#Even though Judy was fired

[desolatus]

Annie Get Your Gun (1950)

#vintage #vintage fashion #Judy garland #1950s #the 50s #Movie #Even though Judy was fired

[baka-bakeneko]

Stomping Ground - River Ward x Fem! V Reader

tags: NSFW, MDNI, established relationship River Ward, Johnny Silverhand: Resident Cockblock™, non-canon background of River/Panam/Joss/Saul, pregnancy talk, br33ding kink/mention/actions, in heat mention/action, cumplay, mating press, wrap it before you tap it psa, double orgasm, doggy style, cervix mention, pillow talk, creampie

wc:

synopsis: Panam tells you something about boyfriend River you're sure you'd never noticed before.

a/n: y'all ever watch reservation dogs? i got this idea from that because the man mentioned with that line looked like riv...also, absolutely feral feminine urge to climb through my television to sex this man

There was a clear and definitive space you carved out for River in your life. It wasn't necessarily prominent at first, but you realized it slowly over time.

Not that the man didn't want to meet your "friends", moreso accomplices, and your handler; he definitely did, but knowing River's do good bleeding heart, you knew he'd try to get you out of it as soon as possible.

However, you began to notice the lines starting to blur a bit more. River started picking you up at your apartment to take you back to his place (even though you'd practically moved into the trailer with him).

Judy and Rogue were starting to mention your time spent outside of Night City, how the ever beating sun in the desert was doing wonders for your sickly complexion.

Obviously, Johnny wasn't any different. The individualist that was not on the River Hype Train.

"He's still a bootlicker, V. You're sleeping with a corrupt puppy."

His bitching and moaning was relatively drowned out, though, by someone who shared similar stomping ground with River.

Panam.

It wasn't often you hung out with her, she usually only called to ask for something, but when you two were together, she was the most herself about your relationship.

That saying that Panam was her normal cool demeanor version of gushy about you being infatuated with the ex-cop.

You'd asked her if she knew him, and she repeated the stomping ground. There was once a time, she mentioned, that her and Joss could see each other on opposite sides of the fence.

She never dwelled on it, only mentioned that little River had the longest braids. That she'd sit on a hill and admire how his sister brushed his hair back with her fingers and braided it almost all day.

Panam scoffed by the fire then, taking a swig of her tequila then offered you the bottle. She leaned over to nudge your shoulder, still staring at the bright orange flames dancing before you two.

"All I know is that Saul used to say boys of the Pomo tribe," Panam hiccuped halfway through her sentence. "can impregnate you with a single gaze."

You practically wasted the alcohol you swigged, the clear liquid dribbling from your mouth at Panam's statement. Of course, it was meant as a warning to young Panam and probably a lot of young Aldecado girls.

But it was funny and vulgar to imagine that sentiment still standing true. And that sent a shock straight to your core.

Because you hadn't seen that gaze of River's yet.

Or maybe you'd been ignoring it.

-

You woke up the next morning after driving through the desert back to River's. Climbing into bed with him the night before, Panam's stories about him weighed in your heart.

Reaching an arm out to pull River close, you realized he'd already gotten up. You sat up, tossing the bedsheet away and kneeled on the bed to stretch.

River had offered yet another one of his shirts to you, this one a Night City Police Academy heather grey. The sides were cut off, hardly holding your breasts back and revealing your bare ribs.

"Good morning beautiful," River chimed, brunting his door open by his hip with two cups of coffee in hand.

You sat down heavily, the bedsheets puffing around your ass before settling. "Good morning yourself."

You reached out for the coffee cup River offered you, taking in his standard pajama attire. With an approving hum, you brought the coffee cup to your lips and sipped.

"You read my mind," you praised, shutting your eyes to revel in the warm liquid traveling down inside.

River spared a breath from his nose, doing the same as you straightened up again. You took another quick sip then set it on the windowsill, turning to River.

And there it was.

That had to be it.

Because your chest tightened in the same way you knew something good was about to happen. And your body was certainly open to it.

"Hard pass!" Johnny screeched in, crossing his arms before your face like a no-bone referee. "Not while I'm around!"

Your loving gaze to River was directed as frustration to Johnny S. Cricket. "Shut up, I'm steering this one."

"Babies and Johnny don't freakin' mix, V!"

You grit your teeth and muttered from the corner of your mouth. "Panam didn't mean it literally. Take the backseat."

Johnny buzzed around the room in soft glitches. "Oh hell no! You think I'm gonna let you play house when we had a deal? I'm not sitting by while you piss away our chances, V, for a freakin' meter maid!"

Your sultry smile turned sickened, actively reaching up your neck to yank Johnny's relic out and deal with consequences later. "Last chance, Johnny. Otherwise, I'll reset us both."

Johnny blew a harsh raspberry at you, zipping to your side to whisper in your ear. "Fine, but don't cry to me when I don't take the reigns to change a goddamn diaper."

Then he shut up and disappeared.

And River's glare was still there. Still baring into and lighting a new type of flame under your skin. Keeping your chest tightening and your breath quickening.

It was a subtle glare, one that you were sure he'd given to the back of your head before. One eyebrow barely cocked, his molten brown eye softened a single degree. And maybe it was something about him always looking so hardened, but this look was softer by an nth.

His lips were absolutely kissable, curved into a smirk. And how could this single glare make you want him so badly?

And how long could he keep this single glare up? Because there was work to be done.

You felt yourself turning into a bitch in heat by that glare, sitting up straighter and angling your body at him. Knees inched apart minutely, but enough for River to notice.

His interest piqued with a minute tilt of his chin; he blindly reached to his side and set his coffee cup on his nightstand.

You kept his gaze, feeling every breath tearing through your burning chest. And you needed to be naked.

River's glare willed it to be. His hands found his waist and shared a staggering breath out, his cock slowly rising to attention behind his pajamas.

You reached for the hem of his shirt, your arms crossing over your head to reveal the presence of your mostly naked body. His tongue tempted out, his eyes never leaving yours though you knew he'd raked your body in admiration.

You copied his motion, licking at your lips as your breathing raced to soft pants.

River gulped, breaking contact from you first to force his bedroom door closed. He locked it, holding his hands to the plywood while he bowed his head in effort to stay level.

His massive shoulders shuddered, his back rippling in war with himself. Still, he turned around to you, hooking you onto his glare again.

And it was as if the spell was never broken. Your nipples hardened to the cool of the room, to River's silent will.

"Show me your pussy, baby," he gruffed, his voice a new bass of desire.

When you'd normally flinch, you were obedient to River's order. Your breath hitched, spreading your knees further and peeling your panties to the side.

River's eyes never left yours, but braced his knee onto the bed. He peeled down at a hip of his pajamas, freeing his leaking cock to meet you.

Another chill wracked your body, your cunt pulsing at the thought of his length stretching you. Every thought of River impregnating you made you dizzy in eager want.

He swiped at the tip of his cock, gathering his precum before reaching out to stroke your pussy. His eyes kept yours, watching as you slowly crumbled in his touch.

When he was satisfied, River flossed the front of your panties against your clit, earning a whimper from behind your lips.

He leaned in, nudging his nose against yours with a heavy breath against your lips. Your chin tilted in his direction, tempted to kiss him, but his hands tearing your panties in half halted you.

River's hands grabbed at the backs of your knees, pulling your legs over his thighs as he readied his cock before your aired sex.

Your heels planted on the bed, hips angling ready to take him. Your breathing faltered, your chest rising and falling in cascades.

River grinned deviantly before your lips, reaching to shrug his pants further. His hands resumed behind your knees, instantly folding you down on the bed.

Your knees met your breasts, leaving your ass to be caressed by his thobbing length. Your eyes cut to River's cockhead rubbing between your wet lips, prodding against your thrumming clit.

Turning to River again, his gaze was unmatched. The silent will for you to beg for him. Your bottom lip twitched, a soft moan leaving you.

He took your sound personally, feeling it fuel the burning and gnawing within him. River pulled his cock back and forward again, earning a few more noises before angling his hips to catch at your entrance.

Then he was sinking into you. And you cried out at the instant relief. His cock drove into you, molding your walls around him.

You edged up to gain more of River faster, his body folding over yours breaking a sweat.

"River," you mewled, feeling his hips lay flush to your pussy.

Your hands went for his face, your legs folding and your foot twitching at the middle of River's thick back.

He barely let you settle, raising up with his calves to start a skin-slapping, heavy pace. The noises that he rang out of you carried through the room, no doubt disturbing the peace of the house.

River gripped a bit tighter at your knees, slowing his pace to catch his breath. His balls rested against the apple of your ass, hitting right at your deepest spot.

You simpered, taking heaping breaths to steady your heat. Your pussy convulsed helplessly, unable to stabilize your heightened sensitivities.

River ignored giving you any external stimulation, only kept your eyes on his. He angled further, fucking into you steadier with slower strokes while you whimpered and pleaded softly for River to make you cum.

River huffed down at you, his breaths a melodic chant to keep him stable. Your face scrunched at the gaining fire from your pussy to your stomach before you blindly gripped at River's hip and halted him for you to throb around him.

You came hard on him, squeezing his cock heartily in your soft, hot walls. River's name was on your lips, drooling out your praise while you wetted his hips and balls.

"I-I'm not done with you yet," River panted, dropping your legs after pulling out.

He gripped your hip to roll you onto your stomach, pulled you onto your knees with your ass on display before him.

River sank his cock back into you, earning a keen mew. You spread your knees further, regaining your energy while still spasming on his cock.

You purred out a 'baby' for River's ego; he folded over you, let you run your hand along the back of his shaved head.

His cock speared harsher into you, halting his hips tighter with each pump. Even without saying anything about it, you knew what he was doing.

River's tip abused at your cervix, earning a few squeaks from you until he circled his arm around your waist and pressed at your stomach.

A new flush of arousal gained with his internal friction, pressing onto you as his other hand played at your nipples.

You arched into River, melting into his touch as his lips peppered and sucked at your neck. Your hips backed up into River, whimpering softly with each thrust until you were quaking.

Your knees slowly gave way, your body heating to give way to another orgasm. This one brought River along with you.

He gasped into your neck, held you obsessively close and hilted his cockhead directly against your cervix. You felt your pussy drown in River's essence, warming every fiber of your being.

"I want your baby," you simmered, turning to kiss River's temple, his cheek, his lips.

His cock continued to twitch, emptying everything he had into you. He growled, nipped at your ear.

"You don't know how badly I'd want you to," River whispered, taking your skin in with a soft suck.

He tenderly marked your neck, ran his lips to your shoulder as he canted his hips softly into you.

"I so badly," he thrusted into you with each syllable. "want that."

You rode every thrust into the mattress, gripping the sheets and the back of River's neck. He moaned into your neck, baring his teeth to bite as he hugged you.

Time froze in that instance, the two of you holding on as River's essence gushed around his cock and out of you.

When he was finished, River slowly pulled out, trailing kisses along your back, between your shoulders and down to your hips.

He rocked your hips in his hold, tracing his nose along your skin before resting on his back next to you.

"Come here," he crooned, his voice so soft and welcoming.

His arm braced behind his head, leaving his side open. You nuzzled into his side, glancing up as he tucked his chin down to look at you.

And that look was still plastered on his face. You couldn't help but giggle then, feeling River's hand trace along your spine.

"What's so funny?" River asked, turning his lips to kiss your forehead.

"Panam told me about you, when you were younger," you began, grabbing hold of River's hand to thread your fingers through.

River's brows raised before chuckling. "What'd she say?"

You tilted your head up to look at River. "That you used to have the longest hair that Joss would braid."

He smiled, kissed your forehead.

"I did, down the middle of my back through my teens."

You rested your cheek on his shoulder. "I wish I could have seen it."

River hummed. "What else?"

You couldn't hide your smile then. "That Saul used to warn all the Aldecado girls about you."

River's smile grew with a scoff. "You're bullshitting me."

"No, I'm serious," you giggled, sitting up to look River in the eye. "Said Pomo boys can impregnate you with a single gaze."

River reddened from his neck to his cheeks, his ears bitten crimson. Your grin was contagious, he couldn't help but match it.

You climbed onto River's lap, bracing your hands to his stomach. "And I almost didn't believe it, but you're doing it again."

River laughed harder then, holding your hips as he did so. "If I was doing it, and I'm not saying I am, what're my chances I could do it?"

That's when you blushed, turning away to your shoulder. "I'm not seeing you couldn't, you're on the right track so far."

River's hands roamed up your sides, then around to fold you against him. "I can keep trying, if you want."

You rested on your chin, staring at River as that gaze came back again. "I don't want you to ever stop."

River traced his hands in parallel lines down your back, circling your shoulders. "Good, because I want at least three."

You smiled against him, ignoring the Johnny alarm bell that you probably had limited time. You wanted to live in this little reality you two curated for a while longer.

"And we can all live on my stomping grounds," River soothed, tilting his head down to rest on yours. "With our own little slice of life."

#fanfic #fan work #river ward cyberpunk #cyberpunk #river ward x v #river ward romance #cyberpunk2077 #v cyberpunk #river ward

[puppypopcornpizza]

Rosy Hues

Warnings ➳ fluff

Pairing ➳ Daryl Dixon x F!reader

Word Count ➳ 770

"Beth, I'm really shit with kids." She paused. "Can I say 'shit' around her?" 

"All you have to do is rock her for a while, okay?" Beth chuckled at her horrified state, eyes wide and jaw tensed. "Maybe even sing to her, sure she'll like that." 

The baby felt wrong in her arms, small and fragile and doe-eyed. Judith cooed at her as she watched Beth walk off, the smile on the other woman's face leaving her even more uneasy. 

"Okay Judy," she rocked Judith in her arms as she strolled across empty cells. "I don't know what to do with you so I'm just gonna hope you fall asleep in a bit like Beth said you would."

The infant babbled in her arms and she nodded, "I agree."

She hummed softly, swaying and searching the room to trigger a song. Soft light through the small windows reflected off a pair of sunglasses that caught her eye. 

"I wish I knew French but we'll have to make do with English," Judith stared at her blankly as she spoke and she hung her head with a sigh. Her voice echoing off the walls when she started singing softly. 

"Hold me close and hold me fast."

She smiled, the butterflies she'd normally have around Daryl coming alive as the words left her lips. It felt silly to admit singing a love song had this effect on her.

"The magic spell you cast."

Footsteps at the door not reaching her ears as she continued, Daryl felt the blush spread up his neck at interrupting. 

"This is la vie en rose." 

He couldn't move. Rooted to the spot, he couldn't bring himself to speak or breathe but only listen. She swayed, the gentleness something he hadn't seen from her. Voice trapping him, he felt as if under a trance by the most lovely siren. 

"When you kiss me heaven sighs."

He felt his heart swell and that terrified him. Warmth in his chest and butterflies he hadn't felt in what seemed like a lifetime. 

"And though I close my eyes."

The wall was cool on his shoulder, nothing to help the fire that spread across his entire body. 

"I see la vie en - fuck," eyes on him, he wanted to ground to swallow him. "Hey Daryl."

"Ya sound good," he tried to hide from her. He was sure his face looked like he'd been outside too long. 

But then she went red, timid and shy even. A certain sense of pride swelled in him for being the cause. 

"Um…" She kept her eyes to the ground, lips twitching up ever so slightly in the corners. "Thank you."

"What was it?" He tilted his head, hair falling over the puppy dog eyes he knew he had. 

"Old French love song," she chuckled. Watching him through lashes, he didn't think his heart could race any faster. "I don't really think the English version gets the message across as well."

"I uh…" He brought his hand to the back of his neck like the words would leave him easier that way. "I think ya got the message across."

Then she smiled, fucking beamed and he thought he'd melt . She kept her gaze from him as she gave a soft laugh, her eyes crinkled and all he could think about was what her lips would feel like against his. 

"I guess I had a bit of inspiration." Then he saw it. The same look he was giving her, the softness and gentle, the pure adoration in her features.

He cleared his throat and pushed off the wall. "I'll take Lil' Asskicker, Rick was askin' about ya at the gate."

"I guess I'll see you in a bit then," smile still on her face and the only response he could manage was a nod. 

In that moment. A moment where she passed a sleeping Judith into his arms and took her leave, did he realise something. The small act of domesticity and parenthood he never thought he'd experience or want. 

He was completely and utterly in love with this woman. 

#daryl dixon x reader #daryl dixon x you #daryl dixon #daryl dixon fanfiction #twd daryl #the walking dead #the walking dead fanfiction #fanfiction #my writing

[hannahssimblr]

I jog after the three of them as they head towards the village. I don’t know how they walk so fast in their chunky boots, but they do, leaving me scuttling behind with my bag jostling around childishly on my back. “Hey, Evan,” I tap his shoulder and he glances at me, “I was thinking about what we talked about that day in the park?”

“When we were drawing?”

“Yeah, do you remember we talked about getting detention and stuff?”

He smirks, “Yeah, I remember.”

“Well guess what?” I whip my bag off my back and unzip it, holding it open so he can see what I’ve stashed inside. He stops walking and peers in with disbelief. 

“Wait, seriously?”

“Yeah, when you were talking about how you’d had yours confiscated I couldn’t stop thinking about how it was such a waste, you know?”

“Where did you get them?”

Jen and Michelle stop walking too and circle back around curiously to see what all the fuss is about. 

“Jude has fireworks,” Evan explains with a mischievous glint in his eye I have never seen before. Jen begins to chuckle into her hand, “Oh of course he does, fucking hell. Judie, where’d you get them?”

“Not important. I was thinking that since it’s a clear night we could let them off.”

Michelle looks uncertain, “Where, though? I don’t know, it feels like a lot of effort, and what if we get caught?”

“Don’t listen to her,” Evan says, voice now trembling with more excitement than I expected he was capable of. “It’ll be fun, c’mon, Shell, we can go over to Dollymount strand. Nobody will be there at this hour.”

“Is it safe?”

“Yes,” Evan and I say together, even though I’m not sure and he likely isn’t either. She looks to Jen who shrugs indifferently and says “Well, why not? It’s a shame to waste them. They’ll only be sitting under his bed otherwise.”

Exactly,” I sling my arm around her, “And who doesn’t love fireworks? C’mon, Michelle, carpe diem.”

“Fine,” she says, “I suppose.”

Dollymount strand, a wide, sandy beach strewn with seaweed and coke cans is dark under the moonless sky. After another wet, miserable week our feet crunch over damp sand further and further down the beach and away from the lights of Clontarf until the night has cloaked us from the eyes of any late evening walkers still looping the seafront. 

I shrug my old, ratty school bag from my back to toss it at our feet open, the array of fireworks hidden inside the open, zip-toothed maw of it. 

“I can’t see that,” Jen drawls, so I pull out my trusty Nokia phone with the built-in torch and blast a beam of light at my wares. 

“I forget what the individual fireworks are called,” I admit, “But, uh, I know I have the spinny ones and the ones that go like,” I try to show them what I mean by drawing a high arc with my hand and then making an explosion sound, “Like that, huh? And that one there goes like pew pew pew, and those ones in the middle are kind of disappointing, but they’re nice to set off in between the others, they go like-”

“Nobody knows what the fuck you mean,” Jen interrupts.

“Yeah I think we should just light them,” Evan glances at me, “Do you need a lighter?”

“Nah, I got one,” We start pulling them out of my bag and sticking them in the sand while Michelle does a cursory check to make sure they’re all actually pointing the right way, which is sensible. I probably wouldn’t have thought of that. 

My lighter throws a flickering glow over my hand and I let out a steadying breath, “Okay.”

“Careful,” Michelle pipes up from where she and Jen have retreated back towards the dunes. Evan stays put, and with his lighter he starts at the other end of the line, we light them, one my one, their bottoms exploding in sparks of fire, burning, burning…

“Woah!” Jen whoops as the first one rockets off over Dublin bay, screeching, whirling, ending with a sunburst of light that crackles and drops gracefully towards the sea. 

I laugh with delight as the second one goes, then the third, and the fourth, and as I glance to my left I see that Evan is doing the same, his face lit up with glee with the lights of the sky bouncing over his face. I recognise that look, and for a moment I could swear I’m seeing myself. 

“What do you think, huh?” I call out to him, and he whirls on me, dazed, as though he’s just remembered that I am there. 

“Pretty sweet,” and as he laughs wildly I feel such an inherent sense of knowing and understanding about this weird little emo kid that it makes my throat strangely tight.

“I know how you feel, Evan, it’s like, I can’t ever explain it to people, but nothing really feels as good as doing dumb shit does.”

“You’re right, it doesn’t.”

A dense burst of stars explodes overhead, so big and so loud and so enthralling that we stand beneath it fixated until it vanishes into the air overhead, it's crackling in harmony with the sound of the girls whooping somewhere in the dunes, “I think there's… something about guys like us,” I bellow as the firecrackers begin spluttering and screaming in their liftoff, “Most people don’t understand what it is, or why, honestly, but I do.”

“You do?”

“Yep.”

He huffs out a laugh, “Yeah. I think I actually believe you.”

Beginning // Prev // Next

#lucky boy 2009 #friends now?

[beachyserasims]

♡ Intimate Moments | Judi & Rowan | GENEVA ISLAND

* Judi and Rowan are talking at the fire pits*

J: Tell me Row, how has your experience been here? I think we’re  leaving soon…

R: I think you’re right. And well, it’s been… an experience.

J: Good or bad?

R: A little of both I guess, definitely not what I was expecting though.

J: Same here.

R: You know what’s insane though? We have been coupled up since day one…

J: I know, it’s crazy to think, at least for me it is.

R: Good or bad?

J: Good, I wanted to prove to myself that I could buckle down, if I tried hard enough.

R: Well honestly, no offense Judi but, that doesn’t sound like you enjoyed it very much… More like you tolerated it. Plus, I’ve seen you with Justin and Sean… Do you wish you could have coupled up with them instead?

J: Not at all, it would have been waaayy too weird with Autumn… And Justin is totally into Jas, even if he wasn’t… I do like you a lot Rowan, I just don’t know how to be serious cause I never have been about anything really… Especially with emotions. But I want to keep trying, I just need to go slow when it comes to the seriousness of it all… I’m sorry if I ever hurt you because of my commitment issues.

R: It’s ok, I get it, at least I’m trying to…

J: I think the fact that we are together here in the end means something special, and even though I’m scared, it’s a good kind of frightened. Like the moment before you step into a big party… You know it’s gonna be worth it but the first step is the hardest… If that makes sense.

R: It does. I wanted to go slow with you too, and I think we did that. Maybe it wasn’t the most ideal path, but we made it. Our friendship is better than ever and to be coupled up with you in the end means a lot to me Judi. Whatever happens next, I’m glad we were here together.

J: Same with me Rowan.

* they hug *

The Start || Beginning of Episodes || Previous || Next

#she woke up and wanted to be with Sean who recently left the villa #and I think that it scared her so much to fall all the way back into her past behaviours #that she came clean to rowan who has been patiently sticking by her side this entire time #im not entirely sure what the future holds for them #but I do know that they have a great friendship and care for each other #Geneva Island #simblr #ts4 #the sims 4 #sims 4 #sims 4 story #ts4 story #sims4 storytelling #sims 4 simblr #Geneva Island Intimate moments #the sims4 stories #ts4 screencaps

[morbidology]

On the morning of the 6th of December, 2009, Susan Powell, from West Valley City, Utah, took her two sons, four-year-old Charles and two-year-old Braden, to a church service. Afterwards, a neighbour visited before leaving at around 5PM. This was the last time Susan was ever seen.

The following day, Susan, her husband, Josh, and their two children were reported missing. The boys hadn’t shown up at daycare and Susan hadn’t appeared at work. When authorities searched the home, they found two fans pointing at a damp spot on the floor but there was no sign of the family.

At approximately 5PM, Josh, Charles, and Braden appeared back at home. Josh claimed he had left Susan at midnight to take the boys camping at Simpson Springs Campground in western Utah despite the freezing cold temperatures. Susan was still missing, however, and a search of the marital home turned up some suspicions. 

Investigators found traces of Susan’s blood on the floor as well as a life insurance policy on her life for $1.5 million. Also found was a handwritten letter from Susan in which she expressed fear for her husband and her potential death. Nevertheless, Josh was still not arrested. Years later, a prosecutor in Washington state said that he should have been arrested then and there, stating: “There is direct evidence. There is circumstantial evidence. There is motive. There is everything but the body.”

By 2009, Josh was named a suspect in the disappearance of his wife but was never arrested. Following her disappearance, he had refused to aid in the investigation and had even quickly filed paperwork to withdraw Susan’s retirement account money. He and their two sons moved in with his father, Steven Powell. 

However, Steven too fell under a cloud of suspicion. He had a history of bizarre and inappropriate behaviour, including voyeurism. In fact, he was shortly arrested and charged with voyeurism after being caught taking photographs of his neighbours’ children through the bathroom window. In January of 2012, Josh was denied custody of Charles and Braden; custody was awarded to Susan’s parents, Charles and Judy Cox.

Just the following week, a social worker dropped the two boys over at Josh’s home for what was supposed to be a supervised visit. Josh opened the door and grabbed Charles and Braden before slamming the door in the social worker’s face. Just moments later, the house exploded and burst into flames. Josh, Charles and Braden all died in a double murder-suicide. 

It appeared as though Josh had planned the fire for some time, dropping off their toys at local charities and sending final emails to friends and acquaintances. He sent emails explaining where to find his money and how to shut off his utilities. Inside the home, investigators found two five-gallon gasoline cans; the home had been saturated with gasoline to use as an accelerant.

It was theorised that Josh had killed his sons to prevent them from talking about what happened to Susan. The lawyer for Susan’s parents said that they had recently started to recall things they remembered from that fateful night. “They were beginning to verbalize more. The oldest boy talked about that they went camping and that mommy was in the trunk. Mom and dad got out of the car and mom disappeared.”

#Susan Powell #true crime

[aliypop]

If You're Looking For Trouble : Part 1

Word Count: 1,406

Writers Note: This is a limited series requested by @sissylittlefeather

Warning: Language

Pairing: POC OC x Elvis

Plot: It's 1960 and the battle of the mobs is not a crossfire you want to mess with, with Elvis as the Don of the Memphis Mafia finds himself head-deep in insanity over Cecelia Shanel Valmos Don of the Valmos Cartel

Chapters: 1, 2 (coming soon)

Taglist

@darkmoviesquotespizza

@sissylittlefeather

@richardslady121

@thegettingbyp2

@presleyenterprise

@dkayfixates

@rjmartin11

@thetaoofzoe

@your-nanas-house

@zayurir

@60svintage

@sillybookmarks

@leapresley

@everythingelvispresley

@dreamondina94

@elvismylove04

@pocketfulofpresley

Memphis Tennessee 1960

"You seen the boss lately?" Judy asked as Red shrugged. They were covering for Elvis on an assignment at his Cadilac dealership, Little Tupelo. It was his pride and joy out of all of his covers, "He's still in his meeting." Sonny mentioned as they sighed. It wasn't like Elvis to be late. Besides, he promised Sam Philips he'd be here by 3:30 pm, and it was already 3:28, "Meeting with who?" Judy asked, 

"He didn't say..." 

Beale Street was booming with flashing lights and music, the glitz and glam of sin, a small taste of Vegas, if one could say, but it wasn't enough that Elvis was sitting across from the daughter of one of the most prestigious cartels. "Cecelia..." her entourage of women surrounded her as she glared at him, hazel eyes piercing his soul, "I'm sorry, who's Cecelia... " She turned to look at Rosa and Carlotta as they looked around, 

"Ms. Valmos, you can't buy this dance hall..."

"That's better... Tell me, why can't I..." She leaned in as she laughed, "Cause it was 'sposed to be mine!" rage in his eyes as she grinned, 

"What're you gonna do about it, Presley..." 

"I'm gonna fix you, that's what?" He said behind gritted teeth as she laughed, 

"Fix me...I should have my tailors fix that horrid suit. Who's dressin you, you're underboss Tom." She teased as he banged his fist on the table,

 "Damnit Cecelia! You should know better than to compete with me..." 

"You should know better than to make me a rival..." Looking at her watch as she looked back at him,

 "Why, you little!" a switchblade flew past him, almost grazing his ear. Cecelia was fearless, but Elvis would seek his revenge soon enough. 

"Are you done having a fit, Mr. Presley?"

"I'll show you a fit,"

"Like the one Mr. Philips will have if you don't make it to your little boy toy car lot?"

"How'd you..."

"Please, nothing goes by me except bullets, Mr. Presley..." She smirked as he walked behind her. 

 "Cheryl and Midge will see you out." She looked at him, her dress pressed against her body as her heels clicked on the floor. Elvis wasn't scared, though. He knew what he had to do. He had to make the first move. Elvis had to show her that the Memphis Mafia wasn't scared of a group of women parading intimidation tactics.  

"So, any luck..." Jerry asked as Elvis glared, sitting in his limo as he was silent. He hadn't lost, but when it came to her, he always did. She was always ahead of him, and he needed to know how. "She bought the God damn dance hall!" He growled as Jerry shook his head,

 "Me, Charlie, and Joe will pay our respects to the Paradise Lounge tonight..."

"What's the plan..."

"Watch it go up in flames, I guess." Jerry shrugged, laughing, the game was afoot, and Elvis would win.

Nashville Tennessee 1960

"Are we ready..." Cecelia asked, sitting at her desk as Midge inhaled a sharp breath. Something was usually wrong when she did that. "About tonight, boss..." Midge looked up at her as she turned the radio on, 

"This just in. The beloved cabaret Dance Hall Paradise Lounge found on fire." Cecelia growled, her teeth grinding against each other in anger as she screamed, "FUCKING PRESLEY!" She slammed her hand against the wall as she looked up at Midge,

 "Load my car up..."

"Cece..."

"Fucking load it!" She was in a state of rage, revenge, even. She wanted to get even. And she wanted to do it now, "Are you okay, mi vida?" Carlotta asked as Cecelia laughed, "I'm fine... It's just The Memphis Mob beat me at my own game. I won't have to lie about how the place caught fire." She shrugged as she fixed her dress and makeup,

 "So what are you gonna do..."Rosa asked,

Memphis Tennessee 1960

 A smokey, gas-like smell was lingering down the streets of Memphis as The Memphis Electric Company truck was a blaze along with its building. She knew Elvis loved this place, for it was his first shot. Working secretly with the mob, but he had to learn when you get too close to the sun, you get burned, "That ought to teach him..." Cecelia smirked as she left. But there was one thing that Cecelia didn't know was that news traveled fast in Memphis, and it traveled to Graceland Mansion first, from the maids to the cooks to the boys. 

"E..."

"I know Jerry, I know..." Elvis didn't even look up from his book and his sandwich. He didn't seem phased about it, but he also didn't seem to be at ease either,

 "So..."

"I'll send her a gift..." Jerry laughed. Elvis always had a way with gifts. Sometimes, it was rings to pretty women. and the heads of someone close to his enemies. He couldn't wait to hear about what exactly it was.

"M-Mr Officer... No, no, too cheesy..." Cecelia sighed, fixing her makeup in her compact to look distressed, "Officer!" She practiced again as she took a deep breath. She saw an officer walk towards her as she mustered fake tears, "Officer, come quick! I don't know what happened! But I do hope no one is hurt..." Cecelia said as he looked at her, "It's good people like you who keep this city safe."

"Doing my job, Ms." He nodded as she walked off, 

The next day, Cecelia was at her new Dance Hall as painters and movers came in to gussy it up, 

"Package, Ms. Valmos..." Cheryl said,

"Let me see it, please?" She asked as she saw the box. It was a bit long and light. It wasn't a body. She listened in, and it wasn't a bomb. Tied on top was a pink bow and a rose. As she sat down, she pulled it apart and opened it, Revealing a white Mink fur Coat and a note that read,

I know what you did

EP

"Well..."

"Mr. Mississippi thinks he so tough, huh, with his blue eyes and that smile...We'll see how big he barks." Her laugh was as sinister as her smile, but she meant every word. Elvis knew this would eat her up alive. Besides, she and Gifts didn't get along, not since she and Anthony Rodgers had a mishap rumored that he'd been dumped in the river missing his heart.

"Do you think she got the gift?" Joe asked Elvis, who had finished eating his sandwich, "We'll see..." He said, waiting for her to call. Something about her always intrigued him. Maybe it was because they were born a day apart, Or her body in her dresses and how she carried herself, being she was the only cartel that was run entirely by women, or perhaps it was how she wasn't scared of him but could make him tremble in his loafers, 

"So, how's things going with that girl?"

"Which girl? You know there's several." He laughed, slicking his hair again as Jerry rolled his eyes, 

"One day, you'll settle down."

"Eh, maybe..." He shrugged, "Say you guys up for a movie?" Elvis asked. When they arrived at the theater, there were bullet holes and a coat by the door, 

"I see that's not her taste..."He laughed as Judy and Lamar looked at him in confusion. Jerry only sighed as he knew this would drive him mad, 

"Let me guess..."

"Mhmm..."

"Got it."  

Later that night, Cecelia drove to Memphis in a shiny pink Cadillac with custom seats and a note attached. She knew who sent it. Cecelia knew how to get rid of it. She didn't want his gifts. Cecelia was over those days when people bought her affection with gifts. Cecelia knew now that the world was harsh and the only way to love was to watch it burn. 

When Elvis walked onto the lot, he noticed the car burnt up with "No Thanks..." Written on the hood, "Damn it, Jerry, she's driving me insane!" Elvis growled, walking into his office as Jerry followed,

 "E, what's this about..."

"Jerry, I-I have to get her somehow." Elvis sighed,

"Maybe don't set her shit on fire..." Elvis glared at him, 

"I'll get her a ring..." He smirked, "She can't refuse jewelry."

"Whys that." He took a deep breath as Elvis opened his mouth,

"Don't you know anything, diamonds are a girl's best friend."

#oc #fanfiction #new stuff #new #romance #elvis presley #elvis fanfiction #elvis x oc #new series #60s elvis #cecelia valmos #elvis mob au #mob au #elvis x poc oc #elvis smut #elvis presley fanfiction #elvis fanfic

[deke-rivers-1957]

Paradise Hawaiian Style Review

This is the final Elvis film that takes place in Hawaii. In fact, this could be considered one of the first Elvis film "remakes" as it's been claimed Colonel Parker wanted to recreate the success of Blue Hawaii. Similar to Blue Hawaii, real locations in Hawaii were featured during the film such as Coco Palms Resort and the Polynesian Cultural Center.

We immediately jump into the action by having Rick Richards on a flight. He was fired after flirting with a flight attendant. Since he has a bad reputation, he was only able to get a job in Hawaii. We immediately get the titular song, Paradise, Hawaiian Style over the opening credits. It's a quintessential song in any Elvis travelogue movie.

I absolutely love the shots of Hawaii. You get the idea that this actually has relevancy to the plot. Danny, played by James Shigeta, is actually Hawaiian. The use of a mixed race couple is accurate for Hawaii. There was no law against it, so it wouldn't have been controversial for Danny to marry a white woman.

While Rick is playing with Danny's kids, we get the next song, "Queenie Wahine's Papaya". This isn't Elvis' best work, but at least there's an established relationship with Danny's daughter, Jan. She actually gets to sing along with Elvis and does a pretty good job of keeping up with the fast paced song.

We get to see more shots of Hawaii that reflect the use of air travel. Even though Elvis himself doesn't fly the plane, we do see interior shots of the plane and Rick landing it. Unfortunately there are times where you can tell Elvis isn't on location. He just doesn't blend in with the background compared to on location shots.

One thing that shocked me is how this movie seemed to openly talk about how Hawaii is seen by Americans as such a tourist attraction. The natives who lived there would've had to appeal to these big businesses to make money. Even though this cultural talking point isn't the focus of the film, you can still see its influences by having Rick and Danny go into business themselves.

When they get to the club, I swear Marianna Hill playing Lani is dubbed by another woman. Her audio just doesn't sound like it was recorded at the same time as Elvis'. Also when she duets during "Scratch My Back (Then I'll Scratch Yours)" she doesn't sound good. The song in general just isn't good and grinds the film to a halt. I know Lani works at a club, but she just sings one song and then leaves with Rick. You can cut that whole song and nothing would be lost.

So by now we've established that Rick loves women in a distracting way. I admit that I appreciate how they made that such an integral part of his character that it actively influences the plot. If he didn't have such a bad reputation of flirting with flight attendants on the clock, he would've never been in Hawaii. It's unfortunate that he doesn't have any real character arc that addresses that.

It's clear that he wants to only hire a secretary because she's hot and not because she's qualified. Danny hiring Judy is a clear sign that he actually believes in her skills and wants Rick to stay focused. Danny cares about his business and wants to have people who can actually do the job.

More shots of Hawaii and this is the best part of the film. We get vocals from the Polynesian people as Rick travels. You really get the idea that Hawaii is important. You couldn't get these shots anywhere in the continental US. Of course there are goofs such as dialogue being clearly dubbed in. Like so bad that Rick is waving while saying "Hi" with Elvis clearly not moving his lips.

That being said, you immediately stop caring with the best song in the entire movie, "Drums of the Islands". My god. The visuals of Rick on a canoe just riding along the river as he sings is just beautiful. The land/seascapes are prominent and the Polynesian culture is heavily featured. Elvis isn't shoved in front of the performers. He's integrated into their act and letting these people perform an art that's been passed down for generations.

"A Dog's Life" is a song that exists. I have no idea how Elvis could possibly lip-synch all this having those dogs jump on him. Easily one. of the most stressful scenes in an Elvis movie. He lets go of the controls so many times, the dogs jump right in his lap as he's singing. A completely chaotic moment. If this wasn't a movie, these characters would most likely be dead. In universe, it's actually a testament to Rick's piloting skills that no one did die. Not just the passengers but literally everyone on the ground.

Naturally the one time Rick flies recklessly, he runs into the car of a government official in charge of aviation. Regardless of what actually happened, this guy's well within his rights to complain about what happened to him and his wife. These dogs weren't properly contained and that helicopter likely wasn't suitable for Rick to transport all of them anyway.

We get a Red cameo at the restaurant and a pointless fight scene. The tourist flirting with "Friday" was bad, but Rick sticking up for her makes no sense. Based on his actions in the movie, he's not that morally upstanding to be above unwarranted flirting.

As of this point, he has no actual chemistry with any women. He has more of a relationship with Jan (who is a child) than anyone else. Unfortunately, their 2nd duet, "Datin" is awful. It feels weird to watch a grown man explain dating to a child that isn't his. And in general, Jan's singing isn't that great compared to their first duet.

Not long after they land we get to yet another song, "House of Sand". If we cut "Datin" and went to this that would be fine. Unfortunately, this happens barely two minutes apart from each other. It feels so shoved in now because of how badly spaced they are. Also a problem with these types of songs is that they have no build up. There's no reason for these songs to be made other than fill up a quota. Elvis just bursts into songs at the most random intervals. If you cut them from the film literally nothing would change. With "House of Sand" you go right back to Rick flying in the air with one of his "love interests".

So we get a swimming scene where Elvis is conveniently covered up by a towel. It's so weird how he's covered up when both of the girls aren't. It's almost like the producers wanted to hide something. Yeah, it's obvious at this point that Hollywood wanted to hide Elvis' weight. The way they try to hide it is just so bizarre as you can still see his stomach anyway.

I hate Lani's character. She actively decides to mess up Rick and Jan's lives by throwing away the key in the sand. Lani literally got them stranded on an island with a child. If they never found the key, and Danny never knew where they ended up, they could've died. Rick's womanizing ways on top of her individual actions could've literally killed them. She is lucky that Danny didn't charge her and Rick with the endangerment of a child.

Sure she didn't know she would lose the key that way, but that was such a dumb and dangerous decision just because she wanted some sugar. As for Friday sticking up for Rick, I have no idea why she would do that. She knows first hand what his flirting ways are like. Just because he stood up to one tourist doesn't negate the fact that he's irresponsible. Danny if anything is the reasonable one and has the patience of a saint that he didn't press charges. They were out overnight and could've easily been out for longer if he didn't rescue them.

Friday chastising Rick is well deserved and if anything serves a bigger reason as to why their relationship makes no sense. Rick wanting to rescue Danny and risk losing his license for good, isn't enough of a reason to think that he's changed. As much as it shows that he can think of others it still doesn't change his womanizing ways. Compared to the dog scene from earlier, this rescue doesn't feel so tense.

All helicopters should have a first aid kit in the event that there's a crash, so it makes no sense for Danny to not have one. Even if Jan's only a child, he can still tell her how to make a splint. If this was such a tense moment as the movie wants it to be, the danger would be greater than this. There's more instances of dubbed in dialogue with 0 lip movement such as the end of this hospital scene.

Jan's solo song "Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home" is easily her best song. It's quite refreshing to have someone who isn't Elvis get a song all to themselves. And again Rick's flirting ways is getting the better of him. Even if he wants to be with Friday (which he never indicates more than any of the women he was with) he still needs to show that his flirting ways are over.

"Stop Where You Are" while shot differently than most Elvis songs, is also visually a nightmare. If you're watching this movie on a buggy site like DailyMotion and watch this movie for the first time, you wouldn't know if it's pausing on purpose or if it's the lag. I also have no idea why Rick's singing anyway since if he wanted to hide from the women, he did a terrible job. He was right on stage front and center. Naturally Rick's flirting ways catch up to him. He only gets away with it by paying them off. What a wonderful message/s. If you get in trouble with women you just promise to pay them off. Why does Friday like this guy?

We get an unedited shot of the different acts at the Polynesian Cultural Center and I love it. If a film was given permission to use that building, actually use it and the people who belong to that culture.

I also love how the government official is portrayed as a reasonable man. He knows that Rick saving Danny was necessary and is willing to make an exception. Now him being with Friday at the end makes no sense. It was so rushed that I don't think they even kiss at the end. The actual romance felt like so much of an afterthought almost like they knew we wouldn't care because the ending songs would be our last impression of the film.

"This is My Heaven" is a song that perfectly depicts Elvis' love for Hawaii. It's so beautiful and when combined with a reprise of "Drums of the Islands" makes it one of the best ending scenes in any Elvis film. The showcasing of the actual Polynesian performers will never get enough praise from me.

Like we actually get a break from Elvis singing to listen to them sing in their language. It's so beautiful to see them depict their culture without seeing Elvis shoehorned in the frame. The wide shot of the entire entourage performing is just so beautiful. It showcases that Elvis at this point isn't important, the people of Hawaii and the island nations are.

This film is so visually stunning that it makes the production errors even more noticeable. That being said, the amount of effort put into showcasing Hawaii and the Polynesian culture is incredible. Hawaii is an island state that doesn't have a White majority. For the movie to showcase this demographic breakdown in such a casual way for the time period is impressive.

There are flaws with this film that can't be ignored. However, when you have scenes that fully embrace the Hawaiian culture, that's a sign that this film actually tried. Because of those efforts, I'm giving this film a 7/10. If you like Elvis films, I would recommend watching this independent of Blue Hawaii so you don't compare the two. Even if you're not an Elvis fan, this movie still serves as a good insight of how Hawaii was viewed by Hollywood at the time.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thank you so for much to @georgefairbrother for requesting this review. I know you also requested that I review Clambake as well and I will do that next. If anyone else would like to request an Elvis film or a film in general, please send them in.

#elvis presley #elvis film #elvis film review #film review #paradise hawaiian style #1966

[zootopiathingz]

Say, do you reckon Princess Peach & Judy Hopps would get along? Same with Mario & Nick?

First of all I want you all to know just how much I screamed and kicked my feet when I got this ask because OH MY GODDDDD you’re asking me to combine my two favorite hyperfixations??? AAAA I could literally cry😭😭

I know some people are probably thinking ‘how tf would these characters even interact’ and to that I say, there is so much potential here!! Honestly it’s not completely unlikely that they would ever meet. I mean, the Mario world already features talking turtles and mushrooms and sentient bombs; why not throw an anthropomorphized bunny and fox into the mix?

Gotta say, I think @pianokantzart’s animal AU would be excellent for this scenario though! If we wanna lean more towards Zootopia-verse’s lore (in which humans don’t exist) then having Mario and Peach meet them in their tanooki forms would be just perfect!

As for the actual interaction itself, I do think Judy and Peach would get along! They’re both very optimistic despite constantly being thrown curveballs at every given opportunity. Peach would greatly admire Judy’s bravery and determination, and would openly express how incredible she is for all that she’s done for her career and her boyfriend, Nick. I also think Judy would just be absolutely starstruck around Peach. I mean, how often does one get to hang out with a literal princess?? She’d gradually become more comfortable around her, but would still have the sense to refer to her by her royal status, especially in front of others.

Mario and Nick? Well, I’d say yes to them getting along.. but maybe not right away😆 I’m not saying they’d be outright rude to each other, but they wouldn’t exactly become instant besties like their girls. They’d probably just need some more time to get used to each other to really hit it off. But once they move past the barrier of awkward small talk, I’d say they’d be pretty good friends! Mario’s naturally a very friendly individual, and Nick has that sense of humor that just clicks with most people. Their vibes may be different, but that just what would make their friendship so unique!

I can totally see all four of them hanging out and having the absolute time of their lives😌 I can see them showing each other their worlds; Judy and Nick taking them on a tour around the city, as well as Mario and Peach showing them around the Mushroom Kingdom and maybe even introducing them to their other friends like Luigi and the Toads. (Slight tangent but I am just dying at the thought of Judy n Nick encountering Bowser💀 bc in their world it’s a mammal-only society so the sight of a giant talking turtle that breathes fire would just leave them like🤔😶)

This is a genius idea. I hope y’all are taking notes✍️👀😉

#no seriously #this is a top tier crossover and if no one draws this I will swallow a lightbulb #zootopia #super mario bros #judy hopps #nick wilde #mario #princess peach #fandom crossover #asks #lady luxo asks

[merveiilles]

// as someone who suffers with C-PTSD... I'm listening to the end of the new True Crime Daily episode. And one of the guests Dr.Judy.Ho has a new book all about attachments coming out. "The New Rules of Attachment" how to heal from your attachment wounds.

Judy: "Even if the people who might have had a hand in creating perhaps an insecuwre attachment style in yourself, aren't available to do the work with you. The goal is you don't really need anyone except for yourself to be able to do the work and start the healing process to live the life that you want." Ana (the host): "It's so interesting when you say it falls on you and how many times it's been explained to me... that even though you want to either you know, have it out, meaning have all the discussion out with the person who harmed you. And that you need them to understand and how you feel that you can't move forward or have your closure until the other person hears you, sees you or buys in. But really, you can't control that end of it. All you can control is your part in it. I think that for me is a constant struggle. That I have to fix this on my own. Whether the other person who hurt me or wronged me or abandoned me accepts it or is part of the healing. Like I want them to be a part of my healing. But I guess we can't always do it that way, right?" God, I love this podcast sometimes... Might look into Judy's book. Because I have SO MANY ptsd dreams about me confronting my abuser and having it out with him, yelling, beating him up. Just really explaining my grief to them. I have in real life, done the venting before. But it never sinks into his thick dumb skull. He never understands where he went wrong for 13 years of abuse and the amount of therapy and medication I've been on to try and cope with it. It doesn't help that his side of our family- abuser is my biological dad btw- IS ON HIS SIDE. AND DIDN'T THINK HE DID ANYTHING WRONG. WHEN I HAVE VERY VIVID MEMORIES. OF THOSE 13 YEARS. OF NOTHING BUT PURE HELL AND TORTURE. So sad the judge kinda went in the middle of my parents... Did the every other weekend thing. I really wish I never had to see him again. He looks scary. Military and police officer guy. HE GOT FIRED FROM BEING A CORRECTIONS OFFICER BECAUSE HE WAS TOO VIOLENT WITH INMATES. OKAY????? And I was facing that... as a child. for 13 years until the judge ruled I was old enough to make the decision not to see him again. God, this podcast has me crying now. Because... they make a really good point. As much as I want my abuser to UNDERSTAND and KNOW HOW MUCH PAIN AND SUFFERING I'VE BEEN THROUGH. HE WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND. HE WILL NEVER THINK HE DID ANYTHING WRONG. I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO HEAL MY WOUNDS FOR OVER A DECADE NOW. I JUST WANT HIM TO UNDERSTAND HOW HORRIBLE HE IS. AND HE JUST DOESN'T CARE. HE'S A TEXTBOOK SOCIOPATH. I HAVE TO HEAL ON MY OWN. WITHOUT HIM. AND IT'S SO FUCKING HARD. I just wanted to do a little talk about the podcast episode and made myself cry and now I'm upset. omg.

#:☆: random babbling ( out of character ) #cptsd tw #ptsd tw

[artsy-hobbitses]

Hi! I would like to ask how Strongarm ( Pre-War) gained Sideswipe trust/ When Sideswipe decided that despite her being a cop Strongarm is worthy his trust what ultimately led to him helping to save her life

Because her Gotta Do Right instinct is more overpowering than her allegiance to the thin blue line, and it’s something that happens often enough that she’s made enemies on the force  who don’t like that she’s a Legacy Prick Pick who’s messing up their quotas (She and OP can brofist on this one) and won’t back them up when they have to explain their fuckups in court. 

There is no arrest without a warrant, ALL infractions are recorded—even that of fellow officers—and if you turn off your camera, she has hers on. She comes equipped with de-escalation training, PRIORITISES it and has no compunctions about stepping in if fellow cops step outta line.

Part of it IS because she’s a Legacy Pick—to an extent, she WAS Teflon when it came to this sort of thing, the higher ups coveted her after all, she didn’t come to them. Complaints would be filed over how difficult she was to work with, but for a while, like Prowl, she was still seen as more an asset than she was a liability, so she wielded that privilege to the best of her ability. 

Sideswipe saw it on the streets when she forced the shutdown of a ‘bait truck’ operation in an impoverished neighborhood and made calls to NGOs and aid centers instead of arrests when dealing with desperation-driven shoplifting. 

He saw it when she was off-duty because when she wasn’t in uniform, she was doing an Olivia Benson and checking in on victims of the cases she helped handle.  

He saw it in lockup personally a couple of times when her colleagues wanted to hold him beyond the remand period for whatever minor infractions they would bring him in for (vandalism, public disturbance, misdemeanor obstruction) and would try to bait him into violence so they could tag him with the felony of assaulting a police officer. He’s a hothead, not an idiot, but more surprising to him is that SHE knows exactly what they were trying to do, calls them up for it and makes sure he’s released on the dot at the end of his remand period. 

So it really wasn’t hard to trust her. 

Basically, she’s a straight arrow, an honest cop (by which I mean she’s a buff Judy Hopps) who genuinely cares, which has Sideswipe bemused and mildly concerned (Him? Give a shit? Dream on, Shortstack, but you best keep an eye out yaknow—the real dark stuff ain’t in front of your ranks, it’s behind ‘em). 

Because good cops don’t last out here.

At some point, she’s investigating Sideswipe’s claims that the murders of several prominent union activists in Hell’s Kitchen have gone under the radar, and she decided to pick it up despite her colleagues telling her that it’s just gang-related activity—you know how they are, you know what that place is like. 

She gives Sideswipe a burner cell so they can keep in contact over the case and trade info, after which she discovers:

The entire thing is part of a particularly bloody union-busting effort funded by a local pro-Functionist politician and carried out by cops on his payroll. 

There is paperwork filed on Sideswipe, approving the detainment and use of ‘behavioral conditioning’ via Mnemosurgery on him (similar to what had been planned for a young!Jazz) after the local three-strike law was amended to also include public disturbance-type misdemeanors. 

She immediately passes the intel and warning to Sideswipe and heads out to what she believes is a sting operation on a drug cartel. Which it IS, except the plan was for her to be ‘a hero killed in the line of duty’ and oops literally no one told her until she’s trying to remember how to breath and can feel some of her insides on her outside somewhere down the back of her waist.

No one has a chance to monologue though! All she needs to hear is “couldn’t let you warn him” and she’s firing off salvos in a fight for her life. Takes down one dirty cop, the others scatter to wait for backup, and she escapes out the back.

She doesn’t make it far though. Crumpled in a filthy alley somewhere, she makes the call to Sideswipe and does something she’s never done in her life; ask for help.

Because she doesn’t know who else to call (she can’t call her family and put them at risk, she can’t call her colleagues because she clearly can’t trust a lot of them, can’t go to a local GH because there will be a BOLO out for her—you’re all she has right now).

And Sideswipe drops everything and answers. 

Because good cops don’t last out here, he fuckin’ told you, but like hell he’ll let you die out on the streets. Shut up, don’t tell him all the things you wanted tell your old man that you never said before this—you tell your old man that in person, because whatever it takes, he’s making sure you get out of this alive. 

#Inbox #Save for later

[a-reader-and-a-writer]

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (or Emotional Times at the El Hangar)

Fandom: Top Gun, Top Gun: Maverick, Pete, "Maverick" Mitchell, Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw (NOT RooMav)

Summary: The Christmas Eve after Rooster cut all ties with him was one of the worst of Maverick's life. However, while spending it alone, he discovered something that managed to lift his spirits. Now on another Christmas Eve years later, Rooster discovers the same thing.

Word Count: 1955 

TW: Angst, Fluff, Loneliness, Hurt/Comfort, Reconciliation, Christmas, Mentions of Canon Deaths

Notes: Thanks to @green-socks for the genius alternate title 💖

Written for @notroosterbradshaw's #hello december playlist challenge and based on "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" by Judy Garland

Maverick walked through his dimly lit hangar with nothing but a bottle of whiskey for company. It was Christmas Eve and for the first time in his life, he was alone for it. Carol was gone, having joined Goose in whatever came after this life at the beginning of the year. Bradley no longer wanted anything to do with him since Maverick had pulled his papers for the Naval Academy. And Ice was overseas commanding some top-secret mission Maverick wasn’t even supposed to know was taking place. In his desperation and loneliness, he had even considered calling up Penny Benjamin until he remembered that she had just gotten engaged the month before. Maverick had always thought they would find their way back to each other, but it seemed as if he were wrong.

Flipping on the radio to drown out some of the silence, he quickly scanned the different channels hoping to find something decent to listen to. But on Christmas Eve, every station was playing holiday music. Maverick eventually just settled on a random station and went to sit down with his drink. 

By the time he finished three-quarters of his bottle, the music had dulled to a faint buzzing in the background that he barely registered. However, for some reason as the music changed, one song caught his attention. Maybe it was because it was the version from his mother’s favorite Christmas movie, or that he remembered dancing to it with Penny under the mistletoe a few years before. But regardless of why, Maverick’s attention was drawn to the radio as Judy Garland sang “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”. 

Closing his eyes, he settled back into his chair and listened as the melancholic tune filled the hangar. However, as the song went on, he froze, the words cutting into him like a knife:

Faithful friends who were near to us

Will be dear to us once more

Someday soon we all will be together

If the fates allow

Maverick grabbed the bottle of whiskey and hurled it at the radio. The glass shattered causing the radio to smoke then burst into flames as the alcohol drenched the electronics within.

“Oh shit!” Maverick sprang to his feet, snatched the fire extinguisher off the wall, and hurried over to the increasingly large fire. Luckily, he was able to put it out before it spread to anything else, though he would need to start looking for a new radio.

Sighing and placing the fire extinguisher on the floor, Mav noticed some of the spilled liquid and extinguisher foam had gotten onto the corner of a nearby box and his heart sank. It was one of the boxes Carole had left to him in her will. One of the boxes he had been unable to open up to this point. But now, there was a chance that if he didn’t, everything within the box would be ruined and that thought was worse than the thought of facing what was inside it.

So, taking a deep breath, Maverick opened the box. When he peered inside, a smile spread across his face even as tears sprung to his eyes. Chuckling softly to himself, he began to unpack the box.

Seventeen years after that night, Maverick found himself back in his hangar for Christmas Eve. Except this time, he wasn’t alone. The open space was filled to excess with the Dagger Squad pilots, their families and friends, Top Gun personnel, and the staff of The Hard Deck. Decorations hung from the ceiling, lights covered the outside of his plane, and holiday music drifted out of the speakers Bob and Fanboy had helped him set up. 

Thinking back on how far he had come since that last Christmas in the hangar, Maverick used the arm he had wrapped around Penny’s waist to draw her in even closer to his side and pressed his lips to her temple. Without pausing what she was saying to Hondo, Cyclone, and Warlock, she smiled and squeezed him back. 

Glancing around, Maverick took in the new family they had created this past year and he realized his heart hadn’t felt this light in a long time. But suddenly, he noticed he didn’t know where Rooster had gone. Just a minute ago, he was laughing with Bob and Phoenix about something, but now the spot he had been standing in was empty. Scanning the hangar, Mav tried to catch a glimpse of him amongst the crowd, but with no luck. Rooster seemed to have vanished without a trace.

He wouldn’t have left without saying something, would he? Things had still been a little awkward at times since the Dagger mission, but Maverick thought they had gotten to a good place. What if he was wrong and this was just too much for Rooster? What if Maverick was asking too much too fast and scaring him away again? What if–

His eyes finally landed on the Hawaiian shirt-wearing pilot in the very corner of the room, tucked behind a tool chest. Maverick smiled, relief flooding through him as he realized why Rooster was back there. Setting his drink down and whispering to Penny that he’d be right back, he slipped away and wandered over to join his godson.

Rooster didn’t even seem to notice when Maverick walked up. His entire focus was on the wall in front of him, his eyes shining in the decorative lights and a small smile pulling at the corner of his mouth. His eyes drifted between the photos of himself from various Christmases up until he was 17, letters he had written to Santa, pictures he had drawn for the holidays, and various old ornaments. And right in the center was a picture in a crude homemade frame of Goose, Carol, Maverick, and a 2-year-old Bradley. 

Softly, Maverick said, “Hey, I was wondering if you would find this stuff. Do you remember some of this stuff?”

Rooster glanced at him for a brief second before turning his attention back to the wall. “Yeah, of course. I just can’t believe you kept it after all of these years.”

“I kept all of it. Your mom left them to me along with a few other boxes of stuff she thought I might want. It took me a long time to be able to open them but I’m so glad I did because that first Christmas after your mom died and we weren’t… well, I’m sure that year was even tougher for you. But having these, remembering the good times, it was the only thing that kept me sane that year. And I’ve put them up every year since. I never lost hope that one day we could work things out and we might spend another Christmas together.”

Chuckling, Rooster shook his head. “You know what? Despite how angry I was and how much I hated you, I think deep down, I did too. After my dad died, you always went above and beyond to make sure I had the best Christmas ever even once I grew up and I… I missed that. It just didn’t ever feel like Christmas without it– without you.”

Maverick nodded as he struggled to keep the emotions bubbling in his chest from spilling out. “I felt the same way about you. It really means a lot that you came tonight.” Picking up a picture of Goose, Carol, and a young Bradley standing by a Christmas tree, he asked, “Do you remember anything about Christmas with your dad?”

“I’m not sure,” Rooster admitted. “I mean, I remember a few things, like him dressed as Santa, or kissing Mom under the mistletoe, or him playing the piano while we all sang Christmas carols. But I don’t know how much of it is a memory, and how much is just from stories or home videos I’ve seen. Most of what I do remember from Christmas was of you and Mom. And a few times, Ice.”

Rooster nodded towards a photo of himself, his mom, Maverick, Iceman and his wife taken a few Christmases before Carol’s death. “I was talking to Sarah earlier and she said that you and Ice used to meet for drinks every Christmas Eve.”

Staring down at the floor, Mav sighed. “Yeah, we did. For 33 years, we only missed a handful of days and that was only because one or both of us were on the other side of the world at the time. Christmas Day was always about family, but Christmas Eve… That was for us. No matter how busy we were or how long it had been since we saw or talked to each other, we always made time for Christmas Eve.

“It started the year we lost your dad. After what happened, I was lost. Goose had been by my side since day one of the Naval Academy and I didn’t know who I was as a pilot, or really as a man, without him. I had been holding it together for the most part, but when Christmas came around…” Maverick chuckled softly. “God, your dad loved Christmas. No matter where we were, on a mission or back home, he somehow always found a way to celebrate. And once you were born, forget it. Carole used to always complain that your house was more decorated than the North Pole itself, but she really loved it just as much as he did. And I was there every year, just another part of the family.

“So, when she took you to spend Christmas Eve with her parents the Christmas after Goose died, I didn’t know what to do with myself. I ended up in the worst bar in town, planning on drinking until I forgot everything, then continuing to drink some more. And that’s when Ice showed up.

“He never told me how he found me or how he knew I needed him. We only said a handful of words to each other the entire time, but just knowing he was there made the night easier. After that, it just became our thing. Our friendship was very different from the one I had with Goose. More serious, more sarcastic, never losing that slight desire to one-up the other. And yet, he became my best friend for over thirty years. But now he’s gone, just like Goose…” Maverick stared at the wall full of all the people he had loved and lost.

“I’m sorry, Mav,” Rooster muttered. “I didn’t know. Today must be pretty hard for you then.”

“Yeah, it is. But just like back then, it helps having people around who care.”

Rooster nodded before examining the wall once more. Without looking at Maverick, he mumbled, “Maybe I could…”

 “You could what?” Maverick gently urged him to finish his thought.

Rooster took a deep breath and then turned back to Maverick. “Well, it’s Christmas Eve and we’re having drinks together. Maybe I could step in for Ice the way he stepped in for my dad and make this a yearly thing. I mean, if you wanted.”

Maverick was speechless for a moment, completely taken aback by what his godson was proposing. But once he regained his senses, he placed his hand on Rooster’s shoulder and squeezed it tightly. Trying to not let his voice break, Maverick choked out, “Rooster, I… I can’t think of anything I could want more. Thank you.”

He pulled the other pilot into a tight hug and, to his relief, Rooster returned the gesture. And as the two men who had once been close as family embraced in front of mementos of their past, Maverick heard the first melancholic notes as the next song began to play over his speakers and he smiled.

Taglist:@loverhymeswith, @babblydrabbly, @green-socks, @mayhem24-7forever, @11thstreetvigilante, @the-untamed-soul, @inglourious-imagines, @topguncortez, @footprintsinthesxnd, @airhogger, @notroosterbradshaw, @straightforwardly, @bonnieelizabethparker, @srry-itshockeyszn, @flyinlove, @fandomhopped, @sweetheartlizzie07, @yjwnoot, @wanderdreamer, @pansexualwitchwhoneedstherapy, @fangirlinc, @sparrows-corner, @therebeccaw, @mads-weasley, @trencher4lyfe, @merlehs, @sunshineflowerchild789, @imjess-themess, @callsign-phoenix, @maggie8002sq, @je-suis-prest-rachel, @tellrock35, @shanimallina87,@mak-32

#hello december playlist challenge #fic #top gun #top gun maverick #top gun: maverick #pete maverick mitchell #pete mitchell #maverick #bradley rooster bradshaw #bradley bradshaw #rooster #tom cruise #miles teller #christmas #angst #fluff #hurt/comfort #hurt & comfort #mentions of canon death

[maccreadysbaby]

Fo4 male companions modern job aus

What Jobs Male Companions Would Work in a Modern AU

Danse: we all know he’d be in the military. he’s just a military man. if not, something vaguely similar like a police officer or firefighter. a job where he can use his steel-set morals to help people

Deacon: just vibe with me here for a second… dude would be one fire lawyer. it doesn’t matter if his client is guilty, he is so good with words, so meticulous and calculative with every syllable that comes out of his mouth, so good at twisting things and building cases, he wins every single court case ever. other lawyers would probably back into a corner and cry when they realized they’d be going against him

Gage: something like a mechanic or builder. i cant really see him doing anything that requires too much sitting still or office work, he seems like he’d excel at something meticulous and labor intensive. something he likes and will stick with until the day he dies

Hancock: some kind of politician or activist. maybe local or maybe national. who knows. i just know he totally swayed everything i thought i knew about diamond city and ghouls in like two days and he’d literally win every single vote ever because he’s ✨charming✨

MacCready: probably a more domestic job. a quiet office job, maybe at a car dealership so he can bring duncan, or some kind of retail behind the scenes. not huge on talking to people, but can navigate phone calls and e-mails well

Nick: a ballerina. obviously.

Preston: he’d definitely work in a field that serves others because that’s his passion. maybe working for a charity or some kind of non-profit something. as a stable job, though, maybe a veterinarian or maybe even a pediatrician

X6-88: a lawyer too, because of the pure logic and systematic nature of his mind. but he wins every time mostly because everybody’s scared of him. can probably sway an entire courtroom with one single glare and when he goes against deacon? judge judy in the house

#fallout 4 #fallout #fo4 companions #fallout 4 companions #fo4 deacon #deacon fallout 4 #fallout deacon #deacon fo4 #danse fallout 4 #danse fo4 #paladin danse #john hancock fo4 #mayor hancock #fo4 hancock #hancock #john hancock #fo4 maccready #rj maccready #maccready #nick fo4 #nick valentine #valentine fo4 #valentine #preston garvey fo4 #fo4 preston #preston #preston garvey #x6 88

[creepywrites]

Jane Everlasting

Warnings: descriptions of hallucinations, rotting, maggots and suicide.

She lived in a poor neighborhood ridden with drug crime and gang violence, she was rarely allowed outside of the house, she only left on a few occasions to keep the rest of the family from being suspicious. This was because she was seen as an anomaly as her organs were either swapped sides or even missing altogether.

Jane was born at home because Edgar and Elizabeth didn't trust doctors, this caused complications and resulted in Elizabeth's death.

She had surgical procedures done on her at a young age to try and correct it, completely drugged up with painkillers to try and ease the pain.

This is what caused her DID, Jane is the host and she has 6 other alters, Judy, a protector and trauma holder, Meghan, a prosecutor, Jasper, an emotional protector, Edgar, an introject, Berry, a little, Jade, a gatekeeper.

Jane only found out she had DID because Judy informed her at 20, while she was in a psychiatric ward, her and the psychiatrist started talking about it when Jane brought the subject up.

Being trapped in her own house, she didn't have much to do and started journaling her thoughts, a few pages have completely different handwriting and she always wondered why.

As Jane grew she felt more safe in the house, like she was untouchable, especially after the murders, Jane dreaded leaving after seeing how badly Jeff was hurt, she only left again when Jeff invited her to a dinner party.

When she was younger however she hated being stuck inside with very little to do, while also watching others her age go out, she'd often sneak out with Vicky, Hannah or either Jeff.

Jane was very interested in being a scientist, she would often ask Edgar about his work.

Jane was heavily influenced by Vicky, right down to the style of her outfits.

After seeing what happened with Jeff, she felt terrified, she never considered something so bad like that could happen to someone, it got so bad she was transferred to a psychiatric ward for her safety.

She has a lot of conflicting feelings from saving Jeff, she doesn't regret saving him, but there's a lot of what ifs, she wonders if her and her friends lives would've been better if she didn't help him.

Janes hair gets dyed a lot, Judy dyes it black, but Meghan prefers it purple, this caused arguments until Jane suggested they do a mix, everyone agreed on it except Edgar; who hates unnatural hair in general, when fronting he washes it out.

She tried smoking, she was given one from Liu and absolutely hated it, gagging instantly and never tried again.

She is a very untrusting person from all the years being inside the house, and is unnecessarily sceptical of a lot not knowing if it's dangerous or not.

Jane bought and customised the mask slightly to make it look more her style.

Jane rarely takes off the mask, she finds it to difficult and doesn't want to remember what she looks like underneath, the only ones who take it off are Berry and Jasper.

She is terrified of fire, even if it's a small manageable one.

Jane is a really good cook but does not like cooking on a stove anymore due to the heat.

Jane currently lives with Vicky and Hannah.

Jane had gotten insomnia sometime after the incident, she always has eye bags and was more angry, she uses sleeping pills whenever she can.

After going nearly bald she started looking after her hair a lot better, she steals a lot of hair products to maintain it.

She used to wear the wig Jeff gifted, but threw it away as soon as her hair started growing back.

She uses a lot of makeup every day to try and make herself feel better, though it causes a lot of acne.

She tends to have all sorts of healing ointments and lotions on her at all times due to dry skin.

Jane is assumed dead, she has a grave and everything because someone impersonated her, and Fake Jane was killed by Lyra. She now tries to steer clear of any attention from the media.

She loves watermelon flavoured lollies.

Jane has permanent scarring from the fire, she tries to wear long clothing and gloves whenever she can, in summer she wears thin long clothes.

She visits her parents every weekend, when she does she always tries to bring flowers.

She tries making it quick because she doesn't like the thoughts that come with it.

She hates thinking if her parents saw her now they'd be disappointed and ashamed of her.

Jane's psychosis comes on as a result of anxiety. Her hallucinations are audio and visual, sometimes the delusions are usually rooted in paranoia. She can usually predict when she's about to be going into a psychosis episode based on what is causing the panic response. Jane tries to brace herself and remember what it was like last time and prepare, but once the full brunt of delusion and hallucinations start she's always unprepared for how bad it gets even if its the same thing as the last few times.

When it's mild, and stays mild, its more annoying. She's constantly hearing Vicky's and Hannah's cat wanting to be let into their room, even if she's not actually in the room, or the far away hum of a deep voiced male. She catch's birds out of the corner of her eye in places there are no birds. She'll become fixated and, even if they were not in their house at all, Jane will get up and go looking for their cat. She's absolutely convinced he followed her all the way to someplace else and she has to take a 15 minute break to do a lap around the area, trying to find him.

When it's bad, she's usually under the impression that someone, somewhere, knows about her and the others and whereabouts and is going to SWAT them, doxx them, or get the police to show up and arrest them all, rotting in prison for life. Not much helps her stray from this delusion, as much as everyones tried. She will usually just hide in the bathroom and cry for hours on end because they already called. Their going to jail.

If Jane looks into the dark too long, under the bed, in the closet, barely lit room in the middle of the night, etc, she'll see corpses of animals. Sometimes animals she's seen in the past, sometimes wild animals like possums, or even Liu's dog, always dark and unidentifiable masses that look like there either squirming in pain or writhing because maggots are under their skin.

Jane hears Jeff yelling that he's going to kill himself in the other room. Sometimes he'll blames her, sometimes he wishes he could just kill me instead, and goes on about how she abandoned him and left him and her friends to die when she moved away away. She'll respond but he doesnt say anything in response, just the same threats and the same disparaging remarks.

Sometimes she'll even hear Vicky violently throwing around pots and pans. Sometimes the noise of the cat being murdered and Vicky screaming at her mesh together and become one loud, disoriented, voice.

Jane loves all kinds of food with few exceptions such as tofu, hated it since a kid.

She had a limited amount of food given as a kid, now she eats a lot more to compensate.

Jane loves fantasy creatures like mermaids, fairies, elves, angels and orgres, very disappointed when she found out they weren't real.

Jane loves animals but her favorites are undoubtedly sharks, she really loves them and seeing them makes her happy, she hated finding out some are in captivity. Jeff gave her a shark plush when they were still friends which she adored and always slept with it, she even still has it to this day, though after having it for so long it's become tattered and dirty.

she developed a huge appetite for meat since she was a pre-teen, this appetite grew stronger to the point of fantasising about hurting others or even animals for their meat.

However she never actually acted on it and never ate anyone, when she had these urges she'd sneak in  meat from the kitchen, she had gotten salmonella from eating raw meat, not knowing about the disease.

She has three stepsisters, Dani, Marcy and Erica, Jane barely knows them because she was in a psych ward by the time her dad remarried, and doesn't see them as family.

Jane became homeless after leaving the hospital and had no clue what to do or where to go, she'd stay in cafes or bars as long as she could to watch the news to try and get a grasp on what's happening after talking to people didn't work.

Her original plan was to Jeff and than have a normal life again, she could never find him, but did find Hannah and Vicky when they were on the run.

Her favourite movie is Inside Out, she finds it relatable and similar to DID. Jane was introduced by Vailly.

Her friends are Vicky, Hannah, Nina, Jesse and Zero.

Jane and Mary don't know about Jesse and Janes relationship because they intimidate her.

After being taken in by Liu, she starts killing people after hearing about what happened to the others.

Jane solely targets people that have committed crimes, whether it be theft or murder, she’ll stalk that person for a few days to weeks and kill them.

She does this in secret because she knows Vicky and Hannah won’t understand the vision.

She was gifted a Polaroid camera on her 10th birthday and she loved and got interested in photography, she'd take a lot of pictures of her friends and the scenery out her window.

Jane would pin them in her journal and on her pin board.

She took Nina under her wing and tried helping her, they became close and she even considers Nina like a sister. After Jane was one of the few to recognise her as a victim and was a lot nicer than the rest.

She sometimes finds she can be to much, but is afraid to tell her without upsetting Nina, so Jane just tolerates it.

She encouraged Nina to to try and make amends with Sully, though felt horrible when it didn’t work.

Jane learned how to play the piano, she wanted to play to try and feel closer to Elizabeth.

#creepypasta #headcanon #homicidal liu #jeff the killer #jane everlasting #jane arkensaw #jane the killer #vicky genocidal #hannah the killer #jtk

[retrieve-the-kraken]

9 favourite books

Thank you @gwiazdziarka for tagging me (and thanks for all those book recs, I’m adding all of them to my list, except for the ones that I’ve already read), and I agree, maybe all of these won’t be my absolute favorite books, but they’re either books that I think about a lot, or books that have a special place in my heart, but not necessarily something that I go back to over and over.

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exúpery

This one is definitely a favorite. It’s a book that I’ve reread many times, because I feel that it has a different feel every time, depending on what I’m going through at that moment. Also a classic. Love it so much that I’ve started to collect editions in different languages; so far I have Spanish (of course), French, Italian, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Euskera (possibly one of the rarest), and Swedish (of course, because I intend to be able to read it by next year).

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

Also an absolute favorite, classic down-the-rabbit-hole type story that takes place in London Below. Fell in love with it, with the world-building within an already existing world. If i actually had to list 9 of my favorite books, pretty sure the whole list would be Neil Gaiman, but this book is both entertaining and comforting, so I pick this one. The BBC radio drama adaptation starring James McAvoy and Natalie Dormer is also excellent. Still waiting for the book sequel, though…

84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff

The most charming book in history, composed entirely of letters between an aspiring writer and rare books collector in New York and the manager of a rare books bookshop in London. Their relationship is platonic, and yet one of the most romantic things I have ever read. The movie adaptation is equally charming and it has Anthony Hopkins and Judi Dench in it. Read the book first, then watch the movie, then cry endlessly. Rinse and repeat.

Like a Hole in the Head by Jen Banbury

You should know that I get a lot of book recommendations from TV shows, so I decided to hunt down this book when Monica was reading it in more than one episode of Friends (felt like a subliminal message). And it was fucking worth it. Also a book about a book. A dwarf comes into a bookshop where the protagonist works, to sell a first edition of Jack London’s White Fang, and only after he’s gone she finds out just how rare it is. Heist plot ensues. It’s equally strange and exciting, mind-blowing and cathartic.

The Opposite of Loneliness by Marina Keegan

Very melancholy, this book is a collection of essays, poems and short stories published posthumously, as Keegan died in an accident at 21. She was very talented and could write convincingly about many things. Can’t even pick a favorite one out of the collection, because they’re all very good in very different ways. Very bittersweet.

Los Caballos Estornudan en la Lluvia by Dimas Lidio Pitty

Another short story collection (the title literally translates as “Horses Sneeze in the Rain”), from a Panamanian author, from the region where I spent my childhood summers, which still holds a very special place in my heart, and which has a mysticism about it that he helps preserve in these stories. Dimas Lidio Pitty was very good at magical realism. One of the stories in particular is so brief, but it’s incredible how good it is in such a short narration.

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

I’m a huge fan of classic dystopic science fiction, and this one has got to be my favorite. The narrative is interesting, moves along at an excellent pace, and it covers everything. Another book about books too. If you haven’t read Fahrenheit 451, the premise is simple: in this dystopic society, firemen don’t put out fires, they start them… to burn books. Book banning to the extreme. What happens next? You need to read it to find out.

El Misterio del Solitario by Jostein Gaarder

I have been obsessed with this book (The Solitaire Mystery in English) by Norwegian author Jostein Gaarder since I started reading all his books when I was a teen (I don’t even know how I came across him, I just picked one up one day and went with it, it wasn’t even Sophy’s World, it was Through a Glass, Darkly). Of course Sophy’s World is probably the most famous, and it was very good, but this one is so strange and magical that I read it several times ages ago, and it was such a comforting book, and now I would like to reread. Maybe one day soon I’ll read it in Norwegian!

The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

Another classic and favorite, which I have also read many times. Some people like Alice in Wonderland, some like Peter Pan, I like the Wizard of Oz. I like anything Oz related, the movie, the musical, Wicked (the musical, not the book, tho), everything. But the source material is still where it’s at.

No pressure tags: @makingupachangingmind , @voldiebeth , @raincitygirl76 and @phoebenpiperx .

#booksbooksbooks #booklove #book recs #i love learning about what people are reading or have read or love to read #give me all the book recs #i wish i could have a book club with everyone here

[brainrot28]

Electric Feel [Chapter 1]

chapter 1 of my pipabeth fic on ao3 :)

July 4th

POV: Piper

The sun set on Camp Halfblood, painting the lake in an array of pinks, oranges, and yellows. Younger campers ran about, squirming with anticipation of the s'mores soon to come. If tonight's bonfire was anything like last week's, Will was sure to have his hands full in the infirmary. Young demigods [including the 17 year old Percy Jackson], tended to ignore their sugar capacity, and held competitions to see who could eat the most marshmallows. 

Piper dodged the eager children, and made her way across the grass toward the Athena Cabin. She and Annabeth agreed to meet at Cabin 6 and walk to the bonfire together.

Piper began to shiver. It was an unusually chilly night for July; and, her hair still damp from the shower, only added to her growing discomfort. She climbed the worn, wooden steps of the Athena Cabin and knocked on the pale blue door. Annabeth's younger sister came tumbling out the door and into Piper's legs. The small child refused to let go and began bombarding Piper with questions.

"Piper, Piper, Piper! Are you here for Annabeth? She's been talking about meeting you alllllll day" the small camper squealed. Piper was 73% sure that this was 6 year old Andy. The chatty girl arrived with an annoyed satyr at the start of the summer. 

Andy did her best to imitate Annabeth's voice, and she was surprisingly good at it, too. " 'I'm going with Piper to the bonfire tonight', 'What should I wear?', 'None of you better bother me tonight', 'If any of you come to me with stomach aches, so help me gods....'. I'm planning on winning tonight's marshmallow eating competition!"

Piper was quite amused and replied with a smile, "Oh really? How many are you planning on eating?"

"37", Andy replied. "Piper, have you ever watched Zootopia?"

Andy's ability to talk so fast was pretty impressive. "No, what's it about?"

Andy began to rock on her heels, unable to contain her excitement. "This bunny named Judy Hopps becomes a cop even though her family doesn't think she can do it but she does it anyway and then she goes and gets a job as a police officer in Zootopia but they put her on meeter maid duty but she knows she can do more and she ends up trying to solve a mystery with a fox named Nick Wild." By the time she was finished, Andy was out of breath.

Piper was genuinely interested in this movie. She loved animated animal films. "Wow that sounds like a really cool movie! I'll have to watch it with you some time."  

Finally, Annabeth walked out onto the porch. "Oh no. Andy, were you telling Piper about Zootopia?"

"YES! I LOVE ZOOTOPIA!" Andy screeched.

"I am very well aware," Annabeth said with a smile. "Why don't you tell Piper how many times you've watched it in the past week?"

"12. I've watched it 12 times!"

"WOW. That is some true dedication right there," Piper replied.

"Yeah we're all hearing the Zootopia soundtrack in our sleep," Annabeth said with an eye roll. "Andy, why don't you go back inside and put on a sweatshirt for the bonfire. It's pretty cold out here, and last time, you complained the whole time you were cold."

"Only if I can bring your fire blanket. Can I bring your fire blanket?"

"One, I told you to stop calling it the 'fire blanket'. People are going to think I'm a pyromaniac," Annabeth sighed. "And two, only if you say 'please'."

"Ughhh. But 'fire blanket' sounds so menacing. Can I please bring your 'not a fire blanket' to the bonfire?"

"Of course you can. It's on the my bunk." 

Andy scurried back in the cabin, leaving Piper and Annabeth on the porch of the Athena Cabin. 

Annabeth looked at Piper. "What are you smiling about?", the blonde asked.

"mmmm... I'm just excited for tonight. Also, Andy's really cute," Piper replied.

"Yeah, she is. But seriously, I cannot get the Zootopia soundtrack out of my head. I think I know every line from the movie by now," Annabeth said with a chuckle. "Hey, are you going to be warm enough? It's getting pretty cold, and you don't have a jacket or anything. 

"OH MY GODS, Annabeth are you slut shaming me, telling me to cover up? How could you do this to me? I though you were a feminist?"

The look on Annabeth's face was priceless. "WHAT NO NO, that's not how I meant it, I swear. I just meant you might get cold, and you're wearing shorts and a tank top and your hair's wet.. and ... I don't want you to get sick or something. Gods know Will already has enough on his hands."

Annabeth's rare lack of eloquence is always quite the sigh to see. "Geez, take a breath Chase, I was just joking with you. I know you would never object to seeing me in minimal clothing."

Annabeth rolled her eyes and let out a huff. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Do you want to borrow a sweatshirt or not? I should just let you freeze now."

"NOOO please, accept my deepest apologies. May I pretty please borrow a sweatshirt?"

"Fine," Annabeth replied with feigned annoyance. "I'll be right back."

Annabeth returned about 47 seconds later [not that Piper was counting or anything], bearing a dark blue sweatshirt with an embroidered sun on the chest. This was Piper's favorite sweatshirt that belonged to Annabeth. It was well worn, soft, and comfortable. And-bonus points- it smelled like Annabeth, and Annabeth always made her feel safe. 

"Oh, Annabeth, you are my lord and savior. I worship the ground you walk on." 

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Now, let's go, I want to beat the rush of people."

#annabeth chase #piper mclean #pjo #percy jackon and the olympians #heros of olympus #percy jackson #jason grace #will solace #nico di angelo #a03 fanfic