#first raymond now flick
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Who You Belong To
Pairing: Raymond Smith x Reader x Tangerine
Rating: Explicit - 18+ Only
Notes: Aaaaaaand 800 years later, I finished writing one of those things I said I was writing. Not Beta-read.
Warnings: Explicit sexual content—cumshot, oral sex, fingering, rough sex, vaginal sex, threesome, creampie, cumplay
Summary: It’s in the way Tangerine’s jaw tightens; in how he yanks the cigarette from his lips and flicks it away rather than savoring the last drag. It’s in the way he yanks your car door open, snaps, “In,” Rather than hold it open for you with a wink like he usually does. Raymond trails you all the way to the car, giving Tangerine a knowing, scathing look over the top of his glasses before he turns down to you with a warmer, far more hospitable gaze.
You know it’s a mistake as soon as it happens. You and Tangerine aren’t exclusive, of course. You’re certain he’d balk if you ever called him your boyfriend, your significant other, or anything of the sort. He’s your fuckbuddy, and that’s that.
But he’s also a possessive little fucker. So you realize that the second he sees you with Raymond—the second he clocks your rumpled, untucked blouse and his ruffled hair—he’ll know.
You can see that he does. It’s in the way Tangerine’s jaw tightens; in how he yanks the cigarette from his lips and flicks it away rather than savoring the last drag. It’s in the way he yanks your car door open, snaps, “In,” Rather than hold it open for you with a wink like he usually does. Raymond trails you all the way to the car, giving Tangerine a knowing, scathing look over the top of his glasses before he turns down to you with a warmer, far more hospitable gaze.
“Lovely doing business with you,” Raymond says. Maybe he knows he’s twisting the screws. Maybe he had been able to tell before—from the way that Tangerine watches you, from how his tone would soften as he turns from speaking to Lemon to speaking to you. Maybe Raymond can tell, and truly didn't care as he bent you over his desk in the Lore of the Land, just after you’d finished talking business. You’ll likely never know. So for now, you just give him a smile and grit out your thanks.
Raymond nods and turns his gaze to Tangerine, shutting your door gently—the exact antithesis of Tangerine’s behavior just moments ago. You watch as he and Raymond share a contentious gaze before Tan is rounding the car to get into the driver's side. You flinch just a touch as he slams the car door shut and starts up the car. You glance at Lemon over your shoulder, and find him pointedly avoiding your gaze.
The ride back to the safe house is uncomfortably silent. You turn on the radio once, and hear three solid notes of Queen's Don't Stop Me Now before Tangerine's hand shoots out, whacking off the power again. When you look at him, he keeps his focus set staunchly through the windshield.
That's bad.
Usually he'll at least shoot you a wink and a smile before refocusing on the road. Now, you just get a good view of his tense jaw, his harsh expression, and one short, irritated sniffle.
--
Tangerine's out of the car first. You don't move; you don't even flinch when the car door slams shut again.
"...I'm just gonna sleep in here," You say after a moment. Lemon snorts.
"That's not gonna solve anythin'. He'll just come an' find you."
You groan, kicking your feet childishly before you finally get out. You shut the door, rounding the car to Lemon's side and looking up at the large, dark townhouse that you've rented for your short stay in London.
"...I'm gonna get some chips," Lemon says, shoving his hands in his pockets.
"Oh, great! I'll—"
"Go see if Tan wants anythin', will you?" Lemon plows on, beginning to wander away. "Text me. Thanks—and good luck."
You puff out an irritated breath, watching him go. You consider going somewhere else yourself, but a little bit of you knows that you're probably better off just taking your lumps now.
--
You can hear Tangerine upstairs—stomping from room to room, opening and closing doors, cabinets. You sigh heavily, shrugging out of your coat and kicking your shoes off. You hang the coat up on one of the hooks, double-check that you've locked the door, and then make your way upstairs.
As you round onto the landing, you spy Tangerine out of the corner of your eye, heading down the hall. For a moment, you consider following him. Then you turn, heading into the kitchen instead. You can probably get a drink in before he loses his sweet mind on you.
You pour one for each of you. Hell, if he doesn’t drink it, you will. You push yourself up onto the counter, swinging your feet. You hear him stomping his way down the hall, then it goes quiet. You can feel his looming presence as he waits in the doorway. You don’t turn to meet his gaze; you don’t ask if he wants his drink. You just take a sip of yours. Tangerine brushes past you, taking up his glass. Out of the corner of your eye, you see him throw it back before he slams the glass down. You spare him a scathing glance before taking another sip from your glass.
“What the fuck was that?” He spits.
“I’m not sure what you mean.”
“Oh, you’re not.”
“No.”
“Really.”
“Not a clue.”
“You’re going to pretend that nothing happened?”
“What exactly do you think happened between myself and Mr. Smith?”
Tangerine rounds to stand in front of you. You’ve no warning before he’s shoving his hand up your skirt. You suck in a nervous breath, but don’t move otherwise, even as he spears two fingers into your still-slick, tender cunt. He crowds closer as your pussy throbs around the intrusion.
“You’re gonna tell me you’re this wet just from him holdin’ a fuckin’ door open for ya?” Tangerine glowers at you down the end of his nose. “Hm? You’re really gonna tell me that?”
“...Depends.”
“On?”
“Whether or not you’d believe it.”
Tan’s expression closes off, eyes going dark, and mean. He begins to pump his fingers roughly, palm grinding against your clit. Your lips part in surprise, hips jolting into his touch.
“Ah no. No no,” He shakes his head. “You an’ I both know what the fuck you did.”
“And you and I both know that I can fuck whoever I goddamn wa—ant,” Your breath hitches in your throat as Tangerine gives a particularly rough shove of his fingers.
“Sweet that you think that, sweetheart.”
Tangerine raises his other hand to grasp your throat. He draws you close by it, forehead knocking against yours. He draws your lower lip between his teeth, giving it a harsh tug before he draws his head back.
“Take my cock out,” He orders. You reach down, working at his button and zip, hissing as Tangerine’s fingers flex around your throat.
“What’d you do for him? Huh?” Tangerine asks.
“Who says I did anything for him?” You ask, grasping Tangerine and giving him a few strokes. “Maybe he did it for me.”
“Would explain why your cunt’s so slick. What, he slobber all over it?”
“Slobber has to be the most unsexy word in the English language.”
“What, ahead of moist?”
“I don’t think moist is actually all that bad—Sonofabitch,” You draw in a gasp as Tangerine draws his fingers out of you, pinching your clit. You try to squeeze your legs shut, but Tangerine muscles between them, shifting from foot to foot.
“You gonna give me any more lip?”
“I think that’s almost guaranteed, Tan, yeah.”
“Christ alive—You just never know when to stop, do ya?”
“Never have a good reason to—oo,” You hiss as Tangerine draws you across the counter, shoving his cock into you without warning or hesitation. “Fucking hell.” You reach out, curling your fingers in the fabric of his waistcoat.
“There are those sweet words I like so much. You woo ‘im with those, too?” Tangerine’s words are punched out word by word, matched thrust for thrust. You whimper at his harshness, and the way his hand slips from your throat to squeeze the nape of your neck. It’s a treatment you’ve only ever been privy to when a job has gone wrong, or very nearly wrong. In your estimation, this had been a pretty calm interaction. You’d gotten in and out in one piece; you’d even managed to make a friend, in a sense—though Tangerine clearly hadn’t warmed to Raymond the way that you had.
“What was he like? Huh?” Tan grunts, “Did he fuck you like this?”
“N-No,” You mumble.
“No?”
“Nn-nn.” You let your lips curl into a malicious smirk. “He did it better.”
“Fucking—” Tangerine pulls out of you, yanking you off of the surface and turning you around. He shoves you into the counter, bending you over hard marble and driving into you. Your breath punches out of you, head bowing forward. You’re glad he turned you around; he can’t see your giddy grin. You knew he’d take the bait. You’re certain you could come like this, but—
You whine as Tangerine pulls out. You begin to turn to look at him, to ask, but he presses his hand between your shoulder blades, keeping you down over the counter with a grumbled order of, “Stay the fuck there.” His voice is breathy, and low. You can hear his heavy breathing, and the slick stroke of his hand on his cock. You draw in a whimper, fingers flexing against the counter as you feel his cum splatter across your plumped, heated pussy. You wriggle, toes curling in your shoes.
“Gimme your phone,” He orders. You fish into your pocket of your jacket, passing it over before Tangerine plucks ut out of your hand. You swipe your tongue across your lips.
“What are you doing?”
Tangerine doesn’t answer for a moment; you just feel him shoving your skirt up, followed by the sound of the camera shutter clicking a couple of times. Then the skirt is dropped back down, and you hear the tapping of Tangerine typing.
“What are you doing, Tangerine?”
“Showing your friend…” He tosses the phone onto the counter beside your head. “Who you belong to.” You flinch as he slaps your ass roughly, and you feel the heat of him falling away. “Get yourself cleaned up, love.”
You push yourself up on shaking arms as you hear him walking away. You turn your head, eyeing the photo sent to Raymond’s contact—Tangerine’s hand, his signet ring fully visible, grasping your skirt and displaying your cum-splattered cunt. You shiver, bowing your head forward as embarrassment flashes through you. It’s heightened as your phone flashes with Raymond’s incoming call. You don’t dare not answer him. You reach out with a shaking hand and tap to accept the call before raising it to your ear.
“...Bring him to the address I’m going to send you,” Raymond orders.
“I have to get cleaned up—”
“Don’t. Just come over here.”
“Now?”
“Now.”
--
You mumble your thanks as Raymond passes you a glass of scotch. You don’t take a sip right away. You just shift from foot to foot as you lean back against his counter. Raymond’s home is just like his desk at the Lore of the Land—pristine, neat, with everything in its place. Raymond shoots you a wink as he turns back toward you, and you have to bite back a smile.
Tangerine’s watching closely, and you’ve been in enough trouble today as it is.
You watch as Raymond rounds to where Tangerine is sitting at Raymond’s dining room table, proffering a glass to him as well. Tangerine’s gaze darts between it and Raymond; you can see his eye twitching a touch at Raymond’s boozy little olive branch. When Tangerine doesn’t take it, Raymond sets it down on the table in front of him with a mutter of, “Right.”
Then Raymond turns, heading back toward the kitchen. He stops between the two of you, tucking his hands into his pockets.
“I seem to have ruffled a few feathers.”
“You didn’t ruffle anything—” You start to insist.
“That shit we handled with you an’ Pearson, she wasn’t part’a the deal,” Tangerine cuts over you.
“I didn’t think that she was.” Raymond’s brows raise. He seems more amused than annoyed; Tangerine seems like he’d like to rip Raymond’s head off just about now.
“And I didn’t act like I was,” You counter.
“If I’d known that…associating with your colleague would’ve made such an impact on your mood…” Raymond smiles, leaning against the counter beside you, “I would’ve done it twice.”
You scoff a laugh, unable to help it. “You’re not making this better.”
“Who said I was trying to?”
“Wow.”
“Alrigh’,” Tangerine hops up, grasping the glass of scotch and draining it before slamming it down so hard that you’re certain it’ll crack. “We’re going.”
“I think you ought to stay,” Raymond says. “I could teach you a thing or two.”
“There is not a goddamn thing you could teach me.”
“I think there are a few things that I could teach you.”
“Like what?”
“How to treat a lady, for one.”
“You think I don’t know how to treat my girl?”
“Your girl?” Raymond repeats, brows tipping up as he glances between the two of you. “Oh…That’s not what she told me.”
Panic and arousal surge through you as Tangerine’s gaze snaps toward you, eyes narrowing a touch. You just give a little shrug, raising your glass to your lips and taking a sip.
“Did you get cleaned up?” Raymond asks, glancing toward you. You shake your head. Raymond hums thoughtfully, holding his hand out to you. You hesitate, glancing warily toward Tangerine before you set your glass aside, taking Raymond’s hand. You let him lead you to the table, biting your lip as he nods for you to sit on the edge of it. You settle down, scooching back and letting him push your legs wide.
“Now,” Raymond slides his hands up over your bare thighs, “Typically, I do not abide by mess.”
“You told me not to clean up,” You pout.
“I did. I think we could teach your friend a lesson.”
“A lesson,” Tangerine repeats, shifting from foot to foot and folding his arms across his chest. “You fuck ‘er once and you think you’ve got the lay of the land? You think she knows what she likes?”
“Not at all,” Raymond smiles, fingers stroking over your plumped, tender cunt. “I know what she needs.”
If you were a touch less tense, you’d be able to laugh at the way Tangerine goes red with irritation.
“You don’t know jack shit, mate,” He seethes.
“Oh?” Raymond glances up at you, shooting you a wink. “Well, why don’t you come and show me what I don’t know.”
It’s all Tangerine needs before he’s practically charging across the room and shoving Raymond out from between your legs. Raymond hardly wobbles as Tangerine drops into the chair in front of you. You yelp as he grasps you by the hips, tugging you to the edge of the table and diving in. You draw in a gasp, eyelids fluttering as Tangerine laps hungrily at you. Your gaze flickers to Raymond, grinning as he rounds to lean down beside you.
“Is that what you needed?” He murmurs, nudging his nose against yours. You smile hazily, tipping your chin up pleadingly.
“Yes, Raymond.”
Raymond smiles, catching your lips in a kiss. You prop yourself up on your hands, wobbling just a touch as you raise one to cup his bearded cheek. You suck his plush lower lip with a soft sigh, parting your lips to tease his tongue with yours. You groan as you feel Tangerine draw back.
“Oi!” He barks, “The hell is it worth being down ‘ere if you’re just gonna suck fa—”
Tangerine doesn’t finish his argument as you feel him pressing sharply against your cunt again. You turn your head from Raymond’s engrossing kisses, eyes widening at the sight of Raymond’s palm resting on the back of Tangerine’s head, shoving him down. You scoff out a stunned laugh as Raymond’s fingers tighten in Tangerine’s hair. You hinge forward as you feel Tangerine moans against you.
“I didn’t think he’d take this from anyone,” You admit, shifting and propping one of your feet up on the table and easing your hips down against his lips. Raymond hums, nuzzling your jaw.
“People like him can talk a big game, but they need someone to answer to.”
“And that someone is you?” You tip your head to the side, raising your brows.
“Right now,” Raymond smiles. “But if you play your cards right, it could be you.”
“I’m usually the one taking orders.”
Tangerine draws back with a sucking kiss, grunting. “She’s bloody good at it, too.”
You pout, reaching down and giving his forehead a gentle push.
“I’m right here, asshole.”
“Be kind,” Raymond urges, squeezing the nape of your neck in a tender scolding. “He’s a little mouthy, but he’s a good boy who cleans up his messes.”
“Don’t call me a boy,” Tangerine hisses.
“Don’t act like one,” Raymond bats back without blinking an eye. He just shoves Tan’s head back between your thighs, and you jump at the bristly scrape of his mustache, unable to help the way your thighs tense and twitch around his head. You expect more of a fight, but Tangerine just grasps your thighs, fingers tightening around your hips as he groans against your slick, heated flesh.
“Do you think you can handle it?” Raymond asks against your jaw.
“Handle what?” You breathe, and your head spins as he tips his chin up, murmuring low in your ear:
“Both of us.”
--
It’s not the fight you imagined. Tangerine has fallen in line just as well as you have, and is on far better behavior than you could've ever imagined. He hisses through his teeth as you blink hazily up at him, your lips parted and your jaw dropped as he eases his cock in and out of your panting mouth.
You hear tandem groans, and you arch your back, tipping your hips down toward Raymond as he eases into your aching pussy. He shushes you softly, fingers skimming over your supple hips and gently nudging you to settle back down onto the table. It’s a struggle; your torn between obeying his command and fucking down against his length. You whimper as Raymond begins to fuck you with long, languorous strokes. It’s an almost lazy punctuation to the way that Tangerine’s hips thrust and jerk, spearing his dick into your mouth.
“Slow down,” Raymond counsels as he draws his cock back, lingering with the tip tucked snugly in your cunt, “You’ll pop before she’s anywhere near.”
You turn your head from Tangerine, letting him slip from your lips as you peer up at Raymond, quipping, “He usually does.” The words are hardly out of your mouth before you’re yelping, knees jolting around Raymond’s hips as Tangerine slaps one of your tits sharply, growling,
“Cheeky.”
“Dickhea—” You hardly get it out before Tangerine grasps your head, shoving his cock back between your lips. You whine as you feel Raymond’s hands plant on either side of you, his hips beginning to punch more harshly, despite their slowed thrusts. You raise a hand, grasping Raymond’s forearm tightly as your body fights to recognize and categorize every feeling rippling through you. It’s difficult to focus. There’s heat all around you; your mouth is heavy with Tangerine’s weight, your lips stretching with his girth, your tongue, thick with his taste; your cunt stretches and aches as Raymond measures and doles out his thrusts with even, steady, measured composure.
You want to rattle Raymond. It’s not fair that you can so reduce Tangerine to wanton neediness, but seem to have no such effect on Raymond. Why can’t you shake him? Why can’t you—
Your mind turns to static as Tangerine makes you gag, and Raymond’s cock brushes a spot inside you that makes you keen and throb. You’re so—so full. You’ve never felt so terribly overwhelmed, so horribly distracted while having sex. Tangerine is wonderful on his own, of course, and has been a taskmaster in his own right, but he shows an almost childish impertinence now in the way he shoves into your mouth with a force that has spit and precum spilling from the sides of your parted lips. Raymond’s measured pace is almost more of a hindrance than a help. His counter-pace is driving you to distraction. You can’t bring yourself to time your movements to Tangerine or Raymond’s thrusts. You’re caught too sharply in between. You’re—scrambled. Tangerine is in a race to the finish line; Raymond seems to have all the time in the world. You’re just grasping to each of them in desperation, practically struggling to breathe, let alone respond to the way the two of them use you so thoroughly.
“You’re going to bust, aren’t you,” Raymond asks him almost boredly. Tangerine doesn’t even argue, just groans as his grip tightens in your hair. You splutter and choke, eyes watering as his hips rabbit, and his cock spills down your throat. You tighten your grip on Raymond, on the only thing anchoring you. Tangerine groans low in his throat, hips jittering before he plops back into a seat with a panting gasp. He doesn’t remain stationary for long—Raymond reaches out, gripping Tangerine’s head and steering him toward your still-stinging nipple. Tangerine seems to almost stumble out of his seat, hands planting roughly beside your body as he swirls his tongue around the pebbled flesh.
--
It’s almost mesmerizing, the way Raymond takes you apart. A single strand of hair springs loose from his neat style; his cheeks tinge pink from exertion; the swell of sweat makes his glasses slip down the bridge of his nose. Now and again, his tongue sweeps over his plush lips before they part in a shuddering pant.
He’s rattled, just a little. It makes you preen, and arch down into his touch, tipping your head back to allow Tangerine more room for his bruising nips, and sucks, and kisses. He doesn’t let up, even as you grasp and tug his hair with a warning groan.
“Poor baby,” Tangerine murmurs. “All wound up, aren’t ya.”
“Shut up,” You mumble shakily.
“Took so long for fancy-pants to send you off, mm?”
“Shut up.”
“Should’ve told me you were such a soft-touch. Needed a little pamperin’.”
“I don’t need to be pampered—Oh!” You shriek as Raymond lands a stinging whack to your hip.
“Be nice,” Raymond tuts as he thumbs one of your tender nipples.
“I am being nice,” You whine. “He’s being an ass.”
“Such pretty words from such a messy mouth,” Tangerine coos. You whimper despite his taunts, tightening your grasp on his hair and on Raymond’s forearm as the coiling feeling in your stomach winds tighter and tighter. Your hips tip down against Raymond, and against his attentive, slick fingers as he swipes them over your throbbing clit. Your orgasm wells up slowly, and you moan as you cum. The sensation seems to ripple through you, your jaw dropped in heated want as your cunt ripples around Raymond’s cock.
You’re vindicated by the grunt that seems to be punched out of him, and the way his cock pulses and twitches. The heat and slickness of his spend makes your nails rake down over his forearm. He hums softly, bowing over you. You shiver as he presses a kiss to the other side of your neck.
“Atta girl,” Raymond murmurs. “Is that what you needed?”
“Mhm,” You hum high in your throat, heavy eyelids dropping as you nod dazedly. Raymond squeezes your hip, giving you a moment before he draws back.
“Fuck,” You breathe as he spreads your thighs.
“Tangerine,” He urges. You watch as he grasps the back of Tangerine's neck, steering him back between your thighs. You jump at the first brush of his tongue, jolting up and eyeing Tangerine as he laps at your aching cunt, and Raymond’s spend.
“What are you doing?”
“Reminding him,” Raymond murmurs, brushing his beard roughly against your neck, “Who you belong to.”
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#Raymond Smith x Reader#Tangerine x Reader#Raymond Smith x You#Tangerine x You#Raymond Smith/Reader#Tangerine/Reader#Raymond Smith x Reader x Tangerine#Raymond Smith x You x Tangerine#Who You Belong To
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KoH Fanfic Snippet - WIP
According to my recent poll, you guys want snippets, so snippets you shall have! Even though they'll be spoilery, as you've been warned, I'll still try to pick ones that aren't too terribly revealing regarding plot.
Previous previews focused on exposition elements, but the following snippet gives a more detailed look at the developing situation between the protagonist and everyone's favorite masked king.
Enjoy!
(PS: There's a lot more below the cut 😉)
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Author's Note: In this fic, I am attempting to blend KoH's version of the characters with their historical counterparts, with no one character being entirely one or the other. This is especially challenging to do regarding the relationship between Baldwin IV and Raymond III of Tripoli. In the case of the snippet below, however, assume "Tiberias" is just being his usual KoH grump self.
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Sicut In Cælo Et In Terra - WIP
Already she could hear the voice of the man whom the king had called Raymond carrying down the hall towards her, albeit slightly muffled.
“…for all we know, her successes have been naught but sheer luck. Forgive my frankness, my lord, but none of those whom she has thus far ‘cured’ have been as badly affected as you. Where it cured them, it could kill you!”
“Yes, so I heard yesterday and the day before that. I was at the court sessions the same as you, and so I am well aware of the sentiments among you all – there is no need to repeat what has already been spouted a dozen times in the council chamber.”
At that, Tabitha recognized the king as well, his tone much the same as it had been during her questioning, only this time it bore the slightest hint of exasperation behind it.
“Then I needn’t remind you, my lord, that the kingdom balances on a knife edge, and should this experimentation fail in such a manner, we will undoubtedly be-”
“In the same position as you would be if I were to die in my sleep this very night. Or if a Saracen blade pierced my heart on the morrow.”
It was then they finally reached what Tabitha could only assume was the king’s quarters, as the corridor very suddenly opened up into a much larger chamber. Unfortunately, she couldn’t take the time to absorb very many details about the place, as the presence of so many strangers required her to stay on her toes.
There, Raymond and King Baldwin sat across from one another at a table, the king the first to look up at the presence of the guard at his threshold. Raymond was garbed similarly as he had been that day in court. Baldwin, however, lacked the surcoat, cloak, and crown. The last of those had been replaced with a plain, thin gold band encircling his brow at the top edge of his mask, and a white veil acted in place of the cloak’s hood.
At his liege’s subtle movement, Raymond immediately glanced back over his shoulder, his mouth pressing into a thin line. A single gesture from the latter had the guard stepping aside, and suddenly, Tabitha felt just as vulnerable as she had when she’d first made her appearance before the gentry days ago…
“Ah, there she is now,” the grizzled man remarked dryly, slowly standing with an obvious consciousness of all those present. “Good.” He beckoned her with a swift flick of his fingers. “You may approach. The king wishes to ask you about your methods and materials.”
“And you may leave us now, Raymond.”
The not-so-subtle-order-disguised-as-a-suggestion had the advisor looking back at his liege lord and hesitating for a long moment. Finally, however, Raymond acquiesced with a half-bow. “As you wish, Sire. But I advise you to let the guard stay.”
And with that, the older man swept past her and into the darkness of the corridor without looking at her, the sentry in question having obediently retreated into the shadows beside the threshold of the chamber with nary a word, silently awaiting his next command.
“Forgive my bailiff,” Baldwin addressed her directly, then, arresting her attention as the edge swiftly retreated from his tone. “It is no secret that he and I often disagree on matters related to the state, though I have no doubt he believes he has the kingdom’s best interests at heart.” A white-gloved hand indicated the backless chair Raymond had just vacated. “Please, seat yourself.”
Tabitha took a deep breath, her fingers grasping the handle of the medkit so tightly her knuckles went as white as the king’s – it was her one comfort, the only thing she knew in this place. Offering a stiff half-bow (she didn’t trust her knees enough in that moment to attempt a curtsey), she then quickly approached the chair, preferring to get the slightly long walk between the entrance and the furnishings over with before she somehow tripped or did something else equally embarrassing.
She tried to ignore the fact Baldwin was watching her intently, clearing her throat a little as she swept her skirts under her and sat down before placing the medkit in her lap for lack of anywhere else to put it. As soon as she did so, however, a sudden motion from out of the corner of her eye nearly made her jump out of her skin. Until, however, she realized it was only a small boy emerging from the shadows to her right, garbed in a heraldic tunic similar in design to the surcoat the king himself had worn. Blinking, she glanced between Baldwin and the child in puzzlement, the former turning his whole head towards the latter and blessedly diverting his sharp attention from her for a moment.
The boy then came within a few paces of her, smartly bowed, and asked with uncanny eloquence for his age, “May I fetch His Majesty’s guest something to drink?”
So surprised by this event was she that, for a moment, Tabitha found herself utterly dumbfounded. And then it struck her – this boy was a royal page. Of the same occupation from which her own surname had originated, if she remembered her father’s words right.
“I…” she hesitated, not really wanting to partake of anything but also not willing to risk insulting the king by refusing his hospitality. Thus, swallowing back her nerves, she put on a kind smile and replied with a nod, “Of course you may.”
Another bow, and he retreated as obediently and silently as he had appeared.
Swallowing again, she took another shaky breath and added, “Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty. Both before and now.”
The masked visage fluidly turned back towards her, and that breath caught in her throat as vividly-blue eyes met hers. Yes, they were just as intense in the light of the lantern as they were in the sun, she discovered, almost seeming to possess a radiance of their own. If eyes were windows to the soul, then Baldwin’s spirit was still very much undiminished, even as his body slowly failed him.
“Kindness to those who have suffered is our Christian duty,” he replied. “And hospitality is the least we can offer to ease that suffering. Understand this: no matter the suspicions of others, so long as you live with respect for our customs, you will always be welcome within the walls of Jerusalem.” He paused, leaning back in his chair as he continued to regard her. “My intentions are not to make you uncomfortable, and I would not have disturbed you had I not sensed the need to speak with you of your methods myself. No doubt you have heard the rumors – ever since your testimony, my court has been turned on its head, and speculation increases by the day.”
She sighed, closing her eyes and shaking her head. “Yes, I heard about that. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean-”
Her apology was quite abruptly halted, however, by his uplifted hand. “There is nothing condemnable in charity. You have offered the kind of hope for which so many flock to this city… given that which many have prayed for. There will always be those who fear that success, as much as those who praise it.”
It was at that moment the boy returned to her side, bowing again as he offered a silver cup half-filled with what appeared to be a deep violet wine. This time oddly charmed by his behavior, Tabitha smiled as she accepted the goblet from his small hands. “Thank you.”
Those words alone seemed to throw the boy completely off of his game. Up until that point, his manner spoke of well-trained discipline, but as soon as her thanks left her lips, he froze in place, his eyes wide, as if he had no idea how to respond.
A muffled hum of amusement came from Baldwin, then. “Courtesy repaid in kind, young William. A lesson you should remember.” The king cocked his head, pausing. “You’ve done well, today. You are dismissed until such time as I call you again.”
The boy’s face brightened, and all of a sudden, he looked precisely his age. Perhaps this was an early break for him? With an eager but deep bow, he answered, “Thank you, Majesty!” Then he promptly spun on his heel, walking swiftly for the exit and only allowing that pace to increase to a spirited dash once he’d cleared the threshold of the king’s chambers.
It was then Tabitha allowed herself a small sip of the vintage, finding it quite dry, but also rather sweet. The cup itself, she noted, was beautifully made, but by no means lavish, especially for someone like a monarch – only a thin band of floral engraving adorned the rim.
“Now,” Baldwin continued, leaning forward and propping his forearms on the table, though she noticed he moved one with greater difficulty than the other. Tabitha also suspected that if that hand hadn’t been bandaged, he would have laced his fingers together. “Perhaps we may speak of business.” He cocked his head at her – again that gesture of curiosity. “Tell me of how you have accomplished these astonishing feats of yours. What constitutes your cures?”
Swallowing quickly, she nodded, carefully setting the goblet upon the table and mentally warning herself not to knock it over. “I have brought my tools with me, if you would like to see them.”
“By all means.”
Huffing out a sigh to relieve her nerves, she at last opened the medkit on her lap, first withdrawing the hypospray. As soon as her slightly-trembling fingers took hold of the device, a sense of confidence flooded through her being, calming her in a way she hadn’t expected.
This was her world. Her arena. She knew it backwards and forwards and upside down. There was no reason to be nervous; she was the one who held the knowledge now…
#wip#fanfiction#snippet#kingdom of heaven#raymond iii of tripoli#baldwin iv#king baldwin iv#the leper king#baldwin iv of jerusalem#star trek#original character#fan character#my fanfiction#my writing
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It takes a little while for Raven to notice them, but eventually he spots Chad moving about the space.
"Look at you," he says, canting a head at the intricate designs of the robe the boy is wearing. "Thought you were from Lycia. That pattern's eastern, isn't it?"
Not that Raven can say much about another's outfit, for he staunchly refuses all attempts to get him into something fancier than his school uniform. But he supposes he's glad that some people, at least, are enjoying the festivities provided for them.
Barely, one corner of his lips curve upward. "You know, that really complements one of your classmates, doesn't it? The redheaded girl, what's her name? I spoke with her earlier."
As a mouse-waiter passes by with a tray of flavored pastilles, Raven picks a couple from the tray and flicks them toward the boy.
Mint.
Just in case.
There's a point of the ball where their stance towards the circumstances of it firmly plants itself at the stage of acceptance — Grudging and temporary, yeah, but acceptance at its core. There's enough folk milling around in uniform in the beginning, but those gradually get lost in the bustle... At least, until the boy realises they recognise some old faces in new garb that definitely wasn't present before, with fanciful touches even the most skilled of tailors wouldn't be able to pull off. It's nice, probably, but, well...
... Eyeing an insanely ornate gown across the room, absolutely drowning in sequins, they're actually pretty grateful they brought their own threads to this fiasco.
Raymond, meanwhile, manages to stick out all the more from the fact that he's (stubbornly, no doubt) still in uniform. Chad knows well enough to surmise he probably definitely doesn't want to be here right now, but the fact they get approached first —
Ah, they don't know. It's nice to have some kind of rapport to warrant it, or something.
"Oh." A hand reaches down to tug at a fishnet sleeve self-consciously. "Yeah. I am though. From Lycia, I mean. It's complicated." A tsk, a wave of his hand — Though, from the looks of it, he should've saved the cool, aloof handwave for the next statement.
His face flushes, with no way to hide it. The waving hand comes to reflexively cover the bottom half of his face in a motion that would have pushed the collar of his cloak up, if it were still there. He's — He's being so obvious right now, he should really knock this shit off and pull himself together —
But that notion crumbles to nothing after Raymond throws something at him, and his other hand moves reflexively to catch it, several 'it's, snagged out of the air as easy as playing knucklebones. A pause. Candy?
Candy...
Mint.
Mint. The implication doesn't miss.
"Oh, fuck off," they splutter with half a laugh and a face full fire, shoving the other weakly, just as unable to conceal a flustered laugh. Maybe they'd be able to appreciate Raymond's own lopsided smirk, too, later down the line. "That's Maria. We're friends."
#peerlessscowl#;s. broken homes and vengeful hearts | raven#;answered#toaball2023#;e. ethereal ball | 2023#;t. eb23 | air 2#snickered when i read this fr#raven heckling chad my beloved
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Betrayal (2)
Part 1
Masterlist of fan fiction
Fandom: Crossover of Spooks and Pilgrimage (Modern AU)
Pairings: Lucas North x OC/Raymond de Merville x OC
Warnings: Love triangle. Angst. Language. Smut. Cheating.
Summary: Amy Holland is Lucas North's girlfriend of six months. Amy is aware of his job as an MI-5 agent and supports him. However, Lucas' cousin, Raymond de Merville, has always loved Amy and uses their one night stand together as leverage for something more.
Comments/Notes: If you wish to be tagged in any of my tag lists for fics or characters, please let me know, and stipulate what you want to be tagged in. I'm gradually removing people from my tag lists who do not interact.
I don't normally write about cheating as it's just not something I particularly feel comfortable with, but I really wanted to write something with these two in this situation, so I hope that this came out well.
The character of Amy Holland is from all of my Spooks fics with Lucas.
It had happened again.
Amy woke to see Raymond lying next to her, facing her, but with his eyes closed, still asleep.
She remembered when he had come, over her, dominating her. He whispered that he loved her, and then that whisper turned into a loud groan. Everything was caught up then in that moment as he let his climax wash over him. Even as he lay beside her afterwards, he nuzzled her neck and then kissed down her chest, exhaling loudly, savouring that little time he had with her.
Amy got out of bed and wandered into her kitchen, flicking on the kettle. On the way and she had pulled out an old pair of pyjamas from her laundry pile, and put them on quickly.
Shame racked her again. It felt like poison seeping through her veins into every single crevice of her body, gnawing and whispering, reminding her of how much of a bitch she was. Getting caught up in the moment seemed to be becoming quite the recurrent theme for Amy.
At the dining room table and Amy sat with her first cup of tea of the day and sobbed. The right thing, of course, would have been to tell Lucas. By playing this game, she was making him a fool. She was letting Raymond continue being the cruel bastard he had always been, not only hurting his cousin, but also her. However, Amy know that the sole blame didn't lie with Raymond; he was correct when had said he'd not forced her to sleep with him. All of that had been her own personal, yet stupid, choice.
"That's twice. I'd say you're getting quite attached to me now," Raymond's amused voice came.
Amy looked up, her eyes red and sore.
"Don't tell me that you're feeling guilty all of a sudden?" Raymond scoffed. He sat down opposite Amy, with a smirk on his face.
"Stop being fucking cruel," Amy hissed.
"I never forced you to sleep with me," Raymond replied, leaning in. He said it again, highlighting just how disgusting she was also being. No force on his part, so that meant she wanted it all. Everything he had done to her in the bedroom and she'd wanted it.
"Some way to show a person you love them. You're just possessive, admit it. You don't love me. If you loved me, there's no way you'd come out with half of these hateful comments."
"I'm being the realist here, Amy. There's something between us. There always has been since we first met, and you're too full of guilt to see that. I satisfy you, physically."
Tears carried on falling down Amy's cheeks as she realised that all the words he was speaking were true. There was a force between her and Raymond; it was powerful, immovable. He had a dark edge to him that attracted her, beckoning out her own repressed dark side.
Raymond got up and walked behind Amy, like a predator circling prey. He reached out, his hands drifting down her arms. His fingertips ever so gently brushed her forearms. He positioned his head at her neck, his breath wafting against her.
"Stop it," she whispered.
"You feel it?" Raymond asked. He closed his eyes and drew in her scent. "You feel that between us?"
"Please, stop it," Amy begged.
"I'm not doing anything. I'm recognising what's there."
Amy's self control snapped and she whipped her head around, catching his lips against his. Their kiss was hard, possessive.
Raymond shoved Amy against the table, his lips still locked against hers. He picked her up, positioning her on the table and dragged her pyjama bottoms down.
Everything was happening so fast. Amy didn't have time to breathe. Raymond was on top of her, his breath all over her. Then she felt him force her legs apart and position the tip of his erection next to her.
Raymond let the lust take control and he began moving, pushing himself completely inside her. He stopped for a second, holding her body on the table. Then he withdrew, almost completely, but not quite. Then he slammed into her.
Amy cried out in both shock and pleasure. While pinned to the table, she felt nothing but wave upon wave of intense heat mounting in the very base of her gut. Every time Raymond slammed back into her and the wave got higher.
With each thrust, there was the slapping of skin. Groans filled the kitchen, along with pants and exhales.
Raymond continued slamming into her, over and over, grunting as he did.
Finally, Amy came. White light burst before her eyes, shockwaves racked through her and she shook from her very core. She called out his name as the climax took her upward, soaring on the height of pleasure.
Then it was Raymond's turn. He moaned against her neck, pushing in hard one last time where he stayed, letting that last wave wash over him like a tsunami. He gripped her tight, allowing every last drop of his seed to fill her.
"I love you," he whispered. "Don't lie and tell me you didn't feel something there." He was panting now, and for a second, remained still on top of her.
Amy knew full well that there was something between them both. On instinct, without consciously realising, she kissed his head.
Raymond smiled to himself, trying to recollect the last time a woman had held him after sex like this. Never. It was because he had never allowed himself to be held. There had never been a woman that he felt any deep connection with, in such a manner as this. Amy was all he thought about. She consumed him.
A few seconds later and they both parted. Amy dashed to the toilet and sat on it for a few minutes, staring at the wall. What was she doing? Just to ease an itch and find some physical gratification, she was risking her whole relationship with Lucas, who had been her support and happiness the last six months. She was risking that for a selfish bastard who never saw beyond his own wants and greed.
Raymond maintained that he loved her; he'd told her at least three times now since the evening previous. But how could he love her and continue to treat her and Lucas in the way he was?
Should she come clean to Lucas and explain just how devious his cousin really was? Surely it'd mean losing him. The first time that Amy had slept with Raymond, letting the tide of lust wash her away, and she was certain she had lost Lucas.
Once Amy had emerged from the toilet and gone back to the kitchen, she remained in the doorway. She watched Raymond from behind as he prepared two fresh mugs of tea. Just another kind gesture to benefit him. Amy doubted that any of Raymond's kinder gestures were ever purely altruism. There was always a reason he did the things he did. A pay off was waiting at the end.
Amy disappeared back out of the kitchen and walked into her bedroom, grabbing her phone from the bedside table.
Good morning, angel. Hope you got home safe. I love you.
Her whole body turned into a deadweight and the phone slipped from Amy's grasp. How could she do this to him?
"Lucas texting you?" Raymond asked, coming into the room with two mugs of tea.
Amy sniffed away tears. "Maybe." Then she spun around on the bed and glared at Raymond. "You're really fucking enjoying this, aren't you?"
"I'm enjoying this no more than you are," Raymond replied. There was a cold edge to his tone. Amy had expected him to blow up at those words, but instead he had remained calm.
"We need to stop this."
"I told you. You tell him or I will."
"Do you really expect me to fall into your arms after the way you're treating me?"
"I get what I want, Aim. And right now there's only Lucas standing in my way."
"I'm sure I get a say in this as well," Amy growled.
Raymond merely smirked and looked down at Amy who was sitting on the bed before him. He towered over her and reached his hand to her cheek and cupped it. As always, he felt that shiver beneath his touch and watched her close her eyes. "Your reactions, Aim. You don't see yourself."
Amy bolted to her feet, shoving him away. "Leave, Raymond. I'll tell Lucas, and I'll also tell him how much of a backstabbing, devious bastard you are."
"There were two of us in bed last night, two of us on that table this morning. Admit to him what you've done and the fact you can't keep your hands off me," Raymond scathed.
***
Follow Forever tag list: @i-did-not-mean-to @lathalea @linasofia @middleearthpixie @guardianofrivendell @meganlpie @knitastically @asgardianhobbit98 @spidergirla5 @luna-xial @sunflwrnsunnieshine
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#Richard Armitage#Lucas North#Spooks#MI-5#Raymond de Merville#Pilgrimage (2017)#Modern AU#Lucas North x OC#Raymond de Merville x OC#Love triangle#Cheating#Angst#Fanfiction#Crossover
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USHER FT. SUMMER WALKER AND 21 SAVAGE, "GOOD GOOD"
youtube
Song title *handshake emoji* score...
[6.64]
TA Inskeep: I love the lyrical conceit of this. It's a bit off-brand for Usher, who even admits in the first verse, "Usually my exes turn to enemies" -- and who's recorded more songs about their exes? But this is so positive, across Usher's, Walker's, and 21's verses; it's also quite buoyant for a defiantly midtempo record (that bass thump is doing a lot of work). Walker sounds great alongside one of the great R&B artists and singers of the past 30 years. Even 21, whom I usually scorn, fits right in here. Genuinely superb R&B.
[9]
Dave Moore: A solid breakup jam, albeit a little Madame Tussauds -- but I would pay to see Usher's likeness there and maybe, if the guards aren't looking, touch his abs. Diminishing returns for collaborators, though; I wish 21 Savage would just start licensing his name for songs without feeling obligated to rap on them.
[6]
Jeffrey Brister: Love changes as you grow older, and sometimes saying what you feel can be a little goofy. But being vulnerable and honest and direct can transform corniness to earnestness. The lyrics are silly but affecting, mature and heartfelt. There’s history behind them, lessons learned from pain. And it’s also got a pitch perfect sex-jam production, which is the kind of delightful irony that I can get behind.
[8]
Alfred Soto: Usher's best album since 2004 has stronger jams, the mid-tempo ones especially. His forked tongue of a falsetto flicks at this by-the-numbers breakup jam. Summer Walker's fine. 21 Savage offers to help her pay for a salon. That's generosity, folks.
[7]
Daniel Montesinos-Donaghy: The key figure behind this sweet mid-tempo jam is Nija Charles, a Grammy-nominated songwriter that’s also behind some other songs you may know. On her Youtube account, there’s a video from summer 2022 showing her working through the creative process in a studio. At one point, the video mutes and the subtitle "NIJA FINALIZING AN USHER RECORD" pops up; with no other credits on Usher’s latest LP, let’s assume "Good Good" was being developed at this point. Moments later, a snippet plays with Charles’ voice: “kissing the past goodbye […] / we can’t be friends.” (Internet sleuths believe this song will be on Ariana Grande’s upcoming album.) "Good Good" is a warm handshake that sounds genuinely sincere coming from Usher and Summer Walker (21, not so much), but it’s also interesting in the wider context of Charles’ career, exploring both sides of an emotional situation. Sometimes you stay friends, and sometimes you just don’t.
[7]
Nortey Dowuona: LA Reid started as a drummer for Pure Essence, then a drummer for The Deele, which led him to form a label with Kenneth Edmonds called LaFace co-funded by Clive Davis. And then he signed 14 year old Usher Raymond IV, held onto him after he lost his voice, then sent him to Diddy. After the mixed success of Usher's self-titled debut, co-executive produced by Diddy, Reid relaunched Usher's career with My Way, his partner Kenneth an executive producer. I'm saying this to say, there's a reason I am rating this pretty solid 8 song a 0, I hope you look up Antonio Reid and Drew Dixon and I will say no more on the matter.
[0]
Aaron Bergstrom: Producers Mel & Mus stretch out a pleasantly nuanced tightrope of simultaneous attraction, heartbreak, and nostalgia, and one at a time Usher, Walker, and Savage step out onto it. Usher can't make it through the first two lines of the hook without equivocating, and even though you probably ain't getting back together, he's going to leave the door open a crack. (Come on, remember how much your parents love him? What, are you just going to start from scratch with some new guy?) Walker wants that door shut but she wants you to shut it, and honestly the sooner you find someone new and move on, the better. (Now, has she found someone new? That's none of your business.) Savage is taking big swings all over the place, and while they don't all hit (I've never paid for a woman's plastic surgery before, but I'm pretty sure you're supposed to keep that to yourself) you have to give him credit for exploring new dimensions of partnership (If you can't go halves on a baby, why not go halves on a salon?). Honestly, I'm rooting for all three of them.
[7]
Oliver Maier: One of those collaborations where the whirr of corporate gears seems almost to drown out whatever nice things might be happening underneath. As far as I can make out: Usher is Ushering pleasantly, Summer Walker is SZAing adequately, 21 Savage is... starting to feel something like this decade's Big Sean? I really want to do a qualitative adjective (qualitative adjective) line here but that's obviously going to be the subheader joke and everyone else is probably going to do one too.
[5]
Katherine St. Asaph: Usher's Dorian Gray painting must be found and studied.
[7]
Brad Shoup: I had to do a triple-take at the end of Walker's verse -- I thought she was singing "lovers & friends." That's the power of Confessions, I guess: twenty years later, a slow-jam single that I thought was a sly inversion of "Yeah!" still has legs.
[7]
Will Adams: Usher in confessional mode still works; "Good Good" captures the bittersweetness of quashing feelings for an ex in favor of taking the high road and being okay with that. It's not until 21's verse where the "haha just kidding... unless?" subtext surfaces, but the placement following Usher's and Summer's verses serves as that dormant yearning that adds an additional dimension.
[7]
Jacob Sujin Kuppermann: A total masterpiece of guys lying to you -- perhaps the finest example of the form since “Suspicious Minds.” When Usher says he’ll be happy when you find another? A lie. When Summer Walker says she doesn’t do drama? A misdirection. When 21 Savage promises to fund your small business? A total fabrication.
[8]
Ian Mathers: This is easily the most I've ever related to Usher. I told my ex that last sentence would probably be most of my blurb and she agreed I should go with that.
[9]
Isabel Cole: I have in fact long believed that there should be more songs about being on decent terms with an ex.
[6]
[Read, comment and vote on The Singles Jukebox]
#usher#summer walker#21 savage#music#r&b#music writing#music reviews#music criticism#the singles jukebox#Youtube
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youtube
I watched 25 movies in 2023 – down from 30 last year. Here they are, ranked in order.
Cherry
Fantastic story, well told. It covered a lot of ground in a short time and made me believe everything. Despite the bad decision, I never stopped pulling for him. Tom Holland crushed it.
2. Tetris
I love these stories that pull the curtain back on pop culture phenomena. An enthralling sprint from start to finish.
3. I, Tonya
Nice job of showing the other side of the story. I felt some empathy for “the monster.” Also, I wasn’t expecting to laugh, but I laughed multiple times.
4. Dune (2021)
It’s always impressive when someone creates a new world that seems to add up. The story is set, now show me the sequel.
5. White Noise
Intellectual and quirky, but ridiculous, in a good way. But it also feels a little too unhinged. Adam Driver crushes it.
6. The Beanie Bubble
Zach Galifinakis’s best performance? Enough of a true story to give me the satisfaction of learning something while also pointing to the ridiculous nature of American capitalism in the 1990s.
7. On the Rocks
Bill Murray and his character carry it.
8. Barbie
Stylistically, really fun. Concept, fantastic. Kate McKinnon and Michael Cera’s characters are the best part of the movie. It was also nice to see so many actors from Sex Education. Of course, Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling were fantastic as well. Overall, the was good, but it certainly didn’t measure up to the hype (and how could it). My only real complaint comes with when they have all been enlightened and they name all of the problems with society, which is a little too on the nose for me. We got it without being told.
9. Narvik
I’ve been into Dutch things lately, and I always like a new perspective on World War II, but I wouldn’t say this one is a can’t-miss.
10. Seven Kings Must Die
SPOILER ALERT: I feel like I couldn't get into the movie because legitimately the only person I was pulling for at the end was Uhtred. King Athelstan was a dumbass who deserved to die. All the kings who got duped into allying with the evil Dane guy made the move I would have made. Moral of the story: War is terrible. But that final shot of the Great Hall was awesome.
11. Parasite
Kind of funny. A little too far-fetched.
12. This is Where I Leave You
Weak story, great actors.
13. Air
I know why they did it, but it was a mistake to make a movie about Air Jordans without Michael Jordan.
14. Blood & Gold
I couldn’t buy that what happened in that small town didn’t alert larger authorities. In that way, it was a lot like Three Kings, but less humorous.
15. Those People
I am writing this review months after I watched the movie and even after watching the trailer, I have no recollection of ever seeing this movie, but in my notes I gave it three stars, so I’m putting it at the end of my three-star movies for the year.
16. Everything Everywhere All at Once
Loved the first half-ish, and the acting was great, but – as is with most action mind-benders – when anything can happen because the filmmakers aren’t bound by the rules of reality, it felt completely out of control by the end.
17. The Covenant
Movies that pretend like you can move about freely in war are out of touch with reality. But I do love a battle-buddy flick.
18. Raymond & Ray
A little absurd, but Ethan Hawke and Ewan McGregor are always likable.
19. To Leslie
Predictable addiction story. Bad Southern accents.
20. Midsommar
A horror film, but replace the dark aesthetic with light. Immature characters who ignore all the red flags.
21. The Wonder
SPOILER ALERT: Eerie and intriguing, but my investment diminished once the jig was up. I don’t buy that a devout little girl like that would just walk away.
22. Greyhound
SPOILER ALERT: Decent action sequences at sea, but not enough background for any of it to really mean anything. Elizabeth Shue needed to come back, for sure. Otherwise, why have her play the role?
23. Dead for a Dollar
I’m a Christoph Waltz fan, but this one was full of melodrama.
24. The Incident (1967)
None of the characters do what they should and there was no payoff. I did enjoy seeing those actors in the early stages of their career, though.
25. The Menu
I want to know how Ralph Fiennes, Anya Taylor-Joy, Nicholas Hoult, and John Leguizamo got trapped in this stupid-ass movie.
See previous years’ lists here: 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017.
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Spike tv on hulu
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The “Standard” plan for 1080p HD streaming is $13.99. Excellent histories of television institutions include Anderson 1994. Older Apple TV models still feature the classic Hulu app. Their “Basic” plan costs $8.99 a month and only provides SD streaming. David Byrne and Spike Lee offer a first-hand look at their collaborative friendship and how they came together to. ( Disney owns all three services.)Įven with the price increase, Hulu is still less expensive that even the cheapest Netflix subscription. So will the price of the bundle that gives you Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ all together, at least for now. Skateboarder Rick McCrank explores abandoned places with the people who love them long after the lights have gone out. With Rick McCrank, Leon Parsons, Raymond Wrightsman, Bryan Beard. And that’s exactly what you came here for.The price of Hulu’s Live TV option will remain the same. Adlon quietly created one of TV’s most sublime, must-watch comedies about motherhood, aging, and evolving familial bonds. Abandoned: Created by Alex Craig, Jason Ford, David Galloway. When an assassin arrives and tries to take Chase out, the old operative learns that to ensure his. We’d say “choose wisely,” but each of these movies has their own distinct voice and takeaway from epic biopics, to war movies, to romantic comedies, to documentaries, to stand-up specials, each entry on this list is distinctly in the voice of one Spike Lee. THE HOME OF STREAMING BASEBALL Stream out-of-market MLB games live or on demand on your favorite supported devices. 1 Season Dan Chase absconded from the CIA decades ago and has been living off the grid since. (We chose to stick to Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and HBO GO/HBO Max for this list.) Below, you’ll find your options. Luckily, he’s got 19 movies, documentaries, and series that you can stream right now across the most popular streaming platforms. (It’s received universal acclaim as one of the best of his storied career.) At the same time, it's always a good idea to freshen up on the work of the legendary director from Fort Greene, Brooklyn. Lee’s latest, Da 5 Bloods, is part war epic, part adventure flick, and all fantastic. Whether it’s romantic comedy ( She’s Gotta Have It), thriller ( Inside Man), biopic ( Malcolm X), or documentary ( The Original Kings of Comedy), there’s little that Lee can’t do. And Lee brings his unique voice and special talents to just about any genre. Lee’s voice frequently speaks to the plights and grievances of the Black community not only in his native neighborhood of New York City and Brooklyn, but to an entire nation. There aren’t many directors out there better suited to speak to this specific moment than Spike Lee. From there, Lee has only built his legend, spending the next 34 years making movies, shows, and documentaries-or, as he famously calls them, “Spike Lee Joints,” that are not only expertly made, but uniquely and unapologetically Spike. "I'll be calling you soon about becoming financially involved in helping us complete it."īy the time the film was actually complete, his budget maxed out a sparse $175,000-and the film ended up making $7.1 million at the box office. “I'm Spike Lee and I hope that you liked the film," he told the crowd. So he had an idea-he showed a rough cut of the movie at NYU, and when the movie ended, he took the mic. Candy Montgomery is a 1980 housewife and mother who did everything rightgood husband, two kids, nice house, even the careful planning and execution of transgressionsbut when the pressure of conformity builds within her, her actions scream for just a bit of freedom. Even then, he didn’t have enough money to get through the movie’s post-production period. Spike Lee shot his first feature film, 1986’s She’s Gotta Have It, over a 12-day period on a scraped-together budget from things like State and City grants, with favors from his family, and deferred payments for his actors.
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The Truth About Replica Watches
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hey guys just found out flick animal crossing isnt a lesbian either and have decided to take some time off to process this thanks for your patience xx
#first raymond now flick#this game has taken EVERYTHING FROM ME#god i cant believe i got played by the same thing TWICE#acnh#animal crossing new horizons#raymond#flick#GOD IM SO#god#anyways#connie rambles
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Ray ✈️ 💰 📚
Thanks for your request for my Emoji Fic Fest! 💗
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Flying Fuck
Pairing: Raymond Smith x F!Reader
Warnings: smut, swearing, rough punishing quickie in an airplane bathroom
Word Count: ~1.3k
Emoji Prompt: ✈️💰📚 (key words are in bold)
For what feels like the thousandth time during this car ride, seated in the passenger side, your painfully OCD boyfriend adjusts his glasses on the bridge of his nose as he anxiously fidgets. “We could just slow down a little bit.”
Rather than letting up the gas you fucking hit it. “Oh and miss our flight? End up stranded at Heathrow all damn night? Don’t be an idiot.”
“We’ll book another if we miss it. Love, you’re way over the speed limit.”
You really couldn’t give less of a shit. “And what of it? You think I can’t afford a speeding ticket?”
Ray winces as you whiz right past the traffic light ahead, moments before it flashes red. He’s let you drive his precious car for once and this is how he gets fucking rewarded. “Just because you can afford it, doesn’t mean you should speed toward it. Had I known you’d be so reckless I’d have insisted on driving us instead.”
“Well I’d be driving at a reasonable rate, if we weren’t running so damn late. If you’d not spent ten hours packing all our luggage full of useless books that you’ve already read.”
Glancing up from the volume he’s currently reading, Raymond frowns in disapproval of your insult and your speeding. “Look, I’ve told you that these valuable books contain—”
“You’re just a nerd Raymond, I know that and you don’t have to explain. A softcore gangster with a strange college professor complex going on or something.” Hit the brakes as you approach a railroad crossing. Tap your fingers on the steering wheel while scowling in impatience at the slowly passing train.
Ray seems more than a little miffed at the ‘softcore’ shit so he suddenly goes harder on your ass. “Now once this train has passed, you need to calm your fucking tits and for the love of God just stop driving so fast. I’m serious Y/N. I won’t say it again.”
“Don’t be a drag.” You roll your eyes at him as the train crawls at a toad’s pace across the tracks and fucking lags. “If I cause damage to your precious car I’m sure you can afford all the repairs required, or even a replacement if your little heart desires, Mr. Moneybags.”
“You think I’d give a damn about the car if you go off and get yourself killed crashing straight into a truck? You think I’d give a flying fuck?”
“I’m in the driver’s seat so calm your fucking tits Ray,” you imperiously say.
To let off all the steam from this quarrel—and more importantly to punish you for being such a bad girl—Raymond plans to give you one hell of a hardcore flying fuck later today.
***************
Of course you make your flight on time all thanks to your fast driving skills. Of course Ray doesn’t give you credit where it’s due and you don’t think he ever will. Just stony silence as he struts aboard and settles his fine ass into his first class seat with absolutely zero gratitude. So fucking rude.
Once the plane reaches cruising altitude… the fasten seatbelt sign flicks off and that’s his cue to punish you for your insufferable attitude.
With one quick gesture of his finger and that nasty little glimmer in his eyes of blue, you know exactly what your man wants you to do. There’s an unspoken code between you two. Especially when it comes to the critical business of getting screwed.
Needless to say you’d fucking love for Ray to pound you in the bathroom but you shrug it off like you’re not in the mood. Stay seated on your stubborn ass. “I’ll pass. I think I’d rather sit and wait till we get served some shitty plane food.”
But then… his dominant hand reaches in your lap all of a sudden. And unbuckles your belt for you since you won’t do it yourself. You could’ve tried a little harder to prevent that but you didn’t ‘cause deep down you’re just a desperate little bitch for him and really can’t be helped.
Ten seconds later you’re there waiting in the bathroom stall—another thirty seconds later Ray raps thrice against the door which you then open so that he can slam you up against the wall—so hard and fast your breath escapes you in a slutty little yelp.
He locks the door behind him quickly. Repositions you with your face pressed into the mirror up above the sink. The fucking hasn’t started yet already you feel so utterly filthy. Feel the thick throb of his cock grazing the bare cheeks of your ass under your short skirt before you can even blink.
Ray is the master of efficiency. The king of hardcore quickies. Though he loves to take his time with you when circumstance allows… he also knows exactly how to meet a limit: how to use his words and deeds to get you instantly aroused. Hit climax in less than a minute.
You forgot this was a punishment however—that means you don’t get the privilege to reach that peak of pleasure.
Ray makes sure that you remember.
“Next time you decide to be a little brat like that and fucking disobey…” he grunts—palm striking down upon your ass with a sharp smack—his other hand pulling your hair back—as he snarls into your ear all dark and dominant, slamming his cock into the tight slick of your cunt, “…you can be sure there will be fucking hell to pay.”
You’re such a whore for every savage thing he does and every word he has to say.
“Just like today,” he goes on, knowing you can take it, stripping your dignity naked, though the mirror shows you’ve still got all your clothes on. “Since you misbehaved that way… this naughty little cunt of yours won’t get to cum undone, till I’ve given permission.”
God, it’s torture, when your man sets such conditions. Does it often, knowing that’s what you get off on. Taking orders. Yielding to him in submission. It’s your God-given position.
“Are you going to be a good little bitch and fucking listen?”
He reaches his right hand around and hooks two of his fingers firmly in your jaw—so you can suck them as you nod and moan a breathless yes, your whole body a desperate trembling mess—the image in the mirror is the filthiest picture you ever saw.
There’s just something about such rough punishing sex here in the bathroom of a plane… this flying fuck is straight up driving you insane.
Typically Ray builds to your orgasm in seamless sync with his. But that’s not what this fucking is. Today he drops his load inside you hot and quick, and then pulls out his massive dick, pushing you down onto your knees to clean him off with one long lick.
Just one—though you want so much more—he’s done—he doesn’t let you touch yourself and cum where you kneel on the bathroom floor. That isn’t what today is for.
Maybe he’ll fuck you in the airport when you reach your destination but not one moment before. Of that you’re sure.
Till then you’ll have to ride the flight out with a flood of his thick creamy cum dumped in this dripping cunt of yours. Of fucking course. He knows you have needs and desires that are setting you on fire and he’s going to deliberately ignore.
When you were pushing all his buttons earlier, you should’ve known this punishment would be in store…
Maybe you did. Because you’re that much of a glutton for this shit. With Raymond Smith you’ll always be eager to get pounded and punished like a naughty little whore.
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Emoji Fic Masterlist
Emoji Fic Tag List – below; if you’d like to be added or removed, just let me know!
@happyhunnams @band--psycho @est11 @edonaspanca @starbooty @innerpaperexpertcloud @i-love-scott-mccall @six-camelot @alexa-rae-dreamz @coffeebooksandfandom @thesuicidalflower @flaireandsynch @helloheyhihowdyheya @gemini0410 @waywardodysseys @zozebo @bettergetusetoit @emilykjh @little-diable @rocketqueen @mrspeacem1nusone @miss-smutty @rayslittlekitten @abby-splace @chubbychubbs28 @miraclesoflove @tegggeeee @hunnambabe @missusnora @kesskirata @vixenrebellion @thexhostess @pomegranatearildreams @kandii395 @severewobblerlightdragon @itspdameronthings @niki-xie @cind-in-real-life @saweetspoiled @poge-life @few-proud-emotonal @samanthaisnthome @melodranas @soaharleys @charlie-hunnams-old-lady @simpmasterjr @nataliewalker93 @lovebarefootblonde @marvelousmermaid @tsukuyomi011 @sciapod @midnight-dreams-23
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may i ask you to elaborate on tua season 2?
hell yeah dude
for an easy answer @deer-time's tua salt tag is a really good starting place (though they've moved most tua-related stuff to their sideblog @salty-coffee)
but if you don't want to go through that basically, in no particular order:
it felt they were just shoving in scenes for the music and the soundtrack just wasn't as memorable as season one
the time skip ensured that we missed out on most of their development. i have a lot of beef with the time skip
i cannot stress enough how much the handler should've died in season one lol
WHY WOULD NONE OF THEM KNOW WHERE KLAUS WAS HE WAS LITERALLY A CULT LEADER
luther, at the very least, should've seen vanya's ads in the newspaper. diego allison and klaus i can understand because one was in an asylum (i have my beef with that don't worry lol), the other wouldn't read white newspapers, and the third was traveling
vanya's amnesia plot felt like it was just there to smooth her over? she got no meaningful interactions with the siblings because she didn't know them and the conflict they set up at the end of season one ('we need to fix her') never went anywhere. we love wlw representation but was vanya really ready for romance after all the shit that went down? she needs time to process and grow not forget everything and latch onto the first woman that takes her in. we got no exploration of her trauma. also why can she just automatically control her powers now? no trauma recovery narrative for vanya i guess. she spends the entire season as essentially a side character with no real agency in the plot? also where did the new powers come from hello
speaking of the romance literally none of it was executed well. why did raymond assume his WIFE was a government plant before at least hearing her out? vissy was written so shallowly it's not even funny. liego happened way too quickly and diego forgot about eudora too fast. klave was okay i guess lol idc abt them
why did diego and lila face no racism? why were they in an integrated asylum in the south? why did they actually show diego being helped genuinely instead of them just making his situation worse? i don't think therapy was that genuinely developed. diego felt like a completely different character
why would luther, known goody-two-shoes, work for the mob? also why would he not ask jack ruby to look up his siblings' names for him before? he went back to the alley so he at least had the thought that they landed in the same spot at different times right. also he was way too dumbed down and made into comic relief for the benefit of the luther haters
klaus was literally made irrelevant? he had nothing to do, his relapse was treated as a JOKE, his addiction wasn't explored, and he was basically just comic relief like luther
allison's plotline felt it was just there to get her out of the way, she totally forgot about claire, her trauma was ignored for the second season in a row, etc. she wasn't even mad at vanya like this woman slit your throat and incinerated your daughter i don't CARE that you treated her badly i think that's a pretty good basis for some friction? (screw the amnesia plot obviously)
five and ben were left pretty intact specifically because ben's personality isn't there and five didn't get a time skip
why did they forget that drugs suppress powers when vanya was with the fbi
very sexy of tua to introduce the concept of an evil corporation that's essentially the root of all their problems in season one and then redeem it but just giving it new management? and have five of all people look into the faces of herb and DOT, WHO LEFT HIM IN THE APOCALYPSE AND DIDN'T PUSH FOR HIM TO GET EXTRACTED, and say 'yeah guys totally! :)'
also he should've eaten carmichael i don't make the rules
NONE OF THE SIBLING BONDING FELT REAL BECAUSE WE DIDN'T GET TO SEE THEIR DEVELOPMENT. NOTHING VANYA DID FELT REAL BECAUSE OF THE AMNESIA
the swedes were legitimately not necessary. screw the swedes all my homies hate the swedes. why did they stay all the way until the finale
where did the five+allison jfk plot go that was so good
why did lila automatically know how to control their powers
elliott wasn't necessary either they should've just made their home base hazel and agnes's house with no unnecessary fridging please. that's where they could've gotten a briefcase too
the atmosphere felt completely different? season one was dark and slow and had the vibes of a gothic horror, almost? it was watching a train wreck in action, seeing all these plot threads inevitably combine for one hell of a finale. there was nothing like that in season two. aside from the obvious atmosphere change, it didn't feel like there was any direction to where the story was going? the only two highlights of the finale i care about are diego deflecting the bullets and five rewinding time. that's IT. and compared to season one's finale, it's utterly disappointing
idk it just felt like a popcorn flick/marvel movie and those are fine! those have their place! but the entire draw of tua was the darker themes and focus on childhood trauma/abuse, and they just completely failed to follow up. those have their place, and it was not here
all in all the writing just felt weaker
there's more in the 'tua salt' and 'tua s2 salt' tags
anyway tua is a ten-episode-long miniseries
#tua#tua salt#tua s2 salt#luther hargreeves#diego hargreeves#allison hargreeves#klaus hargreeves#five hargreeves#number five#ben hargreeves#vanya hargreeves#sissy cooper#raymond chestnut#lila pitts#hazel#agnes#the handler#the swedes
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The Ties that Bind 24 of ???
This was supposed to be about peace talks.
That’s what I kept reminding myself as we made our way into the grounds surrounding the Keep. The gates were wide open – not that they could be seen through the throngs of people – as if this were any other day. Wagons were delayed in their usual comings and not goings not because of the sound of war horns, but to allow the Arami of the serpiente and his escort to pass.
A feat that had not seen its like in over a thousand years.
Either lack of sleep or press of people made the world seem hazy around the edges, that strange double-step that I’d felt so many times before this past week. At the ruins, confronting my mother at the farmhouse – perhaps exhaustion was starting to take its toll. Our kind did not fall ill as easily as our human neighbors, but it wasn’t unheard of. And I had been pushing, pushing, pushing, promising myself I would rest as soon as I solved this latest crisis. Like weeds, two more seemed to always be ready to crop up in its place.
I jumped as Zane jostled me, pressed close in the middle of a knot of soldiers- first scaled, then feathered, moving in concentric rings to keep both sides safe from each other.
“Sorry,” he murmured, too low for anyone but me to hear. His fingers brushed mine, and I took them. We both needed the steadying touch.
Had we been in the open, such a move would have been considered the height of impropriety. In the chaos of so much movement, it seemed only prudent. We’d just keep stepping on each other without some way to be aware of each other’s bodies.
Where that thought should have brought heat, instead it brought epiphany. The normally graceful man, who moved with the effortless fluidity of his animal counterpart, had bumped into me. Not once had I seen a serpiente touch where they hadn’t meant to. They often touched, but it was always deliberate.
“You’re off balance, aren’t you?”
I felt Zane’s hand tense in mine, and I squeezed it back in what I hoped was reassurance. His ability to sense emotions would have been handy right about now.
Or perhaps that was the problem.
“It’s like there’s no one there.”
His voice sounded haunted, empty. Spooked even. I tried to see the crowds in a new light, in contrast to the serpiente directly around us.
Last night, the mixed crowd had moved freely, keeping itself straited mostly by activity rather than any deliberate choice. The avians had mostly watched from the sidelines; the serpents had danced in the middle. Now, the double rings of people felt forced, tense, like an archer’s string thrumming with readiness. This could go very, very wrong, very very quickly.
I flicked my free hand in the sign to call my guard, and Raymond stepped up to my side.
“Shardae?”
“Sing, Raymond. It worked so well last night, perhaps…”
I trailed off, not knowing how else to frame it. But my clever raven understood, and took to the skies at once. To sing while on duty would be unseemly; to incite a song among those working to erect a staircase into the Keep would be exactly what this springtrap needed to ease it back down into the everyday comings and goings of the market.
I hoped.
I heard the chords of voices raised over hammer and timber, the makeshift scaffolding springing up overnight after our declaration. No one step foot into the Keep if they could not fly there themselves.
Or were clever and bold enough to ask to be carried.
“I’m very glad to see we won’t have to borrow a lift up.”
Zane’s teasing comment sounded more of his usual self—or rather, of his usual arrogant façade. I didn’t begrudge him his mask; I too was in need of mine. I let go of his hand as the crowds started to part around us.
“Arami Zane Cobriana.”
My voice rang out, and the songs and murmurs of the people around us died down.
“Welcome to Hawks’ Keep.”
The Ties That Bind Tag list: @thehellinsideyourhead @therecouldbecolorsandlove @adventuresofacreesty @writing-with-melon @rainydaydarling @faithfire
Raev’s Gen Tag List (should I tag you guys in this? It IS a thing I wrote. I’m gonna say yes unless you guys are like “no of course not we’re sick of hearing about your stupid fic for a twenty year old book XD)No one has complained yet so yall gonna keep getting tagged :PList is currently: @lordkingsmith @writinglyra @drbibliophile @mperialscribe @adie-dee @lexiklecksi @theramwrites @writinginslowmotion @raenawrites @apollon-arium @anika-writes @faithfire @thehellinsideyourhead @adventuresofacreesty
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Playing animal crossing with Stan Uris
Note: im not that far into the game yet so im sorry if i leave some stuff out
Obviously modern au
First things first
Thats one of the only games he has on his switch
He got it for his birthday (happy late birthday to both of my sons)
Earlier that day you gave him a case for it
Hes a lil dumb sometimes so he didnt catch on until his parents gave him the switch
You already had the game for a week so you had gotten all of the tools and some new villagers
Giving him a shit ton of bells
“Stan you're my sugar baby now!”
“No im just poor and i dont know how to make money”
Playing everyday so that he can get on your level
Both of you guys have cute ass villagers
Buying amiibos of your favorite characters
Going on cute dates to the museum
Going to said museum and playing tag around the different exhibits
Living off of pizza rolls, chicken nuggets (dinosaur chicken nuggets) and mac and cheese
Aka not leaving your room(s) for a long time
Buying each other things from able sisters
Sending each other funny cards
“Dear Y/n, thank u for the coochie that shit was scrumptious warm regards, Stan”
“Dear Stan, ur a little bitch xoxo, Y/n”
Time traveling so that your villagers move in faster
Him always getting scammed from Redd
“THATS THE 2ND TIME HES SCAMMED ME HES DYING TONIGHT!”
Watching animal crossing tik tok compilations while playing animal crossing
Trading villagers you guys dont like with each other
“Please stan give me raymond”
“Ha no bitch get your own raymond”
“PLEASE”
Cuddling while playing
Bruh u can tell i love to cuddle
Anyway
His island looks better than your island and hes only had the game for a week
When you guys have sleepovers thats the only thing you play
Playing with Richie and Bill
Richie only sending thirsty postcards
“Dear Y/n, me when i see u” *sends you hardwood*
Both of you guys loving the bug off (and flick)
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The Beard of Pleasure
A/N: I was feeling some Ray love and some beard love so here's a pure smut with Ray's beard in focus. Enjoy! <3
TW: SMUT
You’re not sure how you ended up in this position, but you’re sure it involved a lot of flirting with Ray, teasing him, telling him how much you love that beard of his against your skin, especially when he’s going down on you. You were sitting in an armchair, Ray on the couch, working on something, and you were watching him. Watching his focused face as he was looking at some papers, how he adjusted his glasses from time to time, or how he ran his fingers and hand over his beard as he was thinking. You were watching him with your bottom lip between your teeth, drinking in his sight in front of you before you started speaking to him. It started off with you telling him how good he looks today, but honestly, he always looks good. You saw him shift a little bit from your compliment, so you kept on going, telling him dirtier things after a while. Ray totally lost it when you told him how much you love to feel his beard against your skin when he eats you out. This made him push his papers away and getting up to tower above you and lean close to you. You were still sitting in that big armchair, Ray put his hands on the arms of the chair, supporting his weight as he leaned closer to you, his face is so close to yours that you could feel his hot breath on your face. Then he suddenly kissed you hard, without a word, teeth clicking together and he slips his tongue into your mouth. You reach your hand and grab the collar of his shirt, keeping him close to you as you keep kissing him passionately, hard and hot, almost sloppily. When Ray breaks the kiss he kneels down in front of you, so now it’s you who’s towering above him.
“Take your pants off.” He tells you and you do as he says without a word. Ray takes your legs in his hands, taking your socks off slowly and he throws them away to somewhere, you really don’t care to where right now, you only can focus on Ray’s intense look on his face, his eyes are never leaving yours. He raises one of your legs and places a small kiss on your ankle, then to your another before he spreads them wide and puts them to the arms of the chair, telling you to keep them there, leaving you spread out for him. Then he started kissing his way up on your skin, his lips touched every inch of your legs as he was getting closer and closer to your core, and with every touch of his your breathing got heavier and your panty wetter. Ray places a hot kiss on your clothed folds and you let out a sweet moan, that moan what always drives Ray crazy. You see his eyes getting darker from the moan, then he slips a finger into your panty and rips it off of you and throwing it away.
“That was one of my favourites.” You say.
“I’ll buy you another one.” He breaths against your wet folds, his breath is cold against your heated skin. The position he put you in gives him a great access to your wetness, your legs are spread wide for him and he’s face to face with your core. He breaks the eye contact for the first time since he kneeled in front of you, his eyes now are locked on your soaked folds.
“You look so good like this, darling. All wet and spread out for me.” Ray murmurs and you feel yourself throb from his words.
“What was that you told me minutes ago?” He asks and licks his lips, a small smirk playing on his lips “Oh yes, you love when I’m going down on you.” He places a kiss on your inner thigh, beard tickling your skin, dangerously close to your core. “Feeling my beard against your soft skin.” Another kiss on your other inner thigh. “And let me tell you something, love.” His face now is millimetres away from your throbbing wetness. “I love going down on you. Smelling you.” You hear Ray take a deep breath “Tasting you.” Ray runs his tongue over your slit and you close your eyes with a moan “So delicious.” He whispers and you take a sharp breath.
“Raymond, please.” You whisper. Usually he loves teasing you, and you don’t mind, but this time he doesn’t tease you, his eyes are locked to yours again and he leans in, slipping his tongue into your folds, tasting your wetness.
“Oh god.” You moan and throw your head back as his velvet tongue is lapping your wetness. He licks you from your opening to the base of your clit, not touching the sensitive bud just yet, occasionally slipping his tongue into your hole, collecting your wetness on his tongue eagerly. When he finally touches your clit you completely fall apart, you feel like you’re melting as all the tension leaves your body. Ray circles your throbbing bud with his tongue then sucking it in his mouth. You let out a loud moan again, closing your eyes from the pleasure as Ray keeps licking and sucking every inch he can reach, his beard deliciously tickling your sensitive skin the whole time. Ray places a hand on your lower stomach, keeping you in your place and stopping you from moving, and as he holds you down his fingers spreading you more apart, gently pulling your hood to expose your clit even more, intensifying the pleasure even more. The same time his other hand is reaching for your soaked opening, fingers tracing your hole as he’s sucking your clit hard into his mouth he slips two fingers into you at the same time, immediately curling them, massaging your g-spot.
“Ray!” You yell his name as the intense pleasure spreads your whole body, your heart is racing so hard you’re afraid it will explode in your chest, every muscle in your body, every nerve is focusing on your core, the burning pleasure what Ray gives you.
“Please, please, please!!!” You beg,and Ray keeps pleasuring you, fingering, licking, and sucking you. You grab the soft material of the armchair, desperately wanting to hold onto something as your legs start to shake.
“Please, I’m gonna cum!” you beg again, asking Ray to not stop what he’s doing, and thank god he doesn’t, he keeps his fingers buried deep inside you, massaging your g-spot, his lips are fixed on your clit, sucking it hard, his tongue occasionally flicking over the tip, sending shock waves of pleasure over your whole body, and his beard, oh gosh, his beard is still scratching your skin just the way you like it. You moan Ray’s name loudly again as you cum hard, your whole body is shaking as you throb furiously against his mouth and fingers. Ray keeps his mouth on you and fingers in you even after you came, his tongue is no longer focused on your clit knowing it would be too intense, but on the soft skin of your sex, and his fingers are no longer curled, but they’re still deeply inside you, moving slowly as Ray allows you to ride your orgasm out. When your legs stopped shaking, but you still trying to catch your breath, Ray gets up from between your legs and you watch him as he’s taking his fingers into his mouth, sucking your wetness off his fingers, then he leans closer to you to kiss you on your mouth, his lips and tongue taste like you, and his beard smells like you. You moan into his mouth as you taste yourself, you slip a hand in his hair, keeping him close to you.
“Let me return the favour.” You whisper against his mouth, lips still touching. You don’t wait for his answer, you wobbly get up from the armchair to switch places with Ray, a small smile plays on his lips and his eyes are shining with excitement as you stand up and he sits down. You take his glasses off and put it on the table next to you, and you kiss him again, taking your hand to grab his clothed erection. Ray groans into your mouth and you break the kiss, you kneel down in front of him, unbuttoning his pants quickly and pulling it off with his boxer, freeing his rock hard erection. You lick your lips as you watch his throbbing member in front of you, his head is red and swollen, and it’s glistening with precum. You lean closer to him, licking your eyes with Ray’s before you collect that drop of precum with your tongue and smirk at Ray’s answering moan. You decided to not tease him, so you take the tip of his cock into your warm mouth and you run your tongue over it, earning another deep moan from Ray. You start sucking him, taking him deeper in your mouth and as you reach his tip every time you run your tongue over it, especially on the soft skin under his head what always makes Ray shudder. Ray was big and thick, so it took you awhile until you could take him in your mouth fully, this is not different now either as you slowly work your way down on his cock, taking him deeper and deeper as you suck and lick every inch of his skin. You look up at Ray, his head is thrown back, a relaxed expression on his face as you suck him. He still wears his shirt and vest, as you’re still wearing your shirt, but you’re completely naked down there. It’s a beautiful view, you think. You always loved seeing Raymond completely at your mercy, this and when he’s asleep are the times when he’s completely relaxed, his face is free from any worries as he enjoys the feeling of his cock in your warm mouth. You keep bobbing your head up and down on his throbbing erection, sucking him eagerly, wanting to make him feel as good as he made you feel. He takes a hand and slips his fingers into your hair, following your every movement. You let his cock go with a ‘pop’ and take it into your hand, jerking him off as you take his balls into your mouth, running your tongue over them, sucking them into your mouth as your thumb massages that sensitive skin under his head, making Ray jump a bit and let out a loud, animalistic groan. You take his cock back into your mouth and his balls into your hand, taking him deeper and deeper into your mouth until your nose finally touches his stomach and his cock is deep inside your throat. You feel him throb and you know he’s close so you suck him harder, putting more pressure with your mouth and you finally feel him throb in your mouth, his hot cum filling your mouth and you swallow everything he gave you quickly. You run your tongue over his head and suck it gently, which makes Ray jump from the intense pleasure of his post orgasmic state. You place one more soft kiss on his cock before you get up from the floor and join Ray in the armchair, sitting on his lap and he wraps his arms around you immediately, pulling you close as he’s placing a kiss on your forehead.
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clown family playing animal crossing
Madeline: has one of those perfect-looking pink mermaid starry forest qr code aesthetic islands that u see on pinterest or whatever and all popular villagers except for ONE "ugly" villager who she had to invite bc they were the first one at her campsite who she hated at first but now theyre her favorite and even tho she bullies villagers with nets she WILL kill you if you make fun of her ugly fav. has cherries as her home fruit
Evangeline: has all cat villagers. extremely plant-overrun island covered in trees and shrubs and flowers bc he would just plant one everytime he got that one nook miles + prompt and just never cuts them down. probably has scammed people on nookazon before (raymond in boxes ONLY ACCEPTING NOOK MILES). has apples
Francisco: neat and pretty-looking island that he decorates according to his own tastes. theres probably a music orchestra-themed area somewhere. still hasnt payed off his house debt but has sunk billions into the stalk market with no return (evangeline told him about turnip exchange but he didnt do it bc he didnt wanna get scammed). doesnt care what villagers move in and he yells at evangeline and madeline for hitting his villagers with nets. has pears
Dimitri: used to have his own save on percie's island, but then they got him his own switch and copy and he plays it on his lunch breaks. he enjoys touring the (mostly incomplete) museum and trying to decorate his house exactly like his real life one. hes that one guy who had like 700 hours in the game but only fishes in it. has peaches
Percival: the only thing they do is catch bugs. their insect encyclopedia and museum are the only complete thing on their entire island. there are bugs in cages placed all across their island. somehow happens to have really popular villagers just by coincidence. they kin flick. has oranges
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2020 in Movies - My Top 30 Fave Movies (Part 2)
20. ONWARD – Disney and Pixar’s best digitally animated family feature of 2020 (beating the admittedly impressive Soul to the punch) clearly has a love of fantasy roleplay games like Dungeons & Dragons, its quirky modern-day AU take populated by fantastical races and creatures seemingly tailor-made for the geek crowd … needless to say, me and many of my friends absolutely loved it. That doesn’t mean that the classic Disney ideals of love, family and believing in yourself have been side-lined in favour of fan-service – this is as heartfelt, affecting and tearful as their previous standouts, albeit with plenty of literal magic added to the metaphorical kind. The central premise is a clever one – once upon a time, magic was commonplace, but over the years technology came along to make life easier, so that in the present day the various races (elves, centaurs, fauns, pixies, goblins and trolls among others) get along fine without it. Then timid elf Ian Lightfoot (Tom Holland) receives a wizard’s staff for his sixteenth birthday, a bequeathed gift from his father, who died before he was born, with instructions for a spell that could bring him back to life for one whole day. Encouraged by his brash, over-confident wannabe adventurer elder brother Barley (Chris Pratt), Ian tries it out, only for the spell to backfire, leaving them with the animated bottom half of their father and just 24 hours to find a means to restore the rest of him before time runs out. Cue an “epic quest” … needless to say, this is another top-notch offering from the original masters of the craft, a fun, affecting and thoroughly infectious family-friendly romp with a winning sense of humour and inspired, flawless world-building. Holland and Pratt are both fantastic, their instantly believable, ill-at-ease little/big brother chemistry effortlessly driving the story through its ingenious paces, and the ensuing emotional fireworks are hilarious and heart-breaking in equal measure, while there’s typically excellent support from Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Elaine from Seinfeld) as Ian and Barley’s put-upon but supportive mum, Laurel, Octavia Spencer as once-mighty adventurer-turned-restaurateur “Corey” the Manticore and Mel Rodriguez (Getting On, The Last Man On Earth) as overbearing centaur cop (and Laurel’s new boyfriend) Colt Bronco. The film marks the sophomore feature gig for Dan Scanlon, who debuted with 2013’s sequel Monsters University, and while that was enjoyable enough I ultimately found it non-essential – no such verdict can be levelled against THIS film, the writer-director delivering magnificently in all categories, while the animation team have outdone themselves in every scene, from the exquisite environments and character/creature designs to some fantastic (and frequently delightfully bonkers) set-pieces, while there’s a veritable riot of brilliant RPG in-jokes to delight geekier viewers (gelatinous cube! XD). Massive, unadulterated fun, frequently hilarious and absolutely BURSTING with Disney’s trademark heart, this was ALMOST my animated feature of the year. More on that later …
19. THE GENTLEMEN – Guy Ritchie’s been having a rough time with his last few movies (The Man From UNCLE didn’t do too bad but it wasn’t exactly a hit and was largely overlooked or simply ignored, while intended franchise-starter King Arthur: Legend of the Sword was largely derided and suffered badly on release, dying a quick death financially – it’s a shame on both counts, because I really liked them), so it’s nice to see him having some proper success with his latest, even if he has basically reverted to type to do it. Still, when his newest London gangster flick is THIS GOOD it seems churlish to quibble – this really is what he does best, bringing together a collection of colourful geezers and shaking up their status quo, then standing back and letting us enjoy the bloody, expletive-riddled results. This particularly motley crew is another winning selection, led by Matthew McConaughey as ruthlessly successful cannabis baron Mickey Pearson, who’s looking to retire from the game by selling off his massive and highly lucrative enterprise for a most tidy sum (some $400,000,000 to be precise) to up-and-coming fellow American ex-pat Matthew Berger (Succession’s Jeremy Strong, oozing sleazy charm), only for local Chinese triad Dry Eye (Crazy Rich Asians’ Henry Golding, chewing the scenery with enthusiasm) to start throwing spanners into the works with the intention of nabbing the deal for himself for a significant discount. Needless to say Mickey’s not about to let that happen … McConaughey is ON FIRE here, the best he’s been since Dallas Buyers Club in my opinion, clearly having great fun sinking his teeth into this rich character and Ritchie’s typically sparkling, razor-witted dialogue, and he’s ably supported by a quality ensemble cast, particularly co-star Charlie Hunnam as Mickey’s ice-cold, steel-nerved right-hand-man Raymond Smith, Downton Abbey’s Michelle Dockery as his classy, strong-willed wife Rosalind, Colin Farrell as a wise-cracking, quietly exasperated MMA trainer and small-time hood simply known as the Coach (who gets many of the film’s best lines), and, most notably, Hugh Grant as the film’s nominal narrator, thoroughly morally bankrupt private investigator Fletcher, who consistently steals the film. This is Guy Ritchie at his very best – a twisty rug-puller of a plot that constantly leaves you guessing, brilliantly observed and richly drawn characters you can’t help loving in spite of the fact there’s not a single hero among them, a deliciously unapologetic, politically incorrect sense of humour and a killer soundtrack. Getting the cinematic year off to a phenomenal start, it’s EASILY Ritchie’s best film since Sherlock Holmes, and a strong call-back to the heady days of Snatch (STILL my favourite) and Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels. Here’s hoping he’s on a roll again, eh?
18. SPONTANEOUS – one of the year’s biggest under-the-radar surprise hits for me was one which I actually might not have caught if things had been a little more normal and ordered. Thankfully with all the lockdown and cinematic shutdown bollocks going on, this fantastically subversive and deeply satirical indie teen comedy horror came along at the perfect time, and I completely flipped out over it. Now those who know me know I don’t tend to gravitate towards teen cinema, but like all those other exceptions I’ve loved over the years, this one had a brilliantly compulsive hook I just couldn’t turn down – small-town high-schooler Mara (Knives Out and Netflix’ Cursed’s Katherine Langford) is your typical cool outsider kid, smart, snarky and just putting up with the scene until she can graduate and get as far away as possible … until one day in her senior year one of her classmates just inexplicably explodes. Like her peers, she’s shocked and she mourns, then starts to move on … until it happens again. As the death toll among the senior class begins to mount, it becomes clear something weird is going on, but Mara has other things on her mind because the crisis has, for her, had an unexpected benefit – without it she wouldn’t have fallen in love with like-minded oddball new kid Dylan (Lean On Pete and Words On Bathroom Walls’ Charlie Plummer). The future’s looking bright, but only if they can both live to see it … this is a wickedly intelligent film, powered by a skilfully executed script and a wonderfully likeable young cast who consistently steer their characters around the potential cliched pitfalls of this kind of cinema, while debuting writer-director Brian Duffield (already a rising star thanks to scripts for Underwater, The Babysitter and blacklist darling Jane Got a Gun among others) show he’s got as much talent and flair for crafting truly inspired cinema as he has for thinking it up in the first place, delivering some impressively offbeat set-pieces and several neat twists you frequently don’t see coming ahead of time. Langford and Plummer as a sassy, spicy pair who are easy to root for without ever getting cloying or sweet, while there’s glowing support from the likes of Hayley Law (Rioverdale, Altered Carbon, The New Romantic) as Mara’s best friend Tess, Piper Perabo and Transparent’s Rob Huebel as her increasingly concerned parents, and Insecure’s Yvonne Orji as Agent Rosetti, the beleaguered government employee sent to spearhead the investigation into exactly what’s happening to these kids. Quirky, offbeat and endlessly inventive, this is one of those interesting instances where I’m glad they pushed the horror elements into the background so we could concentrate on the comedy, but more importantly these wonderfully well-realised and vital characters – there are some skilfully executed shocks, but far more deep belly laughs, and there’s bucketloads of heart to eclipse the gore. Another winning debut from a talent I intend to watch with great interest in the future.
17. HAMILTON – arriving just as Black Lives Matter reached fever-pitch levels, this feature presentation of the runaway Broadway musical smash-hit could not have been better timed. Shot over three nights during the show’s 2016 run with the original cast and cut together with specially created “setup shots”, it’s an immersive experience that at once puts you right in amongst the audience (at times almost a character themselves, never seen but DEFINITELY heard) but also lets you experience the action up close. And what action – it’s an incredible show, a thoroughly fascinating piece of work that reads like something very staid and proper on paper (an all-encompassing biographical account of the life and times of American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton) but, in execution, becomes something very different and EXTREMELY vital. The execution certainly couldn’t be further from the usual period biopic fare this kind of historical subject matter usually gets (although in the face of recent high quality revisionist takes like Marie Antoinette, The Great and Tesla it’s not SO surprising), while the cast is not at all what you’d expect – with very few notable exceptions the cast is almost entirely people of colour, despite the fact that the real life individuals they’re playing were all very white indeed. Every single one of them is also an absolute revelation – the show’s writer-composer Lin-Manuel Miranda (already riding high on the success of In the Heights) carries the central role of Hamilton with effortless charm and raw star power, Leslie Odom Jr. (Smash, Murder On the Orient Express) is duplicitously complex as his constant nemesis Aaron Burr, Christopher Jackson (In the Heights, Moana, Bull) oozes integrity and nobility as his mentor and friend George Washington, Phillipa Soo is sweet and classy as his wife Eliza while Renée Elise Goldsberry (The Immortal Life of Henrietta Jacks, Altered Carbon) is fiery and statuesque as her sister Angelica Schuyler (the one who got away), and Jonathan Groff (Mindhunter) consistently steals every scene he’s in as fiendish yet childish fan favourite King George III, but the show (and the film) ultimately belongs to veritable powerhouse Daveed Diggs (Blindspotting, The Good Lord Bird) in a spectacular duel role, starting subtly but gaining scene-stealing momentum as French Revolutionary Gilbert du Motier, the Marquis de Lafayette, before EXPLODING onto the stage in the second half as indomitable third American President Thomas Jefferson. Not having seen the stage show, I was taken completely by surprise by this, revelling in its revisionist genius and offbeat, quirky hip-hop charm, spellbound by the skilful ease with which is takes the sometimes quite dull historical fact and skews it into something consistently entertaining and absorbing, transported by the catchy earworm musical numbers and thoroughly tickled by the delightfully cheeky sense of humour strung throughout (at least when I wasn’t having my heart broken by moments of raw dramatic power). Altogether it’s a pretty unique cinematic experience I wish I could have actually gotten to see on the big screen, and one I’ve consistently recommended to all my friends, even the ones who don’t usually like musicals. As far as I’m concerned it doesn’t need a proper Les Misérables style screen adaptation – this is about as perfect a presentation as the show could possibly hope for.
16. SPUTNIK – summer’s horror highlight (despite SERIOUSLY tough competition) was a guaranteed sleeper hit that I almost missed entirely, stumbling across the trailer one day on YouTube and getting bowled over by its potential, prompting me to hunt it down by any means necessary. The feature debut of Russian director Egor Abramenko, this first contact sci-fi chiller is about as far from E.T. as it’s possible to get, sharing some of the same DNA as Carpenter’s The Thing but proudly carving its own path with consummate skill and definitely signalling great things to come from its brand new helmer and relative unknown screenwriters Oleg Malovichko and Andrei Zolotarev. Oksana Akinshina (probably best known in the West for her powerful climactic cameo in The Bourne Supremacy) is the beating heart of the film as neurophysiologist Tatyana Yuryevna Klimova, brought in to aid in the investigation in the Russian wilderness circa 1983 after an orbital research mission goes horribly wrong. One of the cosmonauts dies horribly, while the other, Konstantin (The Duelist’s Pyotr Fyodorov) seems unharmed, but it quickly becomes clear that he’s now the host for something decidedly extraterrestrial and potentially terrifying, and as Tatyana becomes more deeply embroiled in her assignment she comes to realise that her superiors, particularly mysterious Red Army project leader Colonel Semiradov (The PyraMMMid’s Fyodor Bondarchuk), have far more insidious plans for Konstantin and his new “friend” than she could ever imagine. This is about as dark, intense and nightmarish as this particular sub-genre gets, a magnificently icky body horror that slowly builds its tension as we’re gradually exposed to the various truths and the awful gravity of the situation slowly reveals itself, punctuated by skilfully executed shocks and some particularly horrifying moments when the evils inflicted by the humans in charge prove far worse than anything the alien can do, while the ridiculously talented writers have a field day pulling the rug out from under us again and again, never going for the obvious twist and keeping us guessing right to the devastating ending, while the beautifully crafted digital creature effects are nothing short of astonishing and thoroughly creepy. Akinshina dominates the film with her unbridled grace, vulnerability and integrity, the relationship that develops between Tatyana and Konstantin (Fyodorov delivering a beautifully understated turn belying deep inner turmoil) feeling realistically earned as it goes from tentatively wary to tragically bittersweet, while Bondarchuk invests the Colonel with a nuanced air of tarnished authority and restrained brutality that made him one of my top screen villains for the year. One of 2020’s great sleeper hits, I can’t speak of this film highly enough – it’s a genuine revelation, an instant classic for whom I’ll sing its praises for years to come, and I wish enormous future success to all the creative talents involved.
15. THE INVISIBLE MAN – looks like third time’s a charm for Leigh Whannell, writer-director of my ALMOST horror movie of the year (more on that later) – while he’s had immense success as a horror writer over the years (co-creator of both the Saw and Insidious franchises), as a director his first two features haven’t exactly set the world alight, with debut Insidious: Chapter III garnering similar takes to the rest of the series but ultimately turning out to be a bit of a damp squib quality-wise, while his second feature Upgrade was a stone-cold masterpiece that was (rightly) EXTREMELY well received critically, but ultimately snuck in under the radar and has remained a stubbornly hidden gem since. No such problems with his third feature, though – his latest collaboration with producer Jason Blum and the insanely lucrative Blumhouse Pictures has proven a massive hit both financially AND with reviewers, and deservedly so. Having given up on trying to create a shared cinematic universe inhabited by their classic monsters, Universal resolved to concentrate on standalones to showcase their elite properties, and their first try is a rousing success, Whannell bringing HG Wells’ dark and devious human monster smack into the 21st Century as only he can. The result is a surprisingly subtle piece of work, much more a lethally precise exercise in cinematic sleight of hand and extraordinary acting than flashy visual effects, strictly adhering to the Blumhouse credo of maximum returns for minimum bucks as the story is stripped down to its bare essentials and allowed to play out without any unnecessary weight. The Handmaid’s Tale’s Elizabeth Moss once again confirms what a masterful actress she is as she brings all her performing weapons to bear in the role of Cecelia “Cee” Kass, the cloistered wife of affluent but monstrously abusive optics pioneer Aidan Griffin (Netflix’ The Haunting of Hill House’s Oliver Jackson-Cohen), who escapes his clutches in the furiously tense opening sequence and goes to ground with the help of her closest childhood friend, San Francisco cop James Lanier (Leverage’s Aldis Hodge) and his teenage daughter Sydney (A Wrinkle in Time’s Storm Reid). Two weeks later, Aidan commits suicide, leaving Cee with a fortune to start her life over (with the proviso that she’s never ruled mentally incompetent), but as she tries to find her way in the world again little things start going wrong for her, and she begins to question if there might be something insidious going on. As her nerves start to unravel, she begins to suspect that Aidan is still alive, still very much in her life, fiendishly toying with her and her friends, but no-one can see him. Whannell plays her paranoia up for all it’s worth, skilfully teasing out the scares so that, just like her friends, we begin to wonder if it might all be in her head after all, before a spectacular mid-movie reveal throws the switch into high gear and the true threat becomes clear. The lion’s share of the film’s immense success must of course go to Moss – her performance is BEYOND a revelation, a blistering career best that totally powers the whole enterprise, and it goes without saying that she’s the best thing in this. Even so, she has sterling support from Hodge and Reid, as well as Love Child’s Harriet Dyer as Cee’s estranged big sister Emily and Wonderland’s Michael Dorman as Adrian’s slimy, spineless lawyer brother Tom, and, while he doesn’t have much actual (ahem) “screen time”, Jackson-Cohen delivers a fantastically icy, subtly malevolent turn which casts a large “shadow” over the film. This is one of my very favourite Blumhouse films, a pitch-perfect psychological chiller that keeps the tension cranked up unbearably tight and never lets go, Whannell once again displaying uncanny skill with expert jump-scares, knuckle-whitening chills and a truly astounding standout set-piece that easily goes down as one of the top action sequences of 2020. Undoubtedly the best version of Wells’ story to date, this goes a long way in repairing the damage of Universal’s abortive “Dark Universe” efforts, as well as showcasing a filmmaking master at the very height of his talents.
14. EXTRACTION – the Coronavirus certainly has threw a massive spanner in the works of the year’s cinematic calendar – among many other casualties to the blockbuster shunt, the latest (and most long-awaited) MCU movie, Black Widow, should have opened to further record-breaking box office success at the end of spring, but instead the theatres were all closed and virtually all the heavyweights were pushed back or shelved indefinitely. Thank God, then, for the streaming services, particularly Hulu, Amazon and Netflix, the latter of which provided a perfect movie for us to see through the key transition into the summer blockbuster season, an explosively flashy big budget action thriller ushered in by MCU alumni the Russo Brothers (who produced and co-wrote this adaptation of Ciudad, a graphic novel that Joe Russo co-created with Ande Parks and Fernando Leon Gonzalez) and barely able to contain the sheer star-power wattage of its lead, Thor himself. Chris Hemsworth plays Tyler Rake, a former Australian SAS operative who hires out his services to an extraction operation under the command of mercenary Nik Khan (The Patience Stone’s Golshifteh Farahani), brought in to liberate Ovi Mahajan (Rudhraksh Jaiswal in his first major role), the pre-teen son of incarcerated Indian crime lord Ovi Sr. (Pankaj Tripathi), who has been abducted by Bangladeshi rival Amir Asif (Priyanshu Painyuli). The rescue itself goes perfectly, but when the time comes for the hand-off the team is double-crossed and Tyler is left stranded in the middle of Dhaka with no choice but to keep Ovi alive as every corrupt cop and street gang in the city closes in around them. This is the feature debut of Sam Hargrave, the latest stuntman to try his hand at directing, so he certainly knows his way around an action set-piece, and the result is a thoroughly breathless adrenaline rush of a film, bursting at the seams with spectacular fights, gun battles and car chases, dominated by a stunning sustained sequence that plays out in one long shot, guaranteed to leave jaws lying on the floor. Not that there should be any surprise – Hargrave cut his teeth as a stunt coordinator for the Russos on Captain America: Civil War and their Avengers films. That said, he displays strong talent for the quieter disciplines of filmmaking too, delivering quality character development and drawing out consistently noteworthy performances from his cast. Of course, Hemsworth can do the action stuff in his sleep, but there’s a lot more to Tyler than just his muscle, the MCU veteran investing him with real wounded vulnerability and a tragic fatalism which colours every scene, while Jaiswal is exceptional throughout, showing plenty of promise for the future, and there’s strong support from Farahani and Painyuli, as well as Stranger Things’ David Harbour as world-weary retired merc Gaspard, and a particularly impressive, muscular turn from Randeep Hooda (Once Upon a Time in Mumbai) as Saju, a former Para and Ovi’s bodyguard, who’s determined to take possession of the boy himself, even if he has to go through Tyler to get him. This is action cinema that really deserves to be seen on the big screen – I watched it twice in a week and would happily have paid for two trips to the cinema for it if I could have. As we looked down the barrel of a summer season largely devoid of blockbuster fare, I couldn’t recommend this enough. Thank the gods for Netflix …
13. THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 – although it’s definitely a film that really benefitted enormously from releasing on Netflix during the various lockdowns, this was one of the blessed few I actually got to see during one of the UK’s frustratingly rare lulls when cinemas were actually OPEN. Rather perversely it therefore became one of my favourite cinematic experiences of 2020, but then I’m just as much a fan of well-made cerebral films as I am of the big, immersive blockbuster EXPERIENCES, so this probably still would have been a standout in a normal year. Certainly if this was a purely CRITICAL list for the year this probably would have placed high in the Top Ten … Aaron Sorkin is a writer whose work I have ardently admired ever since he went from esteemed playwright to in-demand talent for both the big screen AND the small with A Few Good Men, and TTOTC7 is just another in a long line of consistently impressive, flawlessly written works rife with addictive quickfire dialogue, beautifully observed characters and rewardingly propulsive narrative storytelling (therefore resting comfortably amongst the well-respected likes of The West Wing, Charlie Wilson’s War, Moneyball and The Social Network). It also marks his second feature as a director (after fascinating and incendiary debut Molly’s Game), and once again he’s gone for true story over fiction, tackling the still controversial subject of the infamous 1968 trial of the “ringleaders” of the infamous riots which marred Chicago’s Diplomatic National Convention five months earlier, in which thousands of hippies and college students protesting the Vietnam War clashed with police. Spurred on by the newly-instated Presidential Administration of Richard Nixon to make some examples, hungry up-and-coming prosecutor Richard Schultz (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is confident in his case, while the Seven – who include respected and astute student activist Tom Hayden (Eddie Redmayne) and confrontational counterculture firebrands Abbie Hoffman (Sacha Baron Cohen) and Jerry Rubin (Succession’s Jeremy Strong) – are the clear underdogs. They’re a divided bunch (particularly Hayden and Hoffman, who never mince their words about what little regard they hold for each other), and they’re up against the combined might of the U.S. Government, while all they have on their side is pro-bono lawyer and civil rights activist William Kunstler (Mark Rylance), who’s sharp, driven and thoroughly committed to the cause but clearly massively outmatched … not to mention the fact that the judge presiding over the case is Julius Hoffman (Frank Langella), a fierce and uncompromising conservative who’s clearly 100% on the Administration’s side, and who might in fact be stark raving mad (he also frequently goes to great lengths to make it clear to all concerned that he is NOT related to Abbie). Much as we’ve come to expect from Sorkin, this is cinema of grand ideals and strong characters, not big spectacle and hard action, and all the better for it – he’s proved time and again that he’s one of the very best creative minds in Hollywood when it comes to intelligent, thought-provoking and engrossing thinking-man’s entertainment, and this is pure par for the course, keeping us glued to the screen from the skilfully-executed whirlwind introductory montage to the powerfully cathartic climax, and every varied and brilliant scene in-between. This is heady stuff, focusing on what’s still an extremely thorny issue made all the more urgently relevant and timely given what was (and still is) going on in American politics at the time, and everyone involved here was clearly fully committed to making the film as palpable, powerful and resonant as possible for the viewer, no matter their nationality or political inclination. Also typical for a Sorkin film, the cast are exceptional, everyone clearly having the wildest time getting their teeth into their finely-drawn characters and that magnificent dialogue – Redmayne and Baron Cohen are compellingly complimentary intellectual antagonists given their radically different approaches and their roles’ polar opposite energies, while Rylance delivers another pitch-perfect, simply ASTOUNDING performance that once again marks him as one of the very best actors of his generation, and there are particularly meaty turns from Strong, Langella, Aquaman’s Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (as besieged Black Panther Bobby Seale) and a potent late appearance from Michael Keaton that sear themselves into the memory long after viewing. Altogether then, this is a phenomenal film which deserves to be seen no matter the format, a thought-provoking and undeniably IMPORTANT masterwork from a master cinematic storyteller that says as much about the world we live in now as the decidedly turbulent times it portrays …
12. GREYHOUND – when the cinemas closed back in March, the fate of many of the major summer blockbusters we’d been looking forward to was thrown into terrible doubt. Some were pushed back to more amenable dates in the autumn or winter (which even then ultimately proved frustratingly ambitious), others knocked back a whole year to fill summer slots for 2021, but more than a few simply dropped off the radar entirely with the terrible words “postponed until further notice” stamped on them, and I lamented them all, this one in particular. It hung in there longer than some, stubbornly holding onto its June release slot for as long as possible, but eventually it gave up the ghost too … but thanks to Apple TV+, not for long, ultimately releasing less than a month later than intended. Thankfully the film itself was worth the fuss, a taut World War II suspense thriller that’s all killer, no filler – set during the infamous Battle of the Atlantic, it portrays the constant life-or-death struggle faced by the Allied warships assigned to escort the transport convoys as they crossed the ocean, defending their charges from German U-boats. Adapted from C.S. Forester’s famous 1955 novel The Good Shepherd by Tom Hanks and directed by Aaron Schneider (Get Low), the narrative focuses on the crew of the escort leader, American destroyer USS Fletcher, codenamed “Greyhound”, and in particular its captain, Commander Ernest Krause (Hanks), a career sailor serving his first command. As they cross “the Pit”, the most dangerous middle stretch of the journey where they spend days without air-cover, they find themselves shadowed by “the Wolf Pack”, a particularly cunning group of German submarines that begin to pick away at the convoy’s stragglers. Faced with daunting odds, a dwindling supply of vital depth-charges and a ruthless, persistent enemy, Krause must make hard choices to bring his ships home safe … jumping into the thick of the action within the first ten minutes and maintaining its tension for the remainder of the trim 90-minute run, this is screen suspense par excellence, a sleek textbook example of how to craft a compelling big screen knuckle-whitener with zero fat and maximum reward, delivering a series of desperate naval scraps packed with hide-and-seek intensity, heart-in-mouth near-misses and fist-in-air cathartic payoffs by the bucket-load. Hanks is subtly magnificent, the calm centre of the narrative storm as a supposed newcomer to this battle arena who could have been BORN for it, bringing to mind his similarly unflappable in Captain Phillips and certainly not suffering by comparison; by and large he’s the focus point, but other crew members make strong (if sometimes quite brief) impressions, particularly Stephen Graham as Krause’s reliably seasoned XO, Lt. Commander Charlie Cole, The Magnificent Seven’s Manuel Garcia-Rulfo and Just Mercy’s Rob Morgan, while Elisabeth Shue does a lot with a very small part in brief flashbacks as Krause’s fiancée Evelyn. Relentless, exhilarating and thoroughly unforgettable, this was one of the true action highlights of the summer, and one hell of a war flick. I’m so glad it made the cut for the summer …
11. PROJECT POWER – with Marvel and DC pushing their tent-pole titles back in the face of COVID, the usual superhero antics we’ve come to expect for the summer were pretty thin on the ground in 2020, leading us to find our geeky fan thrills elsewhere. Unfortunately, pickings were frustratingly slim – Korean comic book actioner Gundala was entertaining but workmanlike, while Thor AU Mortal was underwhelming despite strong direction from Troll Hunter’s André Øvredal, and The New Mutants just got shat on by the studio and its distributors and no mistake – thank the Gods, then, for Netflix, once again riding to the rescue with this enjoyably offbeat super-thriller, which takes an intriguing central premise and really runs with it. New designer drug Power has hit the streets of New Orleans, able to give anyone who takes it a superpower for five minutes … the only problem is, until you try it, you don’t know what your own unique talent is – for some, it could mean five minutes of invisibility, or insane levels of super-strength, but other powers can be potentially lethal, the really unlucky buggers just blowing up on the spot. Robin (The Hate U Give’s Dominique Fishback) is a teenage Power-pusher with dreams of becoming a rap star, dealing the pills so she can help her diabetic mum; Frank Shaver (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is one of her customers, a police detective who uses his power of near invulnerability to even the playing field when supercharged crims cause a disturbance. Their lives are turned upside down when Art (Jamie Foxx) arrives in town – he’s a seriously badass ex-soldier determined to hunt down the source of Power by any means necessary, and he’s not above tearing the Big Easy apart to do it. This is a fun, gleefully infectious rollercoaster that doesn’t take itself too seriously, revelling in the anarchic potential of its premise and crafting some suitably OTT effects-driven chaos brought to pleasingly visceral fruition by its skilfully inventive director, Ariel Schulman (Catfish, Nerve, Viral), while Mattson Tomlin (the screenwriter of the DCEU’s oft-delayed, incendiary headline act The Batman) takes the story in some very interesting directions and poses fascinating questions about what Power’s TRULY capable of. Gordon-Levitt and Fishback are both brilliant, the latter particularly impressing in what’s sure to be a major breakthrough role for her, and the friendship their characters share is pretty adorable, while Foxx really is a force to be reckoned with, pretty chill even when he’s in deep shit but fully capable of turning into a bona fide killing machine at the flip of a switch, and there’s strong support from Westworld’s Rodrigo Santoro as Biggie, Power’s delightfully oily kingpin, Courtney B. Vance as Frank’s by-the-book superior, Captain Crane, Amy Landecker as Gardner, the morally bankrupt CIA spook responsible for the drug’s production, and Machine Gun Kelly as Newt, a Power dealer whose pyrotechnic “gift” really isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Exciting, inventive, frequently amusing and infectiously likeable, this was some of the most uncomplicated cinematic fun I had all summer. Not bad for something which I’m sure was originally destined to become one of the season’s B-list features …
#onward#onward movie#The Gentlemen#spontaneous#spontaneous movie#hamilton#hamilton movie#sputnik#sputnik movie#The Invisible Man#Extraction#extraction movie#the trial of the chicago 7#greyhound#greyhound movie#project power#2020 in movies
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