#Criminal Minds 1017

[gemsofgreece]

Which Byzantine figures do you consider underrated? As someone who has slowly started to learn more about Byzantium, names like Constantine the Great, Justinian the Great, Theodora, Irene of Athens, Anne Komnene, Nikephoros Phokas, Constantine Palaiologos, Tsimiski, Basil, Zoe and Theodora Porprhyrogennita and Theophano are familiar, but do you have any other recommendations (sorry if I misspelled some)?

Below are a few Byzantine historical figures I find very interesting currently:

Flavius Belisarius (c.500 - 565)

While Justinian the Great is one of the most significant emperors in history, his accomplishments would simply not be the same, if he did not have Belisarius as his military commander. He was of uncertain descent (possibly Thracian, Illyrian or less so Greek) but his mother tongue was certainly Latin. Belisarius reconquered Rome and Italy while severely outnumbered during the Gothic War, defeated the Sassanids in the Iberian War, conquered the Vandal Kingdom in North Africa, successfully repulsed the Huns and defended the empire from the Persians and the Arabs. The Byzantine Empire reached its largest surface mostly thanks to Belisarius. A more controversial point in his life was when he was commanded to suppress the notorious Nika riots against Justinian, which ended in a massacre of dozens of thousands civillians. Belisarius was above all a strategist; he didn't mind fleeing the battle or using trickery in order to win a war. Despite his analytical mind in battle, he resolutely wasn't one in the affairs of the palace. Belisarius was married and quite smitten with Antonina, who had the favour of Empress Theodora, and thus felt safe to be totally unhinged. Schemes happening in the palace would sometimes find a scapegoat in Belisarius, who was likely the most genuinely devoted person to the emperor. As a result, Belisarius was often not treated well by the emperor and the secretaries and he was cheated on by his wife. He was even led to trial for betrayal, although Justinian eventually pardoned him. According to legend, Justinian first blinded him and then pardoned him, although lately the historicity of this is questioned. What's certain is that Belisarius didn't receive the respect he deserved in his personal life but he earned the respect of the historians, who consider him one of the best military leaders in history.

Ioannis II Komnenos (1087 - 1143)

Known as Kaloioannis (John the Good / Beautiful), Ioannis is considered the best emperor from the Greek dynasty of the Komneni. Ioannis was not beautiful, he must have been rather unattractive actually, but he earned the title because of his noble character. He was the brother of Anna Komnene, he was the one she tried to poison so that she would ascend to the throne instead. Ioannis forgave her. Ioannis was very just, modest and pious and would only use his imperial luxuries during diplomat visits. He was married to Irene of Hungary. Whether it was because of his piety, his natural predesposition or a different orientation, Ioannis was not very interested in the joys of marriage. However, he remained devoted and faithful to her. It is notable that during his long reign, not a single person was sentenced to death or mutilation, at a time that this would have been the norm for criminals and traitors. Despite all that, Ioannis was actually a great military leader once need arose. His biggest goal as an emperor was to undo the damage from the Battle of Manzikert 50 years prior. Indeed he forced Seljuk Turks to assume a defensive stance and did expand the empire's power to the east again. The Byzantine population increased during his reign. It is certain that Ioannis left the empire significantly better than how he received it. Some sources suggest that Ioannis' noble character was an inspiration to the people of his empire.

Michael Psellos (1017 - 1078)

Psellos was a Greek man of great knowledge and intellect and a questionable character. He did it all; he was a monk, a writer, a philosopher, a judge, a music theorist, an imperial advisor and courtier and a historian. His skill in literally everything led him quickly to the position of the leading professor in the University of Constantinople and that of secretary in the imperial court. His political influence was immense and he saw many emperors succeed each other while he maintained his position as political advisor. Because a big part of his work is autobiographical, it is unclear whether some of his claims are entirely reliable; Psellos was prone to vanity and sarcasm against those who did not favour him. Psellos studied Plato thoroughly, so much so that at times his faith in Christian Orthodoxy was questioned. *Fun fact: Psellos was apparently good at everything except Latin. His Latin was so rusty he confused Cicero with Caesar!

He looks like a Greek Rasputin in his painting above lol Anyway, he was manipulative but he wasn't nowhere near as controversial as Rasputin, let me be clear.

Georgios Gemistos Plethon (c. 1355 - 1452/1454)

Gemistos Plethon was a scholar and philosopher of the late Byzantine era. He was the pioneer of the revival of Greek scholarship in Western Europe. He was secretly not Christian, he believed in the Ancient Greek gods. Plethon admired Platon too. (It's Platon in Greek.) So much so that he added "Plethon" next to his surname Gemistos, which means pretty much the same thing (full) except more archaic and more similar to Plato(n)'s name! He was imperial advisor to the Palaeologi dynasty who at the time were reigning from Mystras, as the empire was dissolving. Everyone suspected his pagan beliefs but he was so influential and important that nobody dared confront him about it. He taught philosophy, astronomy, history, geography and classical literature. He was invited to Florence, Italy to teach Plato and Aristotle and help Florentines understand the differences between the two philosophies. Plethon died in Mystras shortly before or after the Fall of Constantinople. We don't know if he lived enough to see the empire fall. Around 10 years later, some of his Italian followers stole his remains from Mystras and interred him in Rimini, Northern Italy, so that he could "rest amongst free men". Plethon's vision was the revival of the Byzantine Empire, founded on a utopian Hellenic (and not universal) system of government. In one of his speeches, he said "We are Hellenes by race and culture". He is at the forefront of historical studies exploring the connections between Byzantine and Modern Greek identity.

Laonikos Chalkokondyles (c. 1430 - 1470)

Chalkokondyles was an Athenian native, from a prominent old family of the city. He was a historian who witnessed the last years of the Byzantine and the early years of the Ottoman Empire. He was sometimes employed by the Byzantine emperors as a messenger to the Sultan Mehmed II, not without drama. Chalkokondyles wrote in detail about 150 years prior to his lifetime. He described the fall of the Byzantine Empire, he offered a profile of the Ottoman Turks, and he wrote about their conquest of the Venetians and Matthias the King of Hungary. He also explored the civilisations of England, France and Germany. I didn't know about him until I read a great Romanian biography of Vlad Tepes the Impaler (you know, the inspiration of Count Dracula). Chalkokondyles's input is extensive and invaluable for this book; he wrote about Vlad's ancestors and the fights of the Wallachian princes with the Ottomans. His style of writing was mostly clear and simple, styled after Thucydides. He called the Byzantines “Hellenes” and did not use the term "Rhomaioi" (Romans in Greek) for them.

#byzantine empire #eastern roman empire #history #medieval history #middle ages #byzantine history #greek history #greeks #greek people #attichoney4u #ask #long post #tw long #long text #tw long text #tw long post

[circusgoth-dotcom]

The Path to The Top

Ship: The Sheriff of Nottingham x Gabriel of Blackburn

Word Count: 1017

Summary: The Sheriff pardons Gabriel's minor "misdeeds," cleans him up, and opens the floodgates for him to discover just who his birth father was. CWs for some mistrust, the sheriff being repressed-but-still-horny.

Tag List: @canongf @futurewife @myers-meadow

The following day, the sheriff immediately instructed one of his men to fetch fresh clothes from Gabriel’s room at the church, before descending into the dungeons himself to release them. Pushing past the sleepy-looking guards, the sheriff opened the door.

“Gabriel?” He prompted, slowly approaching the heap on the floor. Gabriel had curled itself into a fetal position, covering the back of its head with its hands, its chin tucked toward its chest. When it didn’t stir, the sheriff wasted no time prying its hands away from its head and forcing it onto its feet. Gabriel flinched, half awake.

“Sheriff...”

“Hush. You’re off the hook, for the time being. Come with me.”

It made a soft whimper but did not protest when the sheriff wrapped his arm around it and began guiding it out of the cell and up the stairs. Neither of them said anything as Gabriel was led to a room with a large, wooden tub, heated by an equally large and intricate fireplace.

“I thought you might like to wash up.” The sheriff subtly cleared his throat before he spoke, watching Gabriel carefully.

“How can I know for sure?”

“Know what??”

“That I am no longer a criminal in your eyes.”

The sheriff winced and exhaled, slightly exasperated. “Gabriel, I am showing you the furthest extent of my kindness. Of course you’re pardoned.”

They finally turned fully toward him. “So you’re not going to put me on trial? Cut off my hand? Make an example of me?”

The sheriff wrapped a hand around Gabriel’s own, closing the gap between the two of them and speaking softly. “These hands are capable of so much more than, as ridiculous as the truth sounds, accidental thievery.”

Colour flooded Gabriel’s face for the first time since exiting the dungeons, swallowing in the sheriff’s shadow.

They pushed his hands away, speaking with a breath: “You’re the ridiculous one,” before beginning to strip away their undergarments. It was the sheriff’s turn to blush, swiftly turning away from him. Gabriel paid him no mind as he slipped into the steamy water, sighing contentedly as he laid back. Once he grew used to the feeling, he opened his eyes. “What’s with you?”

“It would be indecent of me to see you like this,” the sheriff answered in a rush. So soft and supple and open, a vision of grace--

“You have my permission to look. I’m only a peasant, after all.”

A shiver found its way down the sheriff’s back and he half-turned, keeping his eyes above the clear water. “That is something I’d like to speak with you about.” Hands shaking slightly, he removed his gloves and picked up a bar of soap, handing it to Gabriel without looking at him. “Do you have any siblings?”

Gabriel’s expression puzzled as he weighed the soap in his hands. “Not as far as I know. You did ask me if any of my relatives lived around here when we first spoke, if I recall correctly… the answer is still no.”

The sheriff nodded slowly… how to break the news to him? "You're absolutely sure?"

"Yes, sir. My birth father left me with my mom before I ever met him, so I guess it's not impossible for me to have a sibling somewhere out there… then my mom left my step-father and I stayed with him until I was old enough to work…"

"Did your mother ever talk about your father?"

Gabriel wrinkled his nose. "We never had a great relationship, so I never asked."

"I see." There was a pause as Gabriel soaped himself up and rinsed off. The sheriff felt as if his entire body was on fire as he kept catching glimpses of Gabriel out of the corners of his eyes, struggling to regulate his breathing. He robotically handed him a cloth to dry himself off as he stepped out of the tub, heavy eyes firmly stuck on his collarbones.

“So, why do you ask?” Gabriel was officially feeling a helluva lot better than when he had woken up, though he was certainly still a bit sore. As the sheriff opened his mouth, a knock came at the door.

“Blackburn’s clothes have been placed in your chambers, sir.”

The sheriff tore his gaze away from Gabriel, a relieved breath filling his lungs as he put his gloves back on. “Very good. Shall we?”

Gabriel followed the sheriff back to his room, finding it the same as it was the last time he had been there.

“Dress and make yourself comfortable. Then we will discuss why I’m so interested in your family history.”

Gabriel nodded and did as he was told while the sheriff feigned interest in whatever was going on outside of his window. He only turned back toward Gabriel when he heard them settle into his armchair. “You’ve prepared yourself?”

Gabriel made a bewildered sort of scoff. “Yes… what on Earth…?”

“Maid Marian.”

“Excuse me?”

“Maid Marian,” the sheriff repeated. “Daughter of King John and King Richard’s lower-ranking brother, a local… and your sister.”

Gabriel blinked, leaning forward slightly in his chair with an even more confused expression. “Sister?? What makes you think that?”

“I have my sources…” The sheriff exhaled. “But I strongly encourage you to talk to her. Prod her for information about her father, and his past. And when you see her, think about how similar the two of you look.”

“Why should I?”

“Don’t sound so defensive, Gabriel. It’s not an order, merely a strong suggestion. Aren’t you tired of living at the church? I am certain that you have royal blood in your veins, think of all the opportunities that are just beyond your reach.”

Gabriel shifted in the chair and silence filled the air between them once more. Finally, he stood. “So I’m free to go?”

The sheriff clucked his tongue. “Yes. As free as a bird.” He then strode over and opened the door for them, disappointed with their unconfirming reaction. They made it to the doorway before turning back toward him.

“Where might I find Marian?”

A smile curled the sheriff’s lips.

#self shipping #self shipping community #self insert #self insert x canon #self x canon #self insert oc #oc x canon #gay self ship #trans self ship #circus scripts #🗡️A Heart of Black Charcoal🖤 #🐎⛪.s/i

[spoilertv]

#SpoilerTV

[wesavegotham]

I think what a lot of people who didn't pay attention to Teen Titans since Glass took over don't know is that all those terrible things that have happened to Damian in the last 2-3 years that should have had a strong impact on Damian are not actually adressed as being triggers for Damian's behaviour in Teen Titans.

Damian feeling devastated after Dick got shot by KGBeast?

Nightwing annual 2

Damian feeling sad after discovering that Jon is almost an adult now and things are definitely not the same anymore?

Superman 16

Damian feeling neglected by Bruce?

Detective Comics 1017

Damian blaming himself for Alfred's death (even though he was just following Bruce's orders)?

Batman: Pennyworth RIP

So yeah, we have canon evidence that Damian does care about these things...none of it is used to explain his actions in Teen Titans though.

The official reason Damian gives to us in Teen Titans for why he acts the way he does is that he's sick of the villains escaping Gotham's prisons all the time and killing innocent people over and over again after witnessing the owner of his favourite restaurant getting murdered (guy was never mentioned before and was never mentioned again), which is why he builds his own secret prison where he plans to lock up criminals for all eternity under inhumane circumstances. That's pretty much it.

The prison fails because of course it does. Criminals escaping prison to fight Batman or in this case Damian again is necessary for how comics work. Damian was doomed to fail.

So after the prison failed Damian and Djinn start mind wiping criminals to make them forget about their previous life and manipulate them into peaceful members of society, but rob them of their free will in the process.

After Djinn's departure from the team (and her accusing Damian of having used her, which isn't what actually happened, but the story suddenly acted like it is at the end of #41) the mind control is also lifted, meaning that approach also failed.

Dick, Jon, Alfred, none of this matters in Glass's run. It's only about Damian being unhappy with Batman's methods.

Which brings us to Teen Titans 42. This is the first issue written by Robbie Thompson alone after taking over completely from the previous writer Adam Glass. At this point in time I can only talk about the preview for issue 42:

Together with the solicitations for the next few issues and Glass' confirmation that Damian will definitely lose the robin mantle in the annual we have to assume that Damian's insistence on not going far enough (already stated by him at the end of #41) in his war against crime probably means he wants to hunt down criminals to kill them, breaking Batman's sacred no kill rule.

I guess I appreciate Thompson finally adressing Damian's grief for Alfred in this and that he's alone, but the way he does it is rather peculiar.

Instead of making Damian angry at Bruce for being the one at fault Damian had to watch Alfred die and finally adressing that Bruce hasn't taken care of Damian in months the book chooses weird things for Damian to complain about.

The lack of guidance is attributed to Alfred's death in this preview, not to Bruce's neglect, even though Alfred was very much alive during most of the events of Teen Titans and didn't try to guide Damian either. He also didn't pressure Bruce into taking care of his estranged son at any point in time. Alfred is actually pretty useless in this storyline.

Thompson also makes Damian accuse Bruce of only reacting to crime and not fighting against the cause of crime, which is kinda ridiculous when you consider the amount of contingency plans Bruce has for everything and the fact that he's currently rebuilding Gotham from the ground up in hopes of lowering Gotham's crime rate permanently. Bruce is very much proactive in his war against crime.

So why doesn't the book use valid points of criticism against Bruce and why doesn't it use the recent terrible events in Damian's life to explain his actions?

My personal impression of this storyline and how it treats Damian is that we are not supposed to sympathize with him, we are not supposed to feel like he has a point. Damian is not the tragic protagonist of this story, Damian feels like the antagonist.

He's the person on the team who lead the others astray and he's the only one of them who refuses to learn and see that this path is wrong. The official reasons Damian has for leaving Bruce's side are not valid because this isn't really about Damian proving Bruce wrong and finding a more effective way to combat crime, this story is just a tool for DC to justify Damian getting kicked out of his position. Bruce isn't supposed to be the bad guy in this, Damian is.

DC isn't interested in making Damian actions feel reasonable and they're also not interested in making Bruce the true antagonist of the story. We fans might look at this differently, but DC tries to paint a different picture.

#damian wayne #bruce wayne #alfred pennyworth #teen titans

[ohmypreciousgirl]

Frank/Karen Rec List [Daredevil Canon Compliant]

For @infinisei and @blyedeeks cause I’m the reason they are suffering with me.

Series

can't let go by MegLynn

“You look like shit, Page.”

She shrugs, “You should see the other guy.” She lifts her head to see his face as he smirks. “No, really, you should see him, I broke his nose.”

it exists, it's real, it's possible, it's yours by geez

He may not be the defender of truth and justice like Red is but that’s because he doesn’t really see the need for it. The world is a shitty place full of shitty people and trying to hold everyone to an ideal that hardly exists as it is doesn’t work. There ain’t no use trying to turn bad people good, but Frank sees the merit in protecting the good that is out there. And Karen Page is just about the best good there is.

such good bad ideas by seren_ccd

It's somewhere around ten at night on a Thursday and Frank Castle stood in front of her and she had the wild thought that he's either there to kill her or help her with her groceries. She hoped it was to help her with her groceries because the plastic handles were cutting off circulation in her fingers.

One Worth by Wynn

The message arrives in an innocuous envelope, a plain white one marked only with her name and the address of The Bulletin, the two scrawled on the front in thick black ink. Karen doesn’t even have to open it to know it’s from him, from Frank, though almost eight months have passed since she last saw him.

devil's backbone by alchemystique

“Was in the neighborhood. Thought I’d drop in.”

She kinda wants to punch him in his stupid face, but she knows it wouldn’t help. It wouldn’t even land, unless he wanted it to.

Besides, it’s not like she could make the bruises littering his skin any worse than they already are.

Frank Castle, Walking Bruise.

Somehow, it just doesn’t have the same ring to it as The Punisher.

all the devils by Yggdra

Her brightness touches everything he lays eyes on.

And he can't shake her no matter how hard he tries.

Songs About Daughters by homesickblues, StellarRequiem 

Karen discovers she's pregnant, and it changes nothing, and everything.

we're always alright by jazzonia

Frank comes to her straight from the firefight.

corvidae and whiskey by Ejunkiet

Frank turns up on her doorstep on a Tuesday night and stays until Friday.

you make me feel so criminal by evil bunny wolf (evil_bunny_king)

Frank Castle - had cared. He’d broken himself caring; he’d loved with a heart she’d only glimpsed beneath his darkness, broken and bleeding as it was.

She refused to believe that that man could be gone.

New World by slashy (slashmyheartandhopetoporn)

“You want a drinking buddy?”

The bottle drops from Karen’s hands and hits the area rug with a dull thunk.

“Didn’t break at least,” Frank says after a moment. “That was lucky.”

the slow descent into vigilantism by sternflotte

She cannot say she hadn't thought of Frank Castle in the months since the Punisher Trial.

Standalones

Tough Girl is What I Had to Be by angel_deux [10539 words]

Lisa Castle survives the incident in Central Park, and Karen Page wants to take care of her.

Soft Unspoken Sounds by orphan_account [1465 words]

The first time they kiss is also the first time they sleep together. It's hurried. It's desperate. It's as soft as it is rough. Neither one of them says so, but it smacks very much of love.

You Carry My Heart On Your Sleeve by Morrigan2345 [4973 words]

The first thought that comes to mind when her door opens and she’s standing in front of him in what could only be the tightest black dress he’s ever seen is that she looks good. Really good. The second thought is that he shouldn't have thought that. The third thought is that he couldn’t give less of a shit.

in the end of the night we’ll rest our bones by girlsarewolves [730 words] 

Objectively, she knows this is not a good idea. She tends to ignore her brain sending warnings her way. She follows her gut, her heart. Instinct.

After Visiting Hours by irishcookie [3702 words]  

Karen pushes when she knows she shouldn't. She knows one day someone is going to try to get to the bottom of why she runs toward danger instead of turning her back on it. She just didn't expect that someone to be Frank Castle. She just didn't expect it to be in the middle of the night while she is confined to a hospital bed.

found love deep in the sea by idekman [2046 words]   

Karen needs a hand at a black tie event. Frank is happy to step in.

you're looking in the wrong place (for my love) by an_ardent_rain [4483 words] 

“I don’t think you know what you’re doing,” he says. He strokes the outside of her knees, rough, with the pads of his thumbs, and when he speaks he’s so close she can almost feel the scrape of his teeth against her. “What you’re getting yourself into.”

sun upon the roof in winter by idekman [1118 words] 

She goes out for the paper, because it's a Sunday and they like to share the supplements.

around the world my body will roam (my soul’s in new york) by idekman [1482 words]

She gets two blankets, one for each of them, and sits out there with him until the sun rises.

Birds of a Feather by StellarRequiem [1514 words] 

Karen Page reunites with Frank Castle long after warning him that one more murder would make him a monster, and over the next several months, something like a relationship emerges.

it's so hard not to save 

She knows, she knows what he's talking about, what he's asking.

somehow we're never quite prepared  by MegLynn [1736 words]  

So she doesn't say her peace and leave. She stays.

Trust Me To Take You Home by Morrigan2345 [2312 words]

It's complicated, she's fine with it, but it's complicated.

The Mystical Powers of a Friendship Bracelet by Morrigan2345 [2606 words]

It's not easy keeping them a secret from her best friends, but it's necessary given the fact that Matthew Murdock and Frank Castle seem to fight all the time.

you’re like a commotion, all because of me by whenzombiesattack [3160 words] 

(You’re dead to me. You’re dead to me. You’re dead to me.)

He finally fucked up.

the wretched ones by glycerineclown [4143 words]

Frank’s been laying low, keeping his head down. If he was handsome bloody and beaten—he still smells like gun oil and smoke, he holds himself the same way, but god, Karen can feel her heart rate pick up from just looking at him.

ain't nothing but a monster by nighimpossible [5688 words]

“Is this okay?” she asks, the question just a murmur in the dark.

“You’re already close enough to hurt me,” Frank says finally, after chewing on the thought for a long moment. “So hurt me.”

Teach Me by NyxErchomai [4048 words] 

Frank teaches Karen how to fight. It ends, predictably, with sex.

the beast won't go to sleep by an_ardent_rain [5868 words]  

Frank catches her hand inches from his face. “Don’t,” he says, voice low and smoldering, something she doesn’t recognize burning in his face, behind the large, dark pupils of his eyes. She loses all momentum suddenly, looking all around the room before finally she meets his eyes. It takes her breath away.

as the pain dulls by damnmysterytome [524 words]   

When Karen Page opens her eyes, several things surprised her. The first one being that she was in an unbearable amount of pain and couldn’t explain why. The second was that she was in a hospital bed. The third was that Frank Castle was sitting in the chair next to her bed, fast asleep.

Black, No Cream by kay_emm_gee [743 words] 

Officially, Karen doesn’t have a favorite coffee shop. It would be too easily for people--cops, interns from the district attorney’s office, undergrads desperate for writing opportunities, that CEO she wrote an expose on--to find her. She supposes that is the cost of becoming a headlining writer at The Daily Bulletin and she would happily forfeit more if it meant she got to keep fighting corruption like this for the rest of her life. Still, when she has the time and a low-fitting baseball cap, she slips into a back corner table of this tiny diner--Mary Ann’s it says in flickering neon red light--around the corner from her office. No one is the wiser. Four months she makes it, and then the coffee cup arrives.

(if you want a lover) i'll do anything you ask me to by an_ardent_rain [1017 words]  

She swallows. “Okay.” Carefully, with nervous fingers, she moves down past his jaw, over the soft skin on the column of his throat. And he lets her.

no explanation necessary by damnmysterytome [1096 words]

Karen and Frank had an agreement when it came to their pasts – they didn't talk about it much, whether it came from a place of wanting to spare each other from the pain they've both suffered or just not wanting to talk about it. It didn't matter the reason, they had an unspoken agreement.

run away now like we're supposed to do  by an_ardent_rain [1164 words]  

He wonders when - if, he wonders if - he’ll see her again, if she’ll need him to tag along on another errand, for another story. He’ll come, he thinks, if she asks nicely.

But for now, he's not going to stay.

judge, jury, and executioner by damnmysterytome [1216 words]

Karen reached her hand forward and picked up a jalapeño popper, lifting it to her lips and biting into it while they waited. When she turned to look at Frank, she noticed him staring at her with an amused look on his face. “What?” She asked, bringing her hand up to her face to cover her mouth. “I’m hungry, I haven’t eaten today.”

You Don't Look The Same As When I Was Dreaming by Morrigan2345 [1220 words]

She would be fine, she’s always fine, and when she tells this to Frank he looks like he believes her.

Is the dogs name really Castle? by damnmysterytome [1349 words]

Standing in her kitchen, knelt down by her dog, was Frank Castle, a man she was certain she would never see again.

“Frank?”

“Is the dogs name really Castle?”

Thin Red Line by babbleface [1652 words] 

She still thinks about it sometimes. That line of red tape around the hospital bed. That thin little border that no one could cross. She had wondered, at the time, what the consequences would be if she slid the tip of her toe over the line.

And Yet by yodelingintothevoid [1672 words]  

Her fingers moved smoothly and gently, rubbing and massaging, working the creams and powders along his jaw and under his eyes. The allotted ten minutes was nearly up, but nothing could have compelled him to tell her, to risk losing even a minute of the delicate brushing of her fingers on his skin.

grand ferry park by cmc [1716 words]  

She looks over and he’s leaning on the back of the bench next to hers, and in any other situation she would think he was about to use a bad pick-up line.

Instead, he says, “Ma’am.” Because of course he does.

“Is that why we’re in Brooklyn?” she says. “So you and your beard can blend in with the hipsters?"

Cherry Wine by Alison_Ocean [1761 words] 

She nearly jumps out of her skin when a hand suddenly tightens around her left arm. She starts and looks up. The first thing her eyes register is tawny skin beneath a black baseball cap. A yellowing bruise floats over a prominent cheekbone. Speaking of ruthless.

New World by Alison_Ocean [2081 words]

"You want a drinking buddy?” The bottle drops from Karen’s hands and hits the area rug with a dull thunk. “Didn’t break at least,” Frank says after a moment. “That was lucky."

Familiar by Alison_Ocean [2081 words]

Their shoulders are a whisper apart, and in moments like these when she’s holding in laughter and stealing glances to check if he’s really serious, she can feel the heat circulating in that little inch of exposed universe so much more intensely than she’s certain is warranted.

As Is by BonGarland [2138 words] 

Karen goes dress shopping. But the store she chooses has an interesting clientele...

at dusk when work is over by idekman [2346 words]

She’s always, struck, in moments like this, how soft he seems, how a man who will sometimes stumble into her apartment bathed in other people’s blood is so gentle with her.

A little touch on her elbow to steady her here and there. Or how he always makes sure to walk closest to the traffic when they’re on the pavement together, as if he’s scared she might fall into the road somehow.

On days like this, when he insists on paying for dinner and hands her her coat as she stands, she almost forgets that he kills people at all.

(so what if you can see) the darkest side of me by fragilethings [2416 words] 

She doesn’t know, these days, if it’s ‘Karen follows danger’ or ‘danger follows Karen’. Sometimes the line isn’t a line, it’s a circle.

Distraction by tristinai [3163 words]

Karen struggles to make sense of everything that's happened in her life. Sometimes, she feels that everything is just a distraction.

not a jacker in sight by cmc [6493 words]

Karen investigates a possible new player in the drug trade, Frank dresses like a cowboy, and, against all odds, they have a good day.

(in our bedroom) after the war by Ejunkiet [3184 words] 

When Karen had received the invitation from WNEX station to speak on Trish Talk, the most popular radio talk show in the city, her first instinct had been to say no.

wheels take me (i can't stay) by idekman [3548 words]

It’s quiet and still the day she sets off for Maine.

She heads off early, Ben’s car and his old tapes crackling out of the speakers. Shining Star comes on and she ejects the tape so fast she almost goes headlong into the back of another car on the freeway.

I Miss You by SoundandColor [3562 words]

Four times Karen and Frank disagree (and one time they are in perfect accord).

devils and ghosts by Ejunkiet [4767 words]  

Frank turns up on her fire escape at two o’clock in the morning in the middle of the worst storm that’s hit the city since Karen moved to New York. She lets him in.

The Ghosts We Keep Within by irishcookie [4837 words] 

She told Frank Castle that he is dead to her --- so it is almost fitting that his ghost haunts her.

No Sugar, No Cream by silbecoo [5913 words]  

Five times Frank brings Karen coffee and one time he doesn't.

Fire Meet Gasoline by xenowhore [9415 words]  

And then, insanely, it was nearing midnight and Karen was standing in Frank Castle’s bathroom looking at herself in the chipped mirror. She was wearing one of his old t-shirts and nothing else (it nearly came down to her knees) her blouse and pantyhose folded neatly on the counter, hair undone and falling in thick waves around her shoulders. She’d have raccoon eyes in the morning, no makeup remover here - soap was too harsh for her sensitive skin - but somehow she didn’t care. She didn’t care that her legs were so startlingly pale, that she didn’t have a toothbrush. These things seemed trivial when she considered that in moments, she’d be sliding between sheets that cradled a killer every night.

AU

to arm your fears like soldiers and slay them by  viansian [1349 words] 

Karen had gotten over the whole “soulmates” hype when she was thirteen years old, and she didn’t plan on getting swept up in that shitstorm again anytime soon.

#kastle #kastle fic #kastlefic #kastle rec list #kastle fic rec #rec list #rec time

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                                                              FEBRUARY          2020

PAGE  RIB

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Just as we said good bye to 2019, 75 of The Rolling Stones outtakes and such were released for a minute on You tube.  The thinking seems to be that the tracks which could be found under 69RSTRAX were ‘released’ before public domain sets in.

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Check out Somebody up there likes me, a doc about the life of Ronnie Wood.

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Bill Wyman has a new book out set for release on Feb, 29 called Stones: From the Inside

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The film, The Burnt Orange Heresy looks great and will open on March 6.

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Steve Martin has been talking about next year’s Hulu series he did with Martin Short, Only murders in the building. I thought it was a bit but apparently it is real and I can’t wait!!

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I loved Samantha Bee’s take on ghost sex: Spook softly and carry a big dick. Too funny!

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Bill Maher just bought a new place in Avalon on Santa Catalina Island for a mil. The area boasts hardly any cars as most people get around on foot or by golf cart.

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Stephen Colbert’s executive producer Tom Purcell came up with the idea years ago for a home makeover show that does a re-do on murder houses. Someone else came along and thought it again because now we have Murder House Flip.

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Abby Huntsman has left the View.

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The Oscar noms are out with Joker leading the pack. There is Leo and Joaquin for actor and Hanks, Hopkins, Pacino, Pesci and Pitt for supporting. That is the TOUGH category. For actress there is Cynthia Erivo and Renee Z. Kathy Bates is up for supporting. Johansson is up for 2. For films, they love Ford V Ferrari, The Irishman, Jo Jo Rabbit, Marriage Story, Joker, Little Women, 1017, Parasite and Once upon a time in Hollywood.

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Dave Chappelle, Marianne Williamson and Donald Glover are helping to raise $ for Andrew Yang.

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The last season of Criminal Minds is officially underway and I was so fucking glad that Dorian Harewood was there for the final shows. Woo Hoo!!

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Neil Young and John Oliver are now American citizens

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Interrogation is a new tv series that looks promising.

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Wes Anderson’s new film, French Dispatch that he wrote with Hugo Guinness, Jason Schwartzman and Roman Coppola will be out on July 24. The production features Benecio del Toro, Adrien Brody, Tilda Swinton, Frances McDormand and Bill Murray.

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The Russell Simmons doc about his incidents with women has lost its executive producer, Oprah.

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John Stewart has written and directed a new film, Irresistible starring Steve Carell and Chris Cooper.

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I am so sick of the multiple pens it takes to sign the documents when they sign something into law etc. You are wasting our money signing a letter at a time, politicians just so U can give some crap as a keepsake. Let’s have a real signature! I don’t think the average person would be allowed to sign official papers that way.

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The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has decided on their new inductees: Depeche Mode, The Doobie Brothers, T Rex, Whitney Houston, Notorious B.I.G., Nine inch nails and the Ahmet Ertegun award will go to manager Irving Azoff along with journalist and manager Jon Landau.

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Julian Castro is out, Marianne Williamson is out, Cory Booker is out.** Sanders got the endorsement of Nevada’s largest teacher’s union and the black caucus.** Bloomberg says he will use his $ for whoever is the democratic candidate. He is also running an anti-gun ad during the Super Bowl.

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I wish Rep. Doug Collins would stop talking.

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Ken Jennings was the big Jeopardy winner in the showdown.

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Diego the tortoise has had so much sex that he saved his species. There were only a few of them left and now there are about 2,000.

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The Tokyo 2020 Olympics will be here July 24.

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Warren and Bernie got into it after the January debate. They sort of called each other liars.

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Hillary Clinton is the first female chancellor of Queens University.** The Justice department inquiry into Hillary has finally ended. They found nothing.

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The Golden Globes had some very deserving winners like Succession, Brian Cox, Laura Dern, Olivia Coleman, Patricia Arquette and Joaquin Phoenix. Tarantino was honored for his writing. I think the best dressed were numerous this year. There was hardly a wrong choice except for J Lo, Thomasin Mckenzie, Ryan Seacrest and Beyonce. I loved Joey King, Michelle Pfeifer, Kaitlin Deaver, Rose Leslie, Cate Blanchett, Ellen and Portia, Phoebe Waller- Bridge, Cynthia Erivo, Eddie Murphy and Paige Butcher, Brad and Leo, Zoe Kravitz, Helen Mirren, Annabelle Wallis, Lisa Lu, Bill Hader, Kerry Washington, Lisa Bonet, Colin Jost and Scarlett Johansson, Patricia Arquette and Nicole Ansari-Cox.

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The SAG award also had some very well dressed which included Reese Witherspoon, Michelle Williams, Lupita Nyongo, Zoey Kravitz, Millie Bobbie Brown the Schitts Creek cast and Patricia Arquette. Christina Applegate was a bit too old school but she rocked it. The people on the SAG carpet were very chatty.  Parasite was named best cast. Other winners included Zellweger, Joaquin, Sam Rockwell, The Crown, Laura Dern and Dinklage. I have not seen The Morning Show but I was a bit shocked to see Jennifer Aniston win over Jody Comer, Helena Bonham Carter, Olivia Coleman or Elizabeth Moss. This was an award from her fellow actors so I suppose they wanted to send her some love. Her ex Brad Pitt won as well and went on and on about himself.

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The Grammys were pretty somber with a lot of ballads and the sadness of the death of Kobe Bryant that day. Aerosmith refused to let drummer Joey Kramer play with them and many found the performance a mess. A wonderful moment was Tanya Tucker and Brandi Carlile with their song that went on to win best country song. Tanya Tucker won best country album. Other winners included Billir Eilish, Lizzo, Elvis Costello and the imposters, Gary Clark Jr., Nipsey Hussle and John Legend, Willie Nelson, Michelle Obama and Dave Chappelle. I had no love for the fashion of Ariana Grande or Rosalia. My best dressed were Lizzo, Camila Cabello, Elle Mai, Jameela Jamill, Billy Porter, Bebe Rexha and Alessandria Ambrosia.

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Roman Polanski’s An Officer and a spy captured the most noms at France’s Cesar awards.

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What IS Iran’s cyber capability? Give us details when it comes to Trump’s act of aggression against Iran. Wasn’t he supposed to get us out of the Middle East?** Our own government has concluded that withholding aid to Ukraine was illegal even though half the Senate does not seem to care.

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Dori Miller is the first person who was not a President to have an aircraft carrier named after him. The African American hero was at first not recognized for his bravery but FDR changed that. Construction will be completed in about 8 years.

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Gustav Klempt’s missing Portrait of a Lady was found in a hole in the wall of a house. It had not been seen since 1997.

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Kathy Griffin got married on New Year’s Eve to her long time love, Randy Bick with Lily Tomlin officiating.

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Venture capitalist Imaad Zuberi pled guilty to obstruction of justice for impeding a Federal investigation into the inaugural fraud.

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Eric Swalwell has said that everybody will want the Trump trial in the future wherein the person on trial gets to make the rules. It will be a thing. Who needs witnesses?

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So there is a story that many Puerto Rican’s have had to move to the continental U.S. (mostly Fla.) because of the lack of help they have received from the current administration. Now, they can only vote in primaries in Puerto Rico but when they settle in other places they can actually VOTE for President. Lesson: Help Others!

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A Federal court just affirmed an injunction preventing the Trump administration from discharging air force members living with HIV. It is hard to keep up on all the despicable things this administration is doing.** Scary Clown 45 thinks he is responsible for low cancer rates. They have been steadily going down anyway. He wants a 4.9 bil cut in medical research, 897 mil cut in National cancer institute and a 763 mil cut for the CDC. Luckily it didn’t happen.

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Apparently before the impeachment trial began, Trump’s legal team gave thousands of dollars in contributions to Moscow Mitch, Lindsey Graham and Ted Cruz. What a sad time for this country. KEEP INVESTIGATING ANYWAY.

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A new immigrant prison just opened in Baldwin, Michigan, run by GEO, a for profit prison company.

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The wall is costing about 20 mil a mile and the 100 miles or so completed have mostly been repairs to existing structure. When G W Bush was in office the cost was about 4 mil a mile.** About 30 feet of the wall feel into Mexico due to high winds.

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Season 7 of Grace and Frankie will be the last.

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The White House streamed a sermon from the Holy City Church of God in Christ in Memphis. The event that VP Pence attended for the MLK holiday was led by a pastor who claimed that our gay friends were possessed by demons.

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Days alert: Loved Kristen’s call back to Rosemary’s baby again when talking about little Andy or Jenny. I can’t believe that in those same flashbacks we learned what a horrible Mother’s Day they had.  How could so much go wrong in 1 day? ** Hooray, More Tony and Anna!! ** The heartbreak of John and Marlena and the evil of the brainwashed really harkens back to the heyday of Days.** I wish that the baby mix up story would bring Tate and Theresa back to town! It is time for she and Brady to get back together!

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Rudy has started a podcast.

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I am often not a fan of tradition (royal, religious or otherwise) but I admit it gave me great comfort to see the articles of impeachment walked carefully to the Senate chamber. We still have a little bit of order amidst all the chaos of the Trump era.

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The Astros are cheaters.

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The super bowl will be upon us on Feb.2 with Kansas City V San Francisco.

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6139 military vets committed suicide in 2019. R.I.P.

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R.I.P. victims of the Australian fires, Chris Tolkein, Neil Peart, David Olney , Terry Jones, Mr. Peanut , Jim Lehrer , victims of the Calabasas helicopter crash and Buck Henry.