm that befell you is in a place I cannot reach. But you are safe. I am here.”

Gunsmoke. Peppermint. Ether. Gunsmoke, Queenbreaker. Peppermint, candy. Ether, food. 

He shudders a second time, trying to settle, and he can’t. Body wound too tight, like a coiled spring, ready to let loose at the slightest touch. Body hurts. Body aches. Heavy torque. Neural lines overloaded like a livewire from his toes to his neurodes. Body hurts. Body aches.

“Help,” he finally says. His voice is raspy. How is it even like that?

“Tell me what troubles you,” Misraaks replies. The words rumble deep in his chest. It sounds like home. He sounds like home. “Even if I am unable to provide you with a solution, I will listen to you, Shifre, the stars in my sky.”

“I don’t know if I can.”

“Then say what you are able.”

“I don’t know if you’ll want to hear it.”

“I do.”

“It’s not good.”

“No less am I.”

Gunsmoke. Peppermint. The peppermints are in the kitchen drawer, next to the drawer with the silverware. Misraaks is quite fond of them. He usually sneaks a handful or two whenever he buys a new bag from the corner store.

“I don’t want to face what I’ve done.”

“We must all do this, even I.”

“Like that time with Eido and Eramis?”

“Yes.”

“Did it hurt?”

“More than I could ever say with the words of either tongue.”

“Did you feel better after?”

“No.” Misraaks shifts his position a little, cradling his Guardian closer to him, now able to rest a gentle hand on the back of his head. “But it helped Eido. And it helped me, even if it did not feel that way at the time.” His clawed fingers gently rub the smooth metal casing of his exo cranium. “I still feel the pain of that moment, but I also feel the light that blooms in my chest from the healing that followed, like flowers that grew from the gaping wounds I never let heal.”

“Will the hurt always be there?”

“Yes. But.. in time, it might not be as painful. You cannot heal until you allow the process to begin.”

The smell of ether is sharp and pungent. He can practically taste the cold, alkali notes in his mouth. Misraaks had just come from his meal. Come here? Had Sights gone to find him? 

“Would you go through the process again, knowing what you know now, having experienced just how much it hurt to get there?”

“Mm. Yes.”

“You might not approve of what I say.”

“My approval is negligible,” Misraaks says plainly, his hand still moving in those three-second strokes down his back. Comforting. Gentle. “I will listen to what you say, but I cannot excise the pain you feel, as much as I wish I could. I can provide comfort, but you must open yourself to receive it. Do not punish yourself by denying yourself that.”

“You think I’d do that?”

“Well.. I did that. And we are very alike.”

Peppermint and ether smell good together.

“We are.”

[redlerred7]

OC Elias Cruz

This is my first drawing in years of Elias without his crow mask on. Also, I think I've forgotten how to draw his prosthetic legs. I need to look at my old drawings; maybe retool the design a bit.

Backstory/character summary under the cut

Elias wasn't very good at most things, but one thing he was quite skilled at was football (soccer). He took to the sport at a young age and quickly grew in skill, to the point that he was being offered sports scholarships to various universities before he'd even reached highschool.

Shortly after becoming a highschooler, he got into a car accident that injured both of his legs. His doctors told him he would eventually heal, but they also advised him to maybe not play football anymore, just in case. He ignored the advice and returned to playing football as soon as he was recovered enough to play again.

For several months, he played the sport at a high level with no issues. Then he began feeling an accute pain in his legs whenever he played. This lasted for several more months, the pain eventually becoming chronic and ever-present, slowly increasing in intensity over time. Around a year or so after the pain began, and nearly three years after his accident, he finally bit the bullet and met with doctors again to look at his legs.

The doctors asked some questions and did some tests, eventually determining that his legs had not completely recovered at the time he resumed playing sports. They'd been usable, yes, but putting so much physical strain on them while they were in such a state prevented them from fully recovering, and was in fact only injuring them further. And unfortunately, this has been going on for so long that the doctors weren't sure they'd be able to save his legs anymore, let alone fix them enough that he'd be able to keep playing football.

Indeed, despite their efforts, the doctors failed to save his legs, forcing him to quit the sport.

In the years that followed, he tried to pursue several other sports that would allow him to be competitive in crutches or a wheelchair, but none of them offered the same satisfaction or fulfilment that football gave him. He reluctantly gave up on all sports entirely.

And eventually, he found himself giving up in general. He coasted along, putting no effort into his studies or his health. He stopped leaving his house. He stopped bathing. He even started treating his family and former friends like trash to make himself feel better. He became a monster.

Then one day, in a moment of bleak clarity, he realized that he didn't want to live like this. And unfortunately, that realization did not lead into the decision to better himself. He did something much more permanent.

He purposefully overdosed on his pain medication and died a few hours later. He next awoke in the Dream with the power to numb the senses. He now uses that power to confront his fellow Dreamers, either easing their pains so they may carry on, numbing them so their second death may be painless.

[endlesstwanted]

To See Your Photo When I Wake Up

I’ve been thinking of my fav three lately and I wanted to give them some fluff. This was inspired by @queer-it-up-bingo — OTP and @monthly-challenge — Sunshine. You can read it under the cut and on Ao3 here.

Fandom: Chicago Fire

Rating: General Audiences

Pairing: Sylvie Brett/Joe Cruz/Brian "Otis" Zvonecek

Tags: Canon Divergence, Established Relationship, pDomestic Fluff, Huddling For Warmth, Polyamory

Summary: Joe and Brian wake Sylvie up early on their free day to show her something very special.

Wordcount: 1.1k

Also created for: @fandombingo | Sylvie Brett + Reverse: 1999 Edition | It’s Coming / @multifandom-flash, r2 #2003 | Bunnies for Cuteness + r2 #2005 | Piggyback Cute / @eclipsingbingo | Huddling For Warmth

Hugging her bunny plushie tightly so as not to lose it between the sheets, Sylvie rolled over herself to change her position with the idea to enjoy her free day staying in bed for as long as her body let her.

That usually worked on the second free-day between shifts, but on the first one her working clock told her it was time to wake up, and made sure her partners were also awakened before leaving for the firehouse, around seven am.

Not today, she thought to herself, relaxing again and trying to focus back on what she was dreaming about before she had brightened up. And then came the whispering at the other side of her door.

It was weird that Brian and Joe were up before her, so Sylvie opened an eye and reached her phone, wanting to check what time it was. Minutes past seven in the morning was what the numbers on the screen told her, so her only wish quickly turned to be that nothing terrible had happened to have her partners up that early.

She stayed alert out of curiosity, trying to figure out what they were talking about until she heard her name. And then she knew they were up to no good.

If this was happening a few months back, her fear would have been that her boyfriends were having another disagreement about their relationship and dynamics, since living the three altogether and being co-workers didn’t make it any easier for any of them. Sylvie knew that the two best friends held feelings for one another since the first time she met them, and it had taken both men some time to come together and make peace with that. None of them confessed a thing, of course, until she came into the picture and became the glue into their peculiar love triangle, bringing them closer than they’d been now that they didn’t hide anything that their hearts felt. For this reason, Sylvie was afraid of being the focus of any argument and being a threat for that friendship they treasured so kindly.

As the low voices continued, she thought of getting up but didn’t as she heard the door to her room being silently open.

“Sylvie,” Joe whispered as he approached her bed. She pretended to be asleep, testing the waters to see what it all was about. “You think it’s a good idea to wake her up?” Joe then said over her; Sylvie figured out Brian was at the other side.

“She can’t miss it!” Brian responded but not in a quiet tone.

Curiosity was taking the best of her, so she made herself be noticed. “Miss what?”

“Okay, how long have you been awake?” Brian asked with a smirk, she got to see thanks to the light in the living room coming through the door when she rolled over to be on her back. 

“Since you started whispering on my door five minutes ago,” Sylvie told them.

“Sorry about that,” Joe said with a closed smile, and then threw a deadly glare to their boyfriend, who just rolled his eyes.

“I’m not apologizing, you started it! But I’m doing something better.” He sat down on her bed, leaning to kiss her still sleepy face. “Let me carry you to the living room.”

“Can Geogie come?” she questioned, raising a teasing eyebrow as she asked about her bunny plushie.

“Georgie is always welcome to join us,” Joe nodded, bowing with his arms folded to serve as support for Georgie.

Sylvie got out of the sheets, handing her beloved friend to Joe and then climbed on Brian’s back. His hands were warm where he kept her secured over him, leaning forward as not to lose his balance with the new added weight. They walked outside her room, and Sylvie realised she didn’t get to find out what the discussion was about and only knew where they were heading. “What’s in the living room?”

“The first sunrise of spring!” Joe explained with a huge smile, rushing to be the first one to reach the couch that was not in the place it was usually at.

She frowned, confused because from their apartment’s level they usually couldn’t see the sun coming out, but perhaps that was the reason why her boyfriends were that excited about it (and up so early, too).

Brian left her in the middle of the couch, which was turned to face one specific window of their living room, and had the coffee table accommodated around it as well.

“We’ve made coffee, and hot chocolate for you,” Brian told her.

“It’s early, so make sure you don’t get cold,” Joe warned. He gave her Georgie back and picked up one of the blankets that were over one of the arms of the couch.

Sylvie hugged her bunny while she let Joe lay out the blanket over the both of them. Brian served two big cups of coffee, one for Joe and the other for himself. After passing Sylvie her favourite mug, that was shaped like a koala, with the steamy drink that welcomed a great day she was looking forward to spending with her partners.

She snuggled with Joe, getting under his arm to keep the warmth between them, and then opened her own for Brian, after some sips of his coffee, to get comfortable over her.

The sun came up in the horizon, as slow as Joe played with Brian’s hair, who was more relaxed than Sylvie had lately seen him. She held him tightly with one arm, watching the sun rays hit their window and light up the scene at the other side of the glass while she enjoyed the hot chocolate. It was Joe’s secret family recipe that he only made for special occasions, so that had to be one of them.

It wasn’t long that she had moved to Chicago, but time had started really counting for her when she moved in with ‘Crotis’, as Joe and Brian called themselves. The first sunrise of spring was something she hadn’t paid attention to in the past, due to having been living alone when it occurred. Now, in the quiet of the home she had built with the man she was in love with, Sylvie welcomed the experience of sitting front row for the nature show her partners had been kind to share with her.

She would thank them for insisting on renting that place in particular, reasoning that the views were incomparable, later; when they woke up from having dozed off between caresses and soft kisses.

[code-pain]

Ciel's theories

Because I can, in here mainly are about protagonist, and it's gonna be long, literally... kinda messy because I only copy paste all I can find, I'm going to fix some part later when I'm free with ss and all info.

Protagonist past

We know very little about them, all we know is that they are part of the Queenslayer operation, the question is why does Cruz seems like she really trusts them in vestige and intro (tutorial) dialogue.

There's a theory about the two characters being cousin, but in anime style like this most character that being related will be design to have similarities, either their hair type/color, eyes color, or even nearly look the same in some parts, while Cruz and protagonist (default/canon) seems like doesn't have any similarities.

And then we have Karen in protagonist vestige, they might be already a friend or some kind from Gregorio Silva dialogue he seems already close with protagonist or trusted them, even talking about having a drink after the mission done.

Silva being Cruz father and already know about protagonist so here I can assume that protagonist and Cruz already know each other before the great collapse, which mean protagonist automatic also know Louis, based on how close the relationship between Louis and Cruz.

Cruz seems like she trusted them, the possibility is that they might be a classmate in the past, based on Louis dialogue he seems to feel familiar around protagonist (not because I'm a simp I just talk to him a lot and I nearly memorize all dialogue he have).

Until now I'm going to stick with Protagonist-Cruz-Louis are a close friend in the past (before great collapse)

Protagonist relic and vestige

Where and how actually protagonist got the relic? It's never actually mentioned everywhere canonically how they got it, the popular theory being them just drained queen's blood and got the relic.

But with Aurora dialogue I don't believe in that theory, she mentioned that there's a procedure that have to be done to get the relics, resulting it's impossible if protagonist just got the relic from draining queen's blood ("it's because they the MC, they're special~" idc it doesn't match with what aurora says, and protagonist literally just going to frenzy at the time right after protagonist drained queen's blood)

Protagonist fall into the ravine in government area, while when we start the game you notice that protagonist wake up near red mist, and I assuming that gov are in the middle of redmist, so how can protagonist revive far away from where they died (while the last mistle they touch are in gov)? They didn't die by the mercy kill.

Protagonist might wake up a few days later after the mercy kill, from the unused cutscenes it shows how protagonist might be die and wake up in the tent (protag vestige) by getting stab on the chest and damaging their heart. Then they wake up two days later after that, in here we know that protagonist being stronger than average revenant (Karen dialogue)

In here I think protagonist wake up later on a few days later, and trying to find the others, then they ended up getting selected to be a successor of blood because of their compatibility. They might trying to go somewhere maybe check on Aurora/Karen but ended up died in the middle of the area leaving their vestige behind.

↑ alt ver, they might ended up get into a part of Mido experiment in some way, Mido might tested the blood relic (Mido have the relic and put it in protagonist) and protagonist ended up losing their whole memories by the test, later on they try to run away and ended up dying then wake up near the redmist (prologue place)

[icharchivist]

It really does make me wonder if Uther ever actually died or not

yeah same!!!

Like i said he could be brought back for the deads (wales family) or manipulated into it (Dindrane), or a mix of the two, re: surviving but probably magically altered in some way.

if Merlin has been doing all sort of experiments to see if he could bring back Uriens after all, it's not unrealistic to imagine he would have tested some form of "bringing back" on Uther, especially since he also carred for him.

we know Uriens' body was completely destroyed in front of Merlin's eyes, so it means that for instance Merlin can't just "tie Uriens' soul back on his own body" (if that's even possible)(and it explains his interests in homunculi with Cruz and in taking Mordred's body), but if Uther's body was still in one piece he could have been experimented on to see how far he could go with that, if Uther died at least.

If Uther survived but in bad shape, Merlin would have tried to keep him alive in some way until he can get Uriens back.

... or maybe i'm also all wrong and Uther survived and is helping from his own free will, but this feels off. As in like, i don't think it'd be as dramatically interesting if it's another "revenge filled and alive", and Merlin mostly works with his loneliness and stripping it by having Uther alive and well feels off to me. If Uther is alive i think he's not in his right mind at all, at least.

[girlinlotsoffandoms]

day twenty two - blood loss

notes: this one might be a little icky for those of you who don't like reading about blood

read on AO3 or below

Fire stations were thought to be a safe place. Between all the rescue equipment, supplies, and trained personnel held inside their walls, few places were safer than a fire station. For the people of Chicago, Firehouse 51 and the other CFD houses were seen as places of safety and security. Sure, there had been moments where Firehouse 51 hadn’t been a beacon of safety—like when protesters swarmed the station, a bomb was left outside, or when someone with a gun broke in (more than once)—but as a whole, the house was safe.

Until it wasn’t. 

The day had started normally with no one suspecting how quickly their day would change. 

The shift had been slow so far, with only two easy calls in the 8 hours they’d been there. Slow days were few and far between for 51 so when those slow days happened, they tried to use them to their advantage. For some that meant resting or cooking, for others it meant catching up on cleaning, organizing, or restocking, but for Squad 3 it meant drills to master new skills and testing their equipment to make sure everything was top-notch. The CFD had just gotten a shipment of new K12s for the Squad teams and Kelly wanted to make sure his team knew their new gear, in and out.

He took pride in his guys and their unit. Squad 3 was one of the best Rescue Squads in the CFD and Kelly wanted to uphold that reputation. That meant staying on top of their skills.

If you asked any of the Squad guys what happened, they wouldn’t have an answer; it all happened so quickly. One minute they were working with their new K12 saw against their prop door and then, in a split second, everything changed. The saw malfunctioned, causing the blade’s safety cover to fall away just as the saw lurched upwards. The spinning blade, no longer protected by the safety cover, made contact with Kelly’s arm.

The blade sliced into his forearm easily, like a hot knife cutting through butter. 

Kelly screamed; a loud, pain-filled yell reverberating through the firehouse.

The contact was brief, lasting mere milliseconds before the saw was pulled away, but the damage was done. 

There was a large gash down the length of Kelly’s forearm, spanning from just below his elbow to a few inches before his wrist, and the cut was deep.

Blood poured from Kelly’s arm, coating his uniform, the door, and the floor beneath him. Kelly groaned loudly and pulled his arm closer to him.

Capp grabbed a nearby towel (thankfully they were planning on washing the trucks later that day), wrapped it around Kelly’s arm, and squeezed tight. Kelly yelled again.

“Sorry Lieutenant,” Capp murmured apologetically. “But we’ve got to slow this bleeding down.”

Kelly understood but that didn’t make anything feel better. The pain in his arm was killer and he didn’t know what concerned him most: the blood loss or the numbness in his hand. Given that the towel Capp had wrapped his arm with just seconds later was now completely soaked with blood, he figured that was the most pressing issue (and probably the cause of the numbness).

That much blood in such a short amount of time was not a good sign.

Tony grabbed a new towel and traded off with Capp to apply pressure to Kelly’s arm while Cruz helped elevate it.

Between the blood loss and the shock, Kelly was really starting to feel the effects. He was lightheaded and feeling weaker by the second. He did get an adrenaline rush, just enough to keep him from passing out, as the sound of running feet signaled the arrival of the rest of the crew.

“We heard a scream, what’s—” Casey cut himself off at the sight of all the blood. “What the hell happened?!”

“Something happened with the saw! It cut Severide’s arm.” Cruz answered.

“Oh god,” Stella groaned, taking in all the blood covering her fiance, his team, and the floor beneath him. She wanted to run to him, be there with him and comfort him, but she didn’t want to get in anyone’s way. 

Brett and Violet surged forward, immediately slipping into paramedic mode. Violet yelled for Gallo to grab their med kits and the truck rookie quickly brought them over. Brett and Violet quickly pulled on a pair of gloves and started their exam.

“Severide, how we feeling?” Violet asked as she grabbed his uninjured arm. She moved her fingers to his wrist to check his pulse and frowned at what she felt.

“Dizzy,” Kelly mumbled. “Can’t feel my hand… wish I couldn’t feel my arm.”

Violet snorted. “I bet.” She traded places with Cruz and took over elevating Kelly’s arm.

The towel Tony had been using to apply pressure was so caked with blood that Brett had to carefully pull it away from the sliced flesh of Kelly’s arm. When she finally got it away and could see the damage, her eyes went wide and she shared a look with Violet. The others got a clear view of Kelly’s arm too, and it made them sick.

The cut on Kelly’s arm was deep with jagged edges thanks to the saw’s teeth and there was still so much blood pouring from the wound. Kelly’s arm was so stained with blood they weren’t sure it’d ever be clean again.

What concerned Brett and Violet the most was the fact that the blood was pumping in sync with Kelly’s pulse.

Brett quickly grabbed a trauma dressing and placed it on the wound. She knew it wouldn’t stop the bleeding, but she was hoping it’d at least slow it a little.

Violet grabbed a tourniquet out of the med kit. She locked eyes with Kelly as she carefully repositioned his arm. “This is going to hurt but I think the saw hit an artery and we need to get the bleeding stopped.”

Kelly nodded and tried to prepare himself but it didn’t help. He groaned and cursed quietly before nearly passing out. Cruz, Capp, and Tony stepped in to hold him up.

With the tourniquet on, the bleeding had finally stopped. Everyone took a breath but it was hard to relax with all the blood still in front of them. Blood aside, Kelly didn’t look good either. His normally tan skin had lost a lot of color, he was sweating, and he looked ready to collapse at any second.

Violet reached for his wrist to check his pulse again. She looked at her PIC. “We need to go. Now.”

Brett nodded and finished wrapping gauze around the trauma dressing. Once that was done, she grabbed the med kit and hurried to the ambulance. Violet followed behind, helping the Squad guys get Kelly safely in the ambulance and on the gurney. Stella climbed in quickly after and Brett was speeding off to Med before the bay doors were fully even opened. 

[feetoffire]

olympic jumping qualifiers this time. less in-depth because of how quick the rounds are vs dressage tests, and i’m sure i missed some details, especially in terms of tack/tack names. if anyone is actually reading these and knows the names of things, please tell me!

(please assume everyone is in a running martingale, they're so common i quit mentioning them.)

Spain: Ismael Garcia Roque on Tirano. pretty gray. i know it’s hard to not have (some) mouth gape when you’re fighting about speed (i jump too) but i can’t help cringing. interesting running martingale set up - i don’t think i’ve ever seen one like that. 

Austria: Katharina Rhomberg on Colestus Cambridge. also a gray. three rails down, which is rough.

Mexico: Carlos Hank Guerreiro on Porthos Maestro WH Z. that is an…interesting set up. looks like a normal noseband and drop noseband on the same bridle? not sure i like it/why not just use a flash

Switzerland: Steve Guerdat on Dynamix de Belheme. a mare! her blaze is cool :) she’s gaping a lot coming out of the arena - again, i get it, you do really have to fight them on tempo sometimes, but i’m still cringing. knocked a rail or two; that triple combination has gotten everyone so far and i think it’ll continue to do so.

Sweden: Henrik von Eckermann on King Edward. i have no idea what’s going on with his bridle. i think that’s a net of some sort to keep the flies off his nose? idk. kinda cool that he has no browband. watching the jumpers’ big canters is awesome. the first pair to go clear and inside the time! i think he threw a shoe on that last jump - something shoe-shaped goes flying in the slo-mo replay.

Japan: Taizo Sugitani on Quincy 194. this boy wants to look at the crowd and go. not the cleanest round i’ve ever seen - my instructor would have made me go back and do some of those again (in a lesson). 

Poland: Adam Grzegorzewski on Issem. several rails down - this course is tricky. 

France: Simon Delestre on I Amelusina R 51. a stallion - look at that crest. so much gape. too much gape, even for a jump course. i want a closer look at his bridle - two sets of reins. 

Ireland: Shane Sweetnam on James Kann Cruz. okay that’s a decent pun. i wonder how old he is; he’s really grayed out. the bit set up looks ridiculous - there’s so many straps. 

UK: Ben Mahler on Dallas Vegas Butilly. this mare has some favorite cities, it would seem. she’s got a nose net thing too. low, tight frame in canter before the round started. they’re also clear and in time! she’s frothing tho 🙁

Germany: Christian Kukuk on Checker 47. nice, plain figure 8 bridle for once. he does a little extra kick with the back legs as he’s in the air over the jump. clear and in time. 

Israel: Ashlee Bond on Donatello 141. it’s always interesting to see how much sheepskin each horse likes; Donatello has it on all three straps of his breastplate. 

USA: Laura Kraut on Baloutinue. i like them. came in nice and quiet, gave Baloutinue some pets before they started. fantastic, chill feeling round/not frantic at all. clear and in time (5 seconds under!)

Netherlands: Maikel van der Vleuten on Beauville Z. for a horse who apparently likes wiggly lines, they looked very straight through the triple combination. also a nice round - boring, as my instructor would say. (that’s a good thing)

Brazil: Pedro Veniss on Nimrod de Muze. i couldn’t help it, i laughed at the horse’s name. there’s some head tossing, especially as Veniss tries to steady him before a fence. clear and in time. 

UAE: Omar Abdul Aziz al Marzooqi on Enjoy de la Mure. pretty dark bay. happy ears, even over the jumps. nice pair. 

Saudi Arabia: Abdulrahman Alrajhi on Ventago. red ribbon tail, watch yourselves y’all. his stirrups are green to match his coat and the saddle pad and ear bonnet. it’s cute. lots of sheepskin on the breastplate. not the ride Alrajhi was hoping for, methinks - he was shaking his head a little after the round. 

Australia: Hilary Scott on Milky Way. a gray mare, as her name suggests ���� sheepskin on her breastplate too. four rails down, but a nice ride in other respects. 

Canada: Mario Deslauriers on Emerson. head tossing in the turns and coming up to some of the jumps. two sets of reins - i don’t think it’s a double in the two bits sense, but there’s a definite elevated-control situation happening. looks like there’s a star under his fly bonnet! touch of froth. 

Belgium: Gilles Thomas on Ermitage Kalone. gorgeous chestnut and a big bold blaze. he’s got a nose-fly-net thing. lovely round (clear and under time) and lovely ride (no gape or froth). i like this pair.

[cljordan-imperium]

Alright CL. This one is very self indulgent so feel free not to answer it but I was wondering how your OCs would react to Heaven? Would they get along well?

Okay, so there are going to be multiple characters answering because...well, they are excited for this. They are from 3 different storylines - @theimperiumchronicles (obviously), @bombsbodyguardsbroken (multiple), and @magical-mistakes-vm. So...here we go!!

I'm going to break this down by storyline, and then by character

@theimperiumchronicles

Abriella -

Brie would love her! She's fierce, she's protective, she loves Arthur scars and all. Brie would be like, YES SISTER, come on in, bring the human and I'll boost whatever magic you need. Need me to bring back some ancestors from the dead, I'm a necromancer bitch!

Cassandra -

ANOTHER WITCH!! OMG!! Do you do naked moon dances? How do you scry? Do you do blood magic or crystal magic? I'm mated to Lucifer, YES...THE LUCIFER?! Need help?? You have a direct line, babes!! Let's have tea and dish!

Arch -

He would observe and be cautious. He is not into dark arts, but is a mage, so he mixes potions, crystals, poultices, and mystical powers. He is very protective of Cruz and Abriella. As long as she is not a threat to them, he might engage her in discussions regarding her magic, if she needs protective amulets for Arthur and herself, any charms or potions/poultices and the like.

Arioch -

Arioch, the demon of revenge is going to see her like a little sister. He'll be protective and assist her in keeping Arthur safe, maybe even doing her dirty work for her, keeping her hands clean. Being able to do the work from the other side of the veil, there will be no trace of how it was done or who did it. He's a demon after all, so it's not like the blame can be left on the human side. They'll get along wonderfully.

Lucifer -

He'll sit back and wait for Cass and Heaven to need something. Imagine him sitting back on a chair, legs outstretched, smirk on his face, arms crossed over his chest, and just shaking his head. That's Luc. He's just amused his woman is excited as hell.

Jasper -

*sigh* Jasper is probably the first one to get stabbed. He's...he's Jasper and he'd be himself. He likes to test limits. Once he'd been an ass enough, he'd love the fuck out of her and take her under his wing like Arioch. He'd help her take care of Arthur and since he plays in the world of the Blinders with Anna and her friendship with Rose & Alfie, he can help run interference without her having to kill Alfie. Doesn't want to upset Anna now.

Anna -

Anna would want to help Arthur because she always wants to fix the broken, so she'd rope in Jean Pierre and Armaund (so we'll just thrown them in with Anna). In that way, they'd just bring Heaven into the fold like a broken person too. She's been damaged and hurt in the past and they'd just love her and try to protect her too. She might be the one that stabs Jasper, it wouldn't be the first time.

Kellen -

Kellen would be curious. Cautious, but curious. He'd want to know where her powers came from and why she is so quick to use them offensively. He'd want her and Arthur to come to the Uffernian Palace so he could study her. Safety for both of them would be promised so he could learn more about her history and magic. The only reason curiosity hasn't killed this panther is he's a very powerful demon.

Grae -

Unlike his boss, Grae would be on guard. He would keep Ada far away from her or Arthur. He's already protective of her, but if he thought she'd be in any danger from a woman who's ready to kill if she thinks Arthur is in any danger, not a chance. He's still trying to figure out Ada's powers so he would not risk it. He'd be careful around her too. Grae knows what he means to Ada, which means he would not risk angering the witch.

Dartan -

If he managed not to get killed, again, I think they'd get along. He was a powerful warlock in his first life so they would have much to discuss. However he has the personality of rough grit sandpaper against raw skin.

Amaya -

Amaya at first would be a little trepidatious, I mean the last spell she did DID end her up in literal hell and married to Dartan..ish. So, she'd be friendly but kind of skittish and shy. Once she felt a little more comfortable, I think they'd be great friends. If Dartan can keep from being, well, the current Dartan, then I think they could be a great foursome, like two couple friend group. Hell would have no fury like the four of them in Small Heath. Dartan is going to help Amaya with her magic eventually so if they were to meet after that, they'd be crazy deadly, like they could take all the Sabinis out in one swoop kind of deadly.

Mithos -

Mithos is another vengeance demon AND he is Co-Captain of the Queen's Royal Guard. The vengeance demon part of him is going to adore her and her style. The guardian side of him is going to totally understand her protection of Arthur. If you have read the scene I posted the other day where Brie almost went into Stasis you know how far he'll go for those he cares about. He will kill and he will die for Abriella, any day any time. So he would understand, and he would help her. He honors those who have love and loyalty.

Seren -

Seren is the Princess Royal and daughter of an ex of Korben that went on to marry one of his good friends and now is a "gift" to him that was originally to be his ward. Yeah...complicated. She's also been sent to study at the Mage Consortium in Uffern. (I have a spreadsheet to keep it all straight when my brain stops working...seriously) ANYWAY...she would find Heaven absolutely fascinating. First, the magic. Seren holds innate magic she's been using her whole life, so she'd want to talk to her about her skills, and how she got them. The whole history. She'd find the treatment of Heaven's family horrific. Then would come her protection of Arthur. This would be a foreign concept to Seren. She's always been a tool. Her mother was a tool, an object, a means to an end. She would adore Heaven, but not understand her love and protection of Arthur.

*****

@bombsbodyguardsbroken

Melania -

The daughter of Marie LaVeau magic is no secret to her, she's seen the darkest of the dark. She's called upon the ancestors herself. She understands protecting those she loves and would want to help Haven if she could. Make it so that she feels safe and that Arthur is safe. She also knows what it's like to not be able to trust family. Mel was killed the first time by the woman who she thought was her mother, requiring Marie to resurrect her, which is when she learned who her true family was. In the current story she will end up being forced to kill one brother and try to kill her true father. So, loyalty is paramount to her.

Dontanion -

A powerful Voodoo Priest, he is the most powerful of the family. He would be interested in Heaven's abilities. He would even offer to show her some protections she might not be aware of and ways to invoke the ancestors and beings from the other side of the veil. And wait till Heaven meets Fluffy!

Francois -

While not as powerful as his brother, his energy is darker and he is more intimidating. Both brothers had to stand by as Melania grew up, unable to tell her who they truly were and also unable to intercede in many things that happened that hurt her. Now the truth is out, they too protect her the way that Heaven wants to protect Arthur. He too would want to help her and develop/strengthen her magic in ways to help her protect him. Also in ways to help her heal the trauma of his past so the demons are held at bay longer.

Mama Marie -

Marie LaVeau herself, the most powerful Voodoo Priestess that has ever existed, and ever will. The Queen of the Bayou. She would accept Heaven as a child of hers, no matter who birthed Heaven or what she had done in the past. She is a soul who need love and practices the craft, that is all Marie needs to know. She adopts lost souls and gives them a home and a mom to come to when they need. She would try to gently guide Heaven where she could, and support her. Give Heaven the family that she had stolen in the past, the love and support a mother can, and welcome Arthur in as well.

@magical-mistakes-vm

Vollrath -

As a Master Warlock, Vollrath would see it as his duty to ensure that Heaven had everything she needed but also that she was not going too far, which might cause conflict. He can be...abrupt/abrasive/an asshole. He comes from a good place but his people skills suck ass. Mahala is going to work on that, but...I think it would go badly, but yeah... However, anyone coming after Heaven would die, and die very ugly. He would not ask questions, he would not give second chances. You come after a witch in his territory and your life is forfeit, whether he and the witch are on good terms is not a variable in the equation.

Mahala -

In contrast Mahala would be in awe. She would have a gazillion questions and just want to know everything. Heaven would be instantly accepted just as she was. Arthur would be loved as like a big brother. Mahala would offer them a family like bond, and want to learn from Heaven to help protect Arthur too, and even to protect Heaven from anyone who came after her. She'd see anyone coming after Heaven as the hunters that Vollrath has mentioned. And, Vollrath said they have to die...so.... *CRINGE*

SOOO...that is how my OC's would see her. At least the ones that immediately went ME ME ME ME ME ME...If any more of them pop up my brain might just turn to pudding. LMAO

[beefromanoff]

Going Under - Ch. 6

summary: the morning after...lots of fun, lots of fluff.

characters: Bucky Barnes x OC

soundtrack: sooner or later - popium

warnings: fluff, pop star fantasy x love story, set in an AU where the Avengers reunite after Civil War, pre-infinity war, slight angst, hurt/comfort, lonely reader/OC.

author’s note: wanting to rush into the action I have in mind, but also loving the slow burn and the fluff. UGH, decisions. thanks for reading, xo!

chapter list/links

- xo

_______________________________________________

Bucky woke up to the sound of Gianna Cruz's soft breathing beside him. A sentence that, only a few short months ago, he would have thought only existed in some kind of Mad Libs game. He laid in the plush bed, feeling the warmth from her small body against his right side. Careful not to move, he took a deep breath, trying to comprehend what this meant for their relationship. 

There’s no relationship. She was scared, she didn’t want to be alone, and you’re assigned to protect her. Simple as that. This changes nothing. 

Bucky reprimanded himself for the thoughts running through his head and the electricity running through his right arm as Gianna slept soundly draped across it. He shifted on his pillow and looked at her, her blonde hair splayed across the pillow with it’s natural wave present from sleeping with it wet. He wished Kate would let her natural hair show sometime. Every day she had a show, press, a shoot, or even a fitting - her glam team would leave her hair with big, blown out curls and a face full of makeup. Not that Bucky minded, he loved her concert looks. They reminded him of some kind of princess from a children’s movie, with her gorgeous long locks and outfits so ornate that they glittered wherever she walked. But now, looking at her sleeping, he couldn’t help but think it was a crime that the world never saw this side of her. 

Her light complexion was dewy from sleep, her face completely relaxed. Her lips rested in a pout just above where the comforter was curled beneath her chin. The little blonde ringlets framed her face and made her look almost angelic. Taking a sharp breath, Bucky suddenly needed to move. Lying next to her was testing a part of him that he wasn’t sure was strong enough to withstand it. 

As he sat up to stretch, Gianna stirred beside him. "G’morning," she said, a sleepy smile on her face. Her eyes were still closed, and she yawned, burrowing her face into the pillow. 

Bucky smiled back, feeling the sense of warmth in his chest double with her awake. "Good morning sunshine. How did you sleep?" he asked, his voice coming out as a grumble.

Gianna sat up and stretched, yawning again. "Like a baby. No, like a rock. Thanks for staying with me last night," she said, raising her eyes to meet his..

Bucky shrugged, trying to play it cool. "Ah, it's my job, remember?" he said, a hint of teasing in his low voice.

Gianna rolled her eyes, laughing. "Yeah, yeah. Something tells me that sleepovers weren’t in your contract.”

“If they had been, maybe I wouldn’t have been so hesitant to sign it.” As the words left his mouth, Bucky’s stomach flipped. He was only teasing, but wasn’t sure how she’d handle the overt flirtation.

Gianna didn’t miss a beat. “At least make sure they give you overtime pay for all this extra work.” She winked and gave him a light push, her hand lingering on his chest for just a moment longer than usual. 

He loved how physical she was. She hugged, didn’t shake hands. If she was ever excited about something, anything, she would clutch his forearm as she spoke, eyes wide. When she thanked him at the end of every night when he walked her back to her hotel room, she would squeeze his hand before disappearing behind the door. Her little teasing shoves barely moved him, but on the inside, they knocked him on his ass every time. 

 Let's go get coffee," she said, getting up from the bed. Sometime during the night, she had slipped out of her robe and ended up in an oversized t-shirt. She turned to walk into the bathroom and Bucky caught a glimpse of the front of it. 

Smirking, he called after her. “Nice shirt.” 

It was one of the shirts being sold at the merch tables for her tour. Four variations of her photo were etched onto the front, while all the tour dates and cities were listed on the back. 

“Don’t make fun of me,” She whined, poking her head out the bathroom door as she tucked her hair into a baseball cap. “I actually brought this up here to give to you, and then last night was such a blur and I just grabbed it…” She trailed off, blushing when she saw his amused smile. 

“I don’t wear my own merch, okay.” She put her hands on her hips and raised her eyebrows, looking defensive but smiling all at once. 

“Hey, no judgment from me, if I had my face on a shirt then I’d never take it off.” Bucky held his hands up, feigning innocence. “Unfortunately, that’s more of Cap’s thing.” 

“There you go again!” Gianna laughed. “Name dropping all your famous friends! Oooh, I’m Bucky, I’m besties with Captain America and Black Widow. Ooh, I live with the Avengers, Ooh ooh, Tony Stark is my boss!” 

Bucky rolled his eyes, chuckling at her theatrics. “Okay, first of all, Stark isn’t my boss. Second of all, I definitely name drop you when I talk to all of them. So at least it goes both ways.” 

Gianna paused, halfway through slipping her jeans up under her big shirt. Bucky tried not to look, and tried harder not to make it obvious how hard it was not to look. 

“Don’t tell me the Avengers, the Avengers, know who I am.” She stayed in her crouched position, jeans around her knees and eyes locked on Bucky. 

“G, everyone knows who you are. That’s kinda why I’m here.” 

She straightened up, tugging her jeans the rest of the way and buttoning them. A self-satisfied smile spread across her face as she reached into the closet for her sneakers. 

“Do they listen to my music on secret missions?”

Bucky chuckled again, relieved that she’d finished getting dressed before he really had to put his self control to the test. “We don’t really listen to music on, uh, secret missions.” 

“But if we did, it would definitely be yours.” 

She scrunched her nose at Bucky, and he could tell she was trying to play it cool. It was a feeling he was all too familiar with these days.

“So you name drop me to your friends?” She had finished getting dressed and strode towards where he sat on the edge of the bed. Her eyebrow was cocked mischievously. 

“Ah, maybe once or twice. When I think it makes me sound cool.” 

She stepped closer, standing nearly between his knees. Even though Bucky was sitting down, they were eye level, their height difference less apparent like this. 

“How cool will you sound when you tell them you slept over with me?” Her voice had a hint of joke in it, but her voice was lower, almost alluring. 

“Oh, they’d see right through me.” Bucky diffused with a joke. “They know I don’t have much game, they’d think I’m lying.”

Gianna eyed him, as if trying to decide if he was joking or not. “Maybe we should prove it to them.” 

Before he could respond, she had turned and picked up Bucky’s phone from the nightstand. 

“Take your shirt off.” She instructed as she slid the camera function open. 

“Wh-” Gianna cut him off. “Just do it, trust me.” 

Reluctantly, Bucky grabbed at the back of his shirt and tugged it over his head. He worried for a moment about how Gianna would react to his scars, the ridge where his metal arm fused to his shoulder, but she didn’t bat an eye. On the contrary, he thought he saw her blush, her eyes running down his chest. 

“Get under the covers.” She pointed behind him, clearly amused at his confusion. 

Bucky eyed her as he slipped his shoes off and slid his legs back into the unmade bed. Gianna tossed her hat to the side, stepped over his shoes on the ground and into bed next to him. She wriggled underneath his right arm and tugged the covers up around her shoulder. 

“Here, take our photo.” Gianna thrust Bucky’s phone into his hand. 

She laid her head down on his chest and closed her eyes, burrowing close to his neck. Bucky felt like his skin was on fire where her cheek laid on his bare chest. He swallowed hard and prayed to God and Thor and anyone who would listen that she couldn’t hear his pounding heartbeat. 

He looked up at the phone and realized what she was doing. He took all the confidence he could muster and winked at the camera, snapping the photo.

“Let me see!” Gianna sat right up, snatching the phone back from him. She laughed out loud. “This is PERFECT. Art, really.” She hit the message button and started typing. 

“What’s the name of your group chat? Do the Avengers have a group chat? Do you all even text, or is there some kind of super secret telepathy you use?” 

Bucky gave a resigned laugh. “We have a group message, yeah.” He reached for his phone and typed in “roommates” then clicked the top result. 

“Wanda named it. She thought it was funny.” Bucky said, answering Gianna’s amused look. In two taps, she had sent the photo. 

“Now we’ll see how cool they think you are.” She winked and hopped out from underneath the covers, slipping her shoes on. Sighing, Bucky reached for his shirt. 

“Wait-” Gianna grabbed his wrist. “I have another idea.” She grabbed his shirt and disappeared around the corner into the bathroom. He wondered why the sudden discretion after she’d paused, pants down, right in front of him only a few minutes prior, but was interrupted by a white shirt being tossed at his face. 

Gianna had emerged from the bathroom wearing Bucky’s Stark Enterprises shirt from the night before. He was holding the t-shirt with her face on it, still warm from her body. He opened his mouth to protest, but the ornery glint in her eye made him think better of it. Slipping it over his head, he wondered what he was getting himself into. 

“This may be your best look yet.” Gianna teased, slipping her room key into her back pocket. As Bucky finished putting lacing up his boots, he stood. 

“I hope you’re enjoying this.” 

“Oh I am, and you can’t say no, I had a bad night.” She joked, slipping under Bucky’s arm as he held the door open for her. 

They made their way to the lobby, both with baseball caps on, a half-hearted attempt to be discreet. As they walked towards the sliding glass doors of the lobby, Bucky saw a small crowd of photographers waiting for them. He straightened, quickening his pace to be ahead of Gianna. The switch from their lighthearted morning to his protective nature was immediate. Out of habit, Gianna fell into step behind him, staying close. 

The sliding doors opened with a whoosh and they were bombarded with flashes and questions. 

“Gianna, are you going to press charges after last night?”

“Gianna, what happened at the tour?” 

“Ms. Cruz, will you be increasing security after the incident?”

“Gianna, over here!” 

“Gianna, that new song was an instant hit, did you expect it to go viral so quickly?”

After years in the spotlight, Gianna could easily tune out the constant barrage of paparazzi questions, but the last one caught her attention. Wide-eyed, she looked straight at Bucky. He glanced down at her, a hint of a reaction behind his ever present poker face. 

Thanks to Bucky’s metal arm, they made it to the coffee shop across the street quickly and easily. Once they’d placed their usual orders, Gianna pulled out her phone. 

“Oh my gosh,” She exclaimed. “They were right, our song is everywhere.” She flipped her phone towards Bucky, showing him the trending page on Twitter with her name occupying the top three spots. The first two had to do with her attempted ‘fan’ attack, but the third was #GoingUnder - the name of their song. 

He watched as she scrolled, soaking in all the love for their song after less than 24 hours. Truth be told, he didn’t feel as much excitement about the song being so popular, but the way her eyes lit up as she took it all in made his heart nearly burst at the seams. He wanted to see her overflow with joy every day. 

Bucky found himself feeling grateful that he had been assigned to this case. He had never expected to become so close to Gianna, but he couldn't deny the connection that had formed between them. Over the past few months, they’d gotten closer, but the past 24 hours had taken them to a whole new level. Now, he stood in the middle of a coffee shop, wearing a shirt with her face on it and looking at her proudly wearing his. 

For the second time that morning, he wondered how this was all real. 

As they made their way back to the hotel, they managed to avoid Tom’s manic search for them and slipped back into Gianna's room just in time for her to get queued that the bus was ready to leave for sound check.

As she grabbed her bag, Gianna turned to Bucky with a smile. "Thanks for this morning. It was nice to just be normal for a little while," she said. “I feel like I haven’t laughed like that in a while.”

Bucky nodded, feeling that familiar warmth rise up in him. “Not the worst morning I’ve had," he smirked, reaching for her bag and hoisting it over his shoulder. 

As they made their way to sound check, Bucky glanced down at his phone.

“No fucking way.” - Steve 

“OMGGGGGG, yes! So here for this!” - Wanda 

“Grandpa’s got game. Who knew.” - Tony 

“Groupie isn’t a bad look for you, Buck.” - Natasha

He chuckled and tucked it back into his pocket.

[remembertheplunge]

4/10/2023. 

Today, I showed up for jury duty today. Had to be there  in the jury assembly room.at 1:15pm. This was in the Superior Court House in Stanislaus County, Modesto, California.  I’m a criminal defense attorney. I first came to Stanislaus County in 1984. Since then, I have had many jury trials in that court house. I have also Been a potential juror several times. But, I’m always excused because I am a defense lawyer. Still, being a part of the jury selection process is a great education for me. I get to see how it feels to be a potential juror. I notice my reaction when, in a criminal case, I first see the person accused of a crime or crimes. And, I study how I first feel when the judge tells us what the person is charged with. 

The accused man today was a 30 something well dressed handsome African American man. I looked at my fellow jurors to see how many were African American. Only 2.  Highly likely it  will be hard  for the accused to get a to get a fair trial based on race. There were four armed police officers in the court room. 3 male. One female. The were positioned in close proximity to the accused. This could send a message to potential jurors that the accused was a dangerous man. Another reason the accused would have trouble getting a fair trial.

Then the judge read the charges. Vehicle Code 2800.2(a) Flight from Police.  I thought “ Why didn’t this case settle? What are the accused man's defenses. A very low intensity charge.”

And then the judge began to ask the first 18 people selected if they could be fair. There were about 80 of us called up for jury duty to Department 6. A kind of alchemy occurred as the potential jurors began to answer. The room converted from a court room into a collective report card on humanity. A kind of a litmus test of where, we as a people and as a society, stand now.

One woman said that her son or brother, someone close to her, had been involved in a high speed chase in Oakland resulting in the police shooting and killing him. “And, today is his birthday” she said as her eyes welled with tears.  I was overwhelmed by the woman’s powerful delivery and by her compassionate indictment of law enforcement. Another woman said “Another  court found my son guilty and gave him life. The verdict was overturned by an appeals court . I don’t believe in the system. I can’t be fair.  A man, probably in his 50’s, said that when he was 17 he had been beaten by the police. He could not be fair in a case where police would testify.

At this point, the defense attorney asked for a meeting with the judge and the DA outside the presence of the potential jurors. We were sent back to the jury assembly room. After some time, we were told that the case in Department 6 had settled. 

I’m not sure why it settled. But, I can’t help believing that the testament of those 3 potential jurors in this era of George Floyd and the many others killed wrongfully by police didn’t have something to do with it. Especially since the accused man in department 6 was a young black man.

End of entry

Note: the phrase “Report card on humanity “ comes from the movie “Snowfall on the Cedars." In the movie, a defense lawyer begins his closing argument by telling the jurors that every once in a while a group of 12 people, the jury, are asked to give a report card on humanity”. I quoted this line in a closing argument in a co defendant gang murder case I was in from August 4, 2014 to January 28, 2015. There were 4 other defense lawyers who gave closing arguments in that case. So, I can’t take full credit for the hung jury that resulted. The case ended up on about May 25, 2015 as a 17 page story in the Sunday magazine in the New York Times! You can still google that article at New York Times Magazine: "How do you define a gang member? Jesse De La Cruz."

Continued to April 18, 2023 post

[dhaaruni]

Some pretty rough poll numbers for Biden just came out today. I know it's way too early to worry about Trump winning in 2024, but I just wanted to see where you are right now in your level of concern.

Also, the map below seems like a pretty easy path for Biden, no? We know that Arizona and Georgia are trending blue, so I feel like in a Biden-Trump rematch specifically, Biden just has to win those two states again, plus Nevada and Michigan (not that hard, and definitely easier than winning PA or WI). Any thoughts on this path?

Hi!

My two cents on that ABC/WaPo poll is that of course all presidential elections will be close because of Republicans' advantage in the electoral college, but this is one poll where Biden's approval is markedly lower than in all other polls, and also, if you look at the sample size, it's like 20% Democrats, which is really not representative of the country. I'd just throw it in the averages and move on since it's also like 18 months before the 2024 election and a lot of things can change in that time.

Getting down into the nitty gritty, I think Georgia is the bigger issue for Democrats than Wisconsin or Pennsylvania because Brian Kemp won by 8 in 2022, and even Mandela Barnes in Wisconsin only lost by 1 while Governor Evers won another term. I also think Pennsylvania will be fine because Josh Shapiro and John Fetterman won in relative landslides in 2022.

At the end of the day, I think Biden wins his 2020 states with North Carolina and Texas as light red tossups (with Trump and Cruz on the ballot, Texas will be closer than 2020 although Trump will still likely win it by 2, which may be enough to knock off Cruz if we're lucky since he'll almost certainly underrun Trump), and if Biden is winning North Carolina, he's won the presidency. Post-2020, what worries me is that the election won't be called the night of, which means there's additional chances for Trump to yell about election fraud but then again, election deniers faced a real penalty in 2022 so here's hoping that it's not as crazy as 2020.

The thing is, we all knew by like mid-morning November 4, 2020, after Wisconsin was called at like 2am and Michigan was called hours later that Biden had won the presidency, and it really was bullshit that the Republican legislature of Pennsylvania refused to count the votes (although I think there's a law against counting mail-in ballots as they come in which is another issue) and Nevada refused to call it for Biden until Pennsylvania did. That's part of why Florida gets called immediately, like they have the best ballot counting operation in the country.

I'd say a good litmus test for 2024 is how Florida and North Carolina go, like if Biden wins North Carolina and keeps Florida within 5, he's won the presidency so rest easy, but if they're called extremely quickly for Trump, and especially if Duval County aka Jacksonville, which flipped to Biden in 2020 flips to Republicans in 2024, start worrying.

Also, nobody wants to admit this but Ron DeSantis will absolutely clean up the Sunbelt; I flat-out don't see Arizona or Georgia as blue states, I see them as anti-Trump states! Brian Kemp won, and Maricopa County suburbanites literally intentionally split their tickets so that Kimberly Yee, the only normal Republican, won by 20 even while Mark Kelly and Katie Hobbs also won. They WANT to vote for Republicans, they just don't want to vote for crazy freaks who give off school shooter vibes, and while DeSantis probably won't play well in the Midwest, I see him handily winning the Sunbelt. All polling has him winning Georgia by 5!

But anyways, does that offer some insight?

[lucasfights]

Sterling vs Cejudo :) (How to Bet, How to Watch)

O​nce upon a time there was a man, a victorious man, who rarely lost. Some claimed he was the greatest, others dubbed him overrated, but gold is gold, and his resume speaks for itself. Henry Cejudo is an Olympic Gold Medalist, and a two division UFC Champion, who's resume is littered with a who's who of world-class talent. With a win over 'Mighty Mouse' Demetrious Johnson, a TKO of Tj Dillashaw, a victory over Marlon Moraes, and a dismantling of Bantamweight G.O.A.T Dominick Cruz, he retired. With two belts, and the feeling of a job well done. In the meantime..

P​eter 'No Mercy' Yan beat Jose Aldo for the vacated belt, while Aljamain Sterling beat Cory Sandhagen in a #1 Contender's match, which set up a paradigm shifting encounter between Yan and Sterling in an empty Jacksonville arena. What then ensued is one of the most infamous moments in UFC history.

T​he bell rings, Sterling comes out strong, mixing up his attacks, confusing Yan, and dictating the pace. Yan patient, counterpunches, knocks down Sterling, and maintains his composure in a round that did not start his way. Sterling, maybe due to nerves, starts to tire out, Yan smells blood. Yan begins to proggressively dismantle Sterling, as Sterling gets more and more and tired, and Yan more and more emboldened. The 4th round starts, and the rest of the fight seems like a mere formality, until.. Sterling is grounded, with his knees on the floor, and Yan throws a variation of a soccer kick, with his knee, and nails Aljamain in the head, which is illegal. Sterling, already gassed, and losing, rolls around, clearly not wanting to return to the fight, and after a couple minutes, and a bit of showmanship on Sterling's part, the fight is called. Aljamain Sterling is the UFC Bantamweight Champion, winning by DQ. Mad.

T​he time come's for this wrong to be righted in the universe, Yan get's a rematch, and opens as a -450 favorite. Aljamain comes out, as the Champion, and fights a much smarter, more composed fight. R1 was contested, but Sterling clearly won rounds 2, and 3, and Yan won 4, and 5. The judges give the controversial decision to the champion, now 2-0 against his Russian nemasis, and still the UFC Bantamweight Champ. Aljo then gets a test against Dillashaw, who comes in with a hurt shoulder, he dispatches him in two rounds, and still relatively unproven as a Champion gets the biggest test of his career, the career winner Henry Cejudo.

S​o what happens? Does Cejudo come off a 3 year layoff, and smoke this young champion, who seems to get better everytime he fight? Yes, early ,and here are some picks.

M​y lock is 'Cejudo inside the distance at -125' for a couple reasons. If the fight goes the distance it's a push (your money is returned), regardless of who wins. Aljo isn't known to stop people, he has, what we in MMA call, pillow hands, and if he were to stop Cejudo, the only way he has stopped people reliably has been by rear-naked choke, and there is no chance he takes Henry's back. If Aljo wins, it's because of youth and athletiscm, and it's in a decision. When Henry wins, it's inside the distance, by TKO.

H​enry has stopped Marlon Moraes, TJ Dillashaw, and Dominick Cruz, all in his last 3 fights, and all in the first 2 rounds. Aljo is argueably the most aggressive of the bunch, and is going to look to put a pace on Cejudo, Cejudo is better everywhere, he'll pop him, stuff a takedown, chop his legs, and pit him out. 'Cejudo in 1,2, or 3' is +450, take it and run my friends.

L​ast but not least is my big money one, 'Cejudo by TKO in R3' at +1600. If I had to choose a specific scenario to happen, it would be this. Aljo is learning, I don't think he's going to run at Cejudo. Cejudo does a nice job of controlling the center of the octagon, he's most likely going to dictate the pace of the fight. Aljo's awkwardness is where he's going to try to level the playing field, but it won't be enough. Cejudo's going to come in, chop the legs, tire him out, and make him panic. I see Aljo starting to frustrate at the end of the second, and Cejudo catching him towards the beginning, or middle of the third. Cejudo by TKO in the 3rd, make some money my friends.

T​his card is stacked though, and although I don't think any of these other fights need that comprehensive of a breakdown, there are some picks I really like. Jessica Andrade to win at -180 is a good price for one of the best girls in the world. Andrade is a former World Champion, and doesn't look any slower, she should win this one pretty easily, and Gilbert Burns to win at -145. Belal is good, but watch the Leon fight, there are levels, and as good as he is, he isn't great. Burns is, and he's going to make a statement in this fight, take it and run my people, take it and run.

-​Freehoneyy