#why did they hire a 13 year old in the fbi and how did he get such a high ranking position

[kneworder]

did you watch tua s4 and if so what did you think :3

yeah i watched it

[typingtess]

NCIS: Los Angeles Season 14 Rewatch:    “Sleeping Dogs”

The basics:  When several Drona subjects are attacked, NCIS is on the case.

Written by:   Andrew Bartels wrote or co-wrote "Allegiance", "Zero Days", "The Grey Man", "Humbug", "Fighting Shadows", "Driving Miss Diaz", "Angels & Daemons", "Where There’s Smoke…", "Glasnost", "Old Tricks" "Battle Scars", "Fool Me Twice", "Warrior of Peace", "Reentry", "The Prince", "Smokescreen", "The One That Got Away"/"No More Secrets" two-parter, "Yellow Jacket", "Missing Time", "If the Fates Allow", "Red Rover, Red Rover", "Divided We Fall", "Genesis" and "Survival of the Fittest".

Directed by:   Gonzalo Amat is directing his first NCIS: Los Angeles episode. 

Guest stars of note: Ava McCoy as Jordyn Rountree returns from “Perception” in season 13, Ashley Sharpe Chestnut as FBI Special Agent Summer Morehurst returns from "Let it Burn", both Kavi Ramachandran Ladnier as Agent Shyla Dahr and Duncan Campbell as Agent Castor return from “Shame”, Milissa Sears as Leah Novak returns from “Genesis” in season 13, David DeSantos as Anthony Beltran.

Our heroes:   Keep droning on about Drona.

What important things did we learn about: Callen:  In a roundabout way, asks Sam to be his best man. Sam:   In a roundabout way, says yes t being Callen’s best man. Kensi:  Absent. Deeks:   See Kensi. Fatima:  Hacks into the Drona files with Shyla. Rountree:  Willing to be shot at to protect Sam and Fatima. Kilbride:  Leaving after work to see his son.

What not so important things did we learn about: Callen:  Worshipped by Castor. Sam:   Thinks Castor getting knocked out twice in three months is a bad look. Kensi:   See Deeks. Deeks:   Absent. Fatima:   Likes Rountree with Summer. Rountree:  Runs after school buses, bad guys and through sand castles. Kilbride:   Hired Shyla because Shyla remembers everything.

Where in the world is Henrietta Lange?  Seemingly in a small town on the border of Turkey and Syria warning Drona subjects that they are in danger.

Who's down with OTP:  Kensi and Deeks are off doing family things.  Rountree and Summer seems to be doing well. 

Who's down with BrOTP:  Callen popped the question – will Sam be his best man?  Callen has a side buddy in Castor.

Fashion review:  Callen wears a green, blue and yellow plaid shirt.  A long-sleeve black tee for Sam.  Fatima wears a tan leather field coat over a black turtleneck.  A pale purple fleece sweatshirt for Rountree.  Kilbride has on a dark brown three-piece suit with a white dress shirt and a brown and gold tie. 

Music: Not today!

Any notable cut scene:  Not today!

Quote:  Shyla:  “Oh, uh, your ride to the airport just pulled up outside.” Kilbride:  “I thought I told you to cancel that flight.” Shyla:  “Did you? Oh, I-I don't remember.” Kilbride:  “You remember everything.  That's why I hired you.” Shyla:  “Do you still want me to cancel it?  Bear in mind, it is nonrefundable and I know how much you hate wasting money.  Not to mention missing an opportunity to see your son after all these years...” Kilbride:  “All right, all right, I'm leaving.  Remind me to fire you when I get back.”

Anything else:  A gentleman is out walking his dog in a small park area surrounded by businesses.  The dog, Rebel, starts barking and jumps into a bush.  Returning to his owner, Rebel gifts the man a dead squirrel, which was not on the man’s breakfast meal plan.  The man’s phone rings – it is an older, flip phone.  A text message reads “DHRISHTADYUMNA”.  The man breaks the phone in half and tosses his phone, causing Rebel to play fetch.  While the dog is away, a person wearing a ski mask shoots the dog owner in the back of the dead.  Rebel returns to his fallen owner and sits right next to him because dogs are the best.

At a table by a coffee shop, Fatima, Rountree, Jordyn and FBI Agent Summer Morehurst are chatting.  Fatima is teasing Rountree for yelling “Federal Agents” as they were trailing a suspect.  The suspect ran (because he’s obviously watched the show).  “Tree” caught the guy after a 10-minute chase.  Jordyn is all in for the Rountree mocking.  Rountree always liked to show off how fast he was.  He’d forget to give Jordyn her school lunch on purpose and then run alongside the school bus to give it to her like Keanu Reeves.  And she hated his lunches – avocados and bean sprouts.  She was 14 and didn’t want to eat that stuff back then.  Summer says she’s not interested in eating it now.  Rountree says it all worked out for the best.  Jordyn aced her MCATs and is on her way to medical school.  Summer starts mocking “Treefontaine” when she gets a call – FBI wants to see her.  Jordyn is off to class as well.

Shyla is giving a not paying attention Admiral Kilbride notice about a meeting with his British and Australian counterparts.  Still not paying attention.  She would be willing to go.  Still not paying attention.  Kensi and Deeks are out because Rosa’s aunt had a stroke.  Still not paying attention.  Office minutiae like the security system doing a reboot and Agent Castor’s performance review aren’t capturing the Admiral’s attention either.   Shyla mentions a radioactive group of pubescent turtles foiling and armed robbery at the Santa Monica Pier and nothing.  Shyla sees a suitcase and realizes that he’s flying up to San Francisco to see his son.  She will arrange transport to the airport at 7PM but he wants to leave at 7:30PM – he’s not much of an airport guy.  With spring break, Shyla recommends the earlier departure time but the Admiral promises her he’ll be fine.  Eventually he relents but warns Shyla that if he is stuck with a “posse of frat boys you will never hear the end of it.”  She thinks that would be a great story.  As Shyla leaves, the Admiral wants a BOLO on the turtles and their giant rat leader – can’t have mutant vigilantes running around.

Sam walks in to the bullpen, greeting Callen.  On Sam’s desk is a printout of a man in a tuxedo.  Callen explains it is the tuxedo Anna, sorry, he and Anna, want Sam to wear to the wedding.  Sam thinks he can dress himself.  Callen brings up Anna’s, his and Anna’s color palate for the wedding.  The tux is just for Sam.  “Is this your way of asking me to be your best man?”  Callen thought Sam being the best man was a given.  Sam’s not so sure.  Callen has been spending quality time with Castor – they had some drinks and dinner after Castor was knocked out by Miraslava.  Sam notes that Castor worships Callen, even dresses like him.  Castor arrives, dressed similarly to Callen.    Callen breaks down and asks if Sam would be his best man.  Of course, Sam replies but he hates the tux.  Callen agrees.

Shyla walks down the stairs.  Callen asks if they have a case.  She replies “you tell me” as she brings them up to Ops.  Once in Ops, she launches all the security protocols that lock the door, shut the shutters and turn down the lights.  She was sent two encrypted files through a DOD top secret/special compartmented information channel, JWICS.  The first file is the driver’s license for the man the park – John Jenkins.  He’s the CEO for a software company.  The second file is the ID card of an FBI Analyst, Patrick Hertel.  Both men were found dead that morning.  Hertel was killed in his backyard, Jenkins in the park.  There were numbers with the file – eight, 11 and 22.  Maybe August 11, 2022. 

Callen isn’t interested in figuring out what eight, 11 and 22 mean.  JWICS files are sent by known people.  Who sent the file?  Shyla doesn’t know, it came from a SCIF on the border of Turkey and Syria, the town of Al-Rai.  It was Hetty’s last known location, who else would send cryptic clues.  Shyla seems excited –“are you talking about who I think you’re talking about?”  Callen confirms – Hetty.

In the Admiral’s office, Callen makes the case that to Kilbride that the JWICS file came from Hetty.  The Admiral wants to know why she would send the names for two men and some random numbers.  It isn’t an urgent message, it is a top secret butt dial according to the Admiral.  He’s checked – the SCIF was closed months ago.  Callen thinks Hetty could have routed the JWICS through the SCIF but if she did that, why didn’t she identify herself the Admiral asks.  Maybe Hetty thinks JWICS is compromised according to Callen.  More being a pain in the ass according to Kilbride.  Callen wants to investigate the victims to see if there is anything there.  Since Hetty bailed Kilbride out with the Simon Williams case, Callen can investigate as long as he stays in his lane – stay away from the official investigations.

Fatima and Rountree show up at Hertel’s home, which is covered with police tape.  They start to work on a story to get involved with the case when they see Summer working the case.  She comes to see Rountree and Fatima, who think there is a connection between Hertel’s killing and an NCIS investigation into John Jenkins.   Summer starts asking questions and Rountree drops “national security”.  Since Rountree and Fatima can’t share their info on Jenkins, which is none other than Callen and Sam are investigating what Hetty sent, Summer can’t working with them.  When they can share, so can she.  Hertel is FBI – they’re working for one of their own.

At the park area, Callen learns from LAPD that all the cameras were down due to routine maintenance when Jenkins was walking his dog.  Callen also shares that Summer is working the Hertel case.  Sam thinks it was a robbery – no wallet, no keys, no phone and the killer took away the shell casings.  LAPD found half the phone in Rebel’s mouth.  Callen gives Shyla a call.  She has not found a link between Jenkins and Hertel yet. 

Looking into Jenkins, his start up tech company has one employee – Jenkins.  They haven’t created a product in the last five years.  Jenkins and his company have been doing very well, despite offering no products.  He’s likely laundering money.  Asked about family, Shyla tells Callen and Sam that Jenkins was adopted and his adopted parents are long dead.  Turning back to the crime scene, if the dog found one half of the phone, Sam would like to see if he could find the other half.

Back at the FBI crime scene, Rountree sees an older couple arrive and go right under the police tape.  Fatima is on the phone.  Rountree calls for Summer, who is a bit embarrassed.  She asks about the older couple – they are Hertel’s adopted parents.  An arriving Fatima, who was on the phone hears adopted and notes that Jenkins was also adopted.  Summer isn’t impressed until Fatima tells her both men were shot in the back of the head to make it look like a robbery.  Summer never told them how Hertel was killed.   NCIS is now part of the FBI crime scene.

Callen and Sam talk about Callen setting a date but Anna is giving him time to find Hetty.  Sam hopes this is the case that gets them to Hetty.  Callen doesn’t believe that.  If Hetty wanted to be found, Hetty would be found.  She would tell them where to find her.  Callen wants to get married and it is unfair to make Anna wait so long.  Sam is looking forward to his best man speech – he has a lot of wisdom to share.  Callen thinks he’s heard most of Sam’s wisdom but the wisdom is for Anna, who needs to know what she’s really getting herself into.  Callen is having second thoughts about Castor.  The dog finds the other part of the phone.

As the Admiral arrives in Ops, Shyla has an update about eight, 11 and 22.  Both Jenkins and Hertel went through the LA foster care system.  They are both single, in their 40’s and both had government jobs.  Hertel is with the FBI, Jenkins is an NSA Analyst.  He’s not in most common databases for the NSA.  Shyla learned about his NSA role through some friends in Washington.  Shyla is about to call this in to Callen and Sam but the Admiral wants her to way.  He needs her to pull some files instead. 

Hertel was watering his plants when his killer walked up behind him and fired one shot into his head.  There was no cartridges left behind, just like the Jenkins crime scene.  Summer apologizes for stonewalling NCIS.  Fatima says they would have likely done the same if the roles were reversed.  Summer doesn’t understand the connection between the two killings. 

Fatima gets a call from Shyla, who asks if Hertel has a birthmark on his back.  A little reluctantly, Fatima asks Summer to pull up Hertel’s shirt.  There is a rather large birthmark on his back.  The Admiral, with Shyla, wants her to call Callen.   When Callen answers, he starts a sit-rep for Shyla but the Admiral stops things.  Eight, 11 and 22 are people, not numbers.  Hertel and Jenkins were eight and 22 from the Drona Project, “your alma mater Agent Callen.”  Callen has a flashback to his time with Drona.

The Hertel-Jenkins cases are now joint FBI-NCIS investigations.  Shyla is told by Kilbride to share everything they have on the case except Hetty’s involvement.  Since Hetty’s involvement was speculation anyway, Shyla wasn’t going to share it.  With subjects eight and 22 accounted for, who is subject 11?  That is Leah Novak, who Callen contacted in the prior year.  Callen is trying to find Novak now.

Callen calls Leah who doesn’t want to talk to him.  She is walking through a really sketchy looking indoor parking lot.  There is a team of masked men following her.  Sam tries to get Leah to listen to him but the masked men open fire.  Shyla, who was monitoring the phone call is able to trace Leah’s location to a Mid-City parking garage. 

In the garage, Callen and Sam find an empty shopping bag with wrapped up money inside.  Callen sees a badly wounded Leah, who says “14” before losing consciousness.  

Returning to Ops, Fatima and Rountree are told by Shyla that Leah is in surgery.  With someone targeting Drona subject, Callen could be in danger.  Rountree disagrees – Hetty would have warned Callen in her JWICS communications if he was in trouble.  The Admiral arrives, warning Rountree not to read too much into anything Hetty does.  There is another Drona subject who may be danger – number 14.  The Admiral wants Shyla to cancel is flight to San Francisco to see his son.  As he leaves, Shyla tells Rountree and Fatima to go to the gadget area to study Jenkins’s phone.  When she knows who number 14 is, she’ll update them.

There was brass left behind at the Leah’s shooting which means she likely hit at least two of her assailants.  Callen found a go-bag in Leah’s car with water, MREs and a satellite phone.  She knew she was in danger.  Sam thinks the same of Jenkins – that’s likely why he tossed his phone.  Callen thinks Pembrook is behind the killings – Callen found him and is now cleaning up what’s left behind of Drona.

While Rountree is sweet talking Summer, Fatima is working on Jenkins’s phone.  Once in, Rountree is off his phone and working with Fatima.  The “DHRISHTADYUMNA” text message is the name of a Hindu warrior who killed his teacher Drona.  There are contacts in the phone – Hertel and Leah Novak are there.  So is an Anthony Beltran, a former Army Ranger turned history professor.   Fatima sends his address to Callen and Sam.

As Callen and Sam pull up outside of Beltran’s home, Beltran is putting a duffle bag into his trunk.  When Callen and Sam try to speak to Beltran, Beltran runs.  Callen makes things worse by yelling “federal agents” while Sam gets in his car to cut Beltran off.  Beltran starts shooting at Callen, who promises they are not there to hurt Beltran.  “Leah sent us.”  Beltran is talked into putting his gun down.  Callen introduces himself as Special Agent Grisha Callen, subject 17.  He assures Beltran he’s safe.

In the boat shed, Beltran is in interrogation while Callen and Sam in the main room.  The duffle bag in Beltran’s truck had MREs, cash, burner phones.  He also got the same text message sent to Jenkins before Jenkins was killed.  Callen wonders who sent the text message and Hetty earns a message.  Callen isn’t pleased – this is Hetty training an agent, people are being murdered. 

Shyla pops up on the screen.  There was one vehicle seen on security/traffic cams at the Jenkins/Hertel/Leah shootings.  Backtracking with Kaleidoscope, Shyla traced the vehicle to a building downtown. Rountree and Fatima are going to the building and Sam will meet them.  Callen wonders why he’s not going but Sam wants answers from Beltran.  Callen is the best person to get the answers.

Callen starts to question Beltran, who won’t sit on the wrong side of the table right away, wanting to stand instead.  Beltran eventually sits.  As an alibi, Beltran says he was home when Jenkins and Hertel were killed.  Callen asks about the text message.  Beltran was preparing a lesson – he teaches ancient history – and missed the message when it was sent.  Once he saw it, however, he called Leah.  Leah told him about Jenkins and Hertel.  Beltran put his phone in his garbage disposal, packed his things and was going to hit the road when Callen and Sam drove up. 

Beltran thought Callen and Sam were working for “him” – Howard Pembrook.  Beltran shows Callen scars on his arm from Pembrook’s abuse.   Jenkins, Hertel, Leah and Beltran started working together a year ago, after Callen told Leah about Pembrook.  They wanted to take him down with lawsuits.  There was talk about bringing Callen in but the men in the group were angry Callen lied to Leah.  Beltran believes Pembrook found out about them and now he’s having them killed.  Beltran wants to see Leah – they are “very close.”

With Summer’s FBI team 30-minutes out, Sam, Rountree and Fatima in tactical gear go into the downtown building.  The vehicle has not returned to the location.  This is their best chance to scope out the building.  Sam breaks down the door.  It is a warehouse with huge computer servers, a desk, file cabinets.  While Fatima and Shyla try to get into the server, Rountree finds a photo of Callen on the wall from when he was in Pembrook’s garden.

Callen shows Beltran the photo and explains he was trying to confront Pembrook about the past.  Pembrook was fine.  Beltran is interested in what was in the building where Sam, Fatima and Rountree are.  He’s also furious at Callen for going to see Pembrook.  Everything bad that’s happened started when Callen met Pembrook.  If this was true, Callen asks, why didn’t Pembrook go after him?  Beltran talks about the lawsuit being a bigger threat.  Castor appears – the doctor says Beltran can see Leah now.  In Leah’s room, she’s on a ventilator.  Beltran is holding Leah’s hand, saying Pembrook must pay.

As Fatima and Shyla get access to the server, the previously opened files pop up. There were files for black-ops missions in Crimea, Somalia and Brazil.  Pembrook is still in the game.  An audio file has Leah and Jenkins using their Drona numbers as they work on a mission.  They aren’t being targeted by Pembrook, they work for Pembrook.  Sam can’t contact Shyla to warn Callen – signal jammers knocked out the cell service.  Gunmen rush near Sam, Fatima and Rountree.  Gunfire is exchanged.  Fatima and Rountree are pinned down.

Sam is able to get Fatima and Rountree to a safer location – people are still shooting.  If they can hold out, the FBI could rescue them but Sam is more worried the FBI is walking into an ambush.  More gunfire is exchanged.  Sam takes out at least one of the shooter.

In Leah’s room, Callen gets a call from Shyla about the lost comms with Sam and company.  The Summer-led FBI team suddenly is unreachable too.  Callen is going to the building, Castor will take Beltran back to boat shed.  Beltran wants to stay with Leah.  He’s not worried about his safety, he just wants to be with her.  Callen realizes there were only three Drona subject numbers – eight, 11 and 22.  Hertel, Leah and Jenkins.  Beltran wasn’t on the list – he was never warned. 

Rountree is willing to create a diversion by running – but not in a show-offy way.  Fatima thinks he’ll get killed.  Sam assures them nobody is getting killed today.  He has a plan.

Callen has his weapon out and orders Beltran away from Leah.  Leah said 14 to Callen before losing consciousness – Beltran was 14.  Callen knocks on the door to get Castor in as back-up.  Beltran is impressed that Callen figured it all out but is more impressed with his own handy work when a Drona gunman, not Castor, walks into the hospital room.

Using some flashbangs, Sam, Fatima and Rountree move the people shooting them out of their secure locations.  Once they were seen, team NCIS shoot them.  Summer and the FBI arrive.  Sam finds the signal jammer and shuts it off, he’s quick to contact Callen.

Explaining that once again, Agent Castor is out cold, Beltran takes Callen’s gun.  Beltran doesn’t kill people who don’t deserve it – he didn’t have Castor killed, won’t kill Callen.  Callen notes that Beltran was going to kill Leah, who was in a coma in a hospital bed.  Beltran wasn’t going to kill her – she’s no longer a threat.  He just needed eyes on her to make sure.  Beltran says he and Callen are on the same side – they want to kill Pembrook.  Beltran’s partner has a sedative prepared for Callen – not going to kill Callen, just a long nap like Castor.  Callen hits the partner.  Beltran runs and after Callen gets the sedative in the leg, he runs after Beltran.  As Callen runs after Beltran, he has some Pembrook flashbacks before the sedative takes hold.  Callen is out cold and Beltran is gone.

Shyla updates Kilbride.  Callen and Castor are fine – it really was just a sedative.  Beltran and his partner are gone but the FBI are hunting them down.  Shyla also has Kilbride’s ride to the airport waiting outside of the office.  She doesn’t remember his order to cancel the flight.  Kilbride is not amused – he hired her because she never forgets anything.  She offers to cancel the flight but is non-refundable.  The Admiral hates wasting money, according to Shyla.  “Remind me to fire you when I get back.”  And the Admiral is off.

In the Armory, Fatima and Rountree are packing up their things.  Fatima asks about a story Summer started at breakfast.  Seems Rountree and Summer were having a lovely walk on the beach when the wind kicked up.  Summer’s hat went flying and Rountree went flying after it.  As he was catching up, he destroyed a kid’s sandcastle.  He got the hat back and then spent an hour helping the kid rebuild the castle.  Fatima thinks Rountree really likes Summer.  He admits he does but realizes he’s late for dinner with Summer.  He races away.

Callen is at the back balcony in the boat shed when Sam arrives.  Callen said had Beltran and he let Beltran get away.  And maybe he did it because he wants Beltran to kill Pembrook.  But if Beltran kills anyone else, well, Callen knows that’s his fault.  Sam thinks they need to find Beltran and Pembrook.  Callen wants to know how Hetty knew the Drona subjects were being targeted.  “Add it to the list,” Sam replies.  Callen is going for a drink with Castor.  Sam notes that it is the second time Castor got knocked out and lost his gun – maybe Castor shouldn’t be trusted with the wedding ring.   Callen tells Best Man Sam to knock it off.

What head canon can be formed from here:   So done with the Drona/Callen’s childhood storyline.  The program has a handful of episode left and this one and one down the road eat up valuable time with this tedious storyline.  And the episode down the road – where I will be screeching about retconning Pembrook – could have been used for more of Rountree’s history beside his sister, more of Fatima’s history period, more of Sam with Raymond, Kensi’s mom’s with Rosa.  There were other “personal history” episodes besides this nonsense.

As for the episode itself, it was really well done, if a bit talky, for a set-up episode for what comes in episode 19.  It was all about Pembrook without Pembrook physically in the episode (flashbacks don’t count).  It is still up in the air if Beltran, Leah, Jenkins and Hertel are villains or victims.  Beltran is a mess – no issue with killing Leah, Jenkins and Hertel but knockout syringes for Callen and poor Agent Castor.  The Drona drama is such a mess.

Episode number:   Episode number 16 in season 14.  This is the 318th episode overall.

[write-orflight]

Like Real People Do. (Spencer x Reader)

Chapter 1

*Gif not mine*

Prologue Chapter 2

Rating: M, eventually will be smut.

Words: 2.5k

Warnings: regular CM crime stuff. brief mentions of previous assault. vomit. 

Request: OPEN/CLOSED

A.N Thanks for the love on the Prologue, message to be added to taglist. much love Cia

        Chapter 1: However scary 

You start to follow Hotch outside his office, barely containing the smile on your face. You couldn’t help it, the job you’ve been dreaming about for a decade was yours now. As you left the office, you couldn’t help but notice the short Italian man exiting his. 

“Rossi?” You smiled. The man in question turned and grinned upon seeing you. 

“Bella!” He opened his arms to hug you which you automatically accepted. 

“I thought you retired, old man.” 

Rossi scoffed. “You know me, can’t stay away for long.” Hotch stepped up, joining you guys. “So am I correct in assuming you’ve taken the job?” Rossi asks. 

“You would be correct.” You smile. “And now, since I have a big girl job and can take care of myself. I’m hoping those mysterious money drops into my bank account will stop.” You gave him a knowing look. Though you and Rossi were not as close as you and Hotch, you still revered him as a father figure as much as he did you a daughter.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He says holding up his hands. 

“Sure you don’t, old man.” You laughed. “How’s… Krystal?” You say trying to remember which wife Rossi was on now. 

“Divorced.” Rossi smirks. 

“Aw, I’m sorry, Dave. I thought 3 would be the lucky number.” 

“So did I.” Rossi smiled. “How’s Persephone?” David smiles widely at the mention of your adoptive mother's name. 

“Still not interested in becoming number 4.” You laughed, inducing a boisterous laugh from Dave and a small chuckle from Hotch. “She’s currently backpacking through India and building eco houses along the way.” 

“Sounds like Persephone.” David smiles. You guys continue to catch up for a couple of more minutes not noticing the team staring up at you from the bullpen.

“Do you guys know who she is?” Emily asks 

“No but Rossi and Hotch know her by the looks of it.” Derek replies. 

“I met her in the elevator.” Spencer speaks up. “Her name’s Y/N.” 

“Wonder what she's doing here.” Derek says as Penelope walks up with a tin of her famous cookies that Spencer is already reaching for. She pulls back so it’s out of reach from his perch on his desk. 

“Well, if she took the job then that is your newest team member.” Penelope smiled. “Hotch asked me to do a background check last week so I assume he’s hiring her. Which means these cookies are for her.” She says pulling even more back as Spencer continues to make grabby hands at the tin. 

“Why does she get cookies her first day? I didn’t get any on my first day.” Spencer points out, not caring how much he sounds like a child. 

“I’m not really allowed to talk about it, but let’s just say I think she could really use the kindness.” 

“What did you find out about her, Baby girl?” Derek asked. 

Penelope frowns slightly, she never liked keeping secrets, especially from the team. “I’m really not allowed to say, but what I can tell you is that she’s smart, like really smart. Maybe not Reid’s level but smart enough to make dean's list at an Ivy League every year.” 

“Which school?” Spencer asks. 

“Stanford.” 

Spencer nods. That would make her pretty smart, that or just good at school. As he’s exiting his thoughts, JJ walks past them, throwing a “We have a case.” Over her shoulder before heading to Rossi, Hotch and the new girl. 

We all begin filing into the conference room, Rossi, Hotch and Y/N walking in last. Hotch clears his throat. “This is Agent Y/L/N.” He says gesturing at you. “She will be joining us this case. I’m sure you guys will get around to formal introductions later.” Hotch says before taking a seat nodding at JJ to start. You hold up your hand in a small wave before taking a seat next to Hotch. Everyone else regards you with a small nod except a brightly dressed blonde woman who excitedly waves back at you. 

“We’re heading to Nashville.” A blonde woman, you assume, is JJ says pulling up images of victims on the screen. You swallowed the lump in your throat, you were used to crime scene photos, you studied several in the FBI academy but kids would always get to you. “3 boys ages 10-13 all have gone missing on their way home from school, all found 5 days later buried arms across chest, heads shaved.” 

“Signs of remorse are obviously there but the hair...is something different.” A dark haired woman pointed out. 

“Could be trichophilia.” You pointed out. Everyone looked at you, you cleared your throat under the scrutiny. “Trichophilia. It’s the fetishzation of hair.” You provide. Everyone nods and JJ continues to provide information on the case before Hotch announces wheels up in 30. You go to grab your files and notebook when the brightly dressed blonde woman ambushes you a tin fully extended to you. 

“Hi, I’m Penelope Garcia, and these are for you!” practically shoving the tin into your hands. 

“Thank you, I’m Y/N.” You smiled, you weren’t really a sweets person but you weren’t going to turn down the kindness. A brown skinned man and the dark haired woman from before walked up to you both. 

“I’m Emily Prentiss, this is Derek Morgan” she says both holding their hands out for you to shake. You shuffle the cookies and files into one arm to shake hands with them.

“Y/N Y/L/N.” You say back. 

“So you seemed to already know Hotch?” Derek pointed out. 

You had been prepared for someone to ask about that so you rattled off your prepared speech. “Yes, Hotch is a family friend.” That seemed like the easiest way to explain your relationship. 

“So that’s how you were able to steamroll in here, huh? Friends with the boss?” The man laughs. 

“No, I think it might’ve been one of my several degrees, merits or letters of recommendation, one of which from the director himself.” You point out. “Though I suppose knowing Aaron didn’t necessarily hurt things.” 

Derek holds up his hands in surrender. “That could be true too. I guess we’ll see out on the field.” He says before him and Prentiss walk out. 

You sigh heavily and start heading out the same way before a small voice pipes up behind you. 

“They’ll come around.” 

You turn your eyes onto the man you had met in the elevator before. “Sorry?” 

“Morgan and Prentiss. They’ll come around, they acted like that towards me when I first started too. It’s-uh because you’re young.” 

You nodded. He had a point and so did Morgan in a sense. You were very young, seemingly too young to be starting in a field like this. You knew it’d be hard to believe Hotch didn’t pull some strings for you. 

“I knew my age would probably raise some questions. But I worked really hard, and it sucks I have to prove myself 10x over just because of my age.” 

“I understand.” He says, following you out of the conference room. 

“I felt like you would. You introduced yourself as Dr. Reid before but we look around the same age.” 

“Yes, I hold 3 doctorates.” 

“Three?!” You said incredulously. “What were you like, eleven starting college?” 

“12, actually.” He smiles. He has a nice smile, instantly crosses your brain. You dash that thought immediately. 

“That would have to make you some sort of genius.” 

“I believe there’s not quantifiable way to measure intelligence but I suppose by societal standards, I am. I have an IQ of 187.” 

You let out a deep whistle. “And here I thought I’d be the smart one.” You laugh. 

He fumbles a bit over his words. “I-I mean you still could be. L-Like I said, there’s no way to accurately measure intelligence.” 

You laugh before rounding your new desk grabbing your go bag underneath it. “Thanks for the vote of confidence but we both know that’s not true.” You smile before turning to head towards the jet. 

——————————————————

You and the team had been in Madison county for 4 days now and you were hitting a wall. The day you arrived there had been a 4th body found, same cause of death, same shaved head only this time the word HELP was carved into the boy’s back. You knew this was a part of the job, going to crime scenes and having to see bodies but you couldn’t stop the thoughts. His hands were on your neck again, his knife grazing your sides. You felt the bile rise up. 

“Pull over.” You all but scream to Morgan he nods, zipping the car to the side of the road. You instantly hop out and release your lunch. 

Morgan steps out and pats your back. “It’s alright, kid. First one’s never easy. Especially when it’s children.” 

He thinks you’re sick from the crime scene You think. That’s probably for the best.

“Thanks.” You mumble.  He nods as you guys wordlessly walk back to the SUV. 

Since then you’ve been at the police station working on the geographical profile with Spencer. You know Morgan had probably said something to Hotch about your upchuck and that was why you were stuck here. But still, you couldn’t think to complain. Spencer was incredibly smart and great to work with. 

“There’s something we’re missing.” He says off handedly. You nod agreeing. You take in the circle like pattern the unsub seemed to be going in. It didn’t make sense. You had profiled him as a socially awkward loner with an overbearing parent. He wasn’t good with adults but could somehow get kids to trust him. Enough to get into the car with him late at night. It hit you a second later. 

“Oh my god.” You said scrambling for your phone to call Garcia. Spencer looks over at you, raising an eyebrow questioningly. 

“You’ve reached your high priestess.” You hear Penelope’s voice come through the speaker. 

“Hey Garcia, it’s Y/N.” You say. “Can you tell me what business is near the first dump site? I have an idea.” 

You hear the faint sound of clacking as she finds the information for you. “Looks to be a bus lot.” You fought the urge to pump your fist in the air. You were right. 

“Alright Garcia. I need a background check on all school bus drivers in Madison county, cross check it with anything that would fit the profile so minor stalking charges, assault…” you train off. “How long do you think that’ll take?” You ask. 

“If I get started now, a couple hours.” She says. “Penelope out.” She says, hanging up. 

You look up to see Spencer looking right back at you. “A bus driver.” You say smiling. “Think about it, everyday you ride the bus home from school and play outside with your friends until late. And when you're heading home your bus driver approaches you in his car offering to take you back. You have no reason not to trust him because he’s brought you home safely so many times before.” You explain, a brief frown grazing your lips. These children met an untimely demise all for trusting someone they were supposed to trust. 

Spencer nods, taking in your words. “Good work,” he says. “You figured it out.” 

You flushed under the high praise. “I’m sure you would’ve come to the same conclusion given more time.” You say. 

“But I didn’t.” He says. “You did, and you probably saved another kid's life in the meantime.” He smiled and patted your shoulder before turning back to the board. 

You looked at his back for a while. You knew since you stepped on the elevator that first time you were attracted to Spencer Reid. He was tall with a lean build and a nice set jaw and incredibly smart. You’d be lying to yourself if that wasn’t your exact type. But on top of all that, he was nice. Almost sickeningly so. 

Suddenly you felt a lot more at risk than before. 

 ————————————————

William Davison was arrested September 7th. You were right,  he was a bus driver for Madison county. Police caught him in his car full of things that pointed him directly to the abductions. 

You and the team were now back on the jet heading home. While the rest team was playing cards you opted to sit in the back. Textbooks laid out on the table as you tried to take notes from them. You were so engrossed. You didn’t see Spencer come take the seat in front of you. 

“What’re you studying?” He asked. 

You look up. “Uh, I’m in my doctoral program for psychology right now.” You say. “Right now, I’m working on an essay about nature vs. nurture effects on the killer's mind.” 

“And what is your theory?” He asks.

“That while I do believe nurture plays a role somewhat, if someone has a predisposition to kill, hurt or maim that is something they are born with. Primates and to some effects humans are naturally empathetic creatures so I think people with the desire for violence are defects. Now even though that’s the case it’s still your own conscious decision to kill.” You say pausing. “Some people are born with natural predispositions they don’t follow all the time. Like your hands for instance.”  

“What about my hands?” He inquired. 

You swallow, clearing your throat. “Well you have fairly large hands, with l-long fingers.” You stutter. Nice going, Y/N. You think. Way to tell the guy you’re starting to develop a crush on that you’ve been staring at his hands. “In the primitive stage, that would’ve made you good at hunting and gathering. In a more modern sense, you’d be good at piano. Though I imagine, you don’t do either.” You say, already knowing the answer. You were a profiler now after all. 

“No, I do not.” He smiled widely at you, he always appreciated intelligent conversation when it came by. “I disagree with your theory though.” 

“Really? Why’s that?” You question. He begins to go on a long winded explanation why he thinks Nature vs. Nurture is outdated, taking several detours to talk about some other theories he’s found interesting. You watch him intensely taking in the words. You try to pay attention, you really do. But your eyes keep going back to the mouth the rapid words are coming out of and the hands that are also gesturing widely. You just had tuned back in when he suddenly stopped. You tilted your head at him. 

“What’s wrong?” you asked. 

“Nothing.” he says, looking mildly uncomfortable. “It’s just… no one lets me talk for this long.” 

“Really?” You question, he nods. “Well, I was listening, I find it interesting. Actually…” you trail off picking up your pen, flipping to a new page in your notebook. “Do you mind if I write some of this down, might come in handy when I write my paper later.” 

He nods enthusiastically as he continues his thoughts from before. You start writing fast now to keep up, interjecting here and there to ask him to expand on some stuff. Eventually the rest of the team drifts off until it's only the sound of his soft voice and the scratch of your pen filling the plane.     

Taglist: @haylaansmi​ 

[ms-rampage]

Eden’s Gate: The Mother Chapter 11 - All Hope Is (Not All) Gone

Warnings: Light swearing, talks of child abuse and neglect. Fluff (towards the end). 

Word count: 2.3k

Where it all began. 

Summary: Mandy gets help from a Militia group that can help her with getting out of the Cult. Also Mandy gets a spell that can help stay off of Chucks and as well as all other celestials' radar. 

Guest OCs: Barbara Teller (FC: Katey Segal), Marie Campbell (FC: Fairuza Balk), Dawana Floyd (FC: Anna Diop)

Guest Characters: Tammy Barnes, Eli Palmer, and a young Wheaty. Raphael [Supernatural; female vessel]

Note: None

_____________

Flashback September 2011

Des Moine, Iowa. 

Paige and Kate get taken to the Des Moine police station for questioning. 

Mandy is under temporary house arrest, but will have charges of child abuse and neglect on her.

“Has your mother ever abused you?” an officer asks Paige. 

She shakes her head, “No, she’s never hit me, or my sister”. 

In another room, an officer asks Kate, “Has your mother ever neglected you?”. 

“No” she quietly answers, shaking her. 

“You don’t have to protect her. You can tell us and you won't have to be scared anymore” the officer tells her. 

Back to the elder sister. 

“My mom has never hit me, or my sister” Paige tells the officer.

“Then how do you explain the scars and bruises on your arms and hands?!” the officer asks.

“I got into a fight” she explains, “I was protecting my sister from some stupid bitch boy bully”.

He raises his eyebrows at her, and asks “A junior high school bully did that to you?”. 

She nods, and tells the cop “Yes, he was some stupid typical bully. Picking on my small sister, and I fucked him up because he deserved it. Kate doesn’t deserve the treatment she gets from some of the kids at school”. 

Back to the youngest sister. 

“Your mother has never hit you?” the cop asks, “Ever abandoned you?”. 

She shakes her head, “No”.

“What are the wounds on your arms?” she asks. 

Knowing she can’t tell the truth because the wounds she and her sister have are from a vampire attack. They were ambushed, they were able to fight them off but were left bruised and wounded afterwards. 

“They-they were from a bully” she tells the female cop, “From school”. 

Back to the elder sister.

“Are you afraid of losing your family?” he asks Paige, “Afraid you’ll be torn away from them?”.

She looks him in the eye, not even blinking and says, “The only thing I’m afraid of is dying alone. Unloved, and unwanted”. 

_________

At the end of her rope, Mandy doesn’t know what to do anymore. She doesn’t want to sit back, and watch Joseph hurt innocent people anymore. 

She knows she has to do something about this. She goes for a drive through the Whitetails to clear her mind. She stops at the side of the road, and walks up a grassy hill. Overlooking the mountains. 

Standing towards the edge, letting the cool breeze fly past her. Feeling at peace for once. Also figuring out how she’s gonna get out of this whole mess with the Cult without Chuck’s acknowledgement. 

Her help comes when she hears a pistol cock behind her, and a woman’s voice. 

“Don’t move” she orders her. Mandy puts her hands up. Walking forward with her hands still up with her back to the woman.

“You’re one of them, aren’t you?” she asks, “You a peggie?”. 

“I’m not a peggie” Mandy responds.

The lady scoffs, “Bullshit. I know who you are. You’re “The Mother”, Amanda Campbell”.

Mandy rolls her eyes, “My real name is Mandeline Winchester, and I’m an undercover FBI agent”. 

The lady scoffs back, “Yeah sure, anything to get your ass out of trouble huh?”. 

She hits Mandy in the back of her head with her pistol, knocking her out. She takes her inside a bunker and ties her up to a chair with a sack over her head. 

She wakes up an hour later, tied up. She can hear the faint voices of two people, a man and a woman. Sounding like they’re having some sort of disagreement. 

With the sack still over her head, she tries to pry herself out of her restraints. Then the door opens. 

“It’s useless to do that” she tells Mandy. 

“What do you want?!” she asks her. 

“I could tell you the fucking same thing” she responds, “Where are you lurking around the Wolf’s Den?!”. 

The door opens again and she hears a man’s voice, “Tammy what are you doing?!” he asks.

“Damn it Eli I’m in the middle of an interrogation!” she tells him.

He scoffs and asks Mandy, “Who are you? Why are you lurking around our bunker?!?”. 

She sighs, “I told you already. I didn’t know there was a bunker here, I was just wandering around, clearing my head”. 

“You’re with the Cult? Aren’t ya?” Eli asks. 

She sighs again, “Yes I’m with the Cult, but I’m trying to get out. I don't know if you heard or not, but I’m The Mother. I’m trying to get out but my boss is telling me to stay with Joseph”. 

“Your boss?!?” Tammy questions her. 

“I told you. I’m an undercover agent and I’m trying to get out of the Cult” she further explains to them, “I was hired as a double agent to bring them all down”. 

Eli removes the sack off her head, “What kind of agent?”. 

“FBI, I have my badge in my truck” she tells them. 

Tammy and Eli look over at each other, “Where’s your truck?” he asks, turning back to Mandy. 

“It’s parked down by the road at the end of the hill” she tells them. 

Eli goes to open the door, “Try not to kill her” he tells Tammy before closing the door and leaving. 

An hour later, Eli returns with Mandy’s stuff, he enters the same room as before.

“Well turns out she is an FBI agent” he tells Tammy as he walks into the room. He hands her the badge. 

“Special Agent Mandeline W. Campbell” she says as she reads the fake, but also very realistic looking FBI badge that she had made from Keekos with the help of her two nephews. 

“The W means Winchester. I have two last names, my maiden and by a past marriage” she tells them. 

Eli goes to untie her, “What are you doing?!?!” Tammy asks, getting irritated. 

“This proves we can trust her” he tells her as he unties Mandy. 

“Are fucking serious?!?” she protests, “She could be a fraud?!?”.

“If you wanna call my boss, her number is on the back of my badge” she tells them.

Mandy grabs her phone from her bag and calls her “boss” who is actually her younger sister Marie. Since they have different phone numbers for different reasons. 

Putting it on speaker phone, it rings a couple times, and she hears her little sister’s voice. 

“Director Irwin” she answers. 

Mandy clears her voice, “Hey boss, I’m calling to check in”. 

Marie plays along with her sister's skeem, “Agent Campbell, how’s the investigation with the Seed mission?”. 

“It’s going great, I have enough information to put on file to charge the whole family but I still have a lot to do before completing the mission” she tells her “boss”. 

“Okay good. We still need everything. All counts, document everything. Every little thing, Joseph and his family do. So we can send in the national guard after them and put them all away” she replies. 

“I will do that, and I’ll get back to you once I have everything” she tells her “boss” and hangs up. Showing Tammy that she is 100% legit.

“I told you, I’m not a fraud. That was my boss, Head FBI Director Diana Irwin of Phoenix” she tells them,”I was sent to be a part of the Cult to get dirt on them and have them all sent away”. 

Eli shrugs, “Well you don’t need to convince me”. 

Tammy groans, rolling her eyes, “Okay fine, I guess you’re not a fraud” and she leaves the room. 

Eli shows Mandy around the Wolf’s Den, and meets a young Native boy.

“And this is Wheaty” he introduces her to the young boy who is looking through a milk crate of vinyl albums, and looks around 12-14 years old. About the same age as her youngest daughter Kate. 

“Hi Wheaty, I’m Mandy” she introduces herself. 

“Hi” he mutters, giving her a soft smile. 

“She’s gonna help us with the Cult” Eli tells the young boy, “Put an end to them”

“I’m an FBI agent” she tells him, “I’m working undercover, well more like a double agent”. 

His eyes light up, filling with hope. “See” Mandy shows him her badge. They leave him be, letting him look through the crate of vinyls records.

“Where are his parents?” she asks Eli. He sighs, “They were killed by the Cult, I was close friends with his parents, and I took him in after they were killed”. 

“Wow, that’s sad to hear” she mutters, looking over at the young boy “I lost custody of my daughters several months ago. He looks like he could be around the same age as my youngest daughter. My husband died in a house fire 13 years ago”. 

“I’m sorry to hear about that” he tells her. 

“How long ago did they kill his parents?” she asks him. 

Eli thinks for a few moments, “A few years ago. He was lucky to get away, before they got him”. 

*******

A few hours later, Mandy returns to Joseph’s region and goes about “her job” and get “more dirt” on the family. Fearing that Chuck might have seen, heard everything, and is now working with the Whitetail Militia. 

Mandy goes inside hers and Joseph's shared home, and calls Barbara asking if she can find anything that’ll help her stay off of celestial radar, and that includes God as well. 

After a few hours, Barb calls her back with some good news, and she found something that’ll help her. 

“Hey Barb so what did you find?” she asks her friend over the phone. 

“It’s a spell, but it’s a very difficult one and you’re gonna need help with it” Barbara tells her. Mandy sighs, “That’s fine, I can get help with it. What’s the spell?”. 

She sighs, “Like I said it's complicated. It’s an old invisibility spell. Invocation of Invisibility is the name, it must be said in Enochian”. 

“Okay that’s fine what are the verses?” Mandy asks. 

“The ritual is Uranun Caripe Baglen Olgemeganza de-Noan Chiis Gosaa Zamicmage Oleol Ag-Sapah arphe, Oresa ethamz taa, Tabegisoroch, Zodinu, Ar zurah paremu. Zodimibe papnorge maninua zonac. Dodsih hoxmarch trian amonons pare Das Niis kures. I’ll send you the words in a few minutes” Barbara tells her the ritual in Enochian. 

“Okay thanks a lot Barb” she thanks her. 

“No problem, I’ll send you the verses for the ritual in a bit” she tells her and hangs up. 

 gets a visit from Raphael shortly after her call with Barbara, but he was in a different vessel instead of his usual male vessel. 

“Mandy” he says, in a different voice. She turns around and sees a woman in a power suit. 

“Raphael?!” she questions her. Unsure if this is her Archangel or another one of Heaven’s warriors. She slowly approaches her, “Yes, I had to change vessels” the Archangel explains to her. 

“Umm that’s fine. I guess” she stammers, “Where have you been?”. 

Raphael sighs, “Heaven, other than your work here. Chuck has been creating other universes”.

“Other universes? For what?” she questions her. 

Shrugging, “I don’t know. He doesn’t tell us much about his work”. 

“Well I have some good news” she tells him/her, “I got a spell that can help keep me off of Chuck’s and other celestials radar”.

The look of relief on the 3rd Archangel’s face, “What’s the spell?”. 

“Invocation of Invisibility” she tells him/her, “It’s said in Enochian, and I’m pretty sure Dawana can help me with it”. 

He/she sighs, “Okay good because I know it keeps getting worse and worse for you down here. I know what happened to you with the Militia”.

Her eyes widened, “You-you saw all of that?!?”.

He/she nods, “Yes, good thing Chuck is too focused on creating new universes because he would’ve ended everything with you. Killing you and casting me out of Heaven’. 

Mandy lets out a relieved sigh, “Okay, okay good. If it stays that way then I can get myself out of this without Chuck finding out a thing”. 

Raphael nods, “Good, I’ll go back to Heaven and I’ll be sure to keep a close eye on everything down here”. 

He/she disappears and goes back up to Cloud City. Mandy contacts Dawana asking her for help with the Invisibility spell. 

The Voodoo Priestess agrees to go through with the spell, but she tells her it has to be done on a New Moon at 3am. It'll help with being hidden from the man upstairs and his angels. 

The next New Moon will be within 1 month to that day. Until then Mandy must go through her usual route of being The Mother. Staying close to Joseph as his bride, until the New Moon arrives. 

________

6:00am, the next morning Mandy wakes up with Joseph’s arm around her. 

Brushing her hair away from her face, gently kissing the nape of her neck and shoulder. 

Whispering sweet nothings into her ear. “You’re beautiful, my light, my bride”. 

Entwining their hands together, his normal size hands covering her small hands. He plants a kiss on her lips, turning her to face him in bed. 

“I love you, my love” he whispers, moving her hair behind her ear. 

“I love you too” she tells him, and gives him a kiss on the lips. Spending the next hour in bed, holding each other. Being like a usual married couple, but with this case their “marriage” is not 100% legit. 

[bustedbernie]

Oh hai. Lately there have been a slew of think pieces about Bernie Sanders being the front-runner, discussing how his movement has threatened to withhold their votes from Democrats if Bernie isn’t the nominee. Hidden between the lines is the idea that Democrats, in general, owe their votes to Sanders if he is the nominee, regardless of the fact that his voters do NOT owe Dems their votes if he is not. So, rather than call them out for using the same tactics that lost the 2016 election, there is a faction in the media that is growing more and more permissive to the idea that Bernie and his Revolution are somehow the victims in all this, and that mainstream Dems have done them wrong time and time again when picking a candidate that appeals to the Dems masses.

Let me let you in on a little secret.

I don’t owe Bernie Sanders or his fucked off revolution of stanerific emo-marxist cyber-terrorists a goddamn bit of shit the fuck all. When these utter fucking geniuses in the media reflect on how energized and dedicated his enthusiastic fans are when engaging in their harassment of the average Dem, they seem to think the people who have been abused don’t fucking matter. These Dems are people who have never done anything whatsoever to deserve the constant bullying, cyber-stalking, targeting, threats, or in my case, being falsely reported to the FBI by fans of Bernie who seek to silence dissent. What these media personalities don’t understand is that the abuse by Bernie fans, in his name, actually causes the gap between MAGA and Berners to shrink to the point where it is non-existent. There is no real difference between the abuse from either side, and since Sanders isn’t the warm and fuzzy type that reaches out to the people who have been abused, often there appears to be no real difference between Sanders and Trump.

Slate:

Still, the Bernie-or-Busters, small as they may be, have spun their position into an argument for why others should vote for Bernie Sanders too, regardless of the platform they prefer. As efforts in political persuasion go, this contingent puts forward an openly hostile argument. Sanders is the only electable candidate, they suggest, not just because of his policies, but because of the single-mindedness of his followers. The reason you should vote for Sanders is that we won’t vote for anyone else. You don’t want Trump to win again, do you?

No. But I also don’t want Bernie Sanders to win. In a case of one not liking either candidate, people look to see which movement they feel most comfortable with, Bernie’s or Trump’s. If it turns out that both movements engage in racist behavior, sexism, and homophobia, it really doesn’t matter what they profess to be in favor of as far as policy is concerned, what matters is how they treat their fellow citizens by and large. We all know that unless we take back the Senate with a large majority that can defeat Republican attempts to stop legislation from hitting Sanders’ desk, nothing will pass anyway. So, if you’re not in favor of Bernie’s policies in the first place, and do not like him or his movement, why would you be enthusiastic about showing up for the guy who leads the movement that engages in attacks on you?

Yes, it sounds like ugly hostage taking—not a brilliant persuasive strategy but a crude ego-boosting exercise for a group of leftists who can’t resist the impulse to lord some power over an electorate that doesn’t normally consider them relevant. But that’s exactly what makes it so normal, even understandable, in a depressing “we’re all human” sort of way. [NO.] Because the truth is this: Every threat these Sanders stans are explicitly making is one the venerated Centrist Swing Voter makes implicitly—and isn’t judged for. The centrist never even has to articulate his threat.

Excuse me, it IS ugly hostage taking, it is NOT normal, and no, it doesn’t make me see them as more human.

Another thing is this: not everyone opposed to Bernie Sanders is a Centrist, Moderate, or a Swing voter. Many of us are as far left or to the left of Sanders, I for one am definately to his left, and had supported him in 2015. That was until his racist abusive Bern Mafia targeted me for expressing concern about his lack of outreach to black voters. I noticed his lack of history in hiring black people (D.C. is Chocolate City, we could not find one black staffer in 2015; I am open to correction on this point; if he had black staffers prior to 2015, please send me receipts because I have been looking for them.), lamented and mocked his poor showing at Netroots, fumed over his constant MLK appropriation, jeered at his white ass crowds, and felt humiliated by his inability to discuss black people in ways that were not centered on Poverty or Prisons. It is HIS FAULT that his voters have no clue how to engage Black people without resorting to stereotypes and outright bigotry, because he does the same thing.

Buzzfeed:

Sanders, seated across the table, a yellow legal pad at hand, responded with a question of his own, according to two people present: “Aren’t most of the people who sell the drugs African American?” The candidate, whose aides froze in the moment, was quickly rebuffed: The answer, the activists told him, was no. Even confronted with figures and data to the contrary, Sanders appeared to have still struggled to grasp that he had made an error, the two people present said.

No. He did not apologize for spreading this stereotype, and yes, it shows how he views black people in general.

Slate:

One of many disorienting factors in this election cycle is the fact that the left is more popular and more viable than it has been in a long, long time. They have not one but two exciting candidates, and both are offering policies closer to what leftists actually want than most presidential contenders in U.S. history have.

I wanted the party to move to the Left towards the direction of where I stood too. I can’t really name my ideology because it’s so far left I am almost hitting the wall. Additionally, I am more Libertarian than Sanders, who trends more authoritarian. Yet, I instinctively know that playing a game of “my way or the highway” won’t lead to a place where poverty programs are expanded up and out, ensuring all necessities of life are provided. It will lead to gridlock and we will make zero progress.

Because folks at the center tend to be wooed by multiple candidates, they’re used to having options, and they’re used to the experience of their vote determining who ends up with the nomination. This means that they usually like the candidate they vote for, in the primary and in the general. Not so for leftists, who get to merely tolerate the candidates they end up having to vote for in order to mitigate the damage from a worse result.

Here’s the rub… I’m Black. None of this shit applies to me, because as a Black person, I rarely even LIKE or TRUST any of the candidates I have been voting for over the years. I also usually, especially in State and Locally, don’t have any say so in determining the nominee of any race. I am always stuck voting for whoever White People choose as the candidate, and as such, am merely tolerating whoever is chosen to prevent a worse outcome, which usually means preventing a racist shitmonger from winning a race.

Speaking of race… Progressives refuse to address race as a factor in anything; they like to ignore race in everything they do and allow Prison Policy to stand in for Racial Policy, so it’s impossible to get them to see my reality. They get this shit from Bernie.

From Buzzfeed:

“The real issue is not whether you’re black or white, whether you’re a woman or a man,” he said in a 1988 interview. “The real issue is whose side are you on? Are you on the side of workers and poor people or are you on the side of big money and the corporations?”

Not much has changed with Bernie, as you know, Bernie never changes, because he was born as a 72 year old yelly man, just like Benjamin Button, but louder and not as cute.

“It’s not good enough for someone to say, ‘I’m a woman! Vote for me!’” No, that’s not good enough. What we need is a woman who has the guts to stand up to Wall Street, to the insurance companies, to the drug companies, to the fossil fuel industry,” the Vermont independent senator and former Democratic presidential candidate said in a not-so-subtle rebuke to Hillary Clinton”

Bernie’s attacks on Identity Politics filtered down to his base, causing them to feel confident in their attacks on Blacks, LGBTQ, and Women who brought up issues of race, sexuality, and gender over the past few years. They love to say shit to black people online that they would never say to an actual Black person IN PERSON, because they are scared as fuck of Black people. Kinda like Bernie. The refrain of “that’s identity politics, not real policy’ rang out constantly on social media the past few years to the point where pointing out racism, homophobia, and sexism was met with swarms of white men attacking Black people, All Women Who Dared To Be THAT Bitch, LGBTQ, and really, anyone worried about social justice issues that focused on identity. The attacks were and ARE bigoted in the extreme.

This is racist as fuck and is one of the ways the Bernie Titty-Babies managed to marginalize Kamala Harris and drive a wedge between her and Black Voters. Somehow they thought keeping it going would make us like dusty ass Bernie more, but they’re stupid, because we don’t even like that geriatric Bernadook now.

This is homophobic.

Bernie’s supporters are engaging in a hate campaign against Mayor Pete and are trying to convince the world that they are not being homophobic, they are just saying Pete is suppressing his dangerous serial killer nature by being so straight laced. This is fucked up because they are attacking a gay man for being “straight appearing” in spite of the fact that his seeming straightness is how he interacts with a world that hates gay people, and has at times (and Still Does) MURDERED men and women who are gay for not assimilating or conforming to hetero-normative stereotypes. Bernie ignores this behavior from his fans like he ignores all of their nasty hate campaigns. I blame him.

This is misogynistic. No explanation needed.

Racist and fat shaming. Black hair is not your fucking business, bitch. Back the fuck up.

This is just blatantly false and caused people to harass Kamala Harris supporters until they stopped using the Yellow Circles she asked supporters to wear, it stems from the misogynoir his fans engaged in towards Kamala. Bernie has never said shit, so I blame him.

Bigotry. Also erasure of Biden’s Black support in a effort to make it seem as if Bernie is the candidate of diversity. Bernie is at fault, he also erases minorities.

Sexist. Also, damn near all of his fans seem to hate Obama on the same level and with as much heat as MAGA. Why the fuck would we want to join in unity with this man when his fans HATE the first black President. Oh, you think Bernie has nothing to do with setting the tone?

“The business model, if you like, of the Democratic Party for the last 15 years or so has been a failure,” Sanders started, responding to a question about the young voters who supported his campaign. “People sometimes don’t see that because there was a charismatic individual named Barack Obama, who won the presidency in 2008 and 2012.

“He was obviously an extraordinary candidate, brilliant guy. But behind that reality, over the last 10 years, Democrats have lost about 1,000 seats in state legislatures all across this country.”

Bernie doesn’t fucking like Obama either.

Sexism. Racism. Bernie does the worst with Black Women, and is often dismissive when asked a question by one of us. So, his fans see nothing to lose by targeting us in particular, and we in turn are likely the largest group of people willing to sit this one out if Bernie manages to come out on top. The media is no help whatsoever to marginalized people, because they ultimately weave a narrative where Bernie comes out the victim.

We can already see it happening amongst the Children of the Bern, where they have taken to labeling K-Hive, a movement started by a Black Woman (Me) for a Black Woman (Kamala Harris), “Liberal ISIS” for our resistance to Bernie and willingness to defend the other candidates from the attacks levied by the Berner Swarm.

Oh, cry me a fucking river! We don’t dox, cyberstalk, harass, abuse, try to get people fired, engage in bigotry, we learn from our mistakes, and we never make it our mission to ruin someone’s life.

We simply turn the tables on the bros and ask tough questions, like Kamala Harris. If that breaks you down, you were already broken before you found us. Oh, yeah. That’s another thing. We don’t go looking for Berners to abuse; we wait until they come to abuse US and refuse to play along.

Regardless of what poor Peter Daou says, there is no “Unadulterated Hatred” in asking if someone has checked on him.

So, yes, I can blame Bernie for the nastiness of his movement and choose not to ever join it no matter what. Progressives love to play forever victims, even while they engage in their vile abuse, but I do not have to empower their movement or help them elect Bernie. Maybe if enough people sound the alarm and let him know we will not be helping him in November while suffering constantly at the hands of his Branch Bernidians, then he will have no choice but to be a leader and fucking lead these assholes into being decent people. I don’t expect the abuse to magically end if Bernie becomes President or loses to Trump, and I also don’t expect him to do shit about it, so I guess I’m just Never Bernie. What I am now stuck with is the same as always; White States get to vote first and create the narrative that Dem voters are in favor of whoever these powerful white voters choose, and I am sick of it and sick of Sanders. I didn’t become a Democrat to not only be marginalized by the White Moderate, but to also suffer abuse from the punk ass White leftist bitchmade humdinger of a Revolution. I’m not here to empower shitfucks that search me out no matter where I am just to heap abuse on me, threaten me, or report me to the FBI as a possible MASS SHOOTER, all because I think Bernie is an old bigot who minimizes Black oppression to appease the white voters he thinks he’ll need to win the General.

I’m just Never Bernie, deal with it or die mad about it. I don’t care which.

[twodudesandamovie]

Ocean’s 8

This month, Alex won the coin flip to decide the movie, it is Ocean's 8:

Alex: At 1am, Eric said to me that he wanted to watch the movie I chose, Ocean's 8. I vocally doubted his ability to stay awake, being as he was extremely intoxicated, but he insisted he would. At this point, I agreed to watch the movie with him, even saying I would Venmo him $50 if he stayed awake for 110 minutes. He did not, and this is my opinion of Ocean's 8. Immediately, we start with a nice homage to Ocean's 11, and I have a few questions: 1. Who is this girl? 2. Why is she in jail? 3. Apparently everybody else is dead? Besides that old Jewish dude. 4. Why didn't I watch Ocean's 13. Then I get to be confused as to whether Sandra Bullock and Cate Blanchett are gay. I think about this for probably 20 minutes as the film gives me exposition or whatever. I conclude they probably are just flirty. The movie then quickly introduces characters, and I feel a kinship with Helena Bonham Carter, both because she is having a panic attack while eating Nutella from a jar, and that shes secretly emo. Then, I'm stunned as I get to see Rihanna, Minday Khaling, and Awkwafina, three extremely talented women whom I do not deserve to look at. Sarah Paulson is also there, but I do not know her, like the guy that is also hot and Sandra Bullock threatens to shiv. Honestly, he should keep to probably playing soccer or stab him, in my opinion. Sandra Bullock then lays out the heist. The planning portion of the film seems to go rather quick, and I'm frequently surprised by plot points that just happen to work out. How does Sandra Bullock know so much about 3D printing. She was in jail for like 6~ years. 3D printing has grown so much in the past 6 years. It's mentioned in another scene that "Hims get arrested, Hers get ignored" which is a nice sexist way to explain why nobody calls out any of the women for being on the video tapes in the security footage (which we'll go into later). Additionally, Mindy Khaling sets up a jeweler apprasial shop in the baby changing station, which I really want to contest, but she could do it. The movie drones on for about an hour after that as I watch this elite cast of babes steal jewels, and also my heart. Anne Hathaway is there too, doing a superb job as acting as a famous person in the world where she is still a famous person who acts. I think later on she gets money, starts a studio or shoots a low budget movie, and directs herself. Thats a nice tribute to Ocean's 12 where Julia Roberts has to pretend to be Julia Roberts. In the end, this absolutely stunning cast of women manages to steal the thing they wanted to steal, with a lot more things they didn't EXPLAIN they were gonna steal, but you knew they were gonna steal. James Corden makes an enterance at a point, and I think he's just gonna be himself, but then he's an FBI agent who has a rather trivial part in the movie. The entire half hour you could cut honestly. Overall, I didn't think the movie was super good. Not even in a way where it has big plot holes or anything, which it kinda does but thats not important, its just not a good heist movie. I really wanted to get the thrill of the plot twist in Ocean's 11 again, and instead got a group of really talented babes stealing a thing and then giving me an expected plot twist at the end. Also, with so many characters, it's understandable that every character can't have a lengthy amount of screen time to like act and be a character, but if thats the case then why hire like absolutely the most stacked cast of actors, to have them only have a couple lines. I wanted more from all of the characters that were not Sandra Bullock or Cate Blanchett.

Rating: 5/10 and I'd still let every babe in this movie tell me I'm wrong because I love them all.

Eric: Ocean’s 8 attempts to continue the long strand of “Ocean’s” movies which have quite a simple formula: assemble an all-star cast, pull off a thrilling heist, spew out of a few witticisms here and there, be a pop culture staple, and voila you have a blockbuster movie. But Ocean’s 8 made the least money out of the four latest Ocean’s movies, and it would seem the formula is growing a bit tired.

It’s hard to go wrong with such a cast, the acting wasn’t lacking at any point besides Rihanna saying the bare minimum of lines to achieve her character’s goals. The humor wasn’t quite as fun as in the previous Ocean’s, and the quips often fell flat. Due to the unimaginative screenplay, there was no challenges for the actors. Sandra Bullock briefly being a German woman was the only example of these A-listers flexing their acting chops.

One of my biggest pet peeves in movies is eating and talking during a scene, and this screenplay does that in spades. It’s sort of a boring way to have the actors occupied while going through the motions of setting up the plot, and it isn’t necessary. It’s another brutal flaw of Ocean’s 8: when you have the actors, use them. For a cast with such potential, why resort to such cliches?

It also suffers a deadly plot hole: why doesn’t Debbie Ocean have a parole officer? Someone who just got out of jail spending time with other questionable characters isn’t realistic, but of course, it’s a movie. The heist itself made up for a lot of the movie’s shortcomings, but even the heist seemed to lack imagination for the lofty bar Ocean’s 11-13 set. It didn’t seem like anything new: have people hiding in plain site, replace the stolen item with a replica, find a way to sell it, haven’t we seen this all before?

Hollywood seems to be obsessing over taking classic movies and flipping the gender roles lately (see Ghostbusters), which isn’t a bad idea in itself, but if you’re going to do that then you need to have something new to say. What is the point of making this sequel? It’s a question that this installment doesn’t really answer. Of course most sequels are often worse than their originals and fail to answer the reasoning behind making them.

I was mildly entertained but I would’ve liked to see much more from it. It was a movie that fell far short of its potential and I think it finally put the dagger in the Ocean’s series, or at least I hope it did.

Rating: 5.5/10.

[sterek-smooch]

Sterek Smooch Anonymous Masterlist ART: ♥ A Meeting in the Woods [ART; G] Derek is a wealthy young man with a title, Stiles is a humble apothecary in training. ♥ Five Times with Feeling [ART; G] Five times Derek was breathtakingly wonderful with kids and one time he was with (finally) his own. ART: ♥ SterekSmooch 2k18 [ART; NR] Merman Stiles saving Derek as always ♥ Sharing Dreams [ART; G] Bed sharing! ♥ Lost [ART; PG] The aftermath of the Oceanic Airlines Flight 815 leaves two sole survivors, Derek Hale and Stiles Stilinski, stranded alone on what seems to be an inhabited tropical island. Their survival depends on sticking together, as they are forced into each other's proximity in terms of cuddling for warmth and hunting for food and shelter. ♥ Dashing Knight in Shining FBI Gear [ART; PG] The only person who can’t see Stiles’ giant crush on Derek, is Stiles. The rising star of the FBI’s new Supernatural Unit has nothing but professional respect for Derek. That’s his story and he’s sticking to it. At least until some old enemies take Derek. ♥ Notice Me! [ART; G] I'm not going to stop poking you until you give me some attention... FIC: ♥ Love You Most [3k; PG-13] There are things Derek never expected to have. Things he’d resigned himself to the loss of. A proper pack, a mate, and children topped that list. He couldn't be happier that he’d been wrong. ♥ A Meeting in the Woods [ART; G] Derek is a wealthy young man with a title, Stiles is a humble apothecary in training. ♥ An Offer YOu Can't Refuse [1k; PG-13] When Stiles agreed to be the focus of an article in Neckz 'n' Throats, he never dreamed it'd be so popular. But Stiles only wants Derek's attention. ♥ Mouth of Cerberus [R; 5k] When Derek needs someone to help him recover from severe wolfsbane poisoning, Stiles is there, like he always has been, really. ♥ Thus With a Kiss [3k; PG-13] Why does a witch keep cursing Stiles' friends? And why is he always the one who has to kiss them awake again? ♥ Embarrassing Dinners, Family Secrets, and Gnome Wars [10k; PG-13] When Stiles is abruptly left after a one night stand only to find out they’ll be attending the frat party with the hottest girl on campus, he quickly devised a plan to bring a fake date. Throw in family secrets and garden gnomes, then they’re in for one Hale of a time. ♥ Proof [1k; PG] Names -- personal and family -- have meaning... ones even the Fae may be wary of ♥ Where the Waters won't find Us [1k; PG-13] In a world flooded beyond what he ever thought possible, Stiles is searching for a friendly face. ♥ Kiss Me Softly [1.6k; G] Unapologetic fluff for reasons ♥ Going to the Chapel [4.6k; R] Derek will never know which decision was worse: Going to Beacon Hills or bring Stiles back to his family as his fake boyfriend ♥ Инвестиции [841; NR] Америка в начале ХХ века, когда профессию модели не признавали, как таковую. Нет, никаких осуждений. Просто странствующий фотограф, фермер и немного инвестиций. Небольшая зарисовка, которая, возможно, станет чем-то большим.

♥ To Find Your Home [14k; PG-13] The wind shifts just as he is is about to lay into the trespassers for disturbing this place, this private property, the place where Laura took her last breaths. Alone. The place he had come to look for his own clues in the daylight, to say goodbye to the only family he really had left. His breath catches for an altogether different reason when the shifted breeze reaches him. He stops thinking about Laura for a moment as his brain simply shuts down, taking in the sight of his mate before him.

♥ It Don't Matter Where We Go, We Always [Are Forced] Back Home [745; G] Derek is a famous male model. He returns home. Only, what if he returned with news and a special someone? ♥ Sweet Sacrifice [1.5k; PG-13] They were pack, and allies, and sometimes, Derek thought they might even be friends. They stood side by side against Deaton and Argent’s advice often enough, had saved each other enough--but Stiles didn’t treat him like he did Isaac or Allison. Even Liam and his little triad of pups and humans got more from Stiles than Derek did. And he knew a spell like this--he could use it for so many people, fix so much. So why the hell is he offering it to Derek? ♥ You’re an Understatement (you’re getting worse) [13.5k; NC-17] Erica’s goal in life was to be hired by Neckz’n’Throats. Not as a model, though she knew she was hot enough for that. No, she wanted to be behind the camera. And to do that, she needed two things. A glowing recommendation, and a portfolio that would grab their attention; that would make them take her seriously. For that, she needed the right models. Thankfully, she knew just who to ask. ♥ Quadruple Espresso [1.3k; G] Stiles' coffee orders keep getting progressively stronger, and Derek wants to cut him off. ♥ Wrong Analogy [8k; G] “So what’s up with you two?” she asked, three wolfsbane beers later, “You smell...I don’t know how you smell. Confusing.” Derek kept his gaze carefully down, and Stiles just hummed and offered a soft smile. “It’s new. He hasn’t had much of a chance to scent mark me in the last month, not with everything going on in both of our lives. But we’ve known each other for years so I think the potential was always there.” “Potential for…” she prompted. “We’re dating,” Derek managed, and then darted a look at her face to gauge her reaction. OR Derek is Alpha Bait (tm) and Stiles helps him fend them off. ♥ The Things We Do [18k; PG-13] Shout out to theplaceyoustillrememberdreaming for beta-ing Summary: Despite all that he's done, Peter is Derek's uncle and the alpha, and surely that has to count for something. Stiles is a newly bitten werewolf and not about to face some murderous hunters by himself. So against his better judgment, he joins Peter pack. But the fire didn't just leave Peter with physical scars, and a person can only bend so far before they break. ♥ Her Name is Princess [2.9k; PG] Derek has a big, empty house that he shares with his cat, so of course, Stiles moves in ♥ not quite an item (they’re totally fucking right?) [8k; NC-17] “I never liked him,” Derek said plainly. “Dude!” Stiles punched him in the shoulder, shocked. It was his first time hearing this. “He was keeping you from me! Must’ve been really insecure to stop you from collabing with me. Which is stupid. What’s there to be jealous of? All we are is online boyfriends.” “Who sometimes make out and swallow each other’s chewed food,” Stiles shot back, not sure how Derek could have forgotten those key facts. “It’s just for views!” ♥ Shots Fired [26k; NC-17] Stiles takes his annual vacation for one week every year and this year is no exception. Except for the fact that all types of weird supernatural shit has started popping off so close to the start date. Which wouldn't be so strange except for the fact that supernatural shit and magic have been banned in Beacon County for decades. Oh shit! ♥ Secant to None [1.4k; G] Stiles is busy; he certainly doesn't need another obligation on his time. But there's a cute boy in the math club, and Stiles is a sucker for cute boys... ♥ Sinking and Surfacing [9.5k; NC-17] Derek's repairing broken things, Stiles is determined not to be one of them. ♥ let me make a thing of cream and stars (that becomes, you know the story, simply heaven) [3k; PG] Derek is irritated. To be fair, he's irritated the majority of the time. This time, though, he has good reason. He'd just been overruled by his Council--a calculated subversion of authority orchestrated by his scheming uncle, Peter--and that motion had ensured his inevitable marriage to a human in order to "soothe the growing tension between the pack and Beacon Hills, a rival royal kingdom whose land borders theirs on three sides. Derek needs something to soothe the growing tension in his head.

Reveals will be posted on Wednesday, June 20!

[blouisparadise]

We were asked to make a list of some of the bottom Louis fics that are “classics” for any new bottom Louies, so here’s that rec list. We mainly based this list on number of kudos and also chose fics that are more well known or discussed frequently, but please keep in mind that there are countless incredible fics that are just as good if not better than some of the fics on this list. Please support BL fics and even if you’re starting with the fics on this list, don’t be afraid to branch out and read the many other amazing BL fics in this fandom. We promise you won’t regret it. Happy reading!

1) Like An Animal (I Want To Feel You From The Inside) | Explicit | 4466 words

Harry and Louis get a little stuck. Literally.        

2) To Be A Muse May Be Enough | Explicit | 6846 words

Note: This fic has since been deleted, but we’ve added a link to the PDF.

When Zayn came to him with a job, Louis never expected to be sat in a studio, wearing lipstick and reading a book about Death whilst being plugged with a vibrator. Did he also mention he’s being filmed by the fittest photographer he’s ever seen?

3) A Virgin To That Money | Explicit | 7366 words

AU. Harry and Louis are broke university students who hate each other and make a sex tape. (In which Louis gets fucked a lot, Harry can't find the camera, and the road to falling in love is different for everyone.)

4) Makes Perfect | Explicit | 8610 words

“What if you practiced on like, a mannequin?” Louis presses. “Or one of those blow up sex dolls? Or even just like, I don’t know, a pillow or something. Whatever it’d fit around.” Harry tilts his head thoughtfully, curls catching the light so entrancingly that Louis finds himself reaching up to push his fingers through them. “It’s different, though, innit? When it’s a real person. A pillow won’t snog me.” “Why should it?” says Louis. “You can’t even take its bra off.”              

5) Just Walk My Way | Explicit | 10271 words

Louis is a Victoria's Secret Angel, and Harry is the main act of the night.

6) With Love Comes Strange Currencies | Explicit | 16508 words

One day One Direction will be over and Louis won't be around Harry every waking moment. He'll be able to finally get some space, let their bond dissipate as it's bound to do, if they don't mess up again. He can move to Costa Rica and forget that Harry Styles popped his first knot inside him. Until then, he's going to have to deal with this.

7) These Roads We Stumble Down | Explicit | 18233 words

Harry picks up a hitchhiker in Oxford, and it’s a long ride to Glasgow.

8) My English Love Affair | Explicit | 19198 words

The one where Harry writes a song about his English love affair and Louis sleeps with someone in White Eskimo and all he gets is a stupid song written about him.              

9) A Grocery List Pinned In Blue | Explicit | 19839 words

After eight years, Louis finally has everything he’s wanted. Except for Harry.

10) Like A Bastard On The Burning Sea | Explicit | 22981 words

AU. Harry breaks Louis, Louis breaks everything.         

11) Up To No Good | Explicit | 26525 words | Sequel #1 | Sequel #2

Harry doesn’t think of himself as a womanizer, not at all. Sure, he enjoys sex, enjoys how women feel underneath him, and by some people’s standards he has sex with quite a lot of people, but that’s no reason to tell him that he can’t have a female PA anymore.

It’s especially no excuse for giving him a male PA who’s possibly the most gorgeous boy in the world who won’t even let Harry look at him for too long.

Sometimes Harry hates his life.

12) Have You Coming Back Again | Explicit | 31086 words | Sequel

It’s five o’clock in the morning. Louis has a lecture at half eight. He could be using this time to study or to do his readings or to go to the gym, but - well. He doesn’t have any exams coming up, he’s not going to his seminar today anyway and he hates the gym.

Instead he’s using this time to fuck with Harry Styles’ poor little brain.

Louis jogs across the street and jabs the key into the car door. It opens easily, not that he was expecting anything else. He copied the key for a reason, after all.

He’s got Harry’s schedule memorized, more because the guy keeps following him around than anything, so he doesn’t bother looking around before climbing behind the wheel and setting his bag on the passenger seat. It’s a Monday, which means that Harry doesn’t even get out of bed before noon unless he’s planning on harassing Louis.

13) If I Should Stay | Explicit | 31185 words

Louis is a television actor who suddenly needs a bodyguard.  Harry is the bodyguard he ends up hiring. 

14) Like A Timebomb Ticking | Explicit | 31734 words

Louis loses everything. Harry's still there. 

15) Mine Now | Explicit | 32254 words

Note: This fic was deleted, so we’ve linked to a PDF.

This is the story of how Harry finds himself pouting in Louis’ passenger seat with a raging boner on the way to seduce his ex boyfriend.

16) Nicotine | Explicit | 32245 words

"We're two different types of people, Liam. He likes sex and drugs, I like theater and tea. Trust me, we'd never date." Except they would, they do, and neither of them plans on letting go anytime soon.

17) (Your Heartbeat) Rang True Inside My Bones | Explicit | 32945 words

Harry goes as Louis' date for a weekend wedding. He ends up taking the role a bit too seriously.

18) Once Upon A Dream | Explicit | 33319 words | Sequel

Louis is psychic and gets caught in the middle of a murder investigation led by FBI Special Agent Harry Styles.

19) Some Things Take Root | Explicit | 50269 words

AU. Louis’ ex doesn’t get jealous of anyone besides Harry. Harry helps Louis use that to his advantage.      

20) Tug-Of-War | Explicit | 63000 words

Louis' husband dies suddenly and he is left with nothing. Well, not really nothing. He has Harry. And a St. Bernard puppy named Link, whom his late husband left behind for him. Louis takes care of Link and Harry takes care of Louis. Everything is okay until suddenly, it isn't.

21) Louis Lucas | Explicit | 67999 words

Pornstar!AU. Louis is a pornstar with more issues than he can drink away. Harry is a bisexual singer/songwriter who is desperate to be signed to a major label. Zayn and Liam are Louis’s long-suffering best friends (who also happen to be pornstars, and also happen to be dating each other). Niall just wants to play his guitar.

22) This Wicked Game | Explicit | 70010 words

An AU in which The Bachelor is gay, Louis is a contestant, Harry is the bachelor, everyone drinks a lot of champagne, the entire world gets to watch them fall in love, and no one plays by the rules.

23) Pinkies Never Lie | Explicit | 83616 words

AU in which Louis hates his job and loves Harry, Harry just wants a distraction, everyone else wants them to get their shit together, and Louis learns the hard way that new beginnings are only possible when something ends.

24) Your Name is Tattooed on My Heart | Explicit | 86809 words

Note: There are mentions of TL in this fic.

Louis is ready to find the love of his life, but first he has to stop falling for the punk rocker next door.

25) And Down the Long and Silent Street | Mature | 86090 words

Wherein Louis and Harry are on the opposite ends of the social ladder, but their paths still cross on the filthy streets Louis calls his home. The odds are staked against them from the beginning, and even more when Louis' past finally catches up with him.

26) Here In The Afterglow | Explicit | 88649 words

1970’s AU. In a tiny town in Idaho, Louis’ life is changed forever by the arrival of a curious stranger.

27) Swim In The Smoke | Explicit | 101778 words

“What about this, Captain?” Liam asks, nudging the boy kneeling between their feet with the toe of his boot. The boy hisses and swipes at him, slurring out something unintelligible around the makeshift gag Niall had to stuff in his mouth. He misses by a mile and tries again, just as ineffectively.

Harry looks down at him, at the way the sun streams over his face and shoulders, at the way the gag stretches his mouth, lips pink and chapped. He’s lithe and pretty, smudged all over with dirt. They had found him tied up below deck, mostly unconscious, next to a barrel full of gold. He’s clearly a prisoner, but there’s something familiar about him, something that niggles at Harry’s brain. Something he can’t quite put his finger on.

“Put him in my cabin,” Harry decides, turning back to deal with the rest of the loot. The boys screams out jumbled curse words at Harry’s back, muffled by the gag, and Harry can’t understand any of it.

28) Baby Heaven’s In Your Eyes | Explicit | 120878 words

They couldn’t be more different if they tried. Louis Tomlinson is 17 years old and in his last year of the most prestigious private school in Doncaster. If there’s one thing that completely annoys him, it’s that there is a poor community college right across the street.

Harry Styles is 19 years old, and (once again) in his last year of college. He goes to community college in Doncaster. He never shows up to classes and if he actually bothers to, he’s either high or drunk; sometimes both. His skin is littered with tattoos and if there’s one thing he absolutely hates, it’s the snobby students attending the private school right across from his.

Check out our other fic rec lists by category here and by title here.

[your-dietician]

Who are the men behind Black Players for Change in American soccer?

New Post has been published on https://tattlepress.com/soccer/who-are-the-men-behind-black-players-for-change-in-american-soccer/

Who are the men behind Black Players for Change in American soccer?

Before he became an executive director for a Black player coalition in Major League Soccer, Justin Morrow received death threats during high school in Cleveland when media coverage of his soccer talents became too much for some.

Before Jeremy Ebobisse became a board member for that same coalition, the Portland Timbers forward was a youngster from Bethesda, Maryland, enduring N-word taunts from opponents in his club soccer games.

Calling out systemic racism in society and vying for more opportunities for Black people in MLS is nothing new for Morrow and Ebobisse – but they used to do so on their own.

Now, as board members of Black Players for Change, an independent, player-led coalition that has more than 170 members, they are helping create tangible change for the Black community in MLS. The group, which was founded on Juneteenth one year ago, is not only impacting Black players, coaches and staff as professionals, it is also empowering members as Black men in America as they combat racial injustice.

The Black Players for Change assembled on the field July 8, 2020 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex ahead of the first match at the MLS Is Back Tournament.

Submitted: Major League Soccer

In its first 12 months, the coalition has become a force. Members protested on the field at the MLS Is Back Tournament last July, raising their fists for 8 minutes and 46 seconds to remind the nation of how long Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on George Floyd’s neck, murdering him.  The group also helped transform MLS stadiums into voting polls in November. It has vowed to build 12 soccer mini-pitches for Black communities, and it established the league’s first diversity committee, which gave it a seat at the table with MLS owners and Commissioner Don Garber.

But to solely harvest one year of change as a feel-good highlight reel overlooks the emotional roller coaster the men representing the coalition are riding, as they seek to expand opportunities for Black individuals in American soccer while forging bonds as brothers.

“There’s already so much that goes into a player’s career, in terms of being successful on the field,” Morrow told The Tennessean. “But for me, this has been about leading a group of men in pursuit of a goal. We win sometimes, we fail sometimes, but we always do it together.”

Black Players for Change has grown from an Instagram group chat, started by Morrow to create a safe space for Black players expressing their frustrations after Floyd’s murder, into a fully working organization that communicates and conducts business through WhatsApp and Slack.

The byproduct has been the creation of a tight-knit organization that allows Black players such as Morrow — the Toronto FC fullback in his 12th year in MLS — to connect with some of the league’s youngest. The dynamic has created an atmosphere that encourages players to speak up and find their voices.

Justin Morrow, 33, is the executive director for Black Players for Change and is a fullback for Toronto FC in Major League Soccer.

Submitted: Black Players for Change

“If we can be the ones to empower (players) to do that,” Morrow said, “that’s exactly the reason why this organization exists.”

More than just a co-founder, Morrow, 33, is the group’s elected leader. He has perfected walking the line between a serious focus for work and keeping things light with jokes.

Those skills, along with his passion for a cause bigger than himself, comes from his father, Leroy.

Starting as a 23-year-old patrol officer for the Cleveland Division of Police, when Morrow was 2, Leroy climbed the ranks to become a lieutenant by the time Morrow was 13 and eventually became a commander.

“He was just so dedicated and rose up the ranks,” Morrow said. “… I saw that he was always trying to work harder for our family, and pull us up, so that’s always in my mind like, ‘Don’t mess around.’ ”

Morrow heeded that advice as he blossomed into a star at Saint Ignatius High School, a prominent Catholic school in Cleveland. As a junior, Morrow had helped the Wildcats win their first state championship. His prominence grew as the Cleveland Plain Dealer published stories about both his talent and his team. 

That prominence came full circle that fall, when Morrow was called to the principal’s office with one of his close friends on the soccer team. The school had received a letter with death threats addressed toward them. Police were present and the FBI was involved. 

The letter contained racist language, and according to The Athletic, it made reference to a photo that had appeared in the Plain Dealer of Morrow, his teammate and their white homecoming dates. 

FBI officials eventually identified the person who made the threat.  The person had also sent similar racist messages to professional athletes.

The incident was an eye-opener, Morrow admits, but not a detriment.

Justin Morrow, executive director for Black Players for Change

I just wanted to create something that lasts longer than I do.

“Those things happen to you and maybe you don’t consciously let it affect you, but subconsciously you know it’s always there,” he said. “It’s always there. It shapes the way you see things, so it’s just been as a steppingstone to get to where I am today.”

Morrow matriculated through majority-white Catholic schools at every level of his education. He played four seasons at Notre Dame from 2006-10 and was the treasurer of the campus NAACP chapter, which he helped start. It was his way of making change in a predominantly white environment.

“I just wanted to create something that lasts longer than I do,” Morrow said. “My time studying at Notre Dame was fantastic, but it’s always short for everyone. The same will be with Major League Soccer in my professional career.”

Ebobisse, 24, also grasped racism from an early age. Growing up in affluent Bethesda, Maryland, the Timbers forward was one of two Black kids in his grade during elementary school and was naturally exposed to politics near the nation’s capital. He played for Bethesda SC as a youth, which included Alex Van Hollen, the son of U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.).

“I was in and around his campaign events and got to understand from a distance what it took to run successful campaigns and to legislate,” Ebobisse told The Tennessean.

But as Ebobisse grew older, his Bethesda SC squad became more diverse with players from Potomac, Bowie and Baltimore. But he still endured gaslighting. Some of his peers in Bethesda and at Walter Johnson High School – where he graduated in three years – insisted racism didn’t exist, as they spewed the N-word in Ebobisse’s presence. 

It wasn’t until his sophomore year that Michael Williams – who played soccer at Howard University, an HBCU in Washington – became Ebobisse’s AP World History teacher. Williams, who also coached Walter Johnson’s soccer team, gave Ebobisse a new way of attacking racism and oppression.

Jeremy Ebobisse, 24, is a board member with Black Players for Change and a forward for the Portland Timbers in Major League Soccer.

Submitted: Black Players for Change

“The way he taught me to look at the world from where I was, breaking down the Eurocentrism in everything that I received up until that point, definitely set me on a course to challenge narratives as I see them and to understand biases everywhere,” Ebobisse said.  “And if I can understand the bias, then I can understand information a little bit better.”

Ebobisse is still on that course. Now as a five-year veteran with the Timbers, he collaborated with the Players Coalition, which consists of NFL players, in the spring to help pass the Juvenile Restoration Act.Maryland Senate Bill 494 would abolish life without parole for youths and institute a judicial review for sentence reduction after 20 years of confinement. In September, Morrow did the same in tandem with Players Coalition members in Ohio, helping pass Ohio Senate Bill 256.

Jeremy Ebobisse, on learning and understanding biases

The way (Michael Williams) taught me to look at the world from where I was, breaking down the Eurocentrism in everything that I received up until that point, definitely set me on a course to challenge narratives as I see them and to understand biases everywhere.

Such a platform is new to Ebobisse, who is revered by his teammates and respected by Portland’s activism community, including Rose City Justice, which led several intense protests in the city last June. In a way, Ebobisse is empowered and it’s credit to Black Players for Change.

“In 2017, 2018, 2019, I would have never had the chance to use, for example, my club in order to further my message directly or to create content or to change internal policy,” Ebobisse said. “It was pretty nonexistent, whether it was because I was a draft pick that hadn’t broken into the team yet, or because the social climate wasn’t there for it. I think it was a little bit of both. 

“Now that’s not the case. … We’re asking the tough questions, not only in Portland, but nationwide and at the league office. I think it’s really important and that’s a testament to BPC.”

Black Players for Change sparked unprecedented progress in its relationship with MLS last summer.

BPC’s board of directors secured a meeting with Garber after 10 MLS clubs chose not to play after the August shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, by Kenosha police in Wisconsin. In that Sept. 24 meeting with Garber, MLS owners and BPC, the league committed to a $1 million contribution to BPC through 2024, coupled with a package of six initiatives.

The meeting accelerated MLS’ hiring of Sola Winley as vice president and chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer. Winley, who is Black, had championed diversity and inclusion as executive vice president of corporate strategy at A+E Networks.

CJ Sapong talks playing for Nashville SC and Black Players for Change

CJ Sapong talks playing for Nashville SC and Black Players for Change

Jeremiah O. Rhodes, Nashville Tennessean

The meeting also helped establish the MLS Diversity Committee. Winley sits on the committee with  Morrow, Sean Johnson of New York City FC,  and Earl Edwards Jr. of the New England Revolution. Garber, a crew of MLS owners, a resource group of Black MLS employees and the Soccer Collective on Racial Equity (S.C.O.R.E) also make up the committee.

“We’re players in a room with MLS employees, front office employees and owners of our teams,” Edwards said. “In those spaces – granted, we’re players – we want to be viewed more as men, as Black men that are trying to make a change.

Earl Edwards Jr., 29, is a board member with Black Players for Change and goalkeeper for the New England Revolution.

Submitted: Black Players for Change

“I think that dynamic of us being players – feeling like players – and them being owners looking at players a certain way, being in the front office looking at players a certain way – (it’s) that border of interactions we don’t normally have. Now (they’re) taking feedback from players, specifically Black players,. I think it’s just new for them and for us to be outspoken, demanding certain things or telling them what we want is new for us, too.”

For Johnson, sitting on the committee has made an impact on him. The committee’s April 20 meeting happened as the Chauvin guilty verdict was being revealed. Chauvin killing Floyd sparked a national reckoning for social injustice and police brutality.

“I remember specifically – I shut off my (Zoom) video. I went into the living room,” Johnson said. “I took about 15, maybe 20 (minutes) which felt like forever because it was it was a very emotional moment for me, sitting there with my girlfriend and hearing the verdict.”

Johnson called BPC’s impact on him an emotional ride. For Morrow, leading the group has created a series of life lessons. And for Ebobisse, the power of the platform makes him proud.

But after a long pause, all three elected to focus on what impact Black Players for Change will have on the Black community beyond the coalition’s first year in existence.

“Youth soccer into college soccer into professional soccer has not been the most welcoming of environments for Black people in this country – Black men and women,” Ebobisse said. “So alongside BPC and other organizations, we have a big role to play in changing that and I think we’ve already put a lot of people on alert and gained a lot of collaboration as well.”

Jalil Anibaba talks playing for Nashville SC and Black Players for Change

Jalil Anibaba talks playing for Nashville SC and Black Players for Change

Jeremiah O. Rhodes, Nashville Tennessean

BPC’s work impacts stretches outside the American soccer bubble. Morrow and Ebobisse represent BPC in working with the NBA Players’ Association on advocating the passage of the George Floyd Justice In Policing Act, which prohibits racial profiling, reforms qualified immunity, bans chokeholds and federal no-knock warrants, such as the one used in the fatal police shooting of Breonna Taylor, a Black woman, in Louisville, Kentucky.

Juneteenth is a celebration for Black liberation and the end of slavery in the U.S. To Black Players for Change, the holiday also marks the birth of a brotherhood, whose work in American soccer continues.

“If we don’t do it, nobody else is going to and that’s exactly how we feel,” Morrow said. “That’s what’s so special about this organization.

“I’m not a guy that looks back very often,” he continued. “I just turn the page and get on to the next thing. And maybe there’s a minute for us to pause and appreciate what we’ve created and at the same time, continue to teach about Juneteenth, which is only growing. So, we have a big job to connect the older generation to the current generation and understanding of how we’ve gotten here today.”

Justin Morrow, Toronto FC

Jeremy Ebobisse, Portland Timbers

Quincy Amarikwa, MLS free agent

Jalil Anibaba, Nashville SC

Earl Edwards Jr., New England Revolution

Ray Gaddis, retired MLS player

Bill Hamid, D.C United

Sean Johnson, New York City FC

Ike Opara, Minnesota United FC

CJ Sapong, Nashville SC

For stories about Nashville SC or Soccer in Tennessee, contact Drake Hills at DHills@gannett.com. Follow Drake on Twitter at @LiveLifeDrake. Connect with Drake on Instagram at @drakehillssocer.

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[sterek-smooch]

Thank you everyone for your participation in this year's fest! 

Whether you were a reader, creator, commenter or all of the above, you helped make our first fest amazing. The author/artist names are listed below and will be added to the individual posts soon.

♥ 2018 sterek_smooch Masterlist and Reveal ♥

ART: ♥ Bliz created A Meeting in the Woods [ART; G] Derek is a wealthy young man with a title, Stiles is a humble apothecary in training. ♥ idkmybffspock created Five Times with Feeling [ART; G] Five times Derek was breathtakingly wonderful with kids and one time he was with (finally) his own. ♥ Kenshymidzu created SterekSmooch 2k18 [ART; NR] Merman Stiles saving Derek as always ♥ Nevermoree created Sharing Dreams [ART; G] Bed sharing! ♥ stereks created Lost [ART; PG] The aftermath of the Oceanic Airlines Flight 815 leaves two sole survivors, Derek Hale and Stiles Stilinski, stranded alone on what seems to be an inhabited tropical island. Their survival depends on sticking together, as they are forced into each other's proximity in terms of cuddling for warmth and hunting for food and shelter. ♥ Nyxelestia created Dashing Knight in Shining FBI Gear (on tumblr) [ART; PG] The only person who can’t see Stiles’ giant crush on Derek, is Stiles. The rising star of the FBI’s new Supernatural Unit has nothing but professional respect for Derek. That’s his story and he’s sticking to it. At least until some old enemies take Derek. ♥ nosetothewind94 created Notice Me! [ART; G] I'm not going to stop poking you until you give me some attention... FIC: ♥ LadySlytherin wrote Love You Most [3k; PG-13] There are things Derek never expected to have. Things he’d resigned himself to the loss of. A proper pack, a mate, and children topped that list. He couldn't be happier that he’d been wrong. ♥ Green wrote An Offer You Can't Refuse [1k; PG-13] When Stiles agreed to be the focus of an article in Neckz 'n' Throats, he never dreamed it'd be so popular. But Stiles only wants Derek's attention. ♥ Arsenic wrote Mouth of Cerberus [R; 5k] When Derek needs someone to help him recover from severe wolfsbane poisoning, Stiles is there, like he always has been, really. ♥ ereshai wrote Thus With a Kiss [3k; PG-13] Why does a witch keep cursing Stiles' friends? And why is he always the one who has to kiss them awake again? ♥ tabbytabbytabby wrote Embarrassing Dinners, Family Secrets, and Gnome Wars [10k; PG-13] When Stiles is abruptly left after a one night stand only to find out they’ll be attending the frat party with the hottest girl on campus, he quickly devised a plan to bring a fake date. Throw in family secrets and garden gnomes, then they’re in for one Hale of a time. ♥ Goddess47 wrote Proof [1k; PG] Names -- personal and family -- have meaning... ones even the Fae may be wary of ♥ Firebull wrote Where the Waters won't find Us [1k; PG-13] In a world flooded beyond what he ever thought possible, Stiles is searching for a friendly face. ♥ ajeepandleather wrote Kiss Me Softly [1.6k; G] Unapologetic fluff for reasons ♥ TheyDraggedMeInNowIAintLeaving wrote Going to the Chapel [4.6k; R] Derek will never know which decision was worse: Going to Beacon Hills or bring Stiles back to his family as his fake boyfriend ♥ kiberstark wrote Инвестиции [841; NR] Америка в начале ХХ века, когда профессию модели не признавали, как таковую. Нет, никаких осуждений. Просто странствующий фотограф, фермер и немного инвестиций. Небольшая зарисовка, которая, возможно, станет чем-то большим. ♥ adara wrote To Find Your Home [14k; PG-13] The wind shifts just as he is is about to lay into the trespassers for disturbing this place, this private property, the place where Laura took her last breaths. Alone. The place he had come to look for his own clues in the daylight, to say goodbye to the only family he really had left. His breath catches for an altogether different reason when the shifted breeze reaches him. He stops thinking about Laura for a moment as his brain simply shuts down, taking in the sight of his mate before him. ♥ PrincessaBitchessa wrote It Don't Matter Where We Go, We Always [Are Forced] Back Home [745; G] Derek is a famous male model. He returns home. Only, what if he returned with news and a special someone? ♥ Areiton wrote sweet sacrifice [1.5k; PG-13] They were pack, and allies, and sometimes, Derek thought they might even be friends. They stood side by side against Deaton and Argent’s advice often enough, had saved each other enough--but Stiles didn’t treat him like he did Isaac or Allison. Even Liam and his little triad of pups and humans got more from Stiles than Derek did. And he knew a spell like this--he could use it for so many people, fix so much. So why the hell is he offering it to Derek? ♥ LadySlytherin wrote You’re an Understatement (you’re getting worse) [13.5k; NC-17] Erica’s goal in life was to be hired by Neckz’n’Throats. Not as a model, though she knew she was hot enough for that. No, she wanted to be behind the camera. And to do that, she needed two things. A glowing recommendation, and a portfolio that would grab their attention; that would make them take her seriously. For that, she needed the right models. Thankfully, she knew just who to ask. ♥ StaciNadia wrote Quadruple Espresso [1.3k; G] Stiles' coffee orders keep getting progressively stronger, and Derek wants to cut him off. ♥ thegirlnamedcove wrote Wrong Analogy [8k; G] “So what’s up with you two?” she asked, three wolfsbane beers later, “You smell...I don’t know how you smell. Confusing.” Derek kept his gaze carefully down, and Stiles just hummed and offered a soft smile. “It’s new. He hasn’t had much of a chance to scent mark me in the last month, not with everything going on in both of our lives. But we’ve known each other for years so I think the potential was always there.” “Potential for…” she prompted. “We’re dating,” Derek managed, and then darted a look at her face to gauge her reaction. OR Derek is Alpha Bait (tm) and Stiles helps him fend them off. ♥ katxwithwings wrote The Things We Do [18k; PG-13] Shout out to theplaceyoustillrememberdreaming for beta-ing Summary: Despite all that he's done, Peter is Derek's uncle and the alpha, and surely that has to count for something. Stiles is a newly bitten werewolf and not about to face some murderous hunters by himself. So against his better judgment, he joins Peter pack. But the fire didn't just leave Peter with physical scars, and a person can only bend so far before they break. ♥ annagarny wrote Her Name is Princess [2.9k; PG] Derek has a big, empty house that he shares with his cat, so of course, Stiles moves in ♥ jadore_hale wrote not quite an item (they’re totally fucking right?) [8k; NC-17] “I never liked him,” Derek said plainly. “Dude!” Stiles punched him in the shoulder, shocked. It was his first time hearing this. “He was keeping you from me! Must’ve been really insecure to stop you from collabing with me. Which is stupid. What’s there to be jealous of? All we are is online boyfriends.” “Who sometimes make out and swallow each other’s chewed food,” Stiles shot back, not sure how Derek could have forgotten those key facts. “It’s just for views!” ♥ FiccinDylan wrote Shots Fired [26k; NC-17] Stiles takes his annual vacation for one week every year and this year is no exception. Except for the fact that all types of weird supernatural shit has started popping off so close to the start date. Which wouldn't be so strange except for the fact that supernatural shit and magic have been banned in Beacon County for decades. Oh shit! ♥ grimmypuff wrote Secant to None [1.4k; G] Stiles is busy; he certainly doesn't need another obligation on his time. But there's a cute boy in the math club, and Stiles is a sucker for cute boys... ♥ calrissian18 wrote Sinking and Surfacing [9.5k; NC-17] Derek's repairing broken things, Stiles is determined not to be one of them. ♥ beyourtemporaryfix wrote let me make a thing of cream and stars (that becomes, you know the story, simply heaven) [3k; PG]Derek is irritated.To be fair, he's irritated the majority of the time. This time, though, he has good reason. He'd just been overruled by his Council--a calculated subversion of authority orchestrated by his scheming uncle, Peter--and that motion had ensured his inevitable marriage to a human in order to "soothe the growing tension between the pack and Beacon Hills, a rival royal kingdom whose land borders theirs on three sides.Derek needs something to soothe the growing tension in his head.