#thank you for the ask and for creating the game [saluting emoji]

[johnbly]

for the ask game: 6, 11, 22?

6. i struggled with, but triumphed over: i can't claim to say i remember how writing this went bc it was years ago but trying to forget the flames was for a holiday exchange. it's the only fe4 fic i've written (save a cobweb-covered wip for my boy eldigan) and it was for characters i wouldn't have written otherwise AND there was some description stuff going on so

Erinys finds herself beginning to anticipate Silvia’s moves. Perhaps dancing isn’t so difficult after all. The motions on the ground control Erinys in the same way that simple nudges of her pegasus’ flanks control the flight. Without thinking, she adds in some of her own flair. A bend of the knees here, a twist of the chest there… It takes her several seconds to realize that Silvia is no longer guiding her. As soon as Silvia had noticed Erinys finding the rhythm, she’d stepped back to fully feel her own. Rather than falter, Erinys continues to sway. Her movements are uncertain and a little clipped, but she’s beginning to understand what Silvia finds in the activity. After all, how many times has Erinys taken her pegasus for a ride to clear her thoughts?

11. characters i want to write more in the future: well it goes without saying that more potc things are desired. i need to write an elizabeth and james fic at some point. but i'm gonna go with The Lads because i do love them. will there be more dragons with them in the future? possibly. who knows. But Lads.

“Do you know anything about dragons?” Hornblower asks. Bush blinks. “Dragons, sir?” “Yes, Mr. Bush. Dragons.” “Almost nothing. My youngest sister finds them interesting, but I don’t remember much of what she’d say about them.”

22. something blissfully self-indulgent: ok so in a sense this whole fic is self-indulgent bc like five people in the world like him. but. from the fallen knight aka my 19k fernand study aka a good deal of the reason why i need you to play echoes and the deliverance dlc

“There will be no dragging anyone out of the castle tonight,” he promises. “That is, unless Clair embarrasses herself or Clive while mingling with the other attendees.” Clair’s cheeks pinken. “I’ll have you know that I can socialize perfectly well, thank you. And you’re in no position to lecture me on it, since all you ever do is stand around with Clive.” “Touché.” There’s no heat in his voice, not like when she’d thrown Clive’s words about his preference in women back at him. Fernand’s lack of interest in pointless small talk is something he owns, not keeps quiet. “And yet, here you are, standing with us.”

excerpt ask game!

[her-storybooks]

First Encounters: Aaron Hotchner & Y/N

Summary: Prompt – First Meeting. Y/N hated first days, but she knew how to adjust herself to make a good first impression. She was quick to peg those around her, but her new boss was less easy to figure out. Author’s Notes: Hello my dear, dear, readers! I didn’t realize, but whilst I was on hiatus, I reached over 700 followers on Tumblr! I can’t believe it! To say thank you (and because I only have a few weeks left until I start work and have no personal time), I’m creating a series of short one-shots based on ‘rosewritingprompts – Emoji Writing Prompt Game’ from Tumblr. But as well as this, my prompt requests are also open if you want to send over your ideas! Any rating, any idea, anything! What does your Aaron Hotchner loving heart desire? Head over to my page and leave me an ask. Thank you so much, my dear readers! Love to you all! – her-storybooks.

/N’s POV:

She wasn’t wanted, that was clear by the way Strauss described Y/N’s new leader. She practically spoke with gritted teeth as she explained his stubborn nature. Y/N painted the picture in her head. A middle aged, greying man with a soft belly, short stature who didn’t respond well to newcomers or constructive criticism. Walking beside Strauss as they stalked through the halls of Quantico was electric at first. Other agents made way for them as they passed by, everyone nodding their hellos respectively. Not just to Strauss, but to Y/N as well – in case she was a person of importance. But once they stepped through the doors of the BAU, that feeling of pride was gone. Agents turned in their chairs, looking the two women up and down suspiciously.

“If I could have all of your attention,” Strauss spoke loudly, waiting until every agent turned their eyes to meet her. Y/N saw the woman smirk as men from offices up a short flight of stairs looked out of their windows with a frown. “I’d like to introduce you to your new team member.” Strauss turned to Y/N, who stood like a deer in headlights at the judging stares of her new team. Strauss nudged her gently when she failed to take her prompting.

“Oh! Me? Right! Uhh… Y/L/N! SSA Y/L/N/! But please call me Y/N. Y/N/N if you like.” She was stuttering like a nervous teenager. Not an ideal first impression to a room full of experienced profilers, who right now were most likely profiling you.

“Yes, well,” Strauss sighed, not impressed. “I’ll leave you to get acquainted.”

Y/N waited until the steps of Strauss had disappeared into an elevator. She watched as the profilers all sat and waited for her first real words to the team. Ready to analyse and judge her immediately. Looking back, Y/N couldn’t tell you why she said what she said, it came out like word vomit.

“So…” she began. “You all hate her, right?” Y/N pointed her thumb towards the direction Strauss had just left. She was relieved when smiles began to ping pong around the room and Agents started to stand up to greet her. Nothing united people better than a common enemy.

Emily was first. The tall woman with dark hair and a thick fringe, making large strides to shake her hand and welcome her to the team.

Confident

Welcoming

Friendly but guarded. Asks a lot of questions to keep the attention away from herself.

“Don’t let these guys intimidate you,” She smiled warmly. “Until today I was the newest member of the team.”

“Great, you can tell ne who’s ass I have to kiss then.” Y/N joked.

“Ooo can that be me?” Derek was the second person from the team to meet – and boy did she have him pegged in a second. By that one sentence she could see he was on the cocky side, his good looks and near perfect physique obvious to anyone. But by the rolling of the team’s eyes along with jokes and jibes towards him, he must be lovable. He glided over, taking her hand and kissing her knuckles softly. “Moragn. Dereck Morgan. Enchante.”

“Salut Dereck. C'est sympa de faire ta connaissance. Combien de temps avez-vous travaillé ici?” Y/N revelled in his shocked eyes and by the way he stepped back and sunk into his seat. The laughter and jibes continued whilst JJ finally joined Y/N’s side and shook her hand.

“I’m JJ. It’s nice to meet you Y/N.”

Sweet

People pleaser.

A mother.

“It’s lovely to meet you.” Y/N shook the blonde’s hand gently. JJ walked her around the team, meeting Spencer before walking her to the bat cave to meet Penelope. Penelope was suspicious of Y/N at first, most likely due to her disklike of change and the need to control. But as Y/N rushed into her room and began gushing over the comic book figurines Penelope had on her desk, Garcia’s eyes lit up.

“We can keep her.” Garcia told JJ confidently making Y/N’s heart squeeze happily. Within ten minutes Garcia was asking Y/N very important questions like her Hogwarts house, which faction she imagined she would choose, her favourite coffee and colour. By the amused smile on JJ’s face, Y/N had been given the green light. Another step to being accepted into this family.

Meeting Rossi had obviously left her slightly starstruck. But the real butterflied appeared in her stomach when JJ dropped her off at SSA Aaron Hotchner’s door. JJ knocked on the door before walking in with a bright smile of her face.

“Hotch, meet Agent Y/L/N.” Y/N braced herself as she followed JJ through the door, ready to go head-to-head with the dragon Strauss had warned up about. She was prepared to be met with unforgiving eyes and suspicion. What she wasn’t prepared for was how attractive and dominating the man before her turned out to be. She stepped into the room and met his eye immediately. He wasn’t how she had picture him at all. He was older than her but he was far from the old grouch she had been expecting. He had dark hair and broad shoulders. He wasn’t all bulk and muscle like Morgan, but he clearly looked after himself, and he looked God damn good in a suit. When he reached out his hand Y/N stared at how large it was, making her own hand look minuscule.

“Call me Y/N.” She said quietly as they shook. “It’s a pleasure to meet you sir.”

“Hotch, please.” He corrected her. He had a dark gruff voice as well.

“I’ll leave you to get to know one another.” JJ smiled as she sauntered out the door.

“Thanks, JJ.” Hotch smiled briefly, “Please, sit.” He pulled out a chair for her before retreated behind his desk.

Y/N straightened her skirt as she sat down into the chair. She felt under the spotlight, more than she had when she met Strauss for the first time. They sat in awkward silence as Hotch took you in, waiting to see what impression you were about to make. Y/N couldn’t help but chuckle at the uncomfortable silence between the two of you. “I’m aware that my transfer was somewhat forced on your team.” Y/N admitted. Hotch raised an eyebrow at how little that seemed to phase you.

“And yet you’re here.”

“I am, only a fool would turn down this opportunity.” She spoke professionally now, feeling her armour beginning to wrap around her. Where Y/N may falter in social interaction, her strengths were her job, her abilities to see what others may not. By the way Hotch had studied her, in just the first 30 seconds, she knew he was questioning her ability. She was shocked by how attractive she found him at first, but no amount of attractiveness would sway her from her goal of becoming an accomplished profiler in the FBI.

“You think you could be an asset to this team?” Hotch challenged.

“I do.” She said simply. “All your agents have strengths that build a strong team, but I can fill in the gaps you have.”

“The gaps?” Hotch asked, almost impressed Y/N had the nerve to challenge him.

“Well…” Y/N braced herself, wondering if she’s just made a grave error. Oh well, she was committed now. “From what I’ve read, Agent Morgan has practical skills in large cities and reading crime scene profiles. Agent Jareau blossoms with emotional family situations and communicating with victims and their families. People respond well to her. Agent Reid has the obvious academic and intellectual knowledge that is unbelievable rare with someone his age. Agent Rossi has… well the books and fame speak for themselves. Garcia fills in the technological aspect of the job and Agent Prentis brings strength with her international abilities.”

“You’ve done your homework.” Hotch nodded, leaning back in his seat. “What gap do you feel you would fill.”

“A large percentage of your cases seem to include violent sex offenders. You haven’t had anyone on your team that specialises in those areas since Agent Greenway’s departure from the team. That’s where I come in.” Hotch was silent as he considered her words.

“Professionally, you appear competent.”

“But that’s not what you’re worried about.” His eyebrows lifted as she met his eye. “Your team is clearly a family. You’re wondering if this stranger will come in and mess with your team’s dynamic. Especially since I’m not just a stranger, I’m a stranger who was sent by Strauss. Enemy number one?” He chuckled lightly at that, leaning forward to rest his hands on the desk separating the two of them.

“You’re right. This team is a family, and it only works if I can trust you. If we can all trust you.” Y/n decided to drop her confident and slightly cocky persona now. She knew she’d proven herself professionally.

“I’m not asking you to trust me right away.” She admitted seriously. “I’m asking you give me the chance to prove that you can trust me.” She spoke genuinely, softly, and sincere. She watched as the cogs turned in Hotch’s head as anxiety began to build in her stomach. She suspected he was about to inform her that she was not needed on this team and that he would be requesting she be transferred to another branch. He stood from his chair, so she followed suit. He reached his hand out for her to shake.

“It was nice to meet you, agent Y/L/N.” she shook his hand again, feeling disappointment heavy in her chest. She was about to let got and say goodbye, but his hand gripped tight to hers still. She looked back at him with confusion. “Agent Jareau will show you to your desk.” He had a slight cheeky glint in his eyes that made Y/N want to blush. She smiled at him and nodded gratefully.

“Thank you, sir.”

“Hotch.” He corrected her.

“Thank you, Hotch.” They released hands and she walked out of the office, closing the door gently behind her and lookED down at her new environment. This was going to be interesting.

Hotch’s POV:

He heard Strauss’ voice and felt his eyes roll involuntarily. He didn’t leave his office but stood to look out the window anyway. Besides her was a young woman looking nervously around at the members of his team. Her professional pencil skirt tucking in a white shirt with rolled up sleeves around her elbows. Young, most likely ambitious, clearly attractive. All that let down by the fact she was standing side by side with Strauss. Hotch had been told about his newest recruit and his objections were quickly dismissed. He was getting a new team member if he liked it or not. He glanced at her file briefly, noting the lack of a picture but the presence of specialised training from her first day with the academy. Just like the other members of his team, he waited to see what her first words to the team would be. After her stumbling introduction, she waited for Strauss to leave before shedding a layer of her skin.

“So… you all hate her, right?” he chuckled out a pure shock and amusement. That would go down well with the team. They all stood to greet her, one by one making their impressions on the woman. Emily was kind and so was JJ. Morgan obviously flirted his way over towards the young woman, quickly brushed off by her intelligence and multi-lingual tongue. She glowed slightly brighter as JJ showed her around the office, introducing her to everyone. When she took her to Garcia’s room he sat back down and went over her file again, taking more interest in it, now she was here. She was an over achiever who knew how to make other people warm to her. She had glowing references, all with a personal touch about her personality and likeability.  She specialised in sex crimes, most likely due to a need to protect vulnerable and hurt people. He wondered what her story was that attracted her to such a grim line of work. All members of the team had one, she wouldn’t be any different.

He heard the knock on his door, and he quickly shoved the file back into his draw. He could see her standing behind the door through his window. She looked nervous for a brief second before straightening her back and applying some form of shield. JJ walked in and introduced her before the woman stepped into his room. Infront of him in the flesh he could now see the small details of her face, the attractive uniqueness on her skin paired with her Y/H/C/ hair. She looked shocked – that was odd. They went through the regular pleasantries before shaking hands. Her hands were delicate and soft in his, a warm tingle transferring between their skin before they let go.

“I’ll leave you to get to know one another.” JJ smiled as she sauntered out the door.

“Thanks, JJ.” Hotch smiled briefly, “Please, sit.” He pulled out a chair for her before retreating behind his desk. He sat up right and watched as she fussed with her clothes before crossing her legs. He looked at the clothes with more detail. They were in good shape but weren’t new. There was stitching at the bottom of the hem that looked hand sewn. The shirt had been ironed but he spotted a small ink stain around her elbow – explaining why she had rolled up her sleeves. “I’m aware that my transfer was somewhat forced on your team.” Hotch tried not to show any surprise at her bluntness. He was expecting her to do the usual speech new team members gave him when they wanted his approval. He thought she’d thank him for the opportunity and say how excited she was about joining the team. But she didn’t.

“And yet you’re here.”

“I am, only a fool would turn down this opportunity.” Her tone of voice became more serious. More professional and well-spoken. Curious.  

“You think you could be an asset to this team?” Hotch challenged.

“I do. All your agents have strengths that build a strong team, but I can fill in the gaps you have.” So, she was confident, risky even. Not everyone would come into a new place of work and talk about their shortcomings.

“The gaps?” Hotch asked.

“Well…” she breathed in heavily. He watched the doubt go across her face before she straightened her shoulders and committed to her words.  “From what I’ve read, Agent Morgan has practical skills in large cities and reading crime scene profiles. Agent Jareau blossoms with emotional family situations and communicating with victims and their families. People respond well to her. Agent Reid has the obvious academic and intellectual knowledge that is unbelievable rare with someone his age. Agent Rossi has… well the books and fame speak for themselves. Garcia fills in the technological aspect of the job and Agent Prentis brings strength with her international abilities.”

“You’ve done your homework.” He nodded, leaning back in his seat. “What gap do you feel you would fill.”

“A large percentage of your cases seem to include violent sex offenders. You haven’t had anyone on your team that specialises in those areas since Agent Greenway’s departure from the team. That’s where I come in.” He considered her words for a moment, deciding what his next chess move would be. She ticked a lot of official boxes.  

“Professionally, you appear competent.”

“But that’s not what you’re worried about.” His eyebrows lifted as she met his eye. “Your team is clearly a family. You’re wondering if this stranger will come in and mess with your team’s dynamic. Especially since I’m not just a stranger, I’m a stranger who was sent by Strauss. Enemy number one?” He chuckled at another dig at their boss. Leaning forward he considered his next words carefully.  

“You’re right. This team is a family, and it only works if I can trust you. If we can all trust you.”

“I’m not asking you to trust me right away.” She admitted seriously. “I’m asking you to give me the chance to prove that you can trust me.” She spoke genuinely, softly, and sincere. Finally dropping any performance and showing her true colours. It suited her. He nodded, making his decision and stood up. She looked up at him with wide unsure eyes but followed his movements. He reached out his hand to shake confidently.

“It was nice to meet you, agent Y/L/N.” He could see her disappointment for a brief second before she painted on a confident persona. She went to walk away but he kept hold of her hand.  “Agent Jareau will show you to your desk.” She looked at him with curious eyes, as if mentally solving a puzzle. She smiled at him with a knowing stare that made him feel vulnerable.

“Thank you, sir.”

“Hotch.” He corrected her. A little too quickly he felt.

“Thank you, Hotch.” Their hands parted ways and he watched as she glided out of his office, closing the door behind her. He felt his lips turn upwards in a smirk before he checked himself. This was going to be interesting

[recentnews18-blog]

New Post has been published on https://shovelnews.com/in-the-crosshairs-of-outrage-roseanne-kathy-griffin-and-now-kevin-hart-comedys-shifting-red-line-the-bozeman-daily-chronicle/

In the crosshairs of outrage: Roseanne, Kathy Griffin and now Kevin Hart. Comedy's shifting red line - The Bozeman Daily Chronicle

Politics are a joke, and right now, more folks want to laugh than cry over the state of the union.

For proof, look no further than the unlikely ratings success of “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” and on a platform designed in a much tamer, apolitical era. Colbert has trounced the competition thanks largely to his eviscerating political humor — a talent that, in any other era, would have alienated more viewers than it attracted.

And when ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel began spending more time on his own show lampooning D.C.’s drainless swamp, his show went from amusing background viewing to a water-cooler event. People even began to notice that Seth Meyers had a late-night show (it’s coincidentally called “Late Night With Seth Meyers”) when Trump took office, and the former “Saturday Night Live” cast member began drilling down nightly on the “wannabe dictator” and all-around “weird man” occupying the White House.

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The more extreme the picture on Capitol Hill, the more extreme comedy about America’s seat of power has become. While the role of congenial late-night host has largely morphed from witty entertainer to sharp-tongued political satirist, cage-rattling comedians with series and specials on HBO, Netflix and Comedy Central have had to outmaneuver already absurd headlines to get laughs.

They’re flipping a convention as old as television — that comics appealing to a wide, national TV audience should tread lightly around Beltway topics for fear of offending viewers or worrying sponsors (because even Alka-Seltzer gets queasy).

It’s a far cry from the days when getting political on terrestrial TV meant Jay Leno joking about Barack Obama’s oversize ears, Conan O’Brien making fun of George W. Bush’s inability to pronounce “nuclear” and David Letterman strategically pausing when using “Bill Clinton” and “blue dress” in the same sentence. And then they all moved on to other subjects with the same levity, be it Brangelina, the skyrocketing price of gas or the old sexist standby … Dolly Parton’s cup size.

But that doesn’t mean comedians have a clear playing field. Just ask Kathy Griffin or Roseanne Barr. Or Kevin Hart.

The new rules in this era of political comedy? Don’t push your material anywhere near The Red Line. Or the line in the sand. Or too far.

How far is too far? The border between wickedly funny and downright offensive isn’t easy to find. It seems to move mysteriously, like the tides, but influenced by the pull of the news cycle. It’s also a conditional boundary depending on the performer’s gender — women mysteriously step over the line way more than men — and how preoccupied an easily enraged social media happens to be when a comedian drops an offending witticism.

Yet we’re still willing to take down comedians who overshoot that illusive border, and that list of martyrs is growing.

Queen of snark Griffin lost much of her empire after she posed for a photo in 2017 holding a mask that was made to look like a beheaded Donald Trump. Critics pounced and she apologized, but Griffin was still dropped from her CNN New Year’s Eve hosting gig with Anderson Cooper and lost several more high-profile gigs. Social media created its own volatile weather system filled with angry/happy emojis, for-and-against posts and GIFs that made no sense but OMG so funny!

Griffin, who later took back her apology (“You can hate that picture … but it’s important to know it wasn’t against the law”), said she was questioned for two months by the FBI and placed on the no-fly list. “I probably got a little lazy during Obama, thinking this was now going to be the future,” she told GQ over the summer. “We’ve had our first African American president; we’re going to have our first female. I didn’t know it was going to [expletive] turn into ‘The Handmaid’s Tale.’ The [crap] I’ve been through in the last year is just unbelievable.”

Then there’s Michelle Wolf, whose shot at the big time hit a brick wall when she hosted the 2018 White House Correspondents Dinner. The comedian riffed about Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Kellyanne Conway and Trump, among others, upsetting conservative critics who were uncomfortable with her “crass” routine. The White House Correspondents Assn., which recently announced it would not invite a comedian to host next year’s dinner, apologized almost immediately for Wolf’s routine (she did not), and her ensuing Netflix series “The Break” was canceled after only three months and 10 episodes.

Hart, who broke comedy records with more than a million tickets sold for his current Irresponsible Tour, was set to host the Oscars but stepped down this week after homophobic tweets he posted between 2009 and 2011 surfaced on Thursday.

How Hart handled the criticism is still being debated — many demanded he step down, “The View’s” Joy Behar defended the comedian, and GLAAD said he shouldn’t have opted out of the hosting gig but have used the platform to educate. What’s clear is that his jokes from nearly 10 years ago, considered funny by many at the time, are not funny anymore. The landscape has changed, especially around jokes about women, blacks and LGBTQ issues, though some groups — such as Mexicans and Muslims — still appear to be fair game by some comics.

Comedians speaking their mind in a hyper-reactive ecosystem might be richly rewarded for their brash candor or taken down.

TBS’ Samantha Bee (who found herself in the hot seat earlier this year for an Ivanka Trump comment), HBO’s John Oliver, Netflix’s Hasan Minhaj and Comedy Central’s Trevor Noah are among those who’ve thrived delivering punchlines that might have killed their television aspirations a couple decades ago. It’s no coincidence all came from (or are still with) “The Daily Show.” Meanwhile, HBO’s Bill Maher, who lost his ABC show “Politically Incorrect” in 2001 over a 9/11 comment, was just celebrated by politicians and celebrities in October for 25 years in television.

It’s a crowded field, but there’s no shortage of material. Angry White House press briefings, contested midterm-election results, flubbed G-20 appearances and blood-red Christmas trees are ripe for the picking.

This bounty of riches isn’t, of course, the catalyst for a bipartisan comedy revolution. The movement leans left and rarely if ever veers in the other direction.

Barr was the exception to that rule before she also went too far doing the thing people wanted to see her do — be obnoxious, unPC and full of contempt for those around her who drank the Kool-Aid of media outlets that weren’t Fox News.

A veteran at courting controversy, Barr began to feel the heat after she came out in support of Trump, tweeted seriously about her belief in alt-right conspiracy theories and posted fake news in earnest. She recanted after she falsely accused a Parkland, Fla., school shooting survivor of giving a Nazi salute at a March for Our Lives rally. Calls for a “Roseanne” reboot boycott were growing before Barr posted the racist comments that resulted in her being fired from her own show.

Of course there are still those who prefer to remain largely apolitical, including “The Tonight Show’s” Jimmy Fallon. Though he goes back and forth with Colbert for the top spot in the race for adults 18-49, his overall viewership has suffered in the face of Colbert’s pointed Jared Kushner jokes and Kimmel’s suggestions on how to pay for Trump’s wall. But if Fallon waits it out, his time may come again, when escapism wins out over Oval Office satire and the old pie-in-the-face routine returns to reclaim its former glory.

Until then, the joke’s on politics, and comedians are dancing over the line, hoping they’re agile enough to avoid becoming the next punchline.

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