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glassworkspiderlilies · 3 years

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delinquency

Genshin Impact | @albelumiweek 2021 Day 6 | Promise | AO3 Summary: “Just promise me you will be careful,” he says, and Lumine smiles, squeezing his hands. Notes: *spins wheel* today we get a school AU, vaguely yandere albedo, and genki delinquent lumine. sure, why not. i have no control over anything. <3

“Lumine.”

She freezes in position, her arm half-wrapped, then turns around slowly, a sheepish smile on her face.

“Hi, ‘Bedo,” she says, hiding her arm behind her back in vain, but his expression doesn’t soften at the use of the nickname. “Is your class over already?”

“Yes.” His eyes flick over to the roll of bandages still in sight, then sets his books down and takes a seat across from her. “And you skipped again, I see.”

Albedo holds out his hand, and Lumine sighs before putting out her injured arm. He finishes the wrapping job for her, better than she could have done alone, and the tension eases out of her shoulders when she realizes he isn’t mad—at least not at her.

“The Fatui,” she explains, his silence questioning even if he hadn’t asked verbally. “Aether and Xiao got suspended for practically destroying the east wing, so…it’s just me. Well, and a few others, but they’ve got exams coming up.”

“You’re a target now,” he says, staring into her eyes. He has not released her hand yet, and she doesn’t pull back. “It’ll only get worse. Fights have always been part of this academy, but the one shouldering so many of them does not have to be you.”

She stares back, then gives him a sad sort of smile before she leans her forehead against his.

“It doesn’t, I guess,” she agrees, “But it is. Aether and I are the outsiders, and we have a bit of a reputation. You know what they call us, right? The Travelers. It’s probably the nicest moniker we’ve ever gotten, for being expelled out of so many schools. We’re just…a little too strange, and a little too good at fighting.”

Albedo frowns.

“You are hardly the strangest thing in Teyvat.”

“But if I weren’t, how could I have caught your eye?”

“…I like you more than just your being strange, you know.”

“You are sweet, Albedo.”

“Lumine.”

She laughs.

“I’m okay, really. Once Aether comes back, it’ll be easier. It’s a lot harder to get expelled here since they encourage so much…diverse development, and we have the Student Council backing us. And our patrons. Some of the fights aren’t so bad, really, I just…I’m not used to doing so much of it without Aether.”

Albedo hums.

“You could ask for my help.”

“No way. You’re in the crux of your thesis. I need to fight so you can research in peace.”

“Ah, so that’s why you’ve been extra reckless lately?”

Her eyes widen as she realizes her misstep. He looks smug at catching her so easily and neatly, and she huffs, blowing her bangs out of her face.

“I said I’m just not used to fighting without Aether.”

He cups her cheek, brushing a thumb over the bruise that is beginning to darken there.

“You don’t have to be the savior of Teyvat,” he says wryly, “We learn to work with…excessive distractions here, and my focus will not be broken so easily. You needn’t injure yourself on my account.”

“As much as I like you, it’s not only for you,” she says, just a little teasingly. But the humor fades as she frowns. “There’s…something else that’s going on behind the scenes. Aether and I have been asked to look into it.”

Albedo raises a brow, questioning, and Lumine sighs before she leans in and drops her voice to a whisper.

“The Archons, of the old Hidden Council—Teyvat’s patrons. There seems to be some kind of rift. You know Venti and Zhongli, the spokesmen for Barbatos and Rex Lapis? They’ve been targeted more than once. I don’t know who the others are, but…if it gets really bad, then it could affect the whole school.”

Albedo leans back, thinking.

“This is a lot for transfer students to get involved in.”

“But it’s precisely because we have no history with this place at all that we’re the best options.”

Albedo frowns again, but relents with another sigh. He is concerned, yes, but to hound her for situation that she does not entirely have control over would bring her undue stress, and she is under enough already, in her own way. He has to trust her, just as she does him.

“Just promise me you will be careful,” he says, and Lumine smiles, squeezing his hands.

“I promise. And I promise I will come to you for help if I really need it,” she tells him, and earns a smile in return.

“I’m glad to hear it.”

“Oh! One more thing.”

Lumine reaches into her bag, then pulls out an odd pointy blue object, putting it into Albedo’s hands. He looks closely at it, turning it over and analyzing its characteristics by habit.

“What’s this?”

“A tusk from an ancient whale, or something? You said that your project would be better supported if you had something like that to work with, right?”

He blinks at her.

“How…did you get this?”

Lumine twiddles her fingers.

“I…may have an arrangement with the Eleventh Harbinger…he has all these connections and if he wants to fight me every week, I should get something useful out of it when I win, right?”

She looks pleadingly at him as he stares at her in slight disbelief. He feels a mix of emotions—concern, again, that she made a bargain with a Harbinger, but also warmth, that she should remember such a passing mention during one of his long-winded musings.

In the end he laughs, deciding to simply marvel at her capabilities. She always manages to surprise him, in one way or another.

“Thank you,” he says, and is pleased when she beams at him.

A commotion outside draws their attention, and Albedo gathers up his books and the tusk into his bag while Lumine shrugs herself back into her leather jacket and swings her spiked baseball bat up onto her shoulder. She frowns when they peek outside, and the crowd that has gathered parts for her as she walks forward.

“Tartaglia,” she coos, though her eyes glint dangerously and her lips turn down, “I would have thought you’d still be recovering.”

“Oh, I am,” the boy in question says cheerfully, “You broke a rib, but I have high pain tolerance. Anyway, it turns out I got a double shipment by accident, so I thought I’d deliver it myself and catch sight of the genius prince you’re so intent on spoiling.”

The Harbinger’s eyes are searching as they light upon Albedo; he holds out the additional tusk like a peace offering, and Albedo accepts it gingerly while Lumine watches, poised to strike if she needs to.

“How apt,” Tartaglia says, after a moment. “But there’s more to you that meets the eye, isn’t there?”

Albedo shrugs, scrutinizing the second tusk to see if it differs at all from the first. Yes, there is a lighter luster to its center, and a slight nick on the left part of the calyx—

“A number of people call me a genius, but I don’t think I’m any such thing,” he replies evenly, but the other boy looks no less deterred.

“Oh, I think it’s more than that,” he says. Albedo looks up and raises a brow; Tartaglia holds up his hands with a chuckle when he feels the nails of Lumine’s bat poke into his throat. “Alright, alright. I’ve done what I came for, and neither of us are in the right condition for another confrontation.”

“Speak for yourself,” Lumine snorts, maintaining her position. “I may prefer you to the other Harbingers, but don’t push your luck.”

“Now that’s flattering,” Tartaglia purrs, as he backs up a few steps.

Lumine interposes herself in front of Albedo, planting her bat in the ground and standing defensively, glowering. Tartaglia chuckles and takes his leave—but turns back to throw one last look over his shoulder, one last quip prepared.

However—Lumine is momentarily distracted by Albedo peeling open a bandaid to stick to her cheek, turning her head towards him.

“Don’t move,” he says gently, keeping her head still with one hand. “Your hair was covering this before.”

She obeys, glaring at Tartaglia out of her corner of her eye when she notices him hanging back.

But the prince too is looking at the Harbinger, his gaze pointed and warning, eyes shadowed. His fingers are on Lumine’s cheek, where she had been scratched during their last battle.

“…Careful,” Albedo says quietly, his gaze still direct and unwavering, and Tartaglia’s lips quirk up at the mildly delivered threat. “If this gets to be too much, I might have to look into destroying a campus.”

“You’d definitely get expelled for that,” Lumine huffs, and Albedo chuckles, glancing back at her.

“That would be a problem, wouldn’t it? I suppose you’ll have to stop me if it comes to that.”

“It won’t,” Lumine says, raising a brow and crossing her arms. She hesitates before adding grudgingly, “…The Eleventh’s not that bad.”

“The other Fatui can be though…but we’ll cross that bridge if we come to it.” Albedo smiles, inclining his head towards Tartaglia. “My gratitude for your part in getting these rare research materials. I’d appreciate it if you continued to…play nice.”

Tartaglia grins as his skin prickles, and his eyes gleam with interest. But now isn’t the right time to test the prince’s mettle.

“It was nice meeting you,” The Harbinger says, his gaze lingering before he turns away, and Albedo waves while Lumine simply watches him go.

“You’re right. He really isn’t so bad,” Albedo says amiably, once the other boy has truly gone. “Even so…he’s liable to become troublesome.”

She gives him an amused smile.

“Nothing I can’t handle,” she says, bumping him with her shoulder, “But if I come across something I can’t, you’ll be the first to know.”

Albedo smiles back, then catches her hand to press his lips against its back.

“That’s what I like to hear,” he says.

They continue down the hall, the other students either staring in awe or darting out of the way.

The two carry on, unconcerned, as those likened to gods do.

#albelumiweek2021 #albelumi #genshin albedo #genshin lumine #genshin impact #fanfiction #the dictionary def of delinquency says minor crime #which albedo is also committing but no one knows or believes it #i don't think i've written genki lumine before #who are these kids?

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higuchimon · 2 years

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[fanfic] Surely Win

Junko opened her eyes as she reached to turn off the alarm clock. She would have far preferred rolling over and going back to sleep, but that wasn't going to happen. Not today, of all days.

Momoe's arm slipped around her and soft lips brushed against her ear. "Why did you even turn that on? We don't need it."

Junko admired Momoe's half-sleepy eyes before leaning forward to brush her lover with her own lips. Kisses were important when one first woke up. "Breakfast. We still need it."

"Why?" Momoe shrugged, snuggling a little closer. "I think we can skip it once. It wouldn't be the first time."

"No, but I'm making it special this morning," Junko pointed out. At least she wanted to. If Momoe didn't let her out of bed, then she wasn't going to get the chance to cook anything at all. Momoe didn't move. "I need to get up."

Momoe didn't look interested in moving out of bed, at least not any time soon. Truth to tell, Junko wasn't surprised about that. Momoe had been up very late studying for her next exam, and she could use all the sleep she could get. Which was also why Junko wanted to make breakfast for her. She also had a surprise hidden that she hoped Momoe would like.

Everything had changed so much since their graduation from Duel Academia. Both had intended to attend the teaching school - only to find that neither of them was that interested in teaching. Seeing Asuka finding her own path as a researcher helped them both decide what it was they really wanted to do. Momoe delved into duel medicine, centering on the problems that could come from flawed duel disks. Thankfully the problems they'd experienced in school - such as duel zombies and one's energy being drained - didn't come up that often. But she learned how to deal with similar situations regardless. One never knew when the information could be useful.

Junko herself started studying law as it related to dueling. She'd seen what happened to Hell Kaiser Ryou and that urged her to finding ways to deal with the underground and what it could do to the unprepared. Some newly graduated pro duelists needed help getting their contracts sorted out to their benefit as well. Most of the managers didn't expect a woman who wasn't yet twenty-five to know how to work a contract. Those she enjoyed working with the most. Being underestimated could be such an advantage.

What had changed the most was their relationship. Junko had always been aware she found both men and women attractive - they were all so interesting, how could she ever pick? With travel to the other dimensions something of a possibility, or at least looking to become one as technology advanced, she thought there could be even more options one day.

Two years earlier, she and Momoe had encountered one another at college, and gone out for drinks together. One thing led to another, and now the two of them settled close to one another. Junko breathed in the scent of Momoe's hair and wondered if she might have the chance to brush it later. Then she sighed again.

"Momoe. I need to make breakfast." Her stomach rumbled in perfect time with her words, and Momoe grumbled a little, shifting to give her more space.

"Is it that important?"

"Yes." Junko leaned forward enough to kiss her on the temple, then slipped out of bed and grabbed her robe before heading to start her morning. She knew what Momoe liked to eat, and she'd always rather had a taste for traditional foods herself. So she put together familiar foods - steamed rice, miso soup, grilled fish, natto, and a quick salad, along with some hot green tea. By the time she set it all up on their table, Momoe had gotten out of bed and wandered in here, eyeing the breakfast with unabashed hunger.

"Good morning!" Junko chirped, relentlessly cheerful. Momoe smiled a little at that before she sat down, and the two of them shared breakfast. They didn't do it like this every morning; their schedules very seldom lined up enough for that. But on those rare days when they could, both enjoyed spending the time together like this.

Once they finished, Momoe started to gather up the dishes and set them near the sink, while Junko handled the rest of the morning chores. When they settled back down, she had something hidden up her sleeve. Momoe kept giving her study area looks, but Junko wasn't going to let her go off there just yet.

"I got these for you. I thought you'd like them," she said, slipping a bag into Momoe's hands. Momoe stared down at the bag; she'd bought it on purpose so Momoe couldn't guess what the actual gift was until she opened it. Momoe pulled the silver ribbon binding it closed carefully, and peered inside with all the curiosity of a child.

The noise she made could not be described. Something on the order of a squeal, but so much higher, and then Momoe flung her arms around her and hugged her close. "You found them! You really did!"

"Of course!" Junko hugged back. "I promised I would, didn't I?" She'd had to look for weeks to locate these particular flavors, but she'd succeeded in the end. Six KitKats rested in the bag, all six the royal milk tea flavor - the flavor that Momoe liked the best. Momoe smiled brilliantly before tucking them away.

"I'll enjoy one later," she promised, the light of anticipation in her eyes. "I should really study..." She didn't look all that enthused, and Junko had something better in mind regardless. She knew Momoe needed to be ready for the exams, but being ready also included having taken proper breaks. Asuka had mentioned that in her last e-mails and Junko believed her. It did seem to help more than she would have expected a few years earlier. Age did indeed bring wisdom.

So now she wrapped her fingers around Momoe's and squeezed ever so gently, enjoying the warmth they shared. "Let's go for a walk first. Get some fresh air, clear our heads, then I can help you study."

Tension visibly flowed out of Momoe as she nodded. "All right." Holding her prized candy close to her, she headed to go change clothes, Junko following in her wake. It wasn't even close to noon yet and she thought it was already going to be one of the best days ever.

The End

Notes: KitKats have been considered a good luck charm in Japan for university exams for a few years now. Look up KitKats in Japan for more information, including where I got the title. Momoe and Junko were done dirty by the anime. Teaching is important but it always seems to be the default job for a lot of female characaters. So in my headcanon, Momoe is a doctor who focuses on duel related injuries and Junko deals with duel-based law. Asuka has become a researcher after deciding teaching isn’t for her either. While Manjoume’s ex-lackeys become teachers. Ever notice most of the teachers at DA are guys anyway?

#fanfic #higuchimon writes #gxrarepairsweek #ygo gx #Hamaguchi Momoe #Makurada Junko #momoe x junko #junko x momoe #groupieshipping

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myeyesarebrighter · 3 years

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Before I got the bike, I was really intimidated by the whole Peloton thing. You know, the cool kids club, the gym clique, exclusive, spin people - that whole cult vibe that it puts out. Its the same thing that has always made me feel bad at gyms. If you belong, you belong. But if you don’t belong, you can’t possibly miss that fact. I don’t need another reason to feel bad when I’m trying to tackle the thing I feel the worst about in my whole life (this isn’t just size of my ass, it’s health and fitness, size, etc all wrapped up). People were all in on it, everyone loves it, and it felt like too much. But I didn’t feel like I had much to lose, and needed a big gain, so I took a leap after asking anyone I knew and trusted.

I’ve chronicled it pretty openly here but I’m in my 3rd week. I ride 6-7 days a week (so far). I’ve found the instructors that I vibe with, and they’re very inclusive. Many of them coach for you to pick your level, to appreciate what you can do, and to find your space. Not all of them - there seems to be something offered for most people, and some people want to be abused and tormented - but there are a few good options. There isn’t much diversity in bodies. Most of them look like you think they do. A couple have slight variations. It would be nice to see someone who looked even a little like me.

The learning curve for spin is minimal. You pedal your legs. Clipping and I clipping with your shoes is the hardest part - but the recent classes cover this really well and it’s not hard to learn. Adjusting the bike is a bit fussy, and you’ll want a recipe, but it’s a very “taste as you go, add more S&P as needed” scenario. There isn’t an answer but there are some guidelines.

I personally get nothing from the “leader board” part of things. It’s a competitive space where you can battle other people currently taking the on demand class, or people who have taken it before. In the case of a live class, you battle people currently there with you. I hate it, thank you very much. I minimize it at all times. Bye.

What I do like is the “output” measurement. You get a total output measurement, which summarizes your total power output. It’s a combo of how fast and how hard you pedal. I use this to battle myself every day. It gives me an objective way to measure myself over time, and a way to push myself in class. I rely on this a great deal. Focus on me, best myself, and only I can ever win.

I wish there were more programs for people who can’t afford it. There is a good financing program that allows you interest free payment plans. But I realize it is still very out of reach for many people. I hate this part. I want us all to have access to what we need to be happy and healthy.

So there you go. I enjoy it. I said it. I’ve only ever enjoyed working out before when I did hot yoga a ton before m was born. But that ship had sailed (and that shit wrecked my complexion). I hope I can keep this up as life moves back to old ways.

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lokiondisneyplus · 3 years

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For his entire tenure as an Avenger, Anthony Mackie had never been the first name on the call sheet.

In a galaxy of stars populated by Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson, the actor was aware of his place in the on-set pecking order, but would never miss an opportunity to make his presence felt.

“Number six on the call sheet has arrived!” Mackie would routinely shout on films like “Captain America: Civil War” and the box office-busting “Infinity Saga” sequels, according to Marvel chief creative officer Kevin Feige.

It exemplifies the sort of winning tone that the 42-year-old actor has brought to his superhero character the Falcon, aka Sam Wilson, for six movies from the top-earning studio — wry and collegial humor, with the potential to turn explosive at any moment. Both Mackie and his character are set to burn brighter than ever when the Disney Plus series “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” lands on March 18.

On that call sheet, “Anthony is No. 1,” Feige is happy to report, “but it still says ‘No. 6.’ He kept it because he didn’t want it to go to his head.” The series is essentially a two-hander with his friend and longtime co-star Sebastian Stan, the titular soldier. All six episodes were produced and directed by Emmy winner Kari Skogland (“The Handmaid’s Tale,” “The Loudest Voice”). The series, for which combined Super Bowl TV spot and trailer viewership earned a record-breaking 125 million views this year, is reported to have cost $150 million in total.

For Mackie, though, the show comes at a critical time for both his career and for representation in the MCU. Sam Wilson is graduating from handy wingman (Falcon literally gets his job done with the use of mechanical wings), having been handed the Captain America shield by Evans in the last “Avengers” film. While it’s unclear if he will formally don the superhero’s star-spangled uniform moving forward (as the character did in a 2015 comic series), global fandoms and the overall industry are still reeling from the loss of Chadwick Boseman, who portrayed Marvel’s Black Panther to culture-defining effect. With this new story, Mackie will become the most visible African American hero in the franchise. And when asked whether he’ll be taking the mantle of one of its most iconic characters, he doesn’t exactly say no.

“I was really surprised and affected by the idea of possibly getting the shield and becoming Captain America. I’ve been in this business a long time, and I did it the way they said you’re supposed to do it. I didn’t go to L.A. and say, ‘Make me famous.’ I went to theater school, did Off Broadway, did indie movies and worked my way through the ranks. It took a long time for this shit to manifest itself the way it has, and I’m extremely happy about that,” Mackie says.

Feige says that, especially with the advent of Disney Plus and the freedom afforded long-form storytelling, the moment was right to give the Falcon his due.

“Suddenly, what had been a classic passing of the torch from one hero to another at the end of ‘Endgame’ became an opening up of our potential to tell an entire story about that. What does it really mean for somebody to step into those shoes, and not just somebody but a Black man in the present day?” says Feige.

Like many comic book heroes, Mackie has an origin story marked by tragedy at a young age — specifically around the loss of a parental figure. The New Orleans native is the youngest of six children from a tight-knit middle-class family, whose trajectory was spun into chaos when his mother was stricken with a terminal illness.

“It was unexpected and very untimely. I was 15 when she was diagnosed with cancer, and a few months later, she was gone. She passed the day before my ninth-grade graduation,” Mackie recalls. “If my mom wouldn’t have passed away when I was so young, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

Mackie had already gravitated toward the performing arts before the loss of his mother, having enrolled at the pre-professional school New Orleans Center for Creative Arts. Like many young people grappling with trauma, Mackie says he began to act out. A core group of teachers helped get him out of trouble. Ray Vrazel, still an instructor at the school, personally drove the student to a Houston-based audition for the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, where he was accepted for his senior year of high school.

“Everything I did, I did for my mama. The idea of leaving home at 17 to go away to school would have never been an option if she was still around. She was my best friend. Losing her gave me a kind of strength, and a desire to succeed,” Mackie says.

Succeed he did. Spending that formative year as a minor on a college campus helped Mackie find his “tribe,” a misfit crew of artists and performers, which propelled him to acceptance at New York’s prestigious Juilliard School in 1997. There he was part of the breakthrough class of students of color to be chosen for the notoriously selective drama program, which Mackie says was liberating given the institution’s track record.

“Our year was a huge transition. There were hardly any Asian people in the drama program, maybe one or two Black people and hardly any Black women. In our class, we had three black women, two black men, one Native American, one Asian female, out of 20 people. Ever since then, the classes have been wildly diverse,” says Mackie, whose fellow students included stage and film star Tracie Thoms and actor Lee Pace.

Following his training, Mackie launched a staggeringly versatile career. He has played Tupac Shakur and Martin Luther King Jr. to similar acclaim, a juicehead bodybuilder in “Pain & Gain” and a homeless gay teen in the Sundance player “Brother to Brother.” He has exhibited remarkable staying power in an industry that often pigeonholes actors and has a pockmarked soul when it comes to inclusion.

“I was drawn to Anthony because of his electrifying ability to combine intensity with sensitivity, courage with compassion, and all of it comes across as inevitable, as if it could be no other way,” says Kathryn Bigelow, who directed him in the 2009 best picture Oscar winner “The Hurt Locker.”

Samuel L. Jackson, whom Mackie calls a mentor and has played alongside in several films, says he has “an innate quality that first and foremost makes everyone want to cast him.” On a recent idle Netflix search, Jackson came across Mackie’s latest sci-fi film, “Outside the Wire,” and it triggered a memory of sitting in the audience for his performance in the 2010 Broadway production of Martin McDonagh’s play “A Behanding in Spokane.”

“Watching him onstage, I thought, he’s a very adroit actor capable of putting on many hats. He’s fearless and will try to be anybody. Then, on my TV, he’s playing a nanobyte soldier or some shit,” Jackson says.

Though always humble about getting the next job, pre-Marvel Mackie was rarely offered pole position.

“There were certain pegs. My first was ‘8 Mile.’ It was a monumental step at the beginning of my career,” Mackie says of the 2002 Curtis Hanson film that elevated rapper Eminem to multi-hyphenate stardom.

“After that it was ‘Half Nelson.’ It blew up Ryan Gosling, so I was there to ride the wave. Then ‘The Hurt Locker,’ and it blew up Jeremy Renner. It was the joke for a long time — if you’re a white dude and you want to get nominated for an Oscar, play opposite me. I bring the business for white dudes,” says Mackie.

He remembers the sensation “Hurt Locker” caused during its awards season. It was a moment he thought would change everything as he stood on the stage of the Dolby Theatre with the cast and filmmakers, having just sipped from George Clooney’s flask while Halle Berry radiated a few rows away.

“I thought I would be able to move forward in my career and not have to jostle and position myself for work. To get into rooms with certain people. I thought my work would speak for itself. I didn’t feel a huge shift,” he says, “but I 100% think that ‘The Hurt Locker’ is the reason I got ‘Captain America.’”

He’s referring to “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” the 2014 Marvel film that was the first to be directed by Joe and Anthony Russo (the current title holders for the highest-grossing film of all time with “Avenges: Endgame”). Mackie says that blockbuster not only gave him his largest platform to date but changed expectations of superhero movies forever.

“It was the first of the espionage, Jason Bourne-esque action movies at Marvel. After that, the movies shifted and had different themes and were more in touch with the world we live in, more grounded,” he says.

Bolstered by the words of another mentor, Morgan Freeman, Mackie feels no bitterness about his path.

“We did ‘Million Dollar Baby’ together, and when we were shooting this movie, I got offered a play. When you do Off Broadway, it’s $425 a week. In New York, that’s really $75 per week. I got a movie offer at the same time, and it was buckets of money. Three Home Depot buckets of money were going to be dropped off at my door,” Mackie says. “The script was awful; the whole thing was slimy. I went to Morgan’s trailer and asked him what he would do. He took a second and said, ‘Do the play. When Hollywood wants you, they’ll come get you. And when they come get you, they’ll pay for it.’ That blew my mind, and I left him that day with such a massive amount of confidence. He’s been a huge influence on me.”

He used the currency of that first Russo Brothers film and five subsequent ones to do what many creators and performers in Hollywood have done in recent years to help balance the scales of profit and representation in content: make things on his own.

Last year, Mackie produced and starred in “The Banker” — what would be Apple Studios’ first foray into original streaming film distribution and the awards landscape — through his banner Make It With Gravy. The film follows the true story of America’s first Black bankers and the white frontman they deployed to acquire the institution, all while supporting Black-owned businesses and communities in the process. A late-breaking scandal over sexual misconduct accusations involving the real-life family members of the film’s subjects delayed the release, overshooting awards-season deadlines and entangling the fledgling producer.

“It was a good lesson, and gave me a new perspective on the world around us. It’s very important to me that the women by my side are treated equally. It was a valuable lesson learned. I was very humbled by my sisters, for once not being mean to me,” he says.

Mackie is in development on the film “Signal Hill,” about the early days of lawyer Johnnie Cochran and the theater he brought to courtrooms long before the O.J. Simpson trial, and is hoping to secure the life story of civil rights pioneer Claudette Colvin as a vehicle for his directorial debut. Raising four sons of his own now, Mackie wants his off-screen work to make them well-rounded men.

“Look at Robin Williams,” he says. “He used to be crass and funny, and then he had kids, and he started doing all these family-friendly movies. Same thing with Eddie Murphy. I’m trying to curate my children’s experience with the things that I’ll be producing, rather than starring in. That’s what is most important. They know my job is my job; they know who I am. I’ve given up the idea of them ever thinking that I’m cool,” he says.

Jokes about the call sheet are among many of Mackie’s filming quirks. Jackson says that sets are often littered with hidden cigar stubs, to be fired up between takes or after long days. Bigelow says his rapport with crew has led to nights where the “clock was ticking but it was impossible to regain composure enough to shoot.” But according to Evans, no Mackie-ism is more famous than the phrase he bellows whenever his directors cut a scene: “Cut the check!”

Evans says this “will be forever associated with Mackie. I find myself saying it on sets all the time. I love it. But I’ll never be able to say it as well as him.”

As the man handing Mackie his armor, Evan says the Falcon’s “role within the Marvel universe has answered the call to action time and time again. He’s proven his courage, loyalty and reliability over multiple films. Sam has given so much, and he’s also lost a lot too. He believes in something bigger than himself, and that type of humility is necessary to carry the shield.”

The question of Sam Wilson’s humanity will be explored at length in “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” what Mackie calls a deeper showcase for both himself and Stan and their characters. It was a prospect that at first confused and frightened him.

“I didn’t think we could do on the television what we’d been doing on the big screen. I didn’t want to be the face of the first Marvel franchise to fail. Like, ‘See? We cast the Black dude, and now this shit is awful.’ That was a huge fear of mine, and also a huge responsibility with playing a Marvel character,” Mackie says.

He was quickly assuaged by the level of depth in the scripts from head writer Malcolm Spellman (“Empire,” “Truth Be Told”), especially when it came to the nuances of Wilson — a Black American man with no powers beyond his badass wings.

“Sam Wilson as played by Mackie is different than a Thor or a Black Panther, because he’s not from another planet or a king from another country,” Feige says. “He’s an African American man. He’s got experience in the military and doing grief counseling with soldiers who have PTSD. But where did he grow up? Who is his family? Mackie was excited to dig into it as this man, this Black man in particular, in the Marvel version of the world outside our window.”

Mackie celebrates Sam’s relatability in a universe full of mythological gods and lab-made enforcers. “I’m basically the eyes and ears of the audience, if you were put in that position where you could go out and fight alongside superheroes. It adds a really nice quality to him, that he’s a regular guy who can go out there and do special things,” Mackie says.

While bound by standard Marvel-grade secrecy, the actor confirms there have been no discussions of a second season for “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.” As the majority of domestic movie theaters remain closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, he is equally unaware of the theatrical prospects for his Falcon character — or the Captain he may become by the end of this Disney Plus run. For now, he’s content to take up the mantle left by Boseman, a quietly understood pact of responsibility to Marvel-loving kids the world over.

“For Chad and I, [representation] was never a conversation that needed to be had because of our backgrounds. There was a hinted-at understanding between the two of us, because we’re both from humble beginnings in the South; we have very similar backgrounds. We knew what the game was. We knew going into it,” he says.

Outside comic book movies, Mackie is not done searching as a performer. There is a particular genre he would very much like to cut him a check.

“My team gets mad at me for saying this, but I would love to do a cheesy old-school ‘When Harry Met Sally’-type of project,” he says. “One of those movies where I’m working outside and have to take my shirt off because it’s too hot. I want a romantic comedy. I want to do every movie written for Matthew McConaughey that he passed on.”

#Anthony Mackie #The Falcon and the Winter Soldier #Disney+#interview

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856764864568 · 3 years

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The prince gave her a curious look

But will it be said. The prince gave her a curious look. If you plough through the marketing jargon, Boost is based on a plastic developed by chemical company BASF. It was down to fours required off each of the balls left.. In Lhazar I slew two of my own serjeants for plotting to steal the gems and gold plate my queen had entrusted to me as gifts for the Lamb Men. His .484 OBP is 4th in the league. The power comes from your abdominal muscles. There all the field-slaves lived and worked. Nor are planters indifferent to the comfort of their gray-headed slaves. Some reported seeing him north of the river, above the grass of the Dothraki sea. Even haibike e mtb 2020 full court. I walk up and down, up and down, here, always alone, always alone, always thinking; thoughts come rushing like a whirlwind! It’s so horrible! One thing I’ve thought of, Vanya; couldn’t you get to know her? You know the countess admired your novel (you said so yourself at the time). 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It appeared that the prisoner commenced the punishment of the deceased in the morning, and that it was continued throughout the day: and that the deceased died in the presence of the prisoner, and one of his slaves, and one of the witnesses, whilst the punishment was still progressing... Imagine all that Medici money washing around Bank Medici in King William Street: no need for the CBA or NAB, the submarines not required, Rundle Street in a Renaissance, the new Royal Adelaide already operating around the clock. When he turned away she stealthily nodded to me.. In the one [case], the end in view is the happiness of the youth, born to equal rights with that governor, on whom the duty devolves of training donna di porto pim una storia riassunto the young to usefulness, in chanel ágynemű a station which he is afterwards to assume among freemen. Dany gave her wild children one last lingering look. Katya expressed it very well this morning. I will not feel remorse for something I didn't do. I'm pleased with the outcome.". The story behind the invention was two product developers working for Salomon in France designed a shoe for downhill running with maximum cushioning," said Menosky. The scales there were just as tough as those along a dragon’s back and flanks. On the cog, alas, everyone was just who they appeared to be, no one was particularly congenial, and only the red Mens JORDAN Hoodie priest papuci de casa din pasla was interesting. Airbus opted for the double decker A380 to distinguish itself in the world largest aviation hubs, but Boeing decided to focus its energies instead on smaller aircraft. In Lufkin, Texas, near Lackland Air Force Base where military working dogs are initially trained, also stars Lauren Graham and Thomas Haden Church as Justin parents. COLORADO SPRINGS Cole Gunner scored a career adidas eqt rose gold high four goals to led Air Force to a 10 3 win biciclete rusesti vechi over AIC in game two of a best of three Atlantic Hockey playoff series, Saturday, March 7, at the Cadet Ice Arena. Gibran Essa and Crawford Kennedy were champions, beating Pace Academy in the semifinals and Liberal Arts and Sciences in the finals Max Abramson and Aly Shakoor were semifinalists. But not all. "The result is a film that starts off as a solid, workmanlike exercise in horror, but it can quite keep that energy through to the end. “You saw how we went through the wildlings.” Ser Justin pushed back a lock of flaxen hair. I never liked a pair of shoes that I could not effectively use to run (not that I'm paranoid, but sometimes you just need to run). Jojen’s lips were blue, Meera’s cheeks dark red. “Might that be where whores go?” Tyrion could oakley m frame ice iridium not seem to recall the Valyrian word for whore, and in any case it was too late.. According to meteorologists, the extreme conditions were caused by a low pressure storm that set up over Hudson Bay in Canada. “Great queen,” declared Reznak mo Reznak, “you are so radiant today I fear to look on you.” The seneschal wore a tokar of maroon silk with a golden fringe. IIRC, you're still running UT2K4 as a 32 bit game on a 64 bit OS, right? Only the drivers are 64 bit enabled.Overall, though, great article. I’ve horno teka hc 610 me blanco been crying all night. When we were left alone I told her I had a hundred and fifty roubles for her in case of need. Stuart Blackton of Vitagraph spoke of the need for military preparation to protect US territories and recited a pro war poem whose final words were "So fire your forges and dam the bills/For the wings of peace must have iron quills." When Wilson addressed the audience that night, he kept his remarks limited to vague statements about truth in film storytelling. And each airman will have an opportunity to say thank you as well. Again, these teachers tell them that they should search the Scriptures most earnestly, diligently and continually, at the same time declaring that it is not their intention to interfere with the laws which forbid their being taught to read. This lack of mobility can lead to lack of independence, low self confidence and self esteem, depression, and in some cases these issues can lead to loss of employment and therefore detrimental financial implications.. He was very tall, very thin, so long-legged that it was a wonder his feet did not drag along the ground. It can put them in bed for four to six weeks, says LeCorgne. Admitting that God has cursed both the Jewish race and the descendants of Ham, He is able to fulfil His purpose, though the “rest of mankind” should in all things act up to the papuci de casa din pasla benevolent precepts of the “Divine law.” Man may very safely cultivate the highest principles of the Christian dispensation, and leave God to work out the fulfilment of His curse.. She took off her helm and pushed back her sweat-soaked hair. You have been so exasperated by his thoughtless behaviour. Charles, a mob of such men as only slavery could raise attacked the house to take his life. Griffith 1915 Birth of a Nation. "So she'd sit there in her rocking chair, with those chores of quilting and crocheting, and kept this book on top of the radio with her pen," Wiseman recalls. Policymakers worldwide have been stymied in their effort to reach a global agreement on reducing fossil fuel emissions. The 6 8 Phillips grad, who has come back from major heart surgery, totalled 29 points, 27 rebounds and 15 blocks in two wins.

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axiomsofice · 3 years

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Feb 2021: Racism in Hockey

Much has been said in the past 24 hours about DeAngelo on the Rangers, who has “played his last game in a Rangers’ uniform” as per GM Gorton. Among the most pertinent examples of of his disgusting behavior comes from his time in the OHL where he was suspended for using a racial slur against a teammate, but the frequency of his behavior, coupled with the remarks of his family members, as well as his transformation into the NHL’s foremost Trump supporter in the 7 years since he’s been drafted have only worked to cement his reputation. Now, after 3 NHL organizations, it seems his vile ways might have seen their last official NHL action. The fact that it is only now, after reports of teammates resorting to violence against him, that a reckoning has perhaps come is quite simply an indictment of the Rangers, the NHL, and the hockey community at large.

Nevermind that it was only in October 2020 that the Rangers signed him to a new contract, or that reports of bullying and toxic behaviors occurring this season, let alone other concerning incidents involving introductory press conferences, or players refusing to report to the team for psychological reasons in the past year or so. The fact that there has been continued, verifiable accounts of his character all the while getting chance after chance to play in hockey’s top league, 206 games to be exact, while Josh Ho-Sang (from the same draft) has only been afforded 53 is telling. A scouting take on both of them might include a one-dimensional offensive player. Despite the sample being arguably too small, shot metrics prove that is actually not even the case for Ho-Sang, you might think that skillset would hold back a defenceman more than a winger. Not too mention the “controversies” surrounding Ho-Sang are sleeping in once and wanting to wear the number 66(?) don’t even deserved to be mentioned in the same categories as racial abuse, abuse of teammates, and abuse of officials. This is far from equality and even farther from equity.

This comes days after the release of yet another feature on Jack Adams Coach of the Year winner Ted Nolan. On the first day of Black History month. The week after Barstool wanted to “lock-up” Saroya Tinker during their attempt to cry for sympathy whilst tearing down the NWHL and those who cover it. After the NHL decided not to work with the HDA. After Mitchell Miller was drafted. The first season after Bill Peters was fired. These issues are multiple and present; this is the game right now, not a few years ago when incidents occurred against Wayne Simmonds or PK Subban or when a thin blue line flag was displayed on the ice. Not decades ago with Herb Carnegie being barred/lowballed out of the league. This day, right now. These are the manifestations of racism and white supremacy.

It was not long ago that players from Sweden or Russia were considered lesser because of their passports. Or that large TV personality Don Cherry pedaled false stereotypes about those who didn’t speak English as a first language weekly on national television in Canada. Honestly, these things are still happening. Needless to say that these attitudes are not exclusively related to hockey culture, but it is undeniably part of what it currently is and where it has been for too long.

I am by no means an expert on these topics, not even hockey if we’re being frank, so naturally there are much better resources available for those interested on getting a deeper understanding of these issues. Heck, I probably have a few misguided thoughts in this rant somewhere, so please check out organizations like Black Girl Hockey Club, books like “A Fly in a Pail of Milk”, or movies like “Soul on Ice”. That being said, across all levels of the sport a better job has to be done. For each terrible story we hear from the NHL there are at least hundreds more happening to regular people, hobbyists, kids, fans. This means more people involved, at every level but especially at the highest levels, who understand the issues of racism alongside others including intersectional feminism. From GMs to coaches to broadcasters to skating instructors to fans, we all have to show up and help change this reality. The more diverse and inclusive the game becomes the greater heights it will be able to ascend to, like everything else. I believe sport can be a tool to help shape a better world, and this is why it’s even more important to be conscious and deliberate in supporting and empowering the people and attitudes that promote such.

Truth be told, I wanted to write about some of the players of colour that are currently blessing us with their on-ice abilities, such as a game last week where K’Andre Miller and Pierre-Olivier Joseph were the two best defensemen on the ice, or Mikyla Grant-Mentis scoring the GWG in the Toronto 6′s first ever win, but for now I’ll leave with the acknowledgment of how happy I am for them, and how lucky I feel to be witness to the continuing and growing history of Black excellence in the great game.

#hockey #racism #nhl #new york rangers

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bobbystompy · 3 years

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My Top 88 Songs Of 2020

Previously: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011

Though we couldn’t get as trim as last year’s 75, still very happy to keep this under 100 for the second year in a row. This was a very difficult year in many ways, but music helped make it more bearable.

As always, criteria and info:

This is a list of what I personally like, not ones I’m saying are the “best” from the year; more subjective than objective

No artist is featured more than once

If it comes down to choosing between two songs, I try to give more weight to a single or featured track

Each song on the list is linked in the title if you wanna check them out for yourself; there is also a Spotify playlist at the bottom that includes the majority of the songs

Usually a pump up video goes here, but 2020 had a different energy, so Michael, take us in.

88) Katy Perry - “Smile”

Even Katy Perry’s good songs are a swirling spiral of maxed out auto-tune. This one is just fine. It’s... fine.

87) All Time Low - “Trouble Is...”

Is All Time Low the Katy Perry of pop punk?

86) Tee Grizzley f/ Payroll Giovanni - “Payroll”

I have never heard of Payroll Giovanni, but I have two questions:

1) Is this his song, and he got Tee to jump on it?

2) Or, did Tee write a song called “Payroll” and think to himself “You know who would be great on this? Payroll Giovanni!”

Favorite stretch:

Listen, we is not the same, you say "door", I say "dough" You say "floor", I say "flow", you say "for sure", I say "fa'sho"

85) Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande - “Rain On Me”

Coming out in 2020 probably hurt this song, because I have no, like, out of the house memories with it. You can only have so much fun with Big Singers Singing over a pulsing beat when it’s coming from the phone in your kitchen as you’re indifferently scrambling eggs.

84) Benjamin Gibbard - “Life In Quarantine”

Now this is a song you can do nothing to; almost feels like it’s reluctant to even exist. It got released in March of 2020, so the outro (“No one is going anywhere soon”) served as a too sad reminder/mantra for what the year was about to be. Second shout out to Gibbard for the many YouTube sets he put together during the early stages of the pandemic (when so many of his peers were trying to figure out the next move).

83) Cardi B f/ Megan Thee Stallion - “WAP”

This felt less like a song and more of a “whoa, did you see the music video?!” and/or a means to relitigate the eternal question “What is the sexual line in music?” And while it was fun to watch people freak the fuck out... the quality itself really needed to be better.

(Note: YouTube video is the edited chorus; explicit version here)

82) McKayla Maroney - “Wake Up Call”

Former Olympic gymnast McKayla Maroney -- of medals and memes fame -- dips her toe into the music waters. It’s inside-the-box modern pop music. One thing that’s hard to escape: it doesn’t really sound like her.

81) Chelsea Cutler - “Sad Tonight”

He vocals really remind me of Alessia Cara.

80) blink-182 - “Quarantine”

Blink doing a Bad Religion impression. Docked a few points for the very weak chorus lyrics (“Quarantine, fuck this disease”). That said, as serious as the song comes off, there are some clever punchlines to be found.

79) Dave Hause & Brian Fallon - “Long Ride Home”

This is kind of a nothing song, but it’s easy listening. Also, if your guitar leads can’t clear the “Could Bobby have written or performed this?” bar, then said leads are probably pretty weak.

78) Travis Scott & Kid Cudi - “THE SCOTTS”

Two artists who pair so well together, it’s hard to tell who exudes more influence on the track (eh, that’s not true, it’s Travis Scott, but Kid Cudi is more of a roommate than guest). They want you to be high by the time the instrumental outro hits.

77) The Strokes - “Bad Decisions”

The beginning sound feels somewhat evolved, but by the time Julian Casablancas croons “Making bad decisions”, the song feels like it could be on their debut album “Is This It?”. And it goes in and out like that from there.

76) Thundercat - “Dragonball Durag”

Thundercat is one of those artists I wish I liked more, but when the occasional track does hit, it’s a momentary glimpse into what real fans seem to always see.

75) TI f/ Lil Baby - “Pardon”

Standard fare. Lil Baby’s cameo is very meh.

74) Porches - “Do U Wanna”

For a song that repeatedly asks “Do you want to dance?”, it sure makes you feel like you’re moving in slow motion.

73) NOFX - “Thatcher Fucked The Kids”

On the best-named album of the year (“West Coast vs. Wessex”), Frank Turner and NOFX cover each other’s material. To start us off, the legends take a song from 12 years ago about British politics from 40 years ago and, well, very easily apply it to right god damn now in America.

72) The Bombpops - “Dearly Departed”

Ahh, my year’s first cancelled concert. The listed names in V1 always make me want to skip this song -- but patience, grasshopper. Chorus is aight.

71) Ratboys - “Alien With A Sleep Mask On”

This band name will never match what the music sounds like.

70) Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever - “She’s There”

The vocals in this song channel, like, four completely different singers for me, ranging from Bob Dylan to Cloud Nothings.

69) NOBRO - “Don’t Die”

An anthemic chorus meant to be belted in a room with sweaty strangers.

68) Oliver Tree f/ blink-182 - “Let Me Down”

The original solo version of this song is 1:52, and though the blink cameo pushes it over the dreaded two minute mark, it adds enough diversity to justify the choice (keep an eye out for the quick Green Day lyrical nod in the back half).

67) AJJ - “Normalization Blues”

This dropped in January, and if you thought the year was bad then. Punk News:

I'll admit I do want the album to age badly because I really don't want to have to listen to it years later and still say this is the world we're living in.

Said album being titled “Good Luck Everybody” is straight cryptic.

66) Selena Gomez - “Rare”

Very chill for big pop; triplet rhythm singing in the chorus gets me erry time.

65) Kid Cudi & Eminem - “The Adventures Of Moon Man & Slim Shady”

Cudi’s second split collab yields bigger results than his Travis Scott joint (admittedly with a worse beat here). It rarely ever hurts to let Eminem do the heavy lifting.

64) Alkaline Trio - “Smokestack”

A little cheerier than the average Alk3 song, but Dan Andriano seems like he’s been in a great place for a long time now; confident and in control. For me, the whole song builds up to the “You changed my life” chorus.

63) Frank Turner - “Scavenger Type”

Here, Frank takes on the acoustic closer to NOFX’s legendary 1994 album “Punk In Drublic”. Though the energy boost is most noticeable, my favorite part is how you can hear how much Turner loves this song as his melody bursts on the verses.

62) Mike Posner - “Alone In A Mansion”

Mike Posner, an artist I have a very soft spot for, released a storytelling concept album in 2020. From the intro track:

This album was written, recorded, and produced over a period of two weeks in Detroit, Michigan in my parents' basement. It's meant to be listened to all the way through. At least on the first listen. And it's about 36 minutes long. If you can't devote 36 minutes of undivided attention to this album, I again politely ask that you turn it off and return at a later time. I love you and I thank you for taking the time to listen in the first place. Also, it's important to note that the characters and the stories in this album are completely fictional. In addition, anyone struggling with a mental illness - depression, schizophrenia - should not listen to this album. Turn it off.

So those are the stakes. Pulling this song -- the record’s closer -- feels unfair void of context, but them’s the breaks.

61) Nada Surf - “Just Wait”

Heavy hitting chorus without having to be heavy; this could really work in a movie.

60) Matt Pond PA - “Wild Heart”

This having only 805 views on YouTube is criminal.

59) Liquid Death - “Unnecessary And Unimpressive”

Liquid Death -- in this iteration -- is a punk rock supergroup with members of Rise Against, Anti-Flag, The Lawrence Arms, and The Bombpops. If that didn’t interest you enough, all lyrics in the project (which, I believe, is for charity) come from hateful comments or negative reviews. Of the four artists involved, this sounds most like a Bombpops song, with Jen on lead vocals as others chime in.

58) PUP - “Rot”

Off my silver medalist for album name of the year (“This Place Sucks Ass”), PUP doesn’t do anything new here, but it was relieving to see them still going in 2020 when so many others got roadblocked, both physically and creatively.

57) Paul Harrold and the Nuclear Bandits - “Massanutten”

This reminds me of local Chicago artist Al Scorch. So much earnestness in the vocals, but a little more prairie for Harrold compared to speakeasy for Scorch. This would be a good road trip song. And I’m not talking about singalong... more for the stretch where you want to sit in silence and look out at the sun-kissed land blazing by. The song’s greatest victory is getting me to like something that cracks 6:00.

Note to future me: Massanutten is in Virginia (saved you a Google).

56) Kesha f/ Sturgill Simpson, Brian Wilson & Wrabel - “Resentment”

Kesha has been vulnerable in the past but never this stripped down sonically; the chorus would feel right at home on a country radio station. Love a good bridge, too.

55) Megan Thee Stallion f/ Beyoncé - “Savage (Remix)”

An up-and-comer pairing with a legend rarely lets down when both sides are this locked in. Bey wins. Fav line: “If you don't jump to put jeans on, baby, you don't feel my pain”.

She matches flows with Megan but also brings melody. Her blessing takes this song from pretty damn good to undeniably great.

That beat, too.

54) Red City Radio - “Baby Of The Year”

If all you want to do right now is grab a drink in a bar, here is a video built to troll.

(Also: a Liquid Death cameo?!)

53) Nathaniel Rateliff - “And It’s Still Alright”

The last time Mr. Rateliff had our attention, he just wanted a drink. That hit had a chorus with the very-sad-when-removed-from-the-song “If I can't get clean, I'm gonna drink my life away” lyric. Well, our man got sober since. And when the party is over, the introspection comes.

52) Direct Hit! - “HAVE YOU SEEN IT?”

Listening to slowed down Direct Hit! is like watching Usain Bolt lightly jog. It kinda makes sense because the core action is there, but it also feels sort of incorrect.

51) Hayley Williams - “Dead Horse”

Solo Hayley songs have this feel like they could do anything at any time... but then don’t. This one does the same until a very fun chorus breaks it up.

50) Kid Cudi f/ Phoebe Bridgers - “Lovin’ Me”

Probably the most improbable collab on this list (if 2020 hadn’t repeatedly taught us to not be surprised by anything).

49) The Homeless Gospel Choir - “Don’t Compare”

Listening to The Homeless Gospel Choir is kind of like getting a dedicated pep talk from a good friend... while fire rains down from the sky.

48) Carly Rae Jepsen - “Let’s Sort The Whole Thing Out”

Queen vocals with one prince of a tempo; this chorus is Sour Patch Kids riding Twix logs down a soda pop waterfall -- and it’s a b-side.

47) Green Day - “Meet Me On The Roof”

I like this song because it reminds me of summer and because it doesn’t really sound like Green Day (but still totally does).

46) Broadway Calls - “Meet Me On The Moon”

Promise -- swear -- I was gonna compare this Broadway Calls song to Green Day before realizing they both had titles about meeting in an escalated location. That said, I did put them next together on purpose to more coherently make this point.

45) David Rokos - “Building Bridges”

My buddy Dave wrote this song, and I think I’ve asked him three times what “burning sugar” meant (he says it’s a reference to absinthe). This song will make you want to travel to enjoy not only the places but the people around you.

44) Charli XCX - “claws”

Charli XCX keeps it futuristic in a video that could be described as sexy, cheesy, goofy, and playful-yet-serious.

43) Brian Fallon - “Lonely For You Only”

This is too easy and should not work (and maybe doesn’t). But that chorus... that circular phrasing... it still takes me all the way out. But I’m the same cat who proposed while a Gaslight Anthem cover was playing.

42) Waxahatchee - “Fire”

This song could be in a different language and hit just as hard.

41) Harry Styles - “Adore You”

Purifying pop.

40) Local H - “Hold That Thought”

Hardest rock song thus far. Local H was one of the first artists to play “live” once the lockdown hit (on a simultaneous YouTube/Facebook stream), and watching them attack music in their Chicago practice bunker felt a little bit like taking in the end of the world. New songs, old songs, covers -- it didn’t matter; their cool, unmatched apathy fits a pandemic or peacetime.

Ironically, was able to see them live in 2020, as they played a socially distanced, outdoor drive up concert in a minor league baseball parking lot. It wasn’t the same, but it was still something.

39) Crazy & The Brains - “I Don’t Deliver Pizza Anymore”

This song is just cool*. The verses feel tense and crucial, it starts to unspool in the pre-chorus, and the chorus itself feels like a light comedown more than anything else.

(* - though the lyric video is docked some points for spelling y’all as “ya’ll”)

38) Drake f/ Fivio Foreign & Sosa Geek - “Demons”

Menacing Drizzy can be very fun from time to time. Also more than happy to keep “Toosie Slide” very far away from this list.

37) Hey Dad!!! - “Life’s Alright”

Small band, big song; though summer feels light-years away.

36) insignificant other - “i’m so glad i feel this way about you”

This song lands a big haymaker in the first few seconds, so it was probably a good call to pull back some for the chorus and, eventually, outro.

35) BTS - “Dynamite”

Heard they made the lyrics bad on purpose for their English hit, which makes sense, because they’re bad. That said, if you listen knowing they’re supposed to be bad, it kinda makes them... good? Listen, 771 million views would have me singing nursery rhymes in Pig Latin.

34) DaBaby f/ RODDY RICCH - “ROCKSTAR”

Someone said this could be the song of the summer, but, because there wasn’t really a summer, I feel like I only heard it once all year. Also, are we really pretending Post Malone* didn’t just do a “like a rockstar” song three years ago?

(* - and N.E.R.D. before that and Cypress Hill before that... though N.E.R.D. only waiting a year after Cypress, so maybe DaBaby actually was patient)

33) The Front Bottoms - “the hard way”

Don’t take it easy on the animal / I am the animal

Not quite sure what this line means, but I fixate on the phrasing every single time. This song sounds resigned in a very self-aware way.

32) The 1975 - “If You’re Too Shy (Let Me Know)”

For a band called The 1975, they sure sound like they’re on their ‘80s shit here. Also, a real thing that happened:

Me: Is he coercing her to get naked?! I thought this band was woke.

/scans lyrics

/notices “She said” before the “Maybe I would like you better if you took off your clothes” line

Me: Ahh.

Sax solo, take us out.

31) Charly Bliss & PUP - “It’s Christmas And I Fucking Miss You”

A song that is already a forever staple on all my future Xmas playlists.

30) 2 Chainz f/ Ty Dolla $ign & Lil Duval - “Can’t Go For That”

Shorty said she love me / I said “I love me back”

This is a real genre blur; rap at its core, but also soulful, funky, and very danceable. Damn creative.

29) Billie Eilish - “Therefore I Am”

Billie's 2020 gave a few singles -- but no new album -- and a body shaming scandal where the backlash to the backlash probably caused more headlines than the tweet that started it all. Still, she stays on cruise control above the clouds; can all eyes be on you if they can’t even make you out?

Video for this is fun, too. Not sure if her running amok in an empty mall is more of a COVID necessity or commentary on the dying retail industry. As always with her, fill in your own blanks for now.

28) Future f/ Drake - “Life Is Good”

This was my most listened to rap song in the first half of the year, and bumping again now, almost forgot how good it is. Drake just chasing one-liner Instagram captions in the first half:

- “Haven’t done my taxes, I’m too turnt up”

- “N****s caught me slipping once, OK, so what?”

- “B****, this is fame not clout, I don’t even know what that’s about”

And, of course, “Workin’ on the weekend like usual”. The man could make anything glamorous. Let’s hit that H&R Block, bro!

Future’s back half is a totally different song and feels mostly like noise, but the vibe is cool, so I don’t even totally mean that in a bad way. You can even make out a “Got Promethazine in my blood and Percocet” lyric to mark your Future bingo card and immediately move on.

27) I’m Glad It’s You - “The Silver Cord”

This song feels like cold air blowing on the back of your neck.

(Sidebar: thought this band was called The Silver Cord until literally right now)

26) The Spill Canvas - “Mercy”

A dreamy, distorted, at-home version of whatever you remember The Spill Canvas sounding like. This song is confessional and at peace, with the Grade A self-loathing we’ve come to love from this band.

25) 100 gecs f/ Charli XCX, Rico Nasty & Kero Kero Bonito - “ringtone (remix)”

100 gecs first hit my radar with the explosively obnoxious “money machine”, but that’s a 2019er, so this remix to “ringtone” will have to do. It’s catchy like a younger sibling persistently singing a song you’re sick of hearing*.

(* - /only child trying to work in sibling analogies)

24) iann dior f/ Machine Gun Kelly & Travis Barker - “Sick And Tired”

Iann Dior -- ...yeah -- channels Juice WRLD on the hook, and MGK/Travis Barker buoy a track that, honestly, doesn’t really even need the help.

23) Nick Lutsko - “Unleash Your Spirit”

Lutsko hit my radar on Twitter with some legendary political anthems (word to the RNC and Dan Bongino + his Dashboard Trump parody). “Unleash Your Spirit” is the song I most fear hearing (or even thinking of) within a few minutes of going to bed. Not because it’s Halloween theme is scary -- because it’s that god damn catchy. It permeates your brain. True story: a week ago, I woke up in the middle of the night with “Bobbing for apples with the boys” so ingrained in my head, it felt like someone was standing there yelling it through a megaphone.

22) Dogleg - “Kawasaki Backflip”

Bad 2020 robbed many concerts from us, and not getting to see this band live might take the cake. I end the year liking them but could have been *all in* with the right performance and the right venue. Also, Song Title of the Year until further notice.

21) Eminem f/ Juice WRLD - “Godzilla”

Eminem has all of the words and all of the lyrical dexterity, but sometimes it feels like there isn’t anything to ground him. Enter: one of the best beats he’s ever spit on and a Juice WRLD hook to give it pop angle. But let’s not put Slim in the corner -- when he starts accelerating at the end, it’s is a true “holy fuck” moment. It sounds faster than if you actually fast forwarded.

The video ends with a touching audio message from Juice WRLD.

20) Soccer Mommy - “circle the drain”

This song is so gloriously ‘90s; it leans in and does not care.

19) Sam Russo - “Always Lost”

The first time I met you, we were on the last bus You passed me a bottle, and I knew you were one of us

Took 25 words to hook me; I was txting friends before the first chorus even hit.

18) Sincere Engineer - “Trust Me”

Deanna Belos pushes her vocals in this one. I asked about the performance, and she said it was one of the first ones they recorded in the studio, but when they were done and listening back to everything, she re-did this track because her throat was much more used to what the song required.

“That’s why it sounds like I’m on roids lol,” she added.

17) Jay Electronica f/ JAY-Z - “Flux Capacitor”

Jay Electronica signed to Roc Nation in November of 2010. At of the start of 2020, he had still -- STILL HOW FUCKING STILL -- not released a debut album. When he announced it was finally dropping in February, it was met with skeptic eyes. He’d “announced” before. Shit, he’d even posted track lists of albums that never saw the light of day. He was a tease’s tease. It ended up getting a release date of March 12. As the pandemic got really bad in the March 11 zone, he finally had an actual reason to delay the proceedings (the plan: a studio live stream listening party*).

But no -- this is Jay Electronica. Why wouldn’t he drop as the world was ending? The same reason why his costar wouldn’t not have a watch like a Saudi prince. It had to end for it to happen. I wish I saved the memes, because they were fantastic. All I have is my own Twitter memory to prove it happened:

I love this song entirely: the “get the gat” hook (soooo New Orleans), Hov calling out the NFL/acquaintances clout chasing his potential death/rapping forever bars, Jay Elect’s ham-fisted and awkward ass Farrakhan line. Everything is exactly where it should be.

Final verdict on the full album: I don’t know, a B or B+? It had a lot more Jay-Z than expected (wooo), but -- and I rarely say this -- it could have actually been longer.

16) New Found Glory - “Greatest Of All Time”

NFG with a song referencing the Jordan-Rodman-Pippen Bulls only a few months before “The Last Dance” aired. Dare we call it marketing genius? The punk beat does not care; the punk beat is too busy taking souls.

15) Dave Hause f/ Amythyst Kiah & Kam Franklin - “Your Ghost”

“I can’t breathe”

On the heels of the George Floyd/BLM protests came Dave Hause’s somber attempt to capture the moment, desperation, and hurt. On a podcast, he said he was aware he might not ever lead the movement but still wanted to contribute something in an effort to use his platform as a white artist to change someone, anyone’s mind going forward.

14) Taylor Swift - “this me trying”

The chorus makes me feel like the crowd is parting like the Red Sea on a high school -- shit, no, middle school -- dance floor; smoke machine and all. Your crush is waiting for you on the other side. What are you going to say?

13) Phoebe Bridgers - “Kyoto”

Phoebe is one of the best lyricists out because of her specificity, but even though this song is about her dad, you can really fit it to your own narrative.

12) The Lawrence Arms - “Last, Last Words”

The Lawrence Arms wrote their new record (which singer Chris McCaughan described as “this end of the world outpost”) prior to the pandemic, but once you start to process album themes -- and research its namesake -- you do wonder. All of this, combined with some “Catcher In The Rye” references, and we’ve got ourselves a winning formula.

Dressed to kill for oblivion

11) New Lenox - “Fairytale Of Gary, Indiana”

Your boy plays drums and is on the cover art for this one. Dave Rokos wrote the tune, which references The Pogues’ “Fairytale of New York”. Good news: no slurs in the Gary version. We’ll have you in and out in 90 seconds. Also: say hello to the recording debut of Alisa Caruso (some backup vox at the end).

10) Beach Slang - “Tommy In The 80s”

My most played song of 2020, but it really was more of a byproduct of how early in the year the album dropped. I’m still such a sucker for it, though. Other than forced nostalgia, not totally sure what the track is about. Did learn Beach Slang recruited former Replacements bassist Tommy Stinson to play on their LP, which was named -- /deepest of breaths -- “The Deadbeat Bang of Heartbreak City” (so maybe it has something to do with that).

9) Juice WRLD f/ Mashmello - “Come & Go”

The :55 mark. Wait until the :55 mark. When the guitar kicks in and tempo doubles, we have a real “oh, shit!” moment. I knew who Juice was when he passed but only “Liquid Dreams”. His 2020 album (“Legends Never Die”) showed us of what could have been; 55 minutes, loaded with cameos and creativity and experimentation. This song had me in its gravitational pull immediately. By the end of the year, they were using it on sports broadcasts, and it felt like a ubiquitous part of the culture.

One of my favorite days of 2020 was visiting the Juice mural in Chicago with my wife. We went impulsively during the day after someone posted a picture on Twitter.

I snapped one of my own and posted to IG with the Signals Midwest lyric “There is such quiet grace in private moments in public spaces”. The band responded with “RIP JUICE”; the perfect online exchange.

Shortly after, I was out with a different group of friends, and we went back at night. This time, it was protected by a fence you had to squeeze past. When we got through, there were kids in there smoking, taking pictures, just hanging out; empty liquor bottles lined the bottom of the mural. Even though it didn’t take all that long to make it there, it still felt like a journey and total ‘movie moment in real life’; a complete rarity in a year like 2020.

8) Mac Miller - “Good News”

Maybe I’ll lay down for a little...

Sadly continuing the theme of artists gone too soon, we have this reflective Mac Miller single, which feels more like self-eulogy than traditional rap. You feel it the entire time. The song crests with “There’s a whole lot more for me waitin’ on the other side”, and it conveys a readiness for whatever happens next.

7) The Dirty Nil - “Done With Drugs”

I don’t pray to Jesus or even own a suit

We lost the creators of our last two songs to substances, and, if we are to take this song at face value, The Dirty Nil don’t want to go down the same path. Drying out never sounded so cool and defiant... until the IKEA suggestion.

6) The Weeknd - “Blinding Lights”

Uptempo Abel is undefeated. My favorite pop song of 2020 has you feeling like you’re speeding through the empty streets of nighttime Las Vegas in a stolen car; indifferent to your environment, only tuned in to your personal desire.

And, on the lamer side of the spectrum, it spawned a catchy TikTok dance.

5) Spanish Love Songs - “Self-Destruction (As A Sensible Career Choice)”

It won’t be this bleak forever... yeah, right.

SLS has always been over-the-top with their lyrics spotlighting the hopelessness of the human condition -- so it was the *perfect* combo to being locked inside with nothing looking to forward to. Bonus: fun cake video.

Though the song’s core is uncut despair, a random moment I remember from 2020 was my wife telling me “I can hear you smiling as you’re singing” from another room as I belted the despondent chorus.

4) Worst Party Ever - “False Teeth”

This song sounds like The Front Bottoms; insecure yet so full.

3) Run The Jewels - “the ground below”

There were a lot of songs *about* 2020, but I’m not sure any artist soundtracked what being alive now is like more than RTJ. My favorite rap song and rap record of 2020.

Fav Killer Mike line: “Not a holy man, but I'm moral in my perversiveness / So I support the sex workers unionizing their services”

Fav El-P line: “I'll slap a dying child he don't pronounce my name correct”

2) The Menzingers - “America Pt. 2″

The Menzingers unexpectedly released an acoustic, re-done version of 2019′s “America (You’re Freaking Me Out)” single. It dropped on my birthday -- June 5th, 2020 -- as the rage in this country boiled over and protesters took to the streets. Though some of the lyrics remained the same, the new ones were changed with true purpose:

Well George Floyd was murdered by a cop The whole world saw the video and watched Now justice is long overdue Grab your pitchforks, we’re heading to Pennsylvania Avenue

I had nothing left when the first pre-chorus hit: “I hope the Devil and Donald and Mitch McConnell rot in hell for all tomorrows”. Tattoo this on my fucking soul.

All funds from the song were donated to Community Bail Funds (via Act Blue) & Campaign Zero. I purchased the track before hearing a note.

1) Machine Gun Kelly - “My Bloody Valentine”

Going into the year, I couldn’t tell you the difference between Machine Gun Kelly and Mac Miller -- now they’re both fixtures in this Top 10. All I really knew about MGK involved tattoos and a rap battle lost to Eminem (not that anyone ever beats Eminem).

In 2020, he took a punk/emo turn, with the services of GOAT drummer Travis Barker and new squeeze Megan Fox at his side. This song’s lyrics could potentially be cheesy but aren’t -- they all land. From the simulation going bad to not wanting “fake love” to all the damn second guessing and the earnestness that just won’t let you off the mat.

Every piece to the puzzle adds something: the messy hair, the Ken doll build, the forced iconic pink guitar that now feels actually iconic. It was almost like no one had any fun this year so he could have all of it on our behalf. There’s a half second shot of him sticking his tongue our during the pre-chorus, a joy 99.99% of us never got to feel.

The album itself was just as fantastic*; a 2000′s pop punk throwback with a Halsey duet, horrible skits (hi, Pete Davidson FaceTime), OpIvy lyrical nod (complete with a royalty check), a warp speed punk track that doesn’t even crack the minute mark, your token 6/8 ballad, acoustic closer (about his daughter), and some experimentation that leaves the new genre but still stays nearby; shades of Lil Peep, if he had Blink-182 as his backing band. Speaking of, please do not miss Travis’ fill at the 2:30 mark.

(* - named “Tickets To My Downfall”... woof)

MGK could get cancelled tomorrow, but we’ll always have this year in a bottle. The acoustic version of the song (sung in a lower resister), the 10 minute making of video (that I watched, uh, twice)... shit, he even turned it into a medley at the start of 2021.

It might be cliche to say “stay winning”, but when someone stacks this many W’s with no end in sight, what the fuck else do you call it? Real love.

* * *

Thank you so much for reading. Here is the Spotify playlist (includes 87 of the 88 songs).

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poorlytunedukulele · 3 years

Text

Day 18 - Rift

Nadim Patel: This will be a tournament to remember, folks! Never before has the Second Crucible League seen such triumph, such spirit, such drama! We sit on the eve of what is sure to be a historic match.

All week fans have been watching in awe as the reigning champions, Fireteam Bash, has juggernauted their way through the bracket! Though suffering some early setbacks, including a down-to-the-wire overtime win in round 2, the Pride of the Peregrine District seem to have found their stride, capping off the Semifinals with a devastating victory!

But our defending champions are only one half of the story. On the other side of the bracket, a contender no-one saw coming! Fireteam CPO was originally a wildcard pick, but they’ve become quite the darkhorse in this race, taking win after win against incredible odds.

By the time you will be watching this, we’ll be only half an hour from the starting whistle. But tonight, it is Final Round eve, and tonight we are lucky enough to have none other than Andal Brask, leader of Fireteam CPO, in the studio with us. Welcome, Andal, it’s great to have you here!

Andal Brask: Thanks, Nadim, it’s good to be here.

N: Now, Andal, before we begin, there’s a question I have to ask, one the fans have been begging us to ask all week.

A: Ah, I think I know.

N: What’s the deal with CPO?

A: It’s an in-joke, actually. In the world of Vanguard operations, the five Hunters on our team are known as ‘The Crew’. That’s me, Cayde-6, Tevis Larsen, Shiro-4, and Azra Jax. But you can’t compete in Crucible tournaments with only five, so we brought in an extra. So CPO stands for Crew Plus One.

N: And what a plus one he has been! Redrix-3 has been making a very big name for himself.

A: What can I say? Kid’s a natural.

N: Ah, but this is your interview, Mr. Brask, your time to shine. Every team is only as good as its leader.

A: Leader has to work with what they’ve got. Not gonna lie, I’m lucky to have a big pile of talent to work with.

N: That last round in the Semifinals- what a nailbiter! Can you tell me what was going through your head going into it?

A: Oh, I can tell you exactly what was going through my head.

The Hunter jumped high, eyes flashing, then there was a whir and a snap and the sky fell.

Chayam had been on the receiving end of Shaxx’s Fists of Havoc enough times. This was a bit different. He should be dead. But only Carlo’s Ghost chirruped.

Strike that. With a spin, Joy-4 was down, too slow in fumbling for her shotgun. The Hunter rounded on Chayam.

He leveled his Auto Rifle on her and let loose. She spun her Staff in a circle, creating a forcefield of Arc that deflected his bullets. At least it kept her from advancing, for now. Until his magazine ran out.

Then he took a bullet to the shoulder. There, in the hallway, another Hunter was taking careful aim with his Hand Cannon.

Chayam spun to the side, reloading his gun with practiced efficiency. “Inside!” he cried into his comms. “They’re coming inside!”

The Hand Cannon barked again, then he was dead.

A: Azra Jax is very useful as a distraction. She was the only one with her Super up, but she pulls that Arc Staff and everyone just loses it. So we send her inside, close-quarters, to draw their focus. Throw in Cayde for some mid-range support- he’s also very flashy- and you’ve got yourself a very convincing diversion. They couldn’t stand against a whole fireteam, but if they had to deal with a whole fireteam, that means we’d be in a good position to score.

Cyril peered down his scope. There were calls for reinforcements on the inside lanes, but he had a feeling there could be a second prong of the attack headed for the outside. The opposing team had shown some pretty unique tactics so far. He wouldn’t put it against them.

There! Movement at the end of his lane. He shifted the rifle against his shoulder, ready to fire at the first thing that came around the corner-

A bullet tore through his thigh. The deep boom of another Sniper Rifle echoed through the arena. Cyril faltered and turned for cover, but it was already too late.

Kovac paused to catch his breath. If he could flank a group of them, he’d be able to pull his Super and take their momentum away. Already his palms itched with Solar, ready to take the Gun and reduce his foes to ash. All he had to do was find them. There was red in his motion tracker ahead-

There was a stabbing pain in his back, then the cold steel of a knife at his throat, then nothing.

A: Tevis is good enough to outsnipe the snipe and outsneak the sneak. So he had our backs for the first phase. Hopefully if everything went wrong, he could have his Tether up by the time the other team recovered the Spark and made it his way. The plan was then to have Azra and Cayde fall back on defense. Didn’t happen, obviously.

Joy-4 ran out of spawn. “It was a feint,” Carlo announced. “They’re already here!”

Too late for that announcement.

A hail of Pulse Rifle fire took down Carlo. Cyril was also hit and had to dive back into cover.

As soon as the clatter of bullets stopped, Joy-4 turned back around her corner and aimed down her sights. But there was nobody there-

Up, her brain told her. She had just enough time to look up and see the Titan flying above her let go and drop.

A: Shiro-4 was our spark carrier, with me as backup. Didn’t really need me much in the end, I was just there in case Shiro got taken down, provide extra covering fire until then. But that didn’t happen.

‘Bedlam’ seemed too calm a word. There was screaming, there was gunfire, and behind all of it, the crash of armor against armor. Their fireteam was being pushed back relentlessly- it was give ground or die. Three of their party were still tangled up with the Arcstrider and the Gunslinger, too far away to help.

Cyril would normally take a 3v3. Even odds. Even odds didn’t matter when you had a battle-mad Titan charging through your spawn. He was fast and he hit brutally hard. Even the bullets Cyril piled into him didn’t seem to slow him. The Titan leapt into the air. Cyril saw death.

It all happened too fast. Unseen, unnoticed, a short Exo slid in and deposited the tiebreaker point.

The rift ignited behind Redrix-3, turning him into an imposing silhouette as the victory announcement played.

A: Like I said, kid’s a natural. I just let him do his own thing most of the time.

AO3 Link

#destcember #destcember2020 #destiny #destiny the game #andal brask #cayde-6 #tevis larsen #shiro-4 #redrix-3 #shhhh #it's still-#whoa it's still the eighteenth most places #weird

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petersasteria · 4 years

Text

Write Like Hamilton - Tom Holland

Pairing: Tom x Author!Reader

Requested? Yes! By anon x

Hamilrequest #41

“I wrote my way out when the world turned its back on me.”

I actually really like this request! Thanks for this anon <3

P.S. there’s some truth in this one. Hint: it’s the Chris Colfer thing. Let’s just say that Y/N was based on me lmao. I’m also finding it cute that this has 1998 words hihi

Everyone has opinions about someone or something. These opinions root from an issue that went viral and spread like wildfire. Regarding the said issue, the audience may say good things or bad things. Of course those who are victims of the said issue speak out and for some reason get hate or love for it, depending on the audience. Some victims choose not to speak out and they get all the hate in the world for addressing something the audience aren’t even included in. Some victims speak out, out of nowhere and just like that, they win in the issue.

An example of that would be James Charles, who single-handedly saved his own career by releasing a video. We won’t dig deeper into that, but James really did well in that part. Of course, there were people who still hated him, but at this point, I’m sure he doesn’t care about that anymore.

Like James, you became a victim of a certain issue that sparked out of nowhere. You were a very successful author. You wrote a lot of things from short stories to novels and from poetry to children’s books. You really wanted a wide range of people reading your books and that’s why a lot of people liked you, because families can read all of your books in one household and you were proud of yourself for that.

With the money that you earned from writing, you were able to donate books to different schools around the world especially in third world countries who really needed it. You were basically an angel in the community of education.

Of course, not all people thought of that. They thought you were pretentious and that you were only doing it for publicity and money. They even had the audacity to say that you had a ghost-writer, but that was immediately debunked by your loyal readers and yourself, because you uploaded a video on your YouTube channel about the process of you writing a book.

Life went well after that. Your career was sky-rocketing and you were able to catch the attention of the world’s famous heartthrob, Tom Holland.

He tweeted you first when you were bored out of your mind and decided to take a break from writing. You thought it would be a fun idea to interact with your fans, because they deserved it after all the times they’ve supported you and backed you up. So you tweeted that you’d be doing a #AskY/N. Tom obviously had your notifications on, because he was such a fan and he got really excited when he saw that.

He wasn’t an active Twitter user and he normally wouldn’t check it, but he decided ‘fuck it, I’ll send in a question’. He wanted his question to be different from others so he asked you if you’ll be releasing a book that year.

You saw it and you were surprised that THE Spider-Man actually liked your work. You, of course, responded in a professional way: “@TomHolland1996 as a matter of fact, yes! I’ll be releasing a book this year. I’m actually working on it right now as we speak. It’s a children’s book.”

From then on, you both started talking a lot and somehow ended up dating. You’ve been dating for two years now and you loved every second of it. Both of you were really supportive in each other’s passion and career. Sometimes, he would even help you in writing a plot. In return, you would help in practicing his lines. You’d also help him and Harry with the script that they were working on.

Your life could’ve been better if it weren’t for that person on Twitter who had a lot to say about you. That person tweeted something about you stealing ideas from Chris Colfer.

Glee star. People’s Choice Award winner. Teen’s Choice Award winner. Golden Globe award winner. Screen Actors Guild Awards winner. Emmy nominated actor turned author, Chris Colfer.

The tweet went viral and most of them didn’t know how to feel. Some people didn’t know who Chris was. Some people didn’t think you were stealing ideas from him. Some people agreed with that Twitter user who started it. Some took the time to read both yours and Chris’ books that apparently had major similarities and concluded that there were none.

You didn’t know what to do. You didn’t cry, because if you were being honest, that situation wasn’t worth crying for. The people who knew the truth was you and the people around you who knew where your ideas are from. You were really hurt, because of the accusation made against you.

You saw what happened to James Charles after Tati Westbrook uploaded that ‘BYE SISTER’ video. He was destroyed. You knew that the issues that were brought up against you and James were very different, your situation wasn’t. It was very similar.

Like Tati’s video, the tweet came out of nowhere. In this situation, the Twitter user was Tati and you were James. You couldn’t imagine how James must’ve felt when his mentor did him dirty like that. You also couldn’t imagine how alone James felt when he lost everyone.

You decided that you’d address the situation once everyone has calmed down. Tom wanted to argue, because he was really mad. He wanted to defend you like the good boyfriend he was. After all, before he met you, he was a massive fan and he still was. He read all of your books so he had no problem defending you.

You told him that he didn’t have to, because you had it under control. Besides, he couldn’t defend you when he hasn’t read the books of Chris Colfer, himself. You told him that he should at least read one book from Chris Colfer before saying anything. Tom felt stupid, because he never even thought of that. You assured him that it was alright, though.

You were really thankful that, like you, Chris Colfer hasn’t said anything. He’s an unproblematic public figure and you wanted him to live his best life.

The storm like issue started to calm down and as promised, you addressed the issue. You didn’t want to write a really long thread on Twitter, because you wanted to express everything that was going on in your mind for the past week. You made a wise decision by speaking out about it on your blog. You wanted it to be short and simple yet concise and full of information. After that, you tweeted: “Here’s my take on the issue said against me. *insert link to your blog*”.

Tom was really proud of you for writing your way out of that messy situation single-handedly. The person who accused you publicly apologized on Twitter and of course, being the forgiving person that you were, you forgave them and decided that the past was in the past.

After reading your statement, Chris Colfer tweeted you and said that he knew what was going on, but he wanted to hear your side instead of other people. He thanked you for being honest and he even DMed you on Twitter, asking if you wanted to collaborate for a children’s book.

Hi! It’s Y/N and in this week’s topic, I’ll be talking about the issue that I was involved in. I’ve been writing since I was fourteen and it wasn’t until I was eighteen when I started REALLY writing books. I sold my first book ever and I was really happy it was a success.

Then it turned into a full-time job over the years and I couldn’t believe it. All my dreams were coming true all because I decided to write down my imaginations and turn it into books. I haven’t stopped since and I don’t plan on stopping which is why I wanted to clear my name.

Out of all my years in writing, this issue was the first to really drag my name down and I’m not proud of it. After all, who would be proud to have their name dragged around for something they didn’t do?

To those of you who are confused, I was recently accused of stealing ideas for children’s books from Mr. Chris Colfer. Specifically, my first children’s book. A Twitter user said that when they read my first children’s book, it was very similar to Chris Colfer’s ‘The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell’. I haven’t had the blessing of meeting Chris Colfer yet, but we both follow each other on Twitter. You could say that we’ve became acquaintances over the years of replying to each other’s tweets and participating in every QnA one of us tweets.

I’ve known Chris for a long time more so than he’s known me. You see, I’ve been a fan of his ever since he starred in Glee. You know, the tv show about these teens in glee club and their struggles in high school. This show has been diverse ever since the beginning and it’s one of the reasons why I love it.

Chris was the reason why I wanted to write books and publish them. I was first in line when he released his first book ‘The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell’ and it wasn’t until his third book ‘The Land of Stories: A Grimm Warning’ when I realized that I wanted to write and publish my own book. I sold my first ever book a year later and it was a success.

For those of you who really know me, you’ll know that my first book wasn’t a children’s book. My first book was a love story and it was inspired by real people and my brain just decided it would be cool to mash them all up together. Kind of like that movie Valentine’s Day.

The moment I realized that I could write a children’s book was when I babysat my niece and she asked me to tell her a bedtime story. Naturally, I picked a book from her book shelf but she told me she wanted story that was done by me. I wouldn’t tell her the story of the romance books I’ve written so, I racked my brains out to produce a story that a 6 year old could understand and like. She liked it. No, she loved it. I thought it wasn’t book worthy so after she went to sleep, I just wrote it in my drafts to include it in a short story compilation. I forgot all about it, but then a few months later, she died in a car crash. I was so heartbroken. I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know how to grieve.

Then I remembered the story I told her, the one I made up on the spot; the one she loved. I decided that instead of crying my eyes out, I would continue writing that story. That, my friends, was how my first children’s book was born. That book was to pay homage for my 6 year old niece who would never grow up to see and feel the magic of life. That plot of that book was sincerely made on the spot and I kept making things up as I continued writing it. I’m very sure that there were no similarities from my book and Chris’ book. I know this because I’ve read ‘The Land of Stories’ a bunch of times. Maybe the magical part was the only similarity, but all kids love magic. It’s a given when you’re going to write a children’s book. Magic would be the first one to come up.

I don’t want to fight. Instead, I’ll be the bigger person. This statement is simply just addressing all the facts. I do not wish for my name or Chris’ good name to be sullied.

I’d like to end this statement by thanking Chris Colfer for inspiring me to pursue this career and Chris, if you’re reading this, I just want to tell you that I love your work and I support you and I hope we get to meet each other one day.

Thank you all for taking the time to read this.

* * * *

wow that was a long one and I loved this!! I’m really really proud of this one so I hoped y’all liked it <3

𝐓𝐎𝐌 𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓: @abrielleholland @peachmaybnx @superheroesaremytea @ella-whyte

𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐋 𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓: @marvelousell @justasmisunderstoodasloki @rubberducky-jrr @petersholland @osterfieldnholland @miraclesoflove

#tom holland #tom holland imagines #tom holland imagine #tom holland one shots #tom holland one shot #tom holland x reader #tom holland x y/n #k's hamilton requests #in-a-lot-of-fandoms-tbh

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netflixandgrill-blog · 3 years

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40 Days and 40 Nights and 9 Reasons It Sucked

Josh Hartnett works for a burgeoning “dot-com” (we know, 2002, hilarious) in San Francisco and he has a big problem: every beautiful woman he so much as bumps into on the street wants to immediately go to bed with him. How will he ever find true love if he keeps giving in to their sexual advances? Well, like anyone with this completely relatable problem would do, he consults the Catholic Church for some healthy advice on sex. After talking to a priest (who happens to be his brother) in a confessional, he decides to go the entirety of Lent—40 days and 40 nights—without sex, intimate contact, or...ahem...self-gratification. The rub? (Pun intended.) He then meets the girl of his dreams (she has a name but we just call her Manic Pixie Dream Girl). Also, for added pressure, his office has a betting pool on when he will cave, and so they try to tempt him to give up his celibacy at every turn. We would like to say hilarity ensues, but as the church has taught us, even the smallest lie is a sin.

1. The Only People Who Could Possibly Relate to This Premise Are Single People During a Pandemic

The problem: we are not single. Also, a second problem: our brains work.

2. Josh Hartnett’s Horniness Defies the Laws of Human Biology

Poor Josh Hartnett is so horny that, for the last two of his 40 days he has a perma-boner and is shaking like a heroin addict at a methadone clinic. So horny that, on the last day of the challenge, he hallucinates that he is floating through a sea of (really unattractive) boobs in a fevered psychotic break from reality, like Ewan McGregor seeing the dead baby on the ceiling in Trainspotting. So horny that, in the aforementioned psychotic break, he doesn’t even realize that his ex-girlfriend is mounting him in an effort to sabotage the 40-day challenge at the 11th hour. He imagines that he’s at the laundromat or some shit while his ex-girlfriend gets on top of him and has sex with him to completion before he comes to (pun intended) and realizes what has happened. And all of us watching are supposed to go, “Yeah, that tracks. I remember not getting laid for the entirety of high school and it was exactly like that.”

3. His Ex-Girlfriend Sexually Assaults Him and Yet He Still Has to Apologize For It

Speaking of the aforementioned scene with the ex-gf, we are still beside ourselves that during Josh’s fever dream (where he’s basically unconscious and tied to the bed), his ex-girlfriend legit rapes him, and no one in the movie—including Josh Hartnett—even suggests, “Hey, that kind of wasn’t cool.” His new love interest, Manic Pixie Dream Girl, walks in on it and swears Josh off forever and he spends the last 15 minutes of the movie apologizing and trying to win her back, when the misunderstanding could have been solved with the following 4 lines:

MPDG: You slept with your ex-girlfriend!

Josh Hartnett: No, actually, I was sexually assaulted.

MPDG: Oh my God, I’m so sorry that happened to you.

Josh Hartnett: Thank you for understanding. Let’s get a panini.

4. They Could Have Cast the Female Characters as Blow-Up Dolls, Because the Women are Just Props in This Movie

All the women, except for Manic Pixie Dream Girl, are completely interchangeable. So much so that it takes next to nothing to set her apart in Josh Hartnett’s eyes. “This girl is so quirky! She dances by herself wearing headphones at the laundromat! How quirky!” Other women are beautiful and ready to sleep with him at any moment, but this girl is different.

In fact, this must be Donald Trump’s favorite movie because it’s a world where women are just there to seduce men, and the fact that men can’t control themselves sexually is completely justified. And also because there are no black people. For real, like, none. It’s just a world full of white guys who all look exactly the same, and one Asian guy (the Rolling Stone dude from Almost Famous) thrown in for “diversity”. That’s it.

5. Josh Harrnett is REALLY Bad at First Dates

Their first date was worse than our first date, and we drunkenly sat drinking water out of Tupperware. JK, that was a great 1st date. Ours, not theirs. For their first date, Josh Hartnett took Manic Pixie Dream Girl to the most romantic place on earth, the bus. They literally just rode the city bus for what must have been like 4 hours. Not to mention the fact that they live in San Francisco and the bus managed to drive by every tourist spot on this fictional city bus route, as if it were a trolley tour. HEY there’s an idea, why didn’t he take her on a romantic trolley tour? You know what this movie needed? One rewrite. Just one.

6. Josh’s Workplace Makes Frat Houses Look Like a 1930’s Ladies Sewing Circle

Where is the HR office at Josh’s dot-com office? Did they outsource it to India or decide to convert it into a marshmallow pit wrestling ring? We’re guessing one of those scenarios took place seeing as how Josh’s boss talks to the women in the office like it’s last call at a meat market bar, looks up the women’s skirts when they aren’t looking, fingers dried apricots like they are ladies’ sexual organ, and performs cunnilingus on said dried apricots. But it’s all given a pass because he is such a sexual being and just can’t help himself. Josh’s coworkers also attempt to drug him with Viagra in order to thwart the 40 day/40 night challenge but end up accidentally drugging the World’s Horniest Boss instead, who subsequently masturbates in the office bathroom for the rest of the day, which everyone thinks is HILARIOUS. No wonder the dot-com bubble burst.

7. The Entire Conflict of the Movie Could Have Been Circumvented with One Simple Conversation.

Josh Hartnett was like halfway through the 40 days already when he meets Manic Pixie Dream Girl, so the central conflict of the film could have been solved with the following 5 lines:

Her: Wanna come back to my place?

He: Actually I gave up sex for Lent. I have 20 more days.

Her: So, as two people who just started dating, if we have the completely normal amount of one date per week, it’ll be like 2 or 3 more dates before we can have sex?

He: Yeah.

Her: Cool.

8. This Isn’t the Longest Movie Ever, But It Feels Like It

At one point we turned to each other and exclaimed, “How can there still be 30 MINUTES LEFT?????” This is like the “Layla” of movies, in that you think it’s done, but it just keeps going. But unlike “Layla”, which goes from something awesome to another something awesome with a little break in the middle, this movie just goes from suck to suck with no break.

9. They Had a Sex Scene Where They Use Only Flowers and Neither of Them Even Makes One “De-Flowered” Joke

Josh Hartnett brings Manic Pixie Dream Girl flowers to make up for the fact that he’s not sticking her good. So, naturally, instead of thanking him for the gesture, she makes a big deal out of the fact that she and Josh haven’t kissed yet (kissing is part of the “no sex for lent” shebang) after like TWO DATES. She says that the kiss is the only way you can tell if there’s a real connection between two people--she heard it in a Motown song once, so it has to be true. So instead of kissing they get creative and begin to “touch” each other using the flowers Josh had brought. Josh then proceeds to make her orgasm by just using a flower petal and gently blowing on her nether regions. “Wait, would this actually work?” Heidi asked Mike during that scene. But Mike had already hurried off to the bedroom with an asthma inhaler and a dream.

In conclusion, we’ll never watch 40 Days and 40 Nights again. Except during Lent, as our penance.

#movies #moviereview #40 days and 40 nights #netflix #netflixandgrill #josh hartnett #lent #manic pixie dream girl

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mulderspice · 5 years

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have you ever watched an episode of the Emmy award winning sci-fi drama, The X Files? Maybe you’ve read my original post and yet you’re still wondering where the hell Fox Mulder got all those strands of hair on his jumbo gigantic head. I am back and here to help you find the answers to some of your burning questions; as we celebrate the hard work and triumphs of the hair and makeup department on the Fox Lot and team up with my big huge brain and my New York State Cosmetology license to give the people what they want once again: another top ten guide to Mulder’s fucking hair..

upon making this post a second time (rip 😔), I realized that just about every episode (yes, every. single. one. even the ones without Mulder and the latest season where he has to share headspace with [redacted]) has its own important and iconic hair looks... You may recognize that some of these are slightly repeated from the last post but that’s ok! What I'm here to do is enforce! So lets get started..

#10 s6:e21 Field Trip: Here again we begin our journey into cosmetic superstardom with a personal favorite of mine. Mulder rolling with the times by getting a haircut fresh off the FTF wave left our nation in fucking shambles. Can’t imagine going to see a major motion picture in theatres jam packed with Mulder’s most supreme hair looks only to come back to my tv screen to see it all gone away. For students reading this post for educational purposes, this caused a worldwide walkout on popular salon franchise Supercuts in the year 1998. However, a haircut didn’t necessarily mean Mulder forgot how to take care of his hair. The precision and placement as each strand of hair perfectly outlines his jumbo head is revolutionary and inspiring. Mushroom induced drug high? K. Lemme still grab my teasing comb and my hairspray and make sure I look presentable for when my partner walks into my apartment screaming abt “where's Mulder” and wanting “answers”. The answer is this: this look is about giving people like myself with big heads rights and looking fuckable while doing so. 10/10 for inspiring hope.

#9 s1:e9 Space: Imagine you’re a few episodes into a show, the core plot is developing right before your eyes and you’re beginning to get to know The X Files three main characters; Fox Mulder, Dana Scully, and Mulder Hair Strands #1-3. All is well except, you still have no clue how crucial, and critical Mulder Hair Strands 1-3 will become to the show and to your life and I am here to tell you that you are in for a very rude and bold awakening. This message goes out to all the haters and all the people who didn’t believe Mulder’s hair was valid prior to season 4. He is here to tell you he DID know how to use dry shampoo and even the occasional blow dry oil and you can suck a dick abt it. Bold of you to assume he wouldn’t pull the round brush and the biosilk out the drawer to impress a visit to fucking NASA. 10/10 for involving science.

#8 s4:e6 Sanguinarium: I sit here writing to you today as the song ‘Handmade Heaven’ comes on shuffle; strikingly fitting for this raw and ethereal image of straight up beauty and wonder and magic and heaven in hair. This special, freshly washed and air dried smells like strawberries and sandalwood and fuckability. The look reaches through your TV and wraps its hands around your neck and sucks the life right out of you. Are you gonna let it happen? You sure are. Lucky for you, I just so happened to be there when the angels hand sewed each strand of hair onto his head and here’s what they had to say about it: this is everything and more and the way Mulder has just washed his hair with fresh mountain water droplets hand collected like nothing else mattered. Put his clothes back on and went on his merry way. Can’t imagine being in Scully’s shoes ready to walk on in her partners room unannounced to go over serious case related matters and theories. Woulda went bonkers. This truly is a handmade heaven. Hand crafted by Mulder for Scully and for the good viewers of the globe. 10/10 for embracing me in its arms.

#7 s4:e3 Home: A look from one of primetime TV’s most notorious banned episodes. Viewer discretion IS advised not only for the horrifying and cringeworthy content displayed in this episode, but for also making it painfully blunt to the viewer that Mulder’s hair follicles are happier and healthier than anybody else's will ever be in their lifetime. In fact, I can feel my own hair falling out and being respawned onto HIS head as I type this and I’m sure you can too. The way the sun glistens off his golden brown strands makes me want to walk into oncoming traffic. You might also notice how effortless this look was, as it probably only took a quick run thru with his fingers, and Mulder’s passion and need to look sexy at any time of the day at all times. It’s obvious that this kind of thing comes naturally to him, which just comes off as insulting to men everywhere. 11/10 for striking fear into men’s hearts.

#6 s4:e20 Small Potatoes: Genuinely took every bone and nerve ending in my body to not put this look in the top 5 even though it so clearly deserves it. Here at mulderspice we believe in diversity, meaning it wouldn’t be right to make my top five greatest hairstyles ever produced on The X Files just of Mulder’s iconic and revolutionizing middle part (though really who is stopping me..). This screenshot in general has me up in arms at how perfectly the blue background matches his eyes, and how it accentuates his hydrated skin and lips. But you’re not here for that. It’s the hair particularly that really pulls the shot together, as Mulder took the time that morning to spray it with some tinted dry shampoo that most defiantly and absolutely smells like chocolate. This look feels like a warm hug on a frigid winter day. I feel EMBRACED and I feel CARED FOR thanks to the wonderful staff and team @ Mulder’s head and hair follicles. What the fuck could be better than this. 16/10 for making me feel some type of way.

#5 s4:e8 Tunguska: Currently you may not think anything of Krycek to the left of this image though ill have you know he plays an extremely vital part of this look and all the words I’m about to speak to you directly. So listen up: Krycek may have heroically slayed Mulder’s father in cold blooded and justifiable murder, but we thank him for this, as it caused Mulder to lash out in the best way possible: through looks. “Un-shun: Krycek do you think I’m good to bring my Redkin Rewind 6 styling paste with me or will the Russian TSA think of that as contraband? :Re-shun”. A sweaty, manly and highly illegal treck through a Russian testing facility and a stint in a violent foreign PRISON surely was not going to stop Mulder from keeping his hair properly hydrated, styled and parted. That’ll really ruffle Krycek’s feathers and make him feel sorry for what he did…. The sexiest way to avenge the death of your deadbeat father. 24/10 for you know why.

#4 s1:e6 Shadows: In the year 1993, Mulder steps onto the scene, young, fresh faced, bright eyed and ready to give men around the globe what they (so desperately) needed: the encouragement to care about their hair. Any backstreet boy you may know have this scene to thank directly, as this is what encouraged them to reproduce Mulder’s hair onto their own heads time and time again. What I would give to see with my own eyes Mulder length times width times height his head to equal this perfectly proportionate look of volume and sexy. And who can I write a warrant out to for allowing this shot to take place. Oh to be the various and expensive hair care products in Mulder’s bathroom …… 899/10 for starting a movement (-1 for making us do equations).

#3: s1:e10 Fallen Angel: The biggest regret I’ve ever had in my short little life was not adding this moment to the last post. And tumblr deleted it in order to give me this opportunity to present this to you today. By the way, that absolutely is in fact a choir of angels singing as you view this image. Go ahead and try to think of something on this earth that could be better than this tossled bed headed im-stressed-becos-my-partner-of-2-weeks-isn’t-seeing-the-big-picture-about-how-we’re-all-key-pawns-in-an-ongoing-government-conspiracy hairstyle hand crafted by Mulder all while holding his head in his hands hard at work trying to break through to the truth. Scully [insert photo of Scully with her eyes popping out of her head here] and I both wanna rip our own hair out and throw it in the garbage. 2000/10 for making our hearts ache..

#2: s4:e10 Paper Hearts: Behold- the image I’m slamming down on the desk at full force when I finally get myself a therapist. I need a licensed professional doctor to help me understand the various angles that this purposeful shot affects my life health and well being. In a paranoia induced out of body experience Mulder took his pinky finger and parted his hair down the middle, took a protractor to perfectly round the tendrils falling ever so gracefully on his forehead and ran out of his apartment and through the woods of DC. Doesn’t matter if he’s crazy? Doesn’t matter if its fuck all 4am? Who knows if the discoveries of this night is finally going to answer the heartbreaking questions regarding Mulder’s baby sister? Fuck it we’re just gonna make sure Scully has something to look forward to after being awoken yet again in the middle of the night and asked to come wrangle and control this stupid idiot. This just makes me unhinged. 50000/10 for waking up in the middle of the night and doing the most for us all.

#1 s4:e3 Teliko: This one will remain number one for as long as I shall live. I’ve dedicated my life to this cause and I’m ready to make you painfully aware of it. Grab a pen and paper and get ready to do some heavy math with me because this look right in front of your eyes is the equation to happiness and sexiness. Can barely find the words to describe to you how this picture makes me feel. Each strand of hair is personally reaching down and wrapping his head in one big giant hug of protection and solitude. Unbelievable that Scully didn’t head back to her hotel room and scream at the top of her lungs right after this. There’s no way she went about her day as normal without wanting to kick the shit out of him and then put him back together with soft feathery kisses. What you are witnessing here is the very turning point of the show where Scully looked into into the very center point of that part and said “guess I have no choice but to fall in love with him 🚶🏽‍♂️”. Chris Carter’s idealistic version of Mulder and the one we actually ended ups seeing as viewers were so drastically different that it’s blatantly clear that he had absolutely no idea the cultural implications that were about to rock the world to its core and tip it on its axis when David Duchovny showed up on set looking like this. I could write a thesis about this. I could conduct research and studies about this. I got kicked out of college because I cared more about this than I did actual schoolwork. I feel like I’m in a very sexy chokehold. Wish I could live forever in one little square pixel of this image. Nothing means more to me than this. 1000000/10 no further comments.

and the honorable mentions go to....

s8:e16 Three Words: Dead? Did you die? Did you die and miraculously defy god by rising from the dead and coming back to life? Just got home from the morgue? Think nothing is the same? Left guessing if you’re a soon to be 5 minute father? Did you just fucking die? He’s lost his family and his job and the world just went on without him like it was nobody’s business. Walked out of the morgue right to his apartment and what did he have left? His expensive array of hair styling and finishing products that’s what the fuck he had left. Being an all around reject from society didn’t at all stop him from taking his fingers and dipping it into that Big Sexy styling pomade and fluffing his head to high heavens. As a personal fuck you to god and to John Doggett too. He’ll never let you know the emotional hellstorm going on in his life in that moment but he WILL make it known to you that despite being 8 feet under ground for 6 months he’ll never give up on his hair. For the PEOPLE. Try and go through the nightmare of death and then rejected fatherhood and see if you come out of it with any hair at ALL. An itty bitty glimpse into what would have been Untitled Mulder Abduction Story (2001)....

I Want To Believe (2008): Here you will see the sluttiest moment in major motion picture history. Shh im not using this opportunity to show you this screenshot for the 800th time I’m trying to keep you educated. BREAKING NEWS; Man hiding in home office for 6 years fully off the grid has FULL head of hair and is getting regular sex *not clickbait*. So what if Mulder has gone fully unhinged and off the walls bonkers he’s also gone FULL slut and it shows in that sexy thick voluminous head of slut hair. If you ever for a second thought prior to seeing this movie for the first time that Mulder would show up a full on son-less wreck and a half think the fuck again babes. He’s managed to hold on to every single little strand ever grown on his head even well into his middle aged madness and its about time we give him the credit he deserves. (PS. Please know I wrote this entire spiel without even viewing the shot shown here. Its just permanently etched on the inside of my forehead so its there when my eyes roll back into my head.) For this we say…..; Whore rights.

s11:e3 Plus One: Incase you were unaware, I have been going through a very slow and painful process of erasing Season 11 from my brain completely. Its been a long road but its achievable and the end result will save me from a lot of future heartache and trauma. This however, is a moment I will cherish forever and though you may think its for the hot sex (which is like maybe 30% the case) its actually because it puts together everything I’ve ever loved and believed about the show in only a few thousand pixels. How old is Mulder here? 30? 31? Still has hair and still has an unbelievable amount of love to shower Scully in for as long as they both shall live (which lets face it, she deserves one million times over.) What this has taught me was to hang up my “Mulder deserved…” hat for good and just be thankful for what I’ve got. I ended up with no son or happy dreamy ending where Mulder gets to die with a family he’s never had in his life, but here we are left with the little things.. Like Mulder and Scully’s unconditional love and most importantly .. The hair on Mulder’s head. Its called growth and acceptance and I am learning it. Also I just wanted to show you what it would look like if you were like 57 and sexy and still had all ur hair. That’s it :-)

#and this one i SAVED!!!!! enjoy #here at mulderspice

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justjessame · 4 years

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A Little Ass and A Lotta Sass: Chapter 6: And Dad Wins for Being the Best Cold Shower in the World...

I’m sure that most women, after having mind-blowing sex in their laundry room with the devil’s favorite son would have gladly jumped in whichever vehicle that would take her away so she could keep experiencing it. Daily. Hourly. Or every minute. Most women are clearly NOT me.

I could see in the smugness of Negan’s face that he assumed that he’d convinced me. I could tell from the swagger that he walked with, the whistling that he kept up, the very air around him that he honestly fucking believed that he won. I’d be running upstairs, packing my personal shit, and wave bye to my family to go play house with him in God knows where.

All I can say is that the world was full of disappointment and today was Negan’s turn to get a healthy dose. I took the basket of freshly washed clothes upstairs and put each of our clothes in our proper rooms, he hadn’t followed me, and I was fairly certain he was telling EVERYONE that I’d be ready to go soon. Or, fuck, I don’t know making all the arrangements for a “wedding”.

I stood at the same window I’d watched the pool game from the day before. What the fuck did Negan constitute as a wedding? For some reason my mind did not imagine anything like a wedding that I’d witnessed before the world went crazy. Instead of rice or birdseed, he’d probably just beat someone to death and think the brain matter was more festive.

A knock came to the door and I called out for the visitor to enter. It was Dad. Which was far better than if it had been my intended. “Callie?” His voice sounded unsure. “Sweetheart, are you alright?”

I turned to face him, smiling at the fact that he’d regained some of his former confidence. “I’m fine, Dad.” I glanced down at my blanket/bed. “Wish I still had my fucking bed, but fine.”

Dad’s hand rubbed his beard as he glanced down too. “Look, Callie, you definitely do not have to do anything you don’t want to, you know that right?” I nodded. “I NEVER would have even contemplated the deal with him if-”

“If I hadn’t shown at least some interest in him,” I finished for him. “I know, Dad. I’m just not entirely sure that being ‘interested’ is enough to want to go away with him.” I sat on the sill. “I won’t lie, there’s something about him, but I’m fairly sure there was something about Ted Bundy, too.” I shook my head. “And there’s the whole issue of his harem.” I grimaced. “Not entirely sure I want to be part of a collection, you know?”

Dad chuckled. “I know. And I also know that you’d do practically anything to keep all of us safe.” He leaned against the wall, seeing as the alternative was to sit where Carl had, and that just wasn’t Dad. “You don’t have to, no matter what it seemed like this morning. I WILL figure out another way, especially if you are opposed to it.”

I smiled at him and after a few more minutes of chatting, he left. Studying the clouds through my window, I giggled. Jesus, maybe Michonne was right, maybe I should make him beg. When I came downstairs, I noticed that no one seemed to be inside. Walking into the kitchen, I grabbed a glass and poured some cool water into it. I was about to take a sip while looking out the window when I felt the heat of him against my back. I nearly dropped the fucking glass.

“Could you put a fucking bell around your neck or something?” I asked, my grip on the glass tightening. “I already have a sore hand, it would really fucking suck to have glass shards rip into me.”

His laughter vibrated through me. “And whose fucking fault is that hand wound? I’m still trying to decide if you’re the fucking crazy one. Who goes around stabbing their own fucking hand with a fork?”

I turned and looked up at him. “I thought I’d died, figured pinching myself wouldn’t exactly work in the situation.” I shrugged and finally took a drink out of my glass. Ah, water, without the tart taste of faux lemons. I missed it.

He’d taken off his gloves, so the feel of his rough fingers against my cheek was something completely different from the laundry room. I closed my eyes at the touch, but opened them when I realized that he was watching my reaction carefully. “I wish I knew what was going on in that gorgeous head of yours,” he mused. “But a part of me thinks I don’t wanna know.”

I smirked. “I’m thinking that,” I turned from his touch and looked back out the window. “I need more time to decide.” His hands were sliding down my arms, finally settling at my hips, which he then pulled back so I was flush against him. “Even if you are trying your damnedest to tempt me to stop thinking.” His lips were brushing my ear, oh, the big guns. “It’s not going to work, Negan.” I said, even though there were parts of me that it was very clearly working on. “Having sex with you is well worth the cost of admission, but let’s be honest, that’s not the only thing I’ve got to use to make the choice about.”

I felt him huff out a sigh. He removed his mouth from where he’d been kissing the skin under my ear. Propping his chin on the top of my head, his arms wrapped around my waist. “I’d have to find the most irritating woman on the planet hot.” I grinned, not even trying to disagree. “A mouth like a fucking sailor, and a body like-” A groan told me his was reliving the laundry room, plus he was hard against me. Pretty obvious right there. “Come back with me, Callie, come back and I fucking swear we’ll figure it out. All of it.”

I chuckled at the mere thought of him thinking it was that simple. I let my hands cover his, and leaned back into his chest. It was nice, being held by him. Nice, and would totally look normal to someone ignorant of the history between us. Or rather between him and my dad. There was a part of me, that I was ignoring, that really wanted it. This. Him. Us.

But then there was the reality. I really wasn’t sure I wanted him, the Negan who ruled the Saviors. The Negan who could laugh as he cut open someone to make sure they had guts. The Negan who broke my dad. The Negan who decided that he was so fucking potent that he had to have multitude of women at his beck and call. I hated that for once, even with my continuous thoughts, that the ones I was having now were actually logical. Usually I’d run with what felt right, consequences be damned. So why the fuck was this so problematic? Probably, my brain chirped in, because this time I’d be doing it for the greater good. I’d be selfless, a martyr, an actual fucking savior. And what twenty-three year old wants that kind of fucking responsibility on her shoulders?

Negan left Alexandria without me. He didn’t like it, but he knew that he’d agreed to give me as much time to decide as I needed. Thank God for whichever member of my family put that little fine print in the treaty. He didn’t leave without making a scene though.

We walked him, and his entire fucking guard, to the gates. The same gates that he’d played Big Bad Wolf at the day we first met. He made some grating parting to Dad and the rest of our community, but before he’d crossed the gate, he yanked me to him and kissed the fucking breath from me. I swear, it was like he sucked the air out of the whole fucking world. No one made a sound, and then, when he pulled back, ignoring what I could only imagine was the entire fucking group staring at us-his and mine- he kissed my nose and whispered, “Soon, Callie.”

And then he turned and left. Left me standing there, completely stunned and surrounded by so many faces that looked shocked and inquisitive. No one more so than me. Soon? For what?

A week. One LONG fucking week.

I couldn’t fucking walk outside without SOMEONE asking me if I’d made up my mind. Was I going to go? Was I going to let them enjoy the peace they’d had before Negan and his people caught us in their cross-hairs? The peace they were enjoying NOW, with only the promise of a possible agreement? So I stopped going outside. Easy fix, right?

Inside my house was just as fucking strained, at least for me. Carl was watching me like I was a bomb about to detonate. To be fair, I felt that way too. Dad was giving me space, a little too much space. Michonne was strangely amused, which worried me for different reasons. And Daryl, well he looked at me like I was some kind of puzzle that he was working on deciphering. So all in all, Judith became my favorite human to hang out with. Judith didn’t judge. Judith didn’t worry or wonder. Judith just pooped her diaper and wanted diversions.

I was in her bedroom, playing peek-a-boo, when Carl walked in and announced that he was back. He, being Negan, of course. I rolled my eyes and grinned at a giggling Judith. Sure, he’d lasted a week, that was like a fucking lifetime for him. Mr. Take What I Want.

“Dad wants you to come downstairs, Callie.” Carl said, reaching for our little sister. The traitor actually reached up to him for him to take her. I’m telling you, even babies can be turds.

I rose to my feet and waited a beat after Carl took Judith out. I really fucking hoped he didn’t expect an answer. I had infinite time. I had eons to make my decision. Negan would be completely out of turn to expect me to jump when he snapped.

Taking the stairs slower than I’d tried to do the laundry, I was listening to see if I could gauge the attitude of our guest before I was face to face with him. It was eerily quiet. Well, shit, how the fuck do I prepare myself if I can’t fucking hear anything?

At the foot of them, I wasn’t shocked to find him waiting. The bat over his shoulder, leather jacket zipped up to his red scarf, and that fucking grin. Shit. “Ah, there she is.” He stepped forward and carefully leaned the bat against the staircase. “Miss me, darlin’?” He asked, leaning forward to rub his nose against mine. “Cause I sure as fuck missed you.”

I smirked up at him. “It’s barely been a week, Negan.” I answered, my voice a breath against his face. “What’s to miss?” I felt his hands snake along my waist, and then I was pulled tight against his body.

“You want a reminder?” And his lips met mine, and there it was, the burn. His teeth nipped at my full bottom lip and that gave him an opening to tease my tongue with his. My hands gripped the collar of his jacket and held him to me. Fuck, I thought, this was one hell of a reminder. I felt his hands slide down from my waist to cup my ass and lift me into his arms. Dear fucking God, was my family watching this?

I pulled away and looked over his shoulder. No one in sight. I felt him chuckle, clearly realizing where my mind went. “They’re not here, angel.” His lips were sliding along my jaw, and I felt the scruff that I’d barely noticed when I saw him. Stopped shaving again, I thought, and sighed at the feeling of it. When his lips found my neck, I nearly lost my mind. “You did miss me, didn’t you?” He smiled against my skin, feeling so very proven correct at the little sigh I gave as his teeth grazed my skin.

“I may have,” I moaned louder when he rocked into me, my legs locking around his waist. “I may have had a couple moments of- Shit.” He did it again and made me lose my place, closing my eyes and rolling my hips back. “Fuck, sure, I missed you.” I gave in. My mind was revolting against even trying to deny him.

He moved his head, pressing our foreheads together. “Come home with me, Callie.” I didn’t answer. “Come on, you know you want to.” He was trying to sound mocking, but somehow it came out as almost a plea. Almost. Not begging, not yet.

“Do I?” I asked, raising my eyebrow. “Why would I do that, when all I have to do is wait and poof-here you are?” I smiled at his glare. I noticed that even though he was glaring, he wasn’t putting me down.

“You drive me fucking crazy.” He growled, his lips claiming mine, hotter and far more hungry than before. I felt my back hit the wall beside the stairs, and hoped that he didn’t put a fucking dent in the drywall. “Fucking crazy.” He bit out, his lips returning slamming into mine again. He kissed me with such violence that I should have been scared, or pissed off, but instead I was smiling when he pulled back.

“Short drive, Negan, short drive.” I teased, reminding him of my assertions that he was certifiable already. “Kind of curious though,” I said, moving my lips along his whiskered jaw, nipping at the skin beneath his chin. “Why are you so fucking horny, if you have all those willing wives back home?” My tongue flicked out and teased his bobbing Adam’s apple. I took a page out of his book and sucked at his skin. Marking him, as he had me.

I felt him swallow under my mouth. No words came out of him so I kept exploring his neck with my mouth, pulling his scarf loose and opening it so I had more room to play. His fingers were digging into my skin so hard I was pretty sure I’d have bruises on my thighs. “Are those wives all looks and no substance, Negan?” I bit the side of his neck and felt him exhale long and slow. “Pretty without the ability to make you feel like THIS?” I rocked my hips and he hissed. “Cat got your tongue?” I teased, and that broke the spell. One hand came away from my thighs and clutched the back of my head, yanking me back and letting him crash his mouth on mine. I felt his tongue slip into my mouth and almost pulled away to announce I found it. Almost, but then I felt that hand on the back of my head lower, sliding under my shirt so his leather gloved hand was touching the bare skin of my back. Yep, leather glove kink, aisle one.

I moaned and I knew he counted that as a win. I flicked my own tongue against his, my hands moving to the jacket zipper that was tight against me. He knew what I wanted, so he moved enough so my hand could get between us. I didn’t hear the zipper sliding down and opening, his breathing and mine was so fucking loud. And then the jacket was gone. And we were t-shirt to t-shirt. And it was still too many fucking layers.

Before it could go any further, I heard a throat clear behind him. And then a chuckle. And then another clearing of a throat. I giggled against Negan’s mouth when I felt him growl at the interruption. His mouth released mine, and he was glaring again, but this time he wasn’t irritated with me. “Who the fuck?” His voice was as raw as it had been the other times we’d be in a similar position.

“Just wondering if everything was OK in here,” Dad’s voice answered, and I nearly laughed. Nearly, because a part of me wondered if Negan was going to hurt my dad for being the most effective cock block in the history of cock blocking. I looked over Negan’s shoulder and grinned at Dad. His eyes were twinkling, even if he was blushing like crazy.

To be honest, this wouldn’t be the first time my dad had caught me in the middle of something. It was one reason everyone in my fucking family learned to KNOCK before entering a room I was in with the door closed. Of course, sometimes I wasn’t in a room with a closed door, like today, in which case this would happen. Negan may be irritated, but to me, it was a normal date experience.

Negan let me slide down the wall out of his grip. But he didn’t let me move. There were probably a million reasons for that, but one very noticeable one was pressing into my stomach. Yep, Negan was a little too excited to face Dad just now. I saw him close his eyes, and wondered if he was thinking of baseball to get it under control. My eyes slid to the bat still leaning against the staircase. Maybe NOT baseball. That thought did it. I laughed, and his eyes snapped open and glared down at me. Shit. Now he actually looked dangerous.

#negan x ofc #Smut #the walking dead

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jan-uinely · 4 years

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hot takes continued

here we go. season 12 episode 12.

so. it’s time to chit chat about drag race. if u dont like my opinions sry.

this is gonna get bigger than one episode or one season. this is meta drag race.

but first i guess the episode. right. so. obviously it was a “musical” so obviously i wanted to see jan sing and obviously she did not. I do think that this challenge [not necessarily placed in this episode] would have been a great time to do a like returning queens. but i digress.

i think that it was a little muddled. like it wasn't like any of the “girl group” numbers where it’s just the verse and chorus. all of the verses were placed in different spots throughout the show. I also think it’s ironic that this whole episode is to promote this live vegas show which is obviously not happening right now. but alas.

i agree with bob in that i liked jackie’s verse the best.

i did not love gigi’s outfit in the challenge. you couldn't make out the heart as easily bc the red was all the same color. I also think the material used was too chunky- it was quilted. i would have rather had the heart be quilted, not have a corset underneath it, and have the rest of the top part not be quilted. i thought it was a good concept but i would have preferred different #choices. i also would have rather the hair been straight instead of curled.

i did not have a huge issue w crystal’s orange and green outfit. i also appreciated the callback stars and stripes hair. though maybe not together?

jaida was good as per usual. i want her to win, but we will get to that later.

also let us note the basketball wives hair that made a comeback [gigi, jackie]

runway time.

crystal and ******’s outfits did not fit the way i wanted them too, and the problems were both in the hips. when i saw them i thought the hips should be exaggerated, but instead they both looked weirdly deflated. and crystal’s torso section could have been brought in. [i did see on instagram that the person who made crystal’s look [casey caldwell who is a nyc based designer, works w a lot of neoprene/thick materials- just look up on instagram caseyyalater] actually made it for dragcon and crystal bought it right there, so it wasn’t tailored]

in the dior v dior battle, i thought gigi won. jackie’s dress was just i think a little too large [not in terms of tailoring, in terms of diameter] but it was very jackie

gigi said that her outfit was quintessential gigi, which i think it interesting bc if you look up showgirls performances, it very much is. however in terms of the character portrayed on drag race i didn’t think it was. it was very well made, etc. but it just didn’t fit the “perfectionist trope” of the show.

jaida is once again wearing a gown with a presequinned fabric, which i am not mad at. it is quintessential jaida.

critiques.

again ooh we have to nitpick bc we accidentally cast too many winners on this season blah blah blah. i was not a fan of when they said oh well we will have to look at report cards. as if they didnt intentionally load up gigi and ****** with wins at the start of the show.

and then it’s like oh well jackie and crystal have to lip sync blah blah blah. and you know that jackie is going home. bc the judges absolutely love crystal, all because of that mullet.

to quote bob “I used to be really upset at queens who won the judges with their personality” and that is still mostly true for me. i don’t think her placement is unjust or whatever, but like if ru didn’t like the mullet, she would not have been given the confidence boost to turn her trajectory around, compared to jackie and widow and jan, who did most things right but just were not rupaul’s fave, and must have had a much more difficult time mentally on the show.

and FWIW heidi falls into this category as well. race chaser i think said it - all of her success comes from ru’s ideas. and being naturally funny and charismatic and having ru like you as a person is a huge gift and huge talent, but the inability to wrangle it... that being said i think she deserves the world and will grow [and has already grown] from this experience.

and the thing is that crystal also keeps going back to the same stuff which could have been funny if the episodes were more than one apart or if she didn't do it twice in one episode but. idk.

now, who will win, who should win, hmm hmm hmm. tbh i don’t think it will be crystal. they just crowned the oddball and they like to mix it up, or at least try to. also why looking at the history of dusted or busted scores [and s/o to jan for coming in @ 4 [after the disqualification]] crystal is at a 2, and bebe won with the lowest score at a 3 [w 2nd and 3rd place at 4 and 5], and that was in season 1, which was a whole other ballgame. leaving us with jaida and gigi. i am team jaida. i think that she is much more developed as an artist and performer than gigi, and I think that she will bring us something new.

[here comes the meta part]

the title is america’s next drag superstar. and i think in the beginning of the show, they decided that that had to mean something new and exciting, something that pushed the boundaries of what drag could be [which is rly ironic coming from them but]. which has developed this culture of what is the formula to be successful on drag race. and some people were more overt about this [jan] and some people were more subtle about this [gigi and jackie].

but for some reason, the [Black] pageant queens will make it to the top and then never win. - and they’ve had overt conversations regarding pageants and pageant culture on the show before - but balls and pageants were like the building blocks of drag culture in the us [from what i understand]. so inherently that means it’s no longer “new” and exciting. but the thing is that so many of these fashion [/nyc] queens work so exclusively with these high end designers to produce these looks [i think bob said it can cost like 10K to prep all your stuff for drag race] and with that the ability to design and sew falls away.

and i think that is reflected in the challenges and how they have changed. this season there was one design challenge. and that is just so disappointing to me bc i think the design challenges really separate who has a full understanding of their persona and who does not.

and with fewer and fewer design challenges, you have more and more designer items, and the ability to create something has fallen to the wayside. personally [and i will probably make another post about this later] i want to bring back the design challenges in one of two ways. 1. have an all designers season. where drag designers work to make elaborate costumes based on a prompt and given certain materials. bc on the show designers are not credited as much [that part comes on instagram]. 2. i want to have a drag race blank slate competition. where contestants audition and are given a list of prompts but cannot bring anything except like a notebook. no prepared outfits. you can sketch designs to the prompts, but all the materials are provided. contestants still have a main challenge and a runway, but rather than 2 days, they are given a full week to execute the challenge and the outfit. this would totally change the game in my mind. like one you wouldn't have to have money or take out loans to compete, you could just come and show who you are. and two the audience could see more of what goes into this stuff. AND if drag race really wants to feed us, they could do like a wed. ep and a friday ep. to spread things out.

my favorite challenges are design challenges, and while i think the first challenge this season gave us a better introduction to who the contestants are, the design challenge is a really good thing to have at the front.

i do think that if they had not had the debate that there would have been another design challenge in the mix, but bc it was an election year.

anyways, i want jaida to win bc she’s excellent at what she does. and at this point there is something new and exciting about making all your own clothes and being polished and knowing who you are. and tbh gigi doesn’t bring anything new to the table. sure the ability to sew and design is good, but compared to aquaria and violet the designs were not as diverse or inventive. on top of that, the fact that gigi is outwardly apolitical [and doesn’t understand the connotation of “privilege” in today’s times] is just not a good look. I also think that it is interesting that gigi came in as the look queen but actually did better in the acting challenges.

idk my main takeaway is that gigi is really really good at playing other people, and with that comes a lack of self awareness. striving so hard to be perfect can come at the cost of not knowing who you are as an artist. like gigi’s brand is literally “im that bitch/bitch” which again, just isn’t what i want in a winner.

and tbh the gigi bug bit early but ended when ru gave her the win on the madonna episode. [i will say that jackie could have won snatch game but tbh i was annoyed w her for being a little dickish to the safe girls that week [though what she said was totally understandable] and also i <3 jackie cox [and chelsea piers we stan chelsea piers in this house] i think there is something so gr8 abt being a nerd and being prepared and being on brand about it. also jackie is always the one to hop on the dolls’ lives and comment their venmo. hashtag cool aunt jackie. [though that here for cox t-shirt and the promo photos make me uncomfy though i get it]]

re jackie coming back to complete the top 4... IDK it’s nice and all but they've already established that they don’t want her to win- otherwise she would not have been eliminated.

also in my mind there are only 12 places so jan actually came in 7, widow 6, heidi 5, jackie 4.

anyways these are my thoughts. as usual, raw and unedited.

#i guess what i'm saying is that i would love to produce drag race #but i hate la so i guess that's off the table #drag race #hot takes #rpdr s12 #this is very long #so be prepared #i would like to think that it is high quality content #but we shall see #if u want more hot takes my ask box is always open #as u know i have no life #i just rotate between instagram twitter and tumblr #drag race season 12 episode 12 #im a ramblin gal #so enjoy my thoughts on this fine satur day

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closetcasefabray · 5 years

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Don’t Make Me Spell It Out For You, Part 1/6

briefest of brief summaries: clarke kind of hates her neighbor because lexa hates fun or something. aka & they were neighbors

okay, so finally writing this as a fic. i could’ve definitely made this a one-shot, but i divided it into 6 parts (of varying lengths) to have fun with it, and i’m cleaning it up and adding more. also managed to hit several of the classic au prompts: fratboy!clarke, neighbors/girl next door, (kinda) enemies to friends to lovers, city au, useless lesbian/bisexual, & one bed. hope you enjoy.

titles courtesy of Janelle Monae.

EDIT: apparently this entire thing just up and disappeared when i made a small edit on mobile. fixed it. thanks tumblr for being generally awful.

1. all the feelings that i’ve got for you

You love and hate living in New York—love the diversity, art scene, local parks, trips to the Bronx Zoo, concerts in Prospect Park, and (finally) earning a living wage after graduating two years ago. You hate the MTA’s ceaseless delays, the owners of the dog barking outside your window every morning, rude restaurant guests who tip poorly, and the puddles that seem to always be on the sidewalks even when it hasn’t rained for days. You love your neighborhood but hate how old your building is—tiny living space, worn out hardwood flooring that slopes, the distinct off-off-white color of it all, and the incredibly thin walls.

You also recently determined that you’re really starting to hate your neighbor.

The first time you receive a knock at the door, it’s understandable.

Raven is, in her own words, “Queens, born and raised, and therefore a die-hard Mets fan.” It’s not always clear because most of the time she spends watching games, she’s swearing at the players and coaches, and groaning, “I fucking hate this goddamn team.”

So you’re sitting between Raven and Octavia late one night, watching the Mets play the Padres, drinking beer, and shoveling pizza into your mouths, when an unexpected home run has Raven jumping to her feet and shouting, “I fucking love this goddamn team!” She does a dance and claps as the Mets celebrate their two run lead.

A soft knock at the door interrupts Raven high-fiving you and O repeatedly less than a minute later. You all exchange looks and you roll your eyes when Raven and O look at you expectantly. You stand up, take a swig of beer, and open the front door.

A stunning but half-asleep girl, about your age, is standing on your old, beat up Welcome mat. You figure she’s your neighbor, but you hardly see anyone else who lives in the apartment building, not to mention the number of people who move in and out throughout the year. Your assumed neighbor is in her pajamas—a Columbia grad school t-shirt, striped shorts, and some moccasin slippers—and her hair is a mix of brown waves and curls, tousled no doubt from struggling to sleep. Her grey-green eyes remind you to finish your painting of a storm at sea.

“Sorry,” you say quickly, then explain, “West Coast Mets game.”

The other girl just nods.

“We’ll keep it down. Sorry again,” you say, offering a small smile.

Your neighbor doesn’t reciprocate and just turns around to go back to her apartment. You feel guilty as you gently shut the door.

“Well, that’s one way to meet your new-ish neighbor,” Octavia says before drinking from her beer.

“It is two in the morning,” you say with a shrug.

“She’s been here for over a month. This shit-hole I call home is nicknamed the City that Never Sleeps for a reason,” Raven says, taking an aggressive bite from her slice of pizza. “Also the Mets are winning!” she adds as she chews, “That, like, never happens, so she should respect my devotion to this piece of shit team.”

You and O just roll your eyes, and you hope the pizza and beer will keep Raven busy enough and her mouth full to prevent further yelling.

The second time Lexa—you read her mailbox label—knocks at your door, you expect it.

You get home from a killer shift and Raven is scrolling through Hulu and the like for something to watch, so when you say you never saw John Wick 2, she immediately tells you to “sit your ass down and watch this shit.”

You can’t hear the dialogue over the crunching of the chips you’re sharing with Raven, so you keep turning up the volume. Raven gets up to use the bathroom as you watch the scene unfold.

Then his house explodes.

For a brief moment you think the apartment is too because the surround sound speakers Raven has set up shakes the floor and walls. You scramble to turn down the volume and manage to pause the movie.

Raven’s head immediately pops out from the bathroom to look at you with her mouth hanging open in slight horror. “Oh no…”

You look at the time. It’s 12:30AM. “Shit.”

You realize you’re holding your breath when you hear the light knocking ten seconds later.

“Hi,” you say, feeling stupid as you look at another form of tired Lexa. She’s got her glasses on this time and a Les Mis tee to accompany a different set of striped sleep shorts, but her hair is in the same state of lovely disarray as it was a week ago. Eyes still quiet storms.

“Could you just turn it down a bit?”

“Already did. Sorry. It was hard to hear the movie and then something blew up… on screen, I mean.” You question if you ever actually learned the English language or had a normal social interaction with an attractive person before. Whether bars, clubs, or even work, you can typically charm people’s pants off. Apparently in your own apartment, all it takes is a pretty girl with messy hair and full lips to throw you off whatever game you can manage.

“Thanks,” is all Lexa says in response.

After you close the door, you turn to a still shocked Raven with her mouth agape. “Okay, so that one was fair,” she admits.

“Is there a thin-apartment-walls setting for your sound system?”

The third time Lexa knocks at your door is the last straw.

You have the night off after a 45 hour work week, carrying 20-pound boxes of wine up and down the stairs, memorizing five new menu items and an entirely new cocktail menu. Do you love the restaurant industry? No. But you’re decent at it and it pays double what the YMCA paid you for children’s after-school art lessons.

You manage to crawl out of bed around two in the afternoon, and proceed to drink an entire Britta’s worth of water before refilling it and sticking it back in the fridge. You probably shouldn’t have had the last two (or five) shots you took last night after work with your coworkers.

You hear the familiar sound of Raven coming up the steps and her keys in the door as you plop yourself into the chair at the small table that separates the kitchen from the living room.

“You’re home early,” you say, Raven is helping her mechanical engineering company collaborate on a big project with MoMA, so she’s been working ten hour shifts, six days a week.

Raven, despite looking exhausted, lifts her fist above her head in victory. “And I have tomorrow off! I’m going out!”

You groan, and Raven just laughs. “I heard you stumble in last night, so it’s cool. I’m going out with O and Lincoln later. I have pot, and you look like you need a cannabis miracle.”

You smoke some of Raven’s weed, and while it does make you feel better, it doesn’t do much for the lethargy part of your hangover. You order delivery for the both of you and wait, sprawled out on the couch in the living room while Raven showers. You snap out of your daze when Janelle Monae’s voice starts to pour out the bluetooth speakers, and you let out a full belly laugh as Raven dramatically exits the bathroom into your line of sight, dressed in only a towel with another wrapped around her head, using her phone as a microphone.

“Live my life on birth control. I lost my mind on rock and roll,” Raven sings, spinning through the kitchen to the living room. She points at you as she continues to sing along and dance. You join her and turn up the volume at the chorus.

You’re both belting along, dancing all sexy despite the fact that Raven’s in a towel and you’re still in a baggy shirt and sweatpants. Raven takes a small hit from her bowl and passes it back to you.

You’re not sure how long she was knocking, but it took a set of louder-than-usual knocks for you to hear it. You look at Raven and briefly feel like you’re back in your college dorm together and resist the urge to chuck the bowl in your hand out the window.

“Really?” Raven mouths, gesturing at the clock reading 3PM.

“What do I do?” you ask. Yeah, you’re moderately stoned.

Raven turns the volume down a bit. “I don’t know, but I’m naked,” Raven says, trying to appear serious before snorting and running to her room to put on clothes.

“Fine, I can just go fuck myself, yeah?” you stage whisper after her.

“Heeeeeey,” you say, opening the door and leaning against the doorframe.

Lexa still looks tired but is wearing a nicer version of your own outfit—jogger sweats, a UMD tee, and some red TOMS she evidently shoved onto her feet without pulling the backs over her heels.

“Your music… It’s distracting me, and just… Could you just turn it down a little, please?” Lexa asks with a light sigh.

“Sure thing,” you reply, and, christ, give her a thumbs up.

You’re sure Lexa can smell the pot, but she doesn’t say anything. She just shuffles back to her apartment, and you close the door not-as-gently-as-usual before turning off the stereo.

Raven walks back into the living room, now fully clothed, and sits on the couch with a dramatic sigh. She grabs her bowl and takes a hit.

“Who, like, gets fucking mad about Janelle Monae? On a Friday? At 3PM?” you ask, taking the bowl Raven offers.

“Someone who hates fun,” Raven says, blowing smoke out her nose and mouth.

In the week following the last knocking incident, you decide you don’t like Lexa Woods, maybe even hate her and her stupid university sleep shirts and stormy eyes. Sure, she’s got her beautiful hair and maybe you’ve thought about how soft her lips probably are once or twice; none of that stops you from declaring her the Enemy of Fun.

You’re not sure what mood you’re in, but you are sure that you drank a lot of gin at O and Lincoln’s engagement party. Raven jokes that gin makes you aggressive, a really dumb “fight me” kind of aggressive.

“She can fucking knock all she wants,” you huff, sitting down on the couch to stop the room from spinning. “Like, what? Are we not allowed to have fun anymore?”

“I know, but let’s try not to have tonight be another night where she comes knocking.”

“I’ll tell her what’s what. Come on, fucking Janelle Monae?” you say, waving your arms in exasperation. “And why not? I fucking dare her to come over. I thought you hated her too?”

“I mean, I think she kind of sucks, but hate is a little dramatic. You’re also pretty confrontational right now, so I don’t want a knock tonight,” Raven says with a chuckle, and you realize she’s far more sober than you as she pours you a glass of water.

“I’d win in a fight.”

“Right.”

“I would.”

“Of course, Clarke.”

“I hate her.”

“Sure.”

#clexa au #clexa #fic: don't make me spell it out for you #that's long so #fic: dmm #or just #nn au #ccf fic #ccf #clexafic #clexa fanfic #ccf fanfiction #ny neighbors au

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sirro85-blog · 5 years

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Dark Horses 6

So, what are the Xhost? Now, so long after they have left the stars it's a question that can be asked.

The Xhost were an idea that became a cult, if humans are more durable and Rhul are faster and Biviladi are more adaptable to environmental changes what if instead of celebrating the diversity we examined the discrepancies and found a common ground?

A noble thought, corrupted, corrupted into the Xhost where races were genetically modified to be a bit of everything, differences were no longer celebrated as part of a more fantastic whole but instead were vilified as non-conforming.

To the Xhost purity was required, variation was the enemy.

Kovac sat against the wall looking at his friends, Wolf shook his head and turned to Dorman for support.

"No," said Kovac, " you both have opinions and you're both entitled to them, but you're wrong.

It's as simple as this. Iron man is the greatest superhero, all those with superpowers built in can fuck right off, if your solution to a problem is punching harder then you're not a solution. Iron man's super power is thinking better than all of the others, he figures stuff out, after that his inventions win fights. All the other smart guys either have powers or their limited, I mean Batman isn't a one man army. Reed Richards works stuff out then relies on being Mr Fantastic to solve the problem.

Also Tony fights butt naked and the rest don't."

Kovac looked at his friends and smiled at their faces, "look it's this simple, your mind, the human mind is the greatest weapon in the galaxy. Now the second lesson I have to teach you is this simple, no matter what your taste in music one song needs special attention."

"We Will Rick You, by Queen will be remembered as a Pride song but it shouldn't be. What really matters is the solo or fade out; that piece of guitar play by May...everything else is just delivery for that.

Finally, if you're not happy, watching bad television at 0400 with you're partner then you're relationship won't last, if their presence doesn't bring you joy then move on.

Right that's about it, that's my life time knowledge, guess we should see this out then." Kovac stood.

Outside the Xhost forces had swept across the continent.

"Major, you know that the General will mobilise to defend us, even with the bones of a brigade. Major General Michaela Jones will be here," Wolf said.

"I know Wolf, the question has always been how do we drive the Xhost back? They control more sectors than the Rhul and the Flet together, they control more planet's than the Korlax."

"They've never defeated the Galactic Council forces though." Dorman countered.

"Well that's not strictly true, they've never won a war against the GCDF but they've always required mobilising core divisions and I hate to say it but that means human troops, we're the backbone of the GCDF without our presence the Xhost have seen success."

"You really don't think we can save the Towoli? Or the EDC?" Wolf asked morose.

"With a squadron of combat engineers? No." The Major was terse in his response.

Captain Becca looked out at the gathering darkness, "three days to capture the Towoli and secure the cities, so on the fourth day they turn around and hit the EDC, they're dug in now, so they last, maybe another four days and then it us. In this position we can last, maybe three days. That gives the Major-general two weeks, to raise at least a brigade and to get to us..." the question hung in the air unasked.

Kovac puffed out his cheeks, and rubbed his right forearm. "Remember in the 88th there became this belief that I'd pull it out of the fire, everytime it looked impossible odds you'd hear the men, "trust in kovac" I have that faith in Michaela Jones. Our only job right now is to keep open this beach head so she can land the troops. Now I've shared my life's wisdom with you, who has any other nuggets to share?"

Sergeant Major Panther had her own meeting with her sergeants, the needs of various troops and sections were discussed and the talk turned to how long they could hold out, "Captain says three at a push, but knowing the Major, if say closer to five."

"It'll take them a week to roll the Towoli and the EDC so by the end of the second week it'll be all over," said Sergeant Webb.

"No, you're forgetting Webb, we've got Kovac, 'keep calm and trust in Kovac' I've been saying that for over ten years now and I'll keep saying as long as he keeps earning my damn faith." Knickers glared at her fellow sergeants, "what was it he always said? It's us, it's us the 88th, well now it's us the Dark Horses but it's still us, we're still the real first in last out and we're still fighting fit and fucking ugly, Kovac will know what to do and when he asks us to do the impossible we'll deliver."

Panther grinned, "Exactly, so get out there and tell that to the men, wipe their little faces, help them blow their noses and smack the heads that need smacking, we are the Dark Horses and we will do what is needed."

"Except the Major is sitting there saying the same about the General," Webb said, "you all know I love the man, he's personally saved my life four times that I can count, if anyone can save us he can...but he isn't trying to. He's not even mentioned trying to save the Towoli and the EDC, he's said we use them as cannon fodder. Our hope is that we get rescued by the woman we walked away from to follow Kovac."

The sergeant-major stared at her sergeants, she seemed at a loss for what to say.

"I'll keep my faith thank you Webb. You're not wrong, yet, but I'll put my trust in Kovac."

Corporal Grey was growing weary of banging heads, the men were despondent and grumbling. The leader they trusted beyond all others was finally cornered and they could all see it. He watched as Captain Dorman walked away from the Major looking down-trodden, after a few steps the officer managed to organise himself and he straightened his shoulders and put his head up...keeping up appearances.

"I hear you're out of ideas and we're all fucked," said a coarse voice behind Kovac.

"Hello RQ," said Kovac without turning round, "and do you believe it?"

"Of course not, you need extra arms for all the tricks up your sleeves," scoffed the Quartemaster, "but they do, the rank, which I'm guessing is the point."

"They're good people, good people don't become monsters without falling down first, I need them to be monsters, they have to lose hope so when I throw them a cobra for a life line they grab it."

"What's the plan troop?"

"The secret to Xhost success is that the Xhost have their own supply of fuel, took us a while to realise what it was, now they use a variety of tricks but the basic component is Phosphene gas, toxic and smells like rotten fish half the time. So the finest galactic scientists looked at how they could inhibit their engines, how they could stop the Xhost fuelling their war machine, they failed. Then a human looked at it, her solution was deemed too heinous, the very suggestion caused humanity some problems, as we were suddenly seen as viscious and evil."

"What was her solution?"

"Chemistry, it's beyond me but...have you ever heard of White Phosphorus?"

The Qm blanched, "really!? That's your solution?"

"Turn their fuel into chemical weapons, I just need men desperate enough to agree to it."

"Kovac..."

Kovac turned to look at the Qm, "first time you've ever called me that, look, we can sit here and let the Xhost slaughter the Towoli and the EDC or we can act, to save innocent lives, maybe we need to be less innocent."

The Qm was quiet a moment and then sighed, "you think we have to?"

"I do."

"Alright then," she touched his arm and left him.

Kovac stared into the gathering gloom, "Clausewitz never finished and Ludendorff was a bastard who lost," he seemed to mutter to himself.

Later Kovac would say it was almost sad how quickly his men agreed to his plan, but they did. So within 6 hours his troops were prepared and moving out.

Before dawn the Dark Horses had returned to their fortifications, none of the normal a activities were on display, showing pride in a job we'll done. Instead the attitude was grim, an unpleasant job but one needing done.

Outside in the skies and on the ground, the Xhost burned, White Phosphorus burns on contact with air and it can burn even human flesh to the bone. Steel melts at half the temperature of burning white phosphorus.

I've seen artists renderings of the human construct of hell, the day the Xhost burned was brighter, hotter and there was more smoke. The issue of demons I'll leave to other scholars.

Ten days later Major General Michaela Jones landed with the 3rd army of the Galactic Defence Force to discover a smoking planet and the Towoli and EDC talking about burning skies and enemies vaporized in a wall of heat.

The Dark Horses, grim of face and closed in demeanour said nothing, they simply boarded and left with the advance ships into Xhost territory.

There is a phrase amongst those who study human kind, it's taken from their own old language, a term itself bastardised from an even older tale, "humans are space-orcs"

To humans it's funny, "the human can withstand the loss of a limb and is capable of feats of strength near impossible to other races, they fix metal into their mouths and inject their skins for aesthetic purposes...ha ha, fuck yeah we're space-orcs"

But to those of us who study, it means something different, orcs are the monsters of human fiction, rewritten and redefined they are brutal, barbarous and backwards. Their savagery and their lack of humanity is common in all their iterations. Orcs are the monsters humans see in themselves.

We space going species forget that humans may be like us in their hunt for answers but they got to this technology not through global cooperation but through war-driven advances and international tensions and competition.

They have only recently become the advanced global society we know, just under the surface lies the monster. Humans are Space Orcs.

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So I know the Chemistry is a bit hinky here according to a chemist friend of mine what I've said is possible but not easily but...hey It's sci-fi.

Anyway this one ends in a dark place but it's where it went and I can't really pretend I know what I'm doing.

As always feedback is appreciated.

#humans are space australians #humans are insane #humans are space orcs #space orcs #space australia #space faerie #earth is a deathworld #earth is weird #dark horses #this is why i call kovac daddy #kovac

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