#zoo owner!Daniel

[gggreengoblin]

Do You Want To See My Elephant?

2.176 words. Summary:: Max, who was visiting West Australia, met a handsome local man named Daniel. He couldn't say no when Daniel asked him if he wanted to see his elephant.

If you had asked Max a few weeks before whether picking up a guy at a club would be on the menu during his West Australia vacation, he would probably say 'maybe, but I don't think so’. But on the second day he stayed in Perth, he was sitting in the bar of a nightclub with Daniel, a handsome local man, who was wearing a shirt with loud prints and a thick silver chain around his neck.

The club was awesome. It had a cool vibe and good music. Or it was just the alcohol in his blood talking, taking over his brain, and making everything seem better than it actually was. Or was it just Daniel’s effect on him? This Daniel, the stranger with kind eyes and curly hair.

Max was a couple of glasses deep already. His head was a little lighter and all he wanted was to giggle at everything this handsome man said. He didn’t mind, though. He would giggle forever as long as this stranger looked at him like that. Like he was the most interesting person in the room.

Even in this horrible lighting, Max could see how Daniel’s dark eyes lit up while he spoke. And he, of course, noticed the dimples in Daniel’s cheeks. They would pop out every time this man smiled or laughed or just moved his facial muscles in general. And the tattoos on his arms and the back of his hands—God, all of that made him feel so thirsty. So he kept sipping his cocktail, the one Daniel bought for him. Sweet, sour, and bitter at the same time.

Daniel leaned in. Max could smell his perfume—manly but not overpowering. Honestly, he just smelled expensive, elegant, and alluring. His breath tickled Max’s right earlobe. That deadly combination made his already light-headed head spin.

“So, how long will you be here?” Daniel said, directly into Max’s ear. His deep, smooth voice and his accent almost made Max's eyes roll into the back of his head.

“Here as in West Australia? Around two weeks, but I am also staying in Perth for two more days," he whisper-shouted back at Daniel. He took that opportunity to steal a sniff at his neck. He couldn't get enough of this perfume.

“Cool." Daniel nodded and took a small gulp of his beer. "Max, do you want to see my elephant?”

Max almost choked on his saliva. How could he say something like that so casually? And also what a weird phrasing? Who would call their thing an elephant? It was so weird. Or was it just how Australians flirt? Max didn’t know for sure, but he would be stupid to pass on this opportunity. “Of course, it would be lovely, Daniel,” he said, almost screaming so Daniel could hear him. He hoped he said it loud and clear.

"Yeah?" There was a smirk on Daniel’s face. His eyes were bright and playful, with a mischievous gleam in them.

“Yes.” Max nodded. He looked around, trying to find the general direction to the bathroom. The club was crowded, but he hoped the bathroom was clean and empty so he could get on his knees for this man. He was already salivating from the anticipation. How he wanted to do it dirty, sloppy, and slow. And he would do his best to make it a good show for Daniel. "Now?” 

“Nah.”

Oh, that broke Max's heart.

“I can’t ditch my friends tonight.” He pointed at a group of men sitting on a long sofa. One of them waved his hand to Daniel, telling him to hurry up and come back to the group. “How about tomorrow?”

“Okay.”

“Don’t pout, Maxy.” He gave Max’s thigh a squeeze with his free hand. His rings were pressing into Max’s muscles through his jeans.  “Give me your phone.”

Max pulled his phone from his jeans' pocket. He entered his PIN code and gave the device to Daniel.

“Text me your hotel address. Does tomorrow morning sound good to you? Can I pick you up at 8.30?” Daniel gave him his phone back. He saved his number in Max’s phone book as Daniel Ric with an elephant emoji.

Max couldn’t hide his smile. This guy was one of a kind. Max had never met someone like him before.

“Yes. But why in the morning? Why can’t we do it in the evening?” It wouldn’t go well if Max woke up with a bad hangover. Most of the time, he couldn’t get it up if he did not feel his 100%, and he did not want that to happen while he was with Daniel. So he put his cocktail down and asked the bartender for a bottle of water.

“Don’t forget to text me, yeah?” Daniel stood up from his stool. He leaned in and kissed Max’s cheek. The scratch of his beard made Max feel hot all over. “Trust me, it would be better if we do it in the morning.” He said it with a wink before he went back to his friend.

..............................................................................................................

To say he was excited was an understatement. Max went back to his hotel right after Daniel left. He did not touch any alcohol after that, only his bottled water.

When he entered his hotel room, he made a beeline straight into his bathroom. He took a long, hot shower and shaved his hair down there. It had been a while, and he was not prepared. He thanked his lucky star, or whatever it was, that he packed a spare shaving razor. It was gross to shave his face with the same razor he used to shave his balls and ass. It could cause cross-contamination, right? He didn’t know for sure, but it was just plain wrong.

He lay down in his bed with his phone plugged in beside his pillow. He made sure to activate a six a.m. alarm. He needed to wake up early in the morning to douche, making sure everything was squeaky clean.

He ate a light breakfast and texted Daniel his address. Not long after that, Daniel told him to meet him in the hotel's underground parking lot. Max was a little bit surprised by that. He thought they would meet in the hotel lobby and did it in his room.

Danie stood in the middle of the parking lot. Dressed in a black cotton jacket zipped up until his throat, a pair of olive-colored fabric shorts, and black hiking boots. He also wore a curve-brimmed trucker cap that had the same color as his shorts, and a pair of black sunglasses were perched upon the beak of his hat. He approached Max and kissed his cheek. "Morning, Maxy Max." He led Max to his parked black Rubicon by his waist. He opened the passenger door for Max.

It took Max by surprise. This Daniel was different from the one he met the night before. He didn't complain, though. He was just not expecting these changes. The guy in the club was metrosexual, adorned with a chain around his neck, rings, a bracelet on his wrist, and a loud print shirt. But this guy was just ruggedly handsome, he thought. Max couldn't look away.

He didn't know why, but for a second, he assumed the car would smell bad, like cigarettes and maybe beer too. It was a wrong assumption, it smelled nice, like coffee, and faintly he could smell Daniel’s perfume from the night before.

Daniel took one of the paper cups from the cup holder and gave it to Max. “I got you a cup of coffee, americano. If it is too bitter for you, I have some sugar.” He unzipped his jacket halfway and took out two sachets of packed sugar from his left breast pocket.

Max accepted the coffee and the sugar. He took a small sip. The coffee was really bitter. He did his best to hide his grimace, even though he almost gagged from the unpleasant taste. He was not a fan of coffee, especially if it wasn't ice cold, but he tried to be polite.

They started driving, leaving Max's hotel. Max was impressed by Daniel’s driving ability. The way he could control that bulky car so smoothly. He was zoning out, looking out of the window, until he felt Daniel's gaze on him during a red light stop.

“Ahh– You don't like black coffee. Just add the sugar, mate. Or put it down if you don't like it,” Daniel said before taking a big sip from his own cup.

No, not a chance, he wanted to drink this coffee with Daniel as if they were on a coffee date. Max put the coffee back in the cup holder and poured two sachets of sugar into his coffee. At least if the coffee was sweet, he wouldn't be so nauseous, right? Was it the right way to make coffee more bearable?

Daniel drove until they left the city center area. They entered an employee parking lot at a recreation park. Max could see the roller coaster track from there. Daniel turned off the car's engine and jumped out of the car. He opened Max's door.

"Where are we?" Max said while stepping out of the car. He left his half-empty cup in the cup holder.

"You will see."

They entered the recreation park, which was still closed, by the back door. Daniel scanned his ID card to open the locked steel door. He took off his jacket, revealing his zoo uniform with his name embroidered on the left side of his chest.

There were several staff and janitors. They were doing their morning chores, like cleaning and checking the equipment. Almost all of them greeted Daniel, but they all looked curiously at Max.

Daniel took him to a parked golf cart. He pulled a bunch of keys from his shorts' pocket, searching for the right one to drive this little thing. He turned the cart on and patted the seat beside him. "Come on. We need to hurry!"

Max looked around the park. It had a lot of green vegetation that was different from the plants outside, animal statues, and safari-themed rides. "So, we're going to see a real elephant?"

"Yes, I promised you I would show you my elephant, didn't I?" Daniel said while pointing to the word 'zoo' in his uniform, right above his name. "Technically, the elephants—we have four, by the way—are mine too because my parents own this recreation park and zoo."

“Oh.” Yeah, it was all he could think about, just 'Oh'. It was a huge letdown, really. It was the first time he met someone who owned a theme park and zoo, but it was also the first time he got ready for nothing. All the grooming he did was for nothing. And the excitement he felt went down the drain.

A meme Victoria sent him popped up in Max’s head. It was a video of two men in a boat, and one of them said, 'I hope you're hungry, for nothing'. Yes, that was how he felt at the moment. He was thirsty for nothing. So he stood there, hollow-eyed, in front of a golf cart. He couldn't believe he shaved his ass and balls for nothing.

Daniel folded his arms on top of the cart's steering wheel. "'Oh'? Just 'oh'? Are you disappointed, Max?" He looked up at Max with eyes that he couldn't read. His brown, wide cow eyes were too expressive, showing too many emotions at the same time, and it made Max confused.

"I'm not really disappointed. Of course I'm happy, I can see elephants up close and without any other visitors, which is a rare opportunity, but I thought we would do something else.”

"Something else? Like?" He smiled. That gorgeous, wide smile that got Max hooked in the first place.

“You know what I mean, Daniel. Seeing elephant. Your elephant. Turned out it was a false advertisement.” Max knew he was beet red. He felt how his blood rushed into his cheeks and ears. Saying what he felt was a hard thing to do, especially when he had to admit what he wanted to Daniel, a stranger who he thought was asking him out for a hookup.

“This is the first time someone is not impressed by my freaking zoo. I have to make it up to you then.”

Max sat on the cart, arms crossed in front of his chest. “Yeah. You better show me the whole damn zoo.” He still couldn't look at Daniel.

“We have a massive collection of exotic birds too. Are peacocks interesting enough for you?”

"Stop with the innuendo, please." Max covered his face with his hands.

"It is not an innuendo, Maxy. We do have peacocks. You just have a dirty mind."

..........................................................................................................................

By the time he left Perth, Max knew all about animals' facts and a promise from a charming local man that he would join him during his days off from the zoo.

[verstappen-cult]

ouuu, imagine getting a new pet with the f1 grid! like, whether it be just recently moving in together and wanting a new addition or whether it be just a small present, your choice ofc! 💖

GETTING A NEW PET WITH THE BOYS | F1 GRID

★ — LANDO NORRIS (4)

one day you came home only to find lando laying on the floor with a tiny cat sitting on his chest, talking so soft as if he was speaking to a child, hands caressing behind his little ears. “hey, i got you a present!” he was lot more excited than you, and you were the one that actually wanted to adopt a cat. you named her with a little bit of help from lando, and soon became a crucial part in both your lives. every time lando is away, which is most of the time, he’s always asking for pics of his two girls. you’re pretty sure he loves the cat more than he loves you. and vice–versa.

★ — CHARLES LECLERC (16)

it was always a plan. even when you had been dating for just a couple of weeks, you two always wanted to have a dog together. and that’s why the moment you move in together, you go to one of the shelters in the city to adopt one. it’s hard. there are so many dogs waiting for someone to take them home that it is impossible for you to not cry. eventually you take home a little one that kept following charles everywhere he went, and the moment the dog starts running and sniffing everything, making you both laugh, you know he’s the perfect addition to your life.

★ — OSCAR PIASTRI (81)

oscar knows you grew up with a lot of dogs and cats, and that you miss them every day. he also knows you are pretty happy living with him and traveling when you can, but living away from family is hard. it’s no secret that you are the most important person in his life and he will always want you to be happy; that is why one day you wake up with a slight pressure on your chest and two big brown eyes looking at you. you’re very sure everyone in the building heard your scream when you realized it was a rabbit. oscar had the biggest smile on his face, and felt like a very proud boyfriend, as he saw you play with him.

★ — MAX VERSTAPPEN (33/1)

you and max weren’t looking to adopt a new cat, you really were more than happy and done with jimmy and sassy. but then one day you’re walking back to your hotel after lunch and next thing you know, you are inside a pet shop. you were just thinking about getting the cats new toys and maybe a cat tree when you saw her sitting at the counter, looking so soft and tiny. when max went to pay, the owner told you she was a stray cat and the rest was history. there was a lot of paperwork to be able to get her out of the city and back to your home, but it was all worth it.

★ — ALEX ALBON (23)

you’re always looking to adopt new pets. or members of the family as alex likes to call them. you know who you’re dating, so it’s all part of the relationship. not that it bothers you; you’re really happy with the zoo you have at home. the newest addition is a little more big than the rest of the pets, and it doesn’t surprise you, nothing does with alex anymore. and you always wanted a horse growing up, it’s a win for everyone. every time alex has free time you’re traveling to visit alex’s parents where the horse lives and it’s hard when you have to say goodbye but you know alex is already looking to adopt a new cat, or a dog, or another horse, and that makes it a little easier.

★ — DANIEL RICCIARDO (3)

daniel just comes home holding a guinea pig one day and you don’t even question him. he said he found it near the park where he went to run and couldn’t leave it there. just like that you got a new pet. neither of you had a guinea pig before so you don’t really know how to take care of him. or her? so the next morning you take the little one to the vet and then to a pet shop where you buy everything you’re going to need. and some other things that aren’t necessary but daniel saw and fell in love. if you had to drag him out of there before he brought a fish, well, that’s no one’s business.

★ — MICK SCHUMACHER (47)

you were cuddling on the couch, mick with the most awful cold ever known to men when you got a call from her mom, and before she even got to say hi your boyfriend was already asking for the family dog. it was so cute seeing him say how much he missed him and how he wished he could be there to cuddle and feel better (rude!); that was the exact moment you knew what to do. it was a little hard trying to find a shelter, and then complete the form and interview they asked for, but in just a couple of days you were standing in front of a blanket-covered and almost crying mick cuddling with his new dog.

© VERSTAPPEN-CULT ⎯ do not repost, translate, plagiarise or claim any of my works as your own.

[honey-minded-hivemind]

I worked out that timeline for the Haunted Mansion Au. I tried to include everyone but let me know if I missed anyone.

Trigger warning cause uuuhhh, there is obviously a lot of death and these could be considered graphic, especially with the teens.

1800s: If Creed! Reader is ther, they freeze to death first. Laura goes insane from grief and eventually passes due to a fever. Logan nearly drinks himself to death after his daughter and nibling are gone, but a snake beats him to it. Victor Creed goes insane after losing everyone and spends over half the family fortune on seances, fortune tellers, mystics, anything to try and bring back his family. Eventually, he dies of old age. Ororo, a family friend, inherits the house but is fatally struck by lightning only 7 months after. After that, the mansion is constantly switching owners.

1870s: Kurt and Rogue die at the Circus they both work at. Kurt's trapeze breaks mid show and he dies as soon as he hits the ground. Rogue's trickshot act goes horribly wrong and she bleeds out in less than an hour. There were some rumors of sabotage, but nothing was ever proven.

1900s: Tragic house fire takes the life of young Roberto, who was trying to save his family, not knowing they already got out.

1910s: Bobby Drake goes missing from home in the dead of winter, presumably running away after a fight with his family. His body is found after the lake thawed the following spring.

1930s: A heist goes wrong for the thief "Gambit", who is shot fatally by the police after being sold out by his cohorts. They never did find where he hid all his stolen money.

19540s: Charles Xavier returns home from war, paralyzed from the waist down but alive. When going to see his "good friend" Erik, a jewish refugee, he is mugged and dies from the injuries. Everything he owns is given to Erik.

1950s: The Summers family is in plane accident that takes the life of their oldest son, Scott. A year later, Scott's girlfriend Jean quietly in her sleep. Doctors report she had a brain aneurysm in her sleep.

1970s: The chandlier of the mansion falls and stabs the master of the house Erik, who inherited it from Charles. His two children inherit it from him. His son, Peter dies two years later in a car crash due to his speeding. His daughter, Wanda, dies 6 months after that from a laced drug during a protest.

1980s: Town Troublemaker Lance is crushed during an earthquake after it destabilized part of the school. Later reports say he could have still been alive for a few hours after he was buried by the rubble.

1990s: Local Scientist, Teacher, and former high school wrestling champ Dr. Hank "Beast" McCoy passes away during an failed chemistry experiment that shuts down the school for a month. Three weeks later, one of his students, Todd, dies after touching a poisonous frog previously owned by McCoy. Six years after, Up and coming actor Kevin "Morph" Sydney dies unexpectedly after a severe allergic reaction to special SFX make-up used when making a film about the Mysterious Creed-Howlett family. A year after that Evan Daniels is attacked by a porcupine that escaped from the local zoo and animal hospital. He was a descendent of one of the town founders, Ororo Munroe.

2003: A young girl by the name of Jubilation Lee passes away when her and her friends mess with illegal fireworks one night and one gets stuck on her coat. Two weeks later, her classmate Kitty Pryde is dared to spend the night in the supposedly haunted mansion by her friends. While exploring, the rotting wood in the attic couldn't support her weight, and she fell through down to the first floor.

XXXX: The mansion hires a new groundskeeper, who looks awfully familar...

That is perfect. Just- it's perfect.

This is now the official timeline of the Haunted Mansion AU.

(Wait until Reader see ls the old family portrait of young Creed Reader... or finds Kitty's body... or a snake...)

[heykoonsy]

Word Count:  3k+

Pairing: OC x Jake, OC x Danny

Summary: Charlotte’s stay at the Somerset Sapiens Farm was short-lived, her intelligence quickly astounding the owner; Henry Somerset himself. Hoping to become a client, Charlotte is gifted to an eccentric vampire known for supplying the wealthy elite with high quality humans for their gatherings. Charlotte, however, intends to use this vampire’s power and connections another way.

Content Warnings: 18+ for mature themes

Chapter 7: Cut the Thread

Charlotte looked out the car’s window, to where Julio’s driver was coming to a halt. The first thing Charlotte saw was a large building, the windows beaming their yellow light onto the concrete below them. She looked at the stairs, at the magnificent home she’d been invited to–as a guest. Charlotte looked back at Julio, who was typing away on a laptop he’d brought with them as they dropped her off. She remembered the conversation she’d had with Danny clearly. 

“You want me to go?” Charlotte asked, eyes wide and curious. 

“My parents are making me go, so I figured I’d extend the invitation. Wanna be my plus-one?”

Charlotte looked a little uncomfortable. She’d gone to hundreds of parties like the one Danny described. She knew what to wear, what to say, how to act. But that was when she was working. There was a clear difference between being a zoo-animal for the vampires to ogle at and being a genuine guest. For a moment, she didn’t know how to respond. But, seeing his pleading eyes, she reluctantly accepted. 

Now that she sat in a queue of limousines, she wondered if she should have agreed at all. Charlotte took a deep breath, trying to settle her nerves.

“Want me to walk you in?”

She looked over at Julio, who had paused his work for a moment to get a read on her. Charlotte shook her head, but as soon as the driver announced their arrival, she immediately changed her tune. 

“Yes, please.”

Julio placed his laptop between them on the seat and got out of the car. Before Charlotte knew what was happening, he opened her door for her. He gave her a moment to reach for his hand, and effortlessly pulled her out of the seat. Julio let her set the pace as her heels clacked up the stairs towards the entrance. She got a sense of deja vu for a moment, remembering her time with Josh. 

Julio took her up to the door, leading her forward with his hand on the small of her back. He made eye contact with the doorman, who asked for their names.

“She is here with Daniel Wagner,” Julio barked at him. “Charlotte.”

The doorman took his attitude like a champion, clearly not bothered by his rough exterior. Charlotte wondered just how used he was to that demeanor. Before Charlotte could apologize on Julio’s behalf, he was beckoning them inside the door. 

Charlotte looked around at the yellow light of the home. Their foyer was spectacular. She looked at the paintings along the walls, and the flowers in decorative vases. She noted the smell of food lingering in the air. This, Charlotte thought to herself, this was completely different than working at a party.

Before Charlotte got lost in the architecture of the staircase, she swept the crowd and spotted Danny. Her eyes lit up, seeing him done up in a black tuxedo, with his hair free at his shoulders.

Charlotte looked back at Julio, who was taking off her coat.

“I’ll have the car pick you up at three, be outside.” Julio said, checking his watch. 

“You look stunning,” Danny said, but was interrupted by Julio pressing Charlotte’s coat against his chest.

“Have her outside at three, my driver is prompt.”

Danny gave him a tight smile, nonplussed by his attitude this evening.

“He’s been like that all week,” Charlotte said. “You should have seen the look he gave the doorman.”

Danny smiled and grabbed Charlotte’s hand to lead her down to the coat closet.

On their way back, Charlotte spotted someone standing off to the side of a large group. They were all laughing together, champagne glasses swirling with light liquid.

“Mr. Bradley?” Charlotte tapped him on the shoulder. 

His eyes flashed over to hers. He looked her up and down, smiling widely. “Charlotte, my goodness, don’t you look gorgeous!”

Charlotte beamed. It was nice to see another familiar face here. In fact, the more time she spent at the party, the more she recognized the other guests invited. She’d seen a lot of them at the parties she’d been employed at. Unbeknownst to her, Danny stepped closer. 

“That’s what I said,” Danny placed a hand on her back. 

Mr. Bradley spun his finger around in a circle, and Charlotte looked embarrassed, but complied. She stepped away from the two of them and twirled her dress. She watched as the red tool glittered in the light of the room as it swayed clockwise. Once she was done, she brought her hands up to the sweetheart neckline nervously. 

“My dear, what you have, they don’t have words for,” Mr. Bradley said. “I did not realize you’d become so enamored, Daniel.” His eyes went over to Danny, assessing him quickly. 

For a moment, Danny seemed genuinely embarrassed, hiding behind a shy smile. “My thoughts exactly.”

Charlotte felt her cheeks redden. “It was great seeing you,” she said, finding her smile again.

“Join me for a dance, later, eh?” Mr. Bradley raised his glass at her before Danny led them away.

As they walked away, Charlotte could still feel the warmth on her cheeks, the beating of her heart. There was a small moment where she had forgotten about him. Her loneliness was lifted off her shoulders for a second–the weight no longer threatening to crush her into nothing. But–she couldn’t shake the feeling that it was wrong.

Charlotte stopped, her eyes finding Danny’s back as he faltered. He looked over his shoulder at her, turning to face her slowly.

“Danny…” Charlotte paused, unable to find the words. 

Like he knew exactly what she was thinking, Danny gave her a chuckle. “You don’t have to say anything, I get it.”

Charlotte wondered if that was true–if he was really okay with things as they were now. “But,” she trailed off.

Danny stood in front of her–the realization at just how tall he was when he wasn’t slouching for her comfort finally hitting her. He looked down at her through his long eyelashes and dipped low into her face. She could feel his breath against her cheek and her skin prickled at the sensation.

“Just for tonight,” Danny said, “choose me.”

Charlotte watched as he stepped back, giving her the choice of bridging the gap if she wanted to. Charlotte thought of Jake–his ever-present absence. He had known about her for weeks now–bordering months. And yet, where was he? When Charlotte mustered up the courage to ask the boys, they couldn’t give her an answer–because not even they knew. She felt the emotions well in her chest, and raised her hand. 

But then she saw Danny–looked into his warm, inviting eyes. 

If she were going to choose him for tonight, it was not going to be in anger. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. She thought back to their negotiation in the cellar–that one single moment spinning her world off its axis. She remembered their talk at the stream–how he’d let her go on and on about her family because she needed it. She couldn’t remember when it had happened–maybe when they’d met again at his father’s celebration–but she knew her feelings for Danny were more than a simple friendship.

Charlotte felt a smile creep onto her face because she knew that she needed to reach for Danny’s hand not in anger–but in gratitude. She realized that she couldn’t love him, not in the way he deserved, and Danny knew it too. But that didn’t mean that she could not admire him. Bask in his glow. Feel his love. The moment she reached for him, she wanted him to know that in this moment his feelings were accepted despite not being reciprocated.

Danny smiled as Charlotte’s hand fell into his. At that exact moment, Charlotte heard a variety of string instruments begin playing. The two of them looked across the room, where several women in their gowns were being swept away to the floor. Charlotte felt Danny’s hand tug on hers and she looked up at him. 

His eyes spoke to her and in seconds, her smile gave him a reply. Danny led her towards the other dancers, his back turned to them–eyes trained on Charlotte. When they began, Charlotte felt Danny’s hand on her left shoulder blade, the other gently holding her palm in his. Then, she felt Danny pull her close to him, his eyes finding hers. She felt the electricity pass between them and her heart leaped in response. 

Charlotte felt him pushing her backwards, initiating their dance. She followed suit, surprising Danny. 

“When did this happen?”

Charlotte looked up at him. “I learned through work,” she said as Danny dipped backwards to the right and led her forward. “Velasquez wanted to make sure all of us were ready if the opportunity arose. I haven’t gotten to dance in a while, though.”

“You’re very good,” Danny said. “My sister always steps on my toes.”

“You sure it’s not on purpose?” Charlotte asked, raising an eyebrow. 

Danny chuckled, “it very well could be.”

Danny did not take his eyes off her, and his smile did not drop for a second. Charlotte dipped her head slightly and breathed Danny’s scent. The cologne he wore was light and fresh, or maybe that was just the clean scent of his suit? Regardless, Charlotte took her time to enjoy this moment. She let herself be swept away underneath the yellow glow of the lights. She closed her eyes, enjoying the subtle string instruments playing all around them. She took care to memorize the sensation of Danny’s hands on her, the feeling of his breath leaving his chest slowly as they spun around in unison with other dancers. 

In the next few moments, Charlotte heard the music swell. She watched as Danny pulled her close one final time and whispered something in her ear. 

“I love you.”

Charlotte heard the music stop, but she couldn’t tell over the beating of her heart. Her eyes flicked over to each of his as if to answer him, a small smile spreading across her lips.

Thank you.

“Ahem,” a voice called from beside them.

Charlotte and Danny both looked over and saw Mr. Bradley standing there expectantly. “I believe I asked for a dance earlier,” he said. 

Charlotte chuckled, looking back at Danny.

“I’ll find us some drinks, then,” Danny said as he left the floor.

Julio looked past James as his driver parked at the address Jake Kiszka gave him. He took a look at the exterior of the building they were to meet inside. It was just your run-of-the-mill office building, a dime a dozen. Despite how regular everything was around them–he understood that this was a very important meeting he was asked to. And he was going in virtually blind. 

“Let’s get this over with,” Julio said, deciding that he’d had enough of a look at the place. 

James followed him through the parking lot and into the doors of the office. It was barely lit, tipping Julio off that this meeting they were having was unofficial–if not off the books entirely. He looked over at James, who was getting the same feeling. 

“The conference room is this way,” James said, taking the lead as he walked down the hallway and deeper into the building. James was just here, so of course he’d know his way around. The memory of the phone call came rushing back, and Julio’s head swam with dread.

Julio followed closely behind James, keeping an eye out for Jake. The closer they got to the conference room, the easier it was to hear strings of conversation. When they got to the designated meeting area, Julio heard all voices stop. The two of them heard footsteps coming closer and then watched the doorknob twist.

When the door opened, Julio was met with a white haired gentleman dressed in a gray suit. He gestured towards the conference room. “Gentleman, it’s good to see you. Come in.”

Julio went in first, taking in the room quickly. He saw a large white table in the center of the room–four chairs pushed in. His eyes immediately went to the only other person in the room–Jake Kiszka. Julio narrowed his eyes at him, a lot of feelings welling up in him at once. However, there was only one that really came to the surface. Anger.

“I’m Gary Alleman,” the man in the gray suit said, gesturing towards the chairs. “Please have a seat.”

James took his seat first, giving an awkward nod to Jake from across the room. Julio sat next to him, eyes trained on Jake–threatening him. Jake did not seem bothered by this in the slightest. 

“Give us the room?” Jake asked Gary politely. 

Jake gave him a few seconds to leave, and even then waited longer–until he was out of earshot. Jake took his time to cross the room and sit down across from both James and Julio. Without bothering with introductions, or an explanation on why they were all here, Jake proceeded to dig out a manilla folder from a pile of paperwork on the table.

Julio watched as Jake slid over some documents to their side of the table. Julio didn’t bother reaching for it. James hesitated in his chair. 

“You were trying to get your hands on this, weren’t you?” Jake asked simply, directing the question towards James.

James nodded and took the pages in his hands. He looked through them quickly, eagerly searching for what he knew was there. He looked up at Jake–and then at Julio.

“I had my team look into your bank statements, I knew something was off when you had next to nothing to your name.” James said, looking back at the documents. “Seven jobs in five years–and this is where you were keeping all of it.”

Jake looked at him, impressed with his work. “You sure did your research.”

“I just knew it,” James said, his eyes locking onto Jake. “It was no coincidence that you worked for Unified Bank and Trust. Over five thousand locations in the country–and three hundred overseas.”

Jake nodded. “I was able to create a numbered account with them, with some help.” He gestured towards the door that Gary left out of. 

James felt a smile tug on his cheeks. “It’s exactly what I would have done.”

“Okay, so we know where your savings account is,” Julio said, staring directly at Jake. “Why do you have it?”

Jake’s eyes flickered over to Julio, his mouth forming into a tight line. “Right to the point,” Jake said partially under his breath. “I need your help.”

Julio chuckled, but it was not a hearty chuckle–instead it was full of venom. “Go on,” he said, leaning into the table. 

Jake looked at him, and interlaced his fingers together on his lap. “I have things to do, and you have the means to get them done.”

Julio cocked his head to the side, “and you would know that how?”

Jake brought his hands to the table, sitting up and looking Julio directly in the eyes. “Because I’ve looked into you as much as you’ve looked into me. You’ve got connections.” 

Jake took a moment to watch Julio before he slid a manilla folder towards the center of the table. Julio looked in his eyes before grabbing the folder and paging through it quietly. After a few minutes, he handed the folder off to James. 

“Look familiar?” Julio asked James, not taking his eyes away from Jake. 

James paged through the documents as quick as lightning. When he was done, he sat them back down and gave Julio a nod. Julio crossed his arms abruptly. 

Julio shook his head. “I think you’ve overlooked something in this plan of yours.” 

Jake looked at him quizzically. “What are you talking about? I’ve thought of everything. Finances, legal documentation, transportation. I didn’t just cook this plan up in a night. I had years to think it through.”

Julio looked down at the table. “I’m sure you thought it through plenty. The problem is, I have too. All of this,” Julio picked up the folder again, “I could have acted on this at any time in the last two years. But I didn’t. Do you know why?”

Jake stood up from his seat at the table angrily. “Because of your own selfishness!”

Julio stood as well, his chair thrown backwards behind him. “Because there would be no point!”

James stood, placing his arm between them as they glared at each other..

“What do I need to do?” Jake asked earnestly. “Please.”

Julio settled back onto his heels. He sighed. “Cut the thread.”

Jake leaned back as well, his mind racing to figure out what Julio meant. Upon the realization, Jake shook his head bitterly. Julio watched as he understood the gravity of his situation. He didn’t mind being right when it came to hunches about embezzled funds or the mistresses his potential clients kept–but being right about this? Julio would have traded everything he owned to be wrong. 

“I’ll do it,” Jake said after some time. “In exchange, I will work for you–until the day I die.”

Julio narrowed his eyes at Jake, and James dropped his arm.

“Is that something you can promise?”

Jake nodded. “It is.”

Julio collected himself for a moment. “I take it this was the plan all along?”

“I researched you well enough to know you don’t do anything for free.” Jake said. “My life is the only thing I have to give.”

Julio made a noise in the back of his throat. “Then we have a deal,” Julio said as he outstretched his hand to Jake. 

Jake held it firmly in his own, his eyes not wavering for a moment.

James watched in disbelief as the deal was made right in front of him. He couldn’t interject, couldn’t fathom going against Julio during such an important meeting. As the two of them made their way back to the car, James stopped in the middle of the parking lot. 

“Sir,” James said, not quite sure what to say, but knowing that something was deeply wrong. 

“What?” Julio asked plainly.

James struggled to go on, his head swimming with the conversation he’d been a part of today. 

“Whatever you’re thinking, it’s wrong.” Julio said, sensing that he was not going to be getting much input out of James. “Trust me.”

James looked into Julio’s eyes for any note of deception. When he found only the eyes of his friend, he took a deep breath. 

“I trust you.”

[loveforpreserumsteve]

Love Grows (demon!Bucky and pre-serum!Steve omegaverse au)

35

AS BAD as it had been before, that was how good it was now. With Hodge in California, Steve grew accustomed to sleeping in the large bed at night by himself. Finding that he preferred it that way. He could move around to get as comfortable as he wanted to and not get any annoying digs about it in the morning about keeping his husband up. He could also have the fan on as high as he wanted and all of it directed right at himself. And not only was he sleeping better, but his dreams were better too. Sure, there was still the occasional weird one with strange noises of creaks in the floorboards or a shrill cry that made Steve break out in a cold sweat. But the good ones were good; him holding his baby or taking his baby to the zoo or strolling around the park or even just watching sweet little Leo-or-Mia sleep in their newly assembled – thanks to Bucky – bassinet.

Within the following weeks, Steve's appearance had filled out even more. His edges lost their sharpness and he took on the lustrous, healthy, and glowing that other pregnant people had. He couldn't help but admire his reflection whenever he caught it and graciously took the compliments that those around him were giving him.

He supposed that he owed a lot to Peggy and Daniel. Not only for being pregnant to begin with, but because they really did seem to care. Every morning Peggy brought over the gross vitamin shakes, but now also brought a cake of white gritty sweet stuff like marzipan. And the thing was, he actually didn't mind them; the Sousas or the treats.

Now, at twenty weeks, Steve's really-showing-now belly preceded his every step around the almost entirely packed gallery. Love and Thunder Gallery was usually a popular place to discover a new favorite artist or continue supporting an established, beloved artist as they explored their talent and creativity. So, it wasn't exactly new for the exhibit to be a hit. Especially since this wasn't Steve's first exhibition at Love and Thunder.

"This might be your strangest art yet," Thor, the owner, clapped his large hand on Steve's slender shoulder. With the quirk of Steve's brow, Thor clarified, "That's a compliment!"

"Thanks," Steve smiled, eyes scanning the place. Roaming over the small groups discussing his work and over those who just looked at his pieces, silently analyzing them. Usually, seeing how others reacted to his art was one of his favorite parts, even if it was stressful. But that wasn't what he was focused on right now.

Then, he found him.

Instantly, Steve's heart skipped a beat, moving in his chest as though it was trying to break free so it could be closer to the brunet. Steve hated that he felt lit up inside like a firework whenever he saw Bucky. It shouldn't have been that way. He was still legally married. He still wore the bond scar on his neck. Yet...

Only mildly aware that he was being complimented on his way across the room, Steve was on a mission. He had a purpose. Even the sweet-potato-sized fetus knew it. They both wanted to be wherever the alpha –

Pausing, Steve's hands came to his bump. Inside, movement stopped his thoughts as well as his steps. That only seemed to rile the baby up though as the fluttering grew stronger. Steve couldn't help it, he let out a giggle. Giddy, he was, and he didn't care who knew it.

"Stevie! There you –" the alpha cut himself short once he reached Steve. Concerned, "Is everything okay?"

Blinking the tears away, Steve beamed up at Bucky. Assuring, "I can feel them."

Almost immediately, Bucky's expression shifted, brightened, "You can?"

Nodding, Steve took one of Bucky's hands and pressed it to where the baby was moving. It was instinctual for him to do so. It wasn't until a moment later that he realized that an alpha who wasn't the baby's father was touching an omega's baby bump.

Steve's naturally white cheeks reddened at the realization and he pulled his hand from Bucky's. Just as he was about to apologize to the brunet, Bucky's brows furrowed, "I don't feel anything."

Gazing down at his bump – and the large hands that were on it – Steve said, "Must be too soon to feel from the outside."

Bucky nodded, and then let himself smile, "But you can feel them?"

"Yeah," Steve giggled again. "It feels like butterflies, but with a mind of their own."

"The insects? Do they not have minds of their own?"

Looking up at the alpha to see if he was pulling his leg, Steve's giggles grew as he clarified, "I didn't mean the bug. I meant the butterflies you feel when you're excited."

"Oh," Bucky bit back a grin, but couldn't help the chuckle. Seemingly, just as giddy as Steve was. Even if he couldn't feel the unborn pup for himself. And, still, his hands remained on Steve's bump.

Bucky opened his mouth, as though he was going to say something, but before he could get even a single syllable out, a familiar voice called out, "There he is! The man of the hour!"

Looking behind Bucky, Steve found the lovable goofball and the always – and occasionally annoyingly – well-meaning omega, Sam Wilson. Stepping around the brunet caused him to remove his hands and allowed Sam to wrap Steve in a bear hug. Only briefly souring the mood by quietly asking, "What's he doin' touchin' you?"

Rolling his eyes, Steve patted the Black man's back as he explained, "The baby's finally moving!"

Sam pulled back and his gaze instantly dropped to Steve's rounded abdomen. "No shit?!"

"No shit," Steve confirmed, glancing over at Bucky who was practically preening.

It's so weird, Steve internally mused, this alpha cares more about us than our beta does.

Looking over at Bucky because Steve had, Sam politely greeted, "How's it goin', man?"

"Fine. And for you?"

"Pretty good." Sam wrapped his arm around Steve's slender shoulders, teasing, "Especially since my cash cow has provided once again."

Playfully, Steve rolled his eyes and shoved at the taller, more muscular omega. Sam just laughed and Bucky looked around the crowded gallery. Agreeing, "He does capture something visceral. I don't think I've ever seen something so... raw."

Blushing once again, Steve let his eyes wander to the other people. Idly, he marked his bump as he wondered what they thought of his art. His twisted, ghoulish, painful art. The sculptures, paintings, and charcoals that had been inspired from his pain in the start of his pregnancy. Of his emotional pain before his pregnancy. It was what he needed to do to get it all out so he could move on. But would people really want to own something so... so... raw, as Bucky had put it?

"Yeah, that's Steve," Sam continued complimenting his friend. "Always surprising us with his ability to make us feel whatever he wants us to."

Peeking a glance at Bucky, Steve was startled to find the alpha already looking at him. Butterflies started in his stomach again, then Steve wondered if it was actually the baby. Either way, Steve felt fluttery. As though at any second, he'd just fly off, never to be found again.

"Hey, Sam!" Someone called from behind Steve.

"Duty calls," the omega smiled, patting Steve's shoulder again.

Alone once more, Steve and Bucky continued to stare at each other for a moment. Steve diverted his gaze first. Looking around the room and at his art, Steve asked, "Which one do you like best?"

"Which one do you?"

Narrowing his eyes, he half-teased, "None of them. Now you."

"All of them."

Despite Bucky appearing to be completely sincere, Steve couldn't help but laugh. Who was this man and where did he come from? And, more to the point, why couldn't he have met him sooner?

"No," Steve chuckled, dismissing the brunet. "Be serious."

"I'm being completely serious."

Playfully, Steve narrowed his eyes at the handsome alpha. He really wanted to know! So, he prompted, "Let's say that you're going blind. Which one is the one you'd want to be the last thing you'll ever see?"

Lips pressed together and brows furrowed, Bucky looked around the room. Being taller, he could easily look over the heads of the gallery attendees while Steve couldn't. Then, he paused, finding whatever he was looking for.

Taking Steve's hand in his, Bucky led him across the room and around a corner. Stopping in front of an oil painting, Steve was a little shocked. It was dark and had a dreamy feel to it; the focus on the doorframe and of the solid shadowy figure standing there, watching Steve while he slept.

"I wouldn't have pegged you for a Peter Pan lover."

"What?" Bucky asked, turning to look at Steve. Shaking his head, he positioned Steve beside him in front of the large window. "This is what I'd want to see last."

Brows furrowing, Steve looked to see if he was missing something, but it was just a window showing the dark night and the street lamp illuminating the space around it. "I don't get it. It's just a window."

Pressing his lips together again, Bucky was clearly trying not to laugh as he shook his head once more. Then, he clarified, "Not the window and nothing outside. The reflection. You."

And just like that, Steve knew that he was in big trouble with a capital B and a capital T with an exclamation thrown on at the end.

[percontaion-points]

The Chemist chapter 27

Click to see the rest of the snark & image descriptions

Chapter 27

“Because the bad guys might be torturing Kevin for information as we speak,” Val recapped. She used the patient, humoring voice people used with very young children and the elderly.

I’m sorry that you find the entire situation amusing. But people are literally trying to kill both Kevin and Julie. Your lack-of-concern has been noted, but dismissed due to strong evidence to the contrary. 

 She couldn’t even go back for Lola—Kevin had picked the boarding facility. 

I 100% promise you that the US government does not give a shit about a goddamned DOG. (I say this as a dog lover and owner, but you know it’s true.) 

Furthermore, Kevin is not going to randomly give up the address of the dog kennel under torture. 

“Give me ten more minutes,” she said, then she put her head down on her arms and concentrated once more.

Chapter 27 summary: Back at Val’s apartment, neither Daniel nor Val believe her. Julie is able to eventually convince Daniel by leaning hard on the emotional aspect of potentially losing his brother. The two of them go upstairs to get packed up to leave, but Julie mainly lounges on the bed and thinks about what their next move should be. This takes up so much time without actually going anywhere, but what else is new in this stupid book?

When they’re downstairs, they find Einstein. The dog is dirty and panting heavily; wherever and whenever he lost Kevin, he clearly walked back to the last known place of safety. Julie takes the dog back upstairs, where it convinces Val of the danger. Everybody knows that Kevin loves his dogs, and wouldn’t willingly abandon them. 

Despite the fact that the clock is ticking, Julie decides that now is the best time to listen to today’s recordings and to check the tracking device on Carston. He was called in around 3 AM, which is about 3 hours after Kevin left the apartment. He also takes a call from his daughter, who is upset about needing to take her own daughter to the zoo without “grandpa”. Julie is disheartened when he promises his daughter that he’ll be home by dinner, although thinks that it could also be simply appeasing her and making empty promises. 

As Julie thinks about this for a bit longer, she comes to the conclusion that what Carston is doing, torturing somebody that the government randomly decided was a liability based on zero evidence, is illegal. (Whether this is true or not is beyond me. I’m simply going off from what the story is telling the readers.) And this puts a fire in her to make sure that Carston can’t hurt anybody else simply because they were doing the job that he asked them to do. 

[metropolitan-nyc]

mwf fcs? and mw chara types or occupations ?

maya hawke, rosamund pike, gemma chan, jamie chung, melissa barrera, january jones, emily ratajkowski, hande erçel, gugu mabtha-raw, jessica alba, minka kelly, morena baccarin, eva longoria, reese witherspoon, alicia vikander, sofia vergara, danielle campbell, rose mciver, katherine mcnamara, lucy hale, ashley benson, aimee carrero, aja naomi king, arden cho, crystal reed, cobie smulders, viola davis, camila queiroz, isis valverde

security guard, teacher, choreographer, nurses, chefs, veterinarian, baristas, engineers, interior designers, museum workers, aquarium workers, zoo workers, private investigator, psychiatrist/psychologist, stylist, local business owner, designers, art curator, dancers, journalists

[dilfhwa]

garden kisses characters and tracklist !

"i might overlook something's but i'm not a fool."

"trust me, i know."

"jeremiah please for the love of everything good leave me alone."

"liyah I'm telling you now. i don't think i can."

aaliyah "liyah" gooden (the youngest)

"pretty boys like him don't really seem to focus on others" "i'm not even sure what's going on anymore."

jeremiah "jere" fisher — gavin gasalengo steven "ste" conklin — sean kaufman (the country club workers)

"i honestly have no hope for you losers. honestly." "bro come on just help me out."

conrad "connie" fisher — christopher briney (the who's different one)

"liyah i love you so much but if i have to hear you declare how much you like jere again i'm kicking you out." "i don't even do that so don't try me."

isabel " belly" conklin — lola tung (the secret keeper)

"If you like her so much why not go after her" " just tell him. you've liked him since we were 10. what's the worst that could happen?"

Other characters

layla gooden — anna diop

daniel gooden — dante basco

laurel park — jackie chung

susannah fisher — rachel blanchard

shayla — minnie mills

nicole — summer madison

cameron — david iacono

                                                                                                    Tracklist

/1step forward, 3steps back/juke jam/all kinds of love/good looking/be sweet/mercedes/garden kisses/teddy bear/as it was/insane/

(the spotify link will be posted soon !!)

(pictures found on pinterest credits to the owners)

Zoo talks 💕💕

— welcome to garden kisses. this is my first fanfic so if you see any mistakes through your the story please let me know !! i hope that you guys enjoy the story and please don't be ghost readers i would love some feedback for how y'all feel about this story

-zoo

[phanfictioncatalogue]

Farm/Farmer AU Masterlist

Links Last Checked: May 11th, 2022

A Fairytale and a Half (fanfiction.net) - who tf knows

Summary: Prince Philip has a fairytale life, right down to the big quest to save the True Love he’s never met from a witch in a big scary forest. He’s never been outside the castle before, let alone a forest, so when it becomes apparent that Dan - a farm boy -knows the area, he tries to persuade him to be a guide so Phil won’t die before doing whatever it was he was meant to do in there.

Birds of a Feather Steal Together (ao3) - WritingCactus

Summary: Dan never expected anything remotely interesting to happen during his summer job at a petting zoo. But when he catches a boy with bright blue eyes and a cute laugh trying to smuggle a bunch of ducklings out of the farm, things take a much more interesting turn…

Broke, Gay and New in Town (ao3) - natigail

Summary: Dan Howell was in dire need for a change - he hated his job and his life and he just felt stuck. His grandfather’s letter was a blessing that came with an incredible gift: A farm. Dan had no idea how to run a farm but he was willing to give it a try.

He arrived in Stardew Valley with few expectations but even so, he could never have imagined he would encounter magic, otherworldly creatures, corporate conspiracies, so many queer villagers, a secret destiny and right at the centre of it all the love of his life.

Freeze and Thaw (ao3) - ollie_33

Summary: Late 1870s America, Phil Lester is a young schoolteacher who moves onto the family farm of hardworking homesteader Dan Howell. From the moment they meet, their animosity towards each other starts to bloom. Yet, as seasons change, is it possible that their hearts could as well?

I Have My Freedom (but I don't have much time) (ao3) - sierraadeux

Summary:

Phil just wants to get away. To clear his mind of everything and reconnect with a long-lost passion. A certain horse and the rancher who comes to his aid have other ideas though - filling Phil's mind, and his sketchbook, with brown eyes and charcoal dotted freckles. He only has the summer. And he's not here to make friends, human or equine.

No Man Is An Island (ao3) - strawberrysunflower

Summary: While drunk and desperate to get away from the creatively-stifling hubbub of London, Dan rents a farmhouse on the Isle of Man for four weeks to finish writing his latest book. All he wants is silence. Peace. Solitude.

Then he meets Phil, the farm owners’ dorky, clumsy, stupidly handsome son.

Perfect (ao3) - drivinglester

Summary: Phil works at a tree farm, and one day a brown eyed, lovely smiled man shows up looking for a tree. Somehow the two of them end up becoming closer than they ever thought they would be. Maybe Phil could help this man find his perfect Christmas.

Pumpkin Pride (ao3) - ThoughtaThought

Summary: Phil's family runs a Pumpkin Patch on the outskirts of a small town. The Howells move into the house next door (but this is the country, so it's like... half a mile away) and Dan grows up hanging out with the Lesters. Each chapter is a moment in their life as they grow up and get together with absolutely zero angst. From 1996-2023.

Understanding (wattpad) - TheFrindge

Summary: Daniel and Philip are great friends on a poor British farm. Their relationship grows as years pass.

Phil never understood the world, but he liked to think he knew it.

when it rains (ao3) - dickiegreenleaf

Summary: It's been years since Dan and Phil retired to the countryside, where the world is softer and sharp edges are rounded. But even here it rains.

[ashintheairlikesnow]

Misread Details, Part Two

CW: Described death of whumper, BBU, implications of pet whump, references to noncon, dehumanization, sadistic whumper

Part One: Nanda | Part Two: Brute | Part Three: Robert

The Unsolved Murder of Henry “Brute” Hanlon and the Box Boy Killer

r/LetsTalkTrueCrime

•Posted by u/oshaycanyousee

2 weeks ago

I’m back, r/LetsTalkTrueCrime! I really appreciated the questions and discussion under my last write-up, and a few of you really encouraged me to keep working to provide a part two to my Serial Killer Box Boy series, so here it is!

In Part One, we looked at the mysterious death of Nathaniel “Nanda” Benson, who died of cardiac arrest due to an undiagnosed heart defect (and likely head trauma played a part) and was found at the bottom of the stairs inside his California home. The only valuable possession missing from his property was his legally-purchased Box Boy, who fled the city wearing Nathaniel Benson’s shoes and using his money to buy a bus and then train ticket. 

The last confirmed sighting of the runaway Box Boy (and Benson’s possible killer?) was in Red Hills, California, a large-ish city a couple hours south of Benson’s house by train. 

Questions remain around Benson’s death: did he suffer cardiac arrest and fall down the stairs? Did the Box Boy push him, with the shock of the trauma and injury leading to the heart attack that killed him?

Is the Box Boy merely a witness to a tragic but natural death, or the prime murder suspect?

And most importantly: If he wasn’t guilty, why did he run?

Less than a full calendar year after Benson’s death, the question of where the Boxie went after Benson died was answered… but even that answer only opened up more questions, and the sudden death of a second man places even more uncertainty into the story of a Boxie who might simply be an innocent victim - or who could be a serial killer whose makes a victim out of those who give him shelter.

Which leads us to the story of Henry James Hanlon, known to nearly everyone - including his wife - as “Brute”.

Henry Hanlon was born in a small town in Texas, but moved to Red Hills, California after finishing a stint in the Air Force. 

His parents, James Hanlon and Estella Hanlon, maiden name Brickers, had had their first child, Henry’s older brother William “Bill”, right out of high school, born six months after their wedding day. Henry came three years later, and his sister Roberta “Bobbie” one year after that.

Henry was a perfectly normal, cheerful little boy, always toddling after his older brother and trying to join in the games of the older kids in town. His parents recalled him as the quintessential “middle child”, always resolving disputes and quietly getting things done. He received his nickname of “Brute” in fifth grade, when a classroom bully was harassing a female friend of Henry’s and Henry decided to take action. The only information I could really hunt down on this was some old school records that I found on a message board, and I can’t really verify if they’re real, but they suggest that the bully was sent home injured and Henry received a three-day suspension.

After that, it seems, anyone and everyone - even teachers - called Henry Hanlon “Brute”, and he never seemed to mind.

He received perfectly average grades, enlisted in the Air Force, served without distinction but without any significant incidents, and afterwards he moved out to California, where he settled into Red Hills (then a city with a thriving industrial district that was slowly beginning its slide into something rougher) and took a job with a manufacturing company, working in their warehouse.

“Brute” dated around a bit, but it wasn’t until three years after his move that he met the woman he would marry, Ellen Patricia Barry. She was a few years younger than him, and they met at a local bar that both were known to frequent. One of Brute’s former coworkers told police that Brute was big into pool and poker, both of which he would engage in when he went to the bar, and that he met Ellen during one of the poker nights, and that Brute stated that how easily she beat him was one of the reasons he was interested in her romantically.

Ellen claims they first spoke while playing pool, not poker, and also claims she’s never played poker in her life. Why Brute would have told his coworkers a different story is unclear. 

They dated for about a year before they wed at Grace Baptist Church on a sunny summer day in 20XX. Ellen’s father gave her away while Brute’s little sister was the maid of honor. A year later, Brute’s daughter Elizabeth was born, and a couple years after that, their son Daniel.

The Hanlons lived a charmed life - they owned a cute three-bedroom cottage home (bought and given to them by Ellen’s parents as a wedding gift) in a good part of town with a little white fence around the property and a yard big enough for the children and dog to play in. Ellen was part of the local PTA and active in her church, and Brute himself had the appearance of a man totally content with everything he had.

But Brute Hanlon had a secret.

Ellen continued to believe he was employed by the manufacturing company, but he actually left his employment there years before his death. Instead, he seems to have transitioned into making his money “under the table”. Ellen wouldn’t discover any of this until after his body was located… in a secret house he’d never told her about, in one of the roughest parts of Red Hills.

Without her knowledge, Brute purchased a two-bedroom home with cash directly from its previous owner that was badly in need of repair in the Pauls Mill neighborhood. Once a “company town” from the 1930’s - 1950’s that was absorbed into Red Hills as it grew in the 60’s, Pauls Mill today is the kind of neighborhood where everyone knows if you belong there, or don’t, and it’s best if you belong.

Brute performed a few very cursory repairs to keep it livable, laid down some new carpet, and then used it as a kind of secret base for the unsavory activities he didn’t want Ellen or the children to know about.

While his family believed he was at work at the factory, Hanlon was in fact hosting poker games, selling illicit narcotics and unlicensed firearms, and generally making quite a bit more money than he had with legal employment entirely under-the-table. He would spend his day making connections (and money) through these activities, then go home right at 5 pm sharp to his loving family, eat dinner at 6 pm, help his kids with their homework and hear about their day, and settle in for an evening playing the loving husband and doting dad.

Somewhere during this time period, Brute told Ellen he was setting up a “poker night” with his friends again, now that the kids were school-aged. 

What he did instead was drive down to the corner of Holt and McCormick streets, known to all locals as the Red Hills “red light district”, and pick up prostitutes, usually simply meeting with them in his car, but occasionally taking them to a nearby motel.

After his body was found, police showed his picture around to a variety of the individuals who make their living at Holt and McCormick, and more than a dozen locals immediately recognized him. 

Some described him as a regular customer who wasn’t particularly special or notable beyond the simple fact that he never tried to renege on payment and could be relied on to always be looking for someone on a particular night of the week… but others, almost entirely male, said he could be violent. A few described being injured enough that they had to seek medical treatment after meeting him. The same individuals stated that he insisted on using dehumanizing and insulting language to speak to them during these encounters, and that he was often unable to perform unless he did so.

One individual, who gave his name as “Mix”, mentioned that the last few times Brute had engaged his services, he had brought along a collar and insisted Mix pretend to be a Box Boy. 

During this time period, Brute continued to be an active, involved, and loving parent. 

He was home right on time every night except “poker night”, attended his chlidrens’ recitals and baseball games on the weekends. He often took them to the Red Hills Zoo, local parks, and even did a weekend trip to Berras to see the Berras Aquarium, stay overnight in a hotel as a family, and then visit a redwoods park before returning home.

Six months before his death, Brute’s visits to the red light district abruptly stopped. Instead, he apparently met with a local prostitute, engaged his services, and took him home… for good. 

The best record we have is that one woman, Needie Brandt, remembered seeing Brute leading a shorter, angular young man to his car one night, and described the young man as “one of those runaway Boxies, collar and all. Poor thing was half-starved”. 

Runaways, especially Romantics, are picked up by police from time to time in Red Hills. Most Romantics don’t really know any other way to survive, so prostitution is a common way to make ends meet. Needie said the young man had been seen around the area for a couple of weeks, right alongside the rest of the working people in the red light district, and that after this one night she saw Brute Hanlon lead him into the car, she didn’t see him again.

Asked if she remembered a name, Needie only shrugged and said that even if she did, it wouldn’t be a real one. Which is probably a good point. 

Somewhere in here, Brute began to date outside of his marriage while his family believed he was out with friends playing poker. He took dancing lessons with one Susan Krieger, had a serious relationship with a Lucy Graham, and was apparently occasionally taking a Natalie Dorn out for dinner.

Ellen was never informed about these out-of-wedlock interests. 

Brute’s family knew nothing. When his eldest son went to state with marching band his freshman year of high school, Brute Hanlon was right there cheering him on.

Then, just two days later, he presumably went right back to brutalizing the Box Boy he was keeping in his secret second home.

We don’t have a record of what exactly transpired within the house after Brute took the runaway Box Boy in. What we do know is what the police found later on.

On October 18th, 20XX, around midnight, Ellen Hanlon called police to report her husband missing after he did not return from his regular poker night. His car was located in the parking lot of an abandoned FoodMart, but a friend of Brute’s came forward to say he often parked there and carpooled with friends when going out.

None of Brute’s possessions were inside, and it didn’t appear the car had been touched by anyone but Brute himself when it was dusted for fingerprints or signs of DNA. Brute’s friends who knew about his secret activities weren’t telling, and Ellen and the children didn’t know anything about their seemingly loving husband and father’s double-life. 

At first, the trail seemed like it would go cold, and investigators were frustrated that they had so little to go on.

Then, on October 29th, 20XX, Brute’s neighbor (who apparently asked that his name not be given) called the police department complaining about how the small two-bedroom house next door had begun to smell “like something died in there”, and that he hadn’t seen his neighbor leave or return in days, which was very unusual.

When police arrived, the front door was unlocked. Officer William Keys, the first one inside, later described the smell as “unmistakable. I knew exactly what we’d find the second we walked in that door.”

He was right.

What they found was the bloodied and decomposing body of Henry “Brute” Hanlon, lying on his back in the middle of a small unremarkable living room, on a dirty and stained carpet. He had been viciously stabbed more than fifty times. One even went so far into Brute that there was an exit wound through his back. Medical examiners would later state that at least seven of his wounds would have been directly fatal, but that he had died within the first few and most of the wounds were technically post-mortem.

The murder had been committed by someone who had a very personal reason for the killing. Investigators believe this individual was “absolutely enraged”.  

Next to his body was the murder weapon, along with a set of buckles and strips of leather that mystified the officers. These were eventually identified as modified leg braces, but rather than straightening bent or injured legs, they forced the wearer to keep their legs at nearly right angles, which would ensure they had to crawl rather than walk. They appeared to be homemade.

Bloodied smears and footprints led the officers down a hallway and to the bathroom, where there was evidence someone had showered, changed clothes, and then left.

The same neighbor who informed police about the smell also remembered seeing, on October 16th or 17th (later determined that it was likely the 17th, the day that Brute did not return home from “work”), a young man wearing an oversized coat, sweatpants, and a too-large t-shirt walk out of Hanlon’s house and down the street. The young man was on the short side, the neighbor said, had an angular face, and a visible scar at the corner of his mouth and another along the side of his face. He had the collar of the coat flipped up, and the neighbor doesn’t recall if he wore a collar or not.

He had dark eyes, and short but shaggy dark hair that seemed to have been cut hurriedly and unevenly, and he waved at Hanlon’s neighbor without pausing or speaking as he walked past.

Tests on fingerprints and DNA located within Brute Hanlon’s secret second home would reveal that the Box Boy who once ran from Nathaniel Benson after his death was the exact same one who ran from Brute Hanlon after murdering him. The Boxie’s fingerprints were all over the murder weapon… and everywhere else, too.

Within Brute’s home, more knives were found, along with what looked like a badly-crafted homemade whip and some other supplies. A few of the things investigators found appeared to be essentially identical to what was found in Nathaniel Benson’s home. Other things were different (“animalization” was mentioned in some of the reports, but what I’ve been able to find is seriously vague for some reason). 

Possibly related, a series of dog leashes purchased from a local pet-supply store were found throughout the home, but there was no evidence of an actual dog. In the home’s main bedroom was a perfectly normal queen-sized bed that was clearly Brute’s, with a small side table, a large dresser, and an attached bathroom. 

There was absolutely nothing outwardly out of the ordinary, besides the room being very plain and impersonal. Makes sense, since Brute almost never slept there. 

In the second bedroom, however, there was army-style cot with a thin blanket and sheet, three folded shirts on the floor, two sets of bloody metal handcuffs hanging off the cot’s frame at the top and bottom, and a bucket next to the bed. Two metal bowls, clearly of a style meant to be a dog’s food and water bowls, were next to the door. One still had water in it. The window was painted and nailed shut, and bars had been installed over the windows.

Investigators determined the bars were on the house when Brute Hanlon purchased it and had been installed by the previous owner. No reason for that installation was ever given.

Investigation revealed trace amounts of evidence of blood, but nothing much. However, the living room and dining area both showed poorly-cleaned bloodstains that were much older than Hanlon’s murder, including discolored patches on the walls.

A contract for a 24/7 “master/slave” style relationship was found in the top drawer of the dresser, signed ‘Pet’ at the bottom, and with Brute’s name alongside it. However, both signatures match Hanlon’s handwriting, and the Boxie is not believed to have actively signed it, as he would be illiterate at best. Plus, Box Boys are not legally allowed to enter into any contract, anyway, since they can’t understand obligations at that level, so even if he had signed it, it wouldn’t have been considered remotely valid.

I mean, not that those contracts are legal, but... you get my point.

Also located in that drawer were more than one hundred photographs showing the Boxie in a variety of compromising situations and positions. Several of these photos had Brute himself clearly visible in them, and a few had other individuals who have since been identified as Brute’s associates in his more illicit activities.

Interrogations of those associates led to more than seven further arrests for illegal gambling, the production and sale of illicit drugs, and illegal weapons sales. Those interrogations are also how we know about what Brute Hanlon was up to in-between Little League games and Girl Scout meetings.

Those associates claim that Brute kept a “secondhand Box Boy”, muzzled him so he couldn’t speak whenever guests were over, and that often ‘poker night’ simply turned into a game where the assorted guests and Brute himself repeatedly assaulted the Boxie. The associates claimed they thought the entire thing was consensual, but frankly… given the overwhelming evidence that the Boxie had to be kept restrained and was often seriously injured by these assaults... that’s doubtful.

Ellen and her children, who had previously been very visible and spoke often to local news stations about Henry’s disappearance, withdrew after his body was found and his second, secret life revealed - and have never given a single public statement or made a public appearance since. 

Ellen moved her children out of Red Hills, moving back in with her own parents, briefly, in northern California. Where they went after that is unknown, but they appear to have left the state and Ellen may have changed her surname. Investigators are firm in their belief that Ellen knew nothing about her husband’s secret life.

I would give my right arm to know what his son and daughter think about it, and if they ever suspected what their devoted dad was up to when he wasn’t at home.

So, what happened to the Boxie after he left the house and disappeared down the block from the witness who saw him?

In short… no one knows for sure.

After murdering Brute Hanlon and cleaning off the evidence that must have been all over him, the Boxie simply fades away. He could have been anywhere, doing anything at all. There is a brief sighting of him on CCTV footage at the local bus station, where he is in line to buy a ticket… and then abruptly looks up, apparently noticing the camera and looking directly into it, then turns and walks quickly away.

The footage is grainy, but the Boxie does appear to be wearing his collar.

He isn’t seen in Red Hills again.

Instead, he reappears one more time before his final murder and disappearance… more than a year later, in a little town right along the border with Nevada.

Part 3 will go into how the investigation into the death of a quiet little oddball named Robert Weber reveals a basement full of skeletal bodies. But our Boxie isn’t the cause.

Instead, Robert Weber’s murder solves a series of related murders police had been stymied by for more than a decade, and a Box Boy who may have been meant to be Weber’s next victim instead turned accidental vigilante with a final killing of his own.

Or maybe I should say, his final killing so far.

-

@astrobly @finder-of-rings @burtlederp @whump-tr0pes @raigash @eatyourdamnpears @orchidscript @doveotions @pretty-face-breaker @boxboysandotherwhump @outofangband @whumptywhumpdump @whumpfigure @thehopelessopus @downriver914 @justabitofwhump @butwhatifyouwrite @newandfiguringitout @yet-another-heathen @nonsensical-whump @oops-its-whump @endless-whump @cubeswhump @gonna-feel-that-tomorrow @whumpiary 

[dameronology]

to make a house a home {agent whiskey}

summary: just a soft weekend away in kentucky w/ our fave cowboy {for @zazzysseoul - thank u so much for ur support and i hope you enjoy!}

warnings: i think one or two swear words? but nothing else!

enjoy,

- jazz

Jack Daniels was good at reading people.

It was part of his job. He had to be observant, had to have a working understanding of body language and non-verbal signals. He was especially diligent about it when it came to you; it wasn’t a purposeful thing, but rather an instinct to keep an eye on the person he loved most in the world. He could read you like a book and some days, it felt like he knew you better than you knew yourself, and maybe he did. There was really no telling with Jack. Every time you finally thought you had experienced every little quirk and trait he had to offer, he managed to pull something out the bag. Whether it was his ability to predict a bad mood before it happened or the way he remembered every tiny little detail of a conversation, he was constantly proving himself to be one hell of a partner.

It was no surprise; Jack thought you deserved the best and so, that’s what he tried to give you. He didn’t often let people into his life, especially not after so much loss, but from the moment you’d met, he knew he could trust you. He’d always been a brilliant judge of character and he’d been completely right about you. You’d turned his entire world upside down; taught him how to love again and reminded him that the things he’d lost could be found again, just with a little care and patience. The empty house he used to come to was filled with love and laughter and little marks of you and him; photos from your various trips, magnets on the fridge, that he brought home from all the countries his job took him to, the little notes you left on his nightstand when you had to slip out for work before he rose. The first time Jack had come through the front door and almost tripped over your shoes, he’d cried - not out of anger or shock, but at the realisation that he was no longer alone. 

Jack had the innate desire to look after you. He knew you could handle yourself but that didn’t mean that you had to. You’d been there for him in every sense of the world, and he wanted to do the same, to make sure that you felt appreciated every second of every day. In his mind, if you ever questioned his love or loyalty, then he wasn’t doing his job right. That desire translated into little things, rather than grand displays of affection; he’d do your laundry when you worked late, sent you sweet texts through out the day and brought you flowers just because. It wasn’t uncommon to find that Jack had filled up your car with gas without asking, or to come home to your favourite take out. 

His biggest way, however, was in how well he knew you. Every slight change in demeanour and every variation in the tone of your voice was caught by him; he knew when you were okay, and he knew when you weren’t. He could tell when you were half-way between, and he’d do his best to bring you back to the lighter side. You take comfort in the fact he always had your back, no ifs or buts. 

When Jack woke up early one morning to find your side of the bed empty, he immediately knew that was something was up; the second his palm reached out for you, only to be met with a fistful of cold sheets, he knew. You never got out of bed early. There could have been an atomic war happening outside and you still would have refused to move, insisting on five more minutes before nuclear winter hit. The bathroom light was off and there wasn’t anything you could have found in the kitchen. After all, you’d only arrived at the ranch a few hours earlier. You were both tired from a few long weeks at work and escaping the suffocating fog of the city for the rolling hills and fresh air of Kentucky felt like heaven. 

Jack sat up, pausing for a moment. There was a gentle creek coming from somewhere; it was steady and rhythmic, ringing from the porch. His shoulder slumped wit relief - you were outside on the porch swing. At 6AM on a cold, winter’s morning. The relief was shorting lived. 

Pulling on his robe, Jack rubbed his eyes and headed out towards the porch. Sure enough, you were the first thing he saw, shoulders covered by the plaid shirt he’d worn the previous day and fluffy socks gently brushing against the floor with the movement of the swing. The light above you illuminated you in a soft smoulder, a golden glow cast over you, illuminating your tired eyes and disheveled hair. He would have lectured you about the cold, had you not had a knitted blanket around you. 

‘Bit early for you, ain’t it?’ Jack leant against the door frame, gently smiling when your eyes met. 

‘What’s early when you haven’t slept yet?’ You aimlessly joked. 

Lifting up the blanket, you silently gestured for him to come and sit next to you. Jack obliged, dropping down beside you and winding a large arm around your shoulder. He pulled you into his chest, placing a kiss on your temple. His warm body was a welcome feeling against the cold of the January air. 

‘What’s keeping you up?’ He softly coaxed. 

‘I don’t know, to be honest.’ You replied. ‘It’s just been a long week.’

‘I get that.’ His voice was slightly murmured. He pulled you even closer, chin resting on your head. ‘But we’re here now, sugar. I think we both need the down time.’

‘Definitely.’ You said. ‘Plus, the view isn’t so bad.’

The ranch overlooked a large field filled with cows and horses; it stretched out for miles, fading away into the distance into a seemingly endless close. The edges of the green pasture were tinged with the pink of a tonic sun rise, pushing away the dark of the night sky. It wasn’t often that you got to watch the sun come up, and it felt a little refreshing to see a new day come. It was fresh; a clean slate, young and naive, but full of possibility. An ironic thought, given that you and Jack were probably going to lay on the sofa the whole day and order take out. 

‘You’re right.’ He murmured from beside you.

‘Are you doing that thing where you look at me when I’m talking about a nice view?’ You peered up at him, thinning your eyes. 

‘You said it was romantic!’

‘The first five times, Jack!’ You chuckled, leaning up to press a kiss to his jaw.

‘Nothing is sacred anymore.’

You settled back against his chest with a smile. ‘I like it here.’

‘Me too.’ He agreed. ‘It’s nice to get away from the Apple. Everything over there if faster than a knife fight in a damn phone booth.’

‘And it doesn’t smell of pizza and...pee.’

You loved New York dearly; it had been your home for many years, and it was also where you’d met Jack. But, whether it was your permanent home, you didn’t know. There were some days when it all got so much. The city never quietened down and you could never quite escape it, even in the comfort of your own apartment. Out here, you were worlds away from that. Crickets were gently purring in the distance, and the only other sound came from the rustling of the animals in the field across the road. It was peaceful. Serene. 

‘What if we moved out here when I’m done at the Statesman?’ Jack posed, almost as though he were shy about broaching the subject. ‘We could get a couple horses. Maybe a dog. Heck, if you want a zoo, I’ll get you a zoo.’

‘I’d like that.’ You smiled. ‘I mean living here, not the zoo thing - but a dog and horses sounds nice.’

‘Then a dog and horses we shall get.’ He grinned. ‘Oh! I can teach you to ride.’

‘Or I could just watch you do it.’

‘There’s not a single person in this here town who can’t ride a horse.’ Jack said. ‘Unless a pony would be better.’

‘Why not both? We have enough room.’ You reminded him. ‘Maybe we can re-tile the kitchen too. It’s not that I don’t like the green, it’s just it’s...’

‘...dreadful?’

‘That’s a nice way of putting it.’

Because you didn’t live on the ranch full time, neither of you had put too much effort into making it homely. It was liveable, by all means, but the television in the living room dated back to the first Bush administration and the kitchen was a little too lime for your liking. The place had come furnished by the old owners, which had been a big selling point for Jack. He just wanted somewhere he could live whilst he was in Kentucky and this place had been practical. It wasn’t until you and your eye for interior design came along that he realised how retro it was. 

‘There’s a hardware store down the road.’ Jack said. ‘We can get a couple hours sleep and head down there later to see what they got.’

‘Maybe we can find something less green.’ 

‘I sure fucking hope so.’

---

The next morning, you and Jack bundled up into some warmer clothes and piled into the Bronco, heading for the store downtown. The actual city was miles out, but there lots of little local and independent places. There were little cafes and restaurants, as well as farmers’ markets and fresh produce. You had thought about living here permanently before, but you hadn’t verbalised it until Jack had suggested it first. Given everything that had happened in the past, you’d wanted to do things at his pace, but so far, you’d been perfectly in tune with one another. That was a testament to your relationship as a whole. 

‘I just smiled at that woman and she smiled back.’ You muttered to Jack, peering up at the store as you headed through the parking lot. 

‘And?’

‘I once smiled at a stranger on the Subway and they told me to piss off.’ 

Jack chuckled, reaching out to wind his arm around yours. He tangled your fingers together, pulling you flush against his side. It was easier to show physical displays of affection here too. He was always a little paranoid in the city, given how busy it was and how easy it would have been to for an enemy to hide. That was another thing Jack did without thinking; taking tiny little precautions to protect you. He couldn’t even begin to think about losing you. And the thought never popped up here. Never. Only in the city, where everything was loud and overwhelming.

The store itself was pretty big - it was good for you, but confusing for Jack. You had Pinterest boards with inspiration for all your hypothetical future houses, whilst Jack couldn’t the difference between ivory and sand. So, true to character, he let you tighten your grip on his arm and drag him towards the kitchen section, eyes wide like a kid in a candy store. You had a green blank canvas to go wild on, because probably would have agreed to anything. It wasn’t that he was a walk-over, or because he was lazy, he was just genuinely terrible at interior design. Introducing him to build mode on the Sims 4 had been traumatic enough. 

You didn’t have to decide anything immediately - after all, he’d said he wanted to move out here after he was done at Statesman. That was just as likely weeks as it was years. He did complain about his job giving him a bad back but you also knew that he enjoyed it. It was all he’d known for such a long time, and he’d worked hard to get to the top. Unbeknownst to you, he’d drop it all in a second if you wanted to relocate now. Even if he had the best job in the world and all the money he could ever want, the only thing Jack really needed was you.

‘Where do we even start?’ He asked, brown eyes staring confusedly at some paint samples. 

‘We start with the most important rooms - living room, kitchen, bedroom.’ You replied. ‘I’m thinking something midcentury for downstairs. What d’you think?’

‘Midwhatnow?’ His brows furrowed. 

You laughed. ‘Midcentury. So think...Bauhaus. Mid 60s sort of thing.’

‘Right.’ Jack nodded, getting a clearer idea. ‘How about you just to point to things and I’ll either shake my head or nod?’

Yeah, that sounded like a better idea.

And so, you began your trek around the store. Your Pinterest boards came in handy, especially for the kitchen - even Jack was grateful for them, because it meant you moved a little quicker. He did die inside a little when you grabbed a huge trolley and began piling it up with kitchen tiles, counters and cabinet doors, and even more so when you casually asked ‘you’re good at DIY, right?’

He didn’t complain though, not once. The sight of you rushing around the store, face lighting up at lamp shades and paint samples, was one of the best things he’d ever seen. Not only because it was hilarious, but also because it was the first time you really planned for your future. There was sort of an unspoken agreement that this was it, and that you were both in it for the long run, but neither of you had made any verbal plans together. You’d moved in together back in the city, but that had happened naturally. You’d started staying over and over more and more to sleep in his fancy Statesman bed and use his heavenly marble bathtub, and you came over one weekend and just never left. 

After a few hours, Jack finally had to put a stop to your antics. 

‘Okay, darlin’, I think we’ve reached the threshold now.’ He called. ‘We don’t need a new lighting fixture for the downstairs bathroom.’

You huffed. ‘Placing it back on the shelf.’

‘Fine.’

‘We’re gonna have a hard time getting in this car as it is.’ He held his arm out to you, signalling for you to come back to him. 

‘I’ll have to come back for the upstairs then.’ You muttered. 

‘We’ve gone from painting the kitchen to gutting the whole damn ranch, baby.’ Jack replied. ‘We’re only here for two more days anyways.’

‘Damn. I forgot about that.’ Your eyes widened. ‘I guess we better start today, then.’

--

This was supposed to be a relaxing weekend. 

Relaxing! 

And yet somehow, Jack Daniels was stood in the middle of his now half-demolished kitchen, a sledge hammer in one hand and a glass of his namesake whiskey in the other. He couldn’t deny that it had been fun to rip out the cabinets and tear off the tiles. He’d despised the colour of the kitchen for so long that it felt good to finally get rid of them, even if it meant that the tedious process of putting on the new ones came immediately after. You’d gone for simple black and white ones, with some mosaic ones for a...what had you called it? A feature wall or something. Apparently it added character (something he took your word for). 

‘So what’s the paint for?’ Jack frowned, taking a brush as you handed it to him. 

‘For the living room.’ You grabbed him by the shirt, dragging him out the kitchen.

‘But the kitchen isn’t done-’

‘- I’m bored of the kitchen.’ You said. ‘You don’t mind, do you?’

‘Course not, angel.’ He pressed a kiss to your forehead. 

After grappling with covering the furniture up, you and Jack began to paint. It wasn’t too hard of a process; he just sort of whacked it on, whilst you had a much more meticulous process. So what if he got a splash of grey on the light switch? Actually, on second second thought, he should probably wipe that off.

Besides, it only took him five minutes to get sidetracked. The sight of you stood across the room, his red and black plaid shirt hanging from your shoulders, face screwed up with concentration and paint on your nose, was a distraction in itself. It was the sort of moment he wanted to get on a Polaroid, but equally, one that he wanted to savour. He always entranced by you, but sometimes that amplified. You weren’t even doing anything special - just...existing. But that was enough to capture his attention in its entirety. 

He didn’t tear his eyes away from you - not until something cold hit him in the face, and a splatter of grey paint nearly hit his eye. The noise of your laughter pulled him back to reality, practically losing it as you doubled over, holding onto the fire place for support. You were lucky that it was his favourite sound but heck, you coulda dumped the whole bucket of paint on him and he wouldn’t have flinched. 

‘That was rude.’ Jack folded his arms across his chest. ‘I’m gonna get you for that.’

‘No, you won’t.’

You dropped your paintbrush, suddenly leaping over the couch and sprinting out into the hallway. Trying to outrun a highly-trained government agent (a fact you sometimes forgot) might have not been your brightest idea, but you still managed to breeze past him and skid into the kitchen, almost tripping over a strewn tile as you did. 

Jack was hot on your heels, arms reaching out to grab as you circled back into the living room. He managed to snatch you by the waist, pulling you down onto the sheet-covered couch - he was nice enough to use his own body to break the landing at least. You landed on his chest with a thud, still in a fit of giggles as he grabbed your face and planted kisses all over it. His lips were soft and warm, tasting of whiskey when they finally met yours. You tangled your hand through his hair in an attempt to bring him close, as though it were even possible. 

You broke the kiss, rolling off of Jack and onto the sofa next to him, nuzzling into his side. The paint you’d managed to get on him was on you now as well, smeared down the side of your face and a little onto his shirt that you were wearing. Not that it bothered him all that much, because the sight of you in any of his clothes was worth a little bit of paint. You had a sort of rotation, where you would steal various garments and wear them until they lost his smell, before dumping them in the laundry and swiping some more. They were always baggy, scented with his aftershave and the faint smell of the leather from his car. When he was away on missions, it was the nearest thing you could get to one of his warm hugs.

‘Darling, d’you think, just maybe, that we should just pay someone to do all this?’ Jack gently suggested. ‘I can have a guy from the agency come in and be done in like three days.’

‘Three days? For the whole house?’ You peered up at him with a frown. 

‘Their speciality is rebuilding places after we accidentally blow them up so this will be like a walk in the park.’ He explained. ‘Although, the kitchen isn’t far off. the place is lookin’ as messy as the farmers’ market after sundown.’

‘And Champ won’t mind you abusing Statesman resources like that?’ You teased.

‘The man is so rich that he buys a new boat when the other gets wet.’ Jack reminded you. ‘He ain’t gonna notice.’

‘You have a point.’ You nodded. 

‘Besides, they’re better at decorating-’

‘- interior design.’ You cut him off. ‘It’s a house, not a Christmas cookie.’

Jack dropped his head against yours, letting out a groan. ‘You know what I mean.’

‘I know.’ You leant up to press another soft kiss to his lips. ‘I love you.’

‘I love you too, angel.’ 

Even though it was still a little far off, the glimpse that this weekend had given you into your future meant everything to him. He’d brought the ranch as a place to crash on business stays, and now you were helping to turn it into a home. At one point, he hadn’t imagine having a life to look ahead to or a house to decorate or somebody to love. Even though they were small, everyday things, you’d brought so much into his life, and he was never going to let you forget it. 

[overlookedwwiimedia]

The Zookeeper's Wife (2017)

Basis Story: The owners of the Warsaw Zoo help to hide Jewish refugees within the zoo until they can be taken to safe houses by the Resistance.

Fan Thoughts: The Zookeeper’s Wife is based on the non-fiction book of the same name, which in turn was written based on the diaries of Antonina Żabińska. The movie follows the facts of what happened at the zoo fairly closely, with the relationship between Antonina and Lutz Heck being the exception. All of the bases for the production are solid, costuming, set design, cinematography, etc. The story flows well and Jessica Chastain (Antonina Żabińska) and Daniel Brühl (Lutz Heck) always give good performances no matter what they’re in. Even though all the parts fit together well, I found something lacking in the story; Antonina and her relationship with Lutz pull most of the story's focus, and the rescuing of Jewish people from the ghetto falls more under her husband Jan Żabiński’s storyline. It may be my personal preference but if the fictional relationship between Antonina and Lutz had been dialed back a bit and Antonina’s involvement had been more prominent the overall story would have had more emotional impact. That being said, there is plenty of impact from the scenes with Jan, not only smuggling people out of the ghetto but one heartbreaking scene when the ghetto is emptied and the people put onto train cars. While I wish that Antonina had had more of a hands-on role, Chastain plays her part well and Brühl keeps you guessing as to whether Heck is a dangerous man or not. This film tells an incredible true story, and that kept me interested and engaged despite any minor issues I had with it; regardless of what part of the story you focus on you will likely enjoy it too.

Warnings: animal death (mostly off screen but bodies are shown), executions, attempted/implied rape

Available On: Netflix, YouTube, Google Play, Apple TV, Vudu, Amazon Prime

[tabloidtoc]

OK, December 21

You can buy a copy of this issue for your very own at my eBay store: https://www.ebay.com/str/bradentonbooks

Cover: Queen Elizabeth cancels Christmas

Page 1: Big Pic -- David Beckham in an ad for Haig Club 

Page 2: Contents 

Page 4: Bella and Olivia Jade Giannulli -- life on their own -- find out what Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli’s daughters have been up to while their famous parents sweat it out in prison -- Bella has been so stressed out and felt she deserved a trip with her buds so she went to a luxury resort in Santa Barbara over Thanksgiving weekend 

Page 6: It’s been a little over a year since Felicity Huffman was released from prison after serving her time for role in the college admissions scandal but she is finally starting to get her life and career back on track -- initially she was nervous about working again given the controversy and everything that went down and she seriously wondered if there would be anything out there for her material-wise but she shouldn’t have worried as she landed a part in an upcoming pilot in which she’ll play a recently widowed owner of a Triple-A baseball team and she’s really excited about the show 

Page 7: Kristin Cavallari is fed up with Carrie Underwood’s meddling in her divorce from Jay Cutler -- after Kristin called time on her seven-year marriage Carrie and her husband Mike Fisher who used to be Nashville couple-friends to both Kristin and Jay have taken Jay’s side and since then there’s been some snide stuff said that’s made it clear how Carrie really fills about Kristin -- while Jay spent Thanksgiving with Carrie and Mike, Kristin filmed a wine-fueled Instagram Live and Carrie finds this type of thirsty behavior on social media incredibly lame and she’s saying it’s obvious Kristin cares more about upping her profile than making any type of family peace 

* After nearly 60 years in showbiz Cher has a different aspirations -- since traveling to Pakistan to help a mistreated elephant from a local zoo be relocated to an animal sanctuary she’s saying this is her new mission to help endangered species in third world countries and campaign for other good eco causes -- Cher spends much of her time cooped up and bored in her Malibu mansion and her trip made her realize there’s a world out there that needs her help 

* Mark Harmon of NCIS is all work and no play these days and nearly two decades in the same TV gig as Leroy Gibbs has only made things worse as the responsibilities of the show seem to wear heavier on Mark by the year and even on a break you can’t get him to crack a smile or tell a joke; he’d rather go lie down in his trailer -- off set Mark and his wife of 33 years Pam Dawber get along because they’re such homebodies and Mark can usually be found working on his cars in the garage or relaxing in the yard and he cherishes his quiet time but people have stopped inviting him out because he’s known as Mr. Boring 

Page 8: Dolly Parton is spreading Christmas cheer far and wide with a new TV special and album and Netflix movie but at her home in Tennessee the holiday spirit is decidedly lacking because Dolly is forgoing her favorite 40-year-running traditions which are filling her house with trees and driving her nieces and nephews and their kids around her farm in golf carts dressed as Santa and handing out presents because of her concern for her husband Carl Dean who has Alzheimer’s disease and he’s in a high-risk group for coronavirus so she’s restricted the property to just them and two staff members -- it breaks Dolly’s heart to have to cancel her big annual celebration and she’s still decorated her home to the nines but it’s a lonely feeling knowing the family won’t be there to see it 

* Prince William and Duchess Kate Middleton are proving themselves to be perfectly postmodern parents by raising their kids Prince George and Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis with firm rules for TV and electronic use -- Kate who recently revealed she’s fielded her share of temper tantrums actively attempts to stave off meltdowns with a strict rewards chart and the kids have to earn screen time -- Kate prefers to keep them busy with activities like board games and hikes and baking which the children enjoy anyway

* After spending the last several years living a relatively low-key life in his native England Russell Brand is desperate to have a bigger presence in Hollywood but his wife Laura insists he stay put -- Russell’s craving SoCal living and the copious acting jobs and event invites that came with it but Laura prefers their British life outside the spotlight with their young daughters -- while some work has come to him in England like the upcoming Death on the Nile if he had his way he’d make a more aggressive career push in L.A. 

Page 10: Red Hot on the Red Carpet -- stars stand out in festive green dresses -- Carly Pearce, Angela Bassett, Zendaya 

Page 11: Jodie Comer, Adriana Lima 

Page 12: Who Wore It Better? Melissa Gorga vs. Jennifer Lahmers, Abigail Spencer vs. Hailey Bieber in Max Mara, Olivia Culpo vs. Aurora Culpo 

Page 14: News in Photos -- Brooke Burke with Christmas ornaments that will be auctioned by non-profit Operation Smile 

Page 16: Audrina Patridge brought along her daughter Kirra’s favorite toys for a picnic in Beverly Hills, Padma Lakshmi visits The Vitamin Shoppe in NYC, Brandy at the BET Soul Train Awards 

Page 17: Kelly Rutherford felt the love from her dogs in L.A., Shawn Mendes out for a walk in Miami 

Page 21: Robin Wright and husband Clement Giraudet held hands while riding their bikes in L.A., long-time friends Gabrielle Union and Snoop Dogg unpacked ingredients delivered by Shipt 

Page 22: Josh Duhamel on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Karlie Kloss on her new Adidas collection 

Page 24: Vanessa Hudgens snuggled up to her beloved pup Darla while at the park in L.A., Jay-Z taking a walk around the island in Hawaii 

Page 25: Kimora Lee Simmons and her children handed out food to residents of a housing complex, Prince Jackson safely helped a community church distribute food to those in need 

Page 26: Inside My Home -- Ariel Winter’s stylish setup 

Page 28: Like most Garth Brooks and wife Trisha Yearwood have had a challenging 2020 but their 15-year marriage was put to the test this past summer when the country superstars’ daughter Allie tested positive for Covid-19 -- they were worried sick and had to go into quarantine themselves and not being able to hold Allie’s hand was terrible for both of them but fortunately Allie’s case was mild and Garth and Trisha’s tests came back negative 

Page 30: Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott who have amicably coparented their daughter Stormi since their split last year and recently spent Thanksgiving together as a family are drawing up plans to have another baby together in 2021 because both of them want to give Stormi a sibling ASAP and neither can imagine going through this process with anyone else -- the exes are figuring out a contract to specify their family plans that will protect Kylie’s money and outline coparenting terms more formally and give them each an agreeable share of custody if things don’t stay as rosy down the line

* They’ve costarred in five films and have proclaimed they’re each other’s work wives and are finally single at the same time so pals of Jennifer Aniston and Jason Sudeikis are urging the longtime friends to give it a go romantically especially now that Jason has split from Olivia Wilde -- Jennifer always says Jason makes her laugh the way no one else can -- while Jason’s primarily focusing on coparenting his kids he’s long harbored warm and fuzzy feelings toward Jen and he would love to ask her out but the only thing holding him back is the potential to ruin their solid friendship

* Love Bites -- Johnny Galecki and Alaina Meyer split, Rihanna and A$AP Rocky dating, Jonathan Bennett and Jaymes Vaughan engaged 

Page 31: Matthew Perry’s loved ones are worried the Friends star has made a rash call by suddenly getting engaged to literary manager Molly Hurwitz -- the on-off two-year romance between Matthew and Molly has been dysfunctional from the get-go and Matthew’s way more into this than Molly who seems to love him more like a brother

* A rough year for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle including inter-family strife and a move across the pond and a devastating miscarriage has only strengthened their bond -- after Meghan revealed she and Harry had miscarried in July the two were quite overwhelmed by the outpouring of compassion and the response not only validated their decision to go public a thousand times over but it also helped them grow even closer -- they’re determined to put this behind them and try for another baby at the earliest opportunity but more than anything else it’s really underlined how they belong together as soulmates 

Page 32: Cover Story -- Queen Elizabeth’s holiday shake-up -- inside the monarch’s heartbreaking decision to call off the family’s annual Christmas celebration -- the queen will celebrate the holidays at Windsor Castle in Berkshire for the first time in more than three decades -- while the queen is upset not to have the company of the younger royals this year she has to think about her and Prince Philip’s health 

Page 36: Katie Holmes’ season of joy -- how Katie is spending the holidays with her new love Emilio Vitolo Jr. 

Page 38: Mistaken Identity -- with these celeb look-alikes it’s deja vu all over again -- Carrie Underwood and Reese Witherspoon, Daniel Radcliffe and Elijah Wood 

Page 39: Mark Wahlberg and Matt Damon, Amy Adams and Isla Fisher, Lucy Hale and Selena Gomez 

Page 40: Interview -- Tommy Lee’s new beat -- the veteran rock star opens up about his latest solo album and his new fan base 

Page 42: Gal Power -- how Wonder Woman actress Gal Gadot gets into superhero shape 

Page 43: Fight Club -- these buttkicking superheroines pushed themselves to new limits -- Brie Larson, Scarlett Johansson, Danai Gurira 

Page 46: Style -- Zendaya for Lancome’s new mascara 

Page 48: Sleek activewear from celeb-loved label Gigi C Bikinis makes it easy to look like a star when you work out 

Page 49: 5 minutes with Adrienne Bailon 

Page 54: Entertainment 

Page 58: Buzz -- Disney Holiday Singalong featuring Ryan Seacrest, Katy Perry, Pink and daughter Willow, Ciara and her kids Future and Sienna 

Page 60: Sound Bites -- Nelly on feeling disappointed with placing third on Dancing With the Stars, Kaley Cuoco on husband Karl Cook’s social media presence, Megan Fox on first meeting boyfriend Machine Gun Kelly 

Page 61: Paul McCartney on why he doesn’t like taking pictures with fans, Cardi B joking about how her 2-year-old crashed her selfie video 

Page 62: Horoscope -- Sagittarius Vanessa Hudgens turned 32 on December 14 

Page 64: By the Numbers -- Dan Levy 

[detroit-become-human-analyze]

Detroit: Become Human - Chronology and timeline of events... (CANON)

The chronology and timeline of events ( https://detroit-become-human.fandom.com/wiki/Chronology ) in the world of Detroit: Become Human.

pre-1960

1915: Birth of Arnold Brook.

1917: Zlatko Andronikov's family flees the revolution in Russia.

1960s

1963: Birth of Carl Manfred (July 13).

1970s

1978: Birth of Michael Brinkley (January 24), Amanda Stern (May 14).

1980s

1980: Birth of Gordon Penwick (June 10).

1982: Birth of Dennis Ward (June 11), Jeffrey Fowler (August 8).

1983: Birth of Christopher Gray (June 18).

1985: Birth of Hank Anderson (September 6), Cristina Warren (September 15).

1987: Birth of Jonah Graham (December 9).

1988: Birth of Joseph Sheldon (August 14), Gary Kayes (December 3).

1989: Birth of Derek Myers (May 7), Ben Collins (September 12).

1990s

1991: Birth of Zlatko Andronikov (September 21).

1992: Birth of Douglas Mitchell (August 10).

1993: Birth of Rose Chapman (March 31).

1994: Birth of Captain Allen (December 2).

1995: Birth of Edward Dempsey (February 8), Richard Perkins (July 13), Todd Williams (September 21).

1998:

1999: Birth of  Isaac Falone (March 10), Elizabeth Wilson (March 25), John Phillips (October 11).

Death of Arnold Brook.[1]

Birth of Chris Roberts (May 16).

2000s

2000: Birth of Michael Webb (September 9).

2001: Birth of Jimmy Peterson (February 1), Caroline Phillips (May 23).

2002: Birth of Elijah Kamski (July 17), Gavin Reed (October 7).

2005: Birth of Pedro Aabdar (January 25), Rosanna Cartland (December 12).

2008: Birth of Carlos Ortiz (October 27).

2009: Birth of Nathan Clark (August 18), Chris Miller (September 30).

2010s

2010: Birth of Leo Manfred (March 21), Joss Douglas (October 24).

2012: Birth of Samuel McCray (April 10).

2013: Birth of Adam Chapman (August 5).

2018: Elijah Kamski founds CyberLife, creates first androids.

2020s

2021: Release of RT600 "Chloe".

2022: RT600 Chloe first android to pass the Turing test.

2024:

2027: CyberLife sells 1 millionth android.

2028:

2028or 2029: United States pass the Android Act.

2029: Hank Anderson promoted to the rank of lieutenant (reported on August 22).

Release of ST200 "Chloe", first industrially produced android.

CyberLife leased a disused warehouse. (Extras Gallery)

CyberLife starts the commercial production of androids.

KNC's interview with Chloe (April 25).

Release of JB100 OR Andy (12-2027).

Death of Amanda Stern (February 23).

Elijah Kamski named Century magazine's "Man of the Century". Later, Kamski resigns as CEO and leaves CyberLife.

Red Ice Task Force dismantles a Red Ice network (reported on February 3).

Birth of Emma Phillips (September 2).

Release of EM400 (2028), Jerry (06-2028).

Birth of Cole Anderson (September 23).

Release of PC200 and PM700.

2030s

2030:

2031:

2032: Release of AX400, Kara (04-2032).

2033:

2034:

2035:

2036:

2037: Rose Chapman starts helping deviants.

2038: the year Detroit: Become Human takes place.

CyberLife reaches market valuation of $850bn.

Release of TR400 OR Luther (01-2030), HK400 OR Carlos' Android (05-2031), URS12 Android Bear (10-2030).

Androids introduced into the United States military and Michigan law enforcement. Red Ice Task Force seizes boat with nearly 1t Red Ice (reported on November 23).

Release of Ralph (/WR600?) and PJ500 (2031), Josh (11-2031).

Birth of Sumo (April 2031).

Release of JB300 336 445 581 (/JB300?) (05-2033), YK500, Alice (07-2033).

Carlos Ortiz spent several stays in a psychiatric hospital in 2033.

Release of PL600 (2034), Simon (02-2034).

April 2034 Season Finals Detroit's Champions Take An Early Lead (Basketball Magazine poster around Hank's Desk)

Release of "Traci"s WR400 and HR400 (2035), North (10-2035).

Death of Cole Anderson (October 11)[8].

Detroit Gears basketball Playoffs (Seen at Hank's desk)

Cristina Warren elected President of the United States.

Carlos Ortiz spent several stays in a psychiatric hospital in 2036.

Release of KL900 OR Lucy, Rupert (possibly plus WB200?).

Reported missing: Simon (February 16), Rupert (October 11).

Death of Rose Chapman's husband (estimated, "died 2 years ago" in 2038[9]).

2038

The year 2038 is the temporal setting of Detroit: Become Human.

global population 10 billion.[10]

January-July

Edit

January

February

The first DPD case file about deviants ("dates back nine months")[11]

March

April

May

June

July

August

RK800 "Connor" released (08-2038).

Birth of Damian Miller ("three months ago" in November).

Aug 15th: Chapter "The Hostage".

around 7:30 PM: Daniel takes Emma Phillips hostage.

Death of John Phillips (estimated 07:29 PM), Officer Antony Deckart (estimated 08:03 PM), and another officer (found dead in the pool). Officer M. Wilson is wounded by Daniel, death optional.

CyberLife sends RK800 Connor as a hostage negotiator. ITM televises the hostage situation.

08:29 PM: Chapter "The Hostage" begins. Connor arrives at the Phillips apartment.

08:30 PM: DPD reports that a deviant android is involved. (ITM report)

September

09/14: An android waiter (AV500 #234 777 821) in Fast Coney Dogs attacks Charles Bell and escapes.

October

10/04: Gordon Lopez's AL series android disappears. North deviates at a customer's home and escapes.

10/05: Eden Club manager Floyd Mills reports to the police that North is missing.

10/06: North arrives in Jericho (North has been in Jericho "4 weeks, 3 days, 11 hours" on Nov 6 after 5 PM).

around 10/17: Carlos Ortiz killed by Carlos' Android. (Based on his body being dead for 19 days on Nov 5th)

10/22: An android (AP700 #480 913 802) attacks her owner Sarah Cornwal, the house, and escapes.

November

Friday Nov 5th: Chapters: Shades of Color, The Opening, A New Home, The Painter, Partners, Stormy Night, Broken, Fugitives

CyberLife zoo opens in Detroit.

Several Russian warships have taken position in the Barents Sea since Saturday October 30th. (CTN news)

09:38 AM: Chapter "Shades of Color" begins. Markus arrives in Greektown to pick up Carl's paint from Bellini Paints.

09:58 AM: Chapter "The Painter" begins. Markus arrives back at Carl Manfred's House.

03:24 PM: Chapter "The Opening" begins. Todd Williams picks up Kara at Android Zone.

04:53 PM: Chapter "A New Home" begins. Todd and Kara arrive at Todd Williams' house.

"around 8" (PM or AM): Landlord calls police because he found Carlos Ortiz's corpse.

09:14 PM: Chapter "Stormy Night" begins. Dinner in the Williams house.

09:42 PM: Chapter "Broken" begins. Markus and Carl arrive home from the opening of Carl Manfred's retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art.

10:58 PM: Chapter "Fugitives" begins. Kara and Alice to get off the bus in Camden.

11:21 PM: Chapter "Partners" begins. Connor arrives at Jimmy's Bar to pick up Hank Anderson.

Saturday Nov 6th: Chapters:

The Interrogation, From the Dead, Waiting for Hank..., On the Run, Jericho, The Nest, Time to Decide, Zlatko, Russian Roulette, Spare Parts, The Eden Club

During the night: Russian carrier and American patrol boat reported to have exchanged warning shots in Arctic, no casualties. (~CTN news[11])

KNC reports on the first artificial intelligence to write a book.

CTN reports that a CyberLife prototype detective android is assisting the DPD. (~CTN news[11][15])

President Cristina Warren makes speech to Congress, demanding that Russian troops withdraw from the Arctic region. (~CTN news[8])

N/A: Severe hurricanes blight Mid-West, dozens killed. (seen under the scrolling header during Waiting for Hank.)   (~CTN news[8])

12:41 AM: Chapter "The Interrogation" begins. Hank interrogates Carlos' Android.

03:34 AM: Chapter "From the Dead" begins. Markus reboots in Solid Waste Landfill.

08:42 AM: Todd Williams' dead body is found by a friend and reported to the police. (If killed by Alice or Kara)

09:56 AM: Chapter "Waiting for Hank..." begins. Connor talks to Amanda. Then arrives at DPD Central Station.

10:25 AM: Chapter "On the Run" begins. Kara wakes in Camden.

03:02 PM: Chapter "The Nest" begins. Hank eats at Chicken Feed.

04:30 PM: Chapter "Jericho" begins. Markus travels to Ferndale Station.

06:24 PM (estimated[16]): Death of Michael Graham at Eden Club.

05:13 PM: Chapter "Time to Decide" begins. Markus meets Jericho androids.

07:45 PM: Chapter "Zlatko" begins. Kara and Alice arrive at Zlatko Andronikov's House.

07:51 PM: Chapter "Russian Roulette" begins. Connor talks to Amanda. Then visits Hank Anderson's home.

08:01 PM: Chapter "Spare Parts" begins. Jericho androids raid CyberLife Warehouse and Docks.

08:17 PM: Chapter "The Eden Club" begins. Connor and Hank arrive at the Eden Club.

Sunday Nov 7th:

Chapters: The Pirates' Cove, The Bridge, The Stratford Tower

01:02 AM: Chapter "The Pirates' Cove" begins. Kara's group travels by car.

01:19 AM: Chapter "The Bridge" begins. Connor and Hank in Riverside Park.

09:24 AM: Chapter "The Stratford Tower" begins. Markus sits on a street bench and gets an idea.

Monday Nov 8th:

Chapters: The Stratford Tower cont., Public Enemy, Midnight Train

01:30 PM: Chapter "The Stratford Tower" cont. Markus infiltrates the Stratford Tower.

01:59 PM: Markus is recording the message in Stratford Tower (Connor' "Pupil Reflection" scan is timestamped "13:59:54").

04:06 PM: Chapter "Public Enemy" begins. Connor talks to Amanda. Then Connor and Hank arrive at Stratford Tower Floor 79.

05:10 PM: Chapter "Midnight Train" begins. Kara's group arrives at Rose's Farm.

Tuesday Nov 9th:

Chapters: Capitol Park, Meet Kamski, Freedom March, Last Chance, Connor, Crossroads

01:51 AM: Chapter "Capitol Park" begins. Jericho androids discuss Stratford broadcast.

02:00 AM: Jericho android teams attack the five CyberLife stores in Detroit simultaneously. Markus and North arrive at Capitol Park 10 minutes previous.

11:17 AM: Chapter "Meet Kamski" begins. Hank (+/- Connor) arrives at Elijah Kamski's house.

12:04 PM: Chapter "Freedom March" begins. Markus on roof, reflecting.

04:13 PM: Chapter "Last Chance, Connor" begins. Connor talks to Amanda. At DPD, Connor has to find Jericho.

N/A: Military androids removed from service(~CTN news), resulting in armed forces losing 2/3 of effective personnel. Androids are ordered to be turned over to the authorities, to be delivered to the nearest police station or army barracks, to be put in camps. The lack of androids shuts down services and utilities such as hospitals, schools, water, electricity, networks. (~KNC news[19]) Detroit is under curfew.

09:34 PM: Chapter "Crossroads" begins. Kara's group is driving to find Jericho.

10:45 PM: FBI and military raid on Jericho (~Warren press announcement)

Wednesday Nov 10th:

Chapters: Night of the Soul

06:00 AM: national curfew declared (~Warren press announcement)

Chapter "Night of the Soul" begins.

04:17 PM: Markus visits Carl's grave. (Pay Respects)

07:31 PM: Markus visits Carl's house. (Welcome Home) Then Markus in church (Markus on Sacred Ground). OR Jericho androids in church without Markus. (Connor/North on Sacred Ground)

07:31 PM or N/A: Connor speaks to Amanda (Thin Ice), visits Hank (Hank's House).

N/A: Android leader gives speech in undiscovered Jericho. (Markus/North Among the People)

09:24 PM: President Cristina Warren press announcement on Jericho raid, curfew etc. (Battle for Detroit)

Thursday Nov 11th:

Chapters: Battle for Detroit (events from multiple paths)

N/A: The U.S. Army has set up temporary camps in most major cities (Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Boston, San Francisco) to gather and destroy androids. (KNC News report, which is heard in Kamski's house if everyone died)

"at/since dawn": Androids take to the streets, either in peaceful demonstration (Markus Demonstration) OR fighting to liberate camps (Markus Revolution).

10:48 PM: Connor arrives at CyberLife Tower. (Connor at the CyberLife Tower)

10:51 PM: Kara's group in West Side Industrial on the way to Bus Terminal. (Kara Leaving Detroit)

10:56 PM: Androids march down Woodward Avenue onto Hart Plaza (Markus Demonstration/Revolution/North)

11:01 PM:

11:02 PM: Kara's group reaches Bus Terminal. (Kara Leaving Detroit, Risky Checkpoint)

11:06 PM: Kara's group enters Enclosure. (Kara Captured)

11:07 PM:

11:08 PM:

11:15 PM: Kara's group reaches Bus Terminal. (Kara Leaving Detroit, Safer Detour)

11:15-30 PM: Last bus from Detroit Bus Terminal departs to Canada Border. Cross-border bus service is suspended afterwards.

11:16 PM: Hart Plaza barricade is attacked. (Markus Demonstration)

11:26 PM:

11:30 PM: Kara's group arrives at US-Canada Border. (Kara Leaving Detroit)

11:36 PM: Kara's group enters Canada. (Kara Leaving Detroit)

11:57 PM: Kara's group arrives at banks of Detroit River, Canada. (Kara Leaving Detroit)

presumably before midnight: President Cristina Warren gives speech (Battle for Detroit).

Connor arrives at Floor -49. (Connor at the CyberLife Tower) OR Connor on Hart Plaza rooftop. (Connor's Last Mission)

Androids at Hart Plaza launch attack. (Revolution)

Connor vs Connor-60. (Connor at the CyberLife Tower)

Hart Plaza final assault, Markus vs Connor, vs tank. (Revolution)

Androids in Hart Plaza barricade. Perkins offers deal. (Markus Demonstration)

Kara's group facing destruction in Hart Plaza camp. (Kara Captured)

Hart Plaza androids arrested, Markus killed (Markus Demonstration, surrender)

Kara's group arrives at banks of Detroit River, Delray. (Kara Leaving Detroit)

Friday Nov 12th:

Chapters: Battle for Detroit cont.

12:01 AM: Hart Plaza and CyberLife Tower android groups meet. Android leader gives speech. OR Machine Connor checks on Markus's corpse, after the latter's surrender to Perkins.

07:37 AM: Kara's group wakes in Solid Waste Landfill. (Kara Captured)

[lenorethequietbookkeeper]

I know I haven't posted any art recently (don't worry, I'll get to that soon I promise), so to sorta make up for that I decided to post some incorrect quotes I made! Feel free to lemme know if you find any of em funny/wanna see more. This is by no means a regular thing, but I'm not against making more if that's what the public wants.

-----

Charles: I tried that acupuncture thing, but it didn't work for me.

Jaegar: Oh?

Charles: Yeah I crushed all my bones under a semi truck and I just felt more pain.

-----

Ferris: You'll never take me alive!! My middle name's!-

*gets knocked out and thrown in jail*

Ferris: ...Ok so they took me alive.

-----

Charles: C'mon, this isn't a big deal!

John: You set my house on fire!!

Charles: C'mon dude *holding back tears*...just let it go-

*Gets crushed by an avalanche*

-----

John, mopping up a bloodied messhall: I swear I'm the backbone of this damn family.

-----

Jeagar: I'd love to go out for dinner, but someone got us banned from every restaurant.

Ferris, sitting on a pile of utensils: Yeah Charles!

-----

Daniel, holding up a fat cat: :)

Charles: Haha, lookit that fat fuck!

Daniel: :(

-----

Jaegar: Hey, got a spare pen?

Daniel: *opens mouth 90 degrees like a Minecraft chest, revealing dozens of trinkets and little things*

Jaegar, taking a pen awkwardly: Uh...thanks.

-----

Aldin: Strewth! This place is chockas with ripper material components, casting spells is gonna be a piece of piss!

Jaegar, shaking: Sir please, I don't speak in interdimensional tongues, just take what you want and leave.

-----

Aldin: I can kill a cunt in 100 ways. I'm trained in a million ways to kick the piss out of someone. I am death.

Also Aldin upon seeing a fat frog: oHOHO YES LOOKIT HIM GO

-----

Sylvain, dragging a body in: Hey, do you do walk-ins?

Morgue owner: What?

-----

Sylvain: You wouldn't understand. Nobody understands. *stabs a blood pouch with a straw like a Capri Sun and sips*

-----

Sylvain: You can't just keep kidnapping zoo animals!

Aldin, hugging a komodo dragon close while covered in bites: How DARE you speak ill of my mate Reginald!?

[dukereviewsxtra]

Duke Reviews Xtra: 101 Dalmatians (Remake)

Hello, I'm Andrew Leduc And Welcome To Duke Reviews Xtra Where We Continue Our Look At Disney...

And Yesterday, I Reviewed The Direct To DVD Sequel To 101 Dalmatians, 101 Dalmatians 2: Patch's London Adventure, So, Today We're Reviewing The Remake Of The Film...101 Dalmatians....

No Synopsis Today Let's Dive On Into 101 Dalmatians...

The Film Starts In A Flat In London Where We Meet Roger Dearly, (Who In This Is A Video Game Designer And Not A Composer And Is Played By Jeff Daniels) And His Dog, Pongo (Who Doesn't Talk In This Version, In Fact Sadly, None Of The Animals Do) As We See Their Regular Morning Before Roger Goes To Work...

There, He Shows A Game Which Has Pongo In It To A Young Boy Named Herbert Who Judges Video Games At The Company He Works For...

But Unfortunately He Doesn't Like The Dog Catcher Being The Villain Of The Game, So, Roger's Back To Square One...

We Then Cut To The Fashion Company, House Of De Vil Where We Meet Cruella De Vil...

(Who In This, Not Just Anita's Friend But Her Boss And Played Fabulously By Glen Close ) And Anita Campbell-Green (Who Is One Cruella's Top Designers And Is Played By Joley Richardson) Who Is Working On A Dalmatian Inspired Coat...

Absolutely Enthralled With The Idea, Cruella Makes Some Changes To It, Instead Making It A Fur Coat As Fur Is Her Life...

(Start At 2:59)

Later, When Roger And Pongo Are At The Park, Pongo Spots Perdita On A Lead With Anita And Immediately Falls In Love With Her..

But Perdita And Anita Go To Leave, Pongo Follows With Roger On His Bike Which Leads To A Madcap Chase Through The Park...

Which Ends With Roger Crashing Into A Pond...

Catching Up With Pongo, Who's With Perdita And Anita, Roger Grabs Perdita At First Mistaking Her For Pongo, But After A Whack In The Head By Anita, He Realizes His Mistake And Grabs Pongo Before Having A Brief Chat With Anita And Leaving...

But After They Do, Perdita Chases After Them Causing Anita To Crash Into The Pond On Her Bike...

Taking Anita Back To His Flat So Their Clothes Can Dry In Front Of A Warm Fire, The 2 Realize They're Not Going To Be Able To Separate Their Dogs And In Turn End Up Falling In Love And Getting Married...

While Possibly Burning Down The Flat As Their Drying Clothes Catch Fire...

(Start At 2:52)

And Another Thing, Unlike The Original Where We Figure The Right Passage Of Time Has Happened For Them To Be Married, Here, They Just Out Of The Blue Decide To Get Married After Only Knowing Each Other For A Few Hours Because They Don't Want To Separate Their Dogs...

What Kind Of Logic Is That?!?

Cutting To The Docks, We Meet Horace And Jasper (Played By Ron Weasley's Father And Surprisingly, Dr. House)

Who Are There To See A Mute Taxidermist Named Mr. Skinner Who Had His Vocal Chords Ripped Out By A Dog At A Young Age, This Leads Jasper To Advise Him Not To Look At The Scar On His Neck Or Even Talk To Him Period But When Skinner Opens The Door...

(Start At 0:57)

Inside, Skinner Gives Them A Huge Suitcase To Give To Their Boss Who Of Course Is Cruella...

Who Gets The Skin Of A Dead Siberian Tiger That Had Been Stolen Recently From The London Zoo...

Settling Down In A House Of Their Own With Anita's Housekeeper, Nanny Becoming Their Housekeeper, Both Perdita And Anita Are Pregnant As Roger Continues Working On The Perfect Video Game To No Avail But They're Visited By Cruella...

Who, After Hearing About Perdita, Tells Anita To Call Her When The Puppies Are Born And From There We Get A Scene Exactly Nearly Out Of The Animted Version, The Puppies Are Born On A Rainy October Evening With One Being Stillborn That Is Still Alive And Is Named Lucky....

But Here's A Difference, When Cruella Comes And Attempts To Buy The Puppies Off Of Roger And Anita And They Say No, Despite It Being Alot Of Money, Cruella Fires Anita And Storms Off...

A Few Months Later, The Puppies Have Grown Up And Roger And Anita GIve Them Their Tags, But Then One Night Later As Roger And Anita Take Pongo And Perdita For A Late Night Walk, Horace And Jasper Break Into The House And Lock Nanny In A Cupboard While They Steal The Puppies...

Hearing One Of The Puppies Bark A Dog In The Area Barks At The Criminals, Hearing All The Barking, Pongo And Perdita Race Home With Their Owners To Find The Puppies Gone...

Horace And Jasper Call Cruella From Wherever They Are To Tell Her The News Only For Her To Hang Up On Them Afterward So She Can Talk With Skinner....

But As Horace And Jasper Go To An Abandoned Mansion To An Abandoned Mansion To Get Some Sleep And Await Orders From Cruella, Roger And Anita Call The Police, Who Have Agreed To Search For The Dogs Despite Roger Having Very Little Hope That They'll Find Them...

So, Deciding To Place It In His Own Hands, Pongo Heads To A High Window Upstairs So He Can Use The Twilight Bark To Contact The Other Animals In The City Who All Agree To Help...

One Of Them Named Kipper, Saw Horace And Jasper's Van And Heard The Puppies Inside, Going Into The House While Horace And Jasper Are Sleeping He Finds All The Puppies As Cruella Contacts Skinner To Tell Him That She Wants The Job Done Tonight...

The Next Morning, A Dog Pays Pongo And Perdita A Visit To Tell Them That He Knows Where Their Puppies Are And To Come With Them At Once. Noticing Their Dogs Leaving Them...

Roger And Anita Eventually Realize They've Going Off To Find Their Puppies And Discover That Cruella Was Behind The Dognapping When Anita Finds The Dalmatian Coat Design She Made For Cruella...

Calling The Police Again, They Discover Not Only Is Cruella Connected To Their Puppies Kidnapping But Other Animal Related Crimes That They've Been Unable To Solve Such As The Abduction Of The Tiger, So, All They Can Truly Do Now Is Order A Manhunt For Her...

Don't You Mean Womanhunt?

As The Other Creatures Sabatoge Horace And Jasper's Truck While They're Sleeping, They Eventually Wake Up And Decide To Kill The Puppies But The Other Animals Distract The Evil Criminals While Kipper Gets The Puppies Out Of The House However, Poor Lucky Is Left Behind Because He Was Still Sleeping...

After Getting Rid Of The Animals, Horace And Jasper Go Upstairs To Discover The Puppies Are Gone, So They Split Up To Find Them Eventually They Find One Of The Puppies Named Whizzer But He Proves To Be Impossible To Catch And Soon Leaves With The Other Puppies...

Arriving At The Mansion, Cruella Is Furious That The Puppies Have Escaped And Decides To Find Them Herself, Completely Unaware That A Skunk Has Made It's Way Into Her Car...

But Wanting To Prove They're Not Complete Idiots, Jasper And Horace Decide To Go After The Puppies Too Only To Shock Themselves On An Electric Fence...

Meanwhile, Skinner Arrives At The Mansion And Finds Lucky But When He Goes To Kill Him, He Is Stopped By Kipper Before He Is Rightfully Arrested...

And He's Not The Only One...

Having Enough Of This BS, Horace And Jasper Turn Themselves In After Seeing The Police Cars...

But Their Happiness Soon Changes When They See Skinner...

With Pongo And Perdita Reunited With Their Children At The Farm, Cruella Manages To Track Them Down And Attempts To Kill Them But The Farm Animals Hold Her Back While The Dalmatians Make Their Escape...

Eventually Thrown Into A Vat Of Molasses And Ending Up In A Pigpen, Cruella Is Arrested By The Authorities As The Dalmatians Head For A Nearby Village Where The Police Are Waiting For Them....

But We're Forgetting Something...

What About Lucky!?!

Lucky Will Live....

(Screaming)

Yeah, Kipper Brings Lucky Back To His Family, Adding The Total Of Dalmatians To 101 Dalmatians

Movie Title!

Back In The Police Van, Cruella Gives Her Henchmen The Basic Rita Repulsa Defeat Speech As The Skunk She Had In Her Car, Sprays Them...

Returning Pongo And Perdita's Puppies Back To Roger And Anita, Both The Police And Anita Are Unsure About What To Do With The Other Puppies But With Roger And Nanny Wanting To Take The Puppies In, Anita Agrees...

Picking Up A Newspaper Of Cruella's Arrest, Roger Decides To Use Her As The Villain In His Video Game, Showing It To Herbert, The Boy Gives A Good Response And His Boss Makes Arrangements To Manufacture It..

With The Money Made From The Game, Roger, Anita, Their New Baby, Nanny And The Dalmatians Move To A Huge Mansion In The Country Where Anita Announces That She's Pregnant Again...

That Was Quick...

But That Was 101 Dalmatians And It's One Of The Best Disney Remakes As Far As I'm Concerned..

Yes, It's Does Have Problems Story Wise At Times, But The Story Is Still Interesting And The Changes They Made Are Pretty Good, The Cast Was Well Chosen, Glen Close Is Great As Cruella...

Some Of The Effects In The Film Are Pretty Good And What Jim Henson's Creature Shop Did With Some Of The Animals Namely The Scene Where Lucky Comes Back To Life Is Pretty Good

All In All This Is One To Defiantly See...

Till Next Time, This Is Duke, Signing Off...