#all hail the cracker!

[gnflorida]

ok actually i just wanna say i snapped here. wish i would have listened to me from two years ago’s advice a little more 🥰

#minus the typos and awkward wording but the response i wrote that for was so fucking long i feel like it’s understandable #everyone say it with me one last time: #all hail the cracker! #<- everything in that tag was so based i’m so annoyed i made myself stop using it lmao

[thevalleyisjolly]

One of my favourite parts about writing ACOC fanfic is the food puns, and perhaps my favourite one that I’ve come up with recently is cracker-jackrabbit.

#the valley is writing #all hail the cracker-jackrabbit #also; hi jack!

[discountwives]

my f/os in my head

#jude jests 🃏 #my silly little crackers ♡ #video #ok to rb #just remember who i am and what im about #all hail the cracker #i better not get married to a white man my ancestors would cry

[comingfromastatechampionasshole]

Making Yorkshire Parkin: When You Want to Remember, Remember, the Fifth of November (but you forgot)

I bought Lyle’s Golden Syrup on a whim in our international grocers months ago, nestled between the Marmite and jarred clotted cream. I didn’t know what golden syrup tasted like, I had no use for it, and no recipe I had ever read included it. Naturally, I bought it immediately. Walking by the racks of Japanese candy and multiple incidences of ramen noodles, I asked myself, “Is there a particular reason I’m buying this, or am I just pissed they don’t have Walker’s and don’t want to walk away empty-handed?” 

Months later, I end up watching a video on parkin. Uses golden syrup. In this moment, the stars align. 

How did I stumble on this? Well, I’m interested in historical food, and even more so historical baking, and November was coming up. Try the Guy Fawkes day cake, it proclaimed to me, and as I watched it, and it was described to me as an English gingerbread-style cake, i thought, “There’s nothing about that idea I don’t like! I can make parkin, it can’t be that hard. Not like i’m going to be able to buy it here to try it.” 

And hard is not the word for it. Let’s go on a journey. 

So the first thing is, that Yorkshire parkin isn’t the only parkin in town and so, as I glanced at recipes, i discovered that there were multiple theories of the business, and many of these theories involved insulting each others’ grandmothers. Lancashire parkin uses mainly golden syrup, resulting in a sweeter and softer-flavored cake, and I guess that’s why the only things a civilized human being knows about Lancashire is that it’s in the North of England, and it features in the Merrily Song from the Wind and the Willows. No, the more I read, the more I realized I wanted Yorkshire parkin, a dark, aggressive form of the cake that makes heavy use of black treacle and threatens to kick your teeth in. It’s no wonder that Yorkshire gets all the great wonders of the North, like Wuthering Heights, The Secret Garden, and that one pizza place I really liked. 

It turns out that Yorkshire parkin uses a very small amont of golden syrup, and so you may be saying to yourself at this point, “Doc are you unnecessarily complicating your life to say you literally opened this stupid plastic bottle of sugar syrup?” to which I say, ‘No one asked you, okay?” 

Black treacle is the first thing on this list, and this was actually the easy part. One of the ‘fun’ things about reading recipes from English to English (and sometimes even to English!) is that you have to make substitutions, and people’s attitude toward substitutions for ingredients run the gamut from questionable to hysteria. The good news is that this unites us all, and I am sure there will be several fine Brits yelling at me that unsulfured molasses is nothing like black treacle, in the same way that many Americans lost their mind at the mere suggestion that a digestive might be more or less equivalent to a graham cracker. I welcome your hatemail, Hail Satan , Lord of Spiders, just use unsulfured molasses and you’ll be fine. 

But then we have the problem of “medium oatmeal.” The Brits are running on a completely different system than we are with our paltry three or so styles of oatmeal: Rolled, steel cut (often called Irish oats), and instant. There are some outliers, but they are mostly the exclusive purview of places where one might buy free-range ostrich farts and consensually squeezed oranges. Meanwhile, on a rainy rock in the North, we have seventeen separate grades of oatmeal, some of which are only found on one specific moor where young maidens cry over it, keening into the wind (An expensive delicacy not unlike kopi luwak) Try as I might, I found it near impossible to get medium oatmeal, and so I took the most reasonable out possible: Buying steel cut oats and frantically googling photos of medium oatmeal until I had processed it down to the rough appearance. 

This is medium oatmeal. Probably. 

The assembly of it is stunningly old-fashioned, and I’m not making a joke when I say it seems basically unchanged from the 1700s: You mix the sugar and butter ingredients together in a sauce pan until the sugar melts, and then throw it into the dry mix, putting it together and then throwing in an egg as some desperate attempt to give so loft to what is going to be a doorstop or perhaps the blunt object that was originally used to kill Guy Fawkes, as well as a splash of milk, though what it hopes to contribute to the action I can’t possibly imagine. 

Having read over all this at 9:30 pm on the 5th of November, I ready myrself to assemble the parkin so I can leave it out for King James or whatever. Then I read the cook time on the cake: Seventy to Ninety Minutes. 

“Fuck this shit, I’m American,” I said, cracking open a beer and heading upstairs with my sixteen guns while eagles cried and sang “God Bless The USA” overhead. 

REMEMBER, REMEMBER, THE SIXTH OF NOVEMBER, WHEN ALL THESE INGREDIENTS ARE STILL SITTING IN MY KITCHEN. 

So, I have followed the recipe. The cake is in the oven. What will it become? Stay tuned!

#Food writing

[qwerty-between-the-lines]

Announcer: ...and our four contestants are ready. They will have 1 hour to put together their dishes. Before we get started, let's go to the floor and put our contestants in the hotseat.

Interviewer: First up, hailing from the US's very own NYC. Perseus ssss Jackson! How are you feeling, Percy?

Percy: I'm doing alright, thanks.

Interviewer: What do you have planned for the judges today?

Percy: I'm doing seafood.

Announcer: Seafood. No surprises from the son of Poseidon. Let's go now to Leo Valdez.

Interviewer: Hailing from the southern metropolis of Houston, Texas. It's the senior counselor of the Hephaestus cabin at Camp Half-Blood. Give it up for Leo Valdez!

Leo: WASSUP everybody!?

Interviewer: You seem excited.

Leo: Nah, that's just how I roll. I'd like to take a moment to say - let's everybody do the Team Leo!

Interviewer: What you have planned for us Leo?

Leo: Hispanic food! I do it best...

Interviewer: Confident, ain't he?

Announcer: That's Leo Valdez, folks. Now we go to our third contestant.

Interviewer: Let's all put our hands together for Athena's own daughter, Annabeth Chase. How're you feeling Annabeth?

Annabeth: I'm feeling great.

Interviewer: Psyched to win it?

Annabeth: You know it!

Interviewer: What are you cooking up for us today?

Annabeth: I'm doing desserts.

Announcer: Desserts! A bold choice from the daughter of Athena. Time will tell if Annabeth's desserts blow the judges away and send her home with the grand prize. Now let's go to our last contestant.

Interviewer: Our last contestant is His Grace, the Ambassador of Hades. The Ghost King himself. Nico di Angelo! How are you doing Nico?

Nico: Okay, I guess...

Interviewer: What are you cooking up for us?

Nico: I'm doing dishes with black ingredients.

Announcer: Another bold choice from this son of Hades. I think it is safe to say that our judges can look forward to a diverse spread of food at the end of the night. Now, let's get it started. One hour on the clock! Contestants... GO!

Percy

-starts placing large lettuce leaves on plates

-chops up onions

-dices potatoes

-cuts deboned fish into thin slices

-squeezes mayo into a bowl

-finely chops up two whole dill pickles

-measures out 1/4 cup of lemon juice

Announcer: I think it seems obvious that the son of Poseidon is preparing some kind of fish dish and tartar sauce, but what are the diced potatoes and onions for? It's anyone's guess, folks.

Leo

-chops up two tomatoes and two bell peppers

-opens two cans of refried beans

-starts rolling out corn flour flat

-starts ground pork to frying on low heat

-makes a four-cheese blend

Announcer: Leo appears to have two dishes underway already. One is probably tacos, but the corn flour is an interesting choice. What's he doing now?

Interviewer: Can you tell us what you're planning with the corn flour?

Leo: Sure. I'm making pupusas.

Announcer: ...and it is! Pupusas! A rather unexpected pleasure for our judges.

Annabeth

-whips up chocolate pudding mix

-crushes up graham crackers

-starts whipping cream

-breaks 3 eggs into a bowl

-starts adding two tablespoons of peanut butter,

Announcer: It looks like the daughter of Athena might be making peanut butter cookies. Clearly the pudding and the graham crackers are intended for something else. What could the whipped cream be for?

Nico

-stirs together blackberries, amaretto, and corn starch in a bowl

-sets premade pie crust on the counter

-starts black beans on low in a food processer

-starts melting cheese

-slices up two egg plants

-pours rice into rice cooker

Announcer: The son of Hades is fast on his feet. Watch him go folks! He already has what appears to be at least three dishes in the works. It's a little early to call, but the competition starts with Nico clearly in the lead.

(in audience) Will: Go Nico! Yeah!

#headcanon #text post #cooking #cooking show #percy jackson #annabeth chase #pjo hoo toa #leo valdez #nico di angelo #will solace #solangelo #team leo #percabeth #percybeth #amaretto #demigods #gods #poseidon #hades #athena #hephaestus #greek gods

[bethanythebogwitch]

Original aquatic Digimon

I've been making fakemon (Pokemon oc) for a bit including my own very bad drawings, so why not do Digimon too. I have several Digimon OCs in mind so I tried drawing one evolution line. Since I'm a big marine biology fan, I went with the aquatic line first. All of them are Data-attribute.

Starting at the Child/Rookie level is Yadokarimon. Yadokari is Japanese for hermit crab and that's exactly what Yadokarimon is. Its pincers are powerful, but its exoskeleton is weak, leaving it defenseless. To survive, it stole the shell of a ShellNumemon and uses it as armor. The shell slows it down, but it can roll around at high speeds for short periods of time. Yadokarimon lives in the intertidal zone of the Net Ocean and is comfortable on land or in water. Its attacks are Shell Roller, where it retracts into its shell and rolls into the enemy and Little Pincer, where it attacks with its claws.

Yadokarimon evolves to CannonCrabmon. This is the only name of the group I'm not super fond of, so let me know if you have a better idea. CannonCrabmon is a mercenary that works for any force in the Net Ocean that will pay it. It wears the shell of a Shellmon that it defeated in battle. One of its claws was lost in battle, but it attached a cannon salvaged from a sunken ship to the stump. With one powerful claw and one cannon, CannonCrabmon can fight at both short and long range and its shell gives it great defenses, making it a powerful underwater combatant. The only downside is that the shell is so heavy it cannon swim. Its attacks are Crustacean Cannon, where it fires cannonball at the foe and Crushing Claw, where it attacks with its claw.

CannonCrabmon evolves to Frigatemon. It grew so large that it had to steal a Hookmon's ship to use as a shell. Thanks to the ship, it can now sail both above and below the waves, in contrast to its previous forms who couldn't swim. The ship is bristling with powerful cannons and its claws can crush diamonds, making Frigatemon a feared fighter whose only weakness is attacks from above. Frigatemon acts as a pirate and mercenary and its ship proudly waves the Jolly Roger. Its attacks are Full Broadside, where it produces cannons from the ship and fires them at its enemies and Ocean Crusher, where it grabs its enemy with its claws and crushes them. In the picture the mast couldn't fit in frame so I had to split it off, but the two parts pictured are supposed to be connected.

The final form of Yadokarimon is Dreadnoughtmon. Its ship shell has been upgraded into a powerful battleship to make it the ultimate naval combatant. With a combination of powerful cannons, anti-air guns, torpedoes, depth charges, and claws that can crack Chrome Digizoid, Dreadnoughtmon can attack foes at any angle in a hail of military-grade firepower. The hull of its shell is as hard as Chrome Digizoid, making it impervious to normal attacks. An arrogant pirate sure of its power, the only being Frigatemon respects is Neptunemon and Leviamon is the only thing it fears. Its attacks are Naval Destroyer, where it fires off the weapons on its shell ship in a barrage of destruction and Hull Cracker, where it crushes its foes to death with its mighty claws.

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed my OC Digimon. I have more ideas in mind to draw sometime.

#digimon #digimon oc #digifake #hermit crab #crustaceans #marine biology #art #not good art #but art #digital art #drawing

[torreshalstead]

It Seemed Like a Good Idea - Chapter 14

Summary - Hailey’s US visa was due to expire, which normally wouldn’t be an issue as the CPD would get it renewed but due to a backlog of paperwork, this wasn’t possible. This meant Hailey was faced with the real possibility of having to leave the country, her job and everything she held dear. That was until Jay offered up a solution which would allow her to stay in Chicago, in Intelligence, with him - they could get married. Getting married was a good idea, right?

Chapters - 14/20

Chapter Title - The Interviews

Notes - this chapter was so much fun to write so I hope you enjoy! Happy Reading ❤️ AO3 Link

They received the letter informing them that their interviews would be that Thursday, giving them only two days to stress about it. Well Hailey was stressing about it, Jay was his usual calm self.

‘Hails, it’ll be fine,’ he said the night before whilst the pair ate dinner. He had made pork chops, mashed potato and veg which Hailey was grateful for. She hadn’t wanted to cook and wasn’t in a position to make a decision regarding a takeaway either so Jay had started to clatter around the kitchen and had taken the decision out of her hands.

‘You keep saying that,’ she said, pushing her peas around the plate absent-mindedly.

‘Because I know it,’ Jay said, reaching across to still the hand that held her fork. ‘We will be fine, our friends will be fine.’

Hailey nodded slightly apprehensively.

‘It’ll all work out, Hails,’ he squeezed her hand lightly. ‘I promise you.’

——————————————————————————-

‘State your name for the record.’

‘Kimberley Burgess,’ Kim said clearly. Although the set up of the room was meant to be intimidating; the plain white walls, the metal table and chairs, the camera and microphone set up to record her words, Kim felt very calm.

She was here to talk about two of her best friends, two of her best friends that had finally stopped dancing around their feelings and had committed themselves to each other and married in such a beautiful ceremony. She had never imagined Hailey would want the big white wedding but she was so pleased she had liked the dress she had got her. She really did look beautiful and Jay had looked overcome looking at her.

‘And you have known Ms Upton and Mr Halstead for how long,’ the Immigration official asked her, pen and paper ready to take notes.

‘I’ve known Jay for 6 years,’ Kim said, remembering when she had first met him the day she had been pulled up from patrol to assist with a case Intelligence was handling. She had found him intimidating to start with, far more so than this interview room, but soon she had realised he was actually a very funny guy and someone you always wanted on your side. He kept his heart shielded, clearly having been burnt more than once, but as soon as Hailey had come along and began to chip away at that, he had started to open up more. ‘And I’ve known Hailey since she started with us in Intelligence about three years ago.’

Her memories of Hailey were just as clear but when the blonde haired cop had walked into the bullpen she had felt nothing but admiration for her. She’d heard all about how they were getting a detective from Toronto joining them, that she was incredibly talented and had taken down many high category targets so Kim had expected someone much older. More fool her. She had been pleasantly surprised and incredibly grateful to have someone else to tone down the testosterone in the group. It hadn’t taken long until they had become fast friends.

‘And you socialise with Ms Upton and Mr Halstead outside of your working environment?’

Kim imagined this officer was a hoot to have at parties, all her questions were drier than a cracker and she hadn’t even hinted at a smile once.

‘I do,’ Kim said with a warm smile which she noted was not returned. ‘We are a close knit unit and Hailey and I are the only women so we get on very well. It’s a tough job so it’s good to be able to relax at the end of the day.’

‘Mhmm,’ the officer acknowledged her words as she made some notes on the notepad. ‘And you found out they were getting married when?’

‘They text the group chat to let us know Jay had popped the question and we were all invited to the wedding,’ Kim responded.

‘And a text wasn’t an odd way of announcing the wedding?’ The officer questioned.

‘Not for Hailey and Jay,’ Kim scoffed. ‘They’ve never been one for big announcements or fan fare, they like to keep themselves to themselves.’

Kim had actually been shocked they had told them at all, had half expected them just to show up to the district one day with rings on their fingers. ‘They were never going to be people who had the wedding with all the bells and whistles but it was perfectly them. They wrote the most beautiful vows and had everyone close to them in attendance and it was truly lovely,’ Kim said honestly with a smile.

‘Everyone close to them,’ the officer repeated, ‘but no one from Ms Upton’s family was present, do you know why?’

Kim felt her skin prickle, the officer was clearly digging for something but she wasn’t here to discuss Hailey’s relationship with her family, and even if she was she didn’t know the entire story, just what she could read from cases they handled and Hailey’s reaction to them. ‘We are Hailey’s family,’ Kim said with a smile firmly fixed to her face.

——————————————————————————

‘Henry Voight, Sergeant of the Intelligence Unit,’ Hank said gruffly, his arms crossed over his chest in his usual intimating fashion. He detested being this side of the interrogation table. Hailey and Jay were lucky he loved them.

‘And Ms Upton and Mr Halstead are officers in your unit,’ the official sitting on the other side of the table asked, riffling through his notes for a fresh sheet of paper to jot Voight’s answers down.

He wasn’t even prepared, Voight shook his head and huffed. ‘Detective Upton and Detective Halstead are my most highly skilled Detectives in my unit.’ Every time he said the word detective, he made sure to put extra emphasis on it. He wasn’t having someone label his team incorrectly, they had earnt their rank and this pencil pusher should give them the respect they deserve.

‘Yes Detectives,’ the official mumbled, still trying to find the correct piece of paper. Voight smirked to himself as he saw a bead of sweat fall from the bloke's forehead onto the table. He could run circles around this fool if he wanted to. He began to tap his foot against the floor waiting less than patiently for the idiot in front of him to ask him something else.

He gave up waiting.

‘Detective Halstead has been in my unit for 7 years and Detective Upton for 3. They are exceptional cops and exceptional people. If you are looking for dirt on them, you won’t find any as I would have found it first. I trust them with my life, and the city of Chicago is better off having them on the force protecting them.’ Hank watched the officers eyes widen and his mouth almost fall open, clearly he was unused to people not just waiting for questions to be asked. Voight had better places to be than sat in this dingy room. ‘And if there’s nothing left to say then I will leave now,’ he said firmly, pushing himself up from the table and standing.

‘Oh and their wedding was beautiful,’ he grunted as he reached the door, tugging it open and excusing himself from the painfully dull proceedings.

——————————————————————————

‘I think I first met Hailey during a case when she brought someone into Chicago Med,’ Will said, trying to rack his brains to remember the exact moment. It was difficult, since Hailey had become a permanent fixture in his brother's life, she had become one in his too. ‘I probably met her in a non-work setting a couple of months later at Molly’s.’

‘And you were originally introduced to her as…’ the official left the question unfinished but Will understood what she was digging for.

‘I was introduced to her as my brother's partner at work, they were partners first, friends later before they became romantically involved,’ Will said firmly.

‘And you knew they were romantically involved because they told you?’ The digging clearly wasn’t letting up.

‘Officially yes, but my brother is not particularly good at hiding his feelings so I knew how he felt about Hailey probably before he was sure,’ Will chuckled remembering all the times he had given Jay shit for clearly harbouring a crush on his partner. Every time he had brought it up he had been rewarded with the look of death, a murmured shut up and the occasional smack to the arm. ‘But they’ve been through a lot together and when you work in a high risk job like theirs you realise life is short and you’ve got to grab the people you love and hold on tight.’

‘Did you know Mr Halstead was going to propose?’

Will smirked at Jay being called Mr Halstead. That title had always been reserved for their father, Jay was Officer Halstead before he was Detective and Will had been Dr Halstead for years. ‘I don’t even think Jay knew he was going to propose,’ when the officer raised an eyebrow questioningly Will dug his heels in, ‘he’s been in love with Hailey whether he realised it or not for years and once they moved in together I think he realised he never wanted to be parted from her so asked her to marry him. It wasn’t some big thing, he didn’t have thousands of rose petals or her favourite bottle of wine ready, it was just them and their love.’ Will said with a soft smile. ‘He called me afterwards and let me know, said he had spoken to Mom about it and she made him realise that life is short.’

‘But your mother is dead?’ The officer questioned with the same amount of tact as a teaspoon. Will rolled his eyes but answered anyway.

‘Both our parents have passed, yes, but he went to Mom’s grave. He always does a couple of times a year, we both do, to give her updates about our lives, get her advice on things,’ Will shrugged. ‘She’d have loved Hailey. Would have welcomed her into the family with open arms, as did I.’

‘And you didn’t think their relationship moved a bit quickly?’ This was the question that Will had been expecting but luckily he was prepared.

‘Officer Cundy, have you ever seen how someone reacts when the person they love is at death's door?’ Will didn’t wait for a response before continuing on. ‘Because I have. And unfortunately I see it every day. And I’ve seen it with my brother and Hailey, more times than they should have had to go through it. When my brother had been shot and they didn’t know if he was going to make it, Hailey sat in that waiting room for hours, refusing to move, to eat, to do anything until she got word that Jay was going to make it. News like that does something to people, you can physically see the weight of the world lift from their shoulders when they get told it’s going to be okay, like their heart is somehow lighter, that their world that was crashing down around them and is being built up again.’ Will could see in the eyes of the man across the table that he was getting through to him. ‘And when Hailey got kidnapped, and they finally found her and the other cop that had been taken, Officer Burgess, my brother was a shell of a man. My brother who has fought in wars for his country, who would gladly take a bullet to save any person in this city, was shaking like a leaf when he knew Hailey was hurt.’

Will leant back in his chair, folding his arms over his chest, ‘so no Officer Cundy. I don’t think their relationship moved quickly. I think they are two people who love each other deeply and I am glad my brother has found a woman like Hailey who makes him happy and he can reciprocate. I only hope one day I find a love like theirs,’ he finished.

Every word he had said was true, even if his brother and his wife had yet to realise it. Jay and Hailey had asked if he needed to prep in advance of the interview, to make sure the story he was selling didn’t have any holes. Will had declined, for the simple reason that it wasn’t a story, not a fictional one anyway. He had told the less than cheery Officer Cundy exactly what he knew, Jay and Hailey were it for each other. He just hoped they realised it before it was too late.

——————————————————————————

‘Sergeant Trudy Platt,’ Trudy said calmly and clearly when instructed to state her name. This process was tedious but Hailey had asked her to do it and she wasn’t about to let her down.

Ever since Hailey had walked into the district 3 years ago, Trudy had felt a draw to the young cop. She didn’t need Hailey to tell her that she’d had a tough life growing up, that she’d experienced the unfortunate truth of being a female cop in a system set up to prioritise men, she could see it in her eyes, how she held herself and how she handled the cases set before her.

Maybe Trudy saw a little of herself in Hailey, someone determined not to let herself be held back by something that was outside of her control. She was proud to have her as a cop in her district, proud that she could call her a friend. She’d never admit that she thought of her as more of a daughter than a friend however, she had a reputation to uphold after all.

She was glad she had found happiness with Jay, someone to treat her the way she deserved to be treated. She trusted Jay to do that, Trudy knew the type of man he was.

‘And Sergeant Platt you have known Ms Upton and Mr Halstead prior to their marriage, correct?’ The young immigration asked with a forced smile.

A Chicago Police Department integration would eat this kid alive, Trudy thought to herself. She wondered if Voight had had the same officer for his interview, she’d have to ask him later and laugh about it.

‘Yes, I have known them since they were both assigned to my district which was approximately 7 years ago for Detective Halstead and 3 years for Detective Upton,’ Trudy said, a hint of boredom colouring her voice. Why call her in just to confirm information they already hold, just a waste of taxpayers money.

‘And you did not know about their relationship until they invited you to their impromptu wedding?’

‘I got confirmation of their relationship when they submitted their change of address forms after moving in together, they are the same rank so they did not need to complete a notice of relationship form,’ Trudy said slightly coolly. She could tell that the officer was trying to catch her out, that wasn’t going to happen. Nobody caught out Trudy Platt.

‘Confirmation?’ The officer asked, pausing with her pen just millimetres from the paper.

‘I long suspected something was going on between the pair of them but both are incredibly private people and I doubt they wanted people to speculate about the status of their relationship so they kept it to themselves,’ she shrugged. ‘Not uncommon for a workplace romance I am sure you’ll find.’

‘I’m sure,’ the young lady hummed. ‘So you were not shocked when the relationship was confirmed?’

‘No,’ Trudy said firmly. ‘I’ve been a cop for a long time, you learn to see things even when people try to keep them quiet.’

——————————————————————————

‘Do you trust Ms Upton and Mr Halstead?’ The official said bluntly, not looking up from where she was still taking notes.

‘Excuse me?’ Kim asked, shocked.

‘Do you trust Ms Upton and Mr Halstead?’ The official repeated slightly slower, raising her gaze from her notepad to catch Kim’s eyes.

‘Do I trust two people who constantly put their lives on the line to protect their city and myself? Do I trust the person who told me, no, ordered me, to save myself when there was a strong possibility that if I did that, she would die as a result? Do I trust the people who when I decided I was adopting a little girl that other people may have thought was a ridiculous idea, showed up for me and supported me through everything? Are you seriously asking me that question?’ Kim said angrily. How dare this officer ask her this.

‘Yes, I am asking you that. And you still haven’t answered me,’ the officer said, her voice ice cold.

‘Yes I trust Ms Upton and Mr Halstead,’ Kim said and couldn’t hold back the sarcasm when she said their names. She had never once called them that and it sounded mildly ridiculous. ‘I trust them with my life. I trust them with my daughter's life.’

‘That will be all Ms Burgess,’ the officer dismissed her calmly, continuing to make notes as Kim stood up and turned to leave with a huff.

‘And by the way, it’s Detective Upton and Detective Halstead, and I’m Officer Burgess,’ Kim spat back as she reached the door. She knew it might not help Hailey and Jay’s case but she was insulted on their behalf by what the officer was implying here. Hailey and Jay were two of the best people she knew, she was proud to call them friends and wouldn’t stand for slander of them.

——————————————————————————-

‘If Ms Upton was refused her visa,’ Trudy’s ears pricked up at the officer's words, ‘would it be easy to fill the vacancy left by her departure within your district?’

If Trudy had predicted the most ridiculous question she would be asked today, she wouldn’t have guessed this would be it.

‘Would it be easy to fill the position held by one of the most talented members of the Chicago Police Department? The Detective who not only made it up the ranks quicker than most of her male colleagues despite the institutional sexism that unfortunately still exists? The same Detective who received the Superintendent's Award of Valour? An award that is only handed out for an outstanding act of bravery or heroism where the individual has demonstrated great acts of selfishness, personal courage and devotion to duty? Why no, I don’t think it would be particularly easy to fill her spot,’ Trudy scoffed.

‘I think we would struggle to ever fill the void left by Detective Upton,’ Trudy said, suddenly touched by the possibility that Hailey may not be able to stay in the city. ‘And if Ms Upton was refused her visa,’ she said, the bitterness coating her words, ‘the Chicago Police Department would lose two of its finest because there is no way Mr Halstead wouldn’t follow her wherever she would go.’

——————————————————————————

Jay and Hailey’s own interview was less eventful but maybe that was because they were able to present a united front and it probably helped that the person interviewing them appeared to have only started in the department the day before.

The young man had stuttered and stumbled over his words, failed to bring the correct case file into the interview room and constantly forgot Jay and Hailey’s names. Hailey was sure it was because Jay was giving him his best Chicago Police Detective Interrogation face which had been known to get even the most stoic criminals to admit to their crimes.

He had asked them how they had met, when they had moved from a platonic friendship to a romantic relationship, whether they had discussed marriage before Jay had proposed and what their future in the city looked like. None of the questions caught them off guard, they had been prepared to answer anything he could possibly have thrown at them.

Like they had with all aspects of their relationship so far, they had decided the closer to the truth they were able to stick, the better and easier it would be. They didn’t need to amend how they met, partners on the job was clearly written in their files. They didn’t need to change how Jay had proposed, he had offered to marry her whilst sitting on the couch, it was as good a proposal as any. The only sticking point had been when they had moved from the platonic to the romantic. That was a slightly more complex discussion.

‘So they are likely to ask us what made us change from just friends to wanting to pursue something more,’ Hailey had said, nervously tapping her foot. She knew when Jay had stopped becoming just her partner and became the most important person in her life - but she had never admitted it to him. It had shifted when he had got shot, when she had for just a moment had to imagine a life without him and it had broken her.

She remembered clearly sitting in that waiting room feeling like everything she had worked towards, everything she valued in her life was crumbling down around her. That the person she was certain would never leave her side was fighting for his life and she couldn’t do a damn thing to help him.

When he had finally woken up and they had allowed her to see him, part of her wanted to tell him, wanted to explain how she felt because there might have been just the slimmest chance that he felt the same. But she was a coward and didn’t. She pushed her feelings down and was content to just be his friend and his partner.

‘Guess that’s the one thing we haven’t really discussed yet,’ Jay said, tugging at his collar that suddenly felt a little tight against his throat. The rest of their conversation had been easy, all the points had been obvious like when they met, when they got engaged, when they got married. They had evidence for all of that. But this….

Jay knew when he had realised he cared more about her than as just a friend. When they had lost her and Kim, and he had blamed himself for putting them in danger. When they found her and she was bloodied and beaten, it had felt like someone had his heart in a vice squeezing tighter and tighter with every breath. But he had never admitted it to Hailey.

He had thought it was ridiculous she would ever feel the same, he was just a best friend to her. And he was happy to be such, he would prefer to have her in his life as that then put it all on the line and lose her.

But now, he was no longer as certain that he would lose her if he admitted how he felt. There were moments here and there where they both seemed to forget the relationship was just for show. Moments when they were alone with no one to prove anything to where they would reach for each other, touching more than they ever had. They would fall onto the couch at the end of the day but instead of watching TV from opposite sides, they’d end up under a shared blanket tucked into each other’s sides.

If their relationship was just for show, who were they on show for in the privacy of their own apartment?

Hailey cleared her throat and pulled Jay from his thoughts. ‘It would make sense if maybe something on the job had made us realise that we wanted more,’ she said quietly. Was that a hint of pink on her cheeks?

‘Yeah,’ Jay nodded, his throat suddenly dry. ‘Like maybe when you got kidnapped with Kim?’ He offered, trying to stay calm and put together like he wasn’t inches away from admitting what was in his heart.

‘That or maybe when you got shot?’ She countered, her eyes staying fixed on the ground.

‘That could work,’ he agreed. He had heard from Will that Hailey had all but held a vigil for him in the Med waiting room, but she did that because they were partners. Didn’t she?

‘It was just over 18 months ago so I guess that fits the time frame you gave Mouse right?’

‘Yeah that fits,’ Jay agreed. ‘Okay so after I got shot we realised we wanted more than just friendship and the other felt the same?’

‘Yep, we both felt the same,’ Hailey said, finally lifting her gaze and meeting his for the first time in a few minutes and he was once again struck by just how blue her eyes were. Like he could ever forget - they floated through his dreams on a regular basis.

Once they had ironed that out, nothing could throw them off. They answered every question honestly, holding firmly onto each other’s hands the entire time. Jay’s thumb rubbing small circles on the back of her hand in a calming motion.

When they exited the room, both let out a small sigh of relief. They walked to the truck that was parked just a block away, neither having the incling to let go of the other's hand.

All they could do now was wait for the result and hope they had put on enough of a show to get her visa granted. Her hand tightened around Jay’s. She really hoped they had, she couldn’t leave. Not now.

#upstead #Hailey upton #jay halstead #Chicago pd #hailey x jay #upstead fic #chicago pd fic #upstead fanfiction #chicago pd fanfiction #upstead fanfic #chicago pd fanfic

[krafterwrites]

Krafter Lore Masterpost

This is mostly just for people in the Eternal Afterparty server, but if anyone ever asks what's wrong with me, I can send them this post as an explanation. Here's, in roughly chronological order, a bunch of my lore

Part of my right ribs is just caved in for some reason. I have no clue why

When I was little I accidentally swished with water from a cup that had previously been used to hold water from our septic system (THE CUP WAS EMPTY AND DRY WHEN I FOUND IT AND THE WATER I SWISHED WITH WAS FROM THE TAP, I guess it just hadn't been cleaned because it was a plastic lego star wars cup). After my dad told me this, I freaked out because I thought I was going to get very sick/die. I vividly remember eating milk and graham crackers while very upset that night

One time I was watching All Hail King Julien while nauseous, and when Mort threw up in the show, it caused me to also throw up

I went to a trampoline park for some kid's birthday party, and they were putting this gas into the air to keep the park clean. It smelled bad, and it made me dehydrated. I also couldn't find the ingredients of it, so that was concerning

I dreamt I was in a McDonalds and slowly going further and further into the future of the McDonalds, eventually the McDonalds was in a creepy and evil forest and all the food sucked

I dreamt that I found Spamton and kept him as a pet, hiding him under my bed and giving him a laptop to scam people with

I dreamt that I went up and talked to some guy, and upon talking to him, the world around me faded and he said something about reality. Then I walked into a school gynasium and did some weird dark magic, which consumed and killed 8 people as part of a sacrifice. The dark magic that ate(?) them formed a big pillar, and then the pillar opened up, and the fucking Among Us imposter walked out of it. I killed 8 people in a sacrifice ritual so I could become an Among Us Imposter (Also Lulu thought I was hallucinating this because I think I forgot to mention it was a dream)

The Haunted Ring. I've already talked about this one so much, ask one of my friends about it

I dreamt that a tiny version of Scourge (Like about as high as my ankle) showed up in my room and started running around, so I trapped him under a cup and then released him outside

I went to a mini-golf course and had a pretty horrible time for several reasons. 1, it was like a hundred degrees out and there was no shade, so I was melting in the sun. 2, after finishing the golf and probably almost getting heatstroke, I got my mom to buy me so lemonade. I drank half the bottle, but it tasted funny, and then I realized that it had been expired for 3 years. I got bored, so I went over to some guy sitting on a bench to give him advice about the expired lemonade, but I stopped myself right after I began talking because I realized the guy was THE OWNER OF THE GOLF COURSE, WHO I HAD JUST BOUGHT SAID LEMONADE FROM LIKE 10 MINUTES AGO. I ran back into the golf course and hid on it because I was so embarrassed, even though I had stopped myself in time

Some anon last year kept asking me why Tails was full of love, like 4 times. They stopped sending in the asks after I said "Because he has love stored in his tails"

I got an anon saying "Krafture the flag" who I talked to for some time, and eventually found out who it was (It was Mikey and one of his friends)

I watched the entirety of Death Note in one day, I started watching it at about midnight while playing Minecraft, and kept going until I reached the end of the first half (Where L died) because I felt like I was going to die. After waking up at 2 PM, I ate some delicious fast food chicken and watched the second half. It turns out that I missed two entire episodes, though, which I watched several days later

I think that's all of the major ones, I am very tired right now though so I almost definitely forgot a few. Oh well

#Krafter Talks

[bonfire-at-the-crossroads]

Storm Isha.

You’d think somebody would have said something. “Hey. HUGE horrible gale coming your way tomorrow- better make sure you’ve got wood, coal, candles, and groceries.”

Nah.

Met Eiran declared one of their very rare “red warnings” for the northwest coast - 160 MPH winds, possible tornadoes, hail and sleet, flooding - ALL the horsemen of the apocalypse.

Power went out about 5:00, last night,, and stayed out until 6:00 tonight.

I’ve lost the easy ability to embrace my inner-amish. I’m used to hot food, hot water, a warm house, and lightbulbs that shred the dark .I’m not happy staring at nothing, waiting for my WIFI to come back….

A cold night was followed by a fucked-up day of trying to find a few groceries while dodging fallen trees and heavy wind. The supermarket was closed, and the gas station was packed with folks buying Taytos, plastic-wrapped sandwiches, and Lucazaid. Not an egg to be seen, and not so much as a whiff of a vegetable or fruit.

On to Garrsion - friendly, familiar, foreign and near. They had a few packages of soup, a little dumb cheese, and crackers.

Dinner, sorted.

The power came on, and the world is full of rainbows and kittens once more.

[rabbitcruiser]

National Cookie Day

Bake some sugary, buttery and perfectly rounded snacks, indulge in classics like chocolate chip or experiment with unusual flavors like lavender or cheese.

Cookies are sweet and full of all sorts of delicious goodness, from nuts to fruit to chocolate. They can be either delightfully crumbly or sinfully chewy. Not to mention that they keep forever if they are stored properly…well, this may not actually be true but, honestly, they will probably never last long enough to find out!

There’s no doubt about it: cookies more than deserve their own day, and that’s why National Cookie Day is celebrated around the world in order to pay tribute to these delicious little treats. So grab some flour, butter, and sugar, and let’s get to celebrating, shall we?

The History of National Cookie Day

Cookies, themselves, can be traced back much further than most people would imagine. It is estimated that in the 7th century AD, Persians were some of the first to grow and harvest sugar cane, which would have eventually been turned into baked goods. The movement of people for trade and war led the glory of sugar to be brought into Europe and, by the 14th century, cookies had come there as well.

Then, when Europeans migrated over to the Americas, they brought with them their sugar as well as their cookie recipes. Americans eventually began developing their own types of cookies, the Chocolate Chip Cookie being one of the most famous of all.

In 1987 Matt Nader of the San Francisco-based Blue Chip Cookie Company created National Cookie Day, saying: “It’s just like having National Secretaries Day… It will just be a fun thing to do.” This fun and sweet holiday have also been championed by The Cookie Monster from Sesame Street, obviously a supporter of all things that are cookie-related.

Although the day did not originate with him, some details about National Cookie Day can be found in Random House’s The Sesame Street Dictionary, which was published back in the 1980s. Since then, the word got around the globe that there was much tasty fun to be had on December 4th, and people from various countries all around the world began to celebrate National Cookie Day.

In fact, a number of variations on National Cookie Day are also celebrated around the world, such as Oatmeal National Cookie Day and Bake Cookies Day. This is likely due to one of the greatest things about cookies: they come in hundreds of shapes and sizes and are relatively simple to make.

So get ready to celebrate everything that has to do with cookies–baking them and eating them!

National Cookie Day Timeline

1st Century AD

Scottish oatcakes

While some might argue this started out as a version of bread, what they turned into is something that is certainly very close to resembling a cookie! They were often used by traveling clansmen as a staple of their diet.

7th Century AD

Mini cakes are used to test ovens

When testing to see if the temperatures were right, ancient Persians (some of the first to grow and harvest sugar cane) may have used tiny “cakes” to check their ovens. These little cakes may be the ancient ancestors to today’s cookies.

11th Century

Lady Fingers emerge

These delicate little spongy cakes actually resemble something like cookies and were first made in France. The first recipe hails from the House of Savoy.

14th Century

Cookies become commonplace

With the growth of access to sugar, many residents of European cities find small treats such as cookies are fairly accessible. In fact, most of the earliest baking cookbooks from this time contained recipes for cookies. Of course, in England, they may have taken on the name “biscuit”.

1792

First published American cookbook includes cookie recipes

Just 20 years after the independence of the country, the first American cookbook is published. It contains recipes for regular butter cookies as well as a “Christmas Cookey”.

1902

Nabisco makes Barnum Animal Crackers

Although they are named “crackers”, everyone knows they taste sweet like cookies! These, produced by American company, Nabisco, are in the shapes of animals and named after the famous circus showman, P.T. Barnum.

1937

Chocolate chip cookies are invented

In what began as a happy ‘accident’, Ruth Wakefield of Massachusetts, USA, was baking butter cookies and wanted to make them into chocolate cookies. She thought if she put tiny chocolate pieces into the dough, they would melt and turn into chocolate cookies. Wakefield ran the Tollhouse Restaurant, which she named the cookie after.

1984

Cookie Dough ice cream is invented

When an anonymous fan suggested they add piles of unbaked cookie dough to their vanilla ice cream, Ben & Jerry were just crazy enough to try it!

1997

Chocolate chip cookie represents Massachusetts

Following a bill proposed by a class of third graders from Somerset, Massachusetts adopts the chocolate chip cookie as the official cookie of the commonwealth. This gives a nod to the invention of this cookie at the Tollhouse Restaurant in Whitman, Massachusetts.[9]

How to Celebrate National Cookie Day

So simple and easy, celebrating cookie day means enjoying a cookie–and perhaps sharing one with a friend. Try out these other ideas to make National Cookie Day special:

Enjoy Eating Cookies

While some people might consider cookies to be something to pack in a child’s lunchbox, they’re certainly delicious for adults to enjoy too! Small or big, cookies are inherently perfect for sharing. They’re the ideal treat for a family gathering or a kid’s soccer game. Stop by a bakery on the way to work and grab a few cookies to share at the office. Or bake some at home and pass them around to neighbors.

Whatever is happening on this day (or any day, for that matter) will obviously be much better if it happens with a cookie in hand!

Try a Unique Cookie Flavor

Make National Cookie Day memorable by stepping off the beaten path a bit and trying a cookie flavor that you normally wouldn’t have. Go beyond that typical chocolate chip or peanut butter cookie recipe. All sorts of unique and adventurous cookie flavors are out there just waiting to be tasted, and here just a few:

Peanut Butter Chocolate Bacon Cookies. They say that everything is better with bacon. Why not try adding it to some delicious cookies? The blend of sweet and savory is absolutely to die for.

Fruity Pebbles Cookies. Just for fun, these treats use a basic cookie recipe and add in a couple of cups of colorful, crispy Fruity Pebbles cereal.

Savory Herb Shortbread Cookies. Almost like crackers, these cookies work nicely as an appetizer. Made with parmesan and freshly minced rosemary, these cookies pair well with a glass of red wine. And they can be just as tasty when made with asiago cheese and freshly cut thyme.

Salted White Chocolate Lavender Cookies. Keep to the herb garden with the delicate edible lavender combined with white chocolate.

Source

#S'More Ice Cream Sandwich #Cookie Skillet #Santa Rosa #street food #restaurant #St. Francis Winery & Vineyards #Coconut Ice Cream Sandwich #Trio of Sorbet #Oreo Explosion #OREO Dream Extreme Cheesecake #travel #original photography #vacation #USA #Spain #Canada #National Cookie Day #4 December #NationalCookieDay #food #snack

[byneddiedingo]

Jules Dassin in Rififi (Jules Dassin, 1955)

Cast: Jean Servais, Carl Möhner, Robert Manuel, Jules Dassin, Janine Darcey, Pierre Grasset, Robert Hossein, Magali Noël, Marcel Lupovici, Marie Sabouret, Dominque Maurin. Screenplay: Jules Dassin, René Wheeler, Auguste Le Breton, based on a novel by Le Breton. Cinematography: Philippe Agostini. Production design: Alexandre Trauner. Film editing: Roger Dwyre. Music: Georges Auric. 

The success of Rififi had a lasting effect on the "caper" or "heist" genre, which is still with us in one form or another, including the Mission: Impossible movies. Dassin's 30-minute sequence depicting the break-in and safe-cracking was hailed as a tour de force. I can't help wondering if Robert Bresson saw Rififi before he made his great 1956 film A Man Escaped, which takes a similar wordless and music-free approach to showing the preparations for Fontaine's prison break. Other than that, of course, nothing could be further from Fontaine's noble efforts to find freedom than the larcenous thuggery of Dassin's jewel thieves. Dassin knows, of course, that audiences respond positively to cleverness and skill, which is virtually all that his quartet of thieves have going for them. Tony (Jean Servais) is a brutal ex-con who beats his former mistress (Marie Sabouret) with a belt; Jo (Carl Möhner) is a swaggering, handsome guy for whom Tony took the rap for an earlier heist because Jo has a wife and child; Mario (Robert Manuel) is an easy-going ne'er-do-well; and César (Dassin under the pseudonym Perlo Vita) is a professional safe-cracker. Dassin manipulates us into thinking of these guys as heroes, if only because the gang led by Pierre Grutter (Marcel Lupovici), who wants to muscle in on their ill-gotten gains, is even worse. In the end, both sides are wiped out, but not before Jo's little boy (Dominique Maurin) is kidnapped and held for ransom. The final sequence of the film is particularly harrowing, especially to contemporary viewers used to mandated seatbelts and conscientious childproofing: A dying Tony drives the 5-year-old boy across Paris in an open convertible as the delighted kid stands on and even clambers over the seats of the speeding car. For all its unpleasantness, Rififi is as memorable as it was influential. It led to countless imitations, usually more light-hearted, including Dassin's own Topkapi (1964). It also revived Dassin's career, which had been at a standstill after he was blacklisted in Hollywood; Rififi's international success was a defiant nose-thumbing directed at HUAC's witch hunts.

#Rififi #Jules Dassin

[legobiwan]

Would Vader's death make a big difference in the grand scheme of the Empire? Sure, he's powerful but most of the Jedi hunting is dealt by the Inquisitors. Palps seems to be looking for an excuse to trade in for a newer model. Yes, he rules the Inquisitors by fear but I'd argue his temper/emotions are too big a liability to the point Palps threatens/cuts off his power/influence. Leia even comments on Tarkin holding Vaders' leash. A more clear headed Sith could do more damage.

Honestly, this is an excellent question and one I've personally mulled over time and again.

I mean, what exactly was Anakin's role in the Empire? Enforcer, ghost story, Jedi hunter...

The thing is, I guess you could argue that Anakin's most influential act was his massacre at the Jedi Temple. After that point, the Empire was more or less a juggernaut (and let's be honest, the political chess game had been in a suspended checkmate long before Order 66 reared its ugly head) until it ended up eating itself, Ourborous-style and fell to the Rebellion.

So what exactly was the advantage to Palpatine keeping Anakin on a leash all those years?

Anakin gets to hunt Jedi and put down any hints of Jedi sympathizers/rebellion with an iron fist. Useful to put the fear of...well, whoever, into the local populace and ensure the Jedi can't rise again.

But as you rightly state, the Inquisitors fill much the same role, albeit without the urban legend, the specter of "Vader" haunting any malcontent's doorstep. And yes, a more clear-headed Sith probably could figure out a way to, if not take out Sheev, at least form a splinter group and be a massive pain in the ass.

And when you go at it from this direction, it actually makes Palpatine's manipulations of Anakin even more creepy and flat-out evil. I mean, Palpatine is a guy who just craves power for power's sake. (It's like if Mitch McConnell actually had any kind of Force abilities). You have to wonder if he just...enjoys keeping Anakin around on a leash, subservient, the supposed "Chosen One" (although I doubt Palpy really gives the prophecy all that much credit) at his beck-and-call. And yeah, he'd turn on Anakin for less than a cracker, which is exactly what happens in RotJ once Luke comes around.

It's...really kind of gross when you think of it that way.

But getting back to the original impetus for this ask (I'm assuming). What would Obi-wan killing Anakin have accomplished? Well, aside from putting Anakin out of his misery, which at this point, considering just how twisted the Anakin-Palpatine relationship is, would be kinder than leaving Anakin to eventually get his shit together in the Hail Mary-est of all Hail Mary passes by the end of the OT...

Anyway, aside from that. Vader's death would be a morale blow to the Empire, at least until Palpatine could conjure up another Big Bad(tm) to play boogeyman. And if nothing else, Anakin was good at wanton destruction. Would his death have saved more lives or would the Empire just kind of carpet-bombed their way through civilians? Not really sure how to answer that.

It's tempting to say that Obi-wan sees the long view during his second duel with Anakin, that he knows it's futile to kill Anakin because one thousand evils would just replace him (maybe he even fears he would be one of them, if he gave in to the idea of killing Anakin). But considering he asserts that, "One of us will die today," I don't think that's exactly where his head was at. Not on Mustafar, and certainly not the second time around during the Kenobi show.

And so while Obi-wan's inability to kill Anakin is not the sole reason the Empire rose (not by any means. Even if Anakin had never turned, it's likely some form of the Empire would have risen considering all the politics and how the war was manipulated), I don't think Vader being dead would have been a bad thing, per se, as he was insanely powerful and killed a lot of beings during his time as a Sith.

(Which kind of leads me down another rabbit hole of thinking if Luke had failed and turned, then what? Would the Empire have survived? The fight outside Death Star II was politics and it was the Rebellion that truly won the day. The fight inside Death Star II was for souls. The Empire may have been toast anyway, no matter what went down in that throne room).

All this is to say, anon, that it's a fascinating question and one that I don't have a clear answer to. I still contend that Obi-wan not killing Anakin was crueler than letting him live (whether you look at that from a wider political level or just Anakin's quality of life), but Obi-wan would never do it. And never did it, choosing to die by Anakin's hand before raising his own against him. Like I said, fascinating stuff.

#hello there #ask legobiwan #anakin skywalker #sheev palpatine #obi wan kenobi #so many questions #fun to consider however

[mogwai-movie-house]

While I'm at it, have any movie recommendations for someone who is a fan of The Marx Brothers and loves when actors can play off each other perfectly?

Again, there's really no comparison to anyone else: them being family means they feel like an organic whole whenever you see them together in Animal Crackers, Horse Feathers, or Duck Soup. It's like when you get a family of singers all harmonizing together: there's a closeness in sound you're a lot less likely to get with individuals.

Having said that, if we're talking about anarchic chaos and verbal interplay, which would be the main attractions of Marxian movies (if we accept no-one's going to reproduce what Harpo added), I guess I would suggest His Girl Friday (1940), Arsenic & Old Lace (1944), The Cat & The Canary (1939), The Ladykillers (1955), Monty Python and The Holy Grail (1975) and The Life Of Brian (1979), Hail The Conquering Hero (1944), Love & Death (1975), Annie Hall (1977), Stir Crazy (1980), Ghostbusters (1984), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988) and The Life Aquatic (2004). But it's very likely you'll know most of these already.

[sagelemonaide]

will wood fans really saw some random (what I believe to be) white man say he didn't like a show and everyone said "all hail the cracker"

ngl i cant say you're wrong

[mmriesoftvat]

Work, whether vigilante or customer oriented, required observational skills. As always, he's posted at the bar, running a rag around the rim of one of many dirty glasses, but his eyes remain locked on the scene around him. No stumbling, no rowdiness, no lightweights in over their heads looking one more sip away from needing a bucket... but, it isn't just the ones who show out that he must see to the well being of. There are those who are silent, too, who do not make a spectacle of themselves and those around them. The wandering gentleman who hailed from an entirely different region, now barely remaining upright, was a prime example of the clientele Diluc did not mind, yet still worried about.

He tells the other bartender to watch the counter whilst he tends to their inebriated guest. A gentle hand 'pon his shoulder, not wanting to risk startling him, and when there's little reaction to the owner's presence, or the inquiry as to the swordsman's current state, Diluc takes it upon himself to scoop the younger man into his arms, with the intent to carry him upstairs, for now. Away from the wavering, unpredictable volume of the crowd, away from nosy glances and those who may otherwise disturb.

"I'm going to set you down." Even if Kazuha can't hear him, he says it anyway. Cover all bases, leave no questions asked. There's a small, albeit comfy and homey cot in the corner for situations just like this, the window nearest it propped open for some fresh air. Kazuha is settled atop it, the pillows adjusted in a fashion that may help to support him, before Diluc goes off to fetch some water and a plate of easy to stomach crackers. When the bar closed down for the evening, he would see to it that Kazuha had overnight accommodations at the nearby inn, but for now... Diluc hopes this is enough.

"If you can hear me, I will be just downstairs, as will Charles. Just holler for one of us. I'll check on you again shortly." One last look, before that he's of blazing locks descends down the stairs again, and back into the rowdy fray. // Diluc @ Kazuha. I couldn't resist~

Kazuha is so tired. He doesn't know why, but perhaps the energy of the tavern here had drained him more than he'd anticipated. Even settling into a corner toward the back hadn't helped. There are still people around, far too many voices for his liking, but the thought of getting up to leave feels like a momentous task all on its own. No drinks save for water, but Kazuha's drifting off anyway.

There sounds like a lull in the conversations around him, or maybe that's his own brain shutting off, Kazuha can't tell. He's completely deflated, and even in his current state, aware he's dangerously close to falling over and landing heavily on the floor. Though the floor is never a bad place to sleep half the time. He's done it before, he can do it again.

Except, nope. There's someone talking to him. The voice sounds vaguely familiar, and Kazuha only manages a tired groan before arms lift him. Presumably said arms belong to the voice, but it's all too far away for Kazuha to actually care right now. There's almost a grouchy wrinkle of his nose before he's settled into someone's arms, head falling back.

The rocking motion has him briefly drifting off completely, with Kazuha letting out the faintest snore. He's woke again when set down in a cot, and only now does Kazuha manage to crack an eye open to catch a glimpse of the person who'd rescued him from the crowds. All Kazuha can see is vivid red hair that's retreating.

"Thank you," he manages to whisper. He's not sure if his thanks is heard or not, but it doesn't matter. Kazuha's well away from the din now, with voices actually fading into the background. It's not completely silent, but at least the chatter is white noise -- he's dealt with that on the Alcor before, he can handle it here.

Rolling onto his side, Kazuha lets himself fall asleep for real, making a mental to thank the tavern owner later. For all the gruff attitude the man puts off, he certainly is caring when he needs to be, even for an out-of-town stranger.

#tenebriism #; diluc #( SELF | KAZUHA. ) #( IC. ) #this was so soft i loved it #kazuha just #passed out for several hours #and then comes down later to thank diluc in person #just smiling and blushing

[agrippaspoleto]

Fin(n)less

(formerly Shape of Stormpilot) - A mermay Stormpilot story (part 2)

Inspired by Shape of Water and the Little Mermaid (there‘s gonna be a happy ending, promise). I will post the story on AO3 when it‘s finished, but decided to post it first here to motivate myself. Shoutout to @mssr-mcknickers​ who helped me with quite a few blocks I had with this story and readily listened to all my ramblings. Thanks you so much, friendo!

Warnings: Insecurity, suicidal ideations (nothing happens, but the character expects to die and is prepared to just let that happen), allusions to experimentation, allusions to period-typical racism and homophobia (it‘s set more or less in the fifties/sixties, but don‘t expect accurcy, the places are still borrowed from the star wars universe).

Part 1.

Over the next days Finn made sure to sneak into Poe's room as often as he could get away with it. As part of the maintenance slash sanitation crew most people didn't really pay attention to him which suited him just fine.

It wasn't hard to fall for Poe who despite his captivity hadn't lost his optimism and sunny disposition. And his sass, as Finn witnessed how his jailers treated the man first hand. He had forgotten the time and had to hide when Dr Hux and his crew of "environmental scientists" visited the laboratory to "examine" their charge. It had happened when they had left Poe in the open pool for the first time since Finn had met him. To discover the merman's beautiful voice, which of course Finn couldn't hear outside of the tank, had been a revelation. He could now believe each and every story of sailors led astray by songs if they were performed by voices as beautiful as Poe's. They still conversed mostly in sign language since Poe's English was only marginally better than Finn's Spanish. But when Poe singed, which he did whenever he could get away with it, Finn didn't need to know the words to understand him. His feelings were palpable in the song and Finn would forget the world around him completely. Which had resulted in Finn nearly being discovered by Hux and his ilk.

The only thing Finn could offer in return - besides his company and occasional medical wipes - was food. Of course the cantina food on the plant left a lot to be desired, but Rey sent regular care packages out with chocolate, proper biscuits and crackers. And Finn was more than happy to share those with Poe.

Of course he also tried to find out more about Hux's experiments and ways to free his new friend. Who had trusted Finn way too fast. But then Poe had seen the bruises left by Officer Unamo's boots one day and his signing had been so frantic Finn had barely been able to follow the words. And then he had realised Poe was worried about him. As a black man Finn wasn't used to easy trust and much less someone being angry on his behalf. Not to mention being believed over a white woman. At this point it had been no wonder he had fallen as hard as he had.

It had been a lazy day for Finn's standards when he had been called to clean a spill in Hux's office. But what he heard as he was mopping the floor made him nearly spill the bucket again.

"Yes, we can start the vivisection as soon as tomorrow. Don't worry, if there's any truth to those heathen legends, we will find out. The subject has been unwilling to cooperate thus far, but I'm certain we can test its properties just as easily when it's dead."

Finn froze at those words. While he had been devising a plan to smuggle Poe out of the oil plant for a while now, nothing had yet been set into action. And now there was no time anymore. So, Finn had no other choice than leave the office, grab a laundry wagon and hope for the best.

Later he couldn't really recall any details of their escape. He only remembered the frantic beating of his heart and the constant fight against his panic. Relief had flooded him when they had finally jumped from the plant into the sea, even though a hail of bullets was raining over them. One found its target in Finn's back but the sight of Poe finally back in his element made him smile despite the pain. He had been ready to die, happy to know that Poe was finally free.

But he hadn't died. No, he woke up later at a foreign shore and Poe nowhere to be seen. There was no trace of a bullet wound, only the hole in his jumpsuit told him he hadn't imagined it. He was utterly alone, in a way he had never been before. Lonely yes, but even in his childhood, he had always been surrounded by people, either in the orphanage and later in his foster home or his work places. And if Finn was truly honest with himself, he hadn't expected to survive Poe's rescue. Not really. Maybe this was the reason he had allowed himself to fall in love with the man, just to prove himself capable of loving somebody. Now he felt an ache in his chest,so raw and new, he had no idea how to life with it. He wasn't a stranger to loss nor loneliness, but he had gotten a glimpse of another life, another Finn, who believed in love. The Finn he could've been. And he didn't really want to give up on that dream, not when he had already surrendered so much of himself. It was that thought that made him follow the young fisherman who found him a few hours later into a nearby village and back into civilisation.

#stormpilot #finnpoe #finn star wars #poe dameron #fairy tale style #fanfiction #shape of stormpilot #fin(n)less #belated mermay #tw suicidal ideation #tw experimentation #allusions to period-typical racism and homophobia #agrippas art #agrippa writes