#Boston is going to get his shit rocked by Nick | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

liatronn · 20 days

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ROAD TRIP

summary - um i actually dont know what the summary is 😂😂😘🔥💔

warnings - switch!chris i think x reader, car sex, semi public? (correct me if im wrong), no use of y/n, use of pet names (ma, baby, princess) swearing, oral (m! receiving) use of lowercase

not proofread 💔

a/n: HI HELLO THIS IS MY FIRST SMUT BARE WITH ME PLEASE CHAT😣😣🙁🙁💔💔

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you’ve been in the car for at least 4 hours now with madi, nate, and the triplets. you guys are heading back to LA after being in boston for 2 weeks, the car ride was boring since all you guys did was argue. your boyfriend, chris, was in the front as always, and you madi, nate, and nick were in the back since matt was the driver, obviously.

about 40 mins in you guys reached a gas station, everyone got out to stretch their legs since we were all cramped up in the car. you guys went into the store for some snacks and some drinks, took awhile cause nick couldn’t decide what he wanted “nick, hurry the hell up bro im ready to go back to sleep” nate shouted at him.

“can you shut the fuck up i’m trying” nick shouted back. “can you both shut the fuck up” you spoke while walking out of the store heading back to the car.

as everyone was walking back to the car nick decided to sit in the front which left chris in the back with you, along with nate and madi. the car was a little cramped in the back since everyone had but their bags back in the back.

there was no room but there was one empty spot left and chris managed to take it. and it left you no choice but to sit on his lap, you knew how chris felt about it too.

he loves the way you adjust yourself on him, he loves admiring every inch of you, he especially loves seeing your back tattoo you got not to long ago. he loves looking at it every time you guys fuck. reverse cowgirl is definitely his favorite position now, missionary is still his first.

it was about 30 minutes into the ride and everyone kept yelling at each other while you were still trying to adjust yourself in chris’s lap, “whats up with you baby?” a slight smirk was growing on his face as he spoke. “nothing.. its just so crowded back here.” you said still somewhat adjusting yourself.

you finally adjusted yourself and you sat down on top of chris, took awhile, but you managed to work it out. “Playing games” by summer walker and bryson tiller was playing in the background to drown out the uncomfortable silence.

you rocked your hips a little bit to the song, slowing grinding on chris. he looks you up and down with a smirk growing on his face from the way your moving, you keep slowly moving back and forth on him until you felt him growing beneath you.

you turned around and looked at him with a small smile on your face. “sorry princess, cant help it.” he smirked ask he kissed your exposed shoulder.

another 2 hours passed by and you guys finally reached a town in the middle of nowhere, nick kept on bragging about how bad he had to use the bathroom, it took enough courage for matt not to sucker punch the living shit out of him because of how much he complained.

“hurry the fuck up nick, i don’t have all day.” matt yelled as he also got out the car. as you were getting up to follow everyone inside of the store, chris slammed you back down onto his lap. “so you think you just get me hard and not do anything about it?” he growled. you turned around and stared at him in silence as a small smirk started growing on your face.

you turned around and straddled yourself on top of him. you crept your hand onto his print that was noticeable, you palmed him through his pants and thats where he bottomed out. he was too embarrassed to look you in the eyes as you kept eye contact with him, his hips bucked into your hand practically begging for more as you palmed him.

“please ma..” he mumbled “please what baby, i told you to use your words.” you spoke. “i want you to..” you cut him off by smashing your lips against his. you’ve been waiting for his lips all day, it was only thing you really ever thought of. he whined as you pulled away from the kiss

your hands crept up his waistband “can i?” you spoke as you slightly tugged on it, he nodded rapidly. “words baby.” you softly spoke, “yes, please, please i need you..” he said under his breath. you slowly pulled down his pants along with his boxer, his tip was a light pink, a little red from his boxers. his tip was leaking with pre-cum, he was a good 8 inches but you were still surprised by his size.

“please mama, i need you so bad.” he whined as he thrusted himself into your hand. you began to kiss his neck, leaving noticeable hickeys. you make it back up to his mouth as you began to kiss his pink, swollen lips. you began to move your hand unexpectedly on dick causing him wince and whimper into your mouth.

“look at me baby or i’ll stop.” you began to pull his head up to lock eyes with him, he throws his head back and bites his lip. you slow down a little bit cause him to lift his head back up, he gripped his hands tightly on your thighs so you basically knew he was close, he was practically moaning like a bitch. you had to pretend like you weren’t soaked like a motherfucker.

you heard the car unlocked and quickly got yourself together before getting chris together. “we can finish this later baby they’re coming back” you spoke after giving him a kiss on his temple “but i can’t wait until later ma, i need you now” he whined while laying his head onto you, kissing your shoulder. “i know baby but your gonna learn how to wait for me” you spoke running your fingers through his hair.

“when we get home its my turn by the way sweetheart.” he smiled as he runs his hands up and down your waist. “chris you were just whining like a bitch, quit it.”

UM GUYS I DONT THINK I LIKE TIJS SOS HELP 🙁🙁💔 ermesies like i said tbis is my first so like bare with me and yea 😘

#sturniolo triplets #sturniolo smut #smut #chris sturniolo #matt sturniolo #nick sturniolo #christopher sturniolo #car ride #road trip #nate doe #madi filipowicz #Spotify #shitpost #first post

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waitmyturtles · 7 months

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THE MORNING AFTER: ONLY FRIENDS, EPISODE 8 ("TAKE A LOOK AT YOURSELF IN THE MIRROR AND CRY") EDITION

Oh my gosh, I am shaking my head and just laughing. I have no idea where to start writing this, but it's gonna be damn fun to pick this episode apart.

Because of the clues that Jojo Tichakorn (below) and Ninew Pinya dropped before and during the episode's airing yesterday, my mind was totally on Freddie and Queen. I captured the tweet below and couldn't help but think of lyrics.

And the episode was titled "Save Me"!

Before I go on, I have a little personal note. During my watch of MAME's TharnType, I talked a bit about the bigotry against the queer community that I grew up with in my Indian family. During my childhood, Freddie Mercury was -- everything. He was everything to me. A part-Indian man who blasted past any obstacles that could have held him back to become a superstar, while leveraging unbelievable talent. My dad often wanted to snap my Queen CDs in half to keep Freddie out of our house. Up until I went to college, when a new world of music awaited me, Queen was MY BAND. I'll never forget watching his memorial concert on television in 1992, watching Axl Rose destroy "We Will Rock You," and subsequently watching Axl host a Queen documentary on MTV that got repeated for years and years. This shit was formative to my childhood, and I'm gonna guess, to Jojo's and Ninew's childhoods as well. We be old bags in here.

I'll get back to Freddie in a few minutes. but besides all of the Queen themes (quick note: the dude that Sand was about to make out with was wearing the same costume that Ninew caught in his IG stories, as Freddie sang "Love of My Life"), oh my fucking god, did this episode ever touch upon ephemerality, highs and lows, change, and a resistance to change that people have unto others.

Top and Cheum -- especially Top -- were clutching their pearrrrrllllsss at Mew's changes.

Top and Cheum notice that Mew's trying on a new suit. And Mew admits it! He says to Ray in the bookstore -- after the most BRILLIANT call-out to a BL trope if I ever saw one, the CRACKING of the romantic memories montage, which, omg, are we EVER seeing in Dangerous Romance, like three times a bleeping episode, LMAO -- "I'm bored with myself."

I love -- I hate it, but I love that this episode calls it out -- I love that Top and Cheum are calling this behavior out as if it were a bad thing.

Is it?

.... is it not okay for university students to take a bump of coke if they're curious about it? Barack Obama did it -- and Obama admitted it, AND wrote about it, AND became president, twice. Judge him, I dare ya.

On another side, Nick susses out Boston, and wants to check in with him. Boston wants Nick to go bye-bye. Nick tries a guilt pull. And Boston ain't having it.

Fuck. (Side note, Boston was my man this episode.)

I'm shaking my head in wonder for Mew and Boston to be addressing Top, Cheum, and Nick in this way. We've established (here and here, cc @ranchthoughts and others) that the kind of toxicity that this OF group of friends exhibits is just -- common, and pedestrian, and awful to think about existing, but in part, it's so awful for us to be thinking about it, because actually, it's ever-present in our lives, and so many of us survive dealing with other people on a daily basis by using means by which to ignore or avoid that toxicity, like our addictions to our phones, or addictions to other vices, like sex and drugs -- which takes us right back to Only Friends.

The dynamic I saw happening in this episode was like vultures (the friends) circling their prey (their friends), but instead of the friends eating their friends -- what some of the friends are doing is trying to correct the behavior of their other friends. Top and Cheum want Mew to... go back to being the old Mew, maybe. Nick wants Boston to know -- morally, I think you're a bad person. And Boston says, I paraphrase, "see. if. I. fucking. care." and literally creates the NeoTitle ship before our eyes, lmao, all while walking silently and ignoringly away from Nick.

Top, to Mew, says, "Are you sure?" Are you sure you want to be like this now, Mew? Cheum shares with Top her concern about Mew's changes, and literally teams up with Top to bring Top back to Mew to, what, straighten Mew out?

Last time I checked, Mew's a big boy. Mew's made his decisions to be with Ray, to drink with Ray, to snort coke with Ray. Are those behaviors questionable? Sure. Are they normal behaviors for a university student who is bored with himself, and wants to try something new? 100%.

I have written before, in my review of Theory of Love, that while behavioral change can oftentimes be massively difficult, there's another side to change that needs to be considered. When one person changes -- there are many others within that person's sphere that do not want that specific person TO change. If one individual changes, within a worldview of a group -- that changes a group dynamic. People like Top and Cheum are unsettled that Mew and Ray are dating, and that Mew's getting wasted and high. Are they rightfully concerned for Mew's health? For sure. But what about Mew's agency and happiness? Are the friends understanding that this is actually Mew's choice to do these things, regardless of how the friends judge his specific actions?

The fact that Top and Cheum are questioning Mew's agency, to me, is a ROOT, a FOUNDATION of the awful toxicity of this friend group, BESIDES the general drunkenness of the group, and Ray's particularly contradictory and dangerous behavior. THERE IS NO TRUST IN THIS GROUP.

Top and Cheum do not TRUST Mew -- an adult young man!!!! -- to make his own decisions. Cheum doesn't trust Boston with her little bro (oh, woops on that, big sis). Almost no one trusts Ray, although I'm not sure about Mew on that. Boston doesn't trust Nick. The list goes on.

Without trust, without a foundation of love and respect, without an acknowledgement that individuals within a group have agency to live their lives independently -- what you get in a group dynamic is UTTER mush, just a bucket of vomit like what we're seeing here in Only Friends. I am OBSESSED that Jojo and team are picking this apart SURGICALLY, and asking US to question OUR, the viewers', judgement of all of this. These friends are contradictory as fuck. Boston was SO right to ask Nick: "who are you to judge?" Nick acted as filthily as Boston in violating Boston's privacy and rights -- TWICE, bros, TWICE.

And Top.... @lurkingshan said it the best yesterday when she made sure the girlies knew that what Top was doing TO (NOT FOR, TO) Mew at the end of the episode was not consensual. Welp. Tie up Mew's agency with a bow and throw it out into the fucking dumpster, Top.

I haven't touched as much on the Sand/Ray dynamic in this post, but of characters that are acting at least consistently to their... what, their moral judgements or ethical structures, at least Sand, Ray, and Boston remain consistent in my eyes. Anyone who was surprised at Ray's behavior in this episode -- it was bad and icky, and the episode laid it on thick, but I found his behavior to be expectedly toxic.

This was a two-steps-forward-and-one-step-back episode for Sand, as I see it, as he stepped in to try to keep Ray from going to jail (and how interesting was it that it was Top who ended up sealing that deal). One other note about Sand: the show HAS to be making fun of First's inability to sing, right? That guitar practice in 2/4, oof. And to have Sand dress up as Freddie, one of the most magnificent singers in rock -- ironic. We know that Sand doesn't aspire to be a singer; he just wants to go to festivals, and... that's the right decision, my dude.

Anyway. To bring this back to Freddie and Queen. Talk about shapeshifting. In his 20s in the 1970s, Freddie Mercury started out with long hair and flowing, robe-y costumes. As the 1980s progressed, he took on an identity of a mustachioed, slightly muscular man -- very, very closeted, but clearly gay to anyone who caught the signal.

The dude that Sand was about to make out with at the party? He made a reference to Mary Austin, Freddie's longtime companion and best friend. They were lovers for a short period, before Freddie came out to her. And they remained friends all of the rest of his life. While Freddie died with a longtime lover by his side in Jim Hutton, Mary was always present and devoted to Freddie. Mary's presence often caused consternation with Freddie's lovers, especially after his death, what with inheritance controversies. But no one ever questioned Mary's loyalty, and her commitment to keeping Freddie's identity secret and safe.

Freddie and Mary's friendship was in part a protective arrangement for his life in the closet. He only revealed he had AIDS the day before he died. But Freddie claimed the friendship, claimed agency to it, and wanted it in his life. The friendship was steady, and never wavering.

Quite the opposite of the devotions, or lack thereof, in this group. These young folks are demonstrating NORMAL resistance to watching each other change. But while that resistance is normal... it doesn't make it all the less toxic. I'm afraid that as of right now, I read that all of these friends want to sell each other out for the sake of their own selfish desires, and for the benefit of their own worldviews alone.

HAPPY SUNDAY, Ephemerality Squad, if we can be happy after this demonstration of toxicity, ha! @slayerkitty @ranchthoughts @chickenstrangers @lurkingshan @twig-tea @distant-screaming @clara-maybe-ontheroad @neuroticbookworm @elizabethsebestianhedgehog @thatgirl4815

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0-r-a-y-0 · 5 months

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Headcanons— Nick #1

In which: relationship headcanons for Nick and Jasper

I’m back at #1 because it’s headcanons!!

• spends so much time together. Jasper is almost always at the triplet’s house

• Jasper has shown up on Nick’s personal channel AND as a guest on the triplet’s channel.

• It took a while for them to officially come out as a couple. But they’ve been dropping subtle hints on YouTube + their Instagram.

• Before they came out, Nick would post photos on his story with little bits of Jasper. Maybe a picture of Nick but then Jasper’s hair could be seen below him or something

• After they did come out on the internet, Jasper was a guest on their podcast.

• Matt and Chris are CONSTANTLY teasing them. Always messing with them and mentioning them together on their YouTube

• Nick is HEAS OVER HEELS for this man. They’re both so easily wrapped around each other’s finger and are obsessed with each other.

• They always communicate about each other’s feelings so much and is what really keeps their relationship strong.

• Nick is a morning AND a night owl and Jasper is a night owl. He loves sleeping in and won’t like Nick getting out of bed until he’s fully awake.

• Jasper is definitely clingier. Nick doesn’t mind PDA but isn’t ever really the one initiating it, it’s mostly Jasper. Though, Nick loves giving Jasper hugs a lot.

• They switch between big spoon and little spoon, it doesn’t really matter to them. Sometimes they’re just laying next to each other and hugging on another, sometimes Nick will be laying on top of Jasper and sometimes Jasper will be laying on top of Nick; it changes all the time.

• Jasper has gotten Nick into some rock music (and I believe that Jasper mainly listens to rock but he always really fucks with Melanie and all them so there really wasn’t much introduction when it came to them)

• When they aren’t together they’re always talking about each other. Nick isn’t the type to kick his legs like a teenage girl talking about one direction but he definitely smiles and blushed a lot. THOUGH on the other hand, Jasper kicks his legs and blushes a lot.

• They love going shopping together and like finding clothes for each other. They also LOVE trying out each other’s styles.

• Jasper gives Nick massages when he’s stressed and he’s so good at it too.

• Jasper acts so tough and callous around others but around Nick he’s like the complete opposite (and Matt and Chris get to see some of that too)

• Nick loves getting random gifts for Jasper. Maybe he sees a record or a CD of an album he knows Jasper likes, he buys it immediately. Or maybe a random Candy he knows he likes, puts it in the card right away. In return, Jasper makes him random prices of art. Jasper paints him things, poetry, pottery, or random notes. In short, Nick gives him store bought things and Jasper gives him homemade things.

• They made each other those burr baskets(?) Like a basket with like random things they know the other person likes.

• They gave each other sweaters on Dec. third.

• Jasper made Nick watch Nightmare Before Christmas with them

• they’re both huge Winona Ryder fans but Nick has only really watched Stranger Things (and MAYBE heathers) so Jasper introduced him to Girl Interrupted, Mermaids, etc.

• Most of their dates consist of stay-in movie nights, picnics, and sometimes concerts. They never really go to fancy restaurants or anything unless it’s like their one year anniversary.

• They love playing with each other’s hair and wearing each other’s clothes

• Jasper has went to Boston with them so many times and he’s met Nick’s parents + Justin on multiple occasions (and they love him btw)

• They’re so chaotic and just a mess with each other. They cannot be trusted to go into any store alone, they’re both impulse buyers and they are bound to come out and it’s the most random shit and probably in debt.

• Nick has Jasper’s curly hair products in his bathroom because he spends the night so much. (Jasper has his own products as his own house too)

• Matt and Chris are always telling them to get a room whenever they do ANYTHING. Chris especially.

• Jasper is now Nick’s designated driver, he will drive him anywhere at anytime.

#nicolas sturniolo #nick sturniolo #sturniolo fanfic #sturniolo triplets #the sturniolo triplets #christopher sturniolo #matthew sturniolo #chris sturniolo #sturniolo #matt sturniolo

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mirmoria · 6 months

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ONLY FRIENDS ENDED OMG. I'm glad I wont be spending every moment waiting for saturday to come around but boy do I have some thoughts.

-SANDRAY ENDED BEAUTIFULLY GOD BLESS. they confirmed their bi4bi situation in literally tHE.BEST.WAY.POSSIBLE like,,, Kiera Knightley?????????? AND THEN THEY DANCED TOGETHER skjshshshsh SO ADORABLE I WILL LITERALLY EAT ROCKS I HATE GAY PEOPLE SM. Ray making everything neat and clear to Boeing while Sand stood in back looking all smug and shit had me jumping in my seat. ALSO WHAT THE FUVK I was not expecting the three of them to actually kiss. It was hot, yes, but it still caught me so off guard.

Sand kissing Top was something I didnt not know I needed. Top has never looked more scandalized and I love it.

Speaking of Top, I skipped through pretty much all topmew scenes. It felt like they were shoving their relationship down our throats. Like I get it. They're happy. they also took up so much screen time THAT COULD HAVE BEEN USED TO FIX MY MAJOR MAJOR MAJOR ISSUE. Boston.

You're telling me that you made me bulid an emotional connection to this man only for you to LITERALLY leave him on the side of the streets???? It felt so unsettling. I respect how Nick walked away, realising his self worth and shit slay go king, but at the same time I hate that the last scene we got of Boston was of him being on the streets, lonely and friendless despite trying so hard. Why didnt we get to see his growth in New York, why didnt we get to see him happy, why didnt we get to see Nick's growth, why didnt they get their happy ending, why weren't they included in the final scene when Cheum and April, two people most of us have little to no attachment to, were??? It felt like the creators really tried, gave up and then proceeded to just pretend Boston and Nick were never really a part of the story at all. It felt so incomplete.

I also would have loved to know what Boeing's final goal was. The creators made him do way to much only for him to be, again, cast to the side and forgotten.

The only thing that went right was Sandray and for that reason I shall sleep well tonight.

#only friends the series #sandray #boston #bostonnick #y #topmew #only friends ray #only friends sand

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invisiblegarters · 7 months

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Only Friends Character Ramblings and Relationship Rankings - Ep 9

Last week, Ray was out there doing the most (to piss both me and Sand off), Mew thought the best way to get over Top was to live out Tove Lo's "Habits (Stay High)" and it wasn't working out for anyone, Nick was trying to get back into Boston's good graces and Boston was having absolutely NONE of it despite the fact that he very definitely misses him, and Cheum got lines for once and boy howdy, did people have a lot to say about it.

I had a really hard time with this one, because for the first time - whether because I am just so happy the stupid RayMew thing is finally over or because they gave me a break from my angst and anxiety, or because I just chilled out finally - I am liking everyone in this bar. So instead of ranking them from most to least favorite, I'm just gonna ramble on about them as I think of things to say.

Character Ramblings:

Boston. Look, Boston did nothing wrong at all this ep, he was just out living his life. It's not his fault his dick is apparently magic. He made zero fucking promises to anyone at all, and I'm getting kind of sick of everyone out here slut shaming him. Fuck that, and fuck them. There is nothing wrong with living your best promiscuous life, okay, so long as you're up front about it and use protection. And while we can't know if Boston does the latter since it's never brought up, he is the only character who has so much as mentioned it so I'm going to assume so unless told otherwise.

Also I was really impressed with Neo's acting this ep. I'm impressed all the time, but I really liked the subtle changes that came over his face the more Nick talked in that this is my final goodbye scene. Like the way he fights so much of it and tries to act so aloof and done with the whole thing but then every time his eyes find Nick's face...it was so good. And okay, I know it wasn't supposed to be funny but him just being like "peace" to his hookup was hilarious to me. I really don't want some tragic backstory for Boston and I don't want him to do a 180 on his entire life, but I think it's been clear for a while that he needed to hear a lot of what Nick said.

I just love this dude, okay? No apologies, no justifications. Just 💖

Rock on, Boston.

Sand. Yeah, I know what people think of him. Whatever. I am just gonna respectfully disagree with the lot of you. I don't necessarily agree with his choices, but I can't say that he's not making them with his eyes wide open. And honestly I don't read him as being unable to walk away from Ray. I read him as simply not wanting to. That's his decision. It's an active choice he's making. I wish people would fucking let him have it.

I also find it kind of hilarious that he's so okay with helping Ray cheat on Mew, even if he makes a whole point about how fucked up it is. Sand, you hypocritical little shit. Finally you get to be messy again - I've been waiting for it to pop up since episode six. And yeah, that's about as far as it goes. Let me be utterly frank here: this man could go out and start kicking puppies and I would love him regardless. I can see where he goes wrong, but if you expect me to vilify him for it you might want to settle down with some food and drink, because you're gonna be hanging out a while.

Still think he really needs someone comforting him for once. Do not think that will happen. Am sad about it.

Mew. I'm so glad to see rational Mew return. I hope that he's a little less quick to judge now, but I missed the direct guy we saw in that last conversation with Ray. I liked that guy, and I was happy to get him back. I think that we'll see some changes in him, and that's okay - it's good even. Being young is all about figuring out who you are and what you're into, shaping yourself towards the kind of person you want to be. I can't tell you how many different personas I stuck on at Mew's age. But one of his core traits did always seem to be a frankness that has been missing - or worse, not missing but deliberately aimed to try and hurt. I appreciated the reflection he clearly had this episode. I always knew he'd boomerang back though. Whatever people say, I knew he was too steady at heart not to.

I'm eager to see what this hybrid Mew will be like. I don't want to say that it was good for him to have what happened happen, because no one deserves it, but I do think that we're going to see a looser, less rigid version of Mew, and that part is good, actually.

Top. I've liked him for a while, and the trend continues. He got a little pushy this ep, but nowhere near as pushy as certain others I could name, and if I am not planning on acting like they are beyond the pale for it (and for the record I'm not) then I won't do it to him ether. I'm also not buying that he's been fucking his ex, either. Not until the show tells me. I made that mistake last week with thinking Ray and Mew were gonna bone down this episode and then I was wrong, and anyway I want to believe in Top. So I am going to continue to do that.

Atom, Daddy (I keep wanting to say Dapper here and that's not it, guys) Dan, and Boeing. Welp. Was wrong about Daddy Dan but not about Atom - I knew that boy was gonna get clingy. I have a feeling he's going to be a real problem. I am both nervous and excited to see what he does next, and how it will ripple outward. As for Dan, we'll see. I just foresee bad things coming of sleeping with the boss, even if he is as cute as Papang. And Boeing...I am so ready for him to come in and mess things up. I want Jojo to make good on his promise and for that man to be kissing errbody. I especially want a flashback to a threesome with him, Sand, and Top if he is indeed the ex (and I have no reason to believe otherwise, it makes the most sense to have Boeing pulling double duty rather than have him be only there to mess with Mew and Top). l almost wonder if he isn't really there to mess with the Mew and Top dynamic quite as much as we think since they're putting such an emphasis on him doing so and I have well-earned Trailer Trust Issues.

Nick. Oh, Nick. Nicholas. Nikeroni. The love junkie. I swear I was so mad at him when he kept encouraging Sand in his pursuit of all things Ray at the beginning of the ep, but I guess one stalker recognizes another, because literally nothing he said about Ray was wrong. And I have to admit that his little speech to Boston was actually really sweet, even if he had to be himself and literally follow Boston and a hookup to the toilet to give it. I was also amused that he was the one who introduced "Daddy" into his dynamic with Bossman Dan, and yet Sand had to explain to him what masochism was. I am proud of him for trying to move on but question the wisdom of doing so with his literal boss. He did say he'd be willing to lick his ass, I guess.

Cheum. She's back to being Miss Barely Appearing in the Show, but I enjoyed her relief to get Mew acting like himself again. I actually believe that she really cares about Mew and has his best interests at heart, and that she was worried about him. Did she handle it the best way? Not at all, but I understand the impulse. I don't think that Mew had to apologize to her but I like that she at least seems resolved now to let him make his own damn choices.

Yo. The woman's love life might be a mess, but she speaks sense and apparently she was also happy to fill Mew's ear with exactly just how far gone his totally real and not a farce boyfriend he swears was for someone else. Not that Mew wasn't picking up on it anyway, but it gives me a kick to think about the two of them talking about it. Why? Because I imagine she basically told him that the fact he didn't give two shits proved her point about his own damn feelings.

Ray. I know I said I wasn't doing this in order but I did leave him for last deliberately, because I think I'm gonna have the most to say about him. It feels like he's been in the back of my head nonstop for the last two weeks, in fact, so prepare yourself for a long fucking essay of me trying to work out my own feelings about him. Also I'm gonna stick in a keep reading cut here because I am going to touch on self harm and possibly suicide. Also not all my thoughts about Ray are pretty or entirely sympathetic and are very probably also incoherent. I'm not apologizing for that but if it's not something you want to read it might be a good idea to stop now.

It should be no surprise that I have had a hard time with this dude. I have talked about it. I find him largely unlikeable, and I will maintain until I'm blue in the face that I am supposed to find him unlikable, and I think that it's only because of Khaotung that I never really crossed over into loathing. Before you start, no I don't mean because Khaotung is pretty (although he is) or because I have a bias (although I do), but because he's an excellent actor, and ninety percent of the time you can see beneath whatever selfish shit Ray's pulling to the desperation that drives most of his actions - the clawing need to be loved, to be wanted, and the constant compulsion to keep moving, to live in the here and now, right now, and not think either beyond or before the very second he's in at the very time he's in it, because to think of the past hurts too much and the future is unfathomable.

The other ten percent is pure twenty two year old rich asshole though. Which is - well, not fine exactly, but understandable. All these guys are twenty some year old assholes. That's normal.

The hard part is reconciling these two things, I think. Both because of my personal experiences with people like Ray (both the asshole and the addict, joy), and because there is a temptation to either ignore the addiction to vilify him or use it as an excuse for literally every shitty stunt he pulls. Does his addiction exacerbate the other issues he has in his life? Yes. Does it explain a lot of his more volatile behavior? Also yes. Does it give him free license to do and say whatever he wants with zero repercussions, or give a good reason to shift the blame onto the people he regularly mistreats because he can't help himself and they should help him more? That'll be a hearty fucking no from me.

Addiction is very, very hard to deal with, both for the people experiencing it and for the people around them who can see a person they care for destroying themselves and generally can't do much about it, because ultimately the addict is the one who has to decide to make a change. And one thing I respect about this show is that it isn't shying away from the difficulties and realities of Ray's situation, both for him and for his friends. I know that people are very frustrated with his friends for not helping him and for basically being checked out, but to me it just hurts because I've seen that. I've seen that from people decades older than these guys. I'm not trying to excuse them, either - honestly, I fully agree with @thewayuarent in their post where they say that if they can't deal, stepping away fully is in fact the best answer (and that there is no shame in having to do so) - but I do understand it. It's not pretty to watch when we all know that Ray is suffering and pretty much aiming not to reach his next birthday, but I have definitely seen this sort of thing go down in reality, and everyone's threshold is different. I think it's very possible we're going to see even Sand, with his apparently unlimited well of patience for Ray, struggle and possibly break in the coming episodes.

If Ray does intend to take this rehab thing seriously - personally, I do not think he will (at least at first), mostly because he is not (yet) doing it for himself, he's doing it for Sand and possibly for Mew even though he very obviously still does not think he needs it or has a problem (or, to be a little more accurate, he might suspect he has a problem but he's refusing to acknowledge it. Also, just as an aside, I am very curious about his bargaining chip to Sand regarding rehab - Ray's asked repeatedly about Sand's dad and I am very curious as to why he's so invested in this. My guess is it has to do with his own issues around his parents but I do hope the show gives us some insight because there's something about it that isn't sitting right with me)) - I do hope that we see his friends take steps to help him. Because while it is ultimately on him to get better, there are things that they can do to help. They won't know these things instinctively, but I'd like to see them take this as seriously as they want him to (my personal belief is that Mew and Sand will, but I can't be entirely sure. Mew cares about Ray, okay, you'll never convince me otherwise, he's just...up until recently he reminded me of one of those people in my life who does not struggle with depression asking me why I can't just stop being sad. Yeah. That's Mew. It just doesn't compute in his head because it's not a problem he personally faces and he doesn't necessarily mean to be dismissive but he is dismissive because again, it's not a struggle he is familiar with. In his brain, it's as simple as putting the bottle/drugs down. I'm really hoping his spiral makes him more understanding of Ray's issues but there is also a real danger that he will be worse about them because he stopped so easily. I am leaning more towards him being kind and making more of an effort to understand rather than condemn. Not to mention Sand makes and sells illegal hooch and that's uh, gonna be a problem. You can feel it, right? Because I can feel it).

I got a little sidetracked, but all this was to say that I've been really hard on Ray, harder than a lot of people. So much so that I've been accused of being a Ray hater, lol. And I do find it kind of hilarious that these last two episodes have been what have induced me to be kinder to him, when a lot of others are increasingly losing their patience with his whole deal. For the record, I don't see a problem with disliking or even hating Ray (or any character) any more than I see a problem with adoring him - people have their own reasons for it and I can hardly throw stones when at least a quarter of my ire at him was because he is such an epic SHIT to Sand, who is MY ride or die just leave him be unless you're offering him the hug he so desperately needs baby blorbo. He's going to continue to be an ass to him I'm sure, I just now have reasonable hope Sand's gonna give it back in spades (more on this later) so I've calmed down on that a bit, lol.

I feel like a weird person, because the worse Ray gets the more I see the self-destruction in it. It's his casual dismissal of other people's feelings and lack of care that gets to me and makes me want to throttle him, not his big rants (except the whore comments which I still haven't forgiven although Sand apparently has because he's a better person than me). His big rants, however, have the air of someone who is trying to get himself hurt. He wants Mew to tell him that Top is a thousand percent better than he is and that Ray can never measure up, wants Sand so mad that he knocks him to the floor, wants them to lash out and return cruelty for cruelty, because it will prove what Ray has always suspected (known) deep down: he is unlovable. Eventually, he will become too much and people will become tired of his shit and bail. And if they won't? If they stay over and over and over again? He'll find a way to make them. I still maintain that part of his whole deal with Mew was that Mew gave him what he wanted, the kind of love he thought he deserved: you can come this close and no farther, because you are Too Much and you are Not Good Enough. The fact that Mew didn't intend to do that hardly mattered - it was a way for Ray to reinforce his own beliefs about himself and as much as it hurt there's a sort of satisfaction in it, too.

Like, I am not smart enough to explain this right but it's self-harm. It's not done in the way people associate with self-harm but that's what it is. Ray self-sabotages because there's a sort of vicious, sick satisfaction in confirming that this thing that he's always believed about himself is true - he is an unlovable burden who will eventually drive any and everyone who has the bad luck of caring about him away. And it also lets him continue along his path of addiction because 1 - it's fine if he destroys himself because he's such a pain that no one cares anyway and they might even be better off if he does and 2 - alcohol makes it not matter as much.

Ray wants to be loved. Ray will also make sure that it is near impossible to do so because in a strange way it makes him feel better and because if he admits that if he can be then he has to change his whole way of thinking about himself - and about why his mom treated him the way she did.

So yeah. Episode 8 did the thing. It finally made me recognize patterns I've seen before and I was just like yeowch.

And it's hard for me to articulate about episode 9, because there was still that element in some of Ray's interactions, but I think it also showed us the opposite side, too - a Ray who is actually capable of communicating beyond simply reacting in the moment. We've seen this before with both Mew and Sand, but never quite to the extent we saw in this ep. I am not one who believes that we've ever seen an entirely sober Ray, but I do think the show has done a good job of giving us shades of what that man might look like.

Unfortunately, I think it's gonna take us until episode 12 to get there, if we do. Because while I do think that we might see a sober Ray before then, I also think he's gonna be a lot nastier than even the Ray we were given in episode 8 (disclaimer that I am not saying that I believe that sober Ray is nasty, I am saying that the Ray who will be dealing with stuff he has been burying beneath booze and drugs for a long time on top of withdrawal is very likely to lash out - if he even gets that far. It's entirely possible the whole thing falls apart before it even starts). I could be wrong. I'd like to be wrong, because I am also very worried that the person who is gonna bear the brunt of it is Sand and as we've established I adore Sand beyond all reason (and I'm not saying Sand might not earn a measure of it - I'd like it if he did actually earn it, as opposed to Ray just attacking him disproportionately to whatever crime he thinks he's committed, you know?).

I don't think he's hit that proverbial rock bottom. I've said before that Ray also frustrates me because he somehow manages to skirt any real consequences for his actions. Even his car accident was pretty papered over, and his near arrest was taken care of by Top and literally all Ray could do was sneer that his dad would have taken care of it. It gets to me, but here's the thing: I can also feel something coming for him. I could be wrong, but right now I can hear that train whistle in the distance, can feel the vibrations as it draws closer, and I worry that it's going to be really bad. I don't think it'll be death - I actually believe Jojo that no one is dying although I could have egg on my face by the end - but not dying doesn't mean that someone (my biggest fear is Sand but it could be anyone up to and including Ray himself) isn't going to get seriously hurt.

I hope I'm wrong. We've only got three episodes left and I really want an upward trajectory from Ray especially out of this show - I know Jojo is capable of realistic bleakness (3 Will Be Free), but I really hope we're not going there with this show. I don't think we are. But there's still that niggling fear that we might be. Second season or not (ugh, sorry but ugh), I really really want ep 12 to end on a decent note for him. I'm not asking for him to be a new man, I'm only asking for a little hope that he's on his way to healing.

If you've actually gotten this far without bailing, we're returning to our regularly scheduled programming now. Promise.

Relationships (Most to Least Fave atm)

Nick & Sand. I just love these two. They are my favorite relationship in the show and I want more scenes with them. Everything from them bonding over their love for men who don't love them back to their attempted hookup and then giggle was just pitch perfect this ep. I would honestly watch an entire episode of the Sand and Nick show, if not more. I love how they support each other but I am so curious what Nick has been telling Sand about Boston because wow, does Sand hate his guts. I mean it could just boil down to the fight in the apartment but he also likes to bring up how shitty Boston treats Nick so who the hell knows. But yeah, they click and I love it.

Mew & Ray. What? They were good this ep, and I really hope that we see more of a genuine, loving friendship spring between them now that Ray's not constantly trying for more and Mew doesn't have to watch everything he says or does with him lest Ray decide it means Mew is interested in a romantic relationship. I also liked the fight between them (even if I wasn't a fan of some of the Nice Guyish things coming out of Ray's mouth) because it marks the first time we've seen Ray do that with him. Look. I am not saying that I like watching Ray go off on Mew for the supreme sin of not wanting his dick. What I am saying is that the fact that he could go off on him at all is a marked change from how he has been treating him since episode 1. Mew is not the idol Ray wants him to be, and I really hope we see him treating him less like some savior who's going to reach down and pluck Ray out of the depths of his despair and more like a real friend. And I'm hoping that Ray doing that will let Mew be able to care for him the way he clearly does without worrying that his love will be taken the wrong way. Basically I'm just really here for their friendship era without all the extra. Also would like to say that Book and Khaotung's acting in that last scene with them really struck me - both of them are more relaxed, the stars are completely out of Ray's eyes and you can visibly see the moment when it clicks for Mew that the "I love you" Ray is giving him now is finally the kind he can reciprocate freely and fully. I just love it.

TopMew. My endgame prediction, and I ship it a lot. I think we all knew that we'd get to where this episode left us eventually - Mew was hurt and humiliated but at some point I just realized he was gonna try again. Whether it works out, I dunno (although I said they are my endgame prediction), but in the same way that Ray owed it to himself to try with Mew and Sand owes it to himself to try with Ray, Mew owes it to himself to see if he can move past what happened with Boston. I think it'll be interesting to watch - we'll see what Boeing throws into the mix but even without him it would be interesting, because Mew's gonna be twice as guarded and extremely gun shy. I can't pretend I'm not looking forward to where this is going, whether it winds up being back together, something open-ended, or a book firmly closed.

BostonNIck. My favorite disaster couple. I have shipped this from the very start because I'm like that you can't stop me, and I continue to ship it even though more and more I think it will go nowhere. That's okay I don't need it to, and in fact I think that their fundamental differences on love and sex would doom them even if they did try. I just want to see how they're going to navigate whatever is going on with them now. Are we gonna see Boston being flat footed and trying to get Nick's attention (like it's hard, lol)? Will they just sort of wind up talking and both pretend that everything else never happened? Will they form an actual friendship? I think I'd like to see that.

SandRay. Welp I said that their dynamic was close to what I like but not enough, and this episode tipped the scales. I'm never gonna be a die hard shipper and frankly I believe these two are doomed to break (although I am back on my hope that they will manage to salvage a friendship out of it train, so that's nice), but that music room scene not only hit a very specific button for me, it smashed the damn thing down hard. Also the cheek kiss. That whole scene actually was shot a very very specific way to convey a very very specific mood and I'm kind of in love with it and how very different it is when you compare it to the scene in ep 2. I am very curious to see how Ray acts with Sand now. Very curious. Also, I just used very so many times that it no longer feels like a word.

I also think that this might be Sand's relationship to break. I kinda hope so. It would at least get us out of the cycle of Ray screwing things up constantly and then running back to Sand to patch things up. Also, admittedly a tiny part of me just wants to see Ray in shambles over Sand for once. The heart wants what it wants, and all that.

I am also very curious to see if Boeing is going to wind up screwing with their dynamic in some way. I know he's busy causing friction with Mew and Top according to next episode's preview, but I don't trust those things and there's also no reason the man can't pull double duty. Maybe even triple duty. I believe in him.

NickDaddyDan. Never getting over Nick being the one to introduce that dynamic. And while I approve of his trying to move on from Boston, I do not necessarily think doing so with the boss is the best overall move. See, here's my thing. I will put up with a lot, but the second you screw with my money you've lost me. Not only no but hell no, and fucking the boss is a one way ticket to making that happen. Because chances are good that as soon as that relationship goes sour, so then does the job. Just a whole world of nope for me. And this feels like it will inevitably happen. How does this reconcile with my love of shows like Jun & Jun, The Director Who Buys Me Dinner, The New Employee, etc? Simple. In all of those the genre I was watching basically guaranteed that wouldn't be part of the equation. Although in The New Employee it sort of was, since Seung Hyun was absolutely not hired to get at Jong Chan. It's one of the things that I praised Step By Step for actually - the fact that it was Pat who suffered for what both he and Jeng were doing. Because in real life, the boss rarely gets it in the teeth when this kind of thing is found out. Not to mention what can happen if you break up with a boss prone to retaliation. And Only Friends definitely leans more towards reality than most. So I expect to wince a few times here.

I don't know if I think that Dan is prone to petty retaliation. He seems sweet, if awkward. But the worry is there. We'll see how it goes.

#only friends #only friends the series #rankings #well sort of #mostly me rambling #a lot

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whomst-art-thou-whomst-whomst · 8 months

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Whomst’s Predictions for Ep 7 of Only Friends: SandRay Edition (spoilers)

Focusing on the “Rockstar and DisasterKitten” pairing here, because 1.) I’m wary of Boston and Nick’s never ending competition to be the bigger creep, 2.) the lesbians will overcome because they’re lesbians and we are capable of anything, and 3.) I am DYING for Mew’s villain era to take off next episode, so folks…it’s time for me to Overthink about SandRay.

Episode 6…Welp. Ray has hit rock bottom. I’ve been thinking from the start that this might need to happen, that Ray has been going through the motions of life while hurting himself and others for so long, it’s painful and unsustainable and he needs to face the music (IF ONLY HE KNEW A MUSICIAN OR SOMETHING FFS).

And it’s not just him that will benefit! His friend group is already splintered and becoming toxic—as Ray is one of the core members most invested and loyal to it, he is going to need to get his act together if their friend group is gonna survive and evolve to something healthy.

(Side note that while I love, love, LOVE, Mew’s little plot to confront Top about his infidelity alone, which he did in the most unhinged way possible—good for him—I’m also not crazy about Mew deciding to let his least-stable friend be seen as the bad guy by all their friends in the name of this scheme, and I hope he fixes that)

So. While I didn’t want to see Ray hurt, I think it was inevitable (to some degree) that for a big change to happen, he was going to need a wakeup call of sorts. Ray being Ray means this wakeup call would be as a result of his self-destructiveness. But I think this is what is going to turn things around—what I’m seeing in the trailer for the next episode already points to a Ray who is quieter, maybe more thoughtful, passing time with both Sand and his friends.

And as for Sand…sweet baby sunRay’s been barely avoiding havoc for years, and now the worst has happened—friendships ruined (he thinks), love interest pushed away, himself as the perceived cause of it all—so where does Ray go from here? Who sticks around when the chips are down?

AHEM. WE ALREADY KNOW WHO.

The guy who knows Ray’s bullshit and has seen and experienced the worst he can dish out, this is the guy who sees that sopping wet stray kitten in the alley and is like, you know what? I’m feeding him and giving him a bath.

I think we can all agree that Sand is one of the standout characters on this show by virtue of being done with everyone’s shit, but in episode 6, we saw him (along with everyone else) pushed to the limit of good/remotely sane decisions. Sand also needs to recognize that constant mini-dates, meeting his mom, deep emotional conversations and passionate sex have maybe caused them both to grow feelings. Oops.

And that’s why I’m a little worried.

Despite Sand’s maturity, boundaries, and self-care, we can see that he is only human and capable of falling into the same messes as other people. The big difference is that unlike literally everyone else, he holds himself accountable for things and takes responsibility for his impact on other people. And in episode 6, it was his decision to get the clip of Top and Boston, send it to Ray and tell him about his ex and Top, all while trying to maintain an air of distance, that constant refrain of “I don’t care what you do, it’s not like we’re together” in the aftermath of Boyfriend Activities.

The last part I kinda get—what a shitty birthday for Ray, realizing the guy you are falling for, who you maybe thought was developing feelings for you, has nursed feelings for someone else, and you feel too proud and scared and hurt to try to talk through it.

But it’s Sand giving Ray that info about Top that directly precipitates the disaster at Mew’s birthday party—following that, Ray hurls horrible insults at Sand in some desperate attempt to figure out what they are to each other (will Sand stay? will he give up on Ray and leave him? Ray is painfully vulnerable in his anger and confusion here) and drives off, clearly drunk. And yes, it’s Ray’s decision to get drunk and make an absolute mess before storming off into a dangerous situation (which he needs to hold himself accountable for), but Sand isn’t like Ray’s other friends and he feels responsible for Ray, even if he isn’t. So knowing that something bad happens to Ray after all of that mess—I think Sand is going to feel guilty.

For a guy as responsible and mature as Sand, stealing/sending that video and using Ray as the intermediary (regardless of intentions) was a low point for him, and I think he’s going to feel guilt for feeding into Ray’s self-destructive habits. This whole time, he’s managed to keep his hands clean of the Drama, but he decided to engage this time for the sake of revenge and it has collapsed spectacularly, with (he thinks) Mew staying with Top and Ray being the one to get hurt.

My prediction for next episode is that Ray will start getting his shit together—relying on his friends for real talk and support instead of drunken superficial reassurance, hopefully dialing back the substance abuse, taking a look in the mirror and making changes without hating himself. They need to TALK. Without alcohol or pride or insecurity clouding their speech.

So while Ray has hit rock bottom, Sand has to reassess things, too—in the trailer we see him caring for the injured Ray, because kiddo cannot stay away, “oh Ray’s the one addicted to me” uhhuh sweetie keep telling yourself that—and I think it’s time they get on the same page. I think they have the potential to be incredibly good for each other, they just need the chance to be honest and stop hiding.

UGH WHY ISNT IT THE 23RD NOWWW

#whomst #only friends the series

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piratewithvigor · 3 years

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My first thought in regard to every band that gets played on my radio station

ACDC: Every dad’s favourite band

Adams, Bryan: Every mom’s favourite singer until Michael Buble came along

Aerosmith: haha they thought Vince Neil was a lady

Alice Cooper: he’s a Game Of Thrones fanboy and I have proof

Alice In Chains: my sister doesn’t like them because she decided AC were Alice Cooper’s initials ONLY

Allman Brothers Band: good music for dropping acid to

Allman, Gregg: That’s too many Gs for one name

Animals: House Of The Rising Sun, or who even cares

Argent: Sometimes Hold Your Head Up is really catchy

Asia: Tuesdays

Autograph: one of the members went on to be a pharmacist

Bachman-Turner Overdrive: There are just so many pop culture jokes about Taking Care Of Business that whatever I say won’t be as funny

Bad Company: with their song; Bad Company, off their album; Bad Company

Benatar, Pat: Always getting her confused with Patti Smith

Black Crowes: I like them for Lickin, but it doesn’t seem to exist outside of one shoddy video on youtube and my old CD

Blackfoot: this band name feels kind of racy

Black Sabbath: Dio was not better or worse than Ozzy; just different

Blondie: I like Call Me, but Blondie confuses me stylistically

Blue Oyster Cult: MORE COWBELL

Bon Jovi: Hello, childhood trauma, I missed you

Boston: ONE GUY. ONE GUY DID IT ALL AND NO ONE KNOWS

Bowie, David: Don’t let your children watch The Man Who Fell To Earth, or David Bowie’s will end up being the third penis they see in life

Browne, Jackson: Another musician ruined by Supernatural

Buffalo Springfield: Jack Nicholson was at the riot they sing about

Burdon, Eric: no ideas, brain empty

Bush: ditto

Candlebox: ditto once more. Who are these people?

Cars: This band feels so gay and so straight at the same time, I can only assume they’re the poster children of bisexual panic

Cheap Trick: I played Dream Police on Guitar Hero so fucking much because it was the only song anyone who played with me could keep up with

Chicago: Chicago 30 exists, but they do not have 30 albums. Fucking riddle me that

Clapton, Eric: 6 discs in one Greatest Hits is too many. That’s called “re releasing your discography”

Cochrane, Tom: For some reason, everyone thinks Rascal Flats did it better

Cocker, Joe: Belushi did it right

Collective Soul: who?

Collins, Phil: If his biggest hits were done by MCR, they would be emo anthems, but because he’s 5′6″ and from the 80s, they’re not

Cream: *Vietnam flashbacks on the hippie side*

CCR: *Vietnam flashbacks on the war side*

CSNY: David Crosby; meh

Deep Purple: THEY’RE SO MUCH MORE THAN SMOKE ON THE WATER

Def Leppard: the only music for when you’re a heartbroken bitch but also a sexy one

Derek And The Dominos: Clapton and ‘Layla’ broke up

Derringer, Rick: Tom Petty if he was from the midwest

Dio: You thought it was an anime reference, but it was me, Dio

Dire Straits: You can tell how bigoted a radio station is based on how much of Money For Nothing they censor

Doobie Brothers: I have yet to smoke weed, but I listen to the Doobies, and I think that’s pretty close

Dylan, Bob: I take back everything I said about him in my youth

Eagles: Hotel California isn’t their best song, but the memes that come from it are second to none

Edgar Winter Group: @the--blackdahlia

Electric Light Orchestra: Actually an orchestra and sound a fuckton like George Harrison

ELO: I really hesitate to ask what happens with the 7 virgins and a mule

Essex, David: no prominent memories of him

Fabulous Thunderbirds: cannot spell

Faces: Who on earth thought that was a good album name?

Faith No More: I got nothing

Fixx: One Thing Leads To Another is a damn bop

Fleetwood Mac: I ain’t straight, but I’m simply not enough of a witch to enjoy them to full potential

Fogerty, John: He got sued cause he sounded like himself

Foghat: Slow Ride slowly becoming less coherent feels like a drug trip

Foo Fighters: He was just excited to buy a grill

Ford, Lita: deserved better

Foreigner: dramatically overplayed

Frampton, Peter: a masterful user of the talk box

Free: dramatically underplayed

Gabriel, Peter: leaving Genesis changed him a lot

Genesis: if someone likes Genesis, clarify the era, because yes, it does matter

Georgia Satellites: sing like you have a cactus in your ass

Golden Earring: Twilight Zone slaps, but it doesn’t slap as hard as this station thinks it does

Grand Funk Railroad: Funk

Grateful Dead: I like their aesthetic more than their music

Great White: there are so many fucking shark jokes

Greenbaum, Norman: makes me think of Subway for some reason

Green Day: the first of the emo revolution

Greg Kihn Band: RocKihnRoll is literally the most clever album name I’ve ever seen

Guns N Roses: They have more than three good songs, but radio stations never recognize that

Hagar, Sammy: I’m still trying to figure out where he lived to take 16 hours to get to LA driving 55 and how fucking fast was he driving beforehand?

Harrison, George: He went from religious to rock, and if he had continued rocking, he would have gotten too cool

Head East: I respect people who use breakfast foods as album names

Heart: Magic Man and Barracuda are played at least once every goddamn day. They’re not even the best songs!

Hendrix, Jimi: I have both a cousin and a sibling named after Hendrix references

Henley, Don: Dirty Laundry gives me too much inspiration

Hollies: Somehow sound like they’re both from the 60s and the 80s at the same time

Idol, Billy: he’s doing well for himself

INXS: Terminator vibes

Iris, Donnie: knockoff Roy Orbison

James Gang: too many funks

Jane’s Addiction: if TMNT had a grunge band representative

Jefferson Airplane: *assorted cheers*

Jefferson Starship: *assorted boos*

Jethro Tull: The only band to make you feel not cool enough to play the flute

Jett, Joan: icon

J. Geils Band: I requested them on the radio once and it got played

Joel, Billy: he really did just air everybody’s business like that

John Cafferty And The Beaver Brown Band: literally wtf is that name

John, Elton: yarn Elton sits in my basement, unstaring. Please someone take him from me

Joplin, Janis: Queen

Journey: Stop overplaying Don’t Stop Believing. It takes away from the rest of the repetoire

Judas Priest: literally started the gay leather aesthetic

Kansas: another fucking band Supernatural stole

Kenny Wayne Shepherd: the man confuses me to the point where he isn’t in the right place alphabetically

Kiss: Mick Mars and I will simply have to disagree on the subject

Kravitz, Lenny: runaway vibes

Led Zeppelin: Fucking fight me if you don’t think they’re the most talented band (maybe not the most talented individually, but collectively, no one comes close)

Lennon, John: My least favourite Beatle for reasons

Live: I got nothin

Living Colour: slap a decent amount

Loverboy: do you not get TURNT the fuck up to the big Loverboy hits? Who hurt you??

Lynyrd Skynyrd: Sweet Home Alabama is a Neil Young diss track

Marshall Tucker Band: no opinion

Manfred Mann’s Earth Band: VERY STRONG OPINIONS THAT THEY AREN’T GOOD

McCartney, Paul/Wings: Power couple

Meatloaf: I have nothing but respect for a man who willingly named himself Meatloaf

Mellencamp, John: voted cutest lesbian of 1987

Metallica: I liked their appearance on Jimmy Fallon

Midnight Oil: I get them confused for Talking Heads a lot

Modern English: who?

Molly Hatchet: Hollies vibes, but also Georgia Satellites vibes

Money, Eddie: DAN AVIDAN, IF YOU SEE THIS, COVER TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT

Motley Crue: Stan Mick Mars and John Corabi. They’re the only ones who deserve it

Mott The Hoople: no one loves them except for David Bowie

Mountain: props for naming an album ‘Climbing’

Nazareth: I want to make a John Mulaney joke here, but I can never come up with one

Nicks, Stevie: witch queen

Night Ranger: I get them confused with Urge Overkill

Nirvana: Kurt Cobain was the ally grunge needed

Nova, Aldo: he’s Canadian, at least

Nugent, Ted: *serves a ghost as jerky*

Offspring: nothing here

Osbourne, Ozzy: this bitch crazy

Outfield: Your Love is kind of a sketchy song, but it slaps hard

Palmer, Robert: low quality Eddie Money

Pearl Jam: *grunts in Eddie Vedder*

Petty, Tom: I have so many feelings about Tom Petty and they are all good

Pink Floyd: which one is Pink?

Plant, Robert: solo career is a crapshoot, but his voice is unparalleled

Poison: I want them to write a song called ‘Alice Cooper’

Pretenders: I want to say good things, but I have nothing to say

Queen: A doctor of astrophysics, a screaming girl, a disco queen and a diva walk into a bar. It’s Queen; they’re there to play a gig

Queensryche: neutral opinion

Quiet Riot: they got big because of a song they hated. I love that

Rafferty, Gerry: the second-sexiest sax opening in all of music

Rainbow: Ritchie Blackmore created something very magnificent

Ram Jam: one good song and they didn’t even write it

Ratt: I’m sure they have more than Round And Round, but I don’t know it

RHCP: funky, but if you have paid money to hear them, you’re going to The Bad Place (I don’t make the rules)

Red Rider: basically Golden Earring

Reed, Lou: Walk On The Wild Side would be such a cool song if it wasn’t so dull

REM: American Tragically Hip

REO Speedwagon: Props for having a dad joke as an album title

Rolling Stones: Never in my life could I imagine the drummer being named anything but Charlie

Rush: How to make being uncool the coolest fucking shit

Santana: The world needs more Santana

Scandal: There’s something really funny about The Warrior being my brother’s “song” with his girlfriend

Scorpions: Was Wind Of Change written by the CIA? Only the spotify podcast I got an ad for once could say

Seger, Bob: A different variety of Eric Clapton (frankly a better variety, but that’s just me)

Simple Minds: we ALL forgot about you

Skid Row: Sebastian Bach is prettier than all of us

Soundgarden: music that makes you feel like you dunked your head underwater

Springsteen, Bruce: my arch-nemesis. Maybe someday, he’ll find out about it

Squeeze: according to my friends, the stupidest band name ever, but they’re theatre kids, so you know

Squier, Billy: If he can make it through 1984 alive, you can make it through whatever bad day you’re having

Stealers Wheel: Yet another band who I always mistake for George Harrison

Steely Dan: my house’s nickname for the Robber in Settlers Of Catan

Steppenwolf: Either makes me think of Jay & Silent Bob, Jack Nicholson, or that time I had to cut 6lbs of onions

Steve Miller Band: when you’re in the right mood, they slap hard

Stewart, Rod: my soundtrack to summer 2015

Stills, Stephen: Love The One You’re With Is Catchy, but the lyrics are questionable

Stone Temple Pilots: the only band to write a song about goo you smear on yourself

Stray Cats: an obscene amount of merch is available for them

Styx: Supernatural would have ruined them for me too if I hadn’t been into them previously.

Supertramp: I hunted for Breakfast In America for two years and it was worth every hunt

Sweet: I will never understand my two-month obsession with Ballroom Blitz when I was 15, but it was legit all I listened to

Talking Heads: you may find yourself in a pizza hut. And you may find yourself in a taco bell. And you may find yourself at the combination pizza hut and taco bell. And you may ask yourself; ‘how did I get here?’

Temple Of The Dog: I keep confusing them for Nazareth

Ten Years After: somehow still relevant

Tesla: not the car or the dude

The Beatles: Evokes a lot of opinions from people. Mine is that I love them

The Clash: I showed my sister the ‘Lock The Taskbar’ vine ONCE and it still kills her

The Doors: evokes teenage terror from deep within my soul

The Guess Who: Canada’s answer to confusing question-themed band names

The Kinks: kinky

The Police: wrote the theme of 2020 and everyone somehow forgot it was about a teacher resisting becoming a pedophile

The Ramones: playing all of their songs in a row wouldn’t take more than 2 hours

The Romantics: you don’t think you know them, but if you’ve seen Shrek 2, you have

The Who: If someone can explain Tommy to me, I’d be glad to hear it

The Zombies: I think they happened because of the 60s

Thin Lizzy: Could the boys maybe leave town?

Thorogood, George: blues, but make it modern

Toto: the most memed song behind All Star

Townshend, Pete: just makes me think of the end of Mr. Deeds

T-Rex: Mark Bolan is an icon

Triumph: The no-name brand of Rush

Tubes: like the yogurt

Twisted Sister: they did a christmas album and my mom does NOT hate it

U2: U2 Movers; we move in mysterious ways

Van Halen: RIP Eddie

Van Morrison: honestly, who’s named Van?

Vaughn, Stevie Ray: Steamy Ray Vaughn

Walsh, Joe: The Smoker You Drink The Player You Get

War: Foghat, but even groovier

Whitesnake: the most successful band to be named after a penis

Wright, Gary: the 90s thanks him for writing the song every movie used for the “guy sees cute girl and it’s love at first sight” scene

Yes: To Be Continued

Young, Neil: The best part of CSNY

Zevon, Warren: the album cover of Excitable Boy makes me deeply uncomfortable for reasons I don’t understand

ZZ Top: has been the same three guys since 1969. Lineup unchanged.

3 Doors Down: They feel a little modern to be on a classic rock station, but whatever

38 Special: Why 38?

#I made this instead of doing homework #Classic Rock #Meme

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banditthewriter · 4 years

Text

Nick Tortano’s Soulmate

I suck at posting right now, I’m sorry. Here’s another soulmate oneshot from my anniversary event!

Trope: Matching tattoo

Tags are at the bottom. Let me know if you would like to be added to one of my tag lists!

*gif not mine*

Enjoy!

*****

The image took a while to appear. Every day you would check to see if your tattoo had cleared up enough for you to recognize the image. Some days you wouldn’t notice a difference, others you’d see a new line or some more shading.

You could still very clearly remember the day you realized what the image was. You had been getting out of the shower when you saw the image in the mirror. It was on your ribs like everyone else’s, easily hidden. You wiped away the steam on the mirror and stared.

It was a gun. Without a doubt, your soulmate tattoo was a gun. You traced the lines and then quickly wrapped yourself in a towel.

Hopefully that wouldn’t mean anything. Hopefully… hopefully…

You never told your parents what it was.

Years later, you had gotten used to the looks you got when people saw the tattoo on your ribs. What did it mean that your soulmate tattoo was a gun? Most tattoos were somehow associated with the people that they drew together.

As a teenager you had wondered if maybe your soulmate would be a police officer or maybe a soldier. As you got older, you realized that living in Boston meant there was a good chance your soulmate was a gangster. You wished that you had a choice, but you knew it would be inevitable.

If he was your soulmate, you would fall in love with him no matter what he did. He was the one person in the world that was made for you. It was inevitable.

The bar you worked at had a gun under the register and a shotgun under the counter. There were more gangsters in the bar than there were paying customers. You had been threatened, hit on, scared, and amused more times than you could count.

It was inevitable that you’d end up there too. You weren’t involved with any of the mafiosos but you worked at the bar which made you familiar to most of them. And you’d had a gun on your ribs since you were twelve years old. It was inevitable.

That word haunted you most days.

“Five beers, five shots, whatever’s cheapest,” a larger man you’d seen in there once or twice before said as he put some money on the table. “Keep ‘em coming.”

You could see the shape of a gun in the back of his pants as he moved back to the table. The men he sat down with were all underlings, but you weren’t sure which boss they followed. It was hard to keep track. But he was a paying customer, so you didn’t mind. You got the beers and a round of shots on the tray. Then you made your way over to the table.

“Here ya go boys,” you said as you put the tray on the edge of the table to pass them out.

They were all looking at you, but you paid them no mind. You were used to getting looks from guys like these. As you handed over one of the last shots, you met the eyes of the guy you were passing it to.

Damn. Of course the sexiest guy you’d ever seen was mixed up in this bullshit. You passed out the last shot and then picked the tray up again.

“Just let me know if you need anything else,” you said as you tried not to focus on the guy with the dark eyes who hadn’t looked away from you yet.

Made men in this town were a dime a dozen. These guys didn’t look like made men; maybe soldiers or associates. Either way, they were dangerous.

The gun on your ribs reminded you that danger was inevitable.

“You’re being stared at,” one of you coworkers told you as she cleaned a glass. “And by the way he’s looking at you, I’m pretty sure he’s picturing you naked.”

You laughed and shook your head, trying not to follow her gaze. You knew who it was and you didn’t want to see that look on his face.

But you couldn’t help yourself. You looked up and almost rocked backwards when you met his eyes across the room. Jesus it really did look like he was picturing you naked. Actually it looked like he was picturing taking off your clothes himself.

He smirked when he noticed you staring. You shook your head and looked away. Dammit.

The bar got busy after that. You spent a lot of time running around between tables and the bar, keeping busy. You dropped off another round of beers and shots at the table, ignoring the looks by the dark eyed man in the corner.

The night stretched on from there. Your coworkers all told you that you were being stared at but you didn’t look back up. You already knew where this was going but had decided to make him work for it.

A shadow passed over the bar where you were counting bottles. You looked up to serve whoever it was and swallowed your tongue.

“You’ve been ignoring me.”

You smirked and leaned forward onto your forearms.

“You catch on quick.”

He laughed and braced his palms on the bar so that he could tower over you a bit.

“I’m gonna take you home tonight.”

You looked him up and down as best you could with the bar in the way. Besides the fact that he most likely had a gun tucked in the back of his pants, you couldn’t find fault with anything you saw.

“I get off at two. Don’t be late.”

The guy smirked and leaned back, smacking his hand down on the bar.

“I’m Nicky.”

You raised an eyebrow and gave him your name, feeling your pulse start to skyrocket already.

Oh this was going to be a fun night.

------

The moment you stepped out of the bar, you were pushed against the wall and a mouth was on yours. You tugged him close, kissing back with everything you had. You’d thought about this for too long tonight.

Your place was close so you pushed him away long enough to get him to follow you. Once there, you pulled him inside and threw down your purse. You needed to get your mouth back on his before you combusted. And once you did, you felt like you might burst anyways.

God he was good at that.

Your jacket was pushed off your shoulders. His followed. Then you went to work on his pants while both of you tried to take off your shoes.

“I don’t wanna stop touching you long enough to get undressed,” he admitted against your lips.

You felt the same, but you didn’t want to wait anymore. You pushed him back and pulled your shirt up and off of you. As you started on your bra, you noticed that he was giving you a strange look.

Not you. Your tattoo.

You raised your hand but didn’t touch the tattoo. Some guys didn’t do well when they saw your soulmate tattoo. They didn’t want to take the chance it meant your future soulmate would want to kill anyone who touched you.

“It’s not a big deal,” you said as you leaned back against the wall again, wanting to convince Nick not to leave for some reason.

You didn’t want him to leave. In fact, the mere thought made your skin crawl.

He shook his head, the beginning of a smile on his lips. You were about to ask what was funny about this but he pulled off his shirt.

There was a lot to focus on so it took a moment. He had a good body and you couldn’t stop staring. Plus he had a few tattoos that you found yourself wanting to lick.

And then… then you saw his soulmate tattoo. It was an image you had seen a million times before in the mirror. You reached a hand out and ran your fingertips over the familiar handle.

“Huh,” you said as you looked up at him. “Didn’t see that coming.”

His answering grin made your heart stop.

------

With your head pillowed on Nick’s shoulder, you traced the familiar image of the gun on his ribs. He was half asleep but you were sure with you constantly touching him, he’d be awake soon.

“You okay?”

You hummed in the back of your throat, not sure how to answer. Were you okay? In general, of course you were. You’d just found your soulmate.

But knowing that he was an associate of the mafia? And his earlier admission that he wanted to be a made man for the family he was a runner for?

“Stop thinking,” he said as he rolled over so that he was on top of you. “Nothing’s gonna happen to me. I’m not going to get hurt.”

You reached up to run your hand through his hair.

“I wish I could believe you, but I know it doesn’t always work that way. You can’t help what’ll happen.”

His gun was on the bedside table. He had been sitting at a table with four other men with guns just a few hours ago. He would probably be going around a bunch of people with guns later after the two of you were done becoming acquainted with one another.

“Listen, I wanted to become a made man because I wanted to make something of myself, wanted to have a future,” he said as his hands skimmed up your sides and cupped your jaw. “You think I care about that shit when I have you instead?”

You wanted to laugh.

“You just met me,” you said with a shake of your head.

“Yeah but I’ve been thinking about you since I was a kid. And if you want me out, I’ll get out. I don’t wanna lose this.”

There was nothing but honesty in his eyes. If you asked him right now to walk away from it all, you were sure that he would. If you told him it was the mafia or you, he’d pick you. Even only knowing you for a few hours.

“Don’t get out. Not yet,” you added since you never knew what the future would bring. “Let’s just take it day by day. Together.”

He leaned in to kiss you. Pressed together like this, you were sure that it didn’t matter what he decided to do. As long as the two of you stuck together, you knew it was going to be fine.

Let me know if you want to be added to my Permanent Tag List @hermioneshandbag @onebatch--twobatch @smiley-celine @blackcoffeeandgreenteaforme @starless-skyox @youveseen--thebutcher @citation-is-here @mightymelly @realduckvader @1550kilogramsofsilver @hxbbit @rockintensse @missphanosaur18 @thepuffyeyedpuff @the-three-eyed-ravenclaw @yessy2012 @gingerstarlight @siriusement @marauderskeeper @xinyourdreamsx @wickidlady @sassygirl25 @maraudereestauderelb @cutie-bug @random-quartz @holamor @lea----b @heyitslexy @detectivebourbon @coffeenmoscato @presstocontinue @elisemockingbird @assbuttwithwings @geeksareunique @witch-of-letters @delicatelilyflower @l-l-c-m-w-b @whovianayesha @hiddenprincess @yannii04 @brighteststarinthesky @kilyra @gallxntdean @sweetvengeancee @lady1505 @thedarklightwithinus @ateliefloresdaprimavera @siriuslyimmoony @elodieyung @fudgeflyss @madamrogers @thatwrestlingfan91 @teranya @sophiabulbu69 @delusionsofnostalgia @effielumiere @mamaraptor @hot-and-spiceyyy @i-padfootblack-things @aya-fay @starkrobb @raquelbc2003 @iwishyoucouldbekissed @taman-a @newtstarmander @suchatinyinfinity @blushingskywalker @queencocoakimmie @funerals-with-cake @love-dria @arrowswithwifi @swiftyhowlz @cheyfleur @dark-night-sky-99 @celestegolden @king4thesirens @beautifuldesastre @ashkuuuu @luminex3 @nerdypinupcrystal @iblogabout-stuff @curlyhairedblueeyedangel @myplaceofheavenorhell @nea90sweetie @traeumerinwitzhelden @lexxierave @binbons-is-theloml @lostinthoughts23 @aikeia @christinawxxx @rhabakoli @leathergreygoddess @j-finco @sweetybuzz25 @supernaturalonice @jeanettexkillian @jigsawlover10 @gollyderek @polireader @cafeconsoya @rainyboul @siriuslovesmarlene @kryyta @russosprettydiamondnow @dorkybryan @mahalobro @yesixoxo @fcavalerro @jeaolusy @margot-black

Let me know if you want to be added to my Nick Tortano Tag List @musingsofbanana @ethereal-heavcns @colddecember-night @hoodedhavok

#nick tortano #nicky tortano #nick tortano x reader #nick tortano imagine #nick tortano fanfic #my writing #soulmate oneshots

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herondaleholly31 · 5 years

Text

Love On The Weekend Chris Evans X Reader

overview: Whenever you can you and Chris spend a weekend together just the two of you. This weekend is different.

A/N Hey guys!! I’m currently in the middle of exams but I wanted to start writing some of the requests that was sent to me after my last post. Thank you so much for all your kind messages and follows after that post, it really means so much to me. I’m working through the list so I will try and upload as much as I can I promise. I hope you enjoy this one, make sure to keep sending me any requests!

Like and Reblog!

word count: 3,738

4:55. Five more minutes to go. You were impatient, and having already cleaned your desk three times in the past hour you were checking your emails one last time before you clocked out. Delete, delete, asos discount code saved, the rest thrown in spam. That’s it. All done. Only three more minutes.

“Y/N!”

Jack entered your office without knocking, an ominous stack of papers under his arm. “you’re still here, great. I need you to sort these files out before you go.” The stack fell with a thud onto your desk.

“I can’t,” you shook your head “I’m just about to head out.”

“Oh I’ve also put you on call duty this weekend,” Jack ignored you “so any plans you have cancel them.”

Your spine chilled “I can’t do this weekend. I cant I-“ you shook your head to try and stop your rising panic “I have to have this weekend off.”

“Tough luck. You’re going to want to keep you phone charged, I get a lot of emails.”

“No Jack-“

“Is there a problem?” He scowled.

The clock had struck five, he was going to be there any minute. “I can’t reschedule this plan my boyfriend’s job-“

“sweetheart can I be frank? I don’t give a shit,’ your bosses patient demeanour had gone and his normal irritation came through “I’ve got a golf game tomorrow and you were the last person to ask for time off. So you’re on this weekend.” He slammed his hand on top of the stack of papers and then turned to leave when suddenly a deafening sound came from outside. Shocked, Jack smacked his arm onto your computer, causing him to swear colourfully “WHAT IS THAT?” But you had already rushed to the window, your smile widening.

“He’s here.”

“WHO?”

You weren’t listening, grabbing your bag and throwing your coat over your arm “I’m going.”

“Is that for you?”

“Yes.” You turned once more, determination overruling your fear “Have a nice weekend Jack.” And with that, you flicked off the light switch and walked out the office. The honk was ringing down the corridor as you took the stairs two at a time before bursting out the door. A black range rover was sat in the middle of the carpark, and leaning against the bonnet was your boyfriend Chris. His eyes were covered with sunglasses but you knew his eye brows were raised in a teasing expression as he watched you stride over “are you always that dramatic when leaving work?”

“Only when my boss is being a dick.’ You reached him and cocked your head back so you could kiss him, both smiling against each other as the realisation that this moment had finally happened washed over. “Hi.”

“Hi,” Chris rested his forehead against yours and you breathed deeply, feeling the anger ebb away. “I missed you,” he whispered.

“I missed you too. I couldn’t get out of that place fast enough.”

‘I saw” Chris laughed. He pulled away to open the door next to him to reveal leather seats and your battered rucksack, bulging at the seams. “I packed everything on the list.”

“including the-“

“including my grey jumper for you to wear in the car.”

“thank youuuu,” clambering up into the seat you started to get changed, tights getting ripped and pony tails being loosened. Chris’s jumper had been washed one too many times, the fluffy interior bobbled and stretched to fit his physique; however you always wore it on these trips and had therefore become a running joke. “Where to this time?” You asked, popping your head over the collar to look over at Chris who was fiddling about with the Keys. He slid them in and a second later the car roared and shot out of the car park, the revs barking through the quiet. He didn’t answer until you had made it onto the highway.

“I’m going to keep it a surprise this time.”

“ooooo” you perked up “we haven’t done that for a while. Do I get a clue?”

“nope.”

“pleaseeeeee.”

Chris shook his head chuckling “you’ll like it I promise.” Still determined to know you sat up on your knees, leaning over the gear stick to kiss his cheek “not one hint?”

“No!” Chris laughed. You continued to ask, peppering the half of his face and neck with jokey kisses until his death went slightly ragged. “you’re going to make me crash.” He didn’t move away though, enjoying the way you bumped your nose against his cheekbone as the car steamed ahead. The car flew like a the air of you were on the run, Chris only realising when cramp started to form in his ankle from the clenching. You were so present to him in that moment his mind seems to have fogged over. Luckily You only kissed him a couple more times before sitting back, defeated. He was able to calm his pulse once again. “fine” You rolled your eyes teasingly “I guess I’ll trust you. Give me the aux cord.” You propped your bare feet up onto the dash board and plugged it into your phone and scrolled down until you found the playlist: Love on the weekend.

The weekend was something you and Chris had done for a long as you’d been dating. Although you lived in Boston near his family and spent stints in LA, work and business sometimes kept the pair of you apart for weeks if not months at a time. This had been difficult, until on a whim Chris had done what he would come to do every time; text you the night before that he was picking you up and that you two were going away together. That first time he’d taken you to a beach house where you’d spent the weekend getting a suntan and much needed alone time. That had been nearly two years ago and since the pair of you had taken trips all over the country, with nothing but a car and essentials. They had become your favourite tradition together.

The first song of the playlist started and Chris nodded his head in satisfaction “yessss!’ He pumped his foot on the gas and the car shot down the fast lane, leaving the traffic behind. The music swelled until the rough voice of Journey’s “Don’t stop believing” was blasting through the speakers, matched only by Chris’ rendition. He was tossing his head about and giving it his all, making you laugh so hard you felt the breath pound against your throat and your chest started to tense. The tipping point was when on the final high note your boyfriend’s voice cracked dramatically, to which you had to dig your hands in-between your clenched thighs to stop you from peeing. God it was so good to laugh like this again.

The speakers continued to blast out classics, raging from Kanye West to Disney to Prince until both your voices were frayed and your chests ached from laughing. At one point there was no sound from either of you except for wheezing and knee slapping. You were like children, bubbling with energy and excitement as the feeling of each other there made you giddy.

“We’re nearly there,” Chris was able to heave out later, breathing deliberately to even out his chuckles “keep an eye out for the right exit.”

“exit for what?”

“I’m still not telling you.”

“How am I going to know what the right exit is if I don’t know where we’re going?”

“Hey I gave you a name just trust me.” He reached out and patted your knee, before slowly moving his hand up to rest on your thigh. There was nothing suggestive about it, but you felt your body melt under his touch as he continued to drive. He hummed to the dulcet tones of John Mayer and would occasionally have to shift in his seat but he made sure to keep your thigh at arms length. His palm stayed soft and warm against you as the car pulled off the highway and drove down strips of long roads under golden sun stained foliage. One rumbling dirt track later and the car rolled into an opening, where it stopped and slumped, exhausted. Chris breathed, smiled, and squeezed your leg “we’re here.”

The house sat snuggled in the trees, overlooking a lake that shone brightly. White walls, blue tiles roof, a rickety dock that rocked slightly against the wind. It looked exactly the same as it did in the pictures that were hung around the Evan’s family home. You gasped in excitement “This is the place-“

“From my childhood pictures,” Chris nodded.

“The place you said you’d always take me,” you placed your hand on top of his “I can’t believe you did this.” In your excitement you leant over the gear stick and grabbed Chris’s face In between your hands “Thank you thank you Thank you!” You planted one big kiss on his lips causing him to laugh loudly before leaping out the car, your bare feet lacing with the grass. The pair of you grabbed the bags from the car and dragged them up into the house, abandoning them in the hall way to explore your home for the weekend. An open floor plan of polished wooden floors, white furniture and blue wallpaper stretched through the house, with soft corduroy sofas and shelves of thumbed classic books and board games. It was a weird mix of modern and old; as if time didn’t effect it. You were running around the house, calling for Chris to see something before discovering something else and getting even more excited. When Chris still hadn’t come after the fifth time you called you went clattering down the stairs to find him in the kitchen, already pulling things out of the stocked fridge “pesto eggs?” He asked.

“MMMM YES!” You yelled in excitement. “Sorry,” you quietened “sorry. Yes please.”

“I take it you like the house then?’ “Is this the part of the story where you tell me you’ve bought it?” You slid onto one of the stools by the island, nicking a bit of red pepper from the chopping board.

“ Unfortunately not.”

“shame. I would’ve quit work on the spot to move.”

“It’s that stressful huh?”

“You have no idea.”

Chris stopped stirring “so tell me about it.”

You shook your head, running your hands through your hair once before letting them fall on the table “I don’t want to weigh you down with that. You don’t wanna hear about that.”

“Yes I do,” Chris said “its obviously bothering you.”

“Not tonight Chris. Please.” You didn’t want to think about anything negative this weekend. Not with the limited time you had with him. “your eggs are burning by the way.”

“Huh? Oh Shit,” Chris went back to wildly stirring the contents of his pan, and the conversation was dropped.

************

The next couple days felt like the montage to a rom com movie, a warped bubble where negative thoughts and emotions weren’t allowed to penetrate. There was a lot to Catch up with so the pair of you didn’t waste a single minute. Swimming in the lake, running together through the woods, playing chess whilst drinking too much beer. A lot of random hugs and heated make outs that lead to other things that caused your skin to flush and tingle. This was partly due to Your shoulders getting burnt, resulting with Chris finding great pleasure in occasionally smacking the sensitive skin causing you to scream blue murder whilst chasing after him.

‘I still think I’ll have a hand imprint on my shoulder forever,” you joked. It was the last night and you were cooking whilst Chris picked the movie. He was crouched by the shelfs, his recently showered hair peering his grey t shirt with droplets. “What movie we thinking?” He called.

“hmmmm How about Captain America?”

“Funny.” Chris rolled his eyes. You laughed before diving down to retrieve the steaming dish of Chicken and vegetable pasta from the oven and dishing into bowls.

“Babe! You’ll never guess what movie they have.” Chris lifted the DVD case like a trophy, the title in your direction. You read it and gasped excitedly “About Time? Oh my days yes!”

“You’re gonna cry.”

“I am not.”

“You say that every time.”

“well this time I can definitely say that I will not cry!”

*************

“It’s just” you stuttered, “it just so…so” you had to gulp loudly through the raked sobs “so sad!” Bill Nighy and the little boy started skimming stones on the beach, causing you to whimper loudly, more tears streaming down your flushed cheeks.

“I told you you would cry,” Chris said, but his own eyes were watery and his jaw clenched in emotion. Seeing this made you even more upset and you started to grip onto the pillow, holding your breath so to stop the sobs. It didn’t work. Chris couldn’t stand it anymore; part of him obviously wanted to comfort you but also your turmoil was starting to become comical. “sweetheart,” he laughed “come here.” He dragged you over to sit in between his legs, your back against his chest so he could try and stop you from crying. ‘I’m fine, I’m fine,” you breathed “I’m not going to-oh my god they’re hugging.” The crying was uncontrollable now “This is the last hug they’re ever going to have together.”

“Okay you need to tell me whats wrong now,” Chris’ tone shifted to worry. He’d never seen you this upset over this movie before “hey, hey. Talk to me.”

“I don’t want you to leave me tomorrow.”

“what?”

“You’re going to leave tomorrow and I’ll be left with an apartment that is too big for just one person, a job I hate and the constant reminder that these weekends are the only things that I actually enjoy in life.”

The movie continued to play but Chris wasn’t watching anymore. Instead he sat there, struggling to find the right words to say. He didn’t want to ask, you’d specifically told him not to ask this weekend, the itch of knowing was starting to burn in his brain. “What’s wrong with work?”

You huffed, flinging your head back to knock against his shoulder “I hate it Chris. I used to love working there, but I just can’t do it anymore. The last time I had a weekend off was our last weekend 3 months ago.”

“why?”

“Because Jack makes me work so he can piss about golfing and spend the weekends screwing his assistant. I see the texts,” you nodded as Chris’s eyebrows shot up in surprise “they’re just as awful as you can imagine.”

“Why didn’t you tell me this?”

“about the affair? It’s not tha-“

“No. About work.”

“Oh.” You shrugged, wiping the back of your sleeve across your face “I didn’t want you to worry about me that’s all.” Feeling your boyfriend huff you felt yourself get defensive “you’re away for so long I didn’t want you to have to take off anymore time than you had to just because my career turned shit.”

‘That’s not fair,” Chris shook his head “I should’ve known.”

“Why? What would’ve you done?’ You were sitting up now, frowning at him, arms crossed “Quit your work and moved back full time to Boston?’ “Maybe!”

“No you wouldn’t of!”

“But at least I would’ve had that option!” His eyes flashed with a mixture of pain and annoyance “Y/N how am I supposed to be there for you if you don’t tell me these things?”

“That’s not fair Chris.”

“NO,” he snapped “what’s not fair is finding out that you’re feeling like this and yet I was the last person to know!”

“If you were here more YOU’D KNOW!”

There was a horrible silence. Shocked, you put your fingers over your lips, as if trying to grab back the words that were still ringing through the room. You were both shocked; hurt plastered on both your faces. You wanted to take them back, to rewind time so you could start this conversation again, to finish this weekend in a way that you will treasure and picture for the next weeks as you wait for him to come home to you. “I’m sorry.” You finally spoke “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean it.”

Chris nodded slowly, and you noticed that his eyes were glistening with tears and you felt your brain screaming in fear and your heart be squished like a juice box “yea you did.”

“NO! No I didn’t.” You pulled him closer “I’m just upset about work, I’m taking it out on you.”

“But you do wish It don’t you?” Chris whispered.

“Of course I wish you were here more,” You nodded “but acting’s your dream. Of course I want you to be doing that.”

“Im so sorry Babe,” he pushed out a heavy sigh to stop the emotions from stunting his voice “I wish I knew how bad it was.”

“It’s not your fault You didn’t know. I wasn’t telling you.”

“I should’ve picked up on it. If I’d known I’d-“

“It’s not your fault Chris. I’m sorry for not telling you.”

Chris smiled softly. He wrapped his arms around your shoulders, locking his hands together so you were pressed against his shoulder. He kissed the top of your head, nodding slightly “This was not how I was thinking this conversation was going to go.”

You laughed, snorting slightly due to the snot that had built up from your previous sobs “me neither.”

“And I was looking forward to telling you about my plans for after the movie.”

You felt your heart sink slightly. These conversations were always awfully painful. “Did your agent get another script for you?”

“Actually no. He won’t be getting me any for a while.”

“What?’ You looked up at him, confused “why?”

“because I told him I didn’t want any. Because I’m taking a little break.”

‘Chris? Please say you didn’t do that because of me!”

“only partly,” Chris smiled guiltily “I just miss Boston. I miss my parents, My nieces and nephews, You. I just want to spend some time here. Spending time with my family.”

The tears were falling again, only this time they were ones of happiness “you serious? You’re coming home?”

Chris nodded, savouring this moment for as long as he could. “5 more weeks and then I’m yours.”

******************

The Boston skyline had never looked so unwelcoming. Despite the sunrise bathing the windows with molten pink and blue reflections, they were a reminder that you were back in reality. You’d left the house early that morning with the remise you’d return in the summer with the whole family. It had still been difficult to say goodbye. The entire drive back you and Chris only spoke a few times, both too nervous of what to say in these last moment. Chris’s hand was back on your thigh, but this time your hand was intertwined with his, your only lifeline from breaking down into uncontrollable tears once more. Although this was the last goodbye you’d have to say for a long time, this one felt the most difficult because of the reality of what they were going back to. The buildings of the city grew thicker and thicker as you drove down main streets and over bridges until all too soon the looming signs floor your office building started to come, and then the ruling for the carpark, and in no time at all Chris was pulling into one of the visitors spots and switching off the engine. “we’re here.”

“yea.” A silence. “ Thanks for dropping me off by the way.”

“Yea of course.” Chris swallowed. Neither of you moved. No one made the move to say goodbye. But you knew it was going to happen, and your grip on his hand got tighter as you realised that now was the moment to let go.

In the end it was him. It left you feeling empty, like you’d dropped something into water and you knew that you were never going to get it back, and that’s when the tears started to fall again. In a moment Chris jumped out of the car and ran over to your side of the car, opening your door so he was able to scoop you into a hug. “ I know,” he whispered as you clung to him “ I know.”

“i don’t know if I can do this Chris,” you sniffed into his neck.

“Yes you can. You can sweetheart. Remember what we said.” He kissed your ear lightly “Just five more weeks. Five more weeks and the I’m home, you can quit your job here and we’ll figure something out together okay? Okay?” His tone made you move your gaze so you were looking at his wide eyed expression, full of promise and reassurance “We’ll figure this out together.”

“Five weeks.”

“five weeks and then I’m yours.”

You nodded, sniffing “Okay,” You breathed “Okay I’ll do it.”

“You can do it.” He kissed you then, and his lips tasted of salt but they were familiar and warm and his, and you already missed him so much five weeks suddenly felt like a lifetime.

“I am,” he rested his head against yours once more “so proud of you. I really am.”

You nodded. You kissed him as long as your lungs could muster and this time you let go, flattening your skirt and slipping on your heels as Chris grabbed your bags from the boot and handing them to you. He kissed you once more, told you he loved you and then walked back around to sit in the car. You walked around to his door and leaned in through the open window to kiss him again.

“I can’t watch you walk away,” he confessed “because if I do all I’ll want to do is stay.”

You nodded “That’s fine. I’ll see you in five weeks.”

‘Five weeks.”

“I love you Chris.”

One more kiss, and then he pushed the car into gear and pulled away, leaving you to wave goodbye to him. As he did, the windows rolled down, and a second later you heard the opening chords to “Love on the weekend” play. He didn’t look back, but you knew that he too was already counting down the days until the next time you two could see each other.

#chris #Chris Evans #chris evans imagine #chris evans x reader #chris evans x you #evans #chris evans x #Steve Rogers #steve x reader #captain america #captain #marvel #fanfiction #reader #imagine #fanfic #cute #fluff

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theyearoftheking · 4 years

Text

Book Thirty-One: Four Past Midnight

You know you’re in for a good time when you crack open a collection of novellas, and the introduction discusses the 1989 Milwaukee Brewers, and specifically Robin Yount.

I am not really a baseball fan. I will admit to going to games just to tailgate, get snacks and drink an overpriced beer. I own some cute Milwaukee Brewers merch, and love a brat with stadium sauce. That’s the extent of my fandom. You’ll never find me being a baseball bandwagon junkie.

But.

Every late 30-40 something raised in Milwaukee has really fond memories of County Stadium (our old, humble stadium) before Miller Park took over (Sorry, refuse to call it Am-Fam Field, or whatever the hell its new name is). And we have fond memories of Robin Yount, Paul Moliter- the OG Brew Crew. Warm and fuzzies all around.

Steve drops one hell of a Wisconsin reference when he talks about watching a Brewers/Red Sox game (Brewers won, btw), and the announcers are talking about how old Robin Yount is. Steve almost flies out of his recliner when he realizes Robin started playing baseball the same year he published his first novel. They’re the same age!! Robin Yount can’t be old, because if he’s old, ergo, Steve is old.

Time is a funny thing. I write this as I’m a week away from turning forty. Ugh. It hurts so bad.

Four Past Midnight was another home run (ha!) collection of novellas. I told another constant reader this past week that the novella is really where Steve shines. It’s long enough to create some magic, but short enough to keep the editing tight. I didn’t love this collection as much as Different Seasons, but The Sun Dog might be my new favorite story ever... and it set the scene for Needful Things, which I’m now one hundred pages into. The flow from one story to the other is masterful.

The collection kicks off with The Langoliers, which I mostly remember because it was a campy television miniseries in 1995.

Basically, a bunch of people are on a red-eye flight, and Dinah Bellman, a little blind girl wakes up to find most of the people on the plane (including her caretaker Aunt) have disappeared. All their jewelry and belongings have been left behind, but it’s like they’ve been body-snatched out of thin air. Oh, the pilot was langolier-ed too. Thankfully, one of the other passengers on the plane, Brian Engle, just so happens to be a pilot, and attempts to land the plane. But, there are no lights, he’s not getting any response from any major airports... so landing at Boston Logan isn’t going to be a thing. He (of course) needs to re-route to Bangor.

At this point, Craig Toomer is losing his shit. He NEEDS to be in Boston to meet with a bank about some shady shit with some bonds. He’s not having this Bangor thing. So, he sits in his seat and sulks, ripping pieces of paper into thin strips (legit serial killer behavior), and remembering horror stories his dad used to tell him about monsters called the Langoliers.

Aaaand that’s where the title comes from.

The plane lands in Bangor, the airport is empty, the food has no taste and the beers have no carbonation. Noises are both muffled and amplified, and planes won’t go. So, Brian fuels up the original plane they were on, loads everyone inside; and takes off again. The passengers realize they need to be asleep to fly through the time/space continuum, so Brian lowers the cabin pressure, they all go to sleep (except for the dashing Nick Hopewell who bravely offers to fly the plane through the rip), and they make it safely to the other side, where life slowly starts back up again.

The end.

Then, there’s Secret Window, Secret Garden; which I also remember because of the Johnny Depp movie, which I had forgotten most of until my husband thought he’d summarize the plot of The Dark Half for me. He got it totally wrong, and ended up describing SWSG instead; thus ruining the surprise I forgot I already knew about. Welcome to marriage, kids. Lesson learned: if you haven’t seen The Secret Window, just wait and read the novella instead.

Best-selling author Morton Rainey answers his door one afternoon, and finds a Faulkner-esque gentleman in a wide-brimmed hat, accusing him of plagiarism. “You stole my story!” John Shooter tells him. Mort is supes confused, and has no idea what Shooter is talking about. He’s even able to prove he wrote and published the story a few years before Shooter wrote it.

“Prove it,” Shooter taunts him.

And then the story takes a left turn into Crazyville, when Shooter starts killing people, starting Mort’s ex-wife’s house on fire, and trying to kill Mort.

But here’s the twist.

Ready?

Shooter is Mort.

Mort is Shooter.

God damn, I wish my husband hadn’t reminded me of this spoiler, it would have been more epic to discover on my own. But it’s an excellent slight-of-hand on Steve’s part. Well done.

And then we get to The Library Policeman... which I really loved until I got to the part about the policeman anally raping small children who don’t turn their books in on time. That jumped the shark just a little bit. But prior to that cringefest, the idea of Library Policeman was fun. And in my world of enforcing rental policies, and returning books in beautiful, unblemished condition; I’m all for some library police. Maybe just ones with better social distancing, though...

And then we arrive to Sun Dog, the real winner of the collection. Steve starts the story with a brief introduction that covers the strange history of Castle Rock. This is a great refresher if you’re new to the universe, or haven’t read thirty-one Steve books in five months. No judgement.

Kevin Delevan receives a Sun 660 Polaroid camera for this fifteenth birthday. He takes a family picture, and notices a dog in the snapshot. A dog his family doesn’t own, and doesn’t know. Thinking it’s a fluke, he takes a few more pictures, and the dog keeps showing up, but is moving in each picture.

A few days later, Kevin takes the camera over to Reginald “Pop” Merrill at the Emporium Galorium. Pop fixes cameras and clocks, and also acts as the local loan shark, and seller of odd things. Pop inspects the camera, and sees nothing wrong with it. But he knows darkness when he sees it, and after a quick swap; he ends up with the Sun Dog camera, and sends Kevin home with another one.

Pop tries selling the camera to collectors of the dark and odd, but no one wants it. He’s starting to stress, because he knows it’s only a matter of time before the camera unleashes its true dark potential.

Kevin wakes up from a nightmare and realized Pop pulled a fast one on him. He gets to the Emporium Galorium just as the dog is trying to emerge from the film, and Kevin is able to kill it, and the shop starts on fire. But, it’s not the last strange thing to happen in Castle Rock...

I’m not going to lie, I finished Sun Dog at about 8pm last night, and promptly dived into Needful Things. Y’all... it might be my favorite Steve book ever. Too soon to say for sure, but damn it’s dark and twisty. Stay tuned.

In addition to the Brewers reference, there was one Dark Tower reference in The Library Police, “...lookin’ as fierce as a gunslinger in an old Western movie...”

Total Wisconsin Mentions: 25

Total Dark Tower References: 23

Book Grade: A+

Rebecca’s Definitive Ranking of Stephen King Books

The Talisman: A+

Misery: A+

Different Seasons: A+

It: A+

Four Past Midnight: A+

The Shining: A-

The Stand: A-

The Drawing of the Three: A-

Nightmares in the Sky: B+

The Dark Half: B+

Skeleton Crew: B+

The Dead Zone: B+

‘Salem’s Lot: B+

Carrie: B+

Creepshow: B+

Cycle of the Werewolf: B-

Danse Macabre: B-

The Running Man: C+

Thinner: C+

Dark Visions: C+

The Eyes of the Dragon: C+

The Long Walk: C+

The Gunslinger: C+

Pet Sematary: C+

Firestarter: C+

Rage: C

Cujo: C-

Nightshift: C-

Roadwork: D

Christine: D

The Tommyknockers: D-

I hope everyone is continuing to social distance and quarantine well. I’m headed back to work in another week... kinda hoping it doesn’t cut into my reading time. But reality is a cruel thing sometimes...

Long Days and Pleasant Nights, Rebecca

#stephen king #constant readers #castle rock #the langoliers #sun dog #secret window secret garden #secret window #library police #the dark tower #milwaukee brewers #county stadium #needful things

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thehermitbear · 4 years

Photo

I was tagged by @actualsunflower ❤❤❤

Name? ➔ “Gabriel Jimenez. My friends call me Gabe, Gabby, or General.”

Are you single? ➔ “Nah. Put a ring on Preston as soon as it felt right.”

Are you happy? ➔ “Very. I made the Commonwealth the safest region on the East coast. Turns out a little military training goes a long way.”

Are you angry? ➔ “Only if you’re trying to fuck over people who ain’t done nothing wrong.”

Are your parents still married? ➔ “They were until my padre got sick working on an oil rig off the Gulf Coast. Chemical leak. Mama never remarried.”

NINE FACTS

Birthplace? ➔ “Laredo, Texas.”

Hair color? ➔ “Black, but Preston likes to pretend he’s counting how many grays I’m getting. I love when he calls me ‘old man’.”

Eye color? ➔ “Brown.”

Birthday? ➔ “January 11th.”

Mood? ➔ “Generally, I try to stay laid back when it comes to things I can’t change. Always try to look on the bright side, y’know, but I can come off as a bit of a stiff in today’s crowd. Two hundred years and anyone would stick out like a sore thumb.”

Gender? ➔ “100% Grade ‘A’ man. Pure beef. Okay, I lied. I have a dangler, but to be honest, it doesn’t matter to me what I am. I feel good in both fatigues and a dress so neither I guess. I am beefy though.”

Summer or winter? ➔ “Winter. People resort to cuddling me for warmth because I’m a natural hot-rock. Win-win situation.”

Morning or afternoon? ➔ “Morning. I feel like my garden is more awake then and I like to encourage the flowers and crops when they’re not napping.”

EIGHT THINGS ABOUT YOUR LOVE LIFE

Are you in love? ➔ “Honestly, Piper? I think I found my soul-mate. Don’t get me wrong, my late wife Nora was amazing. I still think about her. Preston reminds me of her sometimes, especially when he scrunches his face up when I do something dumb, but he’s also a completely different person entirely. Half of me didn’t seem to wanna move on at first out of respect for Nora’s memory, but the other half just clicked with him the moment I met him. I think she would’ve liked him. He means everything to me now.”

Do you believe in love at first sight? ➔ “Happened to me twice now.”

Who ended your last relationship? ➔ “The mother-fucker who’s gun in hanging over my mantle place and collecting dust, right now. He thought he knew how shit worked, just like every other rotten sonofabitch I ran out of Boston. Thought because the world dealt him a shitty hand, that justified him shooting my wife in cold-blood. I don’t fuckin care what life did to you, the moment you take it out on someone who did you no wrong to you, you just completed the cycle and became as bad as the villain in your own story. It was no wonder that his life ended at the barrel of the 10mm pistol I’d named after her. l put her away when I’d gotten my skin, buried with my whip-smart, beautiful Nora and that’s when I really accepted I’d never see her again.”

Have you ever broken someone’s heart? ➔ “I used to be quit the heart-throb in my day, before the war. My face was on posters, I did public talks, felt like Elvis, y’know? My Army days are a bit of blur now, but I do regret saying I maybe flirted with one too many naive hopefuls.”

Are you afraid of commitments? ➔ “Not in the slightest. I love risk. Y’know, Nora was actually a government agent sent to keep an eye on me? Y’know, cause of the prototype super soldier stuff. She flirted and I dove head first. I took my time with Preston, though. It still feels like he’s out of my league and I didn’t wanna bother him with my baggage an matching luggage.”

Have you hugged someone within the last week? ➔ “Piper, please. We made the ‘cuddle puddle formation’ just last night when we were watching Loony Tunes in my house. I’m pretty sure I hugged: You, Preston, Dogmeat, Codwsorth for a little bit before he got squirrelly, Deacon, my second dad Longfellow, Nick, Joe, Cait, Strong, Ada, Curie, my five other dogs Gracie, Mishka, Duke, Sophie, and Screwball, and those Brotherhood boys came over too. Bruce and Danse, I think? X-6 was busy and Porter doesn’t really cuddle. I don’t know, there might of been more there. Point is I hug, a lot. (Out of character: Bruce is another OC. More on him later?)

Have you ever had a secret admirer? ➔ “I used to be famous. Had tons of those I’m sure. If only they knew.”

Have you ever broken your own heart? ➔ “Oh yea, but that comes with life. It’s like a term I heard from a fellow squaddie. She called it ‘Kintsugi’. Means when I break and repair the damage, and I come out with a unique design.”

SIX CHOICES

Love or lust? ➔ “My other head gets the better of me most of the time, twice now that has led be down the path to love, so I guess both?”

Lemonade or iced tea ➔ “Iced tea. Living in Texas, even during the pandemic, you could roll up to any joint and get a gallon of un-sweet delight for just sixteen bucks. Pretty cheap if you ask me.”

Cats or dogs? ➔ “Dogs. Preston has a cat, “Endicott’, and I try to be friendly with the feral creature but I swear it’s up to something. It just stares at me, menacingly.”

A few best friends or many regular friends? ➔ “I seem to make friends anywhere I go. Deacon says it’s because I have ‘charisma’ but I think my seven foot tall stature just makes people wanna be on my good side. Who knows?”

Wild night out or romantic night in? ➔ “Both. I make sure to mix it up with my ‘rey amor mio’”

Day or night? ➔ “Oddly enough, night-time in this new world is so beautiful. The stars are out, no air pollution, I have plenty of time to finish up my paperwork for the Minutemen in fucking peace. It’s quiet.”

FIVE HAVE YOU EVERS

Been caught sneaking out? ➔ “I would never...Okay that can be fact checked. Don’t include this okay, but yea, I sneak out from the Castle all the time. Gotta get away from Ronnie sometimes.”

Fallen down/up the stairs? ➔ “Never. I have the reflexes of a weasel... I think.”

Wanted something/someone so badly it hurt? ➔ “Yup.”

Wanted to disappear? ➔ “...Yea...Don’t wanna talk about it though.”

FOUR PREFERENCES

Smile or eyes? ➔ “Jeez. Can’t pick. Preston has both in spades. If he smiled at me an looked at me with those eyes I’d jump off a cliff at his command.”

Shorter or taller? ➔ “Doesn’t matter. Although, I’m seven feet tall so everyone’s shorter than me.”

Intelligence or attraction? ➔ “What?”

Hook-up or relationship? ➔ “I’ve done both. Preston is my choice.”

FAMILY

Do you and your family get along? ➔ “The Minutemen are my family. I try to make sure anyone who signs up for our lifestyle is known and compensated. Only had a few men go AWOL in the first few months, but most came after watching our progress. My closest friends are even closer. I would do anything for them.”

Would you say you have a “messed up life”? ➔ “Oh, definitely. I’m considered pre-war. That in itself it a fucked up term. I watched my padre die, joined the Army at sixteen, agreed to horrible experiments out of desperation, got my leg blown off in Anchorage, watched my wife die and my baby-boy kidnapped, and now I have to live in a world two hundred years older than the world I left behind when a fucking greedy, sadistic corporation called ‘Vault-Tec’ froze me. I’m still trying to get used to everything and probably won’t be able to ever feel at home ever again. Preston had to teach me a lot. That’s not even the short of it.”

Have you ever ran away from home? ➔ “One time when my older sister was arguing with my parents I got mad that no one was paying attention to me so I packed up my toys and made it a block before I got lost and started crying. Mama found me and I never ran away again.”

Have you ever gotten kicked out? ➔ “Feel like I got kicked out of the Army. I was supposed to be there big ticket to Anchorage, and I did win it back, but when they saw their ‘Super Soldier’ got his leg blasted off, they dropped me like a hot sack of shit. Still stings.”

FRIENDS

Do you secretly hate one of your friends? ➔ “They just need more love.”

Do you consider all of your friends good friends? ➔ “I have somehow managed to turn the Brotherhood to the Minutemen’s side. Long story. I met an Institute Courser and helped him with his personal issues. He’s my buddy now. Met a raider in Nuka-World during the Nuka-Siege, he’s currently in the Castle giving us counter-intel on raider tactics. I consider even the most unlikely of people I’ve met to be important friends. Not because they help, but because I hope the path I’ve offered them all is a road to peace and recovery.”

Who is your best friend? ➔ “Uh...Preston, Dogmeat, Codsworth, Gracie, Mishka, Sophie, Duke, Deacon, Longfellow, Hancock, Joe, Piper, Curie, Ada, Strong, Cait, Danse and Bruce, I guess, oh I forgot about X-6 and my crack-head dog Screwball. I would probably tell all of these people my secrets. Maybe.”

Who knows everything about you? ➔ “Preston, and no Piper, he won’t tell you nothing about the secret stash either, either.”

I tag anyone who wants in on the fun.

#fallout #fallout 4 #oc #tag

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sneakywitch-thief · 5 years

Text

Let The Rest of the World Go By - WIP

Saw @hey-writers / @heywriters post about posting a WIP, and since I haven't posted any of my writing in a while, I thought I'd share the first chapter of my Nick Valentine noir fic I've been working on since the game came out. It's a few years in the making and was written long before my other FO4 fanfic, It Had To Be You.

I'm trying to write the entirety of this one before I post it, so think of this as a preview! Enjoy!

Chapter 1: A New Case

It was a quiet night in Diamond City.

In the first time in, well, forever -- the people in Diamond City didn’t have to sleep with one eye open anymore. The earth-shattering explosion of the Institute had shaken the city to its core. In addition to leveling a good portion of Boston, the quake did a good job of addling the brains of her people as well. The subsequent celebrations had undoubtedly been louder than the explosion itself, and after days of wild and raucous rejoicing, the Green Jewel of the Commonwealth finally laid down her head to rest. It was a new feeling, to live without fear, and the people of Diamond City relished in it.

All slept soundly -- that is, except for Nick Valentine.

He sat silent and alone in his office, slowing drawing the smoke from a stale cigarette more ash than tobacco. It had become something of a ritual for the detective, to sit in the tranquil solitude of night and think. Perhaps to stew over a case, perhaps to simply indulge the bad habits of a man long dead. After so many nights of nothing but the same, even he didn’t know anymore. The quiet, interrupted only by Ellie’s quiet snoring in the next room, usually gave his mind free rein to wander.

But tonight was different. The quiet was... different.

Nick exhaled deeply, letting the fleeting warmth of the smoke envelop him before vanishing into nothing. A fleeting pleasure, gone as quickly as it had come. Nick couldn’t help but wonder if the destruction of the Institute had been the same. A rapturous victory one moment, a Pandora’s Box the next. The detective gazed longingly at what little remained of his last cigarette. Nothing would feel better than even the tiniest bit of nicotine, some small calm to ease his nerves and circuits, but as a synth he could feel no more than a memory. All that he had gotten from that precious stick of cancer was a pile of ash and a bad taste in his mouth.

He should be celebrating like everyone else was. The Institute was gone forever, after all. But here he was, doing what he always did. Sitting alone with only dreary thoughts and cigarette smoke to keep him company. But he knew that no matter how many cigarettes he blew through this night, the stifling silence of the sleeping city still filled him with dread. Something was wrong.

But for the life of him, he couldn’t tell what it was.

Whether it was through exasperation or despair he wasn’t sure, but his body felt heavy and stiff, as if the silence had filled him with its enormity. He began to slump, to collapse under the weight of... something. He laid his head in his hands and let out another sigh. What was it, exactly, that was wrong?

Then, a knock.

Nick looked to the door, confused. It was... what, three in the morning? No one would come to him at this hour. A prankster, perhaps, or maybe a lost drunk. But, then again, it wasn’t like he had anything better to do. Might as well answer. He flicked his cigarette butt to the ground, grinding it under his heel as he strode to the door -- only to have his late night guest let himself in as soon as it was opened.

The remarkably familiar man looked around frantically, going as far as to even lower his signature sunglasses to see in the dim light of the agency. His eyes narrowed, scanning the room meticulously for... whatever it was Railroad agents looked for.

“Nick... are we alone?”

Nick rolled his eyes at his typical melodramatic act. “Nice to see you too, Deacon.”

“Nick. Are we alone.”

Ah, something was off. Nick quietly locked the door behind him. “Yeah. That snoring in the next room’s Ellie -- she ain’t waking anytime soon. Drank a bit too much today and knocked herself out cold. This ugly mug’s the only one you’ll be seeing tonight, I’m afraid.”

Deacon smiled a bit at that. “Good. Only one I want to see tonight anyway.”

“Skip the wine and dine and cut straight to the chase? I always liked that about you, Deacon.”

“Ha! You know it, you old dog. ... but, all joking aside, I’ve got a case for you.” A pause. “You might want to sit down for this.”

The inexplicable heaviness got a bit worse at that. Nick quickly obliged, returning to the seat behind his desk. If Deacon had come all the way to Diamond City in the dead of night, undisguised and vulnerable, it couldn’t be anything good. He absently reached for another cigarette, only to find the pack empty. All that was left of forty caps worth of cigs was a heap of butts upended in what had become more ash than tray. The cravings of a dead man gnawed at him, the need for a quick, calming smoke ever growing. A metal finger tapped the desk impatiently. Something was wrong, and he wanted to get to the bottom of it.

“... so. A case? Must be important. What is it?”

Deacon looked up from the overflowing ashtray slowly, his brow furrowed. “Yeah... important is a word for it. Well... you know what happened a week or so ago, right? Then again, hard not to, I guess -- what with a good chunk of the city blown to bits. Anyway. The Institute’s gone, Nick. Gone for good. Our biggest enemy is now a pile of irradiated dust.” He laughed weakly, straining a smile. “Awesome, right?”

“Yeah, but you don’t seem too happy about it.”

“No, don’t get me wrong, I definitely am. It’s just that--” He pulled his lips into a thin line and took a moment to hide himself behind those sunglasses of his. “Well, I’ll cut to the chase, since you like that about me so much. Has the Professor told you anything? Come to you at all?”

Ah, Professor. Nick had never understood why Deacon continued to use her Railroad codename to refer to her. After all, she and Deacon were as thick as thieves and nigh inseparable. Their infamy as deadly do-gooders of the wasteland was perhaps outmatched only by their legendary, unshakeable friendship. He had heard the outrageous stories about them, the most believable of them being blasting their way through downtown Boston to lead two young men to safety. The least, tearing down Trinity to rescue a two-bit actor from an army of Super Mutants. The Commonwealth, as big as it was, was a fishbowl. Rumors spread faster than radroaches, and tales of valiant heroics soon were quickly spun into a scandalous romance between the two, each more wild and passionate than the last.

From what he had heard, neither had denied the claims.

Nick coughed abruptly, mentally kicking himself back on topic. “No.” He adjusted himself in his seat, impatiently attempting to shake that damn discomfort. “Why would she? She hasn’t been here since that mess with Kellogg a while back.”

“Have... you seen her at all?”

Damn, did Nick ever need a cigarette. He silently cursed himself for smoking the whole pack, and he cursed Deacon for, albeit unwittingly, rubbing salt into an old wound. Ah, was that ever a wound. He leaned back in his chair and found his gaze wandering to the empty desk in his office.

Ellie had been so excited at the thought of Nick getting a partner, especially with her being the woman in shining power armor who saved him from the clutches of Skinny Malone. Not only had she tidied up the place, but she had bought a full detective’s getup for Nick’s new partner. The trenchcoat and fedora still sat atop that desk, collecting a thick layer of dust as they awaited an owner that would never come. Neither Nick nor Ellie had had the heart to move them, perhaps in some small hope that she might return.

“I’ll take that as a no, then. Well... she’s gone, Nick.”

“What?”

“Gone. She up and vanished a few days ago. We haven’t been able to find her.”

That... that would explain things. That inexplicable feeling. The drinking, the cigarettes, the dread.

Pandora’s Box.

Nick nodded slowly, dumbly, his thoughts racing as his artificial mind attempted to find words, any words, to that.

“Look. Shit went down at the Institute, Nick. Real, grade-A, top-of-the-line bullshit. The Professor... she went through hell and back to take it down. To be perfectly honest, I don’t blame her for cutting all her shit loose and running. She deserves a vacation more than anyone, really.”

“But you went through all the trouble to come here... something’s wrong.”

“Yeah. You got that right.” Deacon was quiet then, vigilant for anyone listening in. He spoke softly, cautiously. “Look, Nick, buddy. I’d tell you more... but, it just ain’t safe. For me, for her, or for you.”

“Yet you want me to find her.”

“... well, yeah.”

“Look, Deacon. As much as I hate to say it, it sounds like your Professor just needs some time to herself. You said so yourself, she’s had a lot of weight on her shoulders. And,” Nick chuckled under his breath, “you’ve got some pretty good sleuthing skills of your own, Deacon. Not to mention a hell of a lot more connections. What makes you think I can find her when even her better half can’t?”

Immediately the sunglasses were back on, but shades couldn't mask the pain in Deacon's voice. “Nick, me and everyone else in the family -- we’re probably the last people she wants to see right now. Besides, we have too many enemies turning over too many rocks looking for what’s left of us right now. As much as I hate to say it, we’re not exactly equipped right now to drop everything and go look for her. I want to more than anything, believe me I do, but I can’t without jeopardizing everything. But she really needs someone there for her before she... well, before she does something bad. Real bad.”

“... you really think it’ll come to that?”

“Would I be here if I didn’t?”

Nick leaned back in his chair and took a moment to think. Time wouldn’t be on his side in this one, and he was working with... just about next to nothing. But he couldn’t just say no, this was about her. The woman who had saved his life. A woman stripped of everything and left at the mercy of the Commonwealth, only to turn right back around and kick its ass. She was just about the toughest woman he had ever met, but she was still human. She could still break, and according to Deacon, she had. Bad.

“I’ve gotta warn you, my friend,” said Nick carefully, deliberately, “This is going to be far from easy. I’m probably going to need all the help I can get. At the very least, give me something to work with. Do you have any leads whatsoever? Where she might’ve gone? What she took with her? Anything?”

“I’d tell you, but I’d have to kill you. No, really. I probably would.”

“Well, that’s helpful.”

Deacon let out an exasperated sigh. “Look. I’m sticking our collective necks far enough as it is just by coming here. We’ve got everyone and their mother looking for us right now -- God only knows who’s after the Professor’s head.” He leaned forward, peering over the lens of his sunglasses to reveal exhausted, bloodshot eyes. “Look, she’s in a rough spot right now. Real rough. If she doesn’t do herself in, someone else is going to. I came to you because the walls have fucking ears and you’re one of the few people who I think I can trust with this. Not to mention you’re probably the only person in the whole damn Commonwealth who can figure out where she is in the first place.”

“I didn’t realize you thought so highly of me, Deacon.” Had the situation not been so dire, his words might not have sounded so forced, so hollow. Hearing those words come out of his mouth, Nick half wondered if, perhaps, Deacon thought too highly of him. Hell, Nick wasn’t sure if he was even sure of himself.

“Maybe I do, maybe I don’t. Maybe I’m just desperate, maybe I’m just asking my friend a favor. Albeit the favor of a lifetime, but... please. If not for me, do it for her.” Deacon stood then, adjusting back to his old, unreadable self behind those dark sunglasses of his. He deftly undid the lock on the door and was gone just as quickly as he had come.

Well.

Nick now sat alone, once again trapped in the horrible, stifling quiet of early morning. At least he had something to think about now. He had been right to worry, as this was one hell of a something. This would probably be his most difficult case yet, and this time, he was doing it alone. Alone, always alone. His eyes wandered once more to the spare fedora and trench atop the empty desk. Her’s.

His partner’s.

He abruptly slapped his hands on his desk and stood. He had to move, think.

As he paced furiously back and forth across his office, burgeoning thoughts and theories raced through his metal head like a swarm of angry stingwings. Now. Where could she be? Was she at Sanctuary? No, she wouldn’t want to be reminded of her family. Was she...? No. No, not that one either. Nick scowled as he poured over each and every possibility, trying to find some semblance of a starting point for the case. Then, suddenly, an idea. Maybe she--

“Nick... what are you doing?”

Nick nearly jumped out of his boots at the sound of Ellie’s voice. He hadn’t realized he had, again, been thinking out loud. Quite loudly, at that. She stood in the doorway in her usual pink tatters, her hair still in rollers. She was thoroughly annoyed, and judging by the dark circles under her eyes and the wet rag pressed to her brow, still thoroughly hung over. Under normal circumstances, she was as understanding as a saint. But now, she might as well be a deathclaw. At Nick’s continued silence, she raised a brow impatiently.

“I, ah.” Nick cleared his throat rather conspicuously as he attempted to find the right words to say. “Just, ah... new case. It’s a favor for a friend.”

“At four in the morning? Ah... nevermind. You never sleep anyway.” Ellie shook her head and let out a huge yawn. “So, detective. What’s the case?”

“Missing person.”

Ellie visibly winced. “Man, even with the Institute gone we’re still going to have our hands full, aren’t we? I was hoping for at least a few days vacation.”

Nick let out a chuckle. Poor thing had been partying harder than anyone, thinking that with no Institute there might be a bit of a lull in the missing persons cases. Even tried some of that Bobrov bleach over at the Dugout Inn. The regret of that decision was plain on her face, and judging from the dark bags beneath her eyes, still had quite a bit to sleep off.

“You can rest easy, Ellie. I’ll be on my own for this one. So--” He holstered his faithful pipe pistol and a screwdriver, preparing what little he would need for the long journey ahead. “-- I’ll be out of your hair soon enough.”

“Wait, what? On your own? And you’re taking your gun?” The look she gave him pulled at his ghost of a heart. He bit his lip and reminded himself he did not have one to give, to hurt, or to break. His face was hardened as she stepped forward, eyes wide with fear. “You’re leaving now?”

“Yup. It ain’t going to be easy, but hey,” he flashed her a winning, reassuring smile, “I’ve worked with less. Think you can hold down the fort here, doll?”

Instead of letting out that sigh of relief Nick had anticipated, Ellie’s frown deeped. She stepped out of the doorway and approached him, still hugging her patchwork blanket around her like a frightened child. She opened her blanket cocoon and before Nick could protest wrapped it around the both of them in a tight embrace. She buried her face in his chest and simply stood there, holding him. A baffled Nick was slow to regain his bearing, but once he did he smiled somberly and held her back. Whether it was from the moonshine, the early morning chill or from her newfound fear he did not know, but poor Ellie shook like a leaf in a radstorm. When she finally spoke her voice was quiet, pleading.

“Don’t go.”

He supposed that was to be expected. An urgent case given the middle of the night couldn’t look good, especially not to the girl who saw him as the closest thing to family she had. While Ellie could certainly take care of herself, he knew all too well the loneliness and worry that would plague her in his absence. His heart pulled again, or rather, one of his many old pieces acting up. Faulty, malfunctioning. Mechanical.

“... I’m afraid it ain’t a question of taking the case or not, Ellie -- someone’s life is on the line in this one.”

Ellie immediately pulled away and gave him those sad, pleading eyes of hers. “I don’t give a damn whether or not you take this case, Nick. Just... don’t go out on your own again. Last time you were gone for weeks. Skinny Malone’s crew was about to turn you into scrap! Do you know how scared I was? If Rosetta hadn’t been there-- wait. Rosetta. She’s your partner.”

“... That she is.”

“We could find her, bring her back so she can help you! I’m sure if I ask the right people, they can find out where she is. Please, just wait until she comes back. Wait until it’s safe. I... I can’t lose you again, Nick.” After a moment, she cracked a strained smile. “I mean, there’s not a lot of other work out there for a detective’s secretary. I’d rather not have an agency without a detective. So... wait? Please?”

“That’d probably be a bit too much of a wait, even for me.”

She let out a weak laugh and cocked an inquisitive brow. “That impatient to get on the case, huh?”

“Well, Ellie, you see... she is the case. A mutual friend of ours just let me know she’s missing.”

Ellie blinked once. Twice. Three times.

“Yeah, exactly. Thing is, I don’t think she wants to be found, and my source wasn’t too forthcoming with information. Confidential, he said. So it’s probably for the best that I’m on my own, keep it under wraps and whatnot.”

“W-wait. So you have no leads, no information... you only know that she’s missing. The woman who blew up the Institute, you say her life is danger. And you’re going to scour the Commonwealth for her... with nothing but an old pipe pistol and a screwdriver?”

“... that about sums it up, yeah.” Even to Nick, the notion was ridiculous. If he couldn’t even save himself from Skinny Malone, how on earth could he save Rosetta? But it wasn’t like he could just turn it down, no. That would mean letting the Commonwealth lose its one last beacon of hope in a hell of a long time. At the very least, he had to try. He gave Ellie one last smile. “I’ll be back before you know it. Promise.”

“You better.” Ellie stepped forward and gave Nick one last, long hug, and much to the detective’s surprise, a quick peck on the cheek. “Go get her, Nick.”

#fallout 4 #fo4 #fallout #nick valentine #deacon #ff #fanfiction #fanfic #writing #my writing #wip #my wip #let the rest of the world go by #long #long post

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astereaholloway · 5 years

Text

- ̗̀ * ( sophie turner + cisfemale + she/her ) have you seen ( aster holloway ) walking around campus ? they are a ( twenty-one ) year old, studying ( botany + entomology ). we hear they are in ( theta sigma eta ), and can be ( opinionated & daunting ), maybe it’s because they are an ( aries ). they sort of remind us of ( abandoned greenhouses, spinning bike wheels , iridescent pocket knives ), maybe we can find out more ! * ̖́- + habitat

i yeet’d holliday for this child o’ mine pls love her bc i love her sm i’ll prolly change her fc to sophie turner as soon as i get tired of cropping gifs of saoirse but enjoy her face for now sksksk. like this n i’ll come to u!!

tw: fire, death, cancer, etc. etc.

gen. info

full name: aster holloway

nickname(s): n/a, give her one n she’ll cut you probably

b.o.d. - april 1st.

label(s): the hellcat, the minefield, the connard, etc. etc.

height: probably like 5′7″ or 5′8″ tbh

hometown: inglewood, california

sexuality: chaotic. lesbian.

bio. info

hasn’t had the most......stable, life

born to dahlia verbeck, a botanist, wildlife conservationist, and volunteer firefighter whose presence was very well known in south california’s environmental scene

to keep a long story short, she married maverick holloway; a sleazy low-rank cop with a smoking problem and an obnoxious personality when she was 19. he was nearly twice her age. nobody knows why she married him, or why she tolerated him

the relationship was by no means abusive, but it was lackluster

this led to dahlia having a one night stand, and baba boom baba bing, aster was conceived

the only one who knew that the child wasn’t maverick’s was dahlia’s twin brother, donovan, whose career was p much the exact same as dahlia’s

they were basically both mad scientists; when dahlia started slacking because of her pregnancy, donovan would kick it up

like ykno the twin scientists in bioshock infinite ?? that them like they were eerily alike, always finishing each other’s sentences. nightmare fuel.

the only difference was that donovan was considerably less intense than dahlia b/c dahlia was the kinda lass who would set fire to your car

anywAYs so aster was born and everything was fine n dandy until she got a lil older and it suddenly became clear that this child was absolutely not maverick’s at all because they looked. nothing alike. like u know when u can just tell ?? yeah. yeah u could tell

maverick left dahlia afterwards and it was essentially up to her to raise aster alone. donovan had his own wife and kid to take care of and sort of backed down from his career to do so. house dads ftw

aster grew up knowing her dad as some ‘deadbeat no good’ simply bc dahlia was bitter

also grew up as the kid who would hold worms over another kid’s face and taunt them w/ it. so like, playground bully. that was aster. she’s not ashamed of it

she was often left on her own to do her own kinda shit b/c her mom was always busy out in nature n’ shit but aster never minded; loved her mom a Lot

aster’s life changed when she was nine

her mother had been doing research out in the ~wilderness~ with donovan, after months of convincing him of doing this one last project with her~ when the wildfires started

it spread so fast, and they were already too far away from the road

it took them two months to confirm that the twins were dead

rather than leave aster to maverick, elaine--donovan’s wife--took her under her wing and moved across the country to boston alongside myra, her daughter

elaine always held a resentment towards aster because of her mother, but never did anything about it--it was just always, sorta, implied ?

but myra and aster got along swimmingly despite being polar opposites

aster was p much a feral child, and myra had been receiving etiquette lessons since birth, practically--like, literally

elaine put them in the same hobbies but aster always found ways to be wildly different from the ~standard~

myra learned cello and flute, aster started up on bass and drums (breaking both instruments, repeatedly, for many years)

elaine forced dance onto the both of them, and whilst they both excelled at ballet--aster switched over to a more free-flowing dance as soon as she was able to

(that and when elaine tried to put aster in sports instead of dance--figuring her fiery nature would be put to good use--aster managed to get kicked off of every single team of every single sport she tried b/c of her aggression. theyve had to fight a few lawsuits after aster’s broken a number of noses and sporting equipments)

myra was learning two languages, aster? dyslexic and could barely read english as it was; science made sense to her, however. plants? especially.

people confused myra and aster for twins nearly all the damn time, despite only being cousins, they were so alike and yet so opposite

that was, of course, until they got into a nasty spat when they were seventeen

it was something about dead parents and resentments and yadda yadda; it didn’t end well

aster wound up running away......all the way back to los angeles.

n i mean like......homegirl literally managed to run away across the gd country w/o getting caught or murdered

by the time she arrived in los angeles her aunt was sort of like ‘fuck it ur almost 18′ b/c....aster was nearly 18 by the time she arrived in the city, and elaine contacted maverick who in which found aster

aster did not want to go with him, after hearing stories about him just being no-good

but at that point, maverick was one of los angeles’ head detectives with a beautiful apartment and a beautiful wife and a beautiful dog and just kind of living his best life ?? after dahlia’s death he had really cleaned himself up y’kno

aster still kind of resented him but that was more of an inner thing

anyways she started attending ucla b/c her mother attended ucla, but her mother wasn’t a part of a sorority

it was one of those spur of the moment decisions and like nobody knows how aster ended up in theta sigma eta b/c she’s like a grumpy grandmother

but like she dun’ did that

we stan

a year ago maverick was diagnosed w cancer and has been in the hospital battling it ever since, aster is admittedly effected by it but like would never tell anybody ever

she doesn’t really tell anybody anything about her life, like, it’s a gd mystery

uuuuuuuuh aster works in a floral shop as a florist and grows her own shit ranging from fruits, vegetables, weed, shrooms, uh opium poppies yeah she Does that

it’s organic n fresh n shit like the devil works hard but aster works harder

she doesn’t really ~sell~ too often b/c she’s kinda selfish w her stash but it’s some top notch shit when she does

no she doesn’t grow in the floral shop she’s not Stupid

aster inherited some of her mother’s properties Out There so she drives up almost everyday to take care of her plants

uuuhh fun fact, aster’s part of a dance like...company, kind of? but not really ? outside of ucla b/c she hates being involved in school shit besides habitat for humanity

personality

v v v harsh tbh

she won’t beat around the bush, usually...brutally honest, tbh?

like lbr she’s kind of a bitch too

just v offputting at first b/c she tells it like how it is n doesn’t rly care abt ur problems

doesn’t go around lookin’ for new friends but if you’re tight w her then she’ll probably die for u like she’s v loyal

but if u wrong her like even once she’ll drop u and treat u like right shit

she either feels intensely or nothing at all n that’s like. smth u have to deal w/

she’s v v v chaotic neutral, bordering evil--really works in her own favors

became a botanist after her mother bc she admired her mother more than anybody else

not saying that being vegan is a personality trait

but

aster’s a vegan

n just super hardcore into saving the earth n shit?

litter and she’ll break ur nose, basically

v into sustainable living n shit. rides her bicycle everywhere if she can, rly rarely drives, doesn’t do fast fashion at ALL

v v passionate, will argue w/ u until u admit she’s right even if she’s painfully wrong

like super stubborn, v opinionated, assumes the worst of u immediately

a lil cynical, but is more realist than pessimist

BIG FUCKING GAY

like so gay

she’s not Out-Out but she definitely doesn’t hide it, just doesn’t think it’s necessary to be like ‘im gay’ every 5 minutes n doesn’t think it’s necessary to let ppl kno she’s gay b/c shes just like....its my business

kinda bitch to flirt w dudes for fun in order to lead them on, get them to do things for her, etc. etc. just to disappoint in the end

this is big dumbass energy b/c that’s how u get stabbed

unless aster stabs u first

kinda gal who’ll key ur car if u piss her off during a class debate, but will also stick thumb tacks into ur wheels n shit too

like.....i said she’s spiteful, right? b/c she can b so spiteful

really, genuinely, has no regard for other ppl’s feelings

her music taste is either heavy rock or straight up like grimes/die antwoord there is no in between (prolly listens to billie eilish tho)

owns a pet tarantula n yes she has it in her dorm n Yes she brings it out n plays w it n shit her name is stevie nicks n u better respect her

big slut

would never cheat on u but also probably wouldn’t date u in the first place bc she’s scared of like....being in a relationship b/c all of hers are p much on the rocks

probably carries around a pocket knife at all times

probably bought said pocket knife from a dude in an alleyway for like $5

myra also goes to ucla and theyre 100% still not speaking but that’s bc they’re both too stubborn to go to each other but like lbr aster misses her cousin

v unruly, nvr brushes her hair, usually got dirt on her clothes bc she’s prolly been digging in gardens or stealing flowers or some shit

bright side is tht she always smells like flowers

theta sigma eta is lucky b/c she cooks her own meals w her own fresh veggies n shit n she always makes too much food n like ? so good

but anyways she’s also got like no manners okay she’s so impolite

uuuuuuh god i dunno what else

wanted connections

ride or die

other friends of varying closeness

ex-friends ???

...like somebody she’s into but also...not into? v conflicted feelings

on-and-off-agains bc their relationship is awful n probably toxic but it just. hurt so good

ex-gfs

ex-hookups

boys she’s led on

boys she’s currently leading on

flirtatious encounter gone wrong [not clickbait] ??

enemies

enemies but gone sexual [not clickbait]

buyers of her products - either weed, shrooms, or opium teehee

roommate

give her somebody she was a uwu soft crush on but would nvr do anything abt bc gross romance !!

alternately, unrequited crushes of any sorts

fellow gays b/c gays always end up knowing each other

party pals

frenemies ??

sdfgh give me her dad’s trophy wife pleathe....it’d be so funny

childhood friends tht knew her b4 she moved to boston so like...ages 0-9

childhood friends tht knew her after she moved to boston so like...ages 9-17

or acquaintances bc she was....a mean one

A TUTOR just b/c she can rly struggle w her dyslexia

#uclas:intro

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stunudo · 6 years

Text

Infiltrated: Part 4

A Criminal Minds Fan-fiction

Featuring: Hotch x Female Reader/ George Foyet x Female Reader

Setting: Season 4

A/N: A/N: So I got an unsub fmk-type ask and this came from that. This is going to be darker than any other series I have done. Hope you guys like it! The reader character has a name because she is protecting her identity.

This got away from me, but I hope you like it. Xoxo Stu

Warnings: Blood, violence, moral repugnancy, and general unsub behavior. Also smut.

Series

Your name: submit What is this?

You were late, really damn late. George wasn’t on the platform which he had arranged for you to meet him. You searched the exits and entrances, you doubled back in case he was being overly cautious. He was just, gone. You had never missed a meet up, never lost him in a crowd and most certainly hadn’t kept him waiting. Without precedence, came uncertainty, with the Reaper uncertainty meant repercussions or death.

For the first time in almost a year, you truly didn’t know how he would react. Fear began to solidify on the recesses of your mind. Not only were you worried about the kind of damage he would take out on you, you wondered what would happen if he just disappeared. If he left you hanging and alone with only the FBI to keep you focused. This was not supposed to happen.

Your mind began to spiral, you found your way back to your car. You stared at the dashboard, looking over each dial and meter, wondering exactly what your next move was. It wasn’t the abandonment, it was the swinging guillotine. At any second a single motion could snap the cord, effectively separating you from yourself. The agent from the accompliss, the woman from the murderer, the past from the future, the victim from the temptress.

It was nearly five minutes before he spoke, he was waiting for you, naturally. Silent in the backseat.

“Drive, Y/N.” His voice was even, but your exhale was ragged with relief. You hadn’t meant to cry, but the frustrated tears burned like gasoline, ignited by the realization until you couldn’t see in front of you.

“I’m sorry, god, fuc--ging Hemmings was late and I had to get my, my car. I thought, Christ, I thought you were gone.” You stared at him in the rear-view mirror, he was impassive about the sniveling mess you had become.

“Whats this about Y/N?” He leaned forward, his cologne filling your senses. “Were you scared, hmmm?” He held back, hovering as you pulled yourself together. You built back the walls, slowly with added discomfort, playing on his assumptions and preparing yourself for penance. “Drive, I’m done waiting on your shit.”

This isn’t what he was planning on tonight, he hadn’t expected this. Not from Y/N, his muse was stronger than this. He had bought her toys and tools, hoping the build up would have her writhing beneath the glint of his blade. He wasn’t prepared for the way her tears affected him, disgusted and enthralled him. She had been working and he had been idling away the hours until he could push pious Agent Hotchner over the edge.

Y/N needed to get her head together and George decided he had another mission on his plate. She pulled out of the parking lot and into traffic, listening to her breathing regulate was the only way he could mark time as the mile markers ticked passed them along the Interstate.

“Take the next exit, doll.” George’s voice was gruff from disuse. She quickly changed lanes, finally glancing back at him as she checked her blind spots. He couldn’t help it, his lips creeped up at the sight of her watching him. Then she bit her bottom lip and his thoughts fell to his lower brain. “’Atta girl, you bring the gifts I left you?”

“They’re in a bag in the trunk.” She slowed down, waiting for him. George groaned, looking for any sign of motel along the random frontage road.

“The next hotel you find will suffice, Y/N.”

You hadn’t said more than a few sentences since checking in at the hourly motel next to a truck depot. George was more determined to keep you secure than he was to get a rise out of you tonight. You held your chin up as he tightened the strap on your wrists. He kicked the chair you were tied to abruptly, sending your head rocking.

The gasp caught in your throat as he circled you, never breaking his glare. The ropes burned against your skin, the strips of lace forgotten as your bare body was restrained. Your knees were pinned on the outside of the front legs, your folds exposed and coated in anticipation, the air sending shivers through you, pinching at your bindings.

George had retreated to the suitcase, he found the empty leather sheath he had taunted you with and brought it along. He stood squarely in front of you. The bite of leather stung across your cheek, he whipped the triangular casing across your face. You hissed, bringing your face back up to look at him. His eyes darkened, he hit you across the other cheek, harder.

George chuckled deep in his chest, he trailed the leather down your neck, over his brand between your tits and let it drop on the seat of the chair between your twitching thighs.

“Now we’ll get to see which I want to put away first, my dick or my blade.” You bit your lip at his lingering threat, he moved his face over yours watching you mirror his movements, waiting for him to kiss you or kill you. He could do both or he could do neither, it was his game and you were at his every disposal.

The knowledge of releasing yourself to him was freeing, he had been the center of your life for so long. It wasn’t a secret, unfulfilled need, he was here owning you. He accepted his power over you and that made it less crazy, easing the obsession into something. Not a relationship, but an agreement. George Foyet, the Boston Reaper, had changed your life and as you waited for him to take his next step you knew that by letting him take this piece of you, it granted you your next step.

The familiar warmth pooled around the shallow nick on your shoulder. George was spattering fresh cuts along your arms and what little of your back he could access. The tension sent the wounds to ache as you rolled your muscles against his attacks. Each flinch sent the chair shaking, the loose knife case swaying closer to the edge.

George dragged his nose along your neck, letting your blood smear along his jaw and hands. It had started to dry in places, the air making it itch along with throb in irritation. His cologne had faded with his efforts, now it was just your want and blood lingering in the air. He was struggling to pace himself and you were growing weaker.

“Stop holding back.” You murmured, which came off more of a whine. He did not like that. He grabbed your hair, right at the scalp. Pulling your head back against the back of the chair. Your throat open and exposed, you couldn’t help but swallow as his whisper tickled your ear.

“Oh, the only way we’re both walking out of here tomorrow is if I keep holding back.” His voice was gentle, your stomach tightened at the sincerity.

“Tomorrow?” You asked alarm sinking in.

“You see, I may need a contingency or two. So after I fill that tight pussy, you’re going to give me some blood, Y/N. The kind that I can keep for a rainy day.”

You didn’t know how he was going to use your blood as a diversion like he had his own in Boston, but you nodded, against his hold on your hair.

“Okay, doll, let’s get to work.” George shook your head like a wooden dummy. You let your jaw fall open and gave a glassy eyed stare, pulling a dark appreciative laugh from him.

FBI Headquarters

Your team had finished its surveillance and were working on the final trap for the gun runners the next week. Evidence collection was tedious, but it saved the time on the paperwork later. You were heading out for a real lunch break, away from the same cubicle and twelve faces of your teammates when you stepped onto the elevator.

It had been a week since you had seen Hotch and Strauss on your way to meet George. You fumbled with your blazer, making sure the healing bruises from the restraints were covered. Hotch glanced at you and did a double take. Fucking profilers.

“Agent Turner, how’ve you been?” Hotch’s face seemed to soften.

You did your best to hide your surprise, “Doing alright, just stretching my legs.”

“Going to Marco’s for lunch?” He almost smirked.

“I was thinking Ivy Terrace, why? You free?” You let it hang there, when he looked down you knew you had overstepped.

“Y/N-”

“Aaron?” You challenged, making him look directly at you instead of staring down the elevator doors.

“I never should have let that happen, I’m sorry.”

“I’m not.” You hit the emergency stop button on the navigational panel. You spun stepping into his bubble once again. “Listen, I’m not going to touch you. But you want me to and I enjoy it. And as I recall, you enjoyed me touching you.”

Hotch sighed, letting his head tilt and giving you the saddest look you had seen from him. “I’m a Unit Chief, Agent Turner. This is not the kind of supervisor I am.”

“It’s a good thing I am only consulting on your unit and not your direct report.”

“That’s not the only problem.” He was a skilled prosecutor, you could spend all afternoon volleying his counterarguments.

“There’s only a problem if you’re looking for one.” You crossed your arms over your chest.

“What’s that?” Hotch’s face shifted as he saw the discoloration along your wrist.

“Don’t change the subject, Hotch.” You straightened and stared back at him.

“I’m sorry, Y/N. But there won’t be anymore store room trysts.”

“I’m sorry, too.” You released the emergency knob. “Do you have any idea how many store rooms there are in this place?!”

The day and a half in the hotel room had faded from your skin, the last of the cuts healed over into a dull raised scar that you felt whenever you adjusted your bra strap. George had gone completely silent. No texts, no gifts left in your car or notes in the classified section. Give a guy a pint of blood and he just leaves you to civilian life.

The calendar was mocking you, hence you ripped it off the wall. It was today, eleven years ago that this whole mess began. It felt like it was yesterday and you grabbed the bottle of bourbon from above the fridge to keep the memories at bay. You shouldn’t have been this easily sidetracked, but dates stuck in your mind like the details of a crime scene, overly focused details and then, WHAM! panoramic clarity.

Your team had taken down the arms’ dealers in two calculated attacks. Hemmings took two to the vest, dumb ass. But your Chief and Strauss were chummy and pink faced in his office after the collar. One less fucking thing to worry about. Which was precisely your problem, not enough to occupy your time. The empty hours reminded you of your empty life. And how truly alone you were.

Stupidly, you grabbed your phone. You slurped down two long chugs before finding the recent calls menu. You stared at the uninspiring names of your teammates before finding one from the end of last month. The phone rang and you cleared your throat, trying to play coy.

The journalist let the call ring through to voicemail, whatever, his loss. It was only a Tuesday night and phone sex wasn’t your strong suit. Christ, Y/N, stop dwelling on the negative. You continued to page through your contacts, rolling your eyes at some and groaning in embarrassment at others.

It had taken the equivalent of five stiff drinks before you finally called who you had wanted to call in the first place. The only person who, just, got it.

“What if we never find him?” You asked as if it were a soul-baring sleepover secret. Just between friends in the latest of hours on the cusp of exhaustion would anyone admit these truths to one another.

“Y/N?” Hotch’s voice was crinkled, you had woken him up. “Foyet wants to be caught, he wants the notoriety.”

“But the only way we find him is--”

“If there are more bodies.” Hotch agreed in shared disappointment. “How many have you had?”

“Enough.”

“That’s good. Do you want to talk about it?” Why was he being so nice?

“I want to do more than just talk, Aaron.” He listened, waiting for you to elaborate or confess. You knew he wouldn’t play along. “I’m sorry, it’s a bad day and I chose you as a distraction. It’s not fair.”

“I’m not so easy offended, Y/N. I am happy to distract. Did you know that your Unit is getting a budget surplus after your last case? Might even get you better stake out vehicles.”

“Lucky us, now we just need Kevlar big enough to wrap Hemmings in, head to toe.”

Hotch laughed, he honestly laughed. It was like sunshine on the edge of a rain shower. You stayed on the line for an hour, just talking about anything that came to mind. He tried not to, but his son Jack came up more than once. The longing in his voice was painful and you took one last swig of whiskey to avoid the parallels of his pain and your past.

You said your good nights, leaving you to fall asleep on an unexpected even keel.

Walking into work the next morning, you held an extra box in your arms. If there was an acceptable gift for “Sorry I drunk dialed you on a school night and you had to talk my depressed ass away from the bottle”; pastries from your favorite Danish Bakery would be it. You pushed the call button to six and waited. You gulped an extra deep breath for courage and stepped out towards the BAU bullpen and froze on the spot.

Across the room and at every desk were commanding officers from every branch of the military, they were in full uniform, making the entire floor seem like an invasion. You took a tentative step forward and surrendered, you nearly sprinted back into the waiting elevator.

@benedictcumberbatchstolemyheart @a-unique-girls-heaven @gummiishark @rottendaisies @sunnygubler @lovebodymindstuff @archaic-zugswang @darkheartednerdwithglasses @mikri-oneiropola @princesswagger14 @justwinchesterme96 @profiler-in-training @kennybud @onlyalittleteenwolfobsessed @conversations-with-you-61065 @dontshootmespence @moonlit-void-to-the-far-unknown @cynbx @cherry-loves-fanfic @hotchnerfuckmeup @illegalcerebral @omallieallie @creativecody16 @kandii395 @tiny-potato-lives @april1535 @gabriellewritermua @daisydukes34 @fandomsxo @sonhadoraativa @nea90sweetie @mimiashton

#Criminal Minds #Infiltrated #Hotch #Foyet #Reader x Unsub #Hotch x reader #Foyet x reader #CM #criminal minds fanficitons #reader unsub #smut #blood #violence #cm fanfic #hotch fanfic #fanfiction #reader insert #dark and twisty

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loke-reads · 6 years

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Title: Leah on the Offbeat Series: Creekwood, #2 Author: Becky Albertalli Publication date: 2018

Date started: 31/07/2018 Date finished: 05/08/2018

First sentence: “I don’t mean to be dramatic, but God save me from Morgan picking our set list.” Last sentence: “Love, Leah (your platonic soul mate forever and ever and ever) (and I don’t care if I’m being corny right now, because corny is the new me, I’m turning into my mum, YEAH I SAID IT) (I love you)” Favorite sentence: “I mean, he’s falling apart - and this is over the idea of Abby and me as friends. Platonic, hetero, after-school friends. He would die if he knew. He would actually die. So, yeah.”

Summary: It’s almost the end of high school, and while everybody’s waiting to see which college they will attend, tension rises in Leah’s group of friends between college jealousy and long distance relationship anticipation. Simon and Bram, as well Nick and Abby, have been dating for over a year, and are now promposing to each other in cute ways (Bram even manages to re-enact a Love Actually fanfic Simon wrote!). Meanwhile, Leah is single and her heart is a bit all over the place: she thinks she’s over Abby but she still acts really weird around her, and Garrett is hitting on her but she’s not sure how she feels about him. And that’s when drama starts to crack the group open... Abby and Leah both get accepted in Georgia University, but their friend Morgan doesn’t, and she implies Abby stole her place because she’s black - Leah loses her shit and doesn’t want to talk to her anymore. Nick is going to Boston, and Abby doesn’t want to do long distance so after a few ups and downs she just breaks up with him; she seems ok but Nick is completely devastated and heavily depressed. Simon and Bram both get accepted in New York, but during his University tour, Simon falls in love with another University, 2 hours away from New York... He’s scared to tell Bram, but they manage to work it out! Abby and Leah go to visit their future university together - which Leah finds weird as she’s not so close to Abby anymore. They have some great days together, but one evening Abby is tipsy and she kisses Leah... Leah tells her that she’s not straight, that this was her first kiss and that she shouldn’t have just gone for it. Abby is very upset and sorry, but she’s obviously very confused about what she’s feeling for Leah even though she’s saying that she’s straight. The few days in Athens end, and they don’t really have an occasion to talk about it more until almost two weeks later, when Abby tells her she realized she’s bi because of her feelings for Leah. But Leah is still confused about the whole thing, plus they don’t want to start something and hurt Nick as he’s clearly still depressed, so they don’t act on it. Prom arrives, and even though Leah always thought she would skip it, she’s actually going with Garrett - as friends. She’s rocking a yellow dress with flowers, which go well with her golden combat boots. They go have diner with their friend group, and then the prom starts in an amazing nature park! Nick’s depression puts everybody down and things quickly get awkward. Leah finds Abby in small forest, and though they both confess to each other, Leah says she can’t do this right now... she leaves and starts crying, realizing Abby is all she wants! So she runs back to her and they start kissing, and agree on becoming official no matter what the consequences. Simon and Bram stumble on them, and are very happy for them - they also still thought both of them were straight! Months later, Abby and Leah are roommates and still happily in love!

Opinion: When I first started reading this book about a bi girl, I was happy for the diversity and more LGBTQ+ centered books. I thought that, like other LGBTQ+ books, it would make me feel good because it’s about my community, because it shows that being gay is everyday a little more accepted. I didn’t immediately realize that it was the first time I read a book whose main character was a bi girl. Like me. And when I realized it, it wasn’t about labels at all, it was about experiences. Falling in love with your best (girl) friend, wondering if you like the guy who’s hitting on you at the same time and wishing you were falling for him instead. This hit me hard, that it was so similar to my own experience of high school, and that I never read anything like this. It kinda blew my mind! But anyway, this book was more than that! It was a very cute, slow burn romance, during which everybody’s confused and you’re not sure how it will end. It’s about a fat girl feeling comfortable in her own skin and sexuality, and not giving a fuck. It’s about a popular black girl struggling with her sexuality. I loved Simon’s story, but I thought this one was way more interesting, more layered and captivating - which I wasn’t really expecting! One funny thing about this book is that it’s very much in the present - we’re talking current memes and slang, Drarry, Tumblr etc. This makes me wonder how it will feel to read this in 10 years, but it’s also very refreshing to read this right now. I loved that I felt so close to the character because she uses the same language as me, whereas this language is very rarely seen in mainstream media (and by language I mean... more than the actual language, obviously). This started as a humble young adult novel but it really grew on me and got me hooked way more than I expected!

#book #young adult #coming of age #lgbtq #2018 #en #Creekwood #Leah on the offbeat #Becky Albertalli

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