#noir (volunteer)

[darling-aries]

All in favor of joining forces to completely re-write the dumpster fire call Miraculous Ladybug say I

#👁 #i #i volunteer as tribute #miraculous ladybug #ladynoir #marichat #ladrien #adrientte #adrien agreste #chat noir #mlb #marinette dupen chang #ladybug #ladybug x chat noir #ladybug and chat noir #mlb movie

[saulbaby]

My toxic trait is that I kinda ship Garrus and Miranda

#fully convinced that the only reason they never actually talked in the games #is bc theyre both speak in such a sexy aloof way #that both of them talking that way to each other would just sound like theyre gonna bang #i wrote a couple scenes wjth them a while back in a shakarian fic and had to cut them #bc it was like effortlessly sexy and forth banter #and i couldnt even make them friendly with their me2 vibes without it turning shippy #i am. convinced the me2 writers ran into the same problem. #ik a lot of ppl dont talk much but they really really never do #the only thing is that if you dont have jack hes like half of us dont even trust you and objects when miranda #volunteers to be squad leader #but it doesnt make any sense bc when hr first gets there hes like cool guns shouldve joined up sooner lol #and clearly never has an issue with the cerberus thing #so whys he the one who randomly doesnt trust miranda and not tali who has spoken to miranda #and does not trust her #anyway. garrus and miranda is a secret ship that they dont want you to know about bc it makes too much sense to not happen #and then neither woukd ever get romanced bc youd see them together and be like no they beling together actually #i feel like i should be writing this much more ironically but im really not i think ive come to ship it more as i wrote this #theyre basically neo noir femme fatale and vigilantr detective #send post #what if i wrote a fic #......... #god i wanna write a fic. why do i wanna writr a fic and do art? #like suoer slinky sexy femsheps kinda annoy me in art tbh bc no matter how u play she never really has that vibe in game #but it does work next to garrus is the thing #miranda fits that bill #im gojna write a fic #what would it even be about holy shit #ok like. i honestly always habe shep push back against the vigilante thing bc if theyre anti cerberus they should probably #also be against what garrus is doing #depending on the reasoning but overall they have similar goals

[ozpins-halfway-house]

Alright! Let’s get the ingredients!! And um (looks at the moomins) maybe don’t sleep in the sugar this time (teasing) -🐈‍⬛

M!Oscar: Aw, why not? It's comfy.

M!Oz: Well, I suppose it's not polite to sleep on the ingredients [chuckles]

M!Oscar: [fake pouts] You're no fun.

#answers of hope #oscar pine #ozpin #oz's halfway house au #ozcar moomin au #noir (volunteer)

[filmnoirfoundation]

The Film Noir Foundation is looking for volunteers to help out at NOIR CITY 20, January 20-29 at Oakland's Grand Lake Theatre. If you are interested click the link below.

#noir city #noir city 20 #eddie muller #film noir #film festival #film noir festival #film festival volunteer

[miriamvowen]

Newcastle Noir 2022 #NewcastleNoir2022

Today I am heading off to Newcastle Noir one of my favourite book events. I love the ethos of the Newcastle Noir festival which is to promote top-class crime writing in the region and to celebrate the intriguing and increasingly diverse genre of crime fiction. They are also extremely passionate about making the event accessible to as many people as possible and aim is to keep prices as affordable…

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#FiveGuys #Iceland #Newcastle Noir #volunteering

[ponytailzuko]

im gonna be so real wishmaker made me try so hard to imagine adriens future career but i cant do it. when i imagine adriens future i cannot imagine his career AT ALL. but also i think he has a source of income outside of marinette just for the feeling of independence. because financial dependence would probably be bad for his mindset after the 15 yrs of gabriel. so i cant imagine him as a stay at home husband either.

so my brain just sees him doing random jobs that he quits whenever he wants bc he lives with marinette in a little apartment over her boutique. like every week he somehow changes jobs and no one understands how. nino goes to the mcdonalds across the street from his house on monday and adrien takes his order. then he facetimes adrien on wednesday and he's in peru because hes got a job as a flight attendant. saturday, alya mentions that she had to report on a play being thrown by a local theater troupe and did you know adriens in it? and sometimes he just quits for awhile and does marinettes bookkeeping and occasionally models for her when he wants to. does some community center classes such as cooking, arts, etc. volunteers at the cat shelter. and is also a superhero i guess. chat noir does door dash.

#cal.ibrations #miraculous ladybug #um i usually dont imagine adrien keeping any of the money from the agreste company bc i always imagined hawkmoths identity wld be public #so i imagine a lot of that would probably be seized by the state tbfh like sorry but it was used to fund magical terrorism #so like i imagine usually he has enough for his childhood n young adult years n stuff but like entire life? nah. job is necessary 👍 #or he steals felixs identity and uses his debit card tbh kind of deserved.

[aalissy]

Reverse Crush

Anddd here is today's second chapter :). I hope you like it! I am forever tormented by how little reverse crush we got in the show. I always want more haha. Lemme know what you think <3

AO3

Adrien sighed quietly, leaning on his fist as he craned his neck back to stare blatantly at Marinette. It was study hall so he could finally get away with just focusing on her. Not for the first time that day, though did he wish he sat behind her. That way, he’d be able to peek up at her periodically through the day rather than having to crane his head back awkwardly to look at her.

She looked adorable. Just like she did every day. Her tongue was stuck out of the side of her mouth as she concentrated on whatever it was she was drawing. 

Cute.

Clearing his throat, Adrien leaned forward, tapping her desk to get her attention. She looked up, her pretty blue eyes wide with shock. 

“What are you drawing, Marinette?” he asked, hopeful to hear her soft voice as she directed her attention to him alone.

Her surprise at his sudden question melted into a warm smile, and Adrien couldn't help but feel a rush of excitement.

"I was actually just sketching some of my ideas down for fashion. It helps for inspiration when I’m creating." Marinette replied.

Adrien leaned in a bit closer, intrigued by her creative process. "Can I see?" he asked eagerly, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.

Marinette hesitated for a brief moment before nodding. She turned her notebook towards Adrien, revealing a series of intricate designs that showcased her talent and unique style.

The first page held numerous sketches of her and her friends in beautiful gowns. They all looked amazing. When he looked at the next page, however, his mouth dried. It was him. Or, well, Chat Noir, in a few different designs from Marinette. 

Suddenly, Adrien was struck by the urge to commission her. He’d wear those designs every day. He bit it back, however. As much as he might want to, he couldn’t reveal his secret identity. Not even to someone as perfect as Marinette.

"These are beautiful, Marinette!" Adrien exclaimed, genuinely impressed. "You're so talented. I especially liked the way that you drew Chat Noir." He winked up at her.

An adorable red blush lit up her face at the compliment, and she smiled gratefully. He needed to figure out how to get her to do that more often. She looked so cute with a flush on her cheeks. "Thank you, Adrien. That means a lot coming from you, being the son of a famous designer and all."

Encouraged by her positive reaction, he couldn't resist teasing her playfully. "You know, if you ever need a model for your designs, I'd be happy to volunteer."

Marinette's eyes widened in surprise, and then she burst into giggles, her laughter like music to his ears. "Sure, Adrien. I'll keep that in mind. If ever I make one of these frilly dresses, I’ll make sure that you’re the first one I call." She winked.

His heart quickened at her reaction, feeling dizzy with giddiness.

Wink! She winked at him. How was he meant to mentally function after that?

Adrien’s grin must have looked completely ridiculous as he couldn’t stop it from stretching wide across his cheeks. “I’ll be looking forward to it,” he replied, his voice filled with genuine excitement.

As the bell signaling the end of study hall rang, Adrien reluctantly tore his gaze away from Marinette who was laughing softly at his words. He made a mental note to find a way to bring up the topic of her designs again soon, maybe during their next study hall. 

After all, she had winked and laughed at him! That had to mean something... right? He wracked his brain, trying to remember if he had ever seen Marinette wink at anyone else. He couldn’t think of any which was a very pleasant thought.

As he walked to his next class, Adrien couldn’t shake off the image of Marinette’s sketches, especially the ones featuring Chat Noir. It was both thrilling and nerve-wracking to see himself depicted in her designs, knowing that she had no idea of his secret identity.

Maybe... maybe he could sneak over to her room one night, just to commission one of those designs. After all, if Adrien was able to take a peek at her designs, he figured she’d certainly let Chat Noir, a superhero, see them as well. With that plan in mind, Adrien’s grin stayed on his face for the rest of the day.

#adrinetteapril2024 #adrienetteapril2024 #adrinette #adrienette #miraculous #miraculous ladybug #ml #mlb #ml fic #fic #fanfic #reverse crush #reverse love square #adrinetteapril #adrienetteapril

[lildoodlenoodle]

Something that is so funny to me is my HC of noir Daredevil’s Catholic ass meeting Spider noir, realizing ‘I don’t know what you are exactly but every bone in my body is telling me you are or are possessed by a demon’ and then like a couple months later also being like ‘but you are MY FRIEND 😢 😭’

Obviously dude’s having a lot of mixed and conflicting feelings about working with a demon due to his Catholic guilt complex(confessional must be wild for Father Lantom) Matt thinks this is a very stupid demon. Volunteering to go into churches, walking by people in prayer, using salt, etc. Which Matt always stops him/takes his place. His friend may be a demon but Matt will still ‘protect’ him.

And obviously he’s not the only one who sees the Spider’s spooky ass and goes DEMON. So one day someone tries to exorcise or just throw holy water on him and of course Matt pushes him out of the way or takes the splash of water for him and Peter’s just like ‘??? That was water and not acid??? You should know that???’

Peter, in general, thinks Matt is just a very weird person. He’s not in a position to judge by any means so he keeps his thoughts on Matt’s weird selectively protective behavior to himself. A bullet? ‘you’re on your own bud’. But a splash of water from some dude speaking in Latin? Matt will take that ‘blow’ for him any day of the week. And yeah, sure, it’s nice to avoid the mild inconvenience of being wet for a bit but Pete is really just mildly confused.

#Matt loves creating his own imaginary problems that could easily be solved with a conversation and doing everything in his power to avoid i #Matt soaking wet thinking he saved his friend:you’re welcome #Peter: ??? thanks? #like bro this is so funny to me 😭 #Peter: so what exactly is he talking about? #Luke who is also a Christian denomination but isn’t insane: I have no idea why he’s like this #spider noir conspiracies #peter benjamin parker #matt murderdock #daredevil noir #spider noir #Spider-Man noir #spiderman noir

[trashyangelic]

Does anyone wanna take this prompt for Miraculous Ladybug? [If so please tag me or msg me if your going to take this.]

Ideas for Prompts:

Salt/Bashing: Lila Salt, Bustier Salt, Damocles Salt, Alya Bashing, Adrien Bashing Sugar/Redemption: Nino Sugar, Chloe Redemption, Akuma Class Redemption Pairings: Chloe/Nino, Lukagami, Felinette Others: Bad Teacher Caline Bustier, Lila Rossi Exposed, Jealous Adrien, Endgame Felinette

Let's say Lila got exposed by Marinette's Circle Squad (as in Nino, Chloe, Kagami, Alix, Sabrina, Max, Kim, Rose, Nora Cesaire, Juleka, Luka, Felix, and Aurore) while Marinette had stayed home cause her parents is not letting her go to school cause of victim blaming that they got angry on Bustier telling her about their daughter 'to be an example' which really pissed Sabine off.

Sabine is willing to do this to keep her daughter happy but also suing Bustier, Damocles, Lila, Alya, and lastly Adrien even though she didn't want to but she heard enough from her daughter that he is bystanding this whole situation and telling her little girl to 'take a high road' advice which is a horrible advice.

Instead of expelling Lila like she wanted to do she must remain in the school and learn to be an outcast after being outted last Friday when her mother found out about her crimes and trauncy from her classmates but also participating classes by doing her own homework and attend two months of detentions. The police and the School Board Member found something interesting on the school footage then show it to Mrs. Rossi that her daughter is willing to assist terrorist.

As Lila is remain house arrest along with the restraining order from The Dupain-Chengs but also being banned from their bakery except her mother who is a regular customer that comes to the bakery once a while.

As for Bustier and Damocles both got sued by two parents from Marinette after all the stress they gave her she has to go theraphy. Chloe volunteered to be Temporary Ladybug as Dame Taches (Lady Spots) while Marinette goes to theraphy for a good reason for her health being Ladybug for too long was a bit stressful and need a break so she can be the Dragon Miraculous while Kagami became the Temporary Black Cat.

As for the Black Cat Miraculous it was taken away from Chat Noir/Adrien by Ladybug last Sunday about his incompetnent behavior it is now Kagami's job as a temporary Black Cat as Kuroneko. Now for the Bee Miraculous it was lent to Nora Cesaire since she was the only one that Marinette can think of doing instead of Alya since Nora knows the truth what her sister did to Marinette.

Chloe called Amelie Graham de Vanily and Felix to come over to Paris but stay in her hotel than in the Agreste Mansion but told them the whole fiasco with Adrien being passive and other stuff. Chloe also suggested to Marinette to give Felix the Fox Miraculous he will be the Temporary Fox Hero. Since Sabrina has the dog miraculous with her just in case.

Now for Adrien he finally found out thanks to Lila that Marinette likes him. But its far too late for him since Marinette is over with him and her parents doesn't want him near their little girl anymore.

#prompt request #miraculous ladybug #lila salt #alya salt #no lila rossi demption #adrien salt #felinette #chloe bourgeois redemption #nino sugar #bustier salt #damocles salt #akuma class redemption #bad teacher caline bustier #ladybug chloe #black cat kagami

[lavendertales]

Sweet lies: Chapter 5

pairing: Frankie Morales x f!reader

summary: the Millers invite everyone over at their place for Valentine’s day, and things have never felt lonelier for you. But the end of the night has a surprise twist for you.

word count: 5k

A/N: now we’re getting into the juicy part. huge thanks to @cheshire-noir​ for helping me with a good part of this!

Comments & reblogs are forever appreciated 💕 

gif: @pascalsky

series masterlist | AO3 

As much as you tried to remain the professional and hardworking person you have always been, that Friday had your mind spinning relentlessly.

Last night’s dinner was still fresh on your mind, taunting you alongside Frankie and Andrea. Worst part was that you actually liked Andrea. It was virtually impossible to nest any negative feelings towards someone so incredible. 

But then you recalled Frankie’s hesitant side glares, his Adam’s apple bobbing with each nervous gulp he took, the sheer regretful expression on his face whenever the two of you locked eyes, and you wondered if somehow, maybe, he wasn’t so confident in his relationship. 

It couldn’t have been. It was just your jealousy talking deep in your subconscious, giving you false hope. You’ve been down that road before, being fed up lies by your own mind and tricked by your heart. You did not need that again, and certainly not when Frankie was engaged.

You had to be on your best behavior. The two of you were no longer friends, but merely old acquaintances, so you shouldn’t have had an issue with giving him the cold shoulder. The farther he was from you, the better. Even if you had foolishly agreed to go to the Valentine’s Day bash that Will and Benny were throwing, that didn’t mean you could act reckless. 

So you came up with a plan.

“Good news, your girl finished her presentation early, which means I am available for some weekend fun,” Rose’s confident voice giggles over the phone.

It’s a little over eleven p.m., and you’re already half asleep in your bed, but as luck would have it, Rose’s timing is impeccable. 

“Congratulations,” you say, genuinely impressed by her work ethic. “At least one of us was professional today.”

“Uh-oh. I take it dinner was awkward last night?”

“Frankie came with his fiancé.”

Silence. You can hear Rose’s jaw drop and her steady breaths. If you listen closely enough, you can hear her processing what you just told her.

“They both came?” she asks.

“Yeah. It was dinner with friends and their significant others, of course he would’ve brought his fiancé. It was stupid of me to think he wouldn’t.”

“Still, I can’t imagine it was pleasant to just have her in your face like that.”

“She’s actually pretty awesome.”

“What?!”

Rose’s indignation actually steals a chuckle out of you, for which you are thankful.

“Are you fucking kidding me?!” she continues.

You scoff. “I’m serious! She’s an incredible, accomplished woman.”

“I don’t care, that is the enemy!”

“She’s really not. If anything, Frankie is. He’s the one who fucked it all up.”

“Fair point. What’s so incredible about this woman, anyway?”

“Well, her name’s Andrea and she’s a dermatologist, she regularly volunteers for different charities, she’s hilarious and sweet… oh, and she’s unfairly gorgeous.”

“How gorgeous are we talking here?”

“Green eyes, light brown hair with cute bangs, caramel skin… and she smells great.”

“Shit, that does sound great.”

“So you see my problem.”

“I do. But I can hate her.”

“What—Rose, you don’t even know her.”

“When has that ever stopped us? We’ve hated people for no reason before.”

“Yes, but those were celebrities. And it was usually because they either had something we don’t have, or because we just didn’t like them.”

“Hello! How is this any different?”

You chuckle again, your chest growing heavier with concern regarding tomorrow’s plans.

“Hey, listen, since you’re free this weekend,” you start, “how do you feel about spending Valentine’s Day with me tomorrow?”

“Uh… okay, I really appreciate the sentiment, but I’m not sure what kind of message did I send to you before.”

You both laugh. “Will and Ben are throwing this little Valentine’s get-together between friends—and their girlfriends too, I guess—and I could really use a friendly shoulder there.”

“Hmm. So everyone’s gonna be happily nuzzling next to their significant others?”

“All, except me and Frankie. Andrea can’t come apparently.”

“Gotta say, I’m a little relieved, I thought I was going to have to show some PDA in order to be able to stay.”

You laugh some more, eagerly anticipating her response.

“Won’t it be awkward?” Rose asks.

“Possibly. Every interaction I’ve had so far has been more or less so. Please, you gotta come with me.”

“I will, I will. Just gotta stop by at my grandma’s first to check in on her.”

“How is she doing after the hip replacement surgery?”

“Pretty good. More mobile each day.”

“Oh, that’s great!”

“Yeah. But after that, I’m totally gonna be there for you.”

“Good. Cause I’m your best friend, and you have to help a friend in need.”

“True.”

“Also, Santi will be there.”

You can tell that has Rose’s attention. Hell, even you smile. You’ve been hoping for a long time that she and Santiago would act upon their feelings, but clearly they both had been shy to initiate.

“I was gonna come anyway, just to clarify,” Rose pushes, to which you smirk.

“Mhm.”

“This is just… an added bonus.”

“Of course it is. I’ll see you tomorrow then, at the Millers?”

“You got it. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight. Oh, and thank you, Rose. I love you.”

“You don’t have a thing to thank me for. I love you too.”

Knowing that Rose will be there makes it easier for you to fall asleep, and to navigate through next day’s tasks. You wake up pretty early in order to go your grocery shopping, your cleaning and your cooking, and when the clock strikes five p.m., you are in your bathroom, showering and putting a little makeup on.

It’s not a party, you keep reminding yourself of Will’s words. So you don’t overdress, and you don’t overdo it with makeup. Just something cute and casual for a night out with your friends.

And their girlfriends. And, with Rose there, probably making heart eyes at Santiago, that means it’ll be just you and Frankie.

Okay, so maybe your plan wasn’t so well thought. Maybe you could back out of going. Who would really care, on Valentine’s, no less?

Oh, but they would. You knew the guys, you knew your friends, and you knew how relentless they could be about group hangouts and such. You knew they would bother you consistently, bombard you with questions about why you were a no-show at the very last moment.

Honestly, the idea of free drinks kept you motivated enough. In the event of Rose disappearing somewhere to snuggle with Santi, you’d have your trusted companions, the beers.

But you refuse to show up empty handed, so you carry with you a big plate of sandwiches and a bottle of wine. You put in the location on the GPS and drive through the snowed streets.

You’ve been to Will’s and Benny’s plenty of times, but you felt safer having the address right there in front of you, especially on an icy evening like that. Even on a tender day such as Valentine’s Day, February knows how to remind you of its cold, cold wrath.

Standing on the doorstep of the Millers’ humble bungalow merely twenty minutes later, your warmest clothes prove nothing on that bitter evening. You rang the doorbell once and are now anxiously waiting for either Will or Benny to let you in.

Soon, waiting becomes a daunting task. But not only because of the bitter wind chills.

Will and Benny are hosting this party—scratch that. A get-together. Friendly faces, and yet all of them seem to belong to mere ghosts of your past. For them, Valentine’s Day didn’t need the frills and ties, but rather friends and stiff drinks. Plus, they had their wonderful girlfriends by their side, so even the most mundane tasks could be deemed as romantic and well-thought. Will reassured you it would be a smaller gathering, just the lonely ones and the dorks who actually managed to score someone. Still, the sight of the cramped cars in the driveway spiked your anxiety when the GPS told you “arrived at your destination”. But you prevailed, and marched to the front door nonetheless. You had made a promise, after all. 

Hurry up, guys, your mind begs, huffing into your hands to keep you warm. Finally, you see a familiar face grinning from the door window. Not Will, rather Benny. Your eyes soften, eagerly pushing your way in, even as Benny already starts fussing over how long you waited.

“It’s fine,” you tell him sincerely.

“I shouted at Will to open the door a dozen times,” he seemingly apologizes. “I had the glasses in my hand, but no, I gotta do all the work. So much for big bro duties. Here, let me take that.”

You chuckle as Benny takes the plate and bottle of wine from your hand, and you take a look around. You were swathed in warmth as soon as you crossed the threshold into the home. Something about being inside made you relax much more. It could be the coziness of the two-story living, where every room in the house bled into each other. Or it could be that the furniture choices were plump and rosy leather adorned in animal themed blankets, tapestries and cushions. In the living room, MTV is playing on the television, the soft drones of Robert Smith from The Cure filling you with the melancholy you had come to associate with the holiday.

From the couch, Will greets you, inviting you to sit as you hand your jacket off to Benny. Will and Mia are sitting over at one of the two olive couches that surround the fireplace. Benny has no problem plopping himself next to his brother and his girlfriend, the latter having his own significant other join in, but you decide to pick the couch across from them, the one closest to the kitchen. Not just because it might be useful should you require more drinks, but also because you think five’s a crowd, and couples need their intimacy.

The light in the kitchen is on and you can see two shadows bouncing across the walls. They are talking about something, but you can’t pick up on any of it, not when you have Will and Mia’s conversation ringing in the other ear. Although, you still can’t help but stare at the shapes.

One looks stocky, and seems to be the one making the most noise out of them. But the other. The other has a cap on, larger arms, a deeper voice, dripping with age like a fine wine. He and Benny are the youngest among the boys, but his voice is coarse and thick with plenty of emotions that still have a grip over you.

You shake your head briefly, forcing yourself to smile and even giggle at the excited voices in front of you. It’s a favorable situation rather than staring at Frankie the whole time, which you swore you wouldn’t do, no matter what.

You fleetingly check your watch, wondering when Rose will get there. You grow to hate this feeling of helplessness when it comes to being around Frankie. It’s not that you are not strong, quite the opposite: you are more than capable of being cold and distant, but gazing over at him, looking and longing at the same time? A whole other story.

You’re not quite sure what it is about Frankie that still has you in a chokehold. Actually, you do know, you just like denying it, especially now given the circumstances. In every way, Frankie is the embodiment of your dream partner. He’s kind, funny, sweet, smart, protective, and just overall a warm person that once made you feel like you were truly yourself, and not just playing a game.

After all this time, your feelings for him have not vanished as you had hoped. You foolishly thought distance would help you forget, but now that you have been thrust back into your old life, you see things are no different than when you left.

At least in that regard.

Looking at Will and Benny happily sharing with you stories of their adventures with the girls, you sport a sincere smile. You have never seen them so fulfilled, so blissful, and it makes your heart tremble with joy. Yet there is a permanent ache in your heart that you cannot deny, one you doubt anyone would fully understand.

“Hey, you’re here!” Santiago says, pulling you in to hug you tight.

You reciprocate, eyes landing on Frankie’s figure in the background. He seems apologetic, averting your gaze as much as he can, as if he’s guilty of something. Deep down, you do understand his reaction and, oddly enough, you are thankful that he’s not pushing the note in any way.

“I heard Emily made heart shaped cookies, and you know I’m a sucker for cookies,” you joke.

“You have to try them, they are out of this world,” Mia fortifies.

You all chuckle, and you do in fact stretch your arm towards the coffee table in the middle to grab one of the cookies on the plate and take a bite out of it, instantly melting.

“Oh my God,” you nearly shout, immediately taking another bite. “These are heavenly!”

“Thank you!” Emily smiles, her cheeks now flushed. “I don’t make them that often though.”

“I can see why! It’s tough to stay away from them, shit.”

You finish the cookie and grab another one, causing everyone to giggle.

“It’s also why I told her to never, under any circumstances, share the recipe,” Benny adds. “This is cause for fight.”

“It sure is,” Will says.

You don’t realize you’re still in Santiago’s arms; when you do realize that, you inch away in the slightest, right under Frankie’s studious eyes. Curiosity has him by the throat, yet he can’t bring himself to ask you or Santiago any questions. He’s not sure he wants to know.

“Hi,” you finally greet Frankie, voice small and anxious.

“Hi,” he replies.

You’re tired of this; you are so tired of walking around on eggshells, measuring your words and actions and trying to stay away while also wanting to be part of the group again. It’s absolutely exhausting.

“You want something to drink?” Santiago offers, and you nod.

Frankie’s eyes don’t leave the two of you, silently studying you from the corner of his eye. He watches you go into the kitchen, exchange some words as Santiago opens up a beer bottle and hands it to you, and then he sees you lightly touching his arm.

He doesn’t want to know. He doesn’t want to know. It’s none of his business. He has no right asking or even caring anymore.

Then why does his chest ache so? Why does it feel like there’s a beast trapped inside of him that roars and scratches violently at the simplest of sights?

He doesn’t care. He doesn’t care.

“Okay, so,” Will announces, standing up now that you and Santiago return to the living room. “Now that we are all here.”

“Actually, Rose should be here any minute,” Santiago intervene.

“Oh. That’s okay, we can wait then.”

“What’s going on, guys?” you ask.

Will and Benny exchange a glare, as well as Mia and Emily, and you instantly know both couples have news. The options are limited, although you can pretty much figure out what’s going on before it’s even said.

And before you know it, you’re halfway through the beer bottle, wishing you had called a cab instead of driving to the bungalow.

“Well, uh… Mia and I are engaged,” Will says, reaching to grab his now fiancé’s hand.

It’s then that you notice the ring on Mia’s finger, shining as brightly as her eyes when she looks at Will. Laudatory exclaims burst among you all, and you’re quick to finish your beer before hugging Mia and then Will. Your heart swells and trembles with even more happiness, admiring them as Santiago and Frankie congratulate their friend.

“Benny has some news too,” Will chuckles.

All eyes turn to Benny, who instead looks over at Emily. Her cheeks burn auburn still, indicating nervousness and flattery.

“We’re moving in together,” she says.

More congratulations are being shared, the entire group hugging the other happy couple. You don’t think you could be any happier than you are at this very moment.

Or lonelier.

What a fascinating mixture, that of delight for your friends and loneliness for yourself. Contradictory, opposing poles, yet equally true.

You don’t let it show, though. Tonight it’s cause for celebration, and you are too focused on your friends’ fulfilled lives to allow any negative emotion impact it.

Although you can’t help but think that your steps are guided by some sort of negative emotion when you find yourself into the kitchen, grabbing another beer to toast to your friends.

“To Will and Benny, finally committed and off of our hands,” Santiago toasts, and you all laugh. “Girls, best of luck.”

“Here, here!”

You feel your phone buzzing in your pocket, and you swiftly notice a text from Rose: “Be there soon, max one hour. Sorry for the delay!” You don’t know why, but your stomach drops. Rose will be there soon, why do you feel so disarmed and hopeless? It doesn’t make much sense, and you don’t try to dig deeper. Not tonight.

You’re feeling a bit of a mess, so the best you can do is smile and nod along, drinking cheerfully along your very joyful and gratified friends. You look at them all, admiring and holding out hope for all of them, so much so that you forget about yourself momentarily. Just for one moment, you forget about the confusing mixture of feelings and how it fucks you up in this very moment.

So Will is engaged, Benny’s getting his own place with his girlfriend, and Frankie is engaged. That leaves you and Santiago as the lonely bachelors in the group.

Except Santiago’s smitten with Rose, and vice versa, and you have a feeling those two will end up together. Which means, when that’ll inevitably happen, it will be just you. Stuck in the same cycle, no matter how hard you have tried to run away from it or tell yourself you changed.

Definitely should’ve taken a cab. Tonight requires a whole lot more drinking.

Music starts blasting in the speakers, with the two happy couples and Frankie settling for an excited talk regarding the upcoming nuptials and move-in. You settle in the kitchen, taking a seat and sipping from your beer while your eyes remain on the five people on the couch. There is an odd sense of melancholy washing over you, like you are an intruder in all of those people’s lives, and that they’d be much happier without you. Like their lives would also be easier without you.

“Hey,” Santiago’s voice brings you back to earth. “You okay?”

He takes the seat next to you, nudging you with his shoulder. “Yeah,” you reply flatly, voice a little shaky, too. “So many good news tonight already, it’s… a lot.”

“I’m pretty surprised myself. More by Benny, not Will. Will’s got this commitment thing covered. Benny, on the other hand…”

You chuckle, staring at the bottom of the beer that’s dangerously close now. “But look at him now. A grown man, our Benny.”

“They’re all moving on, building their lives.”

“Yep.”

“Guess it’s just you and me now. The last two bachelors of the group.”

You purse your lips together, staring at him in a haze. “Maybe you and I should’ve given this a proper go.”

Santiago smirks, eyeing you up and down.

“Is that so?” he smiles.

“We might’ve actually had a real shot a while back.”

“At the very least we could’ve followed through with that little moment in the car.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“One complete and good memory from back then.”

You nod, reminiscing of the time when you returned to town for a few weeks, a couple of years back, and decided to try something new. You thought it was the right thing to do, but the short-lived romance proved otherwise for you both.

“Or we might’ve screwed things up completely,” you say.

“Or that.”

“I mean, look at me and Frankie. One wrong move and it’s all fucked up.”

You sigh deeply, your head now resting in the crook of Santiago’s neck. He smells of cologne and forest, fresh and… uncomplicated. His arm wraps around you, pulling you in closer.

All under Frankie’s eyes.

He can’t stop staring at the two of you, so close and intimate in the kitchen, and his mind starts to wonder, to fabricate little scenarios that make the room spin around him. It all comes crashing down on him when he starts to acknowledge the fact that you and Santiago make perfect sense.

“You good there, Fish?” Benny asks, hand on his shoulder.

“Hm?”

He’s blatantly staring and he didn’t even realize it till then. Now, his gaze returns upon those in the living room.

“You good?” Benny repeats the question.

“I’m good, yeah,” he replies.

“Cause… you were staring.”

“I was just… curious.”

Mia and Emily look over to the kitchen as well, then back at Frankie. “Oh, those two?” Mia chuckles. “Yeah, we’re curious, too.”

Frankie, instead, frowns.

“They’ve gotten very close in the past few years,” Will admits. “Not sure to what extent, but they sure are close.”

“I for one think that if there is something going on, we should give them some space,” Emily says. “Friends dating… it can be tricky to navigate. Let’s leave them alone in the meantime.”

Frankie gulps, finishing his beer, eager for another one. He stands up, heads to the kitchen, where he locks eyes with you and Santiago. The two of you separate, staring at him, but Frankie doesn’t say a word. He just reaches in the fridge for another beer, opens it and walks away, right outside into the cold.

He doesn’t care. He doesn’t care. He definitely shouldn’t care.

“What’s with him?” you ask.

“I have no idea.  Maybe it’s the stress of planning a wedding.”

“Right.”

The doorbell is heard, turning towards Santiago with a smile. “That’s Rose.”

You see him take a deep breath, his mind clearly racing just as much as his heart, and you know he’s overthinking the moment. You have the same look on your face when you do it.

“Go,” you nearly push him off the chair. “Why are you still here?”

“I’m going, okay? I don’t wanna seem too eager.”

“You’re reeking of neediness already. Go.”

When you’re alone in the kitchen, you have the nerve to finish the beer, then raiding for another one. You’re probably going to regret this, but you need something to take the edge off.

You spy into the living room, noticing Santiago and Rose emerged into a conversation filled with shy smiles and flushed cheeks, and you smile. God, I hope this works between them. They’re too good for each other to not make this work.

But life sometimes has a funny and cruel way of pulling two perfect people apart from each other. You’ve experienced it firsthand, and you’d hate seeing this happen to two of the dearest people in your life.

You keep hearing music, and after a while, those in the living room start dancing with each other and you take that as your cue to leave. You feel like an extra there, just looking at the happy couples giggling and talking to each other.

Before you know it, you find yourself outside, slowly inhaling the cold air. You’re a bit tipsy, so this is just what you need to remain grounded in the present. A present where you’re basically left behind, alone, just you and the professional ladder you are desperately trying to climb in order to feel like you are achieving something.

By all means, you are happy. You have a great new job, great life, health… everything is good. So there is no reason for you to be feeling like this, is there?

“It’s freezing, you should get back inside,” a voice shouts.

You come to realize that it’s Frankie. He’s on the porch, few inches away, barely staring at you.

“Could tell you the same thing,” you say.

“I happen to be okay with the cold. I know you hate it.”

You tsk, hating how much he still knows about you. You stare into the far off distance, beer in hand. Luckily the alcohol keeps you a little warm, so you don’t really care about the freezing temperatures right now.

“Needed some air,” you say.

“Aka a break from all the happy inside.”

“I didn’t say—“

“You didn’t have to.”

“Would you just—knock it off?”

It is now that you turn to meet his gaze, fury radiating from your eyes. He can feel it, too; you see it in his body language, the way he’s trying to make himself seem smaller next to you. But he doesn’t avert his eyes. Instead, he seems to be staring right at you, with a certain darkness in his eyes that you fail to recognize.

“Look, I’m tired of this, Frankie,” you surrender. “I am sick and tired of trying my hardest to be distant and keep you at bay… and I’m sorry I’m acting like a bitch. I am not, I’m really not.”

“I know you’re not. You got every right to act this way, though.”

You chuckle. “Well, at least you understand what the situation is.”

“Of course I do. I’m not an idiot, okay? I know this is… fucked up and hurtful and messy… but I miss you.”

The moment he says that, your heart begins to race like crazy.

“As a—friend,” he clarifies, gulping.

“I want us to function normally too, like we used to, but I don’t know if it’s possible, Frankie. I gotta respect you and Andrea’s relationship, and… a single woman is not to be around a committed guy.”

Frankie scoffs, finishing his beer and putting the empty bottle on the porch, half in snow. “Single? Really?”

“Yes, really. Why?”

He falters, trips over his own thoughts, and he keeps quiet. It’s his best play at this very moment.

“I missed you too,” you confess shyly, in an almost non-existent voice.

But he hears it. He hears and sees you crystal clear, burning and aching with his whole body. He should not be feeling this way. He should not be surprised that you’d be interested in Santiago. He should not be upset by it, nor should he be feeling this way around you. It’s not okay. It’s not normal to burn this much for someone.

And yet here he is, secretly doing it anyway, and shoving it deep down with every ounce of strength imaginable.

You sneak a peek through the window, noticing Rose still talking to Santiago, seemingly laughing out loud, and your heart quickly swells and then deflates. When you finish your beer, you find Frankie to stand much closer to you, cutting out the air from your lungs. You barely feel the cold anymore, even if your fingers turn purple and your face is red with something you can’t quite discern.

“I’m really sorry that I let you go,” he mutters. “I was a dick. Pope reminds me once or twice a year.”

You actually chuckle. “Good.”

“He’s a great friend.”

“That he is.”

“And you guys seem to be very close. Kind of like…”

“We used to be?”

He nods. When your eyes meet and neither shies away, it’s electric. It’s a rush, a moment filled with unspoken emotion. You want to look away, you know this should not be happening, and yet you can’t look away. It’s years of deprivation, missing him and missing the two of you, but you just don’t want to look away from him.

You just want to look at him, admire him for the man that he’s turned into. Nothing more.

“I missed you,” he repeats, his voice almost like he’s begging. “So much.”

You don’t reply. You can’t really focus; your mind is foggy, clouded by all sorts of emotions tonight, and you know you should back off, act with respect. Because, at the end of the day, you do respect Frankie and his relationship with Andrea, and you respect Andrea just as much.

Every cell in your body screams at you to just back off, go back inside to your friends and celebrate alongside them. You swear you moved your feet in the desired direction. You start to feel warm again, warm all over, particularly your face.

Seconds later, you realize that is because there is warm breath all over your face, and your lips become swollen, reddened with a foreign, yet familiar and much needed touch.

Another few seconds later and you realize that Frankie’s lips are on yours, and his hand cups your cheek, pulling you in.

The worst of it is, you kiss him back. You kiss him back till you’re running out of air and Frankie’s breath is the sole source of air that you have. You kiss him back till you become fully aware of the implications, and then, before you can pull away, Frankie does it first.

He pulls away from you, his lips just as swollen and red as yours, and he stares at you in shock. Truthfully, you’re just as shocked, unable to utter a single word.

“I’m so sorry,” he coos, looking around in disbelief. “I am… so sorry. I shouldn’t have… I should go.”

You still don’t say anything. You simply stare at him, incapable to remove the feeling of his soft lips pressed hastily on yours.

He’s slowly backing away from you, eyes locked with yours, as he keeps muttering “I should go”. So he goes, leaving you half frozen on the porch, with a taste on your lips that nothing would ever wash away.

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#frankie morales #frankie morales x reader #frankie morales x you #frankie morales x f!reader #frankie morales x female reader #frankie morales fanfiction #frankie morales fic #francisco morales #francisco morales x you #francisco morales x reader #francisco morales x f!reader #francisco morales x female reader #francisco morales fanfiction #francisco morales fic #triple frontier fanfiction #triple frontier #pedro pascal #pedro pascal fanfiction #pedro pascal fic #sweet lies series

[miguel-ohara-wifey]

Thank you so much! I was thinking about some fluffy hcs like the pet names one you just did but also in general what it would be like to date him! I just love him so much QWQ

I see you I see you, ask and ye shall provide 💜💜💜

Dating Spider Noir headcanons

Rating; Fluff

-It was fairly easy to get past Peters self imposed isolation. Cause by all means the wall he uses to keep everyone out is relatively weak. Especially when he met you. “Your sweeter than sugar” by his words, “And more intoxicating than the aroma following rain.”

-He saved you from a Nazi gang attacking the women’s shelter you volunteered at. The gang would launch more attacks after there first failed effort, so he saw you quite often. He’d try to deflect conversation but his classic techniques didn’t work on you.

-You two would talk about your favorite stories on the radio, your favorite books, it was refreshing how he’s always curious about your hobbies. Instead of whistling at you or trying to smack your ass.

-You were a soft poppy flower growing in the sea of concrete and corruption that was New York City. He can’t help but become addicted to your mere voice, as well as the satin feel of your hugs around him.

-He was bad at hiding his fondness for you to boot, everyone in New York City might as well have known. Nobody would dare mug you knowing full well the smite of spider man would come back ten times harder on them for it. Not to mention you’d find a few dollars on your kitchen table, with a note saying “For your dinner tonight ❤️”

-You couldn’t imagine anyone finding him intimidating. He was oblivious to basic social cues, he’d randomly start monologuing in between your conversations about something vaguely related. Usually insisting to himself how “this is wrong” and “this’ll only end in heart break”.

-Only for him to end up in your bed, cuddling you as you snored. Anxiety alone kept him awake to watch over you, but a delightful world of warmth created by your bodies only separated by your clothes. He couldn’t break free, and he didn’t want to. As you continued sailing on the sea of slumber, he’d kiss your forehand and say “G’night Darlin.”

#spiderverse #Spider-Man Noir #Spider-Man noir x reader #spiderverse hcs #headcanons #requested writing

[miraculousfanworks]

Fanfiction Prompt

When Chat Noir suggested they sell hero merch and give the proceeds to charity, Ladybug was amused but willing to entertain the idea. Marinette even volunteered to make some of the initial prototype designs... Now, years later, she's inexplicitly found herself as the Chief Brand Officer for a media company that gives over €100 million to charity annually. They even somehow tapped Adrien Agreste to be CFO. She rarely sees Chat Noir himself around the office, though.

Prompt by The Rabbit

#miraculous fanworks #miraculous ladybug #ml #miraculous #mlb #writing prompt #prompt #miraculous prompt #ml prompt #adrien agreste #marinette dupain cheng #ladybug #chat noir #cat noir

[ecoamerica]

Watch the 2024 American Climate Leadership Awards for High School Students now: https://youtu.be/5C-bb9PoRLc

The recording is now available on ecoAmerica's YouTube channel for viewers to be inspired by student climate leaders! Join Aishah-Nyeta Brown & Jerome Foster II and be inspired by student climate leaders as we recognize the High School Student finalists. Watch now to find out which student received the $25,000 grand prize and top recognition!

#ACLA24 #ACLA24HighSchoolStudents #youtube #youtube video #climate leaders #climate solutions #climate action #climate and environment #climate #climate change #climate and health #climate blog #climate justice #climate news #weather and climate #environmental news #environment #environmental awareness #environment and health #environmental #environmental issues #environmental education #environmental justice #environmental protection #environmental health #high school students #high school #youth #youth of america #school

[intercoursefluids]

Well That Happened Chapter 10

“Okay, let me get this straight.” Jason started, subconsciously rubbing the bridge of his nose like Bruce sometimes did. “You want to get from here, to really high up over there, and jump on that dragon; and you’re saying that is the plan?”

“Yes.” Marinette said, nodding enthusiastically.

Jason’s eye twitched a little as he started at Marinette.

“That is the whole entire plan?” He asked again, probably hoping for a different answer.

Marinette gave another firm nod, a smile on her face as she glanced at everyone in the group.

Steph was turned around, facing away from the group as her shoulders shook with stifled laughter, Chat Noir had his head in his hands and was slowly taking deep breaths, and Damian was standing beside him, nodding along with what Marinette was saying.

“That is not a plan!” Jason exploded, throwing his arms out to his sides.

“Yes it is.” Marinette scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest as she glared at Jason.

“No! That is not a plan, it’s a vague idea of how you want to get from point A to point B!” Jason exclaimed, trying to get her to see reason.

“Its how I plan to get from point A to point B.” She replied smugly, leaning in ever so slightly to drive the point home.

Jason threw his hands up, turning to Damian imploringly.

“She’s not serious right?! You agree with me right?” Jason practically begged him.

Damian looked to the side, away from his brother as he shifted in place.

“I mean, a plans a plan and-”

Damian was cut off by Jason’s loud cry of disbelief.

“Are you kidding me?! You know what, no. You have a concussion, your opinion is invalid.” Jason said, waving him off.

Damian scoffed, leaning back against half a broken wall.

“I’m not concussed anymore, she fixed that, remember?” Damian reminded him before continuing. “Besides, we all read the pamphlet, we are supposed to defer to her judgement.”

Jason looked like he was about to argue when Chat Noir stood up.

“Yeah, he’s right. Mari’s plans never make sense but they always work, that’s why everyone usually just listens to her.” He explained, stretching and looking up at the dragon circling the Eiffel tower.

Marinette smiled, reaching down to grab half a broken pipe.

“It’ll work, you just don’t see it yet.” She said cryptically, peering out around the wall they had been using for cover to spot the Akuma.

It had gotten really quiet after Damian had been hit, they hadn’t seen the Akuma since either.

Marinette pulled back, glancing between Jason and Steph.

“Would either of you like to volunteer to-”

“I’ll do it.” Jason said at the same time Steph shouted.

“I’ll do it!”

Join Us On Discord!

Tag List:

@Dontbenddontbreak

@Its-maemain

@Toodaloo-kangaroo

@Doll246

@Jennifer-rose123

@Razzledazzle247

@Cydaeashootingstar

@Madhatter-crazyasahatter-blog

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@depressed-bitchy-demon

#maribat #ml x dc #dc x mlb #mlb x dc #marinette x damian #maridami

[ozpins-halfway-house]

it’s the bespectacled, cutest, kindest, caretakers birthday!! -🐈‍⬛

Mr. Oz: [blushes] Ah. It's not a big deal, really. It's just a day like any other.

#answers of hope #ozpin #noir (volunteer) #oz's halfway house au

[onekisstotakewithme]

Tell People About Your WIPs

make a list of all your WIPs with a brief description of each and then people can ask you questions about them and then tag other people.

tagged by the creator of this game, @mihrsuri, and will in turn say 'anyone who wants to, feel free' but specifically of the westie besties Lil didn't tag, I'm yelling at @claudiajcregg 💜 I've been agonizing over having nothing to publish for ages now 😭

Currently Active:

Close to the Heart, aka MASH noir AU where Hawkeye is still a doctor, and Peg comes to him wanting him to kill her husband.

the west wing post-canon wedding: CJ and Danny try and make it work after CJ decides to stay in the WH, can't make it work, break up... all of which is backstory to the two of them reuniting at Charlie and Zoey's wedding a few months later... and going from there

the "BJ accidentally follows Hawkeye to a gay meet up, learns some things" WIP that I have been agonizing over.

the valentine's day tww discord prompt fulfillment (I know I'm not in the discord but humour me, i did the christmas exchange) that starts during "Manchester".

Things that Should be Active (but Aren't)

the prompt fulfillment for the Josh/Donna Rom-Com exchange in which I Romcomify "Inauguration: Over There" (I have words written for it, but not many. that was a busy week lol.)

President!CJ - you know the drill. I keep calling it president!CJ but the actual name should be "CJ runs for President and Ally rambles her ass off trying to make it happen". Anyone looking for a full time volunteer job as my research assistant to make this story happy, apply within.

The Requiem First Time Smut - it's six thousand words long and contains only one orgasm so far. aka the wednesday night where CJ shows up and they 'don't reallly talk' (except nobody is naked yet because they can't stop fucking talking!)

Random WIPs that can't even be considered in the same realm as active, yes i'm as annoyed about it as everyone else.

tww plane crash au - on the way back from a summit in Japan, AF1 crashes on a small island in the South Pacific. This project is my baby but alas. Featuring bioluminescence, sex cabanas and copious amounts of Repentance.

sperm donor AU - canon divergent in s5 of tww, after slow news day et al, where CJ starts seriously thinking about her life post-administration... and having a kid. Coincidentally, Danny comes back into her life around the same time.

mash triad ski au - BJ and Peg go on vacation over Christmas of 1998, and meet another skiier when they all get trapped on a chair lift together 😉

triad wedding - I include this on every list (sigh) just because a whole draft exists, it just needs to be burned to the ground, chopped up with a machete and started from scratch and I burned out hard wriitng draft one. Anyway, final part of the first "arc" of Home verse. BJ, Peg and Hawkeye get 'married'.

Ambassador Spock - genuinely don't think I've touched this since 2021 but. Kirk is still captain of the Enterprise, charged with bringing the Vulcan ambassadors (Sarek and his son Spock) to a summit, "Journey to Babel" style only with more Spirk.

#tww #m*a*s*h #wip wednesday #(but make it thursday)

[maliceincandyland]

James (Pokémon) & His Inner Demons

James is a gangster who struggles with depression and has a paralyzing fear of commitment, but he’s a fighter.

James’s Past

TW: Abuse

James grew up wealthy, but left home when he was around 10. His private tutors were physically abusive whenever he got something wrong or showed emotion (AG147). His ex-fiancée, Jessibelle, was emotionally, physically, and sexually abusive. We see her try to r*** him onscreen and she’s done it in the past (Japanese version: “This is... the same stuff... you used last time.” English dub: “This is just like... This is just like... last time.”). His parents help her assault him because he’s only useful to them as someone who can produce heirs. They also didn’t let him have toys. He collected bottle caps in secret, but his mother threw them away whenever she found them (XY85).

In my opinion, James seemed to imply that he doesn’t want kids, with anyone, because of his parents’ abuse. That is, in SM46, Ash’s friend Lillie says that it’s unfair that her toxic mother expects her to bend over backwards for her. In the Japanese version, James says to Jessie, “Such is the fate between parents’ relationships with their children.” I take that to mean that he doesn’t like the idea of having kids, because only two episodes later, Professor Burnett drops the hint to Professor Kukui that she wants kids and he blushes. (As for Jessie, she’s never fantasized about having kids.)

James met Jessibelle at a ball abroad in his social circles. He got excited that someone noticed him for once and he thought she was pretty. In the DP series, so like half-way through the Pokémon series, he says that he was in “love” with her (Japanese and dub versions say “love”) but she broke his heart. He says this was the primary reason that he left home (DP153). Physical harm was one thing but manipulating his feelings hurt much more. When talking about this, his voice sounds like he’s going to cry, and he smiles when he recalls writing her a love letter. This makes me think that in DP, he thought that some part of him was still in love with her. Curiously, when James sees Jessibelle for the first time in years (Kanto 48), a jazzy noir-sounding song plays that’s called “Hiya, Hot Stuff!”

Of course, it isn’t love. Attraction, sure. But, during DP, he still had PTSD from her abuse, so any ‘feelings’ for her after they first met would be Stockholm Syndrome. I think the other reason that he thought he loved Jessibelle is because he doesn't (or didn't in DP) know what love is. Fortunately, he's quite sure that he is no longer in love with Jessibelle (Kanto 48, DP2, DP117, DP153). Even though he hates balls, because of Jessibelle, he manages to be Jessie’s date at a ball (a ball for regular people; not aristocrats) (XY105). He doesn’t enjoy it, but he doesn’t complain out loud, for Jessie’s sake. She has a great time at the ball.

After leaving home, James applied to Pokémon school and met Jessie, who was also applying (Kanto 9, Kanto 48). It would’ve been immediately obvious to him that she looks exactly like Jessibelle. We know that he knows that she looks like Jessibelle (DP153). He could have had genuine feelings for Jessie when he met her. But I think part of him would’ve wanted to have her replace his first love. The catch is that her looking like Jessibelle probably made/makes physical contact, uh, challenging.

James didn’t pass the school’s entrance exam. Jessie did, but she chose not to go (Japanese version of Kanto 9). So they joined a biker gang (Kanto 36, Kanto 48). At some point, they parted ways until they were adults. Jessie ended up joining Team Rocket. Then James joined and seemingly volunteered to be her partner. She was a femme fatale known as The God of Death, so she was always in need of a new partner, as no one wanted to work with her.

Although there are different ways that this flashback can be interpreted, it seems like Jessie and James recognized each other and that Jessie was upset with James (like if he left her or if they had a fight). I interpret it as him having left her because later on (in the Japanese version) he confesses that he tried to outrun his past and has been running away his whole life.

If James joined Team Rocket for Jessie, then that’s a rather grand gesture, because, in Pokémon, gangsters are highly stigmatized. They can leave Team Rocket any time they want to, but they would have trouble finding a job and a significant other. They could change their identity, but that would also be hard on a person. Never, ever telling their significant other and friends who they are and knowing that they wouldn't be accepted. The red "R" on their uniform is almost literally a Scarlet Letter. Three of Jessie and James's friends left Team Rocket, but they started their own businesses and made no attempt to fit in with ordinary society.

In any case, being in Team Rocket empowers James with a sense of confidence (DP139), and he seems to enjoy the military exercises (DP137).

Barbed Wire Fences

James’s traumas affect him throughout the series, but he becomes less and less affected over time.

On the positive side, James has strong boundaries and won't hesitate to cut people who cross them out of his life (Kanto 48, DP153, SM58). He does not allow others to manipulate him, play mind-games with him, or rope him into their drama.

On the other hand, when Jessie tries to get him to talk about how he's feeling, he typically ices her out (DP54, DP55, DP70, DP165, XY85, SM58, ATBAM 9, etc.). In DP117, Jessie saves him and his first instinct is to pretend that he doesn't care. She then tells him to stop lying, and he cuts it out.

When Jessie and James became partners in Team Rocket, he was standoffish. While his heart was in the right place, he was averse to accepting help. Jessie offered him her food ration because he didn't eat anything all day (she didn't either, as she gave the rest of the ration to Meowth), but he turned it down. Then she insisted, so he took it. She tried to keep him from falling in a river, but he intentionally let go of her hand. She tried to keep him from falling down a chute, but he let go of her hand. Anticipating that, she grabbed his wrist, and he got mad and insisted she let go. She refused, and he was moved.

However, he seems to have mostly moved past shutting out loved ones, as he is brutally honest about what he thinks, in SM58.

Heart of Darkness

James’s inner darkness also seems to affect his ability to be a Trainer.

A Pokémon is mostly an extension of its Trainer (ex. JN72). They pick up their Trainer’s mannerisms and interests because Trainer and Pokémon are bonded through their hearts. Sometimes the bond between Trainer and Pokémon is so strong that they can psychically sense where the other one is (XY28, XY30, XY68, ATBAM6). The Gym Leader Korrina calls this being “soulmates” (Japanese version of XY30).

When Pokémon battle, they connect their heart with that of their Trainer. They siphon some energy from the Trainer (a lot of energy if they do a Z-Move, G-Max, or Mega Evolution) and feel each other’s emotions. That’s what they mean when they say that a Trainer has a heart that’s true or a heart that’s pure. Trainers can also send energy to their Pokémon in other situations, like while riding the Pokémon (ex. XY53) or when the Pokémon needs energy to heal (ex. XY105).

Pokémon attacks are relatively weak if Trainer and Pokémon don't connect to each other's hearts, or if the Trainer's heart doesn't feel love. For instance, in AG177, Jessie and James Tag Battle Ash and Brock, using Pokémon on loan from Team Rocket Headquarters. It starts off well for Jessie and James. But battling seems to bring out the true feelings in their hearts because they start arguing about personal issues between them. The Pokémon, even though they don't belong to Jessie and James, start arguing with each other too, because their hearts are connected with Jessie and James for the time being.

In the SM series, characters learn Z-Moves, which are special moves that use the Trainer's auric energy to fuel the attack. The Kahuna (Gym Leader, basically) of Melemele Island, says that Z-Moves allow people to feel a Trainer's emotions, because it brings out a Trainer’s aura. Ash's friend, Kiawe, says that to use a Z-Move, a Pokémon and Trainer's heart have to become one, and then their combined feelings turn into energy that can be used in battle. But they can't be just any feelings; they have to be feelings of love for all living things. When using Z-Moves, they are to focus on their love of community, love for their fellow man, or love of Pokémon.

James's aura would not feel pleasant. It would be full of pain, fear, resentment, betrayal, and loneliness. It reminds of Howl’s Moving Castle when Howl’s depression is triggered. His hair turns black, green slime comes out of him and covers his skin, and dark spirits emerge from the shadows. Actually, the first analogy that came to mind was that feeling James's aura would be like blasting "Down With The Sickness" by Disturbed, but that's neither here nor there.

James makes a point of telling us that he’s black-hearted. In the BW series motto, he says he's "The pure heart of darkness" (Dub: "With thunderous emotion") who is "The hammer of justice in a black universe" (Dub: "Thrusting the hammer of justice down onto the black darkness of the universe."). In the SM series motto, he says he's "An exquisite talent and the perfect gentleman. A disciple of evil fighting back against this tragic world." (Dub: "The nobly heroic man of our times. The master of darkness fighting back against a tragic world.")

In mottos, the darker imagery is afforded to him. The clearest examples are in the BW series. We see James with black darkness behind him; and white light behind Jessie. We see James with a dark purple aura and a black background; and white light behind Jessie. We see James colored all-black and against a white background; and Jessie all-white against a black background.

In the DP series mottos, we see James stomping or hitting the ground and causing earthquakes or volcanic eruptions. We see Jessie soaring through the sky with whirlwinds, gentle wind, or gentle winds carrying rose petals (autumn leaves in AG188). We even see James with hellfire behind him and Jessie floating above him towards celestial white light coming from the heavens.

James's darkness isn't just metaphorical either. He's a mad scientist and a computer hacker who can get pretty lost in the madness. In XY124, he hadn't slept for three nights because he was too obsessed with building his mecha. If Jessie weren't around  to balance out his darkness, I’m sure he would end up consumed in darkness and madness.

Though Z-Moves require special crystals (Firium-Z for Fire attacks, Normalium-Z for Normal Type attacks, etc.), the attacks are still depicted as directly correlating with the Trainer's personality. James has Darkinium-Z and can use a Dark Type Z-Move called Black Hole Eclipse. Unlike other Trainers, Jessie and Meowth can also add energy to the attack since the bonds between Jessie, James, and Meowth are inseparable. However, this is really James's Z-Move and he is also able to do it by himself.

In contrast, Jessie has Mimikium-Z and uses it for a Z-Move called Let's Snuggle Forever. It's more like 'Let's snuggle forever because I'll suffocate you to death,' but it's pretty cute compared to Black Hole Eclipse. It's a Fairy Type move with a cutesy pose. James and Meowth are able to power it up with her.

Acquiring a Z-Crystal seems to require a test of character. Before getting Darkinium-Z, Jessie and James tell some petty thieves that they deserve better than their toxic friend who threw them under the bus. Jessie and James have a shot at getting the crystal, but their Pokémon all get knocked out, so they rush to their Pokémon instead. Ultimately, they do get the crystal anyway.

When James Tag Battles with the Gym Leader Gardenia, they lose; and she says that the main problem was that Trainer and Pokémon weren't in sync so they weren't battling as one. James loved Cacnea dearly, so how could that be? Maybe it's that James's heart is covered in darkness and this type of connection isn't possible for him. Maybe only Dark Type moves work for his dark aura. Maybe he didn't open himself up to others enough at that point in the series (DP54). Indeed, in the next scene, Jessie tries to get him to talk about his feelings and tells him to stop lying to her about being "fine." He just doubles down on saying that he's fine.

To answer that, consider * how * James learns Black Hole Eclipse. In order to learn it, James has to do some Jungian shadow work (SM58). That is, he has to have an honest conversation with his Pokémon, Mareanie, about what he will and will not tolerate in a friend (he detests emotional manipulation, drama, jealousy, people who are controlling, etc.). His terms are unconditional. Him telling Mareanie what to expect puts them on the same page and allows them to connect their hearts, now that James's shadow self isn't blocking the way.

♪ I Wanna Do Bad Things With You ♫

Jessie and James used to camp out and rent cabins, so they traveled light and could pack up and go at any time. They were lost souls wandering the earth. But then they get an apartment together in Vermillion City and make it homey. We see them travel to lots of countries, yet always returning to their apartment when they’re back in Kanto.

They even start a podcast (JN106) and YouTube channel (JN115), WhamBam-Z (dub: DumDumDum-Z) as Charm Deluxe (dub: Cosmic Charm Deluxe), Princess (dub: Princess), and Blue Bruise (dub: Bluesilocks). According to the Narrator, they continued thereafter to be content creators in addition to being in Team Rocket (JN106).

James even sacrifices his bottle cap collection to make pins as podcast freebies and sacrifices his PokéBall collection to give as podcast grand prizes. Jessie and Meowth had never understood his love of collecting things. To them, things only have value if you can use them or hock them for cash (XY85, SM4). But they understand what a huge sacrifice giving up his collections is, and are moved. James is moved that they appreciate the sacrifice, and that they see his collections as having value, just as he has always seen them as having value (JN106).

Nevertheless, for someone who's so afraid of getting close to people, living together must be a difficult adjustment for James. It used to be one of his worst fears (AG147). At the end of the series, they have a fight and James is very standoffish. I think that it’s mainly brought on by the stress and fears from them settling down together, because that’s the big change in their life in the SWSH series. It’s taking things to the next level. I could see that triggering his depression and making him build up walls.

Jessie is concerned that his heart isn't in being a gangster anymore. James is deeply offended. The viewer, at first, might think that he’s being defensive because he knows she’s right. However, we find out that she’s completely wrong and just projecting her fear that he will lose interest in being a gangster. He’s actually upset because he’s completely devoted to their job and to her. He’s insulted that she could lose faith in him.

Until they find new Team Rocket partners, they still have to work together. Since they're Field Agents who aren't out in the field, they work at Headquarters for a while. Interestingly, on one of their breaks, James drinks a Granbull canned coffee (so, Red Bull Cold Brew Coffee), which is a drink that Jessie once bought him, to show him that she wasn’t upset that he backstabbed her (SM132).

Jessie, James, and Meowth individually go off to do the same villainous scheme. Perhaps this is the same type of heart bond that allows Ash and Pikachu to sense where each other has gone when they are apart (ATBAM6). The fact that they had the same plan moves Meowth to tears and makes Jessie and James smile. They realize that the three of them are inextricably linked, and what initially linked them was their love of villainy. While Meowth is included in this bond, Trainers can have heart bonds with their Pokémon; but, as far as energy bonds between humans go, Jessie and James are the only characters shown to have one. Moreover, Jessie and James have promised to be at each other's side even in the afterlife (DP117).

Jessie and James used to cycle through lots of successful normal careers. In the finale, besides podcasting and YouTubing, they cast away their previous careers and embrace what truly brings them passion. Not always success, but passion. The thing that brought them close together in the first place - doing deliciously bad things together.

You can check out my Jessie character study here

You can check out my Team Rocket music playlist here

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