#who's john and why does he have a house on a hill

[kumakuma-circus]

burning men's soul is the funniest persona thing to me. here's me trying to make sense of the lyrics (mostly under the cut).

"check it out, i'm in the house like carpet"

this line implies that being in the house like carpet is somehow different than being in the house normally because it is. completely unnecessary to specify otherwise. i don't know how being in the house like carpet is different though does it just mean you're not allowed in the bathroom and kitchen.

"and if there's too many heads in my blunt i won't spark it"

my friend pointed out that this is probably meant to be saying "hits" which makes a lot more sense but literally everyone i've seen has written it as heads. and even if it is hits it doesn't really make sense because then he should spark it probably???

"i'll put it in my pocket and save it like rocket fuel 'till everybody's gone, and it's cool"

i don't even know what to say about this one. do people commonly save rocket fuel??? also i don't know if putting a blunt in your pocket is a good idea.

"then i spark it up with my brother. his momma named him moe, but i call him moe lover"

does moe have extreme levels of rizz.

"and he's more than a cover he's a quilt"

all i can think of here is that like. quilts are generally more fancy than covers??? it's still an insane metaphor though.

"and we're putting shit together like the house that john built on the hill"

who is john. why did he build a house on the hill.

"cuz this shit's gonna feel like velvet, turtle"

this line is fine until he says turtle. which is probably just to rhyme with the next line but i feel like there's a better way to do that then just. randomly saying turtle.

"my style fits tighter than a girdle"

oh wow a sensical line for once. shocking.

"if ya hate it then you can just leave it, like beaver"

okay we're back to nonsense. why is he talking about beavers. are beavers well known for leaving??? i again think this is just to rhyme with the next line but i also again think there's a better way to execute that-

"cuz in a day or two, i'll make you a true believer in me"

okay sure. another sensical line. even if it still doesn't have anything to do with beavers-

"'cause like the alphabet, you'll 'c'"

okay that's. actually a decent line for once. pff.

"that 'ism kicks a rhyme not your everyday soliloquy"

???

"like chef boyardee, my rhymes are truly cookin'"

chef boyardee literally makes canned food that requires next to no cooking. the singer is openly admitting that his rhymes are not, in fact, cooking and i love that.

"peace to matty rich, 'cause he's straight out of brooklyn, new york"

,,, yeah no i got nothing.

"i don't eat pork or swine when i dine"

good for you???

"i drink a cup of kool-aid, not a big glass of wine, or a henn, heine"

this is my favorite line honestly. the lyric is presumably actually meant to be referring to a beer called heineken, which was probably censored for copyright reasons but. they didn't bother trying to censor kool-aid-

"if you have time, then i'll drop rhyme again"

please don't.

[the-goddess-of-mischief-writing]

Random Captain John Price headcanons

sfw and nsfw

pairing: Cpt. John Price x reader (cod mw)

tags/tw: domestic stuff, afab!reader, masturbation, spanking, hickeys, Price is an ass-man

a/n: inspired by a conversation I had with @melancholyy-hill and just some random thoughts, might do a second part to this, tell me if you want any other characters

John Price MASTERLIST

sfw

-Price has two phones, one for work and a private one, he doesn't like using the same one when he's deployed in countries where there's definitely a chance of it getting hijacked

-he's so tidy, like having a surroundings to calm his mind, make it easier to concentrate for him

-he's also pretty strict with his own cleanliness

-don't get me wrong, Price doesn't mind getting dirty on the field and in bed, would be weird if he did lol, but once at home or base, he takes care of himself

-we talking beard oil, grooming, trimming his nails if they got jagged during deployment and picking out the dirt from beneath them

-not that he dislikes showing you off in public, on the opposite he loves having you by his side, showing others you're his, but he gets uneasy with PDA

-that's why he's such an old-fashioned gentleman with showing you affection around people, those small gestures that make women swoon and telling you that you're found 'a good one, god you're so lucky'

-hand on the small of your back in a crowd is a must, palm resting on your knee when sitting down, you walk on the side furthest from the road, standing/walking behind you on the escalator or stars if you're wearing a skirt, kisses to your hand, temple, forehead or crown

-he always does the bed in the mornings despite you being the one who wakes up last

nsfw below the cut

-he's such a fucking ass man, like he appreciates boobs, thinks your nipples look good poking through a shirt or deliciously teasing in lingerie, but he prefers your ass

-like this man's hand is drawn to the plush flesh of your rear like magnets, just like his eyes

-back turned? eyes down, staring at ass.

-don't get him started at how he folds when watching it jiggle in doggy style or reversed cowgirl

-lowkey struggles not to blatantly stare or grab at you when you're in public and the pants/leggings you're trying on make it look too fucking good for his health

-sometimes you can just be relaxing, laying on your stomach and he comes up from behind, kneading your ass, swatting it to watch it jiggle

-other times, he pulls you on top of him, resting a book against your ass as he reads, one of his hands always groping you, you simply prop a pillow on his legs to get comfortable as you'd gotten used to this request of his

- you've stopped counting the times he'd put down his book and started parting your asscheeks as he massages your rear, in the end Price can't help how his thumb rubs the folds of your covered pussy

-if he gets to know you don't mind spanking, it's over, the man swats your ass constantly around the house,

-he thinks your gasps are adorable as you shoot him a look he ignores bc he knows you like it

-does not whine, not a particularly big moaner either, but the grunts and groans is enough to make up for it

-high-sex drive when he's around you, but during deployment he keeps it under wraps, which leads me to...

-not that big of a masturabator, but once in a while he needs to rid himself of the crawling desire in his spine, simply having to jerk one out to be able to concentrate, probs because he thought about you for too long

-BUT he actually really loves mutual masturbation, started when he walked in on you once when returning unexpectedly early from a mission

-'don't mind me, love, continue' he would husk at your wide eyes following him as walked from the bedroom doorframe to the little seating area you had in front of the bed, sometimes used when you did your makeup or Price would read, sitting down and to your surprise pulling down his pant, jerking his already half-hard cock to full length, waiting expectantly

-he puts on a show as well, using two hands, one to stroke himself in matching speed to how you finger yourself, the other cupping and fondling his balls

-would definitely not shy from throwing his head backwards when reaching his sensitive cocked with palms too rough in comparison to your soft ones

- Price is so fucking sly about where he leaves hickeys

-as previously mentioned, he doesn't really like the public attention it pulls, but a primal part of him swells when seeing the marks he's left during your intimate moments, so he definitely likes to give you little lovebites

-so you can bet your ass you could leave the house in a crop-top and they wouldn't be visible, strategically placed where no one but him and you could see them, meaning the line of your panties, on or around your breast, inner thighs, etc

-the beach might be a problem however, you would never forget the time Soap had cackled like a fucking madman when he'd spotted the marks' inconspicuous placement, leaving absolutely no room to guess what Price had done between your legs

[allthesmutl0vers]

Entirely Forbidden and Completely Fucked. (A Wincest fanfic.) Chapter One

NSFW. 18+. MDNI.

Pairing: Wincest + half-sister.

Summary:

Life was good for y/n Everhart, not perfect, but close to it. She lived the perfect life that Sam and Dean dreamed of their whole lives. Nice house, rich, friends, the white picket fence life. She had friends, not many but the circle she kept was close knit and stuck together. She got bullied for how she dressed and the music she listened to, but she never backed down from a fight, and she never lost one either. 

All of that changes when her mom- her best friend in the world, is brutally murdered. And she is sent away to live with the only living blood-relative she has. 

Her father John Winchester.

A man who came into her life only a couple of times a year, and never stayed. Not only does she know next to nothing about him and what he actually does for work, but she also has no idea that she has two half-brothers, Sam and Dean, who seem a little too close at times. And she’s determined to find out why.

Afterall, all secrets inevitably come to light. And when they do, y/n will have a choice: join in or remain on the outside looking and wanting in. No matter how completely forbidden and entirely fucked it is. 

With two months until her eighteenth birthday, she’s going to have to find some way to pass the time until she is free to leave with her inheritance, and live the rest of her life as far away from them as humanly possible. But will she still want to when the clock runs out? Or will she stay for the love she shouldn’t want?

“You can choose the comfortable, or the meaningful. Choose Wisely.”

Content and Trigger Warnings

Wincest: Sam and Dean are full siblings, and the reader is their half-sister. John is the father of all of them. 

Explicit and on-page sex scenes.

FM, MM, and FMM

Snowballing (Do yourself a favor and Google it, or don’t and be surprised.)

Orgasm Denial and Overstimulation

Extremely Possessive Sam and Dean

On-Page Violence, Gore, and Death

Voyeurism and Exhibitionism

Semi-Public and Public Sex

 Gun Play

Knife Play

Blood Play

Damn, you’re still here?

Read the next line.

Good girl.

Now, start reading.

Chapter One

Y/n

“All packed?” The police officer asks me as I gather my bags by the front door. His smashed-in pug face looks down at me as he leans against the door, and it takes everything in me now to smash it against the doorframe over and over again. 

I take a deep breath and force a smile. “Yup, all done,” I respond. A rumble comes down the long driveway to the home I’ve lived in my entire life. A black four-door Chevy Impala that I see maybe once or twice a year. 

“Looks like your dad is here,” the pug face cop says like it’s not the most obvious thing in the fucking world. He lifts his big body off of the wall with a grunt and leans down to grab my bags. “Let's go,” he instructs as he walks out the door with one of my duffle bags.

I look behind me one last time, soaking in every memory I had here growing up. Outback is the swing set my mom would push me on as a kid. The window by the couch would always squeak when I would sneak out and back in, threatening to wake up my mom when she’d fall asleep downstairs. The stairs where I broke my arm because I thought a cardboard box was a sled on a snowy hill. So many memories are in this house, very few of them with the man who claims to be my dad. None with the two half-brothers I just learned about when John called and told me I was coming to stay with them. 

I close my eyes and take a deep breath, inhaling the sweet smell of lemon and lilies. The smell of home. My home that isn’t mine anymore, not now that mom is dead. I choke back the ball in my throat and force the tears not to fall. I won’t break in front of John, and certainly not in front of… What were their names again? Sean? Derek? Fuck, I don’t remember. Guess I’ll find out soon enough. 

I sigh and walk out the front door, closing it behind me for the last time. I lug my other two bags down the porch while John talks to Pug Face. 

“Let us know if you need anything. You can contact me at the precinct. My number is on the back of the card. Rest assured, we’ll find out who it was, and they will be brought to justice,” Pug Face says, handing John a card.

“Thank you. I’ve heard good things about the work you fellas do here in Graham,” John says as he puts Pug Face’s card in his jacket pocket. John turns to me, and the corner of his mouth lifts into a smile. “Hey, kiddo. Ready to roll?” He asks me.

I nod once. “Looks like it,” I respond flatly, throwing my bags in the back seat. Pug Face clears his throat, and I turn to look at him. His face only serves to make me even more angry. Maybe it’s because he’s the one who told me my mom was murdered, or maybe it’s because he was the cop who worked at my school as a security guard and busted me for skipping class to smoke weed under the bleachers. That was a fun conversation with Mom. 

“Be safe, y/n, you’ll be in my prayers. We shouldn’t need you to testify since you weren’t there when the murder occurred, but you’ll have the opportunity to make a victim impact statement at sentencing.” Pug Face tells me as he pulls out the keys to his squad car. 

“Sounds great,” I respond a little more sarcastically than I meant to. 

Pug Face furrows his eyebrows at me, his jaw clenching. “Behave yourself,” he warns. 

I roll my eyes and John reaches his hand out to Pug Face. “Well, we should hit the road. Thank you again, Officer…?” his speaking falters.

“Nolan,” Pug Face reminds him as he shakes John’s hand. “And sure thing. I’ll contact you when we have more details and a suspect in custody.”

John smiles with tight lips and turns to me. “Let's hit the road.”

I climb into the passenger seat of his Impala, close the door, and put on my seatbelt as John starts the engine. In the side mirror, I watch my childhood home grow smaller and smaller before John turns onto the road, and it disappears completely. I sigh and lean back in my seat.

“Are you hungry?” John asks me a little while later. 

I shake my head. “No, I ate before I left,” I respond, keeping my eyes out of the window. 

“Alright, well, we’re not stopping until we get to Spokane, so I figured I’d ask,” he responds flatly. 

My eyebrows lift slightly in annoyance. “Spokane it is.” 

I watch out the window. Meridian turns into WA-162, then I-90 once we get toward Seattle. I don’t mind John that much. He isn’t the type to have pointless conversations just to fill the silence. Instead, he plays music in the car as he drives, old rock and roll, but I don’t mind the music that much either. I know quite a few of the songs that play and silently tap my fingers on my thigh to the beat. 

“Almost there,” John says when we exit the freeway and enter the city of Spokane. “I’m stopping for dinner, you have a preference?” he asks as he turns onto the main street.  

“Anything is fine with me,” I shrug. 

“Pizza?” he asks. 

“I’m pretty sure pizza falls under the anything category,” I retort with a smirk. 

To my surprise, he laughs. “That it does,” he responds, pulls into a Pizza Hut, and puts the car in park. “Do all-meat and supreme fall into that category, too?” he quips. 

I nod once. “That they do,” I smile for the first time all day. I unbuckle and open the door. “I’m coming in, too. I’ve had to pee since Ritzville.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” John asks as he gets out of the car, too, and shuts his door. 

“You said you weren’t stopping until we got to Spokane,” I shrug and open the restaurant door.

“Yeah, well, I would’ve at least pulled over so you could pop a squat,” he chuckles.

I roll my eyes and shake my head. “I’ll remember that,” I respond before leaving him to order and making my way to the bathroom. 

I wash my hands and walk out of the bathroom once I’m done. I look around and find John waiting at a table on his phone. I pull out a seat across from him and sit down. “It’ll be about ten more minutes before it’s done,” he says to me without looking up. 

“Great. I’m going to wait outside. I need a smoke,” I respond, standing back up. 

John looks up from his phone and gives me a questioning look. “Smoke what, exactly?” He asks.

I shrug. “Just my vape. I’ll be by the car.” I tell him, pulling my Geek Bar from my pocket. 

Joh nods once. “Stay by the car,” he instructs me. 

I roll my eyes. He was barely in my life growing up, and now he wants to play the father act. Whatever. “Sure thing,” I tell him before walking back outside.  

I lean against the car; the metal is hot under my t-shirt, but thankfully, the hot sun has started to go down. I take a long drag off my vape and blow the vapor into the evening air. Was it really just twenty-four hours ago that my mom was alive? Where is she now? 

I take another drag from my vape and realize I need something a little stronger. I make sure John isn’t looking and grab my dab pen from the back seat. I turn it on and take a big hit. The smoke burns my lungs and singes my throat, but I welcome the feeling. I blow it out and cough a few times into my elbow. I take another hit, and this time, the smoke doesn’t sting my lungs and throat as much. 

I let out a long breath. My body feels a little lighter, and my thoughts aren’t as loud. Just the kind of relief I need right now. I mean, how else is a girl supposed to deal with her mom dying and suddenly being forced into a side of her family she knew next to nothing about? 

I shove my dab pen into the pocket of my denim shorts when I see John come back out with three pizza boxes and some smaller ones stacked on top. “Let's go,” he says, setting the boxes on top of the car before opening the door, grabbing them again, and getting inside. 

I get back into the passenger side and shut the door. I put my seatbelt back on and take the boxes when John hands them to me to hold. “And don’t think I didn’t smell that when I came out. Next time, try not to be so obvious,” he says, starting the car again. 

“Aye, aye, captain,” I mutter as he pulls back onto the main road. 

A few minutes later, he pulls into a hotel parking lot. The building is dated, but at least it doesn’t look like it’s infested with rats and cockroaches. From the outside, at least. 

“We’re only staying for a night. Is there anything you need for tonight from your bags?” He asks as he parks and turns off the engine. 

“Nope, I can sleep in this,” I respond. We get out, and he grabs the pizza boxes from me.

“Well, if you change your mind, you can come grab what you need. Or, I’m sure Sam or Dean can loan you something for the night.”

Sam and Dean, noted. 

John opens the door to the hotel room and holds it open for me as I walk inside. Sitting at a small table by the window is a man- one of my half-siblings, apparently. He has shoulder-length brown hair and brown eyes that match mine and John’s. He smiles at me with the corner of his mouth over his laptop and nods his head once. 

“Where’s Dean?” John asks, setting the pizza boxes on the table.

So this one must be Sam.

“Went to get ice,” Sam answers shortly. “You must be y/n,” he says, turning back to me. He stands up, and holy shit, this mother fucker is tall. “I’m Sam. It’s nice to finally meet you.” Sam says in a friendly voice, offering me his hand to shake. 

“Nice to meet you,” I shake his hand, trying not to sound as awkward as I feel. But at least he didn’t go straight for a hug. 

“Well, dig in. I’m going to take a shower,” John says, grabbing some clothes from a bag and walking into the bathroom. 

Me and Sam each grab a paper plate and open the boxes. I take a slice of all the meat and a piece of garlic bread and sit down across from Sam at the table. 

Sam clears his throat and wipes his hands after swallowing his bite. “So, um, how was the drive?” he asks awkwardly. 

Great, so he’s one for small talk.

I shrug my shoulders and take a drink of my water bottle. “It was fine. John played music the whole way.”

Sam nods and chuckles. “Yeah, Dean does that, too. Sorry, he doesn’t really listen to anything different.”

“It’s fine. Do you listen to anything else?” I ask, trying to keep the conversation going. 

“Yeah, but don’t laugh,” he smiles.

The remark takes me a little aback. “Oh yeah? Try me,” I lift my chin. 

“Celine Dion,” he smirks. I purse my lips, trying not to laugh. I’m not laughing at him. It’s just not what I expected. “I told you not to laugh,” he says as he laughs himself.

I chuckle and shake my head. “I’m not laughing at you, Sam,” I respond, but my laugh makes it a little hard to sound sincere. The dabs I took definitely helped to make me loosen up. “I listen to some different music, too.”

Sam raises his eyebrows, and he leans on the table with his elbows. “Really? Like what?” He asks.

“Don’t laugh,” I warn him with a smirk.

“I would never,” he chuckles teasingly. 

My nose scrunches a little, and I smile. “Taylor Swift,” I admit with a chuckle.

Sam blinks a few times and I watch as he looks me up and down once, probably not believing me from how I dress. I can’t say I blame him. From my makeshift muscle tank from an old and ripped Linkin Park shirt, the studded belt on my denim shorts, my fish-net stockings under my shorts, and my beat-up vans, I probably don’t look like a Taylor Swift fan. 

His eyes land back on mine, and he goes to say something until the door opens behind me. “Hey, Dean,” he greets my other brother. “Dad’s back with y/n,” he says. 

I turn around to look at him, and his green eyes land on mine. Dean looks me up and down once and turns away, putting the ice container on the counter without saying a word. I bite the inside of my cheek.

Well, hello to you, too.

When Dean turns around again, he grabs a plate and takes five slices of pizza before kicking off his shoes and plopping down on one of the beds. “Where’s the remote Sammy?” He asks Sam. 

Sam rolls his eyes. “Wherever you put it would be my guess,” Sam answers him and turns back to me. “Don’t mind him,” he nods his head to Dean. 

“Wasn’t planning on it,” I mutter and stand up, throwing away my plate in the small trash can by the door. 

Dean scoffs as the bathroom door opens, and John walks back into the room. “Oh, good, I see you met Sam and Dean,” he says, putting his old clothes into a bag. 

“Yup,” I respond flatly, my buzz wearing off. 

“Hardly,” Dean scoffs and turns on the TV he apparently found the remote to. 

John sighs and crosses his arms over his chest. “Dean, we talked about this,” John says like it’s the millionth time. 

“You talked, I listened,” Dean responds with an annoyed tone of voice. 

John rubs his nose between his eyes like he has a headache. He lifts his head and turns back to me. “You can take my bed. I’ll take the couch.”

“I don’t want to be a bother. I’ll take the couch,” I tell John.

Dean laughs sarcastically. “Then why’d you come?” He asks, finally looking at me. 

“Dean!” John snaps at him. My ears and face get hot. Fuck Dean, fucking asshole. 

I straighten my back and glare at Dean. “Because he told me to come. Can you say the same?” I fire back. 

Dean’s eyes flare, and his jaw ticks. “Fuck you,” he spits back at me. 

“Dean! Enough!” John yells, slamming his bag down to the floor. “For fuck’s sake, enough!” 

“Fuck this shit,” Dean says as he stands up and marches to the trash can right beside me. “Move,” he demands, reaching for the door behind me. 

I roll my eyes and step to the side, allowing him a small path to get through. Dean shoulder-checks me on his way out, pushing me against the wall before he slams the door behind him. 

Fuck you, too.

Author's Note:

I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. Don't worry, smut is coming! I just wanted to establish the story.

Please help a fellow and new Wincest writer out with a reblog; I would be eternally grateful. 🫶🥹

Chapter Two

[mourningliliesmorningglories]

“Passed Alger Brook Road, I'm over the bridge.”

Remus never thought he’d be sitting on this train once more. In this moment, he’s 14 again. The hills roll by and if he closes his eyes, imagines just hard enough, he can still hear the clamouring and giggling that used to belong here. The train is empty, save for Remus, a special trip just for him. In the worst way, this is all too familiar. Like the trunk remembers the axe, Remus can’t help but feel he is gently travelling towards a terrible thing.

“A minute from home but I feel so far from it.”

Remus had lived in London for so long that the Welsh had been bleached out of his accent. Hope and Lyall were long gone, finally resting. And Remus was alone. Home had always been where his heart had lived. Never Wales though, never a place, always a person. Cariad. Cariad. Cariad. With every beat of his heart, Remus knows where home is. He thinks of James and Lily and Harry. He thinks of a home that once belonged to them.

“The death of my dog, the stretch of my skin.”

He thinks of a home that belongs to him, of a basement with a torn up mattress and a master bedroom with a leather jacket hanging on the back of the chair. Remus could never understand how people could one day lock a door and never open it again. Until he did. Slowly, the cottage grew to be too much, bore a weight so goddamn heavy that Remus shouldered it all. That house held the three people he loved, “love” his mind corrects him. He wonders whether in 11 years of solitude, that house too, would be reluctant to see him again.

“It's all washin' over me, I'm angry again.”

In a way, only Remus could understand why James and Lily had to die. Unfortunately, there is always a greater good. There is always someone, ‘something’ his mind hisses, greater than him. The rage is dormant now. The war is over. Remus knows loss incredibly well, walks hand in hand with her most days. Instinctively, he tightens his grip on his thigh. It serves as a reminder. You survived the war. You lost everyone you love. You are real. You are neither punished nor the punisher. Not anymore.

“The things that I lost here, the people I knew.”

Remus takes a walk along the length of the train. Nostalgia’s sake and all that. The open compartment doors rattle gently and the seats are vacant. For some reason, Remus half expected to run into a brick wall at King’s Cross. He doesn’t know how to exist in this space again, how to walk the halls of the castle without feeling like a ghost instead. Mostly, Remus doesn’t know how he could look into James’ faces and Lily’s eyes again, and see them on someone else.

“They got me surrounded for a mile or two.”

Logically, he knows “No.” is as good an answer as any. He made sure that there were no more favours, no more secrets. Remus knows that from 11, the castle cared for him. He also knows that care and respect go hand in hand. He has no debt to the castle but he does have duty to fulfil. For every man who obeys his duty, there is another who cannot. A prison cell briefly flashes in his mind, then a cupboard under stairs, then a set of silver handcuffs.

“The car's in reverse, I'm grippin' the wheel.”

The train shudders and stops. The sky is dark. Remus’ eyes are closed. He inhales deeply and lets muscle memory take over. His steps now echo down the empty train carriages. He is just as tall as the last time he stood here. This time, he leaves behind four giggling boys. He leaves behind the weight of a head in his lap. The image is superimposed into his eyelids. Remus hopes that everything that ever existed still exists in moments, even though we don’t get them back. The doors slide open and he steps onto the platform.

“I'm back between villages and everything's still.”

For the second time in his life, Remus John Lupin has the sudden and crashing realisation that he is totally and utterly alone.

[ellenchain]

I'm playing some old missions again to update my challenges and was surprised at how good I find the 7 Deadly Sins compared to the newer content (pff) But playing Ambrose Island, I realised again how little we know about Lucas Grey's past.

Apart from the fact that Grey suddenly comes around the corner with a mission that also happens to have something to do with Providence, I'm sure it's down to IOI looking for content that fits in with the overall game. So no further questions.

But still I ask myself: Who was Noel Crest for Lucas Grey?

Because have you noticed that Grey sounds super, super sad when Crest dies? Or when he announces him? Or when he briefly talks about his past? In general, Grey was extremely vulnerable in this mission. John Hopkins does a fantastic job as always, but I really wonder why Grey is so emotional. I mean, I melt every time he says "I'll see you soon" when the mission is over. It's very sweetly purred. Longingly, even.

Crest was probably one of Grey's confidants, they worked closely together. But for comparison, Sean Rose, the guy who ran the big militia in Colorado (on Grey's behalf), also seemed to me to be a confidant of Grey. Otherwise he wouldn't give him such a task. Grey himself worked in the house alongside all the others (we remember the cellar). Intense co-operation, as with Crest. And we see Grey directly after 47 has done his deed, namely on the hill with his sniper rifle. But here, he didn't look sad at all. More like "well, now they're dead, crap, I'll have to think of something else now"

With Crest, I had the feeling that he needed 5 minutes to himself to process the death of his former... friend? I don't know, maybe I am reading too much into it.

Are there any fan theories on Noel Crest and Lucas Grey yet??

[vote-democrat-president-congress]

"In any election, it’s hard to know whose word to trust. And in a polarized country, many Americans distrust any information that comes from the other side of the political divide. That’s why the criticism of Donald Trump by those who served with him in the White House and by members of his own party is so striking. Dozens of people who know him well, including the 91 listed here, have raised alarms about his character and fitness for office — his family and friends, world leaders and business associates, his fellow conservatives and his political appointees — even though they had nothing to gain from doing so. Some have even spoken out at the expense of their own careers or political interests.

The New York Times editorial board has made its case that Mr. Trump is unfit to lead. But the strongest case against him may come from his own people. For those Americans who are still tempted to return him to the presidency or to not vote in November, it is worth considering the assessment of Mr. Trump by those who have seen him up close.

Administration insiders:

He will always put his own interests and gratifying his own ego ahead …”

Bill Barr

He was extremely vulnerable to manipulation.”

Fiona Hill

… he was getting input from people who were calling him up, I don’t know who ...”

Anthony Fauci

… undermined American democracy baselessly …”

Thomas P. Bossert

He doesn’t take responsibility for the bad news …”

David Lapan

… says a whole lot more about him than it will ever say about Asian Americans.”

Elaine Chao

… equality and freedom can never be equated with white supremacists …”

Gary Cohn

His behavior had grown increasingly erratic and unnerving.”

Betsy DeVos

The F.B.I. is under attack by the president of the United States.”

Andrew McCabe

A person who admires autocrats and murderous dictators.”

John Kelly

Sometimes it’s just better to steer clear of him.”

Anthony Scaramucci

… I do regard him as a threat to democracy …”

Mark Esper

Trump’s temperament wasn’t rational …”

Cassidy Hutchinson

… doesn’t know the difference between the truth and a lie …”

Dan Coats

… he tries to divide us.”

James Mattis

… loyalty was mostly a one-way street.”

Cliff Sims

… I think he’s a terrible human being.”

Mick Mulvaney

… caused direct harm …”

Deborah Birx

… very little understanding of what it means to be in the military …”

Richard Spencer

… the most reckless and deadly piece of information I have ever heard.”

Rick Bright

Literally everything I’ve tried to do on cutting drug costs, you have killed it.”

Alex Azar

… played to Trump’s ego and insecurities with flattery.”

H.R. McMaster

… flashbacks to my earlier career as a prosecutor against the Mob.”

James Comey

The turnover suggested instability and disorganization to our adversaries …”

Mike Pompeo

… renders coherent foreign policy almost unattainable.”

John Bolton

He is wholly unfit to be in office.”

Alyssa Farah Griffin

… a huge violation of your most important oath …”

Marc Short

He has built up a DNA of defensiveness.”

Sean Spicer

You are using the military to create fear in the minds of the people …”

Mark Milley

… Anyone that puts themselves over the Constitution should never be president …”

Mike Pence

… not consistent with our national security objectives.”

Rex Tillerson

Trump relentlessly … puts forth claims that simply are not true.”

Ty Cobb

The root of the problem is the president’s amorality …”

Miles Taylor

Do you think Trump wants a guy to win after him?”

Steve Bannon

… He’s saying some crazy shit.”

Don McGahn

… They are loyal to no one.”

Stephanie Grisham

The Trumps & Trump Inc.

You can’t trust him.”

Maryanne Trump Barry

… a cheat, a liar, a fraud, a bully …”

Michael Cohen

‘I wanna do what I wanna do’ … ”

Fred Trump III

Trump does not have the temperament …”

Kwame Jackson

He pushed me up against the wall …”

Jill Harth

…actually a racist.”

Omarosa Manigault Newman

Honest work was never demanded of him …”

Mary L. Trump

… the competition reality show set about an American fraud …”

Bill Pruitt

… the hint of menace beneath the surface …”

Gwenda Blair

Our job was to make him look legitimate …”

Jonathon Braun

If you disagreed with Donald, he put you out of his inner circle.”

Randal Pinkett

Republican politicians

He is a coward.”

Dick Cheney

This man is a pathological liar.”

Ted Cruz

He's a race-baiting, xenophobic, religious bigot.”

Lindsey Graham

There is nothing ‘conservative’ about Donald Trump.”

Adam Kinzinger

The cheapest S.O.B. I’ve ever met in my life.”

Chris Christie

He’s not loyal.”

Justin Amash

He sought a coup by misleading people with lies.”

Arnold Schwarzenegger

… Power, revenge and retribution is his real motivation …”

Denver Riggleman

Reckless, outrageous and undignified behavior …”

Jeff Flake

The healing of the Republican Party cannot begin with Trump as president …”

Geoff Duncan

… taking advantage of the trust placed in him by his supporters …”

John Boehner

He is a con artist.”

Marco Rubio

… a weakening of our shared American values …”

John Kasich

I think he’s toxic for the Republican Party and for the country.”

Larry Hogan

He’s willing to significantly undermine them …”

Bob Corker

There has never been a greater betrayal by a president …”

Liz Cheney

… an intensifying crescendo of conspiracy theories …”

Mitch McConnell

He should have immediately denounced the mob …”

Kevin McCarthy

… the most expensive and least effective way to do border security …”

Will Hurd

… not decency, not truth, not character, not integrity …”

Bill Weld

He tried to violently overthrow our government.”

Joe Walsh

… We shouldn’t have listened to him.”

Nikki Haley

… bitterness, combativeness and self-interest.”

Charlie Baker

Donald Trump is a phony, a fraud.”

Mitt Romney

… will spend the entire campaign whining about his legal troubles …”

Chris Sununu

… requires the kind of character he just doesn’t have.”

Paul Ryan

Conservative voices

He built a wall of lies …”

Charlie Sykes

If someone says something nice about him, they are our friend …”

Henry Kissinger

He wasn’t motivated by what he didn’t know.”

Hugh Hewitt

… corroded and corrupted American democracy …”

J. Michael Luttig

This is not leadership our country needs.”

Bob Vander Plaats

… We need a new standard-bearer.”

Erick Erickson

Lying is Trump’s toxic superpower.”

Rich Logis

… a floundering, inarticulate jumble of gnawing insecurities …”

George Will

Trump might be the greatest charlatan of them all.”

L. Brent Bozell III

World leaders

… I can't understand how Donald Trump can be on the side of Putin.”

Volodymyr Zelensky

A frightened dog barks louder.”

Kim Jong-un

… stands for a great division in the country.”

Olaf Scholz

… If there is a second time, it won’t be easy …”

Justin Trudeau

I deeply regret that President Trump has not conceded defeat …”

Angela Merkel

Where has our role model for democracy gone?”

Kazuyoshi Akaba

… clearly a threat.”

Christine Lagarde

… President Trump radiates insecurity.”

Kim Darroch

He’s a show-off.”

Mauricio Macri

[paginate54]

Dave Lewis, LZ chronicler, on Robert's performance of Stairway. From Led Zeppelin Celebration Days FB page:

Some personal thoughts on this performance of Stairway To Heaven...

There was something profoundly moving watching the YouTube footage of Robert Plant performing Stairway To Heaven at the Andy Taylor concert.

This was the first live public airing of the song since the Led Zeppelin 02 Reunion on December 10 2007.

Before I delve in to this subject, Robert’s entire appearance was captivating. Thank you delivered with much emotion, Black Dog hammed up brilliantly and the version of Season of the Witch segueing into a reprise of Black Dog lyrics and Buffalo Springfield’s For What it’s Worth – as in the LA Forum 1970 Blueberry Hill bootleg.

Incidentally, bassist on the night Guy Pratt noted that he has now performed Black Dog with both Robert and Jimmy Page – he was part of the touring band on the Coverdale Page Japan visit in late 1993. The band line up on the night consisted of the aforementioned Guy, former Reef guitarist Kenwyn House (wearing a dragon patterned shirt shades of Jimmy perhaps), Rod Stewart’s drummer David Palmer, Andy Taylor plus Andy Taylor’s son Andy J Taylor on guitar, singer Anne Rani and musician Dino Jelusick on keyboard and backing vocals.

So back to Stairway To Heaven...

We have all had a journey with this song over the years. Mine commenced on April 4 1971 when I heard it on my radio listening to Led Zeppelin’s BBC In Concert performance on Radio One’s John Peel show. I’d heard Jimmy in an interview describing how it had come together in various sections building to a climax. Sure enough this tentative version did just that.

I first saw it performed live on Sunday November 21 1971 at the Empire Pool Wembley – an extraordinary night. It was of course one of the stand out tracks on their just released fourth album.

It went to attain legendary status – the most played record on American radio and from 1975 the rightful finale to every Led Zeppelin live performance.

Like many of their songs the arrangement was often toyed with, not least by the singer who over time added many an ad - lib to the lyrics. As it was performed on every Led Zep show, this enabled the song to retain a freshness.

The first ad-lib I recall was when he inserted the line ''you are the children of the sun'' during the version to be heard on the classic bootleg Going To California from their performance in Berkeley on September 14 1971. From 1973 onwards 'Does anybody remember laughter?‘’ was an expected insert after the line ‘’and the forest will echo with laughter.’’

By 1975, Robert had changed the line ‘’your stairway’’ to ‘’our stairway’’ adding the line ‘’that’s all we got.’’ As I witnessed in awe from the side of the stage during their 1980 Over Europe performances , Robert added ‘’I keep chopin’ and changin'’’ as they led into the climax.

Post Zep, Robert has sang Stairway To Heaven’’ it a mere four times – at Live Aid in 1985, the Atlantic 40th anniversary show in 1988, a sweet truncated version with Jimmy Page in a TV studio in Japan in 1994 and at the Led Zeppelin O2 tribute concert for Ahmet Ertegun where he proclaimed after the song ‘’Ahmet we did it!’’

Well now he has done it again….

The obvious question is why now and why on this occasion?

There’s no doubt it was a special occasion being a concert staged by the ex - Duran Duran guitarist Andy Taylor. Andy has had serious cancer health issues and staged this concert in aid of Cancer Awareness Trust.

As well as performing on the night, Robert donated his personal gold disc of Led Zeppelin IV for the auction –as he put it ''our not so difficult fourth album.'' A part of this was featured on the video stream and it had clocked an initial £50,000 bid.“I love this music and I still love it now very much although I get a bit coy and shy when I have to go near it because it was such a long time ago,” he said.

In an interview with Led Zep News guitarist Kenwyn House revealed that Robert Plant chose to perform Stairway To Heaven after a wealthy donor agreed to donate a six-figure sum to charity if he did so.

So, a special occasion deems a special song for a very worthy cause.

It says everything for Robert’s ease with the Zep legacy, that he could perform this once millstone around his neck with such dignity.

As we know Stairway To Heaven became much maligned and a victim of much parody – and let’s not mention that farcical version by a disgraced not so all round entertainer.

Although he was quick to decry it in the immediate post Zep years, I happen to think Robert is rightly proud of the song, as he is the whole Zep legacy.

Who can forget his tearful reaction to the Wilson sisters and Jason’s performance at the Kennedy Honours in 2012?

So, with none of the pressure of performing it on a big stage and at a pressurised Zep related occasion, he was able to slot it in at this charity event with little fuss.

It worked majestically….

With an ad- hoc line up with few rehearsals, the arrangement was always going to be more loose than tight. That mattered little, as his vocal phrasing was absolutely spot on and what a joy it was to hear him sing this song with a calm control. Some subtle backing vocals aided the tranquil mood.

Here’s the thing – Robert Plant sang it as though he really meant it – confident in his skin at revisiting a major part of his past. Looking good with the mic off held in that familiar pose we know so well.

I wonder what was going through his mind? I know for me it prompted so many precious memories.

There were no ad-libs this time in what was out a fairly straight rendering – the guitar solo was neat and compact and they were back in for the grand finale. Here, Robert slowed things down and the key with it avoiding any strained vocals and he even sang the last section ‘’To be a rock and not to roll’’ for a second time – making it a unique arrangement. He did retain the ''our Stairway'' sentiment.

It was also unique for being the only time he has performed Stairway To Heaven without Jimmy Page...

The final ‘’and she’s buying’’ line was delivered with a delicate finesse – watching it prompted some instant flashbacks.

Momentarily I was back at Earls Court as the mirrorballs spun above them, back in that field just outside Stevenage when they came back to reclaim their crown (''so many people who've helped us over the years - no more people more important than yourselves who who came here on a blind date -this is for you all of yer'') and at home in 1985 watching the TV as the camera panned out to 90,00 watching them re group in Philadelphia for Live Aid.

I also thought about all the much missed friends and Zep comrades who are no longer around to enjoy this special moment...

All that was enough to prompt a huge lump in my throat and a tear in my eye.

Then Robert really sealed it.

Firstly he dedicated the performance to Andy:

“I know that in this contemporary age of digital stuff there’s every likelihood that other people will see that,” he said, facing Taylor. “So if they do, I offer it up to you and your success and to the whole deal that has happened here today and the future of it all.

And also so it’s not just that, I offer it up to Led Zeppelin, wherever they are”

Andy Taylor replied ‘’God bless ‘em there’s a lot of drummers in the sky we love.’’

Let's ponder on that statement...

''I offer this up to Led Zeppelin wherever they are''

It felt like he was giving the song back to his former bandmates and back to his audience – To the privileged few who were lucky enough to witness this special occasion and beyond that to countless fans like me and you.

Deep in the heart of the Cotswold's on an October Saturday evening Robert reclaimed a major part of his history and ours.

It’s likely he may never ever sing Stairway To Heaven this song again and if he doesn’t, it’s had a suitably poignant send off.

There was none of the pressure of the previous post Led Zep performances. It happened for a great cause and for a great fellow Midlands based musician.

I am aiming to be up in the Midlands in a few days’ time for the Saving Grace featuring Suzi Dian gig at the Birmingham Symphony Hall.

I am eagerly looking forward to it, not least after witnessing the YouTube video of this Andy Taylor tribute. For at 75 he is singing so brilliantly and his enjoyment as to where he is at in these advancing years is both inspiring and infectious.

Knowing that Robert Plant is at one with Led Zeppelin’s most famous song makes it all just a little bit more comforting.

As the song states ‘’If you listen very hard the tune will come to you at last’’

I’m still listening to Robert Plant intensely – as are countless others…

Dave Lewis - October 27 2023

[witchthewriter]

𝐁𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐑𝐢𝐩 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞

⤷ female, ambiguous race, and any size reader. Requests are open, thank you for reading!  

a/n: so ya girls been watching Yellowstone ... okay more like bingeing it. And it’s amazing!!!

Warning: swearingggg

ᴹᵃˢᵗᵉʳˡᶤˢᵗ    

🌿ISTP 🍁Gryffindor 📜True Neutral 🔮Capricorn Sun, Aries Moon, Scorpio Rising

SFW🌿

・Rip is a good man, with a good heart, but will do what needs to be done. That’s how the world sees him. 

・You just see him as a giant teddy bear

・There are no harsh words or yelling when he’s with you. Actually, whenever you’ve had a disagreement, he’s never even raised his voice. 

・ But he doesn’t like talking about his work for John. 

”I don’t want to tell you about my day, I just want to forget it.”

    “It’s okay baby, I just want to make sure he’s not asking too much of you.”

・The fact that you care about him so much absolutely warms his heart

・He loves when you call him baby, or honey, or any type of pet name

・Always honest (although he doesn’t talk to you about his work, he just avoids talking about it so he doesn’t have to lie). In every other area of your lives, he’s so truthful. You never feel like you’re on the outside of his life. 

・He isn’t a man that is fuelled by making money. He life is ruled by the fact that whoever tries to hurt what/who he loves, he will kill them. So, he loves the ranch - anyone who is trying to take it away, he will do whatever it takes to defend it 

・You get him watching the most dramatic shows like Housewives of Beverley Hills, Married At First Sight etc. (Yes, you made him get a tv, because even cowboys need to take their mind off of life for a while)

   “Why in the fuck, would he admit that? There’s a camera for fucksake?” 

        “Fame baby”

“Fuck fame, now everyone thinks he’s a dickhead.”

・Is Dad™ (even though he doesn’t have biological kids)

・Would most definitely want to have ‘kids’ whether that be fostering kids, adopting, or furbabies 

・Shows you how to ride a horse, and you become very good at it

・Loves seeing your smile, it’s his favourite feature of yours

・And you get all fuzzy inside whenever he does, because Rip only smiles when you’re around 

・Rip always grounds you. When your mind is racing, or when you’re jumping to conclusions, Rip will bring you down to earth

𝑯𝒊𝒔 𝑷𝒆𝒕 𝑵𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝑭𝒐𝒓 𝒀𝒐𝒖: Baby, Sweetheart, Darlin’

𝑯𝒊𝒔 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝑳𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒖𝒂𝒈𝒆: Quality Time & Gift Giving

𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒆 𝑺𝒐𝒏𝒈:

More Than A Woman by Midnite String Quartet

𝑹𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑 𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒔:

  ✧ “You wear the paints in this relationship” (You to Rip) x “Oh I wish, I cannot control you at all” (Rip to You)

  ✧ “I care about you!” x “You shouldn’t!”

  ✧ Emotionally Unstable (You) x Also Emotionally Unstable But Tries To Hide It (Rip)

  NSFW🔞minors dni!

・He likes being called sir, daddy, anything that makes him feel in charge

・He’d definitely be a soft dom 

・Loves receiving head. Especially surprised by it in the morning while he’s laying down. 

・Rip is just as good as giving head. He eats you out like he’s starving 

・You introduced the idea of bathing together, and he was intrigued by the idea. He didn’t realise how much he would enjoy it 

・His favourite positions are cowgirl and doggy 

・He’s very intense, and likes to hear you begging. For his hands, for his mouth, for his cock.

・Won’t do anything in public - he doesn’t want anyone to see you, or him, when you’re at your most vulnerable 

・Does like to fuck in every room of the house though

[terrence-silver]

What would Poly!Cobra Husbands x Beloved’s house look like through the ages? 🎊

---

It looks like...Terry Silver's home, of course.

Any of Terry's homes, at any point in his life.

Because Terry insists, and no, actually, Terry is unflinching on the matter that his own roof is best, the most spacious, most apt, luxurious, best equipped for the task of housing him and his and giving them they best they deserve, which they do deserve by virtue of being his, naturally. Comes with its own gymnasium, training lobby, office spaces, steam room, pool, jacuzzi, waiting staff, sparring partners one can beat up for sport and them being paid heftily to take it, the relative neighborhood of Griffith Park where potential bodies can be hidden, if need be (just a joke, Terry swears!) astounding views towards the skyline of LA (or his private beach at any other era), bedrooms that can easily house three and much, much more. And, he'd be right, truth to tell, notwithstanding that it gives him the unique chance of killing two birds with one stone. He gets to move in one significant other and then uses that as an excuse to move in John Kreese as well, who proved otherwise stubborn and proud when faced with the suggestion of living on Terry's address in the past --- something Terry wanted him to do for ages, to no avail, and now can under the excuse that you're there as well. And isn't that great? Isn't that the best thing that ever happened!?

This a billion dollar bit of exclusive revenue and real estate!

Why not use it for the intended purpose!? For living in it. Together.

-"Johnny, c'mon! C'mon, Johnny! It is only practical."-

Terry might push, with a hefty dose of deliberate manipulation, using the logically utilitarian nature of them all being in the same place rather than brining up the absolute luxury of their surroundings as a perk and selling point knowing John might be turned off by the prospect of living in a mansion on The Hills, or any other exclusive top-tier bracket location, as for that matter. Terry's smart. Terry knows John too well, and by extension, knows exactly what quality of his estate to name to sweeten the offer and present it as a viable living option for some as world-hardened as John. No, no, it is practical, don't you know? One of us lives at Glendower Avenue and so all of us should leave at Glendower Avenue, Johnny! And if that fails, then hey, Terry can always effortlessly try and tug at John's heartstrings, for old time's sake. So awfully lonely here at times, in this great, big mansion and he does like the company. Your company. And John's. That last part, turns out, is not such a lie at all, and Terry is buttering John up by sharing a great many truths with that statement, and that is exactly the reason why that attack might just work best to the point Terry can have you and John moved in by the very next day. Flawless victory!

[jikanet-tanaka]

Embarrassing Personal Ask Game

"We are going to talk about obsessions CRUSHES! Name 3 (celebrity crush, fictional/ cartoon/ videogame crush, and your current crush (may be real or not). And please give a brief (or lengthy) explanation or backstory."

Tagged by @andordean. HaHA, let's see how this goes, huh?

Celebrity crush:

Good ol' Oscar Isaac, who has charisma for days, along with that thick lovely hair (I... have a thing for pretty hair). The man always gives it his all, and damn, but the Star Wars sequels wasted him and John Boyega (and Kelly Marie Tran and Daisy Ridley and - ) I still don't understand why he hasn't played a live-action Gomez Addams yet. Get to it people!

Videogame crush:

Oh god, this is where it gets embarassing. I'd probably say Garrus Vakarian from Mass Effect, mainly because of how long it's lasted. One of my friends wanted to buy me a Garrus dakimakura for my birthday for Chrissake. I think it's the voice, the snarky one-liners and the not-so-well hidden dorkiness that does it for me.

Current crush:

I'm watching The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor right now and I'd say... the whole damn cast for both shows, really?? It's full of super pretty people, but right now Rahul Kohli as Owen Sharma takes the cake (geddit?) His terrible puns and wonderful hair did it for me.

Karlach from Baldur's Gate comes as a close second. You know you would always have a great time with her, you do. I love how fun she is, and how deep her character is after you get to know her better. And that design, man. I don't know anyone who played that game who didn't get a crush on her the instant she joins the party.

I tag... @baepsae-7, @jove999, @darcyme, @glueblade, @ramblesanddragons, but no pressure if you don't wanna do it, I don't want to embarass anyone! (In my case, I've lost the ability to feel shame a long time ago, so...)

[walkswithmyfather]

“Why would God leave the 99 to find 1?” By Gotquestions.org:

“Both Matthew 18 and Luke 15 record Jesus’ parable about a shepherd who leaves 99 sheep in the fold to go in search of one that had wandered away. Jesus gave this illustration in response to the Pharisees who were incensed that Jesus “welcomes sinners and eats with them” (Luke 15:2). The religious leaders in Jesus’ day had structured their system to exalt the self-righteous and exclude anyone who did not live up to their often arbitrary standards (Matthew 23:28). They had added so many rules and regulations to God’s law that no one could keep them all, including the ones who drafted them. When Jesus came along, His methodology confused them. He seemed to be from God, yet He rebuked the outwardly righteous and welcomed the wicked. How could this man know God?

So Jesus told them a story, as He did many times in order to explain spiritual truths: “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish” (Matthew 18:12–14). The people of Jesus’ day understood the relationship between shepherds and sheep, but the significance of a shepherd going in search of one lost sheep is sometimes lost on us. It seems strange that a shepherd would leave his flock to search for one missing sheep.

We might consider the shepherd leaving the 99 to find the 1 this way: a father and his five children are asleep in their home when the smoke detectors go off. The father awakens to find his house filled with smoke and the sound of flames and crackling timber coming nearer. Panicked, he races to his children’s bedrooms and begins to rouse them. Calling to some and carrying others, he stumbles down the stairs and out the front door. He deposits the sleepy children on the grass a safe distance away and then turns. Gasping for air, he squints through the smoke to count kids: “Tim, Sally, Angel, Jojo—where’s Lilly!” He is missing his youngest, three-year-old Lilly. Four children are safe, one is not. What will this father do?

God is a Father. He counts His kids. He rejoices that some are safely in Christ, prepared for eternity and nestled near His heart. But some are missing. Where’s Karen? Where’s Abdul? Where’s Jose? The Father sent Jesus on a rescue mission “to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). God does not abandon the 99. They are already safely in His kingdom, attended by His angels, and guided by His Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14; Hebrews 13:5). But His heart aches for those not yet in the fold.

So the Good Shepherd pursues the lost sheep, woos them, calls to them, and allows circumstances into their lives designed to make them look up. It is often in the bleakest of circumstances that we finally surrender our demands to have our own way. We finally submit to our Shepherd, who carries us back to the fold (Luke 15:5). In John 10, Jesus again refers to Himself as the Good Shepherd, saying, “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd” (verses 16–17). Then in verses 27–29 He says, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.” The 99 are still important to Him, but He knows the flock is not complete without the lost sheep. And a good shepherd always goes after the lost sheep.

In Luke’s gospel, two other parables follow the one about the one lost sheep, and both of them reinforce Jesus’ main point, which is the value of individuals. The parable of the lost coin (Luke 15:8–10) and the parable of the lost son, also known as the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11–32), continue the theme of God as a pursuer of lost people. We were all lost at one time, and the Lord came after us. If He had not taken the initiative, no one could be saved (John 6:44). So, when our Good Shepherd wants to pursue another lost lamb, the 99 who are in the fold can joyfully support the rescue.”

[henrysglock]

Salem's lot possible by king inspo for tfs? Was watching a vid about it and it has random things (very similar 1980s poster, Ralph/Danny brother dies at 12, becomes vampire, Father Callahan/Father Newby, Marsten House/Creel House, "original evil" haunting of house tied to csa) that just remind me of the creels, was curious if you had any thought abt the show or book

So sorry for taking a few weeks to get to this, Nonnie!! This time I actually have a reason for the wait, though: cross referencing.

(This is going to be a long post...)

I definitely think 'Salem's Lot is an inspo for The First Shadow for a few different reasons.

First things first, a lot of 'Salem's Lot is giving ST3 and the flayed, with One as a (supposed) Barlow figure and Will as a Danny type figure carrying on from ST1/2. However, as we know, Will and Henry exist as something of a repetition, and the Creel house does seem to function similarly to the Marsten house at first glance, as you said, with Henry being that era's Danny figure. (I'm going to come back to this later).

We also have some cool visual connections.

First off, like you said, we have the poster (and the book cover for good measure, since there's similarity there too):

Then we have iconic shots from the movie itself being replicated:

A third one comes, however, from a third source: Midnight Mass

As I've talked about before, the church in The First Shadow promo art is a near carbon-copy of the church from Midnight Mass:

There are also a fair number of other similarities. For one, the window silhouettes:

For another, the birds and cats:

(Added context: The TFS leaked audition tapes talk about cats being killed in Hawkins with no known suspect, much the same as the cats being killed on Crockett Island by the "angel" vampire in Midnight Mass.)

Further, the setup of the Midnight Mass rec. center as compared to set pieces for The First Shadow...as compared to the Rainbow Room in NINA:

And, while not strictly related to The First Shadow, there is an interesting detail to note across all three sources. The eyes:

(This also comes through in Annihilation (on the ST4 movie board) when altered Lena and the alien doppelgänger of her husband Kane reunite. Both of their eyes shimmer and glow, much the same way as the monster-fied humans pictured above.)

I bring all this up now in relation to 'Salem's Lot because 'Salem's Lot was a clear inspiration for Midnight Mass, to the point where Flanagan easter-eggs it into the show:

We also have other overlapping references, such as Se7en, which appears both in Midnight Mass and on the ST4 movie board:

So the question we're all asking is "why the tangent about Midnight Mass? How does that tie in, besides being a 6-degrees-of-separation thing."

Here, I'd like to posit a connection between the three: Barlow, Brenner, and Pruitt's Angel.

In Midnight Mass, Father Paul Hill (Msgr. John Pruitt), is a "newcomer" who brings a vampire (read: Angel) to Crockett Island. In truth, he's the missing Msgr. John Pruitt, who was restored to youth by the vampire's blood after an ill-fated trek to Jerusalem (much like 'Salem's Lot's Father Callahan). It is he who does most of the dealing on the vampire's behalf, feeding its blood to his concentration and convincing the people that becoming a vampire is a miracle...all while transforming into a vampire himself.

In 'Salem's Lot, Kurt Barlow is the vampire responsible for Danny's death and turning. He's the newcomer to the Lot who buys the Marsten house and hides within it. He does most of his dealing via Richard Straker, his human familiar.

In The First Shadow, Martin Brenner is a newcomer to Hawkins, establishing his spot in basement of Hawkins National Laboratory. We don't know much about him, but we do know that his later self has a fair amount of vampire coding (not appearing in mirrors, a habit of not dying from things that ought to kill him, etc), as does Vecna, a supposed byproduct of his experimentation. He's also got people who deal on his behalf, such as Connie Frazier and Sam Owens.

I'm not so much saying that Brenner exists as a physical vampire, but perhaps a more figurative one. As you mentioned, Nonnie, vampirism is often used as symbolism of non-consenual acts (see: SA in Bram Stoker's Dracula, CSA in 'Salem's Lot, and grooming in fanatical/fundamentalist church circles in Midnight Mass). They're also used to represent the spread of ideas and practices that are generally thought of as evil or unclean.

Brenner is no different, and his story is far more heavy-handed in this regard.

He may not physically drink blood, but he farms children to to be the figurative (and eventually literal) lifeblood of his scientific endeavors, all of which is possible via abuse of and a fundamental lack of consent from Henry and the children. Brenner may not be feeding on them, but he is feeding on them, if you catch my meaning. And, as we know, Brenner has a penchant for lying and manipulation. He spreads stories that aren't true, that turn people against his victims.

He comes to deliver messages regarding the reliability of the government and the dark underbelly of control and abuse that spreads under the patriot-acclaimed shining goal of "progress", much like Pruitt's fanatical church and its "miracles" that can only end in slaughter, or the blind eye being turned to a predator on the loose in the town of Jerusalem's Lot, in which the steady spread of vampirism denotes the fact that each blind eye becomes complicit in the spread of abuse.

Brenner, then, seems to be both the Barlow and the Pruitt of The First Shadow: A newcomer who does horrific things in pursuit of a selfishly "selfless" goal: scientific progress.

As such, I'd like to alter a conclusion slightly: Both the Creel House and Hawkins National Lab seem to be the Marsten house of Stranger Things, no?

And on that note...

Vecna/One and Brenner seem to exist as two sides of a coin: While Vecna/One literally sucks the life force from his victims, Brenner does so in a more figurative sense. Vecna/One doesn't literally spread lies the way Brenner does (in fact, any lies he might tell are very much contained between himself and his victim), but the way the UD spreads under his control is very much the metaphorical flip-side to that pattern of behavior.

In this respect, they both seem to be Barlows. While Brenner isn't the physical source of the magical terror in Hawkins, he did kidnap a child and through that act corrupt a neutral magical source into what it is today. In this he acts as half of Barlow, with Vecna/One acting as that literal magical source/other half.

Do with that what you will.

[bloodiedbeloveds]

charming disaster trifecta au

thanks to @my-deer-friend for enabling us! there's more plot that isn't in this post, but this lays out the premise decently

this AU name sounds like word salad, but actually it makes perfect sense with the context that "charming disaster" is the name of a goth-folk band and this entire au is based on three of their songs. linking the songs in the section headers!

this post contains murder and bad consent practices

"What Remains": John & Eliza

growing up in a small town is hard enough without having been born as a magician. John & Eliza are bonded by their shared experiences and are very close starting in middle school. they read every relevant book in the library and spent hours at a time in the woods together, trying to shape the power inside them into something that can be tamed

they grow sideways into strange young people with wild eyes and secret, twisting thoughts. they learn to rule themselves but not how to fit in. they become steadily more distant from everyone else; no one else can accept them or their aspirations. their more mundane mental illnesses don't help

in late June, after they've both graduated from high school, John accidentally murders Francis

(that awkward moment when you're lying in the grass with your boyfriend and he begins to talk about magicians and crazies and he says he doesn't mean you but he doesn't listen when you argue back and you pull your hand away from his and swallow your sick sense of realization. that awkward moment when you meet him after a long night of ritual practice in a desperate attempt to keep yourself steady and he finally calls you a nutcase to your face and the strength of your fury chokes him)

John never meant for anything like this to happen and he spends a long time sobbing over Francis's body in a birch clearing before he goes to find Eliza

they can fix this. they know they can. they can hide it. John considers suicide but Eliza won't let him so they drag the body to the river and complete their work

they fuck up! John doesn't know they fucked up until the next day; Eliza never finds out. they are successful in making it look like an accident, in letting the river claim him and wash them both clean. John's guilt is taken from him, but so is everything else. he wakes alone in a strange room with no memory of his personal history

he doesn't know he is meant to speak to Eliza. he sits through the funeral of a stranger and disappears at midnight a week later. he intends never to return to these people who love and resent a person he doesn't remember.

Eliza doesn't know why he left her. she doesn't know anything about what happened to him. why would he leave me, she cries to the dark woods and the pale sky the morning after his departure; nothing answers. when she leaves their hometown, when she finds her way in the world, she does it with a still-broken heart.

"Sympathetic Magic": Alex & John

Alex wasn't born a magician; he's just very bad at taking no for an answer and when his local witch told him at nine years old he would never be able to imitate her, he took that as a challenge

he's not very good at magic, at all. mostly this is because he can't stick to one thing and is trying to cozy up with practitioners of every single goddamn discipline

John has by this time grown from a weird isolated teenager into a weirder, even more isolated adult who lives on a house on a hill surrounded on one side by mountains and on the other by a vast, windswept plain. he also finally has actual friends who actually like him and invite him to social events, which he attends on occasion when he's capable of leaving home. (all his friends are also magicians.)

Alex managed to get an invitation to a seance held by one of John's friends (this is mostly a social thing-- they do in fact attempt to contact some spirits, but the point of the evening is to catch up with everyone). John attends and spends the first two hours being asked by everyone he knows how his latest project is going, then locks eyes with Alex across the room and starts telling people he'll write them a letter about it later

at the end of the evening they kiss beneath a yew tree. John, giddy and exhilarated, is not as careful as he should have been; Alex, ever observant, does not disturb the strands of hair which clung to his jacket when they parted

they write to each other, but their relationship quickly turns sour, because John refuses to teach Alex basically any magic. in retaliation, Alex makes a poppet and begins to torture him. yes, this is a kink thing. no, it's not a good idea at all

eventually John, feeling violated, uses his small army of possessed birds to try to kill him

"Blacksnake": Eliza & Alex

Eliza as an adult is more well-adjusted than John, though that's not really a high bar to clear. for a magician she's relatively social, by which we mean that she lives in the middle of a desert and curses people who show up at her house unexpectedly, but is capable of visiting her friends a few times a week.

when she left her hometown she joined a secret society. after discovering that there are many different secret societies, many of which are not nearly as weirdly controlling yet impersonal as her first group, she left it and flirted with membership in a few different societies before settling on her current group. they are part social club, part study group, part religious gathering. (one of the members was john's mentor, but neither of them are aware of this connection.)

she knows that John's alive. she's kept some of his old possessions for years. she still remembers what his magic feels like. when she sees a cloud of sparrows barrelling towards a stranger on the disused highway near her home she knows who sent them and longs once again to rip out her heart

she saves Alex mostly out of spite. then, because he's pretty, she takes him home. Alex, who has no sense of self-preservation, agrees to go with her, lets her dress his wounds, has sex with her, and falls asleep in her bed. while he's asleep Eliza steals a chunk of his soul from him

she starts appearing in his home at night when she feels like it. she curses him occasionally. they have violent sex. he tries to keep her out but nothing ever works for long

(yes, Alex at this point knows one magician who he could kill (which is hot) and one magician who could kill him (which is hot). being on the receiving end of dubiously consensual magic kink doesn't discourage him from continuing to treat John as a plaything. don't try this at home)

eventually, John tracks Alex to Eliza's house to try again to kill him. he doesn't recognize Eliza. she is not pleased

[incomingalbatross]

Doctor Who fancast of LotR, current draft:

Bilbo: Patrick Troughton <3

Gandalf: Peter Capaldi (this is only partly on account of his eyebrows)

Frodo: Paul McGann. I'm VERY committed to this

Sam: ???

Merry: Ian Marter. He's a posh lad, our Merry

Pippin: Frazer Hines (who otherwise would be a shoo-in for Sam)

Lobelia: ?? Don't know but she deserves the best in terms of casting. Considering SJA-era Liz Sladen

Gildor, Farmer Maggot, Fatty: All ?? (Farmer Maggot MIGHT be John Levene. Might be Sylvester McCoy.)

Tom Bombadil: Colin Baker. Listen, I was very torn here because OBVIOUSLY Tom Baker has the correct energy, but Colin does too and I think he would have more fun with the little songs. Also I want to save Tom Baker's voice for someone else

Goldberry: Lalla Ward (...unfortunately another point for Tom as Tom)

Butterbur: ...I feel like there's an obvious choice but I don't have him

Aragorn: Nicholas Courtney, YES my Brigadier bias is showing through, but you know he could handle "running herd on the hobbits"

Glorfindel: Peter Davison

Elrond: Matt Smith. Listen I like this choice so much. Old and wise and the last of his kind!!

Arwen: ?? This just feels like a game of "which dark-haired DW actress do I declare the Most Beautiful," except they also need the correct Elvish Vibes. For the vibes especially, I'm considering Carole Ann Ford. But then there's Mary Tamm, who is properly Tall. idk.

Boromir: ???

Legolas: Peter Purves?? I can't even tell you why he just kinda seems to fit and that's the best I got.

Gimli: Michael Craze??? See above.

Galadriel: ?? Again, this should be easier. DW has so many good actresses. But I can't think of anyone who's quite right. Mary Tamm in a blonde wig? Jacqueline Hill ditto? Lalla Ward would be great if she were just taller, but I don't regret giving her Goldberry either.

Celeborn: ??

Eomer: David Tennant. Eomer has a good range of Big Emotions, which I feel is important when casting David Tennant. (And yes I'm waiving the hair color here too.)

Treebeard: Tom Baker. THIS is what I was saving his voice for. You get it right??

Quickbeam: ??

Theoden: William Hartnell. <3 This one is very important to me.

Eowyn: Karen Gillian. Listen. She could DO it. (Also this makes both siblings Scottish, which amuses me.)

Grima: ??

Saruman: Jon Pertwee. I wanted him for Denethor too, but if I have to choose... Saruman.

Gollum: ?? Casting anyone as Gollum just feels mean.

Faramir: Hnggggh... I am considering both William Russell (Ian bias) and Arthur Darvill (to be opposite Karen Gillian but also he likes cool parts with gravitas). I don't know.

Denethor: ?? All wizard-adjacent characters should be played by Doctors but I've used all the applicable Doctors. ...Anthony Ainley?

Beregond: ?? He FEELS like a John Levene character but John Levene also feels like he really should be a hobbit. I am considering Duggan's actor on the grounds that he's also an everyman

Bergil: ?? I don't have any child actors on hand

Halbrand: ??

Elladan and Elrohir: ??

Prince of Dol Amroth: Okay actually THIS is William Russell

Ioreth: Catherine Tate I think

The Master of the Houses of Healing: pick any half-decent Time Lord, they'll fit the bill :P

Farmer Cotton: ??

Rosie Cotton: Either Anneke Wills or Katy Manning, probably. Or maybe Jenna Coleman.

[enbee-ai]

@its-your-mind this is for you

here are my notes on malevolent's season one, episodes one through eight

considering my history with eye-related imagery podcasts, it was only obvious that one day i'd get around to malevolent as well. so here it is:

the two things i knew going in are as follow:

one of them is named john, while the other's name is arthur. i have no clue who is which

lots of the aforementioned eye imagery. i think at least one of them might be coded yellow, although as far as i know they are... sharing a body, perhaps. one of them is not human. and he's EVIL

i didn't jot down many notes while listening to the first bunch of episodes, but i have some general thoughts.

the setup is really smart. it's a really good idea to have arthur suddenly go blind and having john describe his surroundings, the people they come across and the actions arthur himself is going to take, but it also almost feels like a dnd campaign as far as descriptions and the dialogue goes (good, i'm very passionate about taz), especially when john gives arthur a description and arthur asks him questions, or when john lays out the possible courses of action they could take and leaves the choice to arthur. also why are there dice sounds sometimes when john notices some detail or other? what's up with that

part 1 "the dark world", part 2 "the missing girl", part 3 "the mansion", all in rapid fire:

(at this point i was convinced this was all taking place in england. podcast protagonists love being named john, and british)

i love stories that start in medias res, but this isn't even that. this is directly after the res. intriguing

peter... a private detective's partner in investigating... mmh nureyev i am constantly reminded of you come back home

the mystery seems straightforward enough, at least as much as a mystery can be, but arthur's detective skills really shine through here. he seems quite level headed.

it's really funny that he tells the voice (this is what i was calling john until episode five) to shut up and calm the fuck down he's so right for that, you go you funky little detective! 

i wonder when he's going to break down

DRIVING? WHILE BLIND???

creepy rotting abandoned mansions and mystery babies, love it, nothing to complain about

part 4 "the voices"

is the guy (kellin) the one who can actually hear the voice? is the severed head just a lifeless thing? does he think ! he can't hear the voice while his sister's head can, because he's unstable? is this what's happening? how would this guy (kellin again, i had no idea how to spell his name before looking it up i apologize) even be able to talk to the severed head in the lake?

oh this is GOOD horror

part 5 "the gift"

what? how did that happen? what? (i'm apparently referring to how arthur got in a hospital, according to the time stamp i left next to this note!)

is that the dream world the book guy was talking about in his notes?

did they actually have this kind of medical technology back in the 1930's?

oooh john

OO FRIEND

thank you for the recap of the previous five episodes i have just listened to

I KNEW SHE WAS DEAD!! CONSEQUENCES (of being asleep for a month)  (i'm talking about amanda / sarah here)

part 6 "the hill"

john seems to really like saying arthur's name

"arthur" "what?" "it's closed." hah

alright yes i s'pose i could yeh

how come john keeps asking arthur to play the piano? is there a reason beyond the obvious?

oh oh his reaction!! it's so lovely!!

gingerly walking into a gun shop and buying a gun like the real americans do. yeehaw

"you know how to [pick a lock]?" "many times, friend" "friend"

!!! john is so surprised to be called arthur's friend!! he didn't even notice it when they were in the hospital but arthur's been calling him that for a while now, back before the coma :)))

"more than telling (turn right) more than telling—"

part 7 "the island"

abandoned houses, severed heads, creepy lighthouses in the middle of a foggy lake, hitchhiking with the wrong guy. cults

all of my favorite things

we fucked up, you fucked up

who's john????????? what 

what do you mean who's john. what's happening to him, why doesn't he remember his own name that he picked out for himself kind of

part 8 "the caves"

"once more in the abyss, john" "once more, friend"

first time john's called arthur his friend! it's even more meaningful knowing how much he likes calling him arthur

john hates rhetorical questions, i see. although i'm pretty sure they're an integral part of being a PI and reasoning stuff out

the coffins were removed... and the widow wasn't alone... this is the thing that fucks me up the most 

more dice sounds

"if they are a cult, who or what are they worshipping", i see john's the one asking the rhetorical questions now

a woman? the widow? why has she gone feral

counting? what? the coffins? time? (about the signs they find on the cave's walls)

ah

john 😳 i need you with me on this 😳

the black goat, the king in yellow (arthur and john? is that why they're coded yellow? is john the king in yellow? could that be?)

is john hiding something? why is the fact that he left the severed head behind continually brought up? is it going to be relevant, was the head actually... supernatural?

does john know something he isn't telling arthur?

antoine's final plan and henry's sacrifice ?

"the one who wore, yellow?" "yes the king in yellow"

the one who tried to kill arthur in episode one? (i think this might be referring to the one who killed sarah, or the one who was following her)

"FUCK YOU JOHN" "FUCK ME? FUCK YOUR EYES"

well john is obviously worried that arthur's lack of empathy for the creatures they've come across up to this point will translate in a... rejection of some sort (fear, disgust, or anger) towards him if and when they find out where john came from and what he is

he's also aware that the time he spent in the dark world must have greatly influenced him, both in his actions and his mind. i think this is why he is showing so much empathy for the widow (was she really?) getting sucked into the cult, he knows how much the environment you're in and the company you are with can influence a mind

i mean, this is just speculating. i hope whatever malevolent veteran is reading this is having a laugh

this also makes me think that john might be having quite the influence on arthur's mind, to an extent, one that arthur is not aware of, at all

well, shit

[gammacousin]

Lucile Jameson: “To start us off, I just have to give you credit; you're the first person to insist on compensation for coming onto the Purple Podcast.”

Garrett Barton: “To be completely honest, dad said I could only leave the house if I came back with a paycheck, so. I had to lie and tell him I was going to work. Does he listen to this?”

——

Lucile Jameson: “How does it feel to be the first criminal interviewed on the Purple Pod?”

Maria Hill: “If I can cut you off for a second there, Lucy. I didn't KNOW you'd be held hostage.”

Lucile Jameson: “Well it was unpleasant.”

Maria Hill: “They gave you pizza.”

Lucile Jameson: “It had, minimal toppings.”

Maria Hill: “It could've been worse.”

Lucile Jameson: “You're right. I could've been fed Papa Johns instead. I mean that in the best way dad, you just can't make good pizza.”

Maria Hill: “Why did I agree to this abuse?!”

Lucile Jameson: “It's that guilty conscience of yours. It makes you do crazy things like adopt that psychopath who is going to kill you in your sleep.”

Maria Hill: “Riley would do that, wouldn't she?”

Lucile Jameson: “1,000%.”